Upon learning that we are “children of God”, it is important to take the next step in realizing there are responsibilities that come with that privilege.  The scripture declares in the Book of Philippians that, “it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure”.  God graciously works everything in us to please Him – it then becomes our responsibility to work it out in what we do and how we live.  Our lives are a living, breathing letter of the work of Christ and are “read” by all men.  Therefore, it’s important that we learn to trust God on a daily basis to help us walk worthy of our calling as His children.  Our light will then shine for all the world to see.

Our heavenly Father’s plan for His children is to see us grow in our identity in Christ and mature in Him so that our behavior will reflect our relationship with God, our Abba or Daddy.  The scriptures teach that we have the treasure of Jesus Christ in earthen vessels.  God knows when we as “vessels” are weak and loves us in spite of our sinful behavior. If we have been born of God, we have been born into His family.  Our identity is no longer “a sinner saved by grace”, but we have now become saints who sin at times.  As one person said, “Our bad times don’t have to define who we are.”  Amen! And remember...though we aren’t yet what we are going to be, we can be grateful to God that we are not what we were!

This sermon begins with a moving recording of David Gibbs relaying the story behind Francis Scott Key’s writing of the Star Spangled Banner.  A brief history is also reviewed of the Christian roots of the Founding Fathers of America – roots, which for the most part, have been deleted from our children’s text books. Following this is a strong exhortation to be actively involved in the political process of the United States of America.

This sermon is a response to the anointing moving through those who prayed for one of our members. There are times that the church body needs to be a family, but there are also times when the family takes up their spiritual weapons and becomes the army of God.  A family nurtures – an army fights.  If we are trying to be a family when we should be fighting like an army, something is bound to “fall through the cracks”.  At the same time, if we’re acting like an army when we need to be a family, again, something or someone will suffer.

The scriptures teach us that if we have been “buried” with Christ, then we shall also be raised with Him.  Baptism in water is a very practical way to symbolically “bury” the “old man” which has been crucified in Christ, and then to be “raised up” into new life.  Aren’t you glad we don’t have to be put into a grave, covered with dirt and dug back up again to experience this spiritual death and resurrection!

Using an outline from Chip Ingram, I review four roles of fathers: leader,
priest, teacher, lover. This sermon is a challenge to fathers to take ownership of the spiritual and natural atmosphere of their homes. It’s standard procedure that men in their vocations have objectives and strategies for their businesses. How much more should they do the same thing for their families? Personal testimonies given through my children show the value of a father fulfilling these roles. In retrospect, it is clear that fatherly perfection was not required.

In chapter three of the book of Hebrews, the writer refers to the provocation in the wilderness as being a time when the children of Israel did not mix faith with the Word they heard, and therefore disobeyed because of unbelief.  Even though God had already promised Israel the Promised Land, they didn’t believe God would actually give it to them, but rather believed they would somehow have to possess on their own.  That job suddenly looked too big for them in their own eyes.  They became discouraged, which led to unbelief, and their unbelief led to disobedience.  In the same way, God has given us eternal salvation, not through what we can do or not do, but through faith in Jesus Christ. Trying to earn it ourselves is unbelief in the provision of God.  We must believe it and receive it by faith.

Jesus proclaimed while dying on the cross, “It Is Finished”.  This first of two sermons on the finished work of Christ, examines the truth that what Jesus accomplished on the cross is all we will ever need for eternal salvation.  Our human nature wants to work for, earn or in some way pay for our salvation, but God only makes it available to us as a gift!  Our part is simply to believe and receive His gift.  When we depart in any fashion in our belief that salvation is a gift, we have then stepped back into the Old Covenant and find ourselves once again subject to the Law.  By doing this, we have departed from the faith that accesses the grace of God in salvation.

This Memorial Day sermon was prompted by the attendance of two families that are here for the first time since the loss of their loved ones. The message to the church is about being vulnerable enough to share in suffering with others through compassion and empathy. Vulnerability means risk, so being a safe place as a church becomes even more critical. We are blessed as a church to be able to support and love those who are hurting.

Having just returned from the Healing Revival in Lakeland, FL, I was impressed to review the story of the lame man healed at the temple doors by Peter and John, who were, afterward, imprisoned and judged for a good deed done to a helpless man.  Even though the authorities saw these two disciples as uneducated and untrained men, they realized they had been with the Jesus.  This amazing healing was something that could not be explained or overlooked, and 5000 men became believers because of it.  Oh, that it might be said of us that we have been with Jesus, and that our focus would be on what God HAS given us, not on what He hasn't.

With the death of three precious saints from cancer in the last four months, we take a look at the scripture from Hebrews that declares that though all things are in subjection to Jesus, we do not yet see all things subjected to Him.  But...we do see Jesus.  When we do not see cancer healed, we must see Jesus and understand that it is faith that bridges the gap of what we know to be true, and that which does not manifest itself into what we can see, i.e., a healing.  Those that have been healed will tell you they are glad someone prayed for them!  These prayers were worth the fight!  We will continue to believe God and stand in faith with those who are sick.