Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Jesus Is Coming [27mb]
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This is a sermon given by guest minister, Rev. Russ Smith, regarding the second coming of Christ. This sermon ties Advent with the expectation of Jesus' second coming.
Prepare the Way of the Lord [27mb]
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A sermon based on the references in Scripture that compare John the Baptist to the O.T. prophecies regarding the "voice in the wilderness" that was to precede the Messiah.
Written Excerpts:
PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
Mark 1:2-4 “As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” 3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
Introduction:
Mark quotes from the prophets Malachi (3:1) and Isaiah (40:3). Mark is clearly using these prophecies in direct reference to John the Baptist and is identifying him as the messenger sent by God to help prepare the way of the Lord, and the coming of the Messiah.
Notice these other Scriptures:
Matthew 3:1-3 “1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea , 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’”
Matt. 11:7-10 (Jesus speaking) 7 Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John… 10 “For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’
Luke 1:13-17 “13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John... 17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
John 1:21-23 “21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Both Matthew and Jesus identified John the Baptist as the one who fulfilled the prophecies of Malachi and Isaiah.
Luke records the conversation that Zacharias had with the angel Gabriel. Gabriel states that the son of Zacharias (John the Baptist) will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. Later on in the same chapter, verse 76, Zacharias bursts forth in prophesying about John’s ministry and he says, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways…
Then we notice in the Gospel of John that some people ask John the Baptist point blank, “Are you Elijah?” and he denies it. Yet, he does confirm that he is “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’”
Transition: We have looked at all these references that confirm the connection between these OT prophecies and the life and ministry of John the Baptist. But, the important thing we want to consider for a little while today is the mission and the message of this predicted messenger.
I. The Mission
“I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.”
The mission of the messenger was to prepare the way of the Lord.
What does it mean to prepare the way?
“Prepare” – (Hebrew Lexicon, Brown, Driver, & Briggs) “Turn away, put out of the way; hence make clear or free from obstacles.” (Keil &Delitsch) “The crier is like the outrider of a king, who takes care that the way by which the king is to go shall be put into good condition.” (Vine) “It is like a king’s courier appointed to see that his way is put in good condition.”
In other words, it was the messenger’s responsibility to make the way of the king more accessible and to make the people more acceptable. He was to persuade people to do something they would not normally be inclined to do – make preparations for a visit from the king.
When we view John the Baptist as the fulfillment of these prophecies, we understand that he was sent by God to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, the King of kings.
John faithfully fulfilled his role in preparing the people for the coming of the Lord. He diminished his own role while exalting the role of Christ. He preferred Christ over himself. He uplifted the mission and ministry of Christ. He proclaimed the foundational message necessary to prepare for Jesus Christ.
There is a lesson here for all of us. We have all been commissioned as disciples of Jesus Christ to tell others about His salvation and about His return in glory. Our mission is not to exalt ourselves or promote our own agendas and programs. Our mission is to help as many people prepare for the coming of Jesus as we possibly can.
II. The Message of the Messenger.
The message of the messenger was very similar to his mission. Just as he was to prepare the way of the Lord himself, he was also commissioned to tell others to do the same.
A. “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
As we noted earlier, the word “prepare” means to put out of the way; make the path clear from obstacles.
B. “Make His paths straight.”
Make straight means to make smooth, straight or even. The phrase or concept is also used in Scripture in an ethical sense. For example, Prov. 9:15 [the foolish woman seeks to trap] “… those who go straight on their way.”
Preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight are two phrases that basically emphasize the same truth.
John the Baptist was a prophetic voice in the physical wilderness as well as a moral / spiritual wilderness. He stood out in stark contrast from the secular world and the religious world of his time. His message was a message of admonition for the people to do whatever was necessary to prepare for the One who was soon to come.
How does one prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight?
I believe the best clue we have for the answer to this question is to take a look at the ministry of John the Baptist. He preached a message of repentance. Luke 3:3b “…preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” When we look at John’s commission and compare that with his message, we conclude that repentance was apparently the way that the people were to prepare for the coming of the Lord.
Genuine, heart-felt, and sincere repentance is the only way to prepare one’s heart and life for God to come. It is the only way to clear things out that might obstruct the free flow of God’s Spirit in our hearts and lives. It is the only way to straighten out what is crooked and perverse in our lives. Genuine repentance means having a complete change of thinking about our behavior, our conduct and our attitudes.
True repentance comes as a result of genuine godly sorrow for our sins that have contributed to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in our behalf. (2 Cor. 7:10)
Repentance is not the same thing as asking for God’s forgiveness. Anyone who has repented will certainly want God’s forgiveness for the sins that have nailed Jesus to the cross. However, there are some that have ask for forgiveness but they have not truly repented. There are people who ask God to forgive their sins, but then keep right on committing the same sins over and over, having little or no intention of ever changing.
Repentance implies having a true understanding of how much our sin offends a holy God and how desperately we need His cleansing and His power to live pleasing in His sight. Genuine repentance inevitably leads to a genuine conversion – a life transformed by grace.
Conclusion:
John the Baptist suddenly appears on the scene out in the wilderness area preaching a message of repentance for the remission of sins for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He testified that he was the voice in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord. He also testified that the same One who sent him to baptize was the One who identified the Son of God for him. (Jn. 1:23, 33-34)
John’s message was essentially this: the way you must get ready for the Lord’s coming is to repent. John was preaching his message 2,000 years ago for the first coming of Christ. Today we are revisiting his message as we once again celebrate the first coming of the Messiah, but at the same time making sure we are getting prepared for His second coming.
Just as certainly as He came the first time, so He will come the second time. Just as there were some who were completely unprepared and unaware of His first coming, so there will be those who are unprepared for His second coming. If repentance was necessary for people to be prepared for His first coming, then repentance is certainly an important step in order to be prepared for His second coming.
The way I see it, dear friends, it is not my job to make you feel good about yourself or feel comfortable. As a servant of God and a minister of the Gospel, it is my job to help people get prepared for the coming of the Lord. I am confident that one of the most important ways for anyone to get prepared to meet the Lord is to have a moment of genuine repentance that leads to true faith and trust in Jesus.
This Christmas season we are all thinking about the first appearance of the Son of God. There is no better time to turn our thoughts to His second coming and our need to be ready to meet Him.
Our closing hymn today is a Christmas hymn that emphasizes the attitude of one who has prepared his heart for the Lord: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Thank God for His Gift [25mb]
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This is a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Written Excerpts:
Introduction: In thinking about this service and seeking the Lord’s guidance for the message today, I was drawn to this passage of Scripture because it emphasizes both the theme of thanksgiving and the theme of gift-giving. I felt that this would be appropriate to use for this Sunday that immediately follows Thanksgiving and anticipates Advent.
If you look at this chapter, the words thanks and thanksgiving occur three times in these closing verses of the chapter. The expression of gratitude is definitely on the Apostle’s mind. We will be looking at the reasons for this in just a moment. Then, in the last verse, Paul erupts into his own expression of thanks to the Lord for His gift that is “unspeakable” (i.e. indescribable; “wonder beyond description” – A.T. Robertson)
I believe that the gift that Paul is speaking about here is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, it certainly seems that what we have here is a direct connection between the practice of giving thanks unto God, and the Incarnation of Jesus Christ in which God is giving His gift unto us.
Transition: Let us look at the message of the Apostle in this chapter to discover the reasons that thanks is being offered to God.
I. Thanks is offered because of the generous gifts of believers.
v. 11 (NASB) – “you will be enriched in everything for all liberality [generosity], which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
v. 12 – For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.
Paul proclaims that the generosity of the Christians in the region around Corinth Jerusalem
The writer, Matthew Henry, points out that there are three main principles for giving that are outlined by the Apostle here in chapter nine. When these principles are followed, then the result will be an abundance of thanks offered up to God.
A. Christians should give bountifully.
v. 5 – “Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.”
The believers in Corinth are reminded that their gift being prepared for the believers in Jerusalem
The image that comes to my mind when I read these verses is a contrast between two kinds of givers. One kind is the man who scoops down into his barrel of grain and gathers all that his arms can hold and then throws his arms wide open to unload the grain into the empty sack of the waiting neighbor. The other kind of giver is the man that grabs a handful of grain and opens it just enough to allow the grains to slip out in a small stream into the waiting hand of the needy neighbor. One is generously giving out of his abundant resources provided by God, while the other is barely letting go of what he must to satisfy his conscience.
B. Christians should give deliberately.
v. 7a – “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give;”
“purposeth” – compound word, “before” and “choose”, thus choose before; as in preferring one thing over another, or to purpose or resolve beforehand. (Complete Word Study Dict on NT)
Unless a person plans and purposes to be generous, it will not happen. Helping out those in need is not something that generally happens accidentally or coincidentally, but it is usually done purposefully and intentionally. This implies that we can and should learn to develop a habit and practice of generosity toward the needs of others.
C. Christians should give freely and cheerfully.
v. 7b – “…not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
(Adam Clarke) – The Jews had in the temple two chests for alms; the one was of what was necessary, i.e. what the law required, the other was of the free-will offerings. To escape perdition some would grudgingly give what necessity obliged them; others would give cheerfully, for the love of God, and through pity to the poor.
Paul is reminding the Corinthian believers that when they give for the needs of others they should do so with a cheerful spirit. There is plenty more that the Apostle says in this chapter about the practice of benevolence and generosity, but we have covered some of the main points.
Looking again at vv. 11-12, we see that Paul is declaring that when God’s people give to the needs of others in God’s way, then those who have watched it and those who have received it will naturally respond by giving thanks to God who motivated it all through His divine grace.
II. Thanks is offered because of the indescribable gift of God.
As I read through these verses and came down to the last verse of the chapter, it seems to me that while Paul is discussing all about generosity and deliberate, cheerful giving for the Christian believers in Jerusalem
In verse 13 he states that because of this experience of generous giving, the Christians are glorifying God because the Greeks have demonstrated their submission and obedience to Christ through their generosity. In verse 14 he declares that these same Christians are praying for an over abundance of God’s grace to be granted to the Greeks. As he speaks of these experiences, he suddenly connects these events and descriptions to the overwhelming and indescribable gift of God.
Most commentators say that this gift that Paul is referring to here is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Adam Clarke, on the other hand, says that the specific meaning of “gift” refers back to the word “grace” in the previous verse. In other words, he is declaring the over abundance of grace is the gift that cannot be described in human words.
Even if Clarke is correct, we must recognize that this grace granted to the Corinthian believers is only because of Jesus Christ who is the original gift from God.
Conclusion:
We give thanks to God, says Paul, for His wonderful, marvelous gift that cannot be adequately described in human language. There is an unbroken connection between God’s gift of His Son to humanity and our resulting gratitude that leads us to be generous toward others just as God has been toward us.
That generosity expressed through us toward others produces more thanksgiving and gratitude to God for all that He is doing, which reminds us again of how much He has already done for us, and on and on…
In our closing song, “Tell Me the Story of Jesus” we emphasize the gift of God in giving His Son to provide our redemption.
Let us sing with gratitude and then live it out in generosity.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
A Thankful Heart [21mb]
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This is a sermon based on Psalm 136. It was preached on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving Day 2011 in a worship service that also included the Eucharist.
Written Excerpts:
Psalm 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Introduction: Some have stated that ingratitude is the most prevalent sin of America
Someone has illustrated the problem like this: Suppose a man comes up to my door one day and just hands me a $100 bill and says, “This is a gift for you. Have a good day.”
I might be shocked, suspicious, intrigued or experience any number of other emotions, but I would be very grateful. Suppose he does it every week for about 2 or 3 months. Then at the beginning of the next month on the same day that he has customarily stopped at my door, suppose he walks on by my door and stops at the next house and gives my neighbor a $100 bill. If I reacted like most people in our world, I would get angry and resentful because he passed me up and went to my neighbor. I might even open the door and yell to him, “Hey, where’s MY $100?
Most of us are far too quick to focus on the benefits we don’t have rather than to focus on the benefits and blessings we have been given in great abundance.
We certainly need to express our gratitude to God all year round, but especially at this time of the year when we in America
Transition: In our Scripture lesson for today in Psalm 136 the author starts out with the exhortation to give thanks to the Lord.
This Hebrew poem seems to be written for liturgical use or public worship in the temple. The first line of each verse could have been sung as a solo or by a chorus, with the response possibly sung by the whole congregation of worshipers.
In this unusual song of thanksgiving, we are given numerous subjects for which to thank God. These subjects directly relate to the history of the people of Israel
Let us briefly explore the various reasons for which we are to give thanks to the Lord.
I. We give thanks to the Lord because of His character. (v 1)
A. He is good.
The psalmist declares the goodness of God as an established fact. We have discussed this attribute in earlier sermons, but this is a reminder that God is inherently good and He is the standard for goodness.
We often declare the goodness of God when we have received some special blessing that pleases us very much. However, the way we often express it gives the impression that God wouldn’t have been so good if that blessing had not been given. We must remember and declare that God is good all the time.
B. He is faithful.
In addition to this first description of God’s character (goodness), the response line that is used repeatedly throughout the psalm proclaims, “His mercy endureth for ever.”
Hebrew scholars tell us that the word “mercy” in these verses does not have a one-word equivalent in English or any other language. It conveys the compound idea of covenant faithfulness or steadfast, committed love or kindness. (Leupold)
The author of this psalm is emphasizing that the underlying nature of God that impacts all of His divine activity is His kindness and love that is rooted in His covenant-keeping faithfulness. The God of the Bible obligates Himself by covenants with Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob and He steadfastly demonstrates kindness because of His unfailing love and commitment to His people. What a stark contrast from the gods of other religions.
His covenant faithfulness is eternal, never-ending.
II. We give thanks to the Lord because of His supremacy. (vv 2-3, 26)
A. He is God of gods and Lord of lords.
The psalmist is not teaching us that there actually are many other gods in the world over which Jehovah is supreme. But the point is that God is supreme and sovereign over everything, even those deities supposed to exist by heathens.
Some believe that the emphasis here stresses God’s sovereignty over all the priests and spiritual rulers of the pagans, as well as kings and magistrates of the world. (A. Clarke)
B. He is the God of heaven.
The heavens represent the wide expanse of God’s created universe and even there God is supreme and sovereign.
I thank God for His sovereignty and supremacy over every part of this world and this universe.
III. We give thanks to the Lord because of His creative activity. (vv 4-9)
God’s creative activity is described generally (v.4) – “great wonders,” and specifically (5-9) – “the heavens,” “earth,” “waters,” and “great lights” (sun, moon & stars).
Time and again we have talked about the wonderful display of God’s power and His amazing design and creativity that is observable in our world of nature. All of these creative works of God are cause for thanksgiving.
It is an interesting thought that God’s creation is not only a reason to give Him praise and adoration (as indicated in Psalm 8 for example), but it is also a reason to offer thanks. I’m sure I do not fully comprehend the psalmist’s point here, but in some respect we need to thank God that His creation is so marvelous and awesome. Perhaps he is just emphasizing that the One to whom we give thanks is not only the Supreme Sovereign, but He is the Supreme Creator.
IV. We give thanks to the Lord because of His deliverance. (vv 10-15, 24)
There are two kinds of deliverance referred to in this thanksgiving poem.
One is more specific in its detail and refers to the deliverance from the bondage in Egypt Israel
The enemies referred to here were actual physical enemies of the people of God. But we can also apply this spiritually to every kind of enemy that would hinder or destroy our faith and love for God.
I thank God for every time He has delivered me from some enemy that was intent on my destruction.
V. We give thanks to the Lord because of His providential care. (vv 16-25)
These verses describe God’s protection through the wilderness journeys of the Israelites as well as providing the land of Canaan
In addition to the protection and provision of land, God has also provided food for all flesh, man and beast. Although the reference here does seem to be quite general – “for all flesh,” yet with the contextual reference to wilderness wanderings, it may have specific reference to the manna and quail provided for them in the travels from Egypt to Canaan .
Conclusion: Today we are observing communion which is always a celebration of thanksgiving for the salvation provided through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Let us now turn our attention to this blessed opportunity to remember our Lord’s sacrifice and suffering for us.
Rev. Kevin Green - New Castle City Rescue Mission [37 mb]
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This is a message given at our church by Rev. Kevin Green who is the Executive Director of the City Rescue Mission in New Castle, PA.
Christian Parenting [26 mb]
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This is a sermon that was preached regarding the task of Christian parenting and passing the faith on to the next generation. This sermon coincided with the dedication of three children to the Lord during our worship service.
Written Excerpts:
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Introduction:
Today we have had the happy occasion of dedicating three beautiful girls to the Lord at the request and choice of their parents who have promised to nurture them in the knowledge of the Lord.
I wanted to speak a message from God’s Word today that is appropriate for the occasion, but the message on my heart is not a sermon merely directed at these who have presented their children for dedication to the Lord, but it is a message for all of us to take to heart. I pray that the Lord will help all of us to recognize the fact that we all play an important role in helping our children know Jesus as their personal Savior and to see something in us that makes them desire to have what we have.
I could reminisce a little this morning if we had time and talk about some of the people in our church when I was growing up. I could name you several different names of individuals in our church that I knew had a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. I listened to their testimonies and saw them praise God even when times were tough and I would frequently tell myself, “That’s the kind of Christian I want to be.”
Dear friends, that is the kind of influence we can have on our kids. Yes, the parents have the bulk of the responsibility for their training, but you and I have the privilege and responsibility as well to demonstrate a life before them that makes them hungry to know the Lord as we do. Let’s live up to it.
Today I want to talk to you a little while about “Christian Parenting.” I suppose that you already know without me saying so that this topic is so large there is no way we can cover it today. Let me briefly touch on a few critical aspects of being a Christian parent.
I. To be a Christian parent one must first of all have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In other words, in order to be a Christian parent, one has to be a Christian! But, we are not simply talking about claiming a specific religion or a basic knowledge of the Bible. I am talking about being born again by the Spirit of God. (John 3:3) It is impossible to pass something on to our children that we do not possess ourselves.
Acts 1:8 “…ye shall be witnesses unto me…”
One cannot be a witness about something that he / she has no direct knowledge or experience of. A witness cannot testify on the hearsay of another person. All of us here need to recognize the vital importance for each of us to be certain of our relationship with Christ and let our lives testify to a vibrant, winsome and holy life. Our kids are watching each of us and they know how to spot a phony.
II. To be a Christian parent means we make every effort to successfully pass the knowledge of God on to our children.
Turn with me to Judges 2:7, 10, 16-17.
I want you to notice the pattern that is described in these verses.
When the generation that grew up during the leadership of Joshua died off, their children are described as “not knowing the Lord, nor the work which He had done for Israel
John Wesley – knew not; “[they had] no experimental, nor serious and affectionate knowledge of God, or of His works.”
The people that followed the Lord and did know what God had done failed to successfully pass the faith and knowledge on to their children, and therefore that next generation abandoned the ways of the Lord.
What all is involved in this effort to pass the knowledge of God to our children? According to Deuteronomy 6:6-7 it is a lifestyle that is permeated with the knowledge and the presence of God.
Key words: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
In other words, you are to teach them at all times, in every manner possible or imaginable and in circumstance. In other words, “Don’t let one opportunity slip by without somehow turning it into a lesson about God’s provision and His wonderful grace.
This passage seems to be speaking primarily about a consistent life that matches up with what we say. Sure, we talk of God’s truths in all times of the day and in all kinds of circumstances, but that talking must be backed up with consistent living.
Now, do we always succeed at this? Not me. If I take a serious look back over my life and the years my kids were growing up, I know I missed some opportunities. But, we can’t let the moments of failure discourage us from continuing to do the best we can. We can’t afford to give up and give in.
III. To be a Christian parent means we never give up intercessory prayer for our children to personally know God and make heaven their home.
Pray, pray, pray!!
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The Devil is fighting hard for the souls of our kids and grandkids. We must not give up praying and striving against the forces of evil that would destroy them and tear them down.
Conclusion:
Friends, our children are the most valuable “possessions” we have. I was talking to a young mother not long ago and I was trying to help her understand that bringing a child into this world is an awesome responsibility.
That son or daughter is a living soul that will never cease to exist, and will live forever in either heaven or hell. May God help all of us to take seriously our responsibilities – not only as parents, but as Christian adults who have an influence over the minds and hearts of our children.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Missions Message by Rev Tim Bell [37mb]
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This is a message given by Rev Tim Bell to kick off our "Missions Month" campaign to focus on the work of worldwide ministries. This is the first of four Sundays in which our church will be emphasizing missionary messages to remind us of our responsibility and privilege to spread the gospel and promote the Kingdom of God.
Tim did an excellent job describing how each and every one of us can be involved in reaching our world for Jesus. This was the emphasis requested by Pastor Les Rowan in order to start off in the right attitude for our Missions Month emphasis.
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