Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. But Solomon...
Dealing With Conflict
Introduction
A. In the earliest days of Christianity, the church enjoyed remarkable harmony (Acts 2:46; 4:32; 5:12).
B. In Acts 15, we see the first serious conflict in the church, and therefore a critical moment in the church’s history.
C. How would these conflicts be resolved? Who would draft the constitution by which this body would be governed?
I. Where there is conflict, leadership is vitally important.
A. Where...
Being Good Stewards of Our Time
Introduction
A. Time is a precious thing. Once it is lost, it can never be recovered, and not one of us knows how much he is to receive.
B. In an age when time seems to come at a higher premium with each passing day, it is now more important than ever for us to be good stewards of the time God gives us.
I. There are some thieves that rob us of time when we let them.
A. One prolific thief is a lack of proper planning and...
What Is the Gospel?
Introduction
A. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to listen to Paul preach, Acts 13 is a great source.
B. In this sermon Paul talks about the “Good News,” the Gospel. What does this sermon tell us about the Gospel we preach?
I. The Gospel is positive.
A. These are encouraging words (vss. 15,45,48).
B. The Good News constituted the fulfillment of ancient promises (vss. 32-37).
C. The Good News was...
Stewardship
Introduction
A. A faithful steward can help an employer achieve greater success (Genesis 39:29-30; 39:1-6), but a bad one can lead him to ruin.
B. As Christians, we are stewards of the greatest blessings God has ever entrusted to mortal man, and this comes with great responsibility (Luke 12:42-48).
I. What has God entrusted to us?
A. Everything we have is from God (James 1:17; 1 Chronicles 29:14).
B. He has...
Almost Persuaded
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:27-28).
While it is impossible to nail down the precise date of Saul’s conversion, it is generally believed—based on a few scarce hints in his epistles—to have taken place only a few years after the establishment of the church in Jerusalem. Following his...
Matthew 2: Wisdom from the East
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem” (vs. 1). The Greek term magŏs may refer to a wise man, scholar, scientist, astronomer, interpreter, or seer (cf. Daniel 4:8-9,18). Coffman has pointed out that “[t]he translation ‘wise men’ is a fortunate rendition of the Greek term ‘magi,’ since the truly wise of all ages are indeed those who...
What Loves Does
Introduction
A. Love and faith are much alike: they are both lasting (1 Corinthians 13:13), and yet neither can be perceived by the natural senses.
B. Intangible things like faith and love can only be detected and measured by their effects (James 2:14-26; cf. Hebrews 11).
C. How can you tell if someone loves you? What are love’s effects?
I. Love serves.
A. If we love God, we will serve Him (Matthew 6:24).
B. If we love...
What Is a Christian?
Introduction
A. Most dictionaries define the word “Christian” as “a person who believes in the doctrines of Jesus and acknowledges his divinity.”
B. While man’s definitions of a Christian are diverse and conflicting, the only definition that matters is God’s, for He invented the word.
C. In fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 62:2), God gave His people a new name (Acts 11:26)—“Christian.” What does it mean to be a...
Forgiveness
Introduction
A. Although we know that we must forgive others if we wish to be forgiven by God, the world encourages us to seek vengeance.
B. To help us better understand the proper spirit of forgiveness, we can consider the manner in which God forgives.
I. How does God forgive?
A. He is longsuffering first (Nahum 1:3; Nehemiah 9:17; 2 Peter 3:9).
B. On the other hand, He has promised to “judge the world...