North Avenue Church Podcast

Problems with the Pretribulation Rapture and an Encouragement to Pray | Revelation 8:1-5

The timing of the rapture in relationship to the tribulation of the seals, trumpets, and bowls is not a matter of heresy no matter which of the major views you take. However, it does greatly impact how we interpret Revelation 6-19. If there is a rapture before the tribulation, then the church is not on earch during those chapters. If the rapture is after the tribulation (which is what we argue for here), then the church will be on earth during this time and must be ready to endure tribulation throughout the church age, especially as it reaches its highest point just before Christ's return.

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The Surprising Twist Ending of Jonah | Jonah 4

If we were reading Jonah for the first time, it may seem like the end of chapter 3 is the happy ending of the book. Chapter four, however, would likely catch us off guard. Jonah's childish temper tantrum at the spiritual awakening in Nineveh is shocking. However, we soon find out we have some of Jonah dwelling in all of our hearts. May the Lord's patience with Nineveh and Jonah by an encouragement to us!

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant | Matthew 18:21-35

Here is the sermon outline on how Christians who have been forgiven so much already by God must extend this forgiveness to others who come to us in repentance:

1. The master's elaborate forgiveness (v 21-27)
2. The servant's unthinkable unwillingness to extend that forgiveness to others (v 28-35)
3. Some ways to apply this passage

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The 144,000, the Tribulation, and the Great Multitude | Revelation 7:9-17

We continued through Revelation 7, this time spending some expended time considering the what and when of the great tribulation period and the countless multitude.

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The Great Awakening in Nineveh | Jonah 3

The Lord uses His powerful word to humble a proud city and bring it to repentance. His word carries the same power today!

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Membership, Discipline, and Authority in the Local Church | Matthew 18:12-20

Jesus provides us with three steps for how church discipline should be done regarding confrontation:

1. One on one
2. Two or three
3. The whole church

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Who Are the 144,000? | Revelation 7:1-8

There is much friendly debate amongst genuine Christians regarding the identity of the 144,000 in the book of Revelation. We decided to spend a whole evening addressing this issue because it can have dramatic ramifications for how one interprets the book of Revelation as a whole.

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Jonah's Prayer from the Belly of the Fish | Jonah 2

The teaching team walks through Jonah 2 where Jonah prays to the Lord from the belly of the great fish. There is much for us to learn from this fascinating part of Jonah's story!

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Life in the Church / Kingdom | Matthew 18:1-10

Here is the outline to Scott's helpful message on this often misunderstood passsage.

1. The necessity of conversion (v 1-4)
   • Turn and become a child to enter in
2. Believers should be kindly received and not led into sin (v 5-6)
   • Direct temptation
   • Provocation
   • Our bad example
3. We must determine not to be stumbling blocks (v 7)
4. We must deal drastically with our sin (v 8-9)
5. We must not look down on other believers (v 10)

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The Martyrs Before the Altar and the Wrath of the Lamb | Revelation 6:9-17

The first four seals that Jesus, the Slain Lamb, opens are the four horsemen that we covered last week. We argued that the horsemen run throughout church history under Christ's sovereignty and bring conquest, bloodshed, famine, and death to a portion of mankind until Christ returns. In this message we see the fifth seal opened which shows the slain martyrs before the altar in heaven calling out for God's justice and then their prayer is answered at Christ's return as the sixth seal is opened and the Christ-rejecting world faces the terrifying "wrath of the Lamb."

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Jonah Flees from the Lord | Jonah 1

The teaching team began our brief series in Jonah on Sunday. When Jonah flees from the word of God, he also flees from the God of the word.

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The Greatness and Lowliness of Jesus | Matthew 17:1-13, 22-27

The greatness and lowliness of…

1. Jesus on and off the mountain (v 1-9, 22-23)
2. John the Baptist in his Elijah-like ministry (v 10-13)
3. Jesus regarding the temple tax (v 24-27)

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How to Interpret Revelation | The Slain Lamb, Seven Seals, & Four Horsemen of Revelation 5:1-6:8

We began our summer Table Talk series picking up where we left off last summer, in Revelation 5-6. The teaching team spent time reminding us of various ways this book has been interpreted by Bible believing Christians over the years and then argue for the eclectic idealist position which emphasizes symbolism and a recapitulating structure, especially in chapters 6-20.

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Has God Rejected Israel? By No Means! | Romans 9-11

We have seen in Acts an initial surge of acceptance of the gospel among ethnic Jews in Acts 1-7. However, from Acts 13-28 we see the majority of ethnic Israel being hardened to the gospel while the Gentiles flood in. This issue is dealt with extensively by Paul in Romans, esepcially chapters 9-11. Has God completely rejected Israel?

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With Jesus in the School of Faith (Again!) | Matthew 17:14-21

Introduction: A Hidden Glory (17:9)

1. A Pleading Father (17:14-15a)
2. A Perilous Condition (17:15, 18)
3. A Public Failure (17:16)
4. A Prophetic Rebuke (17:17)
5. A Powerful Deliverance (17:18)

Conclusion: A Teachable Moment (17:19-21)

You can watch this message here.