East Cooper Baptist Church - Sermons Podcast

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."  Ephesians 6:10"But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation."  1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture.”  Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985) SALVATION SEEN AS:• A process of divine grace being gradually (infused) in an individual through a prescribed system.• A legal act whereby we are declared righteous in the sight of the living God by virtue of the work of Jesus on the cross for our sins (imputation)."For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:21IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS:1. Builds confidence/assurance."Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide [all created things], should sink to ruin. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, says Peter (Acts 4:12). And with his stripes we are healed (Isa. 53:5). And upon this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the pope, the devil, and the world. Therefore, we must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the pope and devil and all things gain the victory and suit [rule] over us."  Martin Luther, The Smalcald Articles2. Leads to the full embrace of life.New City Catechism: Question 26Q: What else does Christ’s death redeem?A: Christ’s death is the beginning of the redemption and renewal of every part of fallen creation, as he powerfully directs all things for his own glory and creation’s good.3. Leads to joy and hope because of the unchanging nature of the mercy of God."I change- He changes not;the Christ can never die;His love, not mine, the resting place;His truth, not mine, the tie.My love is oft-times low;my joy still ebbs and flows;but peace with Him remains the same;no change Jehovah knows."Bonar, I Hear the Words of Love“...dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.”  Edward Mote, My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (1834)4. Leads to a compelling nature of justification. “We shall be made truly free when God fashions us, that is forms and creates us new, not as men– for he has done that already– but as good men, which his grace is now doing, that we may be a new creation in Christ Jesus.”  Augustine (354–430 AD)Freed by grace, driven by love. New City Catechism: Question 29Q: How can we be saved?A: Only by faith in Jesus Christ and in his substitutionary atoning death on the cross; so even though we are guilty of having disobeyed God and are still inclined to all evil, nevertheless, God, without any merit of our own but only by pure grace, imputes to us the perfect righteousness of Christ when we repent and believe in him. Speaker: Buster Brown

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."  Ephesians 6:10-11"And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!'”  Revelation 12:1-12Act 1 (v.1-6): The woman is the messianic community in the Old and New Testaments. “Crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth” (v.2) is the anticipation of the coming Messiah. This hope was realized in the advent of Jesus Christ, who would save his people from their sin."And he began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'”   Luke 4:21This is referring to the prophecy from Isaiah 61 regarding the coming of the Messiah/King.The red dragon is the adversary (the devil), the accuser of the brethren who wants to devour the child (v.4b) (Matthew 2:1-18, Luke 4:28-30).Act 2 (v.7-12): The great red dragon and his allies are “thrown down” (v.9a, 9b, 9c, 10, 13)."Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  John 12:31-32“We should recognize that Satan's power is broken through what happened on the cross so that he can no longer successfully bring accusations against God's people. The church is to regard the devil as an enemy who has already been defeated…verse 10 emphasizes that Christ's salvific work has robbed Satan of the right to bring accusations against Christians. Because they are free from his condemning judgment, they share in Christ’s victory over him. Though Christ’s death results in the justification of believers, it does not bring an end to Satan’s attacks on them. On the contrary, because Satan knows that he has lost and that his doom is certain, he becomes furious. Since Satan cannot direct his anger at Christ, he directs it at the saints.”  Sydney H. T. Page, Powers of Evil God’s People Conquer: 1. By the blood of the Lamb."They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 'Therefore they are before the throne of God, a... Speaker: Buster Brown

“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. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”   Colossians 3:1-4“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Colossians 3:15-17“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”  John 14:27“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  Philippians 4:81. We ponder and think through the implications of being in Christ.2. Manifestations (which are made possible by Colossians 3:1-4):“Put to death therefore…” (v. 5)“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones…” (v.12-17)“Let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts,’ he says. When hostile forces have to be kept at bay, the peace of God garrisons the believer’s heart, as in Phil. 4:7. But here the mutual relations of fellow-members of the body of Christ are in view; where differences threaten to spring up among them, the peace of Christ must be accepted as arbitrator. For if the members are subject to Him, the peace which He imparts must regulate their relations with one another. It was not to strife but to peace that God called them in the unity of the body of Christ. In a healthy body, harmony prevails between various parts. Christians who have been reconciled to God, who have peace with Him through Christ, should naturally manifest peace with one another. Strife is the inevitable result when men are out of touch with Him who is the one Source of true peace; but there is no reason why those who have accepted the peace which Christ established by His death on the cross should have any other than peaceful relations among themselves.”  Simpson and Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, pg. 282APPLICATIONS:1. “But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”   Isaiah 57:20-212. Pondering/thinking doctrinally leads to thanksgiving. 3. “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God!”  Colossians 3:15-16 (MSG)“God has graciously disclosed his existence and power in the created order, and has supremely revealed himself to fallen human beings in the person of his Son, the incarnate Word. Moreover, this God is a speaking God who by his Spirit has graciously disclosed himself in human words: we believe that God has inspired the words preserved in the Scriptures, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, which are both record and means of his saving work in the world. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and without error in the original writings, complete in its revelation of his will for salvation,... Speaker: Buster Brown

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”  Ephesians 6:14“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:1-7The breastplate of righteousness (the freely given mercy of God in Christ) protects and defends our identity and incites our passions. TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE:#1:Dead in trespasses and sins (v.1,5). Walks by following the prince of darkness (v.2).Lives in the passions of the flesh (v.3).They are, by nature, children of wrath (v.3b).The past is recalled not because the emphasis falls upon it but in order to draw attention to God’s mighty action in Christ. #2:Made alive with Christ (v.6).Raised up and seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ (v.6).Knows and rejoices in the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ (v.8).OBSERVATIONS:1. Mankind without Christ: has a difficult environment (the ways of this world, inclinations to evil, the cravings of the sinful nature) and operates influenced by a supernatural power at work around him (i.e., the devil).“Original sin is by nature in all human beings; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness and is of his own nature inclined to evil…”  Thirty Nine Articles of Religion (1571), Article 92. The problem is: “Out there” → “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.”  Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) OR “In here” (with social/personal/institutional manifestations) → Total depravity is the understanding that sin has infected every area of our lives. It is a contaminant that, if left unchecked, will lead to brokenness and sorrow.3. Total depravity is not utter depravity."There remains in man since the fall, the glimmerings of natural light, whereby he retains some knowledge of God, of natural things, and of the differences between good and evil, and discovers some regard for virtue and good order in society, and for maintaining an orderly external deportment.”  The Canons of Dort (1619)4. The scheme of the devil is to blind us to the glory, goodness, and power of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:14).“But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.”  2 Corinthians 3:14“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  2 Corinthians 4:3-6APPLICATIONS:1. Behold the glory of the gospel in the work of Christ.2. Men without Christ gravitate towards:• Self-justification (“I may be bad, but I’m not as bad as ______”)• Bargaining with God in order to earn his favor (if there is one o... Speaker: Buster Brown

Speaker: Guest Speaker