Life-relevant Bible-based teachings from Rev. Paul Miller, Pastor of Bushkill Community Church and St. John’s E.C. Church.
Episodes
Tuesday Jan 08, 2019
Tuesday Jan 08, 2019
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – January 6, 2019
Series Title: “A Space for Worship”
Today’s Title: “Making Space & Time for the Maker of Space & Time”
Today’s Text: Colossians 1:15-23
WHO ARE YOU? WHO IS JESUS? (Matt. 16:13-17) WHO IS GOD? (Exo. 3:11-15)
TO KNOW WHO GOD IS, LOOK TO JESUS – John 14:6-11
God is CREATOR of “all things”
- THE PHYSICAL - Heaven & Earth
- MATTER & SPIRIT - Visible & invisible
- AUTHORITY - Thrones, powers & rulers
- TIME – Before all things
- ORDER – All things hold together
- THE CHURCH – Head of the church
- DEATH & LIFE – conquered death
God is RECONCILER of “all things”
- In Heaven
- On Earth
- Peace Through Christ’s blood
YOU are…
- INCLUDED! - HOLY!
- WITHOUT BLEMISH! - FREE FROM ACCUSATION!
…IF YOU CONTINUE…
- IN THE FAITH - ESTABLISHED & FIRM
- UNMOVED BECAUSE OF HOPE - FOUND IN THE “GOSPEL”
Which has been proclaimed to every “creature”!
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 30, 2018
Series Title: “Jesus Came to Give”
Today’s Title: “He Came to Give Love & Life”
Today’s Text: John 15:9-17 & John 10:10
Getting Better at Love…
- Remain in God’s Love (v9-10)
- John 15:5
- Obey the Command to Love (v10-12)
- 1 John 4:11-12
- Love Others Like God Loves You (v12)
- Matthew 22:34-40
- Give Yourself Away (v13-15)
- 1 John 3:16
- A Friend of God Loves Their Friends (v13-15)
- Proverbs 17:17
- Plan to be Fruitful (v16)
- Galatians 5:22-23
- Never Stop Loving (v17)
- 1 Corinthians 13:7-8
Monday Dec 24, 2018
Monday Dec 24, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 23, 2018
Series Title: Jesus Came to Give
Today’s Title: He Came to Give Joy!
Today’s Text: James 1:1-12
Begin with the end in mind
- The Beginning: “Consider it pure joy….”
- The End: “…not lacking anything.”
JOY BEGINS HERE
“Consider it pure joy, …..whenever you face trials of many kinds,…”
- “consider”- see trials differently
- bring a new mindset to trials
- “many kinds” – loss, grief, illness, broken relationships,
injustice, poverty
JOY IS REFINED HERE
“the testing of your faith” – 1 Peter 1:6-7
- Believing that God is in the trial, no matter the outcome
- “Where are you, God?” is a faith building question
“produces perseverance.” – 2 Peter 1:5-8
- If your faith is never tested, how will you grow?
JOY IS COMPLETED HERE
“Let perseverance finish its work”
- Don’t just read the Bible, let the Bible read you
– James 1:22-25
- That which lasts long does not come quickly
- 1 Cor. 13:4, Gal. 5:22 Col. 3:12
“so that you may be mature and complete” - grown up – Ephesians 4:15
“not lacking anything.”
- YOU can be enough!
- YOU can have what you need to live
- YOU can become ready for whatever life brings
JOY WAS PRESENT HERE
- Because humble people believed the message from God about the Christ (shepherds)
- Because wise people looked for God in the darkness until they found the light (the Magi)
Tuesday Dec 11, 2018
Tuesday Dec 11, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 9, 2018
Series Title: “Jesus Came to Give”
Today’s Title: “He Came to Give Faith”
Today’s Text: Matthew 8:5-13 & 23-27
7 EXAMPLES OF GREAT FAITH IN THE GOSPELS
- A CENTURION (on behalf of his sick servant) Matthew 8:5-13 (v10) healed from far away
- FRIENDS OF A PARALYTIC - Matthew 9:1-8 (v2)
- A BLEEDING WOMAN – Mark. 5:24-34 (v34)
- A CANAANITE WOMAN (identified as “Greek” in Mark 7) (on behalf of her demon possessed daughter) – Matthew 15:21-28 (v28) – healed from far away
- BARTIMAEUS - (a persistent blind man) -Mk. 10:46-52 (v52)
- A “SINFUL” WOMAN - Luke 7:36-50 (v50) – washed Jesus feet in the presence of “the 12”, and of Pharisees in the home of a Pharisee for this dinner)
7. A SAMARITAN LEPER - Luke 17:11-19 (v19) – (healed along with 9 others)
Monday Nov 26, 2018
Monday Nov 26, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 25, 2018
Series Title: “What Does God Require?”
Today’s Title: “To Walk Humbly with Your God”
Today’s Text: Micah 6:8 & 1 Peter 5:1-11
Wear Humility
Proverbs 31:25
Ephesians 4:22-25
Colossians 3:12-14
1 Peter 1:5
Walk Humbly
Humble is NOT…
selfish smug
self-seeking proud
self-righteous rude
ignorant arrogant
apathetic conceited
…concerned with who gets the credit (or the blame)
… jealous of the success of others
…seeking attention, accolades, or glory
…waiting around to be noticed or thanked
Humble…
…is prepared to put the needs of the “other” ahead of my own needs
…knows that God sees what they I do, and that is enough
…finds satisfaction in the simple things
…has no hidden agenda
…is willing to let go of personal gain for the sake of the “other”
…is ready to let go of rights in order to help the “other”
…knows failure and extends grace to those who fail
Philippians 2:5-11
Tuesday Nov 20, 2018
Tuesday Nov 20, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 18, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Requires”
Today’s Title: "To Love Mercy"
Today’s Text: Micah 6:8 & Matthew 9:9-13
KINDNESS & MERCY COME FROM THE HEART OF GOD - - WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART?
Micah 6:8 – “to love mercy”?
How far does the mercy of God go?
To Nineveh in the days of Jonah
- After running, Jonah warned to Nineveh (Jonah 1 &2)
- Nineveh repented and God changed His mind (Jonah 3:6-10)
JONAH DID NOT LOVE MERCY (Jonah 4:1-4)
To the Tax Collectors in the Gospels
Matthew (Matthew 9:9-13)
‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ ( v13 from Hosea 6:6)
THE PHARISEES DID NOT LOVE MERCY
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
“All the people….began to mutter,” (19:7)
“THE PEOPLE” DID NOT LOVE MERCY
Parable of the Pharisee & the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)
THE PHARISEE DID NOT LOVE MERCY
The Roman Centurion (Matthew 8:5-13)
The demon possessed man in Gerasenes (Mark 5:1-20)
The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)
- The criminals crucified next to Christ (Luke 23:39-43)
Paul on mercy, kindness, & repentance
- Romans 2:4
- 2 Corinthians 7:10
How freely do you extend the kindness & mercy of God?
Grudgingly? Hesitantly? Conditionally? Dutifully?
Lovingly?
KINDNESS & MERCY COME FROM THE HEART OF GOD
WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART?
Tuesday Nov 13, 2018
Tuesday Nov 13, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 11, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Requires”
Today’s Title: “To Act Justly”
Today’s Text: Micah 6:8 & Luke 4:14-21
The Power of Three: Justice – Mercy – Humility
Jesus Modeled Justice from the start (Luke 4:14-21)
To proclaim good news to the poor
To proclaim freedom for the prisoners
To recover sight for the blind
To set the oppressed free
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
“poor”, “prisoners”, “blind”, & “oppressed” occur 106x in the Gospels
What are your Priorities? How do your ACTIONS help…
the poor (all those who lack what they need the most)
the prisoners (imprisoned addictions, slaves to sin)
the blind (blind to truth, living in darkness)
the oppressed (politically, economically, socially)
Acting justly,(doing the work of justice), requires confrontation of the oppressor.
Just never forget that every oppressor is eligible for MERCY
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 4, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Requires”
Today’s Title: “With what shall I come before the Lord?”
Today’s Text: Micah 6:1-8
Micah: A storm is coming named Assyria
Micah’s Storm Warning to Israel - Micah 1:3-7
- How King Hoshea Responded - 2 Kings 17:1-13
- He turned to another nation and to their gods, ending the 200 year history of the northern kingdom, Israel.
Micah’s Storm Warning to Judah - Micah 3:1-12
- How King Ahaz Responded - 2 Chronicles 28:16-25
- He rejected God and turned to idols
- How King Hezekiah Responded - 2 Kings 19:14-19
- He prayed to the only true God
Micah’s Teaching - What do I bring to God? - Micah 6:6-7
- Burnt offerings?
- Thousands of rams?
- Rivers of olive oil?
- My first born? (2 Kings 16:1-4)
What do YOU bring to God and why do you bring it?
- “sacrifices”
- Time?
- Money?
- Obedience?
- Dedication?
If not sacrifice, then what DOES God require?
- To act justly
- To love mercy
- To walk humbly with your God
Friday Nov 02, 2018
Friday Nov 02, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 28, 2018
Series: Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Forgives”
Today’s Text: Genesis 45:1-15
Joseph
Set free from prison and exalted to the highest place on earth, he used his power and authority to save his brothers, and to set them free.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS – Genesis 45
- TERRIFYING - (45:3)
- COME CLOSE - (45:4)
- SALVATION (45:4-7)
- GOD’S PLAN (45:8)
- PERMANENT (50:15-21)
JOSEPH & JESUS
- Both were rejected by their own people
- Both were dead to their father
- Both were raised to the highest place of honor
- Being in their presence can be terrifying
- Invited us to “come close” (Matthew 11:28-30)
- Sent ahead, into “death”, to save others
- Both were part of God’s plan
- Neither changes their mind about forgiveness
Jesus
Set free from death and exalted to the highest place in heaven, He used His power and authority to save mankind and to set us free.
Monday Oct 22, 2018
Monday Oct 22, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 21, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Comforts”
Today’s Text: Genesis 39:1-6 & 20-23
“We are all defined by suffering. If you do not seek to know God inside of your suffering, you’ll recreate “god” in the image of your desired outcome”
A few things about Joseph…
PRESENCE + ATTITUDE = SUCCESS - Genesis 39:2-5
JOSEPH HONORS GOD’S THRU OBEDIENCE - Genesis 39:8-9
GOD’S PRESENCE & KINDNESS - Genesis 39:20-23
SUBMISSIVE CONFIDENCE - Genesis 40:8
HE IS NOT AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP - Genesis 40:14-15
GOD IS WITH US!
- Matthew 1:23 (quoting Isaiah 7:14)
- Matthew 28:20
- Romans 8:31-39
Because God is with me, I can…..
Because God is with me, I can ________________________
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