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?
A. “To keep you from stumbling” – He does His part (v.1) as we do ours (v.21) (1 Peter 1:5; 2 Peter 1:5-11; Philippians 2:12-13)
B. “To present you faultless” (Ephesians 1:4; 5:27)
1. When? “Before the presence of His glory” (Matthew 25:31-46)
2. How? “With exceeding joy” (Luke 15:7, 10, 11-24, 32)
II. God’s attributes (Jude 25)
A. “Our Savior” (1 Timothy 1:1; 2:3; 4:10; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4)
B. “Who alone is wise” (James 1:5; Ephesians 3:10-11)
C. “Glory” – dignity and honor – (Luke 2:13-14; Matthew 5:16; Acts 7:55)
D. “Majesty” – greatness – (Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Job 37:22; Psalm 104:1; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1)
E. “Dominion” – strength and power (Romans 6:9, 14; Luke 1:51; Ephesians 1:19-20)
F. “Power” – authority (Matthew 7:29; 9:6; 28:18)
G. “Before all time, and now, and for evermore” [ASV] (Romans 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:17)
A. Pure motivation (Matthew 6:5-7, 8-13)
B. Without doubt (James 1:6-8)
C. Selfless (James 4:3)
D. In accordance with God’s will (1 John 5:14-15)
II. The goodness of God (7:9-11)
A. “Evil” parents (Romans 3:10, 23) take care of their children
B. Of course God, who is good, will take care of His (James 1:17)
III. The golden rule (7:12)
A. Compare with Romans 13:8-10 – It is not a matter of just avoiding the bad, but initiating the good!
B. Do not just wait to repay kindness; show kindness first! (Matthew 6:14-15; James 2:13; Romans 12:15)
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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