12/06/2009
Isaiah 7
Now we come to the section that most interests us, but we need to see all this other stuff in order to know what is going on and why what is about to be said in these next verses to King Ahaz is significant to him. Look at verse 10 and follow along as I read.
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
How amazing is this? God AGAIN speaks to this wicked king and says to him, “Ask of Me any kind of sign you can think of, and I will do it in order to assure you that the things I have just promised you WILL come to pass. Israel and Syria will not lay a hand on you. If you want a sign from me to prove it, just ask.”
When was the last time you could have used a sign from God about something in your life? How would you like to know for certain that some particular thing either was or was not going to take place? Ahaz and all the people of Judah are terrified of these two kings who want to come in, kill their armies, kill the king, and place “the son of Tabeel” on the throne. They already have the new replacement king picked out! But God says to Ahaz, “Their plans shall not stand, and I’ll prove it to you by giving you a sign. What would you like to see Me do?”
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Showing posts with label grace fellowship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace fellowship. Show all posts
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Grace Fellowship: Our Need for God's Sovereign Love
Two Little Words That Say “I Love You”
Listen: Full Message
...The fact that God sent his Son to sacrifice himself to save the very people that want to kill him.
Spurgeon: I take it that the highest proof of Christ’s power is not that he offers salvation, not that he bids you take it if you will, but that when you reject it, when you hate it, when you despise it, he has a power whereby he can change your mind, make you think differently from your former thoughts, and turn you from the error of your ways.
So why would he do this? Let’s continue
[Read Eph 2:7-9 - Everyone]
7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
We see that this plan of God’s is to show his grace towards sinners like us. Can you think of anything more loving/gracious/merciful then to save not only a people that are dead but are at war with you?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Grace Fellowship: How to Pray for Christians
02/15/2009
Colossians 1:9-14
Generally speaking, do our prayers for one another sound like Paul’s prayers for his fellow believers? Maybe we could say that he prayed that way because he was an apostle. “But we live in the real world. We don’t live in some high-brow, theological seventh heaven like Paul, off somewhere in some seminary using words like “propitiation” and “justification” and stuff. We have real prayer requests for the real world. Like prayer for healing and for guidance about what I should study in college, and who I should marry, and whether I should home school my kids, and for salvation for my family and church growth and stuff. And for safety when we visit the relatives and stuff. And that the car will stay together. We don’t use words like “redemption” and stuff when we pray. We use real words, mostly one-syllable words, and we talk about REAL stuff here in the real world! We don’t get into all that deep stuff that Paul talked about.”
Why does Paul pray the way he does? Was Paul’s prayer just a bunch of hard to understand theological “stuff”? Or was it about the real world in which we live? Is he just trying to show off his own deep spirituality? Or did he pray as he did for fellow Christians out of necessity?
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Colossians 1:9-14
Generally speaking, do our prayers for one another sound like Paul’s prayers for his fellow believers? Maybe we could say that he prayed that way because he was an apostle. “But we live in the real world. We don’t live in some high-brow, theological seventh heaven like Paul, off somewhere in some seminary using words like “propitiation” and “justification” and stuff. We have real prayer requests for the real world. Like prayer for healing and for guidance about what I should study in college, and who I should marry, and whether I should home school my kids, and for salvation for my family and church growth and stuff. And for safety when we visit the relatives and stuff. And that the car will stay together. We don’t use words like “redemption” and stuff when we pray. We use real words, mostly one-syllable words, and we talk about REAL stuff here in the real world! We don’t get into all that deep stuff that Paul talked about.”
Why does Paul pray the way he does? Was Paul’s prayer just a bunch of hard to understand theological “stuff”? Or was it about the real world in which we live? Is he just trying to show off his own deep spirituality? Or did he pray as he did for fellow Christians out of necessity?
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Monday, November 16, 2009
Grace Fellowship: Hoping for Heaven
02/08/2009
Colossians 1:5a
There are many passages in the NT which speak with subtle differences about hope, but they all refer to the same thing generally, our future eternal life in Heaven. For instance, in 1 Timothy, Jesus is referred to as Christ Jesus our hope. Peter speaks of how God has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Titus chapter 2 reminds us of how we wait for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
But here in Colossians when we read of hope, Paul is not speaking of Jesus as our hope, or our hope for the day of His return, or the hope of resurrection AS SUCH. Certainly, these things are various aspects of the hope we have as believers. All these things (the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the person of Christ) are part of the salvation we enjoy and will enjoy.
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Colossians 1:5a
There are many passages in the NT which speak with subtle differences about hope, but they all refer to the same thing generally, our future eternal life in Heaven. For instance, in 1 Timothy, Jesus is referred to as Christ Jesus our hope. Peter speaks of how God has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Titus chapter 2 reminds us of how we wait for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
But here in Colossians when we read of hope, Paul is not speaking of Jesus as our hope, or our hope for the day of His return, or the hope of resurrection AS SUCH. Certainly, these things are various aspects of the hope we have as believers. All these things (the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the person of Christ) are part of the salvation we enjoy and will enjoy.
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Monday, November 9, 2009
Grace Fellowship: What Does Christian Love Look Like?
02/01/2009
Colossians 1:4
Where do you start? As far as we’re concerned today, I want to start with Colossians 1 and discuss the subject of Christian love. In Christianity, the subject of faith concerns what we believe. Love is concerned with how we live. True faith in the Lord Jesus always results in love for His people. Real faith produces true love. Epaphras saw both faith and love in the Colossians as evidence of their true conversion. It is that love of Christians for fellow Christians that concerns us this morning.
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Colossians 1:4
Where do you start? As far as we’re concerned today, I want to start with Colossians 1 and discuss the subject of Christian love. In Christianity, the subject of faith concerns what we believe. Love is concerned with how we live. True faith in the Lord Jesus always results in love for His people. Real faith produces true love. Epaphras saw both faith and love in the Colossians as evidence of their true conversion. It is that love of Christians for fellow Christians that concerns us this morning.
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Monday, November 2, 2009
Grace Fellowship: What Does A Christian Look Like? Pt. 2
01/25/2009
Part 2: Colossians 1:1-8
What is a Christian? This week I was asked by an evangelical pastor if a person’s understanding of eschatology could be an indication that they were not saved. One hundred and fifty years ago, the question often asked was, “Can a man be a Christian and own slaves?” According to the book of Philemon, the answer is yes. Twenty-five years from now, the question may be, “Can a man be a Christian and NOT drive a solar-powered vehicle?”
Culture does not determine what Christianity is. Christians do not determine what Christianity is. The Bible tells us what real Christianity is. The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in Colossians, chapter 1. Last week we saw three things that characterize true Christianity, according to Colossians 1. They are:
1. Faith in Christ Jesus (v4a)
2. Love for ALL the saints (v4b)
3. The fruit of the gospel in their lives (v6), i.e.:
a. Their understanding of the grace of God in truth
b. Their love in the Spirit (same as “love for all the saints”?)
c. All of the above: faith, love, understanding.
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Part 2: Colossians 1:1-8
What is a Christian? This week I was asked by an evangelical pastor if a person’s understanding of eschatology could be an indication that they were not saved. One hundred and fifty years ago, the question often asked was, “Can a man be a Christian and own slaves?” According to the book of Philemon, the answer is yes. Twenty-five years from now, the question may be, “Can a man be a Christian and NOT drive a solar-powered vehicle?”
Culture does not determine what Christianity is. Christians do not determine what Christianity is. The Bible tells us what real Christianity is. The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in Colossians, chapter 1. Last week we saw three things that characterize true Christianity, according to Colossians 1. They are:
1. Faith in Christ Jesus (v4a)
2. Love for ALL the saints (v4b)
3. The fruit of the gospel in their lives (v6), i.e.:
a. Their understanding of the grace of God in truth
b. Their love in the Spirit (same as “love for all the saints”?)
c. All of the above: faith, love, understanding.
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Monday, October 26, 2009
Grace Fellowship: What Does A Christian Look Like?
01/18/2009
Part 1: Colossians 1:1-8
Now, you need to understand that just asking that question is rather presumptuous to many people. For us, it is a logical question that deserves to be answered. For others, we would seem to be presumptuous and arrogant to even suggest that a definitive answer to that question even exists! “How can you say this person is a Christian but that person is not? How can you be so narrow as to think Christianity can be defined in specific terms? Another person’s Christianity is not subject to you, or your rules, or your interpretation of the Bible. You’re being judgmental and bigoted and intolerant, and … . . etc., etc.” And if our definition of Christianity is only based upon personal opinion, then those accusations are true. We are being judgmental and bigoted if we require others to measure up to our personal, privatized, preferences regarding Christianity...
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Part 1: Colossians 1:1-8
Now, you need to understand that just asking that question is rather presumptuous to many people. For us, it is a logical question that deserves to be answered. For others, we would seem to be presumptuous and arrogant to even suggest that a definitive answer to that question even exists! “How can you say this person is a Christian but that person is not? How can you be so narrow as to think Christianity can be defined in specific terms? Another person’s Christianity is not subject to you, or your rules, or your interpretation of the Bible. You’re being judgmental and bigoted and intolerant, and … . . etc., etc.” And if our definition of Christianity is only based upon personal opinion, then those accusations are true. We are being judgmental and bigoted if we require others to measure up to our personal, privatized, preferences regarding Christianity...
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Monday, October 19, 2009
Grace Fellowship: What Does Biblical Christianity Look Like?
01/11/2009
Colossians 1:1-5
Christianity in America is a complicated creature. So in order to answer the question, we have to appeal to our authority, our primary source of information for what we believe. We don’t answer the question, “What is Christianity” by taking a poll or asking Geraldo Rivera to investigate. We look to the Word of God for the answer, and Colossians chapter 1 gives us that answer. But we need to be sure to ask the right question. We are not concerned with what American Christianity is. That is nearly impossible to define. Rather, we need to ask the question, “What is Christianity?” Or, “What is a Christian?”...
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Colossians 1:1-5
Christianity in America is a complicated creature. So in order to answer the question, we have to appeal to our authority, our primary source of information for what we believe. We don’t answer the question, “What is Christianity” by taking a poll or asking Geraldo Rivera to investigate. We look to the Word of God for the answer, and Colossians chapter 1 gives us that answer. But we need to be sure to ask the right question. We are not concerned with what American Christianity is. That is nearly impossible to define. Rather, we need to ask the question, “What is Christianity?” Or, “What is a Christian?”...
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
Monday, October 12, 2009
Grace Fellowship: Intro to Colossians
01/04/2009
The book of Colossians is about the effects of bad theology on God’s people when they listen to men rather than God. It is a letter of instruction regarding what to believe, and what not to believe as a Christian. That is true of every book of the Bible, but this one was written for the specific purpose of addressing particular false teachings that were coming into the church of Colossae. Some of those teachings were from the pagan Gentile culture. Others were coming from the Jewish community. But the apostle addresses these errors in this little letter, and we continue to reap the benefits of his writings 2000 years later. He might as well have been writing to the church in Pine Grove Mills because the heresies that plagued the Colossians plague Christians everywhere, in every age, to some degree...
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
The book of Colossians is about the effects of bad theology on God’s people when they listen to men rather than God. It is a letter of instruction regarding what to believe, and what not to believe as a Christian. That is true of every book of the Bible, but this one was written for the specific purpose of addressing particular false teachings that were coming into the church of Colossae. Some of those teachings were from the pagan Gentile culture. Others were coming from the Jewish community. But the apostle addresses these errors in this little letter, and we continue to reap the benefits of his writings 2000 years later. He might as well have been writing to the church in Pine Grove Mills because the heresies that plagued the Colossians plague Christians everywhere, in every age, to some degree...
Full Sermon Notes
[For sermon audio click here]
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