Archive for July, 2007 Page 2 of 2

Newer Entries »

Lives in Contrast

Published on July 8, 2007 in Sermon Podcast. 0 Comments

This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, July 8, 2007, and was taken from Mark 6:14-29.

In this passage two characters stand out: John the Baptist and Herod Antipas. It reminds us that the lives of the godly stand in stark contrast to the ungodly, and that the church is to be radically different from the world.

  • The godly man finds strength to confront the powerful ungodly with their sin, while the ungodly cower for the thoughts and opinions of others. We are called to preach and declare righteousness. We plead with sinners to repent. As a result of John’s faithfulness, verse 20 tells us that Herod feared John.
  • The godly man is driven by conviction, while the godless are victims of the winds of emotion and foolish pride.
  • The godly man lives through his continuing influence, even after death, while the godly are dead even while they live.
  • the great contrast between the godly and the ungodly is that in having their heart stirred the godly turn from their sin and flee to Christ for His mercy alone, while the godless stand in their pride and say I will owe no man, and they harden their heart to the coming judgement of God.

Where are you? Have you repented and turned to Christ, or have you said not now, maybe later? You may not get a later opportunity. You may seal the judgment of God on your life.

 
icon for podpress  "Lives in Contrast" [37:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (241)

Ministry to an Unbelieving World

Published on July 3, 2007 in Sermon Podcast. 0 Comments

This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, July 01, 2007, and was taken from Mark 6:1-13.

The Christian world view does not dominate our culture like it once did. People haven’t quit believing in God, they have just begun to believe in a multitude of gods. They feel a natural connection with the sacred. People say “I turn to the power within in times of crisis.”, trusting in that personal, experiential truth, as opposed to that revealed truth found in God’s word. “I’m very spiritual, I’m just not religious.” which really means “I don’t like rules or institutions like the church.” We believe in anything and everything, which means we believe in nothing. Increasingly spiritual, America, by biblical standards, is a nation of unbelievers. In many ways we are a secular society.

And we have been asked to take the gospel to an unbelieving world, which is much like the first-century Greco-Roman world where the Christian gospel first appeared.
How do we remain faithful to the task of bringing this message to a people who don’t want to hear? There is a gospel witness on television and radio. There are churches on every corner, and yet people are definitely not interested.

How do we take the gospel to this world? We find some answers in the text of this message today. Our mission is to take the gospel to an unbelieving world, trusting in Christ and leaving the results to Him.

1. In the person of the lord Jesus we find an inspiring example.

  • The love and grace of God persists in coming again and again to the unbeliever. That is grace. He doesn’t owe it to anyone. Yet He comes back again and again.
  • The love and grace of God will not be deterred by the heartache of hatred and rejection by his audience. Jesus stands his ground and preaches the truth.
  • The love and grace of God works miraculously in spite of our unbelief.

2. He also gives us some invaluable instructions.

  • there is the necessity of a divine commissioning.
  • There is the need for total dependence.
  • There is a need to deny your personal comfort. It’s not about your comfort, it’s about your mission.
  • There is a need to declare the whole council of God, found in verse 11. The whole gospel is not presented until you warn the unrepentant of the dire consequences of rejection of God.

3. What is the end result? God is honored, Christ is exalted, and lives are changed.

 
icon for podpress  "Ministry to an Unbelieving World" [39:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (239)

God’s Patient Love for His Unfaithful Bride

Published on July 2, 2007 in Sermon Podcast. 0 Comments

This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, July 01, 2007, and was taken from Jeremiah 2:1-3:5.

A store sign noticed in while on mission trip in Phoenix: The Divorce Store. How casual we have become about the whole notion of divorce. Marriage is not a contract, it is a covenant. God, in the text before us describes his relationship with His people as a marriage covenant. Listen carefully to the charges brought against the nation of Juda. This message of judgement also contains a message of life and hope. The love and grace of God is demonstrated in many ways, but in this passage, in his persuing his wayward, dissobedient people.  The message of God’s judgement contains a compassionate righteousness. He is long suffering and patient with rebellious folk like you and me.

three devastating truths and one glorious promise

  1. Jer. 2:1-9: Israel arrogantly willfully turned its back on God’s generous offer of grace. Our relationship with God is not a mere matter of obedience. We are called to be obedient, but we are called to enter into a love relationship, such as is described in a marriage. Biblical faith is a matter of passion and devotion. God has been a faithful husband in all of this, yet Israel has gone after other lovers.
  2. Jer. 2:10-31: Israel spiraled into a life of spiritual depravity, and foolish corruption by serving false gods.
  3. Jer. 2:32 ff.: This turning from God resulted in hardness of hart that refused to acknowledge any wrong, thus preventing any possibility of return.
  4. Jer. 3:14: Though he has every right to reject ultimately his people, “Return” God says. God offers to restore Israel to passion and purity. That is the word He gives to you today: “Return”.
 
icon for podpress  "God's Patient Love for His Unfaithful Bride" [35:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (241)

Bloggers on Blogging

Published on July 1, 2007 in blogging. 0 Comments

In my readings the past couple of weeks I have come across several posts dealing with the subject of blogging. These kinds of posts usually take on one or more of these three flavors:

  • “Most bloggers shouldn’t be blogging, because they don’t have anything worthwhile to say, or they say it badly, and it is my duty to run off all of you wanna-be’s.”
  • “I’m sick of blogging, and I want you to be sick of blogging too.”
  • “Blogging is tough. You need a thick skin. Good luck, and blessings.”

For the most part, the examples below concentrate on the third type of post:

On June 15 Tony Reinke, of The Shepherd’s Scrapbook posted TSS Bday and Tips for Christian Bloggers. in which he gives a brief state-of-the-blog address, followed by a list of 12 tips for, as the title implies, Christian bloggers. The tips portion of this post is a helpful, semi-serious bit of advice to blogging and bloggers.

Then there is this from Ben Cole back on June 25th: Rules For Blogging…, most of which is funny, though some of the rules hit a bit too close to home. You have to understand Cole’s sense of humor - I’m not sure many do - in order to appreciate this post.

Most recently, June 29th, from Frank Turk, blogging from the Founders’ 25th anniversary conference, here’s a Founders Conference, Addendum, in which Frank comments on a forum on blogging led by Pastor Tom Ascol. Anyone who has read the Centuri0n knows that he too can tell it like it is to the abrasion of some. I found this post, however, to be mildly subdued and quite reflective. There was a ton of bloggers at this event, and I was hoping for more of them to comment on this little forum. As of yet, no dice. Stay posted.

IMG_7285.JPG
If you blog or you think you would like to, you should read these three posts. They are all three funny and informative.

By the by, I haven’t comment on the 25th anniversary Founders Conference. I’m still pouting. Only thirty miles away and I wasn’t able to go. I have to work for a living. Pastor Rod didn’t get to go either. I know he wanted to be there, but he was busy helping out with VBS (Vacation Bible School).

Newer Entries »