August 18, 2012, 13th Sunday after Pentecost

Romans 11:13-15, 29-32  For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

Theme:  “GOD’S TALL GLASS OF MERCY”

I.  Provokes in order to save (13-15)

II.  Bankrupts in order to make rich (29-32)

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August 4, 2013, 11th Sunday after Pentecost

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Romans 8:35-39  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Theme:  “SUPERPOWERED BY JESUS”

I.  In Christ We Can Face Any Problem (35-36)

II.  In Christ We Already Have the Victory (37)

III.  In Christ We See God’s Great Love (37, 39)

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on August 4, 2013, 11th Sunday after Pentecost

July 7, 2013, 7th Sunday after Pentecost

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Romans 7:15-25  For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Theme:  “BRIGHT SKY OVER THE BATTLEFIELD”

I.   Our sinful flesh battles against our inner man.

II.  The outcome of the battle seems gloomy,

III. But in Christ, God offer us a ray of hope!

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on July 7, 2013, 7th Sunday after Pentecost

June 30, 2013, 6th Sunday after Pentecost

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Romans 6:1b-11  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Theme:  “COUNT YOURSELF ALIVE TO GOD”

I.  Baptism’s Purpose (1-4)

II.  Baptism’s Guarantee (5-11)

 

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on June 30, 2013, 6th Sunday after Pentecost

June 2, 2013, 2nd Sunday after Pentecost

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Romans 3:21-25a, 27-28  But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Theme:  “JUST AS IF YOU NEVER SINNED”

I:  A declaration coming from God (21)

II.  A declaration centered in Jesus Christ (22-25a)

III.  A declaration received by faith (27-28)

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on June 2, 2013, 2nd Sunday after Pentecost

May 26, 2013, Trinity Sunday

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2 Corinthians 13:11-14  Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Theme: “GIFTS FROM YOUR TRIUNE GOD”

I.  Grace (14a, 11a)

II.  Love (14b, 11c)

III.  Fellowship (14c, 11b, 12-13)

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on May 26, 2013, Trinity Sunday

May 12, 2013, Ascension Sunday

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Ephesians 1:15-23  Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Theme:  “OUR ASCENSION BLESSINGS”

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May 5, 2013, 6th Sunday of Easter

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1 Peter 3:15-22  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Theme:  “FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF THE RISEN SAVIOR”

I.  Always be ready to defend your hope (15-17)

II.  By Baptism Jesus makes your hope sure (18-22)

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on May 5, 2013, 6th Sunday of Easter

April 28, 2012, 5th Sunday of Easter

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1 Peter 2:4-10  Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

                                       Theme:  “YOU ARE HIS LIVING STONES”                          

I.  The LORD God is building His Spiritual House (4-8)

II.  The LORD God is sending His gifted people  (9-10)

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on April 28, 2012, 5th Sunday of Easter

April 21, 2013, 4th Sunday of Easter

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1 Peter 2:19-25  For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Theme:  “GUIDED BY THE GOOD SHEPHERD”

I.  For your salvation (24-25)

II.  For your imitation (19-23)

Posted in Sermon | Comments Off on April 21, 2013, 4th Sunday of Easter