Final Points—The Work of the Holy Spirit
Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
On August 3rd, I didn’t quite complete my lesson and I mentioned that I would post the final points to the blog. Well, better late than never! Credit to Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology for the bulk of this lesson.
The Holy Spirit Unifies
When the Spirit was poured out on the church at Pentecost, Peter proclaimed that the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 was fulfilled (see Acts 2:16-18)
The emphasis is not on the Spirit being poured out on specially anointed leaders (like Moses or Joshua in the OT) but the Spirit was poured out on the entire community of believers (sons and daughters, young and old, masters and servants)
The community of believers was marked by unprecedented unity (Acts 2:44-47)
Several times in the NT, …
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 9
Sunday, August 10th, 2008 : By Dan Miller
In segment one of this series we took three weeks to examine the marks of a God-owned Church - “Knowing Who You Are.” Now we are into segment two - “Knowing How You Function.” In this segment we are seeing how every Christian is gifted by the Holy Spirit to display the character and priorities of Jesus Christ in a particular way to strengthen His Church.
Today we will look at the gifting of evangelists, pastors, and teachers. MP3 download.
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 8
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
Last week we began a short series on the Work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the member of the Trinity whom the Scripture most often represents as being present to do God’s work in the world. We categorized His work in four ways: 1) empowers, 2) purifies, 3) reveals, and 4) unifies. This wee we continue by looking at the ways in which the Holy Spirit purifies, reveals, and unifies. MP3 download.
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Who Am I?
Monday, July 28th, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
Who Am I?
On Sunday, we did a “Theatre of the Mind” where I asked the above question and gave a list of ten characteristics. Here’s the list:
I cause thoughts in your mind that influence you to do things you wouldn’t normally think you should do.
I influence others to treat you in ways you might find offensive.
I put obstacles in your way and prevent you from doing what you think GOD wants you to do.
I infiltrate even the church and cause Christians to act in abnormal ways.
I’m often caricatured and associated with the likeness of a wild animal.
My power is underestimated—often by ignorant Christians.
I cause you to doubt yourself and those you love.
I roam to and fro across the earth seeking …
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 7
Sunday, July 27th, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
Have you ever wondered “Who is the Holy Spirit?”, “What does the Holy Spirit do?”, or “How does the Holy Spirit work in the life of a believer?” The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is easily one of the most controversial, disagreed-about, avoided, feared, confused, and neglected subjects in the Bible. Pastor Dan has been teaching on the marks of a God-owned church (Knowing Who You Are) and how God equips his church to carry out his mission (Knowing How You Function). For the next two weeks, we are going to take a slight detour and explore the theological foundation to his teaching by focusing on the Biblical description of the Holy Spirit. MP3 download.
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 4
Sunday, June 29th, 2008 : By Dan Miller
Today, we will continue our tour of a church that had its fill of spiritually gifted people, yet had serious issues with acting in ways that were, at times, completely not spiritual. The letter to the church at Corinth provides us some rock solid guidelines in how God’s Spirit is expressed through each of our lives. MP3 download.
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 3
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 : By Dan Miller
How do you ensure that the expression of spiritual gifts do not turn into “spiritual” liabilities? How do you know when an expression or outworking in a church is truly of God? Is there a way to really know? Today, we will take a tour of a church that had its fill of spiritually gifted people, yet had serious issues with acting in ways that were, at times, completely not spiritual. In Paul’s teaching to the church at Corinth, we discover pivotal truths that must govern any and all expressions of spiritual gifts. Today’s teaching will help you to avoid becoming a “spiritual” liability. MP3 download.
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 2
Sunday, June 8th, 2008 : By Dan Miller
In Segment one of this series, we took three weeks to examine the marks of a God-owned Church (Knowing Who You Are). Last week we began segment two (Knowing How You Function), and addressed how our oneness as a church is expressed through our distinctness in our spiritual gifting. Today we will continue to see, based on account of what Christ has done in the atonement, how we can now shape each other with such effectiveness as to actually contribute to the spiritual health of one another. MP3 download.
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ChurchWorks: How You Function, Part 1
Sunday, June 1st, 2008 : By Dan Miller
Over the last three weeks, we have been moving through issues of identity of the Church. Today, we start the second segment in our ChurchWorks series: Knowing how you function as the Church.
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God in Three Persons: The Trinity, Part 3
Sunday, March 2nd, 2008 : By Ken Rutherford
The Doctrine of God: Week 18
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, by Wayne Grudem.
Chapter 14, God in Three Persons: The Trinity (How can God be three persons, yet one God?)
This week we conclude our discusion of the doctrine of the Trinity by considering the distinctions of the three persons of the Trinity and the consequences to incorrect understanding on this issue.
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