Back in January, I gave my first Sunday sermon at Hope Chapel. Many of you came out to hear my “first real sermon” and I really appreciate your support. Even though that was the Sunday all the church leaders were out on a retreat, the sanctuary was full. Thank you.

The sermon was about the most mysterious woman in the old testament. We don’t even know her name but she wrote one of the most famous passages in the Bible. Curious? You will have to listen to the sermon to find out who she was. Or read Jim Davis’ notes below.

The first service I completely fell on my face technologically. I forgot my VGA adapter and even when someone in the congregation had one the projector completely failed to work. I have never in my life had a technical failure so catastrophic in front of so many people. The sound guy gracefully cut the first few frantic minutes of the sermon from the recording.

Listen/Watch

• Listen to the recording of the first service (right click and then click save as).
• Watch the video from the second service (right click and then click save as).

Here are the notes put together by Jim Davis. He created the notes for small group discussion.

Lesson

Satan intends to kill the current generation of God’s people and destroy the mission God has given them, but God heals and protects His children.

Text(s)/Resources

• Proverbs 31:1-9, Matthew 28:19-20, and Psalms 139
• AlmightyMusicVideo.com

Ice-Breaker:

1. Have you experienced an interest/hobby consuming large amounts of your time? Dominating your interests and thinking?
2. Have you felt an “adventure-shaped” hole in your heart, your thinking? Do you long for a more interesting/exciting life?

Background:

Proverbs 31 is famous for its description of a competent woman, but the first 9 verses are the words of a mysterious (unnamed) woman, the mother of King Lemuel. She speaks to her son, who is (or will be) a king. Notice that she has advice, feedback for him, but she speaks from the perspective of her listener. She speaks to his identify, before she speaks about what she thinks he should do. Rather than admonishing him to avoid a failure she anticipates, she speaks to his identify and encourages him to live up to the level of who he is.

Satan is the opposite. He would have his hearers forget who they are: children of God Almighty. Rather than encourage, Satan seeks to steal, kill and destroy.

Point 1 of 3: Steal. Thomas shared that as a child he loved computer games. They consumed his interests and time. Near the time he was finishing high school, an older brother (Lester Haines) spoke a word to him: “It is time for you to be about your Father’s business.” Thomas knew (though perhaps Lester did not) that his life was oriented in large degree around gaming, to near-addictive levels. The addition to activities can be very similar to drug and other addictions. So Thomas understood God to be telling him to  give up gaming.

Thomas further understood that he wanted adventure and that gaming attempted to fill the “adventure-shaped” hole in his heart. Soon after this word was given him, Thomas began to experience the adventure of evangelism. Sharing the gospel with others was scary. But riding a roller coaster is scary. That is why one rides them. The scariness is an adventure, the ride is exhilarating. The enemy would steal true adventure from us. Don’t let him.

Point 2 of 3: Kill. The mysterious woman of Proverbs 31:1-9 told her son to avoid drinking, a metaphor for forgetting one’s role. She told him to live up to the levels required/expected of a king and to protect and speak for those who are helpless. Today, the mute and helpless are the unborn. 1 in 3 Christian woman have an abortion. These women are much more likely to suffer psychological disorders later and experience shame, guilt, and brokenness because they are unable to seek forgiveness and healing.  Babies are killed and mother’s souls are grievously wounded.

Point 3 of 3: Destroy our mission. God intends this generation to make a difference, to carry out His purposes. To take actions and/or speak out. Failure to do so results from apathy. Apathy means “hard heart.” In this generation there is a word “meh.” Meh can be defined as a verbal shrugging of the shoulders and it is growing more widespread. At a time when we should be embracing the mission of going into the entire earth to share good news, the enemy promotes the response of meh — because he wants to destroy this generation’s mission.

Digging Deeper:

• What has been stolen from you? What are you now missing that you believe you previously possessed and used?
• What is your current identity? Who are you?
• What adventure calls to you? What stops you from pursuing it?
• What can others you trust do for you to help you recover your identify and mission?

Wrap-Up:

• Pray for each other to encourage recovery of identify in Christ
• Pray for each other for forgiveness and healing of secret shames and guilt.
• Prayerfully remind each other that all need saving and as we are able to give Jesus our guilt and shame, He is faithful to give us joy and life, healing and wholeness.

Outreach/Mission:

• We are not all called to be involved in every area of outreach. Some may seek to help the homeless, some others seek to help the unborn. What jazzes you? Think of a person whom you really hope will recover what has been stolen from them. What could you say to, or do for, that person this week?
• Do you want more information, or training, in the area of sharing good news? Who can you ask to teach you, or partner with you? Plan to speak with that person.

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Watch the CEBC promo on GodTube.

This outreach will help you face your fears as you serve with other Christians who desire to “preach the gospel to all creation”.  If your commitment to Christ compels you to grow as a witness who serves effectively, inoffensively, and biblically then register today.

For more info about the Christmas Evangelism Boot Camp please visit AustinEvangelism.com .

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Self Examination & Assurance by Jon Speed

The doctrine of self examination is one that is rarely taught in the modern evangelical church. It was not always this way. Throughout most of post-Reformation history the concept of examining one’s own salvation in light of the teaching of the Word of God was commonly taught. It is interesting that this doctrine appears to have been abandoned in the twentieth century. A brief survey of my own library reveals that the doctrine was emphasized in the 16th until the mid to late 19th centuries, but is very difficult to find represented in the 20th century, except for a few select writers who were greatly influenced by the older lights.

The real issue is whether or not the Bible, the Book of books, teaches this doctrine. I am only beginning to study this doctrine in depth myself, but even a cursory examination of the Bible reveals that we are commanded to "examine ourselves"(1 Corinthians 11:28).

In what is considered by many modern evangelicals a difficult passage, the Apostle Paul admonishes us to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). In light of the doctrine of justification by faith, what else can this mean but that we as believers should examine our salvation experience in order to determine its authenticity? In other words, does the fruit in our lives represent the fruit of the Spirit or does it represent the "bad fruit" which is brought forth by every bad tree?

The standard evangelical line on assurance of salvation (a closely related doctrine which is elaborated on far more by the older writers than by the theologians of today) may be represented in the following illustration. A teenage youth responds to an invitation at a youth rally. He is instructed to come forward and meets with a counselor. As the counselor (a Bible college student) speaks with him he is shocked to discover that this teenager has responded to the same gospel invitation at the same youth rally every year for the last five years.

The teenager is concerned because while he has a desire to do the right thing and "meant well" when he came forward the last five times, he has no identifiable change in his life. He cannot control his tongue or his temper. He is addicted to sexual sin. He has no love for the people of God or concern for the lost. He only comes to church when it is entertaining or convenient. He knows this is not Biblical Christianity, and yet he inwardly wonders why his five previous decisions for Christ have not stuck. In his frustration, he tells his counselor all. What should he do? Is he really saved?

The counselor, fortunately (?), has been trained for just such an event. In fact, it happens so often that the evangelistic counselor’s training manual has a whole chapter on this issue. He turns in his Bible to 1 John 5:13 and reads aloud, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may KNOW that you have eternal life." "You see, Billy, we should KNOW that we have eternal life. God wants us to KNOW. Our salvation is not a ‘hope so’ salvation, it is a ‘know so’ salvation. Once saved, always saved.

Billy, did you mean it when you accepted Christ the first time?"

"Well, um, yes, I guess I did."

"Then you are saved! Isn’t it great to KNOW that we’re saved?"

"Um, yeah, sure."

"Billy, you don’t sound convinced. When you came forward five years ago, did you get one of these wallet cards?" The counselor pulls out a small card with 1 John 5:13 printed on it and a space for the signatures of the teen and the counselor.

"Yes, I did. In fact, I have five." And Billy pulls out all five decision cards and hands them to the counselor.

The counselor laughs. "That’s OK , Billy, I came forward for assurance of salvation two or three times myself. Billy from now on, every time you doubt, I want you to pull out one of these cards and remind yourself of the decision you made."

"But I have been doing that for five years! Five years of looking at these cards has done nothing for me. How can I be a Christian and still fall into this sin?"

The shame of it is that the counselor has no answer for Billy because he has asked himself the same question for years.

In the twentieth century we have come to accept Billy’s story as normal Christian experience. Just get Billy into a follow up program and needle him into coming to church, reading his Bible, praying, and maybe even have him invite some friends to a similar evangelistic event and he will be counted as a true believer in Jesus Christ. He might even go to Bible college some day. All because he has come to expect falling into besetting sin. When he does religious things he at least feels better about himself. It is as if everything is right with God because of his religious actions, which is, by the way, a complete contradiction of the true doctrine of grace.

But what does Billy do when there is no one to prod him onward? What does he do when the fires of persecution and trial come? Those of us who have been involved with the evangelical church have seen it too many times. He abandons the faith and never looks back.

The rest of this article can be found at Jon Speed’s website

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In the movie The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn takes a risk by going into the mountain of the dead. He went in hopes of securing for Gondor reinforcements to aid in the fight against evil. The dead while an unlikely ally in this cause ended up making the difference.

I have been thinking a lot lately about why I am writing a book about the dangers of digital gaming. And frankly, it’s not about the games. My heart is to see a generation of young men rise up as men of God and start living kingdom centered lives.

Imagine what would happen if thousands of gamers suddenly dropped their nets and started following Jesus like the men in the New Testament. I see gaming as an area filled with bound men who have huge potential for changing the world.

Many of my friends have hearts that burn for various nations around the world or even for the nations in general. My heart is to see the world reached but my heart burns for the United States. The U.S. church is withdrawing from society so quickly I am afraid we are quickly on our way to becoming another England or Europe.

If we are to see victory we need to gain small tactical victories that can lead, through Christ, to bigger victories and I think setting gamers free from gaming is one of those areas.

Like Aragorn I want to go into a place unlikely to yield greatness and find mighty warriors for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. I don’t hate video games. But, I love Jesus and I want to see an army raised up that will make a change for good.

I want to see men of God run after Jesus whole heartedly. Thats why I am writing this book.

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