Galatians 3:15-18 “Christ, the Fruit-Bearing Seed”

“Christ, the Fruit-Bearing Seed”

Galatians 3:15–18 (ESV) — 15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

15 To give a human example- Speaking in human terms, or by means of a human analogy.

, brothers – Paul is now using a more affectionate term. From when he started the section with “foolish Galtians”. He is appealing to them, trying to reason with them, wrapping his arms around them. The truth rebukes, but also must be spoken in love. This complexity is known to any of us who have parented. Times to be harsh and times to speak affectionately. Times to call them by their full name, times to call them “Sweetie”.

: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. – the word for “covenant” (diatheke), can be understood as covenant or will. In a bi-lateral understanding among men with each other, agreements are binding. If someone decides to change the terms or refuses to honor certain stipulations, they will be legally liable in a just society. If man-made covenants carry this significance, then how much more with God, who makes a covenant with man.

• “Berith” – Testament has referred to the outworking on a uni-lateral promise
• “diatheke” – God initiated, requiring stipulations which can’t be regarded as meritorious but only consistent with the nature of promise which far exceeds the demands of faith.
• “syntheke” – horizontally stipulated, fair, pay for wages.

-          I am a covenant theologian, essentially I read they whole Bible in light of this framework of a gracious God who reaches down to fallen creation in grace to establish relationship. God administrates this covenant through different phases, but each is built upon the idea of promise!!!

A Baptismal Homily

Here is a link to the audio.

Here is my sermon outline:

Romans 5:18-6:14 Baptism Signifies a Changed Identity

Pastor Rick Hogaboam, Sovereign Grace Fellowship, 6.20.2010 A.D.

Romans 5:18–6:14 (ESV) — 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

-          A Changed Identity

-          Who’s your daddy?

• The whole human race is represented by one of two heads, Adam or Christ.
  • Everyone is born into Adam by natural birth, an enmity with God because of the fall and the infection of sin into the whole human race.
  • You are only born into Christ by rebirth, regeneration, being “born again”.  Paul shows how baptism corresponds to this reality of dying and newness of life.
    • 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

-          The Superior power of Grace

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

-          Grace is not licentiousness!!! You died to sin, past tense. In Christ, judicially but also in actuality. Sin no longer has reign over you.

A Confirmation -

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

-          There are realities in baptism, namely that it signifies a very real union with Christ. This of baptism as your wedding ring.

• In some sense, we are to wear our baptism.
• It is dangerous if someone is tempted to remove their wedding ring, usually leads to trouble, a desire to show oneself available.
• Our baptism signifies a dying to one life and a rising to a new one. It signifies our transfer from darkness to light, from death to life, from Adam to Jesus.
• Marriage also signifies this transfer from Rick being Rick, to being one with Mimi. I am no longer myself and alone, but and wedded with another.

-          “in order that” – very important, pay attention.

-          “we too might walk in newness of life” – connected with Jesus’ resurrection which allowed Him to walk in the realities of exalted Lord, a newness, so also we.

• Paul corresponds with our future hope, but also in the present newness, an actual newness that we are to walk in.

Galatians 2:1-5 “What’s Circumcision Got to do with It?”

Here is a link to the audio: audio sermon.

My sermon notes are pasted below…this is a rough outline that I make for my own use and not really polished for public consumption, but you may get something out of it.

Galatians 2:1-5 “What’s Circumcision Got to do with It?”

Pastor Rick Hogaboam, Sovereign Grace Fellowship of Nampa

6.13.2010

Galatians 2:1–10 (ESV) — 1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.

-          :1 > 14 years following previous visit that followed his 3 years of silence

• Scholars dispute when this trip to Jerusalem took place, whether it was the famine relief trip recorded in Acts or the council in Acts 15, good arguments for each and I tentatively believe that it was the relief trip recorded briefly in Acts 11:30 with the revelation that Paul and Barnabas should take an offering to Jerusalem, and then brief mention that they returned from the trip in Acts 12:25, bringing back to Antioch John Mark, who was Barnabas’ cousin (Col 4:10).
  • Pluses: this was the second trip of Paul to Jerusalem and makes the most sense if he is being chronological here in Galatians
  • This does affect dating of the book: Did he write after his first missionary trip, where he visited the province of Galatia in Acts 13-14? If so, this would support the relief trip as the reference here.
  • I think the issue that emerges here is what developed post the relief trip, Acts 15 was the nail in the coffin of this issue and was so public that Paul would simply be reminding the Galatians of what was already decided.
• BARNABAS [BAR nuh bus] (son of prophecy; encouragement, consolation) — an apostle in the early church (Acts 4:36–37; 11:19–26) and Paul’s companion on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–15:41). A Levite from the island of Cyprus, Barnabas’ given name was Joseph, or Joses (Acts 4:36). When he became a Christian, he sold his land and gave the money to the Jerusalem apostles (Acts 4:36–37). Cousin of John Mark (Col. 4). Early in the history of the church, Barnabas went to Antioch to check on the growth of this early group of Christians. Then he journeyed to Tarsus and brought Saul (as Paul was still called) back to minister with him to the Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:25).^[1]
• TITUS (Tīʹ tŭs) Gentile companion of Paul (Gal. 2:3) and recipient of the NT letter bearing his name. Titus may have been converted by Paul who called him “my true child in our common faith” (Titus 1:4 HCSB). As one of Paul’s early associates, Titus accompanied the apostle and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1), probably on the famine relief visit (Acts 11:28–30). Though Acts does not mention Titus, he was quite involved in Paul’s missionary activities as shown in the Pauline letters. He was evidently known to the Galatians (Gal. 2:1, 3), possibly from the first missionary journey to that region. Titus also seems to have been a very capable person, called by Paul “my partner and coworker” (2 Cor. 8:23 HCSB). He was entrusted with the delicate task of delivering Paul’s severe letter (2 Cor. 2:1–4) to Corinth and correcting problems within the church there (2 Cor. 7:13–15). Paul apparently was released after his first Roman imprisonment and made additional journeys, unrecorded in Acts. One of these took him and Titus to Crete, where Titus remained behind to oversee and administer the church (Titus 1:5). According to church tradition, Titus was the first bishop of Crete. See Crete.^[2]

-          :2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.

• “ revelation’, Depends on whether you understand the Acts 11-12 trip or the Acts 15 trip.
• Acts 11:27–30 (ESV) — 27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
• Acts 12:25 (ESV) — 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
• “privately”: supports viewing this relief trip as what paul is mentioning because the Acts 15 trip was very public and not private at all (although Paul could be mentioning private discussions within the broader council)
• he follows though be saying that he presented the Gospel he had been preaching to see if he had been working in vain or not. This seems to be much more than a mere relief trip and leads people to believe that it was what Luke records in the following:

-          Acts 14:25–15:2 (ESV) — 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples. 1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.

Amos 6 Sermon Notes

Amos 6:1-14 “Wake up, O Sleeper”

Pastor Rick Hogaboam

Sovereign Grace Fellowship 4/25/10

Safety? (1-3)

Sin. Sin. Sin. (4-7)

Sent Away (8-14)

Savior!!!

Amos 6:1–14 (ESV)

¹“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the first of th e nations, to whom the house of Israel comes!

²Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory,

³O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence?

-          “Ease…feel secure”: A call to wake up from their drunken stupor.

-          “notable men” : irony here is that the best Israel has to offer has been corrupted, much like politicians today.

-          “Calneh, Hamath, Gath” were small city-states from which Israel is feeling secure in comparison. There is something big out there called Assyria that God can do whatever He wants with. They are ignoring the iceberg, not seeing it.

• ILLUS: Titanic

-          2552 “Shut Up” Five iceberg warnings were telegraphed to the ill-fated Titanic. When the sixth message, “Look out for icebergs,” came in, the Titanic’s operator wired back: “Shut up, I’m busy.” Exactly thirty-five minutes later the great ship, whose captain had said, “God, Himself couldn’t sink this ship,” was sinking. ^[1]

-          511 God Could Not Sink Ship

-           “God Himself could not sink this ship,” boasted a deckhand aboard R. M. S. Titanic in 1912. The men who built the ship, the civilized world, the credulous public—all believed and boasted that the ship was unsinkable. But God was not mocked. It is said that when the captain gave the order to abandon ship, many passengers simply could not believe that the Titanic could possibly sink and refused to board the lifeboats. And the crew was almost criminally complacent. So 1,502 men, women, and children plunged into the depths. ^[2]

⁴“Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall,

⁵who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,

⁶who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

-          They are living a perpetual party, eating it up, dancing it up, and drinking it up. Reminds me of an old show “Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous”.

-          God is not opposed to having a good time, in fact He prescribes true joy to those who find Him to be their treasure. What is taking place here is an indifference to ruin and judgment:     

• “but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph”

-          Their partying is such a priority that they would ignore a devastating earthquake, a 9/11, someone passing out, screams from a room where people are being violated.

-          ILLUS: Jon and Kate plus 8 is no more. I don’t know all the dynamics of what was taking place in the marriage, but it certainly was revealing when Jon was out partying at bars, sleeping with various women, apparently so pathetically insecure that he needed the affirmation of drunk college women, all the while his family is blowing up. It is certainly a picture of a man who wants to party and shows little to no grief over the disintegration of his family.

-          Israel was intoxicated with the lust of their eyes, flesh, and the world and their relationship with God was falling apart and they didn’t care.

2010 Good Friday Sermon: “Criminal, Centurion, and Council Member” by Rick Hogaboam

Luke 23:32-53 “A Criminal, Centurion, and Council Member”

Preached by Pastor Rick Hogaboam at Sovereign Grace Fellowship (ID) on April 2, 2010

Luke 23:32-49 (ESV)

³² Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³ And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. ³⁵ And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ³⁷ and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” ³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” ⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵ while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸ And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

Criminal and centurion get saved because they realized the significance. Joseph of Arimathea is also good news in the story. Everyone else, who is enslaved to self-preservation, could never figure why one wouldn’t save themselves. Not the type of leader they want to serve.

³² Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³ And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

-          23:33 The place called the Skull. As usual Luke omitted the Aramaic term found in his Markan source (cf. 22:39; see Introduction 3). The word for skull in Greek is Kranion; in Aramaic, Golgotha (Mark 15:22; Matt 27:33; John 19:17); and in Latin, Calvariae, i.e., Calvary. The place probably was so-called because it looked like a skull. This is most likely the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day this site was outside the walled city.^[1]

-          Jesus is here proclaiming forgiveness upon the very ones putting Him on the cross, and yet they were at the same time fulfilling the mission for which Jesus came, to die for our sins. Ancient writers loved irony and Luke here presents the incredible scandalous irony of the cross. Ion fact, Jesus’ prayer is answered by His death, and only made possible because of His death.

• Some accuse Luke of not having a theology of the cross, yet I think he does in presenting Jesus’ intercession for His enemies, which is a big theme for Luke. He reaches out to outcasts and the most unlikely recipients of salvation
• “criminals” – laystai, could refer to revolutionaries, think them robbers.

³⁵ And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”

-          These rulers sound much like Satan from Luke 4 when Jesus was tempted. Satan appealed to Jesus to save Himself and abandon the mission to save others.

-          Matt and Mk only mention 1 taunt, whereas Luke records 3 taunts. The irony is that salvation will only come through brokenness and death, not a triumphant display of power, that waits till Sunday in the resurrection and then later in the ascension.

-          The key verb mock (ἐκμυκτηρίζω, ekmyktērizō, lit., to turn up one’s nose, to sneer) alludes to Ps. 22:7^[2]

• Psalm 22:7 (ESV) ⁷ All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

David C. Cook Bible Lesson Commentary

I just received my author copies of the upcoming edition of the Cook Bible Lesson Commentary for 2010-2011. There’s both a KJV and NIV version.

Each year over the last decade, I have had the privilege of writing and editing these publications for Cook, which contain Bible lesson commentary for use for each Sunday of the year. And it’s my understanding that tens of thousands of churches make use of these products in their Sunday school and adult CE programs throughout the U.S. and overseas.

I’m happy to report that I’m busily working on the next edition for 2011-2012!

“Coram Deo” Sermon on Psalm 1

6.14.09 Liturgy:

-      Silent heart preparation

-      Opening prayer

-      Worship in song

-      Testimonials, words of exhortation from god’s people

-      Corporate Prayer

-      Teaching: Psalm 1

-      Closing Song

Psalm 1 – “Fruitful Trees vs. Useless Chaff”

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
Psalm 1:2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Psalm 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
Psalm 1:6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

This first psalm is intersteingly a “beatitude”, a declaration of blessing. It also sets the framework for the rest of the Psalter. There are two ways to live, two types of people, two destinies. All of it is summed up briefly in this first psalm.

The Person God Blesses (1-3)

-          Separated from the World (1)

-          Saturated with the Word (2)

-          Situated by the Waters (3)

The Person God Judges (4-6)

-          Chaff (4)

-          Collapse (5)

-          Cursed (6)

The Person God Blesses (1-3)

Separated from the World (1)

• Christian life is compared to a walk (Eph 4.1). We are to walk after our Lord. Jesus recruited some of his disciples with the words, “Follow Me”. He also applies this idea of following to all of us:
  • Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
• We are told that there are two paths to follow:
  • Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

Joel 2:18-27 Rick Hogaboam Sermon “Jealous God = Glad People”

Here is a pdf file: Joel 2.18t27 jealous god equals glad people

Text pasted below.

Joel 2:18-27 “Jealous God = Glad People”

Joel 2:18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.
Joel 2:19 The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
Joel 2:20 “I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.
Joel 2:21 “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!
Joel 2:22 Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
Joel 2:23 “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
Joel 2:24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
Joel 2:25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
Joel 2:26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
Joel 2:27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

Joel 2:18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.

-          “Then”: response to the people’s lament and repentance

-          “…the Lord became jealous for his land”: Our God is a jealous God, works zealously to uphold His name. I want to spend more time on this one verse because it is the foundation and cause for all else that proceeds in the following verses, and also the foundational truth for all that God does in all of history.

• God acts to uphold His name, His fame, His glory:
  • just a couple passages besides even the ten commandments where God declares that He is a jealous God:

Joel 2:12-17 “Tear Up Your Hearts”

Joel 2.12t17 tear your hearts up

Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Joel 2:13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
Joel 2:14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?
Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;
Joel 2:16 gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
Joel 2:17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Joel 2:13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

-          We left off looking at Joel 2:1-11 and seeing that Joel 2.11 reveals Yahweh Himself to be the General of the invading army. As we pick up here in Joel 2:12-17, we see that the conquering general does not invade to destroy, but rather to call His people to repentance.

-          There is a lesson here not to be lost. God must invade our lives to get our attention. C.S. Lewis once said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”

-          “even now” – there is still time, it is not too late. It is never too late for us to turn to God in repentance so long as we have breath. The thief on the cross repented. Jesus gives us a parable of a master who hires servants throughout the day and pays them all the same when it is over. It is not too late for you this morning if you have never repented.

• God is here to invade and destroy his enemies, but He is graciously granting time for people to repent.

-          “return to me” – the idea of “return” signifies that they are away from the Lord. They need to come back to Him.

-          “with all your heart…fasting…weeping…mourning” – God doesn’t want a mere show of contrition, but the real deal. The fasting, weeping, and mourning all proceed from their whole heart, or ought to. Just in case these folks think they can offer up the outward, devoid of inward repentance, God asks of them the following:

-          “rend your hearts and not your garments”- first time Scripture calls for a “tearing” of the heart. God had earlier commanded His people to circumcision (Dt. 10:16), whereby the failed miserably and incurred the curses of the covenant. As part of God’s work of restoration, God promises to do the heart circumcision in Dt. 30:6. The implication is that we can’t.

• Jeremiah says that God will write His law in our hearts (Jer. 31), implication is that apart from an inward work of grace, we can’t live in a pleasing manner.
• Acts 11:18 says that God “granted” repentance.
• There is this divine mystery whereby God commands of us that which we are unable to keep. Why then does He command it of us? Does it presume our ability? NO. Rather, God is showing us our inability…it is only against that backdrop can we rightly appreciate what Jesus does FOR US. Yes Jesus did something FOR US, ON OUR BEHALF.

Proverbs 31:10-31 “A Woman Who Fears the Lord”

I have pasted below my sermon outline from 5.10.09. I am also attaching a pdf copy here: Proverbs 31.10t31 a woman who fears the Lord

Here is a link to the audio: “A Woman Who Fears the Lord“

 

Proverbs 31 “A Woman Who Fears the Lord”

A History of Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day, in one form or another, has been around a long time. In ancient Greece, a celebration honoring mothers occurred every Spring.

In the Middle Ages, a custom called Mothering Sunday began when children, who often left home early to learn a trade or become apprentices, would be released from work every year on the forth Sunday of Lent to attend church with their families. As they returned home, they often took cakes or little gifts to their mothers. This was termed “going a-mothering.” To this day, Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

It was in 1872 that Julia Ward Howe (author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic) suggested the idea of Mother’s Day in the United States.

2 Cor. 2:12-17 “Bearing the Scent of Christ’s Triumph”

2-cor-212t17-bearing-the-scent-of-the-triumphant-christ

The above is a link to my pdf file of the sermon I preached on 5.3.09

This is a rough alliterated outline of the sermon below:

Adversity Paul Faced (2 Cor. 2:12-13)

Advance of Christ’s Triumph (2 Cor. 2:14)

Aroma of Christ (2 Cor. 2:15-16a)

(in)Adequacy of Paul (2 Cor. 2:16b)

Authenticity of Paul (2 Cor. 2:17)

Rick Hogaboam Sermon: Joel 2:1-11 “Who Can Endure It?”

I will be uploading an attached pdf file of my sermon outlines from now on. Most outlines are about 6 pages long and will include most the material used in my preaching. I also hope to upload the “pbb” file for Libronix users. Enjoy.

joel-21t11-who-can-endure-it

My Sanctity of Life Sermon Notes from 1/18/09 “Rescuing Lives by Exposing Darkness and Loving Jesus”

These notes were intended for me to preach off of and may not be formatted all that well for your reading, but I am posting them nonetheless. Included are segments from MLK’s Letter from Birmingham and several other articles.

“Rescuing Lives by Exposing Darkness and Loving Jesus”

Proverbs 24:10-12 (ESV)
¹⁰ If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. ¹¹ Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. ¹² If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

Ephesians 5:5-12 (ESV)
⁵ For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become partners with them; ⁸ for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

 Planned Parenthood needs to be exposed for their darkness and I want to warn you all not to be deceived by their false lies, which are “empty words”. Take no part in them, don’t believe that they are for “human rights”, and it is indeed shameful what they say and do in secret…and in public.

Margaret Sanger is the founder of Planned Parenthood and an inspiring figure for those in the movement and women’s lib movement. Here is a sampling of some things that Sanger stood for:

 “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” 
Margaret Sanger, Women and the New Race 

-          Yes there are financial challenges to maintaining a large family, but Sanger proposes that the family’s collective killing is the most merciful thing that can be done. R u serious? This sentiment is foolish…sounds like wisdom to some who say that quality of life is more important than life itself. If quality of life defines ones viability, then we might as well kill off ¾ of the world’s population as an act of “mercy”.

-          It is arrogant to suppose that the poor are unworthy of life and better of dead than poor.

On blacks, immigrants and indigents:
“…human weeds,’ ‘reckless breeders,’ ‘spawning… human beings who never should have been born.”  Margaret Sanger, Pivot of Civilization, referring to immigrants and poor people.

-          Sanger supported a project to eliminate the African-American race.

-          Between 1882 and 1968, 3,446 Blacks were lynched in the U.S. That number is surpassed in less than 3 days by abortion.

1,452 African-American children are killed each day by the heinous act of abortion.

3 out of 5 pregnant African-American women will abort their child.

Since 1973 there has been over 13 million Black children killed and their precious mothers victimized by the U.S. abortion industry.

-          It’s been said that the most dangerous place to live today is for a black child to live in his/her mother’s womb. That is indeed sad.

-          Blacks are abortioned at a greater rate than there percentage in society and it is taking place by mostly white doctors. Sanger would delight in this news!!!

-          Planned Parenthood gladly takes money earmarked for murdering black babies…no surprise…just making Sanger proud and continuing her legacy.

Should Pastors Endorse Political Candidates from the Pulpit?

A bunch of pastors are planning on endorsing a presidential candidate this coming Sunday in churches across the country as a way to protest against IRS laws that forbid non-profit organizations from publicly supporting or denouncing certain candidates. See link for fuller story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95003709

There’s a few things that need to be noted. The Gov’t isn’t censuring churches from endorsing political candidates…they can do so, but would jeopardize their non-profit status. I guess it is a mild form of censuring. The Gov’t expects organizations that are given preferential treatment in the tax code to be non-partisan and neutral when it comes to politics. The reasons for this are understandable in my opinion. A so-called “non-profit” organization could publicly seek to elect candidate “x” and serve as a fund-raising front, able to grant contributors with receipts that can be used for deductions on their taxes. I therefore support the IRS position on this issue.

At the same time, it is no secret that many non-profits have a stated preference for particular political issues and candidates. They are too many to list. The IRS apparently does nothing.

Laying aside the legality of endorsing candidates from the pulpit, my questions is whether it should even be done if it is okay with the IRS?

Let me answer that with a few points:

1. A pastor, who is administering the sacrament of the word on Sunday to the people of God, to the citizens of heaven, should be “trans-partisan”, above it. The fact is that people in the pews have differing allegiances to differing political causes and candidates. The pastor should transcend that and seek to make lovers of King Jesus, not a particular candidate.

2. I also think that a pastor is a earthly citizen and should engage society with brotherly love and concern. This will inevitably involve the realm of politics. A pastor should therefore involve himself in such a realm, but with the clear demarcation that such engagement is as an “earthly citizen” seeking the overall welfare of neighbor irregardless of political and religious affiliation.

I endorsed Mike Huckabee on my blog because it simply reflected my personal opinion. I would never do such a thing from the pulpit. Also, I didn’t support Huckabee just because he is a Christian, but rather because he supported policies that are dear to MY heart. I would never presume that my conscience and preference should speak on behalf of all my congregants.

3. In summary, I am opposed to political engagement on the Lord’s day, other than praying for our leaders as we are told to do. We gather as heavenly citizens, not as earthly citizens. We are entering the heavenly Jerusalem and seated in the heaven-lies, where there is only one Lord, and only one allegiance. I am convinced that the people of God desperately need this sacred time in their week where they spend time with God in a way that transcends politics, burdens of vocation, financial struggles, etc. They need to see God, not Barack Obama or John McCain.

At the same time, I believe that the pastor, as an earthly citizen, should whole-heartedly engage issues in the community and seek the betterment of society. I believe Christians should involve themselves on school boards, city councils, etc. As much as is possible, such engagement should not be polarizing, but unifying. As an earthly citizen, we are certainly servants of God, but we are also civil citizens, seeking the overall welfare of neighbors that we may disagree with on a number of issues.

Anyhow, just my take on this whole news item about pastors touting their candidates of preference this Sunday. I wish that such pastors would exert more energy in displaying the eternal glory of Jesus Christ as Lord of lords and King of kings.

6/8/2008 Rick Hogaboam Sermon Recap on John 21:18-25 “How Will You Glorify God in Your Death?”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/john/JOHN_PART58.mp3

Jesus tells Peter that He will die and Peter is quick to ask about the beloved disciple, John, to which Jesus essentially says that He will do with John as He pleases. Jesus then tells Peter to follow Him.

John adds some commentary saying that Jesus was talking about the death by which Peter would glorify God with. We learn here that God has ordained our life and death and it is all to glorify Him. Paul said that for him to live was Christ and to die gain. We must be gripped by this reality that God wants to be glorified in our lives and our deaths.

May the sermon challenge you to examine your own lives and your understanding of death.