Beyond the historical references of the House of Israel and the House of Judah, Biblical prophecy shows that both modern Israel and modern Judah are destined to once again undergo national captivity. At the return of Jesus Christ, the people of these nations will be gathered together to return to the land of Israel the second time. Particular emphasis is drawn on the reason why God will once again punish the rebellion of His people.
Dave Harris
Part of the Plan
This sermon is about the Day of Pentecost. It covers a review of the commands from God to observe this Feast Day, and it presents a very specific examination of the great meaning in the particular part of God’s great master plan that is revealed in this Holy Day. The meaning of the “two wave loaves” as mentioned in Leviticus 23 is discussed in detail in light of New Testament fulfillments.
How Are You?
We greet people and people often greet us with, “How are you?” Here and there, some sarcastically say that no one actually really wants to know how we are. Perhaps we really don’t want anyone else to truly know how we are.
So, how are you?
How are you doing with your life? Are you happy? How is your health? Are good things coming your way, or are you so beaten down that you have just about lost all hope? Anyone who has lived any amount of time has surely tasted a little bit of all kinds of experiences–both good and bad.
Solomon taught: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). In verses 2 through 8, he enumerates the “everythings” and the “purposes.” If you read these details, it is very difficult to not identify with each of these most human of experiences.
In fact, in this light, consider 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear [endure] it.”
For those who, indeed, have been called by God and who are responding to His loving hand in their lives, Biblical knowledge can give us the light of confidence and hope. This shining assurance can also enlighten others. This is what being a Christian in this generation is all about! Added to knowledge is the ever-present real fact that God gives us His Spirit by which we are empowered to live our lives with complete faith that good will triumph! Romans 8:28 puts it this way: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Every so often, we need to really bore in and focus on what it is that we are doing–how we are! Out ahead of us are promises so awesome that we hardly even begin to really and truly grasp the majesty of what God is accomplishing–both the big picture things and the things of our individual lives! Hebrews 12:12-13 has these words of encouragement: “…therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet…”
Reading in the New Testament, Paul begins many of his letters with these words of greeting: “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3, as an example).
Let us each hold on to the confidence of our sure hope that has been given to us by God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. With that perspective, let us also have a ready answer of joy the next time someone asks–“how are you?”
Membership
Christians need to understand what it means to have membership in the Church of God. Along with this we also need to understand that this unique membership requires something on our part. This sermon develops this topic by further examining specific aspects and duties of membership.
"Not Without Chastening"
Dave Harris will give the sermon this Sabbath, May 10, 2003. The sermon is titled, “Not Without Chastening.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”
Not Without Chastening
This sermon addresses the dimension of God’s anger. Seven points are given: (1.) We should fear god’s anger; (2.) God’s anger is fair; (3.) God is slow to anger; (4.) God will turn from His anger; (5.) God’s anger can save us; (6.) God’s anger can destroy us; and, (7.) We need to understand what invokes God’s anger.
Our Exodus From Sin
Asking the question, “How are we doing in our exodus from sin?”–this sermon addresses the lessons of the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As commanded, this day is kept as a holy convocation as God commanded, and the parallels are made for Christians to complete their departure from sin just as the Israelites of old finally completed their journey by entering the promised land.
Teachings From John 17
Pinpointing some of the big-picture themes of God’s master plan, this sermon covers three major teachings by Jesus from the 17th chapter of John: (1.) Jesus teaches about the world; (2.) Jesus teaches about unity; and, (3.) Jesus teaches about His work. The underlying theme is that of what both the Father and the Son are doing to make possible eternal life for mankind.
"A Time To Love"
In Ecclesiastes 3, verse 1, Solomon records that “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.”
This section ends in verse 8 adding that there is “A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.”
How does this apply to Christians–especially as this world is engaged in a “time of war”?
First, let’s consider a warning from Jesus Christ that He left for those of us who live at the end of this age: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Yet, for those who follow Christ, this must be “a time to love”. If we are to be a light to those around us, then above all things we must show this fruit of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives. In the closing hours of His life, Jesus spoke to His disciples (and us): ” ‘By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another’ ” (John 13:35). Continuing in John 15, verse 12, Jesus says: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
Later on in the events leading to His sacrifice for the reconciling of the world to the Father, Jesus spoke to Pilate showing that this was not a time for Him–or His disciples–to fight and make war: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36).
Our “time to hate” is not directed at this world–a world that God so loved that He gave His Son (Cp. John 3:16). However, we also are to understand that there are things which God hates. He hates sin. He hates those activities which might destroy one of His future sons. In Revelation 2:6, Jesus addressed the church of Ephesus and complimented their valiant zeal to withstand wrong doctrines: “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”Christians are to hate what God hates
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, extols the role of love in a Christian’s life. Alongside the various fruits of God’s Spirit, love is foremost: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (verse 13). This kind of love which is imparted through God’s Holy Spirit is the embodiment of righteousness. James, the brother of Jesus Christ, shows that the kind of righteousness that is based on love will bring Christians peace: “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18).
Christians are taught to love by God Himself. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Continuing in verse 16, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him.”
As we both see and experience the dramatic events of prophecy now being fulfilled, there is something we can and must do. In the quotation from Matthew 24, verse 12, it says that the love of “many” will grow cold, but NOT ALL. As Solomon said, “to everything there is a season,” and the season for Christians is as it has always been, “a time to love!”
Kings and Priests
The Bible describes those who are called, chosen and faithful (Rev. 17:14). This sermon reviews the selection, among others, of Moses, David and Paul, and how they were selected for serving God during their lifetimes and in the future. It is pointed out that Christians have also been called to serve God both now and as kings and priests in the future Kingdom of God.