Nashville First Church of the Nazarene - Sermon and Devotional Outlines

First Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outlines

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Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outlines
Woodland Street Pulpit

Nashville First Church of the Nazarene

June 04, 2000 A.M.

"Was Thomas correct?"

Text: John 20:28

John 20:28

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

INTRODUCTION:

A Favorite Story: During the reign of the Imperator Domitian - a young person, of marital age, was facing execution as a Follower of the Way. A tribune was moved and walked to her. "All you must do is place the drops of oil on the base of the statue and say the words: "'Caesar is Lord - Caesar is god!' Do you not see the lions?". She said, "Do you not see the angels?"

THE SETTING:

A. On the eighth day after Easter Jesus came again to the disciples - eleven of them. I say eleven because Judases was dead and ten had seen the raised Lord. The church was in the first stages of searching for meaning. They would do what God's people have always done - search their scriptures. Jesus himself had started the process on the first day:

1. Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

And again in the upper chamber:

2. Luke 24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled."

B. The occasion is the setting for our Master's final Beatitude.

3. John 20:29 "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

C. The Holy Spirit was now given and aiding: SEE 20:22

John 20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

D. Then Thomas gives the confession of the church.

~W kurioj mou kai o` qeoj mou

Thomas was wholly convinced and did not hesitate to address the Risen Christ as Lord and God. Jesus accepts the words and praises Thomas for so doing.

The test of salvation.

If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom. 10:9

1. This does not rule out obedience.

A. Baptism. Acts 2:38

Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 16:16

He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

B. Forgetting: 1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

C. Or be a Quaker: 1 Corinthians 12:13

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

2. This confession is a work of God - not words!

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

THE CONFESSION:

A. It is a confession that rejects Israel's stand.

1. Who said:

A. We have no king - but Caesar.

B. This man is a blasphemer.

2. Who to this name call him a great but wrong man.

B. This confession says:

1. Jesus is Son of God.

2. Jesus is God ... or

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:11

3. Jesus is LORD! He reigns.

C. What do these words collectively mean?

D. Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me `Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?

E. ~W kurioj

Hebrew Adonai or YHWH.

1. For example: Joel 2:32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved;

A. Look at this:

Acts 2:36

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, BOTH Lord and Christ,.

B. Lord means more than the anointed one.

2. Israel was to have only one Lord.

Deut 6:4

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD;

Eph 4:5

one Lord, one faith, one baptism

1 Peter 3:15 in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord.

NAB 1 Peter 3:15 sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,

1. IS HE MASTER?

2. DOES HE RULE?

3. IS HE OBEDIENT?

4. DOES HE OWN YOU?

John 13:13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.

Philippians 2:10

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Colossians 2:6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,

F. o` qeoj

Hebrew - Elohim

1. Confess this: all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

2. Try this:

READ COLOSSIANS 1:13-20

THE CHRISTIAN:

A. ONE WHO CONFESSES WHAT HE BELIEVES

AND BELIEVES WHAT HE CONFESSES

AND HIS LIFE DEMONSTRATES IT.