Quote from Forum Archives on September 6, 2004, 12:03 pm

Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>

SERMON SEEDS FOR SEPTEMBER 6, 2004

www.sermonseeds.org

 

TO SUBSCRIBE - Send a blank e-mail to: sermonseeds-subscribe@welovegod.org

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Send a blank e-mail to: sermonseeds-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

 

***************************************************************************

I INVITE YOU TO VISIT OUR CHURCH’S NEW WEBSITE AT www.mtunionbc.com

 

***************************************************************************

 

PASTOR MAIL is a mailing list for male pastors.  The purpose of the list is to share sermons, outlines, illustrations and prayer requests.  To subscribe send a blank email to pastormail-subscribe@associate.com

 

MOUNT UNION ECHOES is a mailing list that includes a full text sermon from Pastor Jack Peters.  To subscribe send a blank email to mountunionechoes-subscribe@welovegod.org

 

***************************************************************************

Numbers 16:1-40

REVOLT!

 

REBELLION OF KORAH Vss. 1-3

RESPONSE OF MOSES Vss. 4-19

RETRIBUTION FROM GOD Vss. 20-35

REMINDER OF GOD'S HOLINESS Vss. 36-

 

Numbers B26

 

***************************************************************************

Psalm 91

GOD’S CARE

 

PLACE OF SHELTER – Vss. 1-2

PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE – Vs. 3

PEACE THROUGH FAITH – Vss. 4-6

PROTECTION DURING ADVERSITY – Vss. 7-14

PRESERVATION BY GOD – Vss. 15-16

 

 

*********************************************************************************

Jeremiah 1:4-9

GOD’S PROPHET

 

A CHOSEN PROPHET – Vss. 4-5

A CONCERNED PROPHET – Vs. 6

A CHALLENGED PROPHET – Vss. 7-8

A COMFORTED PROPHET – Vs. 9

 

***************************************************************************

FAITH TYPES

 

SAVING FAITH – Ephesians 2:8-9

SEEKING FAITH – Hebrews 11:6

SUSTAINING FAITH – Proverbs 3:5-6

STANDING (STEADFAST) FAITH – Psalm 25:1

SPEAKING FAITH – Mark 11:22-24

 

 

**************************************************************************

Luke 13:10-17

IT HAPPENED ONE SABBATH

 

A WOMAN WAS RESTRICTED – Vss. 10-11

 

A WOMAN WAS RELEASED – Vss. 12-13

 

A RULER WAS RESENTFUL – Vs. 14

 

A RULER WAS REBUKED – VSS. 15-16

 

A CROWD WAS RESPONSIVE – Vs. 17

 

**************************************************************************

Philippians 4:6-8

HELP LINES

 

You might be familiar with help lines or help desks where you can call for assistance.

Philippians 4:6-8 are lines written in the Bible that help us.  Therefore, they are “help lines”.

 

HELP FOR THE HEART – Vss. 6-7 – PRAY!

    Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

HELP FOR THE MIND – Vs. 8 – THINK!

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

HELP FOR THE LIFE – Vs. 9 – IMITATE!

    Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

 

 

**********************************************************************************

2 Peter 1:5-14

DILIGENT!

 

I would like to pay John Kerry, John Edwards, the Democratic Party and Move On.org, a compliment.

 

I would like to pay President Bush, Vice President Cheney, the Republican Party, and the Swift Boat Veterans a compliment.

 

For all of them it is the same compliment.  They are diligent.  They want their candidate to win the presidential election, and they are diligent, doing all they can to win.

 

I’m not saying I agree with all of their tactics.  I’m saying that these highly motivated people are diligently working to achieve their goals.

 

Diligence is a word often foreign to Christians.

It is foreign because we all know that Christians are saved by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9

 

Being diligent does not save anyone.

Notice that salvation is a gift. It is God who does everything necessary to save us.  He only asks that we place our faith in Him as Savior. 2 Peter 1:3-4

 

Here’s the ironic thing.  Although Peter tells us that salvation is the gift of God, and therefore can not be earned, he goes on to tell us that we are to be diligent.   

 

2 Peter 1:5 - And beside this, giving all diligence…

 

Peter is telling us that after the Work of God for salvation is performed in our lives, that we are to be diligent in our service to Christ.  We do not earn salvation, but we are to live Godly lives because we are saved.

 

2 Peter 1:5-14 is a call to diligence. 

 

BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7

 

Vs. 5 - The word “add” here carries the idea of giving abundant supply.  There are 8 “graces” mentioned here that lead to a Christian’s maturity, and each one is supplied out of the last one.

Out of our faith we are to supply virtue. Out of our virtue we are to supply temperance etc.  As one part of a tree grows out of the other, one grace grows out of the other.  We are to produce them one by one.

 

˜   FAITH

 

As we just stated, we start with faith.  It is faith that saves us.  But it is also faith that must be present throughout all our lives.  Faith is a daily requirement if we are going to please God. Hebrews 11:6, Proverbs 3:5-6, Mark 11:24

 

˜   VIRTUE

 

Virtue is supplied out of our faith.  Virtue is moral excellence.  The Christian who truly trusts Christ as Savior is going to want to please Christ as Lord.  We please our Lord when we are beyond reproach in our behavior and attitudes.

 

The problem with us being virtuous is that we are not.

We are sinners who have failed God.

After we are saved we are still sinners who have been declared righteous by God, but who still need help being virtuous.

 

So, who is the most virtuous person you have ever heard of?

Yes, it is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Wouldn’t it be neat if He could or would live His virtuous life through us?

 

The good news is that through our faith in Christ we can live that life of virtue. Galatians 2:20

 

˜   KNOWLEDGE

As I live a life of virtue, the Lord Jesus Christ living His virtuous life through me, I am to supply or add knowledge.

A continuous reliance on Christ leads to knowing Him better, as I become more intimate in talking to Him and as I trust Him to live virtuously through me.

And the more I trust Him to live through me, the more I will be drawn to the Bible, which His Word.

I can’t really know Jesus well unless I feed on the Word of God. John 5:39

 

˜   TEMPERANCE

 

Temperance is self control.

 

The more intimately I know the Lord Jesus, the more He will control my life.

His total control of my life is the only way I can control things that need to be controlled.

 

˜   PATIENCE

 

Patience is endurance.

Patience is being able to hang in there during bad situations.

Patience is being able to be calm and in control when others rattle your cage.

Patience is not “losing it” when others are “losing it”.

I think you can see that patience is a natural outgrowth of self control.

 

˜   GODLINESS

 

Godliness is piety.

Godliness is acting in a way pleasing to God.

Godliness is acting as God would want you to act.

Is God patient?  Of course he is! Lamentations 3:22-23

The more patient I become, the more like God I become.

God wants me to act like Him! 1 Peter 1:15-16

   

˜   BROTHERLY KINDNESS

 

The more Godly I become, the kinder I will become to my fellow man.

God is kind to all. Matthew 5:44-45

 

As a child of God, I am to be kind to all. Galatians 6:9-10

 

˜   CHARITY

 

The end result of being kind is an attitude of love.

This is agape love, the highest form of love.

It is the type of love that God shows to us.

 

We are to be extremely diligent in supplying each of these qualities in our lives.

 

BE DILIGENT TO AVOID – Vs. 9

   

2 Peter 1:9 - But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

 

The last thing that a Christian should want to be is Spiritually blind in the sense that He is nearsighted.

The last thing that a Christian should want to be is forgetful that Jesus has purged his old sins.   

 

The person who lacks faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love is blind and forgetful.

 

This person has no spiritual insight.

This person has no spiritual memory.

Such a person has become worldly and unappreciative.

 

BE DILIGENT TO ABOUND – Vss. 8, 10-11

 

Vs. 8 - If we are diligent to add the graces mentioned in verses 5-7, we will also be diligent in abounding in the knowledge of Christ.  We will be very productive.

 

If these graces abound in our lives, we will not be barren.

The word “barren” here means “idle” or “useless”.

How many Christians live lives that are “idle” when it comes to the things of God?

How many Christians spend time developing that which is useless?

There is nothing idle or useless about faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love

 

Also, as these graces abound in the Christian’s life, the Christian will not be unfruitful.

Jesus saved you so you would be fruitful.

Jesus empowers you so you will be fruitful. John 15:8

 

Vs. 10 – We are to be more increasingly diligent to prove that our calling from God, being chosen by Him, is a sure thing.

Who we trying to prove this to? To God!  No! He knows!

 

As we abound in the graces mentioned in verses 5-7, we are showing ourselves that we are truly born again and that we are the “real deal”.

 

We should be concerned if we are not showing evidences of salvation.  

 

Vs. 11 – In school there were times when I just did pass.

              There were other times when I passed with flying

               colors.

The times of passing with flying colors are much more enjoyable.

 

When I go to Heaven, I don’t want it to be by the skin of my teeth.

I don’t want my time of Judgment to be a time of embarrassment and shame. 

I want it to be a time of a warm welcome and the personal approval of my Lord, as is mentioned in this verse.

I want my Lord to say “Well done!” and “Here’s your reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

 

BE DILIGENT TO ACCEPT – Vss. 12-14   

 

Vs. 12 – Peter describes the job of the preacher in this verse.

He tells his audience that he is going to continue to remind them of these Bible truths.

 

He was going to continue to remind them even though they knew them and though they practiced them.

 

Because we are human, we need continual reminders of what the Word of God says, and preachers need to repeat themselves.  You never know when you or one of your church family need a reminder.  Accept the reminders that the preacher gives even though, to you, it may be old truth.

 

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

 

Vs. 13 – Peter is simply saying that it is fit or right for him to remind believers to remain faithful as long as he had the opportunity.

Peter wanted to stir Christians up by reminding them.

Accept the fact that those who preach the Word are trying to stir you up.  Respond by allowing them to stir you up.

 

Vs. 14 – Peter knew that his time was limited.  He only had so much time to stir Christians up.  This is true for any preacher.   

 

So it is time to be diligent.

 

BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7

Faith

Virtue

Knowledge

Temperance

Patience

Godliness

Brotherly Kindness

Love

BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7

BE DILIGENT TO AVOID – Vs. 9

BE DILIGENT TO ABOUND – Vss. 8, 10-11

BE DILIGENT TO ACCEPT – Vss. 12-14   

 

 

***************************************************************************

HAVE THESE SERMON SEEDS BLESSED YOU? THEN, PLEASE PASS THEM ALONG!

 

ABOUT SERMON SEEDS:

 

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.

 

These outlines are only "seeds". They are not sermons ready for you to preach. Feel free to improve on these outlines anyway the Lord leads you.

 

TO SUBSCRIBE - Send a blank e-mail to: sermonseeds-subscribe@welovegod.org

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Send a blank e-mail to: sermonseeds-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

 

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE!

www.sermonseeds.org is the location for the Sermon Seeds Archives. You will find most of the outlines from these e-mail editions, plus links to other helpful web pages. Be sure to sign the guest book, and tell me a little about yourself.

 

JACK’S EMAIL ADDRESS – jpeters@alltel.net

 

TALK TO JACK THROUGH INSTANT MESSAGING

I welcome live correspondence with those on the Sermon Seeds list. To put me on your "buddy list" here is the information you need.

 

AOL AIM – JackPeters1947

MSN (Microsoft) - johnwpeters@hotmail.com

 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://www.sermonseeds.org

 

This ministry has grown over the years because people like you have told others about Sermon Seeds.  Always feel free to forward the weekly Sermon Seeds email to those who you think might be interested in these outlines. Also, please share our website address with others as well. Thank you for your support.

  --  To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: sermonseeds-unsubscribe@welovegod.org