Sunday sermon

In Isaiah 9 we read- Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

This is a messianic prophecy fulfilled at the time of christ-

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Matt. 4

We also read the famous prophecy about Christ

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

We see Judgment and justice as an expression of the kingdom.

Later on in this chapter we see a rebuke of leadership-

Isaiah 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

Part of the absence of Judgment and justice was seen in the oppression of the poor-

Isaiah 10:1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;Isaiah 10:2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

The same rebuke that Jesus gives- the Son who was born who fulfilled the prophecy Isaiah just gave

Matthew 23:14

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

In our current study of Acts we see that one of the principles of leadership in the church is to be careful not view people thru the paradigm of ‘what can they do to benefit me and my ministry’.

It’s easy to fall into this mindset-

The apostle Paul himself warned the elders in Acts 20 about it-

Acts 20:33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.Acts 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

He showed them thru example that true leadership serves- and does not seek to benefit financially from the people-

Peter teaches us the same in his epistle-

1Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:1Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;1Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

The other day when I read Acts 20- in preparation for teaching it in a few days- I also read Proverbs 27 in my normal reading time- going thru the whole book of Proverbs every few months.

At then end of Proverbs 27 I read-

Proverbs 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.Proverbs 27:24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?Proverbs 27:25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.Proverbs 27:26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.Proverbs 27:27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

This actually fit with the theme of Acts 20- as well as the other verses I added to this post.

The New Testament apostles spoke strongly against the temptation to turn the gospel into a materialistic trade.

They contrasted the true riches- with that which fades away-

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1^st Peter 1

James as well-

James 5:3

Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Paul warned-

1Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;1Timothy 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,1Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.1Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.1Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.1Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.1Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.1Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.1Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

So I guess the theme for this Sunday was for leadership in the church-

Isaiah spoke of the day when the Son would be born- he would establish the kingdom of God with justice and judgment.

In the same pages he rebukes the misguided leadership of his day- those who saw their calling as simply engaging in religious speak.

The apostles of the New Testament followed the example that Jesus himself gave-

John 13King James Version (KJV)

13 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

He was among us as one who served- he taught us humility

Luke 22:27

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

In John we read-

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Yes- Jesus- the Word- was there at the act of creation-

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.Genesis 1:6 And God said, Genesis 1:6 And God said,

Yes- God spoke- and creation happened-

Yet this same Word- Jesus himself- humbled himself for our benefit-

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil. 2

He taught us what it meant to love-

John 15:13 [Full Chapter]

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

And I’ll end with a verse from Acts 20 mentioned above-

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Ok- that's the best I could do- I think I hit on most of the verses I talked about on today’s video- and I’ll add some past teaching below to cover the rest.

OTHER LINKS [Stuff I mentioned on the video]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dinosaur-shocker-115306469/

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/10/tech/dinosaur-preserved-cells/index.html

https://answersingenesis.org/geology/mount-st-helens/mount-st-helens-evidence-for-genesis/

http://www.icr.org/article/mt-st-helens-catastrophism/

http://creation.com/lessons-from-mount-st-helens

PAST POSTS- [Past teaching I did that relates to today’s post- Sunday Sermon]

https://ccoutreach87.com/genesis/

https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/

https://ccoutreach87.com/qm/

https://ccoutreach87.com/atheism-apologetics-links-added/

https://ccoutreach87.com/overview-of-philosophy/