8/25/96, AM, Pr. McDearmon

The backslider in heart shall have his fill of his own ways.  The very concept of a gentleman is (has) vanished. 

Who is a gentleman or gentlewoman? 

• good manners
• good breding of a Christian family
• he is courteous and kind

I.   His world
[Note] his magnanimous spirit.  "Do all things without grumbling . . . " 
The gentleman is not to givee up.  Grumbling turns to rebelling.  The world returns evil for good.  His doing all things in an evil world is not gonig to harm him much.  Whatever you want others to do for you, do so for them, even if they don't return your kindness. 
II.  His irreproachable life
There is an innocence not only about what you see, but also what you don't see.  It requires Christian love.
III.  His testimony
We are light bearers, bearing the light of another, namely Christ.

8/18/96, PM, Pr. Brackett

Matt. 5:1-12, James 5:11Give a man a right relationship with Christ, and he will be in want for nothing.  If you make the world your goal and counselor, you will never know eternal happiness; you will only know eternal misery.  We are not asking you to be a momma's boy or daddy's boy, we want you to be Jesus' boy. 

This blessedness or happiness is associated wtih the happiness of heaven.  We're saying basically that Jesus has made us happy when we sing:  "Stayed upon Jehovah hearts are fully blest, [finding] as He promised, perfect peace and rest."

When the men at Vanity Fair asked what Christian would buy, he answered, "We only buy truth."

Confessing Sin, 8/18/96, AM, Pr. Brackett

I.  Negative
    A.  Object
    B.  Activity
    C.  Scope
    D.  Consequences
II.  Positive

The one who confesses will find favor.  God is not a man that He should lie, nor son of a man that He should repent.  We must confess and forsake our transgressions.  We must confess unto god, because God is the one that we have sinned against. 

Jesus.  It is in Jesus we are reconciled.  Jesus is our appointed mediator. 

Exodus 34:7; Deut. 30:3; Isaiah 54:8; Proverbs 28:13

Be gracious to me, O God, according to my transgressions, to my great sins.  We must forsake our sin.  We must, that means, leave it, hate it, turn from it, adn turn to the Lord to serve and obey Him.

Covering Sin, 8/18/96, SS, Pr. Brackett

Texts:  Prov. 28:13  "He who covers his transgressions shall not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy."

1 Kings 12:19 "So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day."

Isaigh 1:2b " . . . I have brought up children adn they have rebelled against Me."

2 Peter 3:15-16

Main Outline 
I.  Negative:  the one who refuses to repent shall not prosper
    A.  The object:  submit to authority
    B.  The activity

1. They twist the Scriptures to cover their sin
2. They blameshift to cover their sin
3. They lie to cover their sin
4. They camoflage their sin
• They say "everyone else does it"
• they call it [by] a different name
5. They seek to get out of doing one thing by doing another
6. They try to justify their sin by saying something to make it seem right
7. They cover their sin with a bad memory
8. They cover it by comparison & contrast

    C.  The scope
    D.  The consequences

Everyone who covers his sin shall not prosper.  Even though many seem to be prospering, their end, like the beef cattle is the meat line:  destruction. 

The unconverted shall nto prosper, but the converted also shall not prosper if they seek to cover their sin. 

You cannot prosper, for God, yea even God is against you.

8/11/96, PM, Pr. McDearmon

Introduction"Repent and believe in the gospel, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

I.  Primary dimension
 - telling others of the gospel
II.  Secondary dimension
 - giving your testimony

Psalm 66:16 - testimony
Sermon
I.  Biblical warrant for the personal
    A.  The Psalmist's invitation
    B.  The Lord's imperative
    C.  Peter's instruction
    D.  Paul's instance or example

Mark 5:19; 1 Pet. 3:15; Acts 9:1-22, 22:1-21, 26:1-23

II.  Practical directives for the personal testimony
   -  All are not called to preach, but all can testify
   -  In the book of First Peter, the word "hope" is a synonym to "faith"
   -  3 Segments

1. Paul gives in each case a description of life prior to conversion
2. A description of conversion is what he gives next
3. After he gives a description of life after conversion

Eternal Security, 8/11/96, AM, Pr. McDearmon

IntroductionI.  The eternal security of the believer
     A.  Perseverance
          - Must press on to the end
     B.  Preservation
          - Believers fastened toa rock forever

The people of God are "protected by the power of God through faith, ready to be revealed in the last time."  "My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me . . . " (Phil 2:13, 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:5; John 10:27-29).  That text often comes to mind [when] we think about eternal security.  God's sovereignty.  God shall keep His own.  The Lord knows who are His, and he preserves us.  We are assured that God shall preserve His believers, who persevere in Him.  Paul understood that the believer's perseverance works with the believer's self-control. 

The true believer cries to God not to let him fall away, lest he be given over to his own lusts. 
Sermon
I. 
    A.  Abimelech's example
    B.  David's example (1 Sam. 25)
    C.  David's prayers (Psalm 19)
    D.  Our Lord's prayers
    E.  Jude's confidence

We like David are exposed, tempted, etc.  Now we go to Jesus' prayers.  The Lord's prayer.  [ . . . ]

"Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation."

Even More Shorter Catechism

Outline #99
I.  The right way to baptize is
    A.  Immersion

1. Or immersing or dipping the entire body of that one saved into water
2. Not by

         a.  Sprinkling the water
         b.  Pouring the water
         c.  Dipping some part of the body
          - Even though people do it that way
    B.  In the name of

1. God the Father
2. God the Son
3. God the Holy Spirit

II.  Or otherwise stated:
    A.  The way Christ baptized
    B.  The way He taught the disciples to baptize

8/4/96, PM, Pr. Savastio

Our society is very passionate to have our bodies clean, while at the same time do not care about the cleanliness of their [souls].

I.  The context of this prophecy
II.  The urgent need of this prophecy
III.  The gloriosu promise contained in this
These words:  "sin and uncleanness" ought to stir us into action

A.  It is a cleansing fountain
B.  It is an open fountain
C.  It is a lasting fountain

Zechariah 3:8, 9:9, 12:10

8/4/96, AM, Pr. Savastio

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

I.  Paul's earnest plea expounded
    A.  The pleading mercy of God
          - His fear for some in the church
         B.  The judgment of God
    C.  The meaning of His earnest plea
          - Why should you come to Christ now?

1. Because you do not know what a day will bring forth.  It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment
2. Because you do not know the hour that Christ is coming.
3. Because every day you do not do so, you are increasing your wickedness
4. Because evil days are coming "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth . . . "
   
5. Because every time you refuse, your heart becomes harder
6. Because God may never grant you another opportunity to hear the gospel
7. Sin is a grievous taskmaster If you are not serving Christ, you are serving your sins.  The joy of the critic is nothing.  Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
   
8. Because God's arms are open right now

8/4/96, SS, Pr. Savastio

God is a singing God, though many might now realize that.

I.  The happiness of a reconciled people
    A.  Their happiness commanded
    B.  The cause of their happiness expounded
          - not the power of a positive attitude

1. Because their sins are forgiven
2. They have been given victory over their enemy
3. Because God is with us, His people
4. Because there is no fear of calamity

Providence is at times very dark, but we must not even let that darkest providence overshadow our joy.

II.  The joyfulness of a reconciled God
    A.  He will rejoice over you with gladness

1. He is full of mirth
2. He is rejoicing with gladness

    B.  He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy
    C.  He will rejoice over you with singing

Will you believe what God has said?  He who believes in the Son has everlasting life.
Zephaniah 3:17

Separation from the World, 7/28/96, PM, Pr. McDearmon

2 Cor. 6:17He who has become a Christian wishes to "come out of their midst and be separate."  We have an agent of the world within our own breast.  What is not meant by "separation from the world?"

1.  Performing our worldly jobs and business
2.  Declining all interaction with worldly people
 - Our Savior ate, drank, and conversed with people.
3.  Taking up no interest in anything except for that which is religious
 - Paul knew the value of good government
4.  It also does not mean that we must be eccentric or purposefully acting different to draw attention to ourselves

The shortest path is not always the path of duty. 

What is meant by "separation from the world?"

1.  His moral standard is not the crowd but the law of God
2.  It consists of keeping a Biblical perspective on the business of the world
 - the lust of the flesh indicates anything that the flesh desires [is to be pursued].  We need many things, but in our fallen condition, we crave and covet much more than we need.
3.  It consists in saying "no" to things that you want
4.  It consists of having only the people of God as our intimate friends, close relations and partners
 - We must not be unequally yoked.  "Bad company corrupts good morals."

Get a new heart.  A heart in which Christ dwells.  A heart in which old things have passed away and the new has come.  Coem out from their midst and be separate. 

Daniel, 7/28/96, AM, Pr. McDearmon

"Once saved always saved."  It is in our age a cop-out phrase that deceives men by teaching them that once they have made a decision for Christ, they can live any way they want and still be sure of heaven.  Heb. 3:14 "We have become partakers of Christ . . ." Heb. 4:11 "Let us be diligent to enter that rest" Heb. 6:11, Heb. 10:36, "My righteous one lives by faith, but if he shrinks back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

I.  Daniel's perplexity concerning 'time, times, and 1/2 time'
II.  Daniel's question:  "My Lord, what shall be the outcome of the end?"
III.  The response:  "God your way, Daniel, for the words are concealed and sealed unto the end."

The worship of God is a thing hated by the world.  1 Cor 11:22

1.  The rest of the grave Job 3:17
2.  The rest of the soul - the Sabbath

"Blessed are the dead, for they may rest all the day long."  the Antichrist will vent his most heated wrath on the church.  Eventually, however, he will fail, and no one will help him.  God shall have a faithful remnant throughout.  He is most fit to die, who is most fit to live.  This [world] is not a nice place.  It is a bad, evil, God-hating place.  It is not evolving.  Morally and spiritually, the world we live in is devolving.  We myust go our way to the end in standing alone.  "For those who honor Me, I will honor."  Daniel was a man of persistent prayer.  King Nebuchadnezzar found Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah ten times wiser than all his magicians, conjurers and wise men.  The book of Daniel sets forth many paths.  Daniel is a trail blazer for us.  We hope that God will raise up a host of those who will persevere unto the end.

More Shorter Catechism

Outline #97
Baptism
I. Is a sacrament of the new covenant
   A.  Practiced and taught by Christ Himself
   B.  A sign that the believer baptized is in union with Christ

II.  It means:
   A.  Christ's dying unto sin
   B.  His being buried in a tomb
   C.  His risign again - overcoming death

III.  Baptism signifies to the believer
   A.  His being transplanted from his sins to Christ
   B.  His sins all being paid off
   C.  His giving up his worldly desires for God, by the help of Jesus Christ
   D.  To live in the sight of God and his fellow man a changed life

#98
I.  Baptism is to be applied to all those
   A.  Believably say that they have experienced and still experience
   B.  And show faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord, not any other

And what this means is:  That the only candidates for baptism are those old enough to see their sin, repent of it, and put their trust in Him, not anybody else. 

7/21/96, PM, Pr. McDearmon

"Fugitive Sermon"

I.  The danger of sensuality
 - The gratifying of our fleshly desires
 - Example: "He has a tendency to sleep longer than he needs, and therefore skips personal devotions."

II.  The danger of worldly care
 - The wide realm of the legitimate and necessary affairs of live that divert men's attention to the things of this world.  "A full belly makes a foul heart.
     A.  It wears out that which is good
     - Example:  Good health
     - Example:  Good attitudes

Because of their sensuality, men become unaware of their spiritual needs.  The common thread between Matthew and Luke is the call for alertness.  Difficult days shall come upon men as the Lord's coming approaches.

Mark 4:19; 1 Cor. 6:3-4; 2 Cor. 11:28; Luke 21:34-36; Prov. 14:14; 1 Tim. 5:16; 1 Cor. 6:3-4; Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 21:34

    B.  It shuts out that which is best
     - Example:  It escludes church things
   C.  It shuts up men to the as it were 'poorest living quarters.'

A trait of the days of Noah was abounding wickedness.  It bids us to live like men who expect the Lord to return any day.  We keep on the alert daily in an expectant way by praying daily. 

We are finite creatures of flesh and blood with many fleshly desires and many opportunities to fulfill these desires.

7/21/96, AM, Pr. McDearmon

Daniel 12:5-13
The linen clothes indicate Christ's office as priest.  The position He holds indicates His office as king.  The fact that He was foretelling the future indicates His office as prophet.

The time, He says, will be for a time, times, and half a time.  It signifies a long time.  It is the same as Daniel 7:25.  What, though, does "time" mean?  We cannot tell.  It simply states a set time.  "As soon as they finish shattering the tent of the holy people, the time shall be used up."  There are things God in His wisdom has decided not to reveal.

It is our place to be instrumentally leading others to Christ.
A.  Daniel's perplexity
 - "As for me, I heard, but could not understand"
B.  Daniel's question
 - "What shall be the outcome of these events?"

Scripture is not a bunch of esoteric theocrasy. 

Deut. 21:21

7/14/96, PM, Pr. McDearmon

1.  All have sinned because all are descendants of Adam 2.  All have sinned by sinning, not only because they are descendants of Adam
"Therefore, as through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so, through one Man's . . . "
Matt. 18:15, Rom. 5:18
What considerations caused David to remain quiet during the cursing [of Shimei]?

• He knew it was too true though it was false in the way Shimei said it
• He observed the hand of God in this

1. Our Lord's command
2. Apostle's confidence
3. The Psalmist's prayer
4. The wise man's teaching

A.  Peter's response  Luke 17:3-4
    1.  The preceding context
    2.  General duty
    3.  The absurdity of silently watching a brother sink lower in his sins

Col. 3:16, Prov. 27:5-6, 1 Thess. 5:12
In one of the two passages, Christ tells us that we need to administer and receive correction in the church.  you are to appreciate those who "dare" to show you your sin.  Paul honestly assumed that those even in the church would sin, and that sometimes they would be blidn to their sin.  Other brethren could see it and correct it. 

"Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness, and let him reprove me; it shall be as excellent oil; let not my head refuse it."  Psalm 141:5

Correction hurts.  It hurts pride; it hurts to own your sin.  The friend is one to me who will be open to me, and rebuke me when I need it.

A.  The character of the one that refuses correction
    1.  Proverbs 12:1 - stupid
    2.  Proverbs 13:1, 15:12 - scoffer
    3.  Proverbs 15:5 - a fool

B.  The consequences of refusing correction
    1.  He/she will go astray
    2.  Poverty
         a.  Of reputation
         b.  Of material items
    3.  Shame
    4.  Stubbornness

C.  Man receives correction
    1.  Wise
    2.  Prudent
    3.  Man of understanding
    4.  Growing in wisdom and learning
    5.  Being honored

Several applications

• Each of us ought to pray, as David prayed, to point out our sin
• Prayerfully meditate upon the horror of coming to the state that no one wants anything to do with you because you throw it in their face
• you ought to actively solicit the corrective input of others
• Go to others if they are sinning.  Who?
• Your spouse
• Your children
• Your fellow church members
• Your parents

It is a dreadful ruinous thing for brethren to be afraid of you or avoid you and cut you off.

7/14/96, AM, Pr. McDearmon

Ben-Haded King and Ahab King fought twice.  The victory both times went to Ahab.  But, after that, Ahab foolishly released Ben Hadad and made a covenant with him!

Later, for that sin Ahab received the consequences.  Men are sinners not only because they are descendants of Adam, but simply because they sin. 

There was the manifestation of not being able to see one's own sin, while being quick to see other's sin.  "Don't take the speck out of your brother's eye, until you take the log out of your own eye."  In their perversity, sinners will seek to take revenge when "another has dared to correct me."  The very quick response of many is "You're judging me!"  Sinners seem to think that if another is judging them that person is wrong. 

Paul does not leave his readers with a pathetic blindness of morality.
1.  God's gracious remedies for man's moral blindness
Some men are brought as the prodigal to their senses.  The man (wild man) was left "sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in their right minds."  You have heard enough gospel.  You know enough facts.  You just need to be saved.

Possible Outline of Shorter Catechism Questions (?)

#93
I.  That the Word of God may become effectual unto the conversion of others, we must:
     A.  Minister to them

1. Diligence
2. Make ready for it
3. Pray daily

    B.  Receive it with

1. Faith
2. Love

    C.  Lay it up in our hearts
    D.  Give others a good example by our own lives

#94
I.  A sacrament of the new covenant is a
    A.  Sacred statute
    B.  Instituted by Jesus Christ
         -  By proper signs
II.  Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are:
    A.  Likened
    B.  Sealed
    C.  Applied to believers

#95
I.  The sacraments of the new covenant are
    A.  Baptism:  a sign that the believer is saved
    B.  and the Lord's Supper:  a sign that we remember Christ's death

#96
I.  Baptism and the Lord's Supper become profitable ways of salvation:
    A.  Not befause they have the power to save and change
    B.  Not because the man who applies them has the power to save and change
    C.  But because Christ sees them as His ordinances and therefore blesses them
    D.  And the Spirit sees the faith in the hearts of those who receive them and works there

7/7/96, PM, Mr. Putney

Outline  Isaiah 40:10-11

I.  The power and authority with which Jesus would come
A.  Ability
B.  Authority
C.  Power

• Jesus' general attention to the whole flock.  He comes as one able to address all their needs.  Jesus has a view for the needs of His whole flock.  Not one sheep is outside His view.
• Jesus' particular attention for the lambs, and those who are with young.  These are more prone to danger.  They (the weak and burdened) are His special attention, the apple of His eye.

Be not afraid.  Fear not.  Be not dismayed.  Matt. 3:7.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.  And the government shall be upon His shoulders.  And His name sahll be called:  Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
Jesus comes to rule not with an iron rod or with an iron stick.

1.  Jesus will always promote growth and progress in all His flock
2.  Jesus views His flock with a discerning eye
3.  Jesus treats His flock with a discerning hand

He discerns who are weak, He understands who are burdened. 

Our Lord is not driving us to heaven.  He is not a cattle whipper, He is a sheep drawer.  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.  He will not always strive with us.  Nor will He keep His anger forever.  He has not dealt with us according to what we deserve, nor punished us according to our iniquity.  He knows what we pass through, He has a discerning eye and a [discerning] hand.

Psalm 103:1-14; 1 John 2:6; Heb. 4:15; Col. 3:21

7/7/1996, AM, Mr. Putney

Why Jesus came into the world

I.  The context of the saying

A.  The pastoral concern
B.  The personal thanks

1.  Men must know that they are sinners through the law.
2.  Men must know that though they are sinners they may receive mercy and grace through Jesus Christ

II.  The contents of the saying
III.  Two applications

A.  This is a truth which must be appropriated at the head of that place
_____________

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."  Proverbs 27:6
1 Tim. 1:2-7, 15

Paul has a deep pastoral concern.  We know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully.  The law must do its work before the gospel can do its work.  Christ Jesus came in the world, sinners to save.Come to God as you are right now.  Easy-believism doesn't include the truth that sinners are very wicked.

The Prodigal Son, SEFC 1996, Friday morning, Pr. Fisher

The Prodigal son's father was full of compassion and pity.  god is so moved with compassion for sinners who want Him.

God would have all men to be saved.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

The Father rejoiced and made merry.

Missions, SEFC 1996, Friday morning, Pr. Hamilton

Each and every person that claims to be a Christian has a part to play, has a job to do.  This world is our battlefield, not our playground.

Going someplace or doing something will not make you spiritual.  We must be informed factually. 

Educate yourself and your children regarding the cultures and countries of the world.

We must emphasize missions in our churches. 

We must be interceding fervently. 

We must be investing financially. 

The church must be involved personally.  We need to examine our own lives.

The Second Coming, SEFC 1996, Thursday night, Pr. Hughes

Gen. 6:1-22, Matt. 12, Mark 7:8-15, John 10:30, Mark 12:36

Our Lord always held a high view of the Scriptures.  Moses spoke the truth. 

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life."

Evolution is talked as a fact, not a theory.  We must remember that a theory is a theory, not a fact. 

Those that say that what Jesus said about the Scriptures was wrong, are accusing Jesus Himself.

1. God's assessment of the nation In Gen. 1, God looked at all the creation and it was all very good.  Man and man alone is the culprit of wickedness.  As the heart is, such is the man.  It is not what we think that matters.
   
2. God's reaction to man's condition
3. God's resolve to destroy man Nothing is more clear in Scripture [than] that all things belong to God.  He is the sovereign Lord over all things no matter what man's behavior [is].  God can judge the world and He has the right so to do.  The sin of [man] reaches a high water mark.  And He has decided that sin will get no higher, get no wider, go no further.  God's pronouncement was that Ephraim had clung to his idols, [ . . . ]. 
   
4. God's remedy for man's condition

Noah belonged with the sinners, but Noah found grace [in] the eyes of the Lord.  When you read, "Noah found grace," read it as "Grace found Noah," for if finding grace was left to Noah, it would be impossible for him to have grace.  The ark was the ark of Noah's salvation.  There is to be another flood.  God has already scheduled it.  It will not be a flood of water but a flood of fire.  "Rock of ages, cleft for me, left me hide myself in Thee."  That will be our only hope.  That alone can save us.

Missions, SEFC 1996, Thursday morning, Pr. Hamilton

1. Several principles that are foundational
    "Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." 
   
2. The method of missions
3. The nature of missions
4. The personnell of man-power of missions How will they believe of whom they have not heard?  How will they hear without a preacher?
   
5. The aim of missions Missions are aimed at makign disciples and establishing Biblical churches
   
6. The power of missions
7. The motive of missions 

Acts 17:16
"Sing to the Lord a new song.  Sing to the Lord all the earth . . . For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised."  Worship is the fuel of missions.  You can't commend what you don't cherish.

The Prodigal Son, SEFC 1996, Thursday morning, Pr. Fisher

III.  The prodigal son's repentance
There are many ways into sin, but only one way out of sin. 

     A.  Repentance involves an open acknowledgement of sin
- He that covers his transgressions sins -

     B.  Repentance involves contrition, a broken heart
There are two kinds of sorrow, godly sorrow that leads to life and worldly sorrow that leads to death

     C.  Repentance involves actually leaving sin and coming to God
     D.  Repentance involves absolute submission to God
1 Thess. 4:1, Matt. 11, 2 Cor. 7

Lessons
1.  His motives

• His sense of shame
• The considered conclusion that the servants in his father's house had a better life than he did
• The character of his father

We must consider teh danger of waiting to repent and come to God.  There is a time when people who get locked out will be arguing with the Lord.   Why do you wait?  You need to be decisive.  Don't wait any longer.  Don't wait for the last sermon.

The Second Coming, SEFC 1996, Wednesday night, Pr. Wm. Hughes

Matt. 25:1-46

Our Lord wrote the very thing that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote.

The Lord is at hand.  The Lord is coming.  The fact that Christ is coming again can make some Christians dogmatic.  You must be prepared.  "You must be prepared." 

The third servant had a spirit of impertinance and arrogance.

Christ will separate the sheep and the goats.  The sheep on the right hand, the goats on the left.  He shall say to those on His left hand, "Depart from Me." 

All will not be saved.  There will be those who will be cast into outer darkness as well as those who will be put in glory. 

3 Principles

1.  Appearances may be deceptive - such as all the girls were bridesmaids [Matt. 25]

Many people have the appearance of being saved, but really in their hearts they are dead in sin.  Judas seemed to be one of the twelve, but really, when the crisis came, he stood with the enemies.

2.  Confidence may be misplaced

All ten virgins were sleeping confidently with the others.  However, for five of the girls (the foolish ones) confidence was misplaced.

The five foolish girls also thought that grace can be transferred, but that was misplaced confidence also.  You cannot live on another's spiritual reputation.  You cannot think that because your wife or husband is saved, somehow you will get into heaven also.

3.  Judgment is irreversible

There will not be a second chance after death.  When the Shepherd divides the sheep and the goats, it cannot be changed.  Those on the left side cannot escape. 

3 Tests

1.  Godward
2.  Manward
3.  Inward

You can only have salvation by grace.  Salvation is not earned by works.  You do nothing to deserve it.  "My sheep know my voice," Christ says.  The light that shines the farthest shines the brightest right at home.  What is your spiritual condition?  How do I use my time, my resources, my energy?  What are the first things in my life?  Am I putting first things first?  The Lord says that what really matters to Him is the inside.  what a man is on His knees before God, that is what he is and nothing else.  Do I have Christ within me?  One day the Shepherd shall come.  One day the Master shall return.  The bridegroom shall return and the door will be shut.  And it will make an eternal difference which side you will be on.  Where do you stand?

The Prodigal Son, SEFC 1996, Wednesday morning, Pr. Fisher

5.  We should see the evil that may result from a broken relation between a father and adult child.  The sons that Solomon has in mind [in the Proverbs] are not little boys.  They were young adults.  

Scripture: 

• Proverbs 1:4,8; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1, 20; 5:1-2; 7:1; 23:22-26
• Psalm 51:2, 4
• 2 Samuel 12

He was not expecting them to submit to him like a slave.  The spirit of the age is to let young adults do anything they want without their parents knowing. 

Fathers must be open and communicative.  No hiding behind the newspaper, TV, or hobbies.

The sons and daughters must be eager to seek the advice of the parents.

Fathers and adult children must live honestly before God and honestly before each other. 

II. The lost son's awakening
This boy's perception was that complete happiness was having complete independence from whatever his father said.

A.  General awareness of need
B.  God's special providence

There are real fox hold conversions.  God brings horrible incidents into men's lives such as John Newton.  All parents of prodigal sons should be glad to know that God does intervene. 

His job didn't help.  He wanted to eat the husks the pigs ate. 

C.  He saw himself as he really was

• He saw that his own sin was a personal affront to his father and to God
• He saw his utter inability to rescue himself
• He saw his father as he really was
• his father's bounty
• it was better to be a servant of his father than a master of his own destiny

You don't have to be ruined.  You can learn the right way from the bible or from people who have already gone through this.  You can come to God today.

Missions, SEFC 1996, Wednesday morning, Pr. Hamilton

Zeal is a shoot of God's own planting. 

1.  Biblical presuppositions why we shoudl be engaged in missions
2.  Biblical practices for missions
3.  How it is and why it is we should be engaged in the work

We live in a time of biblical and presuppositional debate. 
1. 
The universial condition of all humanity is sinfully depraved, judicially depraved and under God's wrath.  Paul says he is eager to preach the gospel in Rome because he was not ashamed of it.  The gospel is a declaration and a demonstration of the gospel. [?]  "You who judge often practice the same thing.  You, therefore, who teach do you not do likewise? What then?  Are we better than they?  Not at all.  For we have previously charged both Jew and Greek that they are all under sin."  All humanity without exception are guilty before God.  Adam and Christ are the two most important men in history, for they both had an abiding and permanent influence on the rest of the people.  All in Adam died.    All in Christ were (will be) made alive.  The universal provision that answers the sole need of men.  Men cannot be saved by Christ without hearing the gospel of Christ. "How shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?  How shall they hear without a preacher?"  Who shall be a preacher unless he is saved?

The Second Coming, SEFC 1996, Tuesday night, Pr. Wm. Hughes

1 Thess. 1:3

The work of faith was their turning to God from idols.
The labor of love was their serving the living and true God.
The patience of hope was their waiting for His Son from heaven.
Christians, of all people, should not be troubled with the doctrine of the second coming.
The second coming will be the most staggering event in the life of Christ.
had the faith of those died, vanished because Christ had not yet come back?  No. 

Believers, when they die, are asleep.  Jesus said, believers fall asleep.  There is a clear contrast.  Christ experienced death as the wages of sin.  Those who have fallen asleep in Jesus do not experience death as the wages of sin.

Paul does not say "do not grieve for those who have no hope," he says not to grieve for Christians who die, for they are in heaven.

There are thousands of people who are afraid of death.
Christians do grieve but not as those who have no hope. 
There is a reason for their hope.  The reason is the plain fact that Jesus Himself died.  Even the angels could say, "Come, see where the Lord lay."  The power of death has been broken by Christ.  Christ has won the victory.

The Greeks say, "There is nothing we can do but comfort one another." Paul says, "With what shall you comfort one another?"  There is nothing but the death of Christ.

The Christian's hope, however, is not just the survival of souls, but the resurrection from the dead.

1. The return of the Lord Himself
2. The resurrection
3. The rapture of Christ
4. The reunion of those saved

 1.

• A personal coming
• A public coming
• A glorious coming

Not involving a "secret rapture."  No one will be able to say that they did not know that He had not come.  All the universe will know.  The trumpet will sound.  The saints shall rejoice.  The unbelievers shall stagger in an amazement of terror.  We will actually hear the voice of the Lord.  Then the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will descend. 

We will all say, "Oh, that we ever sought beauty of any other besides Christ!" 
"Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord."

2. 
3.  [Rapture] means "to snatch." 

Concerning the day of the Lord

• Day of judgment for some
• Day of salvation for others

The day of the Lord will be like

• A thief in the night
• A woman in labor

There is the day.  There is the hour. There is the moment.
People will be totally unexpectant.
People will be totally unprepared.  
When they say, "Everything is okay," that is when He shall come. 
When people say, "Peace and security," then sudden destruction.  Make sure there is nothing in your life that you will dread the exposure of, for all will be brought out into the light.

You can be asleep and seem to be alive and active and awake.  Paul says, "You must not sleep, as do others, but [ . . . ] be awake, be sober!" 

You can be intoxicated by many other things besides alcohol.  Don't take any notice of the one who beats the loudest on the drum.  We are not immune from death. 

Many people wonder if He will come in the day or night.  Both.  He will come in the darkness for those unsaved and in the light for those saved.  Martin Luther says, "There are only two days on my calendar:  this day, and that day."  Just through the veil.  That is how near we are to eternity. 

Missions, SEFC 1996, Tuesday morning, Pr. Hamilton

There are 5.5 billion people in the world.

I.  The Biblical presuppositions that highlight the purpose of missions

• God is worthy to be known and proclaimed for who He is.
• Those who know the most about God are the most responsible and equipped for spreading the gospel.

II.  Biblical practices that [have led us to] avoid the practice of missions
   A.  Why
   B.  What
   C.  How

A.  12 reasons why

1. The missionary enterprise is often teh growing fruit of an established, maturing church.
2. Our concern for Biblical reformation has left us consumed with its multi-faceted application inwardly.
3.  Our reaction to the increased wickedness of a Godless society has driven us through and beyond some legitimate forms of recreation. Jesus was a friend of sinners so much that He ate with them adn therefore was called by the Pharisees a glutton and a drunkard or winebibber.  "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles." [I believe that this was an observation about the tendencies of Christians concerned about holiness but not about missions.]
   
4. An ironious assumptino that adherence to right doctrine automatically guarantees Christ's [glory].  "All that we need is truth."
5. There may be a narrow perspective regarding the method of ministry in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.  Go and tell.  How will one believe having now heard?  And how will he hear without a preacher?  The answer we all know is, he won't.  Strive together for the faith of the gospel.  One Lord, one faith, one gospel, one church, one mind. 
6. All our young perspective preachers seem to have no feeling, no burden, no call to preach the Word of God where He is not preached.
7. Some of us are infected with an insecurity regarding the unknown, and we are unwilling to give up the comforts and security of American life.  

The Prodigal Son, SEFC 1996 Tuesday morning, Pr. Fisher

Luke 15:11, 2 Timothy 3:4

The purpose of the parable of the prodigal son is to awaken the Pharisees. 
I.  Sin
II. Awakening
III. Repentance

I.  A.  A progression of sin (a desire for the rights of God)

• Beginning - perverted
• He forsook the expressions
• Actual abandonment
• Hardships come

Are we living as those who are living for their own lives?

I. B. Misery of his sin

• Separation from God
• Waste of his goods
• Perpetual dissatisfaction What once satisfied us does not satisfy us any more.
  
• State of shame

I. C. Deception of sin
Sin does not boldly its true colors.  Sin always lies.

The Second Coming, SEFC 1996 Monday night, Pr. William Hughes

Matt. 24:1-51
God carries His purpose forth in history.  Sometimes in very decisive and dramatic events such as the flood, the parting of teh waters, the bringing of the people out of Babylon, etc.  As history moves on, God will bring out the most dramatic and decisive epoch ever.  History is not going around in circles.  It is moving on.

Both believers and unbelievers will be raised from the dead. 

"Take heed that no one deceives you."
"Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."
"Be on the alert."

2 things God makes clear:

1. There are certain things about His comign that you can never be sure about. If a man tries to determine the day God will come back, he is trying to do something very, very serious indeed.  He is trying to pry into something that the Father alone knows.
   
2. There are certain things about which there is absolute certainty.  Though we do not know exactly when it will happen, we know for certainty that it will happen. 

When Jesus departed from the temple after bewailing Jerusalem, He showed that He has despised them, and that they despised Him.

Some of the things refer to the

• destruction of the temple
• second coming of Christ
• judgment of Jerusalem
• the end of the world

There is no clear-cut scene of things, so we must never be too dogmatic.  The signs are preparatory; they are not predictive.  The Lord did not intend for us to find out. 

1. There are signs that are clear
2. Signs that are confusing
3. Signs that are cosmic in their proportion

Signs:  1.  imposters in the church, 2. wars and rumors of wars, 3. times of affliction.
"All these signs are the beginning [not the end] of tribulations."  It is clear for those who have eyes to see.  All is not anointed of God that seems to be anointed of God.  All men are not of God that say they are men of God.  Ignoring the signs can bring terrible consequences.

Intro

For years, this phrase, "Preaching and Hearing of the Word of God," has marked every church bulletin at my old, dear church in upstate New York.  And for years, I have taken sermon notes in church.  I still have piles of notebooks; believe it or not, they moved 700 miles with me when I married my dear husband, John.  What should I do with these things?

Partly, I take notes to help me pay attention, and as such, their purpose is fulfilled.  But I can't bring myself to throw my old notebooks away yet, especially when they are so full of truth. That's why I've decided to start typing them out, little by little perhaps, making use of the tag system a blog provides to help me organize what I've recorded.  It's my hope that, through blogging, I'll have a simple way of going back and making use of the years of truth I've heard.  If anyone else reads them, great!  But if not, I hope that perhaps the simple meditation which must follow the mechanical action typing up of the words of truth will do me some good.

I'll correct spelling errors as I can.  After all, I started this pile of notebooks when I was about 12!  But they will stay largely true to form besides that.  :-)