Sermon Central
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People Would Have Been Familiar With Several ...
Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 27, 2008 (message contributor)
People would have been familiar with several options for living. They could choose to collaborate with the Romans like the Sadducees and even the tax collectors. They could choose to live according to a high standard of rules and regulations designed (supposedly) to gain God’s favor by being good righteous people (tsadiqs) who then would return Israel to its former glory. They could also choose to be rebels like the Zealots and help God usher in the this return with guerilla warfare and rebellions. They could also leave it all behind and live in secluded little communities like the Essenes.
Jesus offers us a different way. It is not one of compromise and collaboration. It is about doing what is right in God’s eyes in such a way that people see a real person who love God and loves others. It doesn’t burden people with impossible standards that end up creating different classes of people with the really righteous people as the ones who make up the rules so that they can continue to make up the rules. Jesus calls his people to serve others. It is not about bloodshed but about loving your enemy. It is not about withdrawal but about loving engagement.
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During The Time Of The Second Great Awakening In ... PRO
Contributed by Scott Malone on Mar 1, 2005
During the time of the Second Great Awakening in America, Charles Finney was the foremost among the great evangelists. Many people know him. However few know the name, Daniel Nash. Nash was a lackluster pastor in upper New York State who, at the age of 48, dedicated his life to prayer. Long ...read more
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I Sometimes Like To Ask Skeptics Of The ... PRO
Contributed by Guy Caley on Dec 26, 2002
I sometimes like to ask skeptics of the Christ-story what percent of the knowledge available in the world they have: "Do you think you know even one percent of all there is to be known in the universe?" Invariably they reply they don’t know even one percent. Then I’ll ask, "Is it possible that ...read more
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I Looked About Some More And Saw A Huge Maple ...
Contributed by Lisa Delay on Aug 10, 2005
I looked about some more and saw a huge maple tree. Magnificent, tall and strong it had many leaves like a flowing royal garment. It was lush and full of gorgeous green foliage so not a branch could be seen. It was in all its glory. -Lisa DeLay, wrier and founder of wit4life.com As I continued ...read more
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The New Pluralism Demands That You Must Not Say ...
Contributed by Scott Malone on Mar 1, 2005
“The new pluralism demands that you must not say that anyone else’s belief is inferior or, worse yet, flatly mistaken. To say someone is wrong is to be intolerant, to be close-minded and provincial, to be extreme and is impossible to reason with.” ...read more
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