Sun, 25 June 2017
This morning we’re starting a brand new summer sermon series called, “What Would You Ask?” We invited you to submit questions that you would ask the Lord. And you accepted the invitation! We received dozens of questions. From them we’ve chosen six that we will try to answer from God’s word over the next six Sundays.
Let me give you an idea of some of the questions that we will tackle in coming weeks:
“Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?” “What Does God Say about Sexual Identity?” “Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers?” “Can Faith and Science Coexist?” “Can Man Be Free and God Be Sovereign?”
I hope you will join us for the entire series. We also are planning to do a Facebook live chat each week to answer questions that arise from the questions we answer.
We begin today by tackling a question that could be seen by some as offensive. I want to ask you beforehand not to take offense. I’ll read the questions as it was submitted, “Will Catholics go to heaven?”
Out of curiosity I googled this question and the first result that popped up (after an ad) was “Can Non-Catholics Go to Heaven?” Isn’t that funny? The same question that some may have about Catholics, Catholics have about some of us! This morning’s question could actually be posed for all denominations: “Will Baptists go to heaven?” “Will Methodists go to heaven?” That same question could be broadened beyond denominations to other faiths or religions. Mormons? Muslims? Jews?
I’m reminded of an oft-told story about heaven. A new arrival was getting a tour. As he walked alongside an angel down a long hallway, they came to a room where the folks where excited. They were shouting, clapping, shaking a tambourine, and running. “Those are the Pentecostals,” said the angel. Soon they came to another room. The folks were solemn. A priest in a colorful robe was in procession with candles and liturgy. They were sharing the Holy Eucharist. “Those are the Anglicans,” said the angel. Soon they approached a third room. The angel began tiptoeing and whispered, “Shhhh. Those are the Baptists and they think they’re the only ones here.”
Ouch. Sometimes we might think that we are the only ones that are going to be in heaven. It’s been said that when we get to heaven, two things will surprise us: who’s there and who’s not there.
We are going to look at God’s word in an effort to answer this question: “Will [You Fill in the Blank] Go to Heaven?”
What Would You Ask? “Will [You-Fill-in-the-Blank] Go to Heaven?” John 3:1-16
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Sun, 25 June 2017
¿Que le preguntarías a Dios?
¿quiénes serán los que irán al cielo? Juan 3.1-16
Direct download: IBC_Espanol_20170626.mp3
Category:¿Que le preguntarías a Dios? -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT |
Mon, 19 June 2017
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Sun, 18 June 2017
Fight “God’s Playbook on Parenting”
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
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Sun, 18 June 2017
El Plan de Dios para los Padres “Padres, no hagan enojar a sus hijos con la forma en que los tratan. Más bien, críenlos con la disciplina e instrucción que proviene del Señor.” (Efesios 6.4)
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Sun, 4 June 2017
A young man, newly married, went to see his pastor. He said, “I think I love my wife too much.” The pastor was surprised and a bit curious. “What makes you say that?” “Well,” replied the young man, “I can’t get my mind off her. I think of her first thing in the morning. I think of her throughout the day and can barely get my work done. I can’t wait to get home to see her in the evening. I even dream about her.”
The pastor thought for a moment and then asked, “Do you love her as much as Christ loved the Church?” “Well, I guess I don’t love her that much.” “Well, then,” said the pastor, “Get busy!”
Men, a lot of us need to get busy loving our wives! God is going to teach us this morning how to love her well. Please turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 5:25-33 . .
Fight “Husbands, Get Busy!” Ephesians 5:25-33
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (v. 25).
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (v. 25b).
That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by . . . the word (v. 26)
In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church (v. 28-29).
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother . . .” (v. 31a).
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (v. 31).
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (v. 32). |