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January - June 2000 Sermons
Psalm 37:1-9 There is a rule of harvest. What you plant you reap. What you cultivate is returned in abundance. We must focus on planting that which will give us the blessings of God. We must plant Trust, Delight, Commitment. Then we can wait patiently for the Lord. He has promised to refine us like precious metal and to take us through to His honor and glory. I. Trust is always followed by action. II. It is the desire of God's heart that we make Him our delight. III. Committing our way to God, trusting in Him, results in His lifting us up. He has promised to stay with us. Heb. 13:5, 6 assures us. Jesus said He would be with us always. He is our shelter in storm. Not promising sunshine and flowers every day. The Withholding of God's Blessings
Jesus Loving 'Them' Through Us Leviticus 19:33, 34 & 1 John 3:11-20 An internet site I often visit has a little audio track which says, "If we love them they will come and they will come to love our Lord." I believe that is a true statement. However, there are several problems with the whole idea. We can so easily get lost trying to decide how 'they' respond to our efforts at love. We also struggle with our self-centered unwillingness to go the extra mile in loving others. We know that if we offer love and it is rejected it hurts us. We fail to see that our love must be a reflection of His love and He must be the recipient of any returned love or rejection. He can handle it! I. Jesus lives in us. 1 John 4:12, 13 (We think of the following truths as 'spiritual' and therefore, somehow, 'less real'. We need to see them as God
does) II. We are the only 'Jesus' many people will ever see. Acts 4:13 III. Jesus loves the world through us. Mat. 28:19,20 We need to remember: Jesus came into the world to seek and to save the lost. He has come to live in us. He does not need our 'help' He needs our cooperation. We must get out of the way and let Jesus do His work through us to win our family, friends and neighbors. What we have failed to do through the years He will do if we let Him. Romans 5:1-11 While we know the Bible says, "God is love", and, we often repeat, "God loves us", we often forget the extent of His love for us. We forget it because we get caught up in everyday activities. We mis-interpret many of the everyday events as God ignoring us. We think He must do something NOW to reflect His love for us. He acted in the past to show HIs love. He acts now in our lives to show His love. He will act in the future to show us His love. I. In the past He acted to show His love. II. He acts now in our lives to show us His love. III. He will act in the future to show us His love. He will even make sure we are ready for His coming, 1 Thess 5:23, 24, He loved us and died for us. He loves us and lives in us. He loves us and will come for us. I life or in death He is with us. We are not spiritual orphans we are children of God. HALLALUJAH!!!!
John 15:9-17 We are commanded to love one another several times in scripture. In fact, Jesus is the greatest evidence of the love of God to us. In the light of His great love it is easy for us to go on a guilt trip. How could we ever measure up to that? Besides, when we are commanded to love how can we really feel like loving? Well it seems we do it the same way God does. I. We see God's Great Love in Christ. III. His Friendship Should be the Basis of Our Friendships. A deep desire for a friend is born in each of us. That is to draw us, ultimately, to God but we are granted the joy of befriending others on earth and receiving friendship from them. Let's make friends here among the people of God and go out and make friends for the kingdom of God among those we meet. No one is too far away to be received as a friend of God. Loving Jesus The days immediately following the resurrection had to have been some of the most difficult for the disciples. I often find myself looking back at a significant event and almost feeling it never happened. To have seen the risen Lord must have been one of those kinds of events. "Did it really happen?" and, if it did, "What do we do now?" Most people want activity and Jesus left them for most of a month with no clear direction. During that time He appeared to them in the event recorded in the last chapter of John's gospel. I. They had returned to the world they were familiar with. II. Jesus approached them in a loving way. We need to take careful heed to the kinds of instructions Jesus gave here. The example He has set for us is a powerful one and one that inspires us to imitate Him. He came to seek and to save we are to also seek so that He can save. He will meet our needs. He will always be with us. Choosing Leaders for the Church Mark 3:13-21 When we choose leaders for our government we look for people who reflect our ideals and can persuade others to follow them. When we choose leaders in other areas we look for talent and skill. However when we choose leaders for the church there should be a different standard. Jesus chose leaders but not as we usually do. I. He appointed them to be sent out. II. From a variety of backgrounds. A. Their education level was different (some much, some little). III. The world was not yet impressed. A. His family thought He was out of His mind. The world that was not initially impressed with Jesus and His followers soon were. In fact when Christian leaders are held up as bad examples it is because the world had better expectations of us. The shame of the Church today is that too many of us are too much like the world. We need to build on the same base Jesus did using the base thing s of the world to confuse the mighty. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. Let us rejoice that we are part of that weak, base generation. Matthew 6:24-34 Jesus has called His disciples together for a major teaching. We call it the sermon on the mount. Here, Jesus is calling us to focus our faith on God not on the world and its ways. We are to relate to God the same way the rest of His creation does. Receive what He sends us and use it in accord with His plan. Forsaking all else we must trust God. I. We cannot trust God and the world. It must be one or the other. II. We are to put His kingdom and righteousness first. III. As we trust Him and seek His kingdom He will provide. We must know that God will meet our needs. We must also know we must follow His will and way for those needs to be met. We must focus our faith on the Lord Jesus and His kingdom and righteousness. We must do the work He has called us to without fail and when we do He will always meet our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. Praise His holy name! Galatians 2:15-21 The grace of God is too little taught today. 2000 years have passed since the manifestation of the highest proof of the grace of God. Jesus, Himself, is God's grace revealed. Grace is a word which represents a gift that is given without any regard for anything other than the need of the recipient. The gift is given solely because of the free-heartedness of the giver. It is given without regard to any return, or even appreciation. In verse 21 of our text the passage in the KJV reads "I do not frustrate the grace of God....." The NIV says, "I do not set aside the grace of God..." What can "frustrate" or, "set aside" God's wonderful grace? I. An Old Testament story may help us to understand. 2 Kings 5:1-11 A. Naaman had a need. Leprosy like sin, made him an outcast. II. Grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. III. It is possible to set aside God's grace. When we set aside God's grace and go our own way the result is not just damage to ourselves. Our act of self-centered rejection of God's way causes a root of bitterness to grow in us. This causes trouble for us and harms everyone around us. (Hebrews 12:15) We must receive God's grace and live by it to enjoy the life God intended for us from the beginning. 1 Samuel 14:1-15 Jonathan was a man after God's own heart. He was David's best friend and understood David would be king, and not him, after his father, Saul's, death. There are clear comparisons between the world Jonathan lived in and ours. If we can see what God was doing with him we should not lose heart in our struggle to defeat the enemies we face. I. Jonathan had a desire to be used of God. II. Jonathan had more on his side than the enemy did. III. It was God who won the victory. In 2 Corinthians 4:1-16 Paul outlines the attitude we need to adopt when life around us is pressing in and we face what we consider to be defeat at the hands of overwhelming enemies. Our enemies may well be internal, or personal in some way, that matters not to God. He has committed Himself to defeat all our enemies no matter the length of time or cost to us. What is a Local Church? Matthew 18:1-20 The Baptist Faith & Messages says: A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of Christ, committed to His teachings, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. This church is an autonomous body, operating through democratic processes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In such a congregation members are equally responsible. Its Scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages. The text for this sermon speaks of the greatest being one who is humble like a child. We are warned not to turn away the children or cause them to sin under threat of dire consequences. We are reminded of the Father's heart for the lost and the straying. Then we are told to keep our disagreements within the local body. Where two or three come together in Jesus' name He is with them and releases great power for their use. I. Only two times is the word we translate 'church' found in the gospels. Mat. 16:18 & 18:17 II. The local church is more than a Sunday meeting. III. How do we measure up? As your pastor, I struggle with what God is doing and what we are doing. I want those two thing to be the same. I want to be your pastor under God's direction. I want all of us to be each other's pastor under God's direction. I am saddened when I realize I would have less concern about weather God is leading if we had large crowds and active ministries. We may be small but we must be sure we are obedient. Jesus' Heart Cry to the Church Matthew 11:25-30 On the back of our wheelchair van is the key verse to this passage. "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Jesus said. We have forgotten that cry and think somehow He surely meant, "Come to the church." Or, "Come to this (or that) gifted leader." Come to our way is too often our cry. It is never His. He calls us to come to Him. He desires we be close to Him in all things. Our lives would be so much better if heeded the call to just draw near to Him. We need to cultivate our taste, and desire, for the things of God. I. This has been God's cry to His people for many centuries. Isa. 55:1-3 II. The Father Calls us Through Jesus. John 6:37; 44; 65 III. We need the attitude of David. 1 Chron. 29:18 We must cultivate our latent desires to know God and to know His will for our lives. We need to commit ourselves to a day to day seeking after God. We must not wait until we 'feel' like. We must ask God to grant us 'feelings' that only He can satisfy. This will bring us to real lasting revival of spiritual life in each of us and therefore in all of us. together we will see God meet our needs by His power not ours. From Ichabod to Ebenezer 1 Samuel 4 I. Ichabod is arrived at be foolish actions. II. God will not defend Himself, or us, if we do not follow His will His way. 1 Samuel 4:10, 11 III. God defeats His enemies and teaches His people. 1 Samuel 5-7 When we find we are not experiencing the power and blessing of God in our lives we must examine ourselves to see if Ichabod is being proclaimed over us. If we will return to the Lord, He will return to us Deut. 30:1-3. Our God is patient and forgiving He will restore us Joel 2:13. His desire is that we turn to Him and seek Him. He will continue to call us and will arrange for us to be restored the moment we are willing. 1 Corinthians 11:17-32 The apostle Paul could see, in the church in Corinth, an irreverent attitude at communion. They included it in a meal where each ate what they brought so the rich were much better fed than the poor. They did not properly examine themselves upon receiving communion. And, they did not show respect for the Lord's body when they partook. I. They treated the poorer members with disrespect. II. They did not properly examine themselves. III. They failed to show respect for 'the body'. We must remember that we were not called to come in our insulated individualism and worship, pray. prophecy and receive communion. We are called to remember, "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." 1 Cor.12:21-26 This is "recognizing the body" and we are called to lay aside our whims and enter into a genuine loving fellowship of believers. As we partake in communion today let us do so with a desire to recognize the body and receive one another. Matthew 16:13-20 When Jesus heard Peter's confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." He replied, "On this rock I will build My Church." The building of the church is the business of the Lord of the church. Each of us may be concerned about the process but we can do less than we think to affect it. There are techniques that will increase attendance and others that will involve more people but nothing other than the Lord's activity which will actually build the church. I. The Lord adds to the number as we obey His will and way. Acts 2:42-47 II. Jesus' method for bringing in a harvest was to train laborers first. Matthew 9:35-38 III. Jesus began with two and grew His group to 12. As we look around us it is easy to fall into the trap of hopelessness. This is from the enemy of our souls, Satan himself! We are never beyond hope. Even in death we are victorious. Romans 8:31-39 We should pray for God to raise up workers to reach and teach, to serve and share, to watch and work, to change the world we live in. We must never be discouraged even if often disappointed. He is Lord and He is our Strength and Shield. How Can One Know God Has Spoken? 022000 Psalm 29 When we read in the Bible about "the voice of the Lord" we are sure someone heard Him speak in an audible way. We know that Adam & Eve heard the voice of God calling them in the garden after they sinned. Moses heard the voice on the mountain. David heard the voice. Isaiah and Ezekiel also heard this voice. Mary heard from an angel and Joseph in a dream about the coming Messiah. Saul of Tarsus heard the voice on the road to Damascus. In all of history there have been those who say they hear God speak. But most do not hear a voice and still must know, "Is this God?" How can we know? I. If what I hear (feel) is in line with the Bible. II. What I hear (feel) is in line with my desires. Psalm 37:4 But what if I am still not sure? III. What I hear (feel) will honor Jesus. We must clear our sin accounts, seek God's direction, and then respond to His direction. We will not always get it right but He will always forgive and correct according to His word as we respond to Him. We must not fear that we will miss God's will. We should rejoice that He will always make His will known as we go along. He is patient and kind and will guide us with His hand into His will and way. Love is the Basis of Giving 1 John 4:7-21; 1 Corinthians 13 The Apostle John described himself three times in his gospel as the one "Jesus loved". He lay his head on Jesus chest at the last supper and may be the only person as an adult who ever heard Jesus' heart beat. John describes love as the basis of God's nature. 1 Corinthians 13 provides a description of love that leaves no room for doubt about the very nature of love and of God. God is love and as such God gives! I. He demonstrated His love by sending His Son, Jesus. v. 9 II. The gift of Jesus changes our nature to be like God's. III. God's Nature in us makes us able to give. 2 Cor. 8:1-9 (Time, caring, concern and money) The Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. That life is His to live through us. We have now been bought with a price and are no longer our own. We can no longer live as we did in the past. We are enabled to live as new creatures. As such all the power of God is available to flow through our lives. We are able to give, not as the world gives (to meet the requirements of the IRS), but as God gives freely and fully. This is the will of God for His people. We can show our thankfulness to Him and our trust in Him by returning to Him a portion (tithe) of what He has given us. We can give above and beyond the law and know that God will meet all our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19 2 John 1:4-6 As we deal, day by day, with the process of being Christian we choose, again and again, what we will do and why. It is important to our witness that we now why we live the life. Most of us grew up with the rules and accept them until we are in real need then we fail because we don't have a real internal driving force for keeping the rules. When this happens the very reason we are Christian falls into question. What must we do to know how to live. John says we prove our love by following Jesus' rules and then he goes on to state that the rule is "that you walk in love." I. Joy is found when believers walk in the truth. II. Love is obeying His commands. John 14:15 III. His Command is to love. Jesus assured His disciples that He would never leave them, We draw from that the ongoing promise that He will never leave us. He is with us in all things in all ways and His presence enables us to do anything, anytime, anywhere -- if it is right! The most important thing in our life is our relationship to Jesus Christ. Out of that wellspring grows all other relationships. Everything that is not based on our relationship to Jesus is temporary and not eternal. The Bible calls such things "sin". We need to focus on our relationship to Jesus and then out of that let all things find their natural place. John 6:35-56 This is one of the hard sayings of Jesus. That we should eat His flesh and drink His blood is impossible to imagine. Yet that is what He says. Some believe in a mysterious transformation of the elements of the Lord's Supper into the true body and blood of Jesus. We do not believe this to be true. Jesus is saying something magnificent that will be missed if we are too literal minded. He is saying the energy of our life is to be nothing less than Him - our Lord and Savior. He comes into us and energizes us to live out the Life on earth. I. Jesus gives us the key to understanding this passage in v. 35 II. Jesus prayed for and our relationship to Him. John 17:20-23 III. Our relationship to Jesus is living and fruitful. John 15:4-7 As we take communion today we should praise God for the relationship symbolized in these simple elements. The fruit of the vine representing His blood shed for us and, through faith, flowing through us. The broken bread representing His body broken in atonement for our sins. This sacrifice of Jesus, 2000 years ago, enable us to become children of God through whom the spiritual genetics of God are revealed in our lives to our good and His glory. The World Wants to See Jesus John 12:20-33 Jesus came to the end of His life on earth as a human with many things left undone. At least it seemed so by human standards. He had never traveled very far. After three years of ministry his congregation had dwindled to less than 200 and His faithful ones was about twenty and one of them was soon to betray Him to the authorities. Then, in the midst of all the turmoil, some foreigners came and asked to see Him. He couldn't see them. He had to prepare Himself and His disciples for His death which would come in about a week. I. He saw His death as glorification. v. 23 II. He saw His coming death as a means to fruit. v. 24 III. He saw His coming death as a release of power to draw all men to Himself. v.32 Often in our 'modern' world religious people avoid the cross and its suffering forgetting that such is the very power of God for the salvation of all people. Jesus saw very clearly not only what would be soon happening to Him but what its true results were. We need to get a longer few of events and begin to look ahead to the results of our actions. God intends that our activity produce and reproduce. Let's make that a large part of our prayers as we look ahead to Easter. The Living Hope of the Resurrection 1 Peter 1:3-9 We come again today to celebrate the resurrection from the dead of the Lord Jesus Christ. Too often we fail to acknowledge that the resurrection is the very essence of the Christian faith. The early church had only one holy day - Easter! They did not observe Christmas or any of the other many days we have since set aside as holy days, or holidays. They broke bread and drank the fruit of the vine together in remembrance of His death on the cross. They worshipped together on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Their writings, part of which became the New Testament, tell us of the power of the resurrection. I. The church of the Acts spoke of the resurrection.
II. The resurrection was the centerpiece of the church's teaching. III. The was the power of the resurrection which changed their lives. Today people try to shelter their valuables, safe deposit boxes. tax sheltered investments, insured deposits, insurance, etc. We have our real investment reserved in heaven for us. We are kept by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and gave us new life. The Spirit living in us is a Spirit of life. We have something powerful to share. PRAISE THE LORD GOD! See also…
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