1:44 [39-45]LEAPING FOR JOY - Experiencing the Lord’s Presence for Joy!
2:18WONDER OF WONDERS – Awe and Mystery In God’s Presence!9:18-20THE ONE - Just Another Senator (New 6 November 2008)18:9-14THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST – Going Down to Our House Justified!
8:5-13OH YOU OF LITTLE FAITH - What must God do to convince?
16:23-24 [21-28]DENY THYSELF - Focus on the Object of Your Faith for a Straight Walk!
25:1-13COME HOLY SPIRIT - Stone "1" On Our Weekly Spiritual Pathway!
25:46 [31-46]
A HELL OF A NOTE - The Bad News According to Jesus!
TOPIC: Knowledge; Bible, Discipleship, Scripture, Word
TITLE: ROOTS OF THE TREE OF LIFE – Hidden Treasure in Biblical Trivia!
TRUTH CLAIM: It's becoming the single greatest embarrassment to the Body of Christ in the last 20 centuries! What is it? It's the horrible lack of biblical knowledge on the part of the saints of God!
It used to be any youngster in Sunday School was better by far in Scripture than any unchurched counterpart. Not only is that no longer true, but now grownup Christians run and hide when Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormon missionaries arrive at their door. Why?
Webster’s defines ignorance as "the lack of knowledge." That's why!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What must we know about a biblical passage in order to profit from it?I. WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE POSITION OF THE PASSAGE!THEN, AND ONLY THEN, WILL WE DISCOVER -
II. THE PURPOSE OF THE PASSAGE!III. THE PROFIT OF THE PASSAGE!APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Bible study isn’t a duty or an obligation for the child of God; but it's not an option either.
The old saying is true: if you love the Author, then you'll love His book.
At no time in the history of the world has it been easier to know His story than it is now. And yet, at no time in the history of the world have so many, who have been blessed with so much, known so little about the Giver of all blessings.
Sadly, this is true in almost every church in America today!
Think long and hard about why you (yes, you!) lack the necessary knowledge to defend your faith.
Ask yourself, "What is so important in my life it keeps me from the study of God's word?" Whatever your excuse is, ask yourself this, "Will it (whatever it is) stand judgment over me on that day, or will God?"
Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
TOPIC: Christmas [Christ]
TITLE: Where Is He? [Seven questions]
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Where is He who was born King of the Jews?I. Is He in our world?
II. Is He in our philosophy?
III. Is He in our religion?
IV. Is He in our government?
V. Is He in our homes?
VI. Is He in our lives?
VII. Is He in our heart?
But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”TOPIC: Obedience [Other topics - focus, God's plan, righteousness]
TITLE: Fulfilling All Righteousness!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is "all righteousness" fulfilled?I. By Being Obedient to the Father's Plan!
II. By Demonstrating Agreement with His Plan!
III. By Separating the Vertical from the Horizontal!
... upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.Only the True Church will be built, only perfect materials will be used; no natural or supernatural disasters will be able to shake it or break it, and the title is clear, no second mortgages, no liens, no encumbrances, it is bought and paid for.
TOPIC: Church
TITLE: UPON THIS ROCK
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why is Jesus a successful church builder?I. Because He builds on a solid foundation!Jesus says, upon this rock, not just anyplace!II. Because He builds with certainty!Jesus says He will build, not can or might build!III. Because He builds as owner!Jesus says the church is My church!IV. And because He builds for permanence!Jesus says even the gates of Hades shall not overpower My church!
TOPIC: Evangelism [Other topics: outreach]
TITLE: Be A Cheerleader For GodFOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: I want to be a cheerleader for God, what do I do?I. Get On Stage, Where You Can Be Seen!What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the lightII. Get A Megaphone, So You Can Be Heard!What you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops
TOPIC: Kingdom (to come) [Other topics - discipleship, prophecy, sanctification, saved vs. unsaved, warning]
TITLE: THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT - What He Lacked!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What did the Unprofitable Servant lack?I. He Lacked Comprehension (of God)!
II. He Lacked Devotion (to God)!
III. He Lacked Justification (from God)!
TOPIC: Lord's Supper [Atonement, Blessing, Crucifixion, Easter, Ordinance, Sacrifice, Substitution, Suffering]
TITLE: THE KEEPSAKE OF THE LORD - His Agony, Our Ecstasy!
TRUTH CLAIM: Memorial tokens are given to special people in our lives to cause then to have fond and enduring remembrances of us! They're intended to be kept for remembrance’s sake ... thus they are known as keep-sakes!
The Lord gave us His keepsake - an ordinance - we know it as the Lord's Supper! He paid for it with His life, yet it brings us great blessing!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How ought we visualize the Lord’s Supper in the light of His agony but Our ecstasy?I. WE SEE HIS AGONY IN ...APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: 1 Corinthians 11:26 says "as often as" we partake of His supper we "proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." This we may all do, freely!A. THE CUP OF...II. WE SEE OUR ECSTASY IN ...1. HIS BETRAYAL!B. THE BREAD OF HIS DEATH!
2. HIS NECESSITY!
3. HIS SHAME!
4. HIS PAIN!
5. HIS CONDEMNATION!A. THE CUP OF...1. OUR AWE!B. THE BREAD OF OUR NEW LIFE!
2. OUR REMEMBRANCE!
Yet only those who can declare in truth they’ve been "crucified with Christ" will have power in the proclamation of their testimony!
I perceive there are many who desire to proclaim Him "crucified," yet have no power, because they themselves have not been crucified with Him!
How the Lord must grieve as He sees us partake of His supper with such a deficiency in our lives.
If we freely choose to preach the Lord's agony (in this symbolic way), then we are obligated to practice what we preach!
It's not just those who are called to the preaching ministry who are obligated to preach that Christ died for our sins, but all those who go by the name of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)!
And, if we preach the Lord's agony, in this memorial way, professing to be followers of His, then we must manifest that same spirit of sacrifice which brought Him to the cross of His agony!
For it's in that spirit of sacrifice the world sees the truth and reality of what Jesus did for them!
TOPIC: Pre-Easter [Other topics - prayer]
TITLE: HE WAS HEARD! [Adapted from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening; "Evening," March 22]FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How did Jesus face the road He had to travel?I. With Powerful Humility! (He fell on His face!)
II. With Powerful Misery! (Being in agony!!)
III. With Powerful Sanctity! (Thy will be done!)
TOPIC: Pre-Easter [Other topics - prayer]
TITLE: STAYING FAITHFUL! [Adapted from Family Bible Study: Life Truths quarterly; LifeWay Christian Resources (© Southern Baptist Convention) June 24 2001, pp.43-51 (edited for use by Pastors Pastor)]
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How may I stay faithful to God in the face of difficult circumstances?I. By Asking Friends for Support! [36-38]
II. By Seeking God’s Will! (39)
III. By Guarding Against Temptation! (40,41)
IV. By Facing Difficulties Head On! (47-50)
V. By Knowing God’s Word! (51-56)
TOPIC: Lordship
TITLE: If Not Of All, Then Not At All!
TRUTH CLAIM: If we claim to understand every doctrine concerning the person and workof Christ but fail to allow Him to be Lord of all, we must sadly confess that weunderstand nothing at all!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What must Jesus be Lord of if He is to truly be Lord of All?I. He Must Be Lord of All the Visibles!A. All Our Possessions!
B. All Our Professions!
C. All Our Personals!
D. All Our Particulars!II. He Must Be Lord of All the Invisibles!A. All Our Thoughts!
B. All Our Emotions!
C. All Our Will!Jesus is not Lord of anything if He is not Lord of everything.
Two points: first, Jesus IS Lord whether we accept Him or not but, second, we must submit to Him as Lord in order for Him to be OUR Lord!
TOPIC: Great Commission
TITLE: A COMMISSION WITH ROYAL BACKBONE - "Go ... I Am is with you."
[Adapted from T. C. Horton, "Go & Lo!" The King's Business (Biola Press, March 1922) pp.227-28.]
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What kind of a commission are we given?I. A BLESSED COMMISSION - One with Authorization!All authority has been given to Me ...II. A BLESSED COMMISSION - One with Association!... lo, I am is with you ...III. A BLESSED COMMISSION - One with Assertion!Go therefore ...APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: The Great Commission -
- provides us the greatest work place - the whole world!
- provides us the greatest work ethic - the gospel truth!
- provides us the greatest work mate - The Risen Lord!
- Will you hear?
- Will you heed?
- Will you hesitate?
TOPIC: Evangelism [Outreach, Witness]Mark 5:24-34
TITLE: Bringing In the Sheaves - How to demonstrate that you have faith in Jesus!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How do we show that we believe their is no one besides Christ Jesus?I. By Bringing Others to Him! [1-5]
II. By Preparing for Criticism! [6-7]
III. By Beholding His Power and Authority! [8-12]
TOPIC: Faith [Forgiveness, Healing]
TITLE: Are You Aware of What Is Happening To You?
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does Christ's healing power mean to us?I. Christ's Healing is Powerful! [30,34]A. It overcomes human bondage. ["12 years," 25]II. Christ's Healing is Available! [28,33]
B. It overcomes human charlatans. ["endured much," 26]
C. It overcomes human economics. ["spent much," 26]
III. Christ's Healing is Free! [28,34]
IV. Christ's Healing is Permanent! [34]
TOPIC: Lord's Supper [New Covenant]
TITLE: THE NEW COVENANT - PROMISE & FULFILLMENT - Broken Body, Spilled Blood!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What dimensions of God's will are at work in the Lord's Supper?I. The determinative dimension of His will!God has determined the best road for us to travel, He has also determined that we should be free to choose to travel that road.II. The declarative dimension of His will!III. The discretionary dimension of His will!Jeremiah 31:31 says that God declared His intentions, He did hide His intentions.
The Lord has said and the Bible has recorded that God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy ... and perfectly as well. We too should be merciful!
"they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them."TOPIC: Work [Evangelism; Good News; Harvest field; Labor]
TITLE: HOLY SWEAT - or Meet my partner, the Lord Jesus Christ!
TRUTH CLAIM: Many workers secretly wish they could pick those they work with; but can any complain when their co-worker is the Lord Himself?
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does Jesus labor with His disciples?I. Jesus labors as a working partner!
II. Jesus labors with a working program!
III. Jesus labors through a working power!APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Let's recall "we are laborers together with God" and "workers together with Christ." We are to labor where we are ... with what we know ... with what we have ... if we're to be a working partner.
About 15 years ago, I wrote a quick note to myself in the form of a sermon seed for use sometime in the future. I don't recall what prompted it but it was out of my prophetic voice, I'm sure! At the time I wrote it, 9/11 and all of its baggage was still future.TOPIC: Cultural decay; Sin, Worldviews
TITLE: A DYSFUNCTIONAL KINGDOM - Three Deadly DiseasesA kingdom without a king is just a land filled with people in search of a leader.[VET] An acronym with many ties ... here it stands for Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, and TerrorismTEXT: 1 John 2:15-16Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.TRUTH: Three contemporary social diseases which find their roots in "self" are having a horrible impact on Western Civilization.I. VOYEURISM - "the lust of the eyes"
- A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point
- An obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects
The modern addiction to the visual is symtomatic; TV, porn, entertainment, etc.II. EXHIBITIONISM - "the lust of the flesh"
- Extravagant and conspicuous behavior intended to attract attention to yourself
- The perverse act of exposing and attracting attention to your own genitals
Britany Spears, Paris Hilton, rock musicians, politicians, even the mega-church and emergent movements are part of it.III. TERRORISM - "the boastful pride of life"
- The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes
- The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization
- A method of governing or of resisting a government
Here our need to dominate rather than serve others is seen.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.”
TOPIC: Assurance, Salvation
TITLE: WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN?
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What should all "believers" know for certain?I. They Should Know Why -- SIN!"all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."II. They Should Know What -- DEATH!Romans 3:23"the wages of sin is death."III. They Should Know When -- NOW!Romans 6:23a"behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"IV. They Should Know Who -- JESUS!2 Corinthians 6:2b"there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."V. They Should Know How -- CONFESS HIM AS LORD!Acts 4:12"if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved"Romans 10:9
TOPIC: Absolutes; Atonement, Good News, Prophecy, Relativism
TITLE: John 3's Four Absolutes!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What four absolutes in John 3 help us understand the Good News?I. The Sons of Men Must Be Born-again! (John 3:7)
II. The Son of Man Must Be Lifted-up! (John 3:14)
III. The Bridegroom Must Increase! (John 3:30a)
IV. The Friends of the Bridegroom Must Decrease! (John 3:30b)
TOPIC: Death; Doctrine, Easter, Faith, Resurrection, Sovereignty of GodTITLE: UP FROM THE GRAVE HE CALLED - Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead!*
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What doctrinal ignorance existed among the people?I. A Misunderstanding Concerning Death [12]
II. A Misunderstanding Concerning Resurrection [23-25]
III. A Misunderstanding Concerning Faith [38-40]
14:6
TOPIC: The Way
TITLE: THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE – Jesus is the way!Jesus answered him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is Jesus the way?
I. HE IS THE WAY BY DOCTRINE
II. HE IS THE WAY BY EXAMPLE
III. HE IS THE WAY BY THE SPIRIT
IV. HE IS THE WAY BY SACRIFICE
TOPIC: Church, Priorities
TITLE: THE PRIORITIES OF THE CHURCH - Under His Banner of Love!FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How do we experience God's love?
I. Through Body Life
II. Through Fellowship
III. Through People
IV. Through Organization
V. Through Programs
TOPIC: Conviction, Holy Spirit, Ministry, Submission, Truth
TITLE: The Ministry of The Holy Spirit
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What are the Holy Spirit's ministries?I. His ministry to the world! [8-11]A. Conviction of sin! [9]
B. Conviction of righteousness! [10]
C. Conviction of judgment! [11]II. His ministry to Christ's disciples! [12,13]A. For guidance! [13]
B. For truth! [13]III. His ministry to the Son of God! [14,15]A. Revealing Him! [14]
B. Glorifying Him! [14]
TOPIC: Personality, Character, Nature of Jesus
TITLE: TWO UNITED IN ONE - Seeing the Humanity in Jesus' Divinity!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How do we see Jesus humanity?I. IN HIS LONELY UNITY!II. IN HIS TEMPORAL MERCY!Though left alone by His friends [and He is saddened], He is not alone in the Father [for They are One].
Jesus knew His disciples would abandon Him; He brought it up now that they might be forewarned and reach beyond it, yet He did not bring it up later to hold it against them. [After all, while we were yet sinners He died for us ... why should this transgression be thought so great a thing?]III. IN HIS OMNISCIENT SYMPATHY!Well He knew the weaknesses of man. One such weakness was to let guilt caused by personal failure become despair. [Knowing they would lack Pentecostal power for some time yet, Jesus exhorted them, offering them peace and encouragement.]IV. In His Shared Omnipotence!Knowing their weakness and knowing the final outcome of the ages, Jesus shares the final chapter with His disciples.[Thanks to Wm. Barclay for the seed thoughts for this message; see his Daily Bible Study Series, "The Gospel of John" (Westminster Press, Phil.), 1956, volume 2, pp. 237-38; Sermon Seed; Sermon-Outline-A-Week, August 2000]
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