Sermons and classes from our weekly church of Christ services
Episodes
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
June 8, 2022 - Wednesday PM Sermon
Every Wednesday for the months of June and July we will be having special guest speakers as part of this year's Summer Series. The theme of the summer series will be "Building Balanced Believers"
Tonight's lesson is
"Building Balanced Believers: Through Service" by Maurice Williams
Duration 49:54
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
June 1, 2022 - Wednesday PM Sermon
Every Wednesday for the months of June and July we will be having special guest speakers as part of this year's Summer Series. The theme of the summer series will be "Building Balanced Believers"
Tonight's lesson is
"Building Balanced Believers: Through Joy" by John DeBerry
Duration 48:21
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 31, 2022 - Sunday AM Bible Class
Today, David continues his study of the book of Esther.
Esther - For Such a Time as This
Esther: A Book without God?
Esther is one of two books of the Bible in which the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) does not appear at all
Even During the development of the Hebrew canon, Esther was contested as an apocryphal work because of this reason
There are also skeptics of the book among modern scholars, mainly because of the aforementioned absence of the Tetragrammaton, the lack of extra-biblical record of the events of Esther, and the book's strong nationalistic theme
Some of these theorize that someone much later wrote the book to give more authority to the origin of Purim
It is true that there are difficulties in reconciling the events of the book of Esther with the extra-biblical records and/or archeological finds
It is also true that the name of God is absent in the entirety of the book, and the focus of the Jewish identity is more ethnic and cultural rather than religious.
But are these current realities justify the dismissal of Esther as a canonic book of the Old Testament? What possible lessons can we learn from such a doubted book - one that doesn't even mention God?
Humility
Esther: A Lesson of Humility
In our perspective of the present time, it is easy for us to criticize ancient texts and question their place in the biblical canon
Through critical thinking about the canon itself is not wrong, it must be done with utmost care and humility.
Here is why the book of Esther - before even reading the text itself - gives us a lesson on humility:
The Bible is a book of faith first and foremost
The Bible has a lot of manuscripts, archeological discoveries, and other evidence that "validate" it.
While those evidence can be instrumental in strengthening our faith, it cannot replace it.
There is danger in depending too much on archeological findings and extra-biblical material:
Archeology as a field is not static
There will always be different interpretations of archeological discoveries
So, even with "better" or "more" evidence, there will always be a debate.
Our Perspective depends on what we've found
In other words, we are working with theories based on what we have found so far.
Because these are educated guesses, they will change if new information gets discovered.
When you look at a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces, do you dismiss the existence of the whole picture or the missing piece because you can't see it in front of you?
Frankly, we just don't know a lot
Compared to what God can see and what human history has actually been throughout the millennia, our knowledge of the ancient world is very limited
While it is difficult, books like Esther challenge us even before we open the text: God's will demand humility on our part.
Think about it; if either "side" had definitive and undeniable evidence, do you think there would be a debate? It is because both "sides" are working with limited information.
Opinion:
Instead of putting up walls with the little information that we have, our time is better spent trusting God and learning what books like Esther has to teach us.
Its harmony with the rest of the Bible is far more important. If its principles and messages are sound, then it is better to learn from it than doubt it.
Sometimes, this takes a lot of intellectual humility to do. Acknowledging that we do not have all the pieces also takes strength.
The arguments about Esther are not very strong either:
Absence of God
Though God is not mentioned explicitly, the author indirectly hints at God and his presence with the practices and culture of the Jews (Esth. 3: 8, 4:3)
Purim "Chicken or the Egg"
If it were the case that someone made up the story of Esther to authorize the feast of Purim, then why didn't he make more mention of God? Why risk it with the ambiguity?
Esther is not a Godless Book
What to Expect from this class
Overview of the narrative of Esther
Further discussion about some of the challenges to Esther
Exploration of structure, themes and the choices of the author that play into the message of the book
Comparison of Esther and Mordecai's circumstances to modern Christianity
... and more.
Homework
Please read Esther all the way through as many times as you can!
Duration 33:50
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 31, 2022 - Sunday AM Sermon
WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
Ephesians 2:19-22, 3:6-21
Hiram Kemp
Introduction:
1. There are a lot of ____________ and _______________ in our world about
the ________.
2. Many have been _____________ by the ____________ and want
___________ to do with it. Others have ideas about the ___________ that
are not ___________ and need to be ____________.
3. Since the __________ began with __________ we should let him tell us what
it is and what to __________ from _____________.
I. The ___________ of _____________ (Eph. 2:19-22)
II. The _____________ of ____________ (Eph. 3:6)
III. A ___________ of ___________ wisdom (Eph. 3:9-10)
IV. A ___________ of ____________ eternal _____________ (Eph. 3:11)
V. ___________ who _____________ God (Eph. 3:21)
WHO IS THE CHURCH FOR?
(Ephesians)
Neal Pollard
I. FOR THOSE ________ IN TRESPASSES AND SINS (2:1-5)
II. FOR THOSE WHO FEEL _______________ (2:12)
III. FOR THOSE WHO FEEL _______________ (2:19)
IV. FOR THOSE WHO ARE TIRED OF _____________ (4:17-32)
V. FOR THOSE WHO ARE DONE WITH ______________ (5:1ff)
VI. FOR THOSE WHO ARE ____________ BY THE WORLD (6:10ff)
Duration 43:35
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 26, 2022 - Vacation Bible School Day 3
by Neal Pollard
* Sorry sermon notes are not available at this time, but they will be posted at a later time.
Duration 46:08
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 25, 2022 - Vacation Bible School Day 2
by Hiram Kemp
* Sorry sermon notes are not available at this time, but they will be posted at a later time.
Duration 46:49
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 24, 2022 - Sunday PM Sermon
First day of Vacation Bible School
DIVINE KINGSHIP - (Daniel 2:44)
I. IT IS ______________________ II. IT WAS _________________
III. IT IS _____________________ IV. IT IS ___________________
V. IT IS _____________________
Duration 34:18
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 24, 2022 - Sunday AM Sermon
"What Must I Do To Be Saved?" - (Acts 2:36-41)
Neal Pollard
Introduction
A. Each Of These __________ Build On One Another
B. ____________ Means Acquitted, Set Free, And Declared Righteous
C. There Are ____ Places In The New Testament Where Our Question Is Asked
D. This Question Implies...
I. THERE IS SOMETHING _______________________
II. THERE IS SOMETHING ______________________
A. We Must Be _________ And Know It
B. We Must ____________ To Be Saved
C. We Must Be _________ Enough To Obey
III. THERE IS SOMETHING _____________________
A. Not _______________ (Ezek. 18:20)
B. Not Done By __________ Else
IV. THERE IS SOMETHING ___________________
Conclusion
A. "Redemption Is Tailor-Made For The ___________" (Tookie Williams)
Duration 37:29
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
July 24, 2022 - Sunday AM Bible Class
Today, David continues his study of the book of Esther.
Esther - For Such a Time as This
Esther: A Book without God?
Esther is one of two books of the Bible in which the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) does not appear at all
Even During the development of the Hebrew canon, Esther was contested as an apocryphal work because of this reason
There are also skeptics of the book among modern scholars, mainly because of the aforementioned absence of the Tetragrammaton, the lack of extra-biblical record of the events of Esther, and the book's strong nationalistic theme
Some of these theorize that someone much later wrote the book to give more authority to the origin of Purim
It is true that there are difficulties in reconciling the events of the book of Esther with the extra-biblical records and/or archeological finds
It is also true that the name of God is absent in the entirety of the book, and the focus of the Jewish identity is more ethnic and cultural rather than religious.
But are these current realities justify the dismissal of Esther as a canonic book of the Old Testament? What possible lessons can we learn from such a doubted book - one that doesn't even mention God?
Humility
Esther: A Lesson of Humility
In our perspective of the present time, it is easy for us to criticize ancient texts and question their place in the biblical canon
Through critical thinking about the canon itself is not wrong, it must be done with utmost care and humility.
Here is why the book of Esther - before even reading the text itself - gives us a lesson on humility:
The Bible is a book of faith first and foremost
The Bible has a lot of manuscripts, archeological discoveries, and other evidence that "validate" it.
While those evidence can be instrumental in strengthening our faith, it cannot replace it.
There is danger in depending too much on archeological findings and extra-biblical material:
Archeology as a field is not static
There will always be different interpretations of archeological discoveries
So, even with "better" or "more" evidence, there will always be a debate.
Our Perspective depends on what we've found
In other words, we are working with theories based on what we have found so far.
Because these are educated guesses, they will change if new information gets discovered.
When you look at a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces, do you dismiss the existence of the whole picture or the missing piece because you can't see it in front of you?
Frankly, we just don't know a lot
Compared to what God can see and what human history has actually been throughout the millennia, our knowledge of the ancient world is very limited
While it is difficult, books like Esther challenge us even before we open the text: God's will demand humility on our part.
Think about it; if either "side" had definitive and undeniable evidence, do you think there would be a debate? It is because both "sides" are working with limited information.
Opinion:
Instead of putting up walls with the little information that we have, our time is better spent trusting God and learning what books like Esther has to teach us.
Its harmony with the rest of the Bible is far more important. If its principles and messages are sound, then it is better to learn from it than doubt it.
Sometimes, this takes a lot of intellectual humility to do. Acknowledging that we do not have all the pieces also takes strength.
The arguments about Esther are not very strong either:
Absence of God
Though God is not mentioned explicitly, the author indirectly hints at God and his presence with the practices and culture of the Jews (Esth. 3: 8, 4:3)
Purim "Chicken or the Egg"
If it were the case that someone made up the story of Esther to authorize the feast of Purim, then why didn't he make more mention of God? Why risk it with the ambiguity?
Esther is not a Godless Book
What to Expect from this class
Overview of the narrative of Esther
Further discussion about some of the challenges to Esther
Exploration of structure, themes and the choices of the author that play into the message of the book
Comparison of Esther and Mordecai's circumstances to modern Christianity
... and more.
Homework
Please read Esther all the way through as many times as you can!
Duration 26:22
Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
Help: Someone I know has lost their faith!
James 5:19-20
Hiram Kemp
Duration 38:17