Sermon Notes and Outlines
When The Lame Was Challenged 1-26-25 AM
I. The place (John 5:1-4).
a. There were several sources of water in Jerusalem.
b. One was near a gate in Jerusalem known as the sheep gate.
i. The KJV has sheep market in it, with market in italics.
ii. Sheep gate is what is found in newer translations.
iii. There is a sheep gate mentioned three times in the book of Nehemiah.
iv. The first time it is mentioned there is when it was built (Neh. 3:1).
c. Near this gate, which was probably for the entrance of sheep into the temple area to be used for sacrifices, was a pool.
d. This was pool was called Bethesda, which can mean house of mercy or house of outpouring.
e. This pool has five porches near it.
i. Some believe this means the porches around each side of the pool and one running down the middle of it.
ii. Others believe it to be the four porches around each side and a porch above one side that looked down on the pool.
f. Verse three tells us the types of people that surrounded the pool.
i. Impotent folk described as either blind, halt, withered.
ii. ESV has blind, lame, and paralyzed as do other newer translations.
g. What is interesting is what comes next, depending on which translation you use.
i. The KJV has “waiting on the moving of the water” and then verse 4.
ii. Some translations have the last phrase of three and all of verse four in brackets, while some only have that in a footnote.
h. The best manuscript evidence that is now possessed indicates those were added at some point by early scribes.
i. This would have been done to show why so many people with physical problems were gathered around the pool.
ii. Based on verse 7, for which there is overwhelming evidence of accuracy, this was the belief at the time.
i. The idea is that these people with various serious ailments gathered at this pool in order to be healed of those ailments.
i. They believed they could be healed when the water was stirring.
ii. The water being stirred was more than likely a result of the bubbling of a natural spring.
iii. It is highly unlikely that an angel stirred up the waters as in stated in the KJV.
iv. We know of the healing powers of hot springs and things like this.
v. It is probably something similar that was believed about this pool.
j. This is the place that Jesus comes on a visit to Jerusalem for a feast.
II. The person (John 5:5-7).
a. We are then told of a man who had been ill for 38 years.
b. We are not told how he became ill.
c. We are not told how he got to the pool.
d. We are told he was there and that his illness kept him from any quick movement.
e. Someone always beat him into the water.
f. Notice some things about this man:
i. There is no help for him.
ii. There is no knowledge of Jesus (John 5:13).
iii. There is no faith in Jesus.
g. Here is a man with very limited mobility and has been in that condition for many years.
h. We don’t know why Jesus chose this man.
i. There were a bunch of people in need of healing.
ii. This man had no idea who Jesus was.
iii. We don’t know what was special about this man that Jesus chose him to be healed.
i. Those are all things that are very secondary in nature, though our human minds would like to know all of the answers.
j. I want us to focus on the question Jesus asked: Will you be made whole?
k. This seems like a very dumb question doesn’t it?
i. What person who is paralyzed or unable to walk for some reason would not want to be restored to health?
ii. Why would Jesus ask this?
l. Jesus knew all things about the man right?
i. He knows all things about all men as stated in John 2:24-25.
ii. He knew the man had been ill for 38 years.
iii. He also knew the way the man thought.
m. His inability to walk probably allowed him to be provided for by others.
n. The thought of now walking may have scared the man because of the unknown of it.
o. It would take away his victim status.
i. We know people play on this a lot even today.
ii. He said I don’t have anyone – it isn’t my fault I can’t get in the water and someone else always beats me into it.
p. This was a truly tremendous question by Jesus.
III. The miracle (John 5:8-13).
a. Jesus did nothing but speak to the man.
b. Rise, take up your bed and walk.
c. Notice the words of verse 9:
i. Immediately – not after months of therapy.
ii. Whole – means completely well.
d. Think of the atrophy of the muscles because of 38 years of no use.
e. The tendons and ligaments had not been stretched or used in 38 years.
f. It didn’t matter.
i. By His words, Jesus showed His power over disease and time.
ii. This man was completely healed and strengthened.
g. This is similar to the miracle recorded in Acts 3 involving Peter and the lame man.
i. The man healed there was lame from birth.
ii. He ends up walking and jumping.
h. The bed, or pallet as newer translations have, was probably a bed of straw stuffed inside a sewn together blanket.
i. It could have been easily rolled up to carry.
ii. This man rolled it up and carried it off as he was walking.
i. We are told this was the sabbath and him carrying his bed on the sabbath caused him some problems.
j. This is not the point of our sermon so we will leave it alone.
k. But we do read that when he was asked who healed him that he had no idea who Jesus was.
l. There was no faith on the part of this man in any way.
m. This was an amazing miracle that should increase our faith in Jesus as God’s Son.
IV. The command (John 5:14-15).
a. The man had no idea who Jesus was.
b. Jesus went and found the man.
c. There is discussion why Jesus did and then about why the man went and told the leaders that it was Jesus, but I want us to focus on the command Jesus gave.
d. “Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.”
e. The phrase “sin no more” literally means “no longer continue in sin.”
i. It seems that the man’s physical condition was a result of something sinful.
ii. We are not told the cause of his condition, but it seems as if some sin he had committed was the cause of it.
f. What could be worse than being paralyzed in some fashion?
i. I can’t think of something worse than being unable to move myself or take care of myself.
ii. Always having to depend on others for things has to be extremely difficult.
g. What would be worse than his illness would be to be lost for eternity.
h. The man did not need to go back to doing what caused him to be paralyzed because it would also cause him to be eternally lost.
V. The application.
a. While we are in our sins, you and I are paralyzed by sin.
b. We need to decide if we want to be healed or whole spiritually.
i. There are a lot of reasons to reject the offer of Jesus to make us whole spiritually.
ii. We have to give up a lot.
iii. We have to rely on God and not ourselves.
iv. There is such a change of life that is required it could make us scared of the unknown – can we be faithful, can we give up sin?
c. Once we are made whole, we have to “sin no more.”
i. This doesn’t mean sinless perfection.
ii. 1 John 2:1.
d. Before becoming a child of God, we are paralyzed by sin.
e. Once we obey the gospel, we are to live for the Lord and not for ourselves in some sinful lifestyle.
When Faith Became Real 1-19-25 AM
I. The framework of the passage.
a. There is a timestamp on this passage just as there was in last week’s study.
i. The two days in verse 43 refers to the two days Jesus spent in Samaria.
ii. Jesus had been in Jerusalem after leaving Galilee.
iii. He then was preaching and teaching in Judea, the area outside of Jerusalem.
iv. When the Pharisees found out about what He was doing, Jesus decided to go back to Galilee to avoid confrontation.
v. On His way back, Jesus had the conversation at the well with the Samaritan women.
vi. Jesus stayed there for two days (John 4:40).
b. Jesus left there on the second day and went back into the area of Galilee where He had been earlier.
c. John 4:44 provides some difficulty.
i. Why would Jesus say that a prophet has no honor in his own country, or town as that word can be translated, but be going back to His area, Galilee?
ii. There are a few ways to look at this, but the one that is the simplest is usually the best.
iii. This statement is found in the other three accounts as well (Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24).
iv. In each of these accounts, Jesus is referring to His city, which was Nazareth, which was in Galilee.
v. If you read John 4:1-3 and then go straight to verse 43, this is what makes the most sense.
d. People in the area are now ready for Jesus to come because some saw what Jesus had done in Jerusalem, according to verse 45.
i. Jesus had cast out the moneychangers and apparently done miracles at the feast.
ii. Some had been there and brought back word about what He had done.
iii. Now they wanted to see what Jesus could do.
iv. Something similar happened in the country of the Gadarenes, also known as the land of Gennesaret.
v. Jesus healed a possessed man, we know him as legion, and then the demons went into the swine and then they ran off a cliff.
vi. All the people wanted Him to leave (Lu. 8:37).
vii. Later, Jesus comes back to that area and they all begin to bring their sick and lame to Jesus to be healed (Mk. 6:53ff).
e. Jesus is now popular and comes back to Cana of Galilee.
i. We are told this is where the first miracle took place.
ii. This is a minor city remember.
f. We are then introduced to a certain nobleman.
i. The word for nobleman could be rightly translated as “little king.”
ii. It carries the idea of someone who walks in kings courts.
iii. Some newer translations have “royal official.”
iv. Br. Lipe, and others, suggest he was some type of advisor to Herod.
g. This official had a son who was very sick.
h. When he heard that Jesus was in Galilee, he came to Jesus and asked him to come heal his son.
i. Just a side note to show the accuracy of the Bible:
ii. He asked Jesus to come down to Capernaum, which was actually north of where Cana is believed to have been located.
iii. Cana was higher in elevation, because Capernaum was on the seashore.
i. Jesus first rebukes the man and we will see why in the next point.
j. The man pleads saying his son will die if Jesus does not come.
k. Jesus tells him to go back home because His son is going to live.
l. The man goes his way and, the next day, is met by some of his servants who tell him that his son is well.
m. He asks when and they tell him he the fever lifted the day before at the 7th hour.
n. The father knew that was the time he had been told by Jesus that his son would live.
o. We read that this was the second miracle that Jesus did in Galilee.
II. The father.
a. This man came looking for Jesus.
i. I can’t imagine being in this man’s shoes.
ii. He knows his son is dying.
iii. Maybe some of you have experienced the death of a child.
iv. You can relate somewhat to this man’s feelings.
b. That he came looking for Jesus sounds great doesn’t it?
c. Remember the response of Jesus to the first request: “Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
i. It is important to realize that when Jesus answers this way, He was not just talking to the official.
ii. Jesus was speaking to all those listening.
iii. They all wanted to see Jesus do the things He had done in Jerusalem.
d. The way this is written is that the man had done all he could do before he came to Jesus.
e. He had heard of Jesus and the things Jesus did while in Jerusalem so the official came to Jesus as a last resort.
f. Jesus does rebuke the man but the man does not go away.
i. It seems he believed that Jesus was His only hope for saving his son.
ii. He again asks Jesus to come to his home.
g. Jesus tells him to go on home and that his son lives.
i. Live is in the tense that shows continuous action.
ii. Jesus restored a whole life to the boy, healing him of the sickness is the idea.
h. This was good enough for the man.
i. Jesus showed His power over sickness and distance.
i. Jesus did not have to go the 15-20 miles to the man’s house.
ii. He did not have to physically touch the boy to heal him.
j. To the man’s credit, he believed what Jesus said and left Jesus.
k. Something important to note is that the father did not find out till the next day that his son was healed.
i. His servants that met him told him that the boy’s fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.
ii. The seventh hour is 1 PM in our way of keeping time.
l. The father shows that he grew in faith from the time he came to Jesus to the time he left him.
III. The faith of the father.
a. I just mentioned that the father grew in faith from the time he came to Jesus to when he left Jesus.
b. His faith, to begin with, was very shallow.
i. He had heard about Jesus.
ii. He believed Jesus could perform miracles, but He did not believe Jesus was God’s only begotten Son.
c. After meeting Jesus, his faith grew to the point that he believed when Jesus told him his son would live.
i. Verse 50 says the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken.
ii. His faith deepened.
d. But notice verses 52-53.
i. The official asks his servants when the boy began to amend, or get better.
ii. They told him that the fever left at the 7th hour.
iii. He didn’t begin to get better, his health was completely restored all at once.
iv. At that point, when he realized the time matched the time when he was told by Jesus that boy lived, it says he believed again.
e. Notice what this level of belief led him to do.
i. His whole house believed.
ii. How could the whole house believe?
iii. The official had to tell them about Jesus.
f. His faith grew throughout this ordeal.
i. It started shallow – believing Jesus could do miracles.
ii. It deepened – he became trusting enough to believe Jesus that his son was going live.
iii. It solidified – he told those of his house exactly what Jesus did and now believed who Jesus was.
g. This is our faith journey.
i. We come to hear about Jesus at some point.
ii. We learn a difference between Jesus and all others.
iii. We grow to the point that we believe Jesus is who He says He is.
h. When we get to that point, we start to tell others about Jesus.
i. Br. Guy N. Woods wrote, “Before, he believed about Jesus; now, he believed on Jesus.”
j. We need to understand that Jesus was and is more than a miracle worker.
i. Jesus is able to restore life.
ii. Jesus is able to make whole that which was marred by sin.
k. Jesus is not performing miracles today.
i. He doesn’t need to.
ii. The record of His miracles are enough to cause belief (John 20:30-31).
Why Jesus Took On Flesh 1-12-25 PM
I. Jesus has dominion over the earth now (Hebrews 2:5).
A. The writer gets back to the subject discussed in chapter 1.
1. In that chapter, we saw that Jesus was better or greater than the angels because He had a better name.
2. He is also to be worshiped by the angels.
3. Jesus has an everlasting throne and He is eternal where they are created beings.
B. The writer, after having warned his readers about the dangers of drifting away from the safehaven of Jesus and the gospel, points out that Jesus is greater than the angels because the earth was never made subject to them.
C. The world to come mentioned is the earth during the Christian dispensation.
D. There is no doubt that angels served and continue to serve an important role in the providential working of God.
1. They are God’s messengers.
2. They are extremely powerful.
a. One angel destroyed 185,000 soldiers of the Assyrian army.
b. One angel destroyed over 70,000 Israelites when David sinned by having the people numbered.
3. They played a great role in revealing parts of God’s plan to save mankind.
a. They delivered messages to God’s chosen people.
b. They helped deliver the Mosaic Law.
c. An angel spoke to Zacharias about John the Immerser and to Mary about Jesus.
E. As powerful and as important as they are, none of them were ever given dominion or power over the earth.
F. Jesus was.
1. Matthew 28:18.
2. Ephesians 1:21-23.
3. Colossians 1:16-17.
G. No angel was ever given dominion over the earth as Jesus was.
II. Mankind was given dominion over the earth (Hebrews 2:6-8).
A. The writer was then inspired to do something very interesting.
B. He was inspired to quote Psalm 8:4-6.
1. This is an interesting Psalm.
2. It is a Psalm that describes the dominion over the earth that God has given man and wonder at the thought that God is One who cares about man.
C. The Hebrews writer applies this Psalm to Jesus and makes it a Messianic Psalm.
1. God gave man dominion over the earth in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:26-28).
2. We know this is the meaning because of how the Psalm finishes (Psalm 8:7-8).
D. Man is “a little lower than angels” in creation.
1. Angels have powers of which man will never be capable.
2. Despite that fact, God crowned man or bestowed upon man great glory and honor.
3. We are made in the image of God.
4. We have been given dominion over the physical world.
E. God has placed all things under us in the Garden, but, sadly, sin took some of that dominion away from us.
1. The Edenic world was perfect and all things were in subjection to man.
2. However, sin took away much of our dominion.
a. We don’t have control over the length of our lives as we would have with access to the tree of life.
b. Animals are fought with now instead of all under our subjection.
c. We can’t even control ourselves some of the time.
III. The reason Jesus took on flesh (Hebrews 2:9).
A. Jesus took on flesh in order to suffer for us and gain dominion over all things, which allow Him to be the fulfillment of Psalm 8.
B. Jesus became lower than the angels, at least for a time.
1. This is when He took on flesh.
2. By taking on humanity, Jesus took on the state of them in being lower than the angels.
C. The Jews would probably have argued in two ways:
1. Jesus was lower than the angels.
2. Jesus suffered and died.
D. The writer takes away their arguments by showing why Jesus was lower than the angels and had to die.
E. He was crowned with glory and honor because He suffered (Philippians 2:8-9).
F. The reason for His suffering was because of God’s grace.
1. We did nothing to deserve this.
2. It was all because of divine favor shown to mankind.
G. The scope of Jesus’ death was for all mankind.
1. The idea of Jesus only dying for a few is foreign to this verse and all the Bible.
2. Jesus died for every person.
3. There is no one on the face of the earth for whom Jesus didn’t die.
4. God wants everyone to be saved so Jesus died for everyone.
5. Listen to what Barnes, a denominationalist wrote about this passage: “for each and all ‑ whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, high or low, elect or non‑elect. How could words affirm more clearly that the atonement made by the Lord Jesus was unlimited in its nature and design? How can we express that idea in more clear or intelligible language? That this refers to the atonement is evident ‑ for it says that he “tasted death” for them. The friends of the doctrine of general atonement do not desire any other than Scripture language in which to express their belief. It expresses it exactly ‑ without any need of modification or explanation. The advocates of the doctrine of limited atonement cannot thus use Scripture language to express their belief. They cannot incorporate it with their creeds that the Lord Jesus “tasted death for every man.” They are compelled to modify it, to limit it, to explain it, in order to prevent error and misconception. But that system cannot be true which requires people to shape and modify the plain language of the Bible in order to keep people from error!”
H. Jesus came to this earth and did many things.
1. He taught people how to live.
2. He exemplified a higher lifestyle.
3. He changed the way people lived and acted towards one another.
4. However, the central reason He came was to suffer for us and taste of death for everyone.
When The Wine Ran Out 1-12-25 AM
I. The party (John 2:1-2).
a. We are told there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee.
i. We don’t know the exact location of this town now.
ii. It is believed to have been 8-10 miles from Nazareth.
b. Marriages in that day were far different than those of today.
i. They lasted a week.
ii. The final night, the seventh night of the wedding, is when the bride and groom would move into their home together.
iii. The groom was expected to have food and wine for all that would be there.
c. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there.
i. We don’t know why.
ii. There are a lot of ideas about it but the Bible does not say why.
d. Jesus was also invited to this wedding as were His disciples.
i. These disciples were probably the ones mentioned in chapter one.
ii. Andrew and Peter, Philip, Nathaniel, and the unnamed disciple, whom most believe is John, the writer of this account.
e. This would have been a very festive occasion and most of the people from the town would be there as well as some from out of town.
II. The predicament (John 2:3-5).
a. The KJV says they “wanted wine.”
i. The NAS says “When the wine ran out.”
ii. This is the idea.
b. This would have been a terrible predicament for the groom.
i. He was tasked with making sure that all the people would be fed and have wine to drink.
ii. To not have enough was going to be terribly embarrassing for him.
iii. I have read that it was even possible for him to be taken to court over it.
iv. Whether that is true or not is not fully known, but for that even to be considered shows what a faux pas this really was.
c. What do you do when you run out of wine?
d. Mary thought the thing to do was to ask Jesus to handle it.
i. She came to Jesus and said “They have no wine.”
ii. Like, here, handle this problem.
e. We don’t know that she was expecting a miracle.
i. Nothing Jesus had been doing should have given her this expectation.
ii. It may be that she was asking her son for help.
iii. Some believe that she was like the wedding coordinator or even the caterer.
iv. Others believe this was some family member’s wedding and that is why Mary was concerned.
f. Whatever the case, she has now made this a problem for Jesus to handle.
g. Jesus says, “Woman, what have I to do with you?”
i. Some have taken this as a rude statement by Jesus.
ii. Remember though, Jesus used this same term when speaking to her on the cross.
iii. It literally says, “What to Me and to you?”
1. Br. Lipe, in his commentary on John, says this was a Semitic idiom.
2. He then quoted D.A. Carson, who stated that this expression always denoted “distance between the two parties.”
3. What Jesus is doing is marking a change in relationship between Himself and His mother.
4. If Jesus has to handle this matter, it is going to show a distinction between Him and her that hasn’t been there as yet.
h. This is seen by what Jesus says next: “Mine hour is not yet come.”
i. When this phrase is found in John’s account, it has to do with the time of the death of Jesus.
ii. Here, and in John 7:30 and John 8:20 we read hour not yet come: It is not time for Jesus to die.
iii. John 12:23 and John 13:1 we read hour is or was come.
iv. Same thing when Jesus is speaking to the Father in John 17:1: it was time for Jesus to die.
i. Jesus knew that if He performed a miracle here, the clock to Calvary started ticking.
j. We don’t know if Mary fully understood what Jesus meant but she simply told the servants to do whatever Jesus said do.
III. The provision (John 2:6-10).
a. At this feast, there were six stone waterpots used for the various purification acts of the Jews.
i. These would hold water to be used for the washing of hands, head, and feet at various times for various reasons.
ii. They would also be used to wash the vessels used in food preparation and eating.
iii. They would hold 20-30 gallons.
b. Jesus told the servants to fill the waterpots up and they filled them to the brim.
i. So Jesus uses these waterpots that would have had unclean water in them.
ii. He didn’t tell them to pour out what water was in them and fill it with new.
iii. He just told them to fill them up, which they did, to the brim of the pots.
c. People read a lot into this section.
i. They say six is the number of man, seven being the divine number.
ii. They say to the brim because without Jesus, there is something missing in our lives and only He can completely fill them up.
iii. Other things like this have been drawn out of the text.
iv. I think there happened to be six pots there.
v. I think Jesus wanted them filled to make sure there would be enough.
d. One thing I do want to take from this is: Jesus did use something common that the people would throw out, this wash water, and make it glorious.
i. That water was good for nothing.
ii. That is, until Jesus focused His attention on it.
iii. This is the way we are.
e. Once they have filled the pots, Jesus tells them to draw some out and take it to the governor, or headwaiter.
i. He was like the master of ceremonies.
ii. They did exactly as Jesus told them.
f. Jesus did absolutely nothing but tell the servants what to do.
g. As we see from verse nine, the water had changed to wine.
h. Jesus shows us His power over nature.
i. This is a twelve month process according to what I have read.
ii. To go from the grape to drinkable wine takes a while.
iii. This changed immediately.
i. We should not be surprised by this because of how John begins this letter (John 1:1-3).
j. Jesus is powerful enough to make all things, surely He can make water into wine.
k. When the governor gets the wine he calls over the groom.
i. He says people generally bring the good stuff first then when people are used to it, the lesser quality stuff is used.
ii. The wine Jesus made, unsurprisingly, was excellent.
l. We discussed a few weeks ago about the use of alcohol and whether or not this was alcoholic wine.
i. I won’t do deep dive back into that.
ii. However, the drinking water of the day was not good.
iii. Jews knew drunkenness was sinful.
iv. To deal with this, they would dilute the water with wine to both purify the water and dampen the effects of the wine.
v. They would do so from 3 to 10 parts water to 1 part wine.
m. There was no doubting what Jesus had done.
i. Not everyone there knew what Jesus did.
ii. But it had an effect on those that did.
IV. The purpose (John 2:11).
a. Remember the purpose of the book of John (John 20:30-31).
b. This is exactly what took place.
c. Jesus showed His glory, at least to those who knew what was going on.
i. This idea is also seen in John 1 (John 1:14).
ii. His ability to do this proved to all that Jesus was different from all others.
d. It caused His disciples to believe in Him.
e. This is the purpose of all miracles or signs.
i. The NAS has signs.
ii. The miracles, this one included, were acts done to signify exactly who Jesus was.
f. This miracle accomplished its intended purpose: to create belief in unbelievers.
(The four main point titles came from a sermon by John MacArthur but the sermon material is mine)
New Year, New Me 12-15-24 AM
I. A new me in relationship to sin.
a. 1 Thessalonians 5:22.
i. Flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18).
ii. Flee idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14).
iii. Flee youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22).
b. It is easy to see from these and other verses that we are to stay as far from sin as possible.
c. Yet how many of us walk as close to sin as we can?
d. How many of us allow some type of sin to stay in our lives?
e. It may be this new year that you want to be new in getting rid of some sin that you have been allowing to stay in your life.
f. It may be a sin of the tongue.
i. Gossiping is the past time of many people but it is a sin (Romans 1:30 - backbiters carries this idea).
ii. Lying is an easy habit to get into and a hard one to get out of (Revelation 21:8).
g. It may be the sin of a bad attitude.
i. Some are quick to think evil of brethren (1 Corinthians 13:5).
ii. It may be that we are unloving towards others (1 John 2:10-11).
h. It may be the use of tobacco that harms the body or the use of language that is vulgar (Colossians 3:8).
i. Whatever sin that it may be, now is the best time to make a new me when it comes to removing sin from your life.
II. A new me in relationship to study.
a. There is only one way that the word of Christ can dwell in us richly and that is through study.
b. A lot of people are like one lady who had a family heirloom Bible on her coffee table. It was a beautiful old book and the man painting her house commented on its beauty and then said it doesn’t really matter how it looks on the outside because what is on the inside is much more important. She replied, “Oh yes. We have family records and births and marriages and deaths that go so far back, all recorded in that Bible; we could never replace them.”
c. Children of God must be students of God’s word.
d. As inspired as Paul was, he still wanted the Old Testament parchments brought to him by Timothy (2 Timothy 4:13).
i. We have all heard of the study habits of men like Gus Nichols and Guy N. Woods.
ii. The reason that they studied was that they knew they had room to grow and mature as Christians.
e. We need Christians that are daily Bible readers and students of what they read.
f. Br. Woods said that if Christians would spend 15 minutes a day in real study that they would see real growth in their spiritual lives.
g. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to give diligence, the meaning of the word “study”, to show ourselves approved to God, one who handles God’s word correctly.
i. This passage indicates that we must use God’s word for the purpose that it was intended.
ii. The only way that we can do that is if we study it.
h. We are commanded to know God and the only way to get to know God is through a study of His word.
i. Someone once said, “ A thumbprint on the Bible is more important than a footprint on the moon.”
j. Right now is the best time to make a new me when it comes to being a better Bible student
III. A new me in relationship to service.
a. What are you doing to serve God and others?
b. Our Lord was a servant to others.
i. He brought the truth to mankind (John 1:17).
ii. He healed others.
iii. He washed feet to illustrate the necessity of service in His kingdom (John 13:14-15).
c. There are many areas in which we can serve.
i. We can do things on our own that others don’t have to know about.
ii. We can get involved in the works of this congregation.
iii. There are always sick who need visiting.
iv. There are always those who are absent who need a call.
d. We need to ask ourselves, “What have done to help Blackwater to grow in 2024?”
i. If it was a lot, then keep doing what you are doing.
ii. If you can do more then 2025 is the time to do it.
e. Right now is the best time to make a new me when it comes to serving in the Lord’s church.
IV. A new me in relationship to salvation.
a. With a gathering of this size, there is no doubt that there are some who ended 2007 in sin.
b. It may be you are a child of God who has some sin that you know you need to get rid of as we have mentioned already.
i. The reason you are need to get rid of it is because you are lost.
ii. Not just because it would be a good thing to do.
c. It may be that you are a child of God but have not been studying or serving as you know you can.
i. Simply coming to worship and Bible class and doing nothing else to grow is not God’s plan for you.
ii. God expects study and service in the life of His children.
d. It also could be the case, and I know it is with some here in this audience, that you have never rendered obedience to Christ.
i. This morning, you are lost because you have not obeyed the commandments of God (Matthew 7:21).
ii. By obeying the Lord’s commands in regard to salvation, you can become a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17).
iii. There is nothing else that produces results with God than being a new creature (Galatians 6:15).
iv. The result with God is that He adds us to the Lord’s church when we are obedient (Acts 2:47).
e. If you really want to be a new me in the new year, you need to obey the gospel, God’s only power to save.
f. Right now is the best time to make a new me when it comes to salvation.
Excel In The Grace Of Giving 12-8-24 PM
I. They gave because of their connection to God.
a. Notice verse 1 (2 Cor. 8:1).
b. Some people have the idea that giving is it to the church, or even to the elders.
i. Nothing could be further from the case.
ii. When the plates are passed around, that is not going to the church or the elders.
c. Our giving is to God – God is involved and there is a connection made to God.
d. The Macedonians understood this.
i. This is shown in verse 5 (2 Cor. 8:5).
ii. Before they gave the first coin, they had made a strong connection to God by giving themselves to God.
e. When we have a real connection with God, there will be a great joy in giving.
f. Luke 6:38.
i. Our Lord taught us to give.
ii. When we give, we will get in return.
iii. But we won’t give until we have a true connection with God.
g. How many of you remember dial-up internet?
i. What can be obtained through a good connection, a high-speed one, to the internet is infinite nearly.
ii. Old dial-up connections took forever and it was almost faster to go to the library and look it up.
h. Some want a high-speed connection to God and His resources but are making a dial-up effort to access it.
i. Malachi 3:10 is God’s promise.
i. This was spoken to challenge the Israelites to be the givers they were supposed to be.
ii. God still challenges us today with the same promise.
j. Notice how their giving was tied to God’s grace (2 Cor. 8:1).
i. When we begin to understand the greatness of grace, giving is not hard.
ii. What God has in store for us is far more valuable than what is in our bank accounts.
k. There was a tremendous connection to God for these brethren, allowing them to excel in giving.
II. They gave their best.
a. 2 Cor. 8:3.
b. The question of who was controlling their lives did not come up with the Macedonians.
d. After Paul used the Macedonians as an example of excelling in giving to encourage the Corinthians to do so, notice what he wrote (2 Cor. 9:7).
e. The Macedonians gave from their heart, just as Paul encouraged the Corinthians to do.
f. All of this ties in to verse 5 as well – it is because they gave themselves to God first.
g. When we give ourselves to God, our best will naturally follow.
III. They provided for others.
a. 2 Cor. 8:4.
b. They didn’t see giving as a burden but as a joy.
i. Their giving was a way to meet the needs of their brethren.
ii. Heb. 13:16.
iii. Gal. 6:9.
c. Their giving bonded them together more closely.
i. Think of the times that a collection has been made for something specific.
ii. I believe most of us realized that we were working together for the good of someone else.
iii. When we add a cause to the mix, giving is no longer viewed as a dreaded word.
iv. The early church really understood this and rose to the occasion (Ac. 2:44-47).
d. I believe the Macedonians understood the concept about which Paul wrote in Romans 2:6-7 – giving is a way to focus on eternity, not just the present.
e. They didn’t give because they wanted to go to heaven, but because they were going to heaven.
i. We can be good givers but miss out on eternal life.
ii. We can be good givers but be far from the kingdom of God.
iii. Giving is simply an indicator of faithfulness.
f. The Macedonians excelled in giving because they were providing for others and there are plenty of opportunities for us to do that as well.
From an article by Stan Toler
Don’t Get Off Course 12-8-24 AM
I. The danger (Hebrews 2:1).
A. You have heard that if you see the word “therefore”, you need to stop and see what it is therefore.
1. This directs us back to what the inspired writer mentioned about the Lord being better than angels in the first chapter.
2. Since Jesus is better He deserves more attention paid to what He has to say than anything angels may have said.
B. There are two sailing terms in this verse.
1. The first is the word translated “give the more earnest heed”.
a. It carries the meaning of pay attention.
b. A ship’s captain had to pay attention to where he was in order to hold course.
2. The second is the word translated “let them slip”.
a. It literally means “to flow by”.
b. A ship’s captain could drift past where he needed to be without careful attention being paid.
3. One writer said the verse carries the idea of “the picture of a ship "slipping" past its haven because the pilot has not paid "attention" to the course”.
C. Our haven is the Lord and His will.
1. John tells us numerous times to abide, or take up residence, in Christ.
2. If we aren’t careful, we can slip right past the Lord and out of our safe haven.
D. The writer lets us know it can happen at any time.
1. Leaving the Lord rarely takes place over night.
2. It generally takes a little time to go from faithfulness to forsaking the Lord.
3. It happens in little increments.
4. Just a little here and a little there and then, the next thing you know you are out in the stormy seas of life away from the safe haven of Jesus.
E. What Jesus has said to us is, by far, too important to treat lightly.
1. Attention and earnestness should be given to the gospel message.
2. This is not some message from man, but from the Lord as the writer will later describe.
II. The declaration (Hebrews 2:2-3a).
A. The writer, by inspiration, begins the process of making a declaration.
1. He will do it in the form of a rhetorical question.
2. His point is to get his readers to see how dangerous it is to let one’s faith slip.
B. He uses an “if” statement to compare the Old Testament to the New Testament.
1. He refers to the Old Testament as the “word spoken by angels”.
2. We are nowhere told directly that angels had a hand in bringing the message to Moses, but there are passages that refer to it as fact.
a. Deuteronomy 33:2.
b. Galatians 3:19.
c. Acts 7:53.
C. The Old Testament, though delivered in some part by angels, who are lesser than our Lord, was reliable and trustworthy.
1. Those that put their faith and practice in it did so because of its source, God.
2. When they did so, it was completely capable of doing that which it said it would do.
D. When it was disobeyed or gone beyond, punishment was meted out under it.
1. Numerous are the instances in the Old Testament where a person or group of people disobeyed some aspect of Mosaic Law and were punished for it.
2. Nadab and Abihu, Achan, the Israelites in the wilderness, and later the Israelites in the promised land all are examples.
E. The writer is saying that even this law that was given by lesser beings than our Lord had punishments given out when it was disobeyed.
F. If such is the case, how would one escape punishment if they disobeyed or left one given by the Lord?
1. Notice that the writer calls it a “great salvation”.
a. The greatness is because of the price paid for it as well as the completeness of the salvation.
b. One writer pointed out the greatness of it this way: “ the true greatness of it is apparent because of: (1) the greatness of the Saviour who achieved it; (2) the greatness of the disaster from which it rescues the sinner; (3) the greatness of the eternal reward in heaven provided by it; (4) the greatness of the Saviour's love that underlies it; (5) the greatness of the adversary who opposes it; (6) the greatness of that multitude who shall receive it; and (7) the greatness of those certainties upon which it is grounded”.
2. This salvation can simply be neglected.
a. It is hard to imagine that one would simply fail to regard something so wonderful and great.
b. Yet, we know people who neglect it all the time.
G. We need to understand that if we allow ourselves to drift from the gospel message for any reason, neglect or outright rebellion, we are going to receive a great punishment.
1. If a lesser law dispensed punishment, would not a greater law also do that?
2. This law was extremely expensive to bring into effect, so there must be consequences for breaking it.
III. The deliverance of the message (Hebrews 2:3-4).
A. This new message is far greater because it was spoken of first, by the Lord.
1. Our Lord, on numerous occasions, spoke of His dying for the sins of the world.
2. He often spoke about how people must come to Him in order to be saved.
B. It was not brought in by mere angels, but by the Son of God Himself.
C. This also lets us know that only what the Lord spoke and had others speak is what is to be followed.
1. We can’t find salvation in that which man teaches.
2. It has to come from the Lord in order to be followed and to lead to salvation.
D. It was then confirmed by the apostles.
1. They did so by backing up that which they spoke with miracles, signs, and wonders.
2. They were able to do this by the power of God.
3. Their ability to perform these miraculous deeds was given them by God.
4. God bore witness to the truthfulness of what was being taught by allowing them to perform those deeds to confirm what was being taught.
A Thankful Man 12-1-24 AM
I. For the gift of Christ (2 Cor. 9:15).
a. The ninth chapter of 2 Corinthians deals with giving properly.
b. Paul was trying to encourage the Corinthians to come through with the giving they had promised to do.
c. Paul closes this section with a reminder of the greatest gift of all – the Son of God.
i. One writer stated: The unutterable gift is the mystery of the cross. No tongue can tell of its majesty.
ii. Coffman wrote of how there is debate about what this gift is but the word translated “unspeakable” sealed in his mind the fact that it has to be Jesus.
d. I probably don’t need to tell us that we should be thankful for Jesus.
e. However, it is easy to be the least thankful for the most important things.
f. The gift of Jesus on our behalf should provoke us to be thankful at all times for Him.
g. We should be thankful for Him because of what He gave up to come (Php. 2:4-9).
h. We should be thankful for the teaching He did (over 20 times in the gospels it is said about Jesus that He taught).
i. We should be thankful for His willingness to suffer for us (Lu. 17:25 – speaking about the end of the temple and Judaism, Jesus said He first had to suffer).
j. For this reason, Paul was thankful for God’s unspeakable gift and we should be as well.
II. For the triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14).
a. Have you ever heard the message of the book of Revelation?
b. The message is “Christians win!”
c. This is what Paul is saying in this verse.
i. Paul had been separated from Timothy and Titus.
ii. He had gone to look for Titus in Troas but did not find him there.
iii. Despite that fact, Paul still felt triumphant because he was in Christ.
d. The word was used to describe the triumphant Roman generals entering Rome upon return from victories in battle.
e. Paul viewed himself as being led by Christ, the one who gained the triumph.
f. It doesn’t matter the circumstances, we are triumphant in Christ.
g. Paul was in a bad situation.
i. He was concerned about the news he had gotten from Corinth.
ii. He was concerned about Timothy and Titus.
iii. He was in Athens all alone and his life was in danger.
h. Despite these bad things happening, Paul stopped writing about what was going on in Corinth to declare that he was triumphant in Christ.
i. It doesn’t matter what is going in life, as long as we are in Christ, we are triumphant.
j. This is why Paul could say he was in a difficult place with his thoughts about dying or staying here on earth (Php. 1:23-24).
k. No matter what bad news we get or bad situations in which we may find ourselves, we are triumphant in Christ.
l. Christians win and for this we ought to be extremely thankful!
III. For the victory over death (1 Cor. 15:57).
a. 1 Corinthians 15 is all about the resurrection of the dead.
b. Paul makes the point that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Christian life is not worth living (1 Cor. 15:16-19).
c. But, because of Jesus, there is victory over death – there will be a resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:51-56).
d. How many people have you met that are afraid of death?
i. I’ve met some that stated it.
ii. I’ve met some that haven’t stated it with words but by their actions.
e. As Christians, we don’t have to have a fear of death.
i. We know what comes next.
ii. We may not know everything about it, but we know of the rest that awaits us.
iii. We know that this life is not all there is.
iv. We know something grand and wonderful awaits us.
f. It is because of the victory that Jesus obtained over death that we are triumphant in Christ.
g. God allows us to share in the victory of Jesus over death, and, with Paul, we should be extremely thankful for this.
IV. For his fellow Christians (Col. 1:3-4; 1 Th. 1:2; 2 Th. 2:13).
a. Paul often told those to whom he was writing how thankful he was for them.
b. The Colossians were personally unknown to Paul because he had never been there.
c. The Thessalonians had been taught and converted by Paul on his first missionary journey.
d. Paul was thankful for all of them.
e. Do we ever thank God for our brethren in our private prayers?
f. There is so much to be thankful for in this room.
i. There are older members who have been faithful in trying circumstances.
ii. There are families that worship together.
iii. There are young people battling the world.
iv. There are a many new converts.
g. There is so much to be thankful for in regards to being a part of our great brotherhood.
i. We hear of relief work being done in North Carolina by brethren.
ii. We hear of various mission efforts.
iii. We hear of individual Christians doing wonderful things to help others and spread the gospel.
iv. We all have Christians friends who live in other places who are faithful to God.
h. Paul was thankful for his brethren, wherever they were and whether or no he personally knew them.
We should be as well because we are blessed to be a part of the greatest group of people on the face of the earth!
Jesus Is Superior To Angels 11-24-24 PM
I. He has a greater name (Hebrews 1:4-5).
a. I really like the ESV rendering of this verse: “having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs”.
i. The name Jesus inherited is told us in the next verse, which is a quote from Psalm 2:7.
ii. Jesus is the Son of God.
iii. The second quotation is from 2 Samuel 7:14.
iv. This is the chapter we looked at a few weeks ago in which the promise of God to David to bring the Messiah through his lineage is recorded.
v. This was a prophecy that the Father would send His Son to be King.
b. God attested to this fact at the baptism of Jesus and on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 3:17; 17:5).
c. John 3:16 plainly tells us that Jesus is the “only begotten Son of God “.
d. In societies where titles are inherited, someone with a higher title is superior to someone with a lower title.
e. In this case, Jesus being the Son of God, is far superior to angels.
f. In fact, angels serve the Son (1 Peter 3:22).
g. Being Son is far superior to being a servant.
II. He is to be worshiped by the angels (Hebrews 1:6).
a. We noticed in the sermon on the first three verses of this chapter that Jesus created all things.
i. Angels are included in all things.
ii. Thus, as their Creator, they are to worship Him.
b. It is interesting that every time a person attempted to worship an angel, the angel would refuse their worship and point them to God (Revelation 19:10; 22:9).
c. The Lord never refused worship because He is deity and is worthy of worship.
d. About this Robert Milligan wrote, “...the fact remains indisputable, that by the decree of Jehovah all the angels of glory are required to bow down and worship him who is the First-begotten from the dead, the Firstborn of the whole creation”
i. Angels are tremendous beings.
ii. One angel is said to have destroyed 70,000 men in Israel (2 Samuel 24:15).
iii. Angels are swift and carry out the commands of God, but they still must offer worship to the Son.
III. He has an everlasting throne (Hebrews 1:7-9).
a. Verse 7, which is a quote from Psalm 104:4, attests to the amazing power of angels.
b. But they have not been given a throne like Jesus has.
i. The writer then quoted from Psalm 45:6-7.
ii. This looks back to the promise God gave David that one would sit on his throne.
c. Because of the great work of Jesus, He has been placed far above all others.
d. Jesus is the King over His kingdom.
e. This should remind us of what the angel told Mary (Luke 1:30-33).
f. Notice also, that this passage refers to Jesus as God: “Your throne, o God, is forever and ever.
i. Jesus was and is deity.
ii. John 1:1.
g. Daniel saw the Lord receiving this throne and kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14).
h. Christ has the right to the throne because of His love and dedication to righteousness and His hatred of evil.
IV. He is eternal (Hebrews 1:10-12).
a. Angels are created beings because they were created by Jesus.
b. Jesus was able to create them, as He did all things, because He is eternal.
c. The writer then quoted Psalm 102:25-27.
i. His creative powers are mentioned in verse 10.
ii. All those things created will perish, but He who is eternal will remain.
iii. His years will have no end.
d. As created beings, angels had a beginning point.
e. We, as created beings, had a beginning point and our eternal souls will then go on to spend eternity in one of two places, which is the same for the angels.
f. Incidentally, this is a passage that proves the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the quantity of matter remains the same but that the quality of it is winding down.
i. If evolution were true, the quality of matter would be getting better.
ii. However, everything deteriorates and this is a law of science.
iii. Evolution has to break its own laws in order to be true.
g. The material creation is one day going away, folded up like a blanket.
h. Jesus is not, nor ever will be, for He is eternal.
V. His enemies will all bow before Him (Hebrews 1:13-14).
a. As great as angels are, and they are at work through the divine will of God for us today in some fashion, their enemies will never bow down to them.
b. Only the Son will have this reaction to Him.
c. The writer quoted Psalm 110:1.
i. At some point, every enemy of the Lord will bow down before Him.
ii. Philippians 2:9-11; Romans 14:11.
d. The last enemy is death (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).
e. As powerful and amazing as angels are, they will never be bowed down to by their enemies.
For Preaching Against The Use Of Alcohol 11-24-24 AM
I. What did Jesus do?
A. There are many that believe with this first miracle performed by Jesus, that He turned water into alcoholic wine.
1. In a book entitled “Pastoral Psychology,” the author stated, “At the very least the story of Cana’s wedding feast indirectly approves the use of alcoholic beverages.”
2. People, apparently even those counseling preachers, make the assumption that the wine was intoxicating.
B. What Jesus did was miraculously turn water into the juice of the grape.
1. The word translated “wine” in this passage is the Greek word “oinos” and it can mean either intoxicating wine or grape juice.
2. The context of the word always determines its meaning.
C. Those that say that this was intoxicating wine will condemn drunkenness and use verses like:
1. 1 Peter 4:3.
2. Ephesians 5:18.
D. They will then say that Jesus approved of social drinking but not drunkenness and this wedding, being a social occasion, proves that.
E. The thing is, this thinking is contradicts itself.
1. They would agree with you that excess is wrong and that drunkenness is excess.
2. They will hold the view that “well drunk” in 2:10 means to get drunk or become intoxicated.
3. If that is true, then Jesus supplied a large quantity of intoxicating wine to people who were already drunk.
4. The dilemma is, either Jesus was not guilty of sin or that He was guilty of sin.
5. If you believe that contributing to someone’s sin is not sin then you can keep this view, but you would have to be pretty stupid to think that.
6. Or, you have to believe that Jesus sinned, which contradicts clear scripture:
a. Hebrews 4:15.
b. 1 Peter 2:22.
F. Let’s focus on the phrase “well drunk” for a moment.”
1. The head of the marriage feast said that the best wine is served first and when the people have “well drunk” the cheap stuff is brought out.
2. The phrase under consideration can mean one is drunk or inebriated.
3. Often, it is used to mean simply to drink enough or drunk largely.
a. The same phrase is found in the Septuagint Version in Psalm 23:5 - my cup runneth over.
b. It is used in Isaiah 58:11 to mean a garden watered sufficiently.
c. Other Old Testament passages show the same idea.
4. If it does mean the people were inebriated, then you would have Jesus being like a bartender who keeps pouring drinks for those who’ve already had too much to drink.
G. Not only that, but the phrase “good wine” is evidence that the wine Jesus miraculously made was not alcoholic.
1. The head of the feast knew immediately by the flavor of the wine that it was better.
2. If he had been intoxicated, he would not have known if it was better or not
H. For Jesus to have done what they say He did, He would have violated the Mosaic Law:
1. Habakkuk 2:15 - He would have at least violated the spirit of this woe, if not the letter of it.
2. Proverbs 31:4-5.
I. Drunkenness implies the amount of ethyl alcohol which is consumed in drinking.
1. The word “drunk” in the Greek means to begin to be softened, to grow drunk (marking the beginning of the process).
2. There are degrees of drunkenness and a person begins to be drunk when they begin to drink.
3. The AMA has told us that there is no minimum blood alcohol level which can be set at which there will be absolutely no effect.
4. Whenever an alcoholic beverage is ingested, the person begins to be softened and is drunk to that degree.
5. The effects of alcohol begin with the first drink and progresses further as more alcohol is consumed.
J. The object of the miracle that Jesus performed was to make known His glory (John 2:11).
K. The nature of Jesus shows that He went about doing good (Acts 10:38), and that He was holy and harmless (Hebrews 7:26).
L. Jesus, as God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and we know the destructive nature of alcohol is neither good nor perfect.
M. To have turned the water into alcoholic wine would have not glorified Him and would have been totally against His nature.
II. “Wine” doesn’t always mean alcoholic wine.
A. There are thirteen words in the Greek and Hebrew that are translated “wine.”
1. There are three that are the most commonly used.
2. In the Hebrew, yayin and tirosch and in the Greek, oinos.
B. There are times when they are used in a condemning way.
1. Proverbs 20:1.
2. Proverbs 23:31.
C. There are times when they are used in an approved way.
1. Psalm 104:15.
2. Isaiah 65:8.
3. Isaiah 55:1.
D. When you see these verses, and others could be mentioned, you should be able to tell that the context determines whether it is approved or condemned.
III. Why drinking alcohol is unacceptable.
A. First of all, many are going to point to Paul telling Timothy to take a little wine for medicinal purposes.
1. If it is the case that was alcoholic wine, which is debatable, it was for medicinal purposes, not social ones.
2. I know that doctors have prescribed wine for heart patients.
3. If such is the case, God knows if you are using it for medicinal purposes or recreational.
B. We are talking right now about the use of it recreationally, not medicinally.
C. Drunkards cannot enter heaven (Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
D. Why does God condemn it?
1. It causes hurt, heartache and many problems.
a. Alcohol, according to the World Health Organization, is responsible for nearly 4% of all deaths, which is more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence.
b. In the US, its abuse is the 3rd leading cause of preventable death.
c. We all know of someone who has been destroyed or destroyed others because of the use of alcohol.
2. Think of the physical toll it takes on the bodies of its users.
3. Suicide rates for alcoholics are much higher than for non-drinkers.
E. Notice the general teaching of the Bible:
1. The Bible not only condemns drunkenness but contains strong warnings about alcohol’s inherent dangers (Proverbs 20:1 ; Isaiah 28:7).
2. The Bible teaches us to care for our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
3. It commands us to abstain from being a hindrance to others (Romans 14:13).
4. It teaches us to be in control of our minds and thoughts (1 Peter 1:13).
F. When you look at its teachings about all things, they all point to the condemnation of the use of alcohol, not its moderate intake.
G. The only difference between a social drinker and a drunk is the difference of degree, not kind.
The Supreme Christ 11-17-24 PM
I. Jesus is better than the prophets (Hebrews 1:1-2a).
A. God ha always revealed Himself at different times and in different ways.
1. He had spoken both directly and indirectly.
a. He spoke directly to Adam and other of the patriarchs.
b. He spoke directly to kings, priests, and prophets.
c. He spoke by means of dreams and visions, as well as by Urim and Thummim.
2. He also spoke by prophets.
a. Enoch is said to have prophesied (Jude 14).
b. Numerous are the prophets about which we read in the Old Testament.
B. It was a privilege to be a prophet of God and to have a revelation from God given to you.
1. The Jews, despite the harsh treatment given the prophets, looked with reverence upon them.
2. They highly esteemed the prophets long after they were dead.
C. But now, in this last age, or dispensation of time, God spoke only through His Son.
1. The tense of the word “spoken” indicates that it was a one time speaking.
2. God is not continuously speaking through Jesus now.
3. He spoke through Him to the apostles (John 17:8), and those other men who were inspired to write the New Testament.
4. Once it was finished, God was done speaking through Jesus (Jude 3).
D. Jesus is better than the prophets because He is the Son.
1. He was not simply a mouthpiece as were the prophets.
2. He was and is the Son of God, not subject to the sin and weakness of the prophets, therefore, He was and is better than the prophets.
II. Jesus is the Heir of all things (Hebrew 1:2b).
A. Not only is Jesus better than the prophets so revered by the Jews, but Jesus is also the heir of God.
1. Being the Son of God, He receives all things from the Father.
2. This cannot be fully said of any other person or being.
B. Yes, we are all the heirs of God (Romans 8:17), but not in the sense Jesus is.
C. This fact was prophesied by the Psalmist (Psalm 2:8).
D. The inheritance was received after His resurrection, which was seen by Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14).
1. It was His because the resurrection showed Him to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4).
2. The inheritance He received is all things (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22).
E. Jesus is supreme because He is the Heir of God.
III. Jesus made the worlds (Hebrews 1:2c).
A. If Jesus made the worlds, as this verse affirms, He would have to have been present at creation, which confirms His deity.
B. Of course, this can not be said of the prophets.
C. Notice Colossians 1:16.
1. Jesus made all things.
2. John 1:3.
D. There is also another sense in which this can be understood.
1. The word “worlds” is not kosmos or space, but aion or time.
2. Bobby Duncan taught that this meant that Jesus was in God’s plan from the beginning to unify all ages of mankind.
3. He completed the plan of God to unite men together who were and are faithful to God.
a. Jesus said of Himself that He didn’t come to destroy the Old Testament but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
b. He was able to unite all men in Himself (Ephesians 2:14-16).
IV. Jesus is the brightness of the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3).
A. The ESV renders it “He is the radiance of the glory of God”.
B. The ASV renders it “He is the effulgence of the glory of God”.
C. The Greek word for brightness means to emit light or splendor.
D. The perfection of Jesus is seen here.
1. John 1:14.
2. Three apostles got to literally see it on the mount of transfiguration (Mark 9:2-3).
E. No mere man could ever have this said of him.
1. This shows the perfection of Jesus.
2. There was no sin in Him, nothing that would mar His perfect state of divinity, even while being on this sin marred earth.
V. Jesus is the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3).
A. John 14:8-9.
1. You can feel the hurt of Jesus when He spoke to Philip.
2. If one had seen Jesus, He had seen the Father and it pained Jesus that Philip failed to understand that.
B. I love what Barnes says about this word that is translated “express image”:The word used here likewise occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is that from which our word “character” is derived. It properly means a “engraving‑tool;” and then something “engraved” or “stamped” ‑ “a character” ‑ as a letter, mark, sign. The image stamped on coins, seals, wax, expresses the idea: and the sense here is, that if God be represented under the idea of a substance, or being, then Christ is the exact resemblance of that ‑ as an image is of the stamp or die.
C. Paul told the Colossians...(Colossians 1:15).
1. He is God and presents God to us.
2. There has never been another, either human or angel, about whom this could be said.
D. Because He is the image of God, He is worthy of worship as God.
E. This would show to those Jewish Christians that Jesus is better than that into which they were being called back.
VI. Jesus upholds all things by His word (Hebrews 1:3).
A. Notice how the Psalmist put it (Psalm 33:9).
B. This is speaking of the creative powers of Jesus, which only deity can possess.
1. Again, Paul said something similar to the Colossians (Colossians 1:17).
2. Jesus spoke the worlds into existence.
C. It is amazing to think that with one command, all the galaxies and our own world are upheld.
D. Notice how Peter described creation and what is happening now (2 Peter 3:5-7).
VII. Jesus purged us from our sins (Hebrews 1:3).
A. Jesus provided the means by which you and I can be cleansed or purified of our sins.
1. We know this to be His blood (Revelation 1:5).
2. Jesus is exactly what John called Him (John 1:29).
B. This would remind the oppressed Jewish brethren that Jesus was greater than all the sacrifices they had offered while under Judaism.
1. Those sacrifices couldn’t cleanse them of their sins.
2. Hebrews 10:4.
C. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us (1 John 1:7).
D. Jesus is supreme because He purchased us.
VIII. Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3).
A. This statement would have reminded the Jewish convert of what was promised David, recorded in 2 Samuel 7.
1. One coming from David’s lineage would sit on his throne.
2. Jesus was from the lineage of David and now is sitting on that spiritual throne in heaven.
B. He can do this because He is reigning as King over His kingdom.
1. 1 Timothy 6:15;
2. Revelation 19:16;
3. Revelation 17:14.
C. Jesus is now at the right hand of God (Acts 2:32-33; Ephesians 1:19-20; Colossians 3:1).
For Preaching Against Homosexuality 11-17-24 AM
I. God has condemned homosexuality in every age.
a. Genesis 19 records the destruction of Sodom.
i. Earlier in Genesis, the men of Sodom had been mentioned as being evil (Genesis 13:13).
ii. In Genesis 19 we see one of the things that caused them to be seen as so wicked in the eyes of God.
iii. When the angels went into Lot’s house, the men of the city surrounded the house and demanded that Lot turn over the two strangers to them so that they could “know” them (Gen. 19:4-5).
iv. The NIV, the NLT and other newer version translate the end of vs. 5 as “that we can have sex with them.”
v. Because of this bent towards homosexual acts, and for other sins, the city was destroyed.
vi. Also, we get the English word “sodomy” from this name of this city.
b. The Mosaic Law strictly forbad homosexuality.
i. Leviticus 18:22, 29; 1 Kings 14:24.
ii. Homosexuality was punishable by death (Leviticus 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17).
iii. The ancient Gentile world was cast off by God for many reasons, one of which being homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27).
c. The New Testament says homosexuality is a sin.
i. Romans 1:26-27.
ii. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
1. The NIV translates the end of vs. 9 as “men who have sex with men.”
2. The NLT translates the end of vs. 9 as “passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals.”
3. The ESV translates it as, “men who practice homosexuality.”
iii. 1 Timothy 1:9-11 - the second phrase is translated “men who practice homosexuality” in the ESV.
1. “Practicing homosexuals” in the NLT;
2. “Those practicing homosexuality” in the NIV.
d. Under every dispensation of time, God has condemned homosexuality as a sin that separates one from Him.
e. Whether our society accepts it or not does not matter.
f. God is Sovereign, thus He determines what is right and wrong and has done so in His word.
II. Arguments concerning the acceptance of homosexuality.
a. There are many arguments made by those who would have us to accept homosexuality as something good and right.
b. There are those that teach one is born homosexual.
i. I do not doubt there are those who are tempted with homosexual thought and urges.
ii. This in no way means they were born to engage in homosexual acts.
iii. There have been no scientific studies done that were ultimate deemed valid that show one is born as a homosexual.
iv. The greatest argument against this idea is that God wants all men to be saved and would be condemning someone He made that way and God doesn’t do that.
v. The truth is, the homosexual lifestyle is chosen by those that engage in homosexual acts.
c. Some argue that if true love exists between individuals, even of the same sex, who can say that it is wrong.
i. God can, that’s Who.
ii. If we love anyone, even divinely sanctioned relationships, more than God we sin (Matthew 10:37).
iii. Just think about what you would be allowing if you followed this line of reasoning out to its fullest extent.
d. As mentioned earlier, there are several large man-made denominations that allow practicing homosexuals to preach.
e. Some of the reasons given for this are astounding.
i. One spokesman for the Presbyterian Church said a reason was that many member had tired of the conflict.
1. We have no right to give up a biblical stand because of weariness.
2. We are commanded not to grow weary (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13).
3. We are to be faithful til death (Revelation 2:10).
ii. One voter in the Lutheran Church cited two reasons:
1. Growth - which we should want for the Lord’s church but not at expense of truth and morality.
2. The ability to follow one’s conscience - nowhere in scripture is the following of one’s conscience placed above following scripture.
a. We are to have a pure conscience (Hebrews 9:14).
b. When we follow God’s commands we will have a good conscience (1 Timothy 1:5).
iii. In an article on the United Church of Christ’s website, it was stated that many congregations no longer view homosexuality as a church dividing issue.
1. Woe is declared when evil is called good (Isaiah 5:20).
2. God declares it such and that is all that matters.
f. No argument for the acceptance of homosexuality can withstand the word of God being applied to it.
III. A caution about attitudes.
a. When you read 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:9-11, there are a lot of sins listed there besides practicing homosexuality.
i. I imagine that some of us have committed one or more sins in those lists.
ii. I am pretty sure we know people that are presently committing some of the sins on those lists.
b. Though they may not be practicing homosexuality, they are just as lost as anyone who is practicing homosexuality.
c. We need to be careful to not treat those engaged in homosexual sins any different than those practicing any other sins.
i. It is perversion and it is sinful no doubt.
ii. It is detrimental to individuals and society as a whole.
d. One can still receive forgiveness of it just like any other sin.
e. There are those that have come out of homosexuality but they won’t if we treat them in a way that lacks love (1 Corinthians 6:11).
For Preaching Against Instrumental Music In Worship 11-10-24 AM
I. I have the talent to play an instrument.
A. The argument is usually made: “People have musical talent and you are telling them they can’t use their talent for God.”
1. The problem with that idea is the church is not a talent show.
2. Whenever someone does something in that manner, the attention is drawn to that person and not to God .
B. Talent is one thing and Bible authority is another (Colossians 3:16-17; 2 Timothy 2:15).
C. Congregational singing, one to another, is the only authorized music in the New Testament.
D. If you go this route of it being a talent, what about other peoples talents ?
E. What we do in worship is what God has commanded us to do.
F. Worship to God is not a talent show, it is honoring Him with that which He has asked us to give Him.
II. It is just an aid.
A. There is a lot of confusion between what is an “aid” and what is an “addition;” how can you tell the difference?
1. An addition occurs when a particular action is altered, or the basic substance of the thing is changed.
2. An aid alters nothing, it simply helps in the implementation of the action.
B. Think of these examples:
1. Mom sends you to the store to buy bread.
a. Bring the bread home in a bag - that is an aid.
b. Bring home bread and a candy bar - an addition.
2. You take your car to get an oil change.
a. The tech uses a funnel and a wrench - aids.
b. The tech puts on 4 new tires - addition.
C. When we come together to worship and we get to the musical portion of the service, we are commanded to sing (Ephesians 5:18-19)
1. We might use a song book, pitch pipe, or projector but we would only be singing.
2. If we use an organ, there is an addition and two types of music are being used - vocal and instrumental, so the nature of the service has changed.
D. Additions to worship of God has always been condemned.
1. Cain added offerings of the ground.
2. Nadab and Abihu added fire from another source.
E. We have no authority for adding instruments to worship.
III. It is used in the home.
A. Some argue that if we can use them in the home, we can use them in the church building.
B. The home is a completely separate institution from the church.
1. There are a lot of things we can do in the home we can’t do in worship to God.
2. We can go on trips, play ball, go into business and many other things completely unrelated to worship of God.
3. Paul made a clear distinction between the church and the home (1 Timothy 5:16).
C. Just because something is done in the home, does not make it suitable to do in worship.
IV. God didn’t say “Don’t do it.”
A. When God specifies something, He doesn’t have to specifically exclude all else.
1. Gopher wood for the ark (Genesis 6:14).
2. A red heifer (Numbers 19:1-4).
3. A brazen serpent (Numbers 21:8).
B. God did say to sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
1. God also said, don’t add to or take from His word (2 John 9-11).
2. The question is never “Where did God say not to” something, but “Where did God say to” do something.
V. It is popular and it draws crowds.
A. Instrumental music is an attempt to be like the world, to try to win the world in a way that is pleasing to the world.
1. This makes the church more like the world and the world less like the church.
2. Many denominational worship services look a lot like concerts.
3. If a capella music was effective in the first century, it can be effective in the 21st century.
B. There are a lot of ways to draw crowds if that is all we wanted.
1. Give away money;
2. Give a free car to one sitting in a lucky seat.
C. Jesus condemned those who sought Him for the wrong reasons (John 6:26).
D. Our purpose is to please God, not get a crowd.
VI. Instruments will be in heaven.
A. If it is good enough for heaven, it is good enough for us is the argument (Revelation 4:1; 14:1-3; 15:2-3).
1. If the harps are literal, then everything else there must be literal as well.
2. Armies, horses and all the other things mentioned.
B. The harps are symbolic like the rest.
C. We will have spiritual bodies in heaven, not physical ones to play physical instruments.
D. People who make this argument realize there is no authorization for it revealed anywhere else in scripture.
E. Even if heaven does have instruments, it is because God authorized them there and He has not done so for the church.
VII. It sounds much better.
A. This was the reason given at the Midway, KY congregation in 1860.
B. There is no spiritual value in the instruments being added.
C. We also must ask, “Beautiful to whom?”
1. God wants worship to come from a joyful heart.
2. God wants hearts that submit to His will for man.
3. If you have the worst singing voice in the world, you can still submit to God’s plan (Ephesians 5:19-20).
D. It doesn’t matter if it may sound better.
1. The purpose of singing is to glorify God and to teach one another (Colossians 3:16).
2. Every soul can sing, not every soul can play an instrument, thus all can worship God in song by singing.
3. No one gets elevated above another, all are together encouraging and admonishing one another.
E. If you carried this logic out to the end, we could substitute any item of worship if we think it makes it better.
1. We could substitute items in the Lord’s Supper because we could get it to taste better.
2. We could substitute giving our means with something that is better.
3. We could substitute prayer for something that made things flow better.
F. Singing is not judged by how man is pleased but how God is pleased.
VIII. It was used in the Old Testament.
A. Some will point out that instruments were used in worship to God under the Mosaic Law.
B. It seems to me that the person who makes this argument at least sees the need to for some type of authority to use instruments in worship.
C. The fact is, we are not under the Old Law (Colossians 2:14-17).
D. The Old Testament which allowed is has been replaced by the gospel of Christ (Romans 7:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Hebrews 8:6-13).
1. The New Testament only authorizes singing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
2. If we use instruments like David did, will we:
a. Offer animal sacrifices (Psalm 66:13-15;
b. Dance before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14);
c. Keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8);
d. Have multiple wives (2 Samuel 5:13)?
E. There are many things they did under the Old Testament that we don’t practice: because we are not under the Old Law.
For Preaching Against Denominationalism 11-3-24 AM
I. What is denominationalism?
A. The Westminster Dictionary of Church History defines it as: “The system and ideology founded on the division of the religious population into numerous ecclesiastical bodies, each stressing particular values or traditions, and each competing with the other in the same community under substantial conditions of freedom.”
B. The American Heritage Dictionary defines denomination as: “A large group of religious organizations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy.”
1. The idea is that by a common name and being tied to a certain governing body that is above the local congregation, they are “denominated” from all congregations that are not under the same authority.
2. For instance, the Roman Catholic Church is that denomination that has the pope as its head.
3. The Southern Baptist Church is that group of churches that submits to the authority of the Southern Baptist Convention.
4. The Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) is a denomination comprised of those churches that submit to the synod in Missouri
C. So denominationalism is the splitting up into various religious denominations, each of which are governed by some person or body that decides things for them.
D. Br. Wayne Jackson wrote an article and noticed several flaws in the definition of denominationalism:
1. Denominationalism is a result of division;
2. The ideology accommodates various “ecclesiastical (church) bodies” with distinct doctrinal differences.
3. Denominationalism tends to focus more on tradition and preferred values than scripture;
4. The system encourages an air of adversarial rivalry and not cooperation;
5. This concept encourages the idea that the freedom to differ on major points of doctrine is spiritually healthy.
E. As you can see, when compared to what Jesus and His apostles taught about the church Jesus would and did build, there are major differences between the two.
II. Denominationalism is sinful.
A. It is sinful because it has no scriptural basis for existence.
1. You can’t find any passage in the New Testament that supports any denomination being in existence.
2. In the New Testament, local churches were never divided into differing bodies with differing beliefs.
3. There was no way this could be the case because the same thing was being taught everywhere by the apostles (1 Corinthians 4:17).
B. When you read the New Testament, we see several things about the local congregation:
1. Each congregation was autonomous (self-governing);
2. Each one was overseen by elders from that particular congregation (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2).
3. The only authority above the local congregation was Christ and His apostles.
4. The apostles were not replaced when they died, except for Judas.
5. Jesus is head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23).
C. Denominationalism is against scripture as well.
1. It goes against what Jesus prayed for, recorded in John 17:20-23.
2. The attitude behind it is condemned in 1 Corinthians 1:10-13.
3. Being divided is shown to be a sign of being worldly minded (1 Corinthians 3:3-4).
4. It goes against the work of Jesus on the cross (Ephesians 2:14-16).
D. It hurts the cause of Christ.
1. Unity is a sign to the world that Jesus is Lord (John 17:21), therefore disunity hurts Christ.
2. The religious division that exists is used by atheists and others as a reason not to obey the Lord.
3. Not only that, it has given rise to other false religions.
a. Mormonism came out of a reaction against the denominationalism of Joseph Smith’s day.
b. The Jehovah’s Witness group uses religious division to encourage people to follow their false doctrine.
E. The fact is, denominationalism is sinful and the sin of it is seen in the definition of it.
III. We can’t be part of the problem.
A. No matter what others may teach, we must always stand for truth.
1. When God’s people compromise on this issue, we become part of the problem.
2. We see such compromise when denominational speakers are allowed in our pulpits.
3. When preachers and elders show support for those in this sin in various ways.
4. We can’t use the gospel to call someone out of the world when we are in the world ourselves.
B. We promote denominationalism when we speak like we are part of one.
1. When we say things like, “I’m church of Christ” or “We’re church of Christ” we are speaking in denominational terms.
2. When we refer to me or any gospel preacher as a “church of Christ preacher” we are speaking in denominational terms.
3. Individuals cannot be “church of Christ” because the church belonging to Christ is made up of individuals.
4. Someone can be Baptist, Methodist or Episcopal but they can’t be “church of Christ.
5. All the phrase “church of Christ” means is that it belongs to Christ.
C. We are non-denominational to the core and we need to remember that.
D. Whenever we do things in ways that denominations do them or speak in ways that denominational people do, we are a part of the problem.
E. We are to be leading others to something that is different from them not just like them but with a different name.
For Preaching A Weekly Observance Of The Lord’s Supper 10-27-24 AM
I. The Lord’s Supper is regulated.
A. It is regulated in that it is to be done at a certain time.
1. We discussed the frequency or, really, infrequency, of some in observing the Lord’s Supper.
2. The Bible is clear in that it teaches the first Christians always partook of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week.
3. Not only that, the evidence in scripture points to the first day of the week being the only day on which it was observed.
4. It was on the first day of the week that the church of our Lord was established, being 50 days after the Passover.
5. Notice what Luke wrote by inspiration (Acts 2:42).
a. The “they” is the antecedent of the 3,000 souls that obeyed the message mentioned in verse 41.
b. Most commentators, even those from the denominational world, say that breaking of bread is a reference to the Lord’s Supper.
6. Later in Acts we read that Paul, though in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for Pentecost which was about a month away, he stayed 7 days in Troas.
a. If in a hurry, why would he wait so long?
b. Notice the passage in Acts 20:6-7.
c. The wording of “the disciples came together” is in the passive voice, which scholars say signifies “to bring or call together.”
d. In other words, there was a directive to come together and that had to come from divine authority.
e. The main purpose of their coming together was to break bread, or, as all commentators say, partake of the Lord’s Supper.
7. Paul taught the Corinthians about giving every first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:2 - every is found in the original text).
8. When you put these things together, three things are pointed out:
a. The early church, under the oversight of the apostles, met every first day of the week.
b. The primary purpose was to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
c. Therefore, the communion was observed every Lord’s day by the early church.
9. As we mentioned, we must have authority for all that we do in worship to God (Colossians 3:17).
10. We have the authority to partake of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week and we have the example of such, thus the Lord’s Supper is regulated in when it is to be observed.
B. It is also regulated in what is to be used in its observance.
1. When the Lord Himself instituted the Lord’s Supper, He did so at a particular time, at the Passover.
2. At that time, there was to be no leaven in the house of a Jew (Exodus 12:19 ).
3. Jesus used bread and the cup, which was used in the Passover meal.
a. The bread had to be unleavened bread, thus that is regulated.
b. The cup had to be the new juice of the grape, because that is what was used in the Passover feast, thus it was regulated.
c. Notice that it was the new juice, not fermented juice that had become wine.
d. That drink had leaven in it to aid the fermentation process and leaven was not allowed in the house.
C. It is regulated in the order of the elements to be used.
1. Jesus took the bread, which represents His body, first.
2. He then took the cup, which represents His blood.
3. Any other order would be wrong, since we have no authority to change that which our Lord introduced.
II. It is a time of remembrance.
A. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
B. When you and I have the privilege of partaking of the Lord’s Supper, it is a time to remember what Jesus went through on the cross.
1. It is a time to think of His suffering for us.
2. It is a time to think of His death.
C. Paul let the Corinthians know that they were partaking of the supper in a way that did not allow them to discern the Lord’s body.
1. Because there were worldly thoughts and actions taking place, they were unable to make a distinction between His supper and a common supper.
2. The Lord’s Supper, being an act of worship, should be separate from anything we do.
D. There is absolutely nothing common about this supper.
1. The One we are to remember was and is uncommon.
2. The events that happened with the Lord’s death were uncommon.
3. It is for an uncommon people to remember and uncommon Lord.
E. I appreciate those who mention that we need to remove worldly thoughts from our minds as we prepare to join together in partaking this supper.
1. There are things we do every day that are good and right.
2. However, those things are not good and right in conjunction with the Lord’s Supper.
F. We get to reflect on the death our Lord died that kept us from having to be punished for our sins.
III. It is a time of reflection on ourselves.
A. Paul told the Corinthians they were to examine themselves as they ate and drank.
B. If we are partaking of the supper in an unworthy manner, somehow making it common, we are taking damnation upon ourselves.
1. We have to make sure our minds are focused on that cross.
2. I know this is difficult to do.
3. I also believe the Lord knows the circumstances under which we are partaking of the feast.
a. By that I mean, He knows if you have an infant or a toddler crawling on you.
b. He also knows if you are afflicted with some pain or discomfort as you attempt to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
4. He also knows if you are simply playing with your infant or toddler and ignoring the significance of the moment.
5. He knows if you are thinking about other things besides the cross and the One who was on it.
C. We need to examine ourselves and see where our minds are when we partake of the Lord’s Supper.
D. Let us not be guilty of partaking in an unworthy manner, but rather, give our hearts and minds to the cross for that brief time so as not to bring damnation upon ourselves.
IV. It is a time of revelation.
A. Paul stated that we show the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Cor. 11:26).
B. We, those who partake, are revealing a belief in the return of Jesus.
C. When someone sees us partake of this Supper, that person sees our belief.
a. It is revealed that there is something to which we look forward.
b. What that is, is the Lord’s return.
D. The resurrection is to be remembered as mentioned when partaking.
E. Also, the return of Jesus is remembered.
a. Jesus promised He would come back (John 14:1-3).
b. Paul stated the Lord would return (1 Th. 4:13ff).
c. Peter said we look for it and desire it (2 Pe. 3:12).
F. People need to understand this fact and prepare for it.
G. Our partaking of the Lord’s Supper reveals our belief in this.
Help Thou Mine Unbelief 10-13-24 PM
I. To whom was it written?
A. This is a hotly debated topic because unlike most books of the New Testament, there is no area or congregation mentioned.
B. There is internal evidence to show that it was written to a group of Jews who had been converted to Christianity.
1. Hebrews 1:1 - mentions the fathers.
2. Hebrews 4:1-2 compares the forefathers to the writer’s audience.
3. Hebrews 4:15 mentions the high priest.
4. There are at least 100 references to the Old Testament, which is more than any other book of the New Testament.
5. There are no references to anything Gentile in nature or historically.
6. Chapter 8 contains a lengthy quotation from Jeremiah 31.
7. Chapters 9 and 10 contain great detail about the work of high priest and the sacrificial system of Judaism, which would mean little to a Gentile convert.
C. There is also external evidence, evidence outside the book from religious writers and manuscripts, which indicate it is a Jewish audience.
1. The title “The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews” is found on all the most ancient of manuscripts.
2. The church historians of the 2nd century wrote this as well.
3. Every one of the those historians wrote that it was written to a Hebrew audience.
4. This would indicate that the audience was in or around Jerusalem, because other Jews were called Hellenists, not Hebrews.
D. For our purposes, we will say the audience was Jewish Christians somewhere in Palestine.
II. Why was this book written?
A. There is literally no debate as to why this book was written.
B. The purpose was to try and keep these Jewish Christians from going back into Judaism because of persecution.
1. This supports the idea that it was written to Jewish Christians in Palestine.
2. What better group to go back into Judaism than those who were still surrounded by family who were still Jews and all the trappings from their former way of life?
3. Why did Lot’s wife look back? Because she was leaving all that was familiar and known to her.
4. Why do those who come out of denominationalism or sin sometimes go back to those things? Because those are the familiar things to them.
C. One writer said it would be like leaving the Mormon Church and living in Salt Lake City, only worse.
D. It seems that these brethren were wondering if leaving all they had known was really worth it.
E. This is probably the reason that the focus of the book is on the fact that Jesus is better than all things.
1. The word for better or superior is found 15 times in this book.
2. Jesus and the New Testament are shown to be better than at least 12 things.
a. The prophets (1:1-3);
b. The angels (1:4-2:18);
c. Moses (3:1-19);
d. Joshua (4:1-8);
e. The rest found in Canaan (4:9-13);
f. Aaron (4:14-5:10);
g. Mosaic priesthood (6:13-10:18);
h. Mosaic covenant (8:6-10:18);
i. Animal sacrifices (9:1-10:18);
j. Mosaic way to God (10:19-11:40);
k. Mosaic relationship to God (12:1-29);
l. Mosaic work and worship (13:1-21).
F. Br. Curtis Cates wrote an introduction to Hebrews in a lectureship book I have.
1. In it, he wrote that when persecution or difficult time comes, we often forget our blessings.
2. The Israelites came to miss Egypt because of the food they had there.
3. They wanted to go back to what they knew.
4. It may have been the same for these Hebrew Christians.
5. If they lived in Jerusalem, they had to smell the daily sacrifices, go past the temple in their daily lives.
6. They probably had family members who were active Jews.
7. The Sanhedrin made it very difficult for those who left Judaism.
G. The Hebrews writer was inspired to place great emphasis on faith in Christ because He is far better than anything Judaism had to offer.
III. When was the letter written?
A. There are a few clues in the book that give an idea of the time of writing.
B. It seems to have been written before the destruction of the temple.
1. The writer mentions the daily sacrifices.
2. He also writes as if the high priest was still in power and at work.
3. It was also written after the church had been established for some time.
a. Hebrews 5:12.
b. Also, there is reference to persecution (10:32-34).
c. It seems to have been written from Italy (Hebrews 13:24).
C. Most writers believe it was written between 60-69 AD.
1. More than likely it was more toward the middle 60's, 62-65.
2. There is no mention of the Roman army being near.
3. There is a reference to the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).
D. We won’t talk about the author yet, but if you believe Paul wrote the book, this time frame definitely fits.
1. It would be after his first imprisonment.
2. He had been waiting for Timothy to get out of prison (Hebrews 13:23).
IV. Who was the penman of Hebrews?
A. We could talk all night about who possibly wrote the book.
1. Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Priscilla, Clement and others have all been set forth as the penman.
2. I like what Origen had to say hundreds of years ago: “But who wrote the epistle, to be sure, God only knows.”
B. I know brethren who are dogmatic that Paul wrote the book.
1. There is evidence for it in the book.
a. The writer was a traveling companion of Timothy.
b. The writer had extensive knowledge of Jewish worship and the work of the high priest.
c. It was written from Italy where Paul had been or was in prison.
2. Much external evidence points to Paul in the form of the early church historians all pointing to him as the penman.
C. The fact that it does not have Paul’s name on it really does nothing to hurt a belief in him being the penman.
1. The people in and around Jerusalem had very hard feelings towards Paul.
2. They remembered him killing and imprisoning many of their family members.
3. Clement of Alexandria wrote that Paul “very wisely did not repel them at the beginning by using his name.”
D. In reality, it does not matter because the Holy Spirit inspired whomever was the human penman.
E. I generally always try to say the Hebrews writer said this or that and not even refer to any person.
For Preaching The Necessity Of Baptism 10-13-24 AM
I. Acts 2:38.
A. This passage is probably the most hotly contested passage in the New Testament when dealing with the subject of baptism.
B. Here is a denominational view of this verse: Listen to what one denominational writer said about this passage: “ The grammar of the verse indicates that only repentance is required to receive the remission of sins. Here is my translation of the verse from the Greek, using some extra words to bring out some key differences not observable in the English text: "Repent [you, plural], and let each one [singular] of you be baptized [singular], upon the name of Jesus Christ into the remission of sins, and you will receive [you, plural] the gift of the Holy Spirit." The command to repent and the promise to receive are both plural verbs. The command to be baptized is singular. The imperative ("let each one of you be baptized") is parenthetical. Peter's actual command was: "Repent . . . upon the name of Jesus Christ into the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Peter gave the audience only one thing to do in order to receive the remission of sins. There was only one direct command: "Repent [you, plural]."
1. Notice that baptism gets completely omitted from the explanation given of this verse.
2. Another writer stated, “We repent "for the remission of sins" to receive the forgiveness of sins.”
C. The most contested part of this verse is the word the Greek word that is translated “for.”
1. Denominational writers say that “eis,” which is the Greek word, means “because of.”
2. The problem with that is there is another Greek word that is translated “because of” and in nearly every Greek Lexicon you find, “eis” means, “in or into or toward.”
D. In other words, one must repent and be baptized towards, or to enter the state of or obtain, the forgiveness of sins.
1. One denominational writer used the wonderful logic of defining a Greek word with the way we use the English word.
2. We must be very careful how we go about defining words.
E. The Greek word “eis” is always looking forward in order to obtain something and not backward as doing something to show something already accomplished when it’s used.
F. The word “and” is a conjunction that joins things of equal value.
G. In Acts 2:38, repent and be baptized are of equal value.
1. One without the other is useless.
2. Both are necessary to obtain the forgiveness of sins.
II. 1 Corinthians 1:17.
A. You might be thinking that this is an odd verse to use to show the lack of need to be baptized in order to be saved.
B. As I studied for this lesson, I came across numerous references from denominational teachers that used this verse to show baptism isn’t necessary for salvation.
1. For instance, one wrote: “If water baptism was a requirement for salvation Christ would have sent Paul the apostle to baptize. However, Paul was not sent to water baptize but to preach the gospel of which water baptism is not an essential element.”
2. This sums up every other use of this verse I saw.
C. In conjunction, many will use John 4:1-3 where we are told that Jesus did not baptize others, only the disciples.
1. Those who hold the position of the unessential nature of baptism ask why Jesus didn’t baptize people if it was important.
2. The argument is used to try and show that Jesus and Paul didn’t baptize so it must not be vital.
D. What is important about these two passages is that the one doing the baptizing is not important.
1. There was a great problem already in Corinth of division.
2. Part of the problem there was that some claimed superiority because of who baptized them.
3. Could you imagine the claim someone could make if the Lord Himself had baptized them?
E. Paul never discounted baptism.
1. Every mention of people conversion after Paul preached the gospel ended with the baptism of the convert.
2. Paul likened baptism to obeying a form of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord (Romans 6:3-4).
3. It is Paul that said we are “buried” in baptism with Christ (Colossians 2:12).
III. John 3:3-7.
A. This is a record of a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin Council.
B. It seems that Nicodemus had come to talk to Jesus about who He was.
1. Instead of this subject, Jesus told him he needed to be born again.
2. Nicodemus didn’t understand the spiritual lesson Jesus was teaching and could only think in physical terms.
C. Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born of water and the Spirit.
D. Here is the argument that a denominationalist would make: “Being "born of water" refers to natural birth, as Jesus mentioned being "born of the flesh". Water baptism was not spoken of here and was not the topic of discussion.”
1. The same writer wrote, “Examine the context of words... born of water = that which is born of flesh is flesh = (first) time in mother's womb; born of the Spirit = that which is born of the Spirit is spirit = born again.
2. He and others believe that the water is that of the fluid that is present at birth and Spirit is baptism of the Holy Spirit.
E. They don’t understand that Jesus is making a spiritual point.
1. Notice that being born of water and the Spirit is after except in verse 5.
2. Jesus did not say that you had first to be born of water, human birth, and except you are born of the Spirit.
3. The word except is forceful: except you do both, you won’t enter kingdom of God.
4. Notice these uses of the word “except” (Luke 13:3; John 15:4; Acts 27:31)
5. Unless both are done, there is no way to enter the kingdom.
F. The idea is that one must be born of water, baptized, and of the Spirit, by the teaching of the Spirit.
1. Titus 3:5 is a commentary on this passage.
2. Even in John 3 and the beginning of 4, John and the disciples of Jesus were baptizing people.
The Sect Everywhere Spoken Against 10-6-24 AM
I. For preaching change.
A. Judaism and paganism ruled the day.
B. Judaism had existed for well over a 1,000 years and paganism for a long time before that.
C. The Jews charged early Christians with corruption of the Old Law.
1. This is what Paul was first charged with in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27-28).
2. All along the missionary journeys of Paul, you read of the Jews standing against Paul because of the message of change from Judaism to Christianity.
D. The pagans of the day also stood against the truth as well.
1. Acts 19:23ff.
2. It happened in Philippi as well after Paul removed a demon from a young lady (Acts 16:16-22).
E. The early church was persecuted for not worshiping the image of the Roman Emperor.
1. They were faithful citizens of the Roman Empire but many refused to worship Caesar.
2. Because of that, the church was persecuted numerous times in the 1st-3rd centuries.
F. At times, the church today is persecuted because we preach change as well.
1. We ought never preach a change from God’s will as some do.
2. However, we do preach a change of life that many don’t want to make.
II. For parting ways with the world.
A. Persecution is part of the Christian life (2 Timothy 3:12).
1. Paul had let the Thessalonians know that persecution would come (1 Thessalonians 3:1-4).
2. They had experienced some already (2:14).
B. Peter let his readers know the same thing (1 Peter 4:12).
1. Notice his words.
2. Don’t think it is strange or unheard of; in other words, they should have been prepared for it.
C. Jesus let the church at Smyrna know persecution was coming (Revelation 2:10).
D. The reason for the persecution oftentimes was told by Peter (1 Peter 4:3-4).
1. His readers used to live just as those around them were then living.
2. They fulfilled the desires of the flesh however they chose.
3. When conversion took place, those around them thought they were strange for not doing what they had been doing.
E. People often hate what they don’t understand.
1. It scares us many times.
2. The neighbors of the Christians couldn’t understand why they no longer lived like everyone else.
F. Christians then and now are called to a different lifestyle (1 Peter 4:1-2).
1. There has to be a change, as there was with the Corinthian brethren.
2. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
G. Today, when we part ways with the world, we will be thought strange and at times, we will be persecuted.
III. For partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
A. No doubt that early Christians thought nothing of partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
1. It had been instituted by the Lord Himself (Matthew 26:26-29).
2. It was a practice of the early Christians to partake of it every Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7).
3. It was taught wherever the gospel went (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
B. Jesus told that unless we partake of His body and His blood we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (John 6:51-57).
1. As we read in Matthew’s account, Jesus stated the unleavened bread represented His body and the fruit of the vine represented His blood.
2. Unless we partake of the Lord’s Supper as we should, there is no spiritual life in us.
C. The early church understood this so they partook of the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day.
D. Because of talk about eating the body and drinking the blood of Christ, there
were many that charged Christians with practicing cannibalism.
1. When charges were brought against a Christian, this was often one that went along with refusing to pay homage to the image of the Caesar.
2. There were even stories about eating infants that were made up, but nevertheless, used against Christians.
E. There is still prejudice today against Christians for partaking of the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day.
1. We are simply following New Testament commands.
2. Most have no problem with the supper itself, it is with the weekly observing of it where there is conflict.
The Crown Of Life 9-29-24 AM
I. The description of the crown (1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Peter 5:4).
a. As we begin, we do need to note that when this physical body is left at death or the Lord’s return, we will receive new spiritual bodies.
i. So, this crown of life is not physical either.
ii. It is a symbol of reward for the saint.
b. But we are given a description of the glory of this crown in these two verses.
c. We aren’t told how many points on the crown, or the weight or things of a physical nature at all, so we can’t give a picture of the crown.
d. What is given is a description of how long this crown will remain.
e. Paul was inspired to use a descriptive word that means “not liable to corruption or decay” (1 Corinthians 9:25).
f. Peter was inspired to use a word that is only found in this verse (1 Peter 5:4) and nowhere else in the New Testament.
i. It literally means “composed of amaranth”.
ii. The amaranth is a flower that was very important in Greek mythology.
iii. The word amaranth means “one that does not wither” and the flower itself was known as the never fading flower.
iv. The flower itself is one that does not wither quickly so it became a symbol of immortality in Ancient Greece.
g. The New Testament gives us the description of the crown as something that will never lose its luster and will never fade.
i. Peter was inspired to write that we are looking for an inheritance that will never fade away, eternal in the heavens (1 Peter 1:4).
ii. The word there is a close relative of what is found in 1 Peter 5:4.
iii. It means perennial, like a perennial flower, one that lasts for a long time.
h. Also, the word for crown itself is important.
i. The word used throughout all of these verses is not the word for that worn by royalty.
ii. Rather, it is the word used for crown given to one victorious in the games mentioned earlier.
iii. Strong’s says: “the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in public games”.
i. The crown given us will last as long as the inheritance that is reserved for us in heaven and symbolizes the victory over sin and Satan.
II. The determination of those receiving the crown.
a. Not just anyone will receive this never-fading crown.
b. James tells us that it will go to those who endure temptation (James 1:12).
i. Inspiration began this letter by telling us that trials, or temptations, if endured are a blessing.
ii. The reason is that it causes the one who endures to become stronger.
iii. Then, the Holy Spirit reveals to us that not only strength is gained, but a crown as well.
c. Paul was inspired to call it a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8).
i. This indicates the one wearing it as righteous.
ii. We know that one is declared righteous, or justified, who has come into contact with the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9).
iii. So, the wearer must be one who has come into contact with the blood of Christ, which is only done in baptism (Romans 6:3-4).
iv. We see that one must be baptized into Christ in order to gain this crown.
d. Jesus told the church at Smyrna that if they would be faithful to Him, even at the cost of their lives, they would be given a crown (Revelation 2:10).
i. This congregation was under fire from Rome as well as the unbelieving Jews.
ii. Their lives were in jeopardy for being Christians.
iii. Jesus promised them that if they remained faithful, even if that meant losing their physical lives, they would receive the crown.
e. Both Paul and James tells us the one who loves God and His Son’s appearing will be given the crown.
i. Jesus said that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).
ii. Those that love the appearing of Jesus will be those who are faithful.
iii. When the Lord returns, it will be terrible for those who are not faithful, so they will not love His appearing.
f. When you put these verses together, and what they tell us about the ones who will receive this crown, you see God has made the determination that those who have obeyed the gospel and remained faithful til death will wear the crown.
III. The duration of wearing the crown.
a. We mentioned the Olympic games were every four years and the Isthmian games were every two years.
i. Those who were victorious had the right to wear the crown for their event until the next games took place.
ii. In two or four years, they relinquished their crown unless they repeated as champions.
b. The crown of life will never be relinquished once received.
c. James and Jesus both call it a crown of life.
i. This indicates eternal life.
ii. It is a never-fading crown worn in a place that never fades away.
d. We will never have to give up wearing the victors crown because we will be victorious for all eternity.
IV. There is possible devastation.
a. The crown is wonderful, eternal, and for the one who obeys the gospel.
b. It is a promise from God and God does not and cannot lie.
c. However, there is possible devastation (Revelation 3:11).
i. This was said by Jesus to the church at Philadelphia.
ii. There are no condemnatory notes in this letter or the letter to the church at Smyrna.
iii. These brethren were faithful and had shown themselves to be such.
d. This congregation, facing extreme pressure and even persecution, was warned not allow some man to take their crown.
i. No one can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39).
ii. No one can remove us from the hand of God (John 10:29).
e. How then, could someone take their crown?
i. Notice the phrase before the warning: hold that fast which thou hast.
ii. If they failed to hold fast to their faith because of pressure or giving in to some false doctrine, they would be allowing a man to take their crown.
f. This shows us the very real possibility of apostasy.
i. Here was a very faithful group of Christians who had shown their faith, not just verbally expressed it.
ii. They were warned that they could still lose that crown.
g. How devastating it would be to have known that the crown was yours, that you were going to be victorious, only to allow someone to convince you that winning that crown was not going to be worth whatever needed to be done to keep it.
New Heavens And A New Earth 9-22-24 PM
I. The passages where the phrases are found.
a. These two phrases are found in only four passages.
b. Two in the book of Isaiah and two in the New Testament.
c. Isaiah 65:17 and Isaiah 66:22.
d. 2 Peter 3:13.
e. Revelation 21:1 – this passage is why I mention phrases – because heaven is singular in this verse only.
f. There are other passages that are brought up when discussing this idea of a new heavens and a new earth.
i. Some use Matthew 19:28 – because of the word “regeneration”.
ii. John 14:2-3 – which is a passage that should give us a hope of heaven.
iii. Romans 8:18-22 – especially verse 22.
iv. Hebrews 12:26-29 – because there are things shaken and something not shaken.
II. The context of these passages.
a. This is something that may sound different to you, but the passages in Isaiah have nothing to do with the return of Jesus.
i. Read Isaiah 65:1 beginning.
ii. Isaiah 66:22 refers back to the mention of what God would make or create in 65:17.
iii. What is being discussed here is the bringing in of the New Law and the doing away with the Old Law.
iv. There is nothing in this text that is even remotely relevant to the second coming of Jesus.
v. If anything, it is referring to what will take place when Jesus would come the first time.
b. 2 Peter 3:13 must be viewed from the beginning of this section in verse 1.
i. Peter was inspired to begin this section with a reminder to be aware of the words spoken by inspired men.
ii. He then mentions that there will be those who scoff at the idea of a return of Jesus and will be willfully ignorant of the fact God had at one time destroyed the earth with a flood.
iii. Christians are not to be ignorant of that fact, nor the fact that the Lord will return because He has promised He will.
iv. When He returns, the earth and universe in which the earth resides are going to pass away with a great noise, melt with a fervent heat, and the works be burned up.
v. All these things will be dissolved.
vi. Because of that fact, Christians are to look for new heavens and a new earth.
c. Revelation 21:1 fits in with the verses beginning with Revelation 20:11.
i. Here is the judgment scene.
ii. All those not found in the book of life are cast in the lake of fire where the devil had been cast earlier in the text.
iii. At this point, John was allowed to see a new heaven and a new earth where there was no sea.
iv. John sees the new Jerusalem, which is the church in a glorified state, coming down being readied to be presented to the Father.
v. God would now dwell with the church side by side, where He will do away with all pain, suffering, and sorrow.
III. The meaning of the phrases.
a. We must remember that any meaning a passage has cannot dispute other clear passages.
b. The New Testament teaches that Jesus will come again and judge mankind and take the church back to the Father to present her to Him.
i. 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 5:27.
ii. These passages are clear.
c. 2 Peter 3:10-13 is clear that the heavens and earth which now exist are going to be totally dissolved.
i. Notice Revelation 20:11.
ii. There will be no place found for the old ones.
d. There is going to be a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
e. The New Testament is clear that Christians are going to heaven (1 Peter 1:4).
i. Jesus said He was preparing a place to which He would bring His disciples after He left earth (John 14:2-3).
ii. This place is heaven.
f. We now live in an environment known as heaven and earth.
i. This environment is going to pass away.
ii. We’ve stated that over and again.
g. Our future environment is referred to figuratively as the new heavens and the new earth, which is an allusion to heaven itself.
h. The old adage is things equal to the same thing are equal to each other.
i. 2 + 2=4 and 3+1=4 so they are equal to each other.
ii. You and I are promised heaven as our final dwelling place and we are also promised a new heavens and a new earth.
iii. Thus, the new heavens and the new earth is the same state as heaven.
i.What these phrases, a new heaven and a new earth, and a new heavens and a new earth, are, are symbols of heaven itself.