Posted by Chris on July 14, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
July 14, 2013
The Gospel Blimp – A book by Joseph Bayly in the 1960’s warns us to never confuse methodology with the message.
- For the original book look here
- For the comic book adaptation look here
- For a related blog look here
- For a good commentary on the Gospel Blimp look here
We haven’t resorted to loud speakers or blimps (yet) but we have had our share of gospel blimps that attempt to attach the message of Christ to a particular method.
When we focus too much on methodology, we expect certain results and rely on our own techniques. The message of the gospel gets reduced to a formula and oversimplified to the point that it loses real meaning.
We need to be ready when we are asked questions about our faith. (1 Peter 3:15)
We can give a reason for the hope that we have. To be ready we need to have four things . . .
- Have an answer. Not a fabricated, doctrinally approved answer, but a genuine sincere answer that we own with conviction.
- Have the right attitude. There is no reason for arrogance. We are not trying to establish control or privilege. We are showing respect by sharing the truth. Even if the question is hostile or skeptical, we can still respond with respect. Even if our answer disagrees with the worldview of another, we can still show respect. Respect is shown by sharing the truth without arrogance or pretense, not simply telling people what they wish to hear.
- Have the courage to live out our faith. If we expect to be asked for the reason for our hope, then let us make that hope visible. One of the barriers to Christianity in the United States is the Christians sometimes do not appear to live significantly different lives than non-Christians.
- Have patience in God. We should focus on being truthful, and leave the results to God. If our measuring stick for effectiveness is similar to those used in sales, then preachers like Paul and Stephen (Acts 8) would be considered failures.
Posted by Chris on July 8, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
Sermon for July 7, 2013 by Chris Benjamin
Hristo and Vania Video
Timeline for Bulgaria
1. Bulgarian State: 1878-1946
2. Communist State: 1946 – 1990
3. Transition Era: 1990 – now
Seminar: The Power of Faith, Hope, and Love
America’s First Atheist Monument
Faith and Citizenship are related. Faith informs the way a follower of Christ practices his or her duties as a citizen. Just as faith informs and guides the way we live our lives in all contexts. However, citizenship must not take precedent over faith.
Faith and Citizenship are not the same thing. If we think that our faith depends on the blessing or affirmation of the government, then we ought to re-think what we call our faith. It may be that our faith is in worldly institutions rather than the kingdom of God.
St. Augustine, City of God
The Epistle to Diognetus: For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers
Romans 13:4
1 Peter 2:11-14
Posted by Chris on June 30, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
Sermon for June 30, 2013 by Travis Campbell
Posted by Chris on June 23, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
Sermon for June 23, 2013 by Travis Campbell
Posted by Chris on June 16, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
June 16, 2013 – Dragons are featured in ancient stories, modern classics, and video games:
Beowulf
Beowulf, The Hobbit,
The Hobbit
Skyrim
and Skyrim. Even the new movie Pacific Rim is about knights in shining armor defending the world from terrible monsters. In every form, there’s something about the story of the knight and the dragon that reminds us the there is a conflict between good and evil in the universe.
The best known story of a knight fighting a dragon is the story of St. George. St. George and the Dragon is everywhere! You will find it represented in nations from England to Ethiopia. Monuments and illustrations depicting St. George slaying the dragon are visible in cities in the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
Why does the story of a knight fighting a dragon appeal to us?
Revelation 12
“Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”
Revelation 19
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”
Dragons Can Be Beaten
“The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.” – G.K. Chesterton
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” – Neil Gaiman
The dragon may be the most fearsome thing that we can imagine, but even the dragon fears something!
- these limitless terrors have a limit
- these shapeless enemies have enemies in the knights of God
- there is something in the universe more mystical than darkness, and stronger than strong fear.
The dragon fears the rider on the white horse!
Posted by Chris on June 9, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
Sermon for June 9, 2013
THIS IS A TEST . . . .
If your response to this series of images is “What is this?” then you are young.
If your response is “Why is he showing this?” then you are old. If you know what these things are and if you have ever used them regularly, then you are older.
Hope I Die Before I Get Old!
What a drag it is getting old!
When did it become a sin to be old? When did being old become something to avoid or something for which we must apologize?
When the generation that said “Don’t trust anyone over 30” ended up well over 30, they created quite a mess for themselves.
Don’t believe the advertising. The media and the culture want to give us new and improved version of age. Retirement is free of worry and problems. Old people are really just young people with graying hair.
It is an unrealistic image.
I’m using the wireless telephone!
•Trying to stay current is a myth
•Trying to keep up gives an inferiority complex
•Don’t buy the “snake oil” and you will not be disappointed!
The Bible speaks of age differently. It describes a value in being old.
“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.” – Proverbs 16:31
“I am writing to you little children because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.” – 1 John 2:12-13
•Wisdom brings perspective that should make us carefree
•Gamaliel (Acts 5:34-39)
•The Apostle John – “Love One Another”
Worrying about the next generation and complaining about the future has been around for quite a long time. There’s nothing new about it!
“I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.” – Hesiod (8th century B.C.)
An appeal to the old:
Teach Us . . .
•How to grow old
•How to have faith
•How to hope
•How to love
•To know God
Posted by Chris on June 2, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
June 2, 2013 – What comes to mind when we speak about the table of the Lord?
What does a table mean to us? What does a table represent?
A table is a place for more than a meal. It is a place of meeting. It is a place of conversation. It is a place for fellowship.
We regard our tables with reverence. We gather the family and friends around a table. We celebrate special occasions at tables.
We practice manners at our tables because we believe that the fellowship at a table is important and connects us to something greater.
What do we think of when we mention the table of the Lord? Do the same thoughts about a table come to mind or is it only a religious ritual?
Classic Images of the “Last Supper”
Leonardo, The Last Supper, 1498
Orthodox Icon
Tintoretto, The Last Supper, 1594
Dali, The Sacrament of the Last Supper, 1955
The Passion of the Christ, 2004
The Lord’s Supper, 1973
The History of the Lord’s Table
Ancient Carving
The Altar – moved to the front and fenced off!
The Long Table
A Puritan Style Communion Table
1 Cor. 10:16-17 – When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.
What Does the Table Mean?
- Unity (v. 18)
- Sharing (v. 18-19)
- Participating (v. 20)
- Eating (v. 31)
Table Manners
For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. – 1 Cor. 11:29
Posted by Chris on May 26, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
May 26, 2013 –
Lamentations 3:19-24
The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
Jerusalem and Oklahoma
Some things are the same between Jerusalem and Oklahoma
- Daring to Hope
- Trusting in God
- God’s faithful love does not end – The steadfast love of the Lord does not cease if an army invades or a tornado destroys!
Some things are not the same
- This is not God’s wrath
- This is not a divine response to sin (we go too far when we attempt to claim that!)
I reject those who claim that God is hateful and that God enjoys pouring down destruction. Those who claim this should read Lamentations 3:33 – “For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.”
Let God be God and you just be his child. Stop trying to be the prophet and stop trying to make yourself into God’s spokesperson on “the news of the day.”
God does not spin up tornadoes in order to teach us a lesson!
God makes his teaching clear through his son, Jesus Christ.
How would Jesus respond to these questions about suffering and disaster?
Luke 13:1-5 – About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
- We always need to repent
- We live in a broken world
- God does not enjoy hurting people
- God’s faithful love does not cease
Posted by Chris on May 19, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
Sermon for Graduation Sunday
May 19, 2013
Posted by Chris on May 12, 2013 under Front Page Posts, Sermons
Click Here For Audio
Sermon for May 12, 2013 by Chris Benjamin
