|
"...Shepherd the flock of God which is among
you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2)
Elders
Morris Bass, Rick Holt , Joe
Price |
"...let them serve as deacons,
being found blameless..." (1 Tim. 3:10)
Deacons
Aaron Bass, Rich Brooks, Mike Finn
John Hague, Dan Head |
"And take...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)
In this issue:
A Place Called "Hell"
The Fruit of the
Spirit: Goodness (#7)
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
More Workers
A Place Called "Hell"
Joe R. Price
“Hell exists says the doctrine
commission of the Church of England. But popular conceptions of final
damnation are off the mark, according to a commission report, “The Mystery
of Salvation,” issued Thursday.
“In the past the imagery of
hell-fire and eternal torment and punishment, often sadistically expressed,
has been used to frighten men and women into believing,” the report said.
“Christians have professed appalling theologies which made God into a
sadistic monster and left searing psychological scars on many.” The report
said such views have led to a decline among Christians in a belief in
eternal punishment. Hell is “not eternal torment,” said the report. “It is
the final and irrevocable choosing of that which is opposed to God so
completely and so absolutely that the only end is total nonbeing...
Annihilation might be a truer picture of damnation.” (Religion News
Service, Salt Lake Tribune, D1:1.13.96)
In the report mentioned
above (now almost ten years ago), the Church of England denied the simple
and direct words of Jesus. Jesus Christ clearly taught that hell is a place
of just punishment which lasts forever (Matt. 10:28; 25:46; Mk. 9:43-48; Lk.
16:19-31). He defined the duration of hell and heaven with the same word:
both heaven and hell are “eternal” (Matt. 25:46; cf. 2 Thess. 1:7-10).
Then there is the matter of
the nature of hell. Is hell a state of “nonbeing” or “annihilation?” Jesus
taught that hell is a place prepared for the devil and his
messengers (Matt. 25:41). Hell is not a state of being; it is a place
of everlasting pain and separation from God (Mk. 9:43-48; Matt. 25:30; Lk.
16:24-28). The Anglicans and others deny the New Testament with human
wisdom and sophistry.
The reality of hell does not
turn God into a “sadistic monster.” God has done everything for the lost –
through His Son Jesus Christ – to keep us from going to hell (Jn. 3:16; Rom.
5:6-11). It is man’s sin against God that will cause people to be lost in
hell – not the God of heaven (Isa. 59:1-2; Rom. 6:23).
Hell is properly regarded as
“the righteous judgment of God” against all forms of sin (Rom. 2:5-9). It
is the “second death” from which there will be no escape (Rev. 20:14-15;
21:8).
Hell is real and lasts
forever. Jesus said so. Will you believe God or man?
Top
The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness (#7)
Joe R. Price
Goodness has become
a relative thing in our society. This is due in large part to a growing
absence of respect for an absolute standard of right and wrong: of what is
good. Something is perceived to be good if the person defining the good
thing says it is good. We have become our own standard of goodness (cf. Jgs.
21:25).
Ultimately, for
anything to be good it must harmonize with God and His will. Because God is
completely good, He is the standard of goodness (Mk. 10:17-18). For us to
possess the goodness that is a part of the fruit of the Spirit means that we
will be morally honorable (cf. Matt. 5:45). And, when we possess honorable
character it will be goodness that uses our opportunities to help others
(Gal. 6:10).
Therefore, goodness
is a quality of character that is alert to the needs of others. When
goodness knows the needs of another person it acts to meet those needs. In
this way we imitate the goodness of God. Completely knowing the needs of
human beings, God revealed His goodness to us in His Son (Rom. 11:22; Jn.
3:16). God expects those who walk after His Spirit to be good to others.
Goodness begins in
the heart. Without a heart that is good (morally honorable) we cannot
possibly expect to show goodness toward others (Lk. 6:45). By transforming
the mind (heart) we will show the good will of God in our lives (Rom.
12:1-2). The “good” people we read about in the New Testament (Joseph, Lk.
23:50, and Barnabas, Acts 11:24) were men with integrity of heart. Their
good hearts moved them to acts of goodness and mercy (Lk. 23:51-53; Acts
4:36-37). Having been commanded to imitate the good, we must fill our
hearts with moral integrity so that this good fruit will be a part of our
lives (3 Jn. 11; Eph. 5:7-11).
Here are just a few
of the good things we can do (Gal. 6:10):
1) Try to rescue
souls from sin (Gal. 6:1).
Because this means confronting the sinner about his sin, some do not think
this is a “good” thing to do. But God has said it is a good thing to do.
Good men and women know the value of the soul and the danger of sin.
2) Bear the
burdens of others (Gal. 6:2).
The problems of life can overwhelm us, so it helps when someone empathizes
with us and offers to help relieve the problem. We show goodness to others
by helping them carry their burdens.
3) Show
hospitality to others (Rom. 12:13). When one is given to hospitality he
does not forget to be good to strangers, nor does he complain about it (Heb.
13:2; 1 Pet. 4:9).
4) Use
language which is beneficial (Matt. 12:34-37; Eph. 4:29).
A good heart will speak good things and be careful how it speaks those good
things.
God has shown us
what is good (Micah 6:8). When Christians bring goodness into the world it
distinguishes us as it influences others for good (Matt. 5:13-16). May we
all develop more goodness of heart and life, and so be more like God.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
The Faith and Personal Faith (2)
Scripture Reading:
Romans 3:21-26
1. The faith: The gospel
(system of truth) that produces personal faith & salvation, Rom. 1:16-17;
3:21-31; Col. 1:21-23.
2. Increase our respect for it, understand our duties to it & depend on it.
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAITH:
A. The Faith can be Known –
Titus 1:1; Col. 2:2-3,6-8; 2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Tim. 4:2-4.
B. The Faith is Sound – Tit. 1:13-14; Tit. 1:15-16; 2 Tim. 1:13.
C. The Faith Produces Unity, not Division – Eph. 4:13, 5; 1 Cor. 1:10.
D. The Faith is the Basis of our Fellowship – 1 Tim. 1:2; Tit. 3:15; Eph.
4:3-7; Jno. 17:20-21; Tit. 1:4; Gal. 1:23; 2:7-9, 16.
II. OUR DUTIES TOWARD THE FAITH:
A. Stand Fast in the Faith – 1
Cor. 16:13; Phil. 1:27.
B. Earnestly Contend for the Faith – Jude 3. WHY? Because.....
1. Some depart from the faith via false teaching, 1 Ti. 4:1-3
(Jude 4)
2. Some deny the faith by forsaking personal duties, 1 Tim. 5:8.
3. Some stray from the faith, 1 Tim. 6:10, 20-21.
4. Some resist the faith, 2 Tim. 3:6-9.
5. Satan tries to devour us, so resist “steadfast in the faith,”
1 Pet. 5:8-9.
C. Examine Ourselves to see if we are in the Faith – 2 Cor. 13:5.
D. We Must Keep the Faith – Rev. 14:12; 2 Tim. 4:7-8.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Bible Question Box: Feb 2005 God
Scripture Reading:
Acts 17:22-34
1. Apostles preached what people
needed to hear – Acts 17:16-17 (20:20; 2 Tim. 4:2).
2. Reactions (Acts 18-21).
Question: Does God want to make mistakes & how was he created?
1. No, God
does not want to make mistakes & He does not make them, Num. 23:19; 1 Sam.
15:29; Mal. 3:6; Jas. 1:13, 17 (Heb. 13:8)
2. God was not created; He is eternal – Psa. 90:2; Isa. 57:15; 1 Tim.
1:17; Rev. 1:4, 8.
3. Who is God? – Acts 17:22-34
I. GOD
IS NOT…
A. God is
not Unknowable – Acts 17:23-24.
1. Nature & revelation (17:24-31), Rom. 1:19-20; Acts 14:15, 17; Psa.
19:1-2; 50:6; 97:6; 1 Cor. 2:11-12; Heb. 1:1-2; Jn. 1:1-3, 14, 18; Eph.
3:3-5; 5:17.
B. God is not Limited by Men – Acts 17:24-25; Jer. 10:1-11; Isa. 42:5;
44:15-20; Acts 7:47-50; 17:25 (cf. Idols – Jer. 10:3-5).
C. God is not Far from each of Us – Acts 17:27; Jer. 23:23-24; Acts
10:34-35.
D. God is not an Image made by Man – Acts 17:29, 23 (Lev. 26:1); (Jesus,
Col. 1:15).
II.
GOD IS…
A. God is
our Creator (17:24-29); our Savior (7:30; 2 Cor. 5:18-21) & our Judge
(17:31; 2 Co. 5:10; Jn. 12:48).
III.
REACTIONS TO THE GOSPEL OF GOD
– Acts 17:32-34.
A. Some
Mocked – 17:32 (Acts 26:8).
B. Some Delayed – 17:32 (17:21; 24:25).
C. Some Believed – 17:34 (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
Top
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
More Workers
Joe R. Price
On Friday the US Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported the addition of 146,000 jobs to the US work force in
January, 2005. National unemployment decreased to 5.2%.
I wonder what the unemployment
rate would be if there was a Bureau of Labor Statistics in the kingdom of
Christ? More importantly, we should ask ourselves whether we are
“unemployed” or part of the “work force” in the vineyard of the Lord. The
Lord knows.
Jesus says the harvest of souls
is large; many souls need to be saved from sin and death. Yet, the work
force is small (“the laborers are few”). So, Jesus instructs each disciple
to pray the Lord to send out laborers into the harvest (Matt. 9:37-38).
Unlike national economies, the
church does not “create jobs” – the work given disciples already exists,
awaiting our action (Eph. 2:10; 4:11-16). The point to ponder is whether or
not each Christian will be a worker in the kingdom (whether it is teaching
the lost or some other service rendered to the Master, Matt. 21:28-30;
25:34-40).
We labor on earth to provide for
ourselves, our families and those in need (Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11-12). We
labor in the kingdom because of our faith in the Lord and duty to Him (Lk.
17:5-10). We know that by and by He will reward every good and faithful
servant (Matt. 25:20-21). “There is much to do, there’s work on every hand”
– to the work!
Top
|
