Names of Christ: Wonderful

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Text: Isaiah 9:6

Scripture Reading: Psalm 91:1-2 “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him” (NLT)

#1–Names in the Bible—

  • Identified the person.
  • Described the person.
  • Identified what they could do for you.

Text: Isaiah 9:6

  • Written seven hundred years before birth of Jesus.
  • Written 1,000 years before Christmas was celebrated.
  • Identified the Messiah and what He could do when He came.

#2—Wonderful—supernatural.

  • Exodus 15:11
  • Psalm 77:11
  • Isaiah 29:14

The Story of Samson

  • Judges 13:3-5, 17-18

#3—Could Isaiah have been describing the “wonderfulness” of Jesus in Isaiah 55:8-9?

#4—Acts 2:22–Peter describes the works of Jesus as “wonders.”

  • John 5, Jesus supernaturally healed a man who hadn’t walked for 38 years.
  • John 6, Jesus supernaturally fed 5,000 Jewish men and their families with five loaves and two small fish.
  • John 6, Jesus walked on the water.
  • John 9, Jesus healed a man who had been born blind.
  • John 11, Jesus raises a man back to life who had been dead for four days.

Psalm 139:1-6 “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Time Between the Testaments: A Loud Silence

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Isaiah 40:15; Galatians 4:4-5

Bible Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23 “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (NLT)

Malachi to Matthew—400 Years. Often referred to as “The Four Hundred Years of Silence.”

#1—Babylonians–

#2—Persians—

#3—Greeks—

          The Miracle of Hanukkah—John 10

          The Miraculous Dream of Jaddus–

          Ptolemy—(Egypt)

          Seleucid—Syrians & Iraqi’s

          Hasmoneans–

#4—Romans–

Malachi: The Last Word

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part XII

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 20:4; 1 John 5:4 “For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!” For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” (NLT)

Text: Malachi 3:6-7

God has not changed! Nor will He change!

Malachi—a series of questions and answers. A running dispute between God and His people.

Messianic Prophecy in Malachi—Malachi 3:1

          John the Baptist & Jesus, the Messiah

Lord of Hosts—A royal title for God. Denotes that God is head or the leader of all the armies of heaven. Also tells us that God is Sovereign. He is greater than any of the powers of heaven, or powers on the earth.

Question: How have you loved us?

Malachi 1:2-3

          Jacob, I have loved.

          Esau, I have hated.

          2 Peter 3:9—God is patient.

          1 Peter 2:9—We are a chosen generation.

          Deuteronomy 7:6—God has chosen us.

Question: When did we speak against you?

Malachi 3:13-15—What difference does it make for us to love God.

          Malachi 4:4—Remember.

John 15:5 “I AM the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Zechariah: The Prophet of Good News

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part XI

Zechariah 4:6

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-4 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” (NLT)

Structure of Zechariah:

Eight Visions—chapters 1-6

Four Messages—chapters 7-8

Two Oracles/Burdens—chapters 9-14

The Visions:

Vision #1—Horsement among the myrtle trees—1:7-11

          Angel of the Lord—A pre-incarnate appearance of Christ

Vision #2—The Woman in the Basket—5:5-11

          “Their resemblance throughout the earth”—

The Four Messages:

          The challenge:

          The promise:

The Two Burdens/Oracles/Sermons—9-14

          The First Coming and Rejection of Christ—9-11

          9:9—Triumphal Entry.

          11:12-13—The betrayal for thirty pieces of silver.

The Second Coming of Christ—12-14

Zechariah 14:1-4—

          Armageddon and the Final Judgment of the wicked.

Zephaniah: The Last Chance

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, August 6, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part IX

Zephaniah 1:2-3; 3:17

Bible Reading: Colossians 1:13-14 “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (NLT)

#1—Zephaniah 1:1—the man

#2—Zephaniah 1:2-3–The Day of the Lord

          Judgment—total devastation

#3—Zephaniah 3:19-20—The Day of the Lord

          Hope

#4—Zephaniah 2:4-15—The Nations

          North—Assyria

          South—Ethiopia

          East—Moab & Ammon

          West—Philistine

#5—Zephaniah 3:11-12

          A humble people

#6—Humility

          Proverbs 16:18

          Proverbs 29:33

          James 4:6

          1 Peter 5:5

Philippians 2:5-8

Acts 10:38

Habakkuk: That’s Not Fair!

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, July 30, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part VIII

Habakkuk 1:2-4; 2:4

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 7:9 “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” (NLT)

#1–The Babylonians were the new Assyrians.

          Habakkuk 1:6—

          Habakkuk 2:8-20—God’s plans for the Babylonians

#2—Habakkuk’s purpose in writing

          Habakkuk 2:4—

Romans 1:17 “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the “just shall live by faith.”

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

“Faith does not always stop afflictions, trials, or suffering. But faith will always bring us through afflictions, trials, and suffering.”

“Putting our trust in Jesus resolves the issue of where we will spend eternity. It does not resolve the issue of afflictions, trials, and suffering.”

#3—Habakkuk 2:20—

#4—Habakkuk 3:19—

Psalm 18:32, 33, 29 & 46 “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer and sets me on my high places.” “For you have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued under me those who rose up against me.” “The Lord lives! Blessed by my Rock! Leet the God of my salvation be exalted.”

Nahum: Jonah’s Dream Come True

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part VII

Nahum 1:3

Bible Reading: Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” (NLT)

#1. Jonah & Nineveh

Jonah 4:1-3–Jonah was “furious” that God would forgive the Assyrians.

#2. After Jonah

          Idols & Demons—Deuteronomy 32:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:20-22

          Assyrians worse than ever—

                    Nahum 3:19—

Psalm 37:35 “I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more;”

Psalm 73:3 “For I was envious of the boastful, [wicked] when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

Psalm 94:3 “Lord, how long will the wicked triumph?”

          Do the wicked really prosper?

#3. Nahum 1:3—The Lord is “slow to anger” but this does not mean He won’t punish sin.

          2 Peter 3:9—

          But there is a place of no mercy…….

Doom, Hope, & Salvation

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Par VI

Micah 5:2; 6:8; 7:18

Bible Reading: Hebrews 4:16 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (NLT)

The Prophet Micah—

#1—Micah 1-3: Prediction of Judgment.

Two kingdoms: Israel and Judah.

Corrupt government. Corrupt business leaders. Corrupt prophets & priests.

#2—Micah 4-5: Prediction of Restoration.

Micah 5:2—Messianic prophecy.

#3—Micah 6-7: Plea for Repentance

          Micah 6:8–God’s solution to sin.

          Do justly—

          Love mercy—

          Walk humbly—

#4—The Four Way Test:

          Is it the truth?

          Is it fair to all concerned?

          Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

          Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

#5—When you feel like giving up.

          Micah 7:2—

          Micah 7:7—

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Jonah: The Prophecy that Doesn’t Come True

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part V

Jonah 4:1-3

Bible Reading: Isaiah 30:18 “So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.” (NLT)

A supernatural God doing supernatural things.

#1–Jonah 4:1-3–Jonah is angry. Why is Jonah angry?

#2–Jonah 1:1-2—Why did being told to preach repentance in Nineveh make Jonah angry?

#3—Jonah 1:3—A run-a-way prophet.

#4—Jonah 1:15—Man overboard!

#5—Jonah 1:17–God prepared a “great fish.”

#6—Jonah 2:10—A burp and away we go.

#7—Jonah 3:4—Jonah preaches in Nineveh.

#8—Jonah 3:5-10—Nineveh repents and God relents.

#9—Jonah 4:1-9—Jonah’s anger and God’s mercy.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. {17} For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Obadiah: A Taste of Their Own Medicine

Troy Mills Christian Church

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Summer in the Minors, Part IV

Text: Obadiah 1:4, 12, & 15

Bible Reading: Psalm 145:1-3a “I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!” (NLT)

Two major themes in the book of Obadiah:

The man, Obadiah

A prophecy of doom for the nation of Edom (vv1-18)

A prophecy of restoration for the nation of Judah (vv19-21)

#1–Pride—verses 3-4

#2–Hatred/Jealousy—verses 11-12

#3–God’s Revenge—verses 2, 15

#4–The story of Edom (Esau) and Israel (Jacob)

#5–The Golden Rule—Matthew 7:12

          The Golden Rule versus the Silver Rule

Four Take-a-ways from the book of Obadiah

#1—God’s justice will overcome evil thoughts and subsequent actions of all people.

#2—God always delivers his faithful people in the long run. Even when we are suffering troublesome and difficult times, and it appears that our evil neighbors are prospering, we can be encouraged by remembering the message of Obadiah.

#3—God will not tolerate pride, hatred/jealousy, or any acts of revenge on our part. Pride is sin. We have nothing to be proud of except what Jesus Christ has done for us.

#4—God will overcome in our behalf if we stay true to Him. Unlike Edom, we must be willing to help others in times of need, no matter what they have done.