Responding to the Homosexual Agenda by Ed Wilde:

Part 1

Part 2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Introduction:

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “ Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. ’

8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life
(John 3:1-15 NASB)

Theme: Five essential truths you must know about the new birth so you may believe and be saved.

I. The new birth is necessary for you to be saved vv. 3, 7

II. The new birth is your spiritual birth vv. 5-6

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Your Focus in Christ’s Church

Ephesians 4-5
Introduction:

“The vitality of a congregation is not found in its size or in its programs or budget. The vitality of a congregation is found in its fulfillment of God’s purpose for the church. A church that has five thousand members and is growing may be just as unhealthy and ineffective as a church that has only fifty members and is declining. Conversely, a church with fifty members who are fulfilling God’s mission can be as healthy and dynamic as a church with thousands of members. Churches do not close because they lack members and financial resources. Churches close when they are no longer being effective in fulfilling God’s purposes for them.”

Glen Damon, Shepherding the Small Church
Three-fold Purpose of FBC
Looking up – this refers to our worship of God
Looking in – this refers to our work in the body
Looking out – this refers to our witness in the world

Theme: Three crucial needs of FBC so you will know where your focus should be as a follower of Christ.
I. We need Leadership Development    Ephesians 4:11-16

II. We need Personal Spiritual Growth   Ephesians 4:17-5:20

III. We need Marriage Enrichment         Ephesians 5:21-33

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Intro

1. An attitude of Submission

2. An attitude of Humility

3. An attitude of Trust

4. An attitude of Self Control

5. An attitude of Vigilant Defense

6. An attitude of Resistance

7. An attitude of Hope

8. Attitude of Worship

What does that mean for us?

1. So, Spiritual maturity begins with some fundamentals…an attitude of self-control, defense, resistance, hope, worship, faithfulness, affection, submission to those in spiritual authority, an attitude of humility toward others, toward God under His mighty hand, and an attitude of trust that says I can humble myself because I’m going to give this whole burden to the God who really cares
2. In the midst of being hunted by our enemy is that the attitude that represents your life? How are you holding up in the battle? Do you have an attitude of vigilant defense? Do you have your priorities right? If you don’t Satan is going to chew you up and make you in effective for Christ.
3. If you are a “younger man” do you seek to honor and learn from those who are older? If you are the” older one” are you living a life that is a good spiritual model to those who are younger?
4. Do you resent or appreciate spiritual warfare? Do you see suffering and adversity as a way to strengthen you, to establish you, to confirm you, to perfect you, to make you more the man and woman of God that you should be ? Or is it more of an inconvenience to you?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

John 2:12-22 NASB

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.

15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”

17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “ Zeal for Your house will consume me.”

18 The Jews then said to Him, “ What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”

19 Jesus answered them, “ Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 The Jews then said, “It took forty- six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken

Theme: Four reasons Jesus had to cleanse the temple

I. It was an egregious abuse of the temple grounds vv. 13-16

II. It was a clue to His disciples that He was the Messiah vs. 17

III. It was a demonstration of His spiritual authority vs. 18

IV. It was a prophetic allusion to His resurrection from the dead vv. 19-22

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Review:

I. They abandon all others to follow Him vv. 35-37

II. They seek after Him to be with Him vv. 38-39

III. They bring others to follow Him vv. 40-42a

Evangelism Andrew and Peter

“. . . who argued in the nineteenth century that the true knowledge of Christ includes (and does not just lead to) delight in Christ. This knowledge ‘is not the apprehension of what he is, simply by the intellect, but also . . . involves not as its consequence merely, but as one of its elements, the corresponding feeling of adoration, delight, desire and complacency [=contentment].’ ”
John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God (17, emphasis his)

43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “ Follow Me.”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 Nathanael said to him, “ Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

49 Nathanael answered Him, “ Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man
(John 1:43-51 NASB)

Homiletical Proposition: Three possible responses to Jesus Christ

I. Simple faith: evidenced in following Jesus and recruiting others vv. 43-45

II. Brazen skepticism: unbelief that initially opposes the truth vv. 46-48a

III. Resolved conviction: belief that leads to vocal proclamation vv. 48b-51

Podcast: Play in new window | Download