New Years Eve Watch Party

International Baptist Church of Tanzania will host a New Year's Eve Watch Party at 8 PM on 31 December. We will begin at 8 pm and continue until sometime after Midnight. Everyone and anyone is invited and welcome to attend. Shortly before midnight we will pray in the New Year. Earlier in the evening we will play games and have fellowship and snacks and refreshments. Bring your favorite game or games and light snacks. The church will provide coffee, tea, juice and water.

Sermon Notes 26 December 2010

The Greatest Man who ever lived

 

Unique in His birth

    Born of a virgin             Luke 1:26-33

    Son of God                Luke 1:34-35

 

Unique in His power

    Overcoming temptation            Luke 4:1-3

    Casting out Demons            Luke 4:31-37, 40-41

    Curing diseases                Luke 4:38-39

    Performing miracles

 

Unique in his teachings

    Parables of unequaled beauty        Luke 10:30-37, 15:11-31

    Teaching with Authority

 

Unique in His death

    Even the centurion noticed        Luke 23:44:-49

    His death was only temporary        Luke 24

 

Yet more than a Man

    He forgave sins

    Received worship

    Demonstrated power over nature

 

Claimed He

    Existed before Abraham

    Was one with the Father

    Was the giver of Eternal Life

 

Luke's purpose was that we might know the certainty of the things about which we have been instructed. How can we answer the mystery of this singular individual?

Sermon Notes 19 December 2010

That believing, you might live

 

There are competing views of successful life that meet at the stable in Bethlehem.

 

The first is the thieves and robbers. Theirs is the way of easy money, win the lottery, hit the jackpot make it rich off other people's money, labor, and intelligence.

 

Jesus' way is the way of life. It is very different from the way of the thieves and robbers.

 

Jesus had everything and left it all for us.        Philippians 2:5-11

    Never stopped being God

    Emptied Himself of His rights as God

He performed miracles to show His disciples who He was

    Changing water to wine                John 2:1-12

    Healing an official's son            John 4:46-54

    Healing the man at Bethesda            John 5:1-14

    Feeding 5,000 with a single lunch        John 6:1-15

    Walking on water                John 6:16-21

    Healing a man born blind            John 9

    Rising from the dead                John 20

 

Knowing Jesus is eternal life.                John 17:3

Eternal life is not heaven. Heaven is where Jesus is and a very real place.

Eternal life begins when we receive Jesus by faith.

Eternal life is God's Holy Spirit living in each of us because of our faith in Jesus Christ.                        Gal 2:20

Eternal life prepares us for heaven. Because we have eternal life we have the opportunity to obey Jesus

 

What has He commanded us? Love one another.

John 13:34-35 people will know us as His if we love one another

I John 4:7-8 we fail to love because we do not know God.

Sermon Notes 12 December 2010

Jesus: Promised Messiah

 

Jesus is the Messiah. He completely fulfills the Old Testament Prophecies

    Born of a virgin            Isaiah 7:14    Matt 1:22-23

    Born in Bethlehem            Micah 5:2    Matt 2:1-6

    Grew up in Egypt            Hosea 11:1    Matt 2:13-15

    Began His ministry in Capernaum    Isaiah 9:1-2    Matt 4:12-17

    Healed their diseases            Isaiah 53:4    Matt 8:14-17

    God's Messenger prepared his way    Malachi 3:1    Matt 11:7-11

    God's Suffering Servant        Isaiah 42:1-4    Matt 12:15-21

    Taught in Parables            Psalm 78:2    Matt 13:34-35

    Triumphal entry on a colt        Zech 9:9    Matt 21:1-5

    He is the rejected cornerstone        Ps 118:22-23    Matt 21:42-44

    Disciples abandoned Him        Zech 13:7    Matt 26:31-32

    Gambled for His garments        Psalm 22:18    Matt 27:35

 

Many of the Jewish leaders failed to recognize this while Jesus was performing His public ministry. Even John the Baptist nearly missed the significance of these predictions.        Matt 11:1-6

 

The messianic kingdom has been inaugurated in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.                    Matt 12:22-28

 

What will you make of Jesus of Nazareth? How do you respond to the evidence Matthew presents?

Sermon Notes 5 December 2010

Jesus: The Mighty Son of God

 

Who does Mark say that Jesus Is?

 

Jesus is the mighty Son of God who defeats the enemies of God and Man

    Satan and temptation                Mark 1:12 - 13

    Overcomes demons                Mark 1:23 - 26

    Illness and disability                Mark 1:29 - 2:5

Jesus was misunderstood and somewhat enigmatic

    Misunderstood by the religious leaders        Mark 3:20 - 28

    By His own Disciples                Mark 8:16 – 21

    By common people                Mark 8:27 – 28

    Peter grasped the enigma            Mark 8:29

 

What is the significance of recognizing who Jesus is?

 

For Jesus it meant

    Suffering

    Rejection

    Crucifixion

    Resurrection

For the Apostles it meant

    Self-denial

    Persecution

    Losing their lives to find them in Him

 

How does God confirm who Jesus is?

    Triumphal entry with the common people

    Betrayal at the hands of two of his apostles

    Rejection and treachery at the hands of the religious leaders

    Crucifixion

    Resurrection

Sermon Notes 21-November 2010

Joy in the Journey

Luke 5:27-38

 

The Source of our Joy

    Repentance

    Obedient Discipleship

 

The situation of our Joy

    Not in isolated separation from the world

    In the midst of sinners and other people just like us

 

The circumstances of our Joy

    Joy is a fruit of the Spirit living in us    Gal 5:22-23

    Spirit of Adoption where we call God our Father

                        Gal 4:6, Rom 8:15

    Joy of hope that God works all things for good for us Rom 8:28

    Joy in the tribulations which produce Character

        And confirm our hope    Rom 5:3

    Joy of experiencing liberty over Law    Gal 4:5, Rom 8:1-2

    Joy of Wedlock to our soul's true husband    Rom 7:1-4

 

The rejection of our Joy

    Many people will prefer the routine of legalism and the false

    Comfort it brings to the challenge of following God on the

    Trail of life.

Sermon Notes 28 November 2010

Are You Ready?

 

This parable is set in the midst of Jesus long discourse on the end times. Jesus is teaching His disciples to be prepared for the certainty of His return from heaven.

 

This parable illustrates the foolishness of some Christians in preparing to meet Christ.

 

The virgins accompanied the bride to the bridegroom's home.

 

They displayed their foolishness in two ways during the ceremony.

    Not bringing enough oil to anticipate the groom's delay

    Going in search of oil at midnight

 

The defining characteristics of a fool

Thoughtlessness

    Wasting the time we have been allowed to mature

Superficiality

    Being more concerned about the oil than attending the bride

 

The defining characteristics of wisdom

Forethought

Luke 6:46-49 the two builders

 

Sincerity

James 1:22-25

 

The attributes of wisdom James 3:13-18

Peace-Loving

Considerate

Full of Mercy and good fruit

Impartial

Sincere