Sermon nuggets Sat. Feb 23
Theme: The 7 wonders of Salvation
Verse: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
7) THE WONDER OF GOD’S GRACE IS ETERNAL LIFE
Grace is getting what you do not deserve. We do not deserve heaven; we do not deserve living forever with the Lord . But because of our sin we do deserve to be eternally separated from a Holy God. But the wonder of salvation is by His grace God gives us what we do not deserve. Eternal life is purchased by Christ on the cross. It is blessing unimaginable.
The Bible does not teach universalism, that all men will be saved. Salvation is contingent on belief (receiving) in Christ otherwise we will perish eternally. Eternal life is both quality and quantity. It talks of the life that partakes of God’s very life. God’s Holy Spirit dwells within us and makes us a new person before the Lord, forgiven and holy regardless of our past. We have God’s presence with us now and forever. And when this life is past our souls are with the Lord. When Jesus returns we are given new bodies and all throughout eternity will exist in the presence of our Lord in the place he has prepared for us. We have more than just this life to experience God we have the life to come that never ends.
Someone has said, “God is not offering us earth with heaven thrown in, He is offering heaven with earth thrown in.” Even if a person gets through life on earth without Jesus, there is no way to getting to heaven apart from Christ. To face that reality and do something about it is not weakness. To humble oneself and come to the savior is the only basis of living forever.
Larry Moyer told a story, A master said to a servant he loathed, “You are the most foolish servant I’ve ever had; no one is more foolish. To prove it, here is a cane. Carry it with you every day until you find someone more foolish that you to give it to.”
For years the servant carried the cane. One day the master became ill and was dying. He said to his servant “I wonder where I will spend eternity.” Incredulous, the servant said, “You mean you lived your whole life here on earth with no thought of eternity?” “Yes,” the master replied. Handing his master the cane the servant said, “Indeed you are more foolish than I.”
We have talked about the seven wonders of salvation. You will notice it is all of God. He loved, He loved the world, He gave, He gave His Son, He made it possible that we may respond, by believing. And by His grace He provides eternal life.
Since Jesus said this, then it must be true. Since Jesus carried out this wonder of salvation by his life and death and resurrection, it confirms it is true. Since He gave His Holy Spirit to live within me, I know it is true.
Praise the Lord for His seven-fold, wonder-filled salvation!
Pastor Dale
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Wonder of God's Offer
Sermon Nuggets Fri. Feb 22
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
5) THE WONDER OF GOD’S OFFER: WHOSOEVER
The thought that strikes me is not only does God love the world, but the individual as well. And whoever will, may come. It offer is as broad as the world, but as narrow as each individual. Nothing need keep one from salvation except unwillingness to have it God’s way. This is not to discount the Spirit’s drawing us to Christ, as we will also study in our sermons in Romans.
One day Dr. M. R. DeHaan decided to count the number of times the word whosoever appears in the Bible and using a concordance he came up with 179 references. He pointed out these important facts about the word; it crossed all lines and man-made divisions. It does not put up barriers between good or bad, rich or poor, black or white, religious or irreligious. The spirit says, “Whosoever will, let him take the water offered freely.”
The famous preacher John Bunyan author of Pilgrim’s Progress, declared, “Had the Lord written, If John Bunyan will come to Me, I will save him; I would have hesitated, I’d have thought, certainly its’ not this evil drunken tinker-its another John Bunyan who lived hundreds of years ago or some John Bunyan who will live hundred of years hence. To be sure it cannot be me, this poor, miserable sinner, but when God said Whosoever, that takes in This John Bunyan.”
A quote to ponder for the theologians-The elect are the whosoever will, the non-elect are the whosoever won’t. Badger wrote a poem.
Pardon freely offered to all who will believe;
Whosoever cometh Jesus will receive;
Jesus loving savior, died to set us free,
Hallelujah. Whosoever: that means me.
6) THE WONDER OF GOD’S REQUIREMENT IS BELIEF
This is what amazes me. It isn’t through all kinds of hardships and sufferings that we are saved, it is through belief. We simply accept and believe that what God said is true and make it the object of our faith. We trust Jesus and make him Lord of our life. Now I am not saying easy believism that emphasizes going through the motions of a prayer that says Jesus come into my heart and then continue to live any old way you want. It is the desire and conviction Jesus died for my sin, I want his salvation and I trust him and invite him into my life and desire to follow him. It isn’t through knowledge of doctrine. You can know him in your head but that isn’t enough. It isn’t through merits, or works, or offerings, or sacraments of baptism or the Lord’s Table or through sincerity. Many people are very sincere in their religion but it is faith, an act of the will, that you will trust Jesus and Jesus alone.
Dr. Walter Wilson told of using John 3:16 to lead a boy to the Lord. Quoting the verse, he stressed the word gave, and explained that the Lord was offering him salvation full and free. Then he asked him pointedly, “Does the giving of the gift make it yours?” “Well, no I suppose you must take it.” “Exactly” said Dr. Wilson, “Look at it this way. I am not your doctor am I?” “No” said the boy. “Why not?” asked Wilson. “Because I didn’t ask you to be.” “That’s right. The same thing is true of Christ. He is not your savior unless you ask Him to be. Wouldn’t you like to do that right now?”
Simply put, Christ believed and salvation is received.” If you believe in a doctor that you are going to his office for an examination and if he thinks you need surgery and you believe in your doctor, you will submit to surgery and commit yourself into his care and let him do what he wants in operating on you.
So if you really believe in Jesus Christ you will act and live accordingly. It means that you give yourself to him, place yourself in his care and trust him so utterly as to your salvation that you let it all depend on him and what he did for you in his death and resurrection.
Pastor Dale
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
5) THE WONDER OF GOD’S OFFER: WHOSOEVER
The thought that strikes me is not only does God love the world, but the individual as well. And whoever will, may come. It offer is as broad as the world, but as narrow as each individual. Nothing need keep one from salvation except unwillingness to have it God’s way. This is not to discount the Spirit’s drawing us to Christ, as we will also study in our sermons in Romans.
One day Dr. M. R. DeHaan decided to count the number of times the word whosoever appears in the Bible and using a concordance he came up with 179 references. He pointed out these important facts about the word; it crossed all lines and man-made divisions. It does not put up barriers between good or bad, rich or poor, black or white, religious or irreligious. The spirit says, “Whosoever will, let him take the water offered freely.”
The famous preacher John Bunyan author of Pilgrim’s Progress, declared, “Had the Lord written, If John Bunyan will come to Me, I will save him; I would have hesitated, I’d have thought, certainly its’ not this evil drunken tinker-its another John Bunyan who lived hundreds of years ago or some John Bunyan who will live hundred of years hence. To be sure it cannot be me, this poor, miserable sinner, but when God said Whosoever, that takes in This John Bunyan.”
A quote to ponder for the theologians-The elect are the whosoever will, the non-elect are the whosoever won’t. Badger wrote a poem.
Pardon freely offered to all who will believe;
Whosoever cometh Jesus will receive;
Jesus loving savior, died to set us free,
Hallelujah. Whosoever: that means me.
6) THE WONDER OF GOD’S REQUIREMENT IS BELIEF
This is what amazes me. It isn’t through all kinds of hardships and sufferings that we are saved, it is through belief. We simply accept and believe that what God said is true and make it the object of our faith. We trust Jesus and make him Lord of our life. Now I am not saying easy believism that emphasizes going through the motions of a prayer that says Jesus come into my heart and then continue to live any old way you want. It is the desire and conviction Jesus died for my sin, I want his salvation and I trust him and invite him into my life and desire to follow him. It isn’t through knowledge of doctrine. You can know him in your head but that isn’t enough. It isn’t through merits, or works, or offerings, or sacraments of baptism or the Lord’s Table or through sincerity. Many people are very sincere in their religion but it is faith, an act of the will, that you will trust Jesus and Jesus alone.
Dr. Walter Wilson told of using John 3:16 to lead a boy to the Lord. Quoting the verse, he stressed the word gave, and explained that the Lord was offering him salvation full and free. Then he asked him pointedly, “Does the giving of the gift make it yours?” “Well, no I suppose you must take it.” “Exactly” said Dr. Wilson, “Look at it this way. I am not your doctor am I?” “No” said the boy. “Why not?” asked Wilson. “Because I didn’t ask you to be.” “That’s right. The same thing is true of Christ. He is not your savior unless you ask Him to be. Wouldn’t you like to do that right now?”
Simply put, Christ believed and salvation is received.” If you believe in a doctor that you are going to his office for an examination and if he thinks you need surgery and you believe in your doctor, you will submit to surgery and commit yourself into his care and let him do what he wants in operating on you.
So if you really believe in Jesus Christ you will act and live accordingly. It means that you give yourself to him, place yourself in his care and trust him so utterly as to your salvation that you let it all depend on him and what he did for you in his death and resurrection.
Pastor Dale
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The wonder of God's gift
Sermon Nuggets Thur Feb 21
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
4) THE WONDER OF GOD’S GIFT: HIS SON
We looked yesterday at the wonders of salvation in the giving act of God. Today I want to think about the gift. His gift was Jesus. He gave his only begotten son. The RSV says his only Son. The NIV says his one and only son. Some think that all of us are sons of God and Jesus was just another one. We read John 1:12 “To all who received him, to them he gave the right to be called the sons of God, even to those who believe on his name.” Here the language differentiates Jesus from all others. The relationship to the Father is unlike any other. Jesus is unique, no one else like him. He is the Son of God unequally. We understand how Jesus was born of Virgin Mary, not conceived of man, but of the Holy Spirit, being both the son of man and the Son of God. Divine, yet human. God invaded our world. He sent his Son, to be our savior.
If love is measured by gifts and presents and sacrifices we see the wonder of salvation by God giving us His son. Just to have visited out planet in the flesh would have been enough for God, but the extent of His love was shown in the death of Jesus for us!
If Christ was merely created by God it would not have cost him anything to give a man, or an angel, or a seraphim, or bull, or sheep or any other creature. But God gave the one thing that no one else could, His one and only son.
The pathos of the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his only son brings to light the enormity of this gift. God stopped him from killing Isaac and offered a ram in his place.
As I often reflect over that story at communion times I think what God asked of Abraham He did Himself. The difference is He carried out the sacrifice. The death of Jesus bought for you and me eternal life. That costly sacrifice revealed the heart of God. That is why we can say, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." The wonder of his gift is the Son.
A gift requires no pay, or work, no begging of it- we take it and receive it as our own. There is no salvation without Jesus. It is not enough to believe this is true. Believing takes it to the next step which is to accept the gift. That gift is a person. That gift is his one and only Son.
Pastor Dale
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
4) THE WONDER OF GOD’S GIFT: HIS SON
We looked yesterday at the wonders of salvation in the giving act of God. Today I want to think about the gift. His gift was Jesus. He gave his only begotten son. The RSV says his only Son. The NIV says his one and only son. Some think that all of us are sons of God and Jesus was just another one. We read John 1:12 “To all who received him, to them he gave the right to be called the sons of God, even to those who believe on his name.” Here the language differentiates Jesus from all others. The relationship to the Father is unlike any other. Jesus is unique, no one else like him. He is the Son of God unequally. We understand how Jesus was born of Virgin Mary, not conceived of man, but of the Holy Spirit, being both the son of man and the Son of God. Divine, yet human. God invaded our world. He sent his Son, to be our savior.
If love is measured by gifts and presents and sacrifices we see the wonder of salvation by God giving us His son. Just to have visited out planet in the flesh would have been enough for God, but the extent of His love was shown in the death of Jesus for us!
If Christ was merely created by God it would not have cost him anything to give a man, or an angel, or a seraphim, or bull, or sheep or any other creature. But God gave the one thing that no one else could, His one and only son.
The pathos of the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his only son brings to light the enormity of this gift. God stopped him from killing Isaac and offered a ram in his place.
As I often reflect over that story at communion times I think what God asked of Abraham He did Himself. The difference is He carried out the sacrifice. The death of Jesus bought for you and me eternal life. That costly sacrifice revealed the heart of God. That is why we can say, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." The wonder of his gift is the Son.
A gift requires no pay, or work, no begging of it- we take it and receive it as our own. There is no salvation without Jesus. It is not enough to believe this is true. Believing takes it to the next step which is to accept the gift. That gift is a person. That gift is his one and only Son.
Pastor Dale
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Wonder of God's Love
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
2) THE WONDER OF GOD’S LOVE IS- THE WORLD
How could God’s love extend not only to those who are good, and to those who are seeking God, but also to the world meaning every race, every tribe, every nationality, and every tongue? God’s love is so wide there is not anyone living whom God does not love.
Remember who Jesus is talking to. Nicodemus who believed he was righteous because he was a Jew, a nobleman, politician, and morally, ethically acceptable. God loves the world. You mean the non-Jews, the non moral, and the non ethical too? Yes. Pagans and saints. Those who love God and those who do not love God, those who do good and those who do evil. God loves the unlovable and the unlovely, the lonely who no one else loves.
It was Augustine who said, “God loves each one of us as if there was only one of us to love.” John Calvin said, “The Heavenly Father loves the human race and wishes that they should not perish.”
I was intrigued by one of the missionary prayer letters we received from our Baptist General Conference missionary Larry Caldwell preparing for the Philippine outreach. He was writing on his home computer word processor, signing his letter, “Yours, for reaching the unreached in each generation.” He writes that it’s what motivates him; that there are 3 billion unreached people throughout the world. However his new addition to the computer program was a dictionary that checked on words to see if they are misspelled, over 222,000 words but the screen flashes “unreached” is not found. Since the word “unreached” did not exist, the computer gave some options. He could choose to ignore unreached, check the next word, add it to his personal dictionary, or bypass unreached this time only. The unreached are not part of computer language but is part of God’s language.
God did not bypass the world but loves the world and calls us to let them know the good news.
3) THE WONDER OF GOD’S ACTION IS- HE GAVE
You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving. The gift of love is something costly. This week Judi and I celebrated Valentine’s Day. I decided to give her a gift. My giving her a gift didn’t mean that I loved her any more or any less, but it does communicate love. What do I think makes her happy, not that I would buy it, but that is love, isn’t it? What makes the other person happy. That is an expression of love and capable giving.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows His love for us in that while we are yet sinners Christ dies for us.” The wonder of God’s action is that He gave. He gave His Son. We do not understand that gospel outside of the extent of his love that brought Jesus to the cross.
In the book, Born Again, Chuck Colsen tells of the time when he was in prison for some of his activities while he was in the White House and there was a crisis involving his son. Al Quie, who at that time was a congressman from Minnesota, found a statute that someone else could go to jail in his place. He offered to take Colson’s place in the jail so Colson could be with his family. That spoke to him of love like nothing else had, giving of himself to that degree. That is a wonder of salvation. Mt. 20:28 “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Pastor Dale
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
2) THE WONDER OF GOD’S LOVE IS- THE WORLD
How could God’s love extend not only to those who are good, and to those who are seeking God, but also to the world meaning every race, every tribe, every nationality, and every tongue? God’s love is so wide there is not anyone living whom God does not love.
Remember who Jesus is talking to. Nicodemus who believed he was righteous because he was a Jew, a nobleman, politician, and morally, ethically acceptable. God loves the world. You mean the non-Jews, the non moral, and the non ethical too? Yes. Pagans and saints. Those who love God and those who do not love God, those who do good and those who do evil. God loves the unlovable and the unlovely, the lonely who no one else loves.
It was Augustine who said, “God loves each one of us as if there was only one of us to love.” John Calvin said, “The Heavenly Father loves the human race and wishes that they should not perish.”
I was intrigued by one of the missionary prayer letters we received from our Baptist General Conference missionary Larry Caldwell preparing for the Philippine outreach. He was writing on his home computer word processor, signing his letter, “Yours, for reaching the unreached in each generation.” He writes that it’s what motivates him; that there are 3 billion unreached people throughout the world. However his new addition to the computer program was a dictionary that checked on words to see if they are misspelled, over 222,000 words but the screen flashes “unreached” is not found. Since the word “unreached” did not exist, the computer gave some options. He could choose to ignore unreached, check the next word, add it to his personal dictionary, or bypass unreached this time only. The unreached are not part of computer language but is part of God’s language.
God did not bypass the world but loves the world and calls us to let them know the good news.
3) THE WONDER OF GOD’S ACTION IS- HE GAVE
You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving. The gift of love is something costly. This week Judi and I celebrated Valentine’s Day. I decided to give her a gift. My giving her a gift didn’t mean that I loved her any more or any less, but it does communicate love. What do I think makes her happy, not that I would buy it, but that is love, isn’t it? What makes the other person happy. That is an expression of love and capable giving.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows His love for us in that while we are yet sinners Christ dies for us.” The wonder of God’s action is that He gave. He gave His Son. We do not understand that gospel outside of the extent of his love that brought Jesus to the cross.
In the book, Born Again, Chuck Colsen tells of the time when he was in prison for some of his activities while he was in the White House and there was a crisis involving his son. Al Quie, who at that time was a congressman from Minnesota, found a statute that someone else could go to jail in his place. He offered to take Colson’s place in the jail so Colson could be with his family. That spoke to him of love like nothing else had, giving of himself to that degree. That is a wonder of salvation. Mt. 20:28 “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Pastor Dale
Wonder of God's Character
Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 19
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
1) THE WONDER OF GOD’S CHARACTER -IS LOVE
We heard on Sunday through Dr. Pat that one difference between Allah of the Muslims and God of the Bible is his character. Allah is angry, stern, and judgmental. The Lord God Jehovah demonstrates all throughout the Bible motivation of love to his own. Yes, He is angry over sin. He is Holy and the curse of sin is death, but to provide Himself through Jesus as the one who saves is an act of love that you would never see with Allah of the Koran.
God never has to be persuaded to forgive. The pagan gods of the world have to be appeased. But these thoughts depicted in this verse and throughout the Bible are unique to our God. “God so loves”.
God initiates salvation. It is his idea because he wants to have all mankind know this love that He gave His son. He acted not for His own sake; he could build 1,000s of more worlds if He wanted. He has angels that glorify him in better ways than we can glorify him, but He loves us. He is not detached; He is not one who created us and then sent us on our own to figure out the purpose of life. His involvement in our world and in our individuals lives is because of love.
One man, seriously ill, was troubled about the little love he felt in his heart for God. His pastor said, “When I go home from here, I expect to take my baby on my knee, look into her sweet eyes, listen to her charming prattle and tired as I am, her presence will rest me; for I love that child with unutterable tenderness. But she loves me little. If my heart were breaking she wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. If my body were racked with pain, it would not interrupt her play. If I were dead, she would forget me in a few days. She has never brought me a penny, but has been a constant expense to me. I am not rich, but there isn’t enough money in the world to buy my baby. How is it? Does she love me, or do I love her? Do I withhold my love until I know she loves me? Am I waiting for her to do something worthy of my love before extending it?”
“Oh, I see it is not my love to God but God’s love for me that I should be thinking of. I do love him now as I never loved him before.”
I Jn 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(NIV)
The wonder of God’s character is his love.
Pastor Dale
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
1) THE WONDER OF GOD’S CHARACTER -IS LOVE
We heard on Sunday through Dr. Pat that one difference between Allah of the Muslims and God of the Bible is his character. Allah is angry, stern, and judgmental. The Lord God Jehovah demonstrates all throughout the Bible motivation of love to his own. Yes, He is angry over sin. He is Holy and the curse of sin is death, but to provide Himself through Jesus as the one who saves is an act of love that you would never see with Allah of the Koran.
God never has to be persuaded to forgive. The pagan gods of the world have to be appeased. But these thoughts depicted in this verse and throughout the Bible are unique to our God. “God so loves”.
God initiates salvation. It is his idea because he wants to have all mankind know this love that He gave His son. He acted not for His own sake; he could build 1,000s of more worlds if He wanted. He has angels that glorify him in better ways than we can glorify him, but He loves us. He is not detached; He is not one who created us and then sent us on our own to figure out the purpose of life. His involvement in our world and in our individuals lives is because of love.
One man, seriously ill, was troubled about the little love he felt in his heart for God. His pastor said, “When I go home from here, I expect to take my baby on my knee, look into her sweet eyes, listen to her charming prattle and tired as I am, her presence will rest me; for I love that child with unutterable tenderness. But she loves me little. If my heart were breaking she wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. If my body were racked with pain, it would not interrupt her play. If I were dead, she would forget me in a few days. She has never brought me a penny, but has been a constant expense to me. I am not rich, but there isn’t enough money in the world to buy my baby. How is it? Does she love me, or do I love her? Do I withhold my love until I know she loves me? Am I waiting for her to do something worthy of my love before extending it?”
“Oh, I see it is not my love to God but God’s love for me that I should be thinking of. I do love him now as I never loved him before.”
I Jn 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(NIV)
The wonder of God’s character is his love.
Pastor Dale
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Greatest Verse
Sermon Nuggets Monday Feb 18
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
It must have been 50 years ago, but I still remember it. Billy Graham was invited to be on the Jack Benny show, after they did some simple sketch Benny asked Graham if he were to summarize his message into one sentence what would it be: the evangelist looked into the TV cameras and quoted, “John 3:16.”
That is the best known Bible verse in the world. Maybe that is why in London Time capsule they placed different articles to commemorate society so some future generations could dig up this capsule and depict life in the 20th century, but among the various inclosures were all the known translation of this one verse in the Bible.
Richard Weaver didn’t want anything to do with God, religions or Christianity. He would be vulgar in his language, in trouble at school until he dropped out, he would take to drink and get into fights. Sometimes he would stagger home and his mother would kindly bandage his face and quote John 3:16.
He left home and worked in the coal mines of Britain. One day in despair he found himself awakened in a sandpit and told that hour he had the worse fight. He pondered taking his life. He thought back on that verse that his mother quoted.
“I didn’t know what faith is but I did know it was taking God at his word and if he said it, it must be so” He opened up his heart and let God’s love extend to his unloveliness. Richard Weaver experienced God’s love and began to tell others that it’s true, the verse is true.
Man has accomplished a great deal in his life on the earth. One can look back on the 7 wonders of the ancient world, pyramids of Egypt or the hanging gardens of Babylon, the temple of Diana in Ephesus, or the golden and ivory statue of Zeus 400BC. We can debate the 7 wonders of the modern world, but each year man accomplishes so much more in buildings, in space, in technology that we can’t keep up. We can marvel at the 7 wonders of the natural world and look at God’s creative genius as in the giant sequoias of California, the Grand Canyon, and the Victoria Falls of Africa, greater than Niagara Falls, the Rainbow National Bride in Utah, the Yellowstone Falls, and Crater Lake in Oregon or the Carlsbad caverns in New Mexico. We can marvel and say no man can begin to match those wonders. But someday every one of those this wonders will be gone. This earth will be destroyed. Only eternity will last.
In the conversation with Nicodemus Jesus presents these 7 wonders of salvation. We will highlight these thoughts this week.
Pastor Dale
Theme- 7 Wonders of Salvation
Verse- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(NIV)
It must have been 50 years ago, but I still remember it. Billy Graham was invited to be on the Jack Benny show, after they did some simple sketch Benny asked Graham if he were to summarize his message into one sentence what would it be: the evangelist looked into the TV cameras and quoted, “John 3:16.”
That is the best known Bible verse in the world. Maybe that is why in London Time capsule they placed different articles to commemorate society so some future generations could dig up this capsule and depict life in the 20th century, but among the various inclosures were all the known translation of this one verse in the Bible.
Richard Weaver didn’t want anything to do with God, religions or Christianity. He would be vulgar in his language, in trouble at school until he dropped out, he would take to drink and get into fights. Sometimes he would stagger home and his mother would kindly bandage his face and quote John 3:16.
He left home and worked in the coal mines of Britain. One day in despair he found himself awakened in a sandpit and told that hour he had the worse fight. He pondered taking his life. He thought back on that verse that his mother quoted.
“I didn’t know what faith is but I did know it was taking God at his word and if he said it, it must be so” He opened up his heart and let God’s love extend to his unloveliness. Richard Weaver experienced God’s love and began to tell others that it’s true, the verse is true.
Man has accomplished a great deal in his life on the earth. One can look back on the 7 wonders of the ancient world, pyramids of Egypt or the hanging gardens of Babylon, the temple of Diana in Ephesus, or the golden and ivory statue of Zeus 400BC. We can debate the 7 wonders of the modern world, but each year man accomplishes so much more in buildings, in space, in technology that we can’t keep up. We can marvel at the 7 wonders of the natural world and look at God’s creative genius as in the giant sequoias of California, the Grand Canyon, and the Victoria Falls of Africa, greater than Niagara Falls, the Rainbow National Bride in Utah, the Yellowstone Falls, and Crater Lake in Oregon or the Carlsbad caverns in New Mexico. We can marvel and say no man can begin to match those wonders. But someday every one of those this wonders will be gone. This earth will be destroyed. Only eternity will last.
In the conversation with Nicodemus Jesus presents these 7 wonders of salvation. We will highlight these thoughts this week.
Pastor Dale
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