Question of the week:
In Exodus, chapters 19-20 we read that God Almighty inaugurated a covenant with Moses, which we know as the OLD COVENANT. This took place on top of Mount Sinai. WHEN was the NEW COVENANT inaugurated and with WHOM?
Jewell, Iowa
COMMITTED to train men and women
to have minds for the Lord Jesus,
hearts for the truth, and
hands that are skilled to the task.
to have minds for the Lord Jesus,
hearts for the truth, and
hands that are skilled to the task.
"Church" Tagged Sermons
Matthew 22:23-40 1. They missed WHAT GOD SAID Matthew 22:23-32 2. They missed THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRIPTURES Matthew 22:23-24; Acts 1:8; John 14:15-18; John 16:12-15 3. They missed WHAT THE RESURRECTION IS ALL ABOUT Matthew 22:29b-32 4. They missed THE POWER TO OBEY THE GREAT COMMANDMENT Matthew 22:34-40
1 Corinthians 12:12-31 1. Working together AS A CHURCH FAMILY 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Ephesians 4:11-16 2. Working together IN YOUR FAMILY 1 Timothy 3:4-5 3. Working together WITH THE HOLY…
The Apostle Paul established this church about A.D. 50-51, when he spent 18 months there on his second missionary journey. We can find these details in Acts 18:1-17. During his 3rd missionary journey, about 5 years later, he stayed in Ephesus for about 3 years, and during this time he received disturbing reports concerning problems among believers in Corinth. He wrote a letter which we know as the lost first letter to this church at Corinth.
Shortly afterward, a delegation sent by a member of the church at Corinth (Chloe) reported to Paul that there were divisive factions in the church. Paul did not immediately respond. Then another delegation from Corinth arrived with a letter asking Paul certain questions (1 Corinthians 7:1 and 16:17). The first thing Paul did was sending Timothy to Corinth to help correct the problems there. (1 Corinthians 4:17). He then also wrote the letter that we know as 1 Corinthians, expecting it to reach Corinth before Timothy would arrive. (16:10)
If we would analyze this letter carefully, we find that Paul responds to 10 separate problems;
• A sectarian spirit
• Incest
• Lawsuits
• Fornication
• Marriage and divorce
• Eating food offered to idols
• Wearing the veil (head covering)
• The Lord’s supper
• Spiritual gifts
• The resurrection of the body
How does the Apostle Paul address all these problems at once?
He reminds the church that they have to rediscover the true foundation, which is Jesus Christ, as a counter to all human boasting.
WE learn that no matter what local church we attend, believing that there is one without problems between individual members would be at best naïve, at worst, deceptive.The question is not if a Bible preaching, Holy Spirit led church can have problems, but rather, HOW CAN SUCH PROBLEMS BE SOLVED AND THE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE AND THE LOCAL BODY AS A WHOLE LEARN FROM IT AND BECOME BETTER, NOT BITTER.
The purpose of our church is summarized in a single sentence based upon two key Scriptures:
1. A Great Commitment to the GREAT COMMANDMENT
2. A Great Commitment to the GREAT COMMISSION
What does it mean to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind? When we deviate just 5% from this commandment and love anything more than God, we are on dangerous grounds. The temptation is always present to love and protect our ministry or people we feel God has given us. Or to love my reputation and my position more than I love God. Or I love a certain program more than I love God.
There is a fundamental flaw in such thinking. WHY?
Because no human being, no program, no ministry, no reputation, no calling, can DO WHAT ONLY GOD CAN DO.
When a program starts making disciples after themselves, it needs to shut down, period. Changing leadership is not the answer, because the culture in a certain ministry has its root in the spiritual place. People begin to think what they have heard or observed, even if it is contrary to Scripture.
This is very important to know, because when our commitment to the program is greater than the commitment to the Lord Himself and his established authority, everything breaks down. Now all we want to be involved in is our program.
The Apostle Paul had to deal with that in in Corinth, and I had to deal with that in our church. While such corrections are painful and easily can be misunderstood or misinterpreted, they are absolutely necessary.
In this church, we always want to be committed to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. As a family, some of us need to rediscover our foundation and ask the Lord to bring those Biblical truths to our remembrance daily.
Jesus is being identified as the Son of God in this passage alone. This is the only time in this book where Jesus is called the Son of God, which makes me believe that this church is meeting Jesus not as their advocate, their intercessor, but instead as the ultimate JUDGE.
And this Judge is missing nothing. His eyes like a flame of fire means that nothing can be hidden from him.
Yes, we as Christians can fall into sexual immorality, and idolatry, but we are not to have such a life style. And certainly teaching others in the church that such a life style is acceptable to God is bringing the judgment of God upon those who do so and the church that is tolerating such teachings.
The Lord said that He gave this false prophetess time to repent, but she loved DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT. She simply refused to accept the Word of God and to live accordingly.
Remember, the church in Thyatira was commended for their works, especially their works. But such work, when it replaces FAITH, which is a form of spiritual idolatry, is introduced to a church that is under God’s judgment.
How can we say that we believe that one day we shall rule and reign with the Lord on the earth? In order to get the Biblical answer to this question, we will study the life of Joseph, because God used him as an example to show us His WAYS AND METHODS to train us for ruler ship. GOD HAS PROVIDED EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PLAN. When you become born again, you will receive a special gift with a special meaning. The Holy Spirit will be given to you as a deposit, a guarantee that we are heirs of God, children of God, and we will rule and reign with him.
When we come to Christ, we may be pure, but certainly not mature. Maturity comes only through years of suffering. And genuine love is only attained through such suffering. And without such love, there is no ruler ship. Even when it may see that dark clouds hover over our lives, the Lord is at work, superintending the details. Like we see in Joseph’s life, God is always working on our behalf.
What is it that these disciples did not understand, yet the child Jesus brought into their midst did understand? How could this be that the Disciples who where chosen by the Lord Himself to become the Apostles, the movers and shakers of the 1st century, could not understand what this little child understood? Scientific studies and tests show that a child’s creativity – which includes imagination and wonder – diminished by 90 % between ages 5 and 7. When adults get to be 40, they have about 2 % of the creativity they had when they were 5 years old.
The more we know about God, the more overwhelmed we are with wonder.
Moses was changed because he was amazed by something God did in his life.