DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

Believers Are Indwelt By the Spirit of God Key Verse: Romans 8:9           I.      What Was True of the Roman Believers Is True of Any Believer       A.      Paul spoke of his own liberation from the law of sin ( Rom. 8:2 ) and of the Roman believers whom he referred to as “called of Jesus Christ” ( Rom. 1:6 ) and “called saints” ( v. 7 ) . In 8:9 he stated unequivocally, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.”       B.      In the next phrase he moves on to apply this truth to any believer. The first word to follow is eíper, translated in the KJV “Now if.” This is a conditional conjunction made up of eí, if, and the enclitic participle per, used as an adverb with the meaning of indeed, very, wholly, ever. Thus eíper, the conditional conjunction, is made to mean not a mere “if,” but “since” and should be rendered “since indeed.” Thus eíper here becomes not a mere...

Your Thoughts Betray What You Are Key Verse: Romans 8:3–7           I.      According to Romans 8:4 There Are Two Kinds of People in the World.       A.      Those who walk according to the flesh.          1.      Flesh (sárx) here denotes sinful, human nature apart from God ( Rom. 3:12 , 23 ; 5:12 ) .          2.      Such do not have God’s rightful expectation (dikaíōsis, the act of making us what we should justly be and what God originally created us to be) as Romans 8:3 explains.          3.      What it means “to walk according to the flesh” is elaborated upon by Paul in Romans 7:4–25 ; Galatians 5:16–21 ; 1 Corinthians 3:1–4 (sarkikós, carnal, fleshly, behaving in obedience to one’s bodily appetites without the control of one’s spirit).          4. ...

The Incarnation of God Key Verses: Romans 1:1–17           I.      The Birth of Jesus Was and Is Good News       A.      This was not the birth of just another child.          1.      He came to be Savior of the Jews ( Matt. 1:21 ) .          2.      His mother recognized her own baby as God her Savior ( Luke 1:47 ) .          3.      The angel from heaven proclaimed the baby of Bethlehem as Savior, the Christ, God’s anointed, the Lord. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” ( Luke 2:11 ) .          4.      He came to save the whole world ( John 4:42 ) .          5.      Paul acknowledges his mission to be that of the proclamation of the Gospel. “Paul,...

The Relationship of John the Baptist To Christ Key Verse: Acts 18:25           I.      God Has a Plan and a Timetable       A.      The character of God never changes ( Ps. 102:27 ; Mal. 3:6 ; Heb. 13:8 ) .       B.      However, He acts variably at different times toward different people to accomplish His plan and purpose.       C.      We do the same as parents in relationship to our children. We do not treat a sixteen-year-old as we do a two-year-old, but in spite of the discriminating treatment we give, it does not mean we have changed in our character.       D.      There is a fallacy in the oft-repeated statement, “God did it in the past; He will do it today.” Of the fact that He can do today what He did in the past there is no doubt, but He may not choose to do the same for us as He did for the wandering Is...

God Is Not A Racist Key Verses: Acts 10:34–38           I.      Humanity Is Divided Into Races and Nations       A.      The Apostle Paul in speaking to the Athenians in Acts 17:26 , made clear the present state of humanity. “And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitations.”          1.      We do not all belong to one nation, or to one tribe, or to one language, or to one set of customs. The first thing that we must recognize is where we belong.          2.      Those who belong to different races and different nations must not look upon others with disdain but with the recognition that in our veins there runs the same human blood.          3.      Therefore...

The True Gospel and Another Gospel Key Verse: Galatians 1:8 I. What is the true gospel? A. The “good news,” euaggélion, is for all (John 1:12; 3:16; 1 Tim. 4:10; 1 John 2:2). B. It is good news because it offers us what we need—grace, undeserved favor—and not what we deserve. Twice the word grace is mentioned in this passage (Gal. 1:3, 6). C. Christ offers this grace, not as a mere man, but as an equal with God. Notice verse three, “Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is not presented here as Savior only, but also as Lord. If He is not received as Lord, neither can He be received as Savior. D. It is good news because it gives us peace. When we appropriate the grace which comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, we experience reconciliation with God and the resulting peace brings abundant harmony. II. The gospel signifies what Christ did for us. A. ...

How to Live Victoriously in an Evil World Key Verse: Galatians 1:4 I. The world in which we live today is evil. A. The world was not always evil. 1. The creation narrative many times states that what God made was good (Gen. 1:4, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). 2. The world became evil through man’s disobedience to God (Gen. 3). 3. In Greek the most common word for the world is kósmos, “the sum total of the material universe, including man.” Kósmos is derived from the verb kosméō, “to beautify,” which indicates the original creation and purpose of the world. It was good. But since the fall of man, the good and beauty in the world can best be discerned and enjoyed by those who have God within them. These are the blessed and the meek which are described in the third beatitude (Matt. 5:5). They are the ones who inherit the earth, who enjoy its original purpose. 4. The Greek word, however, in Galatians 1:4 is aiṓ...

New Creatures Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 I. What is the natural man like? A. The natural man does not perceive God (Rom. 8:7). B. Consequently, he cannot please God (Rom. 8:8). II. It is Christ who makes the difference. A. Christ must actually indwell us (John 17:23, 26; Rom. 8:10; Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27). B. It is only when Christ is in us that we become acceptable to God (Rom. 8:1; 1 Cor. 1:30). C. In this state, nothing can separate us from God’s love (Rom. 8:38, 39). III. Christ enters us because of our faith in Him. A. Christ and the prophets before Him proclaimed that He was the way to salvation (Is. 53:11; Matt. 3:11; John 5:24; 10:9; 11:25; 14:6). B. The apostles also preached salvation through faith in Christ alone (Rom. 10:8–11; Eph. 2:8). IV. Those in Christ are changed people. A. Paul used the Greek word kainḗ, which m...

“Buts” of the Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15 I. Introduction A. There is only one Question about Life, Death, and Eternity 1. Is Christ risen? 2. The question of the Pharisees a. “What sign showest thou?” (John 2:18) b. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 12:19) B. The Greatest Chapter on the Resurrection 1. Paul’s letter to a troubled church a. Divisions, carnality, immorality, confusion, and victory b. Paul ends his letter with truth about resurrection 2. Three verses, (13, 20, 57), all beginning with the same word — BUT II. Body A. But … if There be no Resurrection (v. 13) 1. The frightening prospect of no resurrection 2. “What-ifs” of history a. Christopher Columbus had not made his voyage b. Martin Lu...

Confirmed Hope Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:20 I. Life without hope is worthless. A. Hope must be grounded upon something, for baseless hope is the product of an irrational mind. B. It should involve not only this life, but also the life that follows death (1 Cor. 15:19). C. If we hope only for what death will eventually terminate anyway, we are more miserable than all men. This means that we as believers must have hope beyond the grave. II. Christ is not only for this life. A. Certainly, Paul’s concern was that Christ be magnified in his body (Phil. 1:20). B. However, to be absent from the body meant that he would be with Christ (Phil. 1:23) in an even greater state of existence. III. Christ’s resurrection is the foundation of our hope. A. Paul gave historical proof of Christ’s physical resurrection (1 Cor. 15:4–11). B. He also countered the possible object...

From Morticians to Missionaries Luke 24:8–9 I. Introduction A. The Cross and its Results 1. The priests—rid of the One who spoke with such authority 2. The Pharisees—rid of Him whose life revealed their sin 3. The authorities—rid of the tumult with the people 4. Peter—boastful before, but broken now 5. Joseph of Arimathea—cowardly before, but courageous now B. The Setting and the Scene, Impact upon the Women 1. The women make their way to the tomb to embalm the Lord’s body 2. The first day of the week, the Lord’s day 3. Very early in the morning, the first sunrise service 4. The stone rolled away, they had worried about the safekeeping of Jesus’ body II. Body A. The Women Remembered his Words (vv. 6–8) 1. The question, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” a. A good question for today b. A good question for those with loved ones in heaven 2. He is not here! a. ...

Modern Day “Corinthians” Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:11 I. Corinth was a prosperous, but sin-filled city. A. Paul did not hesitate to come and preach the gospel in such an environment proving that “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20). B. People living in such a sinful environment today also need the same four exhortations Paul gave to the Corinthian Christians (1 Cor. 10:7–10). II. Beware of idolatry. A. “Neither be ye idolaters” (1 Cor. 10:7). The verb translated “be ye” is gínesthe meaning, “keep becoming.” There is an insidiousness about idolatry as we tend to conform to the values of our society. B. Paul uses the illustration of the Israelites in the wilderness where they “offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings: and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play” (Ex. 32:6). The Israelites imitated the false worship of the peoples around them rather than waiting for Moses to come down fro...

No One Can Separate Us From God’s Love Key Verse: Romans 8:31 I. Is God for us? A. Sometimes we may think that a certain influential person would be willing to help us anytime, but then in a time of need we discover this is not true. B. Our assurance of God’s love, on the other hand, is dependent upon our relationship with Him and knowledge of His faithfulness. If we are strangers to Him, then we will resent any interference in our lives. But if He is our Father, we will desire to be close to Him. If God seems to be far away, it is because we have moved away from Him and not vice versa. We must remain in fellowship with God in order to realize His faithfulness to us. C. In Romans 8:31 the phrase “If God be for us” is poorly translated. The particle ei does not provide for a supposition, but for a certainty. It is not a condition, but a conclusion. It should really read, “since God is for us.” Because it is certain that God is...

No One Can Separate Us From God’s Love Key Verse: Romans 8:31 I. Is God for us? A. Sometimes we may think that a certain influential person would be willing to help us anytime, but then in a time of need we discover this is not true. B. Our assurance of God’s love, on the other hand, is dependent upon our relationship with Him and knowledge of His faithfulness. If we are strangers to Him, then we will resent any interference in our lives. But if He is our Father, we will desire to be close to Him. If God seems to be far away, it is because we have moved away from Him and not vice versa. We must remain in fellowship with God in order to realize His faithfulness to us. C. In Romans 8:31 the phrase “If God be for us” is poorly translated. The particle ei does not provide for a supposition, but for a certainty. It is not a condition, but a conclusion. It should really read, “since God is for us.” Because it is certain that God i...

God’s Spirit In Control of Our Lives Key Verse: Romans 8:14 I. What is the test of a born-again believer? A. One is not marked as a believer by a mere profession of faith, but rather by being indwelt and led by God’s Spirit (Rom. 8:11, 14). We are told that the Holy Spirit dwells in us as believers in Christ (Rom. 8:9–11). Paul uses this same idea when he speaks of our being “sealed” by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). We are consequently led by Him (Rom. 8:14). B. In Romans 7:17, Paul uses the same words (oikṓ en, “dwell in”) to refer to sin dwelling in him as when he speaks of the Spirit dwelling in him (Rom. 8:9). Therefore, Paul is saying that his sinful nature has not been eradicated by the entrance of the Holy Spirit into his life. C. Paul desired to serve the indwelling Spirit instead of the sinful flesh which struggled against this (Rom. 7:22, 23). D. If he had been led by his old nature, one could question wheth...

Water Baptism and the Holy Spirit Key Verse: Acts 8:15 I. Philip baptized believers and unbelievers with water. A. Many in Samaria were baptized after hearing Philip preach about Christ and believing “the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 8:12). B. Among them was Simon the magician who had been influencing the people in that region with his magic. Although Simon claimed to be a believer, his heart had not yet been enlightened by the Holy Spirit. II. The apostles responded to the situation. A. After hearing “that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John” (Acts 8:14). B. The Apostles’ concern was that the believers receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:15, 17), the sign of true acceptance by God (Matt. 3:11; Acts 10:44–48). III. Water baptism is invalid without the Holy Spirit. A. The believers’ faith was confirmed and their salvation made sure when they received the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:17; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; ...

Changing Your Mind Can Be Blessed or Disastrous Key Verse: Matthew 21:29 I. The context of the parable of the two sons A. The parable comes in response to the question the chief priests and elders asked Jesus as He taught in the temple, “… By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?” (Matt. 21:23). 1. Jesus refused to answer their question directly since they declined to answer His own question concerning the source of John the Baptist’s baptism. 2. Yet this parable provides an indirect answer, as is shown by the connective “but” which begins it. B. This parable is presented as a vivid pictorial challenge to the Jewish leaders. 1. In Matthew 3:4–6 we find a first group responding to the message of repentance by John. But they came to John after their change of mind and regret for their sinful way of life. They feared that the Messiah wou...

The Coming of the Holy Spirit Key Verse: John 15:26 I. The Holy Spirit has always existed. A. The Lord Jesus has always been. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1) refers to the eternal self-existence of Jesus before He became flesh (John 1:14). B. It is equally true that the Holy Spirit has always existed and been active in the affairs of the world along with God the Father, and God the Son. For instance, it was the Holy Spirit who was instrumental in the conception of Jesus in human form (Matt. 1:18, 20). It was also said that John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). Likewise, both Zacharias and Elisabeth were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41, 67), as were Simeon (Luke 2:25) and Anna (Luke 2:36). These events all occurred before the manifestation of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. II. Jesus foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit on the n...