Notes I took from a sermon preached by Wayde Miller.
The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. Not as a way to differentiate from the Jews, not as a negative term by their enemies, but as a name of love from God. God gave the disciples this name.
The church at Antioch was a church filled with grace, there was no prejudice -- Jewish descent, Greeks, all types worshiped together in Antioch. Today we are to beware of prejudices among Christians - we are all one -- no difference in color, economics, family ties, friendship, etc. All should be ONE in Christ.
Acts 11:19-30
19&20 - the church was established at Antioch both Jewish Christians and Gentiles. The message preached to them was the Lord Jesus - a message on ONE saving.
v 21 - told to believe and turn to the Lord.
Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire, a paganistic, materialistic, sinful city. The church thrived in this city, it was a church of grace, always helping other churches, the brethren, and teaching the Lord Jesus. We too should teach their same message --
Whose Message? What Question? Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
"The worst the sinner, the more in tune he is to hear the Word." Christ taught to the sinners. We should all remember that we are sinners and be willing to hear the Word and to study God's Word.
More than belief is needed. "Faith Only" is not what Jesus wants. Salvation is simple: the Christians at Antioch believe AND turned to the Lord. New Testament belief IS doing something.
John 12:42&43 -- believe AND confess (confession is doing something)
Romans 10:13-14 -- believe AND call on the name of the Lord (calling is doing something)
Hebrews 11:6 -- believe AND Come to God (to come to God is doing something)
Mark 16:16 -- believe AND be baptized (to be baptized is doing something)
The message was always the same -- believe and do something. Even the devil believes -- we are to do something.
Always remember -- Christian is a name that God has given YOU. Do NOT take it for granted, it is an honor, not a classification of religion as it is seen in today's society. But our family name, our name in Christ Jesus.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
~DEATH~
This is an email that I received last week -- there's no elaboration needed, it says it all...
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT..
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to
Leave the examination room and said,
'Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You, a Christian man,
Do not know what is on the other side?'
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room
And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
'Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before.
He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
But I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough.'
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT..
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to
Leave the examination room and said,
'Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You, a Christian man,
Do not know what is on the other side?'
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room
And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
'Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before.
He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
But I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough.'
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wednesday Night Bible Study Notes
Bible Class
Wayde Miller, Evangelist led the Bible class discussion:
-- we started the book of Romans tonight -- the preacher chastised us -- we were supposed to read the whole book -- I didn't, I read some, not enough, not very much at all, shame on me...
Notes: The Book of Romans is about Christianity -- lots of discussion about justification. Now when I say a book about Christianity, this book pretty much sums is up as far as what a Christian is. It is written by Paul from Corinth to the Romans. Paul considers Rome to be a good church unlike those he chastised (Corinthians). It was pointed out that the city of Rome in that day was very large and very vile, yet this church made of Jewish, Gentile, and Barbarians was a good church.
Notes as reviewed by verse:
1) Paul describes himself as three S's -- servant, sent out (definition of apostle), and set apart (sanctified).
2) The word gospel means good news -- the OT is mentioned in this verse because the apostles relied heavily on its prophecies to preach Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies.
3) Jesus - is the good news -- he is both flesh and spirit (Son of David, II Sam 7, and Son of God)
4) Proof of his power and that he is the Son of God is His resurrection.
5) Apostles (sent out) had a purpose. We cannot look at Paul's life without seeing his dedication to the gospel (good news). "It is not enough to be good, you have to be good at something." You need a purpose. In our lives we may be good people, but we need to do more with our lives and spreading the good news using our talents.
6) Not only are the apostles called, but all are called.
7) The Romans are called and loved by God.
8-14) Paul mentions the goodness of the church at Rome. Their faith is known (v8) Paul is getting ready to preach to them the good news via this letter because he has been hindered from coming to Rome (v14). Paul flatters the Christians at Rome, he is both encouraged by them and wanting to encourage them. He wants to mutually encourage each other with his faith and their faith (v12). He is speaking of them very positively.
11) Paul mentions that he would like to give them a spiritual gift. But never specifies what that give can be. If the verse is read contextually with verse 10 -- we can speculate that the Spirit has called him else where and in verse 13 possibly the Spirit has prevented him from coming to Rome. Could this gift of the spirit be the gift to him and the Romans of the Spirit calling him to Rome? Yes, he will make it to Rome one day.
Our evangelist stressed that we really need to read the book in its entirety. Romans is very contextual -- stick to the context, forget about references and footnotes, just read it in its context and look at the big picture. A picture of a good church and how Christianity is to be.
INVITATION
KB one of our members gave the invitation talk (mini sermon)
"Committed vs Compliant"
Compliant is to do only what is necessary to some it is just the bare minimum.
Committed is to go beyond and perform to the best of our ability.
In Matthew 19:16 the rich young man was compliant, he didn't steal, he didn't murder, he didn't lie... and the list goes on, but when he was told to sell all he had -- he could not do so -- he was not willing to commit.
In John 21:15 -- Jesus after his resurrection asked Peter Do you love me? He did this three times -- Peter said Yes. Peter was committed.
As a Christian do we just do the bare minimum (attend services, give money, sing, pray, the "checklist") or are we committed giving ALL of ourselves to the Lord?
Great Job KB.
Wayde Miller, Evangelist led the Bible class discussion:
-- we started the book of Romans tonight -- the preacher chastised us -- we were supposed to read the whole book -- I didn't, I read some, not enough, not very much at all, shame on me...
Notes: The Book of Romans is about Christianity -- lots of discussion about justification. Now when I say a book about Christianity, this book pretty much sums is up as far as what a Christian is. It is written by Paul from Corinth to the Romans. Paul considers Rome to be a good church unlike those he chastised (Corinthians). It was pointed out that the city of Rome in that day was very large and very vile, yet this church made of Jewish, Gentile, and Barbarians was a good church.
Notes as reviewed by verse:
1) Paul describes himself as three S's -- servant, sent out (definition of apostle), and set apart (sanctified).
2) The word gospel means good news -- the OT is mentioned in this verse because the apostles relied heavily on its prophecies to preach Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies.
3) Jesus - is the good news -- he is both flesh and spirit (Son of David, II Sam 7, and Son of God)
4) Proof of his power and that he is the Son of God is His resurrection.
5) Apostles (sent out) had a purpose. We cannot look at Paul's life without seeing his dedication to the gospel (good news). "It is not enough to be good, you have to be good at something." You need a purpose. In our lives we may be good people, but we need to do more with our lives and spreading the good news using our talents.
6) Not only are the apostles called, but all are called.
7) The Romans are called and loved by God.
8-14) Paul mentions the goodness of the church at Rome. Their faith is known (v8) Paul is getting ready to preach to them the good news via this letter because he has been hindered from coming to Rome (v14). Paul flatters the Christians at Rome, he is both encouraged by them and wanting to encourage them. He wants to mutually encourage each other with his faith and their faith (v12). He is speaking of them very positively.
11) Paul mentions that he would like to give them a spiritual gift. But never specifies what that give can be. If the verse is read contextually with verse 10 -- we can speculate that the Spirit has called him else where and in verse 13 possibly the Spirit has prevented him from coming to Rome. Could this gift of the spirit be the gift to him and the Romans of the Spirit calling him to Rome? Yes, he will make it to Rome one day.
Our evangelist stressed that we really need to read the book in its entirety. Romans is very contextual -- stick to the context, forget about references and footnotes, just read it in its context and look at the big picture. A picture of a good church and how Christianity is to be.
INVITATION
KB one of our members gave the invitation talk (mini sermon)
"Committed vs Compliant"
Compliant is to do only what is necessary to some it is just the bare minimum.
Committed is to go beyond and perform to the best of our ability.
In Matthew 19:16 the rich young man was compliant, he didn't steal, he didn't murder, he didn't lie... and the list goes on, but when he was told to sell all he had -- he could not do so -- he was not willing to commit.
In John 21:15 -- Jesus after his resurrection asked Peter Do you love me? He did this three times -- Peter said Yes. Peter was committed.
As a Christian do we just do the bare minimum (attend services, give money, sing, pray, the "checklist") or are we committed giving ALL of ourselves to the Lord?
Great Job KB.
Wow...
Was talking to my father-in-law the other night and relaying a story of someone speaking to a psychic. The ideas that the woman relayed were amazing and it was impossible for her to know facts that she revealed. It was a touching revelation and made us say WOW.
The psychic avows that she is strong in faith to the God in Heaven and I do not doubt her, I am amazed at this power, and I pray for her, because it must be an awful burden to bear.
A friend of mine warned about psychic interaction and that we need to be certain of the source of her visions. What is her source of revelation? By hearing the account of the reading, and hearing what she said, I feel that she gave God the glory for her gift (note she did not say she was talking to God).
Would I want a psychic reading? I doubt it -- Que sera sera "Whatever will be, will be." I don't want to know -- I don't want anything to sway my life choices or to cause me to rethink or to avoid life happening. I have faith that God will help me through and I am an independent, free willed spirit, that just likes to do it myself.
Some will say (Christians) that the spiritual gift of prophecy no longer exists. I agree that spiritual gifts (miracles) were acquired by the laying on of hands by the apostles, but is her gift something to be considered a miracle. If so then anyone who has had a "vision" would be considered a heretic. I myself have dreamed of someone saying goodbye, only to find out the next day that they have passed.
But -- I ramble just to tell of this one incident --
Does God talk to us and comfort us today? Yes -- I think he does.
Recently I was told by someone close to me that they do not believe God exists. This to me was disheartening, I fretted all day and into the night. I went outside near midnight and looked into the sky and the moon was more bright than I had ever seen it and around it were the colors of the rainbow. Wow I thought how beautiful.
I ran inside to the computer to see who I could IM to go out and look at the moon. I IM'd my first friend (one who claims to be an atheist) and lives in the next county (within 25 miles). He looked and came back and said -- "I don't see it." It is bright, but no rainbow. I then IM'd another friend, a photographer at that, (he is not a Christian, but something like a Wiccan) he came back and said -- "It is very bright, but no colors." (This man lives in another adjacent county within 15 miles).
Father-in-law got up and I said -- come look outside at the moon. He looked up and said "Wow."
I truly believe that God set that moon and that rainbow in the sky for me. The rainbow is a symbol of His promise. He talks to us, not by sitting down and having a conversation, but he knew I needed His fatherly touch that night.
Wow.
The psychic avows that she is strong in faith to the God in Heaven and I do not doubt her, I am amazed at this power, and I pray for her, because it must be an awful burden to bear.
A friend of mine warned about psychic interaction and that we need to be certain of the source of her visions. What is her source of revelation? By hearing the account of the reading, and hearing what she said, I feel that she gave God the glory for her gift (note she did not say she was talking to God).
Would I want a psychic reading? I doubt it -- Que sera sera "Whatever will be, will be." I don't want to know -- I don't want anything to sway my life choices or to cause me to rethink or to avoid life happening. I have faith that God will help me through and I am an independent, free willed spirit, that just likes to do it myself.
Some will say (Christians) that the spiritual gift of prophecy no longer exists. I agree that spiritual gifts (miracles) were acquired by the laying on of hands by the apostles, but is her gift something to be considered a miracle. If so then anyone who has had a "vision" would be considered a heretic. I myself have dreamed of someone saying goodbye, only to find out the next day that they have passed.
But -- I ramble just to tell of this one incident --
Does God talk to us and comfort us today? Yes -- I think he does.
Recently I was told by someone close to me that they do not believe God exists. This to me was disheartening, I fretted all day and into the night. I went outside near midnight and looked into the sky and the moon was more bright than I had ever seen it and around it were the colors of the rainbow. Wow I thought how beautiful.
I ran inside to the computer to see who I could IM to go out and look at the moon. I IM'd my first friend (one who claims to be an atheist) and lives in the next county (within 25 miles). He looked and came back and said -- "I don't see it." It is bright, but no rainbow. I then IM'd another friend, a photographer at that, (he is not a Christian, but something like a Wiccan) he came back and said -- "It is very bright, but no colors." (This man lives in another adjacent county within 15 miles).
Father-in-law got up and I said -- come look outside at the moon. He looked up and said "Wow."
I truly believe that God set that moon and that rainbow in the sky for me. The rainbow is a symbol of His promise. He talks to us, not by sitting down and having a conversation, but he knew I needed His fatherly touch that night.
Wow.
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