I used this as a graduation message but appropriate at almost any time. Stress that no matter we face we must remember that Jesus said “I Am”, thus indicating His deity. The Seven “I Am” statements show just how much He has to offer us as we go through life.
John 8:58 (KJV) - Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Exodus 3:14
John 6:35 (KJV) - And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 8:12 (KJV) - Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 10:9-10 (KJV) - I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 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.
John 10:11 (KJV) - I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 11:25-26 (KJV) - Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 14:6 (KJV) - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 15:5 (KJV) - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
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(Recording quality is again not as good as usual.)
JAMES 5:17-18, 1 KINGS 17:1 – THE COMMUNICATING SERVANT
GOOD (FAITHFUL) SERVANT FOR BAD TIMES #2
What did Elijah the Prophet do that would classify him in our day as a “Super Hero”?
Why do we need people like Elijah today?
What’s holding us back?
What were the conditions in which Elijah appeared?
The days in which Elijah the Prophet lived were bad times. Yet Elijah the Prophet stood as a good, faithful servant during those miserable days. Because we live in bad times as well, we need to learn from Elijah how to be faithful despite the circumstances in which we live. In our lesson we see Elijah as a communicating servant, who communicated with God and boldly communicated His message in a hostile environment.
HIS COMMITMENT – His name means “My God is Jehovah (YAHWEH)”
HIS HUMANITY - James 5:17 (KJV) - Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are…
HIS AUTHORITY - 1 Kings 17:1 (KJV) - … As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand,
HIS PRONOUNCEMENT - 1 Kings 17:1 - …there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
HIS BASIS – The Word of God:
Leviticus 26:18-19 (KJV) - And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
Deuteronomy 11:16-17 (KJV) - Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
Deuteronomy 28:23-24 (KJV) - And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
HIS PRAYERS - James 5:17-18 (KJV) - Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
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PSALM 41 – THE LIFE OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN’S PRESERVATION – Vss. 1-3
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN’S PROBLEMS – Vss. 4-9
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN’S PROTECTION – Vss. 10-12
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN’S PRAISE – Vs. 13
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PSALM 103:1-14 – SEEING THE FATHER
Psalm 103 gives us a great picture of God as Heavenly Father:
THE FORGIVING FATHER Vs. 3
THE REDEEMING FATHER Vs. 4a
THE COMPASSIONATE FATHER Vs. 4b, 8
THE SATISFYING FATHER Vs. 5
THE RIGHTEOUS FATHER Vs. 6
THE UNDERSTANDING FATHER Vs. 14
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JEREMIAH 33:3-11 - GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS
Most Christians are familiar with Jeremiah 33:3 - Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
We usually quote this verse without examining the verses that follow it. Here we find the “great and mighty things” that God was going to do in answer to prayer.
REMOVAL – Vss. 4-5 – Because of sin, God would temporarily remove or hide His face.
REVIVAL – Vs. 6 – There would be a healing that would bring about peace and truth.
RELEASE – Vs. 7 – Judah and Israel would be released from captivity.
REDEMPTION – Vs. 8 – Iniquities would be cleansed and pardoned.
RENOWN – Vs. 9 – They would be a testimony to the nations of the world.
REJOICING – Vss. 10-11 – There would be joy once again.
John 4:34 - Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
John 17:4 - I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
What should be a Christian man's purpose for living? Why?
FOUR GOSPELS = FOUR VIEWS OF JESUS
Matthew - Jesus is presented as the King, Israel's Messiah.
Luke - Jesus is presented as "the Son of Man", "the perfect man".
John - Jesus is presented as the Son of God.
Mark - Jesus is presented as the Servant.
It is the Gospel of Action. There are not many long teaching passages. Emphasis is on what Jesus did. A key word is "straightway" or "immediately".
The human author was John Mark, perhaps the young man mentioned in Mark 14:51-52.
Mark originally went with Paul and Barnabas on the First Missionary Journey. However he left for home not long into the trip. This desertion later caused a rift between Paul and Barnabas. Acts 13:5, 13, Acts 15:36-41
Mark evidently proved himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus. At the end of Paul's life, he was asking for Mark's assistance.
I. THE PREPARATION FOR SERVICE - Vss. 1-13
How were you prepared for the job you do now?
Why did Jesus need to be prepared for His ministry?
How do you think Jesus was prepared for service during his boyhood?
How can we prepare our children and grandchildren for service?
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST - Vss. 1-8
Verse 1 is very concise. Why is this verse so important to the understanding of the Gospel of Mark and of Jesus as the Servant?
The Scriptures quoted in verses 2-3 are Malachi 3:10 and Isaiah 40:3.
Why did the people need to be prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus? How is a pastor's ministry today similar to the ministry of John the Baptist?
How does the baptism administered by John differ from baptism today?
Why is John's lifestyle, as described in verse 6, repulsive to most Christians?
What was unique about John's attitude towards Jesus in verses 7-8?
How would an attitude similar to John's change our behavior?
B. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS - Vss. 9-11
For a more detailed account of this baptism see Matthew 3:13-17.
According to Matthew, John at first refused to baptize Jesus. Was his reason valid?
Why was Jesus baptized?
How do we know that Jesus did the right thing? See verses 10-11.
Why do you think God chose to encourage Jesus right after His baptism?
C. THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS - Vss. 12-13
For a more detailed account of the Temptation see Matthew 4:1-11.
What does verse 12 teach us about the Holy Spirit?
What does the temptation of Jesus prove?
What does the temptation of Jesus teach us men?
Why did angels minister to Jesus?
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JOHN 3:16 – THE FATHER’S LOVE
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.
THE EXTENT OF THE FATHER’S LOVE -For God so loved the world,
He loved the whole world.
THE EXPRESSION OF THE FATHER’S LOVE -that he gave his only begotten Son,
Jesus was sent to die on the cross for our sins. Romans 5:6-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21
THE ETERNALITY OF THE FATHER’S LOVE -that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The one who trusts Christ as Savior will live forever.
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1 TIMOTHY 1:5 – THE BOTTOM LINE
1 Timothy 1:5 - Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
How can we tell when someone is a false teacher?
What are some of the ways of detecting that someone is teaching a wrong doctrine?
How can we discern what is Bible truth and what is not?
First, if a person is born-again, he will have the Holy Spirit living within in and pointing out the truth. John 16:13
Second, a false teacher will have his doctrine or teaching concerning Jesus Christ mixed up. 1 John 2:22-23, 1 John 4:2-3
Third, a false teacher will have the wrong bottom line from his teaching.
The bottom line in business is the results or profit after all income is counted and all expenses paid. It is the net profit or loss of the business.
In teaching the Word of God there is a bottom line.
When the Word of God is preached by a false teacher the bottom line is a loss.
When the Word of God is taught properly, there is a bottom line or profit for the Body of Christ.
Timothy had been mentored by Paul, and often served as a special assistant. In this case, as verses 3-4 show us, Timothy was left behind in Ephesus to confront and correct false doctrine.
The result of accurate teaching, the bottom line, will be love (charity). Right teaching promotes true Christian love for the brethren, and the world will be able to see the difference. 1 John 4:19, 1 John 4:7-8, John 13:34-35
In 1 Timothy 1:5 Paul gives us three reasons for love based on accurate teaching.
ACCURATE TEACHING WILL PRODUCE LOVE OUT OF A PURE HEART
We read in verse 3 that Timothy was to charge some teachers that they teach no other doctrine. I want us to especially think of the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of Christ.
Paul was narrow minded because only correct doctrine produces love from a purified heart. Jeremiah 17:9, Hebrews 10:16-17
ACCURATE TEACHING WILL PRODUCE LOVE OUT OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE
You've heard the expression, "Let your conscience be your guide."
Well, that's all right if you have a good conscience. A good conscience is one which has been under the accurate teaching of the Gospel, and has been cleansed in the blood of Christ. Hebrews 9:14
Verse 4 - False teaching does not provide a good conscience because false teaching is not edifying. It does not build.
ACCURATE TEACHING WILL PRODUCE LOVE OUT OF AN UNFEIGNED FAITH.
Unfeigned means not hypocritical. There is plenty of hypocrisy in false teaching.
Verse 6 - When someone does not accurately teaching concerning God's law, he swerves.
And when a person swerves from teaching truth, he uses empty words with no content. This verse calls it "vain jangling".
Verse 7 - False teachers want to teach, and don't know that they are talking about. This leads to hypocrisy.
Verse 8 - The law is good, when it is properly understood and explained.
Verses 9-10 - The law was not made for a righteous man. Instead the law was written to show us what sinners we really are.
The law, and the fact that no one has obeyed it perfectly, except the Lord Jesus, is the document which shows us that we are sinners in need of the Savior! Romans 3:10-12
Verse 11 - An unfeigned faith is produced by the glorious Gospel of Christ.
Such an unfeigned faith says,
"Yes, I am a sinner, according to the law. Yes, I have failed God. Yes, I deserve punishment. (Ezekiel 18:4) But Jesus Christ died for my sins. Jesus Christ shed His blood for me. Jesus Christ was buried and rose again. I trust Jesus as my Savior. I now have eternal life." John 3:36
True doctrine produces a faith without hypocrisy which acknowledges sin and forgiveness for it through faith in Christ.
