God displays righteous jealousy (cf. 2 Cor. 11:2) that desires faithfulness from His spouse. If God cared not for His people, there would be no jealousy. But it is because He values an intimate relationship with His bride, the church, He is deeply grieved when we pursue other lovers. True love is rightfully jealous. God loves His people so much that He wants us totally for Himself in an exclusive relationship. He will not stand for spiritual adultery.
Sermon, Are You Committing Adultery? James 4:4-6, September 9, 2018.
Faithful service does not exalt me or change my role as God’s servant. Faithful service only confirms that I am His servant.
Seeing Beyond Yourself, Luke 17:1-10, February 2, 2020.
Ideally, the goal is to see the discipline of child gradually lessen as he or she approaches the teen years (the opposite of what we often see in society) because life lessons have been learned and righteous actions are personally desired. Yet that does not mean parents no longer have a responsibility to discipline their teenager when necessary. In these cases, we have found the best methods to be restitution (a good action toward the one wronged – see Exodus 22) and/or the removal of a privilege (loss of electronics, use of the car, attendance at an event, etc.). Rarely if ever would our teen discipline be “grounding” (as in unreconciled confinement) or exclusion from family activities or the use of something good as an instrument for “punishment” (house chores, exercise, writing, etc.).
Hell or Heaven? Do we plead for God’s reward as a result of our actions or do we plead for God’s mercy as a result of his actions?
Relationship Over Religion, Luke 18:9-14, March 8, 2020.
This is the essence of all man-made religion: Self-absorption, smug complacency, false assurance, boastful comparison, scornful disdain, desired attention, works salvation, outward appearance, spiritually deceived, absent repentance, self-righteousness, self-condemning, unloving and unmerciful, faithless and graceless.
Relationship Over Religion, Luke 18:9-14, March 8, 2020.
It’s clear that all the religious systems are different. Yet all the religious systems, except Christianity, are all ultimately the same. Every world religion teaches what man must do to earn his salvation. Only Christianity teaches that we cannot earn our salvation, but that God in Christ must accomplish it for us. Thus, in Christianity, as compared to all other religions, it is gift versus reward and grace versus works and faith versus effort and humility versus pride and Christ versus self.
Relationship Over Religion, Luke 18:9-14, March 8, 2020.
To most people, the gifts we enjoy are more important than the Giver of the gifts. Some might be grateful for their many blessings. But how many are expressing that gratitude to God? How many are metaphorically falling at His feet and glorifying Him with a genuine and enthusiastic heart? Many are thankful, but how many prioritize their thankfulness to God? How often do blessings actually lead people away from God because they want something from God and do not see God in the something?
Sermon, Thanking God is the Difference, February 9, 2020.
A Partial Inventory of Spiritual Fruit. A desire and ability to: 1. Pursue God’s glory (1 Cor. 10:31). 2. Mature in Christlikeness (1 Pet. 2:2). 3. Be kind to others (Eph. 4:32). 4. Restore relationships (Mt. 5:9). 5. Rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). 6. Persevere through trials (Jas. 1:2-3). 7. Suffer persecution for Christ (2 Tim. 3:10-11). 8. Delight in God’s commandments (Psm. 119:47). 9. Read, study, memorize, listen to and meditate on the Bible (Jos. 1:8). 10. Share your faith (2 Tim. 4:5). 11. Be patient with others (1 Thes. 5:14). 12. Contribute to church unity (Eph. 4:3). 13. Desire goodness (2 Thes. 1:11). 14. Pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17). 15. Faithfully prioritize church (Heb. 10:23-25). 16. Prefer others (Rom. 12:10). 17. Surrender fully to Christ (Lk. 9:23). 18. Act faithfully (Gal. 5:22). 19. Serve in the church (1 Cor. 12:7). 20. Experience true peace (Gal. 5:22). 21. Be a committed marriage partner (Col. 3:18-19). 22. Love God and others (Mt. 22:37-39). 23. Guard your heart (Pr. 4:23). 24. Manifest a tempered spirit (Tit. 2:2). 25. Exercise self-control (Gal. 5:23). 26. Grow in the knowledge of God (2 Pet. 3:18). 27. Repent of known sin (Lk. 13:5). 28. Develop biblical wisdom (Eph. 5:15). 29. Examine yourself (1 Cor. 13:5). 30. Practice hospitality (Rom. 12:13). 31. Be humble (1 Pet. 5:6). 32. Work hard with integrity (Col. 3:23-24). 33. Act with gentleness (Gal. 5:23). 34. Manage your home (1 Tim. 3:4). 35. Instruct and discipline your children biblically (Eph. 6:4). 36. Listen more than you speak (Jas. 1:19). 37. Want Christian fellowship (Ac. 2:42). 38. Speak wholesome words (Col. 4:6). 39. Encourage others (1 Thes. 5:11). 40. Be an example for others (1 Tim. 4:12). 41. Forgive others (Mt. 6:12). 42. Fast (Mt. 6:16). 43. Hate evil (Rom. 12:9). 44. Be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). 45. Support missionaries (3 Jn. 1:7-8). 46. Engage in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:13). 47. Sacrifice with your finances (2 Cor. 8:3-5). 48. Experience hope (Heb. 6:11). 49. Sing spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19). 50. Develop biblical convictions (Jas. 4:17). 51. Commit to pure doctrine (Tit. 2:1). 52. Desire God’s will (Jn. 4:34). 53. Be thankful (Col. 3:15). 54. Submit wherever necessary (Eph. 5:21). 55. Prioritize spiritual things (Col. 3:1-2). 56. Long for our Lord’s return (Rev. 22:20). Note: Our hearts must always be examined as much of this can be produced in the flesh.
Reasons why confessing our sin to another aids in spiritual victory (Jas. 5:16):
1. It forces us to identify our sin and deal with specifics as compared to the general, “God forgive me for my sins.”
2. It pulls us out of spiritual isolation.
3. It eliminates any temptation toward hypocrisy since at least one other person is aware of our weakness.
4. It promotes humility which is needed to fight the flesh.
5. It encourages accountability.
6. It gets others to bear our burden.
7. It solicits prayer from others in this spiritual battle.
Adapted from the Sermon: “Lets End in Prayer,” James 5:13-17, January 29, 2012, Grace Tabernacle Bible Church, www.gracetabernacle.org.
The goal of courtship is to work on the commitment part, not the intimacy part. Then when you marry and intimacy comes, there will be commitment.
Biblical Principles for Finding a Spouse, Genesis 23-25, August 11, 2013.
We live in a world where truth is relative. According to most, there is no absolute standard to determine right from wrong because truth is ever-changing and subjectively suited to personal opinions and popular culture. Most want to believe this because at our core we want to be autonomous without any accountability and restraints. We want to be God. We want to be the sole arbitrator to determine right from wrong. So to bolster support for this driving tendency, many have used the Word of God for their justification. They have erroneously taken Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 not to judge as their shield for critique-free sinful behavior. It’s funny how they use our Lord’s words as a reason not to submit to the rest of our Lord’s words found elsewhere in the Bible! However, such a position is contradictory to the inherent understanding of societal function and clearly a false interpretation of what Jesus intended.
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
Though we cannot read hearts, we all have this insidious tendency based upon limited information to judge people as to what drives them internally and then jump to oftentimes the worst conclusions possible. In a nutshell, we draw an opinion about the intent of a person’s heart (oftentimes without ever even speaking to the individual) and then act upon that opinion as if our assumptions are infallible.
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
Probably the most important reason that unbiblical judgment is wrong is because acting in this way usurps the authority of God. When we judge in this way we are stepping on God’s Throne and pronouncing our sovereignty and omniscience and declaring to the world that people are ultimately answerable to us. We are setting ourselves up as God, and in doing so, committing arguably the worst form of evil.
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
The Bible is God’s Word so when we tell erring people what the Scriptures say (something we are commanded to do – Mt. 18: 15; Gal. 6:1; 2 Thes. 3:15; Jas. 5:19), it’s not us judging the other person with our words, but it is God judging them through His Word. We are only mediators and ambassadors, presenting to people through our words and actions, God’s verdict on the situation. This is the most loving thing we can do since sin is destructive and God is the one that they will face regarding their actions on these matters.
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
We judge other people for a reason. There is something in us that fuels this unbiblical response – pride! Pride wants to look down upon others. Pride wants to dethrone others to make ourselves appear more spiritual. Pride wants to have others answering to us. Pride wants other people admiring our actions. Pride wants to prioritize self over the value and dignity of another individual. So in an effort to justify ourselves, we find it very easy to condemn others. However, kingdom citizens are broken in spirit (Mt. 5:3). It is impossible to be broken in spirit and judge others at the same time.
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
Sinful judgment is also wrong because we have limited knowledge. We do not have all the facts. We are biased. It is always easier to see things from our perspective and shade things to our advantage. When we judge others, we have a tremendous capacity for deception and more often than not formulate facts that are erroneous. How many times has someone totally written you off only to eventually find out that all the conclusions they drew about you were inaccurate?
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
When we judge others in an unbiblical fashion, God’s judgment rests upon us in a greater way. Matthew 7, verse 1: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” Verse 2, “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Judging others is flat-out dangerous. For how can we suppose that we can act so unmercifully to God’s people and then expect to receive the mercy we desire so much from God? Be prepared! The measure of sinful judgment we extend to others will be proportioned back to us in like measure. One author said judgment is like a boomerang, it comes back and hangs you on its own gallows.
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
Are we prepared to live by our own standards? If the way you internally judge others was measured back to you externally by others, you would be totally crushed and exasperated! And if the severity of judgment from others is a painful thought, consider the severity of God’s judgment applying to you the same standard you apply to others. The parallel verse of Matthew 7:1 in Luke says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned” (Lk. 6:36-37). In James 2:13 we read, “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy.” On the contrary, the Fifth Beatitude states, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy” (Mt. 5:7).
Battle Tested, Lesson 46, Judging Others.
There is no doubt that we as Christians should be civil toward those whose opinions might differ from ours. But there is a world of difference between civility and affirmation. It is one thing to be kind and respectful to my homosexual neighbors. It is quite another thing to say I must approve of their sinful lifestyle. To say we need to approve of everyone’s beliefs without ever given the opportunity for disagreement is simply inconsistent with the principles that built our great nation of democracy and freedom! It is also committing another act of judgmentalism. For telling someone else that he or she is being judgmental is a rather judgmental thing to do! People who do not want absolute standards have declared that all must follow their absolute standard that forbids judging others!
Sermon, Judgment On When To Judge – Part Two,” Matthew 7:1–6, September 7, 2008.
Confronting another when they are in a state of sin is an act of love. If our children were abusing drugs we would make a judgment call. Why is it any different if a brother or sister in Christ is acting in a destructive manner? Don’t we understand the destructive nature of sin? It nailed our Savior to the cross! Respected pastor and theologian, John Stott, once said, “To [learn of a foreign object in a brother’s eye and] leave it there, and make no attempt to remove it, would hardly be consistent with brotherly love” (Sermon on the Mount, p. 179). If we really want to be more like Christ (Rom. 8:29), we will be grateful to have our sins revealed. If we are humble, we will be grateful to have our sins revealed. It is only the scoffer, according to Proverbs, who hates correction (Pro. 9:8). And if this is what is best for us, we should naturally want it for others. Isn’t that the Golden Rule (Mt. 7:12)?
Sermon, Judgment On When To Judge – Part Two,” Matthew 7:1–6, September 7, 2008.
Did you know the Bible has a lot to say about “honor?” Children are commanded to honor their parents (Mt. 15:4), citizens their government (Rom. 13:7), churches their leaders (1 Ti. 5:17) and employees their employers (1 Ti. 6:1). Those are the easy ones, but as we dig a little deeper we also see that husbands are to honor their wives (1 Pet. 3:7) and churches are to honor their widows (1 Tim. 5:3). Our bodies are to be honored in purity (1 Thes. 4:4). Marriage is to be held in honor (Heb. 13:4). As a matter of fact, we are all even commanded to honor one another. Rom. 12:10 says, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.”
Sermon, The Only Response to Grace – Part 2, Genesis 9.
Some people will claim that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah never really happened. In other words, they believe it was all make believe. That conclusion unfortunately leads to greater problems because Jesus Christ affirmed Sodom and Gomorrah as a literal place that received a literal destruction. In Luke 17 we read, “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed” (Lk. 17:28-30; cf. 10:12). Deny this story from Genesis and you will have to deny the omniscience or Jesus Christ. Deny the omniscience of Jesus Christ and you will have to deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Deny the deity of Jesus Christ and you no longer have a Savior!
Sermon, Sodom and Ourselves, Genesis 18-19, July 7, 2013.
We have no business casting judgment on homosexuality if we are engaged in any sexual sin ourselves. In God’s economy, sex is reserved exclusively between a husband and a wife. Anything beyond that is sin. Yet even all believers in the flesh have a tendency to desire and practice what our Lord condemns in this area too. Maybe it is not homosexuality, but are you sleeping around or living with someone who is not your spouse? Are you downloading porn? Are you fantasizing in your mind impure sexual images? We dare not shake our finger at Sodom and Gomorrah if we too are involved with any sexual immorality.
Sermon, Sodom and Ourselves, Genesis 18-19, July 7, 2013.
Like any sin, our Lord saves people in the homosexual lifestyle. He forgives their sins and gives them the grace to repent. After saying that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God in 1 Corinthians 6:10, we read in the very next verse, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). We are all born with distinct tendencies toward certain sins. Maybe for you it is not homosexuality, but for you it is compulsive gambling or jealousy or anger or gluttony or lust with the opposite sex. Whatever it is, there is hope for victory in Jesus Christ.
Sermon, Sodom and Ourselves, Genesis 18-19, July 7, 2013.
For example, there is a special favor placed on the firstborn because of the excitement that surrounded your first child or the maturity she has as the oldest when compared to her siblings. There is a special favor placed on the youngest because he or she needs an advocate as the “baby” of the family. Gender can be a source of favoritism as dads can overly gravitate to their sons and moms to their daughters. Favoritism can also be developed when one child, like Esau, appeals to the interest of a parent – the dad who always wanted to be an athlete and is now living his dreams through his gifted son. Maybe it is the child who everybody loves or is highly successful in school and the parents show greater fondness toward her because of what she contributes to the family’s reputation and the parents’ esteem as to what they produced. The examples continue…
Sermon, Siblings Separated by Sin – part 1, Genesis 27:1-46, August 25, 2013.
So the three options available: One, harden and sear your conscience by continually violating it. That is the making of a psychopath. Two, keep a soft heart, persist in unrepentant sin and live with the ongoing agony of a tormented conscience – the restlessness, anxiety, stress and psychosomatic disorders (ulcers, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, etc.). Or, three, simply obey God’s Word which honors the Lord and enjoy a life of peace which far surpasses any worldly perks obtained sinfully that promise us greater satisfaction but violate our conscience.
Sermon, Confidence in a Clear Conscience, 2 Corinthians 1:12-14, February 2, 2014.
The Bible warns against these folks. Jude speaks of false teachers who are identified as “grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts” (Ju. 1:16). We’re familiar with Moses and the “grumblers” he had to deal with (Nu. 14:36; cf. Psm. 106:25; 1 Cor. 10:10). Some of these folks are so arrogant they have no problem complaining about the Lord, or worse, complaining directly to the Lord Himself (Dt. 1:27). God had to reprove Job, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” (Job 40:2). Despite the clear command in Philippians 2:14 to “do all things without grumbling or disputing,” these people who seem to know nothing about edification and encouragement, persist in their destructive behavior. Kent Hughes concluded, “[These] hostile, quick-to-see-the-worst, graceless [individuals] are as old as the church” (2 Corinthians, p. 38). Every church deals with them. Every leader deals with them.
Sermon, Confidence in a Clear Conscience, 2 Corinthians 1:12-14, February 2, 2014.
Are you running to God during your trials? If not, you are short-cutting the process. You see, when most people, even most Christians have problems, they immediately run to all the sources they have available to bring relief. Some are good, others are bad. The problem is none of them are ultimately effective. We expect people to be our personal Messiahs and they can’t. We use entertainment to numb our troubles and the trouble, though camouflaged, is still there. We abuse substances to turn off the pain and it doesn’t. We try food and sex to fight the pain with pleasure and it’s ineffective. These things bring a shallow refuge and temporary reprieve in the little matters, but in the long haul they are proven unsuccessful. That is why God in His love for us wants us to run to Him.
Sermon, Separation from Self – Part 2, 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, January 26, 2014.
Folks, I’m not aware of any pictures of heaven that we have from Revelation where anyone other than the Triune God receives worship. Is there evidence your heart is being prepared for that eternal existence?
Sermon, Jesus Towers Above the Kingdoms of Man, Genesis 10-11, May 19, 2013.
So often our disappointment from foiled plans is only the hidden love of God in action saving us from greater destruction to ourselves.
Every sin we commit is saying, among other things, that we need to take matters into our own hands to achieve the greatest joy (something we all desire) because doing it God’s way, we believe, will not result in our greatest blessings!
Sermon, A New Start, Again, Genesis 12, June 2, 2013.
God delights to give His children “every good…and every perfect gift” (Jas. 1:17), but if the physical blessings we desire were always and immediately given at our request, God would become nothing more than a big slot machine in the sky, and our prayers would become meaningless tokens mechanically fed into an apparatus as a means to achieve our whims with which we have no relationship. God would receive no glory, and we would pray our souls into a black hole. Whether God answers our prayers with a “no” or “not yet” or “yes,” His goal is to draw us closer to Himself in a relationship so that we might view Him as our ultimate reward.
Sermon, The God-Centered Gospel, Genesis 15, June 16, 2013.
How much does the modern concept of dating really prepare us for a healthy biblical marriage? Marriage=Stick together during the rough times. Dating=Bail when the going gets tough. Marriage=Sexual purity with one person. Dating=Sexual freedom among many partners. Marriage=Promotes sexual fidelity. Dating=Promotes sexual sin. Marriage=Prioritizing the desires of another. Dating=Fulfilling your own personal desires. Marriage=Love is based on action. Dating=Love is based on feelings. Marriage=Seeks accountability. Dating=Lacks accountability. Marriage=Lifetime commitment with one person. Dating=Creates an appetite for variety/change. Marriage=Dedicational. Marriage=Recreational. Marriage=Giving your heart to one. Dating=Giving your heart to many. Marriage=Serving the church as a team. Dating=Isolation from the church. Marriage=Character is considered and developed. Dating=Character is devalued and ignored. Marriage=Ultimate dedication is to God. Dating=Ultimate dedication is to boy/girlfriend.
Battle Tested, Courtship, Lesson 34.
In Genesis 24:3, Abraham did not want his son to marry a woman who did not love the Lord, so he sent his servant 450 miles away to find one that did. Christians are free to marry, 1 Corinthians 7:39, “only in the Lord.” Second Corinthians 6 clearly teaches that we are “not [to] be bound together with unbelievers.” Paul goes on to say, “For what partnership have…light with darkness or…Christ with [Satan], or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:14-16). Why date someone who hates your Savior? Why marry someone with whom you cannot prioritize Jesus? These sinful and unequally yoked relationships only lead to temptation and heartache either during the breakup or throughout a lifetime of marriage. Yet when both partners can find their ultimate needs met in Jesus Christ (and not human idols), they will be free to be companions and not consumers of each other and their lifetime together will be one of joy and harmony.
Battle Tested, Courtship, Lesson 34.
Before you marry make sure the Lord has guided you into that decision. Is it only an emotional choice or one out of desperation? Is it one that brings peace to both of your hearts because you know that the relationship is of the Lord? This is all the difference between having a happy marriage and making the worst mistake of your life. Look for red flags! Is the person truly and genuinely committed to Jesus Christ? Is the man working a job? Is the person without addictions? Is there harmony between the two of you? Is there a mutual commitment toward moral and spiritual purity? Is there the ability to discuss all subjects without hostility? Is the relationship not based on fear, control or disrespect? Is this a person you would consider spending the rest of your life with? Another good question is to ask is if the individual would be a good husband and father or wife and mother. Bathe the matter in prayer!
Battle Tested, Courtship, Lesson 34.
Once you have examined your own heart, here are some questions to ask the other person from the start:
1. How does Jesus Christ occupy first place in your life?
2. What are your views on various biblical doctrines?
3. What does your time in the Word and prayer look like?
4. What do you look for in a good church?
5. Do you regularly attend church and how are you serving?
6. Do you have any accountability in your life?
7. Are you presently able to support yourself financially?
8. How do you enjoy spending your free time?
9. What is your meaning of headship and submission?
10. How do you spend your money?
11. How do you handle conflict?
12. What is your criterion for entertainment (movies, television, etc.)?
13. Do you have any addictions?
14. Do you exercise?
15. Do you have any major health concerns?Here are some questions to ask as the relationship advances and heads toward marriage:
16. Would you like to have children? When and how many?
17. How do you feel children should be educated and disciplined?
18. Would you like to rent or own a home?
19. How do you see yourself relating to your parents and in-laws?
20. How do you see yourself relating to people of the opposite gender?
21. When and how do you plan to do family devotions?
22. Who will be the primary breadwinner? Should the wife work outside the home?
Battle Tested, Courtship, Lesson 34.
Too often Christians deal with the pain like an atheist, as if God were not involved. We don’t take our lives, but we live the rest of our lives as an empty, depressed, defeated soul. We find no pleasure in living. The minimal tasks become burdens. We are of little use to God or others. We mope around with long faces and oftentimes self-medicate ourselves with chemicals, spending addictions and withdrawal from others. I think it goes without saying that this lifestyle shows no faith in God’s good providence, brings Him dishonor and results in a miserable life.
Sermon, Providentially Secure – part 3, Genesis 41, October 20, 2013.
We need to get something straight. God performs miracles. Most of His miracles happened in three periods of history: The time of Moses and Joshua, the time of Elijah and Elisha and the time of Jesus and the apostles. I believe God still does miracles and it’s witnessed every time He opens a person’s heart to respond favorably to Christ, but for the most part, miracles in the official sense are infrequent. As a matter of fact, the Bible says nothing about expecting God to intervene in our life through miracles. If anything, the Bible warns in these “latter days” to be on the lookout for false miracles from the evil one.
Sermon, Providentially Secure – part 1, Genesis 34-37, October 6, 2013.
With our compass pointed north, we forge forward in the storms of life knowing that God is sovereign over all the situations that we encounter. And we as His children have that special comfort that He is working all things together for our good. We might not have asked for it. Odds are on the surface we don’t like it either. But deep down inside, we cling to the Lord by faith, trusting His invisible hand that is always wise and kind to fulfill His good purposes. That’s why Christians and only Christians can obey the command from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks…in everything…for this is God’s will for [us] in Christ Jesus.”
Sermon, Providentially Secure – part 2, Genesis 38-40, October 13, 2013.
Wisdom is not learned behind a desk. Wisdom is learned in the school of life as the Holy Spirit matures us, taking the Scriptures we know, the situations we experience, the trials we undergo and the wise company we associate with to teach us the deepest and richest application of God’s Word to life.
With the arrival of Jesus Christ came the New Covenant. He told His disciples during the Last Supper, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” (Lk. 22:20). And the Lord made the arrival of the New Covenant dramatically clear when the veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom after Jesus died on the cross (Mt. 27:51). This event signified the fact that the whole old system had ended and a new covenant had dawned. The Holy Place was now exposed, and redeemed sinners by the blood of Christ (not the blood of animals) were given open and direct access to the throne of God (Heb. 4:16). And to make it unmistakably clear, God permitted the Temple to be destroyed in AD 70 to put an end to all animal sacrifices now that the shadows of animal sacrifices have given way to the substance; the one-and-for-all blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:12).
Sermon, The Ministry of Internal Transformation, 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, March 23, 2014.
What’s holding you back from serving the Lord? Potentially your answer is that you feel insufficient and inadequate. That is a humble response which is good, but to leave it there and keep yourself on the shelf is disobedience. I would make the argument that your inadequacy is not an obstacle, but the essential requirement needed so that you might trust the Lord to work His power through you. As one author said, your weakness and God’s strength perform an unbeatable combination. So you feel inadequate? So did Gideon in his military weakness and Isaiah in his sin and Jeremiah in his youth and Ezekiel in his fear. Join the crowd of God’s most outstanding leaders whose weaknesses were made strong when they humbly depended on God to work through them (2 Cor. 3:4-5).
Sermon, The Ministry of Internal Transformation, 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, March 23, 2014.
Disappointment is essential for spiritual growth. Sadly too many Christians have horrible theology and allow the disappointment to consume them. Instead of growing, they backslide. In the Bible we read that Joseph held to God’s promises despite horrible circumstances. And though Joseph did not specifically know the good that God was doing, he simply trusted God in faith that God was doing something good. Belief can never be predicated on understanding. If so, there would be no need for faith. Little did he know that God was in the process of making this young boy a man. God’s purposes for Joseph would stand despite the long delay. Yet there was a purpose in that delay for God to polish the instrument of God through affliction.
Sermon, Providentially Secure – part 2, Genesis 38-40, October 13, 2013.
It stands to reason that if God has built us to groan for the eternal (2 Cor. 5:4-5), but if we only groan for the temporal, that we will find ourselves continually dissatisfied.
Divine Clothing, 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, June 15, 2014.
So be encouraged, Christian, that the best is still yet to come. Death is your portal into glory. Lose the false concepts of heaven. If eternity is nothing more than having little wings that can’t support your oversized body as you sit on a cloud playing a harp, you can’t count me out. Even if heaven is only the best this world has to offer, many can easily lose interest. I mean, after all, how long can you play golf, even if the course has no water hazards or sand traps? Rather heaven will be the fulfillment of everything our hearts have been built to desire… Fix your minds on the things above. Set your hearts on the eternal!
Divine Clothing, 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, June 15, 2014.
Pastors will experience a level of suffering uncommon, unfamiliar and not understandable to other believers. That is God’s way of keeping them humble and reminding them that it’s not them, but the Gospel that must be on display through them. And when they understand this, they realize that successful ministry is getting out of the way and allowing the power of Christ to shine through. By using “jars of clay,” God wants to make it clear that divine power lies not in the human messenger, but in the divine message. It is true for all Christians. It is especially true for pastors.
The Rock and the Pastor’s Role, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, May 18, 2014.
For example, there will be people who will find it easy to identify a weakness or something in which they disagree (doctrine, preference, conviction, philosophy, etc.) and relentlessly harass [their pastors] with books and sermon tapes, website links and personal propaganda (that exceeds the Taliban) in an effort to voice their displeasure and bring them over to their side on the matter. Some will have no comprehension that pastors are only human beings. Their comments will always be critical. Their baggage will be dumped with no desire for personal change. Their comparisons will be made to the top pastors in the world. They will take their pastors for granted. Their perceived role in the church is to be a constant fault-finder. And their expectations will be unreasonable.
The Rock and the Pastor’s Role, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, May 18, 2014.
People in the church will drop major counseling bombs on [their pastors] men when they are simply trying to enjoy a hot dog with their family at the church picnic. Some people will always expect their pastor’s to be under them. You get a house, wow, we live in an apartment. I would like to make that kind of money. I don’t get to take Mondays off. Why do you get three weeks when I am only allowed two weeks of vacation. It’s the attitude that they are the shareholders of a pastor’s stock and everything the pastor benefits from must be inferior to their benefits because after all they are paying the pastor’s salary.
The Rock and the Pastor’s Role, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, May 18, 2014.
Some people will threaten to leave the church if they don’t get what they want and intentionally create a wave of destruction in their departure that takes the pastors months to mop up. Some people will complain that the pastors never share their weaknesses, yet those very people when upset with the pastor will use his revealed weaknesses against him when given the opportunity. Some will complain that the pastors never reach out to them and then when the pastor reaches out, they will accuse him of badgering them. Some will want the all the details of leadership decisions and then accuse the pastors of gossiping when they share anything. Some will tell the pastors they need to delegate more, yet they feel slighted when their situation is delegated to another. And possibly most difficult of all, some people will show great zeal for the Lord, encourage the pastor’s heart and monopolize much of his time, and then walk away, but not before stabbing him in the back and breaking his heart.
The Rock and the Pastor’s Role, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, May 18, 2014.
Your pastors will be consistently “afflicted,” as 2 Corinthians 4:8 declares. Their personal life will be scrutinized. Their labor will be relentless. Their family will be tested. Their freedoms in Christ will be limited. Their decisions will be questioned. If it goes well all the glory to God. Yet if it doesn’t, it is the pastor’s fault. As Paul said, they will be afflicted in “every way.” Changing churches or careers will seem like the greener pasture. Yet pastors must remember that God is sovereign and because He is in control, they are not, as the verse say, “crushed.” As one pastor said, “Squeezed, but not squashed.”
The Rock and the Pastor’s Role, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, May 18, 2014.
It’s a radical transformation. It’s not an improved inner man, but a total replacement of the old with the new. A new heart that now has the capabilities and desires to function on an entirely different spiritual plane. So when this new soul seeks its ultimate pleasures in the passing and trivial things that the old soul chased after, it only sets itself up for failure. It’s like trying to drive a new $300,000 yacht down the parkway. You’ll be disappointed.
Seeing the Unseen, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, May 25, 2014.
The problem is we want the Christian results, but we rarely do it the Christian way.
Seeing the Unseen, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, May 25, 2014.
How does God do it? How does God open blind eyes and regenerate dead hearts and bring spiritual light? Answer: with the same Spirit-driven power He used in creation to bring physical light. “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen. 1:2-3). Likewise, hearts are spiritually darkened and dead. Yet when the Gospel is proclaimed, the Spirit regenerates by shining light to make one now see and thus desire the glory of Jesus Christ more than anything else they ever desired in the past. So at some point for all those truly in Christ, God said, “Let there be light!” and with that they immediately and freely received Christ as their treasure. This is what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 6: “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” The same power once used in creation is now unleashed in recreating the new creation of God.
Sermon: A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – part 3, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, May 3, 2014.
All those attributes of God that bring us so much comfort are revealed in the heart of a Christian mother. Even the Bible takes the heart of a mother and then uses it as an example for other biblical relationships. For example, when God wanted to illustrate His tenderness for His people, He said in Isaiah 66, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isa. 66:13). When Paul spoke of his pastor’s heart for the church he said, “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children” (1 Thes. 2:7). When David considered his hope in the Lord he said, “Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother”(Psm. 131:2).
Instruments of Influence, 2 Timothy 3:14-15, May 11, 2014.
“For the love of Christ controls us.” The motivation here in 2 Corinthians 5:14 to live for Christ is clearly the love of Christ. With every thought, decision or action we make, we remember the One who loves us dearly. And that love He has for us is the motivation for us to love Him in return. And why do we love Him? 1 John 4:19, “We love, because He first loved us.” And how do we love Him in return? John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” It becomes the law of love. We find ourselves serving the Lord out of devotion and not out of duty.
Who Are You Living For? 2 Corinthians 5:11-15, June 29, 2014.
I believe this is the heart of fear our heavenly Father desires. Fearing man dishonors Him. But fearing His displeasure brings Him great satisfaction. After all that is what love is – not fear of what the person I love may do to me (cf. 1 Jn. 4:18), but rather fear of what I may do to hurt the person I love. It’s fear of doing anything to damage the relationship. So an unbeliever’s fear drives him to hide from God in fear. A believer’s fear drives him to run to God with fear of displeasing Him.
Who Are You Living For? 2 Corinthians 5:11-15, June 29, 2014.
Do you have the freedom to be unshackled from the bondage of fear to live a life pleasing to God in all things?
Sermon, Courage Encouraged, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, June 22, 2014.
Our eyes need to be on God’s Word. Specifically we need to know and trust by faith the promises He has revealed to us in Scripture. We need to train ourselves to see the unseen. We need to view His doing as the ultimate reality. We need to keep His character and His truths forefront in our minds. We need to walk not by what we see, but by faith in what might be invisible, yet what we know to be true. Then and only then will we be able to cut through the smokescreen of this world and have the confidence to conduct ourselves with hope and courage, knowing God is in charge and He will keep His promises.
Sermon, Courage Encouraged, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, June 22, 2014.
What are you ambitious to achieve? What if I had you compose a list of your goals and priorities. If you didn’t just hear the verse that read, would “pleasing God” (2 Cor. 5:9) even make the top-ten? How often do we arise each day with the prayerful intention that simply says, “Lord, it is my ambition to please You today!” Perhaps we’d put it on paper, but are we really doing it? And if we are not doing it, but we know we should and want to in our heart, what is it that’s preventing us? Can I submit that whatever your answer is, it boils down to the fact that we are not walking by faith in God’s glorious promises (2 Cor. 5:7).
Sermon, Courage Encouraged, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, June 22, 2014.
Think of it this way. I can make it my aim to please God, knowing that will be the greatest way I can love others (freedom!), or I can run around trying to please everybody, relegate God to a position lower than His creation, disappoint God and also feel deflated when others are disappointed with me after all my efforts (slavery!).
Sermon, Courage Encouraged, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, June 22, 2014.
Security in God is seen with the two descriptions of God used in Psalm 16 that many people would find contradictory. In verse 2, David called God “good” and he also called Him “Lord.” We know what “good” means. “Lord” means ruler or boss or sovereign. To David, God’s goodness was not bound up in God being Santa Claus and giving him everything he wanted, but rather the trust that not he, but God was in ultimate control as Lord to determine what was actually good in David’s life. It was absolute submission to God as Lord that resulted in absolute delight in God’s sovereign goodness. So only as David submitted to God as his Lord did he discover the true goodness that his soul craved. The question is, can you say God is your ultimate good even when you don’t get the stuff you think you need? You can only say that if you truly believe that He is your Lord.
Sermon, Joy Resurrected from Despair, Psalm 16:1-11, April 20, 2014.
The word “transformed” in 2 Corinthians 3:18 is from the Greek verb “metamorphoo.” It is where we derive our English word, “metamorphosis.” When I think of a metamorphosis, I think of a butterfly. Before Christ, you lived for self. You were a slave to sin and Satan and your spiritual state in the eyes of God was like an ugly caterpillar. But due to Christ’s work on the cross, you are now a beautiful butterfly in His eyes. And while that is your nature positionally before Him, you have the ability with Him to be transformed practically to be more like Him too. As God is the epitome of moral beauty, His children should (should I say “will”) be growing into that beauty as we behold our God and undergo an ongoing beautiful metamorphosis by the power of the Holy Spirit. Practically speaking, all Christians are moving from an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly as they mature in their faith.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
Whatever sin you might be struggling with, there is Gospel power by God’s grace for you to be an overcomer. This is the promise from God and this is the work He performs in the lives of His children. So when professing Christians think they can’t change even with God’s help or worse become more of a heathen after they come to Christ, something, somewhere along the lines was short-circuited.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
I am talking about wholesale changes in lifestyles where fear is cast to the wind and submission to God is not held back and the opinions of the world are irrelevant and the heart’s only consuming passion is to know Christ and be more like Him. As Paul said in 3:18, the veil has been lifted and we now have the, 3:17, “liberty” to want God and allow God to make us like Himself. To put all things, even our lives into His hand, and permit Him to take us where the road leads believing with all our hearts that when He cuts the ties to all the idols we cherish for support, affirmation and security, we will be thankful when we arrive through the journey at His particular destination.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
The Gospel message is simply this, are you all-in for Christ? And if so, how are you being transformed? The only Gospel that saves in Christ is the Gospel that transforms to make us like Christ.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
Our Savior wants you to be a disciple of His before you ever become a minister of His. Our Savior wants your heart before you offer Him your hands and feet. Our Savior wants your ministry for Him to overflow out of a life where He is presently ministering to you.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
The way I see it, there are two primary errors for the professing Christian called to be a minister for Christ. One is we do absolutely nothing. We’re lazy. We feel inadequate. We’re too busy with other things. The other error is we start serving and then quit. We’re discouraged. We’re unappreciated. We’re persecuted. We’re unsatisfied with the results. Either way we are not ministering and either way, regardless of the means, Satan has proved successful to decommission us from our Lord’s service. The first error is having no heart. The second error is losing heart.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
If you serve in Gospel ministry there will be loads of opposition. Even Jesus Christ faced it! And since staying disengaged is not an option, it’s wise to ready yourself right now to be prepared for the pitfalls toward discouragement and armed with reasons to persevere with a resolute heart.
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
If we serve, if we are genuinely New Covenant servants that get engaged in the lives of real human beings, there will always be the temptation to lose heart. So how do we overcome it? Just within this section of Scripture (of 2 Corinthians) I draw this following conclusion: Almighty God has fulfilled all His promises in the New Covenant. This is the most worthy cause to be fighting for. He has poured out His Spirit to give me all the assistance I need. As I gaze upon the glory of the Lord, I am aware of noticeable transformation in my life. This is evidence of His presence. He is with me and He wants to use me to transform others. What an honor to serve the living God regardless of the visible results. All that I have in salvation and ministry is a result of His mercy. I must show that same mercy I have received to others. This ministry is not mine, it is His. I’ll give all the problem people to Him. It’s not easy, but God will allow me to persevere if I keep my eyes on Him through the heartaches of service. He is using me as He wills, and while I serve others He is in making me more like Himself in my own Christlike transformation. Therefore, how can I lose heart (2 Cor. 4:1)?
Sermon, A Successful Gospel-Centered Ministry – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, April 13, 2014.
Yet what the Bible teaches is that the evil one uses all things for his disposal as well. His schemes are subtle and well-disguised (2 Cor. 2:11). He “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). He is “the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44), and his influence over unbelievers to accomplish his purposes is powerful (Eph. 6:12). Throughout history he has proven very effective to take every medium as a channel for his deceptive purposes. And with our nation glued to the various forms of media, we’d have to be very naïve to believe he doesn’t have his slimy arms all around this incredible opportunity as well. Therefore, perhaps especially as it pertains to media, we need to “stand firm” (Eph. 6:13), relying upon our spiritual armor in particular the “Word of God” (Eph. 6:17) and “prayer” (Eph. 6:18). The call is to be vigilant and “alert” (Eph. 6:18).
Sermon, Seeing Media With New Eyes – Part 1, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, July 27, 2014.
When I speak of mediocrity, I am referring to the attitude of half-hearted effort. It might not be outright laziness, but it is a mentality that feels comfortable in giving forth something less than our very best. It’s the “do what it takes to get by” or “that’s good enough” or “whatever” way of thinking. It’s a state of living that actually becomes content with a mindset of failure. I believe as a culture, the “commitment to excellence” in our personal lives is rapidly decreasing.
Sermon, Moving Beyond Mediocrity, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, August 10, 2014.
Why do we give our efforts in the church a pass when it comes to excellence? Are we hypercalvinists? Hey, just get the biblical part right and nothing else will matter. Are we all about just applauding good effort even when the product produced is an outright embarrassing representation of Christ? Maybe that individual is not the most gifted for the job. Are we erecting a double standard? We take the “real world” seriously and anything goes in the “spiritual world.” Are we settling for second best because after all, “it’s better than nothing?” Are we grieving the Spirit in assuming that He will always “bless our mess?” Are we not getting paid so we think we can kick it back a bit? Are we using grace, God’s acceptance of us, as an excuse to give Him halfhearted efforts?
Sermon, Moving Beyond Mediocrity, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, August 10, 2014.
Now I know there are many dangers of striving for excellence. After all, haven’t we learned that Satan will take anything we do for good and seek to bring forth evil. We have been been taught, 2 Corinthians 2:11, to not be “ignorant of his schemes.” I know if we are not careful, a pursuit of excellence can lead to pride whereby we look down on others or desire to draw personal attention to ourselves or seek to be man-pleasers. I know it can lead to a reliance on our own strength and not God’s strength. I know it can lead to misplaced goals that believe the product is more important than the spiritual goals it aims to produce. I know it can lead to misplaced trust that excellence alone can somehow achieve God’s purposes. And I know it can lead to misplaced methods, looking to worldly techniques more than Scripture. I know all of these and now you do as well, but we can’t operate in fear as an excuse to excuse the behavior expected of us from the Lord.
Sermon, Moving Beyond Mediocrity, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, August 10, 2014.
Mediocrity is a sin not unlike the other sins we battle as Christians. And mediocrity, like all sins, begins in our hearts (Jas. 1:14). Mediocrity is one of those sins that we can’t blame on others. It starts with the sin of pride deep within us that spills over to indifference or selfishness and then reveals itself in mediocrity. Overall, it is a lack of faith in God. It is a lack of rightly understanding and then believing and then being overwhelmed by the greatness of our God. It is the failure to be amazed by God’s excellence. Simply put, less-than-excellent efforts are a result of not admiring a nothing-but-excellent God.
Sermon, Moving Beyond Mediocrity, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, August 10, 2014.
The Gospel is full submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. It’s not making Him your Lord when He is already the Lord over all people. Salvation comes when we acknowledge Christ, not only as our Savior, but also as our Lord. Lordship implies ownership. And if we accept His rightful ownership of our lives, we will submit to Him in all things. Naturally, that submission is in the clear commandments of Scripture. But it is also the everyday events that we can’t support with chapter and verse. Every decision for the Christian is a biblical decision. Every action for the Christian is an act of worship.
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
The right way to receive correction based upon Scripture is to be humble. The humble person welcomes every chance the Holy Spirit might be using to burn off the rough edges and forever make him more like his blessed Savior. The humble person doesn’t respond harshly, regardless of the criticism or the messenger, but is concerned with the content and takes everything with a grain of salt, considering it, praying about it and diligently seeks to determine where the correction, to whatever degree, is appropriate. God is given time to work in his heart. Energy and contemplation is placed on, “What is the Lord saying to me” and “how can I learn from these comments” as compared to, “How am I going to defend myself against this attack.” It is about not flying off the handle when corrected, but exercising self-control. Don’t we know that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5). You see, when we run away from even the slightest hint of criticism, we forfeit the very means by which the Lord wants to use to make us more godly.
Repentance Without Regret – Part 2, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16. October 12, 2014.
It’s effortless just to watch believers self-destruct spiritually and do nothing about it. It’s effortless to do nothing and watch a relationship with others that took years to develop just vanish in a matter of days. Few enjoy confronting others or the often hostile responses from hard hearts we often receive in return, but confronting others with the right spirit is the evidence of our love and according to Scripture it is something that must not be neglected. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Pr. 27:6).
Repentance Without Regret – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16. October 12, 2014.
Confronting other believers in unrepentant sin is an obligation for all Christians (Mt. 18, Gal. 6, Jas. 5, many Proverbs), but it is not a mechanical obligation that should be approached in an impersonal matter. You are dealing with a living soul. Their heart is being held in your hands. You are a fellow sinner yourself. It’s not about winning a duel. It’s about bringing a person back to fellowship with the Lord, back to a place of safety. Like Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:8, we don’t regret the outcome of repentance and their restoration with the Lord, (that’s our goal!), but we do regret the momentary period of the sorrow we inflicted as we share Scriptures, expose sin and call to repentance. Any parent who has rightly disciplined their own child should know what I am talking about. Even though we know it’s the right thing to do, how often do we agree with the saying, “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.”
Repentance Without Regret – Part 1, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16. October 12, 2014.
Drunkenness is condemned in the Scriptures with the strongest of warnings. First Corinthians 6:10 tells us that “drunkards…will [not] inherit the kingdom of God.” In Galatians 5:21 it is listed with the other “deeds of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19). Jesus spoke against drunkenness in Luke 21:34. All the examples of drunkenness in the Bible (Noah, Nabal, Belshazzar, etc.) resulted in bad consequences. Drunkenness makes it impossible to worship God. Ephesians 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” We are to not fellowship with drunkards when they are professing Christians (1 Cor. 5:11; cf. Pro. 23:20). Drunkenness also often leads to other moral relapses. No wonder Proverbs 20:1 instructs us, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.”
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
Another sinful use of alcohol is under-age drinking. In Romans 13:1 we read, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” It is our responsibility as Christians, unless they command we sin, to obey the government God has ordained over us. By law, the drinking age is 21. Consumption before that is not only unwise for several reasons, but is also sinful.
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
We all know people who are no longer with us as a result of drinking and driving, both being drunk and also being hit by someone who was drunk. Not only is drinking a motor vehicle while being impaired a violation of the law, it is also one of the most selfish actions we can commit. To strip a family of a parent or child simply because the person wanted to consume too much alcohol and was too cheap or too prideful or too lazy to call for assistance is in my opinion one of the most heinous sins. I believe Matthew 7:12 comes into play here: “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
Another occasion where alcohol is sinful is when our drinking causes another Christian to stumble. In Romans 14:12 we read, “It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.” The same principle is repeated in 1 Corinthians 8 where we are told to not take our liberties in Christ and use them to erect “a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Cor. 8:9). As long as sin is not involved, believers have Christian freedom to use alcohol if their conscience permits. However, God is very concerned that our freedoms do not cause another brother or sister in Christ to stumble. The Greek word for stumble is “skandalon.” What we are talking about here is someone for whatever reason chooses to refrain from alcohol but is now being tempted to drink by your consumption of alcohol in their presence. The Christian premise – we always restrict our freedoms if it means honoring the convictions of those we love in Christ.
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
Alcohol is sinful when a person becomes addicted. It’s all over the Bible: In 1 Timothy 3:3, “[Elders must] not [be] addicted to wine.” The same is true for deacons (1 Tim. 3:8). The same is true for all believers. Isaiah 5:11 says, “Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!” Titus 2:3 calls “older women…to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine.” It is undeniable that alcohol is addictive. The consequences suffered as a result of alcoholism are devastating: Divorce, job loss, traffic accidents, breakup of families, destruction of the addict’s health and so on. We are called to be slaves to Christ (Eph. 6:5-6) which promises liberation, not slaves to a substance which always results in unrelenting bondage. 2 Peter 2:19, “for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.” 1 Cor. 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” And let’s be clear, this is not a disease problem, this is a sin problem. It is mastery by an idol that one is in submission to. The question is this – is Jesus Christ your Lord or are you mastered by alcohol? Are you addicted? Ask yourself: When stressed out, is alcohol a better solution than Jesus? Do you forget what happens when you drink? Do you feel the need to have alcohol? Has a family or close friend shared concerns about your drinking? Do you make excuses for your drinking? Are you unable to stay within a prescribed limit of drinks? If you answered yes to any of these, you might be facing a problem. I’d encourage you to get some help!
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
The Hebrew word translated wine in Genesis 14:18 is “yayin.” This word is used over 130 times in the Hebrew Bible to mean fermented wine, not grape juice. Alcohol is advised for medicinal purposes. Paul told Timothy, “No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” (cf. Pro. 31:6; Mk. 15:23; Lk. 10:34). Wine was used in the Old Testament ceremonies of worship (Ex. 29:40; Lev. 23:13; Num. 15:5). Wine is described positively in the Bible (Gen. 27:28; Psm. 104:15; Psm. 104:14-15; Pro. 3:10; Ecc. 9:7; Jo. 2:24). Water needed to be purified in the biblical times so wine was added to it. And although the alcohol content was less than today, it was still considered wine and still commonly consumed by the people. I believe Jesus drank this wine (Mt. 11:18-19), made a better wine during His first miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11) and used wine when He instituted the Lord’s Supper (Mt. 26:29). Yes, people like Daniel (Dan. 1:8) made a choice to abstain. Others like the Nazirites (Num. 6:3; Lk. 1:5) and the Levites (Lev. 10:9) were commanded to go without alcohol. Kings are advised to avoid it (Pr. 31:4-5). Yet I do not believe Scripture necessarily forbids a Christian from drinking alcohol. Consuming alcohol may be a sin. But I believe to declare that drinking alcohol is always a sin is a legalistic addition and should be avoided. We are free to abstain from alcohol. I personally think that’s the best position. But we are not free to condemn those who choose to drink in moderation as being either sinful or less spiritual.
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
Even if you are not violating any clear passages regarding the consumption of alcohol, here are a few thoughts to consider if you chose to drink: Are you in any way being deceived by alcohol? Does alcohol in any way damage your testimony for Christ? Does alcohol affect the positive example you are trying to set for your children? Do you in anyway need alcohol to be a part of your life? Does alcohol lead you to commit other sins? Can you drink alcohol for the glory of God?
Sermon, Thinking About Drinking, Proverbs 23:29-35, August 17, 2014.
Our Lord proved His authority through His miracles.
Why Should I Obey God? Luke 4:31-44, March 25, 2018.
People, even the disciples, struggled to get it, but the demons clearly knew who Christ was. They recognized Him every time. James 2:19 says they “believe” in Christ and “shudder” in His presence. The lovers of darkness hate the light. They were always agitated in Christ’s presence. They knew that their days were numbered. They knew that Jesus was (as the verses say) “the Holy One of God” and “the Son of God.” And though it was more out of fear than reverence, they knew Christ has a greater authority than they did.
Why Should I Obey God? Luke 4:31-44, March 25, 2018.|Why Should I Obey God? Luke 4:31-44, March 25, 2018.
Do you believe there is no need for grace once you come to Jesus? If so, you need to read Titus 2:11. Do you who understand that good works did not save you in the past disregard any responsibility for good works in the present? If so, you need to read Ephesians 2:10. Do you think it is all right to sin because we are now living in the age of grace? If so, you need to read Romans 6:1 and 15. Do you think you were saved by grace but now must become like Christ solely through your own efforts? If so, you need to read Galatians 3:3.
Sermon, Grace Has Appeared, Titus 2:11-12, September 16, 2018.|Sermon, Grace Has Appeared, Titus 2:11-12, September 16, 2018.
Understanding that the word is “submit” (to place oneself under) and not “obey” (cf. Eph. 6:1), helps us to understand that the woman’s objective is simply intended to complement her husband’s leadership. Rather than a two-headed monstrosity leading the family, she is there to support his God-designated role while fully functioning as his equal partner and “fellow heir of the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7). This means the wife should be free to share opinions, provide insight and even respectfully disagree. But when it is all said and done, she is willing to come alongside her husband’s spiritual plan for the family as God is holding the man accountable.
Sermon, Christ In The Marriage, Ecclesiastes 9:9, July 7, 2019.
It is conceivable that the husband should defer more to his wife than the wife submits to her husband. If it is always the husband always getting his way, where would the husband need to die to self and prefer his wife’s needs above his own? Although Jesus Christ is our head, I do not see Him demanding where we go on vacation, what temperature we keep the house, what food we serve on the table and what color the kitchen should be decorated. Husbands, in the same way, consider your wife’s needs above your own and do not abuse the verses on submission as an excuse to be selfish! It is ultimately your spiritual service to Christ.
Sermon, Christ In The Marriage, Ecclesiastes 9:9, July 7, 2019.
A wife’s submission has nothing to do with being inferior, just as God the Son is not inferior to God the Father, though submissive to Him in role (1 Cor. 11:3). As John MacArthur said, “What it calls for is an active, deliberate, loving, intelligent devotion to the husband’s noble aspirations and ambitions” (The Fulfilled Family, p. 32).
Sermon, Christ In The Marriage, Ecclesiastes 9:9, July 7, 2019.
The word “submit” (hupotasso) simply means –“to line up under.” It carries the idea of willingly or voluntarily placing oneself under someone else. It relates only to role, not to essence.
Sermon, Christ In The Marriage, Ecclesiastes 9:9, July 7, 2019.
Do we adorn Jesus, make Him look attractive? Is He noticeably our delight? Or do our children see from us a Jesus that keeps us from hell, but creates a hell on earth because of the apparent burden and joylessness that comes from following Him? Do they see Jesus as an unwelcomed taskmaster with unfair, meaningless and despicable rules?
Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.
What does your child think about television? Do they say, “All television shows are to be forbidden for every Christian.” That’s Pharisaical legalism filled with judgmentalism and self-righteousness. Or do they say, “All television shows are fine because TV’s are not condemned in the Bible.” That is mindless living with a total insensitivity to personal godliness and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The best response would be, “I personally choose to avoid these types of shows as a result of biblical principles and a conscience shaped by the Holy Spirit through prayer.” That’s what we are shooting for as parents!
Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.|Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.
We teach our children about the world and the Bible. We teach them that the world is bad (1 Jn. 2:15). And we teach them that the Bible is good (Pr. 16:20). That is true, but our children are rarely taught (guided) as to how the two intersect with each other. The result is that they will either be seduced by the world or they will be cocooned from the world. Both are useless to Jesus. The desired biblical mindset is when Christians reject the influence of the world (see it for the deceptive garbage that it is), but desire to love and influence those trapped the world.
Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.|Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.
Pharisaical discipline often happens with the child inconveniences or embarrasses the parent. It’s then inconsistent and enacted as retribution in a form of revenge. That’s not discipline, but punishment. Christian parenting rather sees disobedience as an affront to the lordship of Christ and thus a danger for the child. Discipline then is an opportunity to correct a child, have them associate pain with sin and bring him or her closer to Christ for grace. Discipline when done this way is not a form of revenge, but rather a form of love.
Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019. Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.
It’s not difficult to control the externals of little ones through power and reward. Play just those two cards and you’ll have the most behaved children in the supermarket, church and social gatherings. This works great for about the first eight years. Unfortunately everything will collapse after that when their rebellious heart shines forth and you can no longer externally restrain them through your intimidation and meet their deepest needs through your trinkets.
Sermon, Christ in the Parent – Part 2, Psalm 78:4-8, July 28, 2019.
Prayer Meeting Effectiveness – Part 1 (#1-5): 1. Show Up! It goes without saying that we need people in order to make a group prayer meeting effective. The more that come out to pray, the more prayer we can offer to the Lord. The more that come out to pray, the more others will be inspired to make the same bold commitment to corporate prayer as well. Yet it also goes without saying that coming out can oftentimes be a challenge. Usually by 5:00 on Wednesday nights, we’ve conceived every excuse under the sun to justify our absence. Any personal application there? Think of it this way. If corporate prayer is one of our most effective weapons for spiritual success, don’t you think Satan and your flesh will do everything within their power to keep you away? Don’t give in! Discipline yourself to attend. If your feelings are not right, attend and pray that the Lord changes your heart. Erroll Hulse once said, “It is customary to mark engagements in our diary. If meeting the King with our fellow believers is important it will surely be reserved in our diary. Invitations to dinner or to recreational events will have to be fitted in elsewhere. Jesus says that we have not because we fail to ask (James 4:2). Is the audience with our Monarch esteemed by you as a priority? Does your diary reflect that fact?” Show up! There is strength in numbers! 2. Come Prepared! Arguably, our prayer meeting is the most important gathering of the church. Yet because we meet at the same time each week it is possible to fall into a mindless routine that just goes through the motions. Because we meet late in the evenings it is possible to come with minds clouded and numbed from the day’s activities. As a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a prayer meeting is only as effective as its weakest member. Be prepared to make your contribution by being sure to have prepared yourself spiritually before you arrive. For example, ask God to remind you of the awesome privilege you have to come into His holy presence with your requests. Ask God to put specific prayer requests on your heart. Ask God for a delight in His name so that He may grant you the desires of your heart (Psm. 37:4). Ask God to give you a love for Him and others. As the great evangelist, D.L. Moody, said over a hundred years ago, “The members should come to the meeting in the spirit of prayer. It ought to be on their hearts from week to week.” 3. Be Genuine! Many do not attend the prayer meeting simply because they are embarrassed to pray in the presence of others. That’s not good! Others go in the opposite direction and attend for the purpose of attempting to impress others with their prayers. That’s even worse! I’m sure we’ve all witnessed those who all of a sudden change their accent (perhaps a little Scottish flair) or pray in “King James Version” or use big theological words that they barely understand themselves or employ many words all for the sake of appearance. God is not impressed! Our Lord condemned this spirit (Mt. 6:5, 7). God looks not at the outward appearance, but the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The heart that honors Him is the heart that seeks to gain His attention. All Christians can achieve this! Humble, childlike faith is esteemed in the ears of the Lord and should likewise be esteemed in the ears of His children who are present. 4. Pray Specifically! Effective prayer is specific prayer. Oftentimes we do not have because we do not ask (Jas. 4:2). For example, it’s easy to ask the Lord to bless our missionaries, but specifically how do we wish for them to be blessed? Is it God’s will to heal every sick person? Of course we pray for their relief, but what about their witness to the caregivers both in words and behavior, the sufficient grace to be upheld spiritually, the spiritual growth as a result of their trial and their understanding of God’s love and faithfulness despite the misery? Are you praying for people in particular? Use their names (see Romans 16)! Avoid the vague generalities and hone in on the particular circumstances with a creative, thoughtful and deliberate Spirit-led precision. 5. Don’t Pray About Everything! In large prayer meetings it’s customary to be broken down into a number of small groups. Commonly the leader assigned will then review the prayer agenda and/or take specific prayer requests from the people assembled. The needs are noted and internalized by those present, but then too often the first person to speak prays for everything before the next person even has an opportunity to open his or her mouth! Not only is domination like this in the prayer meeting selfish; it is also potentially frustrating for the others that are gathered. Effective groups will witness each person taking a topic or two until all the given topics have been covered. This not only guarantees the participation of everybody, but also enhances the mental and spiritual engagement of each participant to be sure that all the issues are prayed over before the group concludes their time together.
Prayer Meeting Effectiveness – Part 2 (#6-10): 6. Pray for the Needs of Others! One mistake commonly committed by well-intended saints is the tendency to pray for their own personal needs. By all means there is a place for this in the private prayer closet, but in the corporate gathering we should be “other” focused. The beauty of the Christian life is the heart attitude that manifests itself in selflessness. As Paul said in Philippians 2:3-4, “With humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Instead of praying for your own needs, pray for the needs of others and others in turn should pray for your needs. Few things can appear more disheartening than to hear someone in a public prayer meeting only address his or her personal concerns (unless they are confessing their own sin!). Also, it is worth noting that (generally speaking) the words “I” or “my” should be banned from the gathering. Frequently your needs are also the needs of others. Get in the habit of expressing your prayers with the plural pronouns of “we” and “us.” 7. Pray for the Local Church! We’ve all experienced this one – the corporate prayer meeting where everyone is addressing personal concerns and peripheral situations. You know, “Aunt Erma’s sinus congestion” and “Billy’s peewee soccer tryouts” and “the Johnson’s family vacation.” Again, there’s a place for this in individual and family prayers (and I’m not saying these things should never be said corporately), it’s only that more pressings issues affecting the spiritual wellbeing of the church need to be prioritized. Deeply consider where the Lord wants His local church and then pray accordingly! Here are some examples: Spiritual growth of the flock, more conversions, passion for evangelism and prayer and Bible Study, wisdom, more servants and power for those presently serving, purity, commitment to the local church, our church leaders, our church ministries and upcoming events, our church missionaries, our marriages, our testimonies, our doctrine, those presently backsliding, those dealing with major trials, godly fellowship, the power of the Word proclaimed, doctrinal fidelity, spiritual and physical protection of the church and personal delight in the Lord. And once we pray for the local church, let’s then branch out to the needs of the universal church. Pray for persecuted Christians, local churches and missionaries all over the world, the progress of the gospel, the government and the end of abortion. 8. Call in Prayer Requests When Possible! As you are aware, we produce the VINE each Wednesday. Not only is it emailed to the church, but hard copies are also provided at the time of our corporate gathering. The VINE contains church families and ministries and missionaries to focus on each week. It lists all the upcoming events and has a place for the significant personal praises and petitions of the church. If you would like to have something prayed over on Wednesday evenings, please call or e-mail your personal requests in advance. Of course there will be exceptions in emergency-type situations, but the more we can guard our prayer meeting from long announcements, the more time we will have to devote to prayer itself in the prayer meeting. 9. Pray Earnestly! Always true, but especially pertinent for the prayer meeting. It’s easy to have our minds wandering off when others are praying. Oftentimes it’s because we’re tired and distracted after a long day or we’re just trying to think of what we are going to say when it becomes our turn to pray. Make every attempt to discipline yourself to stay focused! Keep alert (Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2)! Our prayer meeting is most effective when everybody is praying – either audibly themselves or silently as they are led by another in their group. And when we speak, may our prayers be Spirit-led, strategic and passionate. Earnestness (Col. 4:12; 1 Thes. 3:10; Jas. 5:17)! As C.H. Spurgeon once said, “Oh, for warm hearts, burning with red hot desires which make a channel from the lips with glowing words; then indeed, this complaint would never be made – ‘What is the use in my going to the prayer meeting, when I know all that will be said if So-and-so is called on?’” 10. Keep the Prayers Going! A few seconds of silence after each prayer is good for the purpose of reflection, the Spirit’s prompting and the orderly submission of new prayers. However, in a desire to maximize our time, keep our minds engaged and demonstrate our eagerness to God, prayers should be in “rapid succession.” Give others with you the opportunity to participate, but if others fail to pray, pray again to avoid prolonged periods of silence. Let’s remember this is a corporate prayer meeting. Come prepared to participate corporately!
