(XXX++++) 1 L, 1. San Angelo, TX F.B.C. CLASSIFICATION: --EXPOSITORY --BIOGRAPHICAL --TEXTUAL --TOPICAL ---DEVOTIONAL

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1 subject-l.. R _,_,,e- :...v:...,_v:...,,,_ :...L TEXT TITL SCRIPTURE READING~ CLASSIFICATION: --EXPOSITORY --BIOGRAPHICAL --TEXTUAL --TOPICAL ---DEVOTIONAL DELIVERIES: F.B.C. Date Hour Place San Angelo, TX Results and Comments: (XXX++++) 1 L, 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY _

2 REVIVAL OR RUIN SCRIPTURE: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is t he nation whose God is the Lord: and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation : but sin is a reproac h to any people. " INTRO: TWO NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE COACHES CALLED AMERICA BACK TO GOD THIS WEEK. IN AN ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS RELEASE TOM LANDRY AND DAN REEVES DECLARED, TIME FOR AMERICANS TO MAKE A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO RELIGION." THIS CALL WAS MADE (ACCORDING TO AP) "IN THE WAKE OF SEXUAL SCANDALS THAT ROCKED THE TELE VISION MINISTRY AND DEFEATED GARY HART'S POLIT ICAL CAMPA IGN." "THIS COUNTRY IS SUFFERING, " SAID TOM LANDRY, COACH OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS. "ONLY A RETURN TO SPIRITUAL VALUES WILL GET US BACK ON TRACK." LANDRY AND DENVER BRONCOS COACH DAN REEVES CALLED FOR THE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL AT A FERENCE FRIDAY WHERE THEY DISCUSSED THE BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE SCHEDULE JULY AT MILE HIGH STADIUM. "IF YOU LOOK AT OUR COUNTRY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO BE TOUCHED SPIRITUALLY," REEVES SAID. DR. BERNARD RAMM IN HIS BOOK, THE CHRIS TIAN VIEW OF SCIENCE SCRIPTURE, STATES: IF WE WERE TO EXAMINE THE FACULTY OF A LARGE MEDIEVAL UNIVERSITY WE COULD BE SURE THAT PRACTICALLY TO A MAN THE FACULTY WOULD BE COMPOSED OF THOSE WHO ACCEPTED WITHOUT ANY RESERVATIONS THE FULL INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE, AND ITS RELIABILITY IN ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO NATURE. IF WE WERE TO VISIT THE FACULTY MEETING OF SOME AMERICAN OR EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY OF A HUNDRED YEARS AGO THE SITUATION WOULD BE

3 CHANGED SOMEWHAT. WE WOULD FIND MATERIALIST AND ATHEIST, BUT WE WOULD ALSO FIND SOME OF THE GREATEST MEN OF ARTS, LETTERS, AND SCIENCES, TO BE SINCERE AND DEVOUT BELIEVERS WHO TRUSTED ALL THE BIBLE SAID ON MATTERS OF NATURE. IF WE WERE TO GO FROM OFFICE TO OFFICE IN MANY OF OUR MODERN UNIVERSITIES WE WOULD DISCOVER THAT CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN NINETY PER CENT OF THE FACULTY ARE EITHER COMPLETELY NATURALISTIC OR MATERIALISTIC IN CREED, OR VERY NOMINALLY RELIGIOUS. IN MANY SCHOOLS NOT A SINGLE FIRM BELIEVER IN THE TRUSTWORTHINESS OF SCRIPTURE CAN BE FOUND; IN OTHERS THERE MAY BE TWO OR FIVE AT THE MOST. FROM MEDIEVAL UNIVERSITIES WITH FACULTIES COMPOSED COMPLETELY OF BIBLE BELIEVERS WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE POINT WHERE VERY FEW MODERN UNIVERSITIES HAVE BIBLE BELIEVERS ON THE STAFF. THIS SKEPTICAL ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BIBLF/\ HAS PERMEATED ALL LEVELS OF SECULAR SOCIETY. AND, IN THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET HOSEA, "WE HAVE SOWN THE WIND, AND WE HAVE REAPED THE WHIRLWIND" (HOSEA 9:7A). IF ANYONE EVER QUESTIONED THE VALIDITY OF THE BIBLE AND THE LIFE-STYLE IT ADVOCATES CERTAINLY THE EVENTS OF RECENT DAYS FOREVER ERADICATE THOSE QUESTIONS. CURRENT EVENTS ALL AROUND US ATTEST TO THE TRUTHFULNESS OF PSALMS CHAPTER ONE (READ). OUR SERMON SUBJECT IS "REVIVAL OR RUIN." WEBSTER DEFINES "REVIVAL" AS "A PERIOD OF RELIGIOUS AWAKENING" AND "RUIN" AS A "STATE OF BEING DECAYED, DESTROYED OR WRECKED." CHOICE IS OURS--"REVIVAL OR RUIN!" MORE THAN CHURCHES HAVE JOINED TOGETHER THIS WEEK TO BRING REVIVAL TO OUR CITY... The The Way To Revival Because of Its: I. INSPIRATION --II Timothy 3:16a "All Scripture is given by INSPIRATION." - But what is meant by "inspiration?" 1. What It Is Not (1) This is the kind of "inspiration" that prompts an artist to paint -2-

4 a picture, or a musician to compose music or a poet to write a poem. (2) Mechanical - This view holds that the writers were mere tools, passive instruments whose personalities and vocabularies were bypassed - like a pen in a writer's hand. 2. What It ls --pynamic - This maintains that the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rendering the writers infallible in their communications of truth and thus making their writings inerrant. Yet it leaves room for the freest and fullest play of personality and style. E.G., Paul, law and Luke, medicine. we use the term "inerrant," or "authoritative," or "inspired" or "totally accurate" we all mean the same thing. The Bible, as The Baptist Faith Message states (p. God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for it matter." 3. Evidence of Inspiration (1) Internal a. Unity of Scripture (Harmony) --NOTE: One story from Genesis to Revelation. b. Accuracy of Scripture --ILLUS: The order of creation is in agreement with science Genesis 1. c. Fulfilled Prophecy --ILLUS: A person's address is used to locate that specific person. An address can be very exact. For example, my address might be: John Doe 1001 Joy Street San Angelo, TX United States of America Note that this address tells you I live on a certain continent on planet Earth. -3-

5 I live in the United States. I live in Texas. I live in a certain city. I live on a certain street. live on a certain block. 'I live on a certain lot. I am a certain person. Now, that's getting specific! The Bible is that specific about the address of the Messiah. The Old Testament was completed 350 years before Jesus of Nazareth was born. The Old Testament prophetf testified to the coming of a Savior (Messiah) sent from Jehovah God. Jesus Christ claimed to be that Messiah (John 5:39). Let's see if Jesus fits the address of the Messiah: Genesis 3:15 "The Messiah is called the 'seed of woman'." He will be a human being, not an angel or the like. I Chronicles 1:24 "The Messiah will be born of the lineage of Shem." Genesis 12:1-3 "The Messiah will be of the lineage of Abraham." Genesis 49:9, 10 "The Messiah will come out of the tribe of Judah." Isaiah 11: "The Messiah will come out of the lineage of Jesse." Isaiah 9:6 1 7;16:5 "The Messiah must be a 'Son of David'." Micah 5:2 "The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, city of David." This prophecy was written in the eighth century before Christ, yet it tells us the birthplace of the Messiah. (2) External a. Rapid spread of the Gospel. b. of the Bible c. Existence of the Church d. Archaelogical findings e. Christian experience --"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8).

6 f. Practical Experience of Life Itself --ILLUS: Look at the end result... II. INSTRUCTION --II Timothy 3:15-16 (Read) 1. How To Be Saved (First Things first- root... ) --II Timothy 3:15 --NOTE: God's Plan of Salvation 2. What To Believe --II Timothy 3:16a "and is profitable for doctrine" --NOTE: There are three and only three possible sources of authority in the Christian religion--the Church, Reason, or the Bible... --Jesus says (John 5:39a) "Search the Scriptures" 3. How To Live --II Timothy 3:16b (KJV "for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" and (LB "and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right." "The Bible is useful; (1) to make us realize what is WRONG in our lives; (2) It STRAIGHTENS US OUT and (3) HELPS US DO what is right." --NOTE: Is there a need for such Biblical Instructions on How To Live? ---UPDATE-A youth newsletter printed this report of the Public Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources: 6.2 million youths, ages have used pot; of all high school seniors have used drugs; of all 1985 seniors have used cocain; of all high school seniors have used alcohol. ---UPDATE went on to report that: -5-

7 1 out of every 5 children born last year was born to an unwed mother; Teen pregancies have increased 21% from ; Both the number and rate of teenage abortions have doubled from QUESTION: From whom have our youth learned this shoddy, low-life lifestyle? From adultsfrom morally irresponsible parents, teachers, and others in the entertainment, sports and media world... Ours is the need to return to those Biblical principles that prove themselves in the real world where people live and die every day! III. INVITATION --Rev. 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. " --John 6:37b "And him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast --NOTE: You say, "But I have... " " In no wise!" CON: Governor Neff, of Texas, visited the penitentiary of that state and spoke to the assembled convicts. When he had finished he said that he would remain behind, and that if any man wanted to speak with him, he would gladly listen. He further announced that he would listen in confidence, and that nothing a man might say would be used against h i m. When the meeting was over a large group of men remained, many of them life-termers. One by one they passed by, each telling the governor that there had been a frame-up, an i njustice, and judi cial blunder, and each asking that he be freed. Finally one man came up and said, "Mr. Governor, I just want to say that I am guilty. I did what they sent me here But I believe I have paid for it, and i everything I could to be a good citiz and prove myself worthy of mere This; of course, was whom the governor pardoned. -Donald Grey Barnhouse -6-

8 USED: REVIVAL OR RUIN F.B.C A.M. San Angelo,