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2 Chronicles 20Prayer (vv. 1-4)A. When the world attacksB. seek the Lord.Preaching (vv. 14-17)A. Do not fearB. Do not falterC. Do not fightPraise (vv. 20-23)A. The praising choirB. The providential confrontationC. The promised confusionPower (vv. 27-30)A. The rejoicing of Gods peopleB. The reputation of Gods peopleMore to ConsiderWorship is all that we are, reacting rightly to all that He is. How broad is the biblical concept of worship? And how accurate is your perception of it? Worship is to the Christian life what the mainspring is to a watch, what the engine is to a car. It is the very core, the most essential elementJohn MacArthurWhen faced by a combined army of the Moabites and the Ammonites, two ancient enemies of Israel (Gen. 19:3038; Deut. 23:3; Neh. 13:1ff), Jehoshaphat put his faith in the Lord, and God gave him a great victory. The combination of prayer (20:313), prophecy (20:1417), and praise (20:1822) brought him the victory. (We wonder how the choir of Levites felt about going out before the army. But worship is a great weapon against the enemy.)Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbes Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (2 Ch 1336). Victor Books.It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.C S LewisWhat comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.A.W. Tozer
Psalm 24The Range of Worship (vv. 1-2)The fullness of worshipThe foundation of worshipThe Requirements of Worship (vv. 3-6)Our partPure handsPure heartHis partBlessingRighteousnessThe Reception of Worship (vv. 7-10)Lift up our heads: attentionLift up our doors: welcomeMore to ConsiderWhat is worship? Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Are in Heaven.A.W. Tozer, quoted in D.J. Fant, A.W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1964, p. 90. True biblical worship so satisfies our total personality that we don't have to shop around for man-made substitutes. William Temple made this clear in his masterful definition of worship: For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose -- and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our sin and the source of all actual sin. Warren W. Wiersbe,The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991.Barclay quotes William Temple, the renowned archbishop of Canterbury, as defining worship as quickening the conscience by the holiness of God, feeding the mind with the truth of God, purging the imagination by the beauty of God, opening the heart to the love of God, and devoting the will to the purpose of God Matthew R. Mounce.I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. If it were possible for a created soul fully to 'appreciate,' that is, to love and delight in, the worthiest object of all, and simultaneously at every moment to give this delight perfect expression, then that soul would be in supreme blessedness. To praise God fully we must suppose ourselves to be in perfect love with God, drowned in, dissolved by that delight which, far from remaining pent up within ourselves as incommunicable bliss, flows out from us incessantly again in effortless and perfect expression. Our joy is no more separable from the praise in which it liberates and utters itself than the brightness a mirror receives is separable from the brightness it sheds. C.S. Lewis.
The Cross (vv. 5-8) A. Christ willingly surrendered His self-willed deity B. Christ willingly submitted to the limitations of humanity C. Christ willingly succumbed to an agonizing death 1. Agonizing physically 2. Agonizing emotionally 3. Agonizing spiritually The Crown (vv. 9-11) A. Christs exaltation 1. The Father exalted His Person 2. The Father exalted His Position B. Christs glorification 1. Global 2. Universal C. Christs vindication More to Consider Definitions of Political Systems Communism: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and gives you part of the milk. Socialism: You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. Fascism: You have two cows. The government takes both cows and sells you the milk. Nazism: You have two cows. The government takes both cows, then shoots you. Bureaucracy: You have two cows. The government takes both of them, shoots one, milks the other, then pours the milk down the drain. Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one of them and buy a bull. In a democracy, everyone has two cows, then a vote is taken, and whatever the majority decides to do, you do, and that's no bull! Pulpit Helps, August, 1992, p. 8. I want to give a word of caution here. Be very careful about calling Jesus your Lord if He is not your Lord. He made the statement that many would call Him Lord, Lord, and even perform miracles in His name, yet He will say, I never knew you (see Matt. 7:2123). My friend, you had better know Him as your Savior before you say He is your Lord. If He is your Savior, then you can become obedient to Him as your Lord. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Philippians/Colossians) (electronic ed., Vol. 48, p. 53). Thomas Nelson. The person with the submissive mind, as he lives for others, must expect sacrifice and service; but in the end, it is going to lead to glory. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Joseph suffered and served for thirteen years; but then God exalted him and made him the second ruler of Egypt. David was anointed king when he was but a youth. He experienced years of hardship and suffering, but at the right time, God exalted him as king of Israel. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 7677). Victor Books.
Live as a Light in Darkness (vv. 11-15)Infiltrate but do not imitateIlluminate but do not alienate Cooperate but do not deviateLive in Liberty Under Direction (v. 16)Freedom in the world Freedom from the worldLive by Love Amidst Desperation (v. 17)Considerate love to the unsavedSacrificial love to the savedReverential love to Savior Respectful love to the sovereignsMore to ConsiderYears ago, the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light.They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor's saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience.Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, he laid aside his pen, renounced his atheism, and received Jesus as his personal Savior.Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others. Sign in an executive's office: "What I am about to say represents one four-billionth of the world's opinion."Jack Williams, Phoenix Gazette.Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.J.O. Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, p. 24.An elderly gentleman was sitting on a park bench, basking in the sun, when another elderly fellow sat down. They looked at each other for a moment but did not speak. Both men sat there, staring straight ahead.After a while, one of them heaved a big, heartfelt sigh.The other jumped up immediately and said, "If you're going to talk politics, I'm leaving."Bits Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 7.The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.Plato.
The Dread of the Cross (vv. 27-29)The Sons resolveThe Fathers reassuranceThe Necessity of the Cross (vv. 30-33)The wonder of the crowdThe weight of the crucifixionJudgment of sinDestruction of SatanRedemption of humanityThe Brilliance of the Cross (vv. 34-36)The blindnessThe brightnessWalk in the lightBelieve through the lightLive by the lightMore to ConsiderThe government of Polish Prime Minister Jaruzelski had ordered crucifixes removed from classroom walls, just as they had been banned in factories, hospitals, and other public institutions. Catholic bishops attacked the ban that had stirred waves of anger and resentment all across Poland. Ultimately the government relented, insisting that the law remain on the books, but agreeing not to press for removal of the crucifixes, particularly in the schoolrooms.But one zealous Communist school administrator in Garwolin decided that the law was the law. So one evening he had seven large crucifixes removed from lecture halls where they had hung since the school's founding in the twenties. Days later, a group of parents entered the school and hung more crosses. The administrator promptly had these taken down as well.The next day two-thirds of the school's six hundred students staged a sit-in. When heavily armed riot police arrived, the students were forced into the streets. Then they marched, crucifixes held high, to a nearby church where they were joined by twenty-five hundred other students from nearby schools for a morning of prayer in support of the protest. Soldiers surrounded the church. But the pictures from inside of students holding crosses high above their heads flashed around the world. So did the words of the priest who delivered the message to the weeping congregation that morning. "There is no Poland without a cross."Chuck Colson, Kingdoms in Conflict, pp. 202-3.All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning. Oswald Chambers.
Adapted from an outline by Warren W. WiresbeHuman Life is a Gift from God (vv. 9-10)Is it worth it?Life is God-givenHuman Life is Linked to Eternity (v. 11)Human perspectiveGods planHuman Life Can be Enjoyed Now (vv. 12-15)A current enjoymentA coming reckoningMore To ConsiderIt is possible to view these verses as the basis of hope rather than despair. Since all has been determined by God, there is purpose and meaning in the events of life. Since there is a set time for everything, there can be a sense of security. Instead of despair, there can be delight: He has made eveything beautiful, that is, right or proper for its time (v. 11). God has both purpose for and relationship with man. That God remains in charge of all events is a common Old Testament concept. Schultz, C. (1995). Ecclesiastes. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 439). Baker Book House.Without God, everything suffers in the futility of temporality. The pleasures and even the good works of this life are simply a means of marking time until its inevitable cessation, when everything will be snatched from our grasp. The Preacher highlights the permanence, completeness and security that are to be found in the realization that God has an eternal purpose in all that he does. This purpose is to engender fear into the heart of man! This fear may initially bring thoughts of dread and terror to the heart of man, but its intent is to give recognition of Gods awesome power and authority. Winter, J. (2005). Opening up Ecclesiastes (pp. 5556). Day One Publications.Get the right perspective. When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He's so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and thought, "He's so big I can't miss." God Can Make It Happen (Victor).
The Laws for Humanity (vv. 1-17)Laws concerning our relationship to God (vv. 1-11)1. Worship no other gods2. Do not make idols 3. Do not misuse Gods name4. Keep the Sabbath holyLaws concerning our relationship to others (vv. 12-17)5. Honor your parents6. Do not murder7. Do not commit adultery8. Do not steal9. Do not lie10. Do not covetThe Lord of Humanity (vv. 18-21)Fear of the dramaFear of the DivineMore to ConsiderThe Function of Human GovernmentThe general function of human government, as instituted by God, may be said to be threefold: to protect, punish, and promote.The Function of Protection: The moment Adam sinned it was obvious that civilizations would need some form of restraint and rule to protect citizens from themselves. An example of this function is seen in Acts 21:27-37 where Roman soldiers step in and save Paul from being murdered by his own enraged countrymen in Jerusalem.The Function of Punishment: Both Paul and Peter bring this out. Paul writes that duly appointed human officials are to be regarded as God's servants to "bear the sword," that is, to impose punishment upon criminals (vv. 3,4). Peter tells us that governors are "sent by him for the punishment of evildoers" (1 Pet 2:13, 14).The Function of Promotion: Human government is to promote the general welfare of the community where its laws are in effect. Paul commands us to pray for human leaders "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Tim 2:1,2). New King James Version Notes, Thomas Nelson, p. 11521 Peter 2:13, Our Responsibility to Human GovernmentIt is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian and a bad citizen at the same time. As children of God our responsibility to human government is threefold:We are to recognize and accept that the powers that be are ordained by God. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." (Rom 13:1) This truth applies even to atheistic human governments unless, of course, the law is anti- scriptural. In that situation the believer must obey God rather than man (Acts 4:18-20). In fact, when Paul wrote those words in Romans 13:1, the evil emperor Nero was on the throne. See also Titus 3:1.We are to pay our taxes to human government (Matt 17:24-7; 22:21, Rom 13:7).We are to pray for the leaders in human government. "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1 Tim 2:1-3).We are to take responsibility for the right ordering of civil society without falling prey to the idea that it is within our power to build the Kingdom of God on earth.Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium, 1994.
The Conflict (v. 1)The inquiryThe indictmentThe Cause (vv. 2-3)Our selfish preferencesOur selfish pleasuresThe Conviction (vv. 4-5)Charge of adulteryCheating on GodThe CureHumility before GodProximity to GodPurity in GodMore to ConsiderThe two major ideas vying for supremacy within the last century and a half are state run, centrally planned communism (and its little brother, socialism) and free market, private property centered capitalism. Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute, presenting for the internet think tank PragerU.com, demonstrates the goal of both political ideologies to work for the basic common good. Quoting Frederic Hayek, Brooks says,Whats the best way to help poor people escape poverty? Progressives and conservatives have very different answers to this question, but before we explore those answers, lets agree on this: Both progressives and conservatives believe that the government has a moral obligation to help those who, through bad luck or unfortunate circumstances, cant help themselves. Heres what a conservative icon, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Frederic Hayek, said on the subject:There is no reason why, in a society that has reached the general level of wealth ours has attained, the first kind of security should not be guaranteed to all...some minimum of food, shelter, and clothing sufficient to preserve health and the capacity to work.Whatever the media might tell you, there isnt a conservative out there who would not agree with Hayeks statement.Both philosophies seek to turn collective attention toward a common good, and both have been and are being tried to various levels of success. However, both are human constructs and, therefore each have their weaknesses. Mike FarleyIn the absence of a compelling external authority that enables us to draw the line confidently between right and wrong, true and false, we are left to fumble about with only our feelings to guide us. And are these feelings not often driven by self-desire and self-justification? Feelings are notoriously unreliable as a guide to belief or behavior. David F. Wells
The Satanic Treachery (vv. 1-5)God lied to youGod is holding out on youThe Seismic Tragedy (v. 6)Eve was deceivedAdam was deliberateThe Selfish Terror (vv. 7-10)They were now self focusedThey were now self consciousThey were now selfishThe Societal Tearing (vv. 11-13)Adam - That womanEve That snakeThe serpent UmmMore to ConsiderHad Adam and Eve retained their original state, they never would have died. But Eve and then Adam yielded to the serpent's temptation, and death came into the world. Before that moment, they were in a beautiful, pristine state. They existed on a level far above the present condition of the human race. It is difficult to imagine what man was like then by viewing him as he is now. It would require something like trying to reconstruct the original version of an aircraft from its wreckage. If we knew nothing of flying, we would hardly suspect that it had once soared above the earth. The material would be the same; the capability of flight, however, would be lost.David Breese, Living For Eternity, Moody Press, 1988, p. 99.The center has not been lost. What has been lost is our ability to see it, to recognize it, to bow before it, to reorder our lives in light of it, to do what we should do as people who live in the presence of this center, this Other, this triune, holy-loving God of the BiblePaul's statement is that, since the fall, we have "worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator" (Rom. 1:25). David F. WellsAs long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on thing and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.C.S. Lewis Indeed, has God said ? was his introductory question for Eve (3:1). Modern paraphrase: Are you sure thats what God said? Are you certain that is what he meant? Eve had a perfectly clear commandment from God. But the serpent planted seeds of doubt in her mind. He does the same in our minds: Maybe that verse doesnt really mean what it looks as if it means. Maybe God doesnt mean for us to take that literally. Maybe Maybe Maybe Satans strategy is to make us doubt the reliability and applicability of the clear teachings of Scripture. We must not believe him! Strassner, K. (2009). Opening up Genesis (pp. 3233). Day One Publications.
Genesis 1:26-31, 2:15-17 God Given Animation (1:26a)Gods life (Gen. 2:7)Gods likenessGod Given Authorization (1:26b-27)God is the OwnerHumanity is the managerGod Given Aspiration (1:28-31)Have a fruitful lifeEnjoy a fruit-filled lifeGod Given Limitation (Gen. 2:15-17)One forbidden treeOne fearful warningMore to ConsiderA biblical answer explains why all of life has become disordered. As the twenty-first century is beginning in the West, part of that disorder is the sense that life has no center, that it is adrift, and that it has no meaning. This answer, which explains all of this, is sin. And this is the normative answer. It does not change. This, in every age, is the answer that explains life's disorder. The center has not been lost. What has been lost is our ability to see it, to recognize it, to bow before it, to reorder our lives in light of it, to do what we should do as people who live in the presence of this center, this Other, this triune, holy-loving God of the BiblePaul's statement is that, since the fall, we have "worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator" (Rom. 1:25). David F. WellsSo, to eliminate any confusion on this point, I am going to give you a short quiz. In the Christian Story, who is the creator and sustainer of the universe? Who is the Lord, the master of the universe? Who is all-powerful? Who is the center of the universe? The answer to each of these questions is, of course, Godthe God who is completely distinct from the rest of his creation. Gregory KouklSovereignty or governance means to be in control of or to be in charge of. Sovereignty concerns not only Gods right to control all, but also His actual sovereign dominion over all things. Sovereignty is based in several of His attributes since God is allpowerful, allknowing, allwise and allgood. This is because God knows the best thing to do and has the power to do it. He is prior to all things, produces all things, sustains all things, transcends all things, knows all things, can do all things, owns all things, rules over all things and controls all things. Norman L. Geisler
Matthew 7:24-29The Structure of Life (vv. 24-25)The RockThe sandThe Storms of Life (vv. 26-27)The same stormsThe different outcomesThe Sovereign of Life (vv. 28-29)The astonishmentThe AuthorityMore to ConsiderThe reason you often cannot tell the difference between them is that the deep foundations of their lives are hidden from view. The real question is not whether they hear Christs teaching (nor even whether they respect or believe it), but whether they do what they hear. Only a storm will reveal the truth. Sometimes a storm of crisis or calamity betrays what manner of person we are, for true piety is not fully distinguished from its counterfeit till it comes to the trial. If not, the storm of the day of judgment will certainly do so. Stott, J. R. W., Stott, J. R. W. (1985). The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 209). InterVarsity Press.From picturing two ways and two trees, our Lord closed His message by picturing two builders and their houses. The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say? Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 31). Victor Books.A person who comes to Christ for salvation comes to Christ the Lord, who has the right to demand obedience because of His lordship. Note that Jesus did not teach here that works save us, but rather that doing good works is a reflection of our obedience to Gods will (7:1620, 2427; cp. Jms 2:1426). Attempting to earn salvation by works is a rejection of Christs sovereignty. Sin replaces Gods sovereignty with our human bent toward self-will and rebellion against Gods will. Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1416). Holman Bible Publishers.
Our Relationship with the Culture: Part 2Matthew 7:15-23The Deceivers (vv. 15-20)False identityFaithful identifierBad trees bear bad fruitGood trees bear good fruitThe Deceived (vv. 21-23)Religion professedLook at what we have done for You!Relationship possessedNo dependence upon ourselvesComplete dependence on ChristMore to ConsiderOne of the major characteristics of false prophets in the Old Testament was their amoral optimism, their denial that God was the God of judgment as well as of steadfast love and mercy. They were guilty, Jeremiah said to the people, of filling you with vain hopes They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, It shall be well with you; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. Similarly, God complains: They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Such talk was, to say the least, a grave disservice to the people of God. It gave them a false sense of security. It lulled them to sleep in their sins. It failed to warn them of the impending judgment of God or tell them how to escape it. Stott, J. R. W., Stott, J. R. W. (1985). The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 199). InterVarsity Press.Those hearing this sermon must have wondered about the religious leaders, who seemed to be good men, teaching spiritual truths about Messiah and His kingdom. Jesus made it clear they were not good for they were leading others astray. Even if they were doing supernatural deedsprophesying in His name, driving out demons, and performing many miracles, they were not obedient to the Father, continually doing His will (Matt. 7:21). They would be refused admission to the kingdom because Jesus had no personal relationship with them (vv. 21, 23). Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 34). Victor Books.
The Rebellion vv. 1-3Gods Response vv. 4-6The Messiah vv. 7-9 Our Response vv. 10-12THE WAY TO WISDOMReceive Gods InstructionServe The Lord and RejoiceHonor and Obey JesusTake Refuge in Him
Two GatesThe Culture gateThe Kingdom gateTwo WaysThe wide wayThe narrow wayTwo OutcomesDestructionLifeMore to ConsiderWhat is immediately striking about these verses is the absolute nature of the choice before us. We would all prefer to be given many more choices than only one, or better still to fuse them all into a conglomerate religion, thus eliminating the need for any choice. But Jesus cuts across our easy-going syncretism. He will not allow us the comfortable solutions we propose. Instead he insists that ultimately there is only one choice, because there are only two possibilities to choose from. John StottIn his 1983 acceptance speech for the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn] recalled the words he heard as a child, when his elders sought to explain the ruinous upheavals in Russia: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened." He added, "If I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire twentieth century, here too I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again: 'men have forgotten God.'" John Wilson, reviewing "Solzhenitsyn and the Modern World, in Christianity Today, Feb 7, 1994, p. 57.A friend who lives in a forested area found his home overrun with mice--too many to exterminate with traps. So he bought a few boxes of D-Con and distributed them around the house, including one under his bed. That night he couldn't believe his ears; below him was a feeding frenzy. In the morning he checked the box and found it licked clean. Just to make sure the plan worked, he bought and placed another box. Again, the mice went for the flavored poison like piranha. But the tasty and popular nighttime snack did its deadly work. In the days that followed, all was quiet. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good for you. It can be deadly--like sin. Craig Brian Larson, in Leadership
The Call to Dependency on God (vv. 7-8)Ask when in needSeek when confusedKnock when rejectedThe Illustration of Dependency on God (vv. 9-11)The home life exampleThe heavenly exemplarThe Empowerment through Dependency on God (v.12)Gods care empowers disciples to be caringGods care empowers disciples to be sacrificialMore to ConsiderSign seen in a textile mill, "When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman." A young woman was new on the job. Her thread became tangled and she thought, "I'll just straighten this out myself." She tried, but the situation only worsened. Finally she called the foreman. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn't. To do the best, you should have called me."Sermonillustrations.com, Source Unknown.In an essay on prayer, C.S. Lewis suggested that God treats new Christians with a special kind of tenderness, much as a parent dotes on a newborn. He quotes an experienced Christian: "I have seen many striking answers to prayer and more than one that I thought miraculous. But they usually come at the beginning before conversion, or soon after it. As the Christian life proceeds, they tend to be rarer. The refusals, too, are not only more frequent; they become more unmistakable, more emphatic.".At first glance, such a suggestion seems to have it all backward. Shouldn't faith become easier, not harder, as a Christian progresses? But, as Lewis points out, the New Testament gives two strong examples of unanswered prayers: Jesus pled three times for God to "Take this cup from me" and Paul begged God to cure the "thorn in my flesh." Lewis asks, "Does God then forsake just those who serve Him best? Well, He who served Him best of all said, near His tortured death, 'Why hast thou forsaken me?' When God becomes man, that Man, of all others, is least comforted by God, at His greatest need. There is a mystery here which, even if I had the power, I might not have the courage to explore. Meanwhile, little people like you and me, if our prayers are sometimes granted, beyond all hope and probability, had better not draw hasty conclusions to our own advantage. If we were stronger, we might be less tenderly treated. If we were braver, we might be sent, with far less help, to defend far more desperate posts in the great battle." Quoted in Disappointment With God, Philip Yancey, Zondervan, p. 208.
Our Relationships with OthersMatthew 7:1-6Beware of Judging Harshly (vv. 1-2)Be discerning (Matt. 7:15-20, James 2:18)Do not be destructiveBe Aware of Judging Hypocritically (vv. 3-5)The spec in their eyeThe plank in your eyeThe hypocrisy in our heartsBe Wary of Judging Harmfully (v. 6)Godly truth and testimonyUngodly trampling and tearingMore to ConsiderThe picture of somebody struggling with the delicate operation of removing a speck of dirt from a friends eye, while a vast plank in his own eye entirely obscures his vision, is ludicrous in the extreme. Yet when the caricature is transferred to ourselves and our ridiculous fault-finding, we do not always appreciate the joke. We have a fatal tendency to exaggerate the faults of others and minimize the gravity of our own. We seem to find it impossible, when comparing ourselves with others, to be strictly objective and impartial. On the contrary, we have a rosy view of ourselves and a jaundiced view of others. Indeed, what we are often doing is seeing our own faults in others and judging them vicariously. That way, we experience the pleasure of self-righteousness without the pain of penitence. So, you hypocrite is a key expression here. Moreover, this kind of hypocrisy is the more unpleasant because an apparent act of kindness (taking a speck of dirt from somebodys eye) is made the means of inflating our own ego. John StottIt was F.B. Meyer, I believe, who once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know: First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin. And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her. We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances. Stephen Brown,Christianity TodayGiven half a chance, people often crawl out of the boxes into which we've relegated them.Larry D. Wright.
The Practice of Righteousness Matthew 6:16-18Seeking to Look Good (v. 16)The deceitful appearanceThe delightful applauseSeek to Be Good (vv. 17-18)The distracting appearanceThe Divine approvalMore to ConsiderAuthor, editor, and professor Joe Carter has collected ten reasons for biblical fasting1:To strengthen prayer (e.g., see Ezra 8:23)To seek Gods guidance (e.g., see Judges 20:26)To express grief (e.g., see 1 Samuel 31:13)To seek deliverance or protection (e.g., see 2 Chronicles 20:3 4)To express repentance and a return to God (e.g., see 1 Samuel 7:6)To humble oneself before God (e.g., see 1 Kings 21:27 29)To express concern for the work of God (e.g., see Nehemiah 1:3 4)To minister to the needs of others (e.g., see Isaiah 58:3 7)To overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God (e.g., see Matthew 4:1 11)To express love and worship for God (e.g., see Luke 2:37)Biblical Fasting: Why, When, How, and How Not to Fast. Thenivbible.comHe made free use of Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessing of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He assumed the earnestness of a man weighed down by historic responsibility. He handed out pious stories to the press, especially to the church papers. He showed his tattered Bible and declared that he drew the strength for his great work from it as scores of pious people welcomed him as a man sent from God. Indeed, Adolf Hitler was a master of outward religiosity--with no inward reality! Today in the Word, June 3, 1989. We fast in this life because we believe in the life to come. We dont have to get it all here and now, because we have a promise that we will have it all in the coming age. We fast from what we can see and taste, because we have tasted and seen the goodness of the invisible and infinite God and are desperately hungry for more of him.Fasting for Beginners, David Mathis, desiringgod.org
Value (vv. 16-21)The temporary nature of earthly treasureThe eternal nature of heavenly treasureThe motivating nature of what you treasureVision (vv. 22-23)A focus on lightA focus on darknessAn ironic realityVariance (v. 24)Two mastersOne outcomeMore to Consider The worldliness which Christians are to avoid can take either a religious or a secular shape. So, we are to differ from non-Christians not only in our devotions, but also in our ambitions. In particular, Christ changes our attitude to material wealth and possessions. It is impossible to worship both God and money; we have to choose between them. Secular people are preoccupied with the quest for food, drink and clothing. Christians are to be free of these self-centred material anxieties and instead to give themselves to the spread of Gods rule and Gods righteousness. That is to say, our supreme ambition is to be the glory of God, and neither our own glory nor even our own material well-being. It is a question of what we seek first. John StottIn Russia, Christians are tested by hardship, but in America you are tested by freedom. And testing by freedom is much harder. Nobody pressures you about your religion. So, you relax and are not so concentrated on Christ, on His teaching, how He wants you to live."Pavel Poloz, recently (1987) exiled from Russia,Moody Monthly, April, 1989.A missionary society wrote to David Livingstone and asked, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you." Livingstone wrote back, "If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all." Good News Broadcaster, April, 1985, p. 12.Heart is used in Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as "the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity," "the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will," and "the center of a person. The place to which God turns." J. Stowell, Fan the Flame, Moody, 1986, p. 13.
The Definition of DiscipleshipPart 10: The Disciples Humility:The Practice of RighteousnessMatthew 6:5-15Private Prayer (vv. 5-8)Boasting prayersBabbling prayersPublic Prayer (vv. 9-15)WorshipSurrenderFaithConfessionCompassionDependenceGlorificationMore to ConsiderReligious pharisaism is far from dead. The accusation of hypocrisy has often been levelled at us church-goers. It is possible to go to church for the same wrongheaded reason which took the Pharisee to the synagogue: not to worship God, but to gain for ourselves a reputation for piety. It is possible to boast of our private devotions in the same way. What stands out is the perversity of all hypocritical practice. The giving of praise to God, like the giving of alms to men, is an authentic act in its own right. An ulterior motive destroys both. It degrades the service of God and men into a mean kind of self-service. Religion and charity become an exhibitionist display. How can we pretend to be praising God, when in reality we are concerned that men will praise us? John StottMy friend Dr. Robert A. Cook has often said, All of us have one routine prayer in our system; and once we get rid of it, then we can really start to pray! I have noticed this, not only in my own praying, but often when I have conducted prayer meetings. With some people, praying is like putting the needle on a phonograph record and then forgetting about it. But God does not answer insincere prayers. Warren W. WiresbeIt is not the length of prayer but the strength of prayer that prevails with God. Jesus Himself prayed all night prior to His crucifixion and on most other occasions prayed very briefly. He is not condemning lengthy prayers, although there is nothing particularly spiritual about them. He is merely emphasising that prayer must be a sincere expression of the heart, not mere accumulation of verbiage. God is not impressed with words, but with the genuine outcry of a needy heart. Earl RadmacherA man named Ivan while endured all the horrors of a Soviet prison camp. One day he is praying with his eyes closed when a fellow prisoner notices him and says with ridicule, "Prayers won't help you get out of here any faster." Opening his eyes, Ivan answers, "I do not pray to get out of prison but to do the will of God."Our Daily Bread, December 29, 1993
The Caution in Practice (v. 1)Virtue signallingVanity satisfiedVictory lostThe Caricature of the Proud (v. 2)Blowing their own hornBlowing Gods rewardThe Character Preferred (vv. 3-4)Secretive giving for Gods glorySatisfaction given in Gods gloryMore to ConsiderVirtue signaling is off-limits for the follower of Christ. If people happen to see you giving money to the poor, so be it; but the motivation should never be so that people will notice you. God looks on the heart, not the outward man (1 Samuel 16:7). As one commentator writes, The secrecy of our charity is one good evidence of its sincerity (William Burkitt, Commentary on the New Testament, entry for Matthew 6:1). What about Matthew 5:16? Jesus said, Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Is this a command to engage in virtue signaling? No, this is not a reference to boasting or announcing our good works (in the same sermon, Jesus warns against such ostentationsee Matthew 6). The Lords words in Matthew 5:16 are telling us that, in living an obedient life, others cannot help but notice (cf. 1 Peter 1:15). The glory is God the Fathers, not ours. Gotquestions.orgIts one thing to want to be good, to lead a virtuous life, to stand behind moral values of consequence. Its altogether another to want other people to know just how good we are. Herein lies the danger of virtue signaling: its mostly talk. Signalers can trumpet their outrage or anger, or indicate support for fashionable causes, all without obligating themselves to any substantive action that might bring more hope and healing to the world. And this signaling relies on criticizing others, implicitly or explicitly, in order to boost ones own image by comparison. Peter W. Marty, christiancentury.orgTo sum up, our Christian giving is to be neither before men (waiting for the clapping to begin), nor even before ourselves (our left hand applauding our right hands generosity) but before God, who sees our secret heart and rewards us with the discovery that, as Jesus said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. John Stott
Matthew 5:43-48The Definition of Grace (vv. 43-44)You have heard it said: Love your neighbor, hate your enemy.but I say to youLove your enemyBless your enemyDo good to your enemyPray for your enemyThe Distribution of Grace (v. 45)Common grace: the gifts of creationSaving grace: the gift of salvationThe Distinction of Grace (vv. 46-48)The lost love their friends and family.The disciple of Christ must do more!The perfect love of God is our standard.More to ConsiderLooking back over all six antitheses, it has become clear what the greater righteousness is to which Christians are summoned. It is a deep inward righteousness of the heart where the Holy Spirit has written Gods law. It is new fruit exhibiting the newness of the tree, new life burgeoning from a new nature. So we have no liberty to try to dodge or duck the lofty demands of the law. Law-dodging is a pharisaic hobby; what is characteristic of Christians is a keen appetite for righteousness, hungering and thirsting after it continuously. And this righteousness, whether expressed in purity, honesty or charity, will show to whom we belong. Our Christian calling is to imitate not the world, but the Father. And it is by this imitation of him that the Christian counterculture becomes visible. John StottWe must recognize Jesus fundamental point: only the person who places his confidence entirely in God can learn to renounce his own security and encounter his neighbor openly. Schweizer says, And when he encounters his neighbor thuswith the compassion of God himselfhe will no longer need to kill in order to live; no longer need to guard his heart with half-truths or oaths; no longer maintain his cause by vengeanceby returning blows or going to courtor carry the day for his own party by vilifying the enemy. Myron S. AugsburgerThe word perfect in Matthew 5:48 does not imply sinlessly perfect, for that is impossible in this life (though it is a good goal to strive for). It suggests completeness, maturity, as the sons of God. The Father loves His enemies and seeks to make them His children, and we should assist Him! Warren W. Wiresbe
Get Ready, Be Ready!1 Peter 3:13-17We Will be Reviled and Derided for Our Faith in Christ (vv. 13-14)We Must be Ready to Defend Our Faith in Christ (v. 15)We Will Reveal Christ by Our Faith (vv. 16-17)More to ConsiderWe are told that when John Huss was arrested and informed that he would be burned to death for his faith, he purposely practiced holding his hand over fire to prepare for his final test. He burned himself in preparation. He wanted to be faithful to the end. Moody Monthly, April, 1990, p. 76.Nat Wyeth, engineer and inventor, on his brother, artist Andrew Wyeth: Andy did a picture of Lafayette's quarters near Chadds Ford, Pa., with a sycamore tree behind the building. When I first saw the painting, he wasn't finished with it. He showed me a lot of drawings of the trunk and the sycamore's gnarled roots, and I said, "Where's all that in the picture?" "It's not in the picture, Nat," he said. "For me to get what I want in the part of the tree that's showing, I've got to know thoroughly how it is anchored in back of the house." I find that remarkable. He could draw the tree above the house with such authenticity because he knew exactly how the thing was in the ground.Kenneth A. Brown, Inventors at Work.Several centuries ago, a Japanese emperor commissioned an artist to paint a bird. A number of months passed, then several years, and still no painting was brought to the palace. Finally the emperor became so exasperated that he went to the artist's home to demand an explanation. Instead of making excuses, the artist placed a blank canvas on the easel. In less than an hour, he completed a painting that was to become a brilliant masterpiece. When the emperor asked the reason for the delay, the artist showed him armloads of drawings of feathers, wings, heads, and feet. Then he explained that all of this research and study had been necessary before he could complete the painting.Our Daily Bread.School just beginning. One morning went out to start car to go to church. Flat tire. Lucky I had a spare. Changed tire quickly and on way. Didn't think to drop spare off to be fixed. "I'll get around to it." Within five days went out to car to go to school. Another flat. Only this time no spare! Had to roll it to nearest station and wait while it was fixed. When something breaks, fix it now. Don't wait until you need it and then don't have it! Source Unknown.
Matthew 5:38-42The Principle of Retaliation (v.38)You have heard it said1. Retribution 2. Retaliation...but I tell you1. Do not resist. 2. Do not revenge.The Principle of Righteousness (vv. 39-42)A slap in the faceturn the other cheek.A lawsuitoffer your cloak.Forced servicego the extra mile.Loaning moneydo not turn them away.More to ConsiderThis is the standard which Jesus asks, and it is the standard which he himself fulfilled. It had been written of him in Old Testament Scripture: I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. And in the event first the Jewish police spat on him, blindfolded him and struck him in the face, and then the Roman soldiers followed suit. They crowned him with thorns, clothed him in the imperial purple, invested him with a sceptre of reed, jeered at him, Hail, King of the Jews, knelt before him in mock homage, spat in his face and struck him with their hands. And Jesus, with the infinite dignity of self-control and love, held his peace. He demonstrated his total refusal to retaliate by allowing them to continue their cruel mockery until they had finished. John StottWhen he was an attorney, Abraham Lincoln was once approached by a man who passionately insisted on bringing a suit for $2.50 against an impoverished debtor. Lincoln tried to discourage him, but the man was bent on revenge. When he saw that the man would not be but off, Lincoln agreed to take the case and asked for a legal fee of $10, which the plaintiff paid. Lincoln then gave half the money to the defendant, who willingly confessed to the debt and paid the $2.50! But even more amazing than Lincoln's ingenuous settlement was the fact that the irate plaintiff was satisfied with it Daily Walk, May 22, 1992.The most important element in this passage is the strategy that moves from negativism to a positive course of action. The disciple is to be free for God and for his fellow man who needs him. Turning the other cheek is not a surrender but a strategy of operation. This act is to take the initiative in behaving in the freedom of Christ and His love. Myron S. Augsburger
Come and See John 1:35-51Jesus Invitation (vv. 35-42)A change in discipleship.A change of direction.A changed name.Phillips Invitation (vv. 43-51)Jesus found Philip.Philip found Nathaniel.Nathaniel found Jesus.
Matthew 5:33-37 The Accepted Standard (v. 33) You have heard it was saidEx. 20:7, Dont take the Lords name in vain.Lev. 19:12, Dont swear by Gods name falsely.Num. 30:2, Dont break your vows before God. (See also Ecc. 5:1-7)Dt. 23:21, Dont delay in paying your vow.The Actual Standard (vv. 34-36) but I say say to youDo not swear at all.Do not swear by anything - Official oaths are acceptable. (Matt. 26:63-64, 2 Cor. 1:23, Gal. 1:20) Oaths made in common speech are not.The Approved Standard (v. 37)Keep your word.Tell the truth.Shading your word is evil.More to ConsiderBooker T. Washington describes meeting an ex-slave from Virginia in his book Up From Slavery : "I found that this man had made a contract with his master, two or three years previous to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the effect that the slave was to be permitted to buy himself, by paying so much per year for his body; and while he was paying for himself, he was to be permitted to labor where and for whom he pleased."Finding that he could secure better wages in Ohio, he went there. When freedom came, he was still in debt to his master some three hundred dollars.Notwithstanding that the Emancipation Proclamation freed him from any obligation to his master, this black man walked the greater portion of the distance back to where his old master lived in Virginia, and placed the last dollar, with interest, in his hands.In talking to me about this, the man told me that he knew that he did not have to pay his debt, but that he had given his word to his master, and his word he had never broken. He felt that he could not enjoy his freedom till he had fulfilled his promise."Douglas E. MooreJesus' teaching confronts everyone with a tongue. Everyone makes promises they cannot keep, then breaks them. Everyone bends or fractures the truth. Consider when we are most prone to break a promise: We violate words spoken to the powerless-children-much more than we break promises to the powerful. We break invisible commitments (nursery duty) more than visible ones (teaching).No one masters the tongue, because no one has a pure heart. So this word from Jesus the teacher leads to Jesus the Savior. The one who declared God's word at the start of his ministry gave his life as an atoning sacrifice for those who disobeyed that word.Dan Doriani
Matthew 5:27-32The Sin of the Wandering Eye (vv. 27-30)The deeper correctionYou have heard it Saidbut I say to youThe desperate convictionDiscipline your eyes.Discipline your hands.The Sacredness of the Marriage Covenant (vv. 31-32)You have heard it Said: permissive social compromise.but I say to you: protect the sacred covenant.Adultery (Matt. 19:1-8)Abandonment (1Cor. 7:12-16)Abuse (Eph. 5:25-32)More to ConsiderThe command to get rid of troublesome eyes, hands and feet is an example of our Lords use of dramatic figures of speech. What he was advocating was not a literal physical self-maiming, but a ruthless moral self-denial. Not mutilation but mortification is the path of holiness he taught, and mortification or taking up the cross to follow Christ means to reject sinful practices so resolutely that we die to them or put them to death. One wonders if there has ever been a generation in which this teaching of Jesus was more needed or more obviously applicable than our own, in which the river of filth (of pornographic literature and sex films) is in spate. Pornography is offensive to Christians (and indeed to all healthy-minded people) first and foremost because it degrades women from human beings into sex objects, but also because it presents the eye of the beholder with unnatural sexual stimulation. If we have a problem of sexual self-mastery, and if nonetheless our feet take us to these films, our hands handle this literature, and our eyes feast on the pictures they offer to us, we are not only sinning but actually inviting disaster. John StottMarried or single, purity calls us to the highest regard for others, to see them as persons and not as bodies to be used for our pleasure. However, marriage is a covenant between two people for life, and adultery violates that covenant. Jesus expects His disciples to keep covenant in both deed and attitude. Myron S. Augsburger
Do You Ever Wonder?Acts 17:22-34The Ruminating (vv. 22-25)A connectionA considerationA claimThe Reasoning (vv. 26-31)The Hebrew accountThe Gentile accountThe rational conclusionAbout our understanding of GodAbout our accountability to GodThe Reaction (vv. 32-34)Some mockSome delaySome believe
The Spirit of the Law Part 1: The Heart of MurderMatthew 5:21-26Cultivating a Murderous Attitude (vv. 21-22)You have heard it saidbut I say to youConfronting a Murderous Attitude (vv. 23-24a)Confrontation in worshipConviction in worshipConsistency in worshipCorrecting a Murderous Attitude (vv. 24b-26)First reconcileThen worshipFind libertyMore to ConsiderThe scribes and Pharisees were evidently seeking to restrict the application of the sixth commandment to the deed of murder alone, to the act of spilling human blood in homicide. If they refrained from this, they considered that they had kept the commandment. And this apparently is what the rabbis taught the people. But Jesus disagreed with them. The true application of the prohibition was much wider, he maintained. It included thoughts and words as well as deeds, anger and insult as well as murder. John StottHate is like acid. It can damage the vessel in which it is stored as well as destroy the object on which it is poured. Ann Landers, Bits Pieces, September 17, 1992, p. 3. A man who hates to be slapped on the back packs his coat with TNT and waits for this man who always slaps his back. His idea is when he hits me, I will get him, I'll blow him up. Hate kills both the person who you hate, but also yourself as well. Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat. H.E. FosdickA lady once came to Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. "There's nothing wrong with losing my temper," she said. "I blow up, and then it's all over." "So does a shotgun," Sunday replied, "and look at the damage it leaves behind!" Billy Sunday.
Ask Why?Mark 10:17-27A Seeking Ruler (vv. 17-19)The queryThe questionThe quotesA Saddened Ruler (vv. 20-22)He is overconfidentHe is overwhelmedHe is overcomeA Simple Rule (vv. 23-27)Impossible to earn our salvation by merit or money 2. Possible to receive our salvation as a gift from God
Part 3: The Disciples RighteousnessMatthew 5:17-20The Complete Fulfillment of Gods Law (vv. 17-18)The Law is fulfilled in Christ.The Law is eternal with Christ.The Continued Respect for Gods Law (v.19)Those who ignore and rebuke the Law.Those who honor and teach the Law.The Complex Demands of the Law (v. 20)A perfect requirementA perfect placeMore to ConsiderA story is told about Fiorello LaGuardia, who, when he was mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of WWII, was called by adoring New Yorkers 'the Little Flower' because he was only five foot four and always wore a carnation in his lapel. He was a colorful character who used to ride the New York City fire trucks, raid speakeasies with the police department, take entire orphanages to baseball games, and whenever the New York newspapers were on strike, he would go on the radio and read the Sunday funnies to the kids.One bitterly cold night in January of 1935, the mayor turned up at a night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself. Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter's husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving. But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. "It's a real bad neighborhood, your Honor." the man told the mayor. "She's got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson." LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the woman and said "I've got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions--ten dollars or ten days in jail."But even as he pronounced sentence, the mayor was already reaching into his pocket. He extracted a bill and tossed it into his famous sombrero saying: "Here is the ten dollar fine which I now remit; and furthermore, I am going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Baliff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant." So the following day the New York City newspapers reported that $47.50 was turned over to a bewildered old lady who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren, fifty cents of that amount being contributed by the red-faced grocery store owner, while some seventy petty criminals, people with traffic violations, and New York City policemen, each of whom had just paid fifty cents for the privilege of doing so, gave the mayor a standing ovation.Brennan Manning, The Ragmuffin Gospel, Multnomah, 1990, pp. 91-2.
Marys Discouragement (vv. 11-13)Overwhelmed with griefOvercome with frustrationMarys Discovery (vv. 14-16)Blinding sadnessBlessed sightMarys Direction (vv. 17-18)A new relationshipA new responsibilityMore to ConsiderWhen I think of Mary Magdalene lingering alone in the garden, I recall Proverbs 8:17I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me. Mary loved her Lord and came early to the garden to express that love. Peter and John had gone home by the time Mary got back to the tomb, so they did not convey to her what conclusion they had reached from the evidence they had examined. Mary still thought that Jesus was dead. Another verse comes to mindPsalm 30:5, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Warren W. WiresbeJesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord's Prayer is about. N.T. WrightDeath has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot, the passersby sneer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage because of the King who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for what it is by the Saviour on the cross. It is bound hand and foot; all who are in Christ trample it as they pass, and as witnesses to Him (King Jesus) deride it, scoffing and saying, O Death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Athanasius of Alexandria, On the IncarnationThe devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don't worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry...He's risen! Chuck Swindol
What is the Gospel? 1 Corinthians 15:1-11The Gospel Declared (vv. 1-2)Faith through the gospelFastened to the gospelThe Gospel Delivered (vv. 3-8)The essentials of the gospelThe evidence for the gospelThe Gospel Demonstrated (vv. 9-11)Saved by graceServing through grace
Luke 19:41-48Jesus Saw the Sham That Was the Citys Reality (vv.41-44)Jesus looked around.Jesus looked within.Jesus looked ahead.Jesus Saw the Shame of the Citys Religion (vv. 45-48)Righteous indignationRighteous instructionThe reaction of the priestsThe response of the peopleMore to ConsiderI read about a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing. At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father's full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed.The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy's plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son. When that boy grew to be a man, he said, "All my life I've known what God is like by what my father did that night." J. Allan PetersonMartin Luther once read the account of Abraham offering Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. His wife, Katie, said, "I do not believe it. God would not have treated his son like that!" "But, Katie," Luther replied, "He did." Warren WiersbeTheologians tell a story to illustrate how Christ's triumph presently benefits our lives: Imagine a city under siege. The enemy that surrounds they city will not let anyone or anything leave. Supplies are running low, and the citizens are fearful. But in the dark of the night, a spy sneaks through the enemy lines. He has rushed to the city to tell the people that in another place the main enemy force has been defeated; the leaders have already surrendered. The people do not need to be afraid. It is only a matter of time until the besieging troops receive the news and lay down their weapons. Similarly, we may seem now to be surrounded by the forces of evil -- disease, injustice, oppression, death. But the enemy has actually been defeated at Calvary. Things are not the way they seem to be. It is only a matter of time until it becomes clear to all that the battle is really over. Richard J. Mouw, Uncommon Decency, pp. 149-150.
Celebrating the Faithfulness of God and His PeopleActs 2:40-47Growing Together in Knowledge (vv. 40-42)They received the Good News of Christ for salvation.The received the doctrines of Christ for sanctification.Growing Together in Love (vv. 43-45)They shared the power of God.They shared the provision of God.Growing Together in Obedience (vv. 46-47)Consistent in their upreach.Joyful in their inreach.Effective in outreach.More to ConsiderOnce you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.J.I. Packer, Knowing GodI walked out to the hill just now. It is exalting, delicious. To stand embraced by the shadows of a friendly tree with the wind tugging at your coattail and the heavens hailing your heart, to gaze and glory and to give oneself again to God, what more could a man ask? Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth. I care not if I never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him. Mayhap, in mercy, He shall give me a host of children that I may lead through the vast star fields to explore His delicacies whose fingers' ends set them to burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, smell His garments, and smile into my Lover's eyes, ah, then, not stars, nor children, shall matter--only Himself.Jim Elliot, The Journals of Jim ElliotIt is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. He doesn't demand our achievements. He demands our obedience.Charles W. Colson, Loving GodChristian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surely and steadily will fellowship increase and grow from day to day as God pleases.―Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community
Part 2: The Disciples InfluenceMatthew 5:13-16Salt for the Blandness of the World (v. 13)Salt is a preservative.Salt enhances flavor.Salt creates thirst.Light for the Blindness of the World (vv. 14-16)Light can be comforting.Light provides direction.Light reveals truth.More to ConsiderYears ago, the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor's saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience. Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, he laid aside his pen, renounced his atheism, and received Jesus as his personal Savior.Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others. Sign in an executive's office: "What I am about to say represents one four-billionth of the world's opinion."Jack Williams, Phoenix Gazette.Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.Albert SchweitzerWhen we look at the two metaphors more closely, we see that they are deliberately phrased in order to be parallel to each other. In each case Jesus first makes an affirmation (You are the salt of the earth, You are the light of the world). Then he adds a rider, the condition on which the affirmation depends (the salt must retain its saltness, the light must be allowed to shine). Salt is good for nothing if its saltness is lost; light is good for nothing if it is concealed.John StottIn Matthew 5, Jesus famously told Christians that we are to be the salt of the earth. In the ancient world, before wed discovered refrigerators and before fast-food restaurants had worked out how to make food out of plastic, salt had a vital function as a preservative. But in order to work that way, it had to be in contact with the thing it was supposed to preserve. And the same is true when it comes to the gospel. In our everyday lives we need to be mixing with those we want to influence.Andy Bannister, How to Talk About Jesus Without Sounding Like an Idiot
The Sermon on the MountThe Definition of DiscipleshipPart 1: The Disciples CharacterMatthew 5:1-1Christs Burden (vv. 1-2) The need of the multitudes The need for disciplesChrists Beatitudes (vv. 3-10) Inside attitudesImpoverishedMournfulHumbleDesperate 2. Outside aspirationsMercifulPureCalmingResilientChrists Benediction (vv. 11-12) Disciples bear a great cost. Discipleship brings a greater reward.
Jude 1:20-25Main Point: Fight false teaching by strengthening your faith while helping others do the same.I. Build yourselves up in the faithII. Help those who strayIII. Remember that God saves now and foreverReflections:What can I do differently this week to spend time with God?Where do I need to obey him?How can I hope more in his return?Who can I share the gospel with?
Main Point: Since false teachers and those led astray by them will be judged, believers must watch themselves and do what they can to protect others.False teachers hurt themselves and othersTheir judgment will be finalJudgment is for allBe faithful, not overwhelmed
Main Point: Because of the many distortions of the gospel, believers must know and defend the Christ-exalting faith that has been passed down.Know what you believeDefend it from corruption
Main point : Believers in Christ belong to God forever, and he wants us to continually experience that blessingv. 1 - Who we arev. 2 - How we are blessedApplication:What things are you placing your identity in apart from Jesus? How can you put them in their proper place?Are you more likely to take Gods love for granted, or do you struggle to believe God loves you?What are you doing to grow in your understanding of Gods mercy, peace, and love?Do you feel like you are becoming more merciful, peaceful, and loving? Why or why not?Like Abraham, we are "blessed to be a blessing" - who can you share the hope of Jesus with this week?
New Year, Your ChoicePart 5: The Transformative Decision Romans 12:1-2What Are We to Do? (v. 1)Become a living sacrificeBegin logical serviceHow Are We to Do It? (v. 2a)Reject being conformed to the worldReceive becoming transformed by the WordBy renewing your mind through TruthBy proving the Truth with your lifeWhy Should We Do It? (v.2b)To expose the goodness of Gods willTo evidence your satisfaction with Gods willTo exhibit the completeness of Gods willMore to ConsiderThe motor home has allowed us to put all the conveniences of home on wheels. A camper no longer needs to contend with sleeping in a sleeping bag, cooking over a fire, or hauling water from a stream. Now he can park a fully equipped home on a cement slab in the midst of a few pine trees and hook up to a water line, a sewer line and electricity. One motor home I saw recently had a satellite dish attached on top. No more bother with dirt, no more smoke from the fire, no more drudgery of walking to the stream. Now it is possible to go camping and never have to go outside. We buy a motor home with the hope of seeing new places, of getting out into the world. Yet we deck it out with the same furnishings as in our living room. Thus nothing really changes. We may drive to a new place, set ourselves in new surrounding, but the newness goes unnoticed, for we've only carried along our old setting.The adventure of new life in Christ begins when the comfortable patterns of the old life are left behind.David Roher.The holiness we bring to the altar is a decision for holiness and yielding to the work of holiness in our life. As we present our bodies a living sacrifice, God makes our life holy by burning away impurities.I dont want to be conformed to this world. I want to be transformed. How do I do it? By the renewing of your mind. The problem with many Christians is they live life based on feelings, or they are only concerned about doing. David GuzikThe Beauty of SacrificeIt is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."Unknown.
The Sin of Assumption (vv. 13-14)The myth of tomorrowThe mistiness of timeThe Sin of Arrogance (vv. 15-16)Surrender unto the LordSwagger in front of the LordThe Sin of Apathy (v. 17)Sins of commissionSins of omissionMore to ConsiderOn one of his European tours, the master magician and locksmith Harry Houdini found himself locked in by his own thinking. After he had been searched and manacled in a Scottish town jail, the old turnkey shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his shackles and then tackled the cell lock. But despite all his efforts, the lock wouldn't open. Finally, ever more desperate but completely exhausted, he leaned against the door--and it swung open so unexpectedly that he nearly fell headlong into the corridor. The turnkey had not locked it.Harold Kellock, Houdini.Sure, you believe in God. But does the way you live reflect that belief? Too often, Christians seem more like atheists because they live as if God doesn't really exist - despite saying that they believe in Him. God wants more from you than just belief. He wants you to act on your faith by living it out in every part of your life. That's the only way you can grow closer to God and let others know that your faith is real, so they'll be inspired to seek God themselves.Craig GroeschelAs Leonard Ravenhill once put it: Many believers live as if this world were a playground instead of a battleground.It is time to stop living and thinking like pagans and start acting and believing like sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.Bill Muehlenberg, Christians Living Like Atheists: Where are the Warriors?
New Year, Your ChoicePart 3: Simple Priorities 1 Peter 4:7-11Be Intentionally Prayerful (v. 7)Sober Minded, Open EyedBe Fervently Loving (v.8-10)Caring, Hospitable, GenerousBe Ministerially Active (v.11)Speaking the Word, Serving the worldMore to ConsiderMost of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.Stephen R. CoveyA group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck."Where's Harry?" he was asked."Harry had a stroke of some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail.""You left Harry laying there, and carried the deer back?""Well," said the hunter, "I figured no one was going to steal Harry."Bits Pieces, March 3, 1994, p. 5.In recent years a head coach divorced his wife of 26 years when he left coaching a college team to become head coach in the National Football League. He said he needed a wife while coaching on the college level for social functions and to show families that he would be looking out for their sons. In pro football, however, she was an unnecessary accouterment and a distraction to winning. He said winning football was his number one priority and his two sons second. How tragic!In contrast to this, Tom Landry, former coach of the Dallas cowboys said, "The thrill of knowing Jesus is the greatest thing that ever happened to me ... I think God has put me in a very special place, and He expects me to use it to His glory in everything I do ... whether coaching football or talking to the press, I'm always a Christian ... Christ is first, family second and football third."Sermonillustrations.comTaking first things first often reduces the most complex human problem to a manageable proportion.Dwight Eisenhower.
New Year, Your ChoicePart 2: Promises, Promises Ecclesiastes 5:1-7Be Careful Making Promises (vv. 1-3)Watch your step.Watch your mouth.Watch your integrity.Be Committed to Keeping Promises (vv. 1-7)Pay your vows.Protect your vitality.More to Consider Booker T. Washington describes meeting an ex-slave from Virginia in his book Up From Slavery : "I found that this man had made a contract with his master, two or three years previous to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the effect that the slave was to be permitted to buy himself, by paying so much per year for his body; and while he was paying for himself, he was to be permitted to labor where and for whom he pleased."Finding that he could secure better wages in Ohio, he went there. When freedom came, he was still in debt to his master some three hundred dollars. Notwithstanding that the Emancipation Proclamation freed him from any obligation to his master, this black man walked the greater portion of the distance back to where his old master lived in Virginia, and placed the last dollar, with interest, in his hands.In talking to me about this, the man told me that he knew that he did not have to pay his debt, but that he had given his word to his master, and his word he had never broken. He felt that he could not enjoy his freedom till he had fulfilled his promise."Douglas E. Moore.Even though Gods glorious presence doesnt dwell in our church buildings as it did in the temple, believers today still need to heed this warning. The worship of God is the highest ministry of the church and must come from devoted hearts and yielded wills. For Gods people to participate in public worship while harboring unconfessed sin is to ask for Gods rebuke and judgment (Isa. 1:1020; Amos 5; Ps. 50).Warren W. WiersbeA no does not hide anything, but a yes very easily becomes a deception.Soren Kierkegaard
New Year, Your Choice A Message for the New Year Joshua 24:13-15 I. Gods People are Given a Chance (vv. 1-13) A. God has brought us to this place. B. God has blessed us in this place. II. Gods People are Given a Challenge (v. 14) A. Fear the God Who has brought you here. B. Serve the God Who has blessed you here. III. Gods People are Given a Choice (v. 15) A. Serve the tired gods of the surrounding culture. B. Serve the true God of the universe. More to Consider Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose, new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man-made New Year resolution, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. G.K. Chesterton, A Chesterton calendar Even the most regular, seemingly unimportant tasks of my life must be shaped and directed by a heartfelt desire for the glory of God. Now, I dont know about you, but in the busyness of life I lose sight of Gods existence, let alone His glory! Lets start the new year by admitting that there is nothing less natural for us than to live for the glory of Another. Paul David Tripp When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. C.S. Lewis.
Getting the Most out of Christmas Luke 2:15-20I. Pursue the Truth of Christmas (vv. 15-16) II. Proclaim the Tidings of Christmas (vv. 17-18) III. Ponder the Treasure of Christmas (v. 19)IV. Praise the Triumph of Christmas (v. 20)More to ConsiderDuring World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower was in Europe, directing the planning for the D-Day Invasion. It was during intense moments of preparation that word came of the death of his father. What do you do at such a moment? It was impossible for Eisenhower to leave his command. He couldnt possibly return home, nor was it possible for him to take time off to grieve and process his sorrow. But, as he wrote in his book, it also was not possible to go ahead with business-as-usual. What did he do? He sent everyone out of his office and he set aside thirty minutes to think about his dad, to write out his thoughts in a diary, and to just put down his feeling on paper. After half an hour, he forced himself to get back to work; but he left his office early that evening to spend some more time in the evening thinking about his dad and putting his feelings to paper. Thats all he could do. But as we think of Christmas this year, think of this. If General Eisenhower, in the midst of planning for the invasion of Europe, could shut the door and spend half an hour thinking about the death of his earthly father, should we not find a way of shutting the door, opening our Bibles, and thinking about the birth of our heavenly Savior? Sometimes we need to take time to ponder these things in our hearts, as Mary did. During this Christmas season, take the time to sit at your desk in the soft glow of a single lamp, reading through the Christmas story, contemplating and praising and worshiping God.Pastor Todd M. Kinde
O holy night, the stars are brightly shiningIt is the night of the dear Savior's birthLong lay the world in sin and error piningTill He appeared and the soul felt its worthA thrill of hope, the weary world rejoicesFor yonder breaks a new and glorious mornFall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voicesO night divine, O night when Christ was bornO night divine, O night when Christ was bornLed by the light of faith serenely beamingWith glowing hearts by His cradle we standSo led by light of a star sweetly gleamingHere came the wise men from the orient landThe King of kings lay thus in lowly mangerIn all our trials born to be our friendHe knows our need, to our weakness no strangerBehold your King, before Him lowly bendBehold your King, your King, before Him lowly bendTruly He taught us to love one anotherHis law is love and His gospel is peaceChains shall He break for the slave is our brotherAnd in His name all oppression shall ceaseSweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise weLet all within us praise His holy nameChrist is the Lord, then ever, ever praise weHis power and glory evermore proclaimHis power and glory evermore proclaimPlacide Cappeau, Translated by John Sullivan Dwight
Consider Again ChristmasWhen Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today.When Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, who would have ever thought that the decorations would become as elaborate as they are today.It is a long time since 1832, longer still from 353, longer still from that dark night brightened by a special star in which Jesus the king was born. Yet, as we approach December 25 again, it gives us yet another opportunity to pause, and in the midst of all the excitement and elaborate decorations and expensive commercialization which surround Christmas today, to consider again the event of Christmas and the person whose birth we celebrate.Brian L. Harbour, James W. Cox, The Minister's Manual: 1994, San Fransico: Harper Collins, 1993, p. 254.ACCORDING TO A LEGEND Satan and his demons were having a Christmas party. As the demonic guests were departing, one grinned and said to Satan, Merry Christmas, your majesty. At that, Satan replied with a growl, Yes, keep it merry. If they ever get serious about it, well all be in trouble. Well, get serious about it. It is the birth of the Baby. It is the coming of God. It is the intervention of Gods presence among men.Chuck SwindollThe Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanityhope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glorybecause at the Fathers will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message the world has ever heard, or will hear.the Christmas spiritought to mean the reproducing in human lives of the temper of Him who for our sakes became poor at the first Christmas. And the Christmas spirit itself ought to be the mark of every Christian all year round. I. Packer, Knowing God
More to ConsiderMissionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God's faithfulness. In his journal he wrote: Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning...He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all...Depend on it, God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.Our Daily Bread, May 16, 1992.One of God's faithful missionaries, Allen Gardiner, experienced many physical difficulties and hardships throughout his service to the Savior. Despite his troubles, he said, "While God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me." In 1851, at the age of 57, he died of disease and starvation while serving on Picton Island at the southern tip of South America. When his body was found, his diary lay nearby. It bore the record of hunger, thirst, wounds, and loneliness. The last entry in his little book showed the struggle of his shaking hand as he tried to write legibly. It read, "I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God."UnknownOften I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!'" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: 'For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.'" Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available--there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances."Corrie Ten Boom.
More to Consider The reason for these judgments is that the blood of saints and prophets was shed. The altar will be the shelter of the martyrs in Revelation (chapter six) and now their cry for revenge is being answered. Everyone who has criticized the Lord for judgment is silenced as a result of the martyrs saying, "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments" (16:7). The prophet Habakkuk summed it up: "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him" (2:20). David Jeremiah, Escape the Coming Night Though we are not able to immediately understand all the details of these dramatic judgments, the unmistakable impression of the Scriptures is that the whole world is being brought to the bar of justice before Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. There is no escape from divine judgment except for those who receive the grace of God in that day by faith in Jesus Christ. The utter perversity and depravity of human nature, which will reject the sovereignty of God in the face of such overwhelming evidence, confirms that even the lake of fire will not produce repentance on the part of those who have hardened their hearts against the grace of God. John F. Walvoord
The Highways and HedgesLuke 14:15-24 I. The First Invitation - They Wont Come (vv. 15-20)A. The invitation, Dinner is readyB. The indifference, Too busy II. The Second Invitation - You Must Go (vv. 21-24)A. Everyone is welcomeB. Theres always room More to Consider It was the custom to send out invitations to such a dinner a long time in advance, but as the actual day for the dinner arrived, a personal invitation was extended. God has issued an invitation. What is man going to do with it? Gods invitation is for salvation. You cannot buy your way in to this feast. You cannot elbow your way in. You come to this dinner by the grace of God. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:89). You get into this dinner by receiving a gift. The only thing that will exclude any human being from heaven is a refusal to accept the invitation. J. Vernon McGee In His story, Jesus is rebuking those people who are making excuses. Instead of simply admitting they dont want to come, they have to justify their lack of response. Most excuses are phony. The excuses Jesus describes here are no exception. In those days, when giving a banquet, it was the custom to send out the servants twice. The first time, in advance of the party, the guests were told the date. Save Thursday, January 18. When January 18 came, the servants went out again announcing the time. In this parable, when the householders sent out the servants setting the date, all of the guests accepted. When the day actually came, they declinedall with elaborate excuses. One was tied up with a real estate investment. Another had a business deal and a third was newly married. All three were occupied with legitimate concerns, but unfortunately, they gave those concerns priority over God and His kingdom. Bruce Larson
Jonah: More Than a Kid's StoryChapter Four: Who do you think God is? God is merciful and compassionate, and He does not belong to us alone. I. Jonahs anger (vv. 1-3) II. Gods object lesson (vv. 4-9) III. God questions Jonah (v. 10) Application: Will you still trust that God is good when He forgives those you think are most deserving of his judgement?
Jonah: More Than a Kid's StoryChapter Three - A Picture of Repentance We deserve God's judgement, but when we repent, we receive His compassion. I. Jonah's second chance (vv. 1-3) II. Nineveh's repentance (vv. 4-9) III. Gods compassion (v. 10)
Chapter Two : Mercy in the DepthsGods redemption meets us in the depthsI. Gods strange salvation (1:17)II. Jonahs defeated cry (2:1-9)III. Gods merciful deliverance (2:10)
Jonah: More Than a Kids StoryChapter One: Running Away God is compassionate towards us and them. I. Gods call and Jonahs response (vv. 1-3) II. Gods correction (vv. 4-13) III. Gods rescue through death (vv. 14-17) Application: He came to us. Will you go to them?
When we are planted and growing in Jesus, we can withstand the winds of deception. How do we fight deception? 1. Keep Christ at the center 2. Keep going 3. Keep your hands up
Stay - Abiding in Christ John 15:1-11 Staying in Christ is filling our minds with Him, which continually produces fruit and joy in us 1. Him - Vine 2. Us - Branches 3. Why - Fruit Joy 4. How - Practices