Sermon Snippets With Max Taylor podcast

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Revelation 2:1-7 We left off discussing the various views of these churches, and today we jump into the letter to the first of these churches. Christ presents Himself to the church at Ephesus—who had been given premier teaching on the church from Paul and the qualifications for church leaders through Paul’s letter to Timothy—as the One who cares for the messengers of the church and walks in the midst of His body. Most of the contents of this letter to Ephesus is praiseworthy, but there is a warning issued them to return to their first love. There is much for us to learn from the letter to this church. Ephesus: the Loveless church I. The Location (literal local church) #1 Very important Roman city in the province of Asia City of Diana the pagan Greek goddess Church Paul spent the most time at Timothy ministered there, as did John, possibly as elders Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians is the masterpiece treatise on the church, there were no problems addressed in this epistle, contains spiritual depth, it is in the letter to Timothy we have the qualifications for pastor and deacon Gave his parting sermon in Acts 20 II. The Likeness of Christ Christ’s relationship with His church Caring for the elders and walking in the midst of the members III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings) ✅Intolerance towards evil & error ✅Hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans (domineering over the people) ✅Had remained faithful and patient in their works and labor ❎Left their first love Their fervor and affection was abated over time Probably due to trials due to their location IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative) #3 Represents the Apostolic Age AD 70-170 This is a call to patience, to bear under great trials, to continue long in obedience V. The Lesson for us (type of church) #2 Wilmington’s helpful outline: Remember the faith they had loved (give their heads to Christ) Repent (give their hearts to Christ) Repeat their first works (give their hands to Christ)…

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113. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 8: Intro to the Churches 15:00

7 days ago15:00

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Revelation 2-3 This is a really important part of Revelation because this is where we are living right now. This is the things which “are” so we should take note because it is written to our current time frame. In this first episode on these two chapters, we are introducing the seven churches and the three aspects of these churches as (1) literal local churches, (2) symbolic or types of churches, and (3) historic representative churches throughout the church age. Looking forward to jumping into the church of Ephesus next week!…

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112. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 7: The Layout of Revelation 15:00

15 days ago15:00

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Revelation 1:17-20 John is here given the outline for the revelation he would record (1) the things which he had seen, (2) the things which were, and (3) the things which would be hereafter. When these last remaining things begin to happen, they will take place suddenly and in rapid succession (1:1). May we meditate on these things of eternal value and long to see the Lord face to face.…

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111. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 6: Getting a Glimpse of Jesus 15:00

22 days ago15:00

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Revelation 1:13-16 These verses give us a glimpse of Jesus, as He will be in the day of the Lord. For now, we can see Jesus as we study the truth of His Word, watch prophecy line up for His return, interact with other believers who are part of His Bride, and meditate upon Him personally. We need but to listen and turn and look as John did. And one day we will see—not just a glimpse of Jesus—but we will see Him as He is. That is what motivates us to purity and hope (1 John 3:2-3).…

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110. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 5: Christ In Our Midst 15:00

29 days ago15:00

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Revelation 1:11-16 At the beginning of John’s vision, he hears the voice of God telling him to record the things he would see (beginning with a vision of Jesus Himself) to spread to the churches in the region. We then get a window into the voice and description of Jesus here. These verses remind us of how we have come to possess the Word of God and the privilege of being the church of God. Next week, we will pick up with this seven-fold vision of Jesus.…

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109. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 4: On the Island But In the Spirit 15:00

5 weeks ago15:00

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Revelation 1:9-10 In these two verses, we get a window into the life of John and what he was experiencing after his imprisonment and exile to the Isle of Patmos. But even there, his mind was on the Lord’s Day. They can imprison our bodies, but they cannot capture our hearts and minds. The important truth for us is that even when we feel exiled in this world and on an island spiritually, we can meditate on the culmination of God’s plan in our spirit.…

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108. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 3: Seeing Christ 15:00

6 weeks ago15:00

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Revelation 1:7-8 We will all see Christ return to earth, the question is how will we respond. Some will mourn over not believing Christ sooner, others will be angry that God is coming to crush wickedness, and those of us who are saved right now will actually return with Him and watch Him set up His kingdom. So how should we live right now? We should live with trust in God, believing that His way is best and that He will keep His promises. He is eternal and almighty, and nothing can interfere with His designs for human history. Ours is only to trust Him and live for Him.…

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107. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 2: Behold, He Cometh 15:00

9 weeks ago15:00

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Revelation 1:4-7 This closing book of prophecy was written in response to the question the disciples repeatedly asked Jesus while He was here. What mercy from God! And yet, how much time do we spend reading and analyzing our Lord’s long-awaited response? We pick up with some information on the Author, the audience, and the announcement in the next few verses. I'm really looking forward to getting deeper into this study!…

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106. Beholding Christ | Studies in Revelation Part 1: A Blessing… If You Want It 15:00

10 weeks ago15:00

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Revelation 1:1-3 I am excited to go through the book of Revelation relying on my education at Christian college and great commentaries such as the one by Clarance Larkin. The purpose of this book is to reveal to us Jesus through His letters to the churches and His revelation to John. There is an unequivocal blessing to those who read, hear and keep these things… if you want it.…

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105. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 21: Four Stabilizing Truths in the Silence 15:00

11 weeks ago15:00

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Inter-testamental Period I have these four statements written in my Bible between the books of Malachi and Matthew. These truths are mine! Whatever your silent period might be and however long it might last, you can cling to these four things relentlessly! If this has been a help to you, consider sharing this episode.…

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104. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 20: The Final Word: Curse 15:00

12 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 4:5-6 In John the Baptist, we learn the encouraging lesson of how to deal with our struggles and doubts. And he may not be the entire fulfillment of this prophecy, the tribulation will tell whether Elijah will be one of the two witnesses in the final days. The alternative to heeding the message of repentance and the hope of the gospel is the curse, which is the last word of the Old Testament. May we heed the law spoken by God’s servant Moses and turn to Christ instead!…

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103. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 19: The Doubts of John the Baptist 15:00

14 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 4:5-6 John the Baptist came up back in Episode #97, or Part 13 of this study, where we mentioned his birth, life and ministry, and message of judgment. Today we see him mentioned again (as a type of Elijah) at the end of Malachi. This brings us to Matthew 11:1-15, where we see his doubts of Christ. Jesus lovingly responds by telling the people about John the Baptist and how he fulfilled the prophecy of the coming of Elijah. To those who might be struggling with doubts, this passage teaches us to deal with doubts by (1) looking to Christ - whether it be in the still small voice as with Elijah or in seeing the miracles and teachings of Jesus as with John, (2) not being offended at Christ- Paul said I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, we are called to endure hardness, and (3) quietly serving God where He has you, even if that is in waiting.…

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102. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 18: Dawn of a New Day 15:00

15 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 4:1-3 The day is coming when we will be tried by fire to see what will really last. And at that time, all that we will have done in this life will be over. The opportunities past. Time will be up. There will be only two outcomes—being consumed away by God’s holiness, or being cherished as a tender calf. The wicked have their day coming, but those who follow God will be refreshed with the healing presence of the Son of Righteousness.…

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101. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 17: Crown Jewels of Jesus 15:00

16 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 3:16-18 We didn’t quite get to these final verses last time, but that’s okay because I would love to spend the whole episode today looking at them! This is an interesting passage that mentions such things as God’s book on the righteous and important matters related to end times doctrine, but the greatest reward is being with God. Be mindful of Christ’s imminent return throughout this week. We are trophies!…

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100. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 16: Accusations, Apathy, and Awards 15:00

17 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 3:13-16 We look at our last accusation today, statement #8 in which the children admire the works of the wicked. It might seem like a long way away from where we are, but this progression starts small. Don’t get to the point where you are apathetic in your walk with God, it leads to departure from Him altogether. Thankfully, we don’t have to be part of that crowd, we can be the faithful who are described at the end of chapter three, who receive rewards for staying true to God.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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099. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 15: God’s Promises to Us and Israel 15:00

18 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 3:10-12 We are challenged here to give God the little bit that we have (rather than trying to keep it for ourselves) and then see how He will bless us. There is nothing more fulfilling than living for the Lord and trusting His promises. This does not mean life will be easy, but we can depend upon God’s promises to meet our needs, just as Israel can trust God’s promises to make them a blessing and cause the land to be fruitful.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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098. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 14: Back-to-Back Questions 15:00

19 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 3:7-10 We’re covering questions six and seven in our episode today. And we are learning that when we are not close to God, we are often confused, accusatory of God, and stubborn in our ways. Rather than resorting to these reactions, we should return to the Lord, and we will find that in humble and simple obedience to Him, He will richly bless us with spiritual sustaining grace.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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097. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 13: Preparing People for the Lord 15:00

20 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 3:1, 4-6 This is the first of two times we will look at John the Baptist in our study through the book of Malachi. John is really a near type of messenger of God and Christ is the ultimate messenger sent from the Father. When Jesus began His earthly ministry, John was subordinate to Him in every way, shifting the focus and the attention onto Him. That is exactly how we should be.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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096. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 12: Setting the Stage for Hope 15:00

21 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 2:17-3:3 After a quick recap of the Lord’s accusations against the Israelites, we zero in on the weariness of God with the people. It is important that we properly understand the indifference and apathy as the backdrop against which God gives hope in the coming prophecy. Jesus shows us God’s faithfulness, justice, and His ultimate desire for restoration. God’s desire is for us to be made righteous so that we can serve Him in a way acceptable to Him. Can’t wait to dig in deeper in the coming weeks!…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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095. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 11: The Magnitude of Marriage 15:00

22 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 2:14-17 We close off the chapter by looking at God’s purpose and the beautiful spiritual picture of marriage to represent our union with God made possible through Christ. There are some good lessons on marriage from these verses that we should glean, as well as a warning about divorce or viewing marriage too loosely. Then Malachi closes out with a description of God’s weariness at the people’s apathy and indifference. Looking forward to starting into chapter 3 next week!…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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094. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 10: When God Denies Offerings 15:00

24 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 2:10-13 We see two sad realities concerning the children of Israel in today’s verses, their callousness towards each other and their lack of commitment to God. They took awful advantage of one another and they arrogantly refused God’s love and instead pursued a strange woman as it were. These acts were not taken lightly by God. He denied their offerings and did not regard their cries to Him because of their insincerity. May these things not be true of us. May we worship God supremely and repent sincerely so that our service to Him would be acceptable in His sight!…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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093. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 9: …Which He Ought to Have Loved 15:00

25 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 2:10-11 Today we are just beginning to look at these verses, and we are seeing that how we treat one another is directly linked to how we treat God, just as New Testament books like 1 John teach. Their cold treatment of their brethren (brethren in a spiritual sense) was connected to their abandonment of God to pursue their own selfish desires. We will continue to unpack these thoughts next episode.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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092. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 8: The Covenant of Levi 15:00

26 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 2:7-11 This rebuke is relevant for us because as New Testament believers, we are all priests. We have been dedicated to God just as the Levites and the firstborn of the Israelites before them. So when we read this indictment, we ought to read it from the viewpoint that it could be addressing us as priests. What are we doing with the covenant of Levi that we have inherited?…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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091. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 7: Will You Take It to Heart? 15:00

27 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 2:1-7 I love that God’s Word is personal, its messages are directed to us individually. And it is also sufficient to meet our deepest needs and speak into our deepest problems. The question is, will we take His Word to heart? The Levites of this time failed that question, but it didn’t have to be that way. We can take God seriously. We can share Him with others and be a mouthpiece for truth in our communities. May we pray for strength to do just that.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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090. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 6: A Great King 15:00

28 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 1:12-14 In the final verses of Malachi chapter one, God contrasts the sad condition of Israel with His own greatness. The people are described as defiling and destroying God’s name, calling the table of the Lord marred, and counting God a weariness, and God will not accept their offering. But then we get a glimpse of Him. Perfect, exalted, loving, holy, a great king. May we fix our thoughts on Him and shift our gaze to Him for the year ahead.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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089. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 5: Exchanging God for Gain 15:00

29 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 1:10-11 As we continue to unpack accusations two and three, God traces the root of their problem to covetousness. It is our love for other things that creep in and redirect our love for God that causes us to offer unworthy service to Him, profane His name, and ultimately question His love for us. God shows His people here that their greed and desire for gain is what caused contempt for the Lord to fester. And as a result, God had contempt for the people. In the end, the Lord will be glorified in the earth, the question is will He accept our worship?…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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088. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 4: Stop Justifying Yourself! 15:00

30 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 1:6-9 We cover the next two questions against God today. The people’s offering showed what they really thought about God’s name. Their thoughts of God corrupted their service for God. Because they didn’t appreciate His love, they didn’t view Him as a loving Father, and therefore they did not offer Him their best. Are we offering God less than we would offer someone else? We need to stop justifying ourselves and humbly accept God’s assessment of our lives before Him.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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087. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 3: Doubting God’s Love 15:00

31 weeks ago15:00

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Malachi 1:1-5 When God describes you as having a certain attitude, you do. It is so important that we realize it is only by being near to God that we can actually discover ourselves. We must spend time with Him, not only to know His thoughts towards us, but so that He can reveal our true thoughts towards Him. If you are struggling with knowing God loves you (and you might not have even realized it), just think on the cross of Calvary and let God’s love astonish you all over again. He does love you! And He proved it when Jesus died for your sin. If you would like to hear the poem “Let the Stable Still Astonish” by Leslie Leyland Fields, the Breckenhorst Singers have quite a nice version of it. You can listen at the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RIDYrtvn6Y…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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086. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 2: On Questioning God 15:00

32 weeks ago15:00

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Outline of Malachi There are eight rebuttals against the children of Israel in this short book, and God describes the people as having these views: “Wherein hast thou loved us?” (1:2) “Wherein have we despised thy name?” (1:6) “Wherein have we polluted thee?” (1:7) “Wherefore?” (2:14) “Wherein have we wearied him?” (2:17) “Wherein shall we return?” (3:7) “Wherein have we robbed thee?” (3:8) “What have we spoken so much against thee?” (3:13) It is significant that there are eight of them since the number eight in the Bible symbolizes a new era, which certainly took place during the silence that was implemented after this book. We will get into the details more in our next episode as we dive into the first accusation.…

Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

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085. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 1: My Messenger 15:00

33 weeks ago15:00