Eastside Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama

Jesus Came to Save - 1 Tim 1:15

“Christ’s Humiliation and Exaltation”- Philippians 2:1-11
-
(Eastside Baptist/Wed PM/Dec. 4, 2013)
 
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being
united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the
Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy
complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of
one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to
your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to
be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:1-11,
NIV)
 
1.
Christian unity is rooted in our common experience of grace.
 
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united
with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,
if any tenderness and compassion, (Phil. 2:1, NIV)
 
Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, (Col. 3:12,
CSB)
 
2. Christian unity is lived out in real life through
humility and deference to others.
 
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the
same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Phil. 2:2, NIV)
 
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather,
in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests
but each of you to the interests of the others. (Phil. 2:3-4, NIV)
 
3. Christian unity through humility has been modeled for
us by the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
In your relationships with one another, have the same
mindset as Christ Jesus:
(Phil. 2:5, NIV)
 
Main Idea
Through his humility and exaltation, the Lord Jesus has
become a model for us to live in humility and deference to others.

“The Original Paradise” - Genesis 2:8-17 -
(Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/Dec. 1, 2013)
 
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the
tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Rev. 2:7, NIV)
 
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as
clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the
middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the
tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Rev. 22:1–2,
NIV)
 
1. God prepared an ideal paradise for human beings to
enjoy.
 
Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;
and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God made all kinds of trees
grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.
In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil. (Gen. 2:8–9, NIV)
 
A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it
was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it
winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of
that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the
second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name
of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the
fourth river is the Euphrates. (Gen. 2:10–14, NIV)
 
2. Human beings enjoy God’s paradise by fulfilling their
responsibilities in obedient service.
 
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden
to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You
are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly
die." (Gen. 2:15–17, NIV)
 
Main Idea: True enjoyment is found in the
paradise of God.

“The Coming King” - Isaiah 9:6-7 –
(Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/December 1, 2013)
 
1. Our dark world longs for the light of hope, peace, and
justice.
 
Consult God's instruction and the testimony of warning. If
anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished,
they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their
God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness
and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. (Isa. 8:20–22,
NIV)
 
2. The longing of the world was fulfilled in a baby boy
who would be King.
 
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were
in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of
Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of
the Sea, beyond the Jordan– The people walking in darkness have seen a great
light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (Isa.
9:1–2, NIV)
 
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders…
(Isa. 9:6, NIV)
 
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
(Jn. 1:4, NIV)
 
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am
the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12, NIV)
 
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who
believes in me should stay in darkness. (Jn. 12:46, NIV)
 
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13-14, NIV)
 
3. This King is a righteous king who will bring the hope,
peace, and justice that we long for.
 
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be
no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and
upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The
zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isa. 9:7, NIV)
 
4. This is no ordinary King, but the God-man Jesus
Christ, who will reign forever.
 
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isa. 9:6, NIV)
 
Main Idea: The only hope for our dark world
is found in the God-man, Jesus Christ, and the peace, justice, and
righteousness that he brings.

“A Thankful People” - 1
Chronicles 16 –
(Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/Nov.
24, 2013)
 
1. Thankfulness springs
from reflecting on our own unworthiness.
 
When they were but few in
number, few indeed, and strangers in it, they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another. (1 Chr. 16:19-20, NIV)
 
The LORD did not set his
affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other
peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD
loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out
with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of
Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deut. 7:7–8, NIV)
 
As for you, you were dead in
your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the
ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who
is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at
one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Eph. 2:1–3,
NIV)
 
2. Thankfulness comes by
exulting in God’s grace and goodness.
 
Give praise to the LORD,
proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him,
sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. (1 Chr. 16:8-9, NIV)
 
*   Delighting in God’s Sovereign Rule.
 
For great is the LORD and
most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of
the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. (1 Chr. 16:25-26, NIV)
 
Tremble before him, all the
earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Let the heavens
rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The LORD
reigns!" (1 Chr. 16:30-31, NIV)
 
*   Delighting in God’s Gracious Covenant.
 
He remembers his covenant
forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made
with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. (1 Chr. 16:15-16, NIV)
 
*   Delighting in God’s Mighty Acts of
Redemption.
 
Remember the wonders he has
done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, (1 Chr. 16:12, NIV)
 
When they were but few in
number, few indeed, and strangers in it, they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another. He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake
he rebuked kings: "Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no
harm." Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after
day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all
peoples. (1 Chr. 16:19-24, NIV)
 
But because of his great love
for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were
dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph. 2:4-5, NIV)
 
Praise be to the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth
into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and
into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is
kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the
coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pet.
1:3–5, NIV)
 
Main Idea: Thankfulness
is the natural response of unworthy sinners who have been blessed by God’s
grace and goodness.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for
he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, "Save us, God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy
name, and glory in your praise." Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said "Amen" and
"Praise the LORD." (1 Chr. 16:34–36, NIV)

“The Potter and the Clay” - Genesis 2:4-7 –
(Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/Nov. 17, 2013)
 
4 This is the account of the heavens and the
earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
(Gen. 2:4, NIV)
 
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and
no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and
there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the
earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. (Gen. 2:5-6, NIV)
 
7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of
the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man
became a living being. (Gen. 2:7, NIV)
 
1. Every human being is a unique, personal creation by
God.
 
2. Every human being owes his life’s breath to the
Creator God.
 
3. Every human being is a unified, living being created
by God.
 
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples
of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not
your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with
your bodies.
(1 Co. 6:19-20, NIV)
 
Main Idea: Human beings are living, physical, spiritual beings that owe their lives to
God because they are his unique, personal creation.

“What Is a Healthy Church Member? An Active Team Player”

(Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/Nov. 17, 2013)
 
A healthy church member?
Ø  Is
a genuine believer in Christ
Ø  Is
a growing disciple, seeking to make other disciples
Ø  Is
a worshiper of God
Ø  Strives
for unity in the body
Ø  Uses
their spiritual gifts to build up the body
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member is
not a spectator, but an active team player.
 
1. Regular Attendance
 
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42, NIV)
 
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere
hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord
added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46–47, NIV)
 
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward
love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day
approaching. (Heb. 10:24–25, NIV)
 
2.  Active Service
 
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become
in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From
him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4:15–16,
NIV)
 
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to
serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone
speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone
serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things
God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for
ever and ever. Amen. (1 Pet. 4:10–11, NIV)
 
3.  Cheerful,
Sacrificial Giving
 
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you
should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you
abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you
will abound in every good work. (2 Co. 9:6–8, NIV)
 
4.  Joyful
Submission to Leadership
 
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their
authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.
Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no
benefit to you. (Heb. 13:17, NIV)
 
5.  Building
Healthy Relationships in the Church
 
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you
are my disciples, if you love one another."
(Jn. 13:34-35, NIV)
 
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere
hearts, (Acts 2:46, NIV)
 
6.  Praying for the
Church
 
Brothers and sisters, pray for us. (1 Thess. 5:25, NIV)
 
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our
message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
(Col. 4:3-4, NIV)
 
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God
may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to
fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
(2 Thess. 1:11, NIV)
 
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each
other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful
and effective. (Jas. 5:16, NIV)

Main Idea: A healthy church member is
not a spectator, but an active team player.

“Prayer of the
Afflicted”
Psalm 102
(Eastside Baptist/Wed PM/Nov. 13, 2013)
 
A prayer of an
afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the LORD.
 
1.      A Cry for Help (vv. 1–2).
 
 1 Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to
you. 2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn
your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.
 
2.      The Distressful Situation (vv. 3–11).
 
 3 For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like
glowing embers. 4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I
forget to eat my food. 5 In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced
to skin and bones. 6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the
ruins. 7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. 8
All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a
curse. 9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears 10
because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. 11
My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
 
3.      Confidence in the Lord in the Midst of a
Distressful Situation (vv. 12–17).
 
 12 But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown
endures through all generations. 13 You will arise and have
compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has
come. 14 For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust
moves them to pity. 15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. 16 For the LORD
will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. 17 He will respond to the
prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
 
4.      God’s Concern for His Distressed People (vv.
18–22).
 
 18 Let this be written for a future generation, that
a people not yet created may praise the LORD: 19 "The LORD looked
down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, 20
to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death."
21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise
in Jerusalem 22 when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to
worship the LORD.
 
5.      Hope for the Future, because God is Eternal (vv.
23–28).
 
23 In the course of my life he broke my strength; he
cut short my days. 24 So I said: "Do not take me away, my God,
in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations. 25
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the
work of your hands. 26 They will perish, but you remain; they will
all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will
be discarded. 27 But you remain the same, and your years will never
end. 28 The children of your servants will live in your presence;
their descendants will be established before you."

“What Is a Healthy Church Member?” (Eastside Baptist/Sun
AM/Nov. 10, 2013)
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member uses
their gifts for building and strengthening the body of Christ.
 
What are Spiritual Gifts? A spiritual
gift is any talent or ability given or enhanced by the indwelling Holy Spirit
for the benefit of the body of Christ.
 
1.  The Lord Jesus
Christ sovereignly bestows the gifts through the Holy Spirit.
 
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ
apportioned it. This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he took
many captives and gave gifts to his people." (What does "he
ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly
regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens,
in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for
works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach
unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:7–13, NIV)
 
This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was
confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs,
wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed
according to his will. (Heb. 2:3-4, NIV)
 
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit
distributes them. (1 Co. 12:4, NIV)
 
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he
distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Co. 12:11, NIV)
 
2.  Every believer
possesses spiritual gifts, but not all have the same gifts.
 
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for
the common good. (1 Co. 12:7, NIV)
 
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he
distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Co. 12:11, NIV)
 
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many
parts form one body, so it is with Christ. (1 Co. 12:12, NIV)
 
But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one
of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would
the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Co. 12:18-20,
NIV)
 
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not
think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with
sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of
you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members
do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according
to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in
accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching,
then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving,
then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show
mercy, do it cheerfully. (Rom. 12:3–8, NIV)
 
3.  Spiritual gifts
are given for use within the body of Christ, in order to build and strengthen
it.
 
But God has put the body together... so that there should be
no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each
other. (1 Co. 12:24-25, NIV)
 
When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of
instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be
done so that the church may be built up. (1 Co. 14:26, NIV)
 
Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in
those that build up the church. (1 Co. 14:12, NIV)
 
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of
service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in
the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:11–13, NIV)
 
4.  Spiritual gifts
should be developed and used with a motivation of love for others and the glory
of God.
 
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not
have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift
of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a
faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give
all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,
but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Co. 13:1–3, NIV)
 
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the
greatest of these is love. (1 Co. 13:13, NIV)
 
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the
beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might
have the supremacy. (Col. 1:18, NIV)
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member uses
their gifts for building and strengthening the body of Christ.

“God Finishes His Creation” - Genesis 2:1-3 –
(Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/Nov. 10, 2013)
 
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you
first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to
complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it,
everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and
wasn't able to finish.' (Lk. 14:28–30, NIV)
 
Main Idea: God always finishes what he
starts.
 
1.  The universe is
a completed project.
 
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their
vast array. (Gen. 2:1, NIV)
 
2.  God completed
the creation of the universe in six days.
 
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been
doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. (Gen. 2:2, NIV)
 
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days
you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the
LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or
daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner
residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the
earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.
Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exod. 20:8–11,
NIV)
 
3. God stopped his creative activity on the sixth day.
 
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been
doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. (Gen. 2:2, NIV)
 
In his defense Jesus said to them, "My Father is always
at his work to this very day, and I too am working." (Jn. 5:17, NIV)
 
He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you
will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor
sleep. (Ps. 121:3–4, NIV)
 
4. Because God ceased from his creative work on the
seventh day, God blessed the seventh day and set it aside as holy.
 
Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because
on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Gen. 2:3, NIV)
 
* The seventh day has cosmological significance.
 
He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that
he established forever. (Ps. 78:69, NIV)
 
This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and
the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will
my resting place be? (Isa. 66:1, NIV)
 
* The seventh day has redemptive significance.
 
"Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the
LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do
any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female
servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner
residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you
do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought
you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD
your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. (Deut. 5:12–15, NIV)
 
* The seventh day has covenantal significance.
 
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites,
'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the
generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
"'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it
is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from
their people. For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath
rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put
to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the
generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the
Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. '" (Exod. 31:12–17,
NIV)
 
* The seventh day has eschatological significance.
 
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in
you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil. 1:6,
NIV)
 
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28–30, NIV)

“Fools at Heart” - Psalm 14 – (Eastside Baptist/Wed
PM/Nov. 6, 2013)
 
1.  The
irrationality of those who deny God (verse 1a).
 
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
(Ps. 14:1, NIV)
 
2.  The evil
practices of those who deny God (verses 1b-4).
 
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who
does good. (Ps. 14:1, NIV)
 
The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if
there are any who understand, any who seek God. (Ps. 14:2, NIV)
 
All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no
one who does good, not even one. (Ps. 14:3, NIV)
 
Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people
as though eating bread; they never call on the LORD. (Ps. 14:4, NIV)
 
3.  The destiny of
those who deny God vs. the destiny of the righteous (verses 5-7).
 
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is
present in the company of the righteous. (Ps. 14:5, NIV)
 
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD
is their refuge. (Ps. 14:6, NIV)
 
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When
the LORD restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! (Ps. 14:7,
NIV)
 
Main Idea: Those who foolishly reject
God and live in open rebellion before him do so to their own destruction, but
God will rescue his people.

“Humanity: The Crown of God’s Creation”- Genesis 1:26-31
– (Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/11/3/13)
 
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the
moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are
mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a
little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made
them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and
the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. LORD, our Lord, how
majestic is your name in all the earth!
(Ps. 8:5–9, NIV)
 
Main Idea: Human beings are the crown
of all of God’s creative activity because they are made in the image of God.
 
Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in
our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in
the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground." So God created mankind in his own
image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
(Gen. 1:27, NIV)
 
1.  Human Beings
have dignity because they are created in the image of God.
 
"Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood
be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. (Gen. 9:6, NIV)
 
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are
being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the
tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise
our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in
God's likeness. (Jas. 3:7–9, NIV)
 
2.  Human beings
are intended to resemble their Creator because they are made in his image.
 
This is the written account of Adam's family line. When God
created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and
female and blessed them. And he named them "Mankind" when they were
created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in
his own image; and he named him Seth. (Gen. 5:1–3, NIV)
 
the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son
of God. (Lk. 3:38, NIV)
 
'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of
your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' (Acts 17:28, NIV)
 
The god of this age has
blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the
gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Co. 4:4, NIV)
 
The Son is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Col. 1:15, NIV)
 
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as
these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not
lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image
of its Creator. (Col. 3:8–10, NIV)
 
and to put on the new self, created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:24, NIV)
 
3. Human Beings have been given responsibility to rule
because they are made in the image of God.
 
Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in
our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in
the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground." (Gen. 1:26, NIV)
 
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God
he created them; male and female he created them. (Gen. 1:27, NIV)
 
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and
increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea
and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the
ground." (Gen. 1:28, NIV)
 
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on
the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They
will be yours for food. (Gen. 1:29, NIV)
 
And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the
sky and all the creatures that move along the ground--everything that has the
breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
(Gen. 1:30, NIV)
 
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And
there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day. (Gen. 1:31, NIV)
 
Main Idea: As the crown of God’s
creation, every human being is made in the image of God:
·        
With dignity
·        
Bearing God’s resemblance
·        
Ruling creation for God.

“What Is a Healthy Church Member?”
Unity (Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/Nov. 3, 2013)
 
Ø  A
healthy church member has been truly converted by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ø  A
healthy church member is a growing disciple who makes other disciples.
Ø  A
healthy church member is a worshiper of God.
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member
strives for unity in the body.
 
1.  God despises
strife and contention.
 
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are
detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent
blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into
evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in
the community. (Prov. 6:16–19, NIV)
 
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
(Prov. 10:12, NIV)
 
2.  Jesus died to
redeem a unified church.
 
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been
brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made
the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of
hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and
regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the
two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God
through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and
preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For
through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you
are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people
and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Eph. 2:13–20,
NIV)
 
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep
know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my
life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must
bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock
and one shepherd. (Jn. 10:14–16, NIV)
 
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,
nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you
belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise. (Gal. 3:28–29, NIV)
 
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those
who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one,
Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that
the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that
you gave me, that they may be one as we are one–I in them and you in me--so
that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you
sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (Jn. 17:20–23, NIV)
 
3.  A unifying
spirit is the mark of true Christianity.
 
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you
are my disciples, if you love one another." (Jn. 13:34-35, NIV)
 
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called
children of God. (Matt. 5:9, NIV)
 
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life
worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be
patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity
of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1–3, NIV)
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member
strives for unity in the body.
 
Great Enemies of Unity
 
Ø 
Selfishness and personal preferences
 
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united
with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,
if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value
others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to
the interests of the others. (Phil. 2:1–4, NIV)
 
Ø 
Gossip and slander
 
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates
close friends. (Prov. 16:28, NIV)
 
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to
retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that
they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of
wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant
and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they
have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. (Rom. 1:28–31, NIV)
 
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,
impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,
fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness,
orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like
this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19–21, NIV)
 
Ø 
An unforgiving spirit
 
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance
against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues
put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to
peace. And be thankful. (Col. 3:12–15, NIV)
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member
strives for unity in the body.

“Soli Deo Gloria” Glory to God Alone (Eastside
Baptist/Wed PM/October 30, 2013)
 
Glory Thieves
Ø  As
sinners, we are all by nature glory thieves.
o   Pride,
self-interest, self-glory are at the heart of all sin.
Ø  “For
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23, NIV)
 
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as
God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish
hearts were darkened. (Rom. 1:21, NIV)
 
Glory Thieves
Ø  The
R.C. Church robs God of glory by making salvation a cooperative effort between
God and man.
o   Emphasis
on Human Freedom
o   Sacramental
Theology
o   Meritorious
Good Works
o   Justification
as a Process
Ø  The
modern church robs God of glory by putting people and their perceived needs at
the center instead of God.
o   Entertainment
vs. Worship
o   Self-Help
Talks vs. Preaching
o   Health/Wealth
vs. the Gospel
o   Marketing
vs. Ministry
o   Success
vs. Faithfulness
 
Giving God Glory
Ø  God
is the Cause, the Means, and the Goal of all things.
 
o  
Creation
 
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?" For from him
and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
(Rom. 11:33-36, NIV)
 
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and
honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created
and have their being." (Rev. 4:11, NIV)
 
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before
all things, and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:15-17, NIV)
 
o  
Salvation
 
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in
Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will–to the praise of
his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with
the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and
understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his
good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the
times reach their fulfillment--to bring unity to all things in heaven and on
earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined
according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the
purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in
Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in
Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When
you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who
is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God's possession--to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:3-14, NIV)
 
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what
law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the
law. (Rom. 3:27-28, NIV)
 
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had
something to boast about--but not before God. What does Scripture say?
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an
obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies
the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. (Rom. 4:2-5, NIV)
 
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were
called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were
influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of
the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame
the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and
the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may
boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and
redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in
the Lord." (1 Co. 1:26-31, NIV)
 
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
(Gal. 6:14, NIV)
 
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and
this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no
one can boast. (Eph. 2:8-9, NIV)
 
o   Church

 
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the
beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might
have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or
things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
(Col. 1:18-20, NIV)
 
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church
and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with
water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church,
without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Eph.
5:25-27, NIV)
 
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and
more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what
is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the
fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise
of God. (Phil. 1:9-11, NIV)
 
Implications
Ø  God’s
glory should be our supreme goal in all things.
Ø  God
is glorified when his Word is treasured and obeyed.
Ø  God
is glorified when the results cannot be attributed to anything other than his
grace and power.
 
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to
you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the
testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except
Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human
wisdom, but on God's power. (1 Co. 2:1-5, NIV)

“God, the Giver of Life”- Genesis 1:14-25 – (Eastside
Baptist/Sun PM/October 27, 2013)
 
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the
Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And
he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself
gives everyone life and breath and everything else. (Acts 17:24–25, NIV)
 
'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of
your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' (Acts 17:28, NIV)
 
Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left
with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. While
Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the
city was full of idols. (Acts 17:15–16, NIV)
 
Main Idea: As the sole Creator of the
universe, God is the source of all life.
 
1.  God filled the
abodes of light and darkness with the sun, moon, and stars.
 
And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the
sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark
sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the
sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. God made two great
lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the
night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give
light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from
darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was
morning-the fourth day. (Gen. 1:14–19, NIV)
 
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the
work of his hands. (Ps. 19:1, NIV)
 
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the
moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are
mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
(Ps. 8:3–4, NIV)
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens. (Ps. 8:1, NIV)
 
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry
host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he
puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the
people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded,
and it stood firm. (Ps. 33:6–9, NIV)
 
2.  God filled the
abodes of the sea and sky with fish and birds.
 
And God said, "Let the water teem with living
creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky."
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which
the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every
winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed
them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in
the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening,
and there was morning--the fifth day. (Gen. 1:20–23, NIV)
 
3. God filled the abode of the land with animals and all
kinds of living creatures.
 
And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures
according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the
ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.
God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to
their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to
their kinds. And God saw that it was good. (Gen. 1:24–25, NIV)
 
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the
Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And
he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself
gives everyone life and breath and everything else. (Acts 17:24–25, NIV)
'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of
your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' (Acts 17:28, NIV)
 
Main Idea: As the sole Creator of the
universe, God is the source of all life.
 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things
were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life,
and that life was the light of all mankind. (Jn. 1:1–4, NIV)
 
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow
me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch
them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;
no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. (Jn. 10:27–29,
NIV)

“What Is a Healthy Church Member? A Worshiping
Member”
(Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/October 27, 2013)
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member is a
faithful worshiper of God.
 
Whenever the living
creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who
lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits
on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their
crowns before the throne and say: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to
receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will
they were created and have their being." (Rev. 4:9–11, NIV)
 
Therefore, I urge you,
brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.
(Rom. 12:1, NIV)
 
Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him
in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his
surpassing greatness. (Ps. 150:1-2, NIV)
 
1.     
A healthy church member values private and
family worship.
 
Yet a time is coming and
has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and
in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit,
and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." (Jn. 4:23-24,
NIV)
 
Therefore, since we are
receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship
God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming
fire." (Heb. 12:28-29, NIV)
 
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love
the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength. (Deut. 6:4-5, NIV)
 
These commandments that I give you today are to be on
your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at
home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them
on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deut. 6:6-9, NIV)
 
2.     
A healthy church member prioritizes corporate
worship.
 
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he
who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the
habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the
Day approaching. (Heb. 10:23-25, NIV)
 
They
devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42, NIV)
 
For we
are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. (1 Co.
3:9, NIV)
 
Don't
you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in
your midst? (1 Co. 3:16, NIV)
 
Main Idea: A healthy church member values
private and family worship and prioritizes corporate worship with the family of
God.

“Sola Fide” Faith Alone
(Eastside Baptist/Wed PM/October 23, 2013)
 
Roman Catholic Distortions
Ø  Distortion
of the meaning of justification
Ø  Distortion
of the role of faith
Ø  Distortion
of the place of good works in relationship to justification and faith
 
What is Justification?
Ø  A legal
term that means to declare one “acquitted” or “innocent” in relationship to the
law.
Ø  Justification
has to do with legal standing; it is the opposite of condemnation.
 
What is Justification?
Ø  Justification
means to “declare” one righteous, not to “make” one righteous.
Ø  A person
could theoretically be justified on the basis of their own innocence or
righteousness.
§  The
problem is we are not innocent or righteous.
 
As it is written: "There is no one
righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who
seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is
no one who does good, not even one." (Rom. 3:10-12, NIV)
 
What is Justification?
Ø  R.C.
teaching suggests that we can actually become righteous and so be justified.
Ø  Scripture
teaches that our righteous deeds are as filthy rags and cannot earn standing
with God.
 
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isa. 64:6, NIV)
 
…a person is not justified by the works of the
law, but by faith in Jesus Christ…because by the works of the law no one will
be justified. (Gal. 2:16, NIV)
 
What is Justification?
Ø  So, in
order to be justified we need a righteousness that comes from outside
ourselves.
Ø  In
Christ Alone: Christ’s perfect life of righteousness is credited to us; our
guilt is credited to him.
§  Through
Faith
 
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in
God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become
conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has
been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness
is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no
difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,
through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to
demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins
committed beforehand unpunished–he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at
the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have
faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law?
The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we
maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
(Rom. 3:20–28, NIV)
 
there is only one God, who will justify the
circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. (Rom. 3:30,
NIV)
 
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put
confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the
people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to
the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness
based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss
for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of
the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost
all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in
him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that
which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the
basis of faith. (Phil. 3:4–9, NIV)
 
Christ, Grace, & Faith
Ø  The source
of our justification is the grace of God alone.
Ø  The ground
of our justification is the work of Christ alone.
Ø  The means
of our justification is faith alone.
 
What is Saving Faith?
Ø  Saving
Faith is a gift of God’s grace, merited by Christ’s work, and effected by the
new birth.
Ø  Saving
Faith involves 3 key components:
§  Knowledge
§  Assent
§  Commitment
 
Faith Involves Knowledge
Ø  In
distinction from the Roman Catholic church that taught “implicit faith.”
Ø  “Faith
comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about
Christ.” (Rom. 10:17, NIV)
Ø  Faith
engages the intellect.
 
Faith Involves Assent
Ø  Moves
beyond understanding to a personal acknowledgement and acceptance of those
truth claims.
Ø  Many
have an intellectual understanding of the gospel but are not converted.
Ø  Faith
engages the emotions.
 
Faith Involves Commitment
Ø  Moves
beyond knowledge of facts and acceptance of those facts to personal reliance
and commitment.
Ø  A
repentant faith that yields one’s whole self to Christ and relies on his work
alone for salvation.
Ø  Faith
engages the will.
 
Faith and Good Works
Ø  Good
works do not earn justification; good works flow from justification.
Ø  Good
works provide evidence of the work of regeneration and the presence of saving
faith.
Ø  The
distinction is crucial to the gospel!
 
For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so
that no one can boast.For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:8–10, NIV)
 
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if
someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? (Jas.
2:14, NIV)
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not
accompanied by action, is dead. (Jas. 2:17, NIV)
But someone will say, "You have faith; I
have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my
faith by my deeds. (Jas. 2:18, NIV)
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the
demons believe that--and shudder. (Jas. 2:19, NIV)
As the body without the spirit is dead, so
faith without deeds is dead. (Jas. 2:26, NIV)
 
Avoiding Two Errors
Ø  Faith
must not be combined with good works (or the church’s sacraments) as the means
for earning justification.
Ø  Faith
must not be reduced to mere intellectual assent without an accompanying
repentance and commitment to Christ.

“God, the Great Designer” (part 2) (Eastside
Baptist/Sun PM/October 20, 2013)
 
In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the
surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4
God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5
God called the light "day," and the darkness he called
"night." And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day.
6 And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters to
separate water from water." 7 So God made the vault and
separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8
God called the vault "sky." And there was evening, and there was
morning--the second day. 9 And God said, "Let the water under
the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was
so. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered
waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. 11
Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and
trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various
kinds." And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants
bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it
according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there
was evening, and there was morning--the third day. (Gen. 1:1-13, NIV)
 
1.  God’s orderly
design is displayed by the distribution of his creative activity over six equal
days.
 
2.  God’s orderly
design is displayed by the separation of light and darkness before the creation
of light giving bodies.
 
3. God’s orderliness is displayed by the separation of
water and sky before he fills them with fish and birds.
 
And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters
to separate water from water." So God made the vault and separated the
water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the
vault "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning--the second
day. (Gen. 1:6-8, NIV)
 
I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked
out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, (Prov. 8:27-28, NIV)
 
4. God’s orderly design is displayed by the separation of
the water from the land before he filled the land with living creatures and
human beings.
 
And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered
to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the
dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called
"seas." And God saw that it was good. (Gen. 1:9-10, NIV)
 
when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not
overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then
I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting
in mankind. (Prov. 8:29-31, NIV)
 
Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation:
seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it,
according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced
vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing
fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening, and there was morning--the third day. (Gen. 1:11-13,
NIV)
 
Main Idea
The Creator of heaven and earth is a God of order and design
who prepares his newly created world before he fills it with life.

“What Is a Healthy Church Member?”
(Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/October 20, 2013)
 
Last Week
A healthy church member is one who has been genuinely
converted through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by a
biblical response to the gospel and a changed life.
 
Main Idea
A healthy church member is a growing, learning disciple of
Jesus Christ who is seeking to make other disciples.
 
1.  Every Christian
is a Disciple.
 
Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my
disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For
whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for
me will save it. (Lk. 9:23–24, NIV)
 
Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and
looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
(Lk. 9:62, NIV)
 
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter
the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is
in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many
miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you
evildoers!’ (Matt. 7:21–23, NIV)
 
2.  Every disciple
is a growing, learning follower of Jesus Christ.
 
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28–30, NIV)
 
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have
not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the
knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit
gives,
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please
him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of
God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that
you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father,
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the
kingdom of light. (Col. 1:9–12, NIV)
 
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue
to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith
as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6–7, NIV)
 
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Pet. 3:18, NIV)
 
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone
with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Col.
1:28, NIV)
 
3.  Disciples of
Jesus Christ seek to make other disciples.
 
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will
send you out to fish for people." (Matt. 4:19, NIV)
 
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt. 28:18–20,
NIV)
 
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service,
so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the
faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to
the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:11–13, NIV)
 
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you
teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs
from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Col. 3:16, NIV)
 
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla
and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the
way of God more adequately. (Acts 18:26, NIV)
 
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many
witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach
others. (2 Tim. 2:2, NIV)
 
Main Idea
A healthy church member is a growing, learning disciple of
Jesus Christ who is seeking to make other disciples.

“Sola Gratia” Grace Alone (Eastside Baptist/Wed
PM/October 16, 2013)
 
Brief Historical Background
Ø  Development
of centralized  church authority and
accumulation of church traditions
Ø  Led
to corruptions of the biblical gospel of salvation
Ø  Sacramental
theology and the merits of human good works
 
Grace in R.C. Teaching
Ø  Grace
is absolutely necessary for salvation.
Ø  Grace
works in cooperation with human responsibility.
Ø  Grace
is mediated through the church and its sacraments.
 
Reformers on Grace
Ø  Grace
is absolutely necessary and sufficient for salvation.
Ø  Grace
is monergistic (God working alone), not synergistic (God working with human
cooperation).
Ø  Grace
comes directly from God
 
Grace Alone
Ø  The
Depth of Human Sinfulness
Ø  The
Judgment of God
Ø  Human
Spiritual Inability
Ø  God’s
Freedom & Efficient Grace
 
Depth of Human Sinfulness
Ø  Sin:
not just individual acts but a complete state of rebellion against our Holy
God.
Ø  Sin
is fundamentally a rejection of God’s rule and a desire for self-rule.
Ø  Spurning
of the glory of God.
 
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even
one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have
turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does
good, not even one." (Rom. 3:10–12, NIV)
 
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(Rom. 3:23, NIV)
 
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as
God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish
hearts were darkened. (Rom. 1:21, NIV)
 
They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the
name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and
glorify him. (Rev. 16:9, NIV)
 
Judgment of God
Ø  Based
on God’s Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice.
Ø  Every
human being is worthy of eternal judgment because of sin.
Ø  There
will be a final reckoning day, no excuses accepted.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the
angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be
gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right
and the goats on his left."Then the King will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom
prepared for you since the creation of the world. (Matthew 25:31–34)
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from
me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels. (Matt. 25:41, NIV)
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the
righteous to eternal life." (Matt. 25:46, NIV)
 
Human Spiritual Inability
Ø  No
one seeks God (Rom 3:11).
Ø  Our
sinfulness permeates every aspect of our being, including our minds and wills.
Ø  We
may understand the truths of the gospel, but will naturally reject it because
our sinful mind will not desire it.
 
Human Spiritual Inability
Ø  Only
God’s grace of regeneration enables our minds to desire and embrace the gospel.
Ø  “Revealed
by my father in heaven.” (Matt 16:17)
Ø  “Must
be born again.” (Jn 3:3)
 
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws
him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (Jn. 6:44, ESV)
 
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no
one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matt. 11:27, ESV)
 
God’s Freedom and Grace
Ø  God
is free to be sovereign in the dispensing of his grace.
Ø  God
is not bound to apply a human sense of fairness.
Ø  God
is bound only by his own holiness, justice, and desire to show love and mercy.
 
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in
Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will–to the praise of
his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with
the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and
understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his
good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the
times reach their fulfillment--to bring unity to all things in heaven and on
earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined
according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the
purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in
Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in
Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When
you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who
is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God's possession--to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:3–14, NIV)
 
God’s Freedom and Grace
Ø  God
the Father: electing
Ø  God
the Son: redeeming
Ø  God
the Spirit: effectually calling
Ø  God
bestows his effectual grace out of the goodness of his own will, not based on
anything in us—past, present, or future.
 
Implications
Ø  Grace
is not: “God helps those who help themselves.”
Ø  Grace
is a free gift of God’s love that alone accomplishes our salvation through the
redeeming work of the son, and the regeneration of the Spirit.