Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 10/24/10 (Ephesians 5:4-6):
1. Paul’s point in Ephesians 5:1-6 is summarized well by Dr. Harold Hoehner in the following: “God’s view of sin should be taken seriously. Believers should be imitators of God, not evildoers.”
2. A believer’s lifestyle and words should reflect their relationship with God not the lifestyle and words of those who are in rebellion against God, who are not saved.
3. Paul warns against the kind of vulgar and coarse humor which mocks things that are holy. While a sense of humor is a great asset, humor should never be used to denigrate human weakness or goodness, or to destroy others or to tear them down.
4. Believers are warned against an irresponsible lifestyle of sin that presumes upon God’s grace. Grace brings with it a responsibility to live a lifestyle pleasing to the Lord. Christians are not to live in license or lawlessness but in responsible liberty.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Genesis 1-11
Pastor Joe's sermon series on Genesis, chapters 1 through 11, is now available for download. Select the links below to get started!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Sermon Recaps:
"In The Beginning"
Recap:
"Every key theme of the Bible is rooted in Genesis."
-it introduces God as Creator
-it introduces the relationship between God and mankind
-it explains the beginnings of man and woman
-it explains the entrance of sin and death into the world
-it is the first announcement of God's plan to redeem
-both Old and New Testament writes and Jesus Christ treated Genesis as history
"In The Beginning" Part 2
Recap:
Before Creation:
1. God existed already
-He is eternal (no beginning - no end)
-He is totally self-sufficient
-He is not limited in any way (He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient)
2. There was perfect communion and fellowship within the Godhead
-God exists as three persons equal in attributes, distinct in offices and activities
-The doctrine of the trinity (explicity taught in the New Testament) is implicitly taught in the Old Testament. Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 48:16-17; 61:1-3
3. Redemption was planned. Ephesians 1:4; Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:20; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28
"Birth of a Universe"
Recap:
1. Structure of Genesis 1-11
1:1-2:25 - God's orderly creation (climaxing in creation of man)
3:1 - 11:32 - Disintegration brought on by sin (climaxing in the flood and the dispersion)
"Birth of a Universe" Part 2
Recap:
Views of origins fall into two categories:
1. Evolutionary Views
-Atheistic Eveolution
-Theistic Evolution
-Progressive or Threshold Evolution (also called the Day-Age Theory)
2. Creationist Views
-Fiat Creation
-The Gap Theory (a gao before Gen. 1:1 [Unger] or a gap between 1:1 and 1:2 [Scofield]
-The Pre-Creation Theory
"Birth of a Universe" Part 3
Recap:
Objections to the Day-Age Theory (each day in Genesis 1 is an age, not a literal 24 hour day):
-it is out of sync with the fossil record, thus it fails at its' attempt to reconcile evolution and the Bible
-it is logically out of sync (e.g. seed-bearing plants/trees on the 3rd day, but insencts needed pollinations on the 5th day)
-the Hebrew word yom can mean an "age" in some cases, but when used with a numeric adjective or ordinal (as in Genesis) it means a 24 hour solar day in the Old Testament.
-Exodus 20:10-11 and 31:14-17 speak of six literal days of creation
-Reconciliation with the fossil record would necessitate physcial death preceding the Fall in Genesis 3, yet there was no physical death before Adam sinned. (Romans 5:12)
-Adam and Eve were direct creations of God, not eveolved from lower life forms.
"Birth of a Universe" Part 4
Recap:
1. The Gap Theory (Scofield form) defined: Gensis 1:1 refers to the original perfect creation including plants, animals and perhaps, pre-Adamic men. In a gap between the verses 1 & 2, Satan fell and brought judgement upon the earth (global flood, ice age, etc.) rendering it "without form and empty" according to verse 2. Verses 3 and following describe a re-creation.
2. Objections tot he Gap Theory:
-the grammar of Verse 2 doesn't lend itself to a sequence of events ehich would be necessary according to this theory. The theory is weakest at this point.
-"without form and void" of verse 2 does not necessarily imply a judged or evil condition brought by Satan's Fall.
-there is no scriptural evidence that Satan's Fall brought judgment upon the earth. The 2 pertinent passages (Neither Ezekiel 28 or Isaiah 14 contain an explicit statement that God brought judgment upon the universe as a result of Satan's Fall).
-darkness is not inherently evil (Psalm 104:19-24). Darkness is not called good in 1:4-5 but neither is expanse called good in 1:6-8 (we don't infer from that that it's evil).
-Mankind was told to fill the earth in Genesis 1:28 not replenish it as wrongly translated in the KJV.
-bara ("to create" 1:1,21,27) and asa ("to fashion" 1:7,16,25) are used interchangeably in the passage. asa does not mean to "refashion."
"And God said..."
Recap:
1. Creation witnesses to God's power, nature and character.
2. As Creator, God is:
-before His creation (self-existent, eternal)
-apart from creation (denies pantheism)
-over His creation (He is sovereign, free)
3. God is ruler
-by command, Hebrews 11:3
-as namer vv.5,8,10
"And God said..." Part 2
Recap:
1. God creates by the power of His word (Hebrews 11:3)
2. God's creative work is effortless, unhindered and undirected.
3. As Creator, God is sovereign over this world and is due glory and honor. Each person must answer to Him.
"From Eternity to Here"
Recap:
1. The creation reveals God's eternal power and divine nature. Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-23
2. The sun, moon and stars were created on the fourth day to mark day, night, years, and seasons.
3. They are not to be worshipped nor are they "arbiters of man's destiny." Exodus 20:1-5; Deuteronomy 4:15-19; 17:2-7
4. We are responsible to make right choices based upon godly moral principles. We are to entrust out lives to the Lord, not to astrology, occult practices or magical manipulation.
"And God said..." Part 3
Recap:
1. Who is Jesus? He is not just a man but is God incarnate (God in humn flesh).
2. What is the evidence? We have the eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus intimately, who heard Him teach, saw how He lived, and saw Him alive from the dead.
3. how should we respond? In faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, trusting Him totally and only.
"And God said..." Part 4
Recap:
1. On day five, God created the sea creatures and birds (literally "flying things").
2. God blessed them with fertility ("be fruitful and increase in bumber and fill...")
3. On day six, God created land animals (livestock, wild animals, and reptiles) and man (male and female), the climax of creation.
4. Unlike the animals, humans are created in the image (stressing similarity to) and likeness (stressing that the similarity is not exact) of God. That image is found in that man is a rational, morally responsible, spiritual and self-conscious being with the ability of determination (will).
"Life at the Beginning"
Man (male and female) is set apart from animals:
-by the conference of the Godhead; the personal, "Let Us make..." replaces the impersonal. let there be...", etc.
-by his office; dominion, rulership - "Let them rule..."
-by his intelligence - naming the animals
-most importantly, by a relationship with God.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Sermon Recaps:
"In The Beginning"
Recap:
"Every key theme of the Bible is rooted in Genesis."
-it introduces God as Creator
-it introduces the relationship between God and mankind
-it explains the beginnings of man and woman
-it explains the entrance of sin and death into the world
-it is the first announcement of God's plan to redeem
-both Old and New Testament writes and Jesus Christ treated Genesis as history
"In The Beginning" Part 2
Recap:
Before Creation:
1. God existed already
-He is eternal (no beginning - no end)
-He is totally self-sufficient
-He is not limited in any way (He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient)
2. There was perfect communion and fellowship within the Godhead
-God exists as three persons equal in attributes, distinct in offices and activities
-The doctrine of the trinity (explicity taught in the New Testament) is implicitly taught in the Old Testament. Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 48:16-17; 61:1-3
3. Redemption was planned. Ephesians 1:4; Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:20; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28
"Birth of a Universe"
Recap:
1. Structure of Genesis 1-11
1:1-2:25 - God's orderly creation (climaxing in creation of man)
3:1 - 11:32 - Disintegration brought on by sin (climaxing in the flood and the dispersion)
"Birth of a Universe" Part 2
Recap:
Views of origins fall into two categories:
1. Evolutionary Views
-Atheistic Eveolution
-Theistic Evolution
-Progressive or Threshold Evolution (also called the Day-Age Theory)
2. Creationist Views
-Fiat Creation
-The Gap Theory (a gao before Gen. 1:1 [Unger] or a gap between 1:1 and 1:2 [Scofield]
-The Pre-Creation Theory
"Birth of a Universe" Part 3
Recap:
Objections to the Day-Age Theory (each day in Genesis 1 is an age, not a literal 24 hour day):
-it is out of sync with the fossil record, thus it fails at its' attempt to reconcile evolution and the Bible
-it is logically out of sync (e.g. seed-bearing plants/trees on the 3rd day, but insencts needed pollinations on the 5th day)
-the Hebrew word yom can mean an "age" in some cases, but when used with a numeric adjective or ordinal (as in Genesis) it means a 24 hour solar day in the Old Testament.
-Exodus 20:10-11 and 31:14-17 speak of six literal days of creation
-Reconciliation with the fossil record would necessitate physcial death preceding the Fall in Genesis 3, yet there was no physical death before Adam sinned. (Romans 5:12)
-Adam and Eve were direct creations of God, not eveolved from lower life forms.
"Birth of a Universe" Part 4
Recap:
1. The Gap Theory (Scofield form) defined: Gensis 1:1 refers to the original perfect creation including plants, animals and perhaps, pre-Adamic men. In a gap between the verses 1 & 2, Satan fell and brought judgement upon the earth (global flood, ice age, etc.) rendering it "without form and empty" according to verse 2. Verses 3 and following describe a re-creation.
2. Objections tot he Gap Theory:
-the grammar of Verse 2 doesn't lend itself to a sequence of events ehich would be necessary according to this theory. The theory is weakest at this point.
-"without form and void" of verse 2 does not necessarily imply a judged or evil condition brought by Satan's Fall.
-there is no scriptural evidence that Satan's Fall brought judgment upon the earth. The 2 pertinent passages (Neither Ezekiel 28 or Isaiah 14 contain an explicit statement that God brought judgment upon the universe as a result of Satan's Fall).
-darkness is not inherently evil (Psalm 104:19-24). Darkness is not called good in 1:4-5 but neither is expanse called good in 1:6-8 (we don't infer from that that it's evil).
-Mankind was told to fill the earth in Genesis 1:28 not replenish it as wrongly translated in the KJV.
-bara ("to create" 1:1,21,27) and asa ("to fashion" 1:7,16,25) are used interchangeably in the passage. asa does not mean to "refashion."
"And God said..."
Recap:
1. Creation witnesses to God's power, nature and character.
2. As Creator, God is:
-before His creation (self-existent, eternal)
-apart from creation (denies pantheism)
-over His creation (He is sovereign, free)
3. God is ruler
-by command, Hebrews 11:3
-as namer vv.5,8,10
"And God said..." Part 2
Recap:
1. God creates by the power of His word (Hebrews 11:3)
2. God's creative work is effortless, unhindered and undirected.
3. As Creator, God is sovereign over this world and is due glory and honor. Each person must answer to Him.
"From Eternity to Here"
Recap:
1. The creation reveals God's eternal power and divine nature. Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-23
2. The sun, moon and stars were created on the fourth day to mark day, night, years, and seasons.
3. They are not to be worshipped nor are they "arbiters of man's destiny." Exodus 20:1-5; Deuteronomy 4:15-19; 17:2-7
4. We are responsible to make right choices based upon godly moral principles. We are to entrust out lives to the Lord, not to astrology, occult practices or magical manipulation.
"And God said..." Part 3
Recap:
1. Who is Jesus? He is not just a man but is God incarnate (God in humn flesh).
2. What is the evidence? We have the eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus intimately, who heard Him teach, saw how He lived, and saw Him alive from the dead.
3. how should we respond? In faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, trusting Him totally and only.
"And God said..." Part 4
Recap:
1. On day five, God created the sea creatures and birds (literally "flying things").
2. God blessed them with fertility ("be fruitful and increase in bumber and fill...")
3. On day six, God created land animals (livestock, wild animals, and reptiles) and man (male and female), the climax of creation.
4. Unlike the animals, humans are created in the image (stressing similarity to) and likeness (stressing that the similarity is not exact) of God. That image is found in that man is a rational, morally responsible, spiritual and self-conscious being with the ability of determination (will).
"Life at the Beginning"
Man (male and female) is set apart from animals:
-by the conference of the Godhead; the personal, "Let Us make..." replaces the impersonal. let there be...", etc.
-by his office; dominion, rulership - "Let them rule..."
-by his intelligence - naming the animals
-most importantly, by a relationship with God.
The Family Resemblance
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 10/17/10 (Ephesians 5:1-3):
1. Paul continues to teach what is involved in a Christian’s “worthy walk” (4:1). In 5:1-6 this is a life of love (seeking the highest good for another, and an other-centered life,) rather than a life of self-centeredness.
2. As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ we should imitate our heavenly father, even as a child mimics her/his earthly father. This means living in love even as Jesus is our example of love. He gave Himself up for us. He loved us unconditionally, sacrificially, freely and fully.
3. “[Paul] is saying in effect: ‘Copy God, for you are His children whom He loves. And you too must live in love, such love as Christ’s—to the point of sacrifice.” “…we are most like God when we live in love.” (Archibald M. Hunter)
4. Many of the Christians, rather than living in love, were taking advantage of one another morally. Sexual immorality (sex outside of marriage, pre-marital or extra-marital), impurity, and greed (an uncontrolled desire for something; could be money or sex) should not be even hinted at in the life of the Christian, it is improper for God’s people.
Recap of 10/17/10 (Ephesians 5:1-3):
1. Paul continues to teach what is involved in a Christian’s “worthy walk” (4:1). In 5:1-6 this is a life of love (seeking the highest good for another, and an other-centered life,) rather than a life of self-centeredness.
2. As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ we should imitate our heavenly father, even as a child mimics her/his earthly father. This means living in love even as Jesus is our example of love. He gave Himself up for us. He loved us unconditionally, sacrificially, freely and fully.
3. “[Paul] is saying in effect: ‘Copy God, for you are His children whom He loves. And you too must live in love, such love as Christ’s—to the point of sacrifice.” “…we are most like God when we live in love.” (Archibald M. Hunter)
4. Many of the Christians, rather than living in love, were taking advantage of one another morally. Sexual immorality (sex outside of marriage, pre-marital or extra-marital), impurity, and greed (an uncontrolled desire for something; could be money or sex) should not be even hinted at in the life of the Christian, it is improper for God’s people.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
A New Wardrobe - Part 5
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 10/10/10 (Ephesians 4:30-32):
Issues in forgiveness (based in part on Lewis Smedes’, “Forgiveness – The Power to Change the Past:”
-Reckon that under God’s economy forgiveness is a better way than fairness (God doesn’t treat us as we deserve, He gives us grace instead). (Revenge never evens the score, mercy is better than revenge, forgiveness releases the forgiver from the unfairness).
-Take our grief to God, describing exactly how we feel, expressing our anger and grief.
-Forego the right to strike back or to continue the resentment.
-Ask God to give us the strength to forgive-to let go and trust again.
-Choose to forgive as an act of the will. This may have to be repeated as the pain takes time to heal. Choose to let go of the bitterness and desire for revenge.
-Replace feelings of resentment and anger with good will-a desire which seeks the other’s welfare not harm.
-Start over. Take steps to restore good relations, remembering that forgiving is not forgetting, excusing, or smoothing over. We only forgive when we acknowledge that we were wronged.
Recap of 10/10/10 (Ephesians 4:30-32):
Issues in forgiveness (based in part on Lewis Smedes’, “Forgiveness – The Power to Change the Past:”
-Reckon that under God’s economy forgiveness is a better way than fairness (God doesn’t treat us as we deserve, He gives us grace instead). (Revenge never evens the score, mercy is better than revenge, forgiveness releases the forgiver from the unfairness).
-Take our grief to God, describing exactly how we feel, expressing our anger and grief.
-Forego the right to strike back or to continue the resentment.
-Ask God to give us the strength to forgive-to let go and trust again.
-Choose to forgive as an act of the will. This may have to be repeated as the pain takes time to heal. Choose to let go of the bitterness and desire for revenge.
-Replace feelings of resentment and anger with good will-a desire which seeks the other’s welfare not harm.
-Start over. Take steps to restore good relations, remembering that forgiving is not forgetting, excusing, or smoothing over. We only forgive when we acknowledge that we were wronged.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
A New Wardrobe - Part 4
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 10/3/10 (Ephesians 4:26-29):
1. Paul mentions two other issues in dealing with anger:
-anger must be dealt with in a timely fashion, grudges must not be nursed but be dealt with as soon as possible. The longer we put off dealing with out anger and reconciling with another person the harder it becomes.
-when we will not reconcile with another Satan is given room to work in our lives. Unresolved anger becomes for Satan “an opportunity for leading a Christian into further sin.” We must instead leave room for God to work (Romans 12:19)
2. Paul’s next injunction has to do with our speech. Rather than tearing others down with out words, our speech should build others up and be beneficial to them. The idea Paul has in mind is not just “bad” language but language that tears others down, such as gossip and slander. The idea is primarily worthless language not necessarily foul language (though that is dealt with in other places).
Recap of 10/3/10 (Ephesians 4:26-29):
1. Paul mentions two other issues in dealing with anger:
-anger must be dealt with in a timely fashion, grudges must not be nursed but be dealt with as soon as possible. The longer we put off dealing with out anger and reconciling with another person the harder it becomes.
-when we will not reconcile with another Satan is given room to work in our lives. Unresolved anger becomes for Satan “an opportunity for leading a Christian into further sin.” We must instead leave room for God to work (Romans 12:19)
2. Paul’s next injunction has to do with our speech. Rather than tearing others down with out words, our speech should build others up and be beneficial to them. The idea Paul has in mind is not just “bad” language but language that tears others down, such as gossip and slander. The idea is primarily worthless language not necessarily foul language (though that is dealt with in other places).
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