This Week's Sermons

If Satan Could Change History
by Eric Smith
Acts 2:1-4

There are some colossal events that have taken place throughout history that have greatly impacted the unfolding of world events. The passage of scripture that we have just read is one of those such events. The exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Law, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, these are all major events that have impacted this world like none other.

It came across my mind this week an interesting thought. If Satan had the opportunity to reach into the New Testament and change history, what would some of the things be that he would tamper with?

Lessons from the History of Israel
by Paul Apple
Psalm 78:1-72

The lessons of history can help us escape the futility of cycles of disobedience and discipline. (:1-8) Introduction—lessons of history need to be shared with the next generation
A. (:1-4) Lessons of History Communicate a Positive Message
1. It is important to listen closely to the Lessons of History
a. To understand the message ("instruction" "the words of my mouth")
b. To understand the hidden nature of the format ("parables" "dark sayings")
2. It is important to communicate faithfully the Lessons of History
a. Requires faithfully receiving the message from our fathers
b. Requires faithfully passing it along to our children

A Family History
by Christopher Lanham
Deuteronomy 6:20-25

Now, I realize, that for you (my personal family history) is nonsense. It may be interesting, but it has no real connecting point with your life. It doesn't speak about Jackson or Cascades Fellowship or even the Christian Reformed Church. But to me, this information is priceless. You know why? Because it's my story. It tells me who I am and how I came to be. Without these stories, I don't exist.

In the same way, Israel does not exist without her stories. Our passage this morning concentrates on the story of Israel. It tells us a little bit about who she is and how she came to be. In working through our passage this morning, we're going to look first at the history behind the passage. The second thing we will look at is why telling the story is important. Finally, we will talk about how we should hear the story today.

Human Resource and Diversity Issues in the Early Church
by Kenneth Anthony
Acts 6:1-7

Running a church sometimes just takes common sense. Real problems arise in the Church just like any other institution; however, through prayer, cooperation within the Body of Christ, and some thought even the most complex problems can be solved. Today's reading from Acts 6:1-7 deals with the early Church’s management problems. Let's see what you would do in the circumstances.

Why Did the Early Church Turn the World Upside Down
by Jimmy Chapman
Acts 17:1-9

Acts 17:6 "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also." What a tribute to Paul and Silas! Wherever Paul went, things happened. Souls were saved, people took sides, feelings were stirred, decisions were made, and lines were dawn. Paul did not slip into town, hold a few quiet meeting, enjoy some good home cooking, pick up a generous honorarium, and slip back out of town again without anyone knowing or caring that he had been in town. How did the early disciples turn the world upside down? What was the secret to their success?

This Week's Videos

It Continues to Grow Time: 2:31 We don't worship God in isolation. We worship Him, linked together with believers throughout the world, and throughout history. Remind your congregation that worship is bigger than their local assembly. click to watch »

Power of One Time: 5:41 Throughout history we have seen what can happen when one person stands up for what they believe: people have been set free, cultures have changed course, and history changed forever. click to watch »

History 3000 Years Time: 4:52 Why is the coming and Crucifixion of Christ so important? To fully understand why this one man, not merely flesh, was the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, we must travel 3000 years, to the center of the world in the city of Jerusalem. click to watch »

This Week's Sermon Illustrations

The Definition of Revival
Source: Christian History, Issue 20, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, Inc.) 1997.
Contributor: Michael McCartney

"Charles Grandison Finney is considered America's greatest past revivalist. Church roles swelled in the wake of Finney's revivals. Though it is hard to gather accurate statistics, he is often directly, or indirectly credited with conversions of around 500,000." The time frame was in the 1830s. It is said that his revival meetings transformed entire towns. It is said that in some towns after the meetings the bars would close down because there was no business for them, and churches would spring up in their place. He stated in his message that he was to show what revival is.

Charles Finney made a significant impression upon the religious life of 19th century America, and his influence is still evident today. Called the "father of modern revivalism" by some historians, he paved the way for later revivalists like Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham. He constructed a theology that harmonized with the ideals of the Jacksonian era; if President Andrew Jackson was the political folk-hero of early l9th-century America, Charles Grandison Finney was its religious folk-hero. Just as the American frontier was being widened and common folk were getting the vote, Finney gave the public an opportunity to cast their votes on the matter of salvation.

He stated the following about revival: "1. A revival always includes the conviction of sin on the part of the church. 2. Backslidden Christians will be brought to repentance. 3. A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner, the first step is a deeper repentance, a breaking down of the heart, a getting down into the dust before God, with deep humility, and a forsaking of sin. 4. Christians will have their faith renewed…they will see things in that strong light which will renew the love of God in their hearts. This will lead them to labor zealously to bring others to him. 5. A revival breaks the power of the world and of sin over Christians. 6. When the churches are thus awakened and reformed, the reformation and salvation of sinners will follow… Charles Finney brought revival and the presence and the life transforming power of God to America in the early 1800s and it forever changed the hearts of 100,000 of people."

Evangelical Individualism
Source: Michael G. Moriarty,The Perfect 10: The Blessings of Following God's Commandments in a Post-Modern World, pp. 52-53

In evangelical individualism people think of their personal relationship with God in isolation ("Just me and Jesus") and forge their destiny apart from any church authority. While holding relatively low opinions of history, traditions, and the church, they turn to the experiences of self and isolate themselves from their brothers and sisters in the faith. True spirituality is perverted as it becomes a quest for inner stimulation rather than growth in biblical knowledge and the application of truth in community. Healthy Christians do not live in isolation.

The Real Issue
Source: Brendan Manning, The Signature of Jesus

"Even a superficial study of church history reveals that the Spirit of God blows with hurricane force only through those prophets and lovers who have surrendered to the folly of the cross. If there is little power and shallow wisdom in our preaching, teaching, worship, and ministry, I believe it is because the Crucified Christ has been ignored in favor of a lot of 'burning theological issues,' most of which are neither burning nor theological."

Holy Spirit in Evangelism
Source: Michael Green as quoted in Terry Teykl, Making Room to Pray, p. 56

Michael Green sums it up. "How much we need the Holy Spirit in our church life! Had it struck you that if the New Testament is right in the marrying up of the Holy Spirit with witness bearing, this might shed a flood light on the poverty of spiritual experience in many a church and many a Christian? Could it be that we know so little of the Spirit in any powerful way because we care so little for evangelism? Equally, that we know so little of the Spirit? These two God has joined together, and we cannot put them asunder. No evangelism, no Holy Spirit; no Holy Spirit, no evangelism. There is a vital link between them, and that explains a good deal of the powerlessness in the modern church. The early Christians were well aware that the Holy Spirit and evangelism went together and affected each other intimately."

Let's Start a New Religion
Contributor: Paul Wallace

Imagine for a moment if I told all of you, "Hey, lets start a new religion. It's all a sham, but if we all keep the secret, maybe it will sweep the world and we'll become important." Therefore, we make up some story and it starts to take off. You might think, "Maybe this will work. I'll play along." Then we start being thrown in jail. Next, one of our leaders is executed. Then it is open season on all of us. That kind of persecution was what happened to the fledgling church Jesus started. You would say, "Oh well, it was fun while it lasted, but I'm not going to die for it." However, that is not how the early church responded. They gave their lives. They faced lions in the arena. They were burned alive, refusing to recant. They were tortured and crucified, refusing to deny their story. Why? They had seen the risen Lord.

This Week's PowerPoint Templates

OT History

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Faith Examples

Parchment 3

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