Life-relevant Bible-based teachings from Rev. Paul Miller, Pastor of Bushkill Community Church and St. John’s E.C. Church.
Episodes
Monday Apr 29, 2019
Monday Apr 29, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – April 28, 2019
“Heal: Heart Surgery Required” – Hebrews 4:12-16
THE WORD OF GOD IS FOREVER – Isaiah 40:8
THE WORD OF GOD IS A GUIDE – Psalm 119:105
THE WORD OF GOD IS USEFUL – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
THE WORD IS CHRIST – John 1:14
THE WORD OF GOD DIVIDES SOUL & SPIRIT - Hebrews 4:12
OUR NATURAL SELF
OUR SPIRITUAL SELF
THE WORD OF GOD JUDGES THOUGHTS & ATTITUDES
HOW DOES THIS SWORD WORK? – Galatians 5:13-26
THE BEST NEWS – Hebrews 4:14-16
APPROACH GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE WITH CONFIDENCE!
Tuesday Apr 23, 2019
Tuesday Apr 23, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – April 21, 2019
Series Title: “Hope, Heal, Help”
Today’s Title: Hope: Because Pain is Unavoidable
Today’s Text: John 16:16-33
Key Verse: John 16:33
WORLD
“kosmos” – universal system
Our insufficient way of life
The way things are
Our destiny toward failure
TROUBLE
The tribulations we encounter
The anguish we feel
The burdens we carry
Like labor pains (16:21)
TAKE HEART
“be of good cheer”
“be of good comfort”
be reassured
it’s going to be okay
everything will be alright
OVERCOME
“conquer” (military term)
Christ has had conquest over the broken system we are all trapped in
1 John 5:1-5
TROUBLE comes from unmet expectations and assumptions about life, about love, and even about God. The WORLD
has let us down.
TAKE HEART, it’s going to be okay. Because Christ has
OVERCOME the brokenness of this WORLD through His death and resurrection.
Now, on to NEW LIFE IN HIM!!
Monday Apr 15, 2019
Monday Apr 15, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – April 14, 2019
Series Title: “Hope, Heal, Help”
Today’s Title: “By His Wounds, We Are Healed”
Today’s Text: Isaiah 53:1-6
Jesus, The Wounded Healer, Understands our Wounds
CAN YOU RELATE TO ANY OF THESE WOUNDS?
- WOUNDED BY APPEARANCE (v2)
- WOUNDED BY REJECTION (v3)
- WOUNDED BY SUFFERING (v3)
- WOUNDED BY PUBLIC HUMILIATION (v3)
- WOUNDED BY DAMAGED REPUTATION(v3)
- WOUNDED BY GODLY DISAPPROVAL (v4)
- WOUNDED BY OPPRESSION (v7)
- WOUNDED BY SILENCE (v7)
- WOUNDED BY JUDGMENT (v8)
- WOUNDED BY ISOLATION (v8)
- WOUNDED BY INJUSTICE (v9)
- WOUNDED BY THE WILL OF GOD (v10)
THE HEALING WOUNDS OF CHRIST (v5-6)
- PIERCED
- CRUSHED
- PUNISHED
THAT’S’S WHAT HE ENDURED TO BRING US
PEACE AND HEALING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NO MATTER WHAT WOUNDS YOU HAVE SUFFERED, CHRIST UNDERSTANDS AND WILL MEET YOU THERE, IN THE SUFFERING
Monday Apr 08, 2019
Monday Apr 08, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – April 7, 2019
Series Title: “Hope, Heal. Help”
Today’s Title: “Heal: Founded on Forgiveness”
Today’s Text: Mark 2:1-12
The Paralysis of Unforgiveness & The Healing Power of Forgiveness
THE TRUTH ABOUT FORGIVENESS
Your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5)
THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS (Mark 2:11)
- Get up!
- Pick up your mat
- Go home
LIVING THE HEALTHY LIFE OF FORGIVENESS
Believe that God forgave you
Forgive yourself
Forgive those who’ve hurt you
Keep on forgiving
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:32
What is most difficult for you about forgiveness? Accepting God’s forgiveness? Forgiving yourself? Forgiving others?
An unforgiving person is an unhealthy person.
Tuesday Apr 02, 2019
Tuesday Apr 02, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – March 31, 2019
Series Title: “Hope, Heal, Help”
Today’s Title: “Hope, Experienced Through Suffering”
Today’s Text: Romans 5:1-5
“All great spirituality is about what we do with our pain.”
― Richard Rohr
How do I move from suffering to hope?
or
How do I move THROUGH suffering to hope?
Spiritual Growth The Path to Hope
2 Peter 1:5-7 “add to” Romans 5:3-4 “produces”
Faith
Goodness Suffering
Knowledge
Self-Control
Perseverance Perseverance
Godliness
Kindness Character
Love Hope
Here is where this path will take you.
“…these qualities …..will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive…” - 2 Peter 1:8
“…hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts.” - Romans 5:5
Monday Mar 25, 2019
Monday Mar 25, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – March 24, 2019
Series Title: “Hope, Heal, Help”
Today’s Title: “Hope: Because Confidence is better than Pessimism”
Today’s Text: Philippians 1:3-14
HOPE PROVIDES THE CONFIDENCE…
- …TO FACE AUTHORITY WITHOUT FEAR
Hebrews 4:14-16
- …TO USE AUTHORITY WITH LOVE
1 John 4:16-18
- …TO BECOME COMPETENT MINISTERS, “LIVING BIBLES”
2 Corinthians 3:1-6
- …THAT WE’LL SEE CHRIST’S GOOD WORK CARRIED THROUGH IN OTHERS
Philippians 1:3-11
- Do you lack confidence?
- What do you fear?
- What do your fears reveal about you?
- Are you using authority with love?
- Are you confident that God is working in you, and in people you have influence upon?
Monday Mar 18, 2019
Monday Mar 18, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – March 10, 2019
Series Title: “Hope, Heal, Help”
Today’s Title: “Hope: Founded on Dying and Rising”
Today’s Text: Romans 6:3-11
THE HOPE OF BAPTISM: Romans 6:3-4
IT’S NOT THE MEANS, IT’S THE MEANING
DIE TO THE EXTERNAL “MAGIC”, RISE TO THE DEEPER, INTERNAL TRUTH
- Ephesians 4:2-6, Colossians 2:9-12 , 1 Peter 3:18-22
THE HOPE OF DEATH: Romans 6:5-7
DIE BEFORE YOU DIE SO YOU CAN LIVE
HOPE DEFINES DEATH AS MORE THAN PHYSICAL BY EMBRACING THE GOOD FOUND IN DYING TO SELF
- Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:9-10
THE HOPE OF CRUCIFIXION: Romans 6:8-10
JESUS DIDN’T SUFFER AND DIE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO; HE INVITED YOU ON TO THE CROSS WITH HIM
HOPE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF SUFFERING, BUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITHIN THE SUFFERING - Galatians 2:20
THE HOPE OF LIFE: Romans 6:11
IT’S NOT IN HOW WE SEE GOD, BUT IN HOW GOD SEES US
HOPE DOES NOT DEFINE “ME” BY WHAT I AM NOT -- MY FAILURES, MY SUFFERINGS, MY INSUFFICIENCIES – BUT BY WHO I AM GOD’S EYES – HIS CHILD - 1 John 3:1
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – February 3, 2019
Series Title: A Space for Worship
Today’s Title: Gathering Places for the People of God
Today’s Text: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
Where do I go to Worship God?
- THE GARDEN & BEYOND - (Adam, Eve, and sons – Genesis 2-4)
- ALTARS TO GOD
- Noah (Genesis 8:20)
- Abraham (Genesis 12:7, 13:18, 22:9)
- Isaac (Genesis 26:25)
- Jacob (Genesis 33:30, 35:1-7)
- “GOD’S HOUSE” AT BETHEL
- Jacob’s Dream (Genesis 28:10-22)
- Jacob calls Bethel “God’s house” (28:22)
- God instructs Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar (Genesis 35:1-15)
- MT. HOREB/SINAI
- “The mountain of God” (Exodus 3:1)
- God speaks to Moses through a burning bush (Exodus 3:2-6)
- God gives Moses the 10 Commandments and the Law (Exodus 19-31)
- God speaks to Elijah at Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:7-12)
- THE TABERNACLE
- Described by God in Exodus 26 & 40
- The radiant face of Moses (Exodus 34:29-35)
- God’s glory dwells there in the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 40:34-38)
- Used as the most holy place from Moses to Solomon (nearly 500 years)
- THE TEMPLE
- Built by Solomon (1 Kings 6) – 967 BC
- Destroyed by Babylonians (2 Kings 25) – 586 BC
- Rebuilt by Zerubbabel (Ezra 5) – 515 BC
- Rebuilt again by Herod – 19 BC
- This was the Temple of Jesus’ day
- THE SYNAGOGUE
- Meeting places in each town for those practicing Judaism
- Begun just before new testament times
Jesus Transforms Worship
- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL IN SAMARIA – John 4:19-24
- True worship is spirit and truth
- THE TRANSFIGURATION – Matthew 17:1-6
- Moses = The Law
- Elijah = The Prophets
- PROPHECY ABOUT THE TEMPLE – Matthew 24:1-2
- THE “CURTAIN” IN THE TEMPLE TORN WHEN JESUS DIED – Matthew 27:50-51
- Access to God is opened up to everyone
- FREEDOM IN THE SPIRIT – 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
- Moses face (Exodus 34:29-35)
- Set free from location (2 Corinthians 3:17)
- “being transformed” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
- Metamorphoo’
- Matthew 17:2
- Romans 12:2
- 2 Corinthians 3:17
- Metamorphoo’
God’s temple is not a matter of “where”, but “who”
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
Monday Jan 28, 2019
Monday Jan 28, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – January 27, 2019
Series Title: “A Space for Worship”
Today’s Title: “Which Day is the Lord’s Day?”
Today’s Text: Colossians 2:9-23
WORSHIP WEEKLY
Sabbath
- Genesis 2:2-3 establishes Sabbath, the day God rested
- Sabbath Law was vital to keeping the Law of Moses
- Our body, mind, and soul need rest
Do/should Christians keep the Sabbath?
- In Acts, Sabbath at the synagogue used to spread the gospel
- Acts 13:15, 16:13, 17:2, 18:4
- Sabbath in the Epistles
- Colossians 2:16 – Don’t be judged by Sabbath practice
- Hebrews 4:9 –A “Sabbath rest” for God’s people
- Except Gospels, no other N.T. verse mentions “Sabbath”
Why do most Christians have public worship on Sunday?
- Scripture has some hints, but no clear directive
- Acts 20:7 – “broke bread“ on the first day of week”
- 1 Cor. 16:2 – collection “on the first day of every week”
- Revelation 1:10–John’s vision came “on the Lord’s Day”.
- Early church used “the Lord’s Day” because it was the day that Christ arose. (Ignatius of Antioch)
WORSHIP DAILY
Start every day with prayer
- Psalm 5:3, 55:17, 59:16, 88:13, 90:14, 92:1-2, 143:8
WORSHIP AS A PATTERN FOR LIFE – Romans 12:1-2
Your greatest act of worship is to be a “living sacrifice”
- By breaking the patterns that don’t work (of the world)
- By renewing your mind (thinking differently)
As transformation happens, the will of God becomes more clear
Tuesday Jan 15, 2019
Tuesday Jan 15, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – January 13, 2019
Series Title: “A Space for Worship”
Today’s Title: “What is God’s Net Worth?” (the “what” question)
Today’s Main Text: Revelation 5:6-14
What is God worth to you?
- Jesus is Worthy to unfold history (Revelation 5:9)
- “because he was slain” - His death and resurrection has impacted all of human history; then, now, and forever. (1:19)
- “persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
- ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE “PERSONS”?
- Jesus is Worthy to receive…. (Revelation 5:12)
….power & wealth & wisdom & strength & honor & glory & praise!”
- “receive” from where, from who? how? (4:11)
- What on that list does He lack that we could give?
- The first 4 are what I need from God
- The last 3 are what I can give to God
- All of them are how I can worship God
- The Worship (worthiness) of Christ is a Way of Life
- Acknowledge the POWER of the Gospel - Romans 1:16
- Depend upon the WEALTH OF His grace, not upon gold
- Philippians 4:19
- Accept the upside-down WISDOM of God - 1 Cor. 1:21-24
- Draw STRENGTH from His death & resurrection – Eph. 1:18-23
- HONOR the Father by believing the Son - John 5:21-23
- See Christ’s GLORY by suffering for Him - 1 Peter 4:12-14
- PRAISE is the best form of sacrifice - Hebrews 13:15
What are you worth to God?