Summer L.I.F.E. Institute
This summer we will be doing a little something different for our Sunday evening L.I.F.E. Institute class. Rather than work through a structured class curriculum, I’m going to invite all who are interested to join me in an informal study of the book of Romans. By informal, I mean that there will be very little preparation — even by me! — ahead of time. The point would be to allow you to walk with me through a passage as I study it. My purpose would be to help those who attend learn to study passages of scripture on their own. We’ll address questions such as: How do...
Read MoreEaster Sunday 2011: Two Service Plan of Action
Rationale: Last time our church did a large Easter outreach (2005), we had approximately 400 people in attendance. Easter Sunday has been our best attended worship service for the last several years. Experience with other large services, such as our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, has taught us that while huge crowds are exciting to regular attenders, they can be distracting and uncomfortable for visitors. We want to be good stewards of all those the Lord brings to our worship services on Easter Sunday, by providing an environment in which they can clearly hear to Gospel. Outreach...
Read MoreThe Love of God: For Creation
The following is an outline of my sermon from this morning. I. God created the world good. He loves the beauty of the world because it reflects his own beauty. A. The universe was created by and for Jesus. – Colossians 1:16 B. Creation reflects the glory of God. – Psalm 19:1-3; Romans 1:19-20 1. Creation displays God’s might. – Psalm 8:3-4 2. Creation displays God’s wisdom. – Isaiah 55:10-11; Hosea 13:7-8 II. In love, God sustains and provides for all creation. A. God sustains the very existence of all he made. – Colossians 1:17 B. God...
Read MoreThinking Through 1 Corinthians 13: A More Excellent Way
Any reflection on Paul’s famous “Love Chapter” (1 Corinthians 13) must really begin in the last verse of the previous chapter. In chapter 12, Paul has begun his teaching on spiritual gifts, explaining God’s plan in giving diverse gifts to a unified body of believers. And after chapter 13, Paul will pick up this discussion of spiritual gifts. Truly, one could simply remove chapter 13 and the flow of Paul’s argument would run nearly seamless. The Love Chapter could be considered parenthetical, but that would be a great mistake. It is not parenthetical, but...
Read MoreIn case you were wondering
The Bible often compares us to sheep, and perhaps for good reason. Sheep are not very smart and if we are honest about ourselves we aren’t either. So for your consideration, I’d like to show you two things. First, Proverbs 30:2-4 “Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth?” We as humans tend to think...
Read MoreDo not be ashamed!
It is often said that dynamite comes in small packages, but something infinitely more powerful is contained in one word… “gospel.” However, not only is there an infinite amount of power in that word, but wherever that word goes, it is shadowed by an equal amount of controversy. The hyper-Calvinists would have us believe that preaching the gospel is unnecessary. The anti-nomians would have us believe that one must only speak about God’s love and should not do anything to cause pain on the part of the hearer. The arminians believe that man can be won to Christ easily...
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