The message, preached on May 16th, 2010, covered Jude, and it can be heard via streaming audio at http://www.swantonalliance.org. While we definitely feel like we need a break, and while it is true that Jesus Christ is our rest, we cannot take a break from the pursuit of holiness. We need to be aware of our companions’ lives, be aware of their destinies (and our own), and to labor for holy safety. Note: Past sermons can be accessed through the resources page.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Weekly Sermons in Swanton: Truth in Real Life
The message, preached on May 9th, 2010, covered 3 John, and it can be heard via streaming audio at http://www.swantonalliance.org. Truth is more than just knowing about Jesus Christ; it’s knowing Him. We need to do life with Jesus, not think of ourselves as more real than God, and imitate lived truth. Note: Past sermons can be accessed through the resources page.
Weekly Sermons in Swanton: Watch Yourself to Guard Your Reward
The message, preached on May 2nd, 2010, covered 2 John, and it can be heard via streaming audio at http://www.swantonalliance.org. We who follow Jesus have a reward coming our way, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to watch the way we live. We are to follow Jesus’ teaching and to persevere in truth and love. Note: Past sermons can be accessed through the resources page.
Resurrection: A Universal Experience
ALL – Psalm 118:1-18
ALL – Proverbs 15:24-26
OT – 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13
NT – John 11:54-12:19
Interesting passage for the day: When the ordinary people of Jerusalem heard of his arrival, they clocked to see him and also to see Lazarus—the man who had come back to life again. – John 12:9, The Living Bible
Thought: Jesus didn’t just raise Himself from the dead. Before Jesus raised Himself, He raised Lazarus. And people flocked to see Lazarus. Rising from the dead is no ordinary thing in today’s world, and it wasn’t usual in Jesus’ day, either.
But here’s the thing: resurrection is going universal. When? I’m not sure of the exact date and time, but whenever Jesus returns, all the dead will be raised to live forever. Unlike Lazarus, who was merely raised to extend an earthly life, when Jesus returns we’ll all be raised to live forever. Those who trust and follow Jesus will be raised to really live—to be with Jesus and praise Him and do His work in the new heavens and the new earth. And those who do not trust and follow Jesus will be raised to really die—not just to stop being with people physically, but to be aware forever that they rejected the Son of God and are suffering eternally for it. Jesus, the Son of God, will one day raise all the dead, and what was once seen as uncommon will be the experience of us all.
Question: Which way will you experience the resurrection? Will it lead you into real life, or real death?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 15:24-26
OT – 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13
NT – John 11:54-12:19
Interesting passage for the day: When the ordinary people of Jerusalem heard of his arrival, they clocked to see him and also to see Lazarus—the man who had come back to life again. – John 12:9, The Living Bible
Thought: Jesus didn’t just raise Himself from the dead. Before Jesus raised Himself, He raised Lazarus. And people flocked to see Lazarus. Rising from the dead is no ordinary thing in today’s world, and it wasn’t usual in Jesus’ day, either.
But here’s the thing: resurrection is going universal. When? I’m not sure of the exact date and time, but whenever Jesus returns, all the dead will be raised to live forever. Unlike Lazarus, who was merely raised to extend an earthly life, when Jesus returns we’ll all be raised to live forever. Those who trust and follow Jesus will be raised to really live—to be with Jesus and praise Him and do His work in the new heavens and the new earth. And those who do not trust and follow Jesus will be raised to really die—not just to stop being with people physically, but to be aware forever that they rejected the Son of God and are suffering eternally for it. Jesus, the Son of God, will one day raise all the dead, and what was once seen as uncommon will be the experience of us all.
Question: Which way will you experience the resurrection? Will it lead you into real life, or real death?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Savior Divine
ALL – Psalm 116:1-19
ALL – Proverbs 15:20-21
OT – 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44
NT – John 10:22-42
Interesting passage for the day: “So if the Scripture, which cannot be untrue, speaks of those as gods to whom the message of God came, do you call it blasphemy when the one sanctified and sent into the world by the Father says, ‘I am the Son of God’?” – John 10:35-36, The Living Bible
Thought: For those who doubt that Jesus was anything more than a man, here’s a passage where He clearly claims to be more—though not less—than a man. The people are about ready to stone Him for the blasphemy of declaring Himself to be God. Does Jesus deny the charge? Far from it! Instead, Jesus gives the above defense. Men who received God’s message were called “gods,” though they were clearly not divine. But Jesus is not merely some man who has received the message of God. He is “the one sanctified and sent into the world by the Father.” Jesus is not of this world. He came as a man, but He is more than a man. His claim to divinity and to the title “God” is justified.
Question: Have you acknowledged that Jesus is God, the Son of God? If you have not, will you?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 15:20-21
OT – 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44
NT – John 10:22-42
Interesting passage for the day: “So if the Scripture, which cannot be untrue, speaks of those as gods to whom the message of God came, do you call it blasphemy when the one sanctified and sent into the world by the Father says, ‘I am the Son of God’?” – John 10:35-36, The Living Bible
Thought: For those who doubt that Jesus was anything more than a man, here’s a passage where He clearly claims to be more—though not less—than a man. The people are about ready to stone Him for the blasphemy of declaring Himself to be God. Does Jesus deny the charge? Far from it! Instead, Jesus gives the above defense. Men who received God’s message were called “gods,” though they were clearly not divine. But Jesus is not merely some man who has received the message of God. He is “the one sanctified and sent into the world by the Father.” Jesus is not of this world. He came as a man, but He is more than a man. His claim to divinity and to the title “God” is justified.
Question: Have you acknowledged that Jesus is God, the Son of God? If you have not, will you?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Blind—With an Incredible Imagination!
ALL – Psalm 113:1-114:8
ALL – Proverbs 15:15-17
OT – 1 Samuel 20:1-21:15
NT – John 9:1-41
Interesting passage for the day: Then Jesus told him, “I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” – John 9:39, The Living Bible
Thought: How do blind people get along in life? With help, right? People care for them and guide them. Of course, they want to grow toward independence; they don’t want to always rely on other people. So they learn independence, but that independence comes as those who are blind learn to walk with guidance from a dog or a special cane, and as they learn lifestyle patterns that guide them through familiar steps at home and in their neighborhoods. They still need and depend on guidance—and they take the steps to get the guidance they need.
What if a blind person was unwilling to receive guidance? What if she insisted on making her own way all the time? What if a blind person imagined she could see and simply tried to go and do whatever her imagination suggested? A blind person following only his imagination would hurt himself terribly!
Jesus came to heal the blind—not just the physically blind, but the spiritually blind. But some of us spiritually blind people imagine we can see without Jesus’ healing.
Question: In what ways do you imagine you don’t need Jesus—even when Jesus is offering to help you?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 15:15-17
OT – 1 Samuel 20:1-21:15
NT – John 9:1-41
Interesting passage for the day: Then Jesus told him, “I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” – John 9:39, The Living Bible
Thought: How do blind people get along in life? With help, right? People care for them and guide them. Of course, they want to grow toward independence; they don’t want to always rely on other people. So they learn independence, but that independence comes as those who are blind learn to walk with guidance from a dog or a special cane, and as they learn lifestyle patterns that guide them through familiar steps at home and in their neighborhoods. They still need and depend on guidance—and they take the steps to get the guidance they need.
What if a blind person was unwilling to receive guidance? What if she insisted on making her own way all the time? What if a blind person imagined she could see and simply tried to go and do whatever her imagination suggested? A blind person following only his imagination would hurt himself terribly!
Jesus came to heal the blind—not just the physically blind, but the spiritually blind. But some of us spiritually blind people imagine we can see without Jesus’ healing.
Question: In what ways do you imagine you don’t need Jesus—even when Jesus is offering to help you?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Know God’s Will by Doing God’s Will
ALL – Psalm 108:1-13
ALL – Proverbs 15:4
OT – 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23
NT – John 7:1-30
Interesting passage for the day: If any of you really determines to do God’s will, then you will certainly know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. – John 7:17, The Living Bible
Thought: We like to think we’re pretty smart. We can figure things out. We are pretty sure we can even use our intellect to figure out what God’s will is. Now don’t get me wrong—intellect is involved. We can definitely use our brains as we hear people make claims about what God’s will is. But we cannot confirm what God’s will is merely by thinking and reasoning. God sent Jesus to teach us His will, and Jesus taught us God’s will so that we can live by it. Until we live out what we’ve been taught, we haven’t really “discovered” God’s will. We’ve just talked about it. It’s like the difference between doing accounting in a classroom and in a business. In the classroom, it only affects a grade; in a business, you’re living and benefiting from what you’ve been taught. Let’s not be classroom disciples. Let’s get down to business, doing the will of God as Jesus teaches us.
Question: Is there any decision you’re trying to make, but you’re not sure what God’s will is? What are the options? Why do you think they might be God’s will? What’s keeping you from choosing one of the options and getting down to business?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 15:4
OT – 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23
NT – John 7:1-30
Interesting passage for the day: If any of you really determines to do God’s will, then you will certainly know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. – John 7:17, The Living Bible
Thought: We like to think we’re pretty smart. We can figure things out. We are pretty sure we can even use our intellect to figure out what God’s will is. Now don’t get me wrong—intellect is involved. We can definitely use our brains as we hear people make claims about what God’s will is. But we cannot confirm what God’s will is merely by thinking and reasoning. God sent Jesus to teach us His will, and Jesus taught us God’s will so that we can live by it. Until we live out what we’ve been taught, we haven’t really “discovered” God’s will. We’ve just talked about it. It’s like the difference between doing accounting in a classroom and in a business. In the classroom, it only affects a grade; in a business, you’re living and benefiting from what you’ve been taught. Let’s not be classroom disciples. Let’s get down to business, doing the will of God as Jesus teaches us.
Question: Is there any decision you’re trying to make, but you’re not sure what God’s will is? What are the options? Why do you think they might be God’s will? What’s keeping you from choosing one of the options and getting down to business?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
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