SERMON SEEDS I19 FOR 8/1/05
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
SERMON SEEDS FOR AUGUST 1, 2005
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Exodus 25:1-2
OFFERING TIME
A WILLING OFFERING Vss. 1-2 God wants willing contributors
A WIDE-SPREAD OFFERING Vss. 3-7 Many things could be offered.
A WORTHWHILE OFFERING Vss. 8-9 The tabernacle would be built
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Psalm 139
WHAT DO I HAVE?
I HAVE A CONFIDANT WHO KNOWS ME COMPLETELY Vss. 1-6
I HAVE A COMPANION WHO NEVER LEAVES ME Vss. 7-13
I HAVE A CREATOR WHO HAS CUSTOM-MADE ME Vss. 14-16
I HAVE A CHAMPION WHO ALWAYS THINGS OF ME Vss.17-18
I HAVE A CHOICE TO LET HIM CLEANSE ME Vss. 19-24
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Proverbs 1:1-7
MY DESIRE
MAY I BE:
A KNOWING MAN - Proverbs 1:2 - To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
A LEARNING MAN - Proverbs 1:3 - To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
A GROWING MAN - Proverbs 1:4-5 - To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. [5] A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
AN UNDERSTANDING MAN - Proverbs 1:6 - To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
A FEARING MAN - Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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Matthew 6:12
FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS
#6 of 8 in a series on The Lord's Prayer
I have been pastoring for 25 years. I have discovered that the biggest problem people have is unforgiveness. I think that they do not realize how important forgiveness is. Not only did Jesus teach us to pray "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors", but the words immediately following the Lord prayer are a real challenge. Matthew 6:14-15
I want us to consider some important truths about forgiveness.
FORGIVENESS IS REQUIRED
We need forgiveness, first of all, in order to have eternal life.
Sin causes separation. When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, they were separated from God's presence. God evicted them!
God told Israel in Isaiah 59:2, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."
When Jesus died on the cross for your sins, He paid the price so that you can be forgiven. When we trust Christ as Savior, that forgiveness becomes ours. Colossians 2:13-14, Ephesians 1:7
Not only do we need forgiveness for eternal life but also we need forgiveness on a daily basis. Psalms 66:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30-31, 1 John 1:8,10
Not only is forgiveness required for salvation and by believers after salvation, but it is also required that we forgive. Matthew 18:21-22, Ephesians 4:32
FORGIVENESS IS REQUESTED
Forgiveness is something that we need to seek.
When one places their faith in Christ as Savior, they have sought and found forgiveness. In a sense, because they have trusted Christ, they have asked for forgiveness. Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 1:7
Forgiveness of sin is also to be requested by us when we as Christians sin against God. Psalms 32:5, 1 John 1:9
There is another sense in which we need to ask forgiveness. We need to ask forgiveness of each other.
We so appreciate it when people come to us and say, "I'm sorry, I was wrong." We must realize that it is our responsibility at times to go to others and say those same words, "I'm sorry, I was wrong." Matthew 5:22-24, James 5:16
Luke 17:3-4 - "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
If I am to forgive my brother who confesses his sins, should I not also seek the forgiveness from my brother when I sin against him?
FORGIVENESS IS RELATIVE
Matthew 6:12 - "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
Any time I come to the Lord in prayer I must realize that I am just as responsible to forgive as I am to seek forgiveness.
Sometimes it is hardest to forgive those you love.
But forgive them we must do.
When we fail to forgive we become bitter. Hebrews 12:15
Also, when we fail to forgive, we do not experience our Lord's healing forgiveness. I am forgiven relative to the extent that I am willing to forgive.
Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
FORGIVENESS IS REPEATED
FORGIVENESS IS REPEATED BY GOD: 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Psalms 103:10-14
FORGIVENESS IS REPEATED BY US:
Luke 17:3-6
Just think how many times you have been forgiven by God.
It's no wonder that you need to forgive others more than once.
Forgiveness means you are removing responsibility from that person. They no longer owe you.
Don't bring it up to them.
Don't bring it up to others.
Don't bring it up to yourself.
Don't bring it up to God.
Forgiveness is not forgetting, but remembering without anger.
FORGIVENESS IS REQUIRED
FORGIVENESS IS REQUESTED
FORGIVENESS IS RELATIVE
FORGIVENESS IS REPEATED
SERMON SEEDS E5
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John 2:1-11
INTERACTIVE MINISTRY, 7/31/05
Life of Christ #9
This morning we want to look at the first miracle that the Lord performed and we find that He had an interactive ministry between Himself, guests at a wedding, his mother, and the servants at the wedding. This miracle of turning the water into wine is also a reminder that Jesus interacts in our lives still today. This is an interaction that we greatly need.
This morning we resume our study of the Life of Christ. Jesus had been baptized and then spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the Devil and successfully refusing that temptation. After that he returned and was identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World. Jesus was followed by Andrew and John, who became disciples. Andrew and probably John as well, brought their brothers to Jesus, Peter and James.
Jesus recruited Phillip. Phillip brought Nathaniel to Jesus, who is probably the man called Bartholomew in the other Gospels.
With six disciples in tow, Jesus interacts at a wedding.
There are three things that I want you to understand about the interactive ministry of the Lord Jesus then and now.
HE WAS INTERESTED Vss. 1-5
Vs. 1 This would have been two days after the calling of Nathaniel. There was a marriage in Cana, of Galilee. The exact location of Cana is not known, but it was probably just a few miles from Nazareth.
Mary, the mother of Jesus was there, but in his Gospel John never calls her by name. From her intimate understanding of the wine supply and the willingness of the servants to listen to her, it is possible that Mary was involved with the managing of the festivities in some way.
Weddings in those days were big deals, and the celebration usually went on for about a week. It was an important social event in a community and the bride and groom were treated like royalty.
Vs. 2 Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. The significant thing to note here is that Jesus went.
Jesus ministry was an interactive ministry. He went to where the people were so He could interact with them.
He was interested in what they were doing.
You might think that for all the important things that the Lord Jesus had to do, that He might not have time to attend weddings or to accept invitations to peoples houses for meals.
Why was Jesus so interested in spending time with people?
When He was criticized for eating at Matthews house with tax collectors and sinners, he responded by saying in Luke 5:31-32 They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. [32] I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And it wasnt just at meals that Jesus was interested in people and their needs.
· A little girl, a widows son and Lazarus all died and Jesus was interested.
· Parents brought little children to Jesus and Jesus was interested.
· A Gentile woman came begging that Jesus heal her sick daughter, Jesus was interested.
· A prominent religious teacher came to Jesus at night, and Jesus was interested.
And on and on we could go.
The most important way Jesus showed His interest was leaving the splendors of Heaven to come to earth. Why did He come?
Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Jesus was interested in the eternal and spiritual wellbeing of all mankind, so He came to die for their sins.
· Jesus is interested in you.
He died for your sins and rose again.
· Jesus is interested in you. He wants to be your Savior, if He isnt already. He wants you to trust Him by faith. John 3:16
· Jesus is interested in you.
He promises to always be with you. Matthew 28:20
· Jesus is interested in you.
He hears and answers prayer. John 14:13-14
Vs. 3-4 - Jesus was interested even though it may not seem so here.
They were out of wine. No big tragedy by our standards. But it would have been a social disgrace that would have been remembered by friends and families all the days of that marriage.
Wine was the staple drink of the day, often diluted so that it was not as strong as the wines today.
The way that Mary told Jesus they were out of wine seems to indicate that she was trying to tell Jesus what to do, as a parent would a child. To me, it also seems that Mary may have thought this a good time for him to show who He really was.
Jesus response was not disrespectful. The word woman was a respectable way to address His mother. He was telling her that she could no longer tell Him what to do. He had come to do the will of His Heavenly Father. It was not yet His hour to reveal himself.
Vs. 5 Jesus was interested in something as mundane as a lack of wine. Wine in the Old Testament is a symbol of joy.
I would love to have been there to hear Jesus tone of voice and see his facial expression. He left his mother confident that He would do something, probably not in the way she wanted, or because she thought He should help. He acted because his Heavenly Father wanted Him to act.
Mary gives great advice in this verse, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. We should follow that same advice.
When Jesus tells us to do something, we need to do it.
He is God. He knows what is best.
Jesus has and has had an interactive ministry.
HE WAS INVOLVED Vss. 6-9
With the Lord Jesus interest is always followed with involvement.
· Jesus was interested in the salvation of your soul. He involved Himself by dying for your sins.
· Jesus is interested in your everyday problems. Thats why He said to pray in his name. Hell do something about it. He also said to come boldly to the throne of grace and he will involve Himself in helping. Hebrews 4:15-16
· Jesus is interested in world evangelism. Thats why He promises to be with us as we fulfill the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20.
Vs. 6 The Jews involved themselves in a lot of ceremonial washings. Therefore the water pots were there. These six water pots of stone held the equivalent of 20-30 gallons.
Vss. 7-8 Jesus told the servants to fill the water pots with water and then to take the water to the governor of the feast. The governor was the equivalent of a head waiter.
Vs. 9 Somewhere along the line, the water was made wine
by the Lord Jesus. His involvement was the key to
this miracle.
HE MADE IMPROVEMENTS Vss. 10-11
Vs. 9b-10 I venture to say that the wine was the best that the governor of the feast ever tasted.
It was the best because it was made by the one who created the grapes in the first place!
When Jesus involves himself in something, the results are always an improvement. When Jesus was on earth He involved himself and there was improvement.
· The sick were healed.
· The dead were raised.
· The possessed were set free.
· The ignorant were taught.
· Lives were changed.
· Sin and death were defeated on the cross.
Today, when Jesus involves Himself in a life, there is improvement.
· The spiritually dead are given eternal life. Ephesians 2:1
· Those who trust Christ are given a new life now. 2 Corinthians 5:17
· Those who are given abundant life. John 10:10
· Those who filled with His Spirit bear fruit. Galatians 5:22-23
Vs. 11 This was the first sign that Jesus gave. Thats what the word miracle means here. The end result was that Jesus showed His glory and it strengthened the belief of His disciples. These things were also improvements.
Jesus ministry was and is an interactive ministry.
HE WAS INTERESTED Vss. 1-5
HE WAS INVOLVED Vss. 6-9
HE MADE IMPROVEMENTS Vss. 10-11
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Romans 13:8-14
ALERT!
MY RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD OTHERS Vss. 8-10
MY REALIZATION OF THE TIME Vs. 11
MY REACTION TO THE TIME Vss. 12-14
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Ephesians 4:11-16
GODS GIFTED MEN
GODS GIFTED MEN ARE ESTABLISHED OR EARMARKED Vs. 11 Given by God
GODS GIFTED MEN ENABLE Vs. 12
GODS GIFTED MEN ENDURE Vs. 13
GODS GIFTED MEN EDIFY Vss. 14-16
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