Month: October 2021

Fake News About Christianity

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, October 31, 2021

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:9-16 “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.
 I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.  I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.  I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.” (NLT)

Text: Job 23:10-12

  • The story of Job–

Fake News Item #1—Christianity has changed

  • John 10:10
  • Ephesians 3:20-21
  • Numbers 23:19
  • Proverbs 14:12

Fake News Item #2—All good people go to heaven

  • John 3:3

Fake News Item #3—A good God, wouldn’t send anyone to hell

  • John 3:16-17
  • 2 Peter 3:9

Fake New Items #4—Christianity is a brainless religion

  • Mark 12:30

Fake News Item #5—There are many roads to God/heaven

  • John 14:6
  • The rest of Job’s story

20 Old Testament Prophecies about the Messiah Fulfilled in the New Testament

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

In last Sunday’s teaching, October 24, 2021, I referenced a list of 20 Old Testament Messianic prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. The list came from one of my favorite books, “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, written in 1992, published by Thomas Nelson.

There were actually 40 or more Old Testament prophecies written about the Messiah, all of which came to pass. According to McDowell and Hostetler, the odds of that happening are 1 in 10 to the 157 power. That’s 10, followed by 157 “0’s.” Too many (0’s) for me. Only a supernatural God could do that.

Old Testament Prophecy                                                      New Testament Fulfillment

  1. Born of a virgin—Isaiah 7:14                                     1. Matthew 1:18-25
  2. Of the tribe of Judah—Genesis 49:10                         2. Luke 3:23, 33
  3. Descended from Jesse—Isaiah 11:11                         3. Luke 3:32
  4. Of the House of David—Jeremiah 23:5                       4. Luke 3:31
  5. Born in Bethlehem—Micah 5:2                                  5. Matthew 2:1
  6. Preceded by a Messenger—Isaiah 40:3                       6. Matthew 3:1-2
  7. Enter Jerusalem on a donkey—Zechariah 9:9            7. Luke 19:35-37
  8. Betrayed by a friend—Psalm 41:9                              8. Matthew 48-50
  9. Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver—Zechariah 11:12       9. Matthew 26:15
  10. Silent before His accusers—Isaiah 53:7                      10. Matthew 27:12
  11. Hands and feet pierced—Psalm 22:16                        11. Luke 23:33; John 20:25
  12. Crucified with thieves—Isaiah 53:12                          12. Matthew 27:38
  13. Interceded for His persecutors—Isaiah 53:12              13. Luke 23:34
  14. Garments divided—Psalm 22:18                                14. John 19:23
  15. Lots cast for garments—Psalm 22:18                         15. John 19:24
  16. Gall and vinegar offered to Him—Psalm 69:21            16. Matthew 27:34
  17. His bones not broken—Psalm 34:20                           17. John 19:33
  18. His side pierced—Zechariah 12:10                             18. John 19:34
  19. He was buried with the rich—Isaiah 53:9                   19. Matthew 27:57-60
  20. His resurrection—Psalm 16:10                                  20. Acts 2:31

From the book, “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” written by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, published by Thomas Nelson in 1992.

Fake News About the Bible

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:1-8 “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me!” (NLT)

Texts: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 & 2 Peter 1:19-21

The Bible—

          Written by 40 different writers

          Written over a period of 1600 years

          Written on three different continents

          Written in three different languages

The Reliability of the Bible—

Fake News Item #1—The Bible contains fictional stories—

          Man swallowed by a gigantic fish

          Talking Donkeys

          Men walking on water

          Thousands fed with a few pieces of bread and fish

          Dead people raised back to life

Fake News Item #2—The Bible contains coincidences

          The Bible contains 48 major prophecies about the Messiah

          Micah—

          Zechariah—

          David—

All forty-eight fulfilled. The odds of this are 1 in 10 to the power of 157 or 1 chance in10 followed by 157 zeroes.

2 Peter 1:21 “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Fake News About the Resurrection

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Bible Reading: Psalm 121 “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” (NLT)

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

The Resurrection of Christ is the basis for all of Christianity. Without the resurrection, nothing really matters. It is the foundation of our faith.

Three Fake News Items:

#1—The Swoon Theory

            A Flagrum—

            Simon, a Cyrenian (Mark 15:21-22)

            Certified by a Roman Centurion to be dead (Mark 15:44-45)

#2—The Wrong Tomb Theory

            The women

            Peter & John

            An angel

            A known tomb

            A secured tomb

#3—The Stolen Body Theory

            Matthew 28:11-15

The TRUTH is that Jesus died and was resurrected on the THIRD DAY, according to the Scriptures. He was resurrected to save you, not to condemn you. He was resurrected to set you free from sin, from guilt, from shame, from disease and from death. He was resurrected so you could have a rich and satisfying like, both here on the earth and with Him through eternity.

Fake News About Jesus, Part II

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Scripture Reading: (From the writings of John. John 1:14, John 3:16-18; 1 John 4:9)

“So, the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.”

Text: 1 Peter 3:15; Ephesians 4:22-32

What does it look like to “sanctify the Lord in your heart?”—

Jesus clears the Temple—Matthew 14:12-13

          Verse 14—Look what happens next

Jesus came for Samaritan women—John 4:4-26

Jesus came for a Roman centurion—Matthew 8:5-13

Jesus came for a Canaanite woman—Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus came for hated tax collectors—Luke 19:1-10

Jesus came for diseased lepers—Mark 1:40-42

Jesus came to be a “friend of sinner”—Luke 5:31-32

Jesus did not, nor does He see our differences—Galatians 3:26-28

Jesus came for you—John 3:16

Fake News About Jesus

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:15-20 “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.  So, he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Text: 1 Peter 3:15

The Fake News items:

  • Jesus was only a good teacher
  • Jesus was only a prophet

#1—Jesus is God with us (Immanuel)

          Isaiah 7:14

          Jesus is fully God—Colossians 2:9

          John 14:7

#2—Jesus was fully man and fully God

Philippians 2:5-8

#3—Jesus was God’s “one and only Son”

          John 3:14-17

#4—Jesus is the only way to the Father

          Acts 4:12; John 3:36