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"...Shepherd the flock of God which is among
you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2)
Elders
Morris Bass, Rick Holt , Joe
Price |
"...let them serve as deacons,
being found blameless..." (1 Tim. 3:10)
Deacons
Aaron Bass, Rich Brooks, Mike Finn
John Hague, Dan Head |
"And take...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)
In this issue:
"Do I Have To?"
New Testament
Characters Who Believed in Creation
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
More on “Do I Have To?”
"Do I Have To?"
Joe R. Price
Most parents have heard that question before. Children have a way of
testing you to see if you really mean what you say. As parents, we teach
our children to understand that we do indeed mean what we say, and that we
expect them to do what we say (Heb. 12:9-10). We want them to do what is
best for them, what will keep them out of danger and what will help them be
better people (Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:20; Heb. 12:11).
The commandments of God, our
heavenly Father, are in our best interests. They are for our eternal well
being. We must not be like little children saying to God, “Do I have
to?” when He commands us. Instead, “shall we not much more readily be in
subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” (Heb. 12:9) For
instance:
“Do I have to be
baptized to be saved?”
Did you know we never
find that question being asked in the New Testament? Instead, people asked,
“What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37); “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
(Acts 9:6); and, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) Christ
commands the lost to be baptized into Him for the remission of sins (Mk.
16:16; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21). It is His means of washing away
our sins by His blood (Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4). It is not our place to ask
“Do I have to?” It is our place to be in subjection by obeying His
will.
“Do I have to attend
every worship service of the church?”
Early Christians made it a habit
to assemble together to worship God and edify each other (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1
Cor. 11:20). Although some made a habit of being absent, this was (is) a
willful sin against God (Heb. 10:24-26). When we see the spiritual benefits
and blessings of worshiping God it will not be viewed as drudgery (1 Jno.
5:3). Surely, the God who has saved us from our sins should not hear from
us the unthinking retort, “Do I have to attend the worship services?”
“Do I have to study my
Bible regularly?”
What a blessing it is to have a Bible to read and understand (Jno. 8:32;
Acts 17:11; Eph. 3:3-5; Heb. 4:12). The God who saves us is the God who has
revealed His mind to us through the inspired words of Christ’s apostles and
prophets (Jno. 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10-13). Every person who wants God’s
approval will study God’s word so that he can conform himself to the will of
God (2 Tim. 2:15). How sad to know of Christians who seldom open the Bible
to be thoroughly equipped for every good work of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
“Do I have to?” No,
you do not have to obey God. You can choose to disobey Him. But,
God will only save those who obey Jesus Christ (Heb. 5:8-9). So, rather
than ask, “Do I have to?”, we ought to ask, “Lord, what do you want
me to do?”
Top
New Testament Characters Who Believed in Creation
JESUS: “But from the beginning
of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’” (Mark 10:6)
EARLY CHRISTIANS: “So when they
heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord,
You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in
them…” (Acts 4:24)
PAUL & BARNABAS: “We also are
men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from
these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the
sea, and all things that are in them...” (Acts 14:15)
JOHN: “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)
PETER: “...knowing this first:
that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own
lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of
creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water…”
(2 Peter 3:3-5)
MEN & WOMEN OF FAITH: “By faith
we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the
things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” (Hebrews
11:3)
HEAVENLY BEINGS: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist
and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Peer Pressure
Scripture Reading: Proverbs
1:10-19
I. PEER PRESSURE: KNOWING OUR
ENEMY.
A.
Defining Peer Pressure: “Social pressure by members of one’s peer group to
take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order
to be accepted.”
B. Tactics: Who is Affected? [EVERYONE]
C. Bible Warnings to Avoid Peer Pressure to do Evil – Exo. 23:2; Prov.
1:10-15; 4:14-15; 1 Cor. 15:33-34; Psa. 1:1-2.
D. Bible Failures & Successes:
1. Noah (Gen. 6:5-9, 22).
2. Aaron (Exo. 32:1, 21-24).
3. Joshua & Caleb (Num. 13:26-14:10).
4. Rulers (Jno. 12:42-43).
5. Peter (Matt. 26:69-75).
6. Jesus (Matt. 26:56).
II. DARE
TO BE DIFFERENT…DARE TO BE RIGHT!
A.
Courage & Conviction – Josh. 24:14-15; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 6:10-13.
B. Set & Keep Godly Priorities – Matt. 6:33; 1 Pet. 4:14-16 (Acts 5:29).
C. The Cost of being a Christian.
1. Heaven’s standpoint: Death of Son of God.
2. Earth’s standpoint: Denial of self – Matt. 16:24-26 (cf. Phil.
3:4-8).
Conclusion
1.
Solution? Seek heavenly approval rather than earthly, to please God before
men – Gal. 1:10; 1 Ths. 4:1.
2. Have you failed to obey the gospel because you were afraid of what
others might say or think?
3. Fear God, not man – Matt. 10:28 (33).
4. Don’t be ashamed of Christ – Mk. 8:38.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Bible Question Box: Angels (Dec
2004)
Scripture Reading:
Psalms 148:1-6
Questions:
Could you explain the purpose of angels? Are they active in our lives
today? How would you start a conversation with someone who believes in
guardian angels?
I.
PURPOSE OF ANGELS:
Ministering Spirits, Psa. 103:20-21; Heb. 1:13-14.
A.
Definition of Angel: “Messenger.”
B. Origin & Nature: – Psa. 148:1-5.
1. Created – Col. 1:16.
2. Called “sons of God” – Job 38:4-7 (1:6).
3. Above humans – Psa. 8:4-5; 1 Cor. 6:3.
4. Free will, can sin, no redemption – 2 Pet. 2:4 (Jude 6).
5. Limited knowledge – Matt. 24:36; 1 Pet. 1:10-12; Eph. 3:10-11.
6. Do not marry – Matt. 22:30.
7. Not to be worshiped – Rev. 22:8-9 (5:11).
II. ARE
THEY ACTIVE IN OUR LIVES TODAY?
A. Past:
Delivered Divine Messages to Man (Heb. 1:1) – Acts 7:38, 53; Gal. 3:19; Heb.
2:2; Acts 5:19-20; 8:26; 10:3-6; Rev. 1:1; Gal. 1:8.
B. Present: Serve before God’s Throne on Behalf of God’s People & Fight
for God’s People – Heb. 1:14; Rev. 12:7-8 (Dan. 12:1).
C. Future: Lk. 16:22; Matt. 13:49; 2 Ths. 1:7 (Matt. 13:41).
III. WHAT
ABOUT GUARDIAN ANGELS?
A.
Catholic Definition: Not in Bible.
B. Angels are Interested in us – Matt. 18:10
1. Sympathetic to the fortunes of men (rejoice when sinners
repent, Lk. 15:10).
2. Concerned for our salvation – 1 Pet. 1:12.
3. Serve people of God to accomplish God’s will & work on our behalf –
Heb. 1:14 (Rev. 22:9).
Conclusion. Heb.
12:22-23; Lk. 12:8-9; Rev. 7:11-12
Top
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
More on “Do I
Have To?”
Joe R. Price
Recently a Utah man, who was
given a traffic ticket for driving with a burnt-out headlight, paid his $82
fine with 8,200 pennies. Court officials were not amused and are trying to
obtain a different form of payment. The man says “money is money” and coins
are legal tender.
This reminds me of the way we may
be tempted to handle the sin we commit against others. After wronging
someone by word or deed, we may not be entirely convinced we were in the
wrong, but, finally we “give in” and “apologize”. If it be suggested that
we did not truly repent, but only reported our wrong, we may be heard to
reply in frustration, “I did what I had to do!” When in truth, we know our
motive for doing so was not godly sorrow, but just to satisfy someone else
(2 Cor. 7:9-10). Like the man paying his fine with thousands of pennies,
the heart is not in such an “apology”. Do we just “do what we have to do”
when confronted with our sin? Or, do we genuinely grieve over our sin and
repent from a heart that is contrite and humble before God? (Psa. 51:17;
Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matt. 15:8)
Just “doing” what
God commands, when it does not come from a heart of faith, will not please
God. Faithful Christians do the will of God because they want to,
not because they have to.
Top
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