Sermons by Mike Hardin

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noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:40:00 +0000

Devotional for “First Friday”

Tara Baptist Church, October 10, 2008

by Mike Hardin, pastor, First Baptist Lovejoy, GA

Job 1

Prologue

¹ In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³
and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred
yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of
servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

⁴
His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they
would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵
When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have
them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering
for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed
God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.

Job's First Test

⁶ One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. ⁷ The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

⁸
Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There
is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who
fears God and shuns evil."

⁹ "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. ¹⁰
"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything
he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and
herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

¹² The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

¹³ One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵
and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to
the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

¹⁶
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire
of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and
I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

¹⁷
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The
Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels
and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the
only one who has escaped to tell you!"

¹⁸
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your
sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest
brother's house, ¹⁹ when
suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four
corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am
the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:
       "Naked I came from my mother's womb,
       and naked I will depart.
       The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
       may the name of the LORD be praised."

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job 2

Job's Second Test

¹ On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. ² And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

³
Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There
is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who
fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though
you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

⁴ "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. ⁵ But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."

⁶ The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

⁷
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with
painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. ⁸ Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

⁹ His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

¹⁰ He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Job 42

¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹
All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came
and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all
the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a
piece of silver and a gold ring.

¹²
The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He
had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of
oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵
Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's
daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with
their brothers.

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so he died, old and full of years.

A description of Job.

Job was a righteous “church
going” man.
Job was a family man. He loved
his family and prayed for them regularly.
- Married
- seven sons and three daughters
Job had a great (live) stock portfolio.
- 7 thousand camels
- 3 thousand sheep
- 500 yoke (pair) of oxen
- 500 donkeys
- Many servants

Even when all seems lost, God is in
control. Before Satan could take Job's wealth and his family from
him, he had to enter the presence of God and seek God's permission.
God is not unaware of our market crisis. He is not unaware of our
health problems or family problems. He is not unconcerned or impotent
to deal with these problems. He does have reasons for allowing
problems that we don't understand, and may never understand.

The story of Job reminds us of the
principal of stewardship. When told that he had lost everything, he
grieved. However, he recognized that all he had belonged to God, and
it was God's sovereign right to take it whenever he chose. So he
praised God. The Bible doesn't tell us what he praised God for.

Perhaps he praised God for his
sovereignty. It is easy to think when we have great wealth and
many servants that we don't need God. The loss of all these things
reminded him that God was still in control.
Perhaps he praised God for the
time that he had his wealth and family.
We are often guilty of thinking in terms of what we lost. Job
acknowledged that he came into the world with nothing. Rather than
thinking in terms of what he lost, he felt lucky to have had so much
for so long.
Perhaps he
thanked God for what remained. Job still had his wife. At this
point in the story he still had his health. Tragedy has a way of
helping us to appreciate what we have.

Lessons for us in
these uncertain times.

Trust that God
is in control, even when the market is out of control. Remember the
promise of Romans 8:28.
Remember that
our real wealth is in our family, not our fortune.
Remember that
we serve a God who can take it all away, but we also serve a God who
can restore all we have, and even multiply it.
Guard your
heart. The world may take our wealth, and our health. We will
certainly lose family members whom we love and hold dear. But our
integrity is one thing that cannot be taken from us. If we lose our
integrity it is because we have given it up.

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:01:00 +0000

3:16 Numbers of Hope Week 4

Full Screen

Chapter 7: Heaven's "Whoever" Policy

"Whoever" is a barrier breaking word.

It breaks down racial barriers.
It breaks down gender barriers.
It breaks down social barriers.
It breaks down economic barriers.
It breaks down the barriers of time. Anyone in any age can believe.

Other "whoever" verses of the Gospels:

"God's 'whoever' policy has a 'however' benefit, a whenever clause."

Lucado illustrates the "however" benefit with the parable about Lazarus and the rich man. He illustrates the "whenever" clause with the parable of the landowner hiring laborers an hour before quitting time.

One more.... The whoever policy also is available wherever you are. You can't be too far from home to come home. See the parable of the prodigal.

Chapter 8: Believe and Receive

John 3:14-15 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Numbers 21:5-9 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

⁶ Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. ⁷ The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸ The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Lucado: Snake-bit Israelites found healing by looking at the pole. Sinners find healing by looking to Christ.

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:30:00 +0000

The Three Angels

Revelation 14:6-13

I. The First Angel (vv. 6-7)

Revelation 14:6-7 ⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people. ⁷ He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

This angel comes preaching good news. Even in the last hour, as God's judgment is imminent, he pleads with the lost to come to him for forgiveness.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Characteristics of the angels message:

It was good news.
It was eternal news.
It was universal news (all nations, tribes, languages, and people). (Acts 2:5-12)
It was urgent news (judgment has come).

II. The Second Angel (v. 8)

Revelation 14:8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

Just as Jerusalem is the center of Judaism, Mecca is the center of Islam, Rome the center of Catholicism, and Nashville the home of Southern Baptists, so Babylon will be the center of the cult of the unholy trinity of chapter 13. The cult of anti-christ, the statue, will all be in Babylon. Whether this is the actual city of Babylon we know from history, or is a symbolic name for whatever city hosts this abominable worship, we don't know.

Babylon has not yet fallen at this point in the progression. The angel is speaking in the "prophetic present." The fall of Babylon is depicted in detail in Revelation 18, at the end of the seven bowls of God's wrath.

III. The Third Angel (vv. 9-13)

Revelation 14:9-13 ⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, ¹⁰ he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." ¹² This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. ¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

God's judgment on the unrepentant.

Will drink the wine of God's fury (this prepares us for the bowl judgments)
The wrath (fury) of God in this time will not be tempered. (full strength, without mixture).
The wrath brings torment.
The torment takes place in view of the angels and the Lamb.
The torment is eternal (smoke rises for ever and ever).
Two Guarantors of the Wrath

Worshiping the Beast and his image,
Receiving the mark of his name.

God's blessing on the saints
Saints must endure much.

Obey God
Remain Faithful to Jesus.

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.

cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-11 ⁶ God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you ⁷ and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. ⁸ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power ¹⁰ on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. ¹¹ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

Get a Life: What do I Need to Learn?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Full Screen

The Beast out of the Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Revelation 13:1-10 ¹ And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. ² The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. ³ One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. ⁴ Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" ⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. ⁶ He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. ⁷ He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. ⁸ All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. ⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. John seeks to emphasize three things about the first beast: he shows

the conspiracy of the dragon with the beast (vv. 3-4);
the universal success of this partnership in deceiving the whole world to worship them (vv. 3-4, 8); and
that the partnership will succeed in a temporary defeat of the saints of God, thus accomplishing the greatest blasphemy of God (vv. 6-7a).

Cf for the antichrist 2 Thes 2:1-10 7 heads vs ten horns... per John MacArthur, the 7 heads represent 7 successive world empires while the 10 horns represent concurrent kingdoms all under the authority of the beast in the last days.

Get a Life: What Am I Good At?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Matthew 25:14-30

¹⁴"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

¹⁹"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

²¹"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

²²"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

²³"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

²⁴"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

²⁶"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Destroy the Myths about talents.

Myth 1: I don't have any talents.

Notice in Matthew 25:14 that the master gave all his servants something to be responsible for.

Myth 2: Everyone is created equal.

He gave to each one "according to his ability."

We talked at the beginning of last week about a golf scorecard. Golf is a game that with lessons, learning proper technique, and a lot of practice, one can significantly improve his or her abilities. Yet many who have played for a long time realize that no matter how long they play, they will never be good enough for the pro tour. But in Tiger Woods we could see even as a boy that he had a huge amount of natural talent.

Myth 3: God gives me talents to enhance my life.

Our talents do enhance our lives. But that is not their primary purpose. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 Paul says, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." In the parable of the talents we see that the master of the servants returned to settle accounts. The talents had been given to the servants so that they could be put to use for the master's benefit. From these two passages we can draw these conclusions.

God gives me talents to build his kingdom.
God gives me talents to bless others.
When I use my talents to build God's kingdom and bless others, I will be blessed. Come and share your master's happiness (Matthew 25:21).

Myth 4: I am limited to my current talents.

The two faithful servants were able to multiply their talents.
The master gave the talent of the unfaithful servant to one of the faithful servants.
We can gain new talents by:

Developing the abilities we have.
Being willing to take risks.
Recognizing that our talents belong to the master, not to ourselves.

Update:
As people were leaving the morning service, I was greeting them at the back door. On the way out someone put a handwritten note in my shirt pocket. Although I made a mental note about it, when I found the note later I could not remember for certain who had written it. However, I do have an idea, because one person also spoke to me verbally about the same matter.

During the service I made the point that we were NOT all created equal. This is the written response I received.

All mankind was created in the image of God. We all were created equal! We are given talent according to what the Holy Spirit has for us as an individual, to do in the here and now! This talent can, may, and will be changed, added to or/and increased/decreased according to what we are to do NEXT....

Due to the tone of the note (i.e. the exclamation point after the second sentence, and "all caps" at the end), I am concerned that I may have offended this person by not communicating clearly. Since I'm not POSITIVE who gave me the note, I'll post my reply here. I apologize for any offense. I'll try to communicate more clearly.

We are all created in the image of God. Scripture is clear that God created Adam in his image. We are all descended from Adam. There are two schools of thought on whether that means we are all created in his image.

One could argue that we are all created in God's image because we are all descended from Adam.
One could also argue that none of us is created in God's image, because we are all born in sin, and sin has marred that image. That being the case only the blood of Christ can restore us to the image of God.

One cannot argue that some are born in God's image and others are not. Therefore if being created in the image of God is the standard for equality, then certainly we are all equal. Either we are all created in his image, or none of us are. If we were created "in Adam" then all of us were created in God's image. If you consider we were created when we were conceived or when we were born, then I'd argue none of us are in the image of God until we are justified by the blood of Christ.

We are given talents according to what the Holy Spirit has for us as an individual to do in the here and now! I agree completely. But what is left out of this context is that those talents differ in nature (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) and quantity (Matthew 25:14-30). It is in this context that I stated we are not all equal. We do not all have the same type of talents, and we do not all have talent in the same measure. In the same way we could say that we are born into varying degrees of financial well being. Some are born into great wealth, some to sufficiency, and some into abject poverty. We do not get an equal start in life with regard to wealth.

Some of us are born with great health. We are born defect and disease free, while some are born addicted to the drugs our mothers were taking, or with physical or mental birth defects. Some are born with an extremely high intelligence quotient, while others are born with mental retardation. I would never argue that God loves the rich, healthy, or intelligent any more than he loves the poor, sickly, or mentally challenged. I am sure my note writing friend and I would agree that God loves them all equally. When I say we were not created equal, I am not speaking to the value of the individual. I am saying that some start life with more advantages, some start life with more challenges.

The point of the parable was that while we do not start life with equal advantages, or talents, we do have equal accountability. The one who earned two talents was given the same verbal commendation as the one who earned five. The reason was that the one who earned five started with five, but the one who had earned two started with two. The one who started with two was not expected to earn as many as the one who started with five. They both were expected to be faithful with what they had. So just because someone may seem to start the race of life ahead of you (what I meant by unequal) does not mean you are at a disadvantage in the kingdom of God. You will be evaluated by what you did with what you had, not how you compared to someone else.

The Seventh Trumpet -- The Triumph of Christ's Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:00:00 +0000

Sunday Night, June 29, 2008 First Baptist Church, Lovejoy, GA - Pastor Mike Hardin Revelation 11:15-19 ¹⁵ The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. ¹⁸ The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth." ¹⁹ Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Outline of passage

The 7th angel sounds the 7th trumpet (15a)

Voices announce God's Sovereignty Over His Kingdom (15b)

Twenty-four elders Worship (16-18)

They fell on their faces.
They express gratitude.
They acknowledge God's reign.
They rejoice in God's judgments.

The temple in heaven is opened (19)

The ark is revealed
Flashes of lightning
Rumbling, peals of thunder
Earthquake
Great Hailstorm

The last three of the 7 trumpets were so horrific they were referred to as the "three woes" (Revelation 8:13). The seventh trumpet is the third woe, and the 7 bowls of wrath that are to come are all part of this seventh trumpet. Cross Reference the seventh trumpet of Revelation with the Trumpet of Joel 2:1-2.

Joel 2:1-2 ¹ Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- ² a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come.

Verse 15 Cross reference Psalm 2

Psalms 2:1-12 ¹ Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. ³ "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters." ⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. ⁵ Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ⁶ "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." ⁷ I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. ⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹ You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." ¹⁰ Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Verse 17 The elders refer to the one "who is and who was". Earlier in Revelation they referred to the one "who is, who was, and who is to come." The implication is that at this point, he has come.

Verse 18 Three groups who receive rewards:

The Prophets
The Saints
Those who reverence your name

Destroyers of the earth:

Babylon,
the beast,
the false prophet, and
the dragon

Verse 19 Is this ark the OT ark of the covenant? Probably not. It is not located in an earthly temple, but in a heavenly temple. The OT ark was always referred to as "The Ark of The Covenant". The one in Rev. 11:19 is referred to as "The Ark of His [God's] Covenant". Possible the OT Ark related to the Mosaic Covenant, while the Heavenly Ark relates to the New Covenant in Christ.

Get a Life: Part 2, What is Important to Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:23:00 +0000

Philippians 3:7-14

By Mike Hardin

Sermon 2 of 5 in the series Get a Life!

Philippians 3:7-14 (NIV)
⁷But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
¹²Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Introduction

Many years ago there was an ad in a Tucumcari, New Mexico paper. It was in the Available and Wanted section and went like this: “Marriage minded man with one hundred fifty irrigated acres of farmland seeks marriage minded woman with John Deere tractor. When replying, send picture of the tractor.” Friends, there is a man who knows what is important to him.

This morning, as we continue this series, I want to pose this question for your consideration: “What is really important to me?” Our subject is values and they are crucial in determining whether or not you have a life. Last week we looked at your purpose in life and the reason why you are here. You may understand your purpose yet you will need values to support your vision. They express how you need to behave while moving in the direction of your dream. If not, your dream can become a nightmare, taunting you over the life you are missing.

Ask yourself this question: “What would I be doing with my time if I knew I only had six healthy months to live?” It might help you to see clearly what you really value. Obviously the adjective “really” communicates that we have real values and we have espoused values, those we pay lip service to and those by which we live. We can have vain values and we can have substantial values. How do we know the difference? We must clarify them.

Outline

Our Priorities Change with Our Perspective (3:7-8a)
1. Learning the Truth Modifies our Perspective
2. Knowing Christ Modifies our Perspective
Our Priorities Determine Our Purpose (3:8b-11)
1. All Priorities are Meaningless apart from Christ.
2. Our Purpose is to be Righteous (Rightly related to God).
  1. There is no such thing as being "self-righteous"
    1. There is a distinction between being morally righteous and legally righteous.
    2. Only by Faith can we be rightly related to God.
  2. A Right Relationship with God means Christ lives through us.
    1. We share in the power of his resurrection
    2. We share in the fellowship of his suffering.
Our Priorities are Revealed in our Passion (3:12-14)
1. Passion is revealed in focus. "One thing I do..." (v. 13)
2. Passion is exclusive. "Forgetting what is behind."
3. Passion results in action. "straining... I press on"

Based on the sermon by Brett Selby.

Get a Life: Part 1, Why Am I Here?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:14:00 +0000

¹This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²(This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) ³He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

⁴This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” ⁸Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. ⁹They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD.

¹⁰This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:1-14 (NIV)

Introduction

In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that he came for a purpose. That purpose was that we might have abundant life. Often we make the mistake of thinking abundant life is something that we begin to experience only in heaven, that this life is just a holding pattern for heaven. It is true that this life is preparation for eternity. But that doesn't mean that life is not meant to be lived in abundance right now.

In our passage in Jeremiah 29 we find the exiles from Jerusalem living in captivity in Babylon. They were waiting to live life after the exile was over. They were thinking that they would build a house when the exile was over. They were thinking that they would begin careers when the exile was over. Their lives were going to start someday. Jeremiah wrote them a letter. It is the first letter found in the Bible. In this letter he told them not to wait for someday to begin their lives, but to start living them right now.

Many of us live our lives the same way. We are going to start living when we meet the right person. We are going to start living when we get that next raise. We are going to start living when we have children. We are going to start living when we find the right job. We are going through the motions of living waiting for something to happen that will begin the abundant phase of life. The problem is that God wants every phase of life to be abundant. That doesn't mean that every phase of life is fun, but every phase can be fruitful if we embrace it.

In his book The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren begins by addressing the universal question of “Why Am I Here?” What he means by that question is, “Why did God create me? Why do I exist? What is my purpose?” But there is another way to look at the question of “Why Am I Here?” What if instead of asking “Why do I exist?” we asked ourselves, “Why am I in this particular place, at this particular time, under these particular circumstances?”

Instead of thinking that they could begin life when they got back to Jerusalem, Jeremiah wanted them to think about why they were in Babylon. Why were they in exile? What was God doing in their lives right where they were?

God Has a Good Plan for Your Life (v. 11)

When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, we need to remember that God has a plan. When Abraham raised his knife to give Isaac as an offering of obedience to God, God had a plan. When Joseph was sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned, God had a plan. When Saul was hunting David down, trying to take his life, God had a plan. When the disciples were bailing water while Jesus was sleeping through the storm, God had a plan. When Mary and John stood before the cross, watching her son and his teacher being crucified, God had a plan.

God's Plan is to Bless Us. (v. 12)

What did God mean when he said he wanted to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future? When we hear the word “prosper” we are prone to think in terms of financial prosperity. During their time in Babylon many if the exiles did prosper financially. But verse 12 tells us what prosperity looks like from God's perspective.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me. In Jerusalem these people had turned their hearts away from God. Some may have become very secular, others were worshiping false gods. In this letter from Jeremiah God is letting them know that he is going to use this experience to draw them as a people back to himself.

These people were not calling on God. After the exile they would call on him. They were not praying to God. After the exile they would pray to him. When they lived in Jerusalem, even if they had prayed, God would not have listened to their prayers, because of their sinful lives. God says that after the exile, not only will you pray, but when you pray, I'll listen.

God's Plan is to Reveal Himself to Us. (v. 13)

God wanted a love relationship with his people. He wanted to pour out his blessing on them, but their hearts had been divided. He told them that after the exile experience, they would no longer have divided hearts.

God's Plan is Both Present and Future.

God is concerned about the current welfare of his people. He encourages them to build houses, plant crops, and raise families. He doesn't want them to miss out on the blessings of today because they are waiting on the blessings of tomorrow. He promises some great blessings for the future, but it was a future most of the exiles would never see. He tells them that in 70 years he is going to gather them up and take them back to Jerusalem. Only a few of the children would likely live 70 years to see the return to Jerusalem. God wanted them to enjoy life in Babylon, while looking forward to a day when their children and grandchildren would return to their homeland.

In the same way God wants us love life full lives today, while looking forward to the day when we are gathered with him in heaven.

God's Plan is to Make Us a Blessing

God told the exiles to seek the peace and prosperity of the city. He told them to pray for the city. He told them, “If it prospers, you prosper.”

God wants us to be a blessing, even to our enemies.
God blesses us so that we can bless others.
God blesses us when we bless others.

Jeremiah 29

Terms

Babylon: At the time of Nebuchadnezzar, the capital of Babylonia, the only superpower of it's day. Nebuchadnezzar's projects made the city one of the wonders of the world. It was a testimony to his strength and power.

Jehoiachin: former King of Judah, in exile with his mother in Babylon.

⁸Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. ⁹He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father had done.
¹⁰At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, ¹¹and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. ¹²Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.
In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. ¹³As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the LORD. ¹⁴He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.
¹⁵Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother, his wives, his officials and the leading men of the land.

2 Kings 24:1-15 (NIV)

Zedekiah: client king of Judah, paying tribute to Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. The last king of Judah, he and the Jews who stayed behind with him after the exile were considered by God to be beyond redemption.

¹ After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the craftsmen and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. ² One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

³ Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten."

⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁵ "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. ⁶ My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. ⁷ I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

⁸ " 'But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,' says the LORD, 'so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. ⁹ I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, an object of ridicule and cursing, wherever I banish them. ¹⁰ I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers.' "

Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NIV)

Nebuchadnezzar: king of Babylon, captured king Jehoiachin and his mother, appointed Zedekiah a client king of Judah.

The Lord's Supper

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:00:00 +0000

This Sunday morning we will be observing the Lord's Supper. Thanks to Dr. OS Hawkins of Guidestone Financial Resources for providing the outline for this message. Guidestone, formerly known as the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, provides insurance and investment services for church and denominational employees.

Full Screen

Update: New Sermon Series -- Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:17:00 +0000

Previous Post: New Sermon Series -- Revelation

Services were canceled on the evening of 12/23/08 due to the passing of Toby Mugovero, and the approaching Christmas holiday. I was unable to preach the following Sunday evening due to a back injury. Thanks to Danny Bramlett for filling in for me that night. If the Lord is willing, we will begin our Revelation study on Sunday evening, January 6, 2008, at six o'clock. Thank you for your patience.

An Old Resolution for a New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:00:00 +0000

Hebrews 10:19-25

¹⁹Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Four Heads of Lettuce

1. Let us Love God (19-22)

Reasons to draw near to God

We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place.
Because Jesus shed his blood to facilitate a love relationship.
We have a great priest over the house of God

How to draw near to God

With a sincere heart
In full assurance of faith,
Having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience
Having our bodies washed with pure water.

2. Let us Trust God (23)

We can trust him because he is faithful.
We can trust him because his word is true.
We can trust him because of his great love.

3. Let us Serve God. (24)

Serve God with your mind: Let us consider...
Serve God with your relationships: spur one another.
Serve God from your heart: to love
Serve God with your body: and good deeds.

4. Let us Build Community (25, Acts 2:42)

Meet together to grow (Apostle's teaching).
Meet together to fellowship
Meet together to break bread
- Worship
- Burden Sharing
- Relationships
Meet together to pray

New Sermon Series -- Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:59:00 +0000

Going through at least the first quarter of 2008, I am planning to begin preaching through the book of Revelation on Sunday nights. I will begin this Sunday night, December 23^rd with an introduction to the book, focusing on Revelation 1:1-8.

Between now and the end of March, we'll be able to cover roughly the first six chapters of Revelation. I'll decide in late February whether to continue the study past March. A lot will depend on your feedback. If I sense that you are eager to learn more, we will likely plow through and may spend most of 2008 in Revelation. If I get the sense that we are on "Revelation overload" we'll do something else and come back to it later.

A Gift at Christmas: Obedience

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:00:00 +0000

Matthew 1:18-25 ¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Introduction

During the Christmas season we commemorate God's great gift to us by giving gifts to one another. We do so because we cannot, the the traditional sense, but a gift, wrap it, and give it to God. The greatest gift we can give to God is our love. Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-38 , Deuteronomy 6:5 ). It is easy to say that we are giving God the gift of love, but the test is our obedience to him (John 14:15 ).

Joseph is an example of a man who gave God the gift of love, demonstrated in obedience.

The Character of Obedience (Matthew 1:18-19 )

Verse 19 tells us two things about Joseph's character. We are told he was a righteous man, and that he did not want to put Mary to expose Mary to public disgrace. These may seem in our minds to be complementary, cause and effect. But the fact is that the two would actually be at odds with one another. A righteousness apart from mercy would have sought to see Mary punished for her apparent sin. Joseph is here a type of God who is righteous and does not condone sin, but at the same time is merciful, providing a means of forgiveness from sin.

As a righteous man Joseph would not want to marry a girl who had been with another man. He would not want to marry her because she had been defiled. He also would not want to make a life partner of someone who did not share his morals and values. We don't know if Mary had told Joseph the story of her visit from the angel, and of her immaculate conception, but if she had we cannot fault Joseph's skepticism. The story would only do more to confirm her corrupt character in his mind, adding the sin of lying to the sin of infidelity. How could he marry someone he could not trust? And to marry her would have greatly sullied his own reputation. To marry this obviously pregnant maiden would have sent a message that he was responsible for her condition, that he had taken her before the marriage ceremony.

But the other side of Joseph's character is his mercy. Though he must have felt very betrayed by Mary, he did not want to add to her shame and disgrace. He had a right to demand a public trial for her act of adultery. That would have been humiliating to both her and her family. Joseph had no desire to exercise this right. Rather he sought a private divorce, and "out of court settlement" if you will, to save her further embarrassment. In Joseph's attitude toward Mary, even before his visit from the angel, we see a picture of God's benevolent heart toward us, seeking a path that affords both justice and mercy.

The Call to Obedience (Matthew 1:20-23)

An angel appeared to reveal to Joseph the plan of God. Our obedience to God's will is always limited by our knowledge of that will. God revealed his will to Joseph in a dream, through an angel. He reveals his will to us in many ways, but primarily through the scriptures.

In Joseph's case, the angel began by reminding Joseph that he was a son of David. In Matthew's genealogy he informs us that Joseph was a descendant of King David, and we are reminded of that in the words of this angel. The Messiah was to come from the line of David, so the angel prepares Joseph for the opportunity that he has to nurture and raise the promised Messiah. He then tells him not to be afraid. Most angelic encounters include an admonition to not be afraid. However, usually the fear is from the encounter itself. Joseph's fears were related to taking a woman as his wife, who was carrying a child that was not his own. He feared displeasing God. He feared ruining his reputation. He feared committing himself to someone who did not share his values. Perhaps he feared the child's natural father complicating the situation. It is not possible to know all of the reasons that this would have been a scary situation for Joseph.

The angel told Joseph that this child was not the result of immorality on Mary's part, but was a blessing of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this confirmed what Mary had already told him. Perhaps she had never told him, fearful that he would not believe. Perhaps she had been praying that the same angel that had announced this miracle to her prior to conception, would plead her case with her fiance. This conception by the Holy Spirit is central to our understanding of who Jesus is. He is fully man, as he was born of a woman, as are all men. But he was also fully God, as he was conceived not by the will of a man, not in the natural way of a man with a woman, but by the divine hand of God. Because he was fully God he was a worthy sacrifice for our sin. Because he was fully man he was an acceptable substitute for us.

The angel told Joseph that the child's' name would be Jesus (Hebrew Joshua) meaning Yahweh is Salvation, because he would save his people from their sins. After the words of this angel Matthew also reminds us of the prophetic name given Jesus in Isaiah 7:14. There he is called Immanuel meaning "God with us." No name could be more fitting as Jesus was God made flesh, living and walking among us.

The Cost of Obedience (Matthew 1:24-25)

We are told that when he awoke from his dream that Joseph took Mary as his wife. This was no small act of obedience. It cost him in many ways.

It cost him his reputation. Many would assume if he married this obviously pregnant girl, that he must have been the one to impregnate her. To protect her reputation, he would have to let those assumptions go unchecked.
It cost him financially. He assumed the responsibility for raising a child that was not his own.
It cost him his home. Although he did not know it at the time, because Herod would later seek the life of this child, he would have to take Mary and flee to a foreign land.

Their is often a cost for being obedient to what God calls us to do. Many will think we are "going to far." Many will think we have lost our minds. Often God will ask us to do things that do not make sense either to us or to others in our lives. Obedience may cost us friends. Obedience may cost us financially. But in the end obedience always brings rewards from God. And obeying God is the one way we demonstrate our love for him who, while we were yet his enemies, sent his son to die for us.

Conclusion

As we give gifts to one another this year, let us be ever mindful of our responsibility to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. Let us serve him with a righteous character, with an ear tuned to his call, and with a love that is willing to pay any cost to obey.

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:00:00 +0000

Thanks to Jerry Rankin, President of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention for the outline of this morning's sermon.

Everything is Going to Work Out -- Romans 8:28-29

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:19:00 +0000

Sometimes it's nice to be on the other side of the pulpit. I heard a sermon from James Merritt on TV tonight. Scripture and outline below.

Romans 8:28-29
²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

I will believe God's word to me.
We Can know everything is going to work out because we have God's word on it.

I will Receive God's work for me.
All the things that happens in our lives are not good but if we love God, and we have been called according to his purpose (called to salvation, not a vocational call), then we can know he is working everything out.

I will Acheive God's will for my life.
His purpose is that I be like (conformed to) the likeness of Jesus.

International Mission Study - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hardin) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 23:00:00 +0000

Instead of bringing a traditional sermon on Sunday night I shared a scripture reading from Psalm 67.

Psalm 67 NIV Listen to this passage.
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah
5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

After we read and had a brief devotion on the scripture, we talked about the work being done by our International Mission Board Missionaries in Moldova.

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