Green Street Baptist Church: Audio Podcast

Life Week: Spring Revival Services: April 28, 9am, 10:30am, 6pm. April 29-May 1, 6:30pm. ...

The truth that Jesus conquered the grave is what gives confidence to our lives. It is what serves as the impetus in our mission. For this reason, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the lynchpin of Christianity. Without it, we would have no gospel. Nor would we have any hope for life beyond death. If Jesus Christ were not raised, the Bible says that we would still be in our sins. And those of us who believe would be, of all people, the most pitied. So it is the subject of death and resurrection that I want to take up this morning, beginning in Ecclesiastes 3. ...

Stewardship of life demands that we know what time it is, and this is largely the message of this third chapter of Ecclesiastes. The word ‘time’ is mentioned on 31 separate occasions in this chapter. Though we have eternity in our hearts, we are time bound creatures. We are born with a longing for another world, we live out our days as if life will go on forever, and yet we are not beyond the reach of time. Sooner or later, it will catch up with all of us. ...

The book of Ecclesiastes is so important because it shows us that ultimate meaning and lasting satisfaction cannot be found ‘under the sun.’ That phrase is used some 30 times throughout the book and it describes a view of life that is strictly earth bound. Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, uses this phrase to make his argument that life under the sun is ‘vanity,’ or a wisp of smoke. Our lives cannot be understood if our gaze goes no further than the sun. By his own admission, Solomon had set out on a quest to find meaning in things such as wisdom and knowledge, pleasure and thrill seeking, work and career, wealth and possessions. He tells us in chapter 2 that no matter how hard he tried, he could not think his way into life, he could not feel his way into life, he could not work his way into life, and he could not collect his way into life. He comes to the conclusion that apart from God, no one can have true and lasting enjoyment. Only God infuses life with meaning and ultimate purpose. So with tha

Over the past couple of Wednesday nights, I have been teaching in a series that I have given the title, “Discipleship In a Digital Age.” We’ve been taking a serious look at how our faith should impact our online habits and our use of technology. ...

All of us desire meaning in life, and that’s true no matter who you are. Our search for it often leads us down winding paths filled with short-lived bursts of satisfaction that shine bright for a brief time but eventually wane. When we attempt to find ultimate meaning in the pursuit of pleasure, or through a successful career, or in our educational pursuits, we will eventually find all of these roads to be a dead end. ...

Last week, I began a four part series that I’ve given the title, “Discipleship in the Digital Age.” Technology is a wonderful tool when kept in its proper place and when seen in its true light. However, it can also become a weapon that the enemy uses to war against our soul when too much is made of it. How should our faith impact our online habits and use of technology? That is the subject we’re considering. With the rise of the digital age, the church must disciple people on how their faith intersects with technology use. Christian parents ought to be discerning in this area. The gospel impacts every area of our lives. It isn’t simply limited to our eternity.

The words trivial and trivia can be traced back to a Latin noun meaning “a place where three roads meet.” In time, it also came to mean “of little worth or importance.” This is the main meaning of the word today. By this definition, the expression ‘trivial pursuit’ obviously refers to more than a board game. It is a way of referring to those matters in life which are supposedly inconsequential, a waste of time and energy. ...

I am so glad that you all are joining me tonight for this four part series that I have given the title, “Discipleship In a Digital Age.” Over the next few weeks, I want us to take a serious look at how our faith should impact our online habits and use of technology. With the rise of the digital age, the church has not done a great job discipling people on how their faith intersects with technology use. The gospel impacts every area of our lives. It isn’t simply limited to our eternity. There is an application to tech use. Digital devices are neutral—neither good nor bad. They can be used for good and helpful purposes. They can also be used for sinful purposes. Digital technology is neither intrinsically good, nor is it inherently evil. It can and must be used in ways that honor and glorify God and serve those who are made in His image…

No matter where a person looks, no matter what direction he or she turns, there is no lasting satisfaction to be found—at least not in the temporal things of life. The reason is that we’ve been made for eternity. That is why only the eternal glory of God can fulfill the eternal void in the human soul. ...

Last week, I began a series of messages on contentment and the search for happiness that is found in the heart of every human being. No matter who you are, no matter how old you are, I can guarantee that you have a desire on the inside of you to be happy. Where does it come from? ...

Over these past eight weeks, we have considered how God’s Word was given by revelation. God revealed His Word to man, which means that we didn’t stumble upon the knowledge of God. He chose to reveal Himself. We also considered how His Word was given through inspiration. God moved the authors of Scripture to write as His Spirit directed. We spent some time looking at the subject of canonization, which simply refers to the list of books that make up authoritative Scripture. Beginning last week and concluding tonight, we’ve considered the field of translation. How did the Bible make it from those original manuscripts all the way to me?

There are plenty of synonyms for the word in the English language, words such as happiness, joy, satisfaction, pleasure. Perhaps contentment is the best word because it is descriptive of the state of your heart more than it is the state of your emotions. Our emotions may fluctuate given our circumstances, but our contentment level in life certainly doesn’t have to. Happiness is a universal longing in every human heart, and yet it seems to be so very elusive. Many people spend their entire lives trying to be happy, only to come up short time and time again. That’s why I want to take some time and trace the subject as we find it presented in the Bible. What is contentment, and what is the secret to our possessing it?

I want us to spend the next couple of weeks looking at how the Bible came all the way from manuscript to me, to this nice English translation that I hold in my hand. The processes that we will consider are known as transmission and translation. These words describe the process by which various scribes and copyists were able to reproduce the text of Scripture in a reliable manner. Then, the process involved monks and scholars and Christian leaders who worked hard, many of whom paid with their lives, to translate the Scriptures into the English language.

Over the last two Wednesday nights, we’ve been considering the subject of canonicity which simply refers to how we know that we have the right books. The word ‘canonicity’ means rule or standard of measurement. Over time, the word ‘canon’ also came to mean a catalog or list—used in this case to describe the authoritative list of books that make up the Bible. In our study so far, we’ve considered doctrines such as revelation and inspiration. Well, the doctrine of ‘canonization’ tells us how the Bible received its acceptance as men recognized the authority of God’s inspired writings.

You’re familiar with the phrase ‘rule of faith.’ The rule of faith is the standard of sound doctrine. Over time, ‘canon’ also came to mean a catalog or list—used in this case to describe the authoritative list of books that make up the Bible. In our study thus far, we’ve considered doctrines such as revelation and inspiration. Well, the doctrine of ‘canonization’ tells us how the Bible received its acceptance as men recognized the authority of God’s inspired writings. It is the process by which the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God was recognized as such by men of God and then collected and preserved by the people of God.