Introduction

• If you are a Christian, why did you first decide to be baptized?
• For many, this starts with a fear of hell but then turns to the reward of heaven with maturity.
• Peter gives the incentive for obedience as hope. I Peter 1:3-21

Hope should produce gratitude in us.

• I Peter 1:3
  • Compare Ephesians 1:3.
  • God should be blessed! Do we do this?
  • God has acted according to His great mercy.
  • God has caused us to be born again. We are His children because of what He did (see John 1:9-13). God chose me to be His son.
• I Peter 1:4
  • We have an inheritance because of a family relationship we have with God. Our inheritance will never age or tarnish.
• I Peter 1:5
  • See I Peter 3:12. God listens to us! God keeps us. The only thing that will separate us from God is us.

Hope should make us the most contented people in the world.

• I Peter 1:6
  • We should be rejoicing!
  • We need to be thinking about where we are going every day.
  • Difficulties in life make us selfish because we focus only on the problem.
  • Rejoicing in the Lord is remembering that no matter how bad it gets, I’m going to heaven to be with God.
• I Peter 1:7
  • Difficulty should remind us of the folly of this world and of the glory of heaven to come.
  • “Hasten the day” should be our motto!

Hope should prompt holiness in us.

• I Peter 1:13
  • We can’t be unintentional Christians. Everyday we must remind ourselves of these things. We must avoid things that intoxicate us, whatever that may be (money, job, sports, etc.).
  • Our hope should rest fully on going to be with God.
• I Peter 1:14 – Be holy!

Introduction

• Most people in the United States do not believe the Bible is the word of God.
• Many people try to get around the miraculous aspects of scripture. Our faith needs the miracles!

Jesus has power to forgive sins

• Matthew 9:1-7
• Matthew 4:23-24 – Compare Matthew 9:35.
• Romans 1:16
• Hebrews 10:14-17
• How do you know you are forgiven?
  • Emotions are not sufficient evidence of spiritual realities.
  • Faith! Hebrews 11:1
• By healing the paralytic, Jesus proves that He has power to forgive sins.

Jesus has the power to give eternal life

• Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25
• Jesus did this several other times in the gospel.
• Jesus did this so that we would not be afraid of death.

Jesus has the power to reward faith

• Matthew 9:20-22
• Jesus healed her because of her faith. The power was His, but He used it because of her faith.
• We must be confident in Jesus and His power.

Jesus illuminates us

• Matthew 9:27-31
• John 9:1-11
• Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and the reason we know that is because He gave sight to the blind.

Introduction

• Chris’ Comment: You always have to give up something you want to get something you want more.

When someone sinned, something had to die.

• Isaiah 59 – Sin separates us from God, and thus from life.
• Leviticus 1:4
• Leviticus 4 – God says He will forgive their sin if they sacrifice an animal. The sinner had to kill the best animal they had.
• Isaiah 53:3-6
• Because we are not under the Law of Moses, we don’t get how personal it is when we sin.
• Leviticus 4:1-12

Consider the volume of blood involved and the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice.

• Hebrews 10:4 – None of all this animal blood was sufficient to forgive sins.
• Hebrews 10:26-31

Appreciate the detail involved in the sacrifices.

• Leviticus 4:20 – God’s forgiveness is conditional.
• Romans 12:1
• The condition of our sacrifices matters!

If we’re not careful, all of this loses its significance.

• Isaiah 1:10-15 – God was tired of their sacrifices because those sacrifices weren’t changing them.
• If these people could lose focus, the same can happen to us!
• Romans 15:4
• Don’t undervalue any part of God’s word!

Introduction

• Mark 1:4 – Much of the gospel message is very simple.
• Romans 11:33

Why was Jesus baptized? Why did he never sin?

• Mark 1:9-12
• If Jesus can be baptized when He was without sin, we must certainly obey God as well.

God calls all of us to service.

• Mark 1:16-20
• God calls all of us to obedience, but each of us has something different to bring to the work of God.

Jesus had authority.

• Mark 1:21-31
• The demons came out because they had to. He had authority over them.

People flocked to Jesus because they wanted something from Him.

• Mark 1:32-45
• God can do things for us that we can’t do for ourselves.

Introduction

• We may feel overwhelmed by immorality in this world, but God tells us to not be afraid.

II Kings 6:8-23

How God uses His people

• I Kings 16:25-28 – Omri was the worst king Israel had yet seen. Omri was mentioned in secular history. He made Israel prosper economically (almost to the level of Solomon’s day), yet spiritually he was a disaster.
• Omri’s reign was much like America today. The people did evil, but still claimed to serve God.
• It was a hard time to truly serve God in those days. Elijah and Elisha are God’s response to Omri’s rule.
• Our job is to stand up and tell people about God.

Appreciate what God can do!

• II Kings 6:9-10 – God delivered Jehoram to be faithful to his promises.
• Deuteronomy 6:7-11
• We may suffer as Christians, but we can have confidence in God.
• God is for us!
• I Peter 1:14

We need to be a humble and forgiven people, not gloating over our victories.

• II Kings 6:20-23 – Jehoram’s first response is to kill them. Elijah’s response is to treat them well, which brings a period of peace.
• Our job is to show people Christ – not to win a battle.