Podcasts about Impurity

Title: “Not An Empty Visit” Part 1 Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 FCF: We often struggle boldly giving the gospel without allowing in worldly influence. Prop: Because the gospel is God's power unto salvation, we must boldly give the unaltered gospel of God. Scripture Intro: CSB [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. In a moment we'll read from the Christian Standard Bible starting in verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. I realize that it has been over two years since we have studied a New Testament letter. When we study this genre, it usually consists of 2 or 3 thoughts that are being conveyed, not in story, but in logical exposition. This requires us to simultaneously zoom in to individual thoughts while continuing to keep the broader picture in mind. So, with that being said – let's review what Chapter one talked about before we move into chapter two. Chapter 1 began with a greeting to the Thessalonian church and then immediately Paul expressed his and his companions' thankfulness to God for them – and for the cardinal Christian graces that they continue to demonstrate. Of course, the reason that they are thankful for the Thessalonian church is because the evangelists know that they are God's elect. How do they know that? First, because of the way the gospel came to them in the power of the Spirit. Second, because they have observed how the Thessalonian church has become imitators of Christ and are setting a good example for all believes both in how they receive the Word in joy amid persecution and how they shared their testimony. Paul will now turn his attention to the evangelists' example when they were among them. So, let's read Paul's next thought, starting in verse 1 and going to verse 12 of chapter 2. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: All Powerful God, we come to you today to revel in what You have done. You have rescued us from Your Holy Justice. You have placed on Christ our just reward for our sin. You have given us His righteousness by which we can, by faith, walk worthy of our holy calling. I pray that You would use Your Spirit to open our eyes to what we must be for Your glory. And Lord, give new hearts to those who need them so they too can respond to the gospel of light and life. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “We do not evangelize because we expect results. We evangelize because we are sent men.” Joe Blinco “Every single believer is a God-ordained agent of evangelism.” R.B. Kuiper “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” C.H. Spurgeon Let these ideas roll over you as we set into the text this morning. I.) The gospel is God's power unto salvation, so we must boldly preach the gospel of God in spite of opposition. (1-2) a. [Slide 3] 1 - For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result. i. The word “for” obviously beckons us to look backward. 1. This conjunction explains something mentioned previously. 2. Since Paul goes on to explain how he and his companions came to Thessalonica and how they were received, we should see this entire section as an explanation of the statement from verse 9. 3. Which itself is a further result from what was stated in verse 5, how the Thessalonians knew what kind of men the evangelists were by how they conducted themselves in Thessalonica. 4. Verses 1-16 of chapter 2 is an explanation or an elaboration from the evangelists' point of view on those same events. 5. The more perplexing question is, why is Paul reviewing this content if the Thessalonians got it right? If they accurately remembered all of this information – why say it again? a. Some scholars believe that Paul is explaining how they were different from other traveling teachers and their sordid practices. b. Some scholars insist that Paul is merely reemphasizing their example to the Thessalonians so that they and their leaders could continue to imitate them. c. Still others think that Paul is addressing accusations against the evangelists raised by unbelieving people in Thessalonica, in an attempt to dissuade the Thessalonian church from abandoning their lifestyles. 6. It is my point of view that all of these can be true all at once. And most likely – they probably are all true to some degree. ii. Paul again uses the word “know” and Paul again says they know. They know what? iii. Specifically, Paul says that they know that it was not without result. 1. The words “without result” is also much debated. 2. If you want a full explanation on all the options, you should come to Thursday Night Bible Study where we always take a behind the sermon look at the text. 3. But it seems best to me to think that Paul is saying that their time with the Thessalonians did not prove to be without fruit. iv. So how was their ministry there fruitful? b. [Slide 4] 2 - On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, i. Part of the proof of the fruitfulness of the mission was is in the humble and tumultuous beginnings of the Thessalonian mission. ii. Paul and his companions didn't ride into Thessalonica with groupies and with pomp and fanfare. iii. They didn't come into the city having grown accustomed to overwhelmingly positive responses to their presence. iv. In other words – they know a poor reception when they see one. v. And it doesn't get much poorer of a reception as it did in Philippi. vi. As a reminder to us – what happened in Phillipi? 1. While going down to the river to pray, a demon possessed girl who was being used by men for the spirits' fortune telling capabilities, came against the apostles. The spirit did so, so frequently, and so obnoxiously, that Paul eventually grew irritated and cast the demon out. 2. The men who prostituted her for her sad condition were furious because their source of income had dried up. 3. They brought Paul and Silas before the city magistrates. They were beaten and thrown in prison without a trial. 4. Of course, God freed them from the jail, which led to the conversion of the Philippian jailer. But eventually they were forced to leave. vii. Paul, to the Thessalonians confesses that this treatment was outrageous, even by gentile standards. viii. So, the Thessalonian mission did not begin with an expectation of the evangelists to be received well. ix. But what did happen that made sure their entrance was not in vain? That it produced results? c. [Slide 5] we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. i. After they arrived from Philippi, they did not come in gun shy. ii. They didn't come timidly. iii. They came emboldened by God. They were given courage by God to speak His gospel to them. iv. Now what might Paul mean “in spite of great opposition?” v. This is most certainly referencing the opposition in Thessalonica itself. vi. We know that only 3 weeks into the mission in Thessalonica, Paul had to abandon his teaching in the synagogue, since the Jews had, for the most part, rejected the message of the gospel. vii. Over the next few weeks, the Jews became increasingly more and more jealous of the success of the gospel to persuade many gentiles to receive Christ. This is when they raised up a mob. viii. In spite of this, the evangelists were given boldness by God to preach His message and because of God, the results bore much fruit. d. [Slide 6] Summary of the Point: In these first two verses Paul demonstrates quite clearly that the courage to preach the gospel, the message of the gospel, and the results of the gospel are always sourced in God Himself. In the book of Romans, Paul puts this succinctly when he says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. And let's imagine that these evangelists are humans like you and I. Do you think the evangelists, in their flesh, arrived in Thessalonica and were a little hesitant about preaching the gospel? Do you think they'd rather teach something else or at least do it quietly at first to make sure they weren't immediately booted out of Thessalonica too? Do you think they were tempted to use the gospel to serve themselves and care for themselves? Most likely they arrived in Thessalonica still bearing bruises and cuts from their beatings in Philippi. Do you think they were not tempted to keep a low profile or even to alter their message so it wasn't as offensive? Maybe they should focus on befriending everyone first and then worry about preaching the gospel. Instead, Paul says that the courage, the message, and the results are all of God. So, like the apostles, we too must boldly preach the gospel of God in spite of opposition. Transition: [Slide 7 (blank)] So, we see the positive side of why their mission was not vain, empty, or fruitless. It was emboldened by God, with His message and therefore He produced the results. But if you are thinking, ok, what was there to succumb to? What were the apostles tempted to replace the boldness and message of God with? What would have rendered their mission there, empty? In the next four verses, Paul identifies 6 fleshly motives they did not bring with them to preach to the Thessalonians. These 6 motives would have rendered their mission there fruitless and in vain. So, what are they? II.) The gospel is God's power unto salvation, so we must preach the gospel in accordance with His will. (3-6) a. [Slide 8] 3 - For our exhortation didn't come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. i. This word “for” is again an explanatory conjunction. ii. But what is it explaining? iii. It is explaining how they know that God emboldened them to preach his message in spite of persecution. And the evidence is in what they did not do. iv. Paul doesn't tell them what they already know happened. He tells them what they know DIDN”T happen. Which is probably to counter things that are being spoken against the evangelists. v. So what are Paul, Silas, and Timothy being accused of? 1. Paul says that their exhortation, their appeal, their plea for them to receive the gospel, did not come from error. 2. Error here carries with it the idea of unintentional ignorance. Paul and his companions did not come, begging them to receive Christ, because they were delusional or ill-informed or doctrinally imprecise. 3. Paul says they did not make their appeal from impurity either. 4. Impurity is often used to describe sexual sins, but here in the context it seems that this isn't what Paul intends. 5. More likely Paul means the more general idea that is to mix something pure with something impure. 6. And so Paul is saying that their gospel appeal was not made with their mouths while they had ulterior motives in their hearts. It isn't a bait and switch. It wasn't given to them in order to accomplish some selfish goal. 7. Finally, Paul says they did not make their appeal by way of deceit or as the CSB translates it, with intent to deceive. 8. The CSB helps us here to understand that this is by far the most egregious accusation. That the evangelists came with skillful treachery to intentionally lead them astray. vi. Paul denies all these claims and goes back to his original point. b. [Slide 9] 4 - Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts. i. The source of their message and even their commissioning is God Himself. ii. God approved them for this work and entrusted them with the gospel. This word entrusted is the same word we use when we talk about belief or faith. God trusted them, His apostles, and by extension, His church, with His gospel message. iii. Therefore, they don't have the low aspiration with their appeal to woo people to themselves or to tell people what they want to hear. iv. Paul even warns in a later letter that in the last days people will gather to themselves preachers who tickle their ears. Who tell them what they want to hear. v. Indeed, part of the reason such preachers are popular is because they'd never be caught teaching anything that might offend someone. 1. Joel Osteen was on a Larry King once with John MacArthur. The question was raised concerning homosexuality. 2. Of course, John MacArthur articulated well the ancient teaching of the scriptures regarding the sinfulness of the lifestyle. 3. But Osteen, who today has a church attendance of around 52,000 people on average, did all he could to avoid taking any stand at all on the issue. He bumbled his way through trying desperately to say nothing at all. 4. Why? 5. He is an ear tickler. He tells people what they already think. He tells them what they want to hear. And if he wants to keep the 52,000 congregation… he'll continue to do just that. vi. The evangelists did not try to tickle the ears of the Thessalonians and preach something that would please them or confirm what they already thought. vii. Why? viii. Because the evangelists will not stand before the Thessalonians someday to give an account for how they handled the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, they will stand before God Himself. ix. Why? x. Because the gospel is GOD'S! It is God's power to salvation. It's message and Its effect all belong to HIM. And Him alone. We do not have the liberty to alter it or use it for selfish ends. xi. And here is the great warning to us… xii. God EXAMINES the thoughts and intentions of the hearts of every evangelist. Despite our best efforts to hide, if we have these motives, God would see right through us. xiii. Instead, the Evangelists endeavor to please God and fulfill the commission that He has given them. c. [Slide 10] 5 - For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives—God is our witness— i. So, the evangelists did not make their appeal to them because they were ill-informed, had ulterior motives, wished to deceive them or wished to please them and gain popularity. ii. They also NEVER wished to flatter them in order to extort them. iii. We should see this flattery of speech and greedy motives as connected and not two separate things. iv. They never used buttery language set in honey to fleece them. v. It was quite common for traveling preachers to pop into a city for a short time and sell their snake oil. vi. Cults continue to make unseemly amounts of money off of people primarily by crafting their message around what people want to hear and flattering them with only positive language. vii. Before you know it, you are writing checks for the ministry. Big checks too. Why? viii. Because big gifts = big rewards. ix. But the evangelists never wished to get anything from the Thessalonians. They didn't peddle the gospel for money. Paul worked hard as a tentmaker to ensure that his expenses were paid so that he did not have to live by those who received the gospel. x. As he mentioned earlier – God sees their hearts… so God can bear witness to the fact that they did not do this to make money. xi. How else did the evangelists NOT come to Thessalonica? d. [Slide 11] 6 - and we didn't seek glory from people, either from you or from others. i. Sometimes traveling teachers would not come in for money, or for popularity, but in order that they would make a name for themselves. ii. That they would be renowned as an excellent speaker. iii. But Paul assures the Thessalonians – that isn't us. iv. May Christ increase and we decrease was their motto. v. They wished to spread the fame of Jesus' name – but not their own. vi. Paul, Silas, and Timothy, were blameless in their giving of the gospel. Because they wanted nothing from the Thessalonians other than for them to hear about God and His Christ who died to save sinners from the wrath to come. vii. They preached this message boldly, not for their hearer's sake, but primarily to please God who had approved of them and entrusted them with the gospel. e. [Slide 12] Summary of the Point: Paul once again, in different words, makes the same point. He says in no uncertain terms that God approved and entrusted the gospel to these evangelists. And God continued to examine their hearts too as they took His gospel wherever they went. By extension we can say that God approves and entrusts His church with His gospel as well, and continues to examine our hearts as we take it to the nations. What does this mean? Essentially it is the same point as before. The gospel is God's power unto salvation. What does that mean we must do? It means that we must not appropriate the gospel for selfish ends, and we must not alter the gospel or dilute the gospel to please those to whom we preach it. Since it is God's gospel and His power and His results which He entrusts to us, we should be very careful that our message, methods, and motives all align with His will. And we would do well to recognize that He sees our motives all the time. Conclusion: So CBC, what basic concepts have we learned today that informs and corrects our faith and shapes and guides our practice? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 13] The Gospel belongs to God. It is His. Its message, its power, its effect, its calling, its distribution all belong to God. It is His power unto salvation for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. Because, beginning to end it all belongs to God, full stop. Because of this, we have some explicit warnings in this passage that we would do well to heed. First, we should preach it with confidence, even in the midst of great opposition. He will give us boldness to preach His message. Why? Because it belongs to Him. And so, by the way, do we. We are not given the luxury of preaching the gospel only when it is convenient, comfortable, or pleasant. A second application we can draw from the fact that the gospel belongs to God is that we must be abundantly careful that we do not succumb to the temptation to dilute the gospel's message and/or use worldly methods to preach it, in order to pursue selfish motives. But let me rail on this a little. Because if you think that American Christianity doesn't have a problem with this – you have been living under a rock. 1.) [Slide 14] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the Gospel is God's power unto salvation. a. In 1741 in Enfield Massachusetts, Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” b. Enfield was known as a fairly sinful community and was at this time host to various preachers coming for the week. c. It is said that during his sermon people interrupted him several times. But the interruptions were not rude or antagonistic. Instead, they were weeping, rolling on the ground, grabbing hold of the pillars of the church building, crying out to God for mercy and to spare them His wrath. d. This sermon became famous for officially beginning the Great Awakening in the American Colonies. e. Now if you hear this Historical record and your first thought is that Jonathan Edwards must have been a very powerful speaker. Well, there are two things wrong with you. First, you haven't listened to the sermon up to this point and second you know nothing of Jonathan Edwards. f. Jonathan Edwards had somewhat of a weak voice. He read/memorized his sermon. He was not a boring man but he was by no means an entertainer or an exceptionally gifted speaker. g. And perhaps you think – well perhaps he wasn't an especially gifted speaker but gifted writing even in the hands of poor speakers can still have great impact. h. Ahh, two problems again. First, you haven't listened to the sermon up to this point. Second, This wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last time Jonathan Edwards would preach this sermon. i. If it were an especially excellent homiletical work, we might expect it to render results on everyone who sees it or hears it. Afterall, especially gifted pieces of art fascinate most from the connoisseur to the ignorant. Though you know nothing of musical composition, to sit and listen to Brahms, Beethoven, Bach, or Vivaldi, you cannot help but be in awe of the way the notes weave themselves together. j. And yet, history records for us that although others responded to the same sermon, it was never as powerful as it had been that day in Enfield. k. All this proves the point which Paul so masterfully drives home. l. The gospel is God's message. He gives it power and persuasion as He brings its truths to bear upon the hearers. He also gives His preachers the boldness to preach such a message. He approves and entrusts the gospel message to them while examining their hearts to be sure they are empty of self. m. The gospel is God's power unto salvation. n. Not only should men not take and meddle with it – ultimately, they cannot. o. The real power of the real gospel belongs exclusively to God. p. What does this mean for us? q. Well positively we must conclude that.. 2.) [Slide 15] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must preach the gospel boldly even amid great opposition. a. Now think about this. If the gospel's power relies on our power of persuasion. If we are responsible for convincing and drawing and wooing men to the gospel… b. How might opposition and severe persecution hinder the gospel? c. If God has entrusted the gospel to us, to the extent that the conversion of every person relies on our excellence in preaching the gospel… d. Then my friends – we are sunk. e. You might say – No Chris! I'm not afraid of persecution! They can do anything they want to me. I'll still preach the gospel with the same power and vigor. f. My friend, you are either a fool or a liar. g. In your flesh, you would crumble and succumb. Were it not for the emboldening of God, Paul, Silas, and Timothy would not have preached the gospel in Thessalonica. h. But the message of the gospel, the power of the gospel, the boldness to share the gospel, the results of the gospel, the commissioning of the gospel, the entrusting of the gospel, the examination of the gospel… is all from the Eternal and Omnipotent God of the Universe. i. Oftentimes our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. But the Lord has approved us and entrusted us with the gospel. He has sent us into this world to be His representatives. To take His gospel to the nations. To make disciples. j. We can go and do this with confidence – not trusting in our own resolve or ability to stay cool under pressure or amid threats against us – but rather trusting in His strength to sustain us and to equip us. k. Despite having just come from terrible persecution and stepping into more – Paul, Silas, and Timothy boldly shared the gospel in the strength and power of God. l. We too must do this. m. But what negative application does this truth have on us? 3.) [Slide 16] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop preaching the gospel with a diluted message, worldly methods, and selfish motives. a. If the gospel is God's message, and He gives us boldness to speak it, infuses it with power so it renders results upon those whom He is calling to repentance and faith, and He entrusts us with it while examining our hearts as we take it to others… b. What makes us think that we can be innovative in how we share His gospel? c. Imagine you have a desk job. You have your own cubicle and computer with which you do your job every day. Or perhaps you work in a shop and you have your own station with your own tools which you come into every day to accomplish your tasks. d. But you go on vacation. And you approve and entrust your work station and your work to another person at your workplace. e. Now imagine when you return to your job you find that all your desktop icons have been moved and some of them are no longer there. There are programs missing from your computer. The computer has been moved next to the coffee maker and now shares the outlet with it. In the shop, your tools are rearranged and some of them are missing. Some tools have been modified, with portions filed off for some unknown reason. f. Would it be safe to say that you might be a little angry about this? g. What was your expectation? Is it reasonable that your expectation would be that they would change nothing and simply do the job to the best of their ability but in the same manner with the same tools that you did the job? h. I think it is abundantly reasonable to expect exactly that. i. How ludicrous is it then that the God of the universe has given us His message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, has entrusted it to us, and promised to give us boldness to preach it, promising that He will empower it to render the results He desires… and then we change it. j. We think – well, it isn't exactly popular for people to hear that they are sinners, that their prized habits and pastimes, identities and orientations are wickedness before God. And that these sins will condemn them to suffer the eternal wrath of God. i. So why don't we just chop off that part of the gospel? ii. Let's just talk about how God loves everyone and has a wonderful plan for their life. iii. Let's just talk about how He sent Jesus to start a relationship with each of us. iv. God sent His most prized possession because we were worth it! v. That is much less offensive. vi. That actually makes people feel good. vii. We should preach that instead. k. Or we think - It isn't exactly pleasant to hear that we are condemned before God and there is literally nothing we can do, say, or think that will change that. i. So, let's preach that we can do something. ii. Let's preach that we can get baptized, go to church, take communion, give to the poor, confess our sins, pray a prayer, invite Jesus into our hearts – and at the end of the day one of these things is bound to save us. iii. Or because God says that salvation is by faith that must mean that we all have some pretty remarkable faith inside us and if we'd just use it God would give us salvation. iv. That is much better for us! We aren't completely hopeless. We have our human gumption and innate faithfulness that will get us there. l. Or we observe that It isn't exactly pleasant to hear that in salvation Christ not only rescues us from the wrath of God on sin, but He also cleanses us from unrighteousness and makes us into the righteousness of God whereby we become slaves to righteousness and live holy lives in order to see God. i. So, let's just preach that all you have to do is make 1 choice to believe a list of things about Jesus and then you'll go to heaven. ii. Don't want to go to church often? No problem. You decided Jesus was real. That's all that really matters. You probably don't need other people around you who did the same. And they certainly don't need you. All you need is Jesus right? Maybe you can just attend online. Or maybe you can just come for the children's church. That should be enough. iii. Don't want to love your neighbor? Sure… that's ok, I don't either. Remember – God loves YOU. That's what is important. iv. Don't want to turn from sleeping with someone who isn't your spouse? I get it! Don't worry about it. God will forgive you! v. Don't want to submit to your authorities in the church, the home, or the government? No problem. You are just fiercely independent. Jesus was a rebel too. vi. Don't want to be part of a church in order to serve other believers? That's totally fine. After all – what about your needs right? You are special after all. At least that is what mommy told you. m. Or we notice that It is very difficult to warn people that there is a cost to following Christ. That they may be hated and maligned for it. That the world will reject them just like they rejected Jesus. i. So instead, why don't we tell them that God wants them to be wealthy and healthy. ii. God always desires to heal and bless. iii. And when they come to Jesus their life will be great. iv. We can even tell them all the celebrities that have claimed to be Christians. v. Don't you want to be just like Chris Pratt and Kanye West and Kat Von D? vi. Man, that will really get them excited. They can join the club that these folks are in! Awesome! n. Or we lament that It isn't exactly compelling to hear that we need to go preach the gospel to please God. God is invisible and it is tough to be highly motivated to go out and preach the Word primarily for His glory. Especially when we see little results. i. So why don't we talk about how everyday people are going to hell? ii. Yeah, that is a great motivator – guilt. iii. Let's really lay it on thick and tell people that the only reason that people go to hell is because we never shared the gospel with them. iv. This goes perfectly with our gospel message that never mentions sin. v. Let's tell them that the fate of their friend's souls rests on whether or not they share the gospel with them. vi. That will really light the fire under them. vii. Afterall, the only thing stopping people from receiving the gospel is that they have never heard it… right? o. Do you see what happens my friends. When we meddle with the gospel: its message, or our own methods and motives in preaching it? What happens? We no longer have the gospel. Just like you no longer had your work station. It has become something else entirely. p. The gospel is the power of God. He emboldens us to speak it. He gives it power. He produces results through it. He has entrusted us with it and He will continue to examine our hearts as we preach it. q. It is best to not tamper with what isn't ours. r. But as a believer perhaps you are quite upset by this. Perhaps you are afraid that you are going to mess it up inadvertently. Maybe you'd never do it on purpose – but what if you mess up God's gospel on accident? 4.) [Slide 17] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God makes the gospel fruitful, sometimes in spite of us. a. Despite all these philosophies of evangelism and these truncated and bastardized versions of the gospel floating around today… b. People are still, by the grace of God, coming to Christ. People are still sharing the gospel to save people from hell rather than to please God. It is a great humanitarian effort rather than an act of worship and obedience. c. They still take the message of praying a magic prayer and that somehow changing you. And yet – people still come to Christ through that. d. Is that proof that Paul is wrong in this passage? e. No my friends. That is proof that God is abundantly gracious. f. In Philippians Paul comments on a group of preachers who are going around and accurately preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But they are doing it to make money, gain popularity, and steal popularity from Paul. g. Do you know what Paul's comments are on this? h. He praises God that the gospel still goes out despite these wicked motives. i. How can this be? How can the message get garbled, the methods be odious, and the motives be wicked and people still receive Christ? j. Friends have we forgotten already? k. Answer me these questions so I know you haven't forgotten! l. Who does the gospel belong to? And whose power is in the gospel? Who gives the results of the gospel? m. Yes… God alone. n. If God can use disobedient and delinquent preachers to call His people to Himself… I'm sure He can use your bumbling words to save His own too. o. It doesn't give us an excuse to not be as zealous and accurate as we can be… but it does give us comfort that we can't prevent, by our weakness, who God is drawing to Himself in His strength. It doesn't work that way. p. And finally – we've talked a lot about the gospel this morning. Around it mostly. What does this text teach us about the gospel message? 5.) [Slide 18] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The gospel is not a talking point of which you need to be convinced. The gospel is the power of God to take something dead and make it alive. a. The definition of what is a Christian is a fairly muddled mess today. b. Many people simply assign it to a particular religious affiliation. c. It is an organization. It is an identity. d. It is interesting to me that some who would complain about a woman identifying as a man yet looking nothing like a man, have no problem identifying as a Christian yet looking nothing like Christ. e. We see Christianity as another religion in a long list of religions. Even if it is the one that makes the most sense or lines up with our values – when we do this, the gospel is little more than the elevator pitch to join the movement. f. It is the marketing mechanism to get butts into the pews. g. It is the talking point to join at the grass roots. h. Because the gospel is misunderstood or misarticulated in this way, it is possible to convince people in their heads of the truth of the gospel without them actually getting a new heart from God and receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ. i. My friends the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified for sinners, risen, and coming again is not a sales pitch. It isn't a talking point. It isn't the path to getting in on the ground floor. j. In fact, it isn't a mechanism that you can access by any human means. k. The gospel is something that happens to you more than it is something that you do. You don't go and get the gospel… it falls in your lap and you receive it. l. You can intellectually understand the Jesus died on a cross for sinners and rose again the third day and is coming again. But until God closes the loop for you and you realize that i. YOU are the sinner who rebelled against a Holy God ii. You are the one Christ came and was tortured, bloodied, bruised, ripped open, spilled out, hung up and asphyxiated for. iii. YOUR Sins are the ones that Christ endured the cup of wrath from God for iv. You are the dead one that Christ's resurrection promises life for v. You are the one He has entrusted His Work to. vi. You are the one who will suffer for His name vii. You are the one that will live a holy life viii. You are the one who will be saved one day by His return ix. You are the one who will reign with him in the New Kingdom... m. Until GOD DOES THIS IN YOU… you are still dead in your sins. n. In short, there is a difference between knowing the facts of the gospel… and experiencing them. o. So, has God made you experience these truths this morning? Then I'd invite you to repent of your wickedness before Him. And trust that He has done this… For you. p. And would you tell an Elder, myself or another, that you have experienced His gospel today? We'd love to rejoice with you and guide you on your next steps. [Slide 19 (end)] Let me close with a prayer from the Puritan Joseph Alleine. For those who do not know you yet, Lord, grab on to them now, and do your work. Take them by the heart, overcome them, and persuade them, until they say, "You have won. You are stronger than I." Lord, did you not make me a fisher of men? We have worked all this time and caught nothing. Have we spent our strength for nothing? We will cast our net one more time. Lord Jesus, stand on the shore and show us how and where to spread our net. Give us the words to enclose the souls YOU seek, that they will have no way out. Now, Lord, for a multitude of souls. Now for a full portion. Lord God, remember us, we pray, and strengthen us, O God. Amen. Benediction: May the One who sent His Son with power to save From guilt, and darkness and the grave, Whose ways are mercy and truth; May He never stop doing you good; May He inspire you to fear Him so that you will never turn aside from Him. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Rev Sam Bostock focuses on holiness, the clean and unclean and separation. Leviticus 10 vs 8 - 11; 11 vs 41 - 47; Matthew 8 vs 1 - 13.

In this episode of Marriage and Family on Radio Maria Ireland, Helen welcomes Edel McDonough, a homeschooling mother of ten and co-founder of the Pure in Heart youth mission. Edel gives advice on building a loving home, good parenting and how she manages home-schooling. Edel beautifully begins sharing her journey of following God's will for […] L'articolo E7 | Marriage and Family – Impurity: First World Poverty – Helen Vysotska and Edel McDonoug proviene da Radio Maria.

We have seen the threat to the early church from the religious leaders who from the outside tried to stop the apostles from speaking in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Today we see another threat that comes from within. When the impurity of deceit and hypocrisy surfaces in the church, it is a threat to her unity and the power of her witness. May the Lord use this example to lead us to greater purity of heart for Christ. Grace Community Church exists to build spiritually healthy people for ministry in the world. One of the ways that we pursue this mission is by gathering each Sunday for corporate worship, prayer, and biblical teaching. The corporate nature of this gathering is both edifying to the believer and a witness of God's grace to the world. Sermon speaker is Scott Patty unless otherwise noted.

The mishnah identified the person handling the offering with the status of a "tevul yom" -- one who is waiting until nightfall for the purity effected by immersing in the mikveh earlier in the day to kick in -- as one whose offering would not be valid. So the search for the source for this conclusion is undertaken by the Gemara - including a comparison to shaving the head and/or points of the face. Also, a sampling of the establishment of norms for those who might bring such a korban - in this case, a zav or one akin to a zav, with an unhealthy seminal emission (one who is a mehusar kippurim) - with a connection to the red heifer.

We learn from Saint Alphonsus Liguori's sermon for the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.Please support the Our Lady of Fatima Podcast:http://buymeacoffee.com/TerenceMStantonSubscribe to our Substack:https://terencemstanton.substack.comLike and subscribe on YouTube:https://m.youtube.com/@OurLadyOfFatimaPodcastFollow us on X:@FatimaPodcastThank you!

Sermon XLV, taken from "Sermons for Sunday", a compilation of homilies by St. Alphonsus Liguori (+1787) Please consider donating to help keep this podcast going by going to buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybrief Also, if you enjoy these episodes, please give a five star rating and share the podcast with your friends and family

Pornography isn't just present in our culture—it's pervasive. The average age of first exposure is 11 for boys, and around 12–13 for girls. About 67% of men and 41% of women view porn at least occasionally. Even in the church, over half of practicing Christians admit to using it, and 67% of pastors have struggled with it—18% currently. The biggest issue? 82% of Christians say no one is helping them. This isn't just a "worldly" issue—it's a tsunami hitting the church. But porn thrives in silence. So, we need to talk about it honestly, embracing the "messy middle"—holding two truths in tension:Porn is an addictive sin that devastates families.Porn is a shortcut that numbs our God-given desires for pleasure and intimacy.1. Porn is an addictive sin.Scripture clearly calls out sexual immorality (porneia) as sin (Colossians 3:5). Porn objectifies people and becomes idolatry—worshiping creation over the Creator. It's not just spiritually harmful; it's mentally and emotionally addictive, rewiring the brain and damaging relationships (1 Cor. 6:18).How it devastates families:Hurts your family tree: Trauma and addiction can leave epigenetic footprints passed to future generations (Exodus 34:7).Creates unrealistic expectations: Porn fosters dissatisfaction with real-life partners and intimacy (Ecclesiastes 9:9).Harms children: Young girls wrestle with distorted self-worth, while boys absorb years of misinformation about sex before marriage.Exploits performers: Many in the industry suffer mental health issues and traumatic backgrounds. Watching porn often means consuming someone else's pain.2. Porn numbs God-given desires.God created us with desires for pleasure and intimacy, but porn offers counterfeit versions—pleasure without fulfillment, intimacy without connection (Proverbs 27:20). Porn silences but never satisfies. People don't view porn because they're bad, but because they've let it hijack their desires.Freedom is possible. The battle plan: Repent, Replace, and Relate.Repent – Turn from sin and toward God (Acts 3:19).Replace – Remove access to porn and renew your mind (Romans 12:2, Matthew 5:29). Married couples should embrace real intimacy (1 Corinthians 7:2-5).Relate – Build accountability with others (James 5:16) and deepen your walk with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Don't deny your desires—let Jesus redeem them.SummaryPorn traffics in pleasure without purpose and intimacy without love. But Jesus offers real freedom—not just forgiveness, but power to overcome. You don't need a counterfeit when you can have the real thing: true love, intimacy, and freedom.Are you willing to follow Jesus into the messy middle?

Redemption Hyperlink Episode (E11) — There are so many themes in the Bible, from redemption to exile, to mountains and cities. In every series, we attempt to isolate and study one biblical theme. But it's important to remember that biblical themes are woven together throughout the Bible like instruments in a symphony. Today in this hyperlink episode, we'll listen to clips from previous podcast series where the theme of redemption also came up in Jon and Tim's conversations.View all of our resources for Redemption →CHAPTERS Redemption and the Day of Atonement (0:00-30:24)Redeeming the Time (30:24-38:20)Redemption From the Grave (38:20-50:24)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESClip 1 is from “What Is the Day of Atonement?,” episode 6 in our 2022 series, Leviticus Scroll.The Mythic Mind by Nicolas WyattSin, Impurity, Sacrifice, Atonement: The Priestly Conceptions by Jay SklarCult and Character: Purification Offerings, Day of Atonement, and Theodicy by Roy GaneClip 2 is from “Poetry Q+R,” episode 22 in our 2018 series How To Read the Bible.Clip 3 is from “What Happens After We Die?,” episode 3 in our 2017 series, Nephesh / Soul.Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. WrightYou can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here.SHOW MUSIC“Eucalyptus ft. Eluzai” by Lofi Sunday“Solace ft. ahmo” by Lofi SundayBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.