Here, There, Everywhere | August 1, 2021 | A lesson from Romans 10 | Missions Is More Than You Think!
What It Means to Belong | July 11, 2021 | Prayers for Pastors | Romans 15:30-33
Why Jesus | Nobody’s Perfect! | April 14, 2019
What’s the Standard?
The Pharisees were the Billy Grahams of their day
Everyone looked up to them
Jesus praised their righteousness | Matthew 5:20
Do you live in a small house or a penthouse? | Luke 18:9-14
Wait a Minute… What’s the Standard?
Isn’t there a Law to live by? | Mark 10:17-20
You’ve heard it said, but I tell you… | Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28…
It’s all about the heart! | Mark 10:21-25; Matthew 6:21
Who Then Can Be Saved?!
With man this is impossible, but not with God… | Mark 10:26-27
All things are possible with God
Does Anyone Deserve to be Saved?
Are you better than the “mom” from Milladore?
Is there anything more reprehensible?!
How about killing God’s one and only Son?
Why Jesus?
We need someone like us…
who understands us…
but is perfect…
to represent us to God… | Hebrewa 2:14-18
With confidence?! What about righteousness? | Hebrews 4:14-16
Jesus seemed to think that personal righteousness was a pretty big deal… remember?! | Matthew 5:20
Our righteousness is not earned by us… | 2 Corinthians 5:21
it is by grace through faith in JESUS! | Romans 3:21-26
fgd| Two Decrees! | March 24, 2019
“The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31
Haman is still hanging around!
My petition—my life. My request—my people!
Sold for (10,000 talents of silver)…
Destruction, slaughter, and annihilation
By this vile Haman!
Haman built a gallows for Mordecai
Hang Haman on it!
Then the King’s fury subsided…
Danger Averted!
Haman’s estate is given to Esther
Mordecai is made second in command
Esther gave Haman’s estate to Mordecai
Danger Averted… Or Is It?!
A decree of the King could not be repealed! | Esther 1:19
No document of the King can be revoked! | Esther 8:8
Written to the 127 provinces and to the Jews!
Using the same language…
Destroy, kill, and annihilate | Esther 8:11
And There Was Much Rejoicing in Susa!
1st Decree—Susa was bewildered, Mordecai grieved
2nd Decree—Susa celebrates, Mordecai is royalty
Where Was God in All of This?
Is this a little brutal? Attack the women & children? | Esther 8:11
Our first decree… | Genesis 3:13
All have sinned… and we have EARNED a death sentence.
Our second decree… | John 3:16-18
If we believe and confess we will be saved! Romans 10:9-10
Apologetics — Can I Trust This Book? | February 10, 2019
“Your Word is Truth” John 17:17b
HISTORIC CLAIMS OF THE BIBLE?
James Ussher believed Genesis 1 occurred in 4004 BC
66 books (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament)
40 different authors
1 consistent theme
How Can We Trust a Document THAT Old?
What’s the criteria for trusting an ancient document?
Years between earliest copy and the original writing
The total number of early copies
Two Ancient Examples
Homer’s “Iliad” and Caeser’s “Gallic Wars”
Homer’s Iliad — 400 years 643 early copies
Gallic Wars — 1,000 years only 10 early copies
How does the Bible compare?
New Testament — 50 years 25,000 early copies
If we can’t trust the Bible to be historical …
Age Isn’t Everything…
Is it correct simply because it’s old?
1st Century Jewish Historians confirm it
Josephus—“At the same time there was a man named Jesus, if we may call him a man. He was a worker of miracles and a teacher of those who willingly received the truth…”
1st Century Roman Historians confirm it
Tacitus—“Christians… Christus, from whom their name is derived, was executed at the hands of the procurator Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius …”
2 Peter 1:20-21… 2 Timothy 3:16… Romans 10:9-10