Posts tagged non denominational
What's the Bible All About? Part 1 | Genesis
What's the Bible All About? Part 1 | Genesis

Series: Chaos to Covenant

Title: "What's the Bible all about?" Part 1

Scripture: Genesis 6:9-7:24

Genesis 8:1a; Matt 24:36-44; Hebrews 11:7-10

The Bible is all about God's story.

Here, Noah’s story is a snapshot of the Bible’s grand narrative—a holy God seeking to redeem, restore, and renew fallen creation by a merciful covenant through Jesus Christ. We also see that God's word is trustworthy. Are you on the boat?

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Our church deployed a third team to FL this past week for disaster relief in New Port Richey. (Show pics and video)

As they recover from hurricane Helene, the folks in western NC probably feel like they've experienced a flood of biblical proportions. But, in fact, they only got a small fraction of what the world experienced in the Noahic flood.

How many of each animal did Moses put on the ark? The answer is none because Noah is the one that put the animals on the ark actually, God did. Kind of a silly joke, but in fact, Moses is writing Genesis telling the story of Noah in Genesis six through nine.

Let's say you're having lunch with somebody and they ask you the question what is the Bible all about your answer could be basically telling them the story of Noah and the arc because in this story, we see the character of God on display and we see the purpose for which God has Done in creation and a way that explains the macro story of God.

CONTEXT

Spiraling from the fall into more and more evil, the Way of Cain is dominating the world stage while the Way of Seth is a mere remnant of people. They don't have much of God's word to live on. They don't have the ways of God spelled out to them. They are in need of light in the darkness.

But they do have a prophecy. A word from the Lord. (Gen 3:15)

A light to hang hope on.

After seeing the Way of Cain summarized in Cain's evil genealogy, it's followed by the Way of Seth and his genealogy. Adam and Eve are still alive and watching this unfold with I can't imagine how much guilt and anguish over what they've done. The only thing keeping them alive and sane is the hope in the few words of God in Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers (Jesus); he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal (at the cross)."

At the beginning of Seth's genealogy, we see God reminding us of how he created us--in his image. We were created God-like. Nothing in all of creation is more like God than humanity.

Now we're in a state of dreadful depravity. We're born sinners who are capable of incredibly evil attitudes, words and actions. And we don't have to look far to see not only the truth of that but that we're heading downhill towards a level of evil equal to that just prior to the Flood. But this reminder--that we're created in his image--is there to give us hope. Hope that the Way of Seth--the Way of Jesus--can and will deliver many from sin and death, shame and guilt, hell itself.

The whole thing here about the sons of God, daughters of men, and the Nephilim is simply there to show us how bad things had gotten in the world. To show us that “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬) To show us that things were so bad that God grieved and regretted that he'd created humanity in the first place. As a result, God would wipe out all of creation (except for the ones following the Way of Seth) and re-create the world.

SERMON

Outline modified from Bethancourt

I. GOD IS HOLY AND JUST. HE MUST PUNISH SIN. Noah and God's judgment (6:1-22) THIS WEEK

A. The purpose of God's judgment (6:1-7)

B. The patience of God's judgment (6:8-16)

C. The promise of God's judgment (6:17-22)

II. GOD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS LOVE MAKES A WAY BACK. Noah and God's rescue (7:1-8:19)

A. God rescues us from the penalty of his judgment (7:1-16)

B. God rescues us from the power of his judgment (7:17-24)

C. God rescues us from the presence of his judgment (8:1-19)

III. GOD IS SOVEREIGN CREATOR REDEEMING US THROUGH HIS SON'S COVENANT OF LOVE. Noah and God's covenant (8:20-9:29) NEXT WEEK

A. The Lord and the covenant with creation (8:20-22)

B. The Lord and the covenant with Noah (9:1-11)

C. The Lord and the sign of the covenant (9:12-17)

D. The Lord and the lineage of the covenant (9:18-29)

These are my main points today:

The flood story reveals four main characteristics of God. God is...

1. Holy and Just: God judges human wickedness, showing His intolerance for sin.

2. Gracious and Merciful: He offers time for repentance and preserves Noah’s family.

3. Faithful to keep his Promises: God promises to sustain creation, never to destroy it by flood again.

4. Sovereign Creator: He controls nature, demonstrating His power to both judge and restore.

These qualities reveal a God who is just, merciful, faithful, and sovereign, committed to both righteousness and renewal.

Said another way...

The story of Noah and the flood reflects the broader story of God in the Bible by capturing key themes of Creator-God, sovereignly creating a good world where humanity sins/falls and reaps judgment. Despite this, merciful God makes a way for wicked humanity to find redemption and restoration through the covenant relationship with Creator-God through Christ Jesus, our Savior.

CONCLUSION

What do I want them to know?

The story of God in macro and how our story fits in micro.

Why?

Because this is our mission: to show and tell the story of God through our story.

What do I want them to do?

Show and tell their story in the context of God's story.

Why?

Because this is why we're still here. This is how we rescue people close to us but far from God.

How?

By learning this macro story, seeing our story within that context, and then sharing that story with others where we live, work, learn and play.

Bottom line: Noah’s story is a snapshot of the Bible’s grand narrative—a holy God seeking to redeem, restore, and renew fallen creation by a merciful covenant through Jesus Christ. We also see that God's word is trustworthy. Are you on the boat?

At the end of the day, my question to you is this: "Are you in the boat?" Is your life protected from God's holy wrath? Have you entered through the only door to salvation? His name is Jesus.

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Pray

NOTES

Good summary:

"The story of the flood in Genesis (chapters 6–9) tells us much about God’s character, values, and the way He engages with humanity. Here are some of the primary ways it reveals who God is:

1. God’s Justice and Holiness

• The flood is a response to human corruption and violence. Genesis 6:5-6 says that God saw the great wickedness on earth and was “grieved” in His heart. God’s decision to judge humanity with the flood shows His intolerance of sin and injustice. His holiness requires a world that aligns with His goodness, and the flood was a response to the pervasive moral decay of Noah’s time.

2. God’s Patience and Long-Suffering

• While the decision to flood the earth is swift in the biblical account, the story implies that God waited patiently while humanity had a chance to change. Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), and his 120 years building the ark can be seen as a period when God gave people a chance to repent. This patience reveals God’s mercy, even in His judgment.

3. God’s Mercy and Covenant Faithfulness

• God’s decision to save Noah and his family highlights His mercy and commitment to His creation. Although humanity deserved judgment, God chose a path that preserved life. He instructed Noah to bring animals onto the ark, ensuring the survival of all living things. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:8-17), promising never to destroy the earth with water again. The rainbow serves as a symbol of His covenant, highlighting His faithfulness to humanity despite their shortcomings.

4. God’s Sovereignty and Power Over Creation

• The flood narrative shows God’s absolute power over creation. He commands the waters to rise and fall, demonstrating His control over the natural world. The floodwaters are a reversal of the order He established at creation, where He separated waters to form dry land. By re-establishing the earth post-flood, God reaffirms His sovereignty as Creator, showing He can both judge and restore.

5. God’s Desire for a Righteous People

• God chooses Noah, “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time” (Genesis 6:9), and establishes a covenant with him, revealing His desire for a people who walk in righteousness. God’s plan for Noah’s descendants is one of blessing, hoping they would embody a restored relationship with Him and reflect His justice and goodness on earth.

6. God’s Grace and Renewal of Creation

• After the flood, God gives Noah a mandate similar to Adam’s: to “be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). This echoes the original creation mandate, suggesting that God’s intention for humanity and creation remains one of growth, flourishing, and harmony. He desires to partner with humanity in caring for and filling the earth with goodness.

7. God as a Covenant Maker

• The covenant with Noah is foundational, setting a pattern for the covenants God will establish later with Abraham, Moses, and David, and ultimately fulfilled in Christ. The Noahic covenant emphasizes God’s promise to preserve creation, foreshadowing the redemptive plan that would unfold over time.

In summary, the flood story tells the story of God as a holy and just Judge, yet also as a patient, merciful, and covenant-keeping Creator. It illustrates His commitment to renewal and restoration even in the face of human failure. Through judgment and mercy, God’s desire for a faithful, righteous humanity and His love for creation shine through. This story is foundational, pointing forward to God’s ongoing work to redeem and renew the world."

-ChatGPT

The Pattern

See D. J. A. Clines, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, No. 38 (1976), pp. 487, 488. Clines explains that Gerhard Von Rad initially observed a pattern of sin, mitigation, and punishment. Then Claus Westermann discerned another element, that of divine speech. Though he did not include it in the pattern, Clines does. Thus the following chart:

I.

II.

III.

IV.

SIN

SPEECH

GRACE

PUNISHMENT

  1. FALL

3:6

3:14-19

3:21

3:22-24

  1. CAIN

4:8

4:10-12

4:15

4:16

  1. SONS OF GOD

6:2

6:3

6:8, 18ff

7:6-24

  1. FLOOD

6:5, 11f

6:7, 13-21

6:8, 18ff

11:8

  1. BABEL

11:4

11:6f

10:1-32

11:8

Preach the Word, Genesis, Kent Hughes, chapter 1, note 3, p. 625

Hamilton puts it this way:

"God acts and speaks; man rebels; God punishes; God protects and reconciles." P. 201

GOD ACTS & SPEAKS    MAN REBELS    GOD PUNISHES    GOD PROTECTS & RECONCILES

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt

The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris

The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipChaos to Covenant, Darien Gabriel, Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, South Carolina, non denominational, bible believing church
How Important is Faithfulness? | 2 Timothy 4:9-22 | Darien Gabriel
How Important is Faithfulness? | 2 Timothy 4:9-22 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Guard the Treasure

Title: “How Important is Faithfulness?"

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:9-22 NIV

Acts 2:36-39 (Invitation)

Bottom line: Our faithfulness is important. God's faithfulness is essential.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. OUTLINES

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

It's hard to understand what God does and why. We can learn a lot about God and his world through scientific inquiry. But we cannot discern the meaning and purpose to life and creation without hearing the Creator tell us. This is called divine revelation. This work requires philosophical and theological processing. But revelation from the Creator himself is essential. See John Lennox explain this with his analogy.

Aunt Matilda’s Cake: An Analogy for Science and Faith

In my lectures, (John Lennox says), I often use the analogy of "Aunt Matilda's cake" to explain the limits of scientific inquiry and the necessity of revelation for understanding certain truths.

Imagine Aunt Matilda bakes a delicious cake and a group of scientists is tasked with analysing it. The biochemists, nutritionists, and physicists can tell us about the cake’s chemical composition, calorific content, and physical properties. However, they cannot tell us why Aunt Matilda baked the cake. For that, we need to ask Aunt Matilda herself.

This analogy highlights an essential point: while science is a powerful tool for uncovering the mechanisms of the natural world, it cannot answer questions about purpose and meaning. These questions require a different kind of inquiry—one that involves revelation, philosophy, and theology.

Just as only Aunt Matilda can reveal her intentions, only through God's revelation can we understand the ultimate purpose and meaning of our existence. 

God calls us to be faithful in the midst of difficult circumstances and in an evil world. The only way we'll stay faithful is to know and trust him based on his special revelation of the word of God. This is why Paul remind Timothy in both letters to "guard the good deposit" and "guard the treasure" and to "preach the word."

CONTEXT

Paul is in his last days on this earth and he knows it. He writes, "And the time for my departure is near." He knows he's finishing well, but he's not done yet. He is calling together his superstars for a final summit in Rome. He wants their emotional support and he wants to give them some final instructions. So he calls Timothy to come quickly and to bring John Mark with him as he and Luke make final preparation before his execution.

It's here we pick up the story today.

It's here we wrestle with the question, "How important is faithfulness?"

I think you'll find that

  • Faithfulness to God is important, and

  • God is faithful to us and it's essential.

SERMON

OUTLINE (relies heavily on Tony Merida's outline)

I. Timothy's Call to Faithfulness (4:4-5) (Mikey preached)

II. Paul's Example of Faithfulness (4:6-8) (Chris preached)

III. More Examples of Faithfulness (4:9-15, 19-21)

A. 9 Examples (4:9-15)

      1. Timothy

      2. Demas

      3. Crescents, Titus and Tychicus

      4. Luke

      5. Mark

      6. Carpus

      7. Alexander

B. Faithful old friends and new friends (4:19-21)

      1. Priscilla and Aquila, Onesiphorus

      2. Erastus and Trophimus

      3. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and the brothers

IV. The Lord's Perfect Faithfulness (4:16-18, 22)

A. The Lord's presence (4:16-17)

When Paul had been discouraged in Corinth, the Lord came to him and encouraged him (Acts 18:9–11). After he had been arrested in Jerusalem, Paul again was visited by the Lord and encouraged (Acts 23:11). During that terrible storm, when Paul was on board ship, the Lord had again given him strength and courage (Acts 27:22ff). Now, in that horrible Roman prison, Paul again experienced the strengthening presence of the Lord, who had promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 256). Victor Books.

B. The Lord's rescue (4:18)

C. The Lord's grace (4:22)

CONCLUSION

"Life is understood backwards, but lived forward." Soren Kirkegaard

Bottom line: Our faithfulness is important. God's faithfulness is essential.

Let's

  1. Remember God is with us even when all abandon us. (17)

  2. Rest in his rescuing us from this dark world. (18)

  3. Rely on his grace and strength until we depart. (22)

Remember in v. 6 where Paul said he was being "poured out like a drink offering." The Lord was poured out for us on the cross. And all who follow Jesus are called to live the same way.

God calls us to be faithful! Faithful to guard the treasure, preach the word, endure hardships, do the work of the evangelist, and fulfill our ministry.

Paul looked back and said,

  1. I have kept the faith (7),

  2. I have fought the good fight (7),

  3. I have finished the race. (7)

What about us? How are we running and fighting and keeping and guarding?

Join me in resolving and rededicating my life to finishing well. To keeping the faith faithfully.

Invitation

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Bottom line:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Pray

NOTES

None to add

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Let’s ask some summary sermon questions:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A.

OUTLINES

None for today

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  3. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  4. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  5. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“1 - 2 Timothy,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Timothy” by John Stott

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, David Platt, Daniel Akin, Tony Merida

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner (VW)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipguard this treasure, 2 Timothy, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, non denominational, church, bible believing church
Is My Life an Offering to God? | 2 Timothy 4:6-8 | Chris Karpus
Is My Life an Offering to God? | 2 Timothy 4:6-8 | Chris Karpus

Is My Life an Offering to God?

2 Timothy 4:6-8

6  For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.  7  I have

fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  8  Now there is in store for me the

crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only

to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Paul writes this as he is languishing in a cold, damp, subterranean Roman prison – awaiting his execution

Paul’s perspective and focus as awaits death, show us how to live and how to die

He takes a few minutes to look at his life as a Christ follower in the present, in the past and what that

means for his future.

We all have a future after death…”the best is yet to come” for those who believe in Jesus

What he is NOT talking about is his persecution of Christians prior to his conversion…there’s no “BUT” in

his description of his life.

THE PRESENT

- As Mikey talked about last week - Paul is issuing his charge to Timothy in light of his (Paul’s)

impending martyrdom

- After urging Timothy to fulfill his ministry, Paul reflects on his own…

6  For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 

- Paul is speaking about dying – being poured out like a drink offering

- Paul is reflecting on his life of sacrifice to God

- (AND) departing – maybe the image of a boat (talk about that in a minute)

- Paul used the same drink offering reference about 5 years earlier – referring to the possibility of

his own death…

Philippians 2:17

17  But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your

faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

- In THIS case, he is aware that his death is no longer a possibility, but impending

- Paul is referring to the Old Testament sacrificial system – make sacrifices for the atonement of their

sin…

- Leviticus 23:13

- 13  together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah [a]  of the finest flour mixed with olive

oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a

hin [b]  of wine.

- During the ritual of sacrificing a lamb, wine was poured out at the base of the altar – a

time of pouring out, or emptying the life of the sacrifice

- In this case, the pouring out of life would represent an offering to Jesus

- Though there would still be a little time before his death, but he was aware that the

process had begun

A question for us: are we aware that the process has begun?

- Had a friend who said he might believe on his death bed.

- we don’t get to pick the time of our death…even if we think we should get to, we

shouldn’t

- this became an operative metaphor for how Paul regarded his life – a drink offering

being poured out

- The details of Paul’s death are not described in scripture, but this picture of being

poured out for Christ’s sake is awe-inspiring.

Paul was facing death, but triumphant. From the time of his conversion on the Damascus road,

everything he had was given to God: his wealth, his mind, his body, his passions, his position, his

reputation, his relationships, his dreams – all of it was poured out, sacrificed to God. All that

remained was his life’s breath, and he triumphantly gave that.

You might say…well…this was Paul. I mean, THE PAUL. I could never do that.

Could we say the same? Have we given Jesus EVERYTHING?

This is a question you have to ask yourself - Hopefully the answer is yes

When your life is over, will they say “he/she poured out his life for Christ’s sake”? If not, what are you

going to do about it?

- You could say…”well, life is short and I want to live it my way”…

- “my way” never works

How do you want to be remembered?

- Finishing well does not happen by accident.

- Solomon – started out strong – asked for wisdom, so God gave it to him

- Somewhere along the line, he decided to do it his way and died with 700 wives

and 300 concubines

- - God told him that he should not marry women who serve other gods,

because they would turn him away from Him – the one true God.

-

- - 1 Kings 11:6

- “So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord;…”

-

- Jonah – God told him to Ninevah, and he ran (sailed) the other way

- - Jonah ends with him so angry he wished he was dead, and God shaking His

head.

-

Looking back on your life, has it been lived and poured out as a drink offering? In order to finish well,

you should look at every day to live as an opportunity to live your life as a drink offering.

Start today…life – year – month – day – hour…break it down and get going now. You have the power

to pick the start date…not the end date.

Paul adds: “and the time for my departure is near”

- The word translated “departure” is also used in Greek literature for the loosing of a ship from it’s

moorings, or a soldier loosing the stakes from his tent. - An army packing up / breaking camp to

leave the battle field – the war is over and they’re going home

-

- The image of Paul, in death. boarding a boat for departure for another shore is pretty awesome.

Paul wanted to live his life for Jesus, but eagerly anticipated the day he would board that boat

Phillipians 1:22-23

22  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do

not know!  23  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

This was Paul’s dream, and his ship was about to leave. He was ready. ARE YOU?

Of course he was excited…what awaits the believer is incomparable, and he knew it…DO WE?

If you’re not aware that the best is yet to come, and anticipate that day…why not?

- We all get a boarding pass, but not all our boats are headed for the same shore

- You don’t want to choose the wrong boat here

Non believers fear death…actually, for some, they believe you just die, and we take our chances. In

financial terms, I would say that one who believes nothing happens after death is like someone given

the opportunity to have a billion dollars to the infinite power if they would just give up the penny they

are clutching.

- Some would say, I just can’t muster the faith to believe…

- Too many hypocrite Christians – prosperity gospel – crooked evangelists – celebrity pastors going

off the rails

-I would say that the one who does not believe in life with Jesus after death because it requires

too much faith, must have a whole lot of faith that nothing’s going to happen after death. Even if that were

true, which it isn’t, the Christian ends up in the same nothingness as the non-believer. But if it IS true,

which I promise you it is, the non-believer has so much more to risk and lose. It’s illogical to take those

odds.

- But faith in Jesus is not just afterlife fire insurance – it is the promise of a fulfilling life…not a life

without pain, but a life of sacrifice that ends with eternity to the one who will take our pain away.

-

2 Corinthians 4:17

17  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them

all.

Romans 8:18

18  I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in

us.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way:

 "To come to Thee is to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to

rest after long labor, to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes" 

Time is short…has your life been a drink offering poured out for Jesus, or have you been neglecting

the poor, withholding from the church and pouring your life into a future here that you’re not

guaranteed…

If you’re “living your best life now” going at it your way…this may be the only heaven you’ll ever know

- Doesn’t look like heaven to me

THE PAST

7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Looking back on his life, Paul uses 3 more words associated with his victory:

“I have fought the good fight” – Paul was a spiritual warrior

He had stood before Felix, Agrippa and the officials of Rome with courage

He endured the riots in Ephesus, and the opposition in Corinth

Paul describes some of his hardships in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

23  Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much

harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death

again and again.  24  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  25  Three times I

was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night

and a day in the open sea,  26  I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers,

in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the

city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.  27  I have labored

and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone

without food; I have been cold and naked.  28  Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my

concern for all the churches.

You’ve heard it said – if being a Christian was illegal, would there be enough to convict you?

If the church of the US was being persecuted, would we be perceived as not worth the effort by those

doing it?

Paul goes on to say : “I have finished the race”

- Paul says he has simply “finished” the race”…not won it…

- We all have a race to run, and Paul’s was nearly complete

- What are you running to? Are you running from something?

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything

that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked

out for us, 2  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he

endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In this, the author says that we run faithfully by remembering those who have gone before us; by

throwing off anything that keeps us from faithfulness, and by fixing our eyes on Jesus

- We each have a race to run, a race that God has prepared for us, individually and corporately.

- Are you running your race? Are we running ours?

Finally, Paul says “I have kept the faith”

- Paul is probably emphasizing his role as a steward of sound doctrine…kept the faith

- Throughout his letters to Timothy, and others, Paul held tightly to the truth and was passing it on –

like the passing of a baton…another great race analogy

Passing the baton quickly for the sprint, and passing the baton slowly for the long run

Both are disciples making disciples

- Every Christian has a fight to endure, a race to run and a treasure to guard.

Are we just watching our brothers and sisters fight their good fight? Are we passively watching

other run their race, or maybe just lounging on our couch watching TV…

- What are we doing? - I’m not saying there are boxes to check…

- Paul didn’t live his life as a drink offering in order to check boxes and gain the redemption

Jesus offered. He poured out his life BECAUSE the redemption Jesus offers…a life of

gratitude and worship for the one who gives us eternal life.

THE FUTURE

8  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award

to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

- The final picture is that of a crown or garland – another athletic analogy

- Garlands won by the Greeks were greatly prized

- He writes of a crown he will soon be receiving – the crown of righteousness – the ultimate,

permanent state of righteousness

Romans 3: 22 - 22  This righteousness is given through faith in [a]  Jesus Christ to all who believe.

- While Nero was about to declare Paul guilty and condemn him, Christ the righteous Judge was

about to declare him ultimately and permanently righteous.

- Paul doesn’t stop with his own crown, but reminds all of us of the crown awaiting all who believe

and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

- a sure evidence of saving faith is having your heart set on Jesus, longing for that day, as Paul did.

Titus 2:13

13  while we wait for the blessed hope

Those who don’t believe will surely dread that day…

How can we be sure?

Start by repenting and turning to God…turn around and live towards him-

- Put all your cards on the table and commit your life to Jesus

- Everything Paul had was given to God –

- his wealth, his mind, his body, his passions, his position, his reputation, his relationships,

his dreams – all of it was poured out, sacrificed to God…to the very last breath.

- - This isn’t a “say the sinner’s prayer and you’re good” and go on with your life thinking you have

afterlife fire insurance. Give yourself to Him, because He gave Himself for us.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

25  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and

from all your idols.  26  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your

heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  27  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my

decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Knowing that there’s a God who loves you, why would you want to do anything your way?

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Guest UserGrace Christian FellowshipChris Karpus, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, 2 Timothy, offering to God, bible believing, church, non denominational
How to Build a Foundation of Faith | Acts 2:36-47 | Darien Gabriel
How to Build a Foundation of Faith | Acts 2:36-47 | Darien Gabriel

Series: NA

Title: How to build a foundation of faith

Scripture: Acts 2:36-47 NIV

Bottom line: We build a foundation of faith by devoting ourselves to the word, the fellowship, the cross, and prayer.

  1. SERMON OUTLINE

  2. NOTES

  3. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  4. OUTLINES

  5. MAIN REFERENCES USED

SERMON OUTLINE

Introduction

I had a moment on Christmas Day when I was triggered by taking the family group photo. Last year, when we had our accident, we were taking a family group photo and I was trying to do that using my watch. So when it came time to do that this year, I decided I wasn’t up for that so I just held up my phone and took a group selfie.

Many of us have had a difficult 2023. We have scars from past wounds and some wounds are still fresh. Family, jobs, health, world wars, culture wars—it’s been a hard year for many.

Our tendency is to work on these areas in our life. And that’s fine. But to really make progress, we need to start with the foundation.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27 that to have a foundation of faith made of rock is to hear the word AND obey it. Not hear it and then go on like we never heard anything. It’s about obeying the word.

So that’s the short answer to the question, how do we build a foundation of faith.

But that probably doesn’t quite satisfy you. You may be saying, but how do I do that?

This is why we’re going to Acts 2:36-47.

Outline

I. The Question (2:36-41)

Repent

“The Greek word can mean ‘change one’s mind.’ The idea in Hebrew, however, is ‘Turn,’ indicating a change in direction. In Luke 24:47 Jesus makes clear that he is referring to the OT sense (Hebrew) and that this is what the disciples are to preach.” -Boch, p. 141-142

Boch continues, “Peter’s declaration here is obedient to Jesus’ commission and call in Luke 24. Peter is telling his audiences to change direction from the attitudes that led them to crucify Jesus, and look to God through Jesus for forgiveness.” Ibid, p. 142

My take is that we’re to preach repentance meaning a change in direction in your thinking, beliefs and behaviors that are consistent with those thoughts and beliefs.

II. The Answer (2:42-47)

A. Be devoted to these 4 things:

    1. The apostles teaching.

    2. The fellowship.

    3. The breaking of bread.

    4. Prayer.

B. Be expecting this fruit:

    1. Awe

    2. Power

    3. Unity

    4. Generosity

    5. Favor

    6. Evangelism

Conclusion

So how do we build a foundation of faith?

By obeying scripture.

But how do we do that?

Bottom line: We build a foundation of faith by devoting ourselves to the word, the fellowship, the cross, and prayer.

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. How to build a foundation of faith.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. So that they can weather the storms of life and the ultimate wrath of God.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A.

Pray

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

  3. Who am I going to tell about this?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

OUTLINES

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Acts” by Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Look at the Book” by John Piper

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner

“1 Peter: A living hope in Christ”, Jen Wilkin Bible study

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, foundation of faith, non denominational, bible believing church, Act 2
In Crisis, What Are You Trusting In? Part 1 | Isaiah 7:1-7
In Crisis, What Are You Trusting In? Part 1 | Isaiah 7:1-7

Series: Christmas ‘23

Title: “In crisis, what are you trusting in?”

Scripture: Isaiah 7:1-17; Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25

Bottom line: God uses the crises of life to expose our true faith: If we do not stand firm in our faith in Christ, we will not stand at all.

Question: When you and your family are in crisis, what are you trusting in to get through it?

INTRODUCTION 

Does anyone remember the bicentennial train? For a year, a red, white and blue train traveled around the country as a mobile museum celebrating the first 200 years of America as a nation. That’s been 47 years ago now. I vaguely remember stepping onto that train as a twelve year old. The train is firmly in my mind because for Christmas that year I got an HO scale replica of that train engine.

As we consider the historical context of Isaiah 7, it’s about 200 years since Israel divided into two kingdoms: 10 to the north, called Israel, and 2 stayed loyal in Jerusalem in the south, called Judah. 40 years before that Solomon was crowned king. 40 years before that David. 40 years before that Saul.

Here we’re 200 years into the divided kingdom where Judah represents the remnant—the faithful, though they weren’t much more faithful than the northern tribes.

It’s during this time that Isaiah is called to be a prophet. The year is about 740 BC then, and here in chapter 7 it’s 735. Remember that BC counts down to 0 before AD starts back up.

Start with Luke 1:26-38

v. 37: “For no word from God will ever fail.”

What word did Mary just ask about? Matthew 19:26, “Nothing is impossible with God,” is surely appropriate. But I think in light of the fact that she is a virgin and yet about to have a baby leads me to Isaiah 7:14 where 730ish years earlier the Lord prophesied through Isaiah that the sign will be, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” We know that Immanuel means God with us. And he surely was through Jesus, the Son of God.

So we travel back 700+ years from the birth of Christ, 2700 years back from today, and see how God was preparing his people for a Savior way before his physical arrival.

OUTLINE 

I. Crisis reveals true faith (7:1-2)

A. The crisis: a scary alliance

B. Fluttering like a leaf

II. The Sovereign Lord Intervenes, Promises, and Warns (7:3-9)

A. God’s command: Don’t be afraid, only believe.

B. God’s promise: The plans of man will fail.

C. God’s warning: There is grave danger for unbelief.

III. The Sovereign Lord Gives a Sign: Immanuel (7:10-17)

A. Stooping to our weakness: The Lord gives a sign.

B. Three issues with the sign “Immanuel.”

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: God uses the crises of life to expose our true faith: If we do not stand firm in our faith in Christ, we will not stand at all.

This crisis was for King Ahvaz and was personal. What about you? What are you trusting in in your crisis?

This crisis was for the nation of Judah (southern kingdom of Israel). What about us? What is our nation trusting in in our crisis? What about your family?

This crisis was for the here and now. The crisis of whether or not the Syrian-Ephraimite alliance would defeat them in Judah. What were they trusting in in the here and now? What are we trusting in in our crisis right here and now?

There’s another crisis coming when Jesus Christ returns as King. Will you be standing firm in your faith in him at his return? Or will you fall?

Question: When you and your family are in crisis, what are you trusting in to get through it?

Turn to Christ the King today as your savior and lord. He is worthy and he is able to save you!

Let me invite you to do 3 things:

  1. Accept Christ.

  2. Join a group.

  3. Give something.

  4. Ask for help.

Text me at 843-830-2464 as needed.

-Pastor Darien

Lord’s Supper

Explain

Read

Confess

Go out into the mission field

Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.23-26.NIV

Pray.

Other notes

Preach the Word Commentary on Isaiah, Ray Orland, Jr.

The triumph of grace over failure: Judah (7:1-8:8)

Decision: Will we trust God or ourselves? (7:1-17)

A1 The people of God intimidated by attack (7:1-2)

B1 A symbolic son and the attackers plan (7:3-6)

C1 The Lord’s overruling word of promise (7:7-9)

D The response of distrust (7:10-12)

C2 The Lord’s overruling sign of salvation (7:13-15)

B2 A symbolic son and the attackers’ defeat (7:16)

A1 The people of God destined for attack (7:17)

Judgment: (following verses for another time)

SECTION OUTLINE FOUR (ISAIAH 6-8) from the Outline Bible, Willmington

Isaiah records his vision and new commission, (6) his ministry of comfort to King Ahaz, (7) and his message of destruction to the northern kingdom. (8)

1. THE CALL OF THE PROPHET (6: 1-13)

A. Isaiah and the heaven of God (6:1-7)

1. Isaiah's vision (6:1-4)

a. What he sees (6:1): The Lord seated upon his exalted throne in glory

b. What he hears (6:2-4): The mighty seraphim (angelic beings) praising God for his holiness

2. Isaiah's vexation (6:5): This awesome sight causes Isaiah to cry out, acknowledging his own sin and that of his people.

3. Isaiah's visitation (6:6-7): One of the angelic seraphim touches Isaiah's tongue with a burning coal from heaven's altar, purifying the prophet.

B. Isaiah and the God of heaven (6:8-13)

1. Isaiah hears God's voice (6:8a): God wants to know whom he should send as his messenger to his people.

2. Isaiah heeds God's voice (6:8b-13): Isaiah volunteers.

II. THE CHRIST OF THE PROPHET (7:1-25) (Our focus this week)

A. Isaiah's first prophecy (7:1-12): God sends the prophet to reassure young Ahaz, the terrified king of Judah.

1. The need for this reassurance (7:1-2): The southern tribe of Judah is threatened with invasion by the northern ten tribes and Aram.

2. The nature of this reassurance (7:3-9): God instructs Isaiah to assure Ahaz that this simply will not happen, for the enemy armies will soon be crushed and broken.

3. The negative response to this reassurance (7:10-12)

a. The Lord's sign (7:10-11): God invites Ahaz to ask for any sign he might desire to validate Isaiah's promise.

b. The king's scorn (7:12): Wicked Ahaz refuses, not allowing God to show his mighty power.

B. Isaiah's second prophecy (7:13-16): Many believe these verses predict the births of two babies, one to be born supernaturally in the distant future, the other to be born naturally in the immediate future.

1. The first baby (7:13-14): This will be the Messiah, born centuries later to the Virgin Mary.

2. The second baby (7:15-16): This will be Maher-shalal-hash-baz, born less than a year later to Isaiah and his wife. Ahaz is told that even before this baby is weaned, the enemy kings of both the northern kingdom and Aram will be dead.

C. Isaiah's third prophecy (7:17-25): He warns of a terrible Assyrian attack on Judah.

MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:

  • Exalting Jesus in Isaiah by Andrew Davis

  • Preaching the Word: Isaiah commentary by Ray Ortland, Jr.

  • ESV Global Study Bible

  • Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel

  • Bible Knowledge Commentary

  • The Outline Bible, Wilmington

  • Gospel Transformation Bible

  • NIV Study Bible

  • Jesus Through Middle-eastern Eyes, Kenneth Bailey`

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, Isaiah 7, Christmas 2023, non denominational, church, bible believing church
WWJD: What Would Jesus Do? | 1 Peter 2:18-25
WWJD: What Would Jesus Do? | 1 Peter 2:18-25

Series: A living Hope in a dying world

Title: WWJD: What would Jesus do?

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:18-25

Bottom line: When suffering comes we do what Jesus would do.

  1. SERMON OUTLINE

  2. NOTES

  3. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  4. OUTLINES

  5. MAIN REFERENCES USED

SERMON OUTLINE

Introduction

WWJD & In His Steps

"In His Steps" is a Christian novel written by Charles M. Sheldon. The story revolves around the fictional town of Raymond, where the local minister challenges his congregation to consider "What Would Jesus Do?" before making decisions. The book follows various characters who commit to living their lives in accordance with this principle, leading to personal transformations and a ripple effect of positive change in the community as they strive to emulate Jesus in their actions and choices. The novel explores themes of social justice, self-sacrifice, and the impact of living a Christian life in a broader societal context. -ChatGPT

The phrase "In His Steps" is not directly derived from a specific Bible verse. Instead, it is inspired by the overall teachings and example of Jesus in the New Testament. The book "In His Steps" by Charles M. Sheldon encourages individuals to consider what Jesus would do in various situations based on the broader principles found in the Gospels, particularly in terms of love, compassion, and self-sacrifice. While the exact phrase might not be explicitly in the Bible, the concept aligns with Christian teachings about following the example of Jesus in daily life. -ChatGPT

I brought a copy of the book “In His Steps” today. While this book isn’t based on any one scripture, it could easily be based on 1 Peter 2:21 where Peter writes (New International Version):

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (Emphasis mine)

The phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" gained popularity in the late 19th century and became particularly widespread in the United States during the 1990s. It was often used as a moral and ethical guide for decision-making, emphasizing Christian values and teachings. -ChatGPT

Outline

“In time his pain grew so intense that his wife told him, “Curse God and die!” (2:9), but Job responded, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (2:10). As his suffering endured Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (13:15); and “I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth” (19:25). That is the message Peter is giving. It is commendable to accept suffering with patience because, in the first place, we have been called to that very thing”

Excerpt From

1-2 Peter - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

“The other title Peter uses here is “Overseer,” which is sometimes translated “Supervisor.” The Greek word is episkopos. The root of that word in its noun form is skopos, from which we get the English word scope, giving us words such as microscope, stethoscope, and telescope. A scope is an instrument by which we are able to see small things or objects that are far away. Scopes enhance our ability to see. The prefix on the word episkopos, epi, intensifies the force of the root, so that a supervisor or bishop is a super-looker. In the ancient Greek world, the episkopos was one who came unannounced to the troops to see if they were prepared for battle. If they were not, he would chasten them; if they were, he would congratulate and reward them. So it is that Christ, as our Bishop, looks at us intently.”

Excerpt From

1-2 Peter - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

Outline

Peter will give us 3 emphases to consider (From David Helms’ commentary):

I. Peter’s Intention

Peter’s intention is actually found in 2:12 which says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (NIV)

In other words, embody the message so that people cannot deny the goodness of your life, even if they accuse you of doing wrong.

Said another way, let your life be a good apologetic.

“Apologetics is the branch of theology and philosophy that seeks to provide reasoned arguments or justifications for a particular belief system, typically used to defend and explain the principles and doctrines of a religious faith. In a broader sense, it can also refer to the defense or justification of any idea, position, or philosophy. Apologists aim to articulate and defend their beliefs against objections or criticisms, often employing logic, reason, and evidence in their arguments.” -ChatGPT

“Christian apologetics is a branch of theology that focuses on providing reasoned justifications for the beliefs and teachings of Christianity. Christian apologists seek to defend the faith, address challenges, and offer intellectual explanations for aspects of Christian doctrine. This can involve responding to questions about the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, the nature of Jesus Christ, and other theological matters. Apologists often use philosophy, historical evidence, and logical reasoning to make a case for the rationality and coherence of Christian beliefs. The term "apologetics" in this context is derived from the Greek word "apologia," meaning defense.” -ChatGPT

Peter’s point is that our lives are the best apologetic that we can offer. Embody the message of Christ and let that win people over.

II. Peter’s Instruction

Peter’s instruction in this chapter is very simple: Submission.

We are to submit to all authorities over us.

We are to submit even when those authorities over us are harsh or unjust.

While there will be times when it’s ok to practice civil disobedience, it’s general taught by Peter (and exemplified by Jesus Christ) to stand firm and suffer out of fear of God and to please him. God uses this to change lives.

“Civil disobedience refers to the intentional and nonviolent violation of a law or a set of laws as a form of protest or resistance. This act is typically grounded in moral or ethical principles, and individuals engaging in civil disobedience often do so to challenge perceived injustices, laws, or policies. The aim is to bring attention to a cause, stimulate public awareness, and provoke change. Key to civil disobedience is the willingness to accept legal consequences for one's actions as a means of emphasizing the moral or ethical stance being taken. Prominent figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. are often associated with the practice of civil disobedience in their respective movements.” -ChatGPT

III. Peter’s Imitation

Jesus is our ultimate example and Peter makes this case using the cross and quoting Isaiah 53.

Conclusion

When we find ourselves suffering because of the gospel, our tendency is to look for a way out. God calls us to stand firm in our calling to suffering injustice for the gospel. Most of the time we’re to persevere and endure suffering for doing good.

A simple way to think through this is to ask yourself, “What would Jesus do if he were in my shoes right now?”

Ask yourself.

Ask God.

Trust and follow the answer you receive.

Pray

NOTES

“I remember a time when, as a boy, I was taking an exam in a science class. In the middle of the examination the teacher accused me of cheating. I felt violated and offended because I had not been cheating. I suffered an injustice, and I hated it, but I never stopped to think of how many times I had cheated but had not been caught. Jesus never cheated”

Excerpt From

1-2 Peter - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

This material may be protected by copyright.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

  3. Who am I going to tell about this?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. We love one another deeply because we live by his mercy and grace.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. It leads us to actually love each other deeply, from the heart.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Love one another deeply from the heart, rid ourselves of the evil that we’re still wearing, and grow in Christ together.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because it’s life-giving and leads to blessing.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Repent. Believe. Love. Live.

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“1 - 2 Peter and Jude,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Peter ” by RC Sproul

“1 & 2 Peter and Jude” by Thomas Schreiner

“The Message of 1 Peter” by Edmund Clowney

“Look at the Book” by John Piper, https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/we-cannot-love-without-hope

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner

“1 Peter: A living hope in Christ”, Jen Wilkin Bible study

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Bible believing church, church, non denominational, 1 Peter, living hope
What's My Relation to Uncle Sam? | 1 Peter 2:11-17
What's My Relation to Uncle Sam? | 1 Peter 2:11-17

What’s My Relation to Uncle Sam?

1 Peter 2:11-17

 This epistle was a circular letter to believers in northern Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.  


It is Peter’s encouragement to believers to live faithfully, even with hard times and persecution.  


This letter was penned sometime between AD 64 (fire in Rome) and Peter’s death in AD 66-68.  


Most of the recipients of this letter were Gentiles.

 

Some have called1 Peter a “Handbook of conduct for Christ’s ambassadors to a hostile world.”  

3 Perspectives Christians can look at their obligations:

1.    As Foreigners vv11-12

2.    As Citizens vv13-17

3.    As Servants vv18-20,21-25

Looking at Foreigners & Citizens today.

How can we abstain?

1.    Live with a renewed mind.  Be in prayer and in the Word.

2.    Have a disciplined tongue.  Be quick to hear and slow to speak.

3.    Have a controlled body.  Don’t seek to please the flesh.  Please God.

As followers of Christ, we submit to His authority. 

As Christians in America, we should exercise discernment in our relationships to the government.  There are times when the right thing is to set aside our own privileges and other times using our citizenship for the right thing. 

 

We are to be humble and honorable citizens, while always holding fast to the Gospel.

 

I love Jesus' words in Matt 22:21 in relation to God and government “Caesar’s,” they said to him.  Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

--

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Ken DorrityGrace Christian FellowshipKen Dorrity, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Bible believing church, church, non denominational, 1 peter, Uncle Sam
How Should We Respond to This Living Hope? | 1 Peter 1:13-25
How Should We Respond to This Living Hope? | 1 Peter 1:13-25

Series: A living Hope in a dying world

Title: How should we respond to this living hope?

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-25

Bottom line: We respond to this living hope in 2 ways: Be Ready. Be Holy.

  1. SERMON OUTLINE

  2. NOTES

  3. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  4. OUTLINES

  5. MAIN REFERENCES USED

SERMON OUTLINE

Introduction

V Formation

Picture the V formation of a flock of geese. V. 3 and v. 21 are the back and v. 13 is the point (pun intended). The point of this is to fully set your hope on the grace to be revealed through Jesus Christ.

Context

“Last week, we saw Peter open his letter by laying out the nature of our future hope, our imperishable and unfading inheritance. We marveled at the fact that we are able to understand the good news we have received in a way not even God's prophets and heaven's angels could comprehend.

This week, Peter will transition from description to prescription. Having described our salvation, Peter will now tell us how we should respond to the good news of grace, even as we endure opposition and trial during our time of exile.” -Jen Wilkin

Crows Nest

So the picture is of Peter up in the crow’s nest of a large sailing vessel during a long, turbulent journey, where he can see land before anyone else. So he can shout down to the crew hope because land is near. This helps the crew persevere through the storms because they believe that land (hope) is near.

So Peter is in the crow’s nest. We’ve been at sea for months searching for a new land. We’re nearly out of food and water. We’re discouraged and on the edge of mutiny. The captain sends Peter up to the crow’s nest to see if there’s any sight of land. And sure enough Peter spots land. Land-ho!

Immediately, hope springs from despair. Our circumstances have not changed at all. But our belief that Peter sees land changes everything about how we see life. The captain goes from enemy to hero.

God is allowing trials and tribulations to come our way to test our faith and to make us better (not bitter) through persevering in a living hope.

Verse 13 helps us persevere.

Trials/tribulations

“A picture from ancient Roman times shows the method by which grain was threshed. One man can be seen stirring up the sheaves, while another rides over them in a crude dray equipped with rollers instead of wheels.

Attached to the rolling cylinders are sharp stones and rough bits of iron. As they grind over the recently tossed sheaves, the stones and iron help separate the husks from the grain. The simple cart was called a tribulum.

This agrarian piece of farm machinery is the object from which we get our word tribulation.

Do you ever feel as if you are under the inescapable weight and force of the tribulum? If so, Peter wants to remind you that no thresher ever operated his tribulum for the purpose of tearing up his sheaves.

The thresher's intentions were far more elevated than that. The farmer only wanted to cull out the precious grain. And as it is with the ancient farmer, so it is with God.

Understanding that God's purposes for us include various trials is important, for by them we are tempered. The extracts of this world are removed from us, and we are made fit for Heaven. A simple bar of iron ore, pulled from the earth, might be worth $5.00. However, that same bar, when made into horseshoes, would be worth $10.50. If the owner decided to make the bar into needles for sewing, it could be worth as much as $3,285. And if he turned it into springs for watches, its value could jump as high as $250,000.

What made the difference? Simply the amount of heat by which the iron bar was tempered and honed.

What Peter is saying is that our faith is far more precious to God than a bar of iron. According to the text it is even more precious than gold! So be encouraged. You may find yourself on the anvil of suffering, but God is at work. He is testing the genuineness of your faith. And for him, that faith has eternal value.”  -Helms, p. 41

Outline

Last 2 weeks

I. The SOURCE of our Hope. (1:1-2)

II. The GUARANTEE of our Hope. (1:3-5)

III. The JOY of our Hope. (1:6-9)

IV. The PROPHETS and our Hope. (1:10-12a)

V. The ANGELS and our Hope. (1:12b)

This week

VI. The RESPONSE to our Hope. (1:13-17) aka “The 2 Marks of a Decided Hope” (Helms)

A. In regard to ourselves (1:13): We are to be

    1. Alert, and

    2. Fully sober

    3. The idea is the “gird up your loins of your mind” (literally)

B. In regard to our Savior (1:14-17)

    1. We are to be holy before God. (1:14-16)

    2. We are to be respectful toward God. (1:17)

VII. The COST of our Hope. (1:18-21)

A. The price (1:18-19)

    1. Negative (1:18): It was not purchased with silver or gold.

    2. Positive (1:19): It was bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

B. The planning (1:20-21): Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world to do this.

VIII. The VEHICLE of our Hope. (1:22-25)

A. The new birth (1:22-23a): One must experience regeneration to be saved.

B. The old book (1:23b-25): It is God’s word that bring this about.

Conclusion

Bottom line: We respond to this living hope in 2 ways: Be Ready. Be Holy.

“Peter’s cry from high above the ship’s decks now comes to rest. He has finished his early call. He wants us to do one thing: set our hope on the grace that is to be brought to us at the revelation of Christ. He has shown us the two distinguishing marks of those who are doing so—a healthy mind and a holy life. And he put forward three reasons to motivate us to it—God’s holy character demands it, his impartial judgment warns us to it, and Christ’s sacrifice compels us in it.” -Helm

So Peter is in the crow’s nest. We’ve been at sea for months searching for a new land. We’re nearly out of food and water. We’re discouraged and on the edge of mutiny. The captain sends Peter up to the crow’s nest to see if there’s any sight of land. And sure enough Peter spots land. Land-ho!

Immediately, hope springs from despair. Our circumstances have not changed at all. But our belief that Peter sees land changes everything about how we see life. The captain goes from enemy to hero.

God is allowing trials and tribulations to come our way to test our faith and to make us better (not bitter) through persevering in a living hope.

Do you believe that Peter, in his letter, sees land? Do you believe that your circumstances, which haven’t changed, can be seen and persevered through in a different light? The light of the living hope of God!

I pray that right now you’d surrender your lives to Jesus Christ trusting him with your immediate future and your eternal future. He has risen from the dead. He has proven that he creates and sustains life. Rest in that truth today!

Pray

NOTES

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

  3. Who am I going to tell about this?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. What 1 Peter is all about.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because I want them to have a living hope in a dying world.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Stand firm in the grace of God and persevere through trials as they share the good news with those around them.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because this will sustain them through any trial.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Ask someone today, “How can I pray for you today?”

OUTLINES

The Visual Word - 1 Peter

“Paradoxes fill 1 Peter. It is a letter written to encourage a slandered and marginalized minority living in the midst of the Roman Empire. They live in the world but are not of the world. They dwell in the cities, but as sojourners. They look, speak, and dress like everyone, but they pass their days on earth as exiles waiting for their inheritance.” (See the Epistle to Diognetus 5)

Peter seeks to encourage believers in Asia Minor in the midst of suffering to stand firm as they consider the blessings of being in Christ, who is the primary example of one who suffered well and now has received glory and honor. If they also continue in their good conduct, become the true household of God, and don’t revert to their old idolatrous practices, they too will receive the crown of life. They need to have hope as exiles (1:3-2:10), live faithfully as exiles in the world (2:11-4:11), and stand firm until the end (4:12-5:11). Their ultimate enemy, that roaring lion, stands ready to devour them, but they have the conquering, suffering Shepherd at their side. (P. Schreiner)

  1. Hope as Exiles 1-2

    1. Elect Exiles 1:1-2

    2. New future 1:3-12

    3. New family 1:13-2:10

  2. Exile Identity 2-4

    1. Submit 2:11-3:7

    2. Suffer well 3:8-4:11

  3. Stand Firm 4-5

    1. Suffer joyfully 4:12-19

    2. Resist the devil 5:1-11

    3. In Babylon 5:12-14

I. They need to have hope as exiles (1:3-2:10)

II. They need to live faithfully as exiles in the world (2:11-4:11)

III. They need to stand firm until the end (4:12-5:11)

“Their ultimate enemy, that roaring lion, stands ready to devour them, but they have the conquering, suffering Shepherd at their side.” - P Schreiner

  1. Hope as Exiles - The church has hope amidst trials because of their new future and new family. (1-2)

    1. Elect exiles (1:1-2)

    2. New future - Their new birth grants them an inheritance that can never be taken away. (1:3-12)

    3. New family (and new calling) - Their new birth grants them the rights and responsibilities of God’s people. (1:13-2:10)

  2. Exile Identity - In the midst of the world, they are to live as chosen exiles. (2-4)

    1. Submit - They are to submit to authority figures because this is how Christ acted. (2:11-3:7)

    2. Suffer well - Like Christ, they are to suffer for good because suffering leads to life. (3:8-4:11)

  3. Stand Firm - To keep their exile identity, they must stand firm to the end. (4-5)

    1. Suffer joyfully - They are to entrust themselves to God while doing good. (4:12-4:19)

    2. Resist the devil - The elders should shepherd the people, recognizing the danger they are in. (5:1-11)

  4. In Babylon (5:12-24)

Elect Exiles (1:1-2)

“Peter presents the paradox in the first two verses. The God, those in Asia Minor are chosen, but to the world, they are exiles and sojourners. This becomes the theme of the letter (1:17; 2:11; 5:13). It also ties their story to Abraham, who was chosen but also a sojourner on the earth (Gen. 15:13), and Israel, who were God’s wandering people. These elect exiles are dispersed across Asia Minor and living in societies not friendly to the new Christian faith. They are elect exiles according to God’s foreknowledge, but His sanctifying works, and chosen for obedience. This is God’s wonderful plan for their lives.”

Hope as Exiles (1-2)

“After labeling them as elect exiles, Peter’s first section bolsters their hope by praising God for their new future, new family and new calling. Those scattered have been born again and promised a new land. But this new hope cannot be taken away from them because it resides in heaven. Though they suffer now, they a re being guarded for this future (1:3-12). Not only do they have a new future but a new family and calling (1:3-2:10). They are the new exodus people, the new covenant people, and the new temple people. In all of these they have not only a new identity but a new vocation.”

According to the New Testament of the Bible, what is the difference between faith and hope?

“In the New Testament of the Bible, faith and hope are distinct but interconnected concepts. Faith is often described as a firm belief or trust in something, particularly in God or His promises. It involves having confidence in what is unseen or yet to be fulfilled. Hope, on the other hand, is the optimistic expectation or anticipation of something good. It involves looking forward to future blessings, both in this life and the next. 

While faith is focused on belief and trust, hope is centered around expectation and anticipation. Faith provides the foundation for a relationship with God and is essential for salvation, while hope sustains believers through trials and challenges, keeping their focus on the promises of God. Both faith and hope are important aspects of the Christian life, working together to inspire and strengthen believers in their journey of following Christ.” -ChatGPT 

SUMMARY SO FAR

1 Peter, “Live Such Good Lives”

Let’s live such good lives in this world today that, though they think we’re wrong, they’ll see how we live and follow Jesus anyway because…

  • They’ll see who we are and that’s we’re different. A new identity: As chosen exiles scattered around the world until Jesus returns+ (1:13-2:10)

    • Chosen

    • Exiles/Holy people in the wilderness

    • New people

    • New covenant with God

    • New temple/a people

    • Kingdom of priests

    • What else?

  • They’ll see us living for what matters even though it costs us. Suffering as a witness to Jesus multiplying and magnifying his kingdom (2:11-4:11)

  • They’ll see us willingly suffer because of our living hope in the future. Suffering in light of an unshakable hope in the future. (4:12-5:9)

From Schreiner:

“To encourage believers to persevere in their suffering as exiles and strangers because of their future eternal reward in Christ.”

“Called to suffer (like Jesus) but suffering characterized by hope.”

“Their lives would demonstrate that they belonged to another king and another kingdom.”

Schreiner is thankful to God who has reminded him through 1, 2 Peter, & Jude of our

  1. “Unshakable hope in Christ,

  2. Of the grace poured out on his people, and

  3. Of the call to live holy and beautiful lives for the glory of his name.”

Though “spiritual exiles” “recipients of a great salvation” “gave them a future hope and inheritance”

“They were homeless spiritually, but they were also bound for a home and an inheritance from which they would never be displaced.”

“As believers, most lived on the underside of society—under:

  • the authority of Rome

  • Unbelieving and cruel masters

  • Unbelieving husbands

From Helms:

“Theme of Christian identity and conduct in light of a settled hope.”

3 biblical correctives for why and how to respond to life’s difficulties.

God’s plan for his followers: “We are (therefore, live as) the elect (chosen) exiles of the dispersion (scattering).”

Peter’s inversion theme: “the way up comes by going down.”

Suffering always proceeds glory. Christ exemplified this.

So, Peter calls these scattered Christians to live  as God’s chosen exiles/strangers/foreigners/sojourners with unshakable hope because of you great salvation through Jesus Christ. (My summary)

Questions answered by Peter:

  1. How are Christians supposed to bear witness to Christ’s glory?

  2. How are we to live in the wilderness world?

Peter’s answers to these questions center on the word “conduct” or “live” and it’s various forms.

THE BIBLE PROJECT

I. Greeting (1:1-2)

II. Song of praise (1:3-12)

III. A New Family Identity (1:13-2:10)

IV. Suffering as a Witness to Jesus (2:11-4:11)

V. Suffering & Future Hope (4:12-5:9)

We have a new family identity that propels us to bear witness to a living hope that leads us to live such good lives that we willingly suffer for his glory in light of our glorious future.

We have a new family identity & future hope that compels us to live such a good life that it demands a gospel explanation.

We have a new family identity & future hope that compels us to live like no one else because we will live like no one else in the future

We have a new family identity & future hope that compels us to live a life that includes suffering but that leads to glory—for God and us.

HELMS

Life is hard even for Christians.

3 biblical correctives for why and how to respond to life’s difficulties.

God’s plan for his followers: “We are (therefore, live as) the elect (chosen) exiles of the dispersion (scattering).”

So, Peter calls these scattered Christians to live  as God’s chosen exiles/strangers/foreigners/sojourners with unshakable hope because of you great salvation through Jesus Christ. (My summary)

Peter’s inversion theme: “the way up comes by going down.”

Suffering always proceeds glory. Christ exemplified this.

“Peter begins his letter with these 2 seemingly incompatible truths:

  1. Our status in Christ AND

  2. Our sufferings on earth.”

Questions answered by Peter:

  1. How are Christians supposed to bear witness to Christ’s glory?

  2. How are we to live in the wilderness world?

Peter’s answers to these questions center on the word “conduct” or “live” and it’s various forms.

Be holy (1:15)

live out (1:17)

Way of life (1:18)

Live such good lives (2:12)

Behavior (3:1)

Your lives (3:2)

Behavior (3:16)

“Theme of Christian identity and conduct in light of a settled hope.”

Turning point 2:11-12

Peter continues to encourage through examples and exhortation.

He appeals specifically to elders before the community.

“God has

  1. Established our salvation,

  2. Given us our identity,

  3. Conformed our present-day calling,

  4. Secured our future inheritance by means of an inverted irony—namely, the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. Therefore, just as the exaltation of Jesus followed a season of humiliation, so too our share in his eternal glory will appear after we have learned to follow in his true and gracious ways.”

Subtitle? How to live as God’s fireproof children in this dumpster fire world.

“We are the elect exiles of the dispersion.”

As God’s chosen, I am encouraged and reminded of his great love for me. And I need this as I live in this broken world.

Elect = chosen, those whom God loves

Israel was sent into exile by God because of their presumptuous sin.

Exiles of a different sort? Peter doesn’t mean it wrt Israel’s ancient sin—or their own—for they were living faithful and fruitful lives at this time. Peter means this is simply “the normative state of any follower of Jesus, so long as he or she remains in this world.”

CS Lewis quote, p. 26

Schreiner

OUTLINE OF 1 PETER

1 Opening (1:1-2)

2 Called to Salvation as Exiles (1:3-2:10)

3 Living as Exiles to Bring Glory to God in a Hostile World (2:11-4:11)

4 Persevering as Exiles in Suffering (4:12-5:11)

5 Concluding Words (5:12-14)

1 Opening (1:1-2)

2 Called to Salvation as Exiles (1:3-2:10)

2.1 Praise for Salvation (1:3-12)

2.2 The Future Inheritance as an Incentive to Holiness (1:13-2.3 Living as the New People of God (1:22-2:10)

3 Living as Exiles to Bring Glory to God in a Hostile World (2:11-4:11)

3.1 The Christian Life as a Battle and Witness (2:11-12)

3.2 Testifying to the Gospel in the Social Order (2:13-3:12)

3.3 Responding in a Godly Way to Suffering (3:13-4:11)

4 Persevering as Exiles in Suffering (4:12-5:11)

4.1 Suffer Joyfully in Accord with God's Will (4:12-19)

4.2 Exhortations to Elders and the Community (5:1-11)

5 Concluding Words (5:12-14)

SECTION OUTLINE

2 Called to Salvation as Exiles (1:3-2:10)

2.1 Praise for Salvation (1:3-12)

2.1.1 A Promised Inheritance (1:3-5)

2.1.2 Result: Joy in Suffering (1:6-9)

2.1.3 The Privilege of Revelation (1:10-12)

2.2 The Future Inheritance as an Incentive to Holiness (1:13-21)

2.2.1 Setting One's Hope on the Inheritance (1:13-16)

2.2.2 A Call to Fear (1:17-21)

2.3 Living as the New People of God (1:22-2:10)

2.3.1 A Call to Love (1:22-25)

2.3.2 Longing for the Pure Milk (2:1-3)

2.3.3 The Living Stone and Living Stones (2:4-10)

Schreiner is thankful to God who has reminded him through 1, 2 Peter, & Jude of our

  1. “Unshakable hope in Christ,

  2. Of the grace poured out on his people, and

  3. Of the call to live holy and beautiful lives for the glory of his name.”

1 Peter “sets forth what it means to be Christians in a hostile world, in a world where Christians were persecuted for their faith…”

Though “spiritual exiles” “recipients of a great salvation” “gave them a future hope and inheritance”

“They were homeless spiritually, but they were also bound for a home and an inheritance from which they would never be displaced.”

“As believers, most lived on the underside of society—under:

  • the authority of Rome

  • Unbelieving and cruel masters

  • Unbelieving husbands

They suffered both in:

  1. Every day life

  2. From imperial authority”

IDENTITY

“People of God” “The Lord’s new temple” “priests”

“They are exhorted not to live in fear of human beings but in fear of the Lord, and such fear, paradoxically, would give them confidence and hope.”

“Called to suffer (like Jesus) but suffering characterized by hope.”

“Obedient children”

“Their lives would demonstrate that they belonged to another king and another kingdom.”

“God’s chose race” “royal priesthood” “holy nation”

PURPOSE

“To encourage believers to persevere in their suffering as exiles and strangers because of their future eternal reward in Christ. They demonstrate their hope in this future by standing firm despite injustice and persecution by living holy, blameless lives submitting to their authorities with patient endurance. This shows their belief that this is temporary and that they are citizens of another kingdom and see Jesus as their Lord and king.

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“1 - 2 Peter and Jude,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Peter ” by RC Sproul

“1 & 2 Peter and Jude” by Thomas Schreiner

“The Message of 1 Peter” by Edmund Clowney

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner

“1 Peter: A living hope in Christ”, Jen Wilkin Bible study

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, 1 Peter, non denominational, church, bible believing church
Is There Any Hope for Me? | 1 Peter 1:3-12
Is There Any Hope for Me? | 1 Peter 1:3-12

Series: A living Hope in a dying world

Title: Is There Any Hope for Me?

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-12

Bottom line: Stand firm in God’s grace, even in the midst of trials.

Peter encourages suffering Christians to stand firm in God’s grace because of the living hope of the cross and resurrection that they have received through the new birth.

  1. SERMON OUTLINE

  2. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  3. NOTES

  4. MAIN REFERENCES USED

SERMON OUTLINE

New series through 1 Peter called “A living hope in a dying world.” Today we’ll answer the question, “Is there any hope for me?”

Context

Peter is writing from Rome to encourage persecuted Christians suffering in the region of Galatia (Asia Minor aka Modern Turkey). He wants to encourage these new Christ-followers about 30 years into Christianity max. They are a mix of Gentiles from the region and Jews who’ve immigrated there due to the persecution in Palestine. Peter wants to give them a living hope to sustain them in their cruel, dying world. This is the letter that he writes them.

Introduction

“Twenty-one-year-old Matthew had been homeless for three years. Mark Russell (who was appointed head of the Church Army aged only thirty-one) met him on the streets of Charing Cross in London, bought him some food and led him to Christ. As he was getting up to leave he said, ‘Matthew, over the next month I am going to be on platforms speaking to thousands of people. What piece of advice do you want me to give to the Church of England today?’ Matthew replied, ‘The church’s job is to stop arguing and *to bring people hope*.’

Mark Russell commented, ‘I have never heard a better definition of what we should be about: Don’t we have a gospel of hope? A gospel that brings hope? A gospel of life, a gospel of transformation and above all a *hope of eternal life*, *the* *hope of Jesus*.’ Many people see only a *hopeless end*; but with Jesus you can enjoy an *endless hope*.”  --Nicky Gumbel

THE QUESTION we need to answer for those in the church and those in the world is this: Is there any hope for me?

For the UNBELIEVER, the answer is that there is no hope for you in eternity apart from the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You find and receive that hope when you humble yourself, trust and follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Otherwise, the Bible teaches, there is no hope. You are hell bound.

For the BELIEVER, the answer is that is a living hope guaranteed for you. This is what 1:1-12 is all about.

Hope in what? I’m talking about hope in my eternal destiny. That is salvation from sin and death, shame and guilt, and hell itself. I’m talking about what the Bible calls salvation. There is hope that you can be saved from God’s holy wrath. And, mercifully, it is God himself who gives you this living hope.

Peter opens with the source of our salvation or hope. It’s found in the triune God: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father chose the plan, God the Son did his part by atoning for the sins of the world and absorbing the Father’s wrath for those who trust and believe, and God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us throughout the entire journey.

Peter then moves to the guarantee of our salvation/hope. He praises God thoroughly for this living hope we find. He gives us proof of this living hope in showing he resurrects his people into salvation. He did this with Jesus and proof that he will do it for Jesus’ followers. Not only is there proof but there is a permanence to this hope. It will “never perish, spoil or fade”—guaranteed! And we see the power behind this proof in God’s shielding us until Jesus returns and reveals himself as the resurrected Son of God to the whole world—not just his disciples.

Peter then talks about the joy of this salvation/hope. It’s a promise (and God keeps his promise) that he’ll finish what he started. And this promise yields 2 kids of produce or fruit: 1) The fruit of faith in God and 2) The fruit of love for God.

Peter then moves to the prophets. Beginning with the OT prophets he talks about how their ministry in prophesying (orally and/or in writing) was more for us than for their generation. It’s amazing how God does this. He starts with the OT prophets and their attempts to figure out what God was doing both then and in the future. But he also does this with the NT prophets—preachers. Both spoke of the grief of God and the glory of God. We mentioned this last week: the way God chose to do this was the cross before the crown. And this is how he works in our lives too.

So while we find ourselves in suffering and trials, God is using these to make us “Mature and complete not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). It’s incumbent on us to remember that there’s hope for us because of the source, guarantee, joy and prophetic voice of God in the past for our salvation. The angels give us another reason in that they are peering over the wall, so to speak, to get a glimpse of what God is up to in his redemption story. His story. History.

Conclusion

Bottom line: Stand firm in God’s grace, even in the midst of trials.

“Hope is one of the three great theological virtues – the others being love and faith. As Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa writes, ‘They are like three sisters. Two of them are grown and the other is a small child. They go forward together hand in hand with the child hope in the middle. Looking at them it would seem that the bigger ones are pulling the child, but it is the other way around; it is the little girl who is pulling the two bigger ones. It is hope that pulls faith and love. Without hope everything would stop.’”  -Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel: Day 213 • Devotional

Is there hope for us? Absolutely? The key? Believe that this living hope is available to all who would trust and follow the Lord Jesus. Does that mean all my problems will go away? Absolutely not. God uses our trials to make us mature and complete in Christ. He uses our trials to test our faith and refine our faith. This gives us greater confidence and grows our faith as we deal with the struggles in this dying world.

God gives us a living hope in a dying world through the Living Hope, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross so that we could join him in his kingdom.

So don’t lose hope. Keep the Son in your eyes.

Pray

Outline heavily influenced by Wilmington’s Outline Bible

1 Peter 1:

I. The SOURCE of our salvation/hope. (1-2) LAST WEEK

A. We’ve been chosen by the Father.

B. We’ve been made holy by the Spirit.

C. We’ve been cleansed by the blood of Christ.

II. The GUARANTEE of our salvation/hope. (3-5) THIS WEEK

A. The PROOF: It’s guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ. (3)

B. The PERMANENCE: It’s kept in heaven for us. (4)

C. The POWER: God shields us until we get home. (5)

III. The JOY of our salvation/hope. (6-9)

A. The PROMISE: This joy can be yours even in the midst of trials. (6)

B. The PRODUCE: Our trials produce a two-fold fruit:

    1. They increase our faith in God. (7)

    2. They increase our love for God. (8-9)

IV. The PROPHETS of our salvation/hope. (10-12a)

A. What they didn’t understand (10-11): They couldn’t fully comprehend all their prophecies concerning the future work of the Messiah:

    1. In regard to his GRIEF. (10-11)

    2. In regard to his GLORY. (12a) They knew that their prophesies would not be fulfilled until after they died.

V. The ANGELS and our salvation/hope. (12b) They long to know more about this!

NOTES

None

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

  3. Who am I going to tell about this?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. The reasons why we should praise and bless God.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because they all revolve around him giving us a living hope in a dying world.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Stand firm in the grace of God, holy and blameless, persevering through trials until he returns.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because of the living hope you have in Christ Jesus.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Embrace the trials you find yourself in and remind yourself that this will pass and you’ll find your living hope with Jesus forever.

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“1 - 2 Peter and Jude,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Peter ” by RC Sproul

“1 & 2 Peter and Jude” by Thomas Schreiner

“The Message of 1 Peter” by Edmund Clowney

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner

“1 Peter: A living hope in Christ”, Jen Wilkin Bible study

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, 1 Peter, Hope, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, bible believing, church, non denominational
The Significance of Faithful Work | Matthew 25:14-30
The Significance of Faithful Work | Matthew 25:14-30

YOU HAVE BEEN WALKING THROUGH THE BOOK OF MATTHEW:

- You’ve seen how Jesus used parables to help provide a window into HIS KINGDOM.

- Parable would typically have a singular overarching meaning.

Kent Hughes Commentary - HELPS US CONNECT WHERE YOU’VE BEEN TO TODAY

“So we might say that readiness looks like HOPE (The parable of the Virgins), LOVE (The

Parable of the Sheep and Goats), and FAITH (The Parable of the Talents).”

In this sermon our focus is on faith, more specifically on faithful working, or even more

accurately a faithfulness that works.” -

These set of passages in Matthew are a series of parables about how we should live our

lives at his eminent return.

What we should discovery is an urgency to live out what God has put in each of us, for his

glory and our joy? And caution against not taking it serious.

READ PASSAGE: MATTHEW 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[c] and entrusted

to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[d] to another two, to another

one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the

five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So

also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received

the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a

long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he

who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying,

‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His

master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[e] You have been faithful over

a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who

had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents;

here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and

faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into

the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward,

saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and

gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your

talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him,

‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and

gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with

the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with

interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten

talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance.

But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the

worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and

gnashing of teeth.’

1

2 Things to Highlight in this Passage:

1) It helps us see ourselves rightly

2) It helps us see God rightly

1) You cannot know yourself without knowing God

1) You can do a deep dive and know your desires and then find a group of people with

those desires and sprinkle Jesus on top of it...but that is still not HOW YOU ARE

WIRED AND HOW YOU WERE PLACE.

First Thing We See in the Passage:

God distributes his talents and abilities not to all alike, but to each

individually.

• THIS NOT WHAT THE MASTER IS DOING -

“Here’s 5 talents for you and 5 talents for you”

• IN OTHER WORDS - WE ARE NOT ALL GIFTED THE SAME WAY?

- HE GIVES ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES...

• THE TRUTH IS - Some of US would get killed with 5 talents. WE would just be crushed.

The day God has for SOME US and the day he created you for YOU MAY require the 1 talent.

PROBLEM: 5 TALENT PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT

We look at the 5 talent guy and think important and then the 1 talent guy and think less

important. WHEN WE THIS THIS WAY - IT IS AN ACCUSATION AGAINST GOD.

• ACCORDING THIS PASSAGE:

• 5 TALENT PEOPLE ARE NOT:

• Loved more by God or know more of God’s pleasure

• Listen...its not about “Man I wish I had what that guy or that women has...”

• Praise God our cultural score cards are not His.

• HIS SCORE CARD IS NOT EVEN ABOUT THE TALENT!!!

His Kingdom score card is about FAITH, RISK, COURAGE, and

WILLINGNESS to step into what HE built for you...

• NOT you trying to be a cheap imitation of somebody else.

• ARE YOU WITH ME? WE HAVE GOT TO SEE OURSELVES RIGHTLY.

• He didn’t gift us all the same way.

EXAMPLES:

• America’s Got Talent

• Work Place

• There are people at your job that have a skill set that is not your skill set. And if you

tried...you might even get a B.

• But you’d be EXHAUSTED, It would ware you out, you’d hate it - It would be B level work.

• Meanwhile there’s that guy that came out of the womb asking for a spreadsheet.

• Hello - Im here to create systems and structures.

WE ARE GIFTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

• ME: If I tried to get into the weeds at that level - I can pull it off to a point. But then its like

C level work -

2

• BUT if I stay in my lane and I’m me - NOT THEM

• MY STORY - CALLING TO MINISTRY - NOT SURE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE

SAY

YOU ARE NOT THE BEST AT EVERYTHING, YOU ARE LIKELY NOT THE BEST AT MOST

THINGS - BUT YOU ARE GIFTED BY GOD...WITH A TALENT

ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT - The idea of Compound Interest

• The 1 talent guy could have sewed his - just as the 5 and 2 talent person.

• What’s at stake here is not the TALENT - BUT What you do with the talent.

DISCOVERY:

• SO WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF YOUR GIFTS:

• 1st - THEY COME FROM GOD - THERE ARE HIS

• Nature abilities God just wove into you

• Your Story - Through your story God has redeemed some things

• Kelly - Single mom who wanted to create a place for other single moms to find love and

hear about the love of Jesus.

• People would tell Kelly - you are so gifted at this - No -“I’m so broken, and know what

others are feeling and have to do something about it.”

• PIC 2 - Kelly & Ladies On Stage

• PIC 3 - Kelly & Family

* PLACE - Story of Dee & Marc

• Somethings Given At Salvation:

• When we surrender to Jesus that a manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common

good

• 1 of 2 Ways:

• Comes in and Begins Something That Wasn’t There Before

• Most Time - Electrifies What Was Already There

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of

service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same

God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the

Spirit for the common good.

DO you see what ’s happening -

Where we are prone to go - THAT PERSON’S got this really amazing thing and I got this little

baby thing... God is freeing you up...He’s saying same team, same team, same team...

Why is this so important?

• It frees us up to celebrate one another.

• Whether its the same gift or a completely different gift.

• You see what He’s doing...

- Variety of gifts, variety of services....One God, One Spirt - Same Team, Same Team....

• HE’S BUILDING THAT TEAM - to cause problems with the darkness of the world.

• SAY: Oh if we could see ourselves correctly - Our attention would be ON Him -

And you would realize just how dangerous you are to the darkness. Oh that we

might come awakened.

Some of You Get This:

- Football season is around the corner

3

- Something you will not see

- Is a 6’5 - 350 lb guy lining up in a slot receiver place

- That kinda guy was built to fight you in phone booth.

- You get him out of his spot - He looks stupid and the team suffers.

- BUT - IF HE WILL PLAY HIS SPOT - Its like a cascading effect

- He blocks/opens up a space for the guy to run or creates some protection...not we can

move the ball down the field.

- If we get him out of position - he’s a liability.

SO IT IS - IF WE WILL SEE OURSELVES CORRECTLY - AND YOU PLAY YOUR SPOT.

- Not your friends spot

- Not my spot

- Not your cousins spot

- Not your spiritual hero spot

- YOUR SPOT

- The kind of joy you can walk in that you are not walking now.

My heart breaks for some maybe today - You’ve been walking in someone else’s

spot. You are poor version of someone else. NOT the beautiful version of what

you could be.

SAY:

I’m not trying to puff up your self-esteem. This is God’s economy. He’s involved in

that. Its not you that’s amazing - Its God that’s amazing IN YOUR STORY.

WE MUST SEE OURSELVES RIGHTLY - You have been gifted.

BUT MUST SEE GOD RIGHTLY AS WELL

Now - The Guy w/ 1 Talent

- He has no eagerness and no urgency - no joy and confidence

- Rather - He makes accusations against the character of God

- The bible says to this man - You are lazy and wicked - I don’t know how you are wired - but

I’m not wanting that said about me BY GOD.

How is he lazy and wicked?

- I think this how this works.

- SAY: When you don’t see God rightly - AND you don’t see yourself rightly... You

will begin to think thoughts about God that are out of step with who he is and

what He does.

- In so doing, you will make accusations in your heart just like this servant.

- Maybe He Thought, “Man my talent is so small and God is so rich”. It just

doesn’t even matter. REPEAT —- What I have is so SMALL and God is SO

big...I don’t have to do anything.”

- Let the people with the 5 talents do it.

IF YOU WERE MADE FOR THE DAY AND THE DAY FOR YOU.

- God is intimately involved in shaping and forming you.

- Redeeming You - Redeeming your hurt, victories and losses

- Giving you a life a purpose and belonging with an unshakeable identity.

That kinda thinking - “My gift is too small, he’s so rich, he wouldn’t even miss

this...is an accusation against God.

This is why he calls him wicked and lazy.

4

What we really know - God is actually very generous.

You posses nothing that is not Gods and has been given to you to steward.

CS Lewis - 6 Pence None the Richer

- So it is - You and I have nothing that does not rightly belong to the creator

God. You don’t have a talent, you don’t have an opportunity.

- BUT I WORKED HARD FOR WHAT I GOT.

- Great - But Be Honest:

- Were there other people that worked hard-Did’t get quit as far

as you?

- Were those others that positioned themselves rightly, yet the

opportunity was not there for them?

- Is there nothing naturally not in you that gave you that edge?

GOD IS GENEROUS!

• IT IS GOD WHO:

• ...GIVES, ...SAVES, ...SETS, DRAWS, MAKES A WAY,..POSITIONS US

RIGHTLY, HE IS AT WORK

• JOB MOVING HERE - I WAS NOT THEIR FIRST CHOICE

Vs 25 - He gets real honest about why he was paralyzed- HE WAS AFRAID

- WHY BECAUE HE DIDN”T KNOW WHO GOD WAS:

- HE’S MAKING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GOD.

- He’s saying I was afraid - of what might happen if I invest it and loose?

- At least the 5 talent guy has margin to spare - “I got 3 left - some

bitcoin got me”

HERE’S ONE OF THE BIGGER TAKE AWAYS - I’ll SAY IT AGAIN - GOD’S SCORECARD IS

NOT THE SAME AS OUR SCORECARD.

SAY: What HE delights in, what HE is honored in —- IS FAITH - Not our

metrics of success.

- I tell you - a lot of us are going to get ROCKED when we get to glory. When we see

who the big deals are. - RANDY ALCORN EXAMPLE

GOD’S SCORECARD IS NOT OUR SCORECARD:

He honors FAITH, RISK, COURAGE

- Our guy here was AFRAID

- THINK ABOUT YOU AND I:

- FEAR Will Likely Keep You From Moving Forward in Faith

- Maybe You’ve Been Hurt:

- Not doing that again, Not trusting anyone with information again,

- Fear of IT not working.

- Here’s I Guy - I WAS AFRAID - I only have 1 talent - What if I bet it and loose it. Your

powerful, so what does that mean for me?

HOW DO WE STAY ROOTED? SEE OURSELVES RIGHTLY?

SAY - Your faith and what Jesus is doing is WAY bigger than your personal

salvation. LOOK AT ME - It is not LESS than your personal salvation.

• But it is epically MORE than your salvation.

• We have been so conditioned to think when we hear Gospel (Good News)

to only think - PERSONAL SALVATION.

5

PERSONAL SALVATION:

- The transfer out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of His Beloved Son.

- So, you want to play in the Kingdom, personal salvation is a necessity.

BUT IT IS BIGGER THAN PERSONAL SALVATION - YOU AND I ARE CAUGHT IN A STORY.

ITS THE ONLY STORY - ITS THE STORY THAT ALL STORIES FIND THEIR PLACE.

HIS STORY:

- THE CREATOR GOD OF THE UNIVERSE CREATED THE WORK IN SHALOM.

- In rhythm and beauty to reflect His glory - an overflow of his divine, triune perfection - Father,

Son, Holy Spirit overflowing on the canvas of creation.

- THE MAN AND WOMAN WERE NAKED AND UNASHAMED - Little do with nudity and

everything to do with the heart and their relationship with the Father and each other.

- SIN ENTERS THE COSMOS AND FRACTURES IT

- The man goes from WO-MAN, Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh to - Its that WOMAN

YOU GAVE to ME.

- Relational strife immediately between each other and God and man.

- HERE’S GOD’S RESPONSE: To move towards - to redeem / to save

- He makes a people - Exodus 17 - And you will be for more a Kingdom of Priests that the

Nations might see my light.

- Christ come - kills sin and death for those who would believe

- You and I by the power of His spirit are called into this Kingdom

- Uniquely wired - Uniquely Placed - Set to cause problems for a vanquished enemy who

doesn’t know He quit vanquished yet.

THAT’S THE STORY YOU AND I ARE IN.

If we are to have the urgency we need - The FAITH, COURAGE TO MOVE - WE HAVE TO SEE

GOD RIGHTLY.

If we see God Rightly, We Will See Ourselves Rightly and Place Ourselves into the Story -

There are no SMALL TALENTS?

DEEP WORK, OVER TIME, IN COMMUNITY:

DEEP WORK - IN the quite - With the Holy Spirit

ON SCREEN

TALENTS:

What do I love to do?

What motivates what I do?

What do I constantly think about?

HEART:

What would I do if I knew I wouldn’t fail?

What do I care most about in this world?

How do I hope others describe me when I die?

Read More
Guest UserGrace Christian FellowshipClay Jernigan, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Bible-believing, church, non denominational, Matthew, ALL, Matthew 25, parable of the talents, parables
What's Jesus Christ's Greatest Command? | Matthew 22:34-46
What's Jesus Christ's Greatest Command? | Matthew 22:34-46

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What’s Jesus Christ’s Greatest Command?”

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-46

Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. What were the underlying motives of those who questioned Jesus in Matthew 22:16-40?

2. What is at the root of all rejection of Jesus? (Hint: Read John 3:19-21.)

3. Explain why Jesus' question in Matthew 22:41-46 would have been perplexing to these Jewish leaders.

4. How would you respond to someone who said they rejected the authority of God's Word but they loved Jesus?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: What is Jesus Christ’s greatest commandment?

Story/Illustration:

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.

Outline

I. Jesus’ greatest command is LOVE (34-40)

  1. Definitions of Love

    1. Not I love pizza

    2. Not I love my brother

    3. Not I love my brother from another mother

    4. Not I love my girlfriend/boyfriend

    5. Not I love my child even

    6. I love my wife/husband…

      1. Sacrificially (costs me)

      2. Unconditionally (No strings attached)

  2. Directions of Love

    1. Vertical

    2. Horizontal

  3. God

  4. People (our neighbor as ourselves)

    1. Jesus defines neighbor in Luke 10, parable of the Good Samaritan, as anyone in our path in need

II. Jesus’ greatest identity is LORD (41-46)

  1. Son of Man (humanity)

  2. Son of God

  3. The son of God has all authority given to him by the Father

III. Conclusion

Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort, it’s awkward, it’s slow, and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.

But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let’s walk in love. Our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is love manifest.

When we have a decision to make, let’s ask ourself, what would love do in this situation. And then do that.

Walk in love.

Pray

“Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.” -Josh McDowell

“Jesus’ two-fold answer should warn Christians against emphasizing either piety for God or social concern at the expense of the other.” -Craig Blomberg

Note: explore the extremes as potential strengths/weaknesses in the body of Christ

Jesus then asks about the Messiah (his identity) because who we say he is matters.

22:41-42 Jesus now turns the tables on his questioners. He has evaded all their traps, which were based fundamentally on their refusal to recognize him as Messiah. This is the topic they really should be talking about. Their problems largely stem from the fact that they are looking for a purely human, nationalistic liberator. Jesus directs his question so as to explore the scriptural nature of messiahship. From whose ancestry is the Messiah to come? The answer, at least for Jesus immediate audience, would have indisputably been "from the lineage of David" -Blomberg

22:43-44 The Pharisees' answer (v. 42b) sets up Jesus' real question. If the Messiah is merely the human offspring of David, why does David himself speak of him as "Lord" _a master or sovereign above the one who is king of Israel and the highest human authority in the land? -Blomberg

22:45-46 So how can this Christ be merely a human descendant of David? The Pharisees have no answer, nor does anyone else, and no one dares to ask him any further questions. All the traps have failed, and Jesus' listeners have in fact been trapped. Not surprisingly, Ps 110:1-4 becomes the Old Testament passage quoted more than any other in the New Testament. It points to Jesus' messiahship and his exaltation, and the first Christians take their cue from its effectiveness here for use in their later apologetic (see, e.g., Acts 2:34-35; Heb 1:13; 5:6,10; 7:17,21).

  • Blomberg

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. Who Jesus really is and what he considers his greatest (most important) command.

Q. Why?

A. Because the whole OT depends on them. They are how to live out our faith UP, IN and OUT.

Q. What do I want them to do?

A. Re-orient/reset their lives (further orient/reset their lives) UP, IN and OUT from Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Q. Why?

A. Because that’s the only appropriate response. It balances our love for God (who we cannot touch) with our love for people (whom we can touch) empowering us to love our intangible Creator with our tangible neighbors each day. It empowers us to thus balance piety with justice. Think Micah 6:8, what does the Lord require?

  1. Act justly (towards people) (IN & OUT)

  2. Love mercy (towards people) (IN & OUT)

  3. Walk humbly with God. (UP)

Q. How?

A. By living a life of relational balance (UP, IN & OUT)

A. Start by employing the means of grace that God gives us in his word to surrender to him in all things.

  • Learning the word

    • Regularly

    • Prayerfully

  • Obeying what you read by grace through faith

  • Leading others to do the same

I’ll go back to where we started at the beginning.

Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort, it’s awkward, it’s slow, and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.

But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, non denominational, church, Ladson, SC, Grace Chrisian Fellowhsip, Matthew, greatest command
It Really Is About Resurrection | Matthew 22:23-33
It Really Is About Resurrection | Matthew 22:23-33

It Really is About Resurrection!

Marriage is important on Earth, but in Heaven there is no marriage.  

All relationships will be perfect and God will provide the intimacy and closeness as our Heavenly Father.

Pharisees                          

Believed in the OT books.               
Believed in resurrection                  
Believed in angels                          
Heaven for God and His people      

Sadducees (not like Jesus – spoke heaven, judgment and hell)

Only first 5 books

No resurrection

No judgment or punishment

No heaven

Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6 (Jesus knows his audience).  Like John 3:16 to us today, Ex 3:6 to the 1st Century Jew.

God is not the God of the dead but the God of the living!


Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian Fellowshipmarriage, resurrection, Matthew 22, heaven, non denominational, church, Ken Dorrity, bible believing church, Jesus, Grace Christian Fellowship
What Does Jesus Say About Paying Taxes? | Matthew 22:15-22
What Does Jesus Say About Paying Taxes? | Matthew 22:15-22

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What does Jesus say about paying taxes?”

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 (main);

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Tim 2:1-2; Genesis 1:26-27

Bottom line: Jesus calls his followers to give back everything to God.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. What were the underlying motives of those who questioned Jesus in Matthew 22:16-40?

2. What is at the root of all rejection of Jesus? (Hint: Read John 3:19-21.)

3. Explain why Jesus' question in Matthew 22:41-46 would have been perplexing to these Jewish leaders.

4. How would you respond to someone who said they rejected the authority of God's Word but they loved Jesus?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: What does Jesus say about paying taxes?

We will also address the other question that Jesus answered: What does Jesus say about giving to God?

Story/Illustration:

Al Capone underestimated the IRS (Forbes Magazine)

“They (the IRS) can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money,” mob boss Al Capone once bragged (apparently).

Capone had murdered dozens of people, ran gambling and prostitution rings, and made a fortune bootlegging at the height of Prohibition. But who finally brought him down? The IRS, who got him indicted for federal income tax evasion in 1931.

They couldn’t get him for murder, gambling, pimping, bootlegging…but they were able to get him in the end—for not paying his taxes.

You’ve heard it said that we don’t HAVE to do anything but live, die and pay taxes.

We hate to pay tax and taxes.

We like to think it’s our money and that we know best how to handle it—all of it.

And that may be true. Or it may be short-sighted or even unwise even with governmental leaders who waste and misuse our tax dollars.

Jesus addresses this legitimate concern but then move to more fertile pastures. He tackles a subject much more important—should we give God anything.

This is not a message about giving money. No, this is much more important than that. This is a message about giving God his due. Giving God what is already his.

You. Me. Us.

Matthew, the author of the book of Matthew and one of Jesus’ followers, was a tax collector before following Jesus. And as profitable as that profession was in that day, he found something infinitely more satisfying—giving his life back to God.l

Bottom line: Jesus calls his followers to give back everything to God.

Outline

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. That we have dual allegiances in this life. (But not equal)

  1. That we are to submit to our governing authorities in all things, as long as they do not go against the moral law of God. Ex. Pay your taxes.

  2. That we are to submit to our Creator in all things, because this is the moral law in practice. Ex. Give as God has given to you.

But the issue is about more than money—much more.

Why submit to these authorities?

We submit to the God because he created us and designed us to a part of a beautiful world, albeit, a broken world where the beauty must come from the broken pieces.

This authority comes from his inscription or image or icon impressed on us—the imago Dei or image of God. This is his proof of ownership.

What are evidences of this?

Examples include that humans:

  • Have inherent dignity distinctly different from the rest of creation,

  • Have unique value and worth in the eyes of our Creator,

  • Have the ability to reason,

  • Have the ability to create or be creative, and/or

  • Have a moral compass from which to live.

In the course of submitting (following, obeying) to God, we submit to those authorities that God has put over us. That starts with our governing authorities like government officials, judges, police, teachers, and our parents.

Q. What do I want them to do?

A. Gladly submit to these authorities outwardly and inwardly starting with Jesus Christ, the author and perfect-or of our faith.

Q. Why?

A. Because he’s stamped us in his image. We are who we are because of his gracious act of creating us in the first place.

How?

Start by doing the next right thing.

  1. Respect your governing authorities.

  2. Pay your taxes. Obey the laws.

  3. Pray, asking God to help you submit to your governing authorities.

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus calls his followers to give back everything to God.

So we now know that Jesus thinks you should pay your taxes.

But, more importantly, we also know that this is just applying a more important principle. We give back to God what belongs to God.

Love

Honor

Obedience

Everything.

For we are made in his image.

Applications:

  1. Honor and obey your governing authorities (as long as they do not break God’s laws).

  2. Honor and obey your Creator and Redeemer with everything.

  3. Pay your taxes.

  4. Pray for your governing authorities.

  5. Lead others to do the same.

Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.

But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Pray

NOTES

Wiersbe notes

  • Pharisees were ardent nationalists who opposed Roman rule.

  • Herodians were collaborating with and got their power from Rome so they were willing to cooperate and rule under Roman rule.

  • Normally, they were enemies but, in this case, they worked together to try and trap Jesus.

Reasons the Pharisees opposed the Imperial Tax:

  1. They didn’t want to submit to a Gentile power;

  2. Caesar was revered as a god; (blasphemy) and

  3. They had better uses for their money.

My thoughts…we’re not so different…

  1. We don’t like to submit to anyone;

  2. We think we’re god (at least we like to live like we are); and

  3. We have better uses for our money (certainly not God’s money)! “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Psalm 24:1

Trick question designed to trap him.

  1. If he opposed the tax, he would be in trouble with Rome. They’d report him for treason.

  2. If he approved the tax, he would be in trouble with the Jewish leaders. The people would have pause to follow him too.

“Give (back) to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Jesus taught several truths with this answer:

  1. Christians must honor and obey their rulers.

    1. Romans 13:1-7

    2. 1 Peter 2:13-17

    3. 1 Tim 2:1-2

    4. Christians have dual citizenship, in heaven and on earth. Therefore, we must

      1. Obey the law

      2. Pay taxes

      3. Pray for those in authority

  2. Christians must honor and obey God.

    1. Caesar’s not God or even a god.

    2. Gov’ts shouldn’t enforce religion and

    3. Gov’ts shouldn’t restrict freedom of worship. And religious freedom isn’t just being able to worship in our own buildings. It’s freedom to live out (and speak out) our convictions. Obviously with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

  3. Humanity bears God’s image and owes God his all.

    1. Caesar’s image was on the coin.

    2. God’s image is on humanity.

    3. God’s image is corrupted but it’s still there and it can be restored through faith in Jesus Christ.

    4. It is right and good for people to serve their government. (Think Joseph, Daniel or Nehemiah)

    5. But it’s wrong for gov’t to control the church or for the church to control gov’t.

O’Donnell notes

1. Who’s is asking the question? Two groups:

  1. The Pharisees—Pro Jewish Nationalists—sort of like MAGA republicans (pro America)

  2. The Herodians—Pro Roman Rule—sort of like progressive democrats (pro American govt)

Clearly, an unlikely alliance.

So, then it appears that the Pharisees ask their disciples to join the Herodians to ask this question of Jesus.

2. Why are they asking this question? Check out their motives:

  1. After hearing Jesus’ parables (about them), they “laid plans to trap him in his words.” (15)

  2. “But Jesus, knowing their evil intent.” (18)

Think a Fox reporter interviewing Joe Biden one on one. He/she is out to trip them up. Or CNN reporter interviewing Trump.

3. Where are they when they ask this question?  The temple.

4. What did they ask? “Is it right (lawful) to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

  1. REVOLUTION AGAINST ROME: If Jesus says “No”, then he admits his rule is rebellious as he is King of the Jews. And rebels get crucified by Rome.

  2. COLLABORATION WITH ROME: If Jesus says “Yes”, then the rumors are true and that he’s a friend of Gentile sinners *gasp* AND Roman tax collectors. (Not to mention Jewish ones like Matthew himself)

Instead, Jesus destroys their false dichotomy.  How?

  1. “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?”

    1. A hypocrite means playing a part with a mask/costume.

    2. Think about some of our recent plays in the area. Kids dress up and play parts as if they are really that person or creature. They are playacting. This is where the word hypocrite comes from. Nothing wrong with this.

    3. Here, the opposition is playacting in a sinister way. They have smiles on their faces but evil in their hearts. They are trying to trap him and arrest him.

  2. So Jesus is exposing the hypocrisy of their flattering words right away.

  3. What’s their hypocrisy?

    1. Where are they again? The temple. Where Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers required because you couldn’t use pagan money to buy sacrificial animals. You had to exchange it (at high rates) for temple money because it was impure/unclean due to the graven image of Tiberius Caesar on it. In fact, people are probably still finding Roman coins on the ground from Jesus’ earlier rampage.

    2. So it appears that Jesus has no money (or at least Roman coinage) on him. O’Donnell writes, “So in the temple, to the super-spiritual, he says, ‘How about you? Any Roman coinage on you?’ And they unwittingly say, ‘Oh, sure. Here you go.’” Oops.

    3. Then Jesus asks, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” They answer, “Caesar’s.” O’Donnell again writes, “Yes. The image [or to use Bible language, the graven image, Exodus 20:4] that you hold in your hands is that of Caesar.” Ah, yeah, what are you doing with that?

    4. Portrait on the denarius coin was likely of Tiberius Caesar and the inscription likely read Ti Caesar Augustus son of the divine Augustus. On the other side was a picture of a seated woman (symbolizing Pax Romana or peace of Rome). There it would have read, “High priest” or “God and High Priest.” Yeah, not a great look when considering the first 2 of the 10 commandments.

5. Jesus’ final answer.

  1. “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (21b) “Render” literally means “Give back”.

  2. If it’s Caesar’s coin (he in a sense, made it and gave it to them to use), then give it back to him when he asks for it (imperial tax for non-Roman citizens).

  3. In other words, pay your taxes. It’s not a gift and he’s not a god. But you are to give him back what is his already.

  4. Why?

    1. Because this is how governments work.

    2. Roman or American, governments use taxes to better a nation for a variety of reasons. The Romans understood this. The founders of America knew this. The Romans used those taxes to do things like:

      1. Build good, safe roads,

      2. Bring in water,

      3. Add public bath houses,

      4. Agricultural improvements,

      5. Educational improvements,

      6. And law and order.

      7. For this, they asked for a tax of one day’s wages. (Admittedly, this is still high for a very poor person) In America, we ask for your first 4 months of wages. But I digress…

  5. 2 parts to Jesus’ final answer:

    1. GIVE BACK TO GOVERNMENT. Give Caesar’s coins back to Caesar. This is the lessor lesson. This teaches us (as exiles 1 Peter 1:1) to respect our government is to respect God who put that government in power. Yes, even the bad ones. (See Romans 13)

      1. This is about more than paying taxes. This is respecting, submitting, and honoring governmental offices and those in them (even praying for them) as a way to respect God who instituted government in the first place.

      2. Caveat: If Caesar or the Congress create laws where being a Christian makes you a terrorist and subject to arrest simply because we believe and share the gospel, then it’s time for civil disobedience. And we must be prepared to pay the price of such revolution.

      3. Jesus, not Caesar nor our President, is Lord! (Or Savior, for that matter)

      4. Government is legitimate. Christians pay taxes to the glory of God and for the welfare of the city. (Jeremiah 29:7)

    2. GIVE BACK TO GOD. This is the greater lesson.

      1. Note the Hebrew parallelism.

      2. Note the second part is unnecessary. Jesus adds to his answer.

      3. Therefore, the addition must be important.

      4. In words,

        1. If you should freely give back to Caesar what is already his,

        2. then, shouldn’t you give EVERYTHING (back) to God almighty?!

  6. Finally: Our amazed response to all of this should be

    1. Adoration

    2. Allegiance

Blomberg notes

22:21 The answer to Jesus' question is obvious. His follow-up statement surprises everyone. In one of the most famous sayings in the Gospels, Jesus avoids the trap by affirming both what the Pharisees and what the Herodians hold dear. God's sovereignty must be acknowledged, but human governments also have a legitimate authority. "Give" means pay back that which is rightfully due. Some commentators have taken Jesus words as implying "give everything to God" because everything is ultimately his, but this interpretation destroys the delicate balance of Jesus’ reply as he seeks to evade both points of the two-pronged attack against him. Reasonable taxation is a legitimate function for all governments, even totalitarian regimes; how much more so with more democratic governments! Christians who avoid paying taxes, or who avoid paying the full amount of their taxes, sin against God even just as surely as in more obviously "moral" arenas. P. 331

Sproul notes

“The image on the denarius at that time was that of the Emperor Tiberius, who reigned after Augustus, from AD 14 to 37. Along with his image, an inscription was pressed on the surface of the coin: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.” On the other side was the inscription, “High Priest.” The emperor was given this title because he was not only the supreme political ruler of the Roman Empire but the supreme religious leader, as well. He was regarded as a god.”

“Caesar’s status made for great difficulties and trials for the believers of the early church. Every Christian was required to swear a loyalty oath, saying, “Caesar is lord.” The penalty for refusal was death. Even so, many, when asked to say, “Caesar is lord,” responded instead by saying, “Jesus is Lord,” and that affirmation because the first confession of the early church. Those believers said: “Caesar, we’ll pray for you. We’ll honor you. We’ll pay our taxes. We’ll be good citizens. But you are not lord. Jesus is Lord. We will not worship you.”

“The coin bore the image of Caesar, so it belonged to Caesar. As the ruler who had been raised up by God, he had the right to ask the people under his rule to render to him that which belonged to him. So, Jesus was saying it was the obligation of the Jews, as much as they despised Caesar and his regime, to pay their taxes. At the same time, however, they were to give God those things that were His: the tithe and obedience in all areas.”

“So, whereas the Pharisees set up an either/or question for Jesus, He gave a both/and answer.”

“But our obligation to God goes far beyond the tithe. Jesus told the Pharisees and Herodians to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, which, in that instance, meant the tax, for it was Caesar’s face on the denarius. But whose image is on us? Whose image do we bear? Whose image is stamped on our souls? We are image-bearers of God. We belong to Him. We owe Him not only our tithes but our lives.”

“Matthew tells us that they “left Him and went their way,” not God’s way. We need to search our hearts and make sure we are going God’s way, not just in paying our taxes and our tithes, but in all things.”

Excerpts From Matthew - An Expositional Commentary, R.C. Sproul

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Matthew 22, ALL, taxes
What Does Jesus Ask of His Disciples? | John 7:37-39
What Does Jesus Ask of His Disciples? | John 7:37-39

Title: “What does Jesus ask of his disciples?”

Scripture: John 7:37-39 (Main); Jeremiah 2:13; Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:1-12; Psalm 78:15-16

Intro

The Pardoner’s Tale from the Canterbury Tales

Three lawless young men go on a search for Death. They think if they can find Death, they will be able to kill him. As they are searching, they meet an old man who tells them that Death can be found at the foot of an oak tree. Off they go to the tree. There instead of finding Death, they find eight bushels of gold. With Death now out of mind and greed in mind, they decide to sleep there that night and sneak away with the treasure in the morning.

Meanwhile, the youngest goes into town to buy some food and drink.

He also buys some rat poison and poisons the wine. He wants the gold all to himself. Ah, but the other two want the gold for themselves. So they plot to kill him when he returns. Sure enough that is what they do. When the man returns, they stab him to death. To celebrate, they lift their cups and drink the poisoned wine. They too die.

The old man was right. All three greedy men found Death under that tree.

Are you satisfied with your life?

Does Jesus truly satisfy?

If so, how?

Bottom line: Jesus truly satisfies when we come to him on his terms.

The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) was a harvest feast which portrays the desert wanderings where they lived in tents for 40 years. Talk about a roving RV festival.

Exod 17:15-16

Numbers 20:8, 10-11 (1-12)

Ps 78:15-16

Jeremiah 2:13

““My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Jesus speaks at a moment when one of their daily festival rites was climaxing where the priest would pour water from the pool of Siloam (healing/saving water) back to the temple in through the water gate at the blast of the temple trumpets with a crowd in pursuit, and on the last day he’d circle the altar 7 times (on the final day of the festival, 7th) when the priest would be joined by another priest carrying the wine. They’d ascend the ramp to the altar together. A pause as he raised the pitcher of water. Everyone wanted to see the pouring of the water at least once in their lifetime. And then he’d pour it on the altar. 

Wine. Altar. Water.

Cross of Christ—> Living water/salvation/healing/eternal life/satisfying life

It’s a this moment that Jesus cries out vs. 37-38.

Are we satisfied or thirsty?

Are we finding satisfaction in Christ?

Are we finding even more satisfaction in sharing Christ with others?

“My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

Jesus encourages the thirsty to find true satisfaction for their thirst. 

Unfortunately, most of us pursue other avenues to slake our thirst to no lasting satisfaction. We chase all kinds of things for satisfaction when the only thing that satisfies is life with Christ himself. 

Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. For they will be satisfied! (Matt 5:6)

How are we to drink this living water? On God’s terms. See this scene from CS Lewis’s the Silver Chair:

“How are we to drink this water? Although the offer is free and open to all, there are yet some terms to be met. C. S. Lewis in his children's novel The Silver Chair puts his finger on this in the clearest of terms. Jill, seeing a lion, is scared out of her wits and runs into the forest. She runs so hard that she wears herself out and is just about to die of thirst, or so she thinks, when she hears the gurgling of a brook in the distance. She approaches it and is almost ready to go to the brook when on the grass before her is the same lion.

"Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.

"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.

"Then drink, " said the Lion.

"May I-could I- would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

"Will you promise not to -do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.

"I make no promise," said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step

nearer.

"Do you eat girls?" she said.

"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and em-perors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.

"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer.

"I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."

"There is no other stream," said the Lion.

It never occurred to Jill to disbelieve the Lion - no one who had seen his stern face could do that -and her mind suddenly made itself up. It was the worst thing she had ever had to do, but she went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted.

Do you see what Lewis is saying? When you come to the water, you are coming to a Lion, you must come on the Lion's terms, and you have to yield yourself by faith in order to get the water. Some of us need to realize that we are thirsty, that we need that water so badly that we are going to die without it. We need to step out on faith, yielding to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and receive the water of eternal life.” —K Hughes, John, pp. 220-221

7:38-39

“Jesus is saying that the part of us that is never satisfied, the part of us that craves so much, becomes, when we receive this water, the part that is satisfied.” —Hughes, p. 221

“Furthermore, not only does such satisfaction come to us in Christ, but it overflows to others. Notice that Christ does not say ‘river’ but ‘rivers.’ Rivers of living water flow out of us by virtue of the in dwelling Spirit of Christ.” Ibid.

Billy Bray was a dynamic Christian and British miner in the 19th century who so overflowed with the living water of Christ that wherever he went men trusted Christ.

Each day as he went down into the mines—very dangerous in those days—he would pray with the miners as he went down. “Lord, if any of us must be killed or die today, let it be me. Let not one of these men die for they are not happy and I am, and if I die today I shall go to be in heaven.”

“Power and overflowing joy—these are the characteristics of great drinkers of the Spirit. But the sublime irony in this is that we never experience satisfaction as we are meant to until our lives give satisfaction o others.” —Ibid, p. 222

You’ve heard the expression, “He drinks like a fish” referring to his drinking of alcohol. Oh that we’d hear of Christians “drinking like a fish” out of the fountain of living water. Not drinking spirits but of THE SPIRIT of Christ! Power & joy abundant and shared.

“Are you satisfied? Is your satisfaction flowing out to others?” Ibid. 

“During the desert wanderings that the Feast of Tabernacles portrayed, Moses smote a rock, and out of it came rivers of living (?) water for the people. That was a picture of Christ, and our Scripture refers to this in v. 39.” Ibid.

“Jesus had not yet been smitten on the cross and resurrected. Therefore the S;Iris had not yet come to indwell believers. In the wilderness, the first time the Lord instructed Moses to STRIKE the rock, Moses did, and God provided water. But the second time Moses made a grievous error. God told him to SPEAK to the rock, but in his anger against the people Moses smote the rock. Water nevertheless came out graciously from God, but Moses paid heavily for his action…Moses probably never suspected that he had ruined the type because Christ was not smitten twice but once. Again we see God’s provision and his grace.” Ibid.

“Our Lord is a Lion, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and we must come to him on his terms, thought he graciously invites us to communicate with him, to speak to him. Are you satisfied? Have you drunk long and deep of that water so that out of your innermost being are flowing rivers of living water? Is your life a beatitude to others? Whether or not that has happened, speak to him about it now.” Ibid, 222-223.

What do we need to do?

  1. Recognize that you thirst for something that exists. Your thirst for more than this life offers. Abundant life forever!

  2. Drink this living water. Drink deeply and often as if our lives depended on it. God gives us thirst so that we’ll know we need it satisfied and that there exists something that can truly satisfy. Drinking is believing.

  3. Pour out (spray, hose down, power wash) what wants out from within. God fills us up so that we have something to give. Our job isn’t to fill someone else’s cup. Our job is to empty our cup.

  4. Living water = Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit

    1. Immerses the person into this living water (baptism of the Holy Spirit)

    2. Saturates the person with the Holy Spirit guaranteeing he will finish what he started in them.

    3. Brings spiritual fruit in unlimited quantity. (Fruit of the Spirit)

    4. Brings spiritual gifts (at least one; no one has all) for the purpose of building up the body of Christ (the Church).

    5. He guides and provides all that we need to then go and saturate this world.

  5. Saturate this world with living water. That is the love of God through Jesus Christ.

Big idea/Bottom line?

What do I want them to know?

That Jesus satisfies us like nothing else. 

Why?

Because this satisfaction streams into our world and brings satisfaction there too.

What do I want them to do?

Drink deeply of this living water and share it with others.

Why?

For this leads to even more satisfaction.

How?

Come to God on his terms. He’s a lion and terrifying. Fear God. He’s also inviting you to come. Believe and receive this good invitation of good news that Jesus Christ truly satisfies.

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, non denominational, church, bible believing, Ladson, SC, disciples, John 7, Mothers Day
How is God Just and Generous in Salvation? | Matthew 20:1-16
How is God Just and Generous in Salvation? | Matthew 20:1-16

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How is God just and generous in salvation?”

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Heavily indebted to Douglas Sean O’Donnell’s commentary for this message. (See below)

Bottom line: God’s gift of salvation is both just and generous:

It’s just, so we don’t grumble about God’s mercy to anyone;

It’s equally gracious, so we don’t begrudge his unequal generosity.

Main point: God’s gift of salvation is just and generous.

A. God’s gift of salvation is just, so don’t grumble (complain) about God’s undeserved grace (or mercy).

B. God’s gift of salvation is equally gracious (to all), so don’t begrudge (look upon with disapproval) w/God’s unequal generosity. (Envious or jealous)

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What does the parable of the workers in a vinevard teach us about

God's grace?

2. How does the misguided approach of the disciples beginning in Matthew 20:20 parallel your own approach to God and the Christian life?

3. How does Jesus' healing of the blind men in Matthew 20:29-34 contrast with the request for privilege by James and John in the previous paragraph?

4. Why can't grace and pride coexist? Can you think of other Scriptural passages that speak to this truth?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That God is just and generous in saving people.

Q. Why?

A. Because we tend to live as if we deserve it. And there’s very little gratitude in that perspective. In fact, we do not deserve it.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Evaluate your relationship with God. Do you believe you deserve salvation? (You don’t) Do you believe you can earn your salvation? (You cannot)

Q. Why?

A. Because salvation is a gift to the damned. None of us deserve it. All of us need it.

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (/ˈdɑːmər/; May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killerand sex offender who killed and dismembered seventeen men and boys between 1978 and 1991.[4] Many of his later murders involved necrophilia,[5] cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts—typically all or part of the skeleton.[6]

Although he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder,[7] schizotypal personality disorder,[8] and a psychotic disorder, Dahmer was found to be legally saneat his trial. He was convicted of fifteen of the sixteen homicides he had committed in Wisconsin and was sentenced to fifteen terms of life imprisonment on February 17, 1992.[9] Dahmer was later sentenced to a sixteenth term of life imprisonment for an additional homicide committed in Ohio in 1978.

On November 28, 1994, Dahmer was beaten to death by Christopher Scarver, a fellow inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.

Jeffrey Dawlmer coming to Christ. Stone Phillips interviewed Dawlmer where he learned that Dawlmer, his father and his pastor all testify that Jeffrey believes we all will stand before Christ and answer to him. He trusted Jesus as Lord and savior according to all 3.

  • Dateline NBC has also broadcast an interview with Dahmer. Conducted by Stone Phillips and first broadcast on March 8, 1994, this 90-minute episode—titled Confessions of a Serial Killer—features interviews with Dahmer and his father conducted at Columbia Correctional Institution. Dahmer's mother is also interviewed for this program.[363]

Context:

“The time had come for the owner of a vineyard to harvest his grapes. The permanent workers on his farm were not numerous enough to complete the harvest in time, so when harvest time came, as many farmers did in the ancient world and still do today, he went looking for day laborers he could hire. Such laborers customarily came to the marketplace in the hope that they would be chosen to labor that day and would gain the standard pay for a day’s work in Israel, which was one denarius”

Excerpt From

Matthew - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

God’s gift of salvation (eternal life; kingdom of God; kingdom of heaven) is generous in just, gracious, and merciful.

The landowner was

Just—he paid them all what he agreed to pay them which was fair market value (one day laborers wages). And they all agreed to this up front. They all were paid the same amount. They were probably happy at the beginning of the day because someone hired them enabling them to gain a wage that day. While their circumstances did not change during the day, their expectations did.

Perceived as unjust—the workers who were first hired perceived this generosity to be unfair because the last were paid for a full day when they worked < a full day. As a result, they grumbled/complained to the landowner.

Grace—While some worked all day (earning their fair share of the wages), the rest worked less than a day and yet were generously paid more than they deserved.

Mercy—Some did not get what they deserved (in their minds) which was more than what the latter workers received. Yet, none of them deserved the work. They were mercifully given the opportunity to work when they had no way to create payable work on their own. They were literally at the mercy of a landowner hiring them that day.

8A little bit more…

Also, keep in mind that this was a time of harvest requiring extra workers. Therefore, in addition to his normal crew, he was bringing other day laborers who needed any kind of work they could get. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that they were harvesting grapes—not just tending to the fields.

This matters because it reminds us that this imagery is about more than grace, mercy and justice. It’s about the harvest. God doesn’t just graciously save people to save them. He saves them to serve…in the harvest. This is part of what is referred to as the “Lordship debate”. Does Jesus save, end of sentence. Or does Jesus save that we might join him in saving others? I believe it’s both—and. I believe that we demonstrate that our faith is genuine and our salvation real when we join him in the harvest. Otherwise, I think it’s safe to say there’s evidence to the contrary.

When someone saves your life, you feel like you could do anything for them.

When you are forgiven a great debt, you live your life grateful for what you don’t deserve—more life.

When Jesus saves you from sin and death, shame and guilt, hell itself, and you understand this, you find yourself eager to serve God and serve people to this end.

Do you?

“In the parable, a large group of the workers received grace. One group received justice. However, no one received injustice. But the workers who labored all day thought they received injustice. They thought the owner owed them something”

Excerpt From

Matthew - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

“If we were to try to list everything God owes us, it would be the easiest task we were ever assigned, one we could complete in record time. The truth is, He owes us nothing except His wrath as punishment for all our sins”

Excerpt From

Matthew - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

Yet, we owe God an infinite debt—our sins are debts against a holy God. Like the servant who owed the king a gazillion dollars, we owe God way more than we could ever pay back.

Excerpt  from David Platt:

Main point: God’s gift of salvation is just and generous.

A. God’s gift of salvation is just, so don’t grumble (complain) about God’s undeserved grace (or mercy).

B. God’s gift of salvation is equally gracious (to all), so don’t begrudge (look upon with w/God’s unequal generosity. (Envious or jealous)

Symbolism:

Landowner/Master = God the Father; the Lord God

Workers = Christians; some more and some less in the eyes of the world (and the church)

Harvest = Work of the gospel in the world

Matthew 9:37-38 says, “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.9.37-38.NIV

JUSTICE - getting what you deserve

GRACE - getting what you DON’T deserve

MERCY - NOT getting what you deserve

“Whenever Jesus teaches on grace…he teaches lordship salvation.” -O’Donnell

“The traditional Protestant position is that salvation is

  1. by grace alone in Christ alone

  2. through faith alone,

  3. but such faith is never alone—it produces fruit.

    1. Faith loves.

    2. Faith works.

    3. Faith obeys. If such fruit is not found, then the assurance of salvation cannot (should not) be offered. Jesus must be both Savior AND Lord.” -O‘Donnell

A last point:

2 rules to the grace game:

  1. Grace and works. Jesus calls us laborers and workers in his kingdom harvest work. Everyone of them in this parable works in the vineyard, presumably for the harvest. The master goes and puts the idlers to work because grace by faith WORKS!

  2. Grace and rewards. These workers were GIVEN a job to work. Jesus rewards every worker who works (gives evidence he’s a worker (Christian)). And they’re doing a specific work too. They are working in the kingdom harvest. Are we?

Conclusion

Bottom line: 

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Stop grumbling and begrudging God and people who are just and generous.

Q. Why?

A. Because he tells us to. Because you know that God is just and generous and that’s enough.

Notes

“20:1-16 Different hours, same wages?

Christ told a parable about a landowner who paid the same wages to all his workers even though they had done vastly different amounts of work. God has the sovereign right to reward us for our work as he sees fit.

Anything he gives us, whether small or great, is a gift of grace and is more than we deserve.” -Wilmington’s Bible Handbook

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB)

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible believing, church, non denominational, generous, salvation, Matthew, ALL