Faith Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Greg Burdine
When someone tells us what to do, the issue is not what but who.
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All authority is established by God.
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Rebellion against authority brings judgment from God.
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Obedience to authority brings protection through God.
In no other letter does Paul end with a statement of his love. but it was profoundly needed fractured Corinth. Paul had been stern with the believers, but he closed his letter by assuring them of his love. We can learn three principles of love.
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One of the best ways to truly communicate our love to others is through personal presence, warm greeting, and proper touch.
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For those who love the Lord, the coming of Christ means blessing and reward.
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For those who do not love the Lord, the coming of Christ means judgment and cursing.
We can be generous with our money and time. Yet, they are valueless without people. The church's greatest asset is people. Paul concludes his first letter to the church in Corinth by mentioning four people. We can learn some 'people' lessons from them.
- Timothy: Respect (v. 10-11)
It is not the person who honors the work but the work which honors the person.
- Apollos: Balance (v. 12-14)
There is a balance between firmness and gentleness, between power and love.
- Stephanos: Servant Leadership (v. 15-18)
Christian leadership is earned through humble service.
- Aquilla and Priscilla: Dedication (v. 19)
People with dedication and sacrifice to the local church are not easy to find, but they are a great asset to the Lord's work.
We all have the same amount of time. However, not everyone spends time wisely. Paul's example presents wise advise for radical generosity of our time.
- Conditional Plans (v. 5-7)
Time is a coin that you can only spend once. Use it. Invest it. Make it count.
- Cautious Progress (v. 8-9)
When opportunity knocks, open the door. Faith will help you walk through.
We have more so we can give more. Giving is an act of worship. Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to give to help the poor saints in Jerusalem. Though Paul's instructions are for a special collection for a particular purpose, we can discover some practical lessons on giving.
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Giving should be planned.
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Giving should be personal.
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Giving should be proportionate.
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Giving should be private.
Are we there yet? It's one of those questions we hear on a long trip. We often think the destination is the only thing. but sometimes the journey is just as important. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is talking about our ultimate destination and final victory. But the Bible says more to say about how we live during our journey than our destination. We must be ready to go... but we must be willing to stay.
I have summarized my sermon in one sentence:
I am not yet what I will be but I live my here and now in view of my there and then.
This body we live in is temporary. It gets sick, it breaks down, it gets old and we die. Our body is not designed to house an eternal soul for eternity. Every single person has an eternal soul which gives life to these temporary bodies. For the believer in Jesus, our hope is for our future body. What is it like?
- Our future body will be opposite our temporary body.
Corruptible vs. Incorruptible
Dishonorable vs. Glorious
Weak vs. Powerful
Natural vs. Spiritual
- Our future body will be like Jesus.
More than wishful-thinking, hope sustains you. Hope is at the center of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel gives hope.
- The Consequences of No Resurrection.
If there is no resurrection:
Jesus wasn't raised
Our message is hollow.
Our faith is empty.
We are liars.
We are still in our sins.
The dead are lost.
- The Consequences of Jesus' resurrection.
Future Consequences: Because of the resurrection of Jesus we resurrect and evil will end.
Present Consequences: Hope to endure suffering, conquer sin, invite sinners.
More than wishful-thinking, hope sustains you. Hope is at the center of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel gives hope.
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The Gospel gives hope if it is received.
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The Gospel gives hope because if forgives.
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The Gospel gives hope because if continues.
The Gospel is only good news if it reaches people on time.
The Gospel is only good news if it is accepted by individuals.
The Corinthian church had problems in their worship service. People proudly paraded their gifts. Instead of pointing to Jesus, they were pointing to themselves.
Principles on Prophecy and Tongues:
Prophecy: the gift of proclaiming God's Word which had previously been unrevealed.
Tongues: the gift of speaking in another language previously unknown by the speaker.
Prophecy is a greater and more useful gift than tongues (v. 1-6). Without interpretation, tongues serves little purpose (v. 7-19). The primary purpose of tongues was a sign to unbelieving Jews (v. 20-22). The improper use of tongues could turn unbelievers away from God (v. 23-25). To guard against the misuse tongues, there should not be more than three speakers, one at a time, with an interpreter (v. 26-35). The public worship of God is to be tactful and orderly (v. 36-40).
The Purpose of Public Worship:
- The public worship service should benefit Christians.
- The public worship service should reach nonChristians.
A good worship service edifies, encourages, and comforts the believer and informs, challenges, and warns the unbeliever.
Our world throws around the word "love" constantly and carelessly. "Love" is used to describe our feelings for everything from God to chocolate, from cars to pets, from football to family. Sadly, the kind of love implied today bears little resemblance to the meaning of the love in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13 states the meaning beautifully.
Love is an eternal, essential action.
- Love is eternal (v. 8-13)
Love is the one quality of the Christian life that is both alive now and forever.
- Love is essential (v. 1-3)
You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. 3. Love is an action (v. 4-7)
Positive: Love is patient, kind, rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Negative: Love is not jealous, does not brag, is not arrogant, is not rude, doesn't seek itself, is not easily provoked, does not rejoice in evil.
The ability to love like this can only come from love's source - God.
The Corinthian church was gifted. But rather than acting like adults with valuable tools, they were more like children fighting over toys. We can learn some valuable lessons about spiritual gifts and the unity of the church
The Unity of the Church (v. 1-13)
Four knots bind the church together:
We confess the same Lord. We depend on the same God. We minister to the same body. We have experienced the same baptism. The Variety in the Church (v. 14-31)
The body needs different functions if it is to live, grow and serve. The members promote unity as they discover their dependence on one another. The diversity of members fulfills the will of God in the body. Three principles to remember:
We are different from one another. We need each other. We are to care for one another. What can you do?
Discover your gift. Accept your gift. Practice your gift. Link with other gifts.
The Corinthians were having some problems in the public worship service. They were having trouble with contemporary styles and abuses of the Lord's Supper. Though Paul gave specific instructions, the principles about worship are timeless.
- Public worship should honor authority (v. 1-16)
What we are on the outside should represent who we are on the inside.
- Public Worship should unite the church (v. 17-22)
A church is not true to itself if it isn to a place of sharing together.
- Public worship should exalt Jesus (v. 23-34)
The Lord's Supper is a family meal. The Lord of the family desires His children to love and care for one another.
When it comes to public worship:
Do I dishonor authority? Do I despise the church family? Do I discern the body?
Paul cautions believers that the free use of liberty could lead them into sin and judgment. When faced with deciding the gray areas, think of:
- God's Blessings (v. 1-4)
Spiritual blessings are no guarantee of continued blessings.
- God's Judgment (v. 5-12)
We are in a dangerous situation when we think sin doesn't matter.
- God's Promise (v. 13-22)
God is faithful. He keeps temptation from being so strong you can't stand up against it.
- God's Glory (v. 23-33)
Because you can do something doesn't mean you should do something.
A Christian should be willing to set aside their right to exercise Christian freedom for the sake of fellowship with God and with one another.
Our Christian liberty must be exercised responsibly. Paul gives his personal testimony of giving up his rights as an apostle to further the Gospel.
- The Apostle has a right to earn a living (v. 1-14)
Paul argues from: Paul's apostleship; Human experience; Old Testament Law; Old Testament Priests; Jesus' Teaching.
- The Christian has a right to give up rights (v. 15-27)
The Christian should give up rights for three reasons:
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The Gospel's Sake
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The Unbeliever's Sake
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Our own Sake
In many areas, what is right and wrong is pretty clear. However, some activities are not black and white. In these gray areas, Christians disagree. In Paul's day, the issue was meat offered to idols. In our day, the issues are multiplied.
In the gray areas, Christians are free to choose. But Christian liberty must be surrendered to Christian love for the weaker Christian. Mature Christians have knowledge that certain activities are permissible. What should we know about such knowledge?
- Knowledge is not enough (v. 1-3).
It's not what you know but who you know. It's not who you know but who knows you.
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Knowledge is important (v. 4-6)
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Knowledge and Love must work together (v. 7-13)
Two Principles:
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What is okay for one person may not be okay for another.
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What we ought to do should take priority over what we want to do.
Job is known for his patience in tribulation. However, he is a role model for a father. He had ten children and prayed for each of them. Fathers (and mothers) are encouraged to learn a listen and pray for their children.
Job was blessed with: - Godly Character - Great Wealth - Many Children
Job prayed for his children. We can learn from him and pray for our children. - Pray for Character. - Pray for God's will. - Pray for Salvation
Three Lessons from the family life of Job: 1. Don't allow God's blessings to lead you away from God. 2. You can't control your children but you can pray for them and influence them with your godly example. 3. Prayer doesn't work the way we want it to.
If there was ever marriage 'made in heaven', Adam and Eve had it. It was perfectly planned and perfectly formed by a perfect Father. But the 'honeymoon' would not last.
- The Perfect Marriage is God's Ultimate Goal and Desire.
- God sculpts a perfect man and builds a perfect woman for a perfect marriage.
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A perfect home is one of harmony and transparency.
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The Perfect Marriage is Attacked by Satan.
- Satan attacks the home by attacking God's Word.
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Never trade temporary pleasure for permanent regret.
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The Perfect Marriage can be restored.
- Sin results in Pain and Death.
- Sin results in Shame and Blame.
- Only Jesus can restore what was lost in Eden.
Do you trust me? The answer to this question reveals your faith in the one who asked the question. Trust is important in family. In the story of Abraham and Sarah, we discover some lessons about faith and trust.
- Faith is revealed in submission.
- Submission isn't about authority. Submission is about love and trust.
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Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
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Faith is always attacked.
- After a time of great faith there will be times of attack.
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Faith is not about everything turning out okay. Faith is about being okay no matter how things turn out.
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Faith always wins.
- Faith does not make things easier. It makes things possible.
Be strong. Have faith. Trust God.
David's responsibilities at home prepared him to face the giant, Goliath. The key responsibility of parents is to prepare children for their future.
The key to success is confidence. The key to confidence is preparation.
The best preparation for tomorrow is hard work today.
We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can prepare our children of the future.
Lessons learned in David's home to make him a giant-killer:
- Work
- Duty
- Courage
- Compassion
- Skill
- Trust
Success occurs when opportunity and preparation meet.
By God's grace and through Noah's obedience, Noah's family survived a worldwide flood. We will learn some lessons from his story for our family.
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By God's grace and your obedience you and your family can survive any storm.
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You are safer with God in the middle of a storm than you are anywhere else without Him.
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Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is.
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To have God in your life doesn't mean sailing on a boat with no storms. It means having a boat that no storm can sink.
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The only way to avoid life's final storm is to place your faith in Jesus Christ for the salvation God provides.
What can we do for our family in the storms of life? (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
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Personal devotion.
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Public Action.
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Passive Reinforcement.
Every family is dysfunctional. Every home needs improvement. What do we need to know about a dysfunctional family?
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A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.
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Little adjustments lived consistently make the biggest changes over time.
Hanna's family was pretty messed up. Her husband had two wives and they did not get along. Hannah felt the stress and friction and wanted to improve her family life. We can learn four lessons from her story:
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You are responsible for your life. You can't keep blaming somebody else for your dysfunction.
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You may not be able to control the noise, but you can control the volume.
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Rather than striving for perfection, pray for direction.
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God is able to give you the desires of your heart. Ask Him! Trust Him!
As wonderful as it is, marriage does not automatically solve every problem. Paul shares four advantages of single life.
Staying unmarried is desirable, but isn't demanded.
Advantages of Singles:
1: Singles will encounter less distress from a hostile world.
2: Singles will experience fewer difficulties on a personal level.
3: Singles can expect fewer distractions from time spent on spiritual matters.
4: Singles can enjoy greater concentration in their relationship with God.
Recommendations for Singles: Rejoice, Reverse, Relax.
Changing marital status does not alleviate problems. It often complicates life. Paul applies the life principle of contentment to marriage. Use your present circumstance to honor God and God will bless your present circumstance.
Life Principle: Be content where you are, who you are with, and what you are doing.
Application to:
Social Revolution: Change the world one soul at a time.
Marriage/Family: Live in the moment.
Personal: The heart of the problem is the problem in the heart.
Contentment is realizing that God has provided everything you need for your present happiness.
Marriage is designed by God to be happy and fulfilling. But this plan of God for love and affection is often destroyed by sin and selfishness. Nobody wants an unhappy marriage. What is God's answer?
For widows and single: Stay unmarried to avoid conflict.
For Christian marriages: Stay together or divorce and remain single.
For Mixed marriages (Christian/nonChristian): Stay together or be divorced and free.
(Every situation is unique. This wise counsel is for a specific circumstance. God never commands but does permit divorce and remarriage for adultery or desertion.)
How to have a Happier Marriage:
- Pray
- Forgive
- Remember
- Build
- Stay
The circumstances in the city of Corinth were such that members of the church questioned if they should get married. Paul's answer helps us understand marriage, singleness, and the good and bad of both.
Truth summary: It is good, if you are single, to not have physical intimacy with anyone. It is bad, if you are married, to not have physical intimacy with your spouse.
Wisdom to the Single: It all begins with you.
Wisdom to the Married: You are not your own.
It is better to remain single than...
-marry someone who does not share your love of God. -marry for the wrong motives. -marry without being willing to give yourself to another completely.
It is better to marry if... -your life will be more complete with someone else. -God leads you to someone you love and loves you. -You are willing to spend the rest of your life giving rather than receiving.
There are many reasons for getting married. Many human needs are met through marriage. But marriage is much more than meeting your needs. God has designed marriage for three primary purposes.
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Marriage provides companionship.
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Marriage produces children.
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Marriage presents Christ.
A Christian marriage involves three commitments: 1. Receive your spouse. 2. Leave your parents. 3. Cleave to your spouse.
If there was ever a day that gives us hope, it is Easter Sunday. Jesus was dead. When people die... they don't come back. Hope is gone. Normally, that's how it works. But Easter reminds us that is hope available because Jesus didn't stay dead. He came back to life. What can we do when our hope is gone?
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When hope is gone, friends stay.
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When hope is gone, Scripture guides.
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When hope is gone, Jesus walks.
The Corinthians had 'gone wild' because they thought it really didn't matter what they did. They failed to make the connection their actions had on their faith. Christians still repeat their error. But our actions do matter. They should reflect our our faith. Christians will never be sinless until we get to Heaven. But we should sin less. Why should Christians sin less?
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You are a saint not a sinner.
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You are free to not sin.
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You are connected to God.
In Corinth, church members were taking church members to court. God wasn't too happy about it. While it is not wrong to take someone to court, the selfish public behavior of Christians must stop. Whether a court case or an argument, we discover three reasons Christians should not have selfishly in public.
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Selfish Public Behavior destroys Christian testimony. Christ's reputations is more important than my rights.
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Selfish Public Behavior doesn't solve problems. Spiritual problems need spiritual solutions. Every problem is spiritual.
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Selfish Public Behavior defeats your victory. If you fight to win, you've already lost.
Christians are not perfect. But they should want to be perfect. What happens when Christians act like nonChristians? How should the church respond? Paul walks us down three steps to deal with sin in the church family.
Step #1: Mourn over the sin
Step #2: Judge the sin
Step #3: Purge the sin
People make foolish choices. Unwise decisions lead them down a path headed for destruction and regret. What can we do? How can you help people change? Learn lessons from the Apostle Paul. Rather than guilt and shame, he was used tender persuasion. Christians can persuade people to change with four steps.
Step #1: Close Relationship
Step #2: Godly Example
Step #3: Friendly Reminder
Step #4: Strong Confrontation
Pride destroys relationships. At the heart of the problems in Corinth was pride. They thought they were successful and mature. They were satisfied with their spirituality, leadership and quality of life. But Paul dealt with the hart of their pride problem. We can ask ourselves four questions that reveal our pride or humility.
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Am I a King or a Prisoner?
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Am I Wise or Foolish?
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Am I Strong or Weak?
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Am I Honored or Despised?
To the Corinthians the Christian life meant flaunting their privileges and reckoning up their achievements. To Paul it meant humble service and a readiness to die for Christ. Who are you most like?
Are you successful? What measure do you use to measure success? The world measures success by profit, prosperity, or prestige.
How does God measure success? We’ll see from scripture that God measures success by faithfulness. How faithful are you? God wants us to be faithful to what He has called us to do. We discover three lessons about service and faithfulness.
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Exercise faithfulness.
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Treat lightly people's opinions of you.
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Leave judgment and criticism with the Lord.
It seems everybody is telling us how to get rich. Nobody is telling how to be rich. As we begin the February sermon series "Improving Your Serve" we discover how to use our time and money. Paul challenges those who are rich to be good at being rich. Today we will personalize his challenge.
I will not trust in my riches but in God who richly provides.
Since I have more I should give more and do more.
I can't take it with me. But I can send it on ahead.
Leadership is strategic to unity. God uses people to lead His church. Leaders choose how they will lead. We discover three aspect of church life.
1 - Church is a Family. The goal is Maturity. (3:1-4)
2 - Church is a Garden. The goal is Growth. (3:5-9)
3 - Church is a Building. The goal is Stability. (3:9-23)
We all like to get along and live in harmony. Whether it be in our marriage, family, work, neighborhood, or church - it just seems better when we're working together. The Holy Spirit will help us live in unity. We learn three valuable lessons.
1 - The message of the Gospel is simple, basic, and powerful.
2 - When you receive the Son of God you also receive the Spirit of God.
3 - The Spirit of God will reveal the Word of God to unite the People of God.
The Corinthian church was a divided church. So Paul appealed for their unity by emphasizing the cross of Christ. The cross not only unites church members, it also unites families, races, communities, countries and the world. Jesus and His cross are the greatest means to unite people. So today we will discover some lessons.
1 - One of the greatest opportunities to impact an unbelieving world is the unity of believers.
2 - Jesus is the only one who can unite people.
3 - The cross divides humanity but unites believers.
4 - It is when we realize our weakness and lack of wisdom that we are made strong and wise.
The one fact that most Christians know about the Corinthian Church is that it was a mess – full of problems, sins, division, heresy. Much like today's church and today's Christian. Yet, Paul was thankful. How? How can we be confident that God will make something beautiful from our mess?
1 - Focus on God's grace rather than your faults. 2 - Focus on God's faithfulness rather than your frailty.
In the game of chess, each piece is unique in looks and ability. In life, you are unique. God wants you to spend your unique life for His purpose. Begin the new year by discovering your unique purpose.
1 - The purpose of life is to glorify God. (1 Cor. 10:31) 2 - Love God by loving others. (Mark 12:30-31) 3 - By serving others we serve God. (John 13:15, 17) 4 - Serve others as the unique you. (Romans 12:4-5) 5 - There is no greater act of worship than giving God all of you. (Romans 12:1)
Many have already opened Christmas gifts. Others have gifts to open tonight or Christmas Day. Imagine unwrapping some special gifts - the Christmas gifts of hope, love, joy, and peace.
1 - The Gift of Hope (1 Peter 1:3-4) 2 - The Gift of Love (John 3:16) 3 - The Gift of Joy (Luke 2:10; John 10:10) 4 - The Gift of Peace (Luke 2:14; Isaiah 9:6)
Unwrap the gift of Jesus and receive these gifts.
The Gifts of Christmas: Peace (Luke 2:13-20)
Life can become very chaotic and stressful. Life has always been and will continue to be a struggle. But how do we discover the gift of peace? What do we learn about the peace announced to the shepherds by the angels?
"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace"
1 - God is glorified with the birth of this child. Peace begins when God is glorified. 2 - Peace is spread everywhere this child is received. Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
- Peace with God. (Romans 5:1)
- Peace in your soul. (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Peace with others. (Romans 12:8)
The Gifts of Christmas: Joy (Luke 2:8-12)
If there is a single word that describes what Christmas is all about, I like to think it's the little word 'joy.' Christmas is a delightful disruption of the way things normally go. In Luke 2 we uncover the joy of Christmas.
1 - Joy is Available. 2 - Joy is Given. 3 - Joy is Jesus.
Receive the gift of joy. Receive Jesus.
The hardest arithmetic ito master is to count our blessings. Cicero once said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." Paul reminds us "in everything give thanks for this is the will of God..." (1 These. 5:18). Gratitude is not only good manners it is good for you. Gratitude has the potential to change everything from its ordinary state to being a gift. Once you see it as a gift, it changes your attitude and actions. Gratitude expressed as "Thank You" has the power to change everything.
One man thanked Jesus for his healing and it made him whole. We can discover in Luke 17:11-19 why thank you is powerful.
1 - Thank You shifts the focus. 2 - Thank You connects to power. 3 - Thank You focuses on reality. 4 - Thank You moves think to do. 5 - Thank You makes you better.
How will I express Thank You today?
Jerel is pastor of The Hope Center in inner city Detroit. His challenge to share the Gospel was part of our 2017 Missions Conference.
Many reject Christianity because of its 'old-fashioned' attitudes toward sex. A correct view of Biblical sexuality is needed. We uncover three principles from Genesis 1 & 2.
1 - Sex is Good. 2 - Sex is Valuable. 3 - Sex is Powerful.
Heaven is the hope our goal of the Christian life. What is it like. From John 14:1-6 we discover three aspects of heaven.
1 - Heaven is a real place. 2 - Heaven is a personal place. 3 - Heaven is a holy place.
The concept of Hell is one of the greatest stumbling blocks for many. But we can't escape the fact that hell is a central teaching of the Bible, especially Jesus (Luke 17:19-31; Matthew 8:12; 25:41,46; Mark 9:43,48, etc.). Why is hell a very important doctrine?
1 - Hell is just. 2 - Hell is appropriate. 3 - Hell is painful.
Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?
The short answer is 'Yes. Jesus is the only way to Heaven.' Why? Because He said so in John 14:6. Discover three reasons why Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
1 - Jesus is God
2 - Jesus forgives sin
3 - Jesus leaves no other option
Death is a reality we all face. it's not surprising that one of the fundamental concerns of humanity is this: Is there life after death? The problem is people don't return from the grave. Not usually. History does record one convincing account of a person that died and lived again - Jesus Christ. If Jesus rose from the dead, then we have hope of a life after death. Today we will discover three proofs that affirm Jesus rose from the dead in John 20:1-18.
1 - An Empty Tomb 2 - The Grave Clothes 3 - Personal Eye Witnesses
If God is all-powerful then He should be able to eliminate evil and suffering. If God is all-good then He should want to. But maybe there is a good reason He allows evil and suffering. We will discover why there is evil and suffering.
One objection that people have to Christianity is that it is too narrow. Aren’t all religions pretty much the same when you get right down to it? They’re all trying to get to God, right? Let's discover what the four top world religions teach about God and how to get to Him.
All religions require a person to DO something to reach God. Only Christianity teaches that God has DONE something for us to reach Him.
The vast majority of the world's population believes that God exists. But that doesn't mean it's true. So we will discover three reasons to demonstrate that God's existence is reasonable.
1 - The Universe
2 - The Creator
3 - Our Morality
So what's at stake? If God exists, it all belongs to Him. We should give our lives to Him. If God doesn't exist, you have lost nothing. But it takes more faith to believe there is no God than to believe that there is.
Does life have meaning? If there is no meaning, we have no purpose. But everyone feels the desire to know why we are here. What am I living for?
Nothing has meaning in itself. People give things meaning.
True meaning comes from the author - God.
The Bible claims Jesus is:
The Author of Life (John 1:3)
The Source of Eternal Life (John 10:28)
Jesus made 2 claims about the meaning of life:
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You belong to God. (Mark 12:14-17)
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Life is about relationship (Mark 12:28-31)
"The heart is restless until it rests in God."
If your are ever running on empty, stop to refuel. God has given us a principle of the Sabbath. We will learn that God has designed the Sabbath as a day of physical and spiritual rest.
How to Remember the Sabbath:
- The Sabbath is a Day of Rest.
- The Sabbath is a Day of Worship.
If your are ever running on empty, slow down. Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Today you will discover how hurry negatively effects you and how to slow down.
3 Strategies to Slow Down: 1. Learn Contentment (Philippians 4:11) 2. Listen Before Speaking (James 1:19) 3. Pause and Pray Before a Decision (Proverbs 19:2)
Have you ever wanted to quit? Quit your job, your family, your marriage, your church, your life? You need help to keep you from running on empty. You need to lighten the load. In Hebrews 12:1, Pastor Burdine will help you discover three essentials to live faithful.
- Learn from other faithful people.
- Let go of negative baggage.
- Live out the life God gives you.
Have you ever been sick of being sick? Any illness, especially long-term, will leave you empty not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and financially. We find a woman in the Bible whose sickness left her completely empty but she met Jesus. Learn four lessons...
- When you're at the end of your rope, you'll find the hem of His garment.
- Faith is the choice to trust Jesus even when the outcome is uncertain.
- One touch of Jesus is worth a lifetime of struggling.
- God loves you as if you were the only one to love.
Elijah was stressed out. He was running on empty but God met Him and filled His tank. We can learn from his experience.
Sources of Elijah's Stress:
- Victory
- Fear
- Isolation
- Self-pity
What did God give Elijah?
- Rest
- Rediscover God
- Reassignment
- Relationships
What is your favorite summer fruit? I love strawberries. We learn a lesson about summer fruit from the nation of Israel. Like summer fruit, God gives us blessings. Like summer fruit, we need to appreciate them now. Remember God in the middle of your blessings.
Remember God's blessings now because the end is near.
Remember God's blessings now because it will never be this way again.
Remember God's blessings now because you may not get another chance.
Somebody getting hit in the face with a pie is funny. But disrespect in a family is not funny. Our society tends to minimize honor to parents. But you will discover three reasons why it is important to honor your dad, regardless of your age.
- Honor your dad because he knows more than you.
- Honor your dad because disobedience is dangerous.
- Honor your dad because it makes it easier to honor your Heavenly Father.
From the miracle of Jesus' feeding of 5,000, learn principles of compassion for the hungry and hurting.
Humility is the initial and vital attribute of a follower of Jesus. It is who we are. Learn some principles of humility.
People who are good at being rich learn how to give away their money. Learn 7 Godly principles of giving.
Are you a person free from anxiety and worry because things are right between yourself and others? That's Peace! Discover this life 'game changer.'
Joy is the deep inner contentment in Jesus which is not contingent on circumstances. Discover this 'game changer.'
A well-rounded Christian sacrificially and unconditionally loves and forgives others. Attitudes, lives, and priorities revolve around loving God and neighbors. Discover this 'game changer.'