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"A Challenge to You"
Steven J. Wallace
The
Bible is full of challenges that have been issued out by both good and evil
men. Goliath stood before the armies of Israel and challenged them saying:
“Why
have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the
servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. .
. .”
(1 Sam. 17:8-9)
David
answered that challenge and destroyed the enemy of Israel. On the other
hand, the great prophet Elijah challenged the people of Israel to make a
choice by crying out:
“‘How
long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him;
but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word”
(1 Kin. 18:21)
In that
spirit we lay forth a challenge for you in the hopes that you will not sit
by and “answer not a word.”
A
challenge to investigate God. Please do not misunderstand, this is
not a challenge to investigate what men, churches, or what some religious
leader may say about God. We challenge you to investigate the God of
the Bible with your own eyes. Only here the original picture of God remains
without human distortions. “Therefore consider the goodness and severity
of God. . .” (Rom. 11:22). If you are young, realized there is no better
time to investigate God than in your youth before you begin to make
decisions that will affect your life. First learn Christ who owns and gives
you your life! “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, ‘I
have no pleasure in them’” (Eccl. 12:1)
A
challenge to investigate the one faith of the New Testament. Do
not accept the various world religions of Islam, Hindu, and Buddhism, as
being of God. Neither accept the divided and contradictory religious world
of so-called Christendom as being something that is from God. Such
didn’t exist in the time of Christ. Approximately 2000 years ago a man named
Jesus of Nazareth, was put to death as a criminal, though he had done many
wonderful deeds. It was predetermined by God that he should die and be
resurrected (Acts 2:23, 24). If Jesus did in fact resurrect from the dead,
then he is certainly God. One correctly observed, “for no one can do these
signs that You do unless God is with him” (Jn. 3:2). His resurrected person
was seen by many witnesses, even by 500 people at one time (1 Cor. 15:6).
Followers of Christ at this time were only called Christians. “One name. .
.one faith!” They were not “hyphenated Christians” as so many suggest they
are today. Will you investigate the “one faith” of first-century Christians
(Eph. 4:5)?
A
challenge to investigate the church of Christ.
Just as sure as Jesus resurrected from the dead, he established his one true
church, “. . .I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). It began in
Jerusalem (Acts 2:1ff). It was built by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28).
Its law came from Jerusalem, not New York, Switzerland, or even Mt. Sinai as
some suggest (Is. 2:3; Jer. 31:31-34; Acts 2). We challenge you to find
where it wears a name that gives honor to a method (i.e., Methodist), an
eldership/presbytery (Presbyterian); a day (Seventh - Day Adventist;
Pentecost), or any other concept, doctrine or person (Grace Dispensational,
Baptist, Free Will, Saint Paul’s Catholic, etc.). We challenge you to be
content with those designations found in the Bible: “church of God” (1 Cor.
1:2); church of Christ (Rom. 16:16); “church of the Firstborn” (Heb. 12:23),
etc. Will you investigate the church of Christ?
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You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
A Striking Contrast: NT Christianity vs. Man-made Counterfeits
Scripture Reading:
Galatians 1:6-12
1. Bible
pattern for NT Christianity, Rom. 6:17-18; 2 Ths. 2:15; Must hold to it, 2
Tim. 1:13.
2.
Comparing man-made counterfeits to the New Testament pattern makes a
striking contrast between NT Christianity & man-made counterfeits (Col.
2:22; Jno. 17:17), Galatians 1:11-12.
|
NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY |
|
Christ: Founder of the church (Matt. 16:18) |
|
One body, one faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:4-6) |
|
Christ has ALL authority (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17) |
|
Wear the name Christian (Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26; 1 Pet.
4:16) |
|
Scriptural name for church (Rom. 16:16) |
|
Preach only one gospel (Jude 3; Gal. 1:8-10; Acts 20:27) |
|
Bible remains same (Matt. 24:35; 1 Pet. 1:23-25) |
|
Lord adds saved to His church (Acts 2:47) |
|
Sound doctrine essential to salvation (1 Tim. 4:16; 6:3; 2 Tim.
1:13; 3:16) |
|
All Christians are priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9) |
|
God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35) |
|
Plurality of elders (pastors) over each church (Acts 14:23; 20:17;
Eph. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:1-2) |
|
“Faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:20, 26) |
|
“You have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4) |
|
Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day (Acts 2:42; 20:7) |
|
Baptism is immersion in water (Rom. 6:3-5) |
|
Baptize repentant believers (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38) |
|
Baptized “into Christ” / into His spiritual body, the church (Gal.
3:26-27; 1 Cor. 12:13) |
|
Live soberly, righteously & godly (Tit. 2:11-12; Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Jno.
2:15-17) |
Conclusion:
NT is possible, practical & powerful today, 1 Jno. 1:7; Matt. 11:28-30;
Prov. 14:12; Jer. 10:23.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Turning the Hearts of Fathers & Their Children to Each Other
Scripture Reading:
Proverbs 3:1-12
1. The need for godly fathers & respectful
children has always been great.
2. Reciprocal, complimentary, Eph. 6:1-4.
3. Hearts of fathers & children must turn to God & each other or God’s
judgment will surely strike (cf. Mal. 4:6).
I. TURNING HEARTS: A MATTER OF
CONVERTED HEARTS.
A. The Heart: Will & Affection.
1. Includes affections, character &
commitment.
2. Both agape & phileo toward their children (cf. the Father & Son, Jno.
3:35; 5:20).
B. Hearts Ready to Repent (Acts
26:20); Lk. 1:17
C. Hearts Ready to Seek & Give Forgiveness, cf. Lk. 15:18-22.
II. TURNING THE HEARTS OF FATHERS TO
THEIR CHILDREN (Gen. 18:19).
A. Do Not Provoke to Wrath
(exasperate, discourage), Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21).
1. Unrealistic
demands/expectations, 2 Cor. 8:12; Matt. 25:15.
2. Favoritism, Gen. 25:27-28; 27:41; 37:4.
3. Fail to discipline, Prov. 3:12; 29:15,17 (20:30).
B. Nurture your Children, Eph.
6:4; 1 Ths. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 4:14-16; Eph. 5:16; Judg. 13:8; 2 Cor. 12:14.
III. TURNING THE HEARTS OF CHILDREN TO
THEIR FATHERS.
A. Hearts that Listen to Father, Prov.
1:8-9; 7:24.
B. Hearts that Learn from Father, Prov. 4:1-7, 10-13, 20-22 (Prov. 29:3;
3 Jno. 4).
C. Hearts that Live Father’s Instruction, Prov. 3:1-2, 21-26 (Jno. 8:29,
55); Eph. 6:1.
D. Hearts that will Respect Parents, Eph. 6:2; Jno. 8:26-29; Prov.
30:11-14, 17 (20:20); Exo. 21:17 (Prov. 28:24).
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
Headline Ruminations
Joe R. Price
US reports two more deaths
after abortion pill
(Reuters)
-Did I miss something, or isn’t there a death every time the
abortion pill is used? (Psa. 127:3; Rom. 13:9)
Psychics to try contacting
Lennon in TV séance (Reuters)
-Do you suppose if they could contact John Lennon he would tell them
it’s easy to “imagine there’s no heaven” and “no hell” now? (Matt. 25:46;
Rom. 2:1-11)
Senate OKs increased debt
ceiling (CNNMoney.com)
-The Lord has removed the debt ceiling on loving one another (Rom. 13:8).
Wildfires burn
on in Texas and Okla.
(AP)
-The tongue is a powerful force: see how great a “prairie” a little fire
kindles! (Jas. 3:5)
Great Lakes
gray wolves no longer endangered
(Reuters)
-Too bad the two-legged wolves are not on the endangered species list!
(Matt. 7:15; 10:16; Acts 20:29)
Astronomers Detect First
Split-Second of the Universe (space.com)
-Bible believers discovered the first split-second of the universe long
ago: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen.
1:1).
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