Sermon Seeds F24 for September 2, 2002
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
WELCOME TO SERMON SEEDS FOR SEPTEMBER 2, 2002
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A NOTE FROM JACK
: I have a friend who is seeking the Lord about changing his position. He is open to a ministry of Children's Pastor, Christian Education Director, or Seniors Pastor. This man has many years of experience, is not charismatic, and uses the King James Version of the Bible. If you know of such a position available, please email me at jpeters@alltel.net. Or, you may call me at 724-548-2760.*********************************************************
Nehemiah 6
DON'T QUIT!
Edison did not quit on the development of electric light bulb.
Bell did not quit on the development of the telephone.
Fulton did not quit on the development of the steamboat.
The Wright Brothers did not quit on development of the airplane.
Each of these was ultimately successful because they did not quit!
If Satan can get you to quit your work, he will!
He certainly worked hard to get Nehemiah away from completing the building of the wall around Jerusalem. Notice three tools that Satan tried to use:
DISTRACTION Vss. 1-4
DISTORTION Vss. 5-9
DECEPTION Vss. 10-14
Conclusion: Nehemiah did not quit in spite of Satan's efforts.
The end result was a completed wall in 52 days time. Vs. 15
The enemies of Israel were discouraged. Vs. 16
But, the enemies of Israel did not quit. Vss. 17-19
Sermon Seeds A25
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WORSHIP YOUR GOD
Psalm 100
WORSHIP IS DIRECTED (unto the Lord) Vs. 1
WORSHIP IS ACTIVE Vss. 1-2
WORSHIP IS KNOWLEDGEABLE Vs. 3
WORSHIP IS THANKFUL Vs. 4
WORSHIP IS JUSTIFIED Vs. 5
Sermon Seeds A1
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Malachi 3:8-11
GIVING WITH INTEGRITY
We have all met people who have lacked integrity. Some lack moral integrity. Others lack integrity in their business dealings. There are even some pastors who lack integrity because they do not practice what they preach. The Jews of Malachi's day lacked integrity in the area of giving to God's work. Many today lack integrity in this same area.
Remember, a lack of integrity is also a lack of honesty.
GOD'S ACCUSATION - Vs. 8
The Jews had robbed God because they had failed to give as God had prescribed.
GOD'S ACTION - Vs. 9
God had cursed the nation because of their failure to give.
GOD'S ADVICE - Vs. 10a
The one who is not giving properly should start to give with integrity. (1 Corinthians 9:6-7).
GOD'S ASSURANCE - Vs. 10b
God will give great blessing when we give properly.
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Luke 6:37-42
THE JUDGMENT GAME
We meet someone and we right away judge what kind of a person that individual is.
I find that often we as Christians form opinions about the actions and words of other Christians, and again, the motives of other Christians. Although there are times when we need to be judges, if seems that we probably spend more time judging than we should.
When should we as Christians act as judges?
1. We should judge our own lives for sin, especially when we come to the communion table. 1 Corinthians 11:27-28
2. We should judge disagreements between brothers and sisters in Christ.1 Corinthians 6:1-2
3. We should confront our brothers and sisters when there is obvious sin. Galatians 6:1
4. When there is blatant sin, without repentance, there should be church discipline.
Read Matthew 18:15-17
One of the major themes of this passage, Luke 6:37-42 has to do with judging others.
PROPORTION Vss. 37-38
Although there is only one way to Heaven, that's through believing on Jesus Christ as personal Savior, and one way to hell, by rejecting Christ, God does award us in proportion to our activities.
Vs. 37
- Jesus tells us that if we don't want to be judged by others, we should refrain from judging ourselves. It is apparent, the more we evaluate others, the more likely we are to be evaluated by others.
If a brother or sister sins, that matter should first be between you and that brother or sister. Then, if necessary, involve the church.
If our judgment involves motives, let us leave that for God to judge. If it involves use of time or methods of ministry, let us let God judge that.
If it involves success of ministry, let us let God be the judge. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5
Why does God want us to refrain from judging?
- We do not know all the facts.
- We are biased in our opinions, we are never totally objective.
- We are often wrong.
- We are judged in proportion to our judgments.
I have noticed that when I criticize someone for a specific type of failure, it isn't long before I'm tempted in the same area. It is as if God is saying, "Okay, Jack, let's see how you do in this same area."
In Luke 6:37, we are next told that in proportion to our condemning spirit, we will be condemned.
He is not talking here about eternal life.
But it is easy not only to judge someone but to condemn or censor him.
I think condemnation is a step further than passing judgment. It is more that saying someone shouldn't do something. It is pronouncing the punishment with the judgment.
We are also told that the ones who forgive are the ones who are forgiven. If you truly forgive others you will be forgiven, especially by God. Matthew 6:12,14-15 - Read and comment.
Vs. 38 gives us our last example of proportion.
However you give to others, that is how it will be given to you.The middle of the verse tells us how that giving should be.Think of a measure as a bushel basket.A bushel basket can be filled very loosely.
But if you push down on the contents, and shake the container, you can get more in.
Also, if you pile it on top you can get more in.
If you give this way, that's how you will receive.
We should never give to get.
But the more generous we are now, the more generous God is with now, and when rewards come.
PERFECTION Vss. 39-40
Perfection should be our goal.We will never be perfect in this life, but I think we should die trying.With the enabling of the Holy Spirit we could all
be more perfect than we are.
Vs. 39 - This is a pretty obvious parable.
A blind man can not lead a blind man.
They'll both end up in a ditch!
Let's apply that in two ways.
1. Watch who you are following.
If you are following the leadership of a person who is stumbling in the dark, going in the wrong direction, away from the Lord, then you will stumble in the dark, go in the wrong direction and away from the Lord.
2. Watch how you are leading.
We cannot expect others we want to lead to do better spiritually than we doing ourselves. In our homes and in the church we must be able to say "Do as I say, and as I do!"
I can't expect to lead you into spiritual maturity, if I don't progress into spiritual maturity myself!
Vs. 40 - The disciple is not above his master.
Who is your master?
Is it not the Lord Jesus?
We can't expect to be better than our master, although, sometimes we try, by avoiding some of his examples.
Jesus prayed, but we do not pray the way we should.
Jesus trusted and obeyed His Father, but we don't.
Jesus suffered for others, but we refuse to.
We act like we are better than Him.
But if you want to be perfect, spiritually mature, and non-judgmental, simply imitate the Lord Jesus.
The best way to do that is by following Galatians 6:20.
PROPORTION
PERFECTION
PRACTICE Vss. 41-42
We often want to correct the faults we find in others.
In fact our vision is so clear that we can find a speck of a fault in the other person.
What's amazing about this is that we don't see the beam, or the 2x4 that is in our own eye!
We see the faults of others much quicker and easier than we see our own.
Vs. 42 - Jesus is saying, "How can you be of spiritual help to someone else, when you don't deal with you own problems first?"
Notice what Jesus calls people who do this.
He calls them HYPOCRITES!
First, we are to remove the beam from our own eyes. When we have done that, we will see clearly enough to help someone else.
I venture to say that we will find many times that the speck we saw in someone's else's eye was our own 2x4 that we were seeing!
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John 8:1-11
IT'S EASY
Some things are hard to do, while others things seem to be pretty easy. One of the easy things to do is to have a critical spirit. Especially in church you will find people who have the "gift of criticism". No matter what you do in church, someone will criticize. Jesus certainly dealt with his hare of critics, and we meet some of them in this passage.
IT'S EASY TO FIND FAULT - Vss. 1-6
The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught in the act of adultery. Look around and you will find it easy to identify the sins of others. That's because we have all sinned (Romans 3:19, 23).
They suggested to Jesus that Moses said that such a person caught in such an act should be stoned (Vs. 5). The interesting thing is that they were suggesting this, so they could accuse Jesus after he gave an answer.
IT'S EASY TO FORGET OUR OWN SINS - Vss. 7-9
Jesus simply told them that whoever was not guilty of sin to cast the first stone.
They were willing to condemn the woman caught in sin, but were not remembering their own sins (Matthew 7:1-2).
They were so convicted that each one of them left without throwing a single stone.
IT'S EASY TO BE FORGIVEN - Vss. 10-11
Jesus could have condemned this woman, but He didn't.
Instead, He told her to go and sin no more.
It is easy to receive forgiveness from the Lord Jesus, because it is He who died for our sins (Romans 5:6-9). When a person trusts Christ as Savior forgiveness and eternal life comes(John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 1:9-11).
When Christians confess their sins, they are forgiven (1John 1:9).
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Galatians 1:6-10
THE PERIL OF WRONG INFORMATION
We have all been the victims of wrong information. We have been given wrong information about the character of people that was nothing more than gossip. We have been given wrong information concerning arrival times of busses, cars, and planes. We have been given wrong information concerning the government. We have been given wrong information about peoples intentions. Sometimes people tell you what they want you to believe, not the truth.
There is another kind of wrong information going around today that is even more dangerous than the types of wrong information that I have already shared. It is wrong information which, if believed, leads to eternal destruction.
After a brief introduction in Galatians 1, Paul gets right to the point. The Galatians were victims of wrong information. There are cults and churches that claim to be Christian that are giving out wrong information. They are teaching other ways to Heaven, other than by grace through faith. The peril of such false teaching, no matter how sincere, is that such teaching will damn souls for all eternity instead of giving them eternal life.
AMAZING DESERTION - Vs. 5
Paul was astounded that so soon after embracing Christ as Savior they were already being swayed by false teachers. The Galatians were gullible. The best weapon a false teacher has is Christians who are ignorant of God's Word.
They were removed, or had deserted God by leaving the grace of Christ behind. The Gospel of Grace is summed up in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Christ died for our sins. He was buried and rose again. A person receives this grace through faith in Christ.
APOSTASY DENOUNCED - Vss. 6-9
Someone has said (I don't know who.) that apostasy is a "falling away or defection from the faith."
Paul said in verse 6 that the Galatians were turning to "another Gospel". This other Gospel was another opinion. But as verse 7a says, the other Gospel was not another Gospel. It was not the Gospel at all. False teachers trouble the church and pervert the truth.
In verses 8-9 Paul pronounces a curse (anathema) on anyone who preaches a false Gospel.
Why is Paul so adamant?
There is only one way to Heaven (John 14:6).
There is only one Gospel (Vs. 6).
There is only one sacrifice for sin, paid for by Jesus (Hebrews 10:14).
ALLEGIANCE DECLARED - Vs. 10
When it came to accurate presentation of the Gospel, Paul would either please man or God. He could not please both (1 Corinthians 1:21-29). Paul declares his allegiance to God by choosing to be a servant of Christ and preaching the true Gospel.
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Ephesians 1:15-23
Have you noticed that at the beginning of every professional sports season, that every manager or head coach talks like he is expecting his team to go all the way to win the championship? There are great expectations.
As parents we have great expectations for our children, expecting them to go further in their lives than we have in ours.
The apostle Paul also had great expectations for the Ephesian believers. That's why he prayed for them. As Christians, we should have the same great expectations for other believers and pray for them.
Paul prayed for the Christians that they would
(Be sure to comment on Paul's thankfulness and regular prayers for the Ephesians in Vss. 15-16)
1. KNOW HIM, THE PERSON OF GOD Vs. 17
2. KNOW HIS HOPE, THE PROMISES OF GOD Vs. 18
3. KNOW HIS HELP, THE POWER OF GOD Vs. 19-23
Sermon Seeds A39
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Sermon Seeds is a weekly e-mailing of free brief sermon outlines from Pastor Jack Peters. These outlines are meant to help other pastors and Bible Teachers in their own preparations.
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