Thanks A Lot
Bible Text: Philippians 4:6-7
They Just Didn’t Get It
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: Luke 9:43-45; 18:31-34
They Just Didn’t Get It
Luke 9:43-45; 18:31-34
Have you ever struggled to understand a subject or teacher in school and you just didn’t get it?
In the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus predicted 3 times that,
“The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.”
In Luke’s Gospel we discover they just didn’t get it.
Luke 9:43-45; 18:31-34
They did not understand the saying.
It was concealed from them.
So that they might not perceive it.
They were afraid to ask Him about the saying.
Their responses to Jesus’ prediction confirmed they didn’t get it.
Peter’s response was, “Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to You.”
The other disciples began to argue about who was the greatest.
Why didn’t they get it?
Probably because they couldn’t handle it yet.
If they really knew what would happen to Jesus, and how different it would be than their own conceptions of reigning with the Messiah in glory, they might have given up right then and there.
Why We Don’t Observe Lent
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7
Why We Don’t Observe Lent
Lent is a well-known tradition among various denominations, but is this 40-day period of fasting and purification Biblical?
Let’s examine its history, purpose, and the Scriptures to find out.
History
In 360 A.D. the Roman Church at the Council of Laodicea officially commanded the observance of Lent.
So, 300 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection its practice was established.
Purpose
The purpose of Lent is to provide spiritual purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God’s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first in their hearts.
Their claim is that through self-denial we can become pure.
The Scriptures say that we are made pure by the shed blood of the Jesus
(Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7).
No amount of fasting, abstinence, or self-denial can purify us from sin.
Lent promotes a works-based salvation that diminishes the saving work of Jesus!
Paul had some important things to say about this form of self-denial used to try to produce our own godliness: Colossians 2:20-23
Lent is a doctrine of men that commands denial of certain things for the purpose of purifying ourselves.
And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Mark 7:7
Today, it’s popular to have a big wild party right before Lent begins.
This party is referred to as “Mardi Gras” in French or “Fat Tuesday” in English, and in Latin countries, it is referred to as “Carnival”, which comes from the Latin “Carne Vale” which means “Goodbye to meat”.
This day of celebration has come to include wild parties, fatty foods, fornication, drunkenness, dancing, and various forms of lewdness.
It is one last chance to get your sinning done before the fast begins.
Jesus says concerning fasting we should… in Matthew 6:16-18.
Concerning self-denial, we should… in Matthew 16:24
A Step of Faith
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: A Step of Faith
A Step of Faith
Matthew 14:22-33
In the film, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Harrison Ford plays Indian Jones, a daring archaeologist who travels the world in search of treasures.
In this film, Indiana and his father are searching for the Holy Grail, the cup reputed to have been used by Christ at the Last Supper.
Indiana’s father is shot just at the end of their quest.
With his father dying, Indiana’s search for the cup leads him to take a step of faith.
A step of faith can be a scary and even traumatizing experience.
Our entire relationship with Jesus Christ is based on faith.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
How many times in life, have we made a commitment to Jesus that we would follow in faith only to quit or give up?
When was the last time we got out of the old comfortable boat and walked straight into the arms of Jesus without being distracted by the waves?
How many times have we thought about volunteering for a job at church only to change our mind?
How many times have we thought about telling a friend about Jesus only to chicken out?
Faith is simply taking God at His Word and then taking the next step looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:2
Feasting On Food From Heaven
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: John 4:31-39
Feasting On Food From Heaven
John 4:31-39
Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?”
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’
I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”
Life Is Short Therefore Make The Most of Your Time
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: Psalm 90:10; Isaiah 40: 6-8; James 4:14
Life Is Short Therefore Make The Most of Your Time
Have you ever heard these comments?
Man, time sure flies by
It seems like the older I get the faster the years go by
I can’t believe it’s already been 10 years since we last saw each other
It seems like it was just yesterday we talked about that.
Yes, time marches on quickly before we realize it.
The average American can expect to live 78.6 years.
God’s Word reminds us of the brevity of our lives.
Psalm 90:10
Isaiah 40:6-8
James 4:14
Generally speaking there are two perspectives on life, the world’s and God’s.
Since our time on this earth is relatively short compared to eternity, we want the right perspective.
The World’s Perspective
1 John 2:15-17
Money, fame, popularity, possessions, pleasure.
God’s Perspective
Ephesians 5:15-17
Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as men and women who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do.
Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days.
Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God.
Sign Gifts
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: 2 Corinthians 12:12, Hebrews 2:4
Sign Gifts
2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4
When Jesus Christ began His church in Acts chapter 2 on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave sign gifts.
By sign gifts I mean the gift of languages, interpretation, the gift of healing, the gift of apostleship, and the gift of miracles.
These gifts were not merely examples of people serving the church, but instead they had a much more immediate role:
they confirmed the gospel message
they were a sign to the Jews and unbelievers
they validated the ministry of the Apostles
they established the foundation of the church.
This is exactly why Paul called them “sign” gifts.
They confirmed the gospel.
Acts 10:44-48
They were a sign to the Jews and unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 14:20-22;
Isaiah 28:9-13
They validated the ministry of the Apostles.
2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4
They established the foundation of the church.
Ephesians 2:18-22
What Were They Missing?
/in /by Worship TeamBible Text: 1 Corinthians 13
What Were They Missing?
1 Corinthians 13
We must keep in mind two very important things as we look at this chapter.
First, remember that this passage was not written in a vacuum.
We find this great chapter on love included in a serious letter by Paul to the church in Corinth, a church with very serious problems.
In this letter, Paul painted for the Corinthians a picture of themselves…in their factions, their jealousies, their pride, their immaturity, their selfishness, their misuse of Christian liberty, and their bragging about their spiritual gifts.
Second, we must remember that, unlike our language, the Greeks had several words for love.
– Philia or Storge –
brotherly love; deep friendship.
– Eros –
mostly of sexual passion or lust.
– Ludus –
playful love.
– Pragma –
a model of love as two people may demonstrate during a lengthy marriage.
– Philautia –
love for one’s self.
– Agape –
the love of God for man; selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional
They had the first five types of love, but they were missing Agape love.
Paul says that Agape love is superior to spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Definition of Agape love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Agape love is eternal, spiritual gifts are temporal.
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
It’s All About Me
/in Sunday/by Worship TeamBible Text: 1 Corinthians 12
It’s All About Me
1 Corinthians 12
The Corinthian church was suffering disunity and conflict, caused by self-centeredness and immaturity.
It was evident by the issues that had developed in the church that they were more preoccupied with themselves than the with Holy Spirit.
They were divided.
They weren’t growing spiritually.
There was sexual immorality among them.
They were taking one another to court.
They had marital problems.
They were offending one another by eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols.
They were abusing the Lord’s Table.
There was jealousy and pride in the area of spiritual gifts.
There were some who didn’t believe in the resurrection of Christ.
The issue we want to focus on this morning is their issue of jealousy and pride in the area of spiritual gifts.
What was their problem?
They were ignorant.
1 Corinthians 12:1-3
They didn’t understand the diversity of the gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 8-10, 28-30
They didn’t realize that the spiritual gifts were for the profit of all.
1 Corinthians 12:7
They didn’t know that the Holy Spirit was sovereign in distributing the gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:11,18
They thought that some of the gifts were more important than the other gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27