Greg Koukl - Do Animals Have Souls?

Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason answers the question "Do animals have souls?". For more information, visit http://www.str.org.

Sermon Outline: Matthew 1:18-25. "Prepare His Presence"

1) The virgin birth: Conceived (Matthew 1:18)
• Genesis 3:15

2) The virgin birth: Confronted (Matthew 1:19–20)

3) The virgin birth: Clarified (Matthew 1:21)
• Luke 3:23

4) The virgin birth: Connected (Matthew 1:22-23)
• Isaiah 7:14-16

5) The virgin birth: Consummated (Matthew 1:24–25)
• Mark 6:3a

It's God's Will That You Suffer for Righteousness' Sake

It's God's will that you suffer...for righteousness' sake. Though every Christian would affirm that statement, people interpret it in a number of different ways. For some, it's doing ministry in an inner-city homeless shelter. For others, it's absorbing whatever comments your critics make about your ministry methodology—e.g., the mega-church or multi-site pastor who gets called out for franchising his brand. Still others completely ignore the issue of righteousness and godliness. For them, suffering is doing something radical, something crazy, unpopular, even shocking. Is that what God wants? Crazy suffering? Or should we interpret suffering from a more biblical paradigm? Here's John MacArthur to answer that question...

Jesus, the Firstborn (Colossians 1:15)

And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. (Colossians 1:15)

The heretics viewed Jesus as one among a series of lesser spirits descending in sequential inferiority from God. Paul refutes that with two powerful descriptions of who Jesus really is. First, Paul describes Him as the image of the invisible God. Eikon (image) means "image" or "likeness." From it we get our English word icon, referring to a statue. It is used in Matthew 22:20 of Caesar's portrait on a coin, and in Revelation 13:14 of the statue of Antichrist.

Paul further describes Jesus as the first-born of all creation. From the Arians of the early church to the Jehovah's Witnesses of our own day, those who would deny our Lord's deity have sought support from this phrase. They argue that it speaks of Christ as a created being, and hence He could not be the eternal God. Such an interpretation completely misunderstands the sense of prototokos (first-born) and ignores the context.

Although prototokos can mean first-born chronologically (Luke 2:7), it refers primarily to position, or rank. In both Greek and Jewish culture, the first-born was the son who had the right of inheritance. He was not necessarily the first one born. Although Esau was born first chronologically, it was Jacob who was the "first-born" and received the inheritance. Jesus is the One with the right to the inheritance of all creation (cf. Heb. 1:2; Rev. 5:1--7, 13)...
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Submission

Submitting to authority is one of the single most effective ways you can make the gospel attractive. And even though submission is clearly the will of God, too many Christians seem to think it's optional. That's a reproach to the gospel, the church, and the Lord Himself. It's God's will that we lead peaceful, quiet lives, submit to the laws of the land, and be a blessing to church leadership. We are to submit. That is God's will. Here's John MacArthur to explain...
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Work Out Your Salvation (Philippians 2:12)

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

One motive for believers' working out their sanctification is understanding the consequences of sin. Although God is loving, merciful, and forgiving, He nevertheless holds believers accountable for disobedience. Like John, Paul understood well that "if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8--9). Knowing that he serves a holy and just God, the faithful believer will always live with fear and trembling. Fear translates phobos, which describes fright or terror (cf. Matt. 14:26;Luke 21:26; 1 Cor. 2:3) as well as reverential awe (cf. Acts 2:43; 9:31; 2 Cor. 5:11; 7:1). Trembling is from tromos, which refers to shaking and is the word from which the English word tremor derives. Both of those are proper reactions to the awareness of one's own spiritual weakness and the power of temptation. The Lord seeks such an attitude in His children, as His words in Isaiah 66:2 indicate:"To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word."

An important Old Testament truth is "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111:10; cf. Prov. 1:7; 9:10). This is not a fear of being doomed to eternal torment, nor a hopeless dread of judgment that leads to despair. It is rather a reverential fear, a holy concern to give God the honor He deserves and avoid the chastening of His displeasure. Such fear protects against...

Ravi Zacharias Answers Stephen Hawking

Bob Ditmer interviews author and apologist Ravi Zacharias and Professor John Lennox about Stephen Hawking's claim that God was not needed for the universe to come into existence.

Free eChart: "Bible Promises for Hope & Courage"

This "Bible Promises for Hope and Courage" e-Chart contains 20 key
verses from the Bible with promises on loneliness, fear, worry, security, and
contentment.

Sermon Outline: Matthew 11:2-11. "Prepare His Kingdom"

1) The Request (Matthew 11:2-3)

• 1 Peter 1:10-11

• Luke 17:20-21

2) The Reply (Matthew 11:4-6)

• Isaiah 35:4-5


• Isaiah 61:1

3) The Recognition (Matthew 11:7-11)

• Malachi 3:1

Natural vs. Moral Ability

Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason talks about man's natural ability to respond to the Gospel. For more information, visit http://www.str.org.

Combat Fear by Knowing the Father

This clip, entitled "Combat Fear by Knowing the Father," is taken from the sermon "Jesus and Anxiety," preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church in Seattle as part of the ongoing series, "Luke: Investigating The Man Who Is God" For more information about this current series, visit http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke
and for more audio and video content visit marshillchurch.org.

Fear Not

This clip entitled "Fear Not" is taken from the sermon "Jesus And Anxiety" preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church as part of the ongoing series, "Luke: Investigating The Man Who Is God" For more information about this current series, visit http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke
and for more audio and video content visit marshillchurch.org

7 Truths About Fear

This clip entitled "7 Truths About Fear" is taken from the sermon "Jesus And Anxiety" preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church as part of the ongoing series, "Luke: Investigating The Man Who Is God" For more information about this current series, visit http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke
and for more audio and video content visit marshillchurch.org

Self-Control, Passion, and Marriage

But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self--control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. (1 Corinthians 7:8--9)

These verses answer the question, "Should those who were married and divorced before becoming Christians remarry?" No doubt that was a key question in the Corinthian church. Formerly married people came to salvation in Christ and asked if they now had the right to marry someone else. Paul's response here is uniquely fitted to those who want to know their options.

Paul is speaking to people who were divorced before coming to Christ. They wanted to know if they had the right to marry. His word to them is that it is good for them who are now free of marriage to remain even as I. By that statement Paul affirms that he was formerly married. Because marriage seems to have been required for membership in the Sanhedrin, to which Paul may once have belonged, because he had been so devoutly committed to Pharisaic tradition (Gal. 1:14), and because he refers to one who could have been his wife's mother (Rom. 16:13), we may assume that he was once married. His statement here to the previously married confirms that—even as I. Likely he was a widower. He does not identify with the virgins but with the unmarried and widows, that is, with the formerly married.

The point is that those who are single when converted to Christ should know that it is good for them to stay that way. There is no need to rush into marriage. Many well--meaning Christians are not content to let people remain single. The urge to play cupid and matchmaker can be strong, but mature believers must resist it. Marriage is not necessary or superior to singleness, and it limits some potential for service to Christ (vv. 32--34).

Later in the chapter Paul advised believers to remain as they were. Staying single was not wrong, and becoming married or staying married were not wrong. But "in view of the present distress" the Corinthian believers were experiencing, it seemed much better to stay as they were (7:25--28).

Deciding about marriage obviously is more difficult for the person who has strong sexual desires but who has no immediate prospect for a husband or wife. It is never God's will for Christians to marry unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14), but neither is it right just to marry the first believer who will say yes. Though we may want very much to be married, we should be careful. Strong feelings of any sort tend to dull judgment and make one vulnerable and careless.

There are several things that Christians in this dilemma ought to do. First, they should not simply seek to be married, but should seek a person they can love, trust, and respect, letting marriage come as a response to that commitment of love. People who simply want to get married for the sake of getting married run a great risk of marrying the wrong person. Second, it is fine to be on the lookout for the "right person," but the best way to find the right person is to be the right person. If believers are right with God and it is His will for them to be married He will send the right person—and never too late.

If, however, a single believer did not have self--control, that person should seek to marry. If a Christian is single but does not have the gift of singleness and is being strongly tempted sexually, he or she should pursue marriage. Let them marry in the Greek is in the aorist imperative, indicating a strong command. "Get married," Paul says, for it is better to marry than to burn. The term means "to be inflamed," and is best understood as referring to strong passion (cf. Rom. 1:27). A person cannot live a happy life, much less serve the Lord, if he is continually burning with sexual desire—even if the desire never results in actual immorality. And in a society such as Corinth's, or ours, in which immorality is so prevalent and accepted, it is especially difficult not to succumb to temptation.

I believe that once a Christian couple decides to get married they should do it fairly soon. In a day of lowered standards, free expression, and constant suggestiveness, it is extremely difficult to stay sexually pure. The practical problems of an early marriage are not nearly as serious as the danger of immorality.

http://www.macarthurcommentaries.com

Sermon Outline: Matthew 3:1-12 "Prepare His Way"

1) His Ministry (Matthew 3:1-6)

• Isaiah 40:3-5

2) His Message (Matthew 3:7-12)

• Matthew 23:13

• Luke 3:11-14

Jesus Identifies With Us

This clip entitled "Jesus Identifies With Us" is taken from the sermon "Jesus And Anxiety" preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church as part of the ongoing series, "Luke: Investigating The Man Who Is God" For more information about this current series, visit http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke
and for more audio and video content visit marshillchurch.org

Free Audiobook Download of the Month

 

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Handel's Messiah

Author Calvin R. Stapert

Narrator James Adams

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The Real Meaning of Christmas: The Glory of the Lord, #2

. . . you'll no doubt be wrestling with a Christmas to-do list packed with shopping, decorating, school plays, and traveling to name a few. Through it all, how will you stay focused on what's most important?

The Real Meaning of Christmas: The Glory of the Lord, #1

If you ever blew a test because you didn't review your notes, you know how forgetting important details can ruin your whole day. Ironically, forgetting what's important doesn't seem to ruin Christmas day for countless people...

The Theology of Creation (John MacArthur)

On Sunday nights here at Grace Church for many months, we have been dealing with very important matters of theology, great doctrines that are critical for our understanding of the Christian faith, and therefore our service to the Lord. And tonight I want to embrace one that is certainly foundational, I want to call it, "The Theology of Creation...The Theology of Creation." Creation is a theological issue, not a scientific issue. Theology is the only source from which we have any information about creation. Any study of creation must come in the framework of theology because it is a word from God.

Theology, by the way, used to be called the queen of the sciences. It was called the queen of the sciences because in the final analysis the ultimate reigning truth is theology. Biblical theology, the revelation of God in Scripture, trumps all other sources of information and knowledge. And so, for centuries creation was a theological issue, not a scientific one. And then came Darwin and Darwin confiscated the subject of creation out of the realm of theology and tried to put into the realm of human knowledge and did no service to mankind.

If we want to understand creation, if we want to understand origins, if we want to understand how the universe came into existence and everything that is in it, we have to look at theology, not science. And the source of theology is the Word of God in which God speaks. The Bible is not theory, the Bible is fact. The Bible is reality. The Bible is truth no matter what subject it addresses, but particularly with regard to origins since no one was here when God created, we have only His eyewitness account.