Questions from the Congregation - Part 13

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

Q: How can we as Christians actively combat white privilege and racism? How are we at Harvest able to make a difference despite the lack of diversity in our church and immediate community?

A: See Acts 17:26 - And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place…

Ephesians 2:13-16 - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Revelation 5:9-10 - And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Any question that was missed due to time constraints during the service Pastor Jeff will address the answer on the blog.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Discuss any of the topics covered on Sunday! Consult the thorough notes I’m certain you took.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for our nation - and pray for our church to have opportunity to love people with the Gospel in the face of racial tension.

Questions from the Congregation - Part 12

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

1. [02:42] - Q: God said it was not good for man to be alone and created women. Why wouldn't God have the same for Himself?
   A: See John 17:5, 24 | Ephesians 5:25-32 | Revelation 19:9
   
   

2. [05:54] - Q: What is a Christ-like response to people you don't know stopping you on the street and asking for money? What's the best way to show the love of Christ without enabling/hurting more than helping the situation?

   A: The safest bet is to offer them food. But always make it an opportunity to share the gospel with them.

3. [12:20] - Q: The Bible states "absent from the body present with the Lord" but also talks about the dead in Christ will rise at Christ's return and forever be with the Lord. Explain please.
   A: See 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 | 1 Corinthians 15:35-55
   
   

4. [14:26] - LIVE TXT Q: We are to believe that the Bible is the truth because it is Gods word, and I want to believe this, but the Bible has been translated and copied so many times by so many people. What if the truth has been lost in the process?
   A: The test to verify an ancient document, the Biblographical Test. 2nd ancient document, the Homer’s Ilead 600ish copies…the New Testament has 24,000+ ancient copies.
   
   

5. [23:29] - Q: Christ tells us to do communion but He also washed feet and told us to do that too. Why do some churches wash feet and not others. (BTW the fact that we don't is not a problem with me.)
   A: See John 13:15 - For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
   
   

6. [27:47] - LIVE AUDIENCE Q: Could you talk about eschatology? What the church’s position is on end times. His scripture descriptive of what’s going to happen, what’s already been fulfilled, just generally like that.
   A: See Revelation, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Daniel 9 | Last year we covered the entire book of Revelation.

7. [30:50] - Q: Can you please explain to me the meaning of Psalm 108:7-9? thank you.
   A: See Psalm 57:7-11 | Psalm 60:5-12
   
   

8. [33:39] - Q: To my understanding, the devil was cast from Heaven due to the sin of Pride, is that correct? And if so, I don't understand that as I didn't think sin was possible in Heaven? Thanks.
   A: See Revelation 12:4 | Matthew 25:41
   
   

9. [35:00] - LIVE TXT Q: How does Harvest reconcile the thought that some parts of scripture are cultural (like head coverings) but others like the role of women in the church are not?
   A: See Timothy 2:11-15 | It’s the context of and surrounding the passage as to whether it’s cultural or theological, take out your biases and read the text straightforwardly.
   
   

10. [39:21] - Q: Melchizedek. Please Explain.
    A: See Hebrews 7 | Psalm 110:4 | Genesis 14
    Melchizedek was a “type”, a picture of the Messiah, in at least 5 ways:
    1 – His name: my king is Righteousness
    2 – His title: King of Salem (Peace)
    3 – He was BOTH king AND priest
    4 – He was not a Levitical priest (Jesus was from Judah)
    5 – No beginning or end. Mel shows up suddenly and vanishes suddenly from the Scriptures, no genealogy or parents mentioned, “resembling Jesus” as a “priest forever”. (Heb7:3)
    
    

11. [42:58] - Q: What about white privilege and racism? And what about diversity in our church? How are we supposed to respond as a body and as individuals?
    A: Join us next week for a Bonus QnA day! Bring your friends and family as we have a special guest joining the QnA, submit your questions now!

    
    Any question that was missed due to time constraints during the service Pastor Jeff will address the answer on the blog.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Review the questions submitted above. Discuss any of these that stuck out to you, or that maybe your group finds particularly interesting.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another!

Questions from the Congregation - Part 11

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

1. [00:21] - Q: Why was Zechariah “punished” for questioning God, but others- Gideon- were not?

2. [01:58] - Q: How old do you believe the earth is? If man has been here since the first week, did we coexist with dinosaurs?

   A: Based on the genealogies recorded, 6-10K years old. Yes, according to Gen 1:24-31 God created dinosaurs and man on the same day living together. A fossil record also supports both man and dinosaur living together.

3. [08:58] - Q: Where do animals go when they die?
   A: See Eccl 3:21 which alludes to the concept of the spirit of man and beast. Rev 21:6 notes that we will be fully satisfied in heaven. Book suggestion by Randy Alcorn “Heaven”
   

4. [12:01] - Q: Do you have any suggestions on Bible reading programs for the start of the new year? What works, what doesn't, etc? And how do you guard against this discipline becoming just a mechanical exercise?
   A: Read what you’re in the mood for from the bible to keep yourself engaged.
   

5. [14:29] - LIVE AUDIENCE Q: Why is demon possession primarily mentioned in the New Testament versus the Old Testament?
   

6. [15:20] - LIVE AUDIENCE Q: Do you think there is anything the church has failed to do with our societal confusion with sexuality and gender confusion situation?
   A: See the excellent sermon from Pastor Jeremiah on homosexuality and how we’re to respond as Christians.

7. [22:01] - Q: Short-term vs long-term missions work, what the right balance between the 2 should be, when does helping sometimes hurt (in the case of short-term trips being more about the people going than the ones being served, a team coming in with their own agenda rather than local partnership... etc).
   

8. [25:50] - Q: After a spouse dies, does the surviving spouse love in the same way again? If there is another love, will it be the same or will it be a different love?

9. [27:51] - Q: Why do you think church people struggle with those who might not be led by the same life choices? Ex (view-meaning) married people to singles: When are you going to settle down and marry? or Parents to Newlyweds: When are the babies coming? Maybe that isn't where the Lord is leading.
   

10. [29:10] - Q: When I'm struggling with a life situation where God doesn't seem to be answering, why do people tell me, "you just need to have more faith"? It just makes my pain worse.

    A: It’s not about the amount of faith you have, but whom you have your faith in. See Matt 17:21

11. [31:24] - Q: In Job 38:7 the Bible says the morning stars sang together. Jesus and Lucifer are both referred to as "the morning star" in Revelation and Isaiah, so who is being mentioned here?
    A: The morning star in this context refers to God’s angels in a general sense, no specific angel or person. Job 38:7 specifically is a reminder to Job that He is God and we are not!
    

12. [32:51] - Q: What is the church's response on protecting kids from sexual immorality NOW in this sex driven culture? Some possible ideas; promote early marriage to avoid temptation? Also what can parents do to help?

    A: Parents are the disciple-makers of their children. The source of authority is always God’s Word and it’s the parents’ responsibility to sow God’s Word into their own children’s hearts.
    

13. [35:45] - Q: Do you think today’s church has replaced Israel?"
    A: No, see Romans 11

14. [37:01] - Q: What was the reason/symbolism/significance of baptism when JTB was baptising? Was baptism a new thing? How did the aspect/act of getting baptized help? Repentance of sins was encouraged. What did the priests/sanhedrin/pharisees think about JTB doing this? How did JTB create baptism? Was he the first or was this a new thing?
    A: John’s baptism was for repentance and to prepare the way for the Messiah, see Acts 19:4 and Luke 3.
    

15. [39:52] - LIVE TXT Q: When we pray, are we only to address God the Father, or can we also pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

    A: We are praying to God the Father in Jesus’ name while the Holy Spirit also prays with us.
    

16. [40:36] - LIVE TXT Q: Who / what are angels?
    A: Eternal beings that God created for His glory.
    

17. [41:35] - LIVE TXT Q: What are your thoughts about people who claim to cast out demons or perform exorcisms?
    A: See Eph 6
    

18. [42:44] - LIVE TXT Q: Luke 11:12-14 tells of Jesus cursing the fig tree for not having figs. However, it was not fig season. Why would Jesus do this? How is this different from Christians not having a specific spiritual gift, such as teaching? Are we still expected to teach?
    A: The Holy Spirit gives gifts as God provides them. See the sermon on the fig tree from Pastor Jeff as we studied the book of Mark.
    See James 3 on a warning to teachers and a fantastic sermon on this topic by Michael Wolski.
    

19. [44:36] - LIVE TXT Q: Due to abortion being a so controversial, and in my opinion a human rights issue, ...1. what does the Bible say about pre-born life? (Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5). 2. The church does need to speak truth in love, but is this an instance, like slavery, where we need to get more involved directly?

    A: This is a modern day version of child sacrifice to demons as outlined in the Old Testament

    
    Any question that was missed due to time constraints during the service Pastor Jeff will address the answer on the blog.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Review the questions submitted above. Discuss any of these that stuck out to you, or that maybe your group finds particularly interesting.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another!

Questions from the Congregation - Part 10

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

1. [02:53] - Q: When was Jesus born? Why do we celebrate on December 25th?

2. [03:54] - Q: Is celebrating Christmas ordained or supported by scripture?
   

3. [06:17] - LIVE AUDIENCE Q: I have a friend who is young in her faith yet she got a tarot card reading. I’ve been mentoring her about her faith and she also has a young daughter. I’m trying to figure out the best way to talk to her about these tarot cards and she’s also asking about her horoscope. How would you confront her in a loving way about this.
   A: See 1 Peter
   

4. [08:23] - Q: I believe that an important aspect of the virgin birth is that in order for Jesus to be sinless, He needed to be free from Adam’s sin. I think that Adam's sin is perpetuated in humanity through the seed of man. By being conceived by the Holy Spirit instead of the seed of a man, Jesus was not conceived with Adam's original sin and can start completely sinless. Do you agree?
   A: Yes!
   

5. [09:33] - Q: What is HBC principle on tithe and offering?
   A: See 2 Cor 8:3 - For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord…
   2 Cor 8:12 - For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
   2 Cor 9:7 - Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
   Re-listen to the I Love to Give sermon series on God’s view of money.
   

6. [16:16] - Q: God is always referred as 'He' and 'Father'. Does this gender pronoun and title refer to a physical characteristic of God of His relationship with us? I.E. If the Holy Spirit is God; should we refer to it (Holy Spirit) as 'He'? Typically we don't assign a gender pronoun to spirits in the English language unless were able to assign the spirit to a person's gender.
   

7. [19:06] - Q: Why does God forbid women to be an “elder” or hold some authority in church?
   A: See 1 Timothy 2:12-14 - I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
   

8. [24:45] - LIVE AUDIENCE Q: Can you help me understand the verse (James 2:17, 22-24), “faith without works is dead”? Doesn’t that contradict what we’re taught to believe that we’re just fine “saved” through faith and not works as it says in Romans?
   

9. [29:44] - Q: If we came from Adam and Eve shouldn't we all have the same last name and be the same family?
   A: See Acts 17:26 - And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place…
   

10. [32:52] - LIVE TXT Q: How do we guard ourselves against legalism? I.E. If I abstain from drinking, how do I guard against pressing others to not drink or get self-righteous or prideful in my abstinence?
    

11. [36:46] - Q: Where did Cain's wife come from?
    A: See: Genesis 3:20 - The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
    Genesis 5:4 - The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters.
    

12. [37:58] - Q: At what point during a human's development is it "issued" a soul? At conception? Sometime while in the womb? Or at the baby's first breathe?
    A: See Luke 1:41 - And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…
    Psalm 139:13 - For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
    

13. [39:44] - LIVE TXT Q: If John knew when the rapture happened (when God showed him) why doesn't it say in the Bible when the rapture will happen?
    A: Soon!
    
    Any question that was missed due to time constraints during the service Pastor Jeff will address the answer on the blog.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Review the questions submitted above. Discuss any of these that stuck out to you, or that maybe your group finds particularly interesting.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another!

Questions from the Congregation - Part 9

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

1. [02:50] - Q: What's the point of praying for something if God is going to do what he wants either way?
   A: See James 5:16 - The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  |  Matthew 7:7-11   | Hezekiah in Isaiah 38
    
2. [06:55] - Q: What is your view on the teaching of Joel Osteen?
   A: Acts 4:12
    
3. [11:00] - Q: "Racial and cultural differences (and subsequent discrimination) seem to be becoming an increasingly important and controversial topic in our world. As a church body and as individuals, how can we show and share Christ's love (race doesn't matter) in a region and church body that lacks diversity?"
    
4. [16:04] - LIVE TXT Q: In the Bible it talks about the four corners of the Earth (Isaiah 11:2 and Revelation 7:1), what exactly are the four corners of the Earth? What does that resemble?
    
5. [18:01] - LIVE TXT Q: What does the Bible say about what our political response to "illegal" immigration should be?
    
6. [20:23] - Q: Can you give me some background re-Hezekiah's tunnel (2 Kings 20:20)?
   A: 2 Chronicles 32  |  John 9 (the pool of Siloam)
    
7. [25:51] - Q: Is there a difference between Hell and the Lake of Fire?
   A: See Luke 16:23-24   |  Revelation 20:15
    
8. [27:23] - Q: Rev 20:12 - "And I saw the dead, great and small standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books." Besides the "Book of Life", what are the names of the other "Books" being referred to?
   A: See: Daniel 7:10  |  Romans 8
    
9. [29:31] - Q: If people kill themselves, do they go to hell? Explain the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
   A: The only sin that sends anyone to Hell (condemn a person), is to reject Jesus Christ
    
10. [32:52] - LIVE AUDIENCE Q: I have friends that are constantly on social media and claim to be Christians but are in an open same sex marriage situation. What does the bible say about that and how should we respond to them when talking to them about that and their life choices?
    A: 1 Cor 6  |  As Christians, we need to speak the truth in love, and that applies to any type of sin. Re-listen to Jeremiah Canfield's message from last summer, The Bible's and My Response to Homosexuality.
     
11. [36:05] - Q: In Ezekiel 9, what is the significance of the writer's case? And the man carrying it? Thank you. It is interesting how God says "son of man" and "this is what the sovereign Lord says..." very interesting book. Very very deep.
    A: Romans 1:18-32
     
12. [38:30] - Q: What is the motivation to joining the church, as opposed to just regularly attending?
    A: It says that I belong here and that I'm responsible for what happens here. It says that this is a place of accountability for you and that you're committed. For a pastor it means that you want to serve the Lord and His Kingdom.
     
13. [39:52] - Q: Could you please address Prov. 26:4-5?
     
14. [41:56] - Q: What if you accepted Jesus but you still sin. You try your best not to but you're still doing it. What does God think about it?
    A: See: Romans 7:15-20  |  1 John 1:9  |  2 Cor 5:21
    
    Any question that was missed due to time constraints during the service Pastor Jeff will address the answer in a blog posting on the website.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Review the questions submitted above. Discuss any of these that stuck out to you, or that maybe your group finds particularly interesting.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another!