Heaven Help Us | Dec 30, 2012 | Ric Cadle

"Heaven Help Us" - Ric Cadle 37:08

Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14; Psalms 17:15; 1 John 3:2; Psalms 73:25

  • A biblically based understanding of ____________ can change everything in your life...today.
  • Death and suffering are only _____________ conditions.

1 Corinthians 15:55; Hebrews 2:14-15; Philippians 3:12-14; Revelation 21:2-3

  • When a believer dies (prior to the Lord's return), he or she enters into what theologians call the "_____________ heaven" or paradise.

"Christians often talk about living with God 'in heaven, forever' but in fact the biblical teaching is richer than that:  it tells us that there will be new heavens and a new earth--an entirely renewed creation--and we will live with God there.  There will also be a new kind of unification of heaven and earth.  There will be a joining of heaven and earth in this new creation."  

From "Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine" by Wayne Gruden

  • God will come _______ from heaven to live with man on the new earth.
  • The things God rewards us with for the things we do in this life last ______________.

Job 19:25; Matthew 6:19-21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Revelation 3:21; Colossians 3:1-2

  • Set your _______ on the things of heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:13


Highly Favored | Dec 23, 2012

"Highly Favored" - Jon Pearce 28:54

Luke 2:25-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Notes:

  1. Gabriel didn't visit Mary __________.
  2. Young Mary was highly ___________ by God.
  3. Mary's __________ stayed strong in the midst of a troubled life.

Are you being faithful to God's calling on your life?


When Uzziah Dies | Mar 18, 2012

Isaiah 6:1-8
New International Version (NIV)

Isaiah's Vision of the Lord

6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Isaiah's Commission from the Lord

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Notes:

When Uzziah dies, you will need...

  1. To _____________ the _____________.
  2. Which always causes us to _________ _________ as we truly are.
  3. So that we may ____________ the gift of salvation.
  4. Making us ____________ for ______________.


Positive Peace | Oct 31, 2010

Philippians 4:8-9

 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 

Notes:

  1. Positive thinking is ___________________. (8)
  2. Paul balanced the ________________ and the negative. (9)
  3. Being bibilically positive brings ___________________.   

Heartburn | Apr 18, 2010

Luke 24:13-35 

On the Road to Emmaus 

 13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him. 

 17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" 

   They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 

 19"What things?" he asked. 

   "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 

 25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 

 28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. 

 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" 

 33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Notes:

  1. Holy heartburn comes with Christian fellowship.
  2. Holy heartburn comes with Christian confession.
  3. Holy heartburn comes with Christian service.

The Answer to Death | Apr 4, 2010

John 11:25-26

25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Notes:

  1. Death is coming to us all, and with death comes judgment. 
  2. Jesus died for us all, but condemnation will come to many.
  3. Jesus' resurrection should be celebrated and not covered up. 

The Humble King | Mar 28, 2010

"The Humble King" - Jon Pearce 31:00

John 12:12-19

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Notes:

  1. Jesus made His triumphal entry.
  2. Jesus taught peace as He rode in on a donkey.
  3. The pharisees became timid as the crowds grew.

Are you like the crowd of praise or the small band of critics?