Sermon Central
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How To Deal With A Controversial Passage Series
Contributed by Larry Osborne on Jun 13, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Working your way through a controversial passage that’s dividing the ranks can at times be no small challenge. When reading the New Testament it doesn’t take long to find some examples of these kinds of controversies and their adverse impact. Paul gives
1 Timothy: Doing Church God’s Way
North Coast Church
Message #3 July 22-23, 2006 Dr. Larry Osborne
How To Deal With A Controversial Passage
Sermon Outline
Note: PowerPoints and Small Group Worksheets
for this sermon are available at www.northcoastchurch.com.
● A Different Approach: More academic than usual
~ A Potpourri of Topics
~ One Very Divisive Topic!
● Here’s The Game Plan
~ We’ll cover the easy verses
~ I’ll explain the tough one as I see it.
~ We’ll learn how to deal with tough & controversial passages
THE PROBLEM:
Not every passage in the Bible is crystal clear.
~ Most Are Clear! (98%) Unless Alice in Wonderland
~ Some are fuzzy.
1 Cor 11:17-19 A way to show off our spiritual superiority!
~ A TINY PERCENTAGE are nearly impossible to figure out.
Too often, we argue over the unclear and ignore the crystal clear.
We don’t know how to agree to disagree.
THE PASSAGE:
FIRST THE EASY STUFF:
How A Good Start Goes Awry.
1 Timothy 1:18-20/ Hebrews 11:6 & Hebrews 10:25-26/ 1 John 1:9 & Jeremiah 18:1-10
► We stop trusting God and stop obeying God.
“Fight the good fight by holding on to FAITH and a GOOD CONSCIENCE which some have rejected and made a shipwreck of their faith.”
What To Pray For And Why It’s Important.
1 Timothy 2:1-7/ Proverbs 21:1/ John 14:6 & Acts 4:12/ Ezekiel 33:11
1 Tim 2:5-6 ~ For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all men. . .
► Everyone and everything.
~ Including Godless leaders!
~ We’ve traded corporate prayer for corporate politics!
► Peace and quiet.
► So that it’s easier to become a Christian.
What’s A Man to Do?
1 Timothy 2:8/ Mark 11:25/ Romans 12:8
► God wants holiness and harmony.
Lift up holy hands in prayer WITHOUT anger and disputing.
Mk 11:25
Rom 12:18
NOW FOR THE HARD STUFF:
What’s A Woman to Do?
1 Timothy 2:9-15/ 1 Peter 3:3-4/ Proverbs 31:10 & 22/ Proverbs 11:22/ Galatians 3:28
► Is this about a woman or a wife?
γΰνή ~ Singular not plural!
► Is this for then or for now?
If the dress code isn’t universal Why is “Don’t teach & be quiet?”
Prov 31:10,16,22
Buys & Sells Real Estate
Clothed in fine linen & purple
Jesus & NT radically elevated the role of women
2 Pet 3:16 ~ Paul writes some things that are hard to understand!
► How I see it.
~ I believe it’s about wives not women in general. - Husband is head of the home
~ The main context of the passage is evangelism. Scandalous dress and culturally inappropriate behavior turns people away; then & now!
~ Not allowing women to teach or lead doesn’t square with the rest of the NT and Paul’s own actions in Acts.
Priscilla & Aquila – 5 of 7 times!
Taught Apollos! – Acts 18:24-26
BUT… the role of an Apostle or Elder is always filled by a man in the NT.
Hard to convince me this was because Jesus was afraid to buck cultural norms!
1 Tim 3:1 If any man…
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE
OTHER SIDE DOESN’T GET IT
If it’s black & white and crystal clear – divide over it.
Galatians 1:8-9/ 1 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 3:5 & Titus 3:10/ 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Gal 1:8-9 ~ Let him be eternally condemned!
1 Tim 4:7 ~ Nothing to do with them
2 Tim 3:5 ~ Nothing to do with them
Titus 3:10 ~ 3 warnings and out
1 Cor 5:9-13 ~ Church disicpline
If it’s not, unity is more important than uniformity.
1 Corinthians 13:2/ 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 & 11:17-19/ Romans 14:1-13/
John 13:35 & Ephesians 4:2-3/ 1 Timothy 1:5 & 1 Peter 3:8 & 4:8 & 1 John 4:20-21
Available as a North Coast Church Podcast - www.northcoastchurch.com
1 Timothy: Doing Church God’s Way North Coast Church
Message #3 July 22-23, 2006 Dr. Larry Osborne
How To Deal With A
Controversial Passage
THE PROBLEM:
Not every passage in the Bible is _____________.
Too often, we _____________ the unclear and _____________ the crystal clear.
We don’t know how to _____________.
THE PASSAGE:
FIRST THE EASY STUFF:
How A Good Start Goes Awry
1 Timothy 1:18-20/ Hebrews 11:6 & Hebrews 10:25-26/ 1 John 1:9 & Jeremiah 18:1-10
► We stop _____________ and stop _____________.
What To Pray For And Why It’s Important.
1 Timothy 2:1-7/ Proverbs 21:1/ John 14:6 & Acts 4:12/ Ezekiel 33:11
► _____________ and _____________ .
► _____________ and _____________ .
► So that it’s easier to become a _____________.
What’s A Man to Do?
