Sunday, 8/15/21, Message Notes


Covid-19D Series (Revised) July 25—August 29, 2021
Recent events have prompted me to do some serious personal and theological soul- searching on several subjects that I haven’t thought about deeply for some time. Since many of you have expressed similar issues and questions lately, I decided to table our jaunt through the Book of Acts and share some of what I’ve been working on for the last month or so. It is my prayer that you might find these messages relevant, informative, encouraging and helpful, especially considering the state of our nation in general and this resurgent Corona virus pandemic in particular.
Schedule
1- 7/25/21 2- 8/1/21 3- 8/8/21 4- 8/15/21 5- 8/22/21 6- 8/29/21
“The importance of Balance in the Christian Life” “Laughter is Good Medicine!”
“How Do I ‘Pray in Faith?’”
“Are Miracles for Today? ”
Proverbs 16:11 Proverbs 17:22 1 John 5:13-15
Acts 2:22
“Super Slow-Mo Miracles”
“Walk by Faith” BUT “Count the Cost”
2 Kings 5:8-14 2 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 14:28
For now, the plan is to resume the Acts series on September 5th, and we will continue to try to put these messages online for those who don’t feel comfortable attending in person. Just be careful not to let it become a habit!
The purpose of this pamphlet is to encourage you to use this time for personal Bible study and reflection on God’s Word – especially if you happen to be quarantined.
Covid-D Week 1: “The Importance of Balance in the Christian Life” 7/25/21 Key Verse: Proverbs 16:11 (NASB)
“A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; All the weights of the bag are His concern.”
Covid-D Week 2: “Laughter is Good Medicine!” 8/1/21 The importance of a positive mental attitude and outlook on life
Key Verse: Proverbs 17:22 (NASB)
“A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
Covid-D Week 3: “How Do I ‘Pray in Faith?’” 8/8/21
Key Verse: 1 John 5:13-15 (NASB)
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
Covid-D Week 4: “Are Miracles for Today” 8/15/21 The difference between “signs” and “miracles”
Key Verse: Acts 2:22 (NASB)
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know…”


Covid-D Week 4: “Are Miracles for Today” (Continued) 8/15/21 The key differences between “signs” and “miracles”
Key Verse: Acts 2:22 (NASB)
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know…”
I have emphasized on several occasions recently an important distinction between the “sign miracles” in the Book of Acts and the “miracles” we normally see today. Those who call for the Church today to be more like the “early Church” have a valid point. However, the failure to recognize the transitional nature of the Book of Acts can result in an unbalanced perspective, especially as it relates to understanding the miraculous works of God in the 1st century compared to the world today. This can produce an over-emphasis on the importance of miracles which can almost become a necessary means of an on-going validation of the Christian faith.
Key verse in Context
Acts 2:14-36 (excerpts NASB)
14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel…
22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the prede- termined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of god- less men and put Him to death. 24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power…
32 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear…
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Key Words
“attested” (Acts 2:22) Gk #584, apodeiknumi; from 575 and 1166: to bring out, show forth, declare:– attested (1), displaying (1), exhibited (1), prove (1)
“miracles” (Acts 2:22) Gk#1411, dunamis , from 1410; (miraculous) power, might, strength:– (4), mightily (1), mighty (1), miracle (2), miracles (17), miraculous pow- ers (3), power (83), powers (6), strength (2), wealth (1)

  • Note: cp. English word “dynamite” derived from this Greek word
    “wonders” (Ac2:22) Gk#5059, teras ; prim. word; a wonder, marvel:– wonders(16) “signs” (Acts 2:22) Gk #4592, semeion: a sign:– miracle (2), sign (35), signs (39)
  • Week 5: “Super Slow-Mo Miracles” 8/22/21
  • Waiting on the Lord—Some miracles take time!
  • Key Verse: Isaiah 40:31
  • “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.
  • Sometimes we have to wait a long time for God to answer our prayer and for miracles to happen. And even then those miracles can take an excruciatingly long time from start to finish in our lives. These miracles can be quite difficult and even painful. But if we are patient and willing to “wait upon the Lord,” we—and the world—will see the wonderful things God is STILL doing today. They may not be “signs” like those in the Book of Acts, but they are “miracles” of God’s grace just the same!
  • Key verse in Context
  • Isaiah 40:27-31 (NASB)
  • 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?
  • 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscru- table. 29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
  • Key Word
  • “wait” (Isaiah 40:31) Hebrew NASB Number: 6960a (x), qavah, prim. root: wait for:– eagerly waits (1), expect (1), expected (3), hope (3), hoped (1), hopefully wait (1), hop- ing (1), look (1), look eagerly (1), looked (2), wait (22), waited (7), waited for you ea- gerly (1), waited patiently (1)
  • Key Links (Links disabled)
  • Everlasting God (4:48)
  • Lincoln Brewster (Radio Version w/ Isaiah 40) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2nz6PG8KM
  • The Chris Norton Story
  • The “Super Slow-Mo” Four-Year-long Miracle Recovery from a Football Injury NBC News Story (1:51)
  • Paralyzed College Student Chris Norton Walks Across Stage at Graduation (nbcnews.com)
  • 7 Yards Documentary Trailer (3:26)
  • 7 YARDS Film
  • Jim Carey Comedy clip from movie “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (Remember Week #2) Ace Ventura :: Super Slow-mo – Bing video-D Week 6: “Walk by Faith – Count the Cost” The need for balance in the Christian Life
  • Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 14:28 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB)
  • “…for we walk by faith, not by sight…”
  • Dr. C. Ross Rowland, Pastor Oceanside Community Church August 15, 2021-D
  • Covid-D Week 6: “Walk by Faith – Count the Cost” The need for balance in the Christian Life
  • Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 14:28 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB)
  • “…for we walk by faith, not by sight…”
  • 8/29/21
  • Luke 14:28 (NASB)
  • For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?
  • This Covid-19 series began on 7/25 when about 27 of our congregation came down with the virus and had to be quarantined. That first message focused on the basic idea of the importance of balance in the Christian using the illustration of a “righteous balance” taken from Proverbs 16:11. We end this series with a more comprehensive examination of this important subject by comparing and contrasting two key verses which seem to present contrasting perspectives on how to live the Christian life.
  • Key Texts in Context
  • 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (NASB)
  • 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
  • 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, ac- cording to what he has done, whether good or bad.
  • Luke 14:25-30 (NASB)
  • 25“Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26‘If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
  • 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate [NKJV “count”] the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?
  • 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’‘”
  • Key Word
  • “calculate” (Lk 14:28) *An enigmatic word! (possibly with a nuance of understanding?) Greek NASB Number: 5585 (2x) Transliterated: psēphizō; Root: from 5586: to count, calculate:– calculate (2).
  • Revelation 13:18 (NASB)
  • Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
  • Dr. C. Ross Rowland, Pastor Oceanside Community Church August 15, 2021

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