Sermon Outline: Ephesians 5:16. Give Time

1) The Gift of Time: Ephesians 5:16a

· Galatians 6:10

• Matthew 25:8-10

• Hebrews 12:1

• 2 Timothy 4:7

2) Grappling with Time: Ephesians 5:16b

• James 4:13-14

• Romans 13:11-14

Christian History has posted a helpful background paper by Dt. Eric W. Gritsch on the 1517 event of Luther Posting the 95 Theses: "An obscure monk invited debate on a pressing church issue—and touched off a history-shattering reform movement".

Sometime during October 31, 1517, the day before the Feast of All Saints, the 33-year-old Martin Luther posted theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. The door functioned as a bulletin board for various announcements related to academic and church affairs. The theses were written in Latin and printed on a folio sheet by the printer John Gruenenberg, one of the many entrepreneurs in the new print medium first used in Germany about 1450. Luther was calling for a "disputation on the power and efficacy of indulgences out of love and zeal for truth and the desire to bring it to light." He did so as a faithful monk and priest who had been appointed professor of biblical theology at the University of Wittenberg, a small, virtually unknown institution in a small town.

Some copies of the theses were sent to friends and church officials, but the disputation never took place. Albert of Brandenburg, archbishop of Mainz, sent the theses to some theologians whose judgment moved him to send a copy to Rome and demand action against Luther. By the early months of 1518, the theses had been reprinted in many cities, and Luther's name had become associated with demands for radical change in the church. He had become front-page news.

The article also covers the Issue of Indulgences and the Message of Martin Luther

It is this simple reaffirmation of the ancient Christian "good news," the gospel, that created in the church catholic the reform movement that attracted legions in Germany and other European territories. The movement was propelled by slogans stressing the essentials of Christianity: faith alone (soia fides), grace alone (sola gratia), Christ alone (solus Christus). Many joined because Luther criticized the papacy, which had claimed to have power over every soul. "Why does not the pope whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus (a wealthy Roman nicknamed "Fats," who died in 53 B.C.) build this one basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers?" (Thesis 87).

Should Christians participate in Halloween?

Was It Possible for Jesus to Sin?

John Piper differentiates between the natural and moral possibility of sin as they relate to Jesus' perfection.

Open-Air at an H1N1 Flu Shot Line

COLLISION: Christopher Hitchens vs. Douglas Wilson

An interisting new release comes out today. It is based on a debate between the Athiest Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson who is a senior fellow at New St. Andrew's College. The exchanges are also recorded in the book: Is Christianity Good for the World?

Synopsis:

The documentary COLLISION pits leading atheist, political journalist a nd a uthor Christophe r Hitchens (God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything) against fellow author and evangelical theologian Pastor Douglas Wilson on a debate tour arguing the topic “Is Religion Good For The World?”. Lives and worldviews collide as Hitchens and Wilson wittily and passionately argue the timeless question, proving to be perfectly matched intellectual, philosophical, and cinematic rivals. COLLISION is directed by prolific independent filmmaker Darren Doane (Van Morrison: To Be Born Again, The Battle For L.A., Godmoney).

Chrristopher Hitchens makes some complementary comments in today's National Post (cited below from Slate):

Ever since I invited any champion of faith to debate with me in the spring of 2007, I have been very impressed by the willingness of the other side to take me, and my allies, up on the offer.

I have discovered that the so-called Christian right is much less monolithic, and very much more polite and hospitable, than I would once have thought, or than most liberals believe.

Hitchens makes a tremendous complement to Wilson, reflecting on Wilson's belief system and apologetic style. It is a statement that relects a great complement on how we should stand for what we say we believe:

Wilson isn't one of those evasive Christians who mumble apologetically about how some of the Bible stories are really just "metaphors." He is willing to maintain very staunchly that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and that his sacrifice redeems our state of sin, which in turn is the outcome of our rebellion against God. He doesn't waffle when asked why God allows so much evil and suffering—of course he "allows" it since it is the inescapable state of rebellious sinners. I much prefer this sincerity to the vague and Python-esque witterings of the interfaith and ecumenical groups who barely respect their own traditions and who look upon faith as just another word for community organizing.

Scarry Halloween Costumes for Christians

Free Audio: "Here I Stand" by Martin Luther

In the late afternoon of April 18, 1521, in the city of Worms, Germany, Martin Luther, a 37 year-old Catholic monk was called to defend himself before Charles the Fifth, the Holy Roman Emperor. The speech he delivered that day, Here I Stand, marked the beginning of the Reformation, a critical turning point in Christian history, that decisively altered the spiritual map of the world.

In this recording, Max McLean introduces the events leading up to the Diet of Worms: Martin Luther’s prayer the night before he delivered his speech; Luther's stirring defense; the Catholic church’s rebuttal; and, Luther’s final heartfelt response.

Recovering the treasures of the past is a marvelous gift to the church. I love these presentations of the classics given by Max McLean. However, Martin Luther’s Here I Stand is my favorite. R. C. Sproul

Track Listing
1. Introduction
2. The Road to Reformation
3. Luther’s Prayer
4. Here I Stand
5. Eck’s Response to Luther
6. Luther’s Final Response
7. Conclusion
8. Sources and closing comments

Total Time: 24 minutes

You can download it for free through Sunday, November 1.

More thoughts on fasting

Tim Chester provides some helpful thoughts on fasting. He deals with:

1. Fasting better enables to enjoy food with gratitude

2. Medicating on sugar, salt and fat – or the living God

Free Tim Keller Sermons Now Online

Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York has opened up a new free sermon resource, starting with 150 of Pastor Tim Keller’s sermons, all categorized, labeled, and downloadable, at this site:

• Download Tim Keller's Sermons

Here’s more info from the site:

Redeemer’s Sermon Ministry has been faithfully recording, cataloging and reproducing all of our sermons for the past 20 years. To celebrate all 20 years of our history, and to meet the growing demand for our church’s teaching in New York City and around the world, we have created this resource of 150 sermons and lectures covering a broad array of topics, completely free to download and share.

The recordings chosen for the Free Sermon Resource were culled from classic sermon series as well as lectures and seminar addresses delivered to various Redeemer ministry gatherings, and are intended to present to the listener the full scope of teachings they would receive over several years of active involvement at Redeemer.

This is an amazing new resource, and there will be more content getting added regularly, so tell all your friends: Redeemer Free Sermon Resource.

More Tim Keller content on the Resurgence:

• Profile on Dr. Keller by Collin Hansen
• Notes from Dr. Keller’s talk at the Gospel Coalition 2009
• Dr. Keller speaking on The Reason for God at Google

Vintage Church

In this book, Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears discuss the essentials of what it means to be a biblical church. Find out more.

Joy from Christ, not your performance - Paul Washer

A massive battle that many true Christians face is getting joy from their performance and not from Christ... this is something that only leads to misery and failure. By God's Grace alone may we all be truly, fully satisfied on what Christ has done, and stop focusing on ourselves.

John Piper - Is God more likely to do things if more people are praying?

John Piper says God sometimes gets more glory when more people pray.

John Piper: Preach the Word

Sermon Outline: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. “Give Charity”

1) Love is Enriching (1 Corinthians 13:1–3)

· 1 Corinthians 8:1

2) Love is Edifying (vv. 4–7),

a) Love Is Patient: Romans 12:17

b) Love Is Kind: Matthew 5:40-41

c) Love Is Not Jealous: James 3:14-16

d) Love Does Not Brag: 1 Corinthians 14:26

e) Love Is Not Arrogant: Proverbs 16:18

f) Love Does Not Act Rudely

g) Love Does Insist on its own way

h) Love Is Not Irritable: 1 Peter 2:21-24

i) Love Does Not Rejoice in Unrighteousness: Isaiah 5:20

j) Love Rejoices with the Truth: 2 John 1:6

k) Love Bears All The Things: Proverbs 10:12

l) Love Believes All Things: Galatians 6:1

m) Love Hopes All Things

n) Love Endures All Things

3) Love is Enduring (vv. 8–13).

Why did God decide to save us through faith? (John Piper)

"The salvation from sin and death and judgment that Christ brings is received by faith. Paul illustrates this faith with the case of Abraham in Romans 4:20 and shows how it relates to the glory of God: "No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God [literally, giving glory to God]." In other words, one reason that faith is the way God saves us is that faith gives glory to God. That is, faith calls attention to and magnifies the glory of God. Faith puts us in the position of weak and dependent and puts God in the position of strong and independent and merciful. So faith is essential to displaying the glory of God."

Is birth control Biblical? - Tim Conway

Someone asks a question about birth control and if it is biblical. Some people may not realize it, but there are some sorts of birth control that are a form of abortion and therefore the people are committing murder.

Quebec MDs and euthanasia

Yesterday, the Federation des Medecins Specialistes du Quebec (FMSQ) released results of a survey of their membership in which 3/4 of respondents indicate support for the concept of euthanasia. The FMSQ is a collective of 35 different specialists organizations, interestingly none of them being palliative care specialists.

A story in today's National Post accurately quotes Don Hutchinson of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada as comparing euthanasia with capital punishment, however the analogy is not completed in the text.

"The laws in our country don't forbid suicide but they do forbid helping someone to take someone's life and there's good reason for that," he said. "An individual may have a moment of expression about dying without a genuine desire to really do so. Look at the number of people who have been let out of prison because we found out they didn't commit a crime. If we had the death penalty, we wouldn't be able to do that."

The completed analogy is that just as a momentary decision on capital punishment can have irrevocable consequences, so to would such a decision in regard to euthanasia or assisted suicide. [MORE]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sermon Outline: Ephesians 5:20. "Give Thanks"

1) When are we to be thankful?—always.

· Revelation 15:1–4

· John 11:41–42

· 2 Chronicles 20:20–22

· Philippians 1:3–6

2) For what are we to give thanks?—for all things.

· 2 Corinthians 4:15

3) To whom are we to be thankful?—God the Father.

· Philippians 4:6

4) How are we to be thankful?—in the name of Jesus Christ.

· Philippians 2:7–8

Greg Koukl - Apologetic Methods

Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason looks at the question, "What is your view of pre-suppositional apologetic techniques?"

John Piper on the Economic Downturn

John Piper talks about how a Christian should respond to the country's current recession.

Sermon Outline: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. "Give Gifts"

1) The Proverb: 2 Corinthians 9:6

• Proverbs 11:24-25


2) The Word: 2 Corinthians 9:7

• Deuteronomy 15:7-11


3) The Provision: 2 Corinthians 9:8-10

• Philippians 4:11-13


• Psalm 111:9


4) The Harvest: 2 Corinthians 9:11-15

Romans 15:25-31

The Only Road to Heaven, Pt. 2

In reality, life concentrates on every person standing at a crossroad. This should not surprise us because this is not only true of the most important decision, that eternal decision, but its just a way of life lived out every day. We are confronted through all of our lives with decisions from the trivial ones about what we might wear today or what me might eat, to the more important ones about who we might marry or where we might live, or significant purchases we might make to the greatest of all decisions, the spiritual decisions that effect our eternity far beyond this life. It has always been the function of the servants of God, the ministers of God, the messengers of God to confront people with that most critical of all decisions.

The Only Road to Heaven, Pt 1

The biggest question that will ever be answered is the question...Which way to heaven? The most important decision that anybody will ever make is the decision that they make regarding their eternal destiny. Life here, says the Bible, is a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away. It is like steam off a cup of coffee, nothing more, compared to eternity. Everyone will live somewhere forever without end. Where you live forever is absolutely critical. There are two options: hell and eternal punishment, or heaven and eternal joy. The question then is...which way to heaven?

The Invisible Kingdom of God, Pt. 2 (John MacArthur)

We've all seen on television the vestiges of a coronation. And we have seen what a grand event it is in the most austere and magnificent building available to a people with the most lavish kinds of clothes, attended by the most erudite and significant and important of all people. These are all signs of the power and signs of the privilege and signs of the authority. These are the magnificent emblems of what it means to be the monarch, to have absolute supremacy and absolute sovereignty in a nation.