The Holy Spirit
Acts 1:1-5 I: A Person: 1. Not an it, but a person. He can be grieved, rejected, blasphemed, and received. 2. He is always a symble of Power. 3. The spirit of God in action. II: O Testament: 1. Present in creation – Booded over creation. 2. The breath of life breathed into man. 3. Clothed himself with Gedion, came upon others. 4. Job said: “The breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” III: The Holy Spirit and the Christian: 1. Promised in: In their darkest hour, John 14:26, 16:6-15. 2. The Comforter, Teacher, and Reminder. John 14:26. 3. Would come when Jesus left! Jesus walked with them, the Holy Spirit would dwell within them. John 16:6. a. He would convict the World of sin – Cindy. b. He would convict the World of righteousness. c....
Victory Through Christ
Romans 8:37 I: Victory Through His Word: 1. The early Christians recognized the Word of God as being literally the message, plan, and command of God. 2. It was a faith more rock like than any human certainly. 3. Their lives demonstrated Faith against a Pagan background. II: Victory through Love: 1. From every walk of life He called them with words of love. 2. They loved one another, their fellowship and their church with an unquenchable love. 3. They loved a lost and dying world, from door to door, from crowds to individuals, from city to country, from Kingdom to kingdom. 4. Their entier attitude was changed by love. III: Victory through Joy: 1. Christianity was full of joy, but never a joy ride. 2. Not a performance to please an external God, but indwelt by the...
Tithe in the Old Testament
Malachi 3:7-18, Leviticus 27:30-34 I: This is the sore sport in Stewardship: 1. If a man is right on this question, he is usually faithful in all his Stewardship. 2. What is money? Metal, silver, gold, and copper. 3. It’s a medium of exchange. 4. It’s a standard of value. 5. Money is coined personality, it represents a certain amount of my time and talent. 6. “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Timothy 1 6:10. II: The Tithe keeps a proper attitude as to who owns this old world. 1. An ancient custom of Pagan people. Egypt, Babylon, Cyrus, Clay tablets found in Assyria and Egypt tell of tithing, 3,800 yrs. before Christ. 2. The Patriarchs: a. Abraham tithed to Melchezdek, (Why)? b. Jacob vowed to tithe when he felt lonely...
The Work of the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:1-, John 16:1-14 I: “Comforter, Advocate, and Paroclete.”: 1. Their hearts were filled with sorrow. 2. The way of the Cross was for their salvation. 3. The return to the Father was for their good. 4. The Holy Spirit would be everywhere in every believers heart and life. II: Reprover: “When He is come.” Personal. 1. Convict the World of Sin: Leave them without excuse. a. They will know they are sinners. b. The Cardinal sin is rejection of Jesus. 2. Convict – The word of righteousness. Man’s sin reached its heights when he killed the Son of God. God raised him from the dead and proved that Jesus was right. 3. Convict – The word of judgement. The Prince of this world was judged and will be judged. It’s...
Weary in Well Doing
Matthew 26:31-46, Thessalonians 2 3:13 I: What is Well Doing? 1. Any work that exalts Christ. 2. Feeding the hungry, thirsty, clothing, etc. Matthew 25:31-46. 3. The poor, widows, the ignorant, sick, fallen, dispondent, discouraged, and the wayward. II: What causes weariness in well doing? 1. Unreasonable and wicked men. vs. 2. 2. The disorderly walk of other Christians. vs. 6. 3. Lazy, disorderly, busybodies. III: “Be not weary in well doing.” 1. The athelete trudges on to victory. 2. The false religions to 2 by 2. 3. The World puts us to shame in its drives. 4. Remember that Jesus grew weary and tired, but always went about doing good. Let us not give up and drag his banner in the dust of Grover...
Proving God with Tithes and Offerings
Malachi 3:8-10 Here is a distinct challenge from God that’s found no other place in the Bible. This challange is made up of 2 things: Bring all the tithes and offerings to God’s house, God promises to bless. I: The Complaints of God: 1. The whole nation has robbed God. a. God’s people knew 2 things: i. God demanded a definate portion of their income to be brought to His house. ii. They knew that they had kept money for themselves that belonged to God. 2. There were 3 kings of Defaulters: a. Some never recognized God’s portion by giving, (never paid). b. Some gave on special occasions. c. Some gave regularly but not according to God’s standards. II: The Curse of God upon them: 1. Upon their Farms and Fruit Trees. 2. Upon their...
Second Hand Religion not Enough
Job 42:1-12 We Americans are a peculiar people. Like the men of ancient Athens, we like new things. We will endure 2nd hand things, but with a grudge. This is true in every phase of our life except the most important. Too often we are satisfied with a 2nd hand experience of God that leaves us luke-warm in a world that is on Fire of Hell. I: A Personal Experience with God: 1. Job hadn’t seen God face to face. 2. Job had been told of God and his requirements. 3. Job had served God with the knowledge he had. 4. But Job needed a new and vital knowledge of God. 5. It’s not enough to believe God. One must walk daily with God. 6. One can’t walk with God and be content with lukewarm living. 7. When Trials come to one who doesn’t have a face to...
Salting Our Community
Matthew 5:13 Jesus looked upon the heart-sickening effect of sin upon the Ancient World and realized that true Christianity would be like Salt. I: Salt keeps fron rotting, A taste all its own. 1. The Sea of Galilee is 680 ft. below the Mediterranean Sea. Temperature usually above 90 degrees. 2. Sweet things soon turn sour and fresh things soon become rancid. 3. These people couldn’t live without salt. 4. Christians are salt to keep moral health, the natural enemies of moral disease. 5. Where sin threatens decay, the Christian salt should be there to stop it. 6. Preserves, flavors, and heals. II: What attitude must we take? 1. Rotteness in our own lives. 2. In Literature. 3. Rotteness in attitudes of slothfulness. 4. Rotteness of grudge and hate. 5....
Stewards of the Mysteries of God
Cor. 1 4:1-2, Cor. 2 4:1-7, and 5:17-20 Blind trumpeter of Pasadenia, (1741 Beya Reconsile). The greatest mystery of the Ages is the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I: The Mysteries of the Ancient Past: 1. It seems that we live in a day when everyone likes a mystery. 2. We have the mysteries of the past told by Archeology. 3. We have the mysteries of Science, that are guarded with great care. 4. There is the mystery of the A and H bombs. 5. There is the mystery of Biological Warfare. 6. There is the mystery of inhuman machines. II: The greatest mystery of the Ages and Eternity is how a soul can be born again. 1. The Israelites were keepers of that mystery for hundreds of years. a. They had the formula by which men could come to God. b. They became...
The Doom of a Fruitless Vine
Isaiah 5:, John 15:, and Matthew 21:18-21 I: The Opportunities of this Vineyard: 1. “A very fruitful hill.” 2. “He fences it.” (Protection). 3. “And gathered out the stones.” 4. “Planted it with the choicest vine.” 5. “Built a tower in the midst of it.” 6. “Made a vine press therein.” 7. What more could He have done? How near does our life compare with this Vineyard? II: “He looked that it should bring forth grapes.” 1. He had every right to accept fruit. (Expectations) 2. He expected good fruit and not wild bitter grapes. 3. Where grace doesn’t work, corruption will. 4. How much like the vineyard when we produce grapes of malice, envy, unfairness, contencious, cursings,...
Lord of Talent and Time
Matthew 25:24-30 Each gave us about as lazy as circumstances will permit. I: Three Parables: 1. Lord of the Household: Servants responsible for harmony while He is away. 2. Lord of the Personal Life: Servants responsible for their personal lamps burning. 3. Lord of the Merchandise of Life: Servant a steward of the Masters goods. II: “The Kingdom of Heaven is as a man…” 1. In truth a King takes a journey. 2. His good must be cared for. 3. Teh logical ones are his own servants. 4. He gave them goods according to their ability. 5. Goods – Material to build His kingdom. III: A long time passed. 1. The Servant of 5 talents began to trade and make gain. 2. The Servant with 2 talents did likewise. 3. The Servant with 1 talent burried it and...
But Not Without God
Isaiah 40:28-31, Mark 6:31, and Matthew 5:13-16 I: Liberty has its restrictions. 1. A vacation is liberty from the same old coutine. 2. Definite Prohibitions: a. “Flee from idolotry.” vs. 14. Placing anything before God. b. “I wouldn’t that ye should have fellowship with devils.” No sacrifice to Pagan Gods. c. The buying of meat that was a sacrifice to Heathen Gods. d. All this that others might not stumble at our way of life. II: A Vacation that will Glorify God: 1. Means to make Spiritual Preparations. a. A family prayer and discussion. b. Bibles and periodicals. c. Don’t use Sunday completely for travel. d. Have a daily time of prayer and Bible reading. 2. Don’t rob God’s Financial Plans! a. A vacation with money...
