Genesis 2:18-25: Summary:

Among a world of good, God identifies something that's not good. Adam has all he needs for the satisfaction of his soul, but not quite all for fulfilling his commission. The transition from good to very good involves the creation of the woman, Adam's future wife, and the marriage that takes place between the two of them. She will be a helper fit for him. To demonstrate her unique fitness, God has his vicegerent, Adam, name all the animals. Job well done, he's confronted with the unfitness of the world for him and the work ahead. God then creates her from him. God brings her to him, and Adam sings her praise, to the glory of God. In her, God's given him more than all a perfect world could! Moses attaches some commentary to the scene. Marriage is instituted by God in a perfect world between one man and one woman for as long as the two shall live. He Himself, having separated them, unites them. The consummation of their marital union includes an innocent intimacy. All in all, the pattern is set that prophecies of the Gospel love of Christ and the Marriage of the Lamb to His Bride, the Church.

Sermon Outline:

The world's only problem. (2:18)

God's fitting provision. (2:19-22)

Adam's thankful praise. (2:23)

The Bible's prophetic pattern. (2:24-25)

Genesis 2:4-17: Summary:

Moses puts the creation of the first man under the microscope. God has planted all that will grow, but its cultivation awaits the creation of God's co-worker, Adam. Adam is then created. God forms him and breathes the life of God into the man He's made. God puts Adam in the garden He planted. In the garden are two trees of note: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Life, joy, and ministry depend on an obedience forged by a will that freely decides to trust and follow the revelation of an all-good Creator. The cultivation of this garden stands at the epicenter of the world. It's a garden-temple-sanctuary, meant to house communion between God and Man, Heaven and earth; and God charges Adam to work and keep it. It comes back to the trees, where God gives both an invitation and a warning. Obedience will perpetuate life as God intended; disobedience, a death, the hazard of which is beyond the limits of speech.

Main idea(s):

In Adam, we were made to work with God for all the beauties and benefits of Heaven on earth.

Sermon Outline:

The making of Adam. (2:4-7)

The planting of Adam. (2:8-14)

The tasking of Adam. (2:15-17)

Genesis 1:26-2:3: Summary:

Out of His love and the counsel of His own will, the everlasting God created Man. It's the pinnacle of creation. The world was made for the impending and finally everlasting fellowship between humanity and our Creator. To that end, we are made uniquely, in God's image and for God's glory in the advance of His Kingdom over all the world. We were given a delegated sovereignty for a missionary work, not to be a labor, but a testament to and collaboration of God's love for us and our love for Him. With humanity in place, the God of purpose authors a seventh day. On it, and as both a pattern for us in this world and the type of another World, God rests from His strictly creative activity. 'It is finished.' God has done it. Humanity is given to revel in it; and as in creation, so also in redemption. What we failed to obtain by sin, the Son obtained for us by becoming 'the Man.' In Christ, rest is restored, and our final and forever destination reestablished: new creation.

Sermon Outline:

God's special creation of humanity. (1:26-27)

God's global commission to humanity. (1:28-31)

God's restful destination for humanity. (2:1-3)

Genesis 1:1-25: Summary:

Out of His love and the counsel of His own will, the everlasting God created the heavens and earth. To the standard of His own benevolent goodness, He created the cosmos out of nothing but the Word of His power. The Creator is the Lord of all. His Word makes all good in His eyes, and He names it all, as a display of His preeminence and authority. And it all bears the stamp of His order and purpose, design agreeable to His infinite desire: to be glorified as God in the good and eventual praise of all creation. The world particularly, created days 1-5, is a habitat becoming of a sanctuary of eternal fellowship between God and humanity. These first verses of the Bible teach us that creation is a revelation of God, in which we're pointed to a revelation of God fuller still in the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word and Son of God.

Sermon Outline:

Before the beginning, God forever is. (1:1, various)

In the beginning, God created. (1:1-25)

Toward an end, God is moving us. (1:1-25)

Acts 1-2:

Ephesians 6:10-20: Summary:

Paul encourages the Ephesian church to find their strength and refuge in God. The Christian life is not one of ease, the peace to be found not as this world knows. There is a real enemy. There is a battle going on all around us, and we are instructed so that we might be ready. So are we? Are we mired in the cares of the world, or are we ready for the call of our captain? Are truth, righteousness, gospel-readiness, faith, salvation, the word of God, and prayer the hallmarks of our lives? Have we taken a defensive stance, or an offensive one?

Sermon Outline:

Sermon Outline

The strength of the opposition (6:11-13,16)

Heavenly provision for said opposition

Equipping the saints for battle (6:10,13-18)

Uniting the saints for battle (6:18-20)

James 5:19-20: Summary:

James closes as we should expect, with a call to a love largely neglected in our day. It's a charge to the whole church to hold each member accountable for the constancy of their walk with Jesus, that it be according to the truth. It's an eternally significant charge. Anyone who strays and will not be turned proves themselves inauthentic disciples of Jesus Christ, so that their souls are in danger of final condemnation. Though they seemed found, they were sadly always lost. Against this, the family of God is called to pursue any who seem to be wandering from the truth as it is in Jesus, doing this in the hope of repentance. By such repentance, the one who was in peril is proven true to Christ. They are saved from shipwreck, and the fireball of sin, which would've multiplied itself in their lives, is put out. God's 'more grace' perpetuates more righteousness. This ministry is critical for the endurance of our love for God. Thus the letter of James is concluded.

Sermon Outline:

That anyone could wander needs the attention of everyone. (5:19-20)

That anyone could wander needs the accountability of everyone. (5:19-20)

James 5:13-18: Main idea(s):The faithful prayer of a righteous person may very well be the most powerful activity on earth.

Sermon Outline:

The Christian life as a call to prayer. (5:13-14)

The Christian life as a call to confidence in prayer. (5:15-18)

The ingredients of effective prayer. (5:15-16)

The example of an effective prayer. (5:17-18)

James 5:7-12: Summary:

The immediate context is the wealth of the Christian martyr relative to the presumptuous rich. Returning to initial emphases and imperatives, James calls the churches to be patient for the Lord under life-threatening trial. The Lord is returning. The sacrifices of His people will not be in vain. James motivates this productive patience by three examples: the farmer, the prophets, and the great sufferer, Job. In general, each example offers a single, great encouragement: the vindication of righteousness within the merciful purpose of God. This provides the churches the hope they need to be true to Christ from the heart. James aims to build patience because being true to Jesus will demand it.

Sermon Outline:

Stay patient for the Lord until He returns. (5:7-11)

a. See the farmer, and keep on laboring for righteousness. (5:7b-9)

b. Take the prophets, and keep on speaking the Word. (5:10)

c. Behold Job, and keep on seeing the Lord Himself. (5:11)

With such patience, be true to the Lord. (5:12)

James 4:13-5:6: Summary:

James turns his attention to those who might have presumed upon the grace of God. He gives a warning to the business people in the churches. They've come to view their life in a godless way. They assume control of their life, their lives, and their livelihood. James moves swiftly to bring God back into view and, with Him, the truth that grounds our lives and reorients them towards the humility that makes us rich in righteousness. James then warns the unrighteous rich in the assembly. By a series of denunciations, he charges them to weep and howl! Neglecting mercy, they can expect miseries. Luxuriating in their wealth, the Christian martyr (at their hands) will show them just how poor they really are. These have presumed upon the grace of the Lord of their lives and, if they don't repent, they will be repaid. He's standing at the door.

Sermon Outline:

A sobering word for the presumptuous profiteer: you are a mist. (4:13-17)

A searing word for the presumptuous rich: weep and howl. (5:1-6)