July 21, 2019

Genesis 11:1-9 The Relevancy of the Tower of Babel

1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
7 “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Main Topics/Questions

Please consider the following topics/questions as you listen to the sermon:

1. Why is the story of the Tower of Babel significant? What is its continuing relevancy?
2. What events lead up to the Tower of Babel?
3. What does true love require? What does God want? What happened because when choices were made by some angels and by Adam and Eve?
4. What was God's promise to Eve?
5. What are the main points of Genesis Chapters 1-3? What are the main topics of Genesis Chapters 4-5? What happens about 1,600 years after creation? How does this relate to sedimentary rock layers and fossils?
6.  Where did the descendants of Noah decide to settle? Why did they build the city and the tower? How was this rebelling against God? How does this relate to events in that happened later? Biblically speaking, Babylon is the definition of what?
7. What other things does the Tower of Babel signal? How are the Table of Nations related to the nations of today? How does the approximate number of language families compare to the number of people who scattered in Genesis 10 after the Tower of Babel?
8. What does God say to Abraham after the nations scattered from Babel about 300 years earlier? What was God's plan in this directive?
Who is the major focus of God’s plan (the seed or descendant) who will bless all the nations or all the families of the earth? What is the blessing?
9. Babel not only confused languages, but divided people in what other ways?

Conclusion:
Thankfully by the power of the Holy Spirit the sin of Babel is overcome. It’s overcome at Pentecost as Acts 2:9-11 says,

9  Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10  Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11  Cretans and Arabs––we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

But even greater still is how Babel is overcome in the end according to Revelation 7:9-10,

9  After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10  and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

If America is a melting pot of many different peoples the Kingdom of Heaven is an even greater one. So why do a VBS on the Tower of Babel? Because salvation history goes through the Tower of Babel all the way to every nation and people group on earth.

Click on the player to listen to the full audio sermon.

If the player doesn't work, you can listen to the sermon on Google Drive.

Do you feel an emptiness in your life? Are you seeking answers but don't know where to look? Have you ever wondered if you are good enough? Please read the summary of the gospel message, "Four Things You Need to Know About God"

Please send an email to the Pastor if you have questions.

July 14, 2019

Luke 17: 11-19 - The Ten Lepers

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Main Topics/Questions

Please consider the following topics/questions as you listen to the sermon:
1. What was the response of the Pharisees to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead? How is the resurrection of Lazarus, the widow of Nain’s son in Luke 7:11-17 as well as Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8:49-56 related to the main point of the passage today?
2. How does the map of Israel today compare to the area 2,000 years ago? What was the typical route Jews would take to travel from Galilee to Judea? Why did Jews take this roundabout route?
3. What did Solomon do that caused problems when he drifted away from God? Although Solomon got right with God shortly before he died, he didn't have time to undo his mistakes. What happens when Solomon's son, Rehoboan continues with the same path making the problems worse instead of changing course and fixing the problems?
4. Who were the Samaritans and how did they fit in?
5. Where did Jesus meet the ten lepers? What is leprosy? What were lepers expected to do to keep from spreading the disease?
6. What is the significance of the lepers addressing Jesus as Master? What did Jesus instruct them to do? Why would this be unusual for one member of the group?
7. What actions of the ten show that each has some level of faith? What actions showed one had a faith that saves from sin? How does the different levels of faith in the story relate to what goes on today?

Conclusion:

But verse 19 is really the key verse for this entire passage (listen to what Jesus says), "And He said to him, 'Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."' The NAB translates it this way: "Then he said to him, 'Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.'" Both translations work, but the last one is better because while all ten had faith to be healed only one had faith to be saved from sin. When it comes to salvation your ethnic background isn’t ever an issue. The only issue is what kind of faith do you have? Who is Jesus Christ to you? Is Jesus just a genie in a bottle that you call upon to grant your wishes? Or is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior who died to forgive you of your sins and rose again to give you the hope of everlasting life? Do you try to obey the commands of Jesus in order to try to get points to earn you favor? Or do you seek to obey the commands of Jesus out of gratitude for what He has done for you? One faith saves, but the other does not. What kind of faith do you have?

Click on the player to listen to the full audio sermon.

If the player doesn't work, you can listen to the sermon on Google Drive.

Do you feel an emptiness in your life? Are you seeking answers but don't know where to look? Have you ever wondered if you are good enough? Please read the summary of the gospel message, "Four Things You Need to Know About God"

Please send an email to the Pastor if you have questions.