About

Big Apple Chapel is a New Testament based church in New York City, modeled after the pattern of the early church, with a strong emphasis on following Christ as a community of His disciples.

Services
  • Sunday - 10:30 am
  • 520 8th Ave, 16th floor
    New York, NY
  • phone: +1 (973) 837-1041
 

Sermons

BAC Sermons

Q&A Hell, Paradise, Drinking, Dead Faith Healers, Rewarded Service

2013-09-01

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1. What's the difference between Hades and Gehenna (Bad Things 2)? And Paradise Lk 23:43 2Cor 12:4 Rev 2:7 and the Millenial Kingdom Rev 19

Hades (the grave=Sheol) is the abode of the dead (pre-cross Lk 16:23) while awaiting Resurrrection Rev 20:13. It has 1st Class and Coach compartments. Gehenna is the garbage dump outside Jerusalem where bad believers Mt 5:29 10:28  23:33 and their trashy works suffer loss 1Cor 3:15.
Paradise (Eden-7th Heaven in Rabbis) is the abode of God and Christ. Some believe that Christ took the upper compartment w/ Him. Eph 4

2. How much is (alcohol use) a personal conviction vs abstaining...can people be ministered to/reached in such environments (like bars)

Jesus turned water into great wine Jn 2.NT believers were getting drunk at the Lord's Supper (Passover Celebration) 1Cor 11

Jesus “partied with pagans” Lessons for Disciples TB.net Mk 2:15 How is it that He eats and drinks with sinners?"17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."Mt 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children." Rm 14;5  Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

Eph 5:18 Don't be drunk with wine...dissipation Pr 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
1Cor 6:12 All things are lawful to me, but not all things are profitable  I will not be brought under the power of any 10:23 not all things edify

Rm 14:10-21-23 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
1Tim 3:3 not given to/beside wine, 8 given to much wine5:23  use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.
Cor 9:22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

3. The central idea of it is that when Jesus died on the cross, he not only defeated sin, but sickness as well. It follows that if you are sick and are not being healed, you lack the faith required to walk out this specific promise from God.”     see: Dead Faith Healers letusreason.org/Wf25.htm

Miracles authenticate the Message Mt 4:23. Jesus healed before the Cross/Atonement. Isa 53:5 He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed Ps 41:4 147:3 Isa 6:10 19:22 30:26 57:18 Jer 3:22 6:14 30:17 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all 8 For the transgressions of my people He was stricken.10 You make His soul an offering for sin, 11 By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. 12 And He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus healed all! Mt 8:16-17 bore (not take away) Isa 35:4-6 future Messianic reign; Jn 5:14 stop sinning...worse; 9:2-3 who sinned? (fallenness)
1Pt 2:24 bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed Mt 13:15 Lk 4:18 Jn 12:40 Ac 10:38 28:27 Heb 12:13 Js 5:16  25 For you were like sheep going astray...Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Phil 2:26 heard that he was sick.27 he was sick almost to death; but God had mercy on him, 2Tim 4:20 Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.
2Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you,  for My strength is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast in my infirmities/sickness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake...weak...strong.

4. What it would look like to do good works without "laying" them on the foundation of Christ? Examples of building with wood/straw vs gold/silver?
1Cor 3:8...each will receive his own reward acc to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 10 Acc to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for The Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as thru fireWood/hay =easy; Gold/gems=hard

Building upon the foundation of Christ is disciplemaking (teaching to obey all Jesus commanded Mt 28:19-20; Acts  20:32; 26:18 Rm 1:5; 15:18; 16:26
Easy=random acts of kindness; feeding; gospel grenades; commonality ministry. Hard=loving he unlovely, sanctification, confrontation, sacrifice, pain

5. Is there a reward differential for 100% joyful service vs "mixed feelings" in serving body members, which I guess I'd define as doing what the Scripture commands out of a commitment to obedience but intermittently struggling with, or momentarily resenting what that serving involves?

Rm 8: 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Gal 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires cf 2:20 Most like Christ 2Cor 3:18 mirror

In the Flesh is operating out of  natural desire for temporal Power (security/significance), Pleasure/comfort, Possessions/worth-value
In the Spirit is being motivated by the Spirit of truth, having died to self, crucified the flesh, and transfored one's mind/will/emotions

Rm 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable/priestly/spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove/experience ???????? what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Mk 12:30  you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'