THE WORD

PROCLAIMED: GUARDING THE TREASURE

Damon Life Group 01.15.12

316 Coincidinc?

Favorite verse

John 3:16

Threw for

316 yards

TV rating @ time of touchdown

31.6

Average yards per completion

31.6

Pittsburgh’s time of possession 31 min, 6 seconds

#1 Google search on Monday

John 3:16

Over 90M Google searches of John 3:16 on Monday

Twitter reports 9,420 tweets/second after the 80 yard TD pass in Overtime (this # crushes the Royal Wedding and Bin Laden’s death)

Voted Most Popular Athlete in America this month in ESPN’s Sports Poll

Baptist Press reports more than 150 people made eternal decisions to follow Christ (tracked by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website)

A Little More 316 Fun

1 Timothy 3:16

Beyond all question, the mystery from which true

godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh,

was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was

preached among the nations, was believed on in the

world, was taken up in glory

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for

teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in

righteousness

Boldly Proclaim The Gospel

Running counter to our culture requires boldness and a firm identity in who you are IN CHRIST

Ephesians 6:19-20

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Acts 28:31

proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

How Are we to Be Bold – Last Week,

2 Timothy 4:2-5

“Preach the Word”

“Preach” means “to proclaim aloud” or “to proclaim as a herald.”

“The Word” is the gospel of Christ

“in season…out of season”

“Be prepared” means to be ready – a sense of urgency

“In season” means when it seems right; “out of season” means when it does not seem appropriate or convenient

“Correct”

This is a philosophical or legal term that refers to a questioning process or cross-examination

The result of this process is to make the sinner aware of his sin

“Rebuke”

Means to call people under God’s judgment b/c of sin

“Encourage”

Has two-fold meaning – both comfort and urge

“Keep your head”

Means “be sober” and “keep your eyes open; be wakeful” – like an athlete abstaining from alcohol to stay alert to remain in total control

“Endure hardship”

Preaching will evoke harassment and persecution (see Phil 1:7, 13-14; John 15:20) – Paul encourages Timothy to preserve

“Do the work of an evangelist”

Literally means “preach the gospel” despite the persecution that follows

“Discharge the duties of your ministry”

Paul encourages Timothy to give his full measure

Last Sunday Night…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjayoRR-z4M

Today’s Game Plan…

Read our study passage

II Timothy 4:6-22

Biblical Discipleship

Luke 14:25-34

Luke 9:23-27

Matthew 8:18-22

Watch two video segments with Joel Osteen and Piers Morgan

Listen for ways we can boldly proclaim the Gospel, fighting the good faith, running the race, & keeping the faith

Will zero in on two relevant topics and lay them against the truth of God’s Word

Capital Punishment

Mormonism

Re-read today’s study passage

II Timothy 4:6-8

Today’s Game Plan…

Read our study passage

II Timothy 4:6-22

Biblical Discipleship

Luke 14:25-34

Luke 9:23-27

Matthew 8:18-22

Watch two video segments with Joel Osteen and Piers Morgan

Listen for ways we can boldly proclaim the Gospel, fighting the good faith, running the race, & keeping the faith

Will zero in on two relevant topics and lay them against the truth of God’s Word

Capital Punishment

Mormonism

Re-read today’s study passage

II Timothy 4:6-8

Today’s Game Plan…

Read our study passage

II Timothy 4:6-22

Biblical Discipleship

Luke 14:25-34

Luke 9:23-27

Matthew 8:18-22

Watch two video segments with Joel Osteen and Piers Morgan

Listen for ways we can boldly proclaim the Gospel, fighting the good faith, running the race, & keeping the faith

Will zero in on two relevant topics and lay them against the truth of God’s Word

Capital Punishment

Mormonism

Re-read today’s study passage

II Timothy 4:6-8

Bridging Last Week & This Week…

Contrasted a Biblical view of discipleship with the American Dream

Discussed the concern that we, the Church, can get desensitized to a prosperity message that is ABOUT US that runs counter to the teachings of Christ and the cost of discipleship

If we make joy, prosperity, peace, personal power, victory, etc. ends in and of themselves we have embraced a theology of the resurrection that ignores the cross

In other words it is BECAUSE of the cross (suffering) that we can experience joy, hope, peace, victory, power, etc. (resurrection)

Teaching that almost exclusively focuses on the benefits of the cross without the call to “pick up your cross and follow me” ignores Christ’s teachings, the history of suffering of the church, and the call to die to self

Before we get into our two focus topics today, let’s wrap-up this proper view of the resurrection by reading a few accounts from Christ on the cost of following Him – then look at how we are to boldly proclaim God’s truth in the context of current social issues

The “Red Letters” on the Cost of

Discipleship

Luke 14:25-34

26.“if anyone comes after me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes even his own life – he can not be my disciple.27 And if anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

33.”In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.34 Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.”

Luke 9:23-27

23. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24 For whoever wants to save his life must lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

Matthew 8:18-22

20”.Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head…22 Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Last Week’s Challenge

Listen closely

Tell me how many times you hear Christian themes of

The name of Jesus Christ

The cost of discipleship (following Christ)

The true meaning of life – to glorify God

Listen for themes of the American Dream of

A therapeutic prosperity theology - be “happy” (Every Day a Friday)

Moral relativism (“what’s right for me may not be right for you…”)

I don’t know or I’m not willing to take a stance

Today’s Game Plan…

Read our study passage

II Timothy 4:6-22

Biblical Discipleship

Luke 14:25-34

Luke 9:23-27

Matthew 8:18-22

Watch two video segments with Joel Osteen and Piers Morgan

Listen for ways we can boldly proclaim the Gospel, fighting the good faith, running the race, & keeping the faith

Will zero in on two relevant topics and lay them against the truth of God’s Word

Capital Punishment

Mormonism

Re-read today’s study passage

II Timothy 4:6-8

On Capital Punishment

Let’s walk through the SBC document

Genesis 9:5-6

“And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from every man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”

What is the difference between abortion and capital punishment with respect to the sanctity of life?

IMPORTANT: One has to do with justice

God has given authority to carry out this justice to the civil magistrate who is to protect the innocent and punish the guilty (Romans 13:1-3)

Justice & Forgiveness

Is there error in the justice system?

Headlines yesterday on Governor’s Pardons

“Barbour: Forgive, Cut Medical Costs”

What’s the distinction between forgiveness and justice?

What examples can you think of when Jesus challenged the Roman government?

When is it ok to stand up against the established government in light of Romans 13?

Note Acts 5:29

Smuggling Bibles, Daniel not praying, preaching in some countries, David Plat’s Underground Church, etc.

Look at Jesus' actions in John 8:1-11

What kind of “pardon” does Christ grant?

Today’s Game Plan…

Read our study passage

II Timothy 4:6-22

Biblical Discipleship

Luke 14:25-34

Luke 9:23-27

Matthew 8:18-22

Watch two video segments with Joel Osteen and Piers Morgan

Listen for ways we can boldly proclaim the Gospel, fighting the good faith, running the race, & keeping the faith

Will zero in on two relevant topics and lay them against the truth of God’s Word

Capital Punishment

Mormonism

Re-read today’s study passage

II Timothy 4:6-8

Mormonism

Let’s watch two very short

clips to set up the discussion,

then walk through the

handout material

http://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=yBMVQOwi8FM

Britt Hume (Fox) asks Joel

Osteen – “Is a Mormon a

true Christian?” Joseph Smith

Mormonism

Let’s walk through a few documents

One page narrative from watchmen.org

One page of “Barriers”, “Bridges”, and “Action Points for Churches, Associations, and State Conventions”

Booklet produced by the North American Mission Board that offers a cross walk and comparative religions matrix

So, let me ask you…“Is a Mormon a true Christian?”

Sum

Matt 6:24

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money”

We can not pursue two mutually excusive things

The Bible has a very radical view of what it means to follow Christ

Die to self, live for Christ - If I die to me, I can make much of Christ

The American Dream has a different message –

Live for me - If I work hard enough I can make much of me

Pray for discernment to distinguish Truth from heresy

Be faithful to spend time in God’s Word so you can discern truth and articulate a never-changing Biblical perspective to our ever-changing social issues

When given the chance, boldly speak the truth (in love)

Romans 1:16

”For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

Live today with the eternity in mind! (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed his appearing.”