First Alliance Church ATL

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 __________.

05-28-18 - Kevin Goins - Dealing with Doubt part 2

“Dealing With Doubt, part 2” John 6:60-71

We all struggle with doubt, but sometimes our doubts seem so insignificant we think nothing of them. Or, they may be hiding
beneath the surface so we are not even aware that they are there. But if not dealt with, doubts tend to grow until something happens and we realize our confidence in God is not as strong as we thought it was. What can we do to stop our doubts from growing? What does the Bible teach us about doubt?

I First, doubt isn’t about not believing , doubt is about not obeying (6:60).
II Second, doubt so clouds the present that it keeps us from seeing the future (6:61-62).
III Third, doubt often focuses on the physical while ignoring the spiritual (6:63).

IV Fourth, doubt thinks it has p_________ over us, but it does not (6:64-65).
-Doubt thinks it has power over us in two ways:
1. Doubt thinks it is in c_________.
2. Doubt thinks that its presence can d_________ faith.

V Fifth, our doubt h______ Jesus (6:66-67).

VI Sixth, doubt can be o____________ (6:68-69).
-Two things in these two verses we cannot overlook:
1. This is not _________’s confession.
2. The answer to doubt is not b_________ alone; there is k_________ which supports our faith.

VII Seventh, doubt, if left unchecked, leads to d__________(6:70-71)

05-20-18 Kevin Goins - Dealing with Doubt

“Dealing With Doubt”  John 6:60-71

We all struggle with doubt, but sometimes our doubts seem so insignificant we think nothing of them. Or, they may be hiding beneath the surface so we are not even aware that they are there. But if not dealt with, doubts tend to grow until something happens and we realize our confidence in God is not as strong as we thought it was. What can we do to stop our doubts from growing? What does the Bible teach us about doubt?

I First, doubt isn’t about not __________, doubt is about not _____________ (6:60).

A. Sometimes we think it is enough just to h______ what God says, but hearing without _____________ is not hearing at all.

B. We hear what Jesus says, but we don’t ______ to do it so we ________ our disobedience by doubting what he said.

 

II Second, doubt so clouds the __________that it keeps us from seeing the __________ (6:61-62).

A. There are times when the decisions we make ________ hurt us greatly t____________.

B. When we respond to God now with doubt, it has a c______________ effect on what God will be able to show us in the future.

III Third, doubt often focuses on the ______________ while ignoring the _____________ (6:63).

A. Without the _______ of Jesus we have nothing, but that is not all there is to our salvation; something _______ is necessary.

B. The news of the death of Jesus only has p_______ because his death was followed by his _______________.

C. When we make life all about the b______ (the f________), we are tormented by doubt, because the body is so f___________.

05-13-18 Kevin Goins - The Tests of Motherhood

05-06-18 Kevin Goins - Eating Flesh and Drinking Blood

“Eating Flesh and Drinking Blood”   John 6:53-59

Christians make it our practice to regularly participate in the Lord’s Supper. Some of us, however, have been doing this for so long that we may have forgotten what it is all about. The text we’re looking at today gives us a refresher course in the theology of the Lord’s Supper.

I First, we need to begin by pointing out that not all Christians see the Lord’s Supper in the s____ w____.

A. T________________
B. R________ P___________, or Consubstantiation
C. R_______________ view

II Second, we need to point out that despite what some churches and traditions believe, John 6:53-59 is not focused on the Lord’s Supper.

A. First, John does not ____ what he could easily have _____ to show us that this text is about the Lord’s Supper.

1. John, of all the Gospels, gives ___ account of how Jesus established the Lord’s Supper.

2. John uses language in chapter six which, though it s________ a bit like Lord’s Supper language, is _____ the language of the Lord’s Supper.

B. Second, a focus on the Lord’s Supper would not fit the c_________ of the chapter.

C. Third, a reference to the Lord’s Supper at this point in time would be an a__________.

III Third, what can we learn about the Lord’s Supper from John six?

A. First, when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper we r__________ how Jesus gave his life to take away the sin and shame of the world.

B. Second, when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper we a_________ that Jesus’ death is what gives us life _____ and life _________.

C. Third, when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper we p________ that we will stay with Jesus no matter what.

04-29-18 Kevin Goins - Rejection, Part 2

“Rejection” (Pt 2)  John 6:33-51
No human being finds rejection easy.  Imagine, then, what it was like for Jesus.  He was the long-awaited Messiah, but when he came to this earth most of the nation of Israel rejected him.  The
early church was also challenged because while some accepted their preaching, others rejected it. As the church today we must also deal with rejection.  But while Jesus experienced rejection, he was not undone by it. What did Jesus know that enabled him to keep going in the face of rejection?
I Jesus knew that it is all about God (6:37).
II Jesus knew that while it’s all about God, he also has a crucial part to play, and Jesus knew he would do his part (6:38-40).
III Jesus knew that even those who reject him cannot u___________ God’s plan, because God is in c________ (6:41-51)

A. This is predestination:  God acts to bring into his Kingdom those he c_________.

B. What can we say about predestination?  
1. Both the w______ and the t__________ are found in the Bible.
a. Ephesians __:___-___
b. Romans __:___-___

2. It is a controversial topic both i________ and o________ the church.
a. Calvin said we become believers by God choosing ___.
b. Arminius said we become believers by our choosing ________.

3. It’s a topic which people tend to discuss with a great deal of p_________.

4. It’s a topic people tend to argue about without fully exploring the c_____________ of their position.

5. It’s a topic that does not fit with our western fondness for “_______/____” statements of truth.

C. So, the Bible teaches both that we are _________ by God and that we have ______ ______.  How can both be true?