Mike Erre at Rockharbor discusses in this 2 part series the spiritual gifts and their use and importance in the church (he also addresses the challenging verses within 1 Corinthians 14 concerning women in the church).
Category Archives: Spiritual Growth
Spiritual Gifts Part 1: 1 Corinthians 14
Mike Erre’s 1st of 2 sermons on 1 Corinthians 14 that discusses spiritual gifts: uses, are they still ‘open’, etc.
Piercing the veil to our hearts
I love to read, but so often, I read and read and read but nothing sinks in, nothing stills my heart, nothing pierces soul. Last night these words pierced my veil. If only I was willing to allow God to tear down my veil how free, how joy filled, how wonderful marriage, friendship, fatherhood CAN be if we allow Him in….if we allow our wife and our closest friend(s) in to see our true heart and soul.
“What but the presence of a veil in our hearts? a veil not taken away as the first veil was, but which remains there still shutting out the light and hiding the face of God from us. It is the veil of our fleshly fallen nature living on, unjudged within us, uncrucified and unrepudiated. It is the close-woven veil of the self-life which we have never truly acknowledged, of which we have been secretly ashamed, and which for these reasons we have never brought to the judgment of the cross. It is not too mysterious, this opaque veil, nor is it hard to identify. We have but to look in our own hearts and we shall see it there, sewn and patched and repaired it may be, but there nevertheless, an enemy to our lives and an effective block to our spiritual progress.
Self is the opaque veil that hides the Face of God from us. It can be removed only in spiritual experience, never by mere instruction…There must be a work of God in destruction before we are free. We must invite the cross to do its deadly work within us. We must bring our self-sins to the cross for judgment. We must prepare ourselves for an ordeal of suffering in some measure like that through which our Saviour passed when He suffered…
Let us remember: when we talk of the rending of the veil we are speaking in a figure, and the thought of it is poetical, almost pleasant; but in actuality there is nothing pleasant about it. In human experience that veil is made of living spiritual tissue; it is composed of the sentient, quivering stuff of which our whole beings consist, and to touch it is to touch us where we feel pain. To tear it away is to injure us, to hurt us and make us bleed. To say otherwise is to make the cross no cross and death no death at all. It is never fun to die. To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free. Let us beware of tinkering with our inner life in hope ourselves to rend the veil. God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust. We must confess, forsake, repudiate the self-life, and then reckon it crucified.
There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual spiritual experience the Presence of the living God.
Lord, how excellent are Thy ways, and how devious and dark are the ways of man. Show us how to die, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as Thou didst rend the veil of the Temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith.”–Pursuit of God by Tozer
Men’s Group: Why show up? What is in it for me? The storms will come.
We had a football quiz to kick off our fall series: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (The Bible Study), and then we spent some time talking. Mostly small talk….but we also spoke of the importance of being in a men’s group. Do you ever wonder why? Do you worry about not fitting in? Do you have ‘better’ things to do with your time? I don’t blame you. I understand. I had those thoughts myself, but I took a risk and started to show up and my life has never been the same. The men in my life have rescued me.
We discussed Matthew 14:22-33. Jesus calms the storm. 75% or more of men in America don’t have a friend that they can turn to in a ‘storm’. I am reminded of 2 men who shared with me that they knew each other very well and were close friends, but when we started going deep under the surface, it became clear very quickly that they didn’t truly ‘know’ each other much at all. This is the norm. We walk through life completely alone with the facade of knowing each other.
10 years ago, I jumped out of the boat by sharing with a friend one of my deeply held ‘secrets’, and little by little we continued to grow closer and closer knowing everything about each other, our past, present, and future struggles, fears, and dreams. I have never felt so free, peace filled, and truly alive knowing that there is someone that I can turn to with ALL my fears.
Then the storms came….and I had a friend who was there with me when I was drowning, suffocating, and had no where else to go….he held onto me and kept me from drowning when the waves were crashing over me.
I don’t know any other way to tell you. One day, I decided to just show up to a men’s group even when I really ‘couldn’t’–too busy, bad time of the day, too early, etc. By showing up, my life has been transformed–my marriage, my family, EVERYTHING–I now have friends that know more about me than I know about myself. Join us! AND bring a friend along for the adventure of a lifetime.
The storms will come. Who will be there for you? How will you survive?
“But what if your heart be right with God, and yet you are pressed down with a load of earthly trouble? What if the fear of poverty is tossing you to and fro, and seems likely to overwhelm you? What if pain of body be racking you to distraction day after day? What if you are suddenly laid aside from active usefulness and compelled by infirmity to sit still and do nothing? What if death has come into your home, and taken away your Rachel or Joseph or Benjamin and left you alone, crushed to the ground with sorrow? What if all this has happened? Still there is comfort in Christ. He can speak peace to wounded hearts as easily as calm troubled seas. He can rebuke rebellious wills as powerfully as raging winds. He can make storms of sorrow abate, and silence tumultuous passions, as surely as He stopped the Galilean storm. He can say to the heaviest anxiety, “Peace, be still!” The floods of care and tribulation may be mighty, but Jesus sits upon the waterfloods, and is mightier than the waves of the sea (Ps. 93:4). The winds of trouble may howl fiercely round you, but Jesus holds them in His hand, and can stay them when He lists. Oh, if any reader of this message is broken-hearted and care-worn and sorrowful, let him go to Jesus Christ, and cry to Him and he shall be refreshed. “Come unto Me,” He says, “all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).”-excerpt from Holiness by J.C. Ryle
A Day in the Life of Jesus: The Path to REAL Life
Join my 2 friends as they describe to us how to delete from our mind’s data banks all the garbage of the world: stress, anxiety, worry over finances, relationships, health etc. by uploading the path to REAL Life.
Global Media Outreach
The Great Commission ends Matthew’s Gospel with the call to reach the world with the Good News of Christ’s love for the world. Never in history have we ever conceived of a time when we could reach EVERY person with this message….until NOW. Global Media Outreach (a subsidiary of Campus Crusade for Christ) has developed a method to reach EVERY person with the Good News not just once but multiple times by 2020.
Their method: A myriad websites sharing the Good News message. 2 million people each day search the Internet for spiritual answers, and Global Media Outreach is there to help them answer their questions and tell them the Good News.
Their results are staggering:
EVERY DAY:
16,000 people indicate they have prayed to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord or recommitted their lives to Him
3,000 people are requesting discipleship follow-up
OVERALL:
Over 3 million have indicated that they prayed to receive Jesus as Savior or recommitted themselves to Him
669,443 have requested follow up
Your role:
You can sign up to be an online volunteer! I just did, and I received my first email from someone in the Czech Republic who just recommitted his life to Christ. You can interact via email with these new believers to help them on their new journey of faith with online resources and guidance. It is AMAZING!
Giving: For those who wish to give financially, here is how the money can impact–if you or your church gives 10,000$=100,000 people will hear the Gospel message; 15,000 people will make decisions to become Christians; 3,000 people will ask for follow-up=WOW!
Questions?
C.S. Lewis Society introduces Tyler & Family to France
I have had the privledge to get to know Tyler over the last few years. He has a passion to reach those who have not met God’s love. He is taking the adventure of a life time by going to France for the C.S. Lewis Society to spread God’s message of love to Europe.
He recently sent me this email to invite anyone who is interested in learning more of this great adventure (please read and check it out!):
“Lisa and I want to invite you and your family to attend an evening event at RockHarbor Church on the 24th of September (next Thursday). As you know we are about to leave for France to spread the good news of Jesus as the European Field Directors for the C.S. Lewis Society. RockHarbor has offered to host a night for us to share our passion and heart for the least evangelized continent on the globe. I really hope to see you there.
Also, would you be willing to forward this invitation to 3 to 5 christian brothers or sisters whom you think would be blessed by attending as well? I realize I am competing with things like back to school nights and bible studies, but with your help it could really make a difference in having this be a great event.
For Christ’s glory,
Lisa and Tyler Geffeney
RESPONDING TO THE CALL TO “GO”
“The Geffeney’s journey to Evangelize Europe”
3080 Airway Suite 100, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
In the Lab: **Child Care Provided**
September 24, 2009 6:45 P.M.
(please RSVP # of kids to lisageff@yahoo.com)
Coffee and desserts will be served
First Importance Part 2: 1 Corinthians 15
This is the 2nd of Mike Erre’s sermons on 1 Corinthians 15–a pivotal section of scripture regarding the first importance of the resurrection.
The last part of 1 Corinthians 15 is confusing to our modern reading because we miss the cultural context, and we lack back 1st century knowledge of the Old Testament. Mike does a great job of walking us through the what Paul is saying.
We have to remember that Paul was a famous preacher/communicator so when he said these words to a crowd of 1st century people, they must of understood it as clearly as we understand the newspaper.
Mike ends with a magical time of helping us to picture the grandeur and excitement of heaven. Enjoy!
Cornerstone: Christ is ALL & without Him there is NOTHING!
This is a powerful sermon by Greg Boyd about the Messianic prophecy regarding Christ being the cornerstone. He points out the emptiness, void, and nothingness that we have without Him. Without Christ, we try to fill the void and despair of our meaningless existence by so many fleeting and worthless endeavors.
Patient Satisfaction Linked to Expectations
This article in the September 2009 Annals of Emergency Medicine: Patient Satisfaction as a function of Emergency Department Previsit Expectations points out, once again, the importance of interpersonal skills often can be more important than what you know and what skills you have as a physician. I am confident this applies to most occupations.
Books such as How to Win Friends and Influence People can help us to be better husbands, friends, parents, and professionals by focusing on interpersonal skills. I strongly recommend this book.
The Bridge Illustration
I taught the classic Bridge Illustration at Church a few weeks ago. Here are the powerpoint slides that walk you through the process:
The GREAT Adventure, Part 3: Your Story
What is your story? Join us in this 3rd part of 4 sermons on God’s love and grace.
There is a great website that walks you through the process of creating your story to share: www.5clicks.com
THE UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE
Taking everyday risks to extend the grace of God
THE HOPE THAT IS WITHIN US
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect-1Peter 3:15
WE ALL HAVE A STORY TO SHARE
-Our friends are interested
-Our friends can relate
-It is hard to argue with
PAUL’S GRACE STORY-ACTS 26
9“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth…On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. 12“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ” ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
_________–vv. 9-11
_________-vv. 12-18
_________-vv. 19-23
STORY TIPS
Theme
-The central issue in our lives that shows the_______ in our spiritual outlook before and after knowing Christ.
Middle Handle
-we need to keep it simple, clear, and __________
Conclusion
-End with a question that requires a ____________
Scripture
-Think of one key verse that relates to your story.
Language
-avoid religious clichés and insider language
Length
-Be_________ and to the point
Put others first
-keep focus on your friend
-Emphasize those aspects of your story that will relate
PRAY FOR AN OPEN DOOR
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.-col. 4:3
The GREAT Adventure, Part 4: The Bridges
This is the 4th and final part of our sermon series on grace, love, and God.
THE UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE
Taking everyday risks to extend the grace of God
HELPING SPIRITUAL EXPLORES FIND THE GRACE OF GOD
So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” -2 Cor. 5:20
REMEMBER THIS IS A ___________ AND NOT AN EVENT
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field-1Corinthians 3:5-9
-Process oriented
-Team based
-Spirit driven
BRIDGE ONE: __________ RELATIONSHIPS
As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. -1 Thessalonians 2:7-12
-Genuine
-Grace filled
-Authentic
BRIDGE TWO-THE ______________
1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you…… 3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,–1Cor. 15:1-3
The bridge illustration
THE UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE
3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.-Col. 4:3-6
How David Beats Goliah: HARD Work, Listening, & Great Coaching
I have thoroughly enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. I recommend all 3 of his books: Tipping Point, Blink, & Outliers. He also has a website which contains much of his articles/writing. I found this very interesting and, at times, inspiring article about Basketball, hard work, coaching, and life.
Let us know your thoughts.
First Importance Part 1: The Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15
Mike Erre at Rockharbor Church has been doing a series on 1 Corinthians. I have attatched for your listening interest the 1st of his sermons concerning 1 Corinthians 15 which is a pivotal section of Scripture describing the importance of the Resurrection of Jesus.
Mike points out:
- without the resurrection our faith is worthless
- the word used in this passage and throughout the New Testament means trust in something that you know to be true
- 1 Corinthians 15 is a creedal statement dated to approx 36 A.D. (only 3 years after Christ’s death)
- there is substantial historical and testimonial evidence for the resurrection: crucifixion=death, empty tomb=skeptics need to ‘show me the body’, appearances=many and so convincing that cowards became martyrs, tranformed lives=Saul to Paul, doubting Thomas, and James the younger brother of Jesus…cumulative evidence–what event best explains all of this? A: The resurrection
- gospel accounts: women first to see Him (only way women would be first witnesses would be that it really happened this way); non embelished, simple accounts (not enough time for legend & very real, down to earth accounts), etc…
Anxiety and Simplicity by Foster
Here is another excerpt from Foster’s GREAT book: Celebration of Disciplines regarding our struggles with anxiety–
“As Jesus made clear in our central passage, freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking first the kingdom of God. The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions….
Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity. However, if what we have we believe we have gotten, and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety. Such persons will never know simplicity regardless of the outward contortions they may put themselves through in order to live “the simple life.” To receive what we have as a gift from God is the first inner attitude of simplicity.
To know that it is God’s business, and not ours, to care for what we have is the second inner attitude of simplicity. God is able to protect what we possess. We can trust him.
To have our goods available to others marks the third inner attitude of simplicity. If our goods are not available to the community when it is clearly right and good, then they are stolen goods. The reason we find such an idea so difficult is our fear of the future. We cling to our possessions rather than sharing them because we are anxious about tomorrow. But if we truly believe that God is who Jesus says he is, then we do not need to be afraid. When we come to see God as the almighty Creator and our loving Father, we can share because we know that he will care for us. If someone is in need, we are free to help them.
When we are seeking first the kingdom of God, these three attitudes will characterize our lives. Taken together they define what Jesus means by “do not be anxious.” They comprise the inner reality of Christian simplicity. And we can be certain that when we live this way the “all these things” that are necessary to carry on human life adequately will be ours as well.”
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
This is a GREAT book. I have enjoyed all 3 of Malcolm’s books. They are engaging, informative, and filled with very interesting anekdotes. In Blink he talks about how we make our decisions in life. This is a summary that very clearly describes what he is getting at in his book. His discovery is conterintuitive but helpful for us.
“One of the questions that I’ve been asked over and over again since Blink came out is, When should we trust our instincts, and when should we consciously think things through? Well, here is a partial answer. On straightforward choices, deliberate analysis is best. When questions of analysis and personal choice start to get complicated—when we have to juggle many different variables—then our unconscious thought processes may be superior. Now, I realize that this is exactly contrary to conventional wisdom. We typically regard our snap judgment as best on immediate trivial questions. Is that person attractive? Do I want that candy bar? But Dijksterhuis is suggesting the opposite: that maybe that big computer in our brain that handles our unconscious is at its best when it has to juggle many competing variables.Dijksterhuis did another similar experiment, only this time in the real world. He questioned shoppers coming out of a Dutch department store called De Bijenkorf, which sells relatively low-cost items, like kitchen accessories. He asked them how long they had deliberated before they bought what they bought. Then he called all the shoppers a few weeks later to find out how happy they were with their purchases. Sure enough, the people who had thought the most before buying were the most satisfied, and those who had made impulse purchases more often regretted their decision. For the second half of the experiment, Dijksterhuis went to the furniture store IKEA, where people were making much more complicated and expensive purchases. Now the reverse was true. A few weeks later, the thinkers were least happy, and those who had gone with their gut instinct were the happiest. Dijksterhuis argues that his findings represent a fundamental principle of human cognition, and that “there is no a priori reason to assume that [it] does not generalize to other types of choices—political, managerial, or otherwise.” Not long after I read the Science study, a reader sent me the following quotation from Sigmund Freud. It seems that the father of the unconscious agreed: “When making a decision of minor importance, I have always found it advantageous to consider all the pros and cons. In vital matters, however, such as the choice of a mate or a profession, the decision should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves. In the important decisions of personal life, we should be governed, I think, by the deep inner needs of our nature.”-Malcolm Gladwell, Blink
The GREAT Adventure, Part 2: God’s Story
This is the 2nd of 4 parts to a sermon series about grace, adventure, and God’s love. Enjoy!
The Gospel Message
The Unexpected Adventure
Pastor Bucky Dennis
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” Romans 1:16-18
- _________________________
- God is _________
“…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in god, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16b
- God is _________ (absolutely pure)
“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:16
- God is _________ (a good judge)
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.” 2 Thessalonians 1:16
- _________________________
- We were created good, but became _________.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
- We deserve _________ (physical & spiritual)
“For the wages of sin is death…”Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:22
- We are spiritually _________ (“morally bankrupt”)
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9
The Gospel Message
The Unexpected Adventure
Pastor Bucky Dennis
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” Romans 1:16-18
- _________________________
- God is _________
“…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in god, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16b
- God is _________ (absolutely pure)
“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:16
- God is _________ (a good judge)
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.” 2 Thessalonians 1:16
- _________________________
- We were created good, but became _________.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
- We deserve _________ (physical & spiritual)
“For the wages of sin is death…”Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:22
- We are spiritually _________ (“morally bankrupt”)
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9
- _________________________
-
- Christ is _________, who also became man.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1, 14; John 8:24
-
- Christ died as our _________.
“He himself bore our signs in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and life for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21
-
- Christ offers us salvation as a _________.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23
- _________________________
-
- You and I must _________.
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
-
- We must trust Christ to be our _________
and _________.
“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
-
- The result is a spiritual _________ by the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
- _________________________
-
- Christ is _________, who also became man.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1, 14; John 8:24
-
- Christ died as our _________.
“He himself bore our signs in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and life for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21
-
- Christ offers His forgiveness as a _________.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23
- _________________________
-
- You and I must _________.
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
-
- We must trust Christ to be our _________
and _________.
“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
-
- The result is a spiritual _________ by the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The Mercy of God in the Old Testament
I continue to search for brief articles pointing out the true God of the O.T. A friend and fellow physician who has an AMAZING website has a GREAT article summarizing key points: 1. God of O.T. is merciful; 2. God of O.T. NEVER killed innocent people 3. God of O.T. ALWAYS asked/pleaded with people to repent.
I have also cut and pasted it for you here:
The Mercy of God as Found in the Old Testament
by Rich Deem
Introduction
Jonah and God’s Mercy
Most Christians know Jonah as the reluctant prophet who was swallowed by a whale in order for God to convince him to go to Nineveh. Atheists often get caught up in the whale part of the story, not realizing that the story reveals that the ancients believed that God was merciful, although, at time, they often wished He hadn’t been.
Rich Deem
According to Richard Dawkins, Yahweh, the God of the Bible, is “jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”1 Absent from any of Dawkins’ description of God is His mercy. People tend to think of the God of the Old Testament as cruel and unforgiving, whereas the God of the New Testament is seen as the God of mercy, who sent Jesus to atone for the sins of the world. The Old Testament prophets were always warning the people about the wrath of God should they stray from the path of righteousness. However, what is usually ignored by atheists is God’s mercy for those who did repent of doing evil. Yes, God judged many people groups, but not before warning them.
Jonah and God’s mercy?
For those of you who only remember the whale part of Jonah’s story, here is a brief synopsis to get you a better background about Jonah. God called Jonah to travel to the city of Nineveh to warn them about their impending judgment, because of their wickedness.2 Jonah had different ideas, and attempted to flee from God by paying for passage on a foreign ship.3 However, God was not amused and sent a violent storm.4 The sailors were terrified and eventually figured out that Jonah was the cause of their endangerment, which he eventually admitted to them.5 Jonah was thrown overboard and God directed a great fish (or whale – the Hebrew is not that specific) to swallow Jonah and take him to the shore.6 Once expelled from the whale, Jonah decided to do what God had originally requested and travelled to Nineveh to preach repentance from their evil.7
A number of Christians assume Jonah was reluctant to go to Nineveh because they were known for their cruelty, and he feared for his life. However, the account gives a different reason why Jonah did not want to go. Jonah actually wanted God to judge the city of Nineveh and kill all their inhabitants. He was disappointed that the king and the people repented of their evil and were spared from God’s judgment.8 In fact, Jonah was so angry with God that he asked God to kill him.9 After that conversation, Jonah left the city and sat outside of it hoping that God would still destroy the city.10 God caused a plant to grow overnight to give Jonah shade during his watch, but then caused the death of the plant the next day. Jonah was furious about the plant.11 God pointed out that Jonah’s priorities were completely messed up, since he was more concerned about a plant that gave him shade than the fate of 120,000 souls in Nineveh:
Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?” (Jonah 4:10-11)
So, it was clear to Jonah that God was merciful and He would reconsider His judgment of evil if the people repented.12 Since Jonah wanted no part in God’s mercy, he tried to avoid following God’s instructions to warn the people.
Did God warn others?
Atheists would like you to believe that the God of the Old Testament just randomly killed people for no good reason and without warning. It turns out that atheists often don’t present the entire stories about God’s judgment. For example, in the greatest story of judgment, God sent a flood to kill all humanity except Noah and his family. However, Noah preached to the people of the coming judgment during the 100 years he was building the ark.13 In another famous example, God destroyed the cites of Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their evil. In fact, all the men of Sodom (including both young and old) attempted to rape the two angels who came to warn Lot of the impending judgment.14 Although warned,15 the men attempted to harm Lot, but were prevented when the angels caused them all to become blind.16 In many lesser known stories, God warned the people prior to executing judgment. Some of these warnings were heeded17 and others not,18 with the expected consequences. God’s own people were often recipients of God’s judgment, when they refused to heed His warnings.19 Here is a short list from the writings of the prophets:
| Prophet | Warning to | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah | Judah | Judgment |
| Jeremiah | Judah | Judgment |
| Lamentations | Jerusalem | Judgment |
| Ezekiel | Jerusalem, Tyre, Egypt | Captivity in Babylon |
| Hosea | Israel | Judgment |
| Joel | Tyre, Sidon, Philistia | Judgment |
| Amos | Israel | Judgment |
| Obadiah | Edom | Judgment |
| Jonah | Nineveh | Repentance |
| Micah | Israel | Judgment |
| Nahum | Nineveh | Judgment |
| Habakkuk | Judah | Judgment |
| Zephaniah | Judah | Judgment |
| Zechariah | Tyre, and other cities | Judgment |
It is a well known principle that God regularly warned people of impending judgment and He personally indicated that He would relent if they changed their ways.12 So, the atheists’ idea that God killed people without warning is false.
Does God kill the innocent?
Did God kill any innocent people along with the evil ones? In the two most famous examples of God’s judgment discussed above, the text clearly says that all the people God killed were evil.20 When God was about to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham asked God if He would destroy the cities if there were 50 righteous people in them.21 God said no. Then Abraham asked the same question if there were 45 righteous people. Every time he dropped the number and got the same answer. The fact is that God would not have destroyed those cities if there were any righteous people in them. The few righteous who were in those cities He warned ahead of time to get out.22 In another example, Abimelech, king of Gerar, took Abraham’s wife because he lied saying that she was his sister.23 However, God prevented Abimelech from sleeping with her and warned him in a dream. Abimelech heeded God’s warning and was spared from death.23 Eliphaz the Temanite, in his discussions with Job, acknowledged that God did not judge the innocent with the guilty, but that those who act sinfully will incur God’s judgment.24 So, God does not destroy the righteous along with the evil.
Conclusion 
In numerous instances, atheists cite the Old Testament for examples of where God killed “innocent” people. However, the texts show that the innocent are not judged, but only the guilty. In addition, virtually always, the guilty individuals were warned ahead of time about their sin. Jonah is often known as the reluctant prophet, although the reason for his hesitation was not due to the cruelty of Nineveh, but because he feared its people might repent and God might spare them. Jonah wanted God to kill all the people of Nineveh, but feared His mercy. So, Christians are not the only people who often seem to want to see God judge people for their evil, rather than praying for their reconciliation with God. Jonah reveals that God was known for His mercy even in Old Testament times. Even though God is merciful, His mercy extends only to those who heed His words of warning. There is no toleration for evil in God’s kingdom, so those who insist on testing God’s resolve toward sin will find themselves judged, and incarcerated in God’s jail.
The GREAT adventure, Part 1: Grace & Love
Enjoy this teaching time about God’s amazing grace and love for us. Here is the outline:
THE UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE
Taking everyday risks to extend the grace of God
AMBUSHED BY GRACE
4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.-Eph. 2:4-9
FALLING INTO THE HEART OF GOD-Luke 15
Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”-Luke 15:1
People matter to God
–the loss of connection
-a heart that seeks and finds
–the celebration of heaven
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. –Luke 15:
HELPING SPIRITUAL EXPLORERS FIND THE GRACE OF GOD
-Lead with love
Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.-1 John 3:18
–live an authentic faith
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.–Matt. 5:13-16
-pray for opportunities
3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.-col. 4:3
–take every day risks for God
5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.-Col. 4:5-6
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” -2 Cor. 5:20
PRAYING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXTEND GOD’S GRACE