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E-pistle

                                            Dr. Dan Hite, President                 FreeWay Foundation                     April 18, 2008

Like A Signet Ring

(Haggai 2:1-23)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Concentration:  on the main events in this chapter

        1.    Haggai encouraged Zerubbabel and Joshua with the assurance that

      God was with them and that the new temple would be more glorious

      than Solomon's, vv. 1-9.  The "glory" mentioned here is a reference

      to Christ's glory, Who appeared literally in this "Second Temple"

      to bring peace, v. 9, and Who will appear there in the Last Day.

2.      The parable about cleanness and defilement (vv. 10-14) reminded the

people that purity is not transferable:  even their diligent work on God's

temple could not make them holy in God's sight . . . only repentance

and a spiritual change of heart could make them acceptable before Him.

3.      Haggai promised God's blessings "from this day"  to contrast sharply

with the former days of shortages and famine, vv. 15-19.

4.      Haggai prophesied that Zerubbabel would be like a valuable and chosen

signet ring in God's eternal plan . . . fulfilled in Luke 3:27.

II.  Meditation:  on Signet Rings in the Scriptures

1.      Pharaoh gave Joseph a signet ring in Genesis 41:42.  It was a sign of

kingly authority, and the key thought was "power."

2.      Xerxes gave Mordecai a signet ring in Esther 8:2.  It was a sign of official

authenticity, and the key thought was "genuineness."

3.      The father gave his prodigal son a signet ring in Luke 15:22.  It was a sign

of loving acceptance, and the key thought was "relationship."

4.      God made Zerubbabel like His signet ring in Haggai 2:21.  It was a sign of

divine approval, and the key thought was "chosen."

III.  Revelation:  on God's promises to His "Signet Ring" . . . Zerubbabel

1.      From this day on, I will bless you, v. 19.
2.      I will move (shake) heaven and earth for you, v. 21.
3.      I will give you victory and success, v. 22; Zechariah 4:6-10.
4.      I will use you as my chosen servant . . . with divine authority, authenticity,

acceptance, and approval.

IV.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

1.      Recognize my place of spiritual authority and power under the Lordship

of Jesus Christ.

2.      Realize my unique position of genuine authenticity as a bona fide,

born-again believer.

3.      Rejoice in my blessed relationship as an accepted child in God's family.
4.      Receive with thanksgiving God's spiritual approval of me as one of His

chosen people.

"Did You Receive The Holy Spirit When You Believed"

Acts 19:2

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Definition:

        "Disciple" means a learner, one who follows a person's teachings.

II.  Disciples of Jesus

1.      The Twelve, Matthew 10:1.
2.      Jews who followed Him, John 6:66.
3.      Secret adherents, John 19:38.
4.      Those who abide in His word, John 8:31.
5.      Those who love each other, John 13:35.
6.      Those who bear fruit, John 15:8.
7.      Those who believed and confessed, Acts 6:1-2; 9-10, etc.
8.      Female, Acts 9:36 (Tabitha; Dorcas).
9.      Joseph, Matthew 27:57.
10.     Great Commission, Matthew 28:19; Acts 14:21.

III.  Other Disciples

1.      Disciples of Moses, John 9:28.
2.      Disciples of the Pharisees, Matthew 22:16.

IV.  Disciples of John the Baptist

1.      Before John's arrest by King Herod, John 3:22-36; 4:1-2.
2.      Sent to inquire about Jesus' ministry, Matthew 11:1-2; Luke 7:18-30.

3.   Meditation:

Was it God's will for John to keep on baptizing disciples after he had

baptized Jesus and identified Him as the Messiah?

4.   Revelation:  (study John's mission:  Luke 1:5-25, 59-80; 3:1-22.)

John's one and only calling was to prepare the nation for the coming

Messiah, John 3:27-36. 

1.      John's task was "heaven-given" (v. 27)
2.      his joy was "fulfilled" (v. 29)
3.      he must "decrease."

Decrease, how far?  (completely); how soon?  (immediately)

Questions About John The Baptist

I.  What was John's basic ministry and message?

        1.   His ministry was to prepare the nation for the Messiah.

        2.   His ministry was to identify Jesus as the Messiah.

        3.   His message was to call the people to repentance for their sin.

        4.   His message was:  "The kingdom of God is at hand."

II.  What did John know (understand) about the Messiah?

1.      Jesus is the Messiah, John 1:25-27.
2.      Jesus will baptize with the Spirit and fire, Luke 3:16.
3.      Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, John 1:29.
4.      Jesus is the Son of God, John 1:34.

III.  What did John NOT know or preach about Jesus the Messiah?

1.      He did not know or preach Christ's crucifixion.
2.      He did not know or preach Christ's resurrection.
3.      He did not know or preach Christ's ascension.
4.      He did not know or preach Christ's return.

IV.  Can a person be saved in the New Testament sense by believing John's message?

        NO!  A person must believe in his heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead

                to be saved, Romans 10:9.  John the Baptist neither knew about nor preached

                    Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

V.  Were the "disciples" in Acts 19:1 saved . . . born again of the Holy Spirit?

        NO!  because they were baptized into John's baptism . . . the baptism of repentance.

                Salvation involves repentance AND faith.  They had repented of their sins, but

                they had not exercised saving faith in the resurrection Christ . . . because

                they had not heard about Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.

VI.  What about these "disciples" in Ephesus?  (Acts 19:1-7)

        Notice carefully the order (sequence) of these events:

1.      They heard the full gospel of Jesus Christ.
(1)     Christ died for our sins, (2) He was buried, (3) He rose again the third day,
(4)     All according to the Scriptures, I Corinthians 15:1-4.
2.      They believed that gospel message (implied in v. 5; Romans 10:17).
3.      They were baptized in water, v. 5.
4.      They received the Holy Spirit, spoke with tongues, and prophesied when Paul

laid his hands on them, v. 6.

VII.  What lessons may we learn form this study?

        1.   Salvation (New Testament's being "born again") involves BOTH repentance and

                  faith.  Although a person may repent of his sins, unless he receives by faith the

              resurrected Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, he is not born again of

                  the Holy Spirit.

        2.   A person receives the Holy Spirit at the instant when he is born again; if a person

              does not have the Holy Spirit, he is not a true believer (Christian), Romans 8:9.

3.      Only believers can experience true New Testament baptism in water; immersing

non-believers just gets them wet.

4.      Although being saved, being baptized in water, and being filled with (or baptized in)

the Spirit may occur during the same event, the sequence remains the same.

Compare Acts 19:4-6 with Acts 2:38.

Church Bulletin Bloopers!

·       Pastor is on vacation.  Massages can be given to church secretary.
·       For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a

nursery downstairs.

·       The third verse of "Blessed Assurance" will be sung without musical

accomplishment.

·       The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will

sing "Break Forth Into Joy!"

·       Potluck supper:  Prayer and medication to follow.

         

       

       

               

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