SERMON SEEDS G50 FOR 3/1/04
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
WELCOME TO SERMON SEEDS FOR MARCH 1, 2004
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REAL MEN HAVE FAITH
Real Men - Lesson #3 Abraham
(Bible Study outlines and questions for a mens Bible class that Im teaching)
Ø What is faith?
Ø Why does God say that faith is so important?
Hebrews 11:6
Ø What are some of the consequences of unbelief for the Christian?
Ø What is the greatest act of faith that you have ever seen?
Abraham is called the Father of Faith. He teaches us by his example to be men of faith.
RESPONSE TO GODS CALL
Genesis 12:1-9
V Look at Genesis 11:27-32. What do you think was Abrahams religious background?
Joshua 24:2 - And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.
V Vs. 1- Why do you think God required him to leave his family behind and go to a different land? How scary was that?
V As we follow Christ, what does he require that we leave behind? Why?
Luke 14:26-27 - If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
V Why does leaving that which is familiar require faith?
V Vss. 2-3 What promises were made to Abraham and how have they been fulfilled?
RELINQUISHMENT OF RIGHTS
Genesis 13
& Who was Lot? How was he different from Abraham?
& Vss. 5-7 What are some causes of stress when family
members live with or near each other? Why is it
sometimes harder to live near family than neighbors?
& In what ways is Abrahams offer to Lot in Vss. 8-9 a
very gracious offer?
& Why could Abraham make such an offer and not feel
threatened?
& When should you and I be willing to relinquish our
rights? Who makes relinquishing our rights easier and
why? Ephesians 5:18, 21
& Why did Lot make a bad choice in Vss. 10-13?
2 Peter 2:8 - (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
& How did Abraham get the better end of the deal?
Genesis 13:14-17
& How do we get a better deal when we relinquish our
rights?
REASSURANCE OF GODS FAITHFULNESS
Genesis 15:1-6
ü This event took place after Lot had been taken captive and Abraham had rescued him.
ü In Vs. 1 what do you think Abraham was afraid of?
ü Did Abraham have a legitimate complaint inVss.2-3? What was Abraham forgetting?
ü Abraham was given a tremendous promise in Vss. 4-5.
ü What great Bible doctrine is reinforced in Vs. 6?
See Romans 5:1.
ü Why does God require faith to make someone righteous in His sight?
REQUEST MADE FOR OTHERS
Genesis 18:17-33
« According to Vss. 17-19 why was God willing to reveal his plans to Abraham?
« Why do some people have a greater grasp of the Word of God and the mind of God than others?
« In verses 22-33 Abraham intercedes for Sodom and Gomorrah. Why do you think Abraham was so adamant?
When we intercede for others, what should be our main concern?
« How did Abrahams intercession reflect his faith?
« What mistake, if any, did Abraham make? Vss. 32-33
RELIANCE ON GODS PROMISES
Genesis 22
J Sarah had given birth to Isaac. The promised seed had arrived.
J Vss. 1-2 This was a test for Abraham. What made this test so hard and so puzzling?
J Why does God test us? James 1:2-4
J On what was Abraham relying as he took Isaac up to be sacrificed? Vs. 5, Hebrews 11:17-19
J In Vss. 7-8, in what ways was this a prophetic utterance?
Genesis 22:13, 1 Peter 1:18-10
J In Vss. 10-13 what did this test of Abraham prove?
J What will the tests we face prove?
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2 Kings 20:1-11
A KING IS SPARED
PRONOUNCEMENT OF DEATH Vs. 1
PRAYER FOR LIFE Vss. 2-3
PROMISE OF MERCY Vss. 4-7
PROVISION OF PROOF Vss. 8-11
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Psalm 121
GOD IS
GOD IS MY SOURCE (OF HELP) Vss. 1-2
GOD IS MY SENTRY (24 HOUR GUARD DUTY) Vss. 3-4
GOD IS MY SHADE Vss. 5-6
GOD IS MY SAFETY Vss. 7-8
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Luke 11:1-13
PRAYER PRIMER or ABOUT PRAYER
As the Son of God, Jesus was a man of prayer. He knew how to communicate with his Heavenly Father. On a day when Jesus was praying, one of the disciples wanted lessons in prayer (Vs.1). John the Baptist had evidently taught his disciples. Would Jesus also instruct those who followed Him in the important discipline of prayer? Of course He would!
A SYSTEMATIC PATTERN - Vss. 2-4
The Lord's Prayer (There's a longer version in Matthew 6:7-13) is a "skeleton" or pattern for prayer. We are to put the "meat" on the skeleton or elaborate on the basic ingredients of prayer here. When we pray we should remember:
God's Presence - "Our Father"
God's Praise - "Hallowed be they name"
God's Preeminence - "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done..."
God's Provision - "Give us this day our daily bread."
God's Pardon - "And forgive us our sins..."
God's Pathway - "And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."
(Most of the above "p's" are part of the outline that has been shared before.)
A STUBBORN PERSISTENCE - Vss. 5-8
God wants to answer our prayers (Jeremiah 33:3). God also wants us to sincerely seek His face for all that we need. God is not reluctant to act like the neighbor in this story, but God does want to see us be as persistent in asking as the man making the request in this story.
Although there are times when God will show us that what we are asking is not His will, all too often we give up asking God before He sends the answer. Let's continue to pray and continue to believe that He'll answer, even if the answer seems long in coming. James 5:16-18
A SUPERNATURAL PROMISE - Vss. 9-13
As we continue to ask, seek and knock, God will respond. Vss. 9-10
God is kinder than any parent. Vss. 11-12
God will answer our prayers. Particularly mentioned here is the giving of the Holy Spirit. Although we do not need to ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit today, we should ask for the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 5:16
SERMON SEEDS C42
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Acts 23:12-35
GOD AND THE PLOT
GOD HAD THE PLOT INTERCEPTED Vss. 12-16
GOD HAD THE PLOT IDENTIFIED Vss. 17-21
To Paul
To the chief captain
GOD HAD THE PLOT INACTIVATED Vss. 22-36
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1 Timothy 2:1-8
PRAYING EVANGELISTICALLY
We are to pray for those who are without Christ.
THE PRIORITY OF EVANGELISTIC PRAYER - Vss. 1-2a
We are to pray for all men, especially for leaders.
THE PURPOSE FOR EVANGELISTIC PRAYER - Vss. 2b-4
God would have us lead a quiet and peaceable life so we can witness to those who God wants to be saved.
THE PREMISE FOR EVANGELISTIC PRAYER - Vss. 5-7
There is one way to Heaven secured by the work of Christ on the cross.
THE PURITY OF EVANGELISTIC PRAYER
We are to life up "holy hands" without wrath or doubting. God answers prayer that come from a pure heart.
SERMON SEEDS D31
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WINSOME TO WIN SOME
It is our being purposely gracious or winsome that will help bring or win people to Christ.
Matthew 5:13 - Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Jesus calls Christians salt.
Salt is a preservative.
The world is morally and spiritually rotting away.
As Christians we act as preservatives against the rottenness.
We should be living in such a way that we are doing what is right. The world should see us as standing against the trends of wickedness.
Salt spices things up. When a Christian is spicy he is giving excitement to a dull world that only thinks that life is exciting. The Christian has more abundant life in Christ.
Salt makes one thirsty.
The Christian should make non-Christians thirsty for a better life, for Christ, for having what the Christian has.
Jesus warns about salt that loses its savor or saltiness.
If Christians are not salty they are not effective.
Also, salt does no good if its in the salt shaker and not be spread around.
How do we become Winsome to Win Some.
I have a few suggestions.
BE CONSISTENT
Consistency is something non-Christians lack.
In order for us to act as preservatives and to make people want we have we need to be consistent in at least two ways.
· WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE BELIEVE
If we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we also need to believe that Jesus has called us to live a holy life.
Titus 2:11-12
You will not win anyone to Christ by being just like them.
If your Christianity has not made you different, why should anyone else want it?
Im not saying you should walk around preaching everywhere you go. I am suggesting that the way you live should reflect an element of righteousness that is noticeable. As you live a holy life, one that is different, you will have opportunities to share your faith. 1 Peter 3:15
· WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHO WE ARE.
We will not win anyone to Christ by pretending to be something we are not.
People do not like hypocrisy even when they are hypocritical themselves.
One of the worst things we can do as Christians is to pretend everything is okay when it isnt.
Some have this convoluted idea that Christians are to always smile, always laugh, always appear on top of things even when they are not. They are to never get angry or hurt.
We Christians do have our sorrows.
We do have our hurts, trials and disappointments.
We do get angry.
We do have bad days.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 - To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Unsaved people need to see that we are human, we are real.
But what should they see thats different from them in this.
In our sorrow we should show hope and joy and thanksgiving. In our anger we should show forgiveness.
Christians should not be defeated by the sorrows.
They should use them as stepping stones towards a closer walk with God and that makes us different from the unsaved. James 1:2-4, Ephesians 4:32
So we need to be consistent with what we believe and who we are.
BE CONGENIAL
Proverbs 18:24 - A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly
Not everyone is out going.
Not everyone is a back-slapper.
Not everyone treats all others as long lost friends.
But whether we are introverted or out going, we can all be friendly.
We can take the time to say Hello.
We can take the time to ask how someone is doing.
We can show interest in their answers.
If a grouchy person gives you advice, are you likely to listen?
If a person wont talk to you are you likely to take him seriously if all of a sudden he starts talking to you about religion?
If your faith in Christ as not made you a friendly person, why should anyone want what you have?
BE COMMITTED
One of the most precious commodities we have is time.
None of us seem to have enough of it.
Our job demands time.
Keeping up with the yard and house demands time.
Spending time with your family demands time.
Church activities demand time.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus to hear His Word takes time.
Hobbies take time.
Friendships take time.
Developing relationships takes time.
One of the most precious gifts you can give someone is your time!
Using our time wisely takes discernment. Ephesians 5:16-18
If you want to win someone to Christ, it will take a time commitment on your part.
One of the best things you can do is find things to do socially with an unsaved person.
That doesnt mean you have to do things that you dont believe in, such as going to bars.
But find things such as picnics, shopping, playing games, hunting, going to ball games, and going out to eat that allow you to get to know each other better.
If we are committed to winning people to Christ we must be committed to spending time with them.
Sometimes we will have witnessing opportunities when we hardly know people. However being committed to a friendship will give you excellent opportunities to share.
BE CONCERNED
Proverbs 27:10 - Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not
Romans 12:15 - Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Giving time to a friend is not just for social activities.
When things are going bad for a friend, a true friend is around to listen, to cry, to help.
When things are going well for a friend, a true friend is there to rejoice.
Sometimes the only thing we can do for a friend is be there.
Sometimes we can just listen.
Showing concern begins with just checking on our friends to see how they are doing.
Showing concern also means being sensitive to a persons moods, and knowing when to ask if things are okay.
Showing concern may also mean tactfully warning someone when we see that they are headed in a wrong direction.
Showing concern will earn you a hearing, when you are ready to share the Gospel.
If a person knows that you are truly concerned for them, they are more likely to listen.
BE COOPERATIVE
I realize that some of these thoughts overlap.
Being concerned should lead us to the next logical step which is to cooperate with our friend in any way that we can to help.
Galatians 6:10 - As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Our cooperation should begin with our support for the well being of those who are brothers and sisters in Christ. The demonstration of this active love for the brethren should be such in our Christian churches that the unsaved will take notice. John 13:34-25
But our cooperation is to go beyond those who are of our faith family. We need to reach out also to our friends and even people we dont know with a compassion that says Ill help if I can.
It might be a donation of money or groceries to a family in need.
It might be transporting someone to the hospital and/or waiting through surgery.
It might be going with someone to a hearing or some other uncomfortable situation.
It might be bringing a meal or dessert to someone during a difficult time.
You can be creative. There are many ways to cooperate in friendship.
BE COMMUNICATIVE
This brings us back to what we talked about last week, clear communication.
We must be prayerfully looking for opportunities to share our faith, even if it is in little does.
We should not rush the process in wanting to witness if the door is not open.
However, when God opens a door we need to be ready to move right in and speak up for Christ.
Remember, the soul winning is a process.
1 Corinthians 3:6 - I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
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