John Spellman preaches at the Babylon SDA Church in Babylon, NY. Sermon is based on Haggai 1:1-7. In ancient Judaea, after the 70 promised years of captivity, the people began to return to their homes. They built up their own houses while leaving God's House in ruins. The New Testament describes the body of every Christian believer as the "Temple of God". In many Christian lives today, God's altar is still in ruins because we focus on the temporal to the neglect of the Spiritual.
John Spellman preaches at the Beit Shalom SDA Congregation discussing roadblocks in our faith. How can traditions and customs block us from being able to experience a relationship with God? Should traditions influence how we understand God's Word? What did the prophets think about anything that contradicted the Torah and the testimony? Is it possible that today, with the abundance of YouTube scholars, and misinformation, that many have darkness thinking they have light? While some traditions can be a good thing, many customs and traditions are holding people in darkness.
What is God's plan for Heaven and Earth? What is the ultimate fulfillment of redemption? How has God attracted the nations and provided a place for them in the proclamation of His truth? Should there be distinctions of class and race in the community of faith? Does it matter if Heaven is forever?
Why is humanity in crisis? How does this crisis impact the lives of God's people? In what way did Jeremiah face this crisis in his time? How does this relate to challenges the church faces from both the secular world and within the church itself? In what ways can challenges from within be worse than challenges without? In what ways did the history of Israel and Judah show crisis from within? Why did God punish His chosen people through other nations? What was God trying to teach them? As we explore the book of Jeremiah, we will see how many things parallel today.
The Bible teaches about a day lost in history. A day God designed for us to remember. This week's lesson uncovers the mystery of this forgotten and lost day.
As He goes through your records and mine, what will they reveal? Have you been naughty or nice? Does it matter? What’s important is that all your sins are confessed to Jesus Christ, not to a representative. We must turn away from practicing them. Since the process has begun with the dead, we can be certain that He is now examining the recorded entries for the living. You and I do not know when He will call our names – if it hasn’t already been done. Therefore, it means that we have no more time to be naughty, to practice sin. We are now living in our Yom Kippur – our Day of Atonement. Now is the time for us to put away our sins and be clean, or else we will be cut-off.
A good friend of mine, whom I had discussed the Sabbath with some time ago sent me an article entitle “Lesson 13: Sabbath Reforms (August 25, 2013)” from International Bible Studies. In the article, the author states discusses the reforms of Nehemiah and in his address of the Sabbath came to the conclusion that the principle of the Sabbath still exists but the literal day is no longer binding and he seems to suggest that to consider it binding for all Christians would be “legalistic”. After thoroughly reading and annotating this lesson I am inclined to agree with the author on many points that were made during the lesson, while disagreeing with the final position taken on the binding nature of the Sabbath.
Revenge and grudges give energy to animosity leading to destruction and this should not be so among God’s children. We need to stop holding grudges and revenge against each other; and treat our each other as we would want to be treated. Moses was right on point when he instructed the Israelites to love their neighbor as themselves. The instruction is ours too. Let’s say no to revenge and grudges and love each other as ourselves.