Sin and its Rule (November 30th, 2003)

Lord of the Rings and of LIfe

Generally, each sermon is a part of a series, that deals with applying the Bible to real-life issues.  Don't worry if you've missed part of a series.  Each Sunday will work together with the other sermons, or can stand alone to help you deal with the things life brings each day.

The Power of Possession (December 7th, 2003)

Deadly Decisions (December 14th, 2003)

a poem by Jared

where nobody stands alone

The Lord of the Rings and of Life Thesis verse: Matthew 15: 24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Thesis Thought:  The church does not exist for Christians The church doesn't exist for Christians by James Draper James Draper Photo courtesy of Baptist Press The church doesn't exist for Christians; the church is designed for those who are not members. I recently made that comment and it drew quite a response. The context of the comment was within a discussion about discipleship. I said that Jesus is searching for true disciples in the evangelical church in America but is having difficulty finding many. Need evidence? Read the headlines: The evangelical church in America is losing ground when it comes to effecting change in our culture. Instead of a trend in our nation toward godliness, the trend is toward secularism devoid of anything godly. Western Christianity has retreated from the battle for the souls of men to the hollow pursuit of self-comfort. Yet, true disciples follow Christ into the fray. “God's design for the church is not that it exists for my comfort or for the convenience of its members, but he instituted it as an equipping station to thrust us into the harvest for souls.” The church at Ephesus was surrounded by false religions and egocentric philosophies. People were consumed by their sexual appetites and practiced "every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more" (Ephesians 4:19). Did the Apostle Paul tell the Ephesian Christians to get inside their building, close the door and lock out the evil that permeated their society? No, and in fact, he told them to walk worthy of their calling, obey God's commands, stay true to the divine strategy and be Christians right where they were. We must first realize that the church is a divine institution. It was not an afterthought with God. We are the strategy God designed to confront the godlessness of our culture. When Christ says we were the light on a hill, he meant that we are to shine in such a way that those struggling with the turbulence of life could safely navigate to the harbor of God's grace. When the light from our churches sweeps across our culture, people see our good works and give glory to God in heaven (Matthew 5:16). It's an intentional effort on our part to understand that church is not about us; it is about God, his Kingdom and making his name known among the nations (Psalm 46:10). However, we become ineffective when we turn inward and our culture has no visible measure of eternal truth. There is no incarnational witness of the Savior. We rob hope from individuals who are on a collision course with eternal separation from God when we focus our energy on ourselves. As we project the Gospel outward from our churches, we must follow the leadership of God. God does not overlook people's sin. He extends grace and forgiveness in spite of it. We must be accepting of individuals without condoning their lifestyles. I like the chorus of the song, "This Must Be the Place," co-written and sung by Steve Amerson. "This must be a place where a broken heart can mend/This must be a place where the outcast finds a friend/For we cannot lift the fallen if our hand still holds a stone/And their sin that seems so great to us is no greater than our own/There must be a point where shame meets grace/And this must be the place." Is your church that place? -Pastors.com®- To understand the Lord of Life we must understand His creation and their problems. Transition:  For us to effectively reach out and be the church for the world, then we will need to understand the sin that plagues the world Title:  Sin and its rule Gandolf – You have not killed me and you will not kill him. The poison of Saruman that has possessed Theodan the king and was killing him. This poison ruled his mind. It took the work of something else, something good,  to bring him back to his true self. Why can sin rule our life? B/c of what it is This is a doctrinal study of sin Psalm 52: 1 – 5 (NAS) 1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God {endures} all day long. 2 Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah. 4 You love all words that devour O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from {your} tent, and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah. Selah – a petition, a loan, request I. God favors the innocent (v. 1, 2) a. Blessed are those that are innocent or lack sin b. The innocent will not be overthrown c. Because they aren’t slaves i. John 8: 34 d. Something that will be overthrown i. Proverbs 14: 11 (The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish.) 1. By whom a. Jeremiah 12: 17 – if they don’t obey I (God) will mess them up. ii. Psalm 37: 28 – God loves the saints and will cut off the wicked e. Illustration: i. God favored me when somebody had grief with me early in my ministry.  They first took it up with me and for months it was a struggle, but the instant that the person took the problem to other people to slander me God stepped in.  The next day the person had a heartattack and ended up in the hospital.  Never again did he say anything else. ii. God protects his favored people. iii. Godfather: You don’t mess with my Father II. God hates sin (v. 3) a. Sin captures the human race b. What is sin? i. 1 John 5:17 – all unrighteousness is sin ii. Romans 14: 23 – whatever is not of faith is sin 1. the Greek word harmatia literally means missing the mark, irreligion, transgression, etc. c. Why do we sin? i. Why does it capture us? 1. b/c unrighteousness is fun and having no faith is easy. ii. 2 Chronicles 12: 14 1. we do not prepare our heart to seek the Lord. a. Causes of this lack of preparation i. Ignorance 1. Innocent Ignorance a. Romans 1: 13, 2 Corinthians 6: 9; Galatians 1: 22) ii. Error 1. The human tendency is to go astray, to make mistakes iii. Inattention 1. In several NT passages it refers to disobedience as a result of inattention a. Romans 5: 19; 2 Corinthians 10: 6) d. The Psalmist writes that his state of sin is that of a painful groaning all day. i. The groanings are a result of the pains of sin Results of sin Divine Disfavor (Hosea 9: 15) Guilt (Romans 1: 21 – grateful for forgiveness) Punishment (Jeremiah 46: 10) Death Physical (Hebrews 9: 27) Spiritual (Romans 6: 23) Eternal (Revelation 20 – 2nd death) Internal Consequences Enslavement (John 8: 24, Romans 6: 17) Flight from Reality (Hebrews 9: 27) Denial of Sin (Genesis 3: 11) Self – Deceit (Jeremiah 17: 9) Insensitivity (1 Timothy 4: 2) Self Centerdness Restlessness – Someone asked– “How much money does it take to satisfy a man?” John D. Rockefeller answered “Just a little bit more.” Effects on the Relationships of Humans Competition (James 4: 1 – 2) Inability to Empathize (Phil 2: 3 – 5) Rejection of Authority Inability to Love III. God shows you righteousness (v. 4) a. The burden of God will (righteousness) was heavy. b.  John 8: 31 – 32 (NAS) i. 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." c. Illustration: i. A little boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away. When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad's father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go. The youngster reacted tearfully. "But Dad," he pleaded, "all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go." The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, "All right, you may go." Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm. The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party. As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son's every step to make sure he arrived safely. ii. God’s love and righteousness will be shown to you. IV. Invitation (v. 5) a. Confess sins to God for forgiveness

The Lord of the Rings and of Life Thesis verse: Matthew 15: 24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Thesis Thought:  The church does not exist for Christians The church doesn't exist for Christians by James Draper The church doesn't exist for Christians; the church is designed for those who are not members. I recently made that comment and it drew quite a response. The context of the comment was within a discussion about discipleship. I said that Jesus is searching for true disciples in the evangelical church in America but is having difficulty finding many. Need evidence? Read the headlines: The evangelical church in America is losing ground when it comes to effecting change in our culture. Instead of a trend in our nation toward godliness, the trend is toward secularism devoid of anything godly. Western Christianity has retreated from the battle for the souls of men to the hollow pursuit of self-comfort. Yet, true disciples follow Christ into the fray. “God's design for the church is not that it exists for my comfort or for the convenience of its members, but he instituted it as an equipping station to thrust us into the harvest for souls.” The church at Ephesus was surrounded by false religions and egocentric philosophies. People were consumed by their sexual appetites and practiced "every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more" (Ephesians 4:19). Did the Apostle Paul tell the Ephesian Christians to get inside their building, close the door and lock out the evil that permeated their society? No, and in fact, he told them to walk worthy of their calling, obey God's commands, stay true to the divine strategy and be Christians right where they were. We must first realize that the church is a divine institution. It was not an afterthought with God. We are the strategy God designed to confront the godlessness of our culture. When Christ says we were the light on a hill, he meant that we are to shine in such a way that those struggling with the turbulence of life could safely navigate to the harbor of God's grace. When the light from our churches sweeps across our culture, people see our good works and give glory to God in heaven (Matthew 5:16). It's an intentional effort on our part to understand that church is not about us; it is about God, his Kingdom and making his name known among the nations (Psalm 46:10). However, we become ineffective when we turn inward and our culture has no visible measure of eternal truth. There is no incarnational witness of the Savior. We rob hope from individuals who are on a collision course with eternal separation from God when we focus our energy on ourselves. As we project the Gospel outward from our churches, we must follow the leadership of God. God does not overlook people's sin. He extends grace and forgiveness in spite of it. We must be accepting of individuals without condoning their lifestyles. I like the chorus of the song, "This Must Be the Place," co-written and sung by Steve Amerson. "This must be a place where a broken heart can mend/This must be a place where the outcast finds a friend/For we cannot lift the fallen if our hand still holds a stone/And their sin that seems so great to us is no greater than our own/There must be a point where shame meets grace/And this must be the place." Is your church that place? -Pastors.com®- To understand the Lord of Life we must understand His creation and their problems. Transition:  For us to effectively reach out and be the church for the world, then we will need to understand how it is that sin that plagues the world Title: The Power of Possession Exodus 19 3 Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ' You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and {how} I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." I. Contemplate history v. 4 4 ' You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and {how} I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. a. Contemplate the history of the item that is possessing you. i. Contemplate the things of the world that possess you:  drugs, money, relationship, caffeine, smoking, alcohol, etc. ii. Contemplate God: b. History shows us that… i. God is a redeemer 1. Psalm 78: 35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. ii. God is a healer 1. Jehovah – Rophe – “God is my Healer” (Exodus 15: 26) You can heal my body, emotions, and relationships! iii. God is a provider 1. Jehovah – Jireh – “God is my Provider” (Genesis 22: 14) You see what I need before I even ask! iv. God is a sustainer v. God is a peace maker 1. Jehovah – Shalom – “God is my Peace” (Judges 6: 24) You give me peace in spite of circumstances! vi. Finally but not exhaustively, God is Constant 1. All of the previous attributes of God are unchanging. 2. Because God is described as unchanging. a. In Psalm 102, the psalmist contrasts God’s nature with the heavens and the earth:  “They will perish, but you remain; … and they will be discarded. By you remain the same and your years will never end”  (vv. 26 – 27) b. Malachi 3: 6 – “I the Lord do not change.” c. James 1: 17 – James says that God “does not change like shifting shadows.” vii. … Drug possession will end you up in jail. viii. … Drugs altar the mind. 1. Ephesians 5: 18 a. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 2. Ephesians 6: 18 a. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, ix. DRUGS are of the DEVIL x. Drugs are EVIL xi. Drugs are VIL xii. Drugs will make you IL xiii. If Drugs are you master, then they will send you right to L II. Possess His Commandments a. V. 5 – Obey the voice of God and possess His commandments 5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; b. One cannot think crooked and walk straight.- unknown i. We are unable to obey God unless we possess His commandments c. Exodus 15: 26 i. And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer." d. Laws are difficult to obey e. Illustration Boundaries of Love   A husband and wife didn't really love each other. The man was very demanding, so much so that he prepared a list of rules and regulations for his wife to follow. He insisted that she read them over every day and obey them to the letter. Among other things, his "do's and don'ts" indicated such details as what time she had to get up in the morning, when his breakfast should be served, and how the housework should be done. After several long years, the husband died. As time passed, the woman fell in love with another man, one who dearly loved her. Soon they were married. This husband did everything he could to make his new wife happy, continually showering her with tokens of his appreciation. One day as she was cleaning house, she found tucked away in a drawer the list of commands her first husband had drawn up for her. As she looked it over, it dawned on her that even though her present husband hadn't given her any kind of list, she was doing everything her first husband's list required anyway. She realized she was so devoted to this man that her deepest desire was to please him out of love, not obligation. f. According to a 3rd century rabbi, Moses gave 365 prohibitions and 248 positive commands. David reduced them to 11 in Psalm 15. Isaiah made them 6 (Isaiah 33:14, 15). Micah 6:8 binds them into 3 commands. Habbakuk reduces them all to one great statement: The just shall live by faith. Source Unknown. g. How do we find God’s Law i. Read the Bible. 1. start in the Gospel of John then Read Romans III. God deems you worthy (v. 5b – 6a) then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' a. V. 5b – You are better than that i. What happens to a man is less significant than what happens within him.       - Louis L. Mann b. To become mastered by something is to become its slave and lower than what it is that you are in possession of. i. 1 Corinthians 6: 12 (All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.) c. You are too good to be in possession by some addiction or chained down to some debt. d. Why? e. B/c, God has SHAPEd you better than that. i. Job 10: 8a (Your hands formed and shaped me…) God has been molding and shaping you for ministry since you were born.  In fact, God started uniquely shaping even before you were born! “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  It is amazing to think about.  Your workmanship is marvelous … You were there while I was being formed … You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe.” Psalm 139: 14 – 16 1. I was shaped for a purpose. 2. I am unique! 3. I am wonderfully complex.

The Lord of the Rings and of Life LOTR clip of Smeagol fussing with himself Sometimes we got through life making decisions as if we had a split personality or an angel and devil on each shoulder Title:  Deadly Decisions bear marks of results Genesis 4: 13 – 15 13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is too great to bear! 14 "Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 15 So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold. "And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. Why was Cain given this mark? v. 3 – 8 God preferred Abel, but had no preference for Cain   Why   v. 7 – Cain did not do well in the sight of God. He had slain his brother Able out of jealousy. He then received this mark to show everyone that he must remain on earth to suffer for the penalty of his crime. Transition:  All of us bear marks of some kind.  Consider the following three sorts of marks 1. The mark of a Sinner a. Genesis 4: 15 15 So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold. "And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. i. As Cain received his mark of wrongdoing there are evident signs/marks for sinners today. 1. Separated from God (Micah 3: 4) a. Sin separates us from our Creator and purpose in life 2. The failure of vanity (Prov. 22:8) a. Proud in himself, and his actions will fail b. Egocentrism is the height of our fall 3. No peace (Isa. 57: 20) a. There is always wandering for purpose b. Which leads to no peace 4. Envying, Strife and Division (1 Cor. 3: 3) a. Love, Unity, and Peace is not in sin 5. Love/Long for death (Proverbs 8: 36) a. We have a generation that is unaware of the holiness of the Almighty Creator and this generation adores death. i. Ex: 1. Hot Topic 2. Korn – Death/Hatred Band 3. Dr. Kavorkian acceptance b. Illustration: i. The mark of sin will lead to more death than just physical life SIN, slavery to Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin. "First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. "Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night. So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his OWN warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more--until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!" It is a fearful thing that people can be "consumed by their own lusts." Only God's grace keeps us from the wolf's fate. Chris T. Zwingelberg. 2. The mark of a Saint a. Galatians 6: 17 b. From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus. i. Marks of the Righteous 1. Accepted by God (Prov. 21: 3) 2. Success through Obedience (Deut. 6: 25) 3. Possesses Peace (Romans 8: 4 – 6) 4. Unity (John 13: 35) 5. Love/Long for life (Prov. 11: 5,6,18,19,30) c. Illustration: i. The mark of a Saint is visible through the authenticity of the walk ii. Story of the Port a John Worker 1. Construction worker that build houses for a living was building his house in a wealthy neighborhood. 2. things weren’t going right a. the Jacuzzi guy wasn’t on time b. the plumbing had not been properly installed 3. His day was bad and on top of that since the plumbing was faulty all of the construction guys had to use the porta jon. 4. This porta jon had not been cleaned in a few months and STUNK 5. they had to call someone to clean it out 6. this place stunk but the guy was happy to clean it. 7. He was bouncing around back and forth singing. 8. The construction worker asked him why he was so happy. 9. The guy said b/c he was working as to the Lord. 10. He told him that he was cleaning that jon as if Jesus was going to be the next one to use it. 11. He was working as to the Lord We are able to see the mark of the Saint only through knowing the mark of the Savior. The savior’s mark makes it all possible. 3. The mark of a Savior a. John 20: 25 i. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." b. Illustration i. I asked Jesus How much do you love me? 4. Invitation (go to church logo at this point) a. What kind of mark do you bear today? i. The mark of a sinner or saint

"Of the One Ring" By Jared Epps Relation can be made easily. Keen observance is noted well inside my own mind. So, when at last it comes to it, the end of their journey, I realize that I must start my own. Long have I watched Frodo bear the One Ring to it's final doom, paying no attention to my own Ring, my own Burden. With what mind I have left, I finally realize that this Burden is in the same relation to the One Ring. Though, it is no ring at all. It is a secret sin, kept locked away in the very walls of my corrupted mind. For me, the One Ring is symbolic of all sin; no matter what kind of a person, there is that one Burden that eats away at them until their dying day. Many might wonder of the source of my Burden. Frodo's Burden came from a Dark Lord, and though my own Burden originated from no Dark Lord it is troublesome nonetheless. No, no Dark Lord in my case. Only the Dark Prince of the Earth is the source of my downfall. And though, I already know he is to be defeated in the near future, his power over me is great. With one twitch of his finger I am powerless. My will melts away and my rational mind is swept away just as mist is by the northern winds. And though, I wonder who has it better - Frodo or me. Frodo can take a seemingly endless journey to destroy his Burden, yet falter at the end and claim his Burden to be his Lord. And yet I have no power to destroy my Burden. Nothing I can do will be able to stop Darkness from eating away at my soul. Save for one choice. Just as Frodo had a choice to travel to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, I have a choice to travel to an altar where Jesus Christ becomes my Mount Doom where I can destroy my Burden. Though, to call Christ by the name Mount Doom is none too appealing, save for those who freely and joyously cast away their Burdens - there it becomes Doom for our figurative Ring. So I must ask myself again, who has it easier? Frodo or me? Taking a long and hard journey to get rid of evil forever seems easy enough compared to submitting my own will to a King who freely destroys my Burden for me. I do suppose that there is a little of Lord Denethor in all humans. Just as he was unwilling to submit to King Aragorn, many of us Men do not wish to submit to the King of our Earth - the REAL Earth - Jesus Christ. By contrast, I suppose that the way of the True King is best for all; if we can overcome the prideful Denethor in our hearts. Irony comes into play here. To escape submitting to my Burden, I must submit to the True King and take upon His Burden. Though, I do suppose that it would be better to rename His Burden into a Gift. In this way, the glory and reality of a compassionate God can be clearly seen. Though, I still do not mind calling the True King's authority a Burden. His Burden is much easier to bear than the last one I bore. It is thus that I conclude, though being a servant of the True King and knowing that the Dark Prince of this Earth must pass, that my Burden will continue to weaken me until this age has passed. And though I know that this Shadow must pass e'er the Return of the King, it still lingers in all corners of my life waiting to trap me. Ooh that the King should return and end these dark days. Days when all hope seems lost, all morals are abandoned, values are forgotten, and the courage of Men, to stand firmly beside the King, are gone. What faith can I find in this? Yet, I am reminded that there is always Hope. Hope for a future of Men who stand in allegiance with the King; Hope for a day when this Shadow passes and the days of our King Jesus the Christ come. And though I e'er look forward to that day when my Burden will finally be destroyed, I must think of the present. I must think of what to do with the time that has been given to me. Will I falter now and return to my days of slavery? Or will I rise above the power and of the influence of the Dark Prince? Will the day ever come where I cast aside all doubt and fully submit myself to the True King finally becoming who I was born to be through Christ? Many questions and many days lie ahead, Though my ways stumble and falter; And seeing the end is what I dread. I ask now upon your golden altar, To see the end of what is now Through a pane clear as glass. I beg with my might that You somehow Let my live to see this Shadow pass. Then my hope will be rekindled, And my rejoicing will never cease; Then my life will be fulfilled, And I will finally be at peace.