John 5:25-30 Sermon notes

Sunday’s sermon was the basic gospel.  The pastor has been preaching out of John since the first of the year.  We were in John 5 and it’s late June!  This kind of detail would never have happened in our former church.   I believe a lot is assumed at the former church, skimming the gospel and other important biblical topics may happen because the leadership believes everyone just knows it already, not sure.

The pastor began by pointing out all the attention given in the media to the recent deaths of  famous people, most especially Michael Jackson.  He then quoted Hebrews 9:27 and 28.  “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of  many, will appear a second time,  not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”  Those who die without Christ will be resurrected to judgement, those who are waiting for Christ will be glorified.

The pastor highlighted Previous sermons stating Jesus’ activity as god is the substance of His work, his authrity as God is the basis for His work, Jesus’ glory as God is the purpose of His work, and Jesus’ gift as God is the provision of His work.  This sermon was baobut Jesus’ power as God is the culmination of His work. 

He stated that only Jesus has the power to save those who are dead spiritually. 

^“I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.” (Jn 5:25-26). 

The pastor highlihgted the time of regeneration which is both present and future (is coming and has now come).  It was speaking of those with Jesus at that time and all future believers. 

The pastor also spoke of the people who need regeneration, which are all  who are spiritually dead.  In fact, we all are spiritually dead until we hear the voice of the Son of God.  It’s only the Son of God who can give this regeneration.  Only the Son has life.  He is life, the source of life.  He is the only way. 

Besides spiritual regeneration, Christ has the power to physically raise the dead.  The time for the resurrection is in the future.  Our resurrection is supposed to be serperated.   He spoke of the resurrection of believers, resurrected to life.  Those who have rejected the Son will be resurrected to condemnation and judgement.

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”  (Jn 5:27-29)

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1Cor. 15:22-23)

 

 

¹³Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. ¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thess 4:13-17)

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. (Revelation 20:11)

The above verses were quoted by the pastor, talking about the resurrection of the believers contrasted to the resurrection of the dead all together.  He talked of a distance of 1000 years, that there would be a first resurrection and then a second before the judgement.   The result of the resurrection is that those who have recieved the Son will be resurrected to life with salvation and santification in this life, and glorification of the body at the resurrection.  Those who reject the Son are resurrected to judgement and condemned to hell for eternity. 

Jesus is the judge, and His judgement is righteous.  He seeks the will of the Father. 

Final statement in my notes is that we ought to be terrified by His power and should repent, turn from sin, and embrace Him.  Jesus took conemnation that I deserve.  The Gospel is the power of God onto salvation for everyone who believes.

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Testing the Spirits while Searching for a Home Church

Visited a local church this Sunday.  We’ve gone there before, they are a church “plant” of our old church.  I was assured they are independent of the old church.  We’ve gone before and not had too many issues with the sermons.  Since this church is closer to our home by twenty minutes, and services start later, we had an easy morning getting there on time.   It’s a smaller congregation, smaller town, so there’s less materialism in dress.  People do dress up, others are casual, but it’s not the same as the larger church we attended.  Not many had grey hair at the old church, not everyone is like this at this local church.  Songs were a mix of modern and hymn.  I’d say they are a comfortable place to worship, and the pastor is humble.  They do have some signs of having the same themes, but not nearly as strong as the old church.

Today was not good, however.  There was a guest speaker.  His sermon was essentially the Ortberg book.  He told the story of Peter, and yet focused on the other disciples saying they were “boat potatoes” and at least Peter got out of the boat.   Peter’s gift to Jesus was getting out of the boat.  He talked about how we need to reach this generation and they are leaving church because they’re bored, bored, bored.  And, wouldn’t it be awful if all we did every day was take care of our lawn, work, and die?  We need to not be afraid and take risks.  He used a the scripture with the parable of the talents from Matthew 25.  The man who didn’t reproduce the talents was afraid.  He said, he feared the world, life’s problems.    He began to talk excitedly saying something like this, “the man was afraid, this life has many problems, it’s risky out there…the economy’s bad, the gas prices are down…I’m safer at home.”  Okay, look that one up.  The man says he is afraid not because of what’s out in the world, not hiding at home doing nothing.  He hides what his master gave to him because of his fear of the master who was a hard man.  He was afraid of the risk because of the master’s reaction if he lost the talent all together.  The master sees him as lazy and wicked, which may also give insight that the man may have just wasted the time away, wasted the talent because he didn’t want to go and work. 

In the course of the sermon, this man mentioned Ortberg by using his book title (and I bet the perspective from the book, anyone know?).  He also knew Max Lucado, dropped that name right away.  He also mentioned a quote by Tony Campolo. 

My problems with the sermon were that the text was obviously twisted, if even slightly.  This man has obviously been paid to speak and should have his stories fit well with the text of scripture.  The call was partly to energize the youth because they are bored.  If youth are bored in churches that preach the truth, our job is NOT to entertain them, it’s to continue to teach the truth.  This theme was drilled into us by our old chruch, not at all interested in seeing that theme run it’s course again.  The basic message was that we need to get out and do something.  This man doesn’t want any one of us to regret our lives, we should have interesting stories to tell in our old age.  We should do something like go on missions trips, take risks.  Okay, but what if our entire lives are to be JUST raising our family, or being a school janitor?  There are plenty of people who do serve God but their lives aren’t full of large risks.  What of all the families and individuals throughout history that just did ordinary things like taught a Sunday school class?  What of the people who work meals on wheels or become a nurse?  What of those who are faithful to take their children to church and teach them well?  What if they don’t do anything out of the ordinary, but their grandchildren do because of their influence and faithful life?  I’m sure every life will have a human interest story to it, whether good or bad.  That is NOT the point of our lives.  I would rather be a nobody with a nothing story at the end of my life if my God is pleased with me, and says, “well done, good and faithful servant.”  A boring old life with menial labor and ordinary tasks is not a shame.  We are to do what God calls us to do, and if someone shares the gospel where they are planted, serves and gives when they can, and sees fruit from that, who is to say they are not doing it right?  These guys make it seem like we all have to be out doing something extraordinary to please God.  Usually, it’s a story good enough for a sermon or to quote in a book.  Who does this please?  God or men,  hmmm? 

So now the dilemma.  Do we return, do we share our concerns?   I say we meet with the pastor and bring up the concerns we have with the guest speaker. 

On another note, many people have contacted us from the old church wanting to meet…most are in leadership. They want to know why we left.  My husband has a meeting upcoming already.  We shall see what this accomplishes.  For a family the elder said would not be noticed if we left by the pastor in question, we sure are being noticed by several others.  What is wrong with this one pastor?  I believe he will know we’re gone.  Either way, it only matters if God wants him to notice.  Each meeting is another chance to tell someone the truth.  Hopefully something good will come from all these opportunities.  God willing.

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