December 30th, 2007
Back to basics, (looking back, looking ahead.)
Intro…Lee Strobel VIDEO
By attending church on a regular basis you open yourself up to God and everything he has to offer.
God's will for your life will start to influence your decisions, things like:
Why do we go to church? Why is tithing so essential? Prayer, Bible reading, home fellowships/small groups, sharing our faith.
Today and next Sunday we'll look at some of the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
How many of you were raised going to church?
How many of your started going to church when you were old enough to make that choice for yourself (like the Lee Strobel video)?
What were some of the reasons you started to make church/God a regular part of your life?
Text: Psalm 119:97-105
If you are using the Bible as a guide for your life, it is essential to realize that the Bible tells us to be in church, tithe, pray, read the Bible, be in relationships and share our faith.
We need to be in church on a regular basis to honor/worship God and to be in accountable relationships.
Genesis 35:1-5
Jacob and Esau were fighting ever since Jacob tricked Esau out of his birthright. Eventually they reconcile (32) and Jacob returns to Bethel to renew the covenant God had made with Abraham.
In this story of Jacob we see a great example of a person listening to God and being in his presence.
V. 1 "God said to Jacob" God is speaking to us today also, are we listening? "Be in my presence" (Go up to Bethel)
V. 2 Get rid of the foreign gods, purify yourself, change your "clothes" or attitude or life or sin habits.
V. 3 "Build an altar to God" God deserves something significant from our lives. What are you building for God that will last forever?
V. 3 God will answer us, when we're in distress as well as when we're not.
V. 4 Jacob cleaned house, got rid of the foreign gods and bad influences…
V. 5 As they set out the terror (respect) of God fell upon the towns.
That can only happen when we are in regular fellowship with God.
Certainly that can happen anywhere, but by going to church we are opening ourselves up to that possibility more.
And remember, "church" happens anywhere. The church is us, not the building.
We need to give a portion of our income back to God so we are not so selfish.
Mark 12:41-44
Sometimes the whole concept of giving money to God (via the church) can be confusing and worrisome.
It's really a simple concept. We give back to God out of gratefulness for all he has given us.
God is only asking for a portion (10% suggested in Lev. 27:30) let's not be so stingy.
God is just waiting to provide for us and bless us when we give back to him.
And give with a pure heart, not begrudgingly. This poor woman sets quite an example for us. Remember, God loves a cheerful giver, 2 Cor. 9:7-8
2 Cor. 8:1-7 Remember, we are giving back to God.
We need to be in regular prayer because we can't figure out life with all its puzzles on our own.
Psalm 102: 1-2, 5, 12, 25, 27
The Psalms are so heart-felt, so real. Our prayers also need to be real and regular. Pray all the time about everything.
Psalm 102 reminds us to pray to God in our distress (v. 1-11) find confidence in God's sovereign purposes (v. 12-22) and remember the unchangeable nature of God (v. 23-28)
An example…something bad happens, death, loss of a job, house burns down…
Too often, our prayers always end up in the first category, distress…
How 'bout the prayer of confidence in God's sovereign purposes…?
Then reminding yourself that God doesn't change. That this circumstance was not a mistake. That God is still there…
Prayer doesn't have to be neat and tiddy with fancy King James language.
Prayer needs to be heartfelt, full of emotions and raw feelings, expressing our concerns and gratitude.
It's easy to pray consistently when everything is good and going our way. A sign of maturity in our Christian life is when we can pray to God, (trusting him) even when things are confusing.
Our prayer life needs to be as regular as our breathing… all the time.
Conclusion: Proverbs 3:5-6 (The In-n-Out verse)
December 23rd, 2007
James 5:19-20 Accountability
Intro…SDSU Campus Crusade Club…good to stay connected etc. At the time the quarterback for the Aztecs football team was going, which was pretty cool.
Unfortunately he got lured into a cult on campus and I never saw him again…
Most often church is a place to go to be loved and accepted by other Christians. (Remembering that the church is the people and not the building we meet in.)
It's our job as the people of Christ to hold each other accountable for faith and growth in Christ.
Yes, ultimately God does that but sometimes we need the physical interaction of another human being to bring us back to what we know is right.
Text: James 5:19-20
James is clearly speaking to the "brothers" fellow Christians here. This is our duty to bring each others back to the truth.
"Not all who wander all lost."
Here we are talking about more than just a sci fi wandering.
V. 20 makes it clear that the truth from which this wanderer turns is the saving truth of the gospel. (Big difference.)
Ironically, a book/movie like Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia can actually point people to God through Jesus…if you look deep enough and with spiritual eyes.
I was having a conversation with a good friend just last week about how a mark of maturity in the Christian faith is to be able to see when things aren't quite right.
Michael Dowd…ThankGodForEvolution.com Tons of endorsements, none by an evangelical Christian I recognized or knew was solid in their faith…except for one guy I've known for awhile…I need to apply this passage.
We should know the truths of the scripture so well, that recognizing a false doctrine is easy.
We need to be able to say to each other, "Can't you see this? It's false, don't go there, don't be fooled, come back to the truth."
"Wandering from the truth"…it happens all the time.
There are so many other "attractive" enticements out there that people end up wondering from what they know is true and right.
Yet James is telling us to make every effort to prevent that from happening in the body of Christ.
If we can keep others from wandering off it will save them from death, a spiritual death. (Greek: it "shall save his soul from death.") So it would seem that spiritual death is in view.
Scripture teaches that once a person is regenerated he can never be lost.
John 3:15-16, John 10:28-30
So James is referring here to one who had been among the believers and had made a profession of faith, but their profession had been superficial.
To bring them to genuine faith in the truth is to save their soul from eternal death.
The result of bringing the wanderer back is that "many sins" will be covered.
Genuine faith brings full forgiveness of the wanderer's sins.
1 Cor. 11:30
As difficult as it may be to win such a person to saving faith, the eternal results make it infinitely worthwhile.
A parallel passage is Hebrews 6:4-8.
This can refer to those who thought they were saved. They were so close, acted religious, went to church, Bible study etc. yet they are short of a true conversion, or salvation experience.
They have fallen away from the true knowledge of the truth, not personal possession of it.
Heb. 5:1-2, 11-6:1a This is a reminder of what we should be doing, (getting back to what I said earlier about knowing when some just isn't right) maturing in Christ.
In that light, this passage is a warning to genuine believers to mature in Christ.
"It is impossible for a student, once enrolled in a class, if he turns the clock back (which cannot be done), to start the course over. Therefore let all students go on to deeper knowledge." Charles Ryrie
Conclusion:
Grow deep in your faith so we can recognize false teachings or doctrines.
When we see someone we know getting pulled away, bring 'em back! (with love).
Words to Amazing Grace
James 5:19-20
My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.
VIDEO of Joseph believing Mary
December 16th, 2007
James 5:13-18 "The importance of Christian support"
Intro…as the video shows, taking care of others and especially your fellow Christians should be a hallmark of the Christian faith.
In James 5:13-18 James lays out for us some great practical advice when it comes to caring for each other.
While gift giving is good and appropriate all year long, taking the time to pray for someone is actually a better gift.
Text: James 5:13-18
Help from and for the Christian body: (vs. 13-16 remind us to pray in every circumstance and vs. 17-18 illustrate the effectiveness of sincere prayer.)
Having trouble in your life?
Pray…acknowledging that God is the ultimate healer and perspective giver.
As Christians we should be patient. Not grumbling in bitter disgust (v. 9), nor is he to express himself in oaths (v. 12). Instead, " pray."
Patience comes from God, and prayer is an effective way to obtain it.
Feeling good about yourself and your circumstances?
Sing praise to God. (Ps. 66:1-3)
Feeling sick?
Ask to be prayed for and maybe even anointed with oil.
"Pray" is the main verb, while "anoint" is a participle. And we must remember that the overall emphasis of vs. 13-16 is on prayer. So the anointing is a secondary action.
Oil is a symbol or token of God's presence and power. (Ps. 23:5, Luke 10:34).
It is a well-documented fact that oil was one of the most common medicines of biblical times. (Isaiah 1:6)
We need to remember, however, that just because we pray and ask for God's healing, that isn't a guarantee that we'll get healed, at least not how we think we need to be healed.
God can heal us directly, God can heal us through the help of doctors and medicine, either way we need to be in prayer about it, trusting God.
Nicholas and our boys prayers…
God could very well heal us in other ways we aren't expecting.
V. 15 reminds us that the healing that takes place will be the healing that God sees best for our lives. Key components:
A prayer offered up in faith (trusting God for his outcome).
Prayers of faith are answered not just because they are prayed in faith, but because they are prayed in the will of God. (James 4:13-15, I John 5:14.)
Will "restore" the one who is sick. Again that restoration could be physical, emotional, spiritual, financially, whatever God sees best for us.
God may not always think it's best to heal (2 Cor. 12:8)
In this case, the healing is dependent on confession of sin, and maybe that's what should be prayed for, primarily.
There is always the possibility that, because of persistence in sin, God sent sickness as a disciplinary action. (1Cor. 11:30)
God may "raise you up" in that your sins will be forgiven. Maybe that's the true healing or help you need in your life. GOSPEL
Thus, I encourage all of us to pray for God's healing in our lives and not just our own personal agenda.
Seek the wise counsel, love and support of your Christian brothers and sisters.
Rich V. his diabetes, bike crash etc…
v. 16 Yet another great step in seeking support from the Christian body of Christ.
Confess your sins to one another…(Communion intro/shared prayer requests)
Pray for one another (Not just this morning, but throughout the week as we are actively involved in each others lives.)
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
The "righteous" here refers to those whose sins have been confessed and forgiven. Their prayer is fully able to secure results, (within God's will) such as healing of the sick.
An example: Elijah. I Kings 17:1, 18:42-45
(1 Kings 17-18 does not explicitly say that Elijah prayed, but this may be assumed from 17:1 and especially from 18:42.)
Elijah was "just like us" he wasn't a superhero or extra close to God…
The explanation of his power in prayer is twofold: he was a righteous man, and "he prayed earnestly."
So James assures his readers that such answers to prayer are within the reach of any Christian.
Conclusion:
Prayer requests? Praying for each other, confession etc.
December 9th, 2007
James 5:12 "Be careful what you commit to"
Intro…. Animal house where they are swearing in as frat brothers…
Text: James 5:12
This verse is really about being careful what oaths you take, what you swear to, what you commit to.
We just don't want to commit to anything that is flippant, profane or blasphemous.
"I swear on my mothers grave" or "I swear, if ________ happens, then I'll _______.
Other "silly" oaths we used to take as kids, or even as adults?
James is echoing the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:33-37…
When we take oaths in the name of the Lord, they are binding. (Ex. 20:7, Deut. 19:16-19).
An oath to God is binding because he is the omniscient punisher of falsehoods. When we say something in the name of the Lord, it is hugely serious!
1 Sam. 14:39, "As the Lord lives…" (A story of rash vows, Saul not being chosen as the next king and his struggles with David, Jonathan and their friendship)
That's one of the reasons why in movies and in real life, people will swear by God's name.
Ordinary or non-divine phrasing or oaths just don't have the same depth or meaning.
That's another reason why people take the Lord's name in vain when cussing. Saying another god's name just doesn't have the same punch or meaning.
Isn't it amazing how that seems to be a given when it comes to using the Lord's name in vain/cussing? You just never hear a greek god name used when swearing.
Seems like even the non-Christians know what has the real power.
Jesus teaches us that we should say and mean yes or no and never equivocate.
We shouldn't have to say more than yes or no to establish the truth of a proposition.
Most often, anything extra is an attempt to dress up the truth. And that ends up being insincere or a vacillation.
In both Matthew (where Jesus is speaking) and in the book of James, they are referring to the casual or flippant use of oaths in informal conversation.
Formal oaths in such places as courts of law, or weddings or baptisms are different.
These oaths or swearing ins should be taken seriously. We are being asked to be trusted for our words.
IOW, if an oath or swearing in is a solemn affirmation of what you truly believe, that's ok.
Again, the oath you take when getting baptized at our church
Or wedding vows, or a commitment ceremony.
These should be public vows or oaths for all to hear and hold us accountable to.
Examples of oaths in the Bible.
OT law: Ex. 22:11
Words of Jesus: Matt. 26:63-64
Paul: Rom. 1:8-10, Gal 1:20 Have you ever said, "As God is my witness?"
God himself is said to have taken an oath. Ps 110:4
Rather than using an oath to convince people that a statement is true, the Christian should let their" 'Yes' be yes," and his " 'No,' no."
That is they should be honest in all their speech so that when they make an affirmation or denial people will know it is unquestionably the truth.
It is In the careless use of oaths that a person is in danger of taking God's name in vain, for which he will come under judgment (Exod 20:7).
If you are going to say "Yes" to something, it needs to be something you can fully commit to. If not, say no and don't commit to it.
Be a person of your word. Stick to your verbal commitments.
Conclusion:
Think about the verbal, public commitments you've made in your life.
Are you sticking to those?
Baptism?
Marriage?
What do you need to commit to today? Jesus Christ? GOSPEL
Take a moment and make a vow before God today in your heart…and then I'd like to give you the opportunity to stand and state that vow in front of the church if you'd like to…
December 2nd, 2007
James 5:1-11 "Riches vs. patience"
Intro…Great timing for a message like this. I heard that this year people are expected to spend 11 billion online shopping…
In our "get it now" culture we need to be reminded of patience, God's patience as we live our lives.
Text: James 5:1-11
Today's sermon is about "riches" and what you do with them and patience
A warning to the rich. Vs. 1-6
In verse 1, James warns of the coming judgment against, hoarded wealth (vv. 2-3); unpaid wages (v. 4); luxury and self- indulgence (v. 5), and the murder of innocent men (v. 6).
Every one of these sound bad…and they are!
As James wrote to this new church in Jerusalem one of the problems was the ungodly rich that were oppressing them.
In his letter, James is speaking to two distinct audiences.
In the first four chapters, James is addressing all Jewish Christians. But the first six verses in Chapter 5 are specifically addressed to wealthy Jews who he considers to be "rich oppressors."
These six verses are written similar to Old Testament verses that address pagans, so it is likely that these Jews are not Christians. (Yet even Christians have the same potential to let money corrupt them.)
James has harsh and direct words for them …weep, wail, misery, wealth has rotted you, corroded, eat your flesh, hoarded, crying, self-indulgence, fattened yourselves, condemned and murdered innocent men.
The tragic fact was that the rich had hoarded so much food and clothing that it was going to waste. Their crime was uncontrolled greed that resulted in oppression of the poor (v. 4).
The corrosion mentioned in vs. 3 was indication of how long the hoarded wealth had sat unused.
In vs. 5 James uses graphic imagery to indicate that the rich are on the brink of judgment. On the very day when judgment was due to come, they were fattening themselves, like cattle completely unaware of their impending destruction.
In vs. 6 The words "innocent men," literally means "righteous." More than being "innocent," they were believers. And they came largely from the ranks of the poor. The rich were guilty of attacking not merely a righteous man but a man who was defenseless or who refused to fight back.
OK, so maybe we are not fabulously wealthy, but we can still have these attitudes with our money and possessions, treating others as "less than you" just because you have more.
It can be with money, possessions, talent, gifts.
Have your possessions or money tainted your outlook on life?
When was the last time you went through your house and got rid of things you haven't touched in the last year?
Or recently made a donation, given to the poor or someone you know who could use something you aren't?
If you are sitting on something you never use, in a sense you are keeping that from someone who could use it.
This biggest potential problem with being "rich" is that it can keep you from God and develop an attitude of self-sufficiency.
In direct contrast to hoarding and self-indulgence is a reminder to be patient. Vs. 7-11
Compare James language in this section. Much more kind…patient, waits, stand firm, don't grumble, blessed, persevered, compassion and mercy.
These words accurately describe the direct contrast that the Christian life should have compared to someone who's god is money.
So, we know how we shouldn't be acting (v. 1-6) now here is a nice blueprint for how we should be acting.
These words concerning patience are built around three illustrations: the farmer (vv. 7-9); the prophets (v. 10); and Job (v. 11).
James now addresses the "brothers" now turning his attention from the unbelieving rich back to the believing Jews.
The Greek verb ("be patient") describes the attitude of self-restraint that does not try to get even for a wrong that has been done.
James calls for a patience toward the rich oppressors that will last "until the Lord's coming."
And that my friends, should be the difference in a Christians life and someone who serves another god.
Patience and love towards those that are not easy to love, people who mistreat you and even oppress you…
This is only possible through the power of God…GOSPEL
V. 7 Be patient until the Lords coming. We see the example of a patient farmer…
In Palestine the early rains came in October and November soon after the grain was sown, and the latter rains came in April and May as the grain was maturing. Both rainy seasons were necessary for a successful crop. Knowing this, the farmer was willing to wait patiently until both rains came and provided the needed moisture.
Are there seasons in your life that God is taking you through and asking you to be patient and trust him?
V. 8 Be patient and stand firm (in what you know if right and true) because the Lord's coming is near.
"stand firm." This literally means "strengthen your hearts," that is, be strong in the inner person. The verb has the idea of providing solid support, of establishing a person, and enabling him to stand unmoved by trouble.
We don't know when the Lord is going to return, but let's be ready! Jesus is coming….look busy.
Vs. 9 Watch the grumbling, treat each other kindly as loving brothers and sisters.
This grumbling speaks of inner distress more than open complaint. What is forbidden is not the loud and bitter denunciation of others but the unexpressed feeling of bitterness or the smothered resentment that may express itself in a groan or a sigh.
V. 10 If you need a reminder of patience in the face of suffering, remember the OT prophets.
Although James refers to "the prophets" as a group, Jeremiah certainly stands out as one who endured mistreatment with patience.
He was put in the stocks (Jer 20:2) thrown into prison (32:2), and lowered into a miry dungeon (38:6); yet he persisted in his ministry without bitterness or recrimination.
Men like this are a great model for us today who are oppressed and mistreated.
V. 11 And never forget that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Job's experience also was proof that "the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Because Job persevered, God gave him twice as much as he had before. Job is an amazing example of perseverance in difficult circumstances.
To sum up, in James 5:7-11 the author is urging his readers not to fight back but to exercise long-suffering patience toward the rich (or anyone else for that matter) who oppress them; and he is calling for stout-hearted perseverance in the trying circumstances that confront them.
Conclusion:
I'm guessing that most of us here are not struggling with our riches and treating others wrong because of those riches.
However, I know we can all use more patience, especially with those who are oppressing us, those we don't really like.
And like I said earlier, that is exactly who God is asking us to love and have patience with, those who don't treat us right.