Red Rocks Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
When Stephen showed from Israel's history that the Council had sinned just like their fathers, but to a greater degree because they had rejected the Messiah, instead of responding with humble repentance, they reacted with murderous rage. When the Word of God convicts your heart, you have a choice to make: humbly agree with the truth or stubbornly resist it.
Filled with the Spirit, Stephen bears witness to Jesus as the Son of God, which results in his death as the Church's first martyr. By following Stephen's example, we can grow in our ability to be faithful witnesses of Jesus.
If we fail to see or refuse to accept the role the Bible gives to the congregation, there will be no way to have a healthy, unified church. Preaching Big Idea: As the body of Christ, the role of the congregation is to hold forth the glorious gospel of Jesus in both word and practice.
Biblical clarity about pastors increases trust and teamwork within a local church by removing confusion, setting proper expectations, and increasing unity as we serve the Lord together.
In our culture, the common and "acceptable" type of pastor bears little to no resemblance to the biblical model. God requires pastors to be men of integrity so that their lives and ministries will point attention only to Jesus Christ, not themselves.
The apostles created a group of "helpers", in part, to protect their ministry of prayer and the Word, which laid the foundation for the NT's teaching on the role of local church pastors. A biblically faithful pastor must lead the church to follow Jesus and obey His mission by laboring in the ministry of prayer and the Word.
When we choose to live in our own strength and by our own rules, we are not following our Head. When a church is disconnected from the Head, it will wither and die. As our Head, Jesus wants a vibrant and healthy body. He wants us to be a healthy church, and he is working constantly to make that happen.
The qualifications of a deacon calls for him to be a man with proven integrity who leads his family well. Our church should follow the early church's process of selecting scripturally qualified men to be deacons.
There are many churches who approach the office of deacon like this—with no guidance, training or job description. The apostles worked with the congregation to appoint seven "helpers" to meet the member care need that threatened to both upset the unity of the church and distract the apostles from their ministry.
Naturally we have one of two wrong responses to escalating pressure. Either we shy away from conflict and shut down when opposition intensifies, which mutes our witness. Or we explode on the opposition and become argumentative, harsh and unkind, which throws away our testimony. When opposition intensifies, God's Spirit grants us courage to overcomefear and accomplish our mission.
James gives us a description of what godly wisdom looks like and how we can avoid worldly wisdom.
Even today, Satan can subvert the church and try to destroy Christ's body from the inside (using spiritual trojan horses). We must not be ignorant of Satan's tactics and schemes.
Following Jesus with our finances is first and foremost a matter of faith, believing that heavenly treasure is greater than earthly wealth and that God can provide for our needs better than the money in the bank.
The NT's teaching about "grace giving" calls believers to imitate Jesus' generosity by freely and joyfully using God's resources to contribute to His kingdom work. Many Christians don't practice biblical stewardship because they haven't been taught what the Bible says about giving.
Do you talk about Jesus as often or as regularly as you want? Peter, John and the healed lame man boldly declared the power of Jesus' name and turned the tables on the religious leaders, putting them on trial at a higher court before a greater Authority. The fuel that propels us to faithfully talk about Jesus is to regularly be with Jesus, communing deeply with Him.
With much exposure to Scripture and a familiarity with the Bible comes the temptation to dismiss Jesus. Understanding the truth about Jesus leads to only one logical conclusion: follow Him.
Christians can hear the name of Jesus so often that they take Jesus for granted and thus grow comfortable, even apathetic, to Him. But Acts 3 is clear that Jesus is God's Agent who does God's will and brings salvation to the world.
The prosperity gospel, by crook or by hook, has seeped into gospel-preaching churches and into the hearts of Bible-believing Christians. The gospel's true objective is not to make us materially and physically prosperous, but to proclaim the message of eternal life and forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name.
Jesus is the Great Shepherd who leads the sheep. To follow him, we must know how he leads. The Shepherd leads us as our provider, protector, and Lord.
Many people in our culture think of Easter more as a day for chocolate and cute bunnies. Resurrection Sunday is so much more than that. When Jesus rose from the dead, He opened the door to eternal life for everyone who trusts in His name. This is what makes the resurrection so important.
What is a culture of grace? A united gathering of redeemed sinners who live life through a gospel lens, remembering God's mercy to them, celebrating God's grace in the gospel, humbly relating to others, and treating others as Christ treats them. Sadly, when it comes to church cultures, many Christians have sad stories about sinful church cultures full of conflict, selfish rivalry and disunity.
The early church quickly began to live out their faith in Christ, united in doctrine and practice. The early church's example shows us principles and applications that we can wisely apply to our context as we seek to know Christ and make him known.
Many churches and many Christians view church membership in the same way: quaint, a relic from a bygone era. Peter called the crowd to respond to the shocking news that they crucified the Messiah by repenting, believing in Jesus, being baptized in His name, and forming the first local church. Every believer in Jesus must be baptized and should become part of a local church.
That the Spirit has arrived, the last days begun through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, who has poured out the Spirit, which proves that Jesus of Nazareth is both Lord and the Messiah.
Without a biblically accurate understanding on the Spirit's ministry, we'll have wrong expectations about how the Spirit works today. Wrong expectations result in both an incorrect view and practice of ministry.
What should we do when God says, "wait"? Waiting is not passively sitting back and doing nothing. The disciples waited for the promised Holy Spirit by preparing for theSpirit's arrival. In a season of waiting, God calls us to exercise faith by actively preparing for Him to work.
Many Christians treat the ascension as an afterthought, or just as a simple fact, which hinders us from seeing and experiencing its impact on our Christian walk. Jesus' ascension infuses us with strength and confidence as we embrace our role as Jesus' witnesses.
What is Christ's vision for the church? Every Christian should be and can be part of Christ's vision.
My fear as we begin a study of the book of Acts is that we view Acts in the same way many people view history: boring, dry, unimportant, and totally irrelevant to my Christian life today. This morning, we will look at four reasons that show Acts is relevant to the church today.
We can get so comfortable focusing on the vertical reality of personal worship and individual growth that we minimize or even neglect the biblical emphasis on relationships.
Often churches and Christians have made the mistake of trying to make the Christian life all about a set of rules. We can see in Scripture habits that help us to follow Jesus.
A disciple's heart of love for God and others proves their identity as a Christ follower and motivates them to live completely for Christ.
What is a disciple? We will not be effective disciples of Jesus who seek to make more disciples of Jesus if we don't realize that being a disciple is a core part of who we are.
How can you make your life more Word-centered and Scripture-saturated? Psalm 119 highlights three actions steps that lead us toward God's blessing as we make our lives more Word-centered and Scripture-saturated.
Scripture's genealogies help us make key connections to better understand what God has been up to, is now up to, and will be up to! Align your perspective for the future and plan accordingly.
The Christmas story is filled with encounters. People came face-to-face with the truth of his coming and responded to it. Some responses were positive while others were negative. Likewise, we have a choice in how we respond to Christ. We must respond with joyful worship.
Deep in the heart of every person is the temptation to be ashamed of the cross. The cross of Jesus has redefined the believer's life and thus become the source of his or her boast.
Why do so many Christians fail to do good? It really comes down to one of two problems: either they aren't Spirit-filled, or they don't really understand the gospel. Spirit-filled believers will do good.
In this passage, Paul gives us two rules that enable us to live consistently with the gospel. These rules are simple, clear, and effective, yet many believers act like they don't exist.
When sin trips up a fellow believer, you must perform a spiritual rescue by following God's rescue manual. This is God's chosen way of restoring relationships, yet many times Christians ignore or choose not to follow this plan.
The reason many Christians are not happy in life is because they are not fruitful. The fruit of the Spirit adorn a Christ-centered life and characterize a community of grace.
Too often we think about spiritual growth in individualistic terms and forget this basic reality: we display these fruits through our interactions with others. The fruit of the Spirit adorn a Christ-centered life and characterize a community of grace.
How little we understand the nature of sin and the magnitude of its rebellion against the glory of God. The flesh produces sinful works that the believer must kill.
How little do we understand the nature of sin and the magnitude of sin's rebellion against God's glory? The flesh produces sinful works that the believer must kill. Because the flesh powerfully fights against the Spirit, you must daily be killing sin or it will kill you.
Many believers don't understand what it means to walk in the Spirit, so their Christian experience is weak, and they often fall back into sin. This robs them of the joy of the Christian life. Believers defeat the desire of the flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit as they walk by Him and are led by Him.
Believers are called to have peace in our hearts. Yet many of us do not experience the peace and strength that the Bible calls us to enjoy. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, nations come and go- but our God is sovereign over all, and His kingdom will last forever.
Americans can easily and wrongly assume that Christian liberty is the same thing as American liberty. The appropriate exercise of our freedom in Christ is loving service to other believers.
It's hard to tell the difference between the truth and lies because false teaching is intentionally meant to look good. Because our age is saturated with false teaching, we must spot and resist false teaching to remain faithful to the Lord.
The Galatians had to embrace their freedom in Christ because there is no spiritual middle ground-without Christ is spiritual death, with Christ is spiritual life. Jesus Christ is the only place of spitual safety.
God is good and gracious. He showed that character to the people of Nineveh. However, Jonah did not respond well to this gracious character. We must give grace.
Paul uses an allegory to communicate a key doctrinal truth in Galatians 4-21-5-1. What truth is he trying to communicate-- He is calling believers to stand fast in the freedom Christ has brought to them.
We cannot assume that just because we've heard the gospel and believe it that our lives match it. Paul expresses his pastoral, personal concerns over the Galatians' openness to this other false gospel.
Adoption is one of the pictures we get of being in the family of God. But, what is adoption-- Adoption is the gracious action of God whereby a former rebel and stranger becomes part of God's family and enjoys all the blessings and privileges of this new family relationship.
The Bible's story shows that our spiritual transformation from slaves to sons depends on God's gracious action, not on our works.
What is Baptism according to the Bible-- In today's sermon, Pastor Zach breaks down what the Scriptures have to say on the issue.
The person who trusts in Jesus by faith becomes united to Jesus. When we don't know about or don't understand this truth about our union with Christ, our understanding of the Christian life is incomplete, and our enjoyment of Jesus is shallow. We are united to Christ-
Life likes to throw us curveballs, and our typical response is discontentment. Through our relationship with Christ, we can have contentment in every situation.
Why was the Law given-- The Laws purpose was to expose sin as transgressions and its function was to imprison people under sin until the Seed came, shattering their self-righteousness so that they would be ready for Christ to come.
Are God's promises more frequently talked about or trusted-- Do we simply discuss them or depend upon them-- Because God will always keep his promises, you can always trust God when He makes a promise.
The Abrahamic blessing, enjoyed only by Abraham's true children, is received by faith in the Abrahamic Seed, Christ, who removed the curse of the Law by His death on the cross.
This type of text is very important for us as we grow in our faith- it does not give us commands to obey or principles to live by, but it shows us the scale and scope of God's purposes across history. The Abrahamic blessing enjoyed only by Abraham's true children is received by faith in the Abrahamic Seed, Christ, who removed the curse of the Law by His death on the cross.
The Christian life is by faith from start to finish through the Spirit's power. Christians can succumb to a works-based, performance-driven, flesh-energized approach to the Christian life instead of walking by faith.
How did the early church respond to the first threats against their evangelistic preaching-- They asked the Lord to intervene by sharing the problem, seeking the Lord in prayer, and as a result were filled with the Holy Spirit who empowered them to continue speaking with all boldness.
Gospel rejection is a reality in gospel ministry. This tension prevents us from sharing the gospel and discourages us when we are rejected. How do we handle gospel rejection-- We must embrace it with the love Christ showed to us.
Christians have the privilege of introducing people to Jesus. With the Lord's help, we can overcome the fear, tension or awkwardness of introducing people to Jesus.
How did Jesus develop redemptive relationships-- Jesus is our greatest example in developing relationships with which to share the gospel. We must follows his example.
What result does justification have-- It results in a new spiritual life that is lived by faith through the believer's union with Christ.
Justification is by faith alone. When we understand the truth of the gospel more deeply, we can then live it out more completely and boast in our Savior more passionately.
How can you be right with God-- You can be right with God only when you put your faith in Jesus alone.
Christ's resurrection grants us a living hope. We can live triumphantly because of our risen Savior. Because Jesus is alive, our hope is alive-
Gospel living is just as important as gospel teaching. Paul publicly rebuked Peter because Peter's hypocritical actions compromised the truth of the gospel and led others into error.
We cannot pass off responsibility to share our faith to the church corporately. Yet we shouldn't believe that witnessing is a solo sport either. Gospel advance is accomplished through teamwork and partnerships.
Paul's second trip to Jerusalem clarified the message of the gospel. When believers clarify the gospel, we elevate it to its rightful place of priority and prominence. Clarity elevates the gospel.
Each of us builds our life on a foundation. What foundation will we choose-- Because the Bible is true, we must make it the foundation of our lives.
Paul's conversion story shows us the life-giving, hope--energizing, eternity-altering reality of the gospel. If God by his grace could save a blaspheming, murderous persecutor of Christ's body, then no one if beyond the reach of God's grace-
Many Christians struggle with doubt. How do we handle that in light of Scripture-- Because the Bible is true, reliable and can be trusted, it can answer our doubts and strengthen our faith.
What is the gospel-- It is importnat that we know because a confused gospel is no gospel at all. The true gospel is the good news that, according to God's will and for God's glory, Jesus died and rose again in our place to forgive our sins and deliver us from the present evil age that we live in.
Faith leads us to trust God, especially in life's brokenness. Habakkuk responded to God with deep, faith-filled trust. So can we.
When we are burdened with life's brokenness, what will keep our faith steady-- Taking the long view of history will keep our faith steady. History is moving toward a determined and definite end-Christ's kingdom ruling over all.
We often find ourselves wondering why God allows bad things to happen in this world. Our questions must be met with faith. Faith is our lifeline that clings to the Lord through life's brokenness.
How do we live in a broken world-- Habakkuk addresses life in a broken world and how we are to respond.
Job was a man who knew about God, but in Job 42, Job came to truly see God. We must do the same.
The work of God in Jesus' birth ignites joyful worship. Mary responded to the work of God in Jesus' birth with worship that we can immitate in our own lives.
Mary responded to Gabriel's announcement regarding the birth of Jesus with great humility, willingly submitting to the Lord's plan. The magnitude of Jesus' birth calls for us to respond with deep humility as well.
If we are not careful, the American Dream can subtly shift into the American Idol. We must treasure Christ more than all this world has to offer.
The Lord's Table helps us to treasure Christ. It resets our hearts as we focus on Jesus.
Christian service is essential for success in the spiritual life. Each of us must evaluate and improve our serve.
How do we advance the gospel-- The gospel advances when ordinary believers share their treasure. We must rely on the Lord to lead us to people who need Christ while living out our faith in Him.
We are more devoted than ever before to things that don't really matter instead of devoting ourselves to prayer. We must be devoted to prayer because prayer is real ministry that accomplishes real-spiritual results.
When Christians work just like the rest of the world, the rest of the world thinks that Christianity doesn't work. Christian work is different and does work- Christians are called to honor God in their work.
Christ-Treasuring worship, rightly understood and practiced, glorifies God as God and satisfies our hearts in our Creator as we embrace what we were designed to do and to be.
Worship can be a touchy issue. Yet, we all must have a proper understanding of it. Worship must flow from a hart that treasures Christ and edifies the body.
So many things characterize our lives, but what should characterize a Christian-- If we treasure Christ, there will be a certain flavor that is in every believer's life. That is the flavor of Thanksgiving.
Forgiveness must be practiced even in the most hurtful of situations. Believers have Christ as our example and our motivation. Pastor Zach explores what biblical forgiveness is and how it is practiced.
In order to grow spiritually, we must not simply put off sinful-things but put on Christlike character. Christians who treasure Christ will seek to be like Christ.
One of the biggest obstacles to a unified church is pride. Our self-ambition and conceit get in the way of Christlikeness. The church must be united in order to function properly so each member of the body must embrace humility.
God's glory is foundational to all that we do. As believers, our goal must be to glorify God. Is God worth it to you-- God is worthy of all glory and we must respond appropriately.
Our words can do great damage to those around us. How do you use your words-- Pastor Zach dives into how our words must be changed by changing our hearts.
Our trust in God and our obedience to Him are vital to our Christian life. Abraham trusted God and followed God's command. Pastor Jerry explains how Abraham responded and how we can apply those truths to our lives.
Believers are called to serve God and love the things that He loves. The world and its system opposes God's plan and purposes for our lives. Pastor Jerry show us from the Bible why we should not love the world.
To be like Christ is one of the greatest goals of a Christian. The process in which that happens is not clear to many Christians. How do we biblically change-- This week, Pastor Zach explores how this happens in the life of a believer.
Sexual temptation is everywhere in our culture. How do we overcome it-- Sexual temptation is harmful to the believer, but the bible gives clear directions on how to overcome it.
Have you ever told somebody to -get a grip--- Sometime we have to tell ourselves that- Anger is an issue that we all struggle with, but it can be overlooked in our hearts. Pastor Zach explains what anger is and how to root it out of our lives.
The world is constantly pulling our hearts and minds away from God. However, God wants our affections to be set on heavenly things. This week, Pastor Zach explores what that means how we can glorify God with our affections.
What can make you spiritually complete-- Pastor Zach dives into that question and how the answer eliminates all other alternatives.
God has called each believer to exercise biblical discernment in all areas of life. What does that look like-- Pastor Zach explores how we can make decisions that are excellent and reflect biblical principles.
Our world bombards us with ideas and philosophies that are contrary to Scripture. This week, Pastor Zach explore how the believer can navigate these dangerous waters.
What is the most important purpose of the church-- This week, Pastor Zach highlights our relationship with Christ as the key goal of the church.
Pastor Zach explores the the believer's relationship with suffering from the book of Colossians. He believer will face suffering. How should we handle it--
Pastor Zach continues his series through the book of Colossians. In today's sermon, Pastor Zach covers Colossians 1-21-23. This passage highlights the work that Christ has done on our behalf. We have been reconciled to God-
Pastor Zach continues his series through Colossians. This week, he focuses on what Paul gave thanks for and how we can give thanks for these things as well.
If you have been born again, but have not yet been baptized, you should present yourself for baptism in demonstration of your faith.
Self-denial that is motivated by the spiritual benefit of others is unquantifiable godliness.
We can fall into the subtle trap that contentment comes with a change in my circumstances. We may even be guilty of trying to micromanage God--
Our trials reveal our true self. Consider that when the Apostle Paul was in a Roman prison joy - even thankfulness oozed out of his heart-
Have you considered that He might want to redirect your life-- Are you willing to suffer hardships in this world to bring others to eternal life in the next--
Jesus in His death was able to proclaim victory. While His people mourned and wrapped up His body believing that was the end, He was working, He was proclaiming victory, and showing His power and glory.
Jesus accepted what appeared to be -Mission Impossible- but returned to heaven able to say, -Mission Accomplished--
Two Old Testament passages describe the death of Christ with remarkable thoroughness and arresting vividness. The first is Psalm 2, written a thousand years before Christ- the second, Isaiah 53, penned 700 years before Jesus was born. This is one of the most outstanding examples of prophetic accuracy and scriptural infallibility. There can be no doubt that the person described in this 53rd chapter of Isaiah is Jesus Christ.
We must strengthen the ties of our faith - so we don't deny Him during our darkest days and worst trials
Everyone appreciates a little applause now and then, a pat on the back, a word of encouragement, and some public recognition. From what I read in the scriptures that only happened once in the life of Christ, it is known as the Triumphal Entry. Examining the story gives us greater insight into what our Lord is like and wants from us.
Because your thinking is the key to spiritual growth, you must develop the ability to reason biblically by rooting your thinking in Scriptural truth.
When it is all said and done in this life do you know Jesus so intimately that He can sustain you through the unbearable times- Joseph did.
C. E. Macartney said, -Whatever heaven is, and wherever it is, this much is certain - we shall never be able to tell not a half nor a hundredth part of what it is truly like.-
In a general sense the Apostle Paul is presenting to the Church at Corinth his Apostolic Resume. And in so doing he exposes us to his life of trials which reveal his heart for souls.
Satan has a counterfeit gospel -Gal 1-6-12- that involves a different savior, and a different spirit. All false teaching ultimately has its source in Satan because he is the -father of lies.-
I would like to assist you today, using the Word of God, in the Development of Your Personal Purpose Statement. I would ask you to write some things down today - even if you are not normally a note taker.
1 Corinthians 13 gives us three major reminders as we resolve to grow in our practice of biblical love this year.
Worship involves understanding who the Lord is and what He has done, then honoring Him with what we have.
Are you where God wants you, doing what He wants you to be doing- There is always room in the kingdom for another servant.
In this first section Paul gives some divine insight for the Christian soldier waging spiritual warfare.
Spiritually speaking, we reap what we sow, we reap after we sow, and we reap more than we sow.
After Paul's appeal to the Corinthians to follow through with their promised good intentions, he explains that the monies will be handled with the upmost honesty and transparency.
With the Spirit's guidance, Paul describes for the Corinthians and us what -grace giving- looks like up close.
As Paul reviews the circumstances that brought the Corinthians to repentance, we understand that sorrow can produce joy.
Do you get excited and motivated about ministry- True Christians, committed believers should-
We focus on getting out of dire situations instead of learning to rely on Christ more completely.
Those who attempt to serve God in any age will face discouragement i.e. human limitations, the indifference of people, or the aggressiveness of evil. But Paul gives us some reasons for encouragement, and we should learn them well.
In the New Testament Jesus Christ lifts the veil on His Bride, the Church, not so He can see us better but to allow us to see Him better- God has established two covenants with mankind. The first or -Old- Covenant was replaced by the second or -New- Covenant because of its superiority.
By God's grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit all of us should be writing -love letters- - individuals brought to salvation in Christ through our witness.
Paul explains how his travel plans had changed, how the church should treat a repentant brother, and ultimately how Christ will lead them into victory.
The combination of wealth, exotic location, and travelers from throughout the ancient world made Corinth especially wicked. The term -Corinthian- became synonymous with immorality and drunken debauchery. A great place to start a church-
We know God gave His best for us. So, to the best of our limited, human ability may we give our all for Him.
I have observed at least three common disorders, which can afflict the parent-teen relationship, they are....
Mom and Dad this world seeks to capture and destroy the mind and soul of your child, they need your protection.
As believers we have been given the grace to finish a more important race as we follow Christ our Champion.
Will you believe that Jesus is risen from the dead, or will you reject the truth- This decision, to believe, is what will fundamentally change your life.
If all we needed was emotional rest, we could go on vacation. But what Christ is addressing, and people need more than anything is spiritual rest. Hebrews 4-9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God
Even if billions more of sinful people are born - Christ's death is sufficient to cover the sins for all. How graphically the atoning work of Christ reveals to us the heart of God for the salvation of sinners
This four-step practice equips us to every good work and usefulness to God. We should be using these verses -2 Tim 3-16-17- as a yardstick to measure our growth in Christlikeness.
The antidote to stress, anxiety, confusion, and worry is faith in God- a resolute trust that Jesus is in control, and that He is preparing the very best outcome for His followers.
Jesus promises eternal life based upon your response to three statements found in this text.
The means of victory over temptation is not in what man can do alone but is bound up in the faithfulness of God. God will always provide an escape route, an exit strategy a way of deliverance.
A person's behavior is not changed until their character is changed and their character is not changed until their nature is changed and that is a result of becoming a new creature in Christ.
The lost world and often disobedient Christians try to ignore or bury their sin and guilt - but it still haunts them. Those who try to cover their sin will find that God always uncovers it. But when we confess our sins God covers them - permanently - with his blood.
Christians are susceptible to drifting from God's will. One of the best ways to prevent that is to understand and obey Galatians 2-20.
We all face feelings of weakness and inadequacy. Good news our Heavenly Father's strength has no limits-
Have you ever pondered what that this verse in Matthew quoted from Jeremiah has to do with the Christmas story- I believe it would be profitable for us to ponder it.
Probably all of us have had expectations about Christmas that have not lived up to reality. No doubt the Magi who visited Jesus had very different expectations than what they found. Let's make some observations from the story of the Magi.
Two thousand years ago, Heaven's goal was realized- Christ provided salvation for a hopeless and hurting world.
Let's ponder for a few moments this new heaven and new earth that God creates for us to enjoy throughout eternity.
There is a scheduled appointment with death that no one will escape, and for those who die in their sins they will stand before God's Great White Throne and be sentenced to eternal punishment.
Because the resurrection affects every person, you must understand the Bible's teaching on the resurrection of the dead.
While our objective is to examine the major texts, we do not want to lose sight of the fact that Jesus Christ is coming in glory to claim the victory He won at the cross.
Today we will look at one of the great periods of God's judgment upon mankind, known as the Tribulation.
What does the Bible say about the End Times- In the next several weeks I hope to help you develop and better understand -God's Revelation Concerning the Future.-
This nation enjoyed strong Christian influence in its founding, but we have drifted dangerously in the last half-century.
As Paul neared the end of his earthly life, his words are a triumphal epitaph, a shout of praise to God, and an encouraging promise for every believer.
Paul is trying to get through to Timothy. . .never confuse prominence with significance. No God-directed ministry is small or unimportant in God's eyes.
In the days ahead, the escalation of violence against the church of God by the kingdom of darkness will intensify. We are to stand strong- we are to practice discernment, we are to rely on the Spirit.
A survey of this chapter shows how demanding the work of ministry is giving us a composite portrait of the ideal Christian Laborer. By God's grace, we should aspire to be all that we can be, to accomplish all that is pleasing to Him.
Paul seems to be hammering home this truth- that blessing comes through endurance, fruit comes from toil, life through death, and glory through suffering. Wildly unpopular in our day, but it is an invariable law of Christian life and service.
Sometimes people move beyond self-examination to self-excommunication at the Lord's Table.
Let us examine the first two verses of 2 Timothy, which are foundational if a ministry is to be perpetuated.
Stories of bravery inspire us. Human nature tends to shrink away from danger and suffering. We need great examples and stirring encouragement. In the face of suffering Paul's charges Timothy to remain loyal to the truth of the Gospel.
Paul realized his life and ministry would soon be over and in this intimate letter he passes the torch to his son in the faith. He urges him to persevere in strength and faithfulness.
I must admit that in my 40 years of ministry I have never spoken on the topic of racism. But like other important issues modern man faces, the Bible does have much to say on this issue of which we will only be able to skim the surface in this sermon.
Virtual church may be a wonderful stopgap during an exceptional period, but it is not a permanent replacement for weekly worship gatherings.
There are several truths that Believers need to get their arms around because they affect our daily living as well as our perspective on life for the upcoming year. One of those teachings is the Rapture and Resurrection of Believers.
Successful mothers are more than survivors, they are overcomers and influencers despite difficult situations-
One of the major themes Paul addresses in Galatians is -freedom- and how we can be emancipated from our sin.
I want to speak of the grace of God that river of love, flowing from the throne of God to the heart of the needy sinner. Grace is glory in the bud- and glory is grace in full bloom. This passage shows that grace operates in a threefold way.
When was the last time you repented and asked for forgiveness- To God or another person-
The most beneficial transaction of all time took place on Calvary where Jesus was crucified.
Those who attempt to serve God in any age will face discouragement. But Paul gives us some reasons for encouragement and we should learn them well.
See if you identify with the Psalmist's -Asaph- struggle and the perennial problem of evil in our world.
It is human to worry and becoming a Christ follower doesn't necessarily exempt us from this bane. But God's Word does give us a prescription for our cares and worries
Pandemics will continue to happen, but paranoia should not be the Christian's response.
Clarifying questions we can use as we face doubtful areas not directly discussed in scripture.
Often as Christians we act like we are in competition with one another instead of accepting one another in love and rejoicing over one another's victories.
Spiritual maturity is often seen in discernment- recognizing what is rightfully yours but willingly relinquishing it - that others may be edified and unified.
When it comes to doubtful matters, Paul's advice for every believer to use his mind renewed by scripture, coupled with the Holy Spirit's leading, and then act accordingly.
Christian people will have different opinions, different views, and different convictions. Paul was concerned that differences in non-essentials could lead to divisions. So, he addressed them in Romans 14-15.