5 Point Calvinism
Posted: December 11, 2006 Filed under: Calvinism, Doctrines of Grace, Theology Leave a comment
The first point that is argued for Calvinism is total depravity. Total depravity is a major foundation for soteriology. Its definition is being capable of nothing but sin and is completely dead spiritually. This started when Adam ate of the tree in the Garden and brought spiritual death upon all humanity. Everyone born into the world is sinful. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5. And throughout the entire scriptures the idea of total depravity is taught. Passages like Gen. 2:16-17; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 2:13; Ps. 51:5; Ps. 58:3; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 8:21; Rom. 8:7-8; John 8:34,44; Rom. 6:20; 2 Chron. 6:36; Ps. 143:2; Prov. 20:9; Jer. 13:23; John 6:65. But total depravity is clearly seen in Romans 5:6-21. After reading that passage you cannot tell me that a person is not totally depraved. With words like helpless, condemnation to all, transgression, and sinful there is no other interpretation other than that man is utterly depraved and helpless apart from God. “I am bound to the doctrine of the depravity of the human heart, because I find myself depraved in heart, and have daily proofs that in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing.” Spurgeon
Next in the argument for Calvinism is limited atonement (not unconditional election as is taught in the acrostic TULIP because this is the order in soteriology). Limited atonement is not that Christ died only for the elect, but that Christ died more for the elect to purchase them and bring them into a new covenant. If you say that Christ’ death did the same thing for all of humanity, than I am no better off spiritually speaking than any other person who is going to hell. There needs to be something extra that his death did for the elect. John 3:16 explains this. “For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loves the world, but only those in the elect (those who have believed) receive eternal life. Once again, if Christ’ death covers everyone’s sin, than everyone is either condemned to hell or heaven.
Thirdly, the Calvinist argument states that there is unconditional election. Unconditional election is God choosing the elect before the foundations of the earth. “Just as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Ephesians 1:4-5. As utterly depraved people, we, as the creation, have no say in what happens to us. Only God can determine that. God could have chosen to send us all to hell or heaven but he did not. He chose to elect a body of believers to fellowship with him in eternity. We, as humans, have no say in our eternal destiny.
This brings us to Irresistible Grace. Irresistible Grace is a work of the Holy Spirit which draws the elect of God to salvation, guaranteeing their response to the gospel. And we, as the creation of God, cannot accept or refuse God’s love or hate. Because of man’s total depravity and God’s unconditional election, it is impossible for us to reject or accept God’s grace. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” John 6:37. To say that we can accept or reject God’s grace is to say that we have power over the Holy Spirit. And by no means are we, as man, able to over-rule the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moves wherever it desires and nothing can stand in its way. All the way through history, God has had (and still does) complete control over everything in the universe. To say anything less, especially that a sinful human can over-power God, is to take away from God’s holy character and his complete power over all and give God’s glory to mankind. Total depravity God is all-powerful and there is no way that man could ever resist God’s grace.
The last point of Calvinism is Perseverance of the saints. Perseverance of the saints is simply that a true believer will persevere in faith, no matter what, to the end. Eternal Security Rom. 8:1 – “There is therefore NOW NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom.8:35 – NOTHING can separate the believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. John 10:27-28 – ” And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall NEVER perish.” Eternal life is eternal. This is a gift, unconditional, not to be taken back. Eph. 1:13-14 – “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.” If one is saved, God’s peace will be with him always (John 14:27) and he will be growing in his relationship with Christ. If a person is thought to fall away from the faith, although we cannot judge his heart, one has to wonder if he was really saved. A person who is saved will not love his salvation no matter what.
Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture
Posted: December 7, 2006 Filed under: Book Review 2 Comments
A book review of Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture by Graeme
Goldsworthy
Content:
Graeme Goldsworthy begins “Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture” by explaining the importance of preaching, and how it is the very act of what the local church lives to do in the hearts of people. He starts by using the text of 1 Corinthians 2:2 to show how Paul constantly addresses the main issue of his letters always being Christ first. He then continues to argue how it is easily miss interrupted when preaching the stories of men in the Old Testament. Christians today do not understand that Christ is the center of the New Testament as well Old Testament. What most Christian do today is live like the Gospel was an event, and they do not actually see its whole role through-out Scriptures. When we believe that the Gospel is an event, it does not become a lifestyle as it was meant to be. This means that the gospel must be the center of our own thinking. We must remember as Christians that the Gospel is central not only to our minds and thinking but central to the Bible and theology as well. The Bible brings this to a climax when it points Christ on the cross because that is when freedom comes from the Law.
Also I understand the meaning of what an evangelical person is. It is a Gospel person. A Gospel person is someone who accepts biblical authority in all areas of life. The Bible started from the beginning when God said “let there be” (Genesis 1:3) and there was light. What His Word says has always been and will always be final in a Christian’s life.
The Bible has been under attack since the Enlightenment with the rejection of God. That is when a change in a man’s mind start to question the Word of God. They question the truth and unity of God‘s Word and even God Himself. With this they have started to treat individuals in the Bible as examples of how to live, missing the true mark of the work of God. The center of the Bible is Christ and not individual’s writings or stories. This is where many theologians and pastors have taken God’s Word out of context and have mislead congregations.
Then I see how God calls His people to live and serve Him. It is never the man going to do a work for God because they want to, but God doing the work in the man. God called Abraham and Moses to do His will and work in order that they may serve Him because He wants His Glory. The only way men found God was first set with God calling them out of Egypt. The example of Egypt shows that God is first and not something we think of after our story of the wilderness.
The question in chapter three is “what is biblical theology?” It is about the quest for the big picture, or what is the main focus of the Bible through its’ revelation. Preaching with a purpose should always bring people back to that focus. Today liberal theology has made it seem that God was not up to the task of saying and showing what He wanted in ways humans today can understand. This destroys the message of the Word of God. We look at the Old Testament not as theology but as some historical record. This is critical because we must look at the Bible as a whole historical event and not merely a number of them just thrown together. Through this we must remember Scripture stands alone. This is only when biblical theology works in understanding that we do not need man’s presumptions, theory, or methods that fragment the Word.
This is where we look for the starting point of the message the Bible is trying to show to us. The message is Christ with the work in the New Testament and fulfilling the Old Testament while waiting for His kingdom. Jesus is the goal of the Old Testament and is fulfilling the goal in the New. So why not would this not be the key message of scripture? We cannot take the message as meanings or reasons how we want to but must see what the writers understood from their own historical context. We must be concerned with how God’s character is reveled at the given time, not what we want to say. This is the function of biblical theology. We must watch the still shots of what put all together show the message of God’s Word.
The last content in this chapter shows the story of redemption throughout the Word. Man looks at history as events and does not place them together unlike Scripture which is a series of events divinely ordered for a purpose. With this it is seen how God fulfills past events and placed them together to make known His message. This is were salvation is shown. Redemption is shown theological, historical, and liturgical in God’s Word. The literature of God’s Word works to convey His message. This is the very important aspect of the context of any biblical text.
The very act of preaching from the beginning has never been to give a new opinion or creative way but to proclaim the Word of God. No matter what the form that was used the gospel was always proclaimed which was the reason for the numbers of people added to the church. Seeing how Jesus Christ preached and taught the Scriptures helps us understand the way we need to study for ourselves, and the way we need to get across the message of the Scriptures. One of the ways in doing this is to become sensitive to the Christology in the New Testament. The key point is that Christ did not come to wipe out the Old Testament or even start something all together different, but He came to fulfill the teaching and the leading up of what there was in the Scriptures of Him. In this we see how Jesus is a biblical theologian, and that the Old Testament is needed to enable us to interpret the New Testament. Seeing the gospel in the New Testament shows us what the Old Testament was all about and give reasoning more then just itself.
My last concern from reading this text is knowing the context in which the Bible was written. How the Word God leads and then shows the redemptive work of Christ. How can one teach, study, preach, and learn the bible without explaining the gospel of Christ? It seems to me that sometimes man makes the focus on some kind of emphasis and misses the mark of the true meaning in Scripture. This is due to man’s mindset of Scripture. Without great bible theology, there is always a misinterpreting of the Scriptures. Making sermons and devotions to fit one’s mind or for an emphasis that you want to get across is dangerous. There needs to always be a clear exposition of the gospel throughout any text. Although there is much in the Bible that is not strictly speaking of the gospel there is not anything in the Bible that can be understood without the gospel.
Key Insights:
The biggest insight that I first came to was how so many preachers today miss the mark. The mark of the Bible started out with Christ. During the writing of the books and of the Bible, the focus was Christ, so with this question I ask “why would Christ not be the focus now?” I see how we rob Christ of His glory when we preach about Moses, David, or Peter without referring to what was behind these men. What was the focus of the men when they wrote. These men are used to be illustrations to direct us to the glory of the reason the Bible was written, the glory being Christ.
Another insight is how God used Christ as the center of the New Testament doing what we could not, which is bring us depraved humans to God. Stories like Moses leading the Jews out of the wilderness are not meant to look at the work of the depraved man, but to see the story that starts with Christ leading His people with great redemption. This salvation in the Old Testament is the same salvation that Christ would live out in paying for our debt to His Father. These works of Noah, Moses, and others are not the work of man but of God’s sovereign work to bring man back to Him through redemption. With this thought, we see God always at the beginning of any task, situation, or trial we are given and not to let our minds run wild with focus on our human minds.
The first insight in chapter two is the fact that I will not rob the God that sent His Son of what is His. His work, the Bible, is meaningful, and this was all done for the glory and honor of God. It is not for me to lift up a sinner like Noah or a sinner like Moses, but to see how God is in control and what the work of His design and will has been and is today. Not one of these men would lift themselves up and say “live after me.” They would always direct their work(s) back to God who had place all things.
My favorite idea I learned in this chapter is preaching from the Bible without the gospel makes life become a legalistic reasoning. How and why we do things for Christ should be true love from our hearts behind what we do. A message without the gospel brings no relief to life. How can a man bring a message without the reasoning of it being grace. Without grace it leaves no hope for the hearers of the Word.
One thing I noticed right away was how much we as Christians miss the message of the Bible because our focus is a story or event we like to read. When I teach a message or a piece of Scripture I must always remember what its meaning was for the purpose of God’s Word. Without the riches of Christ shown in a message leaves the reasoning behind any message without hope and the true meaning of joy. We must show the relationship between passages to have properly preached Christ. This is were the enrichment comes to the listener knowing the reasoning of how a passage has hope, victory, and grace. Knowing these things show a proper view of what God meant for His Word to show, that is His Son.
Another key insight I have done much thinking about was the fact that Christ declares Himself the goal of the sovereign work of His Father. Thinking about this made me think about how much we Christians really tend to miss that mark and especially in our Christian educations. I see an extreme need for a course of correct biblical theology and not some light, simple, feel good class that allows the hearer to be perverse in their own thinking about Jesus Christ. Most schools and even churches today have a weak understanding of the Old Testament, and with this comes a weak understanding of the gospel. Therefore, both schools and churches need proper biblical theology.
The Bible is primarily about God, not man, and about Jesus and his saving act. The key is to take the focus on Christ and not man, then a sermon that has been enriched with the depths of the fullness of Jesus and His true redemption work and not merely some mind set upon a sinner that can never have hope in himself when focused on nothing but himself. To preach, speak, and even teach about man’s problems, situations, life, and so on without the significance of the gospel is to take God’s Word way out of understanding and completely go against it by saying that we must not understand the humanity in Scripture. To preach a message or study the Word focused toward humans and their nature without hope, joy, and the gospel is like perverting one’s mind and not giving one’s problems, trails, and life theology correctly.
Preachers and studiers must be careful not to try to be relevant to humans just because they think they need it. A sermon that is made for entertainment for church or class is wrong in every way. This takes a mindset that must have already formed ideas and is prejudice towards something or even maybe someone. In that mindset of studying and relaying the Scripture is not the reasoning we should teach the Word. Preach the Word being as pure in mind and in life as possible with and open mind set and heart that will allow yourself to even learn more than the audience.
When studying a passage or book of the Bible, it must in some way testify to Christ and His gospel as God meant it for salvation. So therefore we must not go into the Scripture looking for text that makes one feel good or be on the “outlook” for a phase of something that will help man, but we must dig deep into theology and then see that Jesus has gave us victory and redeemed us from hell, there realizing that stories within the Story will help one find the true meanings of Scripture and life changes and not fuzzies nor changes that do not last, but the gospel changes lives.
Some more insights that have made me think for my own personal use as far as preaching and teaching is how we make teaching and preaching to sound simple. This hurts the hears ears to get a wrong view of what it is supposed to be. By making a message sound simple for a audience is making one’s message fit for your own self. Who are we to pick and choose how to make something “sound good” or to fit for ones ears. We should never lessen any bit of the Word to entertain ones wants or likes, but preach the Word with fullness and richness that it has.
I found in reading this book telling one that they need to choose from heaven or hell is not giving the gospel. One must explain that true repentance and faith go hand in hand. This is a free gift from the Holy Spirit that God has given us through his Son Jesus Christ. Without being given a true gospel it might be as if I have lessened the gospel and made it sound like a free gift that anyone could have. Only if they have repented and turned from sin, knowing that their faith they now have in Christ was only given to them from Christ by which God has done and not any man’s message or decision.
Lastly, I see and hear preachers today preach a message so lawful in teaching what we must do. They never explain about what God has done but rather explain how we can get ourselves right before the eyes of the Lord, yet seems like we can without Christ. A message that never explains where our hope lies, and where we can find a Savior that has already gave grace in order to change our lives for him. A message without Christ always shows law. Preaching lawful sermons undermines the thinking of a congregation and not revealing the true mystery of the Gospel which lead them to God.
Critique:
This might have been the hardest and longest book I have read in a long time. I have never learned so much from one book in my life. I can not thanks Mr. Goldsworthy enough for his time and his thought and mindset upon the Scriptures for showing my eye, mind, and heart things in the Word of God I have never seen. What I love most about this book was that fact that my own messages, devotions, and studies have changed more in depth with the intellection on Scriptures that I can only start to use in my life to turn it into a loving relationship my own personal Savior Jesus Christ.
The book knowledge has helped me so well that I may now get a more correct view on what the Gospel truly is and has done already in my life, not to mention what it will continue to do in my life from this day on. From seeing how to make a better interpretation of Scripture from different areas in the Word I now see that the Bible is not merely stories of individuals. A story of people that make thee story of Christ so much richer and so much more meaningful in my own life. When I read I can see for myself the divine plan that God had set out for my own soul. I can only try to grasp the grace of God’s glory that is shown throughout the Bible and actually know with a more in-depth understanding the reasoning behind Christ’s payment on the cross. Now knowing that one must have an understanding of the Old Testament to see what the New Testament is about and get a grip of it, I see how little I even know about the Old Testament. I need to start to know and learn more about what God made known to the writer and hearer of the Word in the Old Testament so that I can see even more than I do now about what the New Testament has for my life.
As for my preaching and speaking on the Word, it will never be the same! I have just started to realize how much it means to preach the Word. Just how much it means to make it clear but make it correct in the eyes of the Lord and not man. It is not meant for entertainment but to correct one mind and view of just what God has set it for in order to make my own and my audience’s pursuit of holiness even more pure till the day we meet Christ. I know can see how the stories in the Old Testament lead up to thee story, and how the books of the Bible go hand and hand in order to show Christ amazing love for his people. When seeing this preaching is never the same. In your preaching want to actually show the hope in a message and give hope in what happened in my own life giving the giver of grace the glory and not myself in any decision or preaching of what I would do. I want others to after a message see how that Christ is our ability to find hope and our giver in our faith that we might actually be able to see just in order what is the purpose of the bible.
In ending this I want to show how to see the big picture in small pictures throughout the book of thee book helps me see just how amazing redemption is. I can see even now one can preach or even study a story without seeing what its’ reasoning behind the story was for. From Noah to Abraham, Moses to David, and to the decline of the Lord’s people there after all I can now say is that I do not want to lose sight of what the Lord is doing in the world with his people. Nor do I ever want to think for a moment that I can not explain or teach this to others. I want others to have a correct view on His word. I want others to see His grace. I want others to have His faith, and not just for their entertainment. I do not want man to be happy with milk every time they study or hear the word, but I want them to taste the meat God has given so they can fall more in love with Him. He is their Messiah who has laid out His life and His purposes throughout His Word for his chosen people.
Heb.2:1-3
Posted: October 20, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commentI was asked by the sophomore class to speak on the topic of apathy. Going through Hebrews class and also studying for my self i best thought this text would fit the need of Christ to be the center need in our lives and not ourselves.
Let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…Hebrews 2:1-3
Apathy/Apathetic-is the lack of feeling, emotion, interest, concern, or spiritless, and I would say that if anyone is to be spiritless in life, it is not Gods people…let’s pray…
Background: Today I have one goal, object, and purpose of what I am trying to communicate with you. That is, I am deeply concerned about the gradual loss of interest in Christianity. So what I would like to do with the next 15 minutes is to help you all try to grasp and get a grip of the significance of your Savior. I believe with all my heart that Christ does not, I repeat does not take and I repeat will not take Christianity lightly. In no way does Jesus Christ portray apathy, in any area. Sin, or praise, Jesus Christ cares about each decision you make, and each act you commit in your everyday lives. Christ is too valuable, too important, and far too precious for us to go on through 3 more years of school, just to “get by”. Please do not commit the error of taking Christ for granted, but please live out life in constant appreciation of the one who saved, died, and bought you from the pit of hell. Today I ask you to not be apathetic (spiritless) towards your salvation, but nurture your salvation and be concerned for it.
Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
There are two areas of the Gospel that conquer apathy (“here at BBC bubble”)
I. Instructional Points-Must not become apathetic towards Jesus Christ
A. Illustration-Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard
B. Application-what does this mean?
Therefore-The “therefore” shows us that what we must listen to is in chapter one. In chapter one we see that Jesus is…Son of God is the heir of all things (v. 2), he made the world (v. 2), he is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s nature (v. 3), he upholds all things by the word of his power (v. 3), he made purification for sins (v. 3), he sat down at the right hand of God’s majesty (v. 3) and he is greater than any angel (v. 4), because angels worship him (v. 6). He is the mighty God (v. 8).
This is Christ! This is your Christ! Does this make you apathetic? Does Christ make you spiritless? And I would say to that no…but why? The rest of the verse shows us why.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard-you can not look at these attributes of Christ in chapter one and be apathetic. If the writer goes from a chapter fully on Christology, then the first command, application, is that to remember these gospel centered truths of our Christ, so that you don’t fall away. If you are apathetic in life, in school, and in Gods Word in class, then you have forgotten these truths of Jesus in chapter one. You understand that when we reflect on the gospel/Jesus as a moral remedy, it takes care of our moral disease(sin & apathy). And these truths of Jesus must be kept in front of your mind, for your everyday lives, before you go to class, before you study, before you even wake up. To just hear is not sufficient enough, but we must meditate on it, and hold to these truths of our Savior. If this makes you apathetic in your Christianity after hearing just how great your Savior is, what is the sense of being here (in the BBC bubble)? Do you understand that Jesus Christ was Gods spoken Word. To be apathetic of Jesus is being apathetic of God, and being apathetic of God is being apathetic of the reason you even exist.
II. Instructional Points-Must not become apathetic towards your salvation
A. Illustration-least we drift away from it…verse 3
B. Application-what does this mean?
Drift away- the use of this wordage (pararrhueo) is something of the use of water. Only used one time in the whole New Testament, I think there could be something about this word. The word here is used like flowing by, slip on by, or carelessly pass on by in your life. This is a real danger! It is a danger to let the Word of God pass on by. What do you pass by, or what do you lose heart for, when we become apathetic we become apathetic of our salvation. You neglect your salvation (verse 3) when you become apathetic. Many of you are neglecting your salvation. Many of you I am sure today are setting here and have drifted away from your great salvation that Jesus gave you. There is hope for that, it lies in the good news…the gospel in which Jesus Christ died for you.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
You know what the hope of the good new is, that if you to care, you can. Listen to me.
Students if you got what was coming to you, God would have killed you the second you came out of the womb. And then God, using the Holy Sprit came in and ripped down the doors, knocking over every demon in the way, wiping your sinned stained heart of every mark, giving you a new nature from that old rotten flesh, a hope to live, and most of all defeating Satan by the power of His son, Jesus Christ,…saving you from hell, saving you from Satan, and from eternal death, do not neglect that, don’t forget that, don’t stop for one second of today. Wake up remembering constantly that when your focus is on the gospel, the good news of God, which redeemed you, Jesus Christ ,you will never become apathetic, but you will then find the Great Salvation that was bought, paid for, and given to you. (2:14???) So I asked my self, why would I ever become apathetic in anything!
Sophomores it is very, easy to drift along (very easy to become apathetic in life) with the current, but it is difficult to return against the stream. Our Jesus has let us partake in a great gospel,
Read Heb.2:3-I ask you… “How can you neglect it?”-“How can you become Apathetic of that?” Student,… Christ has already defeated your apathy at the cross. Your sin, and apathy was destroy at the act of your Savior hanging on the cross. Praise be to our God who spoke to us, Praise be to our Christ that made it possible, and Praise to the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. He the (read the verses in chapter one) has given you victory in his life, death, and resurrection. The good news is not just to help you, it has already gave you its’ good news, and it has already gave you victory over apathy, it gives you victory over all sin.
Heb. 1:1-4, 13-14
Posted: October 16, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commentPropositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have 3 reasons why the “Word” in Hebrews is vital to your lives.
I. Instructional Points-the importance of Gods spoken word
A. Illustration-verse one
I don’t tell my car to open my door. I might be able to explain it, but I can’t open it. I can’t tell my car to start, I know how and can do that, but I can’t just speak some command to make it start. I can’t tell my car to drive, I can have a lady tell me how to now, but I can’t just set back and let my car do everything. The point of this is that Gods word is not only explanatory, but it achieves what it is post to.
B. Application-what does this mean?
Gen.1:3- The story of creation shows Gods spoken word does more then just explain on how to do something, or show what to do. The word of God speaks and not only shows how to do something, or why, but when God speaks “let there be“ it actually happens. This shows not only what he says, but also what he is doing. John 21:24-25 there are also many other things Jesus did, not all the books could write what Christ has. And then God gave John to write only a few chapters when he could give us so much more. Gods word is not meant for reading only but to be used.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Understanding this should make us realize how important actual scripture is in our lives. Scripture is not just meant for reading, and saying, “wow”, “ahh”, or even “man that is a good story”, but it is meant for changing hearts, in a way that they will glorify God. Heb.4:12 you see scripture is what makes you who you are. The word is what instructs your life, your beliefs, your morals, you conscious, your thinking, the list goes on and on and on. To know the scripture that the Lord our savior has given us, is to know him. Know what pleases him, know what makes him known, to know what is most Glorying to him, in obedience and honoring his name, and not ours.
II. Instructional Points-the importance of Gods spoken word through His Son
A. Illustration-Chiastic Structure of Heb.1:2-3
B. Application-what does this mean?
The middle of these two verses show us exactly who the Son of God is. The outside so to speak of these verses show us how Jesus was and is our messiah today.
A. heir of all things-all of Jesus power came directly form the Father.
“The heir is lord of all” (Gal_4:1).
B. through him creation- the word and God are not separate Through his agency or instrumentality. Christ, the Logos, is represented as God’s medium in creation. See note on John 1:1.
B. who being: radiance of God-A manifestation of the glory of God.
exact imprint of the nature-In Christ we have a tangible, visible representation of the substance of God. The image of God in person. John 14:9.
upholding all things- The Son has all power, and his power was always manifested by his word. He spoke and it was done, whether it was to still the winds or to raise the dead. So in creation, the word was spoken and it was done.
A. He sat down- The right hand was always and is always the place of honor. See note on Eph_1:20.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Knowing that God spoke to his people at times, through successive generations, and in different manners, many times by personal matters, directions, dreams, visions, Divine influences on the minds of the prophets. The gospel revelation today is so much better in that we have all the Word to show us now. That is the revelation we now have in which we know and can see through Jesus from God.
When, the sin of man, the world was breaking to pieces under the wrath and curse of God, the Son of God, doing the work of redemption, sustained it by his almighty power and goodness. From the glory of the person and office of Christ, we proceed to the glory of his grace. The glory of His person and nature, gave to his sufferings such merit as was a full satisfaction to the honor of God, who suffered an infinite injury and affront by the sins of men. We never can be thankful enough that God has in so many ways, and with such increasing clearness, spoken to us fallen sinners concerning salvation. That he should by himself cleanse us from our sins is a wonder of love beyond our utmost powers of admiration, gratitude, and praise.
III. Instructional Points-the importance of Gods spoken word through His Son is better than the angels
A. Illustration- verse 13-14
B. Application-what does this mean?
Christ being better than the angels shows us how much better the spoken word of God is to us today. In the beginning of verse 13 the writer shows us that no angel has ever been held in honor by God, not one has ever been lifted high. We see in the second half of verse 13 that Christ is the only one that sets beside God. God did not call even one angel to that position, but Jesus Christ the son.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Knowing this, brings us to that much more of beautiful picture of how much Christ is. The only Son of God, that now speaks to us, God uses him to make a way for us to even have a relationship with the heavenly father. He uses his son, to not only make a way, but his spirit to lead us to him, where then Christ sitting at this right hand pleas on our behalf all day, all week, all year long on our behalf so that God might spare us from the pit of hell. Seeing Christ and the importance of him through speaking Gods word to us, makes us change our view not only to the fact of how great our King is, but better yet on how we are to live this out and remember this constantly throughout our everyday lives. Then we change are life not because something we want, or gain, but seeing how amazingly Christ is in love with his people.
2 Tim.4:1-2
Posted: October 10, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commentDuring my past summer at Lake Ann Camp, I was asked to do devo.’s for the high-school boys that worked there. After much thought, and consideration of the post-modern world today, I had decided to explain to them how God’s Word should be used in their lives and in their churches they attend.
let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…2 Timothy 4:1-2
Background:
Last letter written by Paul, end of Nero’s reign around 67 (who had began in 54 and started killing Christians in 64).
Paul in prison(1.16), had lost most of his friends, time for him to depart(4.6), he is alone (4.10-12) talks about the condition of what the last days will look like.
Writing to His son of faith, who is his number one disciple probably coming to Paul somewhere between Acts 13-14.
Soon after this Paul would be beheaded on the Ostian way (road that lead to a sea port where now actually a RCC church is today called St. Paul), west of Rome in 67.
The reason Paul wrote this is cause he was scared for his son that he might become in danger to weaken the truth. (there was an attack on the Word) read the scripture…
I. Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have 3 instructions on the Word of God on how you need to hear it.
II. Instructional Points V.2 Hear the Word all the Time
A. Illustration-how many of you hate doing something when you don’t feel like it?
I think of the great example of the council of Elrond. Were everyone was present, elves, dwarfs, hobbits, the grey wizard, humans, all the “good guys” was present. I think of how Frodo stood up saying, “I will take it, I will take the ring” how many you think he actually wanted to and actually was readying to take the ring, as Gandalf head starts to fall and closing his eyes knows the pain and struggle Fordo is about to go into to.
B. Application-you like to hear the Word all the time?
1. In season and out of season-The dictates of popular culture, tradition, reputation, acceptance, or esteem in the community may never alter the preaching. So no matter what time it is you always are ready to hear the Word. There is going to be times when we don’t want to go to chapel, we don’t want to get into the Word. That is the problem!
What the problem might be is we don’t know it at all!!! (Jos.1:8)
C. Interaction-what would this look like?
1. How many times do we get sick of going to chapel, or going to church, youth group? We need to want (we need) and be ready even when we don’t to see how God’s Word is going to change our very lives today.
2. Some you haven’t even opened the book up in last week, summer, been months since you saw a page. Say, “I don’t have time, or I’m busy at camp, or school just to much. And you can’t stand up for the Lord if you don’t know Him! You need to know His Word, His Truth, what He says is right and wrong, and if you don’t start now you won’t ever do it! You wont ever do it, never! How your expect to know God? How you expect to know Him? You need the word to know God! You need the scriptures to show what is right in the eyes of the Lord!
III. Instructional Points V.2 Hear the Word to reprove, rebuke, and exhort you life
A. Illustration-ever put something together with instructions?
I had to put these shelves together for work right? And starting to put it together, and I never looked at the instructions once. Half way through I realized it was upside down. So I took it apart and started all over again, to only get half way again and realize I had done the same thing again. So after a little over a hour and a half I got out the instructions.
Just because I know what a shelve looks like doesn’t mean I know how to put one together, and just because I know what a Christian life looks like doesn’t mean I can prove it, show it, live it.
B. Application-you listen to the Word the way its to be given?
1. Reprove- is to prove or better word convince a man of his sins, or the Word. Convict one of their errors. When he/she already knows that they are in those sins.
1Tim.5:20, 2Tim.3:16, Tit. 1:13, 2:15, 1Thess.2:12, 5:14, 20.
2. Rebuke- The idea is, that the minister is not merely to reason about sin, and convince men that it is wrong, but he may solemnly admonish them not to do it, and warn them of the consequences. Leading someone to repentance. See difference between this and reprove is that here the sinner does not know they are in sin. Where as reproving is an individual that knows his sin and is dealt with.
Luke 17:3
3. Exhort- common word Paul uses. Meaning basically to do so with comfort. The positive side of preaching, done with doctrine and instruction.
1Tim.4:13, Rom.12:8
C. Interaction-what would these look?
1. Reprove- A sermon or when reading the Word should look on how to change my life to be in correct relationship with the Lord. Do you look for how to improve your errors when reading the scripture? Or do you look for what you want to read? What you need to feel? Get your high for the day? Like popping a pill? That is what alcoholic’s and drug abusers do, which is no difference.
2. Rebuke- When last time you heard a sermon that sent you home thinking “man I need to get things straitened up” or walked out with your head down realizing that your sin this past week has keep you from your Savior. The Word is meant for Gods glory not mine! When I try to read it for me or find what I want I rob God of His glory!
3. Exhort- So pastor need to be instructing us the church in these areas with comfort and lifting up. How many churches today are watering down the Word?
IV. Instructional Points V.2 Hear the Word given with patience and instruction
A. Illustration-how do you go about hearing the Word?
Theology means “the science of God,” and I think any man who wants to think about God at all would like to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about Him that are available.—C. S. Lewis
It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance of sound doctrine in the life of a Christian. Right thinking about all spiritual matters is imperative if we would have right living. As men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles, so sound character does not grow out of unsound teaching.—A.W. Tozer
B. Application-you listen to the Word with what its to be given with?
1. Patience-longsuffering, “Those that give into error, and oppose themselves to the truth, should be instructed in meekness; and those who are overtaken in a fault should be gently rebuked, and restored in such a spirit; and every exhortation should be pressed as persons are able to bear it.”-John Gill
2. Instruction-doctrine that has been taught, in a way that is instructive and teaching, and in agreement with the doctrine of the Scriptures, which are profitable for that purpose.
C. Interaction-what would these look like?
1. Patience-Longsuffering is to be given so that the stubborn man will not lose heart.
Rom. 2:4, 9:22,2, Cor. 6:6, Gal 5:22, Eph 4:2; Col 1:11; Col 3:12; 1Ti 1:16, 2Ti 2:24-25, 3:10.
2. Instruction- So Calvin states this at its best: “Those who are strong only in fervor and sharpness, but are not fortified with solid doctrine(instruction), weary themselves in their vigorous efforts, make a great noise, rave,… make no headway because they build without foundation.” Men will not be won to the truth by scolding. They should understand what they hear, and learn by perceiving why they are rebuked.
2 Tim.4:3-5
Posted: October 10, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commentlet me invite you to turn in your bibles to…2 Timothy 4:3-5
Background:
Paul is troubled with the last days, 3:1 he is troubled with apostasy.
What is apostasy? It is the act of professed Christians who deliberately reject the revealed truth.
This could be due to many of reasons, such as ignorance(Acts19:1-6), or I believe heresy which is a snare of the devil (2Tim.2:25-26).
A apostate is perfectly describe in 2Tim.4:3-4 which we will study today.
Apostate will depart from the truth but will continue in calling themselves Christians (2Tim.3:5).
Apostasy can not be corrected (Heb.6:4-6) and will await the Judgment of Christ 2 Thess.2:10-12, 2.Pet.2:17,21, Jude11-15, and Rev.3:14-16.
This is caused by worldliness. Example (2Tim.4:10)
I. Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have 2 instructions from the Word of God to teach you on how NOT to become an Apostate.
II. Instructional Points-V.3-4 Don’t hear the Word on how you want it (Apostasy)
A. Illustration-“there is a beautiful example of this in The Lord of the Rings”
In Lord of the Rings we see the character of Gollum and how the ring had corrupted him from his original being, Sméagol. Sméagol was a hobbit which had fell into to the path of the ring. The world and the corruption of it has blinded him from what he was meant to be/do. What happens when the ring/world has corrupted our purpose and our ears and eyes to the Word. We lose focus, and miss the original mark or meaning to Gods Word.
B. Application-since when did God tell us we could hear what we want?
1. That men have preachers preach what they want, what they feel. Its up to their own desires on what they want to hear from the pulpit. So the pastors today want numbers and so they would rather compromise the Word for the people so they don’t convict one’s soul. People want to follow their own desires and don’t want the Word to confront it.
2. People want to know today’s philosophy, they want to think for themselves what may be right or wrong. Today we have stopped preaching about abortion, gays, lesbians, we have stopped preaching about divorce, lust, we have stopped preaching to all the things that offend us, or make us uncomfortable. I ask since when did God ask you or me about how we feel?
C. Interaction-Since when did God ask us how we want His Word?
1. People today want to know Jesus. They want a experience. They want something they can feel or see and touch. They want to see Jesus looking at the sun. They need to get to know Jesus by the Word! Since when did God stop using the Word? If it was good enough for Jesus to use over 2,000 years ago its good now! (Matt.4:4)
2. They want everything that opposes doctrine! Truth! We stop preaching against sin is what our churches have done. We start compromising the Word for what we think or what we feel at the time. Sunday morning becomes a time on how many cups a coffee I can get, or donuts, or talk to that hot girl, or the worship time sounding good, or maybe today I’ll get to see a drama in stead of hearing the Word! What it means to have your ears tickled is to have them entertained. Since when did God write the Word to be an entertainment show? Its meant to change lives! Its meant to change souls, change your heart, I’ll tell you what it did, it change an alcoholic, locked up man that had no home no family like my self and grabbed a hold my heart and change my life. That is what it was meant for, and I am not about to let today’s world start abusing it and raping the Word for themselves. What about yourself?
III. Instructional Points- V.5 Don’t fulfill your ministry on how you want it
A. Illustration-have you forgotten what has saved your souls?
There is another great example of this in Lord of the Rings when the fellowship of the ring takes the path of Canadheas, the mountains (with the snow coming down as Saruman is speaking from the his tower.) Gimli wants to pass through the mines of Moria, and then Boromir wants to pass through the gap of Rohan which would be the west road to his city. The fellowship had forgotten its purpose of their journey and wanted to see their people, and do what they knew best, and what they wanted. Do not forget the purpose which saved your so. Never forget the root of what has brought your life and bought your life. That is the gospel, and when you fall off of that, is when life gets dangerous. And that is when you can fall into the snares of today’s worldliness. (reread to you Rev.3:14-16.)
B. Application-are you compromising the Gospel?
Evangelist is a preacher of the Gospel, you are all workers of the gospel. Timothy was not an evangelist but a preacher, so how could Paul say this to him? Because Paul wants Timothy to never to stop the work of the gospel. Paul doesn’t call him to be an evangelist but do the work of one. That is way this is all about. When we compromise the doctrines, and the use of the Word. We have compromise the Gospel.
C. Interaction-how much have you lessen the work of the gospel?
Listen we must first start our truth, doctrines, and the Word with what is important. That is the Gospel. When we can understand this and study this and come to the love and realization of what Paul is telling Timothy to always remember the gospel then we will not fall out of Christianly but only fall yet more in love with our Savior. Your ministry is can only be fulfilled when you do the work of the gospel. Fill your life, your work here at camp, you friends, your ministry with the work of the evangelist, the work of the good news the work of the Gospel and then there is where we find fulfillment in the Word.
Heb.8:1-2
Posted: September 19, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commenthttp://www.summitbaptist.org/
I have been given the opportunity to teach 5th and 6th grade boys and girls at Summit Baptist Church, in Clarks Summit, PA. I have been doing this for about 8 months, and will continue till Dec. of 2006. I have started to post the lessons along with my other blogs for the use of readers on this site.
Let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…Hebrews 8:1-2
Background: Heb.5:11-14, we must want to think
Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have three points that you should know about Christ being your High Priest
I. Instructional Points-my first point is Christ is to be your High Priest
Such an high priest – As the one described in chapters 4:16-7:28
A. Illustration-Lord of the Rings
Like in the Lord of the Rings, the purpose of the ring was to rule them all. We have many different fights, scenes, characters, story lines, and everything leads up to the ring. When your watching the movie you don’t lose focus of the ring, but it sticks in the back of your mind constantly through all three movies. This is the same mind set we must have in reading the book of Hebrews here. The main point and mind set of the writer of the book of Hebrews, is that Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest.
B. Application-what does this mean?
We can call on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at anytime. Jesus Christ is the one mediator that intercedes to God the Father for us on our behalf. One of thee main things we have in Christ is that he is our High priest, but this one is different then all the others, no other age nor world has had one like our Jesus. No one has ever been in order like this one. The ones you’ve read or heard (Levi) of before are only shadows of this one. This one is Jesus who suffered, bled, died and resurrected the third day so that he may have victory over death, sin, and most of all his sheep’s souls.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
We don’t have to see any catholic priests, we don’t need to buy some piece of paper to get rid of our sins. We have a Savior that we can go to at all times, in your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and car. Jesus is always waiting to hear your plea! He wants your prayers, and he loves your praises. So what we need to have a mindset to constantly think of Christ is waiting for your prayers, and constantly live a life that is constantly praying in all we do.
II. Instructional Points-another point is where Christ sits in the heavens
Heb.1:3
A. Illustration-Lord of the rings
In the lord of the rings, first movie, the hobbits had just meet Galadriel, which was one of the wood elves. They were in awe of her, “just to have one golden lock of your hair“, was Gimle’s last words to her as he left. The woods, the realm in which they were in was a cite they had never saw, never been, and may never get to live out once again. Like the site we see the day we face God and Jesus setting there waiting for his family. I can not even comprehend or begin to image the cite, and let alone the awe of seeing the stuffing servant that made it able for me to stand in His fathers presence.
B. Application-what does this mean?
God in all his glory and majesty setting in Heaven and beside him on the right hand sets a Man that does the interceding for you and me(his chosen). That mediator is placed at the right hand of God possessing all authority and power in Heaven and on earth. This set which he has been given is because of the humiliation and suffering he had to endure for you and mines soul (Luke 24:44-47). This authority that he has is for only but His fathers name, for his fathers honor, and his fathers glory. Setting there in heavens bringing every single one of his sheep before him at the throne of God in heaven, that is where we one day will be as well.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Can you even image what it is going to be like before God the father and Jesus in front of you? I think we must start seeing that it is about him, and his name and who God is, and what Jesus has allowed for you and me, and stop merely thinking about our own minds, our own thinking, our own problems, sins, temptations that we dwell upon, but we must look heavenly bound! Lets read…Col.3:1, we need to have the mind set of that tends to look at Christ and in a eternal perspective and not now. If we look at now, we start to think about ourselves, our problems, and what we are facing but when looking at Christ we see the past, the cross what it has done for us, then the future of His kingdom to come, in which he is doing for us as we speak, we can not miss the mark with that kind of joy, and hope found in Christ.
III. Instructional Points-last point is Christ does not dwell in man made tent
A. Illustration-
B. Application-what does this mean?
Now the old tabernacle was made by man. In the outer part of the tabernacle was the alter where the sacrifices had to be taken, in which was a symbol of Christ’s payment one day later. In the inter part of it was the veil in which was also a symbol which like the priest that Christ was an interceder. This tabernacle in heaven is the true one due to Christ paying the due to his father, so might he become a Minster of that sanctuary in heaven. There Jesus takes care of our needs, and our sin problems we might have with his father and because of his burden on the cross in which the Lord finds satisfactory in. People listen not only is Jesus Christ setting next to God in heaven, but he is your high priest, the high priest of today’s church. And for you that are in it remember all that are, are place by his hand, and there for his will.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Heb. 5:8-10
It looks at the factors and brings the cross to a even fuller enjoyment of our lives. That fact that the cross which Christ suffered upon, paved the way for his high priestly ministry in the heavens, this makes us enjoy our salvation that much more. That act of the cross of Jesus Christ has allowed him to take throne with his father and constantly intercede for his people. And if we our those people, then take heed to the sin of our everyday lives, and remember what Christ had to do, in order to be our forgiver and interceder.
Dan.1:8
Posted: September 7, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commenthttp://www.lakeanncamp.com
This summer i worked at Lake Ann Camp. i was asked to speak to the Sr. Higher’s during the 8th and 9th week on Thursday mornings.
Let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…Daniel 6… Daniel 1:8
#1 What Daniel Did:
Overview through chapters 6-2, what made God Glorified most?
Chapter 1, I want to know what was different in Daniel’s life to have men not even believer’s know his God.
#2 What God is Doing:
Is.43:6-7, you were made for Gods Glory! 25- He forgive you for His Glory!
If your born again, you are owned by?…God, you’re his chosen people.
Born again individuals should desire what their leader desires…
God doesn’t not desire sin… why do we?
You don’t have a desire to stop sin, you can never grow in your walk with God.
If you don’t have a desire for God, you are in horrible spiritual condition.
#3 What are You Going to Do?
Propositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I want to share with you-Three desires a teenager should seek in their lives to glorify God.
Read Verse 8, (A)
I. Instructional Points-the first desire is to seek a Purpose in your mind to not sin
A. Illustration-you have a purpose to stop sin?
Law found in Lev.11-to touch this food would be sinning. The illustration here is Daniel had to and wanted to remain true to the law. Why? Because it was Gods Word. Daniel is thee best illustration I can think of for this. He was changed in every way. Taken away from everything, and knew enough that they could not and would not change his heart. Daniel did not want to mix the pagan culture with the Word of God. We can not mix what is the world’s with what is God’s, and if you are setting there today and are apart of God’s chosen then you better not desire what is of this word.
B. Application-is your desire true to stop sin?
It’s true that hard times and crises not only build character, they also reveal it. In other words, how a person handles difficulties says a lot about that person’s character and beliefs.
When you have the possibility to sin, do you? I mean from the moment you wake up we need to have a mind set like Daniel to not sin. That is where we have mixed up today’s culture with the word of God. We have desired the wrong things in stead of desiring our pursuit of Holiness with our Savior. A Christian walk is hard, but it is not as hard as Daniel life. I’ll tell you what is hard, wakening up not knowing if your parents are alive, not seeing your family since you were 14! Your named changed, watching his king die in the hands of his now ruler that won’t let you speak your own langue and Daniel still said in verse 8 that he has made up his mind, heart, he desires God more then anything!
C. Interaction-what would this look like?
You Glorify what you enjoy… you must desire God over…your…sin such as
Here is some truths are you standing for them? (Get the brown book and look up)
Prov.20, 21, 23-Drunkeness, Prov.14-Anger, Eph.4-Bitterness, Eph.4-Gossip, and Lying, 1Tim.6-Coveting, 2Cor.4-Depression, 2Tim.2-Fear, Eph.4-Forgiving each other, Rom.1-Homosexuality, Rom.8-Lust and evil desires, Rom.12-Overcomign Evil, and Overcoming Sin, James 3-Self-Centerness, Gal.5-Self Controlled, 1Cor.6-Sex Immorality, 2Thess.3-Laziness, Ps.37-Anxiety
John 14:15- If you Love me you will keep my commandments.
Read Verse 8, (B)
II. Instructional Points-the second desire is to have God the center of your Life
A. Illustration-can the world change your true desire?
This is what happens when God is not the center of your life…
Let me read to you here a little bit about what the world teenagers have to offer America today…Children’s Defense Fund.
Every second a public school student is suspended.
Every 9 seconds a high school student drops out.
Every 13 seconds a public school student is corporally punished.
Every 20 seconds a teen is arrested.
Every minute teen mother had a child.
Every 4 minutes a teen is arrested for drug abuse.
Every 8 minutes a teen is arrested for violent crimes.
Every 41 minutes a teen dies in an accident.
Every 3 hours a teen is killed by a firearm.
Every 5 hours a teen commits suicide.
Every 6 hours a teen is killed by abuse or neglect.
B. Application-“what will make a man useful is a man’s heart”-Dwight Peterson
See everyone else was eating the food that the king had to offer. Everyone was doing it. But Daniel goes out of his way to not just not eat it, but to ask for something honoring to his Lord. Something that would be right before the eyes of the Lord. Listen to me kids, listen to me… Daniel wasn’t classed “cool”!!! But he was classed a Man of God. Daniel knew that God was watching him.
God is watching you today. He is watching you tonight, tomorrow, next week when your home, next few month back at home, and school, Gods watching to see if you’ve made a heart change and not a week change. The rest your life, if this week has been true it will not be a weak/week change but a desire to continually change everyday you wake up yelling from your morning breath God is the center of my life!
C. Interaction-what will this look like?
How do you guys and girls respond to difficult circumstances? God the center of your life? See everyone is drinking. I mean when you out Friday nights? When you’re out with your girlfriends, alone? What you Desire? Just when your alone period doing nothing, is God sill the center of your life? Because if you don’t make God the center of your every day life, then your headed down the same road as these here teenagers I have read to you about.
And if you don’t make God the center of your life then your going to be the next statistic. You just want to become a statistic? Or has God really become the center of your lives? Some of you have made decisions for Christ, some have dedicated your lives, some even have meet Christ here this week and made Him the Lord of your life in salvation. Daniel desired to remain true to God, do you?
III. Instructional Points-the third desire is to give the glory to God and not yourself
A. Illustration-A Great Example
A man that stuck up for what he believes in, a man that knew and showed what he knew to be true. A man that was constant in his walk. A man that stayed true in faith and knew that Gods provision was Gods protection. The reason why the next 5 chapters show Daniel as a Leader is because of his decision he had made in verse 8. If you don’t stand for what is to be true then it that much easier to pollute your mind, your body, your way of living, and that is then there where sin comes, and creeps in your life. They had changed his name, but they could not change his nature to live for God.
B. Application-How you do this is? Where can I find hope for this?
These are the questions. You do this realizing what the Gospel had to do with you being born again, becoming a “saved” individual, Teenagers… Gods grace allows you to wake up every morning breathing another breath for Gods own Glory and not yours. If you wake up tomorrow morning without remembering what the cross did and how it saved your soul from the pit of hell, you and I have missed the mark. We miss the whole mark/reason that your even alive.
C. Interaction-The Giver gets the Glory
My only hope is that I have a Savior that could bear my sins, Christ was condemn as if he loved sin, so that we may be embraced by the Farther. Christ looked like a sin lover. So we may be come a sin hater. The Giver is God, He gives you enough grace every morning in order that you desire to stop sin, that you desire Him first and foremost. God is the giver of grace and you give Him His Glory. Do not take Gods grace for granted but live Gods Grace in constant servitude to God who should be thee Desire of your lives.
Dan.2:20-23
Posted: September 7, 2006 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a commenthttp://www.bbc.edu
last year in spring of 06 i was asked to speak for the senior class before they graduated.
How to Have Joy in Gods Sovereignty?
Background:
Chapter one: Babylonian captivity, training program, shows faith, see the excellent of God’s men.
Chapter two:
V.1-3-Kings second year he has a dream, and asked for all the magicians to come in and tell him the dream.
V.4-11-Tells them that if they can do it they will be given gifts and if not they will dead. Then they could not tell the dream and the king looks for all the wise men to kill.
V.12-13-Even Daniel!
V.14-16-Daniel ask for some time and him and his friends not to be killed
V.17-18-went to find his friends and tell his friends about the matter. And ask God for compassion on his friends and himself.
V.19- is the transaction verse-seeing what God is doing in the situation and not Daniel.
So the title of my message is…even when death is upon you, still have joy, one of the greatest fears in ministry is its going to be hard…Daniel prayed for his ministry!!! But he also praises God for it.
Problem with us we have everything to begin with, it is easy being a Christian when we have everything. But time is coming to see if all your praises have been real to Jesus? See Daniel never worried about himself in the situation. See Daniel didn’t work for his name, but he realized Gods and there showed God first and foremost. That brings me to the first point…
Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have two questions for you, to take into your ministry.
I. Instructional Points-V.20-22 are you praising God for being a part of His plan?
20Daniel said,…”Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,For wisdom and power belong to Him. 21″It is He who changes the times and the epochs;He removes kings and establishes kings;He gives wisdom to wise menAnd knowledge to men of understanding. 22″It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;He knows what is in the darkness,And the light dwells with Him.
A. Illustration-If I stopped everything in middle of a crisis you’d say I was ridiculous? We have one of the best illustrations of praising in what God is doing here! I mean Daniel doesn’t even know what hit him before the captain of the kings bodyguard is like, “Daniel come on we are killing you, o and all your friends too, ok.” First thing is he stands up for what he believes in, and shows faith for what he believes in and goes strait to the king! Says I’ll tell you tomorrow. Let me have a day to live. God first sees if he’s going to have faith and then allows Daniel to see this in a night vision and it comes to him. And the first thing he does is praise the Almighty God he showed his faith in. That is what God wants…
B. Application-are you an example of biblical praise?
v.20-This is what praise is, it is looking at what God has done! Then reflecting on what that tells us about God, and then the wonderful chance to come to Him and express those reflections in words to our Savior. Why don’t we remember what God has done he’s bought you so far along pretty good huh? You think God is going to do something wrong for you life?
v.21-Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful king at the time, but he had been granted his power by the sovereign Lord and was under His complete control. Some times in your life you might think that you have made it somewhere in life, but I remind you the only reason is because God has placed you there and you are doing His will and it wouldn’t matter if an unsaved person was doing if the Lord would terry without you any given day. Some of you want to boast in your name, your job, your wife, your family, your father, your house, your car, but there is no better name to boast in the name God.
God wants His praise! -IMPORTANT-thee example of biblical praise…thee ultimate praise is the Cross- Jesus cries out in Matt.27:46“MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME” which is a direct quotation form Ps.22:1 when David states the exact cry to God. Which was a form of praise. Jesus Christ going through what he did for 33 year’s of a sinless and blameless life and this is what he got, the cross… that is the way a lot of you respond like… you say, “I’ve done my best in my life and this is what you give me, this is what I am worth you God. To be a Christian is to take up your cross… this doesn’t mean that there’s going to be a kid in your suite that has harmed you wrong by using your shampoo or that is a 4 point instead of 5 on Calvinism, crosses are where people die, nails through your hands, hanging for three days until the crows come to eat at your mouth and pick you eyes out. Crosses are a year into ministry and your church splits, your youth group is falling at the seems, or crosses are you loosing your child after a year, crosses are maybe graduating without a mate, crosses are not knowing what your doing after you do graduate, crosses are going back to the factory cause you don’t have a job, you say I have went 4 years of schooling for you God and you give me this job, this kind of life? Praise God for His Sovereign plan in your life.
C. Interaction-what do you do when hard times come?
When we see and understand that God is in control, we must have the cross first in life. We then know our salvation to its fullest and there we show our true hearts in boosting form the cross saying, “it is ok, it’s ok, it must be ok because God is on control.” There is where we can find joy. In knowing God and not ourselves.
Daniel understood the sovereignty of God like no other, do we really trust God in hard times? Or does it become just a talk that we must talk. When we do not live out in which we believe to be true we then commit heresy and that is in a sin and a failure to Christ in itself.
II. Instructional Points-V.23 are you rejoicing in God for being a piece of His plan?
The difference is that don’t just praise God for His plan but you GET you be a part of the plan.
23″To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,For You have given me wisdom and power;Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You,For You have made known to us the king’s matter.
A. Illustration-do you rejoice when big events ruin you plans?
Read from Dan Cruvers book…pages, 75-76
B. Application-are you an example of Biblical rejoicing?
Some of you are going into big ministry, some of you might be going home to hell, a father that is unsaved, some might go to a job that is dirty and worthless, when you go home rejoice in what you have. Part of Gods plan is there, cutting edge of what Gods doing selling fires, flipping burgers, washing cars, and even factories.
What do you think Daniels first reaction was when finding out he was going to be killed? Some you going to walk out this school, and hit home, those jobs and then the worst the Lords ministry and won’t even rejoice or praise God for one thing! Daniel chose to rejoice! He knew God was in control! Daniel could have said now God you took me out of my country, then made me learn under a pagan god and now I have to die!!! No he had faith in Gods severity and praise God through his circumstances, constantly reminded him self of just being able to serve God.
God wants His rejoice!
C. Interaction-do you truly have faith in Gods Sovereignty to even rejoice in him?
Review of the two points…
This is a 18 year old boy, lost his mentor Jeremiah, he lost his family! Watch his home be burnt down, lost his brothers, sister, and had no contact with them again, lost his king, his ruler, watched 5 of them in Jerusalem die and fall to pieces.
Gospel-Centered Musings 