1. Cremation is associated with idolatry. The Bible records several occasions where people were burned alive. It was called "passing through the fire," and it was part of an idolatrous act [2 Chronicles 28:3; 38:6; 2 Kings 16:2-3; 17:17, 31; 21:1-2, 6; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:4-5; Ezekiel 16:20-22; 20:31; 23:37]. The Mishna called cremation idolatry. God commanded Israel not to burn their children [Lev. 18:21].

2. Cremation is associated with God's judgment. God brought fire down on individuals as a judgment [Gen. 19:24; Num. 11:1; Lev. 10:1-2; Ezek. 39:6; Matt. 25:4; 2 Peter 3:10]. God punished Moab for cremating the King of Edom [Amos 2:1-2].

3. Cremation is associated with God's people burning the dead to show contempt [Josh. 7:25; 2 Sam. 23:7; 2 Kings 23:16, 20].

4. Cremation is associated with pantheism. Pantheism in its eastern form is usually associated with a salvation from the body by escaping the cycle of reincarnation.

5. Cremation is associated with disobedience [Josh 7:15-26]. Burning brings images of human sacrifices [Lev. 18:10], criminals [Lev. 20:14; 21:9], and hell itself [Mark 9:43-47; Rev. 20:11-15].

6. The Jews or the Christians in the Bible did not cremate their dead.

7. Cremation gives the false idea that death is the end of everything.

8. Only if one rejects important Christian truths does cremation make any sense. That's why cremation finds greater acceptance among liberal churches and unbelievers.

1. God commanded the dead to be buried in the Old Testament [Deut. 21:22-23].

2. God buried Moses and all of God's people were buried [Deut. 34:5-6; Jude v9].

3. Paul is not talking about cremation [1 Cor. 13:3]. He was talking about being burned alive for the sake of Christ. No matter how much a person may suffer, there is no spiritual gain if the motive is not love.

4. Burial after death has a important spiritual symbol [Rom. 6:1-5; Col. 2:12; 2 Cor. 15:1-4]. Paul seems to teach burial [1 Cor. 15:35-37], using the analogy of planting a seed which is similar to burial. Burial shows respect for the body but it also symbolically anticipates the resurrection. There is no difficulty for God to transform ashes into a glorified body, or those burned in a house fire, blown up, or lost at sea. God will raise the bodies for Judgment, despite the manner of death or disposal of the body.

5. The Lord Jesus was buried. He never attacked the Jewish tradition of burial as the means of disposing of the body.

6. Jesus clearly expressed burial as the common practice [Luke 9:59-60].

7. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and is important in Christian teaching, dead or alive, because it was uniquely designed to give expression to the image of God [Gen. 1:27; 9:6; 1 Cor. 6:19-20].

The Scriptures set forth the pattern of burial and not cremation for the believer. No one is condemned to hell for cremation, but it is not the Biblically preferred way of disposal of the body.

1. The church was founded on the apostles teaching [Eph. 2:20].

Their work was to give grounding, support, and direction to the church in her foundational days. You can't lie but one foundation.

2. Apostles were eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 9:1; 15:7-8; Acts 1:21-22].

No man will see Jesus again in person till the rapture of the church [Acts 1:11].

3. Apostles were chosen and called personally by Jesus [Matt. 10:1-4; Gal. 1:11].

Others in the church are called apostles in the sense they are missionaries sent by the local church, but they are not called apostles of Christ, but the church [2 Cor. 8:23]. No miracles are recorded in scripture as being done by the apostles of the church.

When Paul lays forth the leadership for the church in the Pastoral Epistles [1 and 2 Timothy and Titus], he never mentions apostles.

4. Apostles were authenticated by miracles [2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3-4].

No miracles were ever done by anyone except the apostles or those commissioned by them.

5. Apostles had absolute authority [Jude v17].

6. Apostles have a eternal place of honor [Rev. 21:14].

There is no apostolic succession. The office ceased with the death of the last apostle [John].

If one claims to be an apostle in the sense of the original twelve, then he must meet the above criteria.

Who were the sons of Noah [Gen. 9:18-19]?

From Noah's three sons [Shem, Ham, and Japheth] descended the people of the world.

What was Ham's sin [Gen. 9:20-23]?

His sin was seeing his father's nakedness and then telling his brothers about it. This showed a lack of respect toward his father.

What was the curse on Canaan, one of Ham's descendants [Gen. 9:24-27]?

Noah gave prophetic utterance as to the nature of his three sons that would be perpetuated in their descendants. Canaan, one of Ham's four sons, would serve the other brother's descendants. Noah could probably see already in Canaan the same ungodly attitudes that had surfaced in Ham. This curse of servitude was upon Canaan and the Canaanites and had nothing to do with skin color. Many believe that the black race were descendants of Ham' son, Put [10:6], or either Cush, who located in the upper Nile region. Notice the curse was not on Put or Cush, but on Canaan. Neither Ham nor Canaan was black, but Caucasian.

Who were the descendants of Japheth [Gen. 10:1-5]?

Japheth's sons made up the Gentile nations north and west of Canaan. They were Greeks, Romans, Persians, and the Babylonians. What is called the European nations today.

Who were the descendants of Ham [Gen. 10:6-20]?

Ham's son Canaan made up the Canaanites that were in the Promised Land or near the Promised Land, and fought with Israel. They made up Palestine, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Philistine, Libya, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Babylon, and all the other "ites."

Who were the descendants of Shem [Gen. 10:21-32]?

Shem's sons made up the Godly line of the Jews. This was the lineage of Abraham [Gen. 11:12-26]. Notice that chapter 10 is a record of the nations divided by their languages [v31] after the Tower of Babel account [11:1-9]. Chronologically chapter 11 is before chapter 10. As the peoples of the world were divided in different regions according to their languages, they adapted certain physical characteristics and skin pigmentation that we identify with their race. One would be hard-pressed to get black skin as a curse, but rather the curse was sertitude.

The gathered church is to sing to God and edify each other when we come together. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" [Col. 3:16]. "Dwell in you richly" actually means to "fill the house with riches." This scripture speaks of our being filled with the riches of God's Word, out of which will come true worship. The Bible tells us to sing with understanding. If we can't hear the words then we certainly can't worship with understanding.

Paul gives the same instruction to the church at Ephesus where he connects the singing and the singer to being filled with the Spirit. "But be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" [Eph. 5:18-20].

God sets a high standard for music in the church. It should never simply be "music for music's sake." The music we play and sing must come from the riches of God's Word and in the fullness of His Spirit in us. When music is used under the influence of the Holy Spirit, it prepares the way for the preacher to preach. We don't "work up" worship by the music, but rather, true music comes from a worshipful heart.

Church musicians are not performers or entertainers that attract attention to them selves, but lead the people to God. If we leave the service drawn to the singer or singers, then something went wrong. Music must be God-centered and not man-centered, which is operating in the flesh. We don't use God to display man's talents, but man's talents are used to display God. Any offering that is not acceptable to God will bring no spiritual or eternal benefits to God's people, no matter how much they enjoy what they hear or do. If the beat or music supercedes the message, then we are not leading people to God through the scriptures and have merely fleshly entertainment. Adrian Rogers used to say, "If the beat or rhythm move the feet before the heart, then it is from below. If it moves the heart before the feet, then it is from above." True worship will stir the spirit and not the flesh. True worship was never intended to "get them in," but rather, to be an expression of their worship because "they are in."

I. He commands us to be baptized-

* Baptism is a response of obedience to Jesus as Lord [Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-41].

* Baptism is following the example of Jesus [Matt. 3:13-17].

* Baptism is a public declaration of our faith in Jesus [Acts 2:41; 8:35-38; 16:23-24].

* Baptism expresses our desire to follow Jesus [Romans 6:4].

* Baptism symbolizes certain truths:

1. The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus [I Cor. 15:1-4].
2. The believer's new life in Christ [Romans 6:1-4].
3. The believers future resurrection [Ephesians 1:13-14; Rom. 6:5].

* Baptism is the gateway into the local church. It is a church ordinance [Acts 2:41, 42, 47].

* Baptism is something the believer wants to do [Acts 2:41a].

2. He commands us to join a local New Testament church-

* The church is Christ's body on earth [Matt. 16:18; Romans 12:5].

* The members are commanded to assemble for public praise, prayer, and preaching for the encouragement and edification of the saints [Heb 10:25].

* The members are to submit and follow the spiritual leaders [Heb. 13:7, 17; Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:1-4].

* The members need preaching and teaching to assist them in spiritual growth [2 Peter 3:18].

* The members need to discover, develop, and use their spiritual gifts for the rest of the body [I Cor. 12:12-26; Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:11-12; I Peter 4:10].

* The members need to follow the example of Jesus [Luke 4:16].

* The New Testament was written to local churches who gathered together on the Lord's Day [I Cor. 16:2].

* Believers are joined with Christ and each other [I Cor. 12:12-27].

* The early church kept a list of widows and members [I Tim. 5:9].

* The early church knew who was in their number [Acts 2:41b].

What does the Bible teach in regard to women Pastors or teachers in the gathered church? Are women to lead in ministries when men are present? Many denominations allow women pastors and women to take the lead over men in the church, and they back up their practice by certain passages of scripture. They take these passages of context and fail to rightly divide the Word of Truth. What does the Word of God say?

In 1 Tim. 2:11-15 the emphasis is on being silent in regard to teaching the Word of God to men in the gathered church. They are not to speak with authority from God's Word to men. Paul is not saying they can't make conversation, but silence is in the context of speaking [expounding] the Word of God, and how we are to do church [1 Tim. 3:14-15]. Women are not to be disturbing or unruly in the church. Remember, That Paul is addressing an issue at Ephesus where women were usurping authority over the men in the church. The reason is explained by God's created order of the spiritual headship of the man [1 Tim. 2;13], and the deception of the woman first [1 Tim. 2:14]. A woman is not to have authority or dominion over the man, and women are not called to lead the church [1 Tim. 3:3-4]. The word "man" is in the male gender [1 Tim. 3:1], and prohibits women from the office of Pastor, Elder, and Bishop. It is impossible for the woman to be the husband of one wife [1 Tim. 3:2].

In Titus 2:3-5 we note that Paul is again talking about behavior in the gathered church. Paul instructs Titus to teach the older men [v2], the older women [v3], and the older women are to teach the younger women [vs.4-5]. What are the older women to teach the younger women? They are to teach them to be self-controlled, love their husbands and to love their children. They were to teach them to be pure, modest, and honoring to God. They are to be homemakers [keepers at home], and submissive to their husbands. They are to teach their children and other women [2 Tim. 3:14-15].

In 1 Cor. 14:34-35, Paul addresses the church at Corinth under the context of the misuse of prophecy and tongues. There was mass confusion in the church [1 Cor. 14:26-33], and Paul again gives instructions based on God's created order [Gen. 3:16; 1 Cor. 11:3]. Again, we see silence in the context of teaching and learning in the gathered church with men present. Paul was not instructing an cultural issue at Corinth, but the whole church for all time [1 Cor. 14:33, 37].

Some people use Old Testament passages where women prophesized to allow women pastors and teachers in the N.T. Church. Everywhere you see a woman prophesized, it was not in the local church.

Some people use the example of Aquila and Priscilla teaching Apollos [Acts 18:24-28], to allow women pastors and teachers. Note that "they" took him "aside" and it was not in the gathered church while teaching was going on.

Some people use Galatians 3:28 to teach women pastors and teachers. The context of the verse is equal access to salvation, and not one of role and function [v. 27].

Some people use 1 Cor. 11:2-16 to teach women pastors and teachers. Note the women were not in the gathered church [vs. 2-16], but were beginning in verse 17 and following.

One will not find in the N.T. a women Pastor, Elder, Evangelist, or anything else in the gathered church. No woman wrote a book of the Bible.

Women are not to have a public ministry to the whole church, either in leading or teaching if men are present. They have a very important ministry in the local church, but not one of having authority over men in leadership and teaching. Failure to obey this teaching is failure to obey the teaching of our Lord [1 Cor. 14:37-40]. The same principles apply on the mission field as well.

Christians are not required to observe the Sabbath, but could we explain why to Sabbath-keepers? I want to share 11 reasons why we gather for worship in Sunday, the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day.

1. The Saturday Sabbath was given to Israel. It was a sign of the Mosaic Covenant [Ex. 31:15-17], “Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord; whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath Day, he shall be put to death. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.” The Hebrew word means “to cease,” the cessation of work because God rested after the creation and a reminder of deliverance from Egypt. Christians are under the New Covenant and are not required to observe the Sabbath. “Who hath made us able ministers of the New Covenant,” 2 Cor. 3:6.

2. There is no commandment in the New Testament for Christians to observe the Sabbath. [Ex. 20:8-11] The 4th commandment is not mentioned in the New Testament. Why? It was for Israel. Col. 2:16, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [substance] is of Christ.” The shadow is no longer binding on us since the substance has come [Jesus].

3. The O.T. neither commanded the Gentile nations to observe the Sabbath nor condemns them for failing to do so. This is proof the Sabbath was given to Israel.

4. There is no record in the Bible of anyone observing the Sabbath before the time of Moses.

5. The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 did not impose Sabbath-keeping on the Gentile believers. The issue was being circumcised to be saved. There ruling was in Acts 15:24, “Some trouble you by saying you must be circumcised and keep the Law: to whom we gave no such command.”

6. The New Testament warns Gentile believers about many sins, but never about breaking the Sabbath.

7. Paul rebukes the Galatians for thinking that God expected them to observe special days, such as the Sabbath. Gal. 4:10-11, “You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.”

8. To observe the Sabbath was to be a matter of personal preference until they understood their Christian liberty. Romans 14:5, “One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully convinced in his own mind.” The weaker brother is to grow in his Christian liberty.

9. The book of Acts and the writings of early church fathers make it clear that the early church met for worship on Sunday. Why no rebuke from the Lord?

10. Christ’s resurrection and His post-resurrection appearances were on Sunday and the Holy Spirit came on Sunday.

11. The Sabbath commemorates the Father’s finished work of creation, while the Lord’s Day commemorates Christ’s finished work of redemption, the “new creation.” God worked for six days and rested, the Son suffered six hours and rested. Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath and we cease from works and rest in Him.

Intro:

1. Evolutionists use dinosaurs to indoctrinate children that the earth is millions of years old, the proper interpretation of Genesis, and the dating of fossils. They believe the Bible does not mention dinosaurs and call them prehistoric animals.

2. Young earth creationists believe the Bible does mention dinosaurs and they existed with man and were created on the 5th and 6th day of creation.

Transition: What do we know about the Bible and dinosaurs?

1. The Bible does not use the word “dinosaur.”

1]. The Bible uses the Hebrew word “tanniyn” tan-neen. The word “dinosaur’ was used in 1841 and meant “great lizard.”

2]. It is translated different ways in our English Bible. It is called “sea monster,” “serpent,” and it is commonly translated “dragon.”

3]. Many believe they were some sort of giant reptiles and are mentioned nearly 35 times in the Old Testament and are found both on land and water.

2. Dinosaurs existed with man.

1]. The flying and sea dinosaurs were created on the 5th day and the land dinosaurs were created on the 6th day.

2]. Two of every kind were taken on the ark [Gen. 7:9]. Those not on the ark drowned and others went extinct because of the change in climate, loss of habitat, disease and stalked by man

3]. They existed friendly with man and did not fear man till after the flood [Gen. 9:2].

4]. Nearly every ancient civilization has some sort of art depicting giant reptile creatures.

1. Rock carvings in South America depict men riding dinosaur like creatures. Marco Polo reported sightings of dinosaur like creatures.

2. They have discovered fossilized footprints of humans and dinosaurs found together in North America and West-Central Asia.

3. The first dinosaur fossil was discovered in the 1820’s.

3. The Bible describes two dinosaurs-like creatures.

1]. Behemoth- [Job 40:15-24]. Colossal beast

1. Some have tried to identify this as an elephant or a hippopotamus. What is missing if it is a elephant, then the large trunk and ears are not mentioned. Many believe this large animal was a dinosaur.

2. Hippo’s and elephants have small tails, not like a cedar. The word tail is translated as “trunk.”

2]. Leviathan- [Job 41:1-34]. Large sea creature

1. Four other O.T. texts refer to this large sea creature [Job 3:8; Ps. 74:13-14; 104:25-26; Is. 27:1].

2. Some have tried to say this is a crocodile. Crocodiles are not sea creatures. Some believe it is a killer whale or Great White Shark.

1. We continue looking at those topics not usually covered by preachers that may be controversial among believers. When you stick to what the Bible says, the argument is not with the preacher, but with God’s Word.

2. Ill. of women preachers at Subway.

Transition: What does the Bible say about the mark of the beast or 666?

1. What is the Mark of the Beast?

1]. It will be an tribulation “mark” required by the antichrist to buy or sell and pledge allegiance to the antichrist. He will use it to control the world by controlling commerce.

2]. This mark acts as a “seal” for the followers of antichrist and the false prophet.

2. What does the number 666 mean? [13:17-18].

1]. The number is not a date like 6-6-06, but the number identifies a person. It is not the number of a system, but identifies a person.

2]. It is man’s number. Man was created on the 6th day. Six represents imperfection and sin.

1. No matter how much man tries he will never reach 7 the number of perfection.

2. Satan was cast out of heaven for wanting to be worshipped as God, and here he tries to get that worship thru a man, the antichrist.

3]. What does the triple six represent? Two schools of thought

1. The three sixes is a symbol of which allegiance someone has chosen.

Matt. 22:37

Satan thru this world ruler will require everyone to give allegiance to him and his kingdom. They will does this by receiving the mark of the beast.

2 Thess. 2:3-4

2. The triple 6 could speak of how sinister he will be. “Holy, Holy, Holy” speaks of how holy God is.

3. What happens to those who take the mark? Taking the mark will be recognizing him as Lord and final rejection of God. It will be the unpardonable sin.

Rev. 14:9-11

Rev. 15:2

Rev. 16:2

Rev. 19:20

Rev. 20:4

4. What is the mark?

1]. We don’t know now but it will be known in the tribulation.

2]. Now we have a system that is developing that he will use to initiate his mark.

National I.D. Card
Bar code
Debit Cards
Social Security numbers
GPS Tracking- people, animals
Digital angel- Veri-Chips under skin.

3]. If you take or use these before the rapture, you have not committed yourself to the antichrist; he has not be revealed yet.

1. These are not evil in themselves, but the system he will use to control.

2. Neither are these the spirit of the antichrist.

3. We are not to be superstitious about the number of try to match it up with a person.

1. The worldwide spread of atheism.

2. Liberalism spreads in Europe and America.

3. Ecumenical movement begins.

4. Apostasy and denial of Biblical truth.

5. Moral chaos because of departure from Christian morality.

6. The sweep of spiritism, the occult, and doctrines of demons.

7. Jerusalem- center of religious controversy for Jews and Arabs.

8. The rapture of the church.

9. The restraint of evil by the Holy Spirit is lifted.

10. The one world church is formed by the False Prophet.

11. The Anti Christ destroys the world church.

12. Believers and Jews are martyred.

13. Christ returns at the end of the tribulation.

1. Israel is established as a nation in 1948.

2. Russia emerges as an enemy of Israel.

3. America befriends Israel and promises protection.

4. The Arab nations are strengthened by Europe and Arab nations.

5. America’s influence is weakened by terrorism and immorality

6. Rapture of the church.

7. Israel is forced to sign a peace pact with the leader of a confederacy of 10 nations.

8. Jews celebrate what they think is a lasting peace.

9. First three and a half years, Judaism is revived and temple rebuilt.

10. Russia and Islamic nations invade Israel and are destroyed.

11. Antichrists sets himself up in the temple as God.

12. God has the 144,000 Jewish evangelists and two witnesses.

13. Christ returns to earth and 1/3 of Jews welcome him as Messiah.

14. The Millennial reign of Christ and fulfillment of prophetic promises to Israel.