First Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outlines

| Sermon Outlines |





Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outlines

The Woodland Street Pulpit

Gary Allen Henecke DD

August 21, 2005 AM - The Knowledge of God

  1. Introduction: The God we Profess

    2. Can we truly know God? Who is God?

    Is he the God of wrath and anger (Islam – fundamentalism)?

    Is he the always-embracing god of psychology?

    1. We Christians believe in the God of Israel

      1. He alone is God – He is the Almighty

        2. Isaiah 45:5-6

        I am the LORD, and there is no other. Besides me there is no God. I equip you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.

      2. He is the Creator and sole source of existence
    2. Thereby we embrace the scriptures of the Hebrews
      1. That the God who created Israel is the creator
      2. The cosmos (universe0 is an expression of him

      Isaiah 45:18

      Thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it a chaos; he formed it to be inhabited!): I am the LORD, and there is no other.

    3. That the silence of infinity was broken

      4. Genesis 1:3 Then God said, "Let there be light;" and there was light.

    4. But, we do not believe as Jews - not as the Jews believe!
      1. We hold to The Way that separates us
        1. We know God as revealed in Jesus
        2. The histories of the Hebrews are our history
      2. Yet we know God in a truth distinct
    5. The New Covenant is a new Israel and revelation:

      6. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6

      It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has caused his light to shine in our hearts, giving the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

    6. Nazarenes profess this in - Articles one & two:

I The Triune God

We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign of the universe; that he only is God, creative and administrative, holy in nature, attributes, and purpose; that he, as God, is Triune in essential being, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

II Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Triune Godhead; that he was eternally one with the Father; that he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in one person very God and very man, the God-man.

  1. The Great Act of God:

    1. When we say "God"

      1. God to us is the one we know through Jesus

      2. He, our God, is the One – but complex

      3. All creation is an expression of him, but in an hour of our history a great miracle happened – God opened up

    2. And we saw – we beheld – the glory of the Most High

      1. This is the mystery of the universe

      2. This is the Gospel – we know as John 1:1-18

        3. Originally the Word existed, and the Word was for God - the Word was God. He originally existed for God. Everything came to exist through him; apart from him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered him.

        There was a man sent from God, named John. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that all might believe through him. He never was the light, but came so that he might testify to the light.

        The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was appearing in creation. He was in the world, and the world, though it owed its being to him, did not know him. He came to his own, but those who were his own did not receive him, but to all who accepted him, believed in his name, he gave power to be children of God, who were born, not of human bloodline or physical desire or human decision, but of God himself.

        Then, the Word became flesh to tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, such glory as belongs to a father's only son, full of grace and truth. John testified about him proclaiming, "This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because before I was born he already was.’" Out of his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No human being has ever seen God. It is God the only begotten, who is of the Father's bosom, who has revealed him.

      3. Here the intricacies of our proclamation are found

    3. This is the mystery we call Advent

      4. Galatians 4:4-5, 8-9

      When the fullness of the time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to free those who were under the Law, so that we might attain the status of sons. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to gods who were not gods at all - but now you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God.

      1. This is the mystery known as the Incarnation

      2. This is the Lord we now confess and believe

  1. Jesus – God with us

Here is what we are to learn:

    1. God himself came near

      1. Jesus is the eternal God expressing himself

        1. God in Christ came to his creation

        2. The story of Christ is the act of God

        Isaiah 25:9

        It will be said on that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

        Isaiah 40:9

        Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"

      2. That in Christ God was uniting humanity to himself

        1. God has revealed himself through Jesus

        2. We know God only as he discloses himself

          1. The story of Jesus predates Mary

            2. Hebrews 1:1-3

            In many modes and moments God spoke to our ancestors in prophets, but in this final age he has spoken to us in a Son, whom he ordained heir of all things; through him he formed the ages. He is the radiance of God's glory and the full expression of his being. He sustains creation through his mighty word. When he had made purification of sins he was enthroned…

          2. Christ is God in action

    2. And in the exact time the eternal became human

    3. Originally God had mankind to give all he created its name

      1. But man could not name God

      2. For the creator himself there was no name

        1. He was simply – "I exist (am)"

        2. He was not named – only a reality – concept

    4. This God was known through his people – The God of Israel

      1. He was revealed in his acts

      2. All the knowledge was piecemeal – partial

    5. Then God rent the veil and spoke

      1. The partial revelation was over

      2. The Old Testament was but a shadow of the New

  1. The One Christians Call God

    1. Jesus taught us clearly in mystery

      2. John 14:28 The Father is greater than I.

      John 14:7, 9

      If you have known me, you have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him - Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

    2. Here is the complexity

      1. God is too vast to be a man – Jesus was so human!

      2. Can God die? Can he be three and one?

    3. With Mary we ask, "How can these things be?" and hear:

      4. Luke 1:37 "Nothing is impossible with God."

    4. The God we Christians know

      1. Is the God who came to us as one of us

      2. This is the one we proclaim

      Colossians 2:8-9

      Let no one capture your minds by philosophy or hallow speculations based on human tradition and centered on the elemental spirits of the universe, and not on Christ. For it is in him that the whole fullness of the Godhead dwells embodied; it is in him that you have come to fullness.

    5. We Christians profess one God – vast and dynamic in triunity

Titus 2:11-13

The grace of God has dawned bringing healing to all mankind; training us to renounce godless life and worldly lusts, and to live honest, upright lives, as we await the blessed hope: the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.


Pastor Henecke's PM Sermon Outline

The Woodland Street Pulpit

Nashville’s First Church of the Nazarene

August 21, 2005 P.M.

The More Accurate Way

Text: Reading Acts 18:18-19:10

Acts 18:25-26

There came to Ephesus a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures… He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord; and he spoke with burning enthusiasm … but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately.

Introduction:

Here we have the beautiful story of the birth of one of Christendom’s mother churches. The town of Ephesus is the capital of the Roman province of Asia (governed by three proconsuls). A free city located three miles up the Cayster River from the Great Sea. Here in the meeting of the saints (Aquila, Priscilla, Paul, Apollos, and a few saints) occurs an encounter from which we must learn.

  1. The Cast:

    1. Aquila and Priscilla:

      1. Converts through Peter on Pentecost

      2. Natives of Pontus – citizens of Rome

      3. Tent makers by trade, leather workers, cast outs

      4. A church in Rome met in their home

      5. Active leaders in Corinth

    2. Apollos

      1. Alexandrian, Logics scholar, philosopher

        1. Eloquent, learned, and skilled in history

        2. Perhaps a disciple of John the Baptist

        3. Zealous in logical debate…brilliant

        4. Knowledgeable in the LXX – Greek Bible

      2. A Greek Hellenist of the Philo School

      3. Possessing a broader education than Paul

    3. Saul - Paul of Tarsus

      1. Natural abilities and training may still leave one deficient in spiritual matters

      2. A trained Pharisee convert to Christ

  2. The First Issue:

    3. Explained the Way of God to him more accurately

    1. (Truth upon truth) Deep calls to deep

      1. The twelve had started with John

      2. What a beautiful scene (John 1:29-51) - the beloved disciple recalls his first encounter with the Logos of life

        1. He looked into those eyes

        2. Ahead was all life’s transformation

    2. Appearance of maturity in the newborn is always superficial

      1. The heart of God waits to be revealed

      2. That behind the historical Jesus: the higher way

      1 Corinthians 12:31

      Earnestly desire the higher gifts! I will show you a still more excellent way.

    3. In I Corinthians 1:10, Paul reflects on this Acts issue:

      4. 1 Corinthians 1:1-12

      I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren.

      What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."

      1. Don’t be gospel "groupies."

        2. 1 Corinthians 1:31

        Therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord."

      2. Boast not in speech – not eloquence, but Christ

      I Corinthians 2:5

      …That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in God’s power.

    4. "For I am determined to know nothing except the crucified."

      1. Your faith should rest in God – not in men

      2. All the issues that dominate are not eternal

    5. I planted – Apollos watered – I Corinthians 3

      1. To be men followers is flesh (I Corinthians 3:3)

      2. We are temples of an indwelling God – not of men

      1 Corinthians 3:16

      Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

    6. I use the Corinthians only to remind us – there is a higher way

      1. While living for Christ - while being religious

      2. It is possible to be "playing games"

    7. This created Paul’s burden:

      8. 1 Corinthians 12:1

      I do not want you to be uninformed concerning spiritual matters.

        1. They were obedient to their "light"

        2. They were simply uniformed/not yet formed

        3. They were baptized

          1. Acts 19:3 Then he said, "Into what then were you baptized?"

          2. This was puzzlement to Paul.

          3. Paul identified baptism with participation in Christ

  3. A Most Important Question

    1. Their expression of submission:

      1. They were not on a false way

      2. They were simply not living up to the Way

        1. They were living beneath their calling

        2. They were in need of insight into a: "More Accurate Way"

    2. In our text it is Apollos who needs informing

      1. Apollos who could preach excellently

      2. The man who was practicing baptism

        1. Apollos’ converts gave testimony to Christ and were baptized

        2. The preaching of the church since Pentecost was proclaimed in Ephesus

    3. The Question is in second aorist active indicative

      4. Acts 19:2-3

      Paul asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Then he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism."

    4. pisteu,santej is simultaneous - at the moment of faith

      1. They may refer to the time of their baptism and mean that, when baptized, they did not hear of the Holy Spirit - they knew John's message poorly

      2. Clearly, Paul felt they had not even heard of the Spirit

        3. "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."

      3. John's baptism to. VIwa,nnou ba,ptismaÅ
    5. John’s true but incomplete witness
      1. The baptism of repentance

        2. Matthew 3:11

        "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

      2. Describing the baptism as marked by, not as conveying, repentance, and that is of the Holy Spirit

    6. John preached also the baptism of the Holy Spirit

    7. By not knowing of the Spirit, or understanding his indwelling, they had missed the point of John's baptism

      1. Paul does not say that John's baptism was inadequate
      2. He simply explains what John really taught and what his baptism signified

    Romans 8:9

    The Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

  4. Have you found "the More Accurate Way"?

    1. The Spirit of God is the definer of a true believer.

      1. Christ’s spirit opens up life.

      Ephesians 1:13

      In him you who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

      2. There is a constant reference to a higher way

    2. The Spirit is the seal of authentic Christian life

      1. Without the Spirit you are not a partaker in God

      2. The Spirit is the surety of everlasting life

    3. The Spirit is Christ in you - these disciples were not yet New Testament Christians

* Reading from Philippians 3:12-15

  • Have you received the Spirit of God?

  • Have you been born from above? Does the Spirit dwell in you?

  • Do you daily have a shared life in him?







Back to Top
Copyright 1998-2005 First Church of the Nazarene
Last updated: August 20, 2005