Click here to download the Easter message. About 37 minutes.
Recap of the sermon from April 24th: (Luke 24:1-12)
1. “The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Without it the believer has no hope for this life or for the life to come. The apostle Paul wrote, ‘And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain’ (1 Cor. 15:17). Our belief in this great teaching is not based upon some religious feeling or upon an unfounded idea about what may have happened in the past. Nor are we talking about an isolated rumor, but about an historical fact with solid evidence to support it.” (Author unknown)
2. Luke was a careful historian who piled evidence upon evidence, verse upon verse, concerning the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. Sir William Mitchell Ramsey, a Scottish archaeologist and New Testament scholar said this about Luke’s scholarship and reliability: “You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment.” “The author of Acts [and thereby of the Gospel of Luke] is not to be regarded as the author of historical romance, legend, or third- or second-rate history. Rather he is the writer of an historical work of the highest order.” This is significant because Ramsay began as a skeptic concerning the historical value and truthfulness of the New Testament.
3. Some of the evidences of the resurrection that Luke alludes to in Luke 24:1-12 are: the skepticism of the disciples; the change in worship from Saturday to Sunday; the removal of the stone in light of soldiers presence and a seal on the stone; the empty tomb; the women as the first to be told of the resurrection; the presence of and orderly arrangement of the grave clothes; and the changed lives of the apostles, from a dispirited, fearful group to those who just 50 days later were boldly proclaiming the gospel including the resurrection in Jerusalem.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Daring to Stand for Godly Values, Part 2
Click here to download the sermon file, a continuation in the study of Daniel and 40 minutes in duration.
Recap of the sermon from April 17th, 2011 (Daniel 1:8-21):
1. “At the very beginning of their career in a three-year program, the young Yahweh worshippers were faced with a clear cut issue of obedience and faith. They were doubtless subjected to intense social pressure from their classmates and teachers to do what everyone else was doing. They might have argued with themselves about the apparent folly of letting a ceremonial quibble destroy their chances of attaining high positions in the government. Should they not accept the royal diet and thus avoid giving needless offense to their classmates or to the officials of the king himself? Worldly wisdom pointed in that direction.” (Dr. Gleason L. Archer, Jr.)
2. Daniel and his three friends (apparently alone out of all the Hebrews in the program) were more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing earthly rulers. Thus they refused to defile themselves with the king’s food and drink. The issue was not vegetables versus meat. Though not all meat was prohibited by the Mosaic Law, the meat served them would no doubt have first been sacrificed to the pagan gods of Babylon. Thus the food, though not unclean in itself, would have been made unclean by its use in pagan ritual. Daniel and his friends were determined to be obedient to God in all they did, to please Him above all.
3. Daniel’s response to this challenge to godliness in his life was to respectfully propose an alternative. They would eat vegetables and grains for ten days and have their progress evaluated. The test was so successful that they were allowed to continue. At the end of three years they were tested and Daniel and his friends were found to be the best of the best. God blesses those who honor Him. Daniel himself held high government offices under four different rulers in three different kingdoms
Recap of the sermon from April 17th, 2011 (Daniel 1:8-21):
1. “At the very beginning of their career in a three-year program, the young Yahweh worshippers were faced with a clear cut issue of obedience and faith. They were doubtless subjected to intense social pressure from their classmates and teachers to do what everyone else was doing. They might have argued with themselves about the apparent folly of letting a ceremonial quibble destroy their chances of attaining high positions in the government. Should they not accept the royal diet and thus avoid giving needless offense to their classmates or to the officials of the king himself? Worldly wisdom pointed in that direction.” (Dr. Gleason L. Archer, Jr.)
2. Daniel and his three friends (apparently alone out of all the Hebrews in the program) were more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing earthly rulers. Thus they refused to defile themselves with the king’s food and drink. The issue was not vegetables versus meat. Though not all meat was prohibited by the Mosaic Law, the meat served them would no doubt have first been sacrificed to the pagan gods of Babylon. Thus the food, though not unclean in itself, would have been made unclean by its use in pagan ritual. Daniel and his friends were determined to be obedient to God in all they did, to please Him above all.
3. Daniel’s response to this challenge to godliness in his life was to respectfully propose an alternative. They would eat vegetables and grains for ten days and have their progress evaluated. The test was so successful that they were allowed to continue. At the end of three years they were tested and Daniel and his friends were found to be the best of the best. God blesses those who honor Him. Daniel himself held high government offices under four different rulers in three different kingdoms
Monday, April 11, 2011
Daring to Stand for Godly Values
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of the sermon from April 10th; reference Daniel 1:1-7:
1. “[Daniel] is one of the few well-known Bible characters about whom nothing negative is ever written. His life was characterized by faith, prayer, courage, consistency, and lack of compromise.” (DWB)
2. God uses people—often in places and circumstances they don’t want to be. Some biblical examples are Joseph, Esther, Moses, and Daniel. As Warren Wiersbe writes: “Don’t complain about the place where God puts you. Ask Him to use you while you are there.” Wherever and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves we must ask what God’s purpose is and seek to be a witness to His name.
3. Daniel found himself in Babylon because God delivered the Hebrews into the hands of heathen leader Nebuchadnezzar. God’s people had turned away from Him. They turned instead to idolatry, apostasy, and immorality. In accordance with the blessings (for obedience) and cursings (for disobedience) in the Mosaic Law, God had to discipline His people (Deuteronomy 28, especially vv. 49-68). Though we are not under the Law, God still disciplines His people today (Hebrews 12:4-11).
4. Daniel and his three friends are given new names to reflect their new circumstances. Where formerly their names reflected their commitment to the God of Israel, their new names reflected the false gods of the Babylonians. They are enrolled in a three year course of study in Babylonian language, learning and culture with a view to assimilating them into Babylonian culture.
Recap of the sermon from April 10th; reference Daniel 1:1-7:
1. “[Daniel] is one of the few well-known Bible characters about whom nothing negative is ever written. His life was characterized by faith, prayer, courage, consistency, and lack of compromise.” (DWB)
2. God uses people—often in places and circumstances they don’t want to be. Some biblical examples are Joseph, Esther, Moses, and Daniel. As Warren Wiersbe writes: “Don’t complain about the place where God puts you. Ask Him to use you while you are there.” Wherever and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves we must ask what God’s purpose is and seek to be a witness to His name.
3. Daniel found himself in Babylon because God delivered the Hebrews into the hands of heathen leader Nebuchadnezzar. God’s people had turned away from Him. They turned instead to idolatry, apostasy, and immorality. In accordance with the blessings (for obedience) and cursings (for disobedience) in the Mosaic Law, God had to discipline His people (Deuteronomy 28, especially vv. 49-68). Though we are not under the Law, God still disciplines His people today (Hebrews 12:4-11).
4. Daniel and his three friends are given new names to reflect their new circumstances. Where formerly their names reflected their commitment to the God of Israel, their new names reflected the false gods of the Babylonians. They are enrolled in a three year course of study in Babylonian language, learning and culture with a view to assimilating them into Babylonian culture.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Daring to Stand When Standing is Uncomfortable
Click here to download the sermon file.
We are beginning a new study on the book (and the life) of Daniel.
Today's sermon comes from Daniel 1:1-21 and is entitled "Daring to Stand When Standing is Uncomfortable". The duration of today's message is about 35 minutes.
A recap of the sermon from April 3rd (Daniel intro.):
1. The following quotes capture the essence of the man Daniel, namesake of the Book of Daniel:
-“When you read about Daniel, you meet a man of God who was faithful to the Lord and glorified Him in the enemy’s land.” (Warren Wiersbe)
-“Dare to be a Daniel is more than a gospel song. It is a timeless challenge for each new generation intent on being God’s ‘change agents’ wherever He might send them. You may never see the inside of a kingly castle (or lion’s den), but you can be sure your life will be full of excitement and challenge.” (the Daily Walk Bible)
2. Daniel lived, served, and wrote about the time of the exile when the Israelites were in exile in Babylon. He was probably 16 or 17 at the time of the beginning events in the book. Daniel was called a prophet by Jesus in Matthew 24:15 and is mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel along with Noah and Job (14:14,20) calling him righteous; and wise (28:3). Throughout his life he was uncompromising and faithful to God. He was a role model for the exiles.
3. The Book of Daniel is valuable in helping us to answer:
-how do I live in a pagan post-Christian society?
-is God in control over nations and peoples?
-is God faithful even to his disobedient children?
-what is God’s program for the Gentile nations and for His people Israel?
-what is the place and value of prayer?
We are beginning a new study on the book (and the life) of Daniel.
Today's sermon comes from Daniel 1:1-21 and is entitled "Daring to Stand When Standing is Uncomfortable". The duration of today's message is about 35 minutes.
A recap of the sermon from April 3rd (Daniel intro.):
1. The following quotes capture the essence of the man Daniel, namesake of the Book of Daniel:
-“When you read about Daniel, you meet a man of God who was faithful to the Lord and glorified Him in the enemy’s land.” (Warren Wiersbe)
-“Dare to be a Daniel is more than a gospel song. It is a timeless challenge for each new generation intent on being God’s ‘change agents’ wherever He might send them. You may never see the inside of a kingly castle (or lion’s den), but you can be sure your life will be full of excitement and challenge.” (the Daily Walk Bible)
2. Daniel lived, served, and wrote about the time of the exile when the Israelites were in exile in Babylon. He was probably 16 or 17 at the time of the beginning events in the book. Daniel was called a prophet by Jesus in Matthew 24:15 and is mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel along with Noah and Job (14:14,20) calling him righteous; and wise (28:3). Throughout his life he was uncompromising and faithful to God. He was a role model for the exiles.
3. The Book of Daniel is valuable in helping us to answer:
-how do I live in a pagan post-Christian society?
-is God in control over nations and peoples?
-is God faithful even to his disobedient children?
-what is God’s program for the Gentile nations and for His people Israel?
-what is the place and value of prayer?
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