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Looking For Signs

Luke 11:16-32 (Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series).

Preached by Rev. William L. Barron on April 2, 2017 (Sunday Morning).

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North Greenville Church

North Greenville Church is a Reformed and Presbyterian fellowship that seeks to establish a traditio

North Greenville Church

3 weeks ago

Why do we need to worry? God cares about all the things in our lives, even the little things in our lives. Whatever we eat or wear or need, God cares. God knows what he is doing. We must learn to trust in God and not our own possessions. We can never have enough possessions. Where is our security? Is it in our treasure? Is it here, or in heaven? God says, "Trust me." We can never store away enough things to meet the needs that we anticipate. Where is our security? Being thrifty is wise, but where is our security? Wealth will never bring about true happiness. When we trust things, we come up lacking. This is the health and wealth gospel which is false. These are the "thorny ground hearers" in the parable of the seeds (or the soils). Cares choke out the gospel in their lives. In Psalm 10, David writes, "those don't think of God. In all their thoughts, there is no God." Our practices much match our faithful testimonies. We must look to Jesus to provide for us. Worry is a moral problem. If we worry, our treasure is in the wrong place. How do I glorify God with my material things? If we concentrate on material things, we have the wrong master. Would we rather have Jesus than silver or gold? When we trust in Jesus, we become heavenly minded, applying our minds to things on earth and how we live, things such as witnessing, giving and so forth. These are heavenly treasures. You are united in Christ, and the Holy Spirit brings you understanding. In Romans 11, we see that the heavenly minded person thinks about these things--whatever is pure, just, lovely and honorable. We don't worry about what we should wear, eat, and so forth. We tend to follow our ancient parents; we try to be God. We must pray, "Teach us, O Lord, how not to worry." In verse 33 we see Jesus exhorting us to, "seek first the Kingdom of God." The Pharisees, on the other hand, were looking to their own righteousness. We need to seek the righteousness of Christ. ... See MoreSee Less

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North Greenville Church

2 months ago

Jesus moves on here in His doctrine of the Kingdom to three themes: giving, prayer and fasting. He focuses not so much on the actions themselves, but on the motives behind the actions. In contrast, he describes the Pharisees' motives as evil and selfish. In their actions, they receive what they seek--the praise of men, which is shallow and empty. Jesus warns us about practicing righteousness before people to be seen. Under this motive, there is no reward from our Father in heaven. We are saved by grace, and good works follow salvation. These works bring heavenly rewards. All of this is from God. We must trust God to work in us. Experiencing His love brings gratitude and results in our good works. Regarding giving, the Pharisees sounded trumpets calling attention to themselves, likewise when they conspicuously clanged heavy coins in the offering containers in the temple. The essence of charity is not the amount of money but the attitude of the heart. Regarding prayer, the Pharisees were known as men of prayer, using complicated terminology, excessive length and usually in public. They sought praise from men for their high spirituality. Again, Jesus says they have already received the praise of men as their reward. Jesus teaches us to pray in private, in communion with God. In congregational prayers, we are to pray along with the person praying. We are not to use personal prayer as an excuse for neglecting our responsibilities. Regarding fasting, one motive could be to skip meals and give the money otherwise spent to missions. Our real motive for fasting should be because we are sinners. We fast because we have lost something and seek to enhance our relationship with God. Fasting can also involve relationships, sleep and certain enjoyable activities. The Pharisees, on the other hand, strove to look gloomy in an effort to demonstrate how pious they were, seeking the adulation of men. We however when we fast should look normal, to the glory of God. Sin is deceptive; we should seek to mortify it (put it to death) by obeying the law of God. ... See MoreSee Less

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Sermons Subscribe to Podcast All sermonsiTunes • Other Sermons (376) Next page » You Have Heard That It Was Said Matthew 5:21-32 (Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series). htt...

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North Greenville Church

2 months ago

To enter into a covenant, you take a vow before God. In His teaching on the mount, did Jesus mean never to take vows? He actually meant not to take vows like the Pharisees do. They would take vows on all sorts of things, but never on the name of God. Do we do the same thing? Do we make a promise with our fingers crossed behind our backs? Swear upon our mother's grave? Jesus taught that this is foolishness. Why would we make a vow that we never intend to keep? We must strive to be persons of integrity and always keep our word. We must think before we speak. If we take the Lord's name in vain, we are saying that His name has no meaning. The name of God encompasses what is true and what we believe. In Deuteronomy 19, the lesson is that we must make the punishment fit the crime. This is the meaning of the Law of the Talon, or claw. We are not to retaliate, get even or gain the upper hand. Jesus was speaking to people under oppression by Rome and by the Jewish religious leaders. By turning the other cheek, we are to let the insults come our way, because God will avenge. We are to love our enemies, and to be perfect as God is perfect. We are to obey God's law completely, not just when it fits our agenda. If we fail, we must confess, forgive and be cleansed. We must strive to be molded into His image. ... See MoreSee Less

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North Greenville Church

2 months ago

The Pharisees constructed their system of laws into a code that they could keep and claim righteousness before God. Regarding the 6th commandment, "You shall not murder," Jesus taught that this prohibition also covered angry, insulting epithets aimed at another person, such as fool or stupid. Psalm 14 uses the same Hebrew word for fool meaning one who denies the existence of God. Apart from God, no wisdom is possible. Foolish hearts are darkened. Biblically, a fool is the same as a heathen. Insulting someone is more serious than we think in God's eyes. Words can hurt and damage, although casting insults carry lesser consequences than killing someone. The 6th commandment is connected to the sanctity of human life created in the image of God, from conception through old age. The 7th commandment condemns adultery. Biblically, the only grounds for divorce are adultery or desertion. Jesus taught that lustful thoughts are a transgression against the 7th commandment. Although lust is not equal to adultery in its consequences of punishment, it still brings guilt upon the sinner. Jesus uses hyperbolic language to emphasize the seriousness of sexual sin. We must do whatever it takes to win the battle against sin. God knows our innermost thoughts, including lust. We must submit ourselves to God. Jesus came to give His life for us. We are to be ambassadors for Christ, living peaceably and being reconciled with each other. We must watch what we are doing to be pure in heart. The legalistic law-keeping of the Pharisees is dangerous, as is the self-worship we see in our own time. Salvation is only possible in Christ. ... See MoreSee Less

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Sermons Subscribe to Podcast All sermonsiTunes • Other Sermons (375) Next page » Jesus, The Law And The Christian Matthew 5:17-20 (Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series). ht...

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North Greenville Church

2 months ago

The Pharisees instituted hundreds of "fence laws" intended to keep people from temptation to sin. These became elevated to the standing of the Ten Commandments. They became burdensome, whereas the Law's purpose is to free people. The Pharisees used the fence laws to accuse Jesus of antinomianism, the belief that man is not required to keep the Law. This accusation denies the whole purpose Jesus came to earth, to fulfill the requirements of the Law and not to abolish the Law. This is so that His righteousness is imputed to those that believe in His person and work. The Law has multiple meanings and applications. One is the civil law, which regulated the nation of Israel. This Law became fulfilled with the Crucifixion. Another is the ceremonial law, or the sacrificial system that reminded people that the payment for sin is the shedding of blood, pointing to Jesus death. The ceremonial law was also fulfilled in the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Still in force is the moral law, teaching us what God is like and what we are like (sinful), leading us to confess our sins and live righteous lives by God's grace in Christ. We want to do things our own way, and if we don't obey, we will be under judgment. Jesus didn't mean that we should exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees by adding more law-keeping to what they stipulated. We cannot live righteously in our own strength. Belief in Christ as Lord and Savior is the only way, and by this comes assurance. Freedom in the law gives us the desire to obey out of thankfulness for our salvation. ... See MoreSee Less

Sermons - North Greenville Church

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Sermons Subscribe to Podcast All sermonsiTunes • Other Sermons (373) Next page » Salt And Light From Kindness And Love In Ancient Crete (Part 5) Titus 3:1-15 (Part of the Morning Worship at North G...

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