Sermon Notes Revisited - Religion Done God's Way

I am reminded of one of Bro Mike's sermon some months ago. It has helped me in answering people's questions about the Christian faith.

I was speaking with a agnostic/atheist friend the other day. These remembered thoughts helped me.

And so I decided to revisit my sermon notes, and here they are ~~



Notes from Bro. Mike's sermon December 26, 2010

Main Text: Luke 2:21-35: Jesus Presented at the Temple

Religion Done God's Way Still Requires a Messiah (Savior)


On the 8th day Joseph and Mary presented their Son at the Temple to be circumcised, like all godly, obedient Jewish families. It was required in the Law.

The word 'religion' has a negative tone today. But universally it is an attempt to know God. All societies have the innate desire to "do religion."

{My agnostic/atheist friend certainly considers all 'religion' negative}


Jesus was Jewish. God's religion was Judaism.

1. JUDAISM CONSULTED

Verse 22: According to the Law
Verse 23: As it is written
Verse 24: In keeping with what was said, sacrifices were offered
Verse 27: What the Law required

2. JUDAISM FOLLOWED

Verse 22: They brought him to Jerusalem to present Him to the LORD -- like any other first-born male child.

But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
Galatians 4:4-5

Note: In spite of the appearance of the angel and the personal messages to Mary and Joseph, they still appeared at the Temple and met the requirements of the Law


3. JUDAISM FULFILLED

Verse 25~~ Simeon, devout and righteous, had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before his death. And moved by the Holy Spirit he appeared at the temple just at the same time as Mary and Joseph and their Son. What did he expect to see? A lowly peasant couple and their baby? But since he was so filled with the Spirit he could see what others did not see. Most people would have been more pragmatic. But Simeon could say:

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared
in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.

GOD'S RELIGION DONE GOD'S WAY STILL REQUIRES A MESSIAH

Verse 33: Mary and Joseph marveled at Simeon's words. And Mary got the bad news, also: And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.

Bro. Mike talked about these words of Simeon. The sword talked about here was not a dagger like the one Peter used to cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest, but a large sword like would be used in battle.


God did not bring the Messiah to a more populated, prominent city. He did not bring Him to Rome. He brought the Messiah to the place where He had laid out His religion all along.


If God's religion requires a Messiah, then how do the other religions of the world stand before God?


Standing before God one day, we, too, will need a Messiah.


No matter what our "religion" is, we need a Savior.

      And that is what we need to tell people.....It's so profoundly simple.....we need a Savior!

Journey to the Promised Land - Sermon Notes - Bro Mike

Sermon Notes for Sunday, June 10, AM Service

Bro Mike introduced a new short series for this summer - Journey from Egypt to the Promised Land

Text is Exodus 13:17-22

We are, even now, headed for the Promised Land. Are you?

Underlying question to consider: Is there a difference between the sinners' prayer and someone genuinely becoming a child of God?

 Reminder: This epic journey caravan was accompanied by a casket- the bones of Joseph (see verse 19).

Our Journey - Does anybody know the way?


GETTING THERE....

1. With God giving the directions.

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter...

 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.   Exodus 13:17a, 21-22

--Who is giving the directions is important to anybody.

--God did not chose the near route.


2. With God knowing why we are taking this route.
      For God said, "If they face war, they might change their
      minds and return to Egypt." Exodus 13:17b

--God doesn't want us to go back to Egypt.

--Our default position is to go back to our Egypt, not to the Promised Land.

--The journey is dangerous and difficult

--Notice the phrase, "For God said..."  God watches out for us, to deliver us from trouble, but also to make us grow: protection and growth.

--Ultimately, it's not about our comfort and enjoyment. It's about getting you to where He wants you to go. He has a specific destination for us.


3.  With God responsible for the supplies.
       Wilderness straight ahead.
       Last chance for supplies
       for 40 years.

     
Question: Is there any evidence (not feeling) in your life that you are indeed on the journey to the Promised Land?

Since we are not traveling in single file with the cloud and the fire, led by Moses, how do we stay on the right path?

They had a pillar of cloud by day
They had a pillar of fire by night
They had Moses

We have:

The Holy Spirit
The Church
The Bible

These are the tools to keep us on the right path on our Journey to the Promised Land.

This message was a sort of journey in itself. My mind was considering our personal journey as we move away from this wonderful church.

So much of it applied to us -- I appreciated all the thoughts --
but I was sad also. Many of the Israelites had left friends, perhaps close and dear friends, back in Egypt.

With all the drama surrounding their Exodus they were certainly excited, and the prospect of the Promised Land certainly beckoned them forward. But probably, for many, it was a hard thing to leave their homes and familiar surroundings....

For the complete sermon, with its great illustrations, go to fbc-bc. org and click on sermons....

Thoughts from Bro Mike from Sunday

We heard words of wisdom yesterday - words to help guide our lives in these treacherous times:


I. God's Word explicitly establishes marriage between male and female
(Genesis 1:26-28, 2:24)

II. God's Word explicitly requires disciples of Jesus to adopt His commands as their lifestyle (Matthew 28:19-20)


Implications:

1.  A strong statement on traditional marriage made by the Church requires Christians to live out a strong lifestyle consistent with that stance.

2.  Every disciple must come to terms with the tension between the Church's attitude and the world's attitude about Biblical standards.

3.  Every disciple and congregation must be faithful to God regardless of the circumstances in which they find themselves.

Living (Still) Legends

They are still standing guard - 3 men of God on prayerful duty watching over us --

Billy Graham - will turn 93 In November. Remember him standing tall and looking us in the eye, with his Bible held up  high? - "The Bible says..." he would begin..... And we knew there was no doubt the words were Truth.

George Beverly Shea - just turned 103. According to the Guinness Book of World Records he has the world's record for singing live to more people than anyone else in history - upward of 220 million cumulative.

Cliff Barrows - just turn 89 - This is the Hour of Decision he would announce - we will never forget - for so many, probably at least 2 million, those crusades were their Hour of Decision.

Recently Cliff Barrows recalled that day in 1948 when Billy Graham, at one of their first crusades, in Modesto, California, asked each of them to compile a list of things that might threaten their ministry and what they could do to prevent each one.

Their lists centered on  integrity, accountability, humility and purity of life. They called this"document" their Modesto Manifesto, and it guided their ministry from that day on.

Thought: where would this nation be if those great soul-winning crusades during the last half of the 20th century would ever have occurred?

The Wonder of it All

There's the wonder of sunset at evening

The wonder as sunrise I see

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that God loves me

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me

There's the wonder of springtime and harvest

The sky, the stars, the sun

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that's only begun...

The wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me!

-----George Beverly Shea

What is God's Most Repeated Command in Scripture?

The most often  repeated command in Scripture.....



          Fear not....

                Do not be afraid....

                        Have no fear....

                                Fear them not...




Think maybe we should obey this command?