Philemon 1: Gospel in Action

Philemon chapter 1: Gospel in Action

A:  Characteristics of a Christian (4-5)
 Change in lifestyle is visible
 Other people notice an outward change in your life and attitude towards others
 Your lifestyle gives encouragement to other  believers and church leaders

B: Encouragement to Christian (6)
 Continue Sharing of faith
 Faith should  become effective
 Sharing of faith will produce full knowledge

C:  Fruits of Faithfulness to Christ (7)
 Brings Joy to the saints
 Provides comfort to the saints
 Refreshes Hearts of the saints

 D: Christian life in action (8-25)
 A Loving appeal is better than an authoritative command
 Believers must face consequences of their actions committed before they were saved
 Paul’s promise of restitution towards Philemon reminds us what Jesus has done for us
 Forgiveness  brings joy  and refreshes hearts of others


Audio (Wrong Audio Title):

John 12:20-26 - Resolved to Follow the Savior (Part 1)

SERMON OUTLINE 1-10-16

John 12:20-26

"RESOLVED TO FOLLOW THE SAVIOR"

John 12:24 24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

1. When you are compelled to know what God is doing, look to Jesus. (John 12:20-22)

     --A group of Greeks came looking for Jesus.

     --Phillip and Andrew went to Jesus.

     --We need to go to Jesus when we are curious, confused or bruised.

2. Jesus responds to what you need to know over your immediate circumstances. (John 12:23-26)

     --All the dots of Jesus' life and purpose are connected. (23-24)

     --Not only does Jesus connect the dots of His life and purpose, Jesus connects the dots for your life and purpose. (25-26)

3. We need to resolve to be telling our stories. (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:2)

     --We're wired for story.

         Times of Crises (Acts 21:12-13)

         Day to Day (Colossians 4:5; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 Corinthians 2:3-5)

     --Basic Story Telling, Witnessing Guidelines:

         Resolve to remember that You are not the main character of your story. (Jeremiah 17:9)

         Resolve to not be embarrassed, or ashamed to testify to the truth. (2 Timothy 1:8)

         Resolve to tell your eye witness, first person account. And use your words. (Acts 26:16)

         Resolve to follow through. (John 1:45-46)

I Am Resolved

I am resolved to go to the Savior,                    

Leaving my sin and strife;

He is the true One, He is the just One,

He hath the words of life.

I am resolved to follow the Savior,

Faithful and true each day;

Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,

He is the living Way.

I am resolved, and who will go with me?

Come, friends, without delay,

Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,

We’ll walk the heav’nly way.

Refrain:  I will hasten to Him,

                Hasten so glad and free;

                Jesus, greatest, highest,

                I will come to Thee. 

Ezekiel 33: 1-20 - God’s Promise of Restoration (Part 1)

God’s Promise of Restoration
Ezekiel 33: 1-20

A. Prophet as watchmen:

• The word “Watchmen” can be translated as “to look out” or “look about”
• Watchmen are supposed to look out for danger and warn people 
• The Prophet Ezekiel was asked to warn people of danger

B. Role of watchmen:

• God is using humans to communicate His message to His people
• Warning comes from God to bring people to repentance

C. How can we apply this in today’s church?

• The Role of a Pastor 
• Preaching and Teaching the Word of God 

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching”.
D. The Role of the Church

• The church is the Body of Christ, doing work for the purpose of glorifying God
• The Church has to seek the lost 
• The Church should be faithful to the Word of God
• The Church should be faithful to go, teach, and Baptize and teach those who are Baptized, Matthew 28;19-20

E. The Responsibility of a believer to his family

• Parents must teach the commandments of God to their Children, Deuteronomy 6: 5-7
• The Disciples knew the importance of teaching God’s commandments to children, Acts 28, “ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
• Prerequisite for someone to become a spiritual leader in the church is to be an effective spiritual leader in their home, 1st Timothy 3:1-7, 
• Titus 1:6. “if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination”.

F. Why does this matter

• God has promised that the sins of the wicked shall not be remembered against him, Ezekiel 33: 16
• This is amazing promise of forgiveness 

Audio:

Hebrews 2 - But We Do See Jesus! (Part 1)

Luke 2, Matthew 2, Hebrews 2
Title: "But We Do See Jesus!"

1. In Luke 2, God reveals the beautiful side of Christmas!

2. In Matthew 2, God reveals the dark side of Christmas!

• Matthew 2:12-23
• Hebrews 2:8

3. In Hebrews 2, God tells the completed story of Christmas!

•  Hebrews 2:9-11
•  God perfected the author of our salvation through sufferings. 
•  God perfects the saved through sufferings. 

Audio:

John 10:10 - Jesus came to give Life (Part 4)

Advent, Part 4

Jesus came to give Life

John 10:10

John 10:10: “Jesus came to give Life”
 - Jesus Referred as the Shepherd: “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11)
 - “I am” proclamations point to His exclusive, divine character and purpose.
 - Ezekiel 34, fulfilled by Jesus.  There are a number of places where Jesus is referred to as that  Good Shepherd.
 - New Life is the Spiritual Life:

John 5:24. Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life”

We need Life because we were dead in our sins:
 - I. “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcised of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses”, Colossians 2:13
 - II. “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” Ephesians 2:5

How do we receive His Gift Of Life
 - I. To receive Christ, you must recognize him for who he really is, “If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority”. John 7:17
 - II. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.. John 1:11–13
 - III. Receiving him is to believe in all that he is.

Benefits of a New Life in Jesus:
 - I. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthian 5:17.
 - II. We are reconciled with God and found blameless,  “21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” Colossians 1: 21-22
 - III. No longer living in darkness, the people dwelling in darkness  have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,  on them a light has dawned.”

Audio:

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 - Christ Came To Fulfill Righteousness (Part 3)

Advent

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Christ Came To Fulfill Righteousness

I. Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15) What was missing?
    A. What was missing from God's character? NOTHING! All righteousness is God's character.
        -Only Righteous God (Psalm 25:8; Isaiah 45:21; 2 Peter 1:4)
        -The Word (Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Psalm 33:4)
        -All that is necessary (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

    B. What was missing from the old covenant? NOTHING!
        -The Law (Romans 2:13 "doers of the law will be justified")
        -Old covenant (Hebrews 8:7-13 the fault was with the people)
        -OT Roll of Faithful (Hebrews 11 "heirs of righteousness according to faith;" "performed acts of righteousness;")

    C. What did Jesus bring that righteousness required? EVERYTHING!
        -Jesus didn't abolish the Law, the old covenant, He completed the promise of God to Abraham.
       -The Law made obsolete (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews 8:13)
        -Way, Truth, Life (John 14:6 "no one comes to the Father but through Me."
        -Resurrection and life (John 11:25-26 "Do you believe this?" John 3:16)

II. Our righteousness is fulfilled in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
    A. Why do we live and struggle as though Christ is not enough?
        -Our internal conflict (Galatians 5:17 the Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other)
        -Our separating sin (Isaiah 59:2 "your iniquities have made a separation between you and God")
        -Our wake up call (1 Corinthians 15:34 "I speak this to your shame.")
        -Reconciling crucible (2 Corinthians 5:20b "We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God")

    B. Christ is enough (2 Corinthians 12:9 "my grace is sufficient for you")

CONCLUSION

2 Corinthians 5:21 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God."

Audio:

Matthew 10:16-39 - Jesus Came to Bring A Sword (Part 2)

Advent, Part 2

Jesus Came to Bring A Sword

Matthew 10:16-39

I. The Sword of Advent
A. WHAT: There will be separation between Christians and the world (10:34-36)
- We are different, but we are sent into the world.
B. WHY: Jesus calls us to supreme love and allegiance.
- Greater than family relationships (10:37)
- Complete and All-encompassing (10:38)
- Not because we are jerks (10:16, 1 Peter 3:15-16)
- Not because we are better.


II. The Security of Advent
- We will be saved - therefore we endure. (10:22)
- He knows all - therefore we don’t fear. (10:29-30)
- He will acknowledge us - therefore we acknowledge him. (10:32-33)
- He will give true life - therefore we give him our life. (10:39)

Audio: