Video Illustration from the Movie “Case for Christ”
First church service
After Lee’s wife convinces him to attend church, Lee discovers that if Christianity is true, it will have huge implications on his life.
Themes: Church, Influence, Relationships, Understanding, Perspective, Enlightenment
Plot Outline: Based on the Gold Medallion award-winning best-seller, The Case for Christ documents Lee Strobel’s journey from atheism to faith through his two-year investigation of the Bible and the life of Jesus Christ. Strobel, the former legal editor for the Chicago Tribune, draws upon his investigative skills to examine the historical accuracy of the Gospels, the personal claims of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead.
Planting for the Harvest
(Investing for the Future)
Gal 6:7-10 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.
Principal:
1. Investing
Matt 25:14-18
"For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one — to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
Illustration: A young college student in a small town attended college across the street from a vey conservative and traditional church. Bob, was a very different kind of individual. His dress was unorthodox, his tee shirt had holes and he wore blue jeans and he always went bare foot. The conservative church wanted to get involved with the college students across the street but did not really know how. One Sunday morning Bob decided to go the Church. The service had already started when he arrived. As he entered the doors of the sanctuary he looked for a seat to sit and there was none to be found. As he walked down toward the front of the church all eyes were on him and event the pastor had stop what he was saying as he view the young man as he looked for a seat among the congregation. He had come to the very front row of the pews at the front of the church and found nowhere to sit. So he just sat down in the aisle at the end of very front row. Then an senior member of the congregation a stood up and began to make his way to the front of the church where Bob was sitting. This deacon was very well dressed in a three piece suite with a vest and even a gold pocket watch. As he made his way to where Bob was setting every eye including the pastor was watching to see what the deacon was going to do. When the deacon arrived where Bob was sitting he laid his cane down and very carefully reached for the pew and then he sat down beside the young college student.
Source: David Jeremiah, “Turning Point Broadcast”
Hebrews 6:12 so that you won’t become lazy, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.
2 Peter 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 4:16 Therefore I urge you, be imitators of me.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ.
1 Thess 1:6 and you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit.
1 Thess 2:14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from people of your own country, just as they did from the Jews.
Heb 6:12 so that you won’t become lazy, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.
2. Increasing
John 12:24-26 "I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. 25 The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Illustration: The Buried Seed
Two seeds lie before us--the one is warmed in the sun, the other falls from the sower’s hand into the cold dark earth, and there it lies buried beneath the soil. That seed which suns itself in the noontime beam may rejoice in the light in which it basks, but it is liable to be devoured by the bird. And certainly nothing can come of it, however long it might linger above ground. But the other seed, hidden beneath the clods in a damp, dark sepulcher, soon swells, germinates, bursts its sheath, throws off the mold, springs up a green blade, buds, blossoms, becomes a flower, exhales perfume, and loads the wings of every wind. Better far for the seed to pass into the earth and die than to lie in the sunshine and produce no fruit. And even so for you the future in its sorrow shall be as a sowing in a fertile land. Tears shall moisten you, grace shall increase within you, and you shall grow up in the likeness of your Lord unto perfection of holiness, to be such a flower of God’s own planting as even angels shall delight to gaze upon in the day of your transplanting to celestial soil.
-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)
“I get more that I sow”
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over — will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
John 10:10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance .
2 Cor 8:2 during a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity.
2 Cor 8:14 at the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may also become available for your need, that there may be equality.
Phil 4:18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance . I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided — a fragrant offering, a welcome sacrifice, pleasing to God.
John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.
Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good ground — these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.
Matthew 13:8 Still others fell on good ground, and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown.
Matthew 13:23 But the one sown on the good ground — this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown."
Mark 4:8 Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."
Mark 4:20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."
Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good ground — these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers.)
John 1:12-13 But to all who did receive Him,
He gave them the right to be children of God,
to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born,
not of blood,
or of the will of the flesh,
or of the will of man,
but of God.
John 3:3-5 Jesus replied, "I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4 "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His creation — created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
Colossians 1:10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.
Matthew 13:8 Still others fell on good ground, and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown.
Matthew 13:23 But the one sown on the good ground — this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown."
Mark 4:8 Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."
Mark 4:20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."
Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good ground — these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.
John 1:12-13 But to all who did receive Him,
He gave them the right to be children of God,
to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born,
not of blood,
or of the will of the flesh,
or of the will of man,
but of God.
John 3:3-5 Jesus replied, "I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4 "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His creation — created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
Colossians 1:10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.
Matthew 13:8 Still others fell on good ground, and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown.
Matthew 13:23 But the one sown on the good ground — this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown."
Mark 4:8 Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."
Mark 4:20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."
Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good ground — these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.
John 1:12-13 But to all who did receive Him,
He gave them the right to be children of God,
to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born,
not of blood,
or of the will of the flesh,
or of the will of man,
but of God.
John 3:3-5 Jesus replied, "I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His creation — created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
Colossians 1:10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God
3. Influencing
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith
1 Tim 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.
Heb 13:16 Don’t neglect to do good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.
John 12:35 Jesus answered, "The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.
(All scripture from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers.)
All Illustrations unless otherwise noted from “Bible Illustration for Windows Copyright (c) 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology Inc.
