Subtopic : “When I Think Of The Blessings Of Goodness Of Jesus And What He Has Done For Me, My Soul Cries Out Hallelujah Praise God For The Blessing Of Saving Me.” 

Sermon Notes By Pastor Arthur H. Coleman Sr. For Sunday January 26, 2014

Ephesians 1:4-7 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (vs5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the riches of his grace; (vs6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (vs7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Revelation 21:1-4 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (vs2) And I John saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (vs3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (vs4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 10, Pages 53-54, a comment on Ephesians 1:4. “ THE CHRISTIAN BLESSINGS ARE SPIRITUAL AND HEAVENLY.  1.They are spiritual. The word describes them as having to do with the substance as opposed to its qualities and attributes; it shows what they are in us. They are inward graces, not maternal possessions. We may receive temporal prosperity, and, if so, should ascribe it to the Source and Author of every good gift. But we may be denied it, and yet be none the less blessed of God. It is a mistake for any of us to look for specially Christian blessings in this category, or to be perplexed at not receiving them. The true Christian blessings are such things as peace and joy, light and love, purity and power. 2. They are heavenly. This word describes them objectively; it points to what they are in themselves and in relation to their Divine origin. Coming from God, they belong to “heavenly places.” They are such things as the forgiveness of sins, and the sympathy and fellowship of Christ, the very great happiness of the vision that is willing to grant or give to the pure in heart, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Because they are heavenly things they are not beyond our reach; for heaven is let down to earth now that the kingdom of heaven is in our midst, and we are lifted up to heaven when we have our treasures there, for there our heart is, for it is only the upward gaze that will discern true Christian blessings.” 

Subtopic: "Don't Fight The Feeling"

Sermon Notes By Pastor Arthur H. Coleman Sr. for Sunday January 12, 2014

Text: Ezekiel 36:24-27 “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. (vs25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (vs26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (vs27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

Romans 12:1-2 “I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (vs2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Ephesians 4:21-24 “If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (vs22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (vs23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (vs24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.20, Pages 157-158 , a Comment on Ephesians 4:20-24 “Ye have not so learned Christ, if so be ye heard him,” ect. (ver.20) The whole tenor Of Christ’s teaching and influence is against these things. Only make sure that you have come under it. What they are. (1) “Put off the old man,” ect. Comprehensiveness of the word “man;” his tendency is to rottenness or corruption; the lusts of deceit which are connected with him are that which will cause great harm or damage and ruinous. (2) “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Renewal begins within by the Holy Spirit rousing in you a desire for it, urging you to use the means towards it. Accept and improve these movements of the Spirit within you. (3) In this way, “put on the new man,” and especially encourage and seek to have developed these two features of creation--- righteousness and holiness. Righteousness, including integrity, honest, true, fair, open dealing; doing justly out and out, in every place and in every relation--- in the house, the market, the shop, among neighbors, among strangers, everywhere and at all times. Holiness of truth, including high reverence for God and all that is Divine, sympathy and congeniality of heart with God, cleanness of nature, purity, of soul, conformity to the image of Christ, who is the Image of the invisible God. No professing Christian can be exempted from this rule of life. Nor should any assume too readily that he is thoroughly conforming to it. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”(1 Cor.10:12). Christianity in its practical relations is very searching and thorough. It demands a high standard of life and patience. But no wonder, if Christ be the Head, the Source of all vital power, and if there be a complete provision by which the needed power may be communicated to all members. Never let it be said to Christians, What do ye more than others?”

Subtopic:   The New Ambition Of My Rededication: “This Is My Year”

Sermon Notes by Pastor Arthur H. Coleman Sr. for Sunday January 5, 2014

Text: Ezek. 36:26-27 " A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.(vs. 27)And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them".

Phi. 3:7-15 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.(vs8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.(vs9) And be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is of God by faith: (vs10) That I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (vs11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.(vs12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.(vs13) Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,(vs14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.(vs15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything  ye be otherwise  minded, God shall reveal even this unto you". 

Premise

The Pulpit Commentary page 119 on Phi.3:12-14 "The most advanced Christian is always the humblest. The nearer we draw to Christ, the more we feel our own unworthiness. The light of Christ's holiness, manifested in the heart of his saints, brings into clearer light the exceeding sinfulness of sin. But he is striving after perfection. The Christian knows his own weakness and sin, but he knows also that he is really following Christ. If we are doing so, we must know it; we must be conscious of real effort in the spiritual life. This very sense of imperfection urges the Christian to sustained effort. He is never satisfied with himself,  therefore he presses onwards. He does not dwell with complacency on his own attainments, but forgets the progress he has made; in view of the far greater height which remains to scale, he throws himself into the work with ever-increasing energy".