Life-relevant Bible-based teachings from Rev. Paul Miller, Pastor of Bushkill Community Church and St. John’s E.C. Church.
Episodes
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 22, 2020
Series Title: “Discovering Your Own Life in the Life of Jesus”
Today’s Title: “Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Today’s Text: Mark 14:53-65
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 26:57-68, Luke 22:67-71, John 18:12-13, 19-24
The goal of the accuser is not to discover the truth but to bring condemnation.
Without Christ, the voice of condemnation shapes our identity and defines us by what we are not… I AM NOT ENOUGH
Mark 14:53-54
Mark 14:55-56
LIES ARE SELF- DEFEATING
Mark 14:57-58
THE TEMPLE MEANT EVERYTHING TO THESE MEN
Mark 14:60-61
RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
Mark 14:61-62
SAYING “I AM” WAS ENOUGH TO CONDEMN HIM
Mark 14:63-64
BOTH THE PERSON & THE PLACE OF FORGIVENESS WERE TORN APART BY THE CONDEMNATION AND DEATH OF JESUS, THE CHRIST
OUR TRUE IDENTITY IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH CHRIST - Hebrews 9:24-28
WHO ARE YOU? BECAUSE GOD IS ACCESSIBLE, MY TRUE IDENTITY IS KNOWABLE - John 1:11-13
I AM a Child of God!
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Notes – November 15, 2021
Series Title: “Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus”
Today’s Title: “Prayer & Betrayal”
Today’s Text: Mark 14:32-52
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 26:36-56, Luke 22:40-50, John 18:3-11
PRAYER DOES NOT ALWAYS CHANGE THE CIRCUMSTANCE WE ARE IN, BUT IT CAN ALWAYS CHANGE OUR ACCEPTANCE OF IT AND ATTITUDE TOWARD IT.
JESUS IS BETRAYED
- The “crowd” of thugs expecting a fight
- Jesus predicted this - Mark 8:31
- a “kiss” - a sign of respect and of friendship
- Peter fights and is rebuked
- the disciples fled into the darkness
- the “young man wearing a linen garment”
- Mark?
- “linen cloth” for Jesus’ body Mark 15:46
- “young man” in the tomb Mark 16:5
- THE ISOLATION OF JESUS IS COMPLETE
JESUS PRAYED
PRAY IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS (v33-34)
Psalm 55:5-8
PRAY WITH YOUR FACE IN THE DIRT (v35)
PRAY INTIMATELY (v36)
“Abba” – Romans 8:15 & Galatians 4:6
PRAY ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT, EVEN IF YOU ALREADY KNOW IT’S NOT IN HIS WILL (v35-36)
PRAY “IN THE SPIRIT” (v38)
- The Spirit is willing – Ephesians 6:18
PRAY THREE TIMES (at least)
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 8, 2020
Series Title: “Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus”
Today’s Title: “So They Prepared the Passover”
Today’s Text: Mark 14:12-31
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 26:17-35, Luke 22:7:23 (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)
A Celebration of Death
PREPARATION (v12-16)
- Mark 11:1-2
DISRUPTION (v17-21)
- Psalm 49:9
- Psalm 23:5
COMMEMORATION (v22-25)
- John 6:53-60
ADORATION (v26)
ADMONITION (v27)
- Zechariah 13:7
RESURRECTION (v28)
EXCEPTION (v29-31)
ISOLATION
- Crowds on Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-11)
- Overturning tables in the Temple courts (Mark 11:15-18)
- Publicly calling out the religious leaders (Mark 12:38-40)
- Only spending time with His disciples (Mark 12:41 forward….)
- Only eating with the 12 at Passover (Mark 14:17)
- Announcing the betrayal (Mark 14:18)
- Foretelling the denial of all of them, including Peter (Mark 14:27-31)
- Just 3 disciples go with Him to pray in Gethsemane (Mk. 14:32-34)
- Peter rebuked for defending Jesus with a sword (Mark 14:47-49)
- Arrested alone….. (Mark 14:50)
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 1, 2020
Series Title: “Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus”
Today’s Title: “She has done a beautiful thing to me.”
Today’s Text: Mark 14:1-11
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 26:2-16, John 12:1-8
DID JESUS PROVIDE AN EXCUSE FOR APATHY?
“The poor you will always have with you.” - Mark 14:7
- Matthew 25 – the sheep and the goats
- “poor” & “poverty” 197x in the Bible – help them
- “rich” & “wealthy” 165x in the Bible – warnings & rebukes
- who is responsible to help? nations or individuals?
Individual Responsibility - Proverbs 14:31 & 17:5
National Responsibility - Ezekiel 16:49-50
WHAT CHANGED THE MINDS OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS? – Mark 14:1-2
WHO IS IN THE ROOM? John 12:1-8 & Mark 14:3-11
- A TRULY GREAT MAN, ABOUT TO DIE - JESUS
- THE MEN WHO FOLLOW HIM – THE TWELVE
- A MAN W/A HEART OF GRATITUDE– SIMON THE LEPER
- A RISEN MAN - LAZARUS - John 11
- A WOMAN WITH THE HEART OF A SERVANT - MARTHA
– Luke 10:38-42
- A WOMAN WITH A HEART OF WORSHIP - MARY
MARY is always found at THE FEET OF JESUS
Luke 10:39, John 11:32, John 12:3, Matthew 28:9
- A MAN WITH A HEART OF BETRAYAL - JUDAS
THIS EVENT TRIGGERED JUDAS,
WHICH IN TURN, TRIGGERED THE SANHEDRIN
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 25, 2020
Series Title: “But About that Day & Hour No One Knows”
Today’s Title: “Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus”
Today’s Text: Mark 13:24-37
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 24:1-51 & Luke 21:5-36
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”(Mark 13:26)
TRANSITONAL KEY WORDS:
Note v 24 - “…but in those days, following…”
SHIFTING AWAY FROM EVENTS ABOUT THE TEMPLE
Note v28 - “…when you see these things…”
C0MING BACK TO EVENTS ABOUT THE TEMPLE
THE END OF THE WORLD OF THE TEMPLE
Mark 13:1-23 (see notes from October 18)
Mark 13:28-31
v29 - “when you see these things”
v30 - “this generation will certainly not pass away”
v31 - “heaven & earth will pass away”
The temple was the connecting point between heaven & earth
THE END OF THE WORLD ON EARTH
Mark 13:24-27
v24-25 - Quoting Isaiah 13:9-10 & 34:4
v26 “at that time”
“Son of Man” – Daniel 7:13
v27 - Gathering the elect from “the four winds” – Zechariah 2:6
Mark 13:32-37
v32 - “no one knows” (Acts 1:7 & 1 Thess. 5:1-2)
v33-35 - “be on guard”, “be alert”, “keep watch”
How to be ready for the end… - Matthew 25:31-46
“the least of these”
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 18, 2020
Series Title: Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus
Today’s Title: “The Temple, the Disciples, and What Jesus said is Coming Soon”
Today’s Text: Mark 13:1-37
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 24:1-51, Luke 21:5-36
THE TEMPLE, THE DISICPLES, AND WHAT JESUS SAID IS COMING SOON….
BIG IMPRESSION! (13:1)
DESTRUCTION (13:2)
DECEPTION (13:3)
FALSE INSTRUCTION (13:5-8)
INSTITUTIONAL PERSECUTION (13:9-11)
RELATIONAL PERSECUTION (13:12-13)
ABOMINATION/DESOLATION (13:14)
URGENT ACTION (13:15-19)
CAREFUL ATTENTION (13:20-22)
Tuesday Oct 13, 2020
Tuesday Oct 13, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 11, 2020
Series Title: Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus
Today’s Title: The Large Crowd Listened to Him with Delight
Today’s Text: Mark 12:35-44
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 22:41-46, 23:1-7, Luke 20:41-47, 21:1-4
Romans 13:1 – How do YOU handle your God-given authority?
CONTEXT: Religious establishment attempts to trap Jesus (11:27-12:34)
Mark 12:35-36
Mark 12:36-37
- Psalm 110:1
Mark 12:37
Mark 12:38-39
Mark 12:40
- Matthew 6:5-8
Mark 12:41-44
- Matthew 6:2-4
USING GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY AS GOD INTENDED….
- POWER
- POSITION
- PROVISION
- PIETY
Monday Oct 05, 2020
Monday Oct 05, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 4, 2020
Series Title: Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus
Today’s Title: You are not Far from the Kingdom of God
Today’s Text: Mark 12:28-34
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 22:34-40
PRODUCTIVE ALIGNMENT
LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART
Emotions Passions Feelings
Impulses Reactions Inspiration
1 John 3:19-23
LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR SOUL
Individual self Your eternal self
The deepest “you” God’s image bearer
Psalm 62:1-2
LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR MIND
Memories Decisions Thought patterns
Problem solving Planning Assessing
Implementation
Philippians 4:8
LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR STRENGTH
Body Health Physical Abilities
Physical Limitations Aging
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
LOVE OTHERS
Relationships Family Friends
Neighbors Strangers Enemies
1 John 3:16
LOVE YOURSELF
Self image (internal mirror) Inheritance
Experiences (success & failure)
What I am What I am not
Psalm 139:13-14
Monday Sep 28, 2020
Monday Sep 28, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – September 27, 2020
Series Title: Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus
Today’s Title:
Today’s Text: Mark 12:13-27
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 22:15-33, Luke 20:20-38
Mark 12:13-27 - death & taxes and politics & religion
Mark 12:13
Mark 12:14-15
Mark 12:15
Mark 12:15-16
Mark 12:17
Mark 12:18
Mark 12:19-23
Mark 12:24-25
Mark 12:26-17
APPLICATIONS FROM THIS TEXT:
1.How to handle political discussion
- You don’t have to “win”
- You don’t have to take sides
- Not taking sides feels incomplete, but leaves the door open
- Jesus did not invest Himself in challenging or changing a corrupt empire.
- Jesus did not invest Himself in challenging and changing a corrupt religion. (Matthew 23:1-39)
- Jesus came us to give us “life” (John 1:4) , from the “Living God” Life NOW and FOVEVER
Monday Sep 21, 2020
Monday Sep 21, 2020
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – September 20, 2020
Series Title: Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus
Today’s Title: “who gave you authority to do this?”
Today’s Text: Mark 11:27-12:12
Gospel Parallels: Matthew 21:23-27 & 33-46, Luke 20:1-19
“who gave you authority to do this?”
Mark 11-16 - Jesus, the Christ - The New Temple
The Power Struggle for the Temple
“while Jesus was walking in the temple courts” (11:27)
11:27 – chief priests, teachers of the law & elders” – authority
12:13 – Pharisees and Herodians” – taxes
12:18 – Sadducees – the afterlife
12:28 – One of the teachers of the law – the greatest command
Mark 11:28
“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked.
“And who gave you authority to do this?”
WHO’S TEMPLE IS THIS?
Mark 11:29-33 - John’s Baptism?
IS REPENTANCE A GOD THING?
Mark 12:1-12 - Parable of the Tenants
VINEYARD = ISRAEL
WATCHTOWER = TEMPLE?
WINEPRESS = THE ALTAR?
(Isaiah 5:1-7)
DOES GOD BELONG TO US, OR DO WE BELONG TO GOD?
DOES GOD BELONG TO ME, OR DO I BELONG TO GOD?
AM I AN AUTHORITY ON GOD, OR IS GOD IN AUTHORITY OVER ME?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
When the Master returns, what has your life produced that will honor Him?