Quote from Forum Archives on February 12, 2007, 12:00 pm

Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>

SERMON SEEDS FOR FEBRUARY 12, 2007

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Genesis 32:1-12

IN PRAYER

 

Introduction - Vss. 1-9 - Jacob was in trouble.  He was returning home which much wealth and a large family. But Brother Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men.  After getting a birth right and blessing that Esau thought was rightfully his, Esau had, years earlier, promised to kill Jacob.  Jacob needed help and turned to God. When we have a need, we too, can turn to God.

 

RELY ON GOD'S WORD - Vss. 9, 12 - Remember what God has promised, and claim the promises of God.

 

RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN UNWORTHINESS - Vs. 10 - When we come in prayer, we do not come in our own righteousness, but in the name of Christ. John 14:13-14

 

REQUEST GOD'S HELP - Vs. 11 - Be honest with God about your need..

 

(To show how God answered this prayer, discuss the rest of Genesis 32.)

 

SERMON SEEDS B2

 

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Psalm 150

WORSHIP THROUGH PRAISE

 

THE INVITATION TO PRAISE – Vss. 1-2

THE INSTRUMENTS OF PRAISE – Vss. 3-5

THE INVOLVEMENT IN PRAISE – Vs. 6

 

 

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Proverbs 6:6-11

LEARN FROM THE ANT!

 

If a person tends to be lazy, he or she needs to follow the example of the ant. Vs. 6

 

NO LAW Vs. 7

 

NO LAZINESS Vss. 8-11

 (physical or spiritual)

 

NO LACK Vs. 6

 

Sermon Seeds A23

 

 

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Matthew 5:3-12

BLESSED!

 

BLESSED ATTITUDE – Vss. 3-5

·       Towards Self – Vs. 3

·       Towards Sin – Vs4

·       Towards Submission – Vs. 5

·       Towards Sterilization – Vs.8

 

BLESSED ACTIONS

·       Pursue Righteousness – Vs. 6

·       Pursue Mercy – Vs. 7

·       Pursue Peace – Vs. 8

 

BLESSED ATTACKS – Vss. 10-12

·       There is a Cause – Righteousness – Vs. 10

·       There is a Cross – “For My Name’s Sake” – Vs. 11

·       There is a Crown – Heaven and Rewards – Vss. 10, 12

 

Perhaps you may want to make this a three part series.

 

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MARK 14:32-50

ARE YOU?

Life of Christ #54

 

We all have opinions of ourselves.  And although sometimes our opinions about ourselves are not accurate, we usually seem to know what we are and what we are not.

 

Jesus prayed a great intercessory prayer for his disciples and for us right after his “Upper Room Discourse”.  Then He came to the Garden of Gethsemane where he would pray another prayer. This one was for Himself as he faced the agonies of a mock trial, physical and verbal abuse, and the suffering for our sins on the cross.

 

As we look at the actions of the disciples and of our Lord, we should be led to ask ourselves some frank questions concerning our own behavior.  I will ask you these questions, and then you can ask yourself.

 

Vs. 32 – The Garden of Gethsemane was evidently a garden that contained olive trees. The name Gethsemane means “oil press”.  Evidently a press was there or had been there for pressing olives to make olive oil.

 

The disciples were not surprised when Jesus led them to this quiet, secluded place.  It was evidently a familiar resting place for Jesus and the disciples.  They had been there often.  If fact they had been there so often that Judas suspected that Jesus had gone there. John 18:2

  

Jesus was not avoiding Judas.  The only way Judas could have caught Jesus and led in His arrest was if Jesus, God in the flesh, would let Him and Jesus did.   

 

The instruction given to the majority of the disciples was to sit and wait for Jesus to be done praying.

 

Vs. 33 – Jesus took his “inner circle”, Peter, James, and John with Him. 

 

Jesus was “sore amazed” and “very heavy”.

He was looking into the immediate future and seeing the suffering that He would endure as he took upon His shoulders the punishment for every sin that had ever been committed. 

 

He was actually astonished at what he would have to face!

I don’t think we ever come close to understanding what Jesus did for us.  The depths of pain and agony that He faced for you and me!

 

Vs. 34 – This was Jesus’ support group.  He admitted His anguish to His friends.  His sorrow was so great that it even threatened to take His life.  So, he says to His friends, “Watch with Me!” Luke 22:40

  

We learn a lesson here.  The way through our greatest temptations and problems is the way of watchful prayer.     

 

Now with this command in mind, it time to start asking the “are you” questions.

 

ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41

 

We will come back to the content of Jesus’ prayer in a few minutes.

 

Vs. 37 – Humanly speaking, this was Jesus’ hour of greatest need, and His friends let Him down by sleeping.

 

Peter is singled out because he was the one who had promised His loyalty so vehemently. Mark 14:29-31

 

 

Vs. 38 – Notice that prayer is a weapon against temptation. If we prayed more, our temptations would probably not lead to sin.

 

Here, Jesus observes that their “spirit”, their new nature as Christians, was willing but their flesh, their old nature was weak.

 

What is the responsibility of Christians today? Colossians 4:2, 1 Peter 4:7, Ephesians 6:18

 

Of course the number 1 reason for watching and praying is because God tells us to. Why else are we to watch and pray?

 

1.     JESUS COULD COME AT ANY TIME! – WATCH AND PRAY – Mark 13:32-37

 

2.     THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING AND GOING TO HELL! – WATCH AND PRAY! – John 4:35, Luke 10:2, 1 Timothy 2:1-4

  

3.     YOU WILL FACE TEMPTATION! WATCH AND PRAY! – Mark 14:38

  

4.     YOU HAVE PROBLEMS! – WATCH AND PRAY! – 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22

  

5.     SAINTS HAVE PROBLEMS – WATCH AND PRAY! – Ephesians 6:18, Hebrews 13;3

  

There are so many reasons to watch and pray.

And yet we sleep.  The sleep isn’t necessarily a literal sleep.  We “sleep” when we don’t want to pray. We “sleep” when we make excuses for not praying.  We “sleep” when we are too busy to pray.  

 

Why do we sleep? 

We care more about our plans than God’s plans.

We are selfish.

We are lazy.

We don’t care!

We are spiritually lackadaisical.

 

If you do not have a vibrant prayer life, you are spiritually weak.  You are sleeping.

 

ARE YOU RUNNING? – Vs. 50

 

The Lord Jesus would go his last hour alone.  That was His plan. That was God’s plan. John 18:8

  

Nonetheless, after Judas had betrayed Jesus, the disciples ran!     

 

These men ran because they were terrified.

 

Do people run today? Yes!

Do Christians run today? Yes!

 

·       God calls some men to be pastors and they run!

·       God calls some men and women to the mission field and they run!

·       God calls some men and women to teach in the local church and they run.

·       God calls men and women away from sin and they run.

·       God calls men and women to do what is good, and they run.

·       God calls men and women to church membership and they run!

·       God calls men and women to stand up for what is right and moral, and they ran!

 

WHY DO CHRISTIANS RUN FROM RESPONSIBILITY?

 

·       They run because they are afraid.

·       They run because they don’t like change.

·       They run because they don’t like inconvenience, a change in lifestyle.

·       They run because they don’t want to suffer.

·       They run because they are selfish.

 

What is the opposite of running?

It is following. Luke 9:23-24, Luke 14:26-27

 

ARE YOU BETRAYING? – Vss. 43-46

   

Vs. 43 – Judas came with a small army made up of all sorts of  people including Roman soldiers and the temple guard.

 

Vss. 44-45 – Judas came and kissed him, perhaps on the hand, but it was a fervent kiss.  Judas didn’t want anyone making any mistakes about who to arrest.

 

Judas, the betrayer showed affection.

 

Judas was a betrayer.  He pretended to be a follower of Jesus and wasn’t. He turned against Jesus.

 

Are you a betrayer?

Do you pretend to be a follower of Jesus on Sunday and live for the devil the rest of the week?

 

You can’t call Him “Lord” Jesus if you are constantly doing things that betray Him.

 

·       If you profess to know Jesus and constantly get drunk you are betraying Him.

·       If you profess to know Jesus and are having an affair, you are betraying Him.

·       If you profess to know Jesus and are in a relationship with an unbeliever you are betraying Him.

·       If you profess to know Jesus and are doing drugs, you are betraying Him.

·       If you profess to know Jesus and curse and swear, and take His name in vain, you are betraying Him.

 

It’s a package deal! If Jesus is your Savior He is Lord!

   

ARE YOU SUBMITTING? – Vss. 33-42

 

Vss. 35-36 – Jesus made a request of His “Daddy” (Abba), His Father, and His Father said “no”!

 

If there was another way possible to redeem your soul Jesus was willing to take it.

If there was another way to pay for the sins of mankind, Jesus wanted it!

Humanly speaking, what Jesus faced was so horrible that Jesus wanted to avoid it!

 

In fact Jesus asked three times to have the cup of suffering removed from Him if it were possible. But it wasn’t possible! 1 Peter 1:18-20

 

Three times Jesus asked for the cup to be passed.

Three times the answer would have been “no”.

Three times Jesus said, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

 

 At that particular moment, Jesus did not like the will of God, but he accepted it.

 

He submitted to God, because he knew God’s will was best!  And the end result was glorious!  

   

Philippians 2:8-11 - And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

So what part of God’s will don’t you like?

What is it that you are resisting?

 

If Jesus could submit to such a horrible death for you, can’t you submit to whatever God wants you to go through for Him?

 

Isn’t it time that we said to God, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt?

 

Now it’s time for you to answer these questions:

 

ARE YOU SLEEPING? – Vss. 37-41

ARE YOU RUNNING? – Vs. 50

ARE YOU BETRAYING? – Vss. 43-46

ARE YOU SUBMITTING? – Vss. 33-42

 

 

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Colossians 2:8-10

DON’T BE FOOLED!

#6 in Colossians Series

 

 

There are all sorts of religions looking for something that isn’t there.  Can you name some of those religions? (Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, etc.)

 

We Christians can be fooled into looking for something that isn’t there when we try to add various beliefs to our Christianity that God never intended to be part of our faith.

 

In this passage we find Paul warning the Colossians and us not to be fooled.  In our text tonight Paul tells us to:

          BE WARNED – Vs. 8

          BE WISE – Vs. 9

          BE WHOLE – Vs. 10

 

BE WARNED – Vs. 8

 

The Old Testament prophets were good at handing out warnings. Ezekiel 3:17, Jeremiah 9:23-24,

 

In the New Testament warnings are handed out by the Lord Jesus, the Apostles, and writers of the Epistles the Book of Revelation. Luke 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 13:5, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 22:18-19

 

And the preacher is told that warning is part of his job in

2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

 

So Paul gives the Colossians and us a warning in verse 8.

It begins with the word “Beware”.

 

Paul was warning the Colossians because of false teaching that was prevalent in Colossae. 

 

The word “spoil” here means to “kidnap”.

The Colossians were not in danger of being kidnapped physically, but spiritually.

They were in danger of being drawn away from the true faith.

It has been said that many cultists are those who been drawn away from the Christian religion.  Although they were probably not saved individuals, they did have their roots in the Christian faith.   

 

The word “philosophy” literally means “love of wisdom”.

We as Christians should love wisdom, the wisdom that comes from God. James contrasts two kinds of religion in James 3:14-18.

 

The “philosophy” presented to the Colossians undoubtedly sounded very learned and, I imagine, complicated.  It would have relied on man’s “wisdom” and not God’s. All it amounted to was learned sounding gibberish!

 

“vain deceit” means “empty deception”.

 

Were these false teachers evil? Of course they were.

Did they appear to be evil? I highly doubt it.  They were probably as moral, or more moral than the average Christian in Colossae.  Satan is a deceiver, and can make his followers appear to be very righteous. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

 

“Philosophy and vain deceit” have two sources.  They are mentioned next.  The first source is “traditions of men”.   

 

Not all traditions are bad.  However they are bad when they are contrary to the Word of God.

Mark 7:5-9

 

“Philosophy and vain deceit” have two sources.  The first source is “traditions of men”.   

   

The second source is “the rudiments of the world”.

The word “rudiments” could be translated “elemental spirits.”  And there is not agreement as to what it refers.

 

It could refer to the “basics” or the “ABC’s” suggesting that the teaching was simplistic no matter how learned it sounded.

 

Astrology was practiced in the days of the New Testament.

“Rudiments” or “elemental spirits” could also refer to angels who supposedly moved the stars around. A person supposedly needed knowledge in order to understand what they were doing.

Whatever the word “rudiments” means let us remember that it is of the “world”, that is the world system.  Whatever is of the world system is to be avoided. 1 John 2:15-17

 

And the last phrase of verse 8 reminds us that the teaching being practiced was not after Christ.

 

Some religions and philosophies claim to honor Christ, but they do not recognize Him as the supreme authority.  They do not recognize his deity. They do not recognize His authority as “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords”.   

 

BE WISE – Vs. 9

 

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

 

We should be wise as to who Jesus is!

In Christ, in his person, resides all there is of God.

He is God the Son. He is a member of the Trinity. John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-19, Hebrews 1:1-4

 

Jesus is God in a body. John 8:58, John 14:8-9

   

BE WHOLE – Vs. 10   

 

Colossians 2:10 - And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

 

When it says that we are “complete in him” it means that we are filled with or have his fullness.  The moment we were saved we became “full of Christ”.

 

What does this mean to you and me?

It means, first of all, being full of Christ, I have all I need for eternal life.

There is nothing lacking.  There is coming a day when my faith will be sight.  I shall be in his presence. 1 John 3:2

 

Secondly, because I am complete or filled full with Christ I have the capacity for fellowship with Him.

Jesus would never ask you to do something that is impossible would He? 

And Jesus because He is fully in me, wants me to “abide in Him”. John 15:4-5, 7

 

Finally, because I am complete or filled full with Christ I have the assurance of living a victorious Christian life. Galatians 2:20

 

As I recognize myself as dead with Christ, and alive with Christ I have all I need for victory over sin!

Romans 8:3-4

 

We have been given so much with Christ in our lives. Let’s enjoy it! Let’s appropriate it for Godly living!

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