Bethesda Shalom

Hebrews 4:14-16

So much of contemporary Christianity is built on hype, but the problem with hype is that it gets you nowhere because hype has no foundation. God has given us three-quarters of a million words of solid text upon which to base our confidence so that our faith is not found flapping in the wind. In this sermon, we consider Jesus as our High Priest and the promise that is given us to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find help in times of need.

Exodus 15:11

If ever there was an aspect of God's character that desperately needs to be rediscovered among the ranks of Evangelicalism in our day, it is the holiness of God!! We've lost the fear of God in the house of God because we've no comprehension of the holiness of God! We've grown accustomed to the familiar because we've lost the sense of reverence and awe in the handling of the things of God. Can I remind you that the God with whom we have to do is HOLY? He does not fall into the category of the common — He CAN'T! He's totally and utterly removed from every created thing in the universe, including the universe itself, because He's altogether of a different KIND!! Humans belong to the humans kind and animals, the animal kind; there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars — there is the glory of the angelic host, and then there is the glory of God!!! Tell me, what other "kind" can we place in the category of God? HE EXISTS IN A CATEGORY ALL OF HIS OWN!!! "Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Ex. 15:11).

Part 4

Many of the misconceptions surrounding the question of this teaching arise from a failure to rightly understand the nature of a covenant. When the children of Israel said, "…All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient" (Ex. 24:7), the ALL consisted of far more commandments than only ten. The children of Israel committed themselves to the keeping of some 613 commandments, all of which were binding upon them. Furthermore, as one reads the passage in Exodus 24, one very quickly realises that at Mount Sinai, the Israelites were not simply agreeing to keep a set of laws; they were entering into a covenant with Yahweh, their God, that involved the sprinkling of blood.

As one reaches the end of the Book of Malachi in a Christian Bible, one passes from one covenant to another - a New Covenant not instituted with the blood of animals, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. By the bringing in of a new covenant, the first, by definition, has become old and has been made obsolete. Once one understands this, the answer to the question, "Is the Law Binding Upon Believers" becomes an oxymoron, and the Adventist case for the continuation of the Ten Commandments is dismissed. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/4_Is_the_Law_Binding_Upon_Christians.pdf

Psalm 23

There are times when God calls His people to pass through the valley. Passing through the valley of the shadow of death is never easy but can I say with absolute conviction, that Jesus hasn't left you to walk alone!! The final words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew are these: "… and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Mt. 28:20). It's one thing knowing this with the head, but it's another thing intermingling this truth with faith!! Many people have a head full of knowledge but a heart void of experience! This sermon is a challenge to the Body of Christ for vital reality in the realm of faith and to experience the fullness of the grace of God.

Part 3

Ellen G. White had over 2000 visions during her lifetime and the content of those visions resulted in over 100,000 pages of writings which the Seventh-day Adventist Church consider to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and a continuing and authoritative source of truth. Ellen White claimed that her visions and writings were not simply expressions of her ideas, but originated from God.

What do you call a prophet who prophesies things that don't come to pass? What do you call someone who steals from others' works while trying to pass them off as writings inspired by God? In this teaching, further investigation is given to Mrs White's prophecies and writings to determine whether or not she was a prophet called by God. Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/3_Was_Ellen_G_White_a_Prophet.pdf

Part 2

The Seventh-day Adventist Church arose out of the Great Millerite Disappointment of 1844. The nineteenth century saw a literal explosion in the number of cults and religious groups springing up in the United States. Early on in Adventist history, Ellen G. White stamped her mark as a prophet, claiming to receive visions from God which guided and shaped the movement.

Without Ellen G. White, there is no Seventh-day Adventism. In this teaching we take a look at the early beginnings of Seventh-day Adventism and in particular, the nature of Mrs White's visions and the substance of her writings. What does make of someone who teaches others one thing regarding the eating of meat, while at the same time eating meat herself? I shall allow the evidence to speak for itself.

Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/2_Ellen_G_White_and_Adventist_History.pdf

Philippians 2:19-24

This sermon is an urgent call to Christian love!

The clip following the sermon is from a message called "Something is wrong" by itinerate preacher Richard Owen Roberts of International Awakening Ministries.

Part 1

In 2023, the Seventh-day Adventist Church saw more additions to its membership than any year since its founding in 1863. In 1961 the Seventh-day Adventist Church had a global membership of about a million. Today they have a membership of more than 22.7 million, meeting in more than 100,000 Churches, spanning some 215 countries worldwide. Without question, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the fastest-growing organisations in the world vastly outnumbering the global membership of Jehovah's Witnesses.

When one goes to the official website of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to look at their statement of 'Fundamental Beliefs'; upon first glance, one finds nothing of real concern. They believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, substitutionary atonement and salvation by faith as a gift of God's grace. However, Seventh-day Adventists are adept at saying one thing out of one side of their mouth while taking it back out of the other. In continuing to explore what else is included in their Fundamental Beliefs, emerging cracks begin to appear, which when further investigated reveal a rupture in the foundations! In this introductory teaching, we shall discover what Seventh-day Adventists believe and why they are classified as a cult.

Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/1_An_Introduction_to_Seventh_day_Adventism.pdf

1 Peter 1:13-16

J. C. Ryle was the 1st Anglican Bishop of Liverpool. In his classic book titled, "Holiness", he wrote the words. "He who supposes that Jesus Christ only lived and died and rose again in order to provide justification and forgiveness of sins for His people, has yet much to learn. Whether he knows it or not, he is dishonouring our blessed Lord, and making Him only a half Saviour. The Lord Jesus has undertaken everything that His people's souls require; not only to deliver them from the guilt of their sins by His atoning death, but from the dominion of their sins, by placing in their hearts the Holy Spirit; not only to justify them, but also to sanctify them".

In this second and final sermon part, we examine the command to holiness and the means to holiness. As we move from the classroom of theory onto the field of experience, may the Lord bless you!