The latest ABF Sermon

SERMONS

  • The Creation Mandate and Cultural Implications

    The sermon centers around the creation mandate, focusing on the command to “be fruitful and multiply” and its implications for humanity’s role in cultivating and managing the Earth. It emphasizes that this mandate extends beyond simply tending to nature and includes the development of culture, including economics and technology. The speaker highlights the disparity between America’s high consumption of resources and its relatively small population, raising questions about responsible stewardship.

    The Nature of Work and Toil

    The discussion then shifts to the nature of work in the context of the Fall. The speaker acknowledges the toil now intertwined with work due to sin, contrasting it with God’s original intent. He argues that work remains a God-ordained purpose, despite the challenges. The importance of finding joy and purpose in work, even amid hardship, is highlighted. Examples like building sandcastles are used to illustrate humanity’s innate drive to create and develop.

    Christ’s Role in the Creation Mandate

    The role of Christ in fulfilling the creation mandate is explored. The speaker emphasizes that Christ’s arrival affirms God’s promises, providing hope for ultimate victory and restoration. This hope transcends simple salvation; it offers perspective during ongoing struggles with the fallen world. The sermon emphasizes the importance of viewing trials as opportunities for spiritual growth, mirroring God’s own long-term, multi-generational processes.

    Managing Creation with Authority and Grace

    The sermon concludes by addressing how Christians should approach managing creation. The speaker calls for believers to act with confidence and authority, rejecting fear-based approaches. The example of Jesus cursing a fig tree is used to illustrate the necessity of proactive management. The need to balance firm management with grace and understanding is underscored. The speaker encourages a perspective where nature’s challenges are viewed as spiritual battles requiring faith and perseverance, ultimately leading to spiritual growth and a deeper appreciation for God’s plan. The sermon concludes with questions for reflection, prompting listeners to examine their relationship with creation and how they integrate their faith into their stewardship of the Earth.

  • The Collapse in Eden and God’s Restoration Plan

    The speaker begins by discussing the disruption caused by sin in Eden, highlighting the spiritual and cultural consequences. God’s regret over creation is mentioned, illustrating the severity of the situation. Despite this, God worked to fill the void created by humanity’s actions, establishing a nation and guiding it through prophets, priests, and kings. This process had varying degrees of success, as Israel repeatedly fell into idolatry and forgot God’s covenant. This highlights a recurring human failing — the inability to maintain a consistent relationship with God despite His continuous effort.

    Jesus: The Fulfillment of Covenants

    The main focus shifts to Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan. The speaker emphasizes that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the roles of prophet, priest, and king, satisfying the covenants established with Abraham, Moses, and David. The Davidic covenant, promising an eternal king from David’s lineage, is examined in detail, tracing its fulfillment in Jesus. Key scriptures, such as Isaiah 9:6-7 and Psalm 110, are referenced to support this point. The Mosaic covenant, central to which is the concept of sacrifice, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus’ sacrifice. The speaker argues that previous sacrifices were merely temporary solutions, paving the way for Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice. Jesus, as the perfect High Priest, offers himself as the ultimate and complete sacrifice, a theme significantly explored in the Book of Hebrews.

    Jesus: Prophet, and Mediator

    Furthermore, Jesus’ role as prophet is discussed, noting his unique authority in speaking God’s word— unlike any prophet before him. His ministry fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant by bringing salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. His role as mediator is shown to fulfill Israel’s calling to be a light to the nations, a message emphasized in his post-resurrection instructions in Matthew 28. The speaker connects Jesus’ fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant to the salvation available to all who believe in Him, thus fulfilling the promise of blessings to all nations. The speaker connects this to the covenant made with Adam, emphasizing Jesus’ perfect obedience as contrasting with Adam’s disobedience. This marks Jesus as the “second Adam,” initiating a new creation.

    Conclusion

    The sermon concludes by stressing that Jesus’ reign is eternal and that believers are citizens of His kingdom. Three questions prompt reflection and discussion: the depth of one’s relationship with Christ, the most impactful covenant fulfilled by Jesus, and one’s commitment to sharing the message of Christ’s kingdom. The speaker concludes with an invitation to communion.

  • Pastor Adam delves into the theme of “cultural collapse in paradise,” examining how the introduction of sin deteriorated relationships among humanity, God, and nature. He stresses the importance of understanding this historical context to appreciate God’s restorative efforts. The upcoming discussions will focus on the fall from paradise, contrasting the intended ideal relationship with the reality shaped by sin.

    Paradise is defined not by physical locations but by the intimate connection between humanity and God, as seen in the Garden of Eden, where God’s presence was pivotal. This relationship continues to be significant throughout the Pentateuch, illustrating that despite shifts in human approaches to God, His essence remains central. The text highlights Jesus’ promise of paradise to a repentant criminal, symbolizing the ultimate goal of restoring creation to its original closeness with God.

    The discussion emphasizes trust in God’s sovereignty, drawing parallels to video game design where players depend on designers for an engaging experience. It underscores the need to recognize relational breakdowns while maintaining hope in God’s restoration plan.

    Additionally, the text explores the symbolism of Adam and Eve’s nakedness as representing innocence and trust in God before their sin, contrasting it with the shame that followed. It argues that humanity was meant to rely on God’s wisdom rather than seek knowledge independently, highlighting the nurturing relationship between God and Adam and Eve in the Garden, where God’s generosity provided for their needs.

    Adam’s responsibilities as a gardener to protect and oversee the garden are likened to later priestly duties. His failure to adhere to God’s guidance led to a significant breakdown in their relationship, emphasizing purpose and responsibility. This failure also resulted in the loss of intimacy with God and the assignment of angels to guard the garden.

    The narrative concludes by addressing the damage caused by sin to humanity’s perfect relationship with God, leading to violence, and hints at further exploration of these themes in future discussions. It introduces communion as a means to remember Christ’s work in restoring this relationship, alongside three discussion questions for deeper engagement.

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