First Alliance Church ATL

08-19-18 Kevin Goins - Introduction to the Spirit, part 3

“Introduction to the Spirit”  John 7:37-52 (Pt 3)

John 7: 37-52 is Jesus’ introduction to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. What do these verses tell us about the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

I First, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is the alternative to religion (7:37a).
II Second, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is essential to everyone (7:37b).
III Third, the ministry of the Holy Spirit excludes no one (7:37c).
IV Fourth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is for those who are thirsty.

V Fifth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is only for those who are willing to t_______ a___________ of it (7:37d)

A. If we want what Jesus is offering us, there are ____ things we must do:

1. First, we must _______ to Jesus.
2. Second, we must ________.

B. There are three kinds of people:

1. Those who do ____ have the Spirit.
2. Those who are m_______ by the Spirit.
3. Those who s________ be led by the Spirit, but they are ____.

C. All Christians ______ the Spirit, but not all drink d________ of the Spirit.

VI Sixth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit gives life __ us and _______ us (7:38).

VII In verse 39 John makes sure we know that by “living water” Jesus means the ______ _______ (7:39).

VIII Seventh, the ministry of the Holy Spirit calls forth _______ different responses (7:40-52):

A First, there is c___________.

B. Second, there is c___________.

C. Third, there is c___________.

08-12-18 Kevin Goins - Introduction to the Spirit part 2

“Introduction to the Spirit”   John 7:37-52 (Pt 2)

John 7: 37-52 is Jesus’ introduction to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. What do these verses tell us about the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

I First, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is the alternative to religion (7:37a).
II Second, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is essential for everyone (7:37b).
III Third, the ministry of the Holy Spirit e_________ no one (7:37c).

A. It is easy to think that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is only for s________ people --

1. -- If we look at the h______ in Acts.
2. -- If we look at the s______ in church.

B. But “If anyone….” means more than simply that the Holy Spirit is meant for every b_________ - It means the Holy Spirit is for e__________ p_________.

IV Fourth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is for those who are t__________.

A. There are two main mechanisms for maintaining our water balance: (1) the sensation of t__________ and (2) the k_________.

B. The simplest symptom of dehydration is thirst, but there are other symptoms:

1. difficulty thinking c_________
2. halitosis (b_____ b__________)
3. food c__________
4. f________ or lethargy
5. r________ heart
6. s____________.
7. j_______ or m________ pain
8. h__________ or d_________.
9. k_______ problems
10. s_______, d______ skin or lips

C. Thirst is not only the key to physical health, it is also the key to _________ health:

D. How can we tell if we are thirsty for the Holy Spirit?

1. Do we have spiritual h__________?
2. Are we spiritually l___________?
3. Do we have cravings for things we know we do n____ n______?
4. Do we have h_______ problems?
5. Do we have b_______ aches and pains?
6. Do we have difficulty t________ c_________?
7. Are we d_______ u____?

07-29-18 Kevin Goins - Introduction to the Spirit

“Introduction to the Spirit”  John 7:37-52 (Pt 1)

Our text today begins John’s introduction to the Spirit. Jesus will have a great deal more to say about the Holy Spirit in chapters fourteen through sixteen, but this is his introductory statement and it comes at the Feast of Tabernacles. What do these verses tell us about the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

I First, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is the a__________ to r____________ (7:37a).

A. Jesus stands up to speak at the very time the Jews are celebrating a f________, and taking part in a ceremonial feast is a p_________ of religion.

1. We can use the word “religion” simply in the s___________ sense.

2. Religion is about whether or not people have some space in their life for _____ and for the s____________.

B. But there is also a sense in which Christianity is _____ a religion. In fact, there is a sense in which Christianity is _______-religion.

1. First, in no religion except Christianity does God become a ________ ________ in order to save human beings by __________ in our place.

2. Second, only Christianity tells us that the way to God is not by d________ s____________.

a. Religion is about doing - doing the things religion says will make God a_______ us.

But Christianity says there is _________ we can do to make God accept us.

b. Religion is about m__________ the religious looking things religious people do.

Christianity is about having our own p_________ relationship with God.

II Second, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is for e__________, especially a believer (7:37b).

A. First, it is important that Jesus s__________.

B. Second, it is important that Jesus spoke “In a _________ voice.”

III So, we can have religion, and religion makes ___ feel good about _____________, or we can have a _______ relationship with God.

07-22-18 Kevin Goins - Attacked At Church

“Attacked at Church”  John 7:14-36

Church is not supposed to be a place where people are attacked, but it happens. In fact, it happened in Jesus’ day, and it happened to Jesus himself! The multiple attacks Jesus faced were actually accusations made against him. But the purpose of these allegations was to pave the way for his arrest and death, and so the word “attack” is not unwarranted. Let’s look at these attacks:

I First attack: Jesus lacks the c_____________ to be a spiritual leader (7:15-18).

A. All the people were a________ at this teaching – for two reasons:

1. He knew how to i_________ Scripture like the rabbis, but he had never attended rabbinic s________.

2. He taught as one who had a____________.

B. People can a_________ their credentials; they can assume their credentials make them an authority on e___________.

II Second attack: Jesus is d________-p___________ (7:19-20).

A. Any time we use labels, even labels like “__________” or “_____________,” we are treating people as things or ideas, not as human beings.

B. They called Jesus demon-possessed because they needed to get their minds off the g_______ Jesus had done so they could h______ and even k______ him.

III Third attack: Jesus disregards the S_________ L____ (7:21-24).

A. Here Jesus proves his point by using a famous rabbinic principle of interpretation called Qal Wahomer, which means “from the l_______ to the h________.”

B. When the letter of the law overthrows the Law of Love, God is not h________ and life is made c________.

IV Fourth attack: His o________ proves Jesus is not the Messiah (7:25-29).

V Our text ends with Jesus telling them the c________________ of their decision to reject him.

07-15-18 Kevin Goins - 4 Things Our Children Must Know, Pt. 3

“Four Things Our Children Must Know: Watch Out for the Strange Woman”
Proverbs 2:16-19

If you had to select the four most important things children must know in order to survive and thrive, what would they be? Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote Proverbs chapter two for his son, and in this chapter he tells us four things which our children need to know. Today we look at the fourth.

I Our children should know how to get wisdom (2:1-4).
II Our children should know the benefits of having wisdom (2:5-8).
III Our children should know the danger of being influenced by bad men (2:12-15).
IV Our children should know the danger of being influenced by the s_________ w____________.
-What does Solomon say about the strange woman?

These women, or men, should be avoided because they rely on f__________ w_______ (2:16).
1. The Hebrew word translated “flattering” literally means s________
People flatter for a r__________; words of flattery are often followed by words of r_________.

B. These women, or men, should be avoided because they cannot be t_________ to keep their p____________ (2:17).
1. What is wrong with the man or woman who is unfaithful is not only that they make f________ of the people they try to seduce,
-but they tear to bits the h________ of the person they claimed to _______ when they first got married.
2. The Bible parallels our relationship with our s_________ with our relationship with _______.

C. These women, or men, should be avoided because they d______ their victims down to d________ (2:18).

D. These women, or men, should be avoided because the path they tempt people to walk is a o_____-w_______ s__________ (2:19).
-Solomon talks about avoiding the promiscuous man or woman as if they were the p________, but Jesus said we are to p_______ for those who would hurt and use us.

07-01-18 Kevin Goins - The Perils of Baptism

“The Perils of Baptism”   John 7:1-14

Here in the U.S. we do not think of baptism as dangerous. Aside from the occasional slip or fall in the baptismal tank, baptisms usually proceed without anyone being harmed in any way. But in some countries baptism may expose the believer to persecution, or worse. And even in the U.S. baptism can be perilous, because some are offended by the claims of Jesus and they may have less than positive things to say about the decision of a person to be baptized. Jesus reminds us of these dangers in our text today. Why is baptism dangerous?

I First, baptism is dangerous because it can offend p________ in p________ (7:1-2).
A. The text we are looking at today is about how d_________ it was for Jesus to go to J________.

B. What does the Feast of T____________ have to do with baptism?

1. Both are c____________ by God.

2. Both recall the h_______ of God’s s_____________.

3. Both highlight w________.

4. Both are very p_________.

II Second, baptism is dangerous because it can create misunderstanding among our f_________ m___________ (7:3-9).

III Third, baptism is dangerous because it can d__________ our f_________ (7:10-13).

IV Baptism is dangerous, but there is also a very p_________ side to all this (7:14).

-Jesus set aside the danger because:

1. He wanted to be o__________ to _______.

2. He wanted to t__________ people about ______.

06-24-18 Kevin Goins - 4 Things Our Children Must Know

“Four Things Our Children Must Know” Proverbs 2:1-8

If you had to select the four most important things children must know in order to survive and thrive, what would they be?
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote Proverbs chapter two for his son, and in this chapter he tells us four things which our children need to know. Today we look at the first two.

I First, our children should know how to g____ w_________ (2:1-4). What do they need to do?

A. First, s______ up God’s Word (2:1).

B. Second, l________ out for wise words and t_______ about what we hear (2:2).

C. Third, be willing to a_______ _______ for wisdom (2:3).

D. Fourth, make getting wisdom a p__________ (2:4).

II Second, our children should know the b__________ of having wisdom (2:5-8).

A. The first benefit of seeking wisdom is not ________, but knowing ______ (2:5).

B. The second benefit is _______ wisdom (2:6).

C. The third benefit is v___________ (2:7).

D. The fourth benefit is p____________(2:8).

III Sadly, wisdom is _____ what most people are pursuing today. M_______, e__________, s______, and p______ are what people today seek.

06-17-18 Kevin Goins - Something Every Father Must Teach His Children

“Something Every Father Must Teach His Children”
Genesis 47:29-48:16

We know that every Father, along with every mother, ought to teach his and her children how to live. But there is something else we Father’s need to do: we need to teach our children how to die. But how do we prepare our children for death?

I The first way we prepare our children for death is to be always reminding them w________ we are g_______ (47:29-30).
A. At the end of his life Jacob was trying to point his family to their r________ destination.
B. But the problem is, we get so c_____________ here that we begin to act like this is _____ there is.

II Second, we prepare our children for death by reminding them where we h_____ b _______ (48:1-4).
A. Jacob talked about his p______ in order to inspire his children and grandchildren about their f_________.
B. We teach our children that they can rely on God’s promises by telling them how ____ have s______ those promises come true.

III Third, we prepare our children for death by c_________ them for the Kingdom of God (48:5-6).
A. There are two members of Jacob’s n_________ family who are not yet a part of his s_________ family.
B. Jacob called Ephraim and Manasseh to leave behind the p____________ and p_____________ of Egypt.

IV Fourth, we prepare our children for death by b________ them with an everlasting b___________ (48:8-16).
A. First, there is m___________ t________.
B. Second, there is a spoken message of h_______ v________.
C. Third, this blessing should include a message about the s_________ f________ God has for the one being blessed.

V When should we fathers start to do all these things? _________ _____!

06-10-18 Len and Diane Warden - Peculiar People

Len & Diane Warden: International Workers to Brazil

Text: I Peter 6:1-12

06-03-18 Abel Irvin - What Are You Running After?

What Are You Running After?  1 Timothy 6:3-12

In 1 Timothy the apostle Paul is writing to his young protege, Timothy, who is a leader in the church at Ephesus. One of the challenges Timothy faced in leading this church was false teachers who had come into the church and were teaching and doing things that were not right. Paul wants Timothy to know two things:

1. What we _______ _____ pursue (vs. 3-5, 9-10)
a. Instead of pursuing God, these men had an unhealthy interest in ______________ and __________.

b. These false teachers even thought that _____________ was a way to get ________!

c. Paul warns Timothy that those who pursue ________ will ultimately be plunged into ______ and _____________.

d. The desire to accumulate wealth fixes a person's attention on ______ ________ and on ____________.

2. What we __________ pursue (vs. 6-8, 11-12)
a. Paul tells Timothy that first he should pursue ______________.

b. Contentment is not ____-__________, but ______-___________.

c. Paul lists six other things that Timothy should pursue: ____________, ___________, ________, ________, ___________, and __________.