SERMON SEEDS K8 FOR 4/30/07
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
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SERMON SEEDS FOR APRIL 30, 2007
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Genesis 6:11-22
PREPARING FOR THE FLOOD
MANS CORRUPTION Vss. 11-12
GODS CONCLUSION Vs. 13
GODS COMMANDS Vss. 14-21
NOAHS COMPLIANCE Vs. 22
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Psalm 98:1-3
A NEW SONG
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. [2] The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. [3] He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
A NEW SONG OF VICTORY Vs. 1
A NEW SONG OF SALVATION Vss. 2-3
A NEW SONG RIGHTEOUSNESS Vs. 2
A NEW SONG OF MERCY Vs. 3
A NEW SONG OF TRUTH Vs. 3
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Matthew 14:22-33
IN THE STORM
HIS PRESENCE IN THE STORM Vss. 25-26
HIS PROCLAMATION IN THE STORM Vs. 27
HIS PERMISSION IN THE STORM Vss.28-29
HIS PERPLEXITY IN THE STORM Vss. 30-31 Why did you doubt?
HIS POWER IN THE STORM Vss.32-33
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Luke 16:1-13
LESSON FROM A SHADY MANAGER
THE STEWARD ACCUSED Vss. 1-2
THE STEWARDS ASSESSMENT Vss. 3-4
THE STEWARDS ACTION Vss. 5-7
THE MASTERS ACCLAMATION Vs. 8
THE LORDS APPLICATION Vss. 9-13
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PHILEMON 1:8-21
FORGIVING CONDUCT
Part #2 of a two part series on Philemon
We return to the little Prison Epistle of Philemon. Last time we met the wealthy Christian man who had a church in his home, Philemon. We also met his run away slave who had also become a Christian, Onesimus. We were also reintroduced to Paul, who had led both of these men to Christ and was now encouraging Philemon to forgive his run away slave.
Last time we saw the ingredients of a Forgiving Character as we looked at the first seven verses of this little Epistle. This time we return to Philemon to examine verses 8-21 where we want to find out exactly what Forgiving Conduct is.
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RESPOND Vss. 8-10, 21
Usually, when we choose to forgive we are responding to an appeal.
It might be the appeal of the person who has offended us, seeking forgiveness.
It might be the appeal of a Scripture verse that weve read or heard preached.
It might the appeal of the Holy Spirit that simply seems to be saying from deep within us, Forgive!
It might be the appeal of a friend who is trying to help both parties get beyond the problem of unforgiveness.
When we receive an appeal to forgive it is then our duty to respond.
Vs. 8 In the case of Philemon, it was his friend, Paul, the one who led him to the Lord and an Apostle that was calling on him to forgive Onesimus.
Notice, however, that Paul is gentle in his appeal. He is not playing hard ball with Philemon.
He wasnt just going to command something that needed to be done, although he well could have.
Paul could have been more bold and demanding than he was.
This is something that we need to remember. Most often a gentle appeal will work better than a harsh demand. Galatians 6:1
Vs. 9 The appeal that Paul gave to Philemon was based on love. In deed love is the best reason for us to do what is right.
Paul was considered old for that day, around 60.
Paul was in prison.
Out of love for an old friend who had fallen on difficult times, Philemon was to forgive.
I am reminded of another friend, the Lord Jesus Christ. Based on my love for Him, I need to forgive.
Ephesians 4:32
Vs. 10 Paul makes a specific appeal to which Philemon had to respond. It was for someone Philemon knew well. It was his run away slave by the name of Onesimus.
As loving a Christian Onesimus appears to be, Onesimus would have been a challenge to Philemons sense of forgiveness. Here was someone who had cost him money as a missing piece of property (Thats how slaves were viewed, as property.). He had run away, making it look like Philemon was not a very good master. Apparently he had also stolen from Philemon.
Now Paul refers to this slave, who is probably standing right in front of Philemon as he reads Pauls letter, as his son who he bore during his bonds or imprisonment.
Paul calls him son because he is the spiritual father of Onesimus. He led him to faith in Christ.
Those we lead to the Lord are special to us. God allows us to have a special bond.
Now Philemon is forced to make a decision about Onesimus. I am assuming that Onesimus included his own apology. Philemon would respond, but how?
· He could respond in anger, refusing to forgive.
· He could delay forgiveness by putting Onesimus on trial to see if he is sincere.
· He could claim to forgive but secretly or not so secretly hold a grudge.
· He could do as Paul requested, forgive Onesimus with no strings attached.
When you are called upon to forgive you will respond in one of the same ways.
· You can refuse to forgive.
· You can delay forgiveness and put the person on trial.
· You can claim to forgive and hold a grudge.
· You can forgive with no strings attached.
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RECEIVE Vss. 12, 17
Vs. 12 When we forgive someone we are actually receiving them.
We are receiving someone back into our fellowship.
We are receiving someone putting the past under the blood.
We are receiving someone as if nothing has happened. They are forgiven.
Paul wanted to Philemon to receive Onesimus who was his own bowels. Today we would say, He is on my heart, He is dear or precious to me.
Has it ever occurred to you, that when the Lord Jesus asks you to forgive a fellow Christian, that Christian is as precious to the Lord Jesus as you are! He is just as loved, and just as cared for as you are.
When Jesus asks you to forgive a fellow Christian, it is as if He is saying, My child I want you to forgive this person because, he like you, is on my heart.
Vs. 17 Paul is saying, If you consider me your partner in the cause of Christ, then receive him as you would receive me.
Can you picture the Lord Jesus saying this to us about someone that we need to forgive, If you are partnered with me, then receive this person as you would me.
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RESPECT - Vss. 11, 13, 14
Onesimus could have avoided coming back to Philemon.
Philemon needed to respect Onesimus for his humble return, realizing that he could receive severe punishment.
Vs. 11 A person who is truly repentant is a changed person.
Onesimus name meant useful. Paul was playing on words. Useful, who had shown himself useless, was now truly useful.
Vs. 13 Onesimus was so useful to Paul that Paul would have liked to have kept him around. He could have been kind of substitute for the help that Philemon might have given Paul.
Vs. 14 Paul could have kept Onesimus with him. There would have been nothing that Philemon could have done about it. If Onesimus was going to serve Paul, it was going to be with Philemons blessing.
And Onesimus could not have been completely right until he had made peace with his master and received forgiveness or at least tried to receive forgiveness. Matthew 5:23-24
Paul understood what it was to have someone intervene after sinning.
Remember that Paul had persecuted the church in his early years, and when he went to Jerusalem after being saved, the church was hesitant to receive him. They were afraid that he wasnt really repentant, and that they could be hurt by him again.
It was Barnabas who brought Paul into the fellowship. Acts 9:26-28
Through Barnabas intervention Paul became respected by those he had offended.
Through Pauls intervention, Philemon was to respect the repentant person who had offended him.
In both cases it was respect for a person who was now making things right.
When someone who has offended you tries to make it right, respect him for it.
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RECLAIM Vss. 15-16
Vs. 15 Paul is suggesting that Onesimus might have had to leave, had to be a run away, so that Philemon could have him back forever.
Indeed, Philemon and Onesimus are in eternity together.
Theirs became a permanent dwelling together.
Onesimus had to go down before he could come up.
Thats true of many a person who has repented. They have to go down before they come up.
Vs. 16 Paul is not necessarily suggesting freedom for a slave.
Paul is suggesting a restoration of this slave into his masters good graces.
When forgiveness occurs, thats exactly where we need to put the person who is forgiven back in our good graces!
Onesimus was now a brother in Christ.
He was more valuable not only in the flesh, the work that he did for Philemon, but also because he was now a beloved brother in Christ. 1 Peter 3:8
When we forgive a fellow Christian we are reclaiming him or her as a brother or sister.
We are either establishing or reestablishing a loving fellowship.
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RELEASE Vss. 18-19
Vs. 18 This is a great statement on Pauls part. If Onesimus owed anything to Philemon because he had stolen, Paul says Put that on my account.
That reminds me of why I should be forgiving.
The Lord Jesus has already said to our Heavenly Father, Put the sins of Jack Peters on my account.
Jesus already paid my sin debt. He already put it on his account.
Vs. 19 - Paul is asking Philemon to release Onesimus from any obligation that Onesimus has. If necessary, Paul would pay Onesimus debt. But, Paul also reminded Philemon how much he owed Paul. Paul had led Philemon to Christ as well as Onesimus.
When we forgive someone we are releasing them from responsibility. They no longer owe us anything.
Jesus told a parable that shows how serious a thing it is that we release people of responsibility and forgive. Matthew 18:23-35
Christ has released us. Let us release others.
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE REFRESH Vs. 20
Vs. 20 Paul is saying, Refresh my heart. Let me have joy.
Paul would have been refreshed and joyful as Philemon forgave Onesimus.
You will make many a person refreshed and joyful when you forgive those who have wronged you.
Most of all you will refresh the heart of your Lord and Savior who taught us to forgive by His own actions and His words.
Do you want to refresh the heart of your Savior and Lord?
Forgive others as He has forgiven you.
The Lord Jesus will be refreshed!
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RESPOND Vss. 8-10, 21
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RECEIVE Vss. 12, 17
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RESPECT Vss. 11, 12, 14
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RECLAIM Vss. 15-16
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE RELEASE Vss. 18-19
WHEN WE FORGIVE, WE REFRESH Vs. 20
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1 PETER 1:3-9
TAKING INVENTORY
This text contains an inventory. It is an itemization, a stock listing of some of the things that you and I have if we have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin.
This morning we want to see what we have in Christ. If we are going to live Godly lives in Christ, we need to understand the great wealth and struggles that come our way with knowing Christ.
GREAT HOPE Vs. 3
Peter gives us a great reminder here.
He begins with the words, "Blessed be God."
The "blessed" often means "happy" as in Psalm 1 or Matthew 5's beatitudes. But here it means "PRAISED"!
Peter reminds us to praise HIM!
We need reminders like this!
We forget to worship. We forget to say "Thank you".
Even in the worship portion of our services, we forget all too quickly to concentrate on Worshipping God. Psalm 64:6-7, Psalm 48:9
In Verse 3 we are to give praise to the God and Father.
This reminds us that God is a Trinity, or a "Triunity".
There is one God, 3 distinct personalities in the Godhead.
Our text tells us that He is Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
LORD - He is our Master of Christians.
A point we often forget.
We think we control our own lives.
We act that we are "the boss."
John 13:13 - Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am.
JESUS - His personal name which means "Jehovah is salvation." He is our Savior.
CHRIST - Means "THE ANOINTED ONE.
Equivalent to the Hebrew Word, "Messiah".
For the Christian, Jesus is KING!
Why should we praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Through His Son God has shown us "abundant mercy."
Never think God wants to give us what we deserve!
We deserve Hell! Psalm 18:4, Isaiah 64:6
Instead of giving us what we deserve, God, in his abundant mercy has provided a way of avoiding the judgment in Hell which we deserve.
As Righteous, God requires punishment.
In Love and Mercy, God sent His Son to take the punishment for our sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:18-19
How do I make God's abundant mercy mine?
"HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN" speaks of a second birth.
I was born once into earth's family.
I must be born again into God's family.
Natural birth must be followed by Spiritual Birth. John 3:3
That happens when we trust Christ. John 1:12-13
When we are born again through the work of the Spirit of God, we obtain a lively, or a "living" hope.
By the word "hope" the Bible does not mean something wishy washy, like "I hope I graduate."
In the Bible, the word "hope" is something that can be looked forward to with anxious anticipation. If you have Biblical hope, you are not only sure of Heaven but you are looking forward to it! Hebrews 6:17-19
· A living hope is hope of life, life eternal.
· A living hope reminds me that things will be perfect in Heaven some day.
· A living hope means that whatever goes wrong this week, it will not be permanent. The hurts of today will be long forgotten by you 100 years from now.
The basis of our hope, according to our text, is the resurrection of Christ.
Because Jesus resurrected from the dead, we are assured of the power of God to raise us from the dead.
We are assured that God has accepted Jesus' sacrifice for sin!
In John 14:19, Jesus says ...because I live, ye shall live also.
WE HAVE A GREAT INHERITANCE Vs. 4
Most people get an inheritance when someone else dies.
The person who dies leaves behind property, money, jewelry, or something else of value.
The great part about this inheritance is that the Lord gives us the inheritance after we die! This inheritance is not what we leave behind, but what we receive!
We often mourn Christians who go on to heaven.
Remember this, that they are enjoying their inheritance in Christ.
I especially like the word "undefiled". Our inheritance in heaven will not involve the filthiness of this world.
No x-rated movies.
No x-rated people.
No x-rated morals.
No effects of alcohol, pills, hard drugs, immorality.
No lying, no stealing, no murder. Revelation 21:27
And notice that this inheritance is reserved in Heaven for us.
Our inheritance in Heaven is reserved, or "guarded" as the word means.
WE HAVE A GREAT PRESERVATION Vs. 5
Your salvation is not based on your works, or the keeping of commandments, but by faith.
If you have been born into the family of God, it was the work of God! John 3:5-6
It is the Spirit of God that does the work of regeneration, making us born again. Salvation is God's work, not mine!
Just as I have no power to save myself, I have no power to keep myself saved.
To be sure, If I am saved, I am changed, and live a changed life. That's part of the proof that I'm saved. 2 Corinthians 5:17
But it is the power of God that saved me, and it is the power of God that keeps me saved!
John 10:27-18
GREAT TRIALS Vss. 6-7
People who are invited to Christ are sometimes given the impression that if they but trust Christ, all their trials will go away. Troubles will disappear.
That's just not true.
Although nobody wants trials or grief, or hurt or hassle, although nobody wants to cry, Vs. 6 tells us why they happen.
The key words are "...if need be..."
Trials begin because God deems them necessary for us.
We need trials to increase our faith.
We need them to increase our patience.
We need them to be a testimony to others.
We need them because we need discipline.
In some ways, troubles begin, because Satan gets hoping mad, and wants to keep you from being effective for Christ.
Also, troubles begin, because God wants to use the troubles to mature us in our faith. James 1:2-4
Verse 7 - The trials of our faith are likened unto gold that is refined. Gold is heated so impurities can be removed. When we allow God to refine us through our troubles, the trials refine us, improve us, mature us, make us more productive.
The trials make it so God can award us with praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns. That is, if we've heeded the lessons intended for us in the trials. James 1:12
OUR INVENTORY IN CHRIST:
GREAT HOPE
GREAT INHERITANCE
GREAT PRESERVATION
GREAT TRIALS
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CONFIDENT CHRISTIANITY
(A complete study that I used in Sunday School)
· Name some confident people you have known in your lifetime.
· What makes some Christians more confident than others?
· What are some things that rob Christians of their confidence?
· The words confident and confidence appear several times in the Bible. They remind us that God wants us to be confident, not in our own strength, but in His.
A CONFIDENT HOPE
Psalm 27:1-3 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? [2] When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. [3] Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
· Vs. 3 reads this way in the NASB - in spite of this I shall be confident.
· What are three things mentioned in verse 1 that help a Christian feel confident. Why do they make us feel confident?
A CONFIDENT ANTICIPATION
2 Corinthians 5:6-10 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: [7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight.) [8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. [9] Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
· What do you think it means that we are absent from the Lord? How does this make us feel confident?
· Was Paul giving up on life when he said that he was willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord? Explain.
· What should motivate us to behavior that is acceptable to the Lord, and why?
CONFIDENT MINISTRY
Acts 28:31 - Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
· What made Paul confident in his preaching? See 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:1-5
CONFIDENT ACCESS
Ephesians 3:12 - In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
· Why are we able to have boldness before God when we pray?
· Why is having access to God such an amazing thing? See Hebrews 4:15-16
CONFIDENT TRUST
Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
2 Thessalonians 3:4 - And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
· What was Paul confident about in these verses?
· What made Paul confident?
· How is Philippians 1:6 a comfort when we think of the many spiritual difficulties that we and other Christians face.
CONFIDENT ENDURANCE
Hebrews 3:14 - For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
· Is this verse teaching that we can lose our salvation? Explain.
Hebrews 10:35 - Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
· How will our confidence be rewarded?
CONFIDENT APPEARANCE
1 John 2:28 - And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
· How will abiding in Christ affect our appearance before Christ at His coming?
· Why will it be a shame if we are ashamed at His coming?
CONFIDENT PRAYER
1 John 5:14-15 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
· What prayer lessons do you see in these verses?
· Why is faith or confidence such a big issue with God when it comes to prayer?
Mark 11:22-24 - And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. [23] For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. [24] Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
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