Last night I had the privilege to preach my first ‘proper’ sermon… when I say ‘proper’ I mean at a main church service – the 8am communions with a congregation of 10 is a little bit different. I got to speak on 1 Corinthians 9, but choose to just look at verses 19-27. I put a shirt on for the occasion, but kept my un-ironed jeans and dirty trainers on… it’s all about becoming all things to all men… to the people who wear scruffy jeans I became like one who wears scruffy jeans!

I titled the sermon ‘Freed to Serve’… but have since changed it to ‘Serve/Win, Run/Win’… because I can.

You can listen to the audio here…

…and my preaching notes – maybe Josh Harris could add it to his preachers notes series… maybe not

Two points:

1. Serve to Win
2. Run to Win

Q: How do we live as Christians in Brighton & Hove?

A: We run, and we do everything we can to win others on the way!

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How do we know that what we read is true?

The Bible says it is! – 2 Tim 3:16

Thus says the Lord, I tell you the truth,

That is a circular argument – yes, it has to be!

Think about the American Constitution…

Expanding the circle…

Prophecies Fulfilled

Unity of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation

Harmony between 40 authors over 1500 years in 3 languages

Style of writing – factual, eyewitness accounts, ‘little details’

“I have been reading poems, romances, vision literature, legends and myths all my life. I know what they are like. I know none of them are like this.”… they are either reportage, or the first realistic novelistic writing without predecessor or successor…

CS. Lewis

Archaeology – Ebla archive, Hittites found in Turkey (19^th Century)

Dead Sea Scrolls – The Book of Isaiah (150 B.C.)

Secular Historians – Josephus, Tacitus

Christian Historians – Tertullian, Justin Martyr

How do we know that what we read is what was written?

See Manuscript Evidence!

What about all the different versions?

Translation Errors There are errors in the Bible! - “as originally given”

Transcription Errors 24,000 copies, check the footnotes (Mark 16)

Four Points of the Gospel

God created us in his image, for his glory

We have rejected God’s rightful rule over us as his creation and deserve to die

God sent his Son, the man Jesus Christ to take the death penalty for our rejection of him and to restore a right relationship with God

We will face God in judgement, there are two pleas, “I will take the punishment for my rebellion” or “Jesus took the punishment for my rebellion”

Is it coherent?

Does it correspond with reality?

Does it work?

We make our own errors…

Changing Scripture

Jehovah’s Witnesses – systematic removal of references to the deity of Jesus

“[Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” – 2 Peter 3:16

Adding to Scripture

‘Strict’ / Legalists – adding rules and morality not given by the Bible

Charismatics – too high a view of prophecy?

Roman Catholics – Papal Infallibility?

Denying Scripture

“There is no external, objective, revealed standard writ in scripture or on tablets of stone that will govern our ethical behaviour for all time.”

– Bishop John Shelby Spong, ‘New Reformation’

Misinterpreting Scripture - It’s all down to interpretation!

Is God loving or wrathful? Is homosexuality a sin? Can women lead churches?

CONTEXT is KEY!!!

How should we view the Bible?

“The Holy Bible, as originally given, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It is the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behaviour.” – CMFs Christian Beliefs

2 Timothy 3:16 Breathed out by God, thoroughly equipped for every work (Sufficient)

Hebrews 1:1-2 God’s final word, all about Jesus, from God (Authoritative)

Luke 24:44 One book, one message… it really is all about Jesus

How should we answer questions from non-christians?

- Avoid disputable matters – creation, end times, spiritual gifts, election etc.

- If you don’t know, say so! Be honest and come back with an answer.

- Be prepared. Study the Bible. Study apologetics. (1 Peter 3:15)

- Look behind the question. Who’s asking it? Why are they asking it?

- Pray for the questioner. Pray for your answer. Be gracious in your response. (Colossians 4:2-6)

Herod, Quirinius and Jesus’ Birth, Luke 2

Caesar Augustus 63BC – 19AD

Herod the Great Died 4BC

Quirinius Governor from 6AD (Josephus)

Consul from 12 BC (Deeds of Augustus)

Advisor to Augustus’ son in Armenia and Syria (Tacitus)

The Bible says Quirinius was ‘governing’ in Syria, not the Governor

Census’

- Augustus had the power, used it to tax provinces

- 104 AD (Gaius Maximus), 48 AD (Tiberius Claudius)… required a returning to native land

Tertullian – 155-222 AD

Tertullian, a lawyer of the second century, had no trouble reconciling the statement of Luke 2:2 that Quirinius was “hegemon” of Syria with Saturninus’ governorship of Syria, because he would have understood Quirinius’ position in Syria as a special assignment. Because of the special assignment of Quirinius, Luke refers to him as the “hegemon” during the registration. Schurer mentions other scholars who have accepted the position that Quirinius was a special legate to carry out this census.

- See Emil Schurer, The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ

Canon of Scripture

Irenaeus AD 160 – Four Gospels

Justin Martyr, in the early second century, mentions the “memoirs of the apostles,” which Christians called “gospels” and which were regarded as on par with the Old Testament

Origin 3^rd Century – 27 New Testament books

Athanasius 367 AD – calls 27 books ‘canonized’

Synod of Hippo 393 AD – confirms canon

Divinity of Jesus – Council of Nicea 325 AD

Heretic called Arius

Vote was 318 – 2

Gospel of Thomas

GoT 114: Simon Peter said to them, “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life.” Jesus said, “I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Manuscripts

Author	Date Written	Earliest Copy	Time Span	Copies (extent)
Secular Manuscripts:
Herodotus (History)	480 – 425 BC	900 AD	1,300 years	8
Thucydides (History)	460 – 400 BC	900 AD	1,300 years	?
Aristotle (Philosopher)	384 – 322 BC	1,100 AD	1,400 years	5
Caesar (History)	100 – 44 BC	900 AD	1,000 years	10
Pliny (History)	61 – 113 AD	850 AD	750 years	7
Suetonius (Roman History)	70 – 140 AD	950 AD	800 years	?
Tacitus (Greek History)	100 AD	1,100 AD	1,000 years	20
Biblical Manuscripts: (note: these are individual manuscripts)
Magdalene Ms (Matthew 26)	1st century	50-60 AD	co-existant (?)
John Rylands (John)	90 AD	130 AD	40 years
Bodmer Papyrus II (John)	90 AD	150-200 AD	60-110 years
Chester Beatty Papyri (N.T.)	1st century	200 AD	150 years
Diatessaron by Tatian (Gospels)	1st century	200 AD	150 years
Codex Vaticanus (Bible)	1st century	325-350 AD	275-300 years
Codex Sinaiticus (Bible)	1st century	350 AD	300 years
Codex Alexandrinus (Bible)	1st century	400 AD	350 years

(Total New Testament manuscripts = 5,300 Greek MSS, 10,000 Latin Vulgates, 9,300 others = 24,000 copies)
(Total MSS compiled prior to 600 AD = 230)

Sir David Dalrymple sought to do this, and from the second and third century writings of the church fathers he found the entire New Testament quoted except for eleven verses (McDowell 1972:50-51; 1990:48)! Thus, we could throw the New Testament manuscripts away and still reconstruct it with the simple help of these letters. Some examples of these are (from McDowell’s Evidence…, 1972 pg. 51):

Clement (30- 95 A.D.) quotes from various sections of the New Testament.
Ignatius (70-110 A.D.) knew the apostles and quoted directly from 15 of the 27 books.
Polycarp (70-156 A.D.) was a disciple of John and quoted from the New Testament.

3 Types of Error

Textual

Written within eyewitness time frame (from 15 years)

Lots of copies

Good oral tradition as back up

…see manuscripts (Josh McDowell)

Factual

Written within eyewitness time frame (from 15 years)

No problems for the early church and early historians

Named eyewitnesses (Mark 15:21), 500 witnesses (1 Cor 15)

Most ‘errors’ aren’t when read in context

Secular history is not 100% reliable, the Bible sometimes wins (Hittites)

Fabrication - it’s a bad one!

Unhelpful facts – women witnesses, Peter’s denial, Mark runs away, crucified leader…

Genuine Error – casts doubt on ‘God breathedness’ rather than on truth

Social / Cultural

Slavery? Women? Sex?

Mark 14 (argument from TK – Reason for God)

62“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

71He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

Mark 16:7 – Peter restored to leadership

Why is our culture deemed more progressive? How arrogant!

‘Stepford God’? - The Bible should contradict us!

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Here’s some passages that I’ll be preaching on in the coming months of 2009:

11th January  -  Matthew 18:1-11

1st February  -  Matthew 18:21-35

22nd March  -  1 Corinthians 9:19-27

10th May  -  Psalm 122

14th June  -  Matthew 21:18-22

These are all Sunday services at church, I’m guessing there’ll be more in the second half of the year not to mention the inevitable stuff that will come from Midweek services, Global Cafe talks, kids talks, leading Explorers, midweek youth groups, student groups, devotions at international college… CU’s – waiting for an invitation from the Carve! So that should keep me pretty busy.

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Here’s a sermon I preached last week at the 8am service at BH.

I do note form, so you need to get in my brain to work out what goes in between!

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Today we start a new sermon series in the book of James…

…so this morning, I want to spend the first few minutes looking at the book of James as a whole – what’s it all about? Then the rest of our time in today’s passage, James 1:1-12

So what do we know about the book of James?

READ:      James 1:1

It’s an early LETTER

Written by James…  an apostle, church leader in Jerusalem, and the brother of Jesus

It’s written to Jewish Christians   (12 Tribes)

…who have been persecuted  (scattered among the nations)
…Acts 8:1 (after Stephen got stoned)

A very PRACTICAL book

…short, punchy, to the point   …often little explanation  …just do it!

BUT… James knows we don’t do things to merit God’s love… we do because of God’s love

James 2  -  “show me your faith without deeds”… faith that leads to action

Famous Verse…    James 1:22
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

As church goers… We are in danger… we hear the word… but we must do what it says!

Let’s make that our prayer throughout this series on James (and any other time)… that we would HEAR the word and DO what it says.

Let’s pray that our hearts may be gripped and changed by the word!

PRAYER
READ:      James 1:1-12

Were you thinking what I was thinking??  Did he just say what I think he said??

v.2    Consider it pure joy… ??    Wow, what a way to start a letter!

Context:    Religious persecution (v1)  +  Poverty (v9)

Wider Context:    “Trials of many kinds”  (v2)
Make it personal…  Bereavement, Unemployment, Sickness, Loneliness etc.

“Whenever” – expect them to come, expect them to come again

BIG QUESTION  -  How do we move from trials to joy?

Follow James’ Argument…

Trials = Testing of Faith (v3)  -  (not Judgement for the Christian)

Testing develops Perseverance

Perseverance must finish it’s work so you may be Mature + Complete

This is Joy… being mature + complete in Christ!

But there’s a problem!!

v.4 – mature, complete, not lacking anything …that’s joy!
But…  v.5 – If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God

We need God’s wisdom to persevere through trials!

v.5 God gives wisdom to those who ask in Faith

What is wisdom??

Wisdom  =  Seeing things God’s way

Seeing…    the BIG picture, God’s plan, Hope in despair, God’s sovereign hand at work

Seeing the Big picture takes us to verse 12  -  CROWN OF LIFE… a picture of Joy!!

I don’t know your trials… But let’s persevere!
…and lets ask for God’s help, his wisdom
…and lets focus on the prize, the joy of knowing Christ now, and reigning with him forever!

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In the summer edition of The Briefing, Nathan Walter gives some tips on listening to sermons (back page)… he starts off with a gentle rebuke to people who say “Mark Driscoll says…”, I don’t know anyone like that, hmm… but that is always a danger isn’t it, that we hold too high an opinion of the words of [insert your favourite preacher here] diminishing both our own pastors and our personal time with God in His word. Here are his tips:

• Vary your diet of preachers, and, sometimes, why not simply listen to an audio Bible?
• Be wary of comparing the online preacher (publicly or privately) to your own God-given pastors.
• Don’t forget your responsibilities as a listener. Test everything. Never listen without your Bible open. Chase up the passages and write notes.
• Keep audio sermons in their place: like good Christian books, they can help us grow enormously, but we mustn’t let them loom too large. Nothing beats the godly discipline of reading your Bible.
• As with all preaching and teaching, don’t just listen to store up knowledge; listen to sermons in order to put the Word into practise. Listen to an iSermon on your iPod, but make sure you also have an iHarvest of righteousness.

Some good advice. The only one I would question is point 3 – while I agree in principle and certainly would do this when listening to a talk while at home, a lot of the time if I’m listening to a sermon on my iPod I’m doing something else; walking around town, travelling, at the gym (rarely but has been known)… it’s on my iPod because I’m not in the position to sit with open Bible and make notes.

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