Introduction:

Theme: Three important lessons to learn from the ministry of John the Baptist so you will fulfill your own.
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—

24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.

26 And they came to John and said to him, “ Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”

27 John answered and said, “ A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘ I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him. ’

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease
(John 3:22-30 NASB)
I. Recognize the important role baptism plays in the Christian life vv. 22-26

A. Baptism pre-dates the formal establishment of Christianity vv. 22-24

1. Jesus was practicing baptism before He called the twelve disciples

2. John was baptizing simultaneously with Jesus as he completed his ministry

B. Baptism has always been a mark of devotion to Christ over all others vv. 25-26

II. Remember that ministry privilege is granted by God vv. 27-28

III. Rejoice in being a faithful servant of Christ vv. 29-30

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Introduction:

Review:

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God
(John 3:16-21 NASB)

Theme: Two possible responses to God’s love so you may know whether or not you have eternal life.

I. Your belief in God’s Son results in eternal life? vv. 16-17

Four helpful assertions

A. God’s love for the world led Him to give His Son vs. 16a

B. God’s love for the world provides salvation for everyone who believes in His Son vs. 16b

C. Stated negatively – He did not send His Son to judge the world vs. 17a

D. Stated positively – God sent His Son to save the world vs. 17b

II. Your refusal to believe in God’s Son results in judgment? vv. 18-21

A. God’s judgment is determined by whether or not you believe in God’s Son vs. 18

1. Belief in God’s Son delivers from God’s judgment vs. 18a

2. Unbelief in God’s Son leads to God’s judgment vs. 18b

B. Your deeds will dictate your relationship to the light of Christ vv. 19-21

1. Committing evil deeds will keep you from the light vv. 19-20

a. The evil deeds of unbelievers compel them to love the darkness rather than the light

b. The evil deeds of unbelievers reveal their hatred of the light

c. The evil deeds of unbelievers keep them from coming to the light

2. Practicing the truth will draw you to the light vs. 21

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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

III. The new birth is beyond your human control vs. 8

IV. The new birth is received by you through faith vv. 9-12

V. The new birth is provided for you through Christ’s death vv. 13-15

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Responding to the Homosexual Agenda by Ed Wilde:

Part 1

Part 2

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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