NO OTHER FOUNDATION

WHO IS THIS MAN JESUS?

JOY EQUALS STRENGTH

 

Despise not Little Things

The Potter's House

 

GET YOURSELF A JOB

Sermon notes for 5-3 2020

ALREADY GONE

 

            Text: Psalm 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

 

 

            What is the problem? Why are our churches getting smaller, and why are churches closing? Since 1969 1500 churches closed in England. This is happening all over the westernized world.  In our fellowship, there have been five churches that have closed since I started attending. All of the others seem to be getting smaller.

 

             Why do we have this problem? Is it the lack of evangelism?

             Could there be another reason? If we still had all the people that grew up in our churches, how large would our churches be today?

            Statistics show the most unchurched age in America is 18 to 25.

Statistics also show that at the age of 18 over 60 percent of children that go to church on a REGULAR basis walk away from God (some statistics say it's over 80 percent). When people 20 years old, who went to church on a regular basis, were asked "when did you walk away from God?" The answer in almost every case was when I was in middle school (junior high).

            Will these people come back to church when they get older?

             

            Why do our young people walk away from God?

            The bible says; Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. A very hard question that we must answer is; have we trained our children the way God has instructed us to? Let's take a look. Where do our children receive their knowledge? They learn at church, in school and from the television.

            How much time per week does the average child spend per week learning about the way of God? I would guess about 2 hours or less.

            How much time do our children spend per week learning at school and how much time do they learn from the television?

 

 

 

 

What do children learn?

 

            Let's look at what children are being taught during their formative years.

 

            The agenda at our public schools include evolution, secular humanism, and sexual immorality including homosexuality, premarital sex, abortion and much more.

            What are the children learning from television? Isn't the television teaching them the same thing?

            Now for the part that you really don't want to hear. What are our children learning about God? Are our church programs the kind of programs that is pleasing to God? Let's take a look. What do churches offer children?

 

            Pulpit preaching

            Sunday school.

            Youth activities.

            Vacation bible school.

 

            Let's look at each one of these.

 

Pulpit preaching

Eighty eight percent of high school graduates that went to church on a regular basis, and quit church, said they didn't believe the bible was accurate.

 Their disbelief was because of what they heard from the pulpit. One thing was the;

 Age of the earth ;

Another was the validity of bible stories.

            Ten percent of the ministry that was interviewed said they believed in evolution.

            Many others said they believed that God used evolution as a method of creation.

 Ten percent of pastors in Conservative churches say it's okay to believe in Darwinism.

           

 

 

            Sunday school, youth activities, vacation bible school etc;

 

The following is an example of a normal Sunday school bible experience.

 Johnnie and Susie will inter Sunday school class where they will be met by a very nice teacher (who is a volunteer).

 The teacher reads a bible story to them (they don't know if the story is really true or just another make believe story like they heard in kindergarten) the bible story will take about ten minutes.

 The teacher helps with a craft.

 They sing a song or two together.

It is estimated that in most Sunday school classes and the Sunday morning sermon will last about thirty minutes.

 This means our children will receive about thirty minutes of spiritual instruction a week.

 

            Let's compare this with what Johnnie and Susie are hearing in public school.

            Johnnie and Susie go to school about thirty hours a week (twenty in the classroom).

 In public school Johnnie and Susie learn many things, history, mathematics, language and science. Both observational and historical science. They learn the science from men and women who wear white coats and safety glasses. They use test tubes and Bunsen burners. They dissect animals and use microscopes to look at cells, and they carry clip boards under their arms to record all of their scientific findings. To Johnnie and Susie they look smart. They do research. They test hypotheses. They prove them with experiments. Johnnie and Susie know that these people deal with real things- things you can touch and feel- the kinds of things that matter.

             The same people talk about the age of the earth, the origin of life etc… Which is going to have the most influence with Johnnie and Susie?

 

 

           

What is the solution?

           

            Change the system. Teach parents to teach their children.

            Preach the word. Teach creation and world history from the bible as well as the gospel.

            Live the word. We MUST be an example by how we live as well as in defending God's word.

           

            I think we need to look at the way we are doing things. If what we are doing isn't working.

 

let's do something different.

 The question is, what should we change?

            We are losing our young people. What does the bible say we should do?

             Proverbs 22:6 says; Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

 The question is. Is our training methods the correct ones. What is the bible method for training up children? Let's take a look.

            Does the bible place this responsibility on the church? The answer is NO it does not. How are we supposed to train our children? Let's take a look.

 

God's way to train children

             Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:

² That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

³ Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

⁵ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

⁸ And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

⁹ And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

 

 

            All these scriptures are talking to PARENTS, not the church.

            What is the roll the church should play in children's education?

            Start a training program in the church that trains and teaches the parents how to have FAMILY DEVOTIONS such as prayer, bible discussion etc. Practice family devotion in the church instead of the traditional Sunday school.

            Give some serious thought to changing your church to a Family Integrated Church.

 

            Statistics show that in traditional churches we lose eighty percent of our youth when they turn 18. In family integrated churches we lose less than twenty percent of them.

 

              3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

SAUL VS MOSES

1st Samuel 9:21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Numbers 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

1st Samuel 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. 4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not. 5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go. 7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. 11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? 12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: 13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. 14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. 24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. 

1st Samuel 10:22 Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold he hath hid himself among the stuff.

11:7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

13:13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

14:1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

17:8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

18:28 And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

19:24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

20:42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

22:8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

23:13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

24:10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed.

26:9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?

28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

31:4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 

HOW SHALL I VOTE # 7

EASTER 2020

Text:  Luke 24:1-7 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

² And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
³ And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
⁴ And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
⁵ And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, why seek ye the living among the dead?
⁶ He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
⁷ Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Why did Jesus do all this?

Luke 19:1o For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

We have his divine nature

2 Peter 1:4 ⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Jesus came to be king of the Jews

 John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

            Jesus is our king. We reign with him. We are God's Israel. To be king of the Jews is the same as head of the church.

What should I do?

First thing

            Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
            Learn from Jesus what you should do. Take his yoke. Pull beside him.

            2 Peter 1:3-11 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge.
⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness.
⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
⁸ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
⁹ But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
¹⁰ Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
¹¹ For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
      Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 3:20 - King James Version Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that...

           


           

Old Testament foretold this

           

Isaiah 53:1-12 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

² For he (JESUS) shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
⁴ Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
⁹ And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹ He (God)shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

             1 Corinthians 15:20-23  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
²¹ For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
²³ But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.