Christian Standards
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· 6 viewsMany people like to emphasize that you cannot earn your salvation by works, which is absolutely true. We seems to be de-emphasized is the fact that our actions do affect our eternal life. You won't be saved by your works, but you won't be saved without works. We will be discussing some hot topics like: Rules vs. Relationship, Righteousness is not Merit, Sabbath, and Reverence for Holy Things.
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Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Rebellion does not
happen overnight.
Rebellion is
concerted effort
reject the Holy Spirit
one choice at a time.
Jeroboam
Jeroboam
but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone.
Nadab
Nadab
He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.
Baasha
Baasha
Moreover, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.
Elah
Elah
Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols.
Zimri
Zimri
because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin.
Omri
Omri
Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him.
For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols.
Ahab
Ahab
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
“all before him”
And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.
Jezebel - princess of baal nation
Built house for Baal
Prophets and Kings Section 2—Prophets of the Northern Kingdom
The apostasy prevailing in Ahab’s day was the result of many years of evil-doing. Step by step, year after year, Israel had been departing from the right way. For generation after generation they had refused to make straight paths for their feet, and at last the great majority of the people had yielded themselves to the leadership of the powers of darkness.
Year and Year
Decade and Decades
Centuries
wickedness
I ask us to,
reflect on our time.
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus coming soon?
yes
Then...
time of apostacy
out of church
in the church
God’s Judgments Came:
Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”
Horrible Curse
most didn’t believe
Until,
it happened...
Result of Rebellion:
No rain
No dew
No food...
Yet Jezebel
teaches idea
Elijah is problem
must kill him
search everywhere
End of 3 1/2 Years
End of 3 1/2 Years
Elijah shows himself
Ahab sees him
First words:
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals.
Ahab says:
you brought this on us
Elijah says:
no you did!
In a very real way
our action
deeds or misdeed
choices
Bring on church
blessings
curses
Contemplating Today
Contemplating Today
We live during
time of evil.
Elijah’s day
evil came into church
We have to
guard against same.
We must have
Elijah message today
Message of warning
Prophets and Kings (Section 2—Prophets of the Northern Kingdom)
Today there is need of the voice of stern rebuke; for grievous sins have separated the people from God. Infidelity is fast becoming fashionable... The smooth sermons so often preached make no lasting impression; the trumpet does not give a certain sound. Men are not cut to the heart by the plain, sharp truths of God’s word.
A custom of the natives in New Guinea is told. At certain times they have rituals, songs, and dances. They work themselves up into a frenzy and the ritual culminates in what are called “the murder songs,” in which they shout before God the names of the people they wish to kill. When the natives became Christian, they retained these customs and that ritual, However, in the murder songs, they no longer shouted the names of the people they hated, but the names of the sins they hated, and called on God to destroy them. A pagan custom had been captured for Christ.
Addressing Apostasy
Addressing Apostasy
Tough topic
calling out sin
encouraging repentance
often misunderstood
Some feel
legalism
pharisee-ism
judging
Cover some
ground work
fundamental ideas
Behavior and Salvation
Behavior and Salvation
Health Balance
Two Important Truths
First Truth:
We Cannot Earn Salvation by Good Works
We Cannot Earn Salvation by Good Works
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Second Truth:
We Can Lose Our Salvation Through Wicked Choices
We Can Lose Our Salvation Through Wicked Choices
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Rules or Relationship?
Rules or Relationship?
Great Danger
Pharsee-ism
Error of Pharisees?
Kept Commandments
Did right
Taught right
Rules upon rules
Lost Relationship
Motivation for Obedience
must be love
not fear
not compulsion
not desire to impress
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Why did “righteousness”?
For other
To be seen
Checklist religion.
Dangerous Religion
Jesus strongly rebuked
No really,
problem of last days...
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
This is Christianity
of Last Days
They “having the appearance of godliness”
but are wicked
Next Chapter:
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Problem of last days?
Not Legalism
Licentiousness
Like Elijah’s Day
religion that is
full of sinfulness.
Open wickedness
called Christianity...
Diminishing of
standards
holy things
expectations of membership
expectations of Baptism
no Church discipline
Popular Saying:
Least Favorite Saying:
“Is this really a salvation
issue?”
What is this question
really saying?
Can we lower the standards?
“God does not regard all sins as of equal magnitude; there are degrees of guilt in His estimation, as well as in that of man; but however trifling this or that wrong act may seem in the eyes of men, no sin is small in the sight of God. Man’s judgment is partial, imperfect; but God estimates all things as they really are” (Steps to Christ, p. 30)
Small Sin
Small Sin
Adam and Eve
Cain
Uzzah
Salvation Issue???
wrong question...
Like asking...
“Will this one thing keep me out of heaven?”
What do I need to do to get a B in this class?
Basically asking
How little can I do
and still make heaven?
True Christian
motivated by love
asks...
What more can I do???
True essence of
Surrender!!
Something Vastly Better
Something Vastly Better
Christian Journey
real sacrifice
change behaviors
We will surrender
habits
preferences
desires
For Character
Some feel
I have to give up too much!
“God does not require us to give up anything that it is for our best interest to retain. In all that He does, He has the well-being of His children in view” (Steps to Christ, p. 46).
Vows
Commitment to live
Different life
Not the minimum
Next Week
I will finish
Story of Elijah
Rest of Sermon
Sacrifices
we can make.
State of the Church
worldliness
our congregation
NO JACKET REQUIRED
I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn’t be the right place. After all, I couldn’t possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people, and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just couldn’t be the right place. Quickly, I glanced down at the invitation that I clutched in my hand. I scanned past the words, "Come as you are. No jacket required." and found the location. Yes, I was at the right place. I peered through the window again and saw a room of people whose faces seemed to glow with joy. All were neatly dressed, adorned in fine garments and appeared strangely clean as they dined at this exquisite restaurant.
Ashamed, I looked down at my own tattered and torn clothing, covered in stains. I was dirty, in fact, filthy. A foul smell seemed to consume me and I couldn’t shake the grime that hung to my body. As I turned around to leave, the words from the invitation seemed to leap out at me..."Come as you are. No jacket required." I decided to give it a shot. Mustering up every bit of courage I could find, I opened the door to this restaurant and walked up to a man standing behind a podium. "Your name, sir?" he asked me with a smile. "Jimmy D. Brown," I mumbled without looking up. I thrust my hands deep into my pockets, hoping to conceal their stains. He didn’t seem to notice the filth that I was covered in and he continued, "Very good, sir. A table is reserved in your name. Would you like to be seated?" I couldn’t believe what I heard! A grin broke out on my face and I said, "Yes, of course!"
He lead me to a table and, sure enough, there was a place card with my name written on it in a deep, dark red. As I browsed over a menu, I saw many delightful items listed. There were things like, "peace," "joy," "blessings," "confidence," "assurance,"hope," "love," "faith," and "mercy." I realized that this was no
ordinary restaurant! I flipped the menu back to the front in order to see where I was ... "God’s Grace," was the name of this place!
The man returned and said, "I recommend the ’Special of the Day’. With it, you are entitled to heaping portions of everything on this menu." You’ve got to be kidding! I thought to myself. You mean, I can have ALL of this! "What is the ’Special of the Day’ I asked with excitement ringing in my voice. "Salvation," was his reply.
"I’ll take it," I practically cried out. A sick, painful ache jerked through my stomach and tears filled my eyes. Between my sobs I said "Mister, look at me. I’m dirty and nasty. I’m unclean and unworthy of such things. I’d love to have all of this, but, but, I just can’t afford it. Undaunted, the man smiled again. "Sir, your check has already been taken care of by that Gentleman over there," he said point to the front of the room. "His Name is Jesus." Turning, I saw a man whose very presence seemed to light the room. He was almost too much to look at. I found myself walking towards Him and in a shaking voice I whispered, "Sir, I’ll wash the dishes or sweep the floors or take out the trash. I’ll do anything I can do to repay you for all of this." He opened His arms and said with a smile, "Son, all of this is yours if you just come unto me. Ask me to clean you up and I will. Ask me to take away the stains and it is done. Ask me to allow you to feast at my table and you will eat.
Remember, the table is reserved in your name. All you must do is accept this gift that I offer you." Astonished, I fell at his feet and said, "Please, Jesus. Please clean up my life. Please change me and sit me at your table and give me this new life." Immediately, I heard the words, "It is finished." I looked down and white robes adorned my squeaky clean body. Something strange and wonderful had happened. I felt new, like a weight had been lifted and I found myself seated at His table. "The ’Special of the Day’ has been served," the Lord said to me. "Salvation is yours." We sat and talked for a great while and I so enjoyed the time that I spent with Him.
Appeal
Appeal
Purpose of
biblical lifestyle instruction
not to condemn us
but to help
more fully reflect
life and character
of Jesus
strengthen our
relationship with Him.
It is a matter
of protection
for the individual
the entire church.
We must
humble our hearts
Ask God
how is this
apostasy getting me?