Disabilities and the Sovereign Goodness of God

John 9 - Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind (By Luke Lucero) May 26, 2013

(Inspired by “Why Was This Child Born Blind?” and “The Works of God and the Worship of Jesus” sermons by John Piper)

Today we’re going to talk about disabilities and the sovereign goodness of God. Disabilities break into life in various forms. It can be in genetic mutations, or after a traumatic accident, an illness or infection, and even thru aging alongside the inevitable degenerative processes. Despite the U.S. being a country that is quite advanced in terms of medicine and its technological application, 20% of their population has disabilities, which is still a big proportion. Even a church is not immune to having “disabilities” as well. As such, fundamental questions about God’s goodness in light of these disabilities are faced by the pastors, shepherds, and shepherdesses alike, being surrounded by a number of people that may as well ask them such questions regarding God’s goodness or maybe challenging the truth that if God has a good design in all the things that He creates, would then the existing disability of a person be also be a part of His “good design”. How then do we respond as Christians? For us to hear from Him, we must learn to submit our heart to Him and His Word to be able to understand what His purpose is on why we have such disabilities. In this passage we will talk about two things:

The Bookends of the Christian Life - May 12, 2013

(Book authored by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington – the passage contains certain phrases and sentences that the speaker duly recognizes as coming from the book) by Abraham Rosario

     As taken from the book, “Think of your life right now as a lone bookshelf.” So we know that a purpose of a bookshelf is to contain books, and we usually see these in a library. Our life as a Christian can be likened to a bookshelf in which the books that we put into represent things that we want to do or that we are doing now. According to the book, there are two kinds of books which can be put there, spiritual and temporal.

Faith, Finances and Freedom (Sun, May 5, 2013)

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

(2 Cor 8:9 explains the way a person can become truly rich by being free from the entrapment, enslavement, and idolatry of money.) Perhaps even more than being a slave to sex and romance is the enslavement to money. In this sermon we consider: What is your view of money? Who owns your money? What should you do with your money? Is money your master who rules and controls you, or your slave whom you control and rule over? 

When you look at the Bible, Jesus talks about money more than about sex. Sometimes you may not think that money is not that big of problem, but it is subliminal, it doesn't attack you as obviously like sex does, and it is a problem of all human beings. In fact, the first temptation of Christ is about money. Satan tempted Him, "If you are the son of God, make this stone bread." So in saying, Satan says that you need this bread to survive, and what's the other meaning of bread? Money. But Jesus rejected this, He said, "Man does not live on bread alone but on the words of God." Man does not live on money alone. The devil's temptation is to makes us a slave of money, so even if we are not thinking about it, we are controlled by our thought of money.

Let us examine what the Bible says about money in 3 parts:

1. Faith: Who owns your money? You?
2. Finances: What should you do with your money?
3. Freedom: Is money your master or your slave?

Work It Out Because God Is Working In You

Philippians 2: 12-18 (April 28, 2013; Dr. Ben Toh) Key verse: Phil 2:12b-13

“continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you...”

Phil 2:12-13 is about sanctification. This verse is perhaps the best verse in the Bible that explains what sanctification is and how it works. 3 things/points about sanctification:

1.    What it is

2.    What it does

3.    What it is like

God's Grace for Each One of Us – April 28, 2013

Shepherd Timothy Mayers

Romans 8:18-27; KV: John 3:16

I have question for you before we start, "What is suffering/trial for you?"

An Overview of Revelations (Apr 21, 2013)

April 21, 2013

• I pray that you may come to know and understand Revelation as much as John's Gospel and Genesis. Revelation is the culmination of the entire Bible.
• Read one and a half chapters of Revelation each day for the next 2 weeks. 
• Choose a question and share what you learned today at next week's Sunday service.

1. What is another name for Revelation?        The Apocalypse

2. What is the meaning of Revelation or Apocalypse?

In the west, apocalypse conveys the meaning of catastrophe, disaster, or terrible things befalling the earth, a last judgment. In a sense, this is true; because God will destroy the power of Satan when Jesus comes again. But the word actually means "unveiling" or "uncovering." What was hidden, God will uncover, so that we can begin to see and understand what the end times will be. The last words of Revelations say, "Come, Lord Jesus" (Rev 22:20). Basically Revelation tells us that our greatest hope as Christians is that Jesus will come again very soon, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, like a thief in the night, when you don't expect it. That's the hope of not only 1st century Christians but even Christians throughout the ages.

What Happens in Heaven? (Revelation 4-5) Sun, Apr 21, 2013

Revelation 4:1-5:14; Key Verse: Rev 4:2 (Sun Apr 21, 2013)

"At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it."

Questions. What is God like? What happens in heaven? How does this apply to my life on earth?

Short answers : 1) God--who is on a throne in heaven--is sovereign; he rules the world. 2) All beings around God's throne are worshiping God. 3) All of life is worship. Why? If the book of Revelation has a single theme, then surely it is God and his greatness, which Rev 4-5 will show.