What's Appealing About Right Living? Part 2

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Recap of the message from June 29, 2008:

1. Lot illustrates the futility of living for riches. Though he chose the best of the land (Genesis 13) here he and his family and possessions are taken captive. (Matthew 6:19-21,24)
2. When Abram learns of Lot’s predicament he springs into action to rescue him, despite their negative earlier dealings.
3. We must be ready to restore fellow Christians caught in sin or carrying crushing burdens. We must be ready to restore even those who have wronged us. As we have opportunity we must do good to believers first and then unbelievers. (Galatians 6:1-4,9-10)
4. At the moment of temptation God will send a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:16). The King of Sodom attempts to compromise Abram and at just the right moment God sent Melchizedek (King of Salem, King of Righteousness) to remind Abram who gave him the victory and to whom he was committed.
5. Abram made sure that only God alone would receive credit for his successes. God alone would receive the glory.

What's Appealing About Right Living?

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The June 22, 2008 message is taken from Genesis 14:1-24
Recap:

1. The historicity of Genesis 14 was questioned until archaeologists found evidence supporting the content of the chapter. “This story, perhaps more than any other from patriarchal times, was challenged by liberal scholars for its historical value until recent years. The thinking was that kings as far away as lower Mesopotamia did not make military expeditions this far from home. However, archaeological research has prompted marked change in the viewpoint today. The facts of the story are now found to fit conditions of Abraham’s time.” (A Survey of Israel’s History,” p. 51).
2. The reliability of the Bible is verified by six lines of evidence illustrated by the acronym UFACTS: Unity & consistency, fulfilled prophecy, archaeology, canonicity, transmission, and self-testimony.
3. The Bible warns the believer against: friendship with the world (by “world” we mean the world system which is anti-God and under the control of Satan) (James 4:4); loving the world
(1 John 2:15-17); and being conformed to the world (Romans 12:2).

The God of New Beginnings, Pt 2

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Recap of June 15, 2008 message:
1. One thing that we can count on in our Christian life is that our faith will be tested. God allows tests to bring us to maturity (James 1:2-4) and to purify our faith and prove its genuineness.
2. Living by faith allows us to be generous with others, generous in forgiveness, in love, and in material things. Living by sight causes us to be grasping and stingy.
3. “Eyegate is one of the avenues through which temptations assail the soul…” (Arthur W. Pink) “Eve saw that the fruit was good for food, pleasing to the eye, desirable for gaining wisdom.” (Genesis 3:6) Achan in Joshua 7:21 explaining his disobedience: “I saw…I coveted…I took.”
3. The choice that is best for us in the decisions of life is the one that is best for our souls. Our decisions are often made on the basis of economics, promotion, opportunity, temporal advantages.
4. What God has to offer to us is better by far than anything the world has to offer.
5. How faith resolves conflict: faith trusts God’s Word; faith doesn’t demand its’ own way; faith doesn’t manipulate or scheme; faith calls us to risk being wronged.

The God of New Beginnings

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Recap of the 6/8/08 sermon:
1. Genesis 13 is a comparison of two ways of life; the way of faith (Abram) and the way of the sinful nature (Lot). The way of faith leads to growth, success, peace, and generosity. The way of the sinful nature leads to going away from God, failure, scheming/manipulating your way through life, and selfishness.
2. Abram’s recovery following his failure in Egypt illustrates that our God is a God of new beginnings. No matter how we have failed, a new beginning is available to us if we will confess our failure (sin) to God and accept His restoration (1 John 1:9). We will suffer the consequences of our wrong choices but God will restore us to usefulness. Peter is a prime illustration of this truth (see the aftermath of Peter’s denial of Jesus in Mark 16 and John 21).
3. Peace should always be our objective, but God can use even conflict to accomplish His purposes. A New Testament example of this principle is found in Acts 15:36-40.

Genesis 13:1-18

I. Abram returns vv. 1-4

II. Lot departs vv. 5-13

III. God speaks vv. 14-18

Faith and Failure, Part 3

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Part 3 of the Genesis series from June 1, 2008
(To the left are 2 fragments of pottery that a member acquired when he was in Ur, thought to be about 4,000 year old.)

Recap of June 1, 2008 sermon:
1. The only worthy and reliable object of a Christian’s faith is the Word of God, backed up by the character of God.
2. Our faith is often tested following a new obedience.
3. Our faith is tested as a means of spiritual growth. (James 1:2-4)
4. A test of our faith should lead us to a new appreciation for God and for His Word.
5. Failure in the test of faith: will lead us away from God; into sin; into humiliation.