Sermon Recap for February 19

Here are the sermons from yesterday:

Morning Sermon Audio (alternate link)

Evening Sermon Audio (alternate link)

Morning outline:

Nehemiah 5

I. Charging Usury (forbidden: Leviticus 25:36-37)

II. Sending people back into slavery

III. Willful self-denial

Application:

I. Personal profit cannot be the motive of God's people

     A. Survival/benefit is not prohibited

     B. The Spirit should guide us to a stopping point.

II. Giving up the freedom that has been bought

     A. Spiritual first and foremost

     B. Cultural secondly

III. Willingness to take on major issues

Consider John Adams:

“I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, natural history and naval architecture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, tapestry, and porcelain.”

Consider Thomas Paine:

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."

Consider: The Pilgrims, The Baptists, The Reformers, countless others who have stood, argued, raised a voice that we may have the truth of God's Word available

Consider:

1. How we vote

2. How we speak out

3. What we do

Application points: 

Bible project

Read your Bible

Awareness of current issues

Willingness to act

 

Evening Outline

Nehemiah 6

I. Distraction again--notice the recurring theme? 

     A. Constantly there is opposition

     B. Sometimes opposition wants you to start by taking a break

     C. It is a constant effort to stay focused

II. Call on God to deal with the evil people

     A. The obvious enemies: Tobiah, Sanballat

     B. The less obvious: prophets and prophetesses (Shemaiah and Noadiah)

III. Finish the task

     A. Every day may seem interminable

     B. Getting done, looking back will show how the work came

IV. You are being watched.

Sermon Roundup February 5

The sermons didn't exactly preach out like the outline, so I've excluded those from the post.

One major point from the morning sermon was to take the time to write out what God has been doing in your life and prepare to share it. Then, find a place to share it!

Morning Sermon:

Nehemiah 2:11-20

Audio Link Here

 

Evening Sermon

Nehemiah 3

Audio Link Here

Sermon Wrap-up: January 29

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If you just want to read todays and then go on with life, here you go:

Morning Sermon: Audio Link

Nehemiah 1: Somebody, do something!

I. Historical Situation: Jerusalem lies in ruins, many of the exiles have been returned.

     A. Into exile why? National sinfulness: 2 Chronicles 36:15-17

     B. Out of exile why? God's grace 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

II. Nehemiah, though, remains in Susa, the ancient capital of the Persian Empire (Currently "Shush" in Iran)

     A. Personally separate from the suffering

     B. Yet he cannot accept that

III. Something must be done

     A. Nehemiah, though, has a good job, responsibilities

IV. Nehemiah goes first to God in prayer

V. Suffering continues

VI. We are not not unlike Nehemiah

     A. Just because we're not personally affected does not mean we should not do something

     B. We must be willing to put ourselves at risk for it

VII. When we see something that needs somebody to do something about it, that somebody is you.

Evening Sermon: Audio Link

Nehemiah 2:1-10

HAVE A PLAN!

1. The world does not want to see you sad

     Especially if you have claimed that God is your supply and strength.

     What are our words worth if our countenance does not reflect them?

2. Do not assume hostility from the world to all your purposes

     Neither can you assume that material support means they agree

     The king does not come to the One True God

3. Know what you want

     Ask God for strength

     Then follow through with it

4. Be prepared for opposition

     What you are doing does not meet with everyone's approval

     Your actions will disturb those against God's people

Sermon Wrap-up

Last night, we heard Jonathan Hillman talk about his trip to Irbit, Russia, with FBC Stuttgart. He showed some pictures and shared how the trip went. I think we gained a great deal from hearing from him.

Yesterday morning, the sermon was from Matthew 8:5-13. Here’s the audio link: Primary and Backup.

Here’s the basic outline:

Matthew 8:5-13

The Faith of the Centurion

Story itself: v. 7 could also be a question "Shall I come and heal him?" or simply a statement that "I will come and heal him"

I. Non-Jewish--no Kingdom restrictions on ethnicity

I. Non-Jewish--this guy's not looking for a Messiah. In fact, the Messianic Expectations are counter to his job (and potentially his life)

I. Non-Jewish--no background of the Old Testament

II. Roman--yet uses "Lord"

III. Discuss use of "Lord" and the relationship to later persecution

IV. Worthiness--how do we behave?

V. Authority--being "under authority"--Some give me orders, I give others orders is the concept

V. Authority--belongs all to Him. Even the likely pagan recognizes that everything falls under Jesus' authority

VI. Faith--trust

VI. Faith--not totally learned from those around him, but developed

VII. Kingdom cleansing--those who think it is theirs without faith will lose it

VII. Kingdom cleansing--those who think they are unworthy but have faith will gain it