Love and Respect Marriage Conference, January 6-7, 2012 at NMBC

Responding to a question about marriage and divorce Jesus asks, “Haven’t you read," He replied, "that He who created them in the beginning made them male and female, and He also said: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?" (Matthew 19:4-5)

The Love and Respect Video Conference the first weekend of the new year (January 6-7, 2012) will help husbands better understand their wife's femininity and wives better understand their husband's masculinity. God made both man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:27). Understanding each other’s uniqueness not only will lead to a stronger marriage, but also a greater wonder of God’s purpose for marriage.

Register today for the conference at www.loveandrespect.com.

More thoughts on Acts 11:27-30

Yesterday we observed the generosity of the Antioch Christians: Acts 11:29-30— "So each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea. This they did, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul."

1. They gave voluntarily and cheerfully, “So each of the disciples…”
“Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

2. They gave proportionally, “according to his ability…”

3. Their giving was purposeful and determined, “determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea…”

4. Their giving was entrusted to the elders (“Storehouse giving”), “This they did, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.” See also Malachi 3:10; Acts 4:35, 37; and 1 Corinthians 16:2.

5. The generosity of these Christians was a mark of their spiritual growth.

“But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV

Bible teacher Gene Getz also considers the "who" these Antioch Christians sent relief to. It was the church at Jerusalem who sent Barnabas to travel to Antoch to disciple the these new Christians. Now they have the opportunity to return a blessing. Getz refers to this as "reciprocity giving."

Here's Gene Getz teaching from Acts 11:29:

Acts 11:27-31 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

Historians Josephus, Tacitus, and Suetonius report the drought predicted by Agabus occurred in A.D. 45-46. In addition to shortage of food, the drought caused a widespread economic downturn throughout the Roman Empire. Christians in Jerusalem and throughout Judea were hit especially hard. The offering received by Barnabas and Saul in Acts 11:30 was given as relief to these fellow Christians. The Apostle Paul continued this practice in his future missionary journeys. (Acts 24:17)

Evaluate the generosity of the disciples in Acts 11:29 with the following biblical instructions/ teaching on giving.

Malachi 4:10—

Mark 12:41-44—

Acts 4:37—

Acts 20:35—

2 Corinthians 9:7—

Galatians 2:10—

Philippians 1:3-5—

1 Timothy 6:18—

How generous have you “determined” to be? Is the Holy Spirit leading you to make any changes in your generosity in response to this study?

"I don't even know that woman!" Love and Respect Video Marriage Conference

Dr. Emerson and Sarah Eggerichs present the Love & Respect Marriage Conference - a dynamic, high energy, practical seminar designed to help couples and singles achieve the relationship of their dreams. Based on Ephesians 5:33 and the three groundbreaking principles taught in Dr. Eggerichs’ best seller Love and Respect, Emerson and Sarah bring a message that imparts revolutionary insights on how to achieve a brand-new level of intimacy and friendship. Couples learn to:
1. Cage the Crazy Cycle
2. Fuel the Energizing Cycle
3. Reap the Rewarded Cycle

WHERE:
New Monmouth Baptist Church
4 Cherry Tree Farm Road
Middletown, NJ 07748

WHEN:
Fri. Jan 6, 6:45pm to 10:15pm
Sat. Jan 7, 8:45am to 1:45pm

COST:
$15/person through Dec 26th
$20/person after Dec 26th

QUESTIONS:
nmbchurch@nmbchurch.org
732-671-5998

FOR MORE INFO OR
TO REGISTER FOR THE VIDEO CONFERENCE:
www.loveandrespect.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

My soul, praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.
My soul, praise the LORD, and do not forget all His benefits. Psalm 103:1-2

As a nation we are blessed to have had leaders who’ve called on us to publically thank God for His many blessings and provision. Take some time today to meditate on Psalm 103 and thank Jesus for the many benefits you enjoy.

History buffs— Why is Thanksgiving Day officially observed on the fourth Thursday of November?

Early Thanksgiving celebrations in New England (1621-1676) occurred in the summer or early fall. In 1789 President George Washington's proclaimed Thanksgiving Day November 26th. Decades prior to this New Jersey governor, Jonathan Belcher appointed Thursday November 23, 1749 as a day of “public Thanksgiving.” For more visit: http://www.classicapologetics.com/special/thanks.html

By His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esqr. Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of New Jersey and Territories thereon depending in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral in the same & etc.

A Proclamation for a public Thanksgiving taking into consideration the manifold blessings of Heaven to a sinful and unworthy people, in particular that it hath pleased Almighty God in much mercy to preserve the life of our most Gracious King and the rest of the Royal family, and to bless His Majesty's Councils and arms, by restoring a general peace among all the nations engaged in the late war. To continue our invaluable privileges both civil and sacred and that it hath pleased a Gracious God in many respects to smile on this Province, and not to punish us as our iniquities have deserved, to favor us with such a plentiful supply of rain after a sore distressing drought, and to grant the smiles of Providence upon the former and latter harvest, filling our hearts with food and gladness; which unmerited instances of the Divine Goodness call aloud for our public, humble and most grateful acknowledgments to the God of all our mercies.

I have therefore thought fit with the advice of His Majesty's Council to appoint and I do hereby appoint Thursday the twenty third Day of November next to be religiously observed as a Day of Public thanksgiving and praise to the great name of God our most gracious and bountiful benefactor, hereby exhorting both ministers and people to join in a public and serious manner in offering up their devout and thankful acknowledgments to the God of all our mercies and at same time to offer up their humble and hearty supplications at the Throne of Grace for the advancement of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ in the world and that his blessed Gospel may run and be glorified among all nations and in particular among the Original Natives of this land and for all in authority over us, particularly that the best of blessings may descend on our Gracious Sovereign King George, the Prince and Princess of Wales, The Duke, the Princesses the Royal Issue, and on every branch of this illustrious family that the Protestant Succession may abide before God forever, that this Province may ever be remembered of God for good, that He would mercifully heal our divisions, restore peace and tranquility, humble us for our sins, prevent the judgments we deserve, that He would incline us to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty under the government placed over us, that He would graciously prevent the growth of sin and impiety, revive pure and undefiled religion and make us a people zealous of good works, and all servile labor is hereby strictly forbidden on said day.

Given under my hand this fourteenth day of October Anno Dom 1749.

More thoughts on Acts 11:23

In 1 Peter 5:2 pastors are instructed, “Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion, but freely, according to God’s will.” This past weekend we observed the importance of shepherding, especially among new Christians by the example of Barnabas, who with Saul at his side, spent a year teaching (shepherding) the church at Antioch. (Acts 11:25) While in Antioch Barnabas “encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart” (Acts 11:23). The meaning of “encourage” (parakaleō) here includes both affirmation and exhortation.

The challenge, not just for pastors, but for all who desire to be encouragers is to know when to affirm and when to exhort. For example, there are occasions when the best way to encourage a fellow Christian following failure and sin is to remind him or her of 2 Timothy 2:12, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” On other occasions a more appropriate scripture is James 4:8-9, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people! Be miserable and mourn and weep."

Immediately following the report of Barnabas’ message to the Antioch believers Luke describes Barnabas as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24). Finding the right balance between affirmation and exhortation requires dependence on the Holy Spirit. It also requires wisdom. Listen to this interview of Mark Driscoll where he shares his thoughts on what he calls the use of tender and tough words. Men, pay special attention to his exhortation to husbands and fathers. A communication style that makes us effective at work, or in leading a Bible study might create unwanted distance between us and our wife and children.

Acts 11:19-26 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

The New Testament word for “encouraged” in Acts 11:23 is “parakaleo” meaning “to beseech, comfort, console or admonish.” Compare this definition with the following suggested contemporary synonyms: “applaud, cheer up, rouse, boost, excite, psych up, brighten, and to give shot in arm.” How does the New Testament definition offer a more full understanding of what it means to encourage? Read 1 Thessalonians 2:12. What aspects of biblical encouragement are evident in this verse?

Barnabas, meaning, “Son of Encouragement” received this nickname from the apostles. (Acts 4:36) How did Barnabas model encouragement?

Acts 4:36-37—

Acts 9:20-27—

Acts 11:24-25—

Acts 13:42-44—

Acts 14:13-15—

Acts 15:36—

1 Thessalonians 5:11 commands “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.” What steps is the Holy Spirit calling you to take to become a better encourager?

Making sense of some of the unusual laws in the Old Testament

As a new follower of Jesus I was zealous to read and understand the Bible. I remember the first time I ventured out to read the Old Testament, starting at the beginning with Genesis. To this day Genesis is one of my favorite books of the Bible. From there I continued to make my way through Exodus only to get stuck in Leviticus. Leviticus is a book full of laws such as this one—Leviticus 11:26, “The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean.” Huh?

The Bible is clear that the worship and sacrifice laws ultimately point to and are fulfilled by the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10:1-10). The question still remains as to the purpose of the many ceremonial, cleanliness and dietary laws.

In this past weekend’s message I gave three principles to help us make sense of some of the more unusual laws in the Bible.

1. Some laws were given to a specific group of people (or person) for a specific time. (Or as my Hermeneutics professor would say, “All of the Bible is for us, but not all the Bible is to us.” For example, in Genesis 6:14 God commands Noah to build an ark— not a command that is applicable to us today. Many of the laws found in Leviticus (and repeated in Deuteronomy) were given specifically to Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land.

2. Some laws were temporary in nature. This is exactly what caused the tension in Peter’s account of his vision in Acts 11:9, “What God has made clean, you must not call common (or unclean).”

3. Every time God gives a negative command, “Thou shall not…” it is always to protect and provide. Listen to Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 10:13, “Keep the LORD’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good.”

I’ve been helped recently by Ben Hobrink’s book, Modern Science in the Bible. A biologist who previously embraced evolution was drawn to Christ when he observed that the bible “contains knowledge that was thousands of years ahead of science.” While Hobrink does not answer every questionable law in the Bible, his insights are well worth consideration.

Modern Science in The Bible: Amazing Scientific Truths Found In Ancient Texts By Ben Hobrink / Howard Books

Acts 11:1-18 Questions for Discussion & Reflection

Read Acts 10:34-11:18. What specifically “astounded” those who accompanied Peter? According to Acts 11:17, why was it significant that Cornelius’ household evidenced the gift of the Holy Spirit with “speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of God”? (See Acts 2:4)

Compare Peter’s message in Acts 10:34-43 with what Paul refers to as things which are “most important” in 1 Corinthians 15:3-6. What are the essential truths that must be known in order to respond to the gospel?

Luke refers to brothers “who stressed circumcision” as initially questioning the genuineness of Cornelius’ conversion. What insights do the following Scriptures provide for understanding the issue of circumcision in the early church and what was the error of these circumcised believers?

Acts 15:5—

Romans 2:25-29—

Galatians 2:6-21—

Galatians 5:1-6—

Philippians 3:2-7—

How did Peter respond to their criticism? (Acts 11:4-17)

Are there changes we expect of people before we are willing to accept them into our church community? What attitudes or actions need to change in your life as a result of this study?

Taking Gospel Risks

A couple Sundays ago we made the observation from the Holy Spirit's leading of Peter in Acts 10 that following God's lead in our lives always involves risk. As we continue our study in Acts this Sunday I encourage you to take a minute and check out John Piper's encouragement regarding gospel risks, "Don't Waste Your Life: Risk."

Love and Respect Video Marriage Conference @ New Monmouth Baptist Church, 4 Cherry Tree Farm Road, Middletown, Friday, January 6th and Saturday, January 7, 2012.

Friday, January 6
6:45 PM - 10:15 PM
Saturday, January 7
8:45 AM - 1:45 PM

Cost: $15 per person "Early Bird" discount through December 26 / $20 per person after December 26th. Register online at LoveandRespect.com. Christmas gift cards available by emailing nmbchurch@nmbchurch.org.

OCC National Collection week begins this Sunday, November 13th.

National Collection week for Operation Christmas Child begins next week. This Sunday is your last opportunity to drop off a shoebox at NMBC’s mission table. Last week Sherrill and I had an opportunity to tour Samaritans Purse and get a look inside the OCC warehouse in Boone, NC. Take a look.

2 Timothy 2-- Questions for Discussion and Reflection

What command does Jesus give in Matthew 28:18-20?

Compare Matthew 28:18-20 with Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8 (Luke’s account of Jesus’ commission); and John 20:21.What insights have you gained about the Great Commission?

How do the following scriptures demonstrate the discipleship plan the apostle Paul gave Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2?

Acts 16:1-5—

Acts 18:5-8—

Acts 19:21-22—

1 Corinthians 4:17—

Philippians 2:19—

1 Thessalonians 3:2—

Who is your “Paul”? If you are not being disciple by a Christ-follower who is farther along in his or her walk with Christ than you, who might you ask?

Who is your “Timothy”? Who can you challenge to discipleship?

Last month we kicked off Fight Club-- a men's fellowship where we seek to encourage each other in fighting for our holiness, our families and our church. The idea of a "Fight Club" is certainly not original with me—God is stirring men in churches around the world to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). Check out this message by Pastor Scott Thomas entitled "Why the Church Needs Fighting Men" given at the 2010 Fight Club Men’s Conference. NMBC's Fight Club meets the 2nd Saturday of the month at 8:00 A.M.

Acts 10 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

In Acts 10:22 we are introduced to the centurion Cornelius as “an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation.” What insights do the following Scriptures reveal about the character of a “God-fearing” person?

Exodus 18:20-22—

Deuteronomy 8:5-7—

Ecclesiastes 8:11-13—

John 9:30-32—

Acts 17:3-5—

Acts 10:8 states that Cornelius “reported everything” to members of his household following his receiving a message from God (through an angel). The word Luke uses to describe Cornelius’ reporting is “exēgeomai” meaning, “to rehearse, unfold or declare.” The English word, exegesis means "to draw the meaning out of" a given Scripture text and is the basis of “expositional preaching” where the goal is to “expose the meaning of the Scripture and apply it to hearers.” Examine the following Scriptures where this term is used. How is this examination and proclamation of the Bible necessary for anyone who desires to be lead by God?

Luke 24:35 (“describe”) —

Acts 15:14 (“reported”)—

Acts 21:19 (“related”) —