Sermons from 2017

Paul's Epistle to the Galatians 1. Historically, the Galatians as a people had come into the central highlands of what is now Turkey around the Third Century B.C. as part of an ongoing great Celtic migration out of central Europe. This migration extended also across western Europe and into what is now known as the British Isles and their language is still spoken in portions thereof. Historical records show an overlap of the terms Celtic and Gallic. Their region was once called Gallo Graecia and was made a ...

Abortion I. abortion: The act of giving untimely birth to offspring, premature delivery, miscarriage; the procuring of premature delivery so as to destroy offspring. (In Med. abortion is limited to a delivery so premature that the offspring cannot live, i.e. in the case of the human fœtus before the sixth month.) A. miscarriage: Untimely delivery (of a woman)... c/w JOB 3:16; ECC 6:3. B. procure: To bring about by care or pains; also (more vaguely) to bring about, cause, effect, produce. C. A distincti...

Why a Church Doesn't Grow I. Churches go through seasons during which there is little or no numerical growth. A. The ongoing deferral of expected reaping can dampen the spirit. PRO 13:12. B. Much effort may be expended and no results seem forthcoming, which can cause tension and doubts. GEN 30:1-2. II. There is growth and there is growth. A. If you love God, His truth and His church, you want ONLY the increase which God gives. 1CO 3:6; ACT 2:47; COL 2:19. B. Cancers, tumors and weeds grow--- effortl...

Paul's Epistle to the Galatians 1. Historically, the Galatians as a people had come into the central highlands of what is now Turkey around the Third Century B.C. as part of an ongoing great Celtic migration out of central Europe. This migration extended also across western Europe and into what is now known as the British Isles and their language is still spoken in portions thereof. Historical records show an overlap of the terms Celtic and Gallic. Their region was once called Gallo Graecia and was made a ...

Paul's Epistle to the Galatians 1. Historically, the Galatians as a people had come into the central highlands of what is now Turkey around the Third Century B.C. as part of an ongoing great Celtic migration out of central Europe. This migration extended also across western Europe and into what is now known as the British Isles and their language is still spoken in portions thereof. Historical records show an overlap of the terms Celtic and Gallic. Their region was once called Gallo Graecia and...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Abortion I. abortion: The act of giving untimely birth to offspring, premature delivery, miscarriage; the procuring of premature delivery so as to destroy offspring. (In Med. abortion is limited to a delivery so premature that the offspring cannot live, i.e. in the case of the human fœtus before the sixth month.) A. miscarriage: Untimely delivery (of a woman)... c/w JOB 3:16; ECC 6:3. B. procure: To bring about by care or pains; also (more vaguely) to bring about, cause, effect, produce. C. A distincti...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Martyrs I. martyr: Eccl. The specific designation of honour (connoting the highest degree of saintship) for: One who voluntarily undergoes the penalty of death for refusing to renounce the Christian faith or any article of it, for perseverance in any Christian virtue, or for obedience to any law or command of the Church. A. Forms of martyr are found only in ACT 22:20; REV 2:13; REV 17:6. B. Martyr translates the Greek word martus (Strong's G3144), which means witness and is so translated in 29 places. ...

But I. Any scheme to recover a sinner from his condemnation under sin (ROM 5:12, 18) which depends on the sinner is futile. A. Perhaps if his good works outweigh his bad works on God's scale, man can recover himself from condemnation. But, ISA 64:6; ROM 3:10. B. Perhaps if he performs an appointed ritual, man can recover himself from condemnation. But, GAL 5:3. C. Perhaps sacrifice will recover him from condemnation. But, ROM 8:21-22; HEB 10:1, 4. D. Perhaps if he changes his nature so that he might do...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

John 19:23-24 (John 19:23) Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. (John 19:24) They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. Here is...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

The Holy Kiss Here are the N.T. verses which command the brethren to kiss: (Rom 16:16) Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. (1Co 16:20) All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. (2Co 13:12) Greet one another with an holy kiss. (1Th 5:26) Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. (1Pe 5:14) Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. There are two important terms to define: kiss: A touc...

Thoughts on Making Decisions I. We know we are to walk by faith, not sight. 2CO 5:7. A. We are to trust God rather than our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. B. We read in Scripture of God's providential direction of men's lives and may even have experienced the same in our own lives. C. We may be persuaded that because God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, we are relieved of the responsibility of personal decisions, and, after all, God makes all things work together for our good. D. This...

Love, Knowledge, Judgment (Philippians 1:9-11) A. There is very little correction in Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, and the corrections are mildly tempered. PHIL 2:30 c/w PHIL 4:10; PHIL 4:2. 1. The tone of the letter is a positive one. 2. Paul thanked God every time he remembered them. PHIL 1:3 ct/w 1CO 1:14-15. 3. They were faithful in his absence. PHIL 2:12 ct/w GAL 1:6. 4. They had been concerned about Epaphroditus' health. PHIL 2:26. 5. They had been forward in supporting Paul in his l...

For the Righteous Sake I. One of the great themes of Scripture is God's willingness to spare men for the sake of someone else's righteousness. 2CO 5:21 c/w ROM 5:19. A. There are numerous examples of where even the imperfect righteousness of one (or a few) was remembered by God and others were accordingly delivered. B. There are other cases where one's righteousness would spare only himself. II. Sodom, Gomorrah and their neighboring cities became so wicked that God eventually destroyed them. GEN 13:13;...

I. Christians are commanded to "be not conformed to this world" (Rom 12:2). 1. The Lord instructs us to be nonconformists. A. Conform v. -1. trans. To form, shape, or fashion according to some pattern, model, or instruction; to make of the same form or character, to make like. B. We are therefore not to pattern our thoughts and behavior after the way of this world. C. We should not look, act, and think like the people of this world. 2. We are in the world, but we must not be of the world (Joh 17:11 c/w Joh ...

Regeneration and Conversion I. It is commonly assumed that regeneration and conversion are referring to the one and the same thing: the change of man's inward nature which brings him out of death in trespasses and sins into a state of grace and spiritual life. II. Definitions. A. regenerate: In religious use; to cause to be born again in a spiritual sense; to invest with a new and higher spiritual nature. B. convert: To turn in position or direction. To turn (a thing or oneself) about, to give a diffe...

Sunday School I. Does the Bible teach a Sunday School system such as one sees in modern day Christendom? II. First of all, we are commanded to prove all things, which includes Sunday school. 1TH 5:21. A. prove: To make trial of, try, test. B. The Bible is the SOLE standard of truth whereby all things are to be proved. PSA 119:1-3, 11, 104-105, 128; ACT 17:11; ROM 3:4. 1. Personal feelings and thoughts are not the standard for church practice. ACT 26:9-10. a. (PRO 14:12) There is a way which seemeth ...

Perseverance I. At times in Christian experience, for various reasons, a Christian's zeal for God, His word, His house, His service and His people might wear thin or grow cold. Ministers need to consider that and act accordingly. ISA 50:4. A. In a culture where sin abounds and temptation is on every side, true love may become cold. MAT 24:12. 1. Perilous times are not defined by political or economic trouble but by rampant sin. 2TI 3:1-5. 2. An inordinate affection for the world and the flesh can chok...

Paul's Epistle to the Galatians 1. Historically, the Galatians as a people had come into the central highlands of what is now Turkey around the Third Century B.C. as part of an ongoing great Celtic migration out of central Europe. This migration extended also across western Europe and into what is now known as the British Isles and their language is still spoken in portions thereof. Historical records show an overlap of the terms Celtic and Gallic. Their region was once called Gallo Graecia and was made a ...

Paul's Epistle to the Galatians 1. Historically, the Galatians as a people had come into the central highlands of what is now Turkey around the Third Century B.C. as part of an ongoing great Celtic migration out of central Europe. This migration extended also across western Europe and into what is now known as the British Isles and their language is still spoken in portions thereof. Historical records show an overlap of the terms Celtic and Gallic. Their region was once called Gallo Graecia and was made a ...

Promptness in Obedience I. The commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ are not grievous. 1JO 5:3. A. Christ's yoke is easy and His burden bearable. MAT 11:28-30. B. Pharisee religion is not so. MAT 23:3-4. C. We should be wary of unscriptural or utterly impractical demands supposedly from God. D. Zeal is good with qualifications. GAL 4:18; ECC 7:16. 1. We are warned against being heady (Headlong, precipitate, impetuous, violent; passionate; headstrong; ‘hurried on with passion’ (J.). a. Of motion, actio...

False Religion's Tactics I. This study investigates the methods of Satan to draw men into false worship where God's truth takes a back seat to something else. A. Make no mistake about it: Satan wants to be worshipped. ISA 14:12-14; MAT 4:8-9; 2TH 2:3-4. B. The obvious “circus acts” like the Church of Satan and Anton Lavey are only a small part of the problem. C. Ignorant superstition thinks it worships God but is actually worshipping devils. 1CO 10:20. D. The more subtle “white collar” tactics of Sat...

False Religion's Tactics I. This study investigates the methods of Satan to draw men into false worship where God's truth takes a back seat to something else. A. Make no mistake about it: Satan wants to be worshipped. ISA 14:12-14; MAT 4:8-9; 2TH 2:3-4. B. The obvious “circus acts” like the Church of Satan and Anton Lavey are only a small part of the problem. C. Ignorant superstition thinks it worships God but is actually worshipping devils. 1CO 10:20. D. The more subtle “white collar” tactics of Sat...

False Religion's Tactics I. This study investigates the methods of Satan to draw men into false worship where God's truth takes a back seat to something else. A. Make no mistake about it: Satan wants to be worshipped. ISA 14:12-14; MAT 4:8-9; 2TH 2:3-4. B. The obvious “circus acts” like the Church of Satan and Anton Lavey are only a small part of the problem. C. Ignorant superstition thinks it worships God but is actually worshipping devils. 1CO 10:20. D. The more subtle “white collar” tactics of Sat...

False Religion's Tactics I. This study investigates the methods of Satan to draw men into false worship where God's truth takes a back seat to something else. A. Make no mistake about it: Satan wants to be worshipped. ISA 14:12-14; MAT 4:8-9; 2TH 2:3-4. B. The obvious “circus acts” like the Church of Satan and Anton Lavey are only a small part of the problem. C. Ignorant superstition thinks it worships God but is actually worshipping devils. 1CO 10:20. D. The more subtle “white collar” tactics of Sat...

False Religion's Tactics I. This study investigates the methods of Satan to draw men into false worship where God's truth takes a back seat to something else. A. Make no mistake about it: Satan wants to be worshipped. ISA 14:12-14; MAT 4:8-9; 2TH 2:3-4. B. The obvious “circus acts” like the Church of Satan and Anton Lavey are only a small part of the problem. C. Ignorant superstition thinks it worships God but is actually worshipping devils. 1CO 10:20. D. The more subtle “white collar” tactics of Sat...

On Becoming an Independent, Responsible, Successful Adult I. If God gives grace, there comes a time for all to transition from childhood to adulthood. A. The adult puts away childish ways. 1CO 13:11. B. This doesn’t happen overnight nor is it pegged to a birthday. An 18-year old may or may not be ready for independence: it depends upon the level of maturity. C. Youth needs to gradually develop mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to prepare for being an independent, responsible, successfu...

Psalm 28 A. This psalm sees David transition from distress to praise, from militant saint to triumphant saint. B. He speaks to God, pleads for God to reply in kind, and trusts that since God has claimed him as His own peculiar treasure that He will answer with salvation. c/w PSA 119:94. C. No appeal is here made on the basis of David's goodness but only God's. It is a bold approach to the throne of grace for mercy and grace to help in time of need. HEB 4:16. D. This is an effectual, fervent prayer of ...

On Becoming an Independent, Responsible, Successful Adult I. If God gives grace, there comes a time for all to transition from childhood to adulthood. A. The adult puts away childish ways. 1CO 13:11. B. This doesn’t happen overnight nor is it pegged to a birthday. An 18-year old may or may not be ready for independence: it depends upon the level of maturity. C. Youth needs to gradually develop mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to prepare for being an independent, responsible, successfu...

On Becoming an Independent, Responsible, Successful Adult I. If God gives grace, there comes a time for all to transition from childhood to adulthood. A. The adult puts away childish ways. 1CO 13:11. B. This doesn’t happen overnight nor is it pegged to a birthday. An 18-year old may or may not be ready for independence: it depends upon the level of maturity. C. Youth needs to gradually develop mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to prepare for being an independent, responsible, successfu...

Swept and Garnished (Luke 11:24-26) A. These words were a rebuttal of the gainsayers who had just attributed Jesus' casting out of a devil to the power of Beelzebub, chief of devils (vs. 14-16) as if He were nothing more than a Jannes or Jambres (2TI 3:8). 1. MAT 12:24, 38 shows that the scribes and Pharisees were the particular offenders and objects of Jesus' rebuttal. 2. Their sons were presuming to cast out devils also. v. 19 c/w ACT 19:13-17. 3. Beelzebub seems to be alive and active today in tele...

Feminism I. For at least fifty years, there has been an increased emphasis on women’s rights and the terms women’s rights movement, feminist movement, women’s liberation, etc., have become part of our cultural jargon coincidental with an increased struggle between the sexes. A. What is a Christian approach to feminism? B. Does Scripture address the issue? C. This study seeks to sort out the good and bad of the feminist movement. II. Definitions. A. feminism: Advocacy of the rights of women (based on t...

Philippians 2:1-2 A. These verses highlight a basic difference between the character of Christian life in the church and the natural way of this world. 1. Christian life is not survival of the fittest, a desperate clamor of self-interests which weeds out the weak. 2. Christian life is not self-promotion by exploiting the weak or uninformed (as Scientology). 3. Christian life is not the Intellectual elite regulating the blind force (as Freemasonry). 4. Christian life is not a beehive, a compartmentalize...

On Becoming an Independent, Responsible, Successful Adult I. If God gives grace, there comes a time for all to transition from childhood to adulthood. A. The adult puts away childish ways. 1CO 13:11. B. This doesn’t happen overnight nor is it pegged to a birthday. An 18-year old may or may not be ready for independence: it depends upon the level of maturity. C. Youth needs to gradually develop mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to prepare for being an independent, responsible, successfu...

On Becoming an Independent, Responsible, Successful Adult I. If God gives grace, there comes a time for all to transition from childhood to adulthood. A. The adult puts away childish ways. 1CO 13:11. B. This doesn’t happen overnight nor is it pegged to a birthday. An 18-year old may or may not be ready for independence: it depends upon the level of maturity. C. Youth needs to gradually develop mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to prepare for being an independent, responsible, successfu...

On Becoming an Independent, Responsible, Successful Adult I. If God gives grace, there comes a time for all to transition from childhood to adulthood. A. The adult puts away childish ways. 1CO 13:11. B. This doesn’t happen overnight nor is it pegged to a birthday. An 18-year old may or may not be ready for independence: it depends upon the level of maturity. C. Youth needs to gradually develop mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to prepare for being an independent, responsible, successfu...

Feminism I. For at least fifty years, there has been an increased emphasis on women’s rights and the terms women’s rights movement, feminist movement, women’s liberation, etc., have become part of our cultural jargon coincidental with an increased struggle between the sexes. A. What is a Christian approach to feminism? B. Does Scripture address the issue? C. This study seeks to sort out the good and bad of the feminist movement. II. Definitions. A. feminism: Advocacy of the rights of women (based on t...

Baptism I. There are one hundred references to baptism in its noun and verb forms in the New Testament (excluding references to the word “Baptist”). Only twenty-three of these references speak of something other than the baptism of believers in water. A. Fourteen times the word refers to Christ’s sufferings. MAT 20:20-23; MAR 10:38-39; LUK 12:50. B. Two times the word refers to baptism with the Spirit and fire. MAT 3:11; LUK 3:16. C. Four times it refers to baptism with the Spirit only. MAR 1:8; ACT 1:...

Baptism I. There are one hundred references to baptism in its noun and verb forms in the New Testament (excluding references to the word “Baptist”). Only twenty-three of these references speak of something other than the baptism of believers in water. A. Fourteen times the word refers to Christ’s sufferings. MAT 20:20-23; MAR 10:38-39; LUK 12:50. B. Two times the word refers to baptism with the Spirit and fire. MAT 3:11; LUK 3:16. C. Four times it refers to baptism with the Spirit only. MAR 1:8; ACT 1:...

Baptism I. There are one hundred references to baptism in its noun and verb forms in the New Testament (excluding references to the word “Baptist”). Only twenty-three of these references speak of something other than the baptism of believers in water. A. Fourteen times the word refers to Christ’s sufferings. MAT 20:20-23; MAR 10:38-39; LUK 12:50. B. Two times the word refers to baptism with the Spirit and fire. MAT 3:11; LUK 3:16. C. Four times it refers to baptism with the Spirit only. MAR 1:8; ACT 1:...

Numbers 20 (A warning against discouragement) I. Israel's trials and failures are set forth for our benefit. 1CO 10:5-12. II. Numbers 20 is a concentrated period of melancholy for the church and its leaders. A. In this chapter Moses (and Aaron) are denied access into the promised land. B. In this chapter Miriam dies. C. In this chapter Aaron her brother and the High Priest of Israel dies. D. These three siblings are all noted as leaders in Israel's exodus. MIC 6:4. III. The events of these pages occ...

Feminism I. For at least fifty years, there has been an increased emphasis on women’s rights and the terms women’s rights movement, feminist movement, women’s liberation, etc., have become part of our cultural jargon coincidental with an increased struggle between the sexes. A. What is a Christian approach to feminism? B. Does Scripture address the issue? C. This study seeks to sort out the good and bad of the feminist movement. II. Definitions. A. feminism: Advocacy of the rights of women (based on t...

Numbers 21:1-9 (1CO 10:9) Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. vs. 1-3. A. Not only was Israel not allowed to take the shortcut through Edom to the promised land, they then were beset upon by Arad (SRN H6166: fugitive, a wild ass). 1. Here was a Canaanite bad enough that he didn’t fit among Canaanites. 2. Wayward Christians may be captured by opposition that is not even acceptable among carnal unbelievers. 1CO 5:1. 3. Satan has many agents, darts ...

Signs and Wonders I. Anyone desiring an encounter with signs and wonders should consider all of what Scripture says about them. MAT 4:4. II. Scripture does declare the imparting of supernatural gifts to men. LUK 9:1; 10:1, 17-20. A. LUK 10:20 shows that salvation is better than gifts. 1. Judas Iscariot was given such power yet he is the son of perdition and a devil. JOH 6:70-71; 17:12. 2. Election into the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world (REV 13:8; 17:8) trumps any sensational gi...

Resolutions (LUK 16:4) I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. resolve: A determination or resolution. 2. Firmness or steadfastness of purpose. (vb) To determine or decide upon a course of action. determine: To direct to some end or conclusion; to come to some conclusion. refl. To bring oneself to a decision; to come to the resolve ( to do something). intr. (for refl.) To come to the decision; to resolve definitely (to do something). In...