Chapter 1. Paragraph 2-3: The Canon of Scripture
OUTLINE OT NT INTRODUCTION 2. The Holy Scriptures, or the Word of God written, consist of all the books of the Old and New Testaments. These are: THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. THE NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1...
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Psalm 19:7-11: Bible Reading & Study
Thanks to James Harrison for preaching this afternoon as part of our series in the Disciplines of Grace. Bible Reading & Study – Psalm 19:7-11 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much...
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Contradictions in the Bible
Nearly anyone you speak to today will say that the Bible is full of contradictions, therefore it cannot be a solid basis upon which to build our faith in God. I suggest that anytime someone says this ask them for one example, it will probably be the case that they are repeating something that they have heard and not something that they have established by their own research. This will be our last study in apologetics in this series. Next week we will begin a series through the minor prophet, Jonah. There are many different types of apparent contradictions...
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John 7:53-8:11: How Did We Get the New Testament and How Can We Know Its Reliable?
Special thanks to Joe Fleener for preaching today. Joe is the pastor at Rolleston Baptist Church.
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Authority in the Church
Introduction: One of the reasons why people don’t join a church is because they are nervous about all the talk about authority and submission. Our age makes us allergic to institutions; we are trained by the media to distrust our leaders. On top of this there have been many instances of spiritual abuse where a church leader has damaged his church by being oppressive and self-willed. I know there are many here today who have seen this type of spiritual abuse where elders have assumed powers to themselves that have dictated who one should marry, what job they should...
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The Bible: Part 3: Unity
Introduction: Marcion was one of the early heretics in Church history. He thought that the God of the OT was different to the God of the NT. He saw the God of the OT as one of law and anger, but the God of the NT as one of love and grace. He took a pair of scissors to the Bible and came up with a Bible that only had a butchered copy of Luke’s gospel and 10 of Paul’s letters. He could not see the unity of the OT with the NT, he could not see the compatibility...
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The Bible: Part 2: Uniqueness
Introduction: One of the greatest arguments for Christianity is the Bible itself. There is no other book like the Bible. Immanuel Kant who for the most part rejected Christianity said this of the Bible, ‘The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.’ The Bible has fallen upon hard times and is seen as refuted, as a set of myths, as a collection of politically motivated books to suit the governing power, as merely a record...
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The Bible: Part 1: Authority
Introduction: We are continuing to put forward positive reasons for faith, and today we start a mini-series looking at the bible as a ground for believing. The 1689 chapter 1 paragraph 5 reads, ‘We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of...
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1 Peter 3:15-16: ‘…Being Prepared to Make a Defence…’
Introduction: Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor talks about these times of late modernity we live in as the twilight of the idols and the gods. Contrary to every prognostication and resistant to every attempt faith and religion continue to haunt us. The age of Christendom has come to end and the privileged position of unchallenged supremacy is lost to us. However, contrary to the hopes of the New Atheists religion is still with us. However, we now live in an age where there is no doubt without faith and no faith without doubt. This presents us with a double challenge....
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Romans 15:4: Hope and the Scriptures
Introduction: The Puritans had a saying, ‘hope is the mother and daughter of patience.’ When we have hope, the knowledge of the certainty of the inheritance God has laid up for us, this gives birth to the daughter of patience, we can push through the difficulties because we know our sufferings are temporary and they must inevitably give way to glory. But Patience is sometimes the mother as well. Rom. 5:3-4, ‘More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.’ It is this second type of hope,...
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Ephesians 3: The Mystery of the Gospel
Thanks to John Leevers for preaching this morning; he is from Papakura Baptist Church. Read Ephesians 3 Online
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Ephesians 6:17: The Sword of the Spirit: Part Two
Outline The sword that dispels darkness The sword that answers temptation Introduction ‘The word,’ acts 6:4; ‘the implanted word,’ James 1:21; ‘the prophetic word,’ 2 Pet. 1:19; ‘the word of God;’ ‘the word of Christ,’ Col. 3:16; ‘the word of His grace,’ Acts 14:3; ‘the word of truth,’ Ps. 119:43; ‘the word of righteousness,’ Heb. 5:13; ‘fire,’ Jer. 23:29; ‘hammer,’ Jer. 23:29; ‘sweeter than honey,’ Ps. 19:10; ‘lamp,’ Ps. 119:103; ‘meat,’ Heb. 5:14; ‘milk,’ 1 Pet. 2:2; ‘water,’ Eph. 5:25; and ‘sword’ Eph. 6:17. These are just a few descriptions of the word of God, the Sword of the...
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Ephesians 6:17: The Sword of the Spirit: Part One
Outline The sword that gives life The sword that transforms character Introduction In Pilgrim’s Progress in the Valley of Humiliation on Christian’s journey to the Heavenly City he encounters Apollyon, i.e. the devil. Here is how it went: Apollyon: Whence come you, and whither are you bound? Christian: I am come from the city of Destruction, which is the place of all evil, and am going to the City of Zion. Apollyon: By this I perceive thou art one of my subjects; for all that country is mine, and I am the prince and god of it. How is...
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Ephesians 6:14a: The Reliability of the Bible
Outline The self-attestation of the Bible The unity of the Bible The prophecies of the Bible The archaeology of the Bible The transmission of the Bible The Spirit’s testimony to the Bible Introduction Do you believe the bible is the reliable Word of God? Do you believe that the Bible’s view of history, that God made all things out of nothing; its description of humanity as spiritual beings made to worship in God’s image who have fallen into sin; its teaching on the need for salvation in Jesus Christ as our only hope; its revealing of the spiritual forces...
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Ephesians 6:14a: The Belt of Truth
Outline Worldview Doctrine Introduction The belt of truth that the Christian is to employ in order to stand against the devil and his schemes is under attack. In particular it is under attack from two fronts, both from within the church and from without. The two main attacks against the truth we are up against are the experience based approach to truth within the church, and the postmodern scepticism of 21st century Western culture. The experiential approach to truth has an interesting history as it has been influenced by Liberalism and Pentecostalism. Since the time of the Enlightenment many...
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Homosexual Marriage 2: Examining the Texts
Outline Genesis 1-2 Sodom and Gomorrah Levitical law Paul Introduction There are several things you will hear when the bible enters into the discussion on homosexual marriage. Firstly, you will hear the comment that there are only a few verses in the bible that address the issue. Secondly, you will hear that the bible is speaking to only certain types of homosexual behaviour but is not addressing life-long loving unions, nor orientation. Thirdly, the trajectory set by the NT if taken to its logical conclusion in fact supports gay marriage. It is only in the last generation with the...
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