The Webster Bible Church Podcast

"We Have Seen The Lord" - John 20:1-20

Transformative Truth:
Believe in the resurrected Christ, and you will have eternal life.

Consternation: What They Saw John 20:1-10

V1: Mary "saw that the stone had been taken away."

V5: John "saw the linen cloths lying there."

V6: Peter "Peter saw the linen cloths lying there..."

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. - John 20:6 NLT

He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead...." - Luke 24:45-47

Celebration: Who They Saw John 20:11-29

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining the outcome of our faith, the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:8-9

Consideration: What about you? John 20:30-31
  

 

Then And Now - Ephesians 2:11-22

Transformative Truth:
In Christ we are no longer alienated from God and one another.

At one time... Remember the dilemma you were in!

But now... Rejoice in the difference Jesus has made!

But God - Ephesians 2:1-10

Transformative Truth:
God’s grace eliminates all cause for human boasting in salvation.

A. Because of our sin, we were ruined. Ephesians 2:1-3
1. We were dead in our sin.
2. We were dominated by our sin.
3. We were damned for our sin.

"BUT GOD..."

B. Because of God's love, we were rescued. Ephesians 2:4-7
1. God made us alive together with Christ.
2. God raised us up with him.
3. God seated us with him in the heavenly places.

Because of God's grace, we were recreated. Ephesians 2:8-10

God's grace eliminates all cause for human boasting.

If You Only Knew: A Prayer For The Church - Ephesians 1:15-23

Transformative Truth:
The church’s greatest need is to know God better.

Praise (vv. 15-16)

Prayer (vv. 17-23)

The church’s greatest need is to know God better.

Three Things God Wants You to Know

1. The destiny God has planned for you.

2. How much God prizes you.

3. The greatness of God’s power toward you.

The church’s greatest need is to know God better.

Ten Spiritual Blessings - Ephesians 1:3-14

Transformative Truth:
Colossians 3:1-2 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

1 – E__________________

2 – H______ & B_________ in God’s presence

3 – A__________________

4 – Means of G___________ & P____________

5 – R__________________

6 – R__________________

7 – H__________________

8 – G__________________

9 – S__________________

10 – I_________________

Good God! - Ephesians 1:3-7

Transformative Truth:
Believers should praise God for his magnificent grace to us.

Blessed Be God (v. 3a)

Blessed By God (vv. 3b-7)

1. The source of blessing

2. The sphere of blessing

3. The substance of blessing

Ephesians: A Letter That Sings - Ephesians 1:1-2

Transformative Truth:
Being set apart by God for God puts believers in a good place!

The Author (v. 1a)

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.  - Galatians 1:13-14

Paul, an apostle – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead…. - Galatians 1:1

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone…. - Galatians 1:15-16

The Addressees (v. 1b)

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, not now you have received mercy. - 1 Peter 2:9-10

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” - John 17:15-18

The Assurance (v. 2)

Spiritual Wisdom And Knowledge - Colossians 1:9-14

Transformative Truth:
God’s Word tells us we can KNOW God’s will so that we can LIVE God’s will

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.  -Deuteronomy 29:29

We believe the counsel of God given to us by the Spirit of God in the Word of God is the means by which the people of God KNOW the will of God

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding... -Proverbs 2:6

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. -John 8:23

Live in God’s will by BEARING fruit in every good work

Live in God’s will by INCREASING in the Knowledge of God

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ -Colossians 2:8  

… continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard… -Colossians 1:23

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. -Colossians 3:12

Giving thanks joyfully to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, -Colossians 1:21-22

 

The Neglected Conscience - Part 4b: How Should I Relate To Fellow Christians Whose Consciences Disagree With Mine?

Scripture: Romans 14:13–15:7

Transformative Truth:
Christian liberty is to be governed by love.

How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. - Hebrews 9:14

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. - 1 Timothy 1:5

Christian liberty is to be governed by love.

1. For the sake of your brother

2. For the sake of Christ’s body

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” - Matthew 5:6

“I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” - Paul the Apostle (Philippians 3:9-10 NLT)

Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. - Colossians 3:15 NLT

Christian liberty is to be governed by love. 

3. For the sake of God’s blessing

Conclusion
1. Our mandate (v. 1)
2. Our mission (v. 2)
3. Our model (v. 3)
4. Our manual (v. 4)
5. Our mantra (v. 7) 

The Neglected Conscience - Part 4a: How Should I Relate To Fellow Christians Whose Consciences Disagree With Mine?

Scripture: Romans 14:1-12

Transformative Truth:
Since the Lord welcomes us, we should welcome one another.

 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
- Romans 15:7

How should I relate to fellow Christians whose consciences disagree with mine?

The Problem

Feel as I feel, think only as I think;
Eat what I eat, drink what I drink,
Look as I look, do always as I do,
Then and only then will I fellowship with you.

The Prescription

To the strong:

1. Welcome your weaker brother (v. 1).

2. Do not despise him (vv. 3a, 10b)

To the weak:

Stop passing judgment (vv. 3b, 4a, 10a)

Should a man not lay his hand upon his mouth before he criticizes his brethren? When we pass swift, uninformed, unloving and ungenerous judgments, surely we have forgotten that if we speak evil of them, at the same time we speak evil of the Lord whose name they bear.

The Principles

1. God welcomes all believers (v. 3)

2. The Lord upholds every believer (v. 4)

3. The Lord is sovereign over every believer (vv. 5-9)

“To deny the lordship of Jesus Christ in the life of any believer is to subvert the full work, power, and purpose of His crucifixion and resurrection.”

4. The Lord alone will judge each believer (vv. 10-12).