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!

God's Judgment: WHY and HOW, Part 4

Review / Introduction:

Judgment is Inescapable for the Unsaved. Someday It Will Be Too Late... (Nahum 3)

1. Judgment IS going to Happen. (Nahum 3:1-7)
2. It's been too late for Others. (Nahum 3:8-11)
3. Your Resources won't matter. (Nahum 3:12-18)
4. There is NO coming Back won't matter. (Nahum 3:19)

Hebrews 9:27 - And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment...

Hebrews 6:4-6 - For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt.

Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nahum 3

1. Read Nahum 3:5-7. Why does God make the judgment so shameful?

2. Why did God mention what happened to Thebes (No amon, Nahum 3:8-11)?

3. When was the last time you have warned someone about God's judgment? Why are we so reluctant to do so?

4. What was your big "take-away" from this passage / message? What was your big "takeaway" from the series?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another.

God's Judgment: WHY and HOW, Part 3

Review / Introduction:

Judgment is Horrific. (Nahum 2)

1. The Battle is going to be horrific. (Nahum 2:1-5)
2. The Devastation is going to be horrific. (Nahum 2:6-10)
3. The Fall is going to be horrific. (Nahum 2:11-13)

The Truth about Hell

Hell is a Place

Matthew 8:12 - thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 10:28 - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Hell is a Place of Torment...

Revelation 20:15 - And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees...

Matthew 11:24 - But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees that Lasts Forever...

Matthew 25:46 - these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees that Lasts Forever which we all Deserve...

Romans 3:23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees that Lasts Forever which we all Deserve but God DOES NOT want us going there.

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nahum 2

1. Based on cartoons, jokes, and old myths - what are some unbiblical ideas about hell that you have seen / heard?

2. Why are more and more people, even in the "evangelical church", denying the doctrine of hell, despite what the Bible says?

3. Paraphrase Nahum 2 in a sentence or two. Why would such a prophecy about Nineveh be preserved for US in God's Word? Why does God want us to know this?

4. What was your big "take-away" from this message / passage?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another!

God's Judgment: WHY and HOW, Part 2

Review / Introduction:

Judgment is a Response to Man's Pride. (Nahum 1:8-15)

If God was using Nineveh, why is He now punishing Nineveh?

Isaiah 10:5-7, 12, 15 - 5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!
6 Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him,to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

7 But he does not so intend,and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few
12 When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.
15 Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!

Parable: Isaac and Nick

2 Samuel 22:26, Psalm 18:27, Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5

God Opposes the proud but gives Grace to the humble.

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nahum 1:7-15

1. If God was USING Nineveh (Assyrians) to punish Israel, why would God punish Nineveh? See Isaiah 10:5-15

2. What is pride? In what ways are YOU tempted to be prideful?

3. Why is God so opposed to pride?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another- specifically to be able to identify your own areas of pride!

God's Judgment: WHY and HOW, Part 1

Introduction:

Judgment is Fueled By God's Jealousy. (Nahum 1:1-7)

Acts 20:27 - or I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Nahum

Nineveh

Gods Judgment: God's righteous act of identifying sin and condemning sinners

Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before me.

Exodus 34:14 - ...for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God...

Deuteronomy 4:24 – For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

God is jealous for 3 things that belong to Him:

1. His Glory.
2. His Work.
3. His People.

2 Thessalonians 1:6 - ...God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you

God has a holy concern for what He Loves, and God is Jealous for you.

God's judgment is Fueled by His jealousy.

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nahum 1:1-7

1. Explain why God is jealous (Nahum 1:2). Why does that fuel His judgment? How is jealousy and judgment tied into God's love?

2. How should a Christian respond to the Bible’s teaching on God’s judgment?

3. Respond to this statement: "Isn’t it arrogant for God to demand to receive glory for Himself?”.

4. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / sermon?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another!