SERMON SEEDS L5 FOR 4/6/08
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
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SERMON SEEDS FOR APRIL 6, 2008
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Exodus 12:1-20
THE PASSOVER
PERFECT LAMB Vss. 1-5
PROPER PROCEDURE Vss. 6-11
POWERFUL DELIVERANCE Vss. 12-13
PERPETUAL MEMORIAL Vss. 14-20
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Exodus 20:13
NO MURDER, HE WROTE!
TEN FOR THE MEN! #7 Exodus 20:13
Exodus 20:13 - Thou shalt not kill.
· Why do news programs on television tend to sensationalize murders?
· Should Christians watch murder mysteries on television? Why? See Philippians 4:8
· How should Gods attitude towards murder affect ours?
· Why is God opposed to murder?
The Sixth Commandment forbids murder. It is a short command that has many ramifications.
DEFINING MURDER
1. TRADITIONAL MURDER Numbers 35:16-21
· What is the traditional definition of murder?
· What are some ways people kill that can be defined as murder?
· What are some ways that people kill that are not murder?
2. ANGER AS MURDER
Matthew 5:22-23 - But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
· What is Jesus rationale for putting anger on the same plane as murder?
· Why is anger such a dangerous emotion?
· How are unforgiveness and bitterness outgrowths from anger?
3. MANSLAUGHTER Deuteronomy 19:4-5, Numbers 35:22-25
· How is involuntary manslaughter different from murder?
· What part does anger have in involuntary manslaughter?
DIAGNOSING A MURDER Genesis 4:1-10
· Why did Cain kill Abel?
· With whom did Cain really have issues?
· How could the whole scene have been avoided?
· What part did unjustified anger have to do with this murder?
DEFUSING A MURDER
Matthew 5:23-24 - Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Ephesians 4:26-27 - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
· How should our times with God affect our fits of anger?
· How can we be angry and sin not?
· In what way can we give place to the devil?
· How does forgiveness defuse murder?
DISCUSSING SOME MURDERS
Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Jeremiah 1:5 - Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
· What would you say to a person who was considering an abortion for herself or for the child he has fathered?
· What is the problem with Euthanasia?
· What is the problem with physician assisted suicide?
DEFENDING SOME KILLINGS
1. ALLOWING SOMEONE TO DIE (Not killing at all!)
· Physicians down through the ages have stopped treatments and extraordinary means of keeping someone alive when the end is inevitable. That is what it sometimes takes to allow another human being to die with dignity. Death with dignity is not a euphemism for euthanasia. It is not the same as so-called mercy killing of a Jack Kevorkian. Alistair Begg, Pathway to Freedom, How Gods laws Guide our Lives, (Chicago, Moody Publishers, 2003), p. 142
· How can we tell when its time to let someone go?
2. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
· Genesis 9:6 - Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
· Why is capital punishment loathed by many?
· How does the enforcement of capital punishment honor God-given life?
3. WAR
· War in the Old Testament was not considered by God to be murder.
· Who is actually responsible for legitimate acts of war? Romans 13:1
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Psalm 92
WHAT ABOUT WORSHIP?
THE FREQUENCY OF WORSHIP Vss. 1-3
THE FACTS ABOUT WORSHIP Vss. 4-5
THE FOOLS THAT AVOID WORSHIP Vss. 6-9
THE FAITHFUL THAT ENJOY WORSHIP Vss. 10-15
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Matthew 7:1-5
YOURE NOT AT THE MOVIES
If you want to be a critic, watch a movie and evaluate the picture!
But when youre not at the movies, dont feel you have to act as a critic!
THE CHALLENGE OF A CRITICAL SPIRIT Vss. 1-2
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
THE CAUSE OF A CRITICAL SPIRIT Vss. 3-4
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
THE CURE FOR A CRITICAL SPIRIT Vs. 5
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
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Luke 18:9-14
TWO FOR THE TEMPLE
Two very different men went to the temple to pray with two distinct outcomes.
TWO DIFFERENT MEN Vss. 9-10
TWO DISTINCT PRAYERS Vss. 11-13
TWO DIVERSE RESULTS Vs. 14a
ONE DEFINING PRINCIPLE Vs. 14b
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Galatians 1:1-5
BORN FREE!
(An introduction to the Book of Galatians. I am not starting a series on Galatians, but thought you might need an introduction to the Book some day.)
Imagine being in a prison. You are in a cell with your hands cuffed, and your feet in shackles. Hour by hour, day by day, month by month, year by year you wallow in bondage. Then one day someone comes in and knocks out the guards, removes the cuffs and shackles, and opens all the doors to the prison and says, "You're free! Leave this place!"
Imagine after a period of time you are walking by that old prison. A guard calls out, "Why not come back in and visit us again? We'll give you a NEW cell with NEW handcuffs, NEW shackles, and even NEW guards!" You're reaction, like mine, would be, "No way! I don't want to go back to that old stinking jail! I like my freedom and I'm keeping it!"
This seems to be a pretty ridiculous story, doesn't it? And yet every day there are those among us who have been set free by Jesus Christ, who fall back into old bad habits and old bondage. We also entangle ourselves in new bad habits and new bondage. The sad thing about it is we don't need to go back into bondage once we have born into the family of God. We have been born free!
Read John 8:31-32, 36, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 2:1-6, Romans 6:14. In spite of these great verses, there are times when we find ourselves right back into bondage. We find ourselves saying with Paul in Romans 7:19, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians was written to a group of people who were listening to the wrong teachers, and were putting themselves right back into bondage. The particular form of bondage was adding law keeping to or works as an additional part of the plan of salvation. They were being taught that grace plus works equals salvation.
In the fifth chapter of this book, Paul addresses another form of bondage. It is bondage to the flesh, our old selves drawing us back into habits and lusts that make us captive to Satan. We fall into bondage to the very things for which Christ died to set us free.
Because we are only sinners saved by grace we sin on occasion. When we do this, we have forgiveness and restoration to fellowship with God as we confess our sins (1 John 1:9). The trouble is, so many of us never experience all the victory that God wants us to have! Therefore our testimonies suffer and our productivity for the Lord suffers as well.
If you have been born into the Family of God you are now a child of God (John 1:12). God has given you his Holy Spirit to indwell you. You have been born free of the penalty of sin. With the Holy Spirit's help you can be free from the power of sin. And in the future you will be free from the presence of sin. You have been born free!
The Book of Galatians deals with the problem of adding works and law keeping to salvation. The Book of Galatians shows us how to be free from the habits to which we find ourselves in bondage. This book can also teach us other valuable lessons concerning Christian doctrine and practical Christian living.
Galatians 1:1-5 introduces the Book of Galatians.
THE MAN - Vs. 1
Many of the books of the New Testament are epistles, or letters. In New Testament days one did not wait until the end to let someone know the identity of the writer. It was placed at the beginning in a greeting or salutation. The man who wrote this letter simply begins with his name, Paul.
When God chose people to write the various parts of the Bible, He always chose the appropriate person to write. God would use a writer's personality, background and circumstances as channels for the very words that He wanted said. 2 Peter 2:21
Paul was certainly the one who knew about being in bondage to the law. Paul certainly knew what it was to be set free from the works of law keeping. Philippians 3:1-8
THE MINISTRY - Vs. 1
Paul was an Apostle. An apostle was "one sent". He was an appointed ambassador, a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. He was a witness of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. God chose him for this ministry. Acts 9:15-16
THE MISSION - Vs. 2
Paul's mission or writing was to the churches in Galatia. The churches of Galatia were located in the Roman province of Galatia. Paul and Barnabas started several churches on their first missionary journey. You may read about these churches in Acts 13-14
Paul's mission was to strengthen these particular churches who were often plagued by false teachers who followed Paul around trying to add the doctrines of Old Testament Law to his teachings.
THE MESSAGE - Vss. 3-4
Paul shared his customary greeting or message of "grace and peace" from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE MOTIVE - Vs. 5
Paul's motive for writing this epistle and for everything else that he did was to bring glory to God and to his Lord and Savior.
Sermon Seeds E15, 6/18/01
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Colossians 3:16 etc.
WORSHIP IN MUSIC
Im not sure if Im brave or stupid. Speaking on music in the church is one way to get people angry in a hurry! However, the Bible speaks about music as a part of worship, and I feel we need to cover it. It is God who has given us the ability to perform and enjoy music. It is God who wants us to enjoy, play, and sing music for his sake.
One of the problems we have when we start talking about music is that we all have personal preferences. It is very easy for us older people to shun the music styles of the young, and it is very easy for you younger people to shun the music of us who are older.
According to Don Wyrtzen there have been five different movements in church music.
· The New England School Mostly European, classical in nature and stressed quality and excellence.
· The African-American Spiritual, which are folk songs coming from oral tradition.
· Southern Gospel the white counter part to African American.
· Romantic Gospel Music Most of the hymns we sing come from this genre and include the music of Fanny Crosby, George Beverly Shea, and John W. Peterson.
· And finally there is Contemporary Christian Music. The choruses we sing fall into this category.
Christian Music is big business. Again, according to Don Wyrtzen, Christian Music is the #5 top selling type of music.
It is a $1 billion a year business. And major secular companies have bought up the Christian recording companies. Information from Don Wyrtzen came from a seminar on Worship that he gave in Jonestown PA at the Jonestown Bible Church on October 11, 2003.
Most of us like music. And being human, when we come to church, we like to hear the type music that we like. But let me give you some thoughts:
· The primary purpose for using music is for worship, not for entertainment.
· Different types of music should help us experience different aspects of worship.
· A type of music that helps you worship may not be as helpful to someone else. A type of music that helps someone else worship may not be as helpful to you.
· You are a part of a family, the family of God. In this family we should be considerate of the needs of others in their worship experience.
· You may only like hymns, but worship choruses add something to the service.
· You may only like worship choruses, but hymns add something to the service.
· I repeat the primary purpose for using music is for worship, not for entertainment.
I want us to considerate what God has to say about music in worship. After all, when all is said and done it is God who needs to be pleased by our music.
MUSIC AND THE WORD
Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
The Word of Christ here refers to the Scriptures.
Here is an important truth. The Word and worship are connected. It is the Word of God that will lead you to the worship of God.
According to John MacArthur, the word dwell means to live in or to be at home. John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Colossians and Philemon, (Moody Press, Chicago, 1992), p. 159
And the word richly means abundantly.
So, for effective worship, Gods Word needs to be at home in my heart! Often, we sing but there is no music in our hearts. That is because the Word of God is not dwelling there.
How will the Word God dwell richly in my heart?
The Word of God will dwell richly in my heart, when I love the Word enough to read it and try to digest it by reflecting on it. Jeremiah 15:16, 2 Timothy 2:15,
And the Word of God will dwell richly in my heart when I love the Word enough to hear it preached and taught to me, and to digest it, and follow it. Preaching of Gods Word is to be profitable.
2 Timothy 4:2
And the Word of God will dwell richly in my heart when I memorize and meditate upon Scripture.
Psalm 119:15-16
So what happens when the Word of Christ dwells in me richly? I will be able to share with others through teaching and admonishing. That doesnt mean I have to preach a sermon or teach a Sunday School class. I will, however, be able to share what Gods Word says with someone else and gently warm them, if need be. So often, we cant help other Christians, because the Word of Christ is not dwelling in us.
Now look at what it says next,
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
If I am filled with the Word of God, I will sing to God. There will be psalms, and hymns, and Spiritual Songs. There is also to be grace or thankfulness when I sing.
The more I am filled with the Word of God, the more gratitude I will show to God.
So, for there to be music in your heart and thus true worship, the Word of God must dwell in you.
MUSIC AND THE SPIRIT
Ephesians 5:18-20 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; [19] Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; [20] Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
When a person is drunk with wine, he is controlled by wine. Many of you have met people who were very nice people, when they were sober. When they were not sober, they were very different people, and often nasty.
In contrast, Paul tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is God. To be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit.
When a person is controlled by the Spirit, he is controlled by God. And when a person is controlled by God, his behavior will be Godly. Galatians 5:22-23
When you are controlled by the Spirit, look at what happens.
There are psalms, hymns, and Spiritual Songs and there is a thankful heart! Thats exactly what it says will happen when we are filled with the Word as we saw in Colossians 1:16.
So, there is a connection between being filled with the Spirit and being filled with the Word. The more I am filled with the Word of God, doing as the Word tells me, the more I will be filled with the Spirit of God. The more I am filled with the Spirit of God, the more I will desire and allow the Word of God to control me.
Music is to be a result of Gods control in my life. The Spirit of God using the Word of God to control me.
The results are Psalms, hymns and Spiritual songs.
Psalms of course is the Book of Psalms.
And some of the songs we sing come right out of the Psalms.
Hymns are directed directly to God ascribing to Him glory and praise.
Spiritual Songs talk about our own personal experiences with God, and is our witness for God. Todays choruses would fall into this category.
When believers gather, the worship in music should be the result of people filled with the Word and filled with the Spirit expressing their gratitude to God.
We already told you how to be filled with the Word through reading, listening to, memorizing and meditating upon the Word of God.
To be filled with the Spirit, we must confess all known sin, yield to the teachings of Gods Word and ask God to have control over us by His Spirit.
Music is the result.
If worship with music is the result of the control of the Word of God and the Spirit of God, you should be preparing for public worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ, by practicing private worship during the week.
If you read, memorize and meditate during the week
If you are attentive to the Word of God when you hear it preached
If you strive to obey the teachings of Gods Word
If you seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit daily
Then you will be ready to worship on Sunday Morning with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual songs.
If you come filled with the Spirit and ready to worship on Sunday, even though you prefer hymns, you will be able to worship when we sing choruses.
If you come filled with the Spirit and the Word and ready to worship on Sunday, even though you prefer choruses, you will be able to worship when we sing hymns.
MUSIC AND THE VOICE
You may say, I dont have a good singing voice.
You may say, Im no singer.
You may say, I cant carry a tune in a bucket.
But God tells us to sing anyway.
Who better to sing the praises of God and too God then they who have been washed in the blood of the lamb?
Psalm 30:4 - Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Sing to God because He is holy.
Psalm 47:6-7 - Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. [7] For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
Sing to God because He is king.
Psalm 66:1-2 - Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: [2] Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
From the depths of my heart I am to make Gods praise glorious.
Psalm 71:23 - My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
I should sing to the Lord because He has redeemed me.
Psalm 98:1 - 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.
What marvelous things has God done for you! Sing from the depths of your heart!
Psalm 100:1-2 - Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. [2] Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Singing should be a habit in your life, not just a Sunday morning thing.
MUSIC AND THE BAND
Psalm 150:3-6 - Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. [4] Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. [5] Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. [6] Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
What instruments should be used in a worship service is largely a matter of personal taste.
There are those who have no instruments in there worship services.
There are others who stick with piano/and/or organ.
There are others who would add flutes, violins, trumpets and other traditional classical instruments.
And today there are many others going the route of drums, keyboards, and all sorts of guitars.
What I see in Psalm 150 is that God is open to the use of all sorts of instruments to praise Him.
I think the key to discerning how instruments should be used and what type of music should be sung is summed up in a few verses.
Psalm 150:6 - Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
The purpose of music in church is to praise the Lord.
If the music is played and sung by people because they are truly praising the Lord and not trying to bring glory to themselves, then that is good.
1 Peter 1:15-16 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
God is a holy God.
The music that is performed for him is to be totally set apart for him, and not be an imitation of an unsaved world.
Colossians 3:17 - And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Whatever I do in worship, whatever type of music I play in worship should be done in the name of Jesus. If Jesus wouldnt approve, then I shouldnt do it.
Colossians 3:23 -And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Whatever the style of worship, it should be done to the glory of God.
SERMON SEEDS G35, 10/20/03
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