Quote from Forum Archives on October 13, 2002, 8:53 pm

Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>

WELCOME TO SERMON SEEDS FOR OCTOBER 14, 2002

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Exodus 17:1-7

WATER SHORTAGE

PROBLEM - Vs. 1

The children had no water.

PROTEST - Vss. 2-3

The Children of Israel did what they did best. They complained!

PRAYER - Vs.4

Moses cried to God for help.

PROVISION - Vss. 5-7

God answered prayer and provided water from the rock.

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Proverbs 3:1-4

HOW TO GROW SPIRITUALLY

REMEMBER GOD'S LAW- Vs. 1a - My son, forget not my law;

RESPOND WITH OBEDIENCE - Vs. 1b - but let thine heart keep my commandments:

REFLECT ON MERCY AND TRUTH - Vs. 3 - Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

RESULTS COME FROM GOD - Vss. 2, 4 - For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

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Amos 3:3

A WEDDING MEDITATION

(Note - these notes are written as if I were talking to the married couple.)

This is a special day for you, and I have chosen a special Bible verse to share with you. The verse is

Amos 3:3 - Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

You are beginning a walk today that is designed to take a lifetime.

The walk you are beginning today is as man and wife.

All other girlfriends and boyfriends are to be permanently out of the picture, as you begin walking together.

Today as you stand before me and this audience, you are agreed in your mutual love for each other. And that's the way it should be.

As you know, many of walks that began in this church and many other churches ended up not lasting a lifetime. Why is that?

It is because somewhere along the way the couple stopped being in agreement.

There are at least four things you need to always agree on if you are going to walk together in agreement.

FAITH - Throughout your walk together you need to continue to have faith in each other. You must have faith in the abilities of your partner. You must have faith in your calling as a married couple. You must have faith in each other so that you always tell the truth, and unless there is real good reason, to always believe that your partner is always telling you the truth.

FERVENCY - I think of fervency as intense love. And over the first few weeks or months of marriage, you will not lack fervency. However, as time goes on, many couples stop feeling fervent towards each other. The intense feeling of love dies. To maintain fervency, make sure that you work on loving each other every day, not just in attitude but in practice. Seek to demonstrate you love to each other daily, and seek to express your love verbally and by your kind deeds.

FORGIVENESS - One of the things that will help fervency is forgiveness. Keep short accounts with each other.

Ephesians 4:26-27 - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: [27] Neither give place to the devil.

Too many marriages are defeated by a lack of forgiveness. Don't hold grudges, but seek forgiveness from the other, and extend forgiveness to the other. When you are wrong, admit and ask for forgiveness. When the other is wrong, be ready to forgive.

And try to resolve differences as soon as possible.

FAITHFULNESS - Make sure that you remain faithful to the partner that God has given you. She's your girl. He's your guy.

There is to be no other for you either in the fantasies of your mind or in the reality of daily living.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Brandon and April, if your marriage is going to be a success, not only must you walk in agreement with each other, but with the Lord Jesus Christ. The same four words apply.

FAITH - The only way to eternal life is by acknowledging that you are a sinner and that you need a Savior. The Lord Jesus died for you on the cross. It is faith in Him that brings faith and eternal life. I know that both of you have placed your faith in Christ. But there might be someone else here, who has never acknowledged their sin and turned to Christ for forgiveness. There will be no walk with Jesus through all eternity unless you trust Him now as your Savior.

FERVENCY - Just as you must work on intense love between each other, you must also work on intense love with the Lord Jesus. Spend time in the word of God, and in prayer, and in church to work on increasing that fervency for Christ.

FORGIVENESS - Just as you must keep short accounts with each other, you must keep short accounts with Jesus. When you sin against Him, confess it and forsake it. He is faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

FAITHFULNESS - To be faithful to the Lord Jesus, you must strive to please Him everyday in all that you do. He needs to be the one that you please above all others.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

To walk in agreement with each other and with the Lord Jesus, practice

FAITH

FERVENCY

FORGIVENESS

FAITHFULNESS

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John 3:1-13

NIGHT TALK

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus shows us that:

NICODEMUS WAS SEARCHING - Vss. 1-2

Although we can't be sure exactly why Nicodemus came at night, it is obvious that Nicodemus is searching for something. Give Nicodemus credit for recognizing that he had a need and for coming to the right person.

JESUS WAS DEFINITE - Vs. 3

Nicodemus needed to be born again to see the kingdom of God.

NICODEMUS WAS STUMPED - Vs. 4

He did not grasp that Jesus was talking of a Spiritual birth.

JESUS WAS DESCRIPTIVE - Vss. 5-8

He gave more information about the new birth.

NICODEMUS WAS SURPRISED - Vs. 9

JESUS WAS DEMANDING - Vss. 10-13

Nicodemus as a master teacher in Israel (perhaps the master teacher) should have grasped what Jesus was talking about.

SERMON SEEDS D23

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Acts 2:44-47

FAITH AT WORK

THE UNITY OF FAITH - Vss. 44, 46

THE UNSELFISHNESS OF FAITH - Vs. 45

THE UTTERANCES OF FAITH - Vs. 47 - They praised God.

THE UNIQUENESS OF FAITH - Vs. 47 - They had favor with all people. The Lord added to the church daily.

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Ephesians 5:15-17

TIME MANAGEMENT

THE WALK OF TIME MANAGEMENT - Vs. 15 - See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

THE WATCH OF TIME MANAGEMENT - Vs. 16 - Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

THE WISDOM OF TIME MANAGEMENT - Vs. 17 - Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

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COLOSSIANS 1:14-19

THE STAR OF THE SHOW

This morning, there is a show going on throughout America. The show, is actually many shows meeting as the church. Who is the star of the show?

Is it the song leader, worship team leader, choir director?

Is it a special soloist, a choir, or a visiting musical group?

Is it the trustees, deacons and/or elders?

Is it the pastor of the church?

Is it a guest speaker?

All too often in local churches there are those who wouldn't necessarily admit it, but they consider themselves to be the stars of the show. And there are people in the congregation who attend church because of a musical personality or because of the talents of the preacher.

In reality, however, there is to be only one star of the show. And that star of the show is the one whom we have gathered to worship and to serve, that is our Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus is the star, God the Father gets the glory. Ephesians 3:21

In order to help us focus better when we come to worship, and to help us understand why the Lord Jesus Christ is the star of the show, I turn your direction to Colossians 1:14-19.

HE IS REDEEMER - Vs. 14

Vs. 14 - You and I were under a death sentence because of our sins. Romans 6:23,

The Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, died in our place for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21

When Jesus died for our sins, his blood was shed for our sins.1 Peter 1:18-19

The word translated "redemption" refers to someone being set free because of the paying of a price. Because of the payment blood of Christ, the person who trusts Christ as Savior is set free from bondage to sin and set free from the punishment for sin.

With redemption comes forgiveness for sins. The charges of sin against us have been dismissed!

There is only one requirement for being redeemed and forgiven.

You must trust Jesus as your Savior, your way to Heaven.

You must believe that it is He who died for your sins, and that He is your only hope of Heaven. John 3:16

HE IS REFLECTOR - Vs. 15a

So many times we have said, or heard it said, "He's just like his father!" In the case of Jesus, this statement is absolutely true!

Vs. 15a - He is the image of the invisible God. Do you want to know what God is like? He is the exact duplicate! How can Jesus be an exact duplicate? He is God in the flesh!

John 1:1-2, John 1:14, John 14:9

What a great privilege it is for us Christians to study and learn from the Lord Jesus who is the reflector of who God is.

HE HAS RANK - Vs. 15b

According to verse 15, not only is the Lord Jesus The image of the invisible God, but the firstborn of every creature.

In many societies, current and historical, there is rank and privilege that goes with being the first born.

Jesus of course is eternal. He has always existed. John 1:2

Charles Erdman - "'Firstborn' here means two things: priority in time and supremacy in place or position. Christ existed before the Creation, but He held the rank commonly assigned to the 'firstborn,' the rank of eminence and dominion. Christ is thus declared to be the universal sovereign." Charles Erdman, The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon, © 1966 by W.L. Jenkins, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Page 52

The Lord Jesus Christ outranks us all!

In this church and in our lives, we are to treat the Lord Jesus as preeminent. He's the star of the show.

HE IS RESPONSIBLE - Vss. 16-17

Vs. 16 - The Lord Jesus is responsible for two things mentioned in verses 16-17. The first thing He is responsible for is creation.

The things that we can see in Heaven, He created.

The things that we can not see in Heaven, He created.

The things that you can see on earth, He created.

The things that you can not see on earth, He created.

Please don't miss the last line of the text.

All things were created by him, and for him. Revelation 4:11

You were created by and for the Lord Jesus Christ.

He didn't create you to please yourself, or to please anyone else, but to please Him!

However, when we do please the Lord, we and everyone else will be best served.

According to Romans 12:2 says that the will of God is "good and acceptable and perfect".

Proverbs 16:7 - When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

So, the best question you can ask yourself, especially when you are considering doing something different or questionable, is "Is the Lord Jesus pleased with what I am doing?"

Not only is "The Star of the Show", the Lord Jesus responsible for creation. He is also responsible for holding everything together.

Colossians 1:17 - And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

 

The Lord Jesus is the glue that holds the universe together!

And let me tell you something even more comforting than that.

The Lord Jesus wants to be the glue that holds your life together. Just as molecules could fly apart if the Lord Jesus didn't hold them together, you life will fall apart if the Lord Jesus doesn't hold it together.

The Lord Jesus is responsible for creating the universe and for holding everything together.

HE IS RULER - Vss. 18-19

Vs. 18 - In the New Testament the church is sometimes viewed as a body, the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, 27

Think of the head as the control center of the body. There are several body parts that you can do without and still survive, but not the head. That's where the computer is, your brain, that runs everything else!

As the head of the body, the church, Christ is the ruler!

He is in control. He has every right to tell you and I, and this church what to do! He is the star of the show.

He is the firstborn from the dead. Again, we are thinking of rank. He is first in position and authority when it comes to resurrection. Nobody else's resurrection has been or will be as grand as His. Ephesians 1:19-23,

Colossians 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

When you get to Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ will have preeminence in your life. He will be the star of the show.

What Jesus wants from us right now is for us to allow him to be in our hearts and in our church, what He already is in the universe, the preeminent ruler.

He won't be truly the star of the show called the church, until He is the star of the show that is your life.

Colossians 1:19 - For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

All that is God is found in Christ.

He is the ruler.

He is the star of the show!

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Pastor Jack Peters
Ezra 7:10
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