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Sermon Starters
Support and Resources For Pastors and
Christian Ministry Professionals
Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor
Festival Of
Pentecost
Series C
Option
One:
"Healing For Heart Pain"
Acts 2:37-42
Rev. Wayne Dobratz, B.A., M.Div.
Introduction: A
famous midwestern heart hospital has established a center for people with chest
pains. If youre having chest pains, their advertising invites you in for a
check-up. It could save your life! There were sharp heart pains in Peters
audience on the first Pentecost day, but the cure was spiritual, not physical.
Lets listen as Peter gives them and us healing for heart pain.
Diagnosis:
Vincents Word Studies: they were pricked (katenugeesan). Only here
in New Testament. The word does not occur in profane Greek. It is found in the
Septuagint, as Genesis 34:7, of the grief of the sons of Jacob at the dishonor
of Dinah. The radical idea of the word is given in the simple verb nussoo,
to prick with a sharp point. So Homer, of the puncture of a spear; of
horses dinting the earth with their hoofs, etc. Here, therefore, of the
sharp, painful emotion, the sting produced by Peters words. Cicero,
speaking of the oratory of Pericles, says that his speech left stings in
the minds of his hearers. 38) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every
one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Cure:
I. Know that
Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins and rose from death--2:23-24
II. Repent,
separate yourself from the crookedness of sin--vv38-40
Repent
ye (metanoesate).
First aorist (ingressive) active imperative. Change your mind and your life.
Turn right about and do it now. You crucified this Jesus. Now crown
him in your hearts as Lord and Christ.
The
word skolias has been taken over into medical terminology. A person with
a crooked spine is said to have scoliosis. Jesus not only forgives sin,
He straightens us out. Crooked (skolias).
Old word, opposite of orthos,
straight. Cf Luke 3:5, 9:41; Philippians 2:15.
III. Be a part of the "aftercare group," the visible Church, for as
long as you live--vv41-42
The
thrust is similar to AA, OA, NA and other 12-step groups. These groups make sure
that the thinking is straight, knowing that a relapse will occur otherwise. They
take responsibility for each other. There is genuinely unconditional love. They
dont leave it to the leader to do all the caregiving. These groups would fail
if the leaders were expected to do all the unconditional loving and admonition,
when necessary. See Col 3:16.
MacArthur's
New Testament Commentary: Fellowship is the spiritual duty of believers to
stimulate each other to holiness and faithfulness. It is most specifically
expressed through the "one anothers" of the New Testament (cf Rom
12:10, 16; 13:8; 14:19; 15:5, 7, 14; 16:16; Gal 5:13; Eph 4:2, 25, 32; 5:21;
Phil 2:3; Col 3:9, 13, 16; 1 Thess 4:9, 18, 5:11, 13; Heb 3:13; 1 Pet 1:22; 4:9,
10; 5:5, etc). The basic meaning of koinoônia
(fellowship) is "partnership," or "sharing." Those who
receive Jesus Christ become partners with Him and with all other believers (1
John 1:3). That fellowship is permanent, because our shared eternal life is
forever. The joy associated with it, however, may be lost through sinful neglect
of its duties.
For
a Christian to fail to participate in the life of a local church is inexcusable.
In fact, those who choose to isolate themselves are disobedient to the direct
command of Scripture. Hebrews 10:2425 charges believers to
"consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not
forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near." The Bible
does not envision the Christian life as one lived apart from other believers.
All members of the universal church, the body of Christ, are to be actively and
intimately involved in local assemblies.
+ + +
Children's
Message
Visual
aid: charcoals and a pan big enough to
make a small mountain, as one would before pouring the lighter fluid and
lighting the coals.
I
was on vacation last Sunday and I spent some time at a campground. We have a
small fire pit that may be used either for firewood or charcoals. Since the
firewood wasnt staying lit, I decided to go back to charcoal. But I was a
little rusty, so maybe you can help me here.
Now
lets see if I can remember how to do this. You open the bag and you pour out
the coals into the grill, right? Okay, can we light them now? No? Oh, we have
put the lighter fluid on. Whats that? I forgot something else? Oh, yes; we
have to make a small mountain out of these coals before we pour the starter
fluid on them. Oh, yes; I remember now. Then we have to let the lighter fluid
soak in for a little while. Then we strike a match and the fire goes
WHOOOOOOOOSH!
The
fire burns for a few minutes and then we have to wait for the fire on the edges
to burn the charcoals enough until they are gray on the outside and red on the
inside. Then you can bring on your hamburgers, brats, or whatever else you want
to make on this long Memorial Day weekend.
But
wait a minute. I just noticed something. These three coals rolled off of
the pile when the fire went WHOOOOOOOOSH! The other coals are red hot and ready
to be useful for cooking, but these guys are way behind the game here. What
happened?
They
didnt catch fire because they werent rubbing against the other coals while
they were catching fire. You know what I think? I think Christians are just like
this. Its one thing to catch fire, but its quite another to stay on fire
with the Spirit of God if you fail to keep in touch with Gods people. Your
fire just might go out if you dont keep in close contact with Gods Word
and with Gods people.
What
is true of charcoals is true of Christians. Here is one more "earthly
story with a heavenly meaning."
+ + +
Option
#2: "Basking In God's Glory Story!"
Genesis 11:1-9
Rev. Kelly Bedard, B.A., M.Div.
The
Point: we are one in the Spirit!
The
Problem: language and other barriers
causing division
The
Promise: God causes and/or will one day
cause all to speak a common "language": "Jesus is Lord!" (Php
2:9), uniting us with Himself and each other
Notes:
1. laban
{law-ban'}, v3: to be white; hiphil, to make white, become white,
purify; to show whiteness, grow white; hithpael, to become white, be
purified (ethical); qal, here, to make bricks. (Blue Letter Bible)
2. migdal
{mig-dawl'}, v4: tower; elevated stage, pulpit; raised bed. (BLB)
3. chalal
{khaw-lal'}, v6: hiphil, to let be profaned; to begin. (BLB)
4. And
the Lord said, Behold the people is one, and they have all one language--and
if they continue one, much of the earth will be left uninhabited, and these
children of men, if thus incorporated, will swallow up the little remnant of
God's children, therefore it is decreed they must not be one. (John Wesley)
5. The
explanation of the name in verse 9 is a folk etymology. The tower is called
"Babel" because there Yahweh "balaled," or confused, their
language. The normal etymology of "Babel" is "gate of god." (Ralph
Klein)
6.
Martin, the son of Sigmund Freud, said it well: "I have never had any
ambition to rise to eminence... I have been quite happy and content to bask in
reflected glory... The son of a genius remains the sons of a genius, and his
chances of winning human approval of anything he may do hardly exist if he
attempts to make any claim to fame detached from that of his father." (Monica
Goldrick & Randy Gerson)
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