SERMON SEEDS K38 FOR 12/3/07
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
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SERMON SEEDS FOR NOVEMBER 26, 2007
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A NOTE FROM PASTOR JACK I am in the midst of a very busy time with three funerals in six days, as well as other responsibilities. Please accept these reruns which hopefully give you some thoughts for your own preaching, teaching or devotions during the Christmas season. All of these outlines have been previously shared. For more Christmas material visit http://www.sermonseeds.org/CHRISTMAS.htm.
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Exodus 20:1-17
FOUND FAITHFUL
We are told in 1 Corinthians 4:2 that stewards are to be "found faithful".
As Christians we are 'stewards of the mysteries of God'. 1 Corinthians 4:1
As faithful stewards we should strive to keep God's commands. Although nobody but Jesus has kept the Ten Commandments perfectly, we should still strive to obey them out of love for Christ. John 14:15
We should be "found faithful" -
FAITHFUL TO GOD - Vss. 1-11
FAITHFUL TO PARENTS - Vs. 12
FAITHFUL TO OTHERS - Vss. 13-17
Sermon Seeds D31, 10/16/00
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ISAIAH 1:10-20
CHRISTMAS CLEANUP
The Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit does live inside of each and every true Christian. And often Jesus is living in squalid conditions. I say this because often we Christians look good and righteous on the outside, but inwardly we are filthy! And I believe that Jesus can smell the stench, not unlike the stench of kitty litter that needs to be changed!
Although we should worship on a daily and weekly basis Christmas is one the major times of worship in the year. As the oncoming holiday approaches, we should want to make sure that God is pleased with our worship.
God will not be pleased with our worship if we are at all like the citizens of Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Isaiah the prophet. As Isaiah called for the people of his day to clean up their act, it is time to clean up our act in preparation for a season that should be loaded with worship.
WE NEED CLEANUP WHEN:
1. OUR ACTIONS REMIND GOD OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH - Vs. 10
In Verse 9 God told the people of Isaiahs day, that unless there had been a small remnant of faithful people they would have met the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. God rained fire and brimstone on them and everyone but 3 people were destroyed. God judged their sins.
Vs. 10 God calls the leaders of Judah Sodom and the people Gomorrah. Their sins were so bad they were just like those wicked cities.
Usually when we think of the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah we think of the sin of homosexuality. This was of course one their sins. But there is more. Ezekiel 16:49-50
Now think with me for a moment. Is this anything like us today.
Are we too proud to admit when are wrong?
Are we too proud to forgive?
Are we too proud come to God for help?
Are we too proud to be submissive to God and do things his way?
What about fullness of bread? Are we overfed when others are starving? Do we overeat?
· Are we idle when God has things for us to do?
· Are we idle when there are people who do not know the Gospel?
· Are we idle in our zeal and love for God?
Do we neglect the physically and spiritually poor and needy when we ourselves are proud, full and lazy?
And Sodom was guilty of wicked abominations. Although you might night have any time for homosexuality, are you allowing sexual fantasies, pornography, adultery, or some other abomination to control you?
2. WE NEED CLEANUP WHEN THERE ARE MANY SACRIFICES, BUT A GOD WHO IS FED UP - Vs. 11
God was fed up with the sacrifices of the people, but God had instituted the sacrifices and they are actually pictures of the atoning work of Christ.
God was fed up with the sacrifices because of the hypocrisy of the people. They offered their sacrifices, and worshipped God, but they were full of iniquity. Isaiah 29:13
Where is YOUR heart when you worship?
Is it focused on God or something else?
Where is YOUR heart right now? Is it focused on God or something that pleases you?
3. WE NEED CLEANUP WHEN THERE IS FREQUENT ATTENDANCE, BUT A GOD WHO IS INDIFFERENT - Vs. 12
Does God consider your worship a pleasure to Him or does God see you as trampling his courts.
Does God become weary of your presence because your heart is not right with Him?
Does God become weary of your presence because you really dont want to be here and because you dont really care?
4. WE NEED CLEANUP WHEN THERE ARE MANY ATTEMPTS AT WORSHIP, BUT A GOD WHO IS GRIEVED - Vss. 13-14
God had ordained many days of worship for the Jewish people. But now he wanted nothing to do with them, because of the heart condition and sinful behavior of the people.
Have you ever stopped to consider what God thinks of the biggest Christian holiday of the year, Christmas? Much of the worship he gets at Christmas grieves Him, because the hearts of the worshippers are not right!
5. WE NEED CLEANUP WHEN THERE ARE MANY PRAYERS, BUT A GOD WHO WILL NOT HEAR - Vs. 15
When and why does not God hear our prayers? Isaiah 59:2
The children of Israel had bloody hands and therefore God did not listen to them. The children of Israel did not necessarily literally kill some one. But their actions brought about the same results.
And we do not need to kill someone to have bloody hands. Matthew 5:21-22, Hebrews 12:14-15
If you are angry with a brother of sister without a cause you are guilty of the equivalent of murder.
If you commit character assassination you are displeasing God.
If you hold a grudge, a root of bitterness, against someone you are failing to apply the grace of God to your life. This grudge will trouble you and those around you.
And let me tell you something else. This church is hurting because some of you are holding grudges against others in this congregation.
Some of these grudges have gone on for years!
WE HAVE CLEANUP WHEN:
1. WE HEED GOD'S CALL TO REPENTANCE
A. Confess (Wash you, and make you clean) - Vs. 16, 1 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13
B. Forsake ( Put away the evil of your doings ) - Vs. 16
Of course we are to forsake our sin but we must also put away the evil of our doings from before Gods eyes.
This means that we need to make right with others what we have done wrong.
There are times when we must confess sins to others.
There are times when we are going to have to seek the forgiveness of others. Matthew 5:23-24
C. Learn ( to do well ) - Vs. 17
We must also learn to do well.
Our sins must be replaced with positive actions and attitudes especially towards those we have hurt in the past.
· I am to seek justice, that which is right and fair to all.
· I am to relieve those who are physically and spiritually oppressed.
· I am to seek the well being of the fatherless and the widow. Those who are down and out are not to be exploited, but helped.
2. WE HAVE CLEANUP WHEN WE ACCEPT GOD'S INVITATION FOR CLEANSING - Vss. 18-20
A. THE WORK OF GOD - Vs. 18
Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
God is saying come to court with me. Lets reason together. He implies that we are to repent and to do as he says in verses 16-17.
God says though your sins be as scarlet, a red dye made from worms, He would make them white as snow.
He also said there sins be as crimson, a red colored cloth, He would make them as white as wool!
That is quite a miracle to make red of all colors into pure white! It is quite a miracle to take our dirty filthy sins and make us totally clean.
How can God make such a promise?
It is because God washed the sins of believers away at the cross! God can forgive because He was satisfied with the work of his son to pay for our sins. 1 John 4:10, 1 Corinthians 6:11
God can cleanse you from every sin and make you fit to worship at Christmas and all year round!
B. THE RESPONSE OF MAN (If ye be willing and obedient ) - Vss. 19-20
Are you willing to be cleansed?
Will you be obedient to confess, forsake, and make things right with others?
If you are willing to be obedient you will prosper spiritually! You will be able to worship and God will accept and be pleased with your worship.
Vs. 20 If you are not willing to repent, to let God cleanse you, you will suffer judgment.
WE NEED CLEANUP WHEN:
1. OUR ACTIONS REMIND GOD OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH - Vs. 10
Ezekiel 16:49.
2. THERE ARE MANY SACRIFICES, BUT A GOD WHO IS FED UP - Vs. 11
Isaiah 29:13
3. THERE IS FREQUENT ATTENDANCE, BUT A GOD WHO IS INDIFFERENT - Vs. 12
4. THERE ARE MANY ATTEMPTS AT WORSHIP, BUT A GOD WHO IS GRIEVED - Vss. 13-14
5. THERE ARE MANY PRAYERS, BUT A GOD WHO WILL NOT HEAR - Vs. 15
Isaiah 59:2 Matthew 5:21-22 Hebrews 12:14-15
WE HAVE CLEANUP WHEN:
1. WE HEED GOD'S CALL TO REPENTANCE
A. Confess (Wash you, and make you clean) - Vs. 16, Proverbs 28:13 - 1 John 1:9
B. Forsake ( Put away the evil of your doings )
Matthew 5:23-24
C. Learn ( to do well ) - Vs. 17
2. WE ACCEPT GOD'S INVITATION FOR CLEANSING - Vss. 18-20
A. THE WORK OF GOD - Vs. 18
1 John 4:10, 1 Corinthians 6:11
B. THE RESPONSE OF MAN (If ye be willing and obedient ) - Vss. 19-20
This is an expansion of a previously shared outline.
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Matthew 1:1-16
TOKENS OF GODS GRACE
These women are found in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ:
THE ABANDONED Tamar Vs. 3, Genesis 38
THE ALIEN Ruth Vs. 5, Ruth 1:16-18
THE ADULTERESS Bathsheba Vs. 6, 2 Samuel 11-12
THE AVAILABLE Mary Vs. 16, Luke 1:26-28
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Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38 - PRE-BIRTH CLASSES
When couples are expecting their first baby they often attend pre-birth classes. God gave Joseph and Mary pre-birth classes.
MARY - Luke 1:26-38
LISTENED Vss. 26-33
LEARNED Vss. 34-37
LEANED Vs. 38
JOSEPH - Matthew 1:18-25
HE WAS RIGHTEOUS Vss. 18-19
HE WAS RECEPTIVE Vss. 20-23
HE WAS RESPONSIVE Vss. 24-25
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Mark 9:33-37
WHOS THE GREATEST?
A DISPUTE Vss. 33-34
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
A DECLARATION Vs. 35
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
A DEMONSTRATION Vss. 36-37
And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
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Luke 1:5-25
A SPECIAL PRIEST
Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist was:
A SEPARATED PRIEST Vss. 5-6
A SAD PRIEST Vs. 7
A SCARED PRIEST Vss. 8-11
A SKEPTICAL PRIEST Vss. 12-18
A SILENT PRIEST Vss. 19-22
A SATISFIED PRIEST Vss. 23-25
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1 Peter 1:18-23
STRESSED OUT!
We live in a day and age when many people feel the effects of stress.
Some are stressed because of financial needs. The income never catches up with the out go. Often Mom is forced to go out and work. Then she's under the stress of trying to be a good mother and wife, keep house, provide meals, and be a good employee.
Some are stressed by the schedules their children keep. Between after school sports, band, music lessons, youth activities, and a host of other extra-curricular activities, it's hard to keep up with their schedules. Dottie and I remember when David and Mark were on two different basketball teams and Donna was a cheerleader. What fun it was trying to coordinate 3 different practices and game schedules.
Some are stressed because of the health of parents. Mom or Dad might be in a nursing home or in a hospital needing your attention. They might be living at home, and needing your care.
There's also stress caused when you or someone you love is fighting serious illness.
Then there's the job, and the church and home improvement projects! Each of these demands time and involvement and there are times when we have 2 or 3 or more of these stress-causing things all happening at once! It's no wonder so many of us feel stressed!
We cannot escape stressful situations. Job 5:7, James 1:2-4, John 16:33
Has it ever occurred to you that Jesus came to relieve stress?
Has it ever occurred to you that the Bible was written to help relieve your stress?
Has it ever occurred to you that God wants to handle your stress? Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 11:28-30
Isaiah 26:3 - "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
Stress relief comes when we get our thoughts off the stress-causing difficulties in life and on to our wonderful God! When our mind is centered on the Lord our hearts will be at peace. Our minds will be centered on the Lord when they are centered on God's Word.
Our text is 1 Peter 1:18-23. In the previous verses, Peter made an appeal for Christians to live holy lives. 1 Peter 1:15-16
In the rest of this chapter Peter gives us some reasons for living holy lives. But Peter is also showing us 4 wonderful things which, if we focus on them, will help relieve the pressures of stress. We must get our minds off our problems and challenges and on to what God has done and wants us to do.
The four wonderful things that God wants us to see are:
GOD HAS GIVEN US A WONDERFUL REDEMPTION - Vss. 18--19
Peter begins by talking about his readers' redemption. The word redemption has to do with the payment of a ransom to set free a slave. With the exception of our Lord Jesus, every man was born in bondage to sin. Ephesians 2:1-3
Peter here reminds the Christian that he or she was not redeemed by anything corruptible, like money! As permanent as gold and silver seem to be, they will eventually perish.
In Peter's day, money could pay for the freedom of a slave. Just as money today can buy the freedom of a captive. But money could not and can not buy the freedom from the bondage of sin and death.
The word "conversation" in this verse means "manner of life".
Money can not begin to pay for the sins of a vain or empty manner of life. And we received this vain or empty manner of life by tradition from our fathers. The sinful, empty way of life goes back to Adam! Romans 5:12
Christian, your redemption, your freedom from the penalty of sin and your place in Heaven was secured by the precious blood of Christ! (Vs. 19) Why was the blood of Christ precious? Jesus Christ is God! It is God's blood that saved you! Are you stressed? Think of how much God loves you! He gave His own blood that you might have forgiveness of sins and everlasting life!
This blood was like that of a lamb. From Adam on, animals, often lambs were offered as sacrifices for sin. God required the Jews to offer blood sacrifices of animals. These were a picture of THE LAMB, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would come to pay for sin. (John 1:29) The particular lamb in view here is probably the Passover Lamb. You might remember that a lamb for each family was offered by the nation of Israel, and the blood was placed on the doorposts. When the Angel of Death came by, he passed over those that had the blood on them. That lamb had to be a lamb without blemish and spot, a perfect sacrifice. Jesus was perfect. Jesus was blameless. Jesus was pure.
The Lord Jesus did not deserve to die! He died voluntarily in our place as our lamb! John 10:17-18, 2 Corinthians 5:21
Christian, are you stressed?
Think of this - Jesus died in your place as the perfect sacrifice for you sins.
GOD HAS GIVEN US A WONDERFUL REVELATION - Vss. 20-21
Vs. 20 - There are times when unforeseen emergencies arise, and we need to react. For instance, there have been times when we have had unexpected company. Sometimes Dottie has had food on hand that she could serve. Other times, we have ended up taking folks out to eat. We were taken by surprise.
Man's failure in the garden did not take God by surprise.
The need of a redeemer did not take God by surprise.
Jesus was foreordained as the "Lamb of God". God had planned ahead!
Although redemption was planned so far in advance, it wasn't revealed until the time of Peter. It has now been revealed in these last times.
Vs. 21 - To whom has this redemption been revealed? To those who believe in God, by Him!
Notice that true belief in God is by Christ! Redemption has been revealed to those who believe in God, through faith in His Son! John 14:6, Acts 4:12, John 3:36
And notice we believe in God who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead and gave Him glory. He sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
And notice that if you are a Christian, your faith and hope is in God!
Your faith and hope is in God for eternal life!
If your faith and hope is in God for the most important issue, eternal life, shouldn't your faith in hope be in God for every issue? If you can trust God with your soul, you can trust God with every thing else! This is another wonderful reminder when we are stressed! Proverbs 3:5-6
GOD HAS GIVEN US A WONDERFUL REGENERATION - Vs. 23
When stressed, it helps to remember who we are!
On a cold snowy day in January in 1998 the phone rang. It was my father-in-law. He said that the hospital called saying that Dottie's Mom had passed away. I called the hospital and verified that she had died. There was no misunderstanding. Then I called my Mom. As I started to tell her, I started to cry. Why? Because after all those years of being an adult I still knew who I was. I was her son. I could cry in front of her. She was and is still my Mommy.
This verse talks about being "born again". When a person trusts Christ as Savior, he or she is born into the family of God. We literally become children of God! John 3 tells us that this new birth is the work of the Spirit of God. This verse tells us that this new birth is also the work of the Word of God. God's Spirit uses God's Word to bring about the second birth. John 1:12-13
Another word for being born again is regeneration.
What does regeneration have to do with stress?
When you are stressed, you are still a child of God.
God is still taking care of you.
He is still in control. We can relax!
We can come crying to Him as our "Daddy". (In Romans 8:15 the word "Abba" means "Daddy".)
Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 121
GOD HAS GIVEN US A WONDERFUL RESPONSIBILITY - Vs. 22
The word "love" used here the first time is the Greek word "phileo". This word means to like or have a fondness for someone else.
We have been born into a Spiritual family, the family of God, which is naturally fond of each other. When we obeyed the truth of the Gospel we purified our souls. The end result was a natural fondness for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are to take that fondness, that liking a step further.
We are to go on to loving one another with a pure heart fervently. The Greek word for love (The second time the word is used in this verse.) here is agape. It means the highest form of love. Our love should be unselfish and giving to other Christians. Agape love is the kind of love God shows to us.
What does that have to do with stress?
Most times when we get stressed, we are worried about ourselves.
However, when we use our times of stress to reach out and love others, we will find that the stress will be relieved.
Sermon Seeds C32, 101/18/99
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