10-30-2016
"The Ultimate Secular Holiday"
Ephesians 5. 1-17

THE ULTIMATE SECULAR HOLIDAY Ephesians 5. 1-17 I.  HALLOWEEN-THE ULTIMATE SECULAR HOLIDAY IS AN ANNUAL EVENT WHICH CAUSES MANY __________  EMOTIONS.   II.  SEVERAL SCRIPTURE PASSAGES RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO HONOR CHRIST, AND HOW BELIEVERS NEED TO DEAL WITH PAGAN _____________: A.  Deuteronomy 18. 9-13 B.  Col. 3. 1-5  C.  Discretion Urged when it comes to Halloween. III.  EPHESIANS- WRITTEN TO CHRISTIANS IN CITY OF EPHESUS A.  Acts 18- Ephesus --- a major city of worship of ____________ B.  Paul wrote to help new believers know how to deal with secular society…what about now? C.  Ephesians 5. 1-17 IV.  EPHESIANS 5- GIVES SOME ____________ AS TO HOW CHRISTIANS SHOULD DEAL WITH HOLIDAYS & TRADITIONS & SECULAR CULTURE AROUND US: A.  Live as GOD’S CHILDREN- ____________ GOD (v. 1) B.  Live as ___________ (Eph. 5.8-9) C.  NOT AS UNWISE, BUT AS WISE (v. 15) D.  LIVE AS ______________: Jesus Is Lord over all V.   SO WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN TO DO WITH HALLOWEEN? A.  Live as a Child of God and of the Light B.  Be willing to ______________ the old things in order to put Christ first C.  Be very careful how you live- not as unwise but as wise. D.  In light of what Jesus has done for us- how can we best _______ and _______ Him- tomorrow (on Hallowed- Eve)?

10-23-2016
"Intelligent Designer or Amazing Accident?"
Genesis 1. 1-2; Hebrews 11. 1-3

INTELLIGENT DESIGNER, OR AMAZING ACCIDENT? Genesis 1. 1-2;  Hebrews 11. 1-3 TODAY I WANT TO BRIEFLY SHARE 7 REASONS FOR BELIEVING IN GOD.  (#1) MATTER DEMANDS A MAKER_____________ A.  Laws of physics and natural sciences tell us that everything material has a _____ B.  So What caused the universe?  Or the earth? C.  MATTER DEMANDS A MAKER- things and effects don’t just come into being. (#2)  _______ DEMANDS A LIFE GIVER: A.  Law of Biogenesis- life never arises except from _______ B.  Ultimately two options for life’s origin: 1) spontaneous generation; or 2) a “life-giver.” (#3)  _________ DEMANDS A DESIGNER: A.  Things which are complex, detailed, orderly require a designer or maker B.  A Poem requires ______, painting requires painter, a watch requires watch-maker.  Cars, computers, skyscrapers require designers & builders (#4)  INTELLIGENCE DEMANDS AN INTELLIGENT _________:  A.  Anything that possesses intelligence must have been caused by something intelligent.     B.  How does nothing, or “inorganic matter” come to produce intelligent creatures?  (#5)  MORALITY DEMANDS A MORAL ____  ______: A.  Killer whales are not guilty of murder, nor animals that eat their young guilty of infanticide. B.  But, with humans it is different.  In every human culture there seems to be an inner ________ code…conscience.  C.  Where does that MORAL LAW COME FROM? (#6)  THE BIBLE’S SUPERNATURAL ATTRIBUTES DEMAND A _________ AUTHOR: A.  The Bible documents some supernatural occurrences (miracles)  B.  These supernatural occurrences demand that someone or something outside of realm of normal and natural _________ the occurrence. C.  What about miracles in our day, or coincidences, or those little voices that we hear in our head?  Where do these come from?  What causes them? (#7) THE HISTORICAL, MIRACLE-WORKING, RESURRECTED JESUS DEMANDS A               _________ EXPLANATION: A.  Bible testifies of miracles performed by Jesus, Jesus’ resurrection B.  The existence of Jesus, the accounts of his death, burial, resurrection, are actions that have withstood the tests of logic, and of validity.          C.  These supernatural happenings, require some explanation…the most               logical

10-16-2016
"Tough Decisions are Tough"
Phil. 4:6-7, Romans 9:1-2, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Eph. 5:15-18
Mr. Jay Barnes

10-9-2016
"Five Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection"
1 Corinthians 15. 1-8

5 Reasons To Believe in Jesus’ Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15. 1-8 I.  THE SECULAR/SKEPTICAL WORLD DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE ______________ OF JESUS Yet there are some logical, and rational arguments for believing in Jesus, and His resurrection. II.  TODAY, I WANT TO EQUIP YOU TO DEFEND YOUR BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST. FIVE REASONS I BELIEVE JESUS' RESURRECTION IS A FACT OF HISTORY A.  THE _________ OF CHRISTIANITY IN JERUSALEM B.  INCREDIBLE  ___________ AND DEATH ENDURED BY THE DISCIPLES C.  THE _________ IN BELIEFS AND PRACTICES BY THOUSANDS OF JEWS *Temple sacrifices replaced by Jesus sacrifice “once for all” *Day of worship changed from Sabbath (sat) to “Lord’s Day” (Sun) D.  THE EVIDENCE FOR THE TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE ________ E.  ___ OTHER THEORIES FOR THE EMPTY TOMB ARE CONVINCING *The Jesus is a Myth Theory *The Stolen Body Theory *The Hallucination Theory *Swoon theory III.  WHAT TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION A.  If the resurrection is real, and Jesus is who he claims to be then it is extreme foolishness to ignore the ________ B.  Those who are truly wise, take seriously the information they receive, and _____ on it

10-2-2016
"Who is Jesus:  Man, God or Impostor?
John 14: 6

“WHO IS JESUS: MAN, GOD, OR IMPOSTER?”     JOHN 14. 6 I.  JESUS: JUST A “_______ MAN?” A.  Jesus claimed to be _____ *John 11. 25 – I am the resurrection and the ______ *John 8. 12- "I am the _______ of the world.” B.  Reasons why Christians believe Jesus is God & Divine *The Apostle Thomas called him “My lord and my God.” (John 20) *Apostle Paul called him “our great God and _______ Jesus Christ…”(Titus 2) *Book of Revelation calls him “Alpha and _______…beginning and end” II.  WAS JESUS A LIAR? A.  If Jesus was a liar…he was also a great __________ *He told people to trust in him for eternal life. B.  To hold that Jesus was a liar and deceiver doesn’t coincide with what we _____ of him and of the results of his life and teachings. III.  WAS JESUS CRAZY?  Did he “_____ he was God?”   A.  The Jews believed in “_____ God.” Would a man who claimed to be God and that their eternal destiny depended on their “believing in him be able to be convincing enough to cause them to forsake their divine laws of God? B.  How could people throughout history not “see through” the charade? IV.  WAS/IS JESUS WHO HE _______ TO BE: THE INCARNATE GOD? A.  Hardly plausible that any man could be that good of a deceiver, or that Jesus was insane.   B.  If none of the other options are true- what is left?                                  JESUS WAS AND IS GOD…CREATOR, ________, LORD OF ALL. C.  If Jesus is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God the Son, Messiah, the Resurrection and Life and only way to the Father…what will you do about it? D.  Choose ____________ *Receive Him into your life as Lord and your  Savior. *Dedicate your life to the God who died in your place, and took the punishment for your sins. *Decide that you will be a disciple…a follower of Jesus *Begin your daily walk with Him, and honor Him by your surrendered life, and by your outward demonstration of faith and commitment to His lordship.

9/25/2016
"Optical Illusions"
1 Cor. 1: 18-29

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 1 COR.1. 18-29 I.  IT IS AMAZING HOW DIFFERENTLY PEOPLE ______ THINGS: A.  Sometimes there are optical _______ that confuse us B.  Sometimes we read things from different experiences  II.  THE WAY PEOPLE SEE THE WORLD, LIFE, JESUS, SPIRITUAL THINGS DEPENDS ON THEIR MINDS, EXPERIENCES, AND _______________: A.  Letter to Corinthians focuses attention on what is wise, foolish, strong, and weak B.  To some, Jesus and his death and especially his resurrection = ____________ III.  THE WAY PEOPLE PERCEIVE & UNDERSTAND THINGS IS CALLED THEIR _______________ . * C. S. Lewis- I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. IV.  IS IT FOOLISH TO HAVE A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW?  It depends… A.  The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are _________ B.  It is the _________ of God to believers. V.  WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BELIEVERS TO HAVE A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW…A JESUS PERSPECTIVE? A.  The ______ of secular worldview is very strong- even against believers B.  The pull of the secular worldview will be even greater on your children. C.  Ultimately the secular worldview leads to _____________ VI.  TRUSTING THAT JESUS AND GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT ARE AT WORK LEADS TO LIFE, PEACE, HOPE, A GLORIOUS FUTURE, and many other ____________ A.  Christians _________ in and stand for things  B.  They have ______- life is not lived in vain. C.  They believe in right and ______…and the Bible is the basis for this VII.  A JESUS WORLDVIEW POINTS US AND THOSE WHOM WE CAN INFLUENCE TOWARDS ____________.  A.  Contrary to what the secular worldview says, the Bible is not “unfounded mythology.” B.  Faith in Christ Leads to __________! VIII.  DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE _____________ A.  Consecrate yourself to Jesus as Lord and Savior B.  Share your simple but powerful __________ of how Jesus changed you and how He is at work in you C.  ______ and learn about Jesus, the Bible, the Christian faith…so that you can defend and persuade those who ask you about your hope.