A. Answering the error of a misapplication of Romans 5:20b
B. Jesus died to sin (6:10), when we are baptized into Christ (and into His death) we also die to sin through Him—and we die to ourselves! (cf. Romans 8:13; Galatians 2:20; Luke 14:33; Romans 12:1)
II. Burial (6:3-4)
A. This points to the mode of baptism – “buried”
B. An act of submission
III. Resurrection (6:4)
A. Just as Jesus died, we die – just as Jesus was buried, we are buried – just as Jesus was raised, we are raised
B. The purpose: “to walk in newness of life” because we are dead to sin, freed from sin, made a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)
IV. What it means for the Christian (6:5-11)
A. We are united with Him in His death and resurrection (6:5)
B. We are freed from sin (6:6-7)
C. We live with Him to God (6:8-11)
A. Taught by example – He went to the synagogue (1:21)
B. Taught by word – consistency between His words and actions, unlike the scribes (1:21-22)
II. The existence of evil (1:23-24)
A. The man with an unclean spirit was among God’s people at the synagogue (1:23; cf. 1 Peter 5:8)
B. The demon knew who Jesus was (1:24; cf. James 2:19)
III. The power of Jesus demonstrated (1:25-26)
A. Restrained the demon’s ability to speak (1:25)
B. Forced the demon to exit the man’s body (1:25)
C. The demon left, but did not go without a fight (1:26)
IV. The reaction of the people (1:27-28)
A. Amazed at His authority over evil (1:27)
B. When amazing things happen, word gets around (1:28)
A. God provided beautiful trees – “pleasant to the sight”
B. God provided nourishing trees – “good for food”
II. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:15-17; 3:1-7)
A. Eve noticed three things about the tree (3:6)
B. What is the “knowledge of good and evil”?
III. The tree of life (3:22-24)
A. A tree that made perpetual life possible
B. This tree is still available to us, but not in the “here & now” – it is in “the Paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7)
C. How can we have access to it? (Revelation 22:14)
I. John the Immerser prepared people for Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)
A. The prophets foretold of John’s work (Mark 1:2-3; cf. Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3)
B. John’s work included confession, repentance, and baptism (Mark 1:4-5)
C. John’s humility seen in his attire, diet, and attitude (Mark 1:6-8)
II. Jesus faced ups and downs as He prepared Himself (Mark 1:9-13)
A. His baptism (Mark 1:9-11)
B. His temptations (Mark 1:12-13; cf. Hebrews 4:15)
III. Jesus did not attempt to do it alone (Mark 1:14-20)
A. Jesus’ message (Mark 1:14-15)
B. Jesus’ fishers of men (Mark 1:16-20)
A. What is your priority? (Matthew 6:33; Joshua 24:14-18)
B. How do you view the pleasures of the world? (Daniel 1:8; 1 John 2:15-17)
C. What is your goal when this life ends? (Philippians 3:12-14)
II. With your words?
A. Are you ready to stand up for God’s truth? (Jude 3; Philippians 1:17; 1 Peter 3:15)
B. Do you know why you believe what you believe? (2 Timothy 2:15)
III. With your things?
A. The love of this world’s material goods is detrimental to faith (Matthew 16:24-26; Mark 10:17-25)
B. We must love people and use things, rather than use people and love things! (Acts 4:32-37; 1 Timothy 6:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2)
C. You are only expected to do what God has enabled you to do – but He often enables us more than we think! (2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 9:6-8; Ephesians 3:20-21)
A. The wide gate leads to eternal separation from God (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30,46)
B. The narrow gate leads to eternity with God in His kingdom (Matthew 19:29; 25:46; 2 Timothy 2:10)
II. Warning against false prophets (7:15-20)
A. Lull disciples into spiritual apathy (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
B. Their fruits must be inspected (2 John 9-11)
III. Sound doctrine leads to sound living (7:21-23)
A. Avoid deception by studying and doing what God says
B. The purpose of miracles (Mark 16:20; 1 Corinthians 13:8-10)
C. Deception leads to destruction
IV. Rock-solid foundation vs. foundation of sand (7:24-27)
A. We must dig deep and lay the foundation on His rock (Luke 6:48)
B. It is not merely hearing the Word, but doing the Word (James 1:22-25)
A. Our condition without Jesus: poor, brokenhearted, mournful—no hope (Ephesians 2:12)
B. Jesus’ promises and power (Matthew 5:3; John 8:11; Matt. 9:5-6)
II. For the captive (Isaiah 61:1b)
A. Providing truth that leads to freedom (John 8:31-36)
B. Providing freedom from the captivity of sin (Romans 6:17-18)
III. For the sinful (Isaiah 61:10)
A. Darkness will be dispelled by the Light
1. John the forerunner (Luke 1:76-79)
2. Jesus the Light (John 1:4, 9, 14)
B. But, a warning of vengeance to the impenitent (Isaiah 61:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
A. What you think (2 Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8; Genesis 6:5)
B. What you know (Proverbs 5:13; Acts 17:30)
C. What you believe (Romans 10:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:12)
II. You are responsible for your actions
A. What you say (Matthew 12:33-37; James 3:2-10)
B. What you do (2 Corinthians 5:9-10; Luke 12:47: James 4:17)
III. You are responsible for your relationships
A. Who/what you love (1 John 4:7-11; 3:10-12, 18; 2:15-17)
B. Who/what you follow (Acts 17:11; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Hebrews 13:17)
C. Who/what you teach (Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 1:6-10; Acts 20:27)
A. The fallacy of trusting ancestry (Matt. 3:9) and location (1 Kings 8:27)
B. Offering in the wrong spirit (Acts 5:1ff; 8:9-13; 1 Cor. 10:11; John 4:24)
C. Righteousness vs. wickedness (John 3:18-21; 9:35-50; 15:18-27)
II. Blessings in New Zion (66:7-14)
A. The exaltation of the Son, the establishment of the new nation, the multiplication of children (Acts 2; 4:4)
B. Joy and mourning (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Colossians 3:15)
III. Rejection of God’s plea (66:15-17)
A. Fire as a symbol of divine punishment (Psalm 97:3; Jeremiah 4:4; Ezekiel 22:21; Nahum 1:6; Isaiah 29:5-6; 30:27-31; 42:25)
B. Attempt to sanctify and purify themselves
IV. Worldwide spread of the gospel (66:18-21)
A. The sign: Christ’s resurrection? Destruction of Jerusalem? Establishment of the church?
B. Gentiles are brethren (Galatians 3:26-28) and priests (1 Peter 2:9)
V. The promise of perpetuity (66:22-24; cf. Daniel 2:44; Matthew 16:18)
A. “New heavens and new earth” different than Peter and John’s (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 20:15; 21:4, 8, 27; 22:4, 15, 19)
B. Mosher: “It is only in the church where one ceases to fall short of the glory of God (Eph. 3:10-21; Isa. 66:18)!”
A. Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1; Romans 15:1-3; Ephesians 5:1-2; Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 2:19-23)
B. Paul (1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1; Philippians 4:9)
C. Our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Philippians 3:17; Hebrews 6:11-12; 13:7)
II. For whom do you set an example?
A. Other Christians (Romans 1:8; 16:19; 1 Thess. 1:6-10; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7-8)
B. Young children (2 Timothy 1:3-5; 3:14-15; Matthew 18:6)
C. Those in the world (1 Peter 2:11-12)
III. What kind of example do you set?
A. What kind of Christian does the world see? (Matthew 5:14-16)
B. Does your example help or hinder the growth of the church? (Hebrews 10:24-25)
C. If every member of the church lived the way you live, would the church be strong? Growing? Would it even exist in this community?
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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