Apr 24 2011 dcfc english Worship [The Master & The Disciple] Luke 24: 28-36
Download 0.72 Mb.
|
- Navigate this page:
- The Evangelist the Post Office
- The Trek of Machoo-Peechoo
- CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE
- Fighting Fire with Fire- Burnt over Ground
- Nebelun Jabelun - Yali Tribe
CHRIST, AS SHEPHERDBlind SkiersDate: 12/2007.101 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching from Leadership Journal ed. Craig Brian Larson #252 A television program preceding the 1988 Winter Olympics featured blind skiers being trained for slalom skiing, impossible as that sounds. paired with sighted skiers, the blind skiers were taught on the flats how to make right and left turns. When that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouted "Left!" and :Right!" As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line depending solely on the sighted skiers' word. It was either complete trust or catastrophe. What a vivid picture of the Christian life! In this world, we are in reality blind about what course to take We must rely solely on the Word of the only One who is truly sighted - God himself. His Word gives us the direction we need to finish the course. CHRIST, AS SHEPHERD Herd InstinctDate: 6/2007.101 Nov 13 2011 DCFC English [Jesus came to the world to...] John 10:1-18 – Lay down His life
Daily Bread April 17 2007 Near the village of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death. Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died. The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep (Psalms 100:3; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 9:36). Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd. I’m glad the Bible also describes sheep in a positive way. Jesus said, I am the Good Shepherd . . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:14,John 10:27). So the big question for us is: Whom are we following? One another? Self-centered shepherds? Or the voice and direction of the Good Shepherd? Our challenge is to avoid the mistake of the sheep who blindly followed one another over a cliff. We must make it our daily purpose to ask ourselves: Am I listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd? Am I following Him? Mart De Haan
Ps 23Date: 6/2009.101 7 June 2009 DCFC English Worship - [Heavenly Songs for Earthly Woes] Ps 23 The Lord is my shepherd This psalm is popular and endearing because it brings out deep theological truths of God's provision and protection in such simple poetic terms even when misquoted by children. As a little child said, "The Lord is my shepherd, what more shall I want?" What more do we need? Truly, with the Lord in our lives, what else do we need? CHRIST, AS SHEPHERD The Evangelist & the Post OfficeDate: 5/2007.101 Hot Illustrations A famous evangelist was in town to hold an evangelistic crusade. On the way to the stadium where the crusade was being held, the evangelist wanted to stop at the post office and mail a letter. But he got hopelessly lost and finally decided to ask someone for directions. He noticed a little boy walking on the sidewalk, so he pulled over and said, Excuse me, son, but can you tell me where the post office is? The little boy said, Sure. Turn around and go back down the street to the first light, turn left and it’s a block or two on your right. Thank you very much, young man, said the evangelist. By the way, he added, handing the boy an announcement for the crusade, I’d like to invite you to come to a meeting later today where I’ll tell you how you can find Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Fat chance, said the little boy. You can’t even find the post office. Where to Take It from Here... Fortunately for us, we don’t have to find Jesus. Jesus finds us. In Luke 15, Jesus describes us as lost sheep. As a shepherd with a flock of one hundred sheep, he says, he leaves the ninety-nine in order to go out and find the one that has gone astray. We don’t have to find our way back to the fold. Jesus is pursuing us. All we need to do is stop running and let him take us back.
Date: 7/2006.101 July 22 2006 - DCFC YOC 16 March 2008 DCFC English - Mark 12:28-34 - A Mountaineering Guide 12 July 2006 - ABC Nightline A group of 18 kids went to Peru to climb a mountain - the mountain of Machoo-peechoo, it is one of the sacred trails of the Incas. An interesting feature of this group is that it consist of a group of blind kids with some normal kids. They lived together and trained together, with the normal kids guiding the blind. Their treks takes a few days, up and down slopes, crossing rivers, through forest. It was difficult because the air gets thinner as they go higher. It was essential that the blind kids follow their guide as they ascend and descend slopes. They can't see anything but managed to complete the journey, wholly trusting and following their guide through all the obstacles before them. Likewise, we have a guide who walks with us through our lives - Christ. And we need friends who would walk with us too.
No title05 Dec 2010 DCFC English Worship – [Satisfying Life’s Desires] Ps 51 Living in Joy Jesus Became Man’s Substitute
—Chuck Colson, quoted by Mike and Amy Nappa in Men of Integrity, Vol. 3, no. 5. See: John 15:13; Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 2:1-10 CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Doing push upsDate: 12/2008.101 This past week, Josie received a rather interesting story via the e-mail that I would like to paraphrase for you this morning. Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the author. However, I do know that it was written by one of the students who witnessed this experiential sermon in a small Christian college, somewhere in the western United States. It happened during an introductory course in Christian theology. The professor who taught this course was named Dr. Christianson. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year, regardless of their major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the Gospel to his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take the course, and subsequently, Christianity seriously. There was, however, one special student in his class. Steve had entered college with the intent of later going on to seminary to study for the ordained ministry, and so he took this course seriously. Steve was also popular among the student body. He was not only well liked, he was an imposing physical specimen. Even as a freshman, he was the starting center on the school football team. One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to remain after class in order to talk with him. Dr. Christianson then asked Steve, "how many push-ups can you do?" Steve responded, "I do about 200 every night." "Well, that pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson responded. Then he asked, "do you think you could do 300?" "I don't know," Steve answered. I've never done 300 at a time." "Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it?" the professor asked. Steve said, "Well, I think I can. Yeah, I can do it." Dr. Christianson said, "Good. I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind." Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started the professor pulled out a huge box of donuts. Now, these weren't the normal kind of donuts. They were the extra fancy, BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting. Everyone in the class became excited. It was Friday, the last class of the day, and it looked as though they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class. Dr. Christianson then went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?" "Yes," she replied. Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?" "Sure," Steve said, as he jumped down to the floor in front of his desk and did a quick ten. Then he returned to his seat. Dr. Christianson then put a donut on Cynthia's desk, and went to the next person in the row and asked, "Joe, would you like a donut?" Joe said "Yes." And again, Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Joe can have a donut?" And again, Steve hit the floor and did a quick ten. And so it went, down the first row of students. Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut. Then Dr. Christianson started down the second row, and came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and an athlete in his own right. When Scott was asked if he wanted a donut, he responded by saying, "Well, can I do my own push-ups." Dr. Christianson responded, "No. Steve has to do them." Scott then said, "Then I don't want one.? Dr. Christianson shrugged his shoulders, turned to Steve, and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut that he doesn't want?" And in obedience, Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott then said, "Hey, I said I didn't want one." Dr. Christianson retorted, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk. By this time, Steve had begun to slow down. He just stayed on the floor between sets, because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see perspiration coming out around his brow. And as Dr. Christianson started down the third row, the students were beginning to get angry. "Jenny, do you want a donut?" he asked. And as sternly as she could, she said "No." But again, Steve did ten for the donut that Jenny didn't want. By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were all beginning to say "No," and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get his push-ups done for each donut. A small pool of sweat formed on the floor from beneath his face. The class could clearly see that his arms and brow were red from the physical effort involved. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some other students from other classes had wandered in and sat on the steps along the side wall of the classroom. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count, and realized that there were now 35 students in the room. He began to worry if Steve would be able to make it, because it was taking him much longer to complete each set. When he came to the end of the last row, he asked Steve, "Do you think we should give a donut to these five, who are not members of our class? You realize that if we do, you will need to do ten push-ups for each one. Steve picked up his head, his arms now visibly shaking from exhaustion, and said, "Give them a donut. But do I have to touch my nose to the floor on each push-up." Dr. Christianson thought for a moment and said, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way you want." As Dr. Christianson went to those last few students, the tone in the voices had changed from defiance, and anger, to sadness and compassion. The next to last student very sadly uttering, "No, thank you." Again, Dr. Christianson quietly asked "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten, very slow push-ups for Linda. Then he stood before the last student, and asked, "Susan, do you want a donut?" With tears flowing down her face, she asked, "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him? Dr. Christianson responded, with tears of his own, "No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him the task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut, whether they want it or not. When I decided to have this party, I looked at my grade book. Steve is the only one with a perfect grade. Everyone else has either failed a class, skipped a class, or offered me inferior work. Steve shared with me that in football practice, when a player messes up, he has to do push-ups. I then told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the consequences for you, by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes. Then he added, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, his arms buckled beneath him, and he fell to the floor. Two students helped an exhausted Steve to a seat. Dr. Christianson then turned to his class and said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, who gave himself up for us all. Whether or not we choose to accept his gift to us, the price has been paid. Wouldn't it be foolish and ungrateful, to leave it lying on your desk?" CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Dr Drew's DiscoveryDate: 8/2006.101 Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks 4 P172 For much of its history, the USA has not been so united. For centuries, American societies was racially segregated. From schools to buses, public restrooms to drinking facilities, restaurants to churches, the country was divided into black and white. Hospitals were among the last institutions to desegregate because many people were afraid they might get the "wrong blood" during a transfusion. They feared that if they received blood from a person of another color or ethnicity, they might actually develop characteristics of that race. All that changed when Dr Charles Drew came along. In the 1930s, Dr Drew created the process we now use to make plasma. Plasma means it can be used to treat bleeding patients without the need for whole blood. Dr Drew's discovery was so noteworthy that he was asked to head the Blood for Britain campaign during WWII. After the war, Drew founded the American Blood Bank which is still in operation today. Ironically, Dr Charles Drew died in 1950 at the age of 46 because he did not receive blood transfusion or blood plasma in time. Dr Drew was injured in an automobile accident and taken to the hospital that was still segregated - a hospital that would not admit black people. And since Dr Drew was a black man, he bled to death. Application: Dr Charles Drew dedicated his life to saving lives - yet he could not save his own. Sounds familiar? When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the leaders of the religious establishment mocked him, "He saved others,: they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross and we will believe in him!" (Matthew 27:42). It is only in retrospect that we can appreciate the injustice of Dr Drew's death. because public policy has changed, we may believe we're different from the people of 1950. We cling to the belief that we would have behaved in a more caring manner than those who turned Dr Drew away during his time of need. But can we be sure of that? What about Jesus' death on the cross? Are we any different today than those who mocked the Savior and drove nails through his hands and feet? Unless we truly appreciate what he did for us, we aren’t different at all. We have to put our faith in Jesus and make him Lord and Savior of our lives. Only then can we be changed by him from inside out. CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Fighting Fire with Fire- Burnt over GroundDate: 8/2006.101 Oct 16 2011 DCFC English [Jesus came to the world to...] John 3 - Give us second birth Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks 4 P59 The pioneers who settled the American West often had to travel for days at a time across miles and miles of grassy plains. And while pioneers considered mountain ranges difficult and treacherous to cross, they dreaded these vast plains even more. It wasn't hostile Indians, prairie wolves, rattlesnakes or summer heat that caused their fear. It was lightning. The high grass on the plains was often so dry that lightning could ignite a small fire that could then be whipped up by the winds and spread quickly across the land, engulfing everything and everyone in its path. Many died on their journeys across the plains simply because they were unable to outrun a raging prairie fire. After many tragic journeys, the pioneers developed a method of finding refuge from these fires that is still used today. Whenever they saw smoke from a lightning fire in the distance they would go downwind from their wagons and set the plains on fire. The wind would then push that fire and burn the grass downwind from them. Once the grass was burned, they would then move their horses and wagons across the scorched land. When the fire from the lightning did reach them, they were safe because there was no longer any grass to be burned. The pioneers found safety by fighting fire with fire. Application: In a sense, Jesus fought fire with fire. He took the sins of the world upon himself and endured a cruel death so that we would not have to suffer the fires of hell. Jesus knew the only way for us to avoid death was for him to die. By taking our sins to the cross, he destroyed them "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalms 103:12) and provided us with a safe place to stand. 'Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) Don't try to outrun the flames. You can’t do it. You need to stand firm on the solid rock of faith in Jesus Christ.
Fiorello LaGuardiaDate: 11/2007.101 June 04 2012 DCFC English [Worship Acceptable to God] Mal 2:17-3:5 A call to trust in a just God Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching From Leadership Journal: Ed. Craig Brian Larson #5 The fame LaGuardia airport in NY was named after its irrepressible mayor. One winter's night in 1935, it is told, Fiorello LaGuardia, the irrepressible mayor of New York, showed up at a night court in the poorest ward of the city. He dismissed the judge for the night and took over the bench. That night a tattered old woman, charged with stealing a loaf of bread, was brought before him. She defended herself saying, "My daughter's husband has deserted her. She is sick and her children are starving." The shopkeeper refused to drop the charges, saying," It's a bad neighborhood, your honor and she's got to be punished to teach other people a lesson." LaGuardia sighed. he turned to the old woman and said, "I've got to punish you; the law makes no exceptions. Ten dollars or ten days in jail." However, even while pronouncing sentence, LaGuardia reached into his pocket, took out a ten-dollar bill and threw it into his hat with these famous words: "Here's the ten-dollar fine, which I now remit and furthermore, I'm going to fine everyone in the courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant." The following day, a New York newspaper reported, "Forty-seven dollars and fifty cents was turned over to a bewildered old grandmother who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. making forced donations were a red-faced storekeeper, seventy petty criminals and a few New York policemen." Application: Atonement of Christ. Judgment & Payment CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Jack BauerDate: 10/2007.101 24 hours - Jack Bauer takes a bullet for the president. Secret Service agents are willing to do such a thing because they believe the President is so valuable to our country and the world that he is worth dying for. Obviously they would not take a bullet for just anyone. At Calvary the situation was reversed. The President of the Universe actually took a bullet for each of us. At the Cross, we see how valuable we are to God. CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Nebelun Jabelun - Yali TribeDate: 11/2007.101 2007 Germany Magdeburg - John 4:1-24 The Samaritan woman Grace Baptist Mission conference Yali tribe. Missionary noticed that they have maimed figures & ears. Old folks only have two digits on their left hand and 3 on their right. Their ears are very small too. This was because at the funerals of their relatives, they would cut off 1/3 of their fingers. They are a violent tribe so always kill each other. After 9 relatives die, they world start with their right hand and then their ears. He tried sharing the gospel with them for a few years, but efforts were in vain. One day he asked them, "Why do you maim yourself? Isn't it painful enough that your relative died?" "Yes. you see, we believe that man once had eternal life. But one day, the spider of life and bird of death had an argument. The bird won and the spider - called Nebelun Jabelun left. We believe that Nebelun Jabelun will return when the pain quota is filled. The usual pain and sickness of death is not enough. Thus we inflict more pain on ourselves, hoping for Nebelun Jabelun to return. We must be careful because Nebelun Jabelun will come in a disguise and we must welcome him." The missionary hit on an idea - Jesus Christ is Nebelun Jabelun. We need not inflict pain on ourselves or do good deeds - all is done by Christ. By this the gospel door was opened.
New EarsDate: 5/2007.101 7 Oct 2007 - DCFC English - Luke 10:25-32/ John 15:12-13 - Crossing the Street 23-25 Sept 2011 ACBC Missions Conference (Mandarin) – Luke 10:25-37 The Good Samaritan July 08 2012 DCFC Chinese Luke 10:25-37 Good Samaritan
Danny was born with no ears. He could hear all right, but he didn’t have ears like normal people. All his life, Danny endured ridicule and rejection because of his deformity. But he learned to live with it. Thankfully, he had loving parents and a strong family to sustain him. When Danny was in high school, his doctor told him of a new procedure that made it possible to transplant ears from one person to another. That meant Danny could get new ears if someone who was compatible to him ever donated theirs. This was exciting news. After all, people donated body parts all the time hearts, lungs, kidneys. But Danny soon found that donor ears were extremely scarce. Danny didn’t give up hope, however. He knew that someday he would get new ears. He graduated from high school with honors and was accepted at a major university thousands of miles away. He kissed his parents good-bye and began his life as a college student. Again, though, he found it hard to make friends and fit in because of his ears. One day he got a phone call from his father. Go to the hospital tomorrow, Danny. A donor has been found. The very next day Danny checked into the university hospital where doctors were ready to perform the surgery. A few hours later, Danny had new ears. When the bandages came off, Danny gazed into the mirror for hours. He finally had ears like normal people. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t ashamed of the way he looked. He not only had new ears, he had a new life. A few weeks later, Danny received another phone call from his father. Son, your mother is very ill, his father said. She may not live through the night. Danny was on the first plane home. When he arrived, his father gave him the sad news that his mother had died. Together they went to the funeral home, where Danny was able to see his mother for the last time. He leaned over to kiss her cheek. Brushing her hair back from her face, he noticed that she had no ears. Where to Take It from Here... It was a mother’s incredible love that provided Danny with new ears. And it was a Fathers incredible love that provided us with new life. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
No Greater LoveDate: 5/2007.101 Hot Illustrations In the open salvos of World War II, a large British military force on the European continent, along with some English citizens and diplomats, retreated to the French coastal port of Dunkirk. With its back against the English Channel, the British army faced a German army that threatened to drive it into the sea. To save what he could of his army, British prime minister Winston Churchill called for all available sea vessels, whether large or small, to evacuate the soldiers and civilians from the besieged French beaches and bring them back across the Channel to safety. An incredible array of ships and boats raced to the rescue fishing boats and cruise ships alike. As the flotilla made its way to the beach to pick up soldiers and then move out again, Nazi aircraft set upon them like vultures while German artillery pummeled them with shells. Ships were strafed with machine gun fire, and some were blown out of the water altogether. Three German Messerschmits attacked the defenseless Lancastria, a converted cruise liner, whose decks and hold were packed with soldiers. One bomb dropped directly down the ships smokestack, tearing a huge gap in her lower hull. Nearly 200 men were trapped in the forward hold of the now severely listing ship. No one doubted that the liner was going down. Chaos, smoke, oil, fire, and blood, mixed with terrified cries of the men trapped below, created pandemonium on deck as those hopeful of surviving searched for lifeboats or simply leaped into the water. Moving through the middle of this living nightmare, a young Navy chaplain quietly worked his way to the edge of the hold and peered in at the darkness below. Then, knowing he could never get out, he lowered himself in. Survivors later told how the only thing that gave them courage to survive until passing ships could rescue them was hearing the strong, brave voices of the men in the hold singing hymns as the ship finally rolled over and went to the bottom. Where to Take It from Here... This true story testifies to the courage and compassion of one faithful Christian who gave his life to provide comfort, courage, and hope to the suffering. We are also called to demonstrate that kind of love in our lost and dying world. Greater love has no man than this (John 15:13). CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Satisfaction of GodDate: 8/2007.101 YOC Retreat 2007 (Lake Lavon) - Phil 3:7-16 ~ The One Pursuit of Life Sept 2007 FWC Retreat: The Kingdom is Here - Kingdom Goal Phil 3:7-16 As the founder of Dallas Seminary, Dr Chafer said, "In Christ, God is fully satisfied - we can do nothing more or nothing less to please Him - that is the grace of God." CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Saving Private RyanDate: 8/2006.101 DCFC Sunday School 2006 - Ruth 3 16 March 2008 DCFC English - Mark 12:28-34 - A Mountaineering Guide Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks 4 P142 One of the most powerful films in recent history is Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. The film begins on D-Day, June 6 1944, as the Nazis were advancing across Western Europe. Faced with the ugly possibility of defeat, the Allied powers staged on the beaches of Normandy the greatest military invasion in history. Their goal was to cripple the German army and ultimately force Hitler and his army into retreat. Following the bloody battle, Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) and his surviving company of soldiers receive very unusual orders from their commander. They must locate and rescue a soldier, Private James Ryan (played by Matt Damon), who is fighting somewhere behind enemy lines. We are told that Pte Ryan and his 3 older brothers enlisted in the Army. What Pte Ryan doesn't know is that all three of his brothers perished during the Normandy invasion. To spare Pte Ryan's mother the anguish of losing all four of her sons, Miller and his men must find James and bring him back alive. As Miller and his 8 men move deeper into enemy territory in search of Pte Ryan, they engage in an intense debate about why one man's life is so important that they should risk theirs. "This Ryan better be worth it," Miller says. "He better go home and cure some disease or invent a new longer-lasting light bulb." Despite their misgivings, Capt. Miller's band of soldiers bravely carried out their orders, with several of them paying the ultimate price as they successfully locate and rescue the young soldier. In the final battle scene, Miller takes a bullet that will ultimately cost him his life. But before he dies, he whispers to Pte Ryan, who is kneeling by his side, "Earn this...earn it." The movie ends with a scene set some 50 years after the war, with elderly James Ryan standing over Capt. Miller's grave at Arlington National Cemetery. With a trembling voice, he says, "Every day I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. I've tried to life my life the best I could. I hope that was enough... I hope I earned what you did for me." Application: In the movie, Ryan then asks his wife, "Have I been a good man?" For 50 years, her was tormented by the realization that he could never do enough to earn what Capt. Miller and his men did for him. Contrast that with Jesus, who gave his life so that we could love. His dying words were not "Earn this." Instead, he said, "It is finished." Had Jesus said, "Earn this." you would quickly come to realize that there's no way to earn what it costs for Jesus to give his life for yours. To spend a lifetime trying to earn your salvation only leads to frustration and despair. That's why Jesus said, "It is finished!" He declared once and for all that nothing more needs to be done. You don't have to earn it. The free gift of salvation is yours - no strings attached. Just believe and accept him as your savior and friend. Does this mean we live our lives as if nothing happened? Do we go on living as we did before? "By no means!" writes Paul in Romans 6:2. Instead we demonstrate that we have new life in Christ by living in obedience to him. Our good works won’t earn our salvation, but they will provide evidence that we have gratefully received it.
The Knitting NeedleDate: 9/2007.101 Fresh Ideas: Illustrations, Stories & Quotes - Jim Burns & Greg McKinnon - Is 53:5 There was once a young boy named Jim whose parents died when he was very young. His grandmother took him in and by herself, tried to raise him and worked long hours to provide for him. One day when little Jim came home from school his grandmother discovered that he had some things that didn't belong to him. He had stolen them from some of his classmates. His grandmother told him that is was wrong to take something that didn't belong to him even if other people had more than he did. She made him promise never to steal anymore. He promised but it was not long before he broke his promise and his grandmother found out. She asked Jim to come with her and she turned and walked down the hall of their small house toward the kitchen. On the way she stopped and took a knitting needle from her knitting bag. When they got to the kitchen she turned on one of the burners on the gas stove and laid the knitting needle across the hot flames. Jim watched as the knitting needle got hotter and hotter until finally it was red hot. His grandmother then picked up the needle with a pot holder and held it up where little Jim could see its sizzling hot metal. Then she told Jim, "if I ever catch you stealing anything again, I'm going to put this red hot knitting needle in the palm of your hand. Little Jim's eyes were as big as saucers and he was so scared that he promised her he would never steal again. But as time passed, Jim's fear of the knitting needle faded and he began to steal again. Finally he was caught by his grandmother. She confronted him and asked him to come with her. They started walking down the hall toward the kitchen and on the way she picked up the knitting needle. Jim was so afraid he began to shake. His grandmother grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall toward the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, she turned on the burner and laid the knitting needle across the flame. Little Jim shook with fear and began to cry as he saw the needle getting hotter & hotter. His grandmother held his little hand tight. She then picked up the needle with the pot holder, stretched open Jim's plan and brought down the needle. But at the last moment she let go of Jim's hand and put the needle in her own. After that day, Jim never stole anything again. What fear could not do, the sacrificial love of his grandmother did. Application: You should want to obey God, not out of fear of what might happen to you if you don't but out of love for the One who first loved you. Is 53; Romans 8:1-2; Ephesians 2:1-9 CHRIST, BECAME MAN’S SUBSTITUTE Trying to stop deathDate: 9/2007.101 25 July 2010 DCFC English Worship – [Extreme Makeover: Church Edition] 1 Cor 15:50-58 Rethinking Death & Resurrection Apr 03 2011 DCFC Chinese Worship Eph 1:1-14 What is so good about being a Christian? Fresh Ideas: Illustrations, Stories & Quotes - Jim Burns & Greg McKinnon P27 - Hebrews 2:14-15
When she returned home, her pastor came to see her. After telling him the news, he asked her, "How are you doing?" She said, "I’m fine, but I am having difficulty telling my little boy Billy. 5 times I've tried to tell him and I just can't do it. Will you please tell him for me?" The pastor said, "I’ll try the best I can!" He prayed for grace and he went into the backyard where the little boy was. He put his arms around the lad and said, "Billy, your mother is getting ready to take a long trip." And the little boy in his childish innocence looked into the eyes of the pastor and said, "Pastor there are two questions I want to ask. One, how long will she be gone and two when is she leaving?" The pastor swallowed hard and said, "Billy, your mother is not coming back." And then he looked up at a big tree overhead. it was in the latter part of September and the leaves were beginning to change colors. he said, "When the leaves have all fallen from this big tree overhead, your mother will be gone." Over the next two months, he faithfully visited the lady. After nearly three months had ended he came to see her one day and she was weak. She had lost weight and was hardly able to speak. he said to her, "How are you doing?" She said with a faint smile, "Oh, I'm fine, but I don't see my little boy much. He stays in the backyard and I am too weak to go to the window to see what he is doing. Would you go out and check on him?" The pastor went into the backyard and could not find the little boy. He shouted, "Billy! Billy! Where are you?" he then heard a quivering voice above as he turned and looked up into the tree and there he saw the little boy with pockets filled with leaves and several strands of string in his little tears, said, "Pastor, I'm up here tying to tie the leaves to the tree. I don't want the leaves to fall. I don't want Mama to leave." Application: You cannot stop death no matter how hard you try, but because of Christ, you no longer have to fear death. Matthew 16:21-23; John 5:24; Romans 6:23 Directory: cfs-filesystemfile.ashx -> key -> CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments -> General editors john baillie key -> Eternity! Eternity key -> Annotated Bibliography key -> [The first seventeen verses of Matthew consists of Jesus' family tree CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments -> A box of treasure by beverly carradine key -> The life and times — of — benjamin franklin, — by — joseph franklin, and key -> The flying inn key -> Abraham, or the Obedience of Faith CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments -> C cares, of the world Download 0.72 Mb. Share with your friends:
|