My final sermon at Dallas Theological Seminary was from the text of unfulfilled prophecy. I’ve always found the second half of Isaiah 19 to be shocking, even difficult to understand. It comes after such a long series of judgements against different nations, and adds a crazy positive to an otherwise negative section of the book. However, after some study, I came to realize that the gloomy parts of Isaiah’s prophecy about Egypt led them to the crazy high at the end of it.

Here’s my understanding of what the prophecy is teaching us. And as always, I have placed links after the video for anyone who wishes to utilize my manuscript or outlines.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDbJdkWTbZU[/youtube]

Click here for audio only.

Documents to Download:

Sermon Outlines – Exegesis and Expositional – Word Doc – PDF File

Sermon Manuscript – Word Doc – PDF File

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It’s a new year again, and a traditional time for me to think through the things I want to accomplish this year. I find that the more I put on paper each year, the more I accomplish. These will be framed and placed on the wall soon when I finalize them, but I wanted to encourage you by passing these along. Send back yours, as you have time!

Stay in Shape:

• Exercise 2x per week (and lose weight to 140 lbs)
• 7+ Day Detox starting January 17^th
• Eat Healthier: 2 pieces of fruit/day and regulate sugar intake: DrP., Ice Cream, candy
• 2 Triathlons and 1 Half Marathon, Possible Bike Race

Lead the Home in Spiritual Growth:

• Regular Nightly Prayer with Stacy
• Regular Bible Study and Journaling
• Special Worship Opportunities, concerts
• Consistent Accountability

Travel:

• West Cost: Derrick in Seattle
• Weekend Getaways: Chicago or New York
• Israel with the Hannahs!
• Turkey? India?

DTS:

• Complete Thesis
• Graduate!!!
• Find Job

Church/Service:

• London Missions Project
• Complete Application Process with Missions Agencies
• Finish Praying through Operation World
• Regular Witnessing/Community Canvassing Trips
• Church Tech Blog

Finances:

• Sell house in Atlanta
• Continue Support of Missionary Families – Strive for Better Communication (Skype)

Personal Growth:

• Complete Personal Bible Reading through Chronological Bible, Start Book Studies
• Solitude: Periodic Days of Reflection, Personal Hiking Trip
• Read the Quran

Books:

• Fun: Bill Bryson or Riding the Blue Moth
• What the Dog Saw – Malcolm Gladwell
• Spiritual Leadership: Training 4 Trainers, Experiencing God

This is a short sermon I prepared and delivered during my seminary education. It addresses the spiritual foundation we need in times of disaster to hold our life securely and the benefits of having the correct foundation. It draws from the themes and overall message of the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, as well as from Jeremiah 17.

I counsel victims of disaster and crime as a part of Victim Relief Ministries, and this sermon is based on my experience as a chaplain as well as the counsel of the Scripture. I exhort anyone in the counseling role to avoid providing answers for those in crisis, and rather to exercise a ministry of love by being present and caring for the person.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOWtigxox7U[/youtube]

Herein lies one of the life messages that God has written on my heart over the course of the past year. When I chose this topic for my second sermon for Preaching III, I wanted to allow God to speak more fully into my life after having experienced a lot of significant events in 2010 and 2011:

Last spring, I lost my cousin in a motorcycle wreck.

Since the beginning of the year, I‘ve watched and prayed from afar as one of my fellow DTS graduates cancelled Ph.D plans to fight cancer.

This summer Stacy and I spent five days counseling victims of the tornado in Hackleburg, Alabama.

This fall I’ve been on a number of deployments as a Chaplain for crime events in the city of Dallas, including a homicide at a local bank.

Needless to say, seminary deals with the tough questions of life, but I wanted more than complex theological answers about sin—I wanted to formulate a message that I felt Scripture itself compellingly communicates to us when we experience tragedy. So many sermons I hear on this topic tend to shock us by delving into the messy details of the story, say a few things about God, and then end with a fluffy, feel-good ending of someone who experienced the tragedy and came out better. That can inspire us, but it usually does not ground us God’s words to us. It just leaves us feeling good for the person whose story we’ve heard. 

God has a better message for us than that. God has a message that applies to all of us—not just those of us that come out of the tragedy blessed. A message that leaves the Words of the Bible ringing in our ears, so that we can hear God when the storm hits our lives.

Brace yourself…this is not a feel good message…it’s a challenge.

Don’t argue with me…argue with the Bible…that’s the source of the message.

Don’t just listen to me…my message is just part 1 of what God says to us in disaster, the essential part. There’s a lot more that needs to be said, and should be considered. If you need more answers, consider reading C.S. Lewis’ The Problem of Pain or another relevant book.

And finally…send me feedback. Your responses will make me a better preacher!

Sermon Exegetical & Theological Outlines (What the Bible says)

Sermon Homiletical Outline (How I present what God is saying)

Sermon Typed Transcript and Audio (My Presentation)

Do you know the basic concepts of the faith? Why not take a test and find out?

Bible.org, a site that has long been dedicated to low-cost, high-quality Bible resources has released an assessment tool for discipleship relationships, allowing you to assess yourself on the basic concepts of faith, and also send the results to a leader in your church.

This tool assesses the following areas:

1. Salvation (Soteriology)
2. Assurance (of Salvation)
3. God (Trinity)
4. Prayer
5. Bible Study Methods
6. Baptism
7. Communion
8. The Church (Ecclesiology)
9. Sexual Purity
10. Evangelism
11. Discipleship
12. Spiritual Gifts
13. Giving (Tithing)

The assessment tool comes with the lots of content that helps a person fill in the gaps in areas they find are lacking, and guides the person with additional tracking tools, like a Bible Reading plan.

This assessment tools is currently under development, but represents a great, free tool for us to use. If you are interested enough to check it out, please also use the feedback links at the top and bottom of bible.org to send Tony Tucci your feedback.

Here is the link (click), but if it stops working for you,

Visit Bible.org – Click on the Link for Users – Then Click the link on the top right that reads: “Path to Spiritual Maturity Get Started on your path today!"