DANIEL 5:1, 30: The River of Life!

TOPIC: Arrogance; National Apostasy, Over Confidence

TITLE: THE RIVER OF LIFE – How God Diverts The Plans of the Arrogant!
TEXT: Daniel 5:1 & 30

“Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.
….

That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Does Babylon’s fall serve as an example for our day?
CONCISE OUTLINE

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Originally, Babylon was the city of Babel. [Genesis 11:1-9] Ultimately, it will become the Great Whore in the book of Revelation [Revelation 19:2]. The nation was used by God to punish Israel, again and again. In Revelation, it personifies the world and its wicked abominations.

The City of Babylon was built in such a way that the River Euphrates divided the city into Eastern and Western sections. The river literally flowed under its walls.

The city was about 120 stadia square (1.5 square miles) in area, with a surrounding moat and a double walled rampart (each approximately 25 feet wide by 40 feet in height; cited in NAC, p.167). According to Herodotus, Babylon was “considered impregnable”; it possessed “magnificent fortifications” and was “surrounded by a large moat” [the river supplied the moat; cited in EBC, pp.69, 70]

The fact that “the city had not been stormed by invaders in over a thousand years” may have led to overconfidence on the part of Belshazzar and his people. While the king and “leaders of government, society, the armed forces, and the priests … along with the king’s wives and concubines” … partied heartily, one of Cyrus’ commanders “diverted the waters of the Euphrates to an old channel dug by a previous ruler.” Soon the Persian army waded under the river gates and subdued the city. [Ibid.]

SURVEY THE TEXT – Daniel 5:1-30

• 1-4 Holy Vessels Profaned
• 5-9 Handwriting On Wall
• 10-18 Queen Suggests Daniel; Daniel Entreated
• 17-28 Daniel Interprets Handwriting (see especially 26-28)
• 29-31 Daniel Honored; Belshazzar Defeated

INQUIRY: How does Babylon’s fall serve as an example for our day?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. IN ITS DEFECTIVE DEPENDENCIES (Weapons/Wisdom) –

A. The Weapons of Man –

1. David’s Example –

“David said to [Goliath], ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you.’”

1 Samuel 17:45, 46a

2. David’s Chorus –

“Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.”

Psalm 20:7

B. The Wisdom of Man –

1. Belshazzar sought to impress his guests.

“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong.”

1 Corinthians 1:27

2. Belshazzar sought to exalt himself.

“… let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position; and let the rich man glory in his humiliation … ”

James 1:9, 10

II. IN ITS DEGENERATE DISDAIN (Power/Possessions) –

A. The Power of God –

Like Herod and Ingersoll [Acts 12:21-23], Belshazzar challenged God’s authority and power.

“And on an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. And the people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.”

Acts 12:21-23

[LIGHTNING] Ingersoll stood on stage, shook fist at heaven, and dared God to strike him dead before he finished his blasphemous speech.

B. The Possessions of God –

1. That which is dedicated to the Lord belongs to the Lord; recall Phinehas and Hophni, the sons of Eli and their temple shenanigans.
2. We belong to the Lord, “if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you” [Romans 8:9], and now have the Temple and all of its utensils dwelling in us.

APPLICATION: Cyrus’ army diverted the protecting waters of a great nation and its king … likewise, God will divert man’s plans, and they will fall. Only the River of Life cannot be diverted.

Clearly, Babylon and its leaders weren’t busy seeking “the Kingdom of God” or “His righteousness.” Only Daniel exemplified that quality.

In the days prior to Jesus, John the Baptist’s voice was heard to cry out, “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”! Later, the apostles and disciples would echo the same cry to a world on the edge of destruction.

Since then Augustine, Constantine and Francis of Assisi carried on; followed by Zwingli, Huss and Wycliffe; also Knox, Calvin, Luther, Wesley, and Whitefield; next came the likes of Edwards, Finney, Moody, and Spurgeon; and now by Graham, Falwell, Land, Mohler, Smith, Laurie, Dobson, Wildmon, and others carry on the cry: “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”!

CHALLENGE: In our day as in theirs, some listen and some don’t, but the message goes on from faith to faith.

1. GREAT NATIONS – are made by God!
2. GREAT FORTRESSES –are made by man!
3. GREAT WEALTH – is possessed by man, but bestowed by God!
4. GREAT DEFEATS – are allowed by God –

a. At an unexpected time!
b. In an unanticipated way!
c. By an unappreciated enemy!

A nation cannot long rely on its weapons and wisdom in the absence of the protecting and sustaining hand of God; people and nations can go just so far before they call down God’s temporal wrath.

Arrogance, Christianity,
Daniel, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

ACTS 5:1-11 - The Great Pretenders

SERIES #8: Acts of the Apostles - Witnesses to Jerusalem
TOPIC: Hypocrisy; Deception, Duplicity, Fear of the Lord, Sin

[PLATTERS] During the late 1950’s The Platters sang a classic song called “The Great Pretender”; telling of a love which wasn’t sincere. Today’s mes-sage is about something even more egregious.

TITLE: THE GREAT PRETENDERS -- The Cost of Doing Business with Satan!
TEXT: Acts 5:1-11 [4:29-5:16]

INQUIRY: What was the sin that precipitated such severe discipline?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. One of many was PRETENSE!
II. One of many was UNBELIEF!
III. One of many was ARROGANCE!
IV. One of many was THE SIN OF EDEN!

TRUTH/CONTEXT:

[F. F. Bruce] The great Scottish scholar says of this event: “An act of deceit interrupts the victorious progress of the people of God.” [Cited in Stott, Acts, p.109]

In this passage we are given a positive and a negative of early church life … notice the word “But” in verse one, contrasting Ananias and Sapphira’s niggardliness with the preceding events and Barnabas’ generosity.

[ROGERS] A few years ago Adrian Rogers, pastor of Bellevue BC of Cordova, TN, spoke on the subject of sin to the student body of one of our seminaries … he named three prominent precursors to a person’s fall into sin:

1. an undetected weakness
2. an unexpected temptation
3. an unprotected life.

[FAME] Andy Warhol, that weird artist of the post-sixties era, is credited with having said, “Everyone gets fifteen minutes of fame.”

Little did Ananias and Sapphira imagine theirs would come in this way.

We can agree this was probably not this couple’s first temptation to sin, nor was it the first occurrence of sin by them. Is it God’s warning to the church? Yes!

REVIEW: This passage is great for the purpose of recalling the threefold theme of the book of Acts:

1. the Preeminence of Christ
2. the Prominence of the Holy Spirit
3. the Power of the authentic church.

Authentic fellowship is marred; the authentic followed by the counterfeit.

Sadly we have many people today who are either disbelieving or offended or shocked by this story. When we compare it to others there is no reason to be; for example: Achan or Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, Jephthah, and the Levitical Priest who divided his wife into 12 parts and sent a part each to the tribes of Israel.

INQUIRY: What sin precipitated such severe discipline?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. One of many was PRETENSE!

They took the name of the Lord their God in vain! And their selfish desires got the best of them.

A. The desire to belong
B. The desire for the esteem of others
C. The desire to be seen
D. The desire to appear

1. fruitful among the fruitful is strong
2. righteous among the righteous is strong
3. spiritual among the spiritual is strong

Note: taking the Lord's name in vain is not using God's name when cursing (though it is a sin), it is calling yourself a Jew or a Christian when you are not one!

II. One of many was UNBELIEF!

They did not trust the Lord to meet their needs if all was given!

A. They didn’t truly trust God to care for them in the present
B. They didn’t truly believe that if they gave all, the Lord would meet their future needs

Conclusion: giving it all taxed their faith too much

C. They had no reality of relationship

[RELEASE] Susan Smart wrote about an experience as a student pilot. It seems she did well with all of the in-flight training except recovering from stalls. She previously panicked every time; her instructor told her she must master it to be licensed. On her first attempt she froze, her hands glued to the controls, the Cessna 150 flip-flopping in the air, spin-ning downward out of control. She tried to recall what her instructor had told her … “If you ever get into a spin in a Cessna 150, just let go of the controls. It’s built to pull out of a spin on its own.”

Instead she fought for control. Finally, in desperation, she called on God and shouted at herself, “Let go!’ She released the controls. After some wild yawing and pitching, the craft leveled out. She had descended al-most a mile but she was safe.

Smart pointed to similarities with our relationship with God. We’re told to trust and let go in spite of how fearful it is and in spite of how hard it is to release the controls of our lives! Before Cessna designed it into their aircraft, God had designed it into His plan for our future with Him.

III. One of many was ARROGANCE!

Like the Jews of old they thought God could not see what they were doing!

He says to himself, "God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it."

Psalms 10:11

They have said, "The LORD does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed."

Psalms 94:7

Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'"

Ezekiel 8:12

IV. One of many was THE SIN OF EDEN!

They heeded Satan and one another rather than God!

A. The text says, “Satan filled his heart.”

“You’re of your father the devil, & the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, & doesn’t stand in the truth, because there’s no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar & the father of it.”

John 8:44

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Luke 16:13

“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’”

1 Kings 18:21

B. In the same way that God needed to make a point in the Garden, make a point with the Tabernacle (i.e., the sons of Aaron), in the Promised Land (Achan), and with two kings (Saul & David) … He needed to make a point at the inception of the authentic church.

APPLICATION: There were many other sins committed by this couple besides lying to the Holy Spirit ... the story here begins in the hearts of the two antagonists: it is their inward disposition not their outward operation that reveals the problem.

Wheat can only recognize the tares among us when we reach maturity.

CHALLENGE: What lessons may we learn?

1. The non-discrimination of iniquity; even you can be its victim
2. The Enormity of Sin: God hates it; it ruins fellowship, unity
3. The commonness of guile (deception, fraud, duplicity, etc.); Jesus called Nathaniel “a man without guile.”
   
4. The unfortunate necessity for church discipline.
5. The deceitfulness of our heart and the need for the Holy Spirit to goad our consciences.
   

God desires transparent, real people for His Body; as the east African church is fond of saying, “[God wants a people] without ceilings and walls.” (Stott, ibid)

Most Christians are oblivious to what is going on around them in the visible Body of the Church today.

Many are living a lie, faking it: hoping no one notices … believing God will not hold it against them … knowing but not comprehending the Living Word of God.

For examples I give you the following links as examples of church leadership in the past two years: Bynum & Weeks, Paula & Randy White, Tommy Tester, Carlton Pearson, the Paulk brothers, Jason Christy, Dick Dewert, Lonnie Latham, Ted Haggard … and hundreds more who are hiding in sinful deception as I write this!

Romans 3:18 warns us about "the fear of the Lord" ... where is the fear of the Lord in all of this?

This discipline of Ananias and Sapphira, however, got everyone’s attention: see 5:5 and 11 ... “great fear” … I wish it would today … for He is the same God today as He was back then!

Apostates, Christianity, Deceivers, Expository,
Fear of God, Holy Spirit, Homiletics,
Non-believers, Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

ACTS 4:23-31 - NOTICE THEIR THREATS

SERIES #6: Acts of the Apostles; Witnesses to Jerusalem [1-7]

TOPIC: Power; Church, Testimony, Witness

TITLE: NOTICE THEIR THREATS - Prerequisite for Speaking with Boldness!
TEXT: Acts 4: 29-30 [23-31]

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."

CONCISE OUTLINE
INQUIRY: How did the disciples react to the threat of persecution by the Jewish leaders?

I. THE THREAT MADE THEM PROCLAIM GOD … !

A. Their faith in God

1. Openly
2. Enthusiastically

II. THE THREAT MADE THEM PRAISE GOD … !

A. Loudly!
B. Unanimously!

III. THE THREAT MADE THEM PETITIONED GOD … !

A. Powerfully

TRUTH/CONTEXT: By now we should remember …

First that the Acts of the Apostles is outlined in chapter 1 verse 8 … and second that there are three themes revealed in its contents …

1. The preeminence of the Living Lord,
2. The prominence of the Holy Spirit, and
3. The power of the authentic church

We’ll be in Jerusalem through chapter 7; we’ll then enter Judea and Samaria until chapter 13, when we begin a journey to “the remotest part of the earth.”

Last week we saw that the authentic church can’t stop speaking about what is know to be true … unless it has allowed calluses to build up on its heart, or unless it, like the church in Laodicia, has lost its first love. [Revelation 2:4]

This week we’ll see how persecution results in a fearless voice, a unified voice, and a powerful voice all working together for God’s Glory.

EXPANDED OUTLINE
INQUIRY: How did the report of persecution by the Jewish leaders affect believers?

I. THE THREAT MADE THEM PROCLAIM GOD – Fearless Voice!

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel. [27]

A. Jesus
B. By faith
C. Openly
D. Enthusiastically

1. Considered it an honor to suffer for His name
2. Unconcerned about the consequences
3. Hungered more

E. Didn’t suggest a retreat, criticize or question the apostle’s motives, suggest they go easy, stop going to the temple, propose appeasement, or send others so they could stay home.

II. THE THREAT MADE THEM PRAISE GOD – Unified Voice!

“And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord.” [24a]

A. When the disciples reported on the threat the combined response was unified. [24]
B. Praised God

1. Loudly
2. Unanimously
3. About

a) His creative POWER! [24]
b) About His providential care! [25,28]
c) About His word and its truth! [25,26]

C. Gave God the glory

1. … here called “Sovereign Lord” …
2. recognized He is greater than “nations … peoples … kings … and rulers” [despõtes]

III. THE THREAT MADE THEM PETITIONED GOD … Powerful Voice!

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." [29, 30]

A. As a result they prayed boldly to God …

1. to consider the threats of His enemies
2. to grant them all confidence to proclaim the Good News
3. to continue …

a. His healing … not just the flesh but the spirit.
b. His signs and wonders …

E. Notice the use of Scripture in their worship of God [24b,25b,26]
F. Notice they don’t hesitate to call a “spade” a spade [27,28]
G. Notice they don’t cower but rather

1. Requested God would humble His enemies and
2. make bold His witnesses. [29]

H. Notice they don’t ask for boldness selfishly but rather for the benefit of others and for the glory of God! [30]
I. And notice God answered their prayers and released them with power … but for many it meant dispersion, tribulation, and death! [31]
J. Notice the request is not for power to afflict God’s enemies with His wrath but rather to extend His mercy “through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” [30]

We should covet the same.

APPLICATION:

[COMMAND] During WWII the North African Campaign was in a mess and General Montgomery was sent to clean it up. I’m told his first order was as follows: “The orders of the Commander-in-Chief will no longer be open to interpretation ... just action.”

God will not bully or threaten those He has chosen. No gun will be put to their head; they will not be drug kicking and screaming into the streets.

We may choose to obey or disobey. Yet there are those who insist they’re obedi-ent and but clearly are not! Such is the problem of the twentieth century.

Were I chosen to write the epitaph for the church of this century, I would write:

GREAT PROCLAMATION;
PROCLAMATION UNPROCLAIMED

The POWER of the church (for certain THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH) was reflected in the events that followed:

1. Immediate answer to prayer … [4:31]
2. Community … [4:32-35]
3. Barnabas … [4:36,37]
4. Ananias & Sapphira [5:1-16]
5. Followed by more persecution [5:17ff.]

CHALLENGE: The AUTHENTIC but contemporary church should expect, if it has committed itself into His hands, to be …

1. shaken
2. filled and
3. made bold.

[ARMY] A few years ago the U.S. Army unveiled a new recruitment slogan recently. The “Be All You Can Be” line, a cultural icon since the 1980s, was re-tired and replaced with “An Army of One.”

According to reports, the Army hopes the slogan will appeal to a genera-tion less attracted to military service than its predecessors.

Paul says the church has had that slogan for 2,000 years …

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:4-6

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31

Thus we know and proclaim, “I am an army of One in Christ Jesus … undefeated and unbeatable; overcoming and victorious!”

Acts, Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons, Sermons Series

ROMANS: Full Sermons

6:4-7

DISCIPLESHIP: It’s A Relationship, Not A Religion!

6:19

OUR OBLIGATION - To Die, Live, Serve, and Be United to God!

Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Romans, Sermons

DEUTERONOMY 8:1-10: Stop! Look! Listen! Think!

TOPIC: Blessing; Obedience, Preparation, Sanctification, Voice (of God)
TITLE: "Stop, Look, Listen and Think! Hear the voice of God!"

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why did God encourage Israel to stop, look, listen and think?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. That they might profit from their past! (v. 2a)
II. That they might be perfected in their present! (v. 6)
III. That they might be possessors of His promises in their future! (vv. 7-10, 16b)

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: [Cf. Deuteronomy 1:1-14] Israel's forty years in the wilderness has come to an end; Moses' life is also at an end; God tells Moses to confront His children with His words . . . one last time.

They are to leave the plain of preparation and go to the land of promise to possess it!

Here in chapter 8, God has Moses challenge the people to think (a.k.a.: reflect) upon their past, their present and their future.

The question we will want to answer is WHY?

[RR Crossing] In the mid-west, as a youth, I recall rail crossing signs . . . each looked like a big, white, letter ex. Three arms had a single word written on it: one read, STOP; another, LOOK; the third, LISTEN; while the last was unmarked.

Considering those who take liberties at railroad crossings today perhaps that fourth arm should read, THINK! The money and effort consumed in the attempt to prevent accidents at these crossings is staggering. Why? Because . . .

1. people don't focus on what is important in life
2. people don't think before they act and
   
3. people are prone to take risks . . . ignoring consequences!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why did God encourage Israel to stop, look, listen and think?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. That They Might Profit from Their Past! (v. 2a)

"And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years . . . "

Deuteronomy 8:2

A. "all the way which the LORD your God has led you"
B. What was God's purpose for wanting to remind them of this?

1. Read v. 3 (to be humbled, to hunger, to understand)
2. Read v. 4 (clothing=provision)
3. Read v. 5 (to know in their heart that God, as any good father, was at work in their discipline and that it was for their own good)

"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days."

Proverbs 19:20

II. That They Might Be Perfected in Their Present! (v. 6)

"Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God . . . "

v. 6a

Why?

A. "to walk in His ways"
B. "to fear Him"

III. And That They Might Be Possessors of His Promises in Their Future! (vv. 7-10, 16b)

"... to do good for you in the end."

v. 16b

How?

A. By ...

"bringing you into a good land . . . "

v. 7a

B. To ...

"a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you shall eat food without scarcity, in which you shall not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper."

vv. 7b-9

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Now that we've answered the question "How?" let's answer the question "Why?"

So that . . .

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you."

v. 10

So how did things turn out? Not well, as we know. People tend to get familiar with things and then take them for granted . . . like trains at rail crossings.

[HEAVENS] In a book by H.G. Wells, Wm. Clissold, one of his characters is quoted as saying: "There was a time when my little soul was uplifted at the starry enigma of the sky. That's absolutely gone. I remember looking at the stars one might, and I was in ecstasy . . . but now I can go out to look . . . [like I would] at the pattern on the wallpaper [on a theater wall]." [H. G. Wells; in Outlines and Illustrations, MacPherson, p.46]

But you don't do that with God. Israel and all they experienced were "examples for us, that we should not crave" what God does not want for us! [1 Corinthians 10:6]

God challenged Israel to remember what He had done for them but , by the end of their 40 year camping trip, they had taken Him for granted and still longed for the garlic and onions of Egypt.

READ ALOUD: Deuteronomy 8:11-20

As a nation we have the same dilemma . . . do we look at the history of our great nation and see the hand of God in every blessing. And we claim its wealth comes from the power of our own hand?

In the light of God's unchanging character, would He encourage us to STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, and THINK about this latter day failure? Would He want us to look forward and consider His promises in the shadow of this time?

1. If so, what lessons would He have us learn?

[LIVING STONES] That we aren't bricks made by human hands in a kiln over a few hours. We are "living stones." [1 Peter 2:5]

Stones take ages and ages to form in the crucible of the earth's crust; followed by ages of washing and weathering . . . to smooth out the roughness and round them. This is done to so they can be clearly differentiated from plain old rough, ragged rocks.

Francis de Sales said, "This [life] is but a quarry where the living stones of the heavenly Jerusalem are cut and washed."

God is preparing us to be good "Christians"; He is preparing us for our place in the wall of His eternal Holy Temple.

2. If so, what commands are we to keep?

We are not of the law but of righteousness by faith!

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

John 14:15

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love ..."

[John 15:10a

This is the paradox of obedience: We can't keep His commandments unless we first acknowledge His authority to command; yet we cannot (it seems) acknowledge His right to command unless we begin by desiring to keep them.

"For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."

2 Timothy 1:12

3. If so, what promises have we been given?

"seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, . . . for by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

2 Peter 1:3a,4

"But it isn't as though the word of God has failed. For they're not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants."

Romans 9:6b-8

Above us are the blinking reminders of our heavenly future; below us is the dust of our earthly past; and in between . . . ???

Well, between:

"there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 2:5

And we have taken to heart the promise of Jesus our Lord, our God, and our Savior: "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." [Matthew 28:20]

Christianity, Deuteronomy, Expository,
Homiletics, Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

EZEKIEL - Seed Archive

Ezekiel 3:8, 9

TOPIC: God's people, God's enemies

TITLE: Fear Not!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What must God's people understand about their relationship with God?

I. God's people are not inferior to those who rebel against Him!
II. God's people can not be hurt by His enemies!
III. God's people are not to be -

A. Afraid of His enemies or
B. Dismayed by them.

Ezekiel 13:10-16

TOPIC: False Prophets, False Teachers

TITLE: God's Triple Assault!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does God deal with unscrupulous contractors?

I. He Saturates Them with A Soaking Storm! (v.11,13)
II. He Hammers Them with Hurtling Hail! (v.11,13)
III. He Blasts Them with A Battering Bursts! (v.11,13)
IV. He Finds Their False Foundation! (v.14)

Exile, Ezekiel, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

HABAKKUK - Seed Archive

Habakkuk 2:4, 8, 20

TOPIC: God's Will

TITLE: Three Elements of God’s Sovereign Will to Know.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three elements of God's will should we know?

I. God will spare His own (4)
II. God will judge His enemies (8)
III. God will rule in His-story (20)

Habakkuk 3:1

TOPIC: God's nature

TITLE: Three Critical Aspects of God’s Nature!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three aspects of God's nature are undeniable?

I. God is Capable of Intense Wrath!
II. God is Capable of Remembering!
III. God is Capable of Compassion!

Habakkuk 3:16-19

TOPIC: Prophecy

TITLE: The Effects of Prophecy on God’s People
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What should the effects of prophecy be on God's people?

I. Abject [Arena of] Fear (16)
II. Absent [Absence of] Fruit (17)
III. Abundant Future [Abundance of Future or Faith] (18-19)

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: God takes us into an arena of fear, chastening us by removing the very things which drew us away from Him, and leaving us with tested faith and the promise of an abundant future.

Hababbuk, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

JONAH - Seed Archive

Jonah 1:1 ff

TOPIC: Missions

TITLE: While Nineveh Goes to Hell!

I. Jonah's Success

Riding the crest of popularity; a successful prophet. [2 Kings 14:25]

II. Jonah's Call [1:1-2]
III. Jonah's Flight [1:3-2:10]
IV. Jonah's Message [3:1-4]

Short & sweet -- Forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed.

V. Jonah's Surprise [3:5-10]

The heathen repented and were spared; they weren't even part of chosen people.

VI. Jonah's Displeasure [4:1-4]

First time thus saith the Lord not literally fulfilled.

VII. Jonah's Lesson [4:5-11]

God is concerned about all people groups; it is not His will that any should perish [2 Peter 3:9].

[MISSIONS] If a child comes home and tells mom & dad the boss is sending junior to South America as part of a multi-million dollar oil exploration the folks say, "Wow! Great! You've made it son. We can't wait to call the family and the friends to tell them."

But if he comes home and tells them that God has called him to the mission field in South America to rescue the perishing, they say, "What? Are you sure? Are there any benefits? Is it safe? You don't even speak the language."

SOURCE: Bill Blanchard, Commission Magazine, May 1997 p. 280 (a publication of the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention).

Homiletics, Jonah, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons

HEBREWS - Seed Archive

4:14 -- 5:10

TOPIC: Eternal Life, Easter

TITLE: OUR HIGH PRIEST - The Source of Eternal Life!

The Hebrews were as familiar with the duties of the High Priest as modern Americans are with the duties of the President of the United States.

Their daily lives were permeated with priests, altars, and sacrifices; the writer of this epistle reminds them God has provided them a perfect High Priest and a Perfect Sacrifice for the heavenly temple ... the Lamb of God.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why do we need such a High Priest?

Because we need an Intercessor ...

I. Who Is Appointed By God!
II. Who Is in the Presence of God!
III. Who Is God!

The Hebrews had the shadow of the good things to come ... we have found the reality and that reality is in Jesus ... we have found the evidence of His atoning work written in blood on the altar of God's Word.

God would encourage us to persevere in the face of obstacles. We have a forerunner who is our hope, and anchor of our soul, both sure and steadfast.

12:25

See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

TOPIC: Salvation; hearers, judgment, last days, warnings

TITLE: LAST DAYS WARNING - Salvation Message
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three types of listeners are seen here?

I. STUBBORN LISTENERS! (they refuse to listen)
II. UNHEEDING LISTENERS! (they do not heed the warning)

A. Earthly - did not escape him! (Moses)
B. Heavenly - will not escape Him! (God)

III. WARNED LISTENERS! (they heed the warning)

Hebrews, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

LAMENTATIONS - Seed Archive

1:1

"How lonely sits the city That was full of people! She has become like a widow Who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces Has become a forced laborer!"

TOPIC: People of God

TITLE: The Cost of Disobedience - How to be Lifeless, Alone and Enslaved!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does God want His people ["the city"] to be?

I. He wants her full of life! [a city once "full of people," now "lonely"]
II. He wants her great among nations! [once "great," now widowed]
III. He wants her regal! [then a "princess," now a "forced laborer"]

1:4

The roads of Zion are in mourning

Because no one comes to the appointed feasts
All her gates are desolate;
Her priests are groaning,
Her virgins are afflicted,
And she herself is bitter.

TOPIC: Price of Sin [Church health & behavior, Spiritual infidelity, Worship; holiness]

TITLE: BLACK GOLD*: The Heavy Price of Infidelity! [* see 4:1]
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why does the way to Zion mourn?

I. Attendance problems! [1b]
II. Missing Elders ! [1c]
III. Complaining priests! [1d]
IV. Declining [read "Reclining"] virgins! [1e]
V. Insensitive members [1f]

Apostasy, Christianity, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Rebellion, Sermons

MALACHI - Seed Archive

Malachi 1:6

"'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, 'How have we despised Your name?'"

TOPIC: Commitment; Fear (of the Lord), Honor, Service, Worship
TITLE: "If I Am?"

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: If God really is Father and Master, where is His honor, where is His due?

I. If Father, where is His honor?
II. If Lord, where is His service?

Christianity, Expository, Homiletic,Malachi,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons