Sermons
More sermons are added regularly, so please visit us often.
Downloading audio MP3 or written PDF: Sermons may be listened to by clicking on the "audio" button after the sermon title. An MP3 of the sermon may be downloaded by clicking on the "audio" button after the sermon title, then right-clicking on the audio payer that appears and clicking on "Save Audio As." A written PDF of the sermon's detailed preaching outline may be downloaded and read by clicking on the "PDF" button after the sermon title.
The following sermons expound Old Testament or New Testament passages. Even the topical sermons are grounded or anchored in Scripture. In addition to their expository and applicational value, these sermons help to illustrate the principles taught in ECLEA's course book on EXPOSITORY PREACHING.
SERMONS: OT | SERMONS: NT | SERMONS: TOPICAL | SUPPORT ECLEA
Sermons: OT
Sermon title: Gen 4:17-24-"The Way Of Lamech" Audio (not available) | PDF
Description: The example of Lamech shows us that our attitude toward people reveals the condition of our heart.
Sermon title: Gen 15:1-18-"The Greatest Prophecy In The Bible" Audio | PDF
Description: One thing that makes Christianity is unique and historically verifiable is the existence of fulfilled prophecy. Only the Bible contains specific prophecies which could not be "manipulated." The greatest of these--which prophesied the salvation of humanity by Jesus Christ on the cross--was given and even acted out 2000 years before it was fulfilled to the letter.
Sermon title: Deut 6:4-9-"Foundations" Audio | PDF
Description: Our relationship with God determines everything else in our lives. Through our relationship with Him, He changes us on the inside and that internal change affects our external lives.
Sermon title: 1 Sam 30:1-30-"God Rewards Faithfulness" Audio | PDF
Description: The incidents described in 1 Samuel 30 reveal how God rewards faithfulness. Even the little things are not forgotten and can be very important.
Sermon title: Psalm 1-"Life Worth Living" Audio | PDF
Description: This psalm introduces the entire Psalter and in many ways is the most important of the psalms. Everyone wants to have a life worth living, and Psalm 1 gives us God's perspective on what a life worth living is all about.
Sermon title: Psalm 5-"Knowing God in Hard Times" Audio | PDF
Description: Everyone experiences problems, worry, fear, and grief. How can we deal with these things? Psalm 5 tells us that the Lord will be with those who turn to him, and he enables people to have a peace, stability, and even joy in the midst of the most dire circumstances. This look at Psalm 5 includes specific suggestions for how to develop one's relaionship with God, particularly in and for the hard times of life.
Sermon title: Psalm 51-"Sin, Forgiveness, and Wholeness" Audio | PDF
Description: Everyone commits moral failures. The question is: Is there hope? Can we get free? Psalm 51 tells us that in God's covenant love we will find complete, transforming forgiveness. The forgiveness we can experience not only can transform us but can transform an entire community.
Sermon title: Psalm 57-"Exalting God In Our Trials" Audio | PDF
Description: We all go through hard times. When that happens, we need to put our problems into proper perspective. Instead of withdrawing from God or shaking our fist at him, we need to turn to him. Through singing, music, thanks, praise, and comforting others who are going through hard times, we exalt and glorify him and relieve our own suffering.
Sermon title: Psalm 73-"When The Wicked Prosper" Audio | PDF
Description: Evil happens, there is injustice in this world, the wicked prosper, and God's people often suffer. How do we deal with this? Asaph saw the same things and wrote this psalm to describe what he saw and the insight God gave him. This psalm shows us the true state of the ungodly, the true state of God's people, and reveals that, despite outward appearances, God is our only true security and hope.
Sermon title: Psalm 121-"Our Security In Christ" Audio | PDF
Description: We all long for and strive to achieve security. This psalm is telling us that our only real, lasting, and comprehensive security is found in the Lord. The Bible makes clear that the Lord is none other than Jesus Christ. We may access this security by coming to Christ in faith and then utilizing the means of grace he has for us. He will then work in our circumstances and the evil and problems we face and transform them for good by transforming us, our attitudes, and our responses.
Sermon title: Isa 6:8-13-"Isaiah's Commission and Ours" Audio | PDF
Description: Isaiah was a regular person like us. God commissioned him to be His witness to the people he knew just as he commissions us. In fact, in Christ we are the visible and audible presence of God in the world. We faithfully represent Him by how we live as well as by what we say. The results are up to God.
Sermon title: Isa 7:1-9:7-"The God You Can Trust" Audio | PDF
Description: The political and economic situation in ancient Judah described in Isaiah 7-9 forms the background for the prophecy of Isa 9:1-7, which goes far beyond ancient Judah and finds its fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah. The entire passage is telling us that political and economic crises, and the crises of our own lives, are parts of a grand overall plan in which God deals with the root problem, not just of Judah, but of all of us.
Sermon title: Isa 44:28-45:7-"Cyrus, the Election, and God's Kingdom" Audio | PDF
Description: God uses anyone he wants to accomplish his ends. In this prophecy, God named Persian King Cyrus by name more than 100 years before Cyrus was even born. God raised up another outsider in America's presidential election of 2016. While God works through the political system, he is primarily interested in building his kingdom, not the kingdoms of men.
Sermon title: Ezek 37:15-28-"Uniting The Divided" Audio | PDF
Description: People are divided in every conceivable way. This OT prophecy of the "two sticks" actually points forward to and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who alone brings true unity.
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Sermons: NT
Sermon Series: John | 1 Timothy | Revelation | Other Sermons: NT
Sermon Series: John
Sermon title: John 1:35-42-"Who Are We?" Audio | PDF
Description: This passage raises the question we all face, "What do we seek?" It encourages us to seek the One who is the fulfillment of all we are looking for and who will turn us into beings more wonderful than we could ever dream possible.
Sermon title: John 1:43-51-"Encountering God" Audio | PDF
Description: Most people would like to know if God exists, and if he, she, or it does, then most people would like to know God or have some kind of encounter with God. This passage tells us that to encounter Jesus is to encounter God. It does this by revealing who Jesus is, by showing us that his ways are not our ways, he knows our hearts, and he is the way to heaven. The passage also reveals how we can encounter Jesus and thereby know God.
Sermon title: John 3:16-"Love" Audio | PDF
Description: Particularly at Christmastime, this verse connotes the baby in the manger, new mothers, and warm, fuzzy feelings. That is not what this verse is about at all. This verse, in fact, reveals our universal problem and the unique solution to that problem. It also has important implications for how we live our lives.
Sermon title: John 3:16-21-"The Touchstone Of Life And Death" Audio | PDF
Description: John 3:16 is a well-known verse, but it is part of a longer passage that deals with entering the kingdom of God. The entire passage reveals that, despite many human differences, there are only two kinds of people who have any abiding significance to God. These two kinds of people are sharply contrasted, and the touchstone of this contrast is a person's relationship, or lack of relationship, with Jesus.
Sermon title: John 5:1-18-"Living the Jesus Life" Audio (not available) | PDF
Description: On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man who had been sick and lame for 38 years. However, the man reported Jesus to the authorities who condemned Jesus for healing the man on the Sabbath. This event provides certain principles for our lives: (1) We may not be able to help all the needy, but we can help some; (2) We, like Jesus, need to take the initiative; (3) To learn people's real needs, we need to get to know people well; and (4) We should not be inhibited by our own traditions or when people do not respond as we think they should.
Sermon title: John 6:16-21-"Do Not Fear" Audio | PDF
Description: All people face fear, loneliness, unrewarding work, and exhaustion. The narrative of Jesus' walking on the water during a storm tells us that if we have Jesus, we have no reason to fear. Four implications of this passage are discussed.
Sermon title: John 6:60-71-"The Real Christmas Dinner" Audio | PDF
Description: Our response to Jesus is the most important decision we face, whether we realize it or not, because of who Jesus is. In this sermon we consider who Jesus is, what we have to do to get in right relationship with Him, and how we apply our relationship with Jesus in our lives.
Sermon title: John 9:35-41-"The Bottom Line" Audio | PDF
Description: Whether we are or are not in right relationship with Jesus is the ultimate "bottom line" of our life. We see that as we consider who Jesus is, what Jesus does, and our response to who He is and what He does.
Sermon title: John 10:1-11-"The Shepherd and the Sheep" Audio | PDF
Description: Christ guarantees a life of fulfillment. Such a life includes security, spiritual nourishment, and expert guidance. Such a life is found only in a relationship with Christ. However, because of who he is, we can trust him with our lives.
Sermon title: John 12:1-8-"Real Worship" Audio | PDF
Description: We all worship something. This oddly counter-intuitive and ironic passage shows us how Jesus alone is worthy of our worship: the only way to become the kind of people we want to be, need to be, and know we should be is through the door of irony.
Sermon title: John 13:18-30-"Betrayal" Audio | PDF
Description: The context of this passage is Jesus' betrayal by Judas. However, the passage is showing us that Jesus frees us from betrayal. The grace and life that He alone is able to give frees us, whether we are betrayed or are betrayers.
Sermon title: John 14:27-"Peace" Audio | PDF
Description: People are very divided from each other. In this verse, Jesus promises us peace, but a different kind of peace than the world gives and than we might be looking for. The peace he gives us is himself through the holy Spirit who comes to live inside of us. The implications for our lives and how we can appropriate this peace are discussed.
Sermon title: John 16:1-7-"Christ Is in Control" Audio | PDF
Description: Christ is in control. He has made provision for us to face the hardships of our lives and the absence of the visible presence of God. Consequently, our response should be different from the bitterness, anger, and depression that characterize those who are not connected with the living God through Christ.
Sermon title: John 17:1-5-"The Glory Of The Son" Audio | PDF
Description: The nature, foundation, and result of the glory of Jesus lead to the only conclusion possible: Jesus is most glorious of all.
Sermon title: John 18:33-38-"The Truth, the Kingdom, and Us" Audio | PDF
Description: Jesus Christ claimed to be God come to earth as a man? Can we know whether or not his claim is true? What difference do the answers to these questions have for my life? This passage confronts these issues head-on. Further, based upon fulfilled prophecy and the evidence for the resurrection of Christ, we can know "beyond a reasonable doubt" that Christ's claims about himself are true. When we grasp that, it will change the focus of our lives in profound ways.
Sermon title: John 19:16-25-"The Crucifixion" Audio | PDF
Description: God in Christ holds nothing back in his love for us. He demonstrated that in how He orchestrated the events of history to lead to the supreme demonstration of His love for us, the crucifixion of Christ.
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Sermon Series: 1 Timothy
Sermon title: 1 Tim 1:1-5-"The Essence and Goal of Our Faith" Audio | PDF
Description: Christianity is unlike any other religion in the world. Every other religion, in essence, says that "if you want God to save you, it is up to you to work hard." Christianity alone says, "Your salvattion does not depend on what you do; it is 100% based on what Christ has done for you." God not only saves us by his grace, but gives us the means to achieve the goal of our faith, namely, LOVE from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 1:5-"The Goal Of Our Faith" Audio | PDF
Description: Christians are people who demonstrate their faith by living lives of love. True love can only come from the inside-out when we receive a new heart, and when we live out our faith by doing the right things for the right reason. The early church modeled this, and is an example for us, by demonstrating astounding generosity to people in need and by treating others, especially other believers, as family.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 1:12-17-"Paul's Life and Ours" Audio | PDF
Description: We all have the seeds within us to do acts of extreme cruelty and brutality, if only the circumstances are right. Christ alone can transform us from the inside-out, giving us a new heart, mind, Spirit, values, and priorities. This life in Christ, will become manifest in our patience, our prayers, and the place Christ now asumes in our lives, as we draw on him.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 2:1-10-"The Centrality of Prayer" Audio | PDF
Description: Prayer is of great importance in the life of the Christian: it is of first importance to enable us toe remain faithful; it directly affects (indeed, exposes and reveals) our relationship with God and others; and it affects our attitude and our behavior. In short, prayer affects everything, internally and externally.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 3:1-7-"The Marks of a Christian Leader" Audio | PDF
Description: Every organization, including the church, is only as good, strong, and successful as its leadership. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul lists the requirements to be a leader in the church. Ultimately, they all relate to a person's character. And since all Christians are described as "priests" in the eye of God, these requirements apply to all Christians, even if they are not in formal church leadership.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 4:1-7a-"Apostasy and False Godliness" Audio | PDF
Description: 1 Tim 4:1-7a gives an entire theological summary of apostasy and false godliness, including when when apostasy will occur, who will fall away, the source of apostasy, the means used to cause it, the effect on those who pay attention to false teaching, examples of false godliness, and the solution to the problem. Paul is concerned about false teachings that go to the heart of the Gospel; as we are aware of this, the church will remain faithful, healthy, and strong.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 4:7b-16-"Spiritual Discipline" Audio | PDF
Description: A godly life requires spiritual discipline. In this passage, vv. 7b-10 compare physical vs. spiritual discipline in general and point out the infinite value of disciplining our lives spiritually. Then, in vv. 11-16, Paul gives us the "10 Commandments" of spiritual discipline, which show us specifically what to do and how to do it.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 5:1-16-"The Church as Family" Audio | PDF
Description: The church is more than just an organization; it is a family. This passage describes the church as family, reveals the interrelation between our earthly families and the church, and points us to the responsibility the church has to its own family members. Implications of the fact that the church is a family are discussed.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 6:5b-12-"The Gospel and Money" Audio | PDF
Description: Money is spiritual; it reveals our heart. This passage describes those who epitomize the problem of materialism and the gospel, gives us the proper perspective of the gospel and money, warns us of the danger we face, and shows us how to respond to that danger.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 6:17-19-"Storing Up Our Treasure" Audio | PDF
Description: Jesus said that we should "store up our treasure in heaven, not on earth." In this passage, Paul shows us how to do that, by being generous givers to help the poor and needy and to build the kingdom of God. He points out that we do not lose the funds we give in this way, but we are actually sending them on ahead, and they will bless us forever.
Sermon title: 1 Tim 1:17; 2:5-6; 3:16; 6:13-16-"The Person and Work of Jesus Christ" Audio | PDF
Description: There is no one like Jesus Christ in all the world. These four brief passages give us a complete theology of Jesus Christ in correct chronological order: his eternal nature (1:17); the mission Christ came to earth to do )2:5-6); the context and result of Christ's accomplishing his mission (3:16); and what he is yet to do (6:13-16). Implications of this are also discussed.
Sermon Series: Revelation
Sermon title: Rev 1:1-8-"God is at the Center" Audio | PDF
Description: God is the author, the director and, particularly in the person of Jesus Christ, the main character in the drama of our lives. In this introductory passage of the book of Revelation, we see how Jesus is "the faithful witness." We are to follow in His footsteps through the Word of God and the Spirit as an alternate kingdom to the kingdom of the world.
Sermon title: Rev 1:9-20-"The Real Jesus" Audio | PDF
Description: When we think of Jesus, we tend to think of the Jesus who walked this earth 2000 years ago. Rev 1:9-20 describes Jesus as he is now--the real Jesus. He is an amazing person unlike anyone or anything we have ever seen. Yet he is intimately connected with his people. As we come to know the real Jesus, our prayer life and our perspecitive on reality can be transformed.
Sermon title: Rev 2:1-3:22-"Jesus' Promises to Overcomers" Audio | PDF
Description: Jesus' evaluation of the churches in Revelation 2-3 and the promises he makes to overcomers reveal his values and priorities. They also reveal and expose our own values and priorities. Of overarching value to Jesus is intimate, eternal oneness with his people, and he gives himself wholly and unreservedly to us. Do we feel the same about him?
Sermon title: Rev 5:1-14-"Worthy is the Lamb" Audio | PDF
Description: Jesus is both the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb who has been slain. He alone is worthy to open the book of God's judgment and redemption of the world because of what he accomplished on the cross. Who he is and what he has done make him unique in all the universe and give him the right to our lives.
Sermon title: Rev 6:1-17-"God and Evil" Audio | PDF
Description: Christ is reigning over the universe, which means that he ultimately is sovereign over evil. Nevertheless, he is not evil but is perfectly good and is using evil to bring about his plan for our good and for the ultimate good of the universe. Paradoxically, the good that is to come will not come in spite of the evil, but evil itself will be transformed for us and actually increase our joy.
Sermon title: Rev 6:9-11-"How Long, O Lord?" PDF
Description: Through all the evil and suffering that occur in the world and beset even His own people, God is telling us, "I have a plan and this is all part of it: I know, I care, and I will judge those who do evil and will avenge and reward those who are Mine."
Sermon title: Rev 7:1-17-"God Cherishes His People" Audio | PDF
Description: Particularly in rough and routine times we tend to forget a crucial fact, that God cherishes his people. He acts on this: he seals and spiritually protects us; he transforms our status and our inner life; and he leads and guides us. And through it all, he has guaranteed us an eternal future better than anything we could have imagined on our own.
Sermon title: Rev 12:1-17-"The Great Cosmic Drama" Audio
Description: This chapter gives the grand sweep of church history. It tells us that we are central players in a vast cosmic drama that includes both supernatural and human beings, heaven and earth. It tells us not only what is happening to God's people, but why.
Sermon title: Rev 14:1-20-"The Big Picture" Audio
Description: Rev 14 gives us the big picture of the church, the world, and the judgment. It tells us that our outward, physical, temporal circumstances are no indicator of our inward, spiritual, eternal status--but how we live our lives IS the indicator of our inward, spiritual, eternal status.
Sermon title: Rev 15:2-4-"Victory" Audio
Sermon title: Rev 17:1-18-"Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots" Audio
Description: One purpose of the book of Revelation is to get people to assess their own societies. "Babylon the Great" is an important symbol that contrasts the kingdom of Satan with the kingdom of Christ. Despite society's opposing God and Christ, God is still in charge and calls us to live meaningful lives as Christians in the midst of ungodly society.
Sermon title: Rev 18:1-19:6-"The Judgment of Babylon the Great" Audio
Description: If there were no final judgment, there would be no justice. God's judgment holds individuals and societies to account for the fact that their values, priorities, organization, and structures are inhumane, i.e., they cannot and will not bring about that which is best for people. Our attitude and response to the idea of God's judgment reveals what is truly central in our lives.
Sermon title: Rev 19:11-21-"Jesus' Verdict On the World" Audio | PDF
Description: This passage symbolically describes Jesus and what will happen when He returns to the earth "to judge and wage war." It is both a warning and an encouragement. It graphically teaches us to be committed to Jesus now so we don't fall under His judgment later.
Sermon title: Rev 20:1-6-"Appearances are Deceiving" Audio | PDF
Description: The binding of Satan in vv. 1-3 tells us that despite all the evil Satan causes in the world, he already has been defeated. The reign of the saints in vv. 4-6 tells us that despite all the defeats Christians suffer in the world, they are the victors. When put together, these verses help us act with hope and confidence to spread Christ's kingdom now.
Sermon title: Rev 20:7-15-"The Final Judgment" Audio | PDF
Description: There will be a final judgment; it goes to the root of matters and deals not only with people but with the instigator of evil, Satan himself. The nature of the judgment shows us that our lives now are more important than we realize, because everything we do is not limited to this life but has everlasting consequences.
Sermon title: Rev 21:1-22:5-"The New Jerusalem" Audio
Description: The Bible tends not to answer the questions regarding eternity that most of us ask and is not explicit or clear about most of the things that we are interested in. Nevertheless, in apocalyptic, symbolic language, Rev 21:1-22:5 makes clear that if we are faithful to Christ in this life, we are guaranteed an everlasting existence fantastic beyond our imagination.
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Sermon title: Matt 6:19-24-"The Spiritual Nature of Money" Audio | PDF
Description: Money is spiritual. It reveals what is inside of us. Our attitude toward money and what we do with it demonstrate better than almost anything else where our heart, mind, soul, and priorities really are.
Sermon title: Matt 6:19-24-"Maintaining a Spiritual Focus in a Materialistic Culture" Audio (not available) | PDF
Description: Everything in life is spiritual. Money and the good things of life can turn our head and our affections easier than almost anything else. Specific suggestions for getting in control of our finances and other suggestions for maintaining a proper focus in a materialistic culture are given.
Sermon title: Matt 28:16-20-"The Great Commission" Audio (not available) | PDF
Description: This passage is important because it is the last words of Jesus reported by Matthew. In many ways, Jesus summarizes the gospel for us and gives us his most important message what we are to do. We learn what we are like, what Jesus is like and his relationship with us, his commission to us, and how we can apply this and implications of this for our lives.
Sermon title: Mark 10:23-31-"The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man" Audio | PDF
Description: Jesus made certain hard sayings that we dismiss or sugarcoat at our peril. In this passage, Jesus looks at the things we value so much--our money, homes, families, and jobs--and essentially asks us, "What is more important to you: me or them?" Our eternal destinies hang on our answer to that question.
Sermon title: Luke 2:21-38-"Jesus: Our Light and Our Life" Audio | PDF
Description: When Jesus was presented at the temple about 40 days after he was born, he was the subject of two sets of prophecies by a man named Simeon. Those prophecies are relevant to us. They reveal that Jesus unites, divies, and reveals the thoughts of our hearts. Implications of this for our lives are discussed.
Sermon title: Luke 7:24-35-"Repenting and Rejoicing" Audio | PDF
Description: People innately want God's favor and a fulfilling life; yet when we look deeply enough at ourselves we realize that there is something wrong with us on the inside, we really don't deserve God's favor, and all of our attempts at finding fulfillment fall short. Jesus addresses both our need and our problem in this passage and shows us the way out of our dilemma.
Sermon title: Luke 11:29-32-"What Will You Do About Jesus?" Audio PDF
Description: In this passage Jesus confronts us with the issue that what we do about Him is a matter of life and death--not just life and death on this earth, but eternal, everlasting life and death.
Sermon title: Luke 12:13-34-"Your Money Or Your Life" Audio
Description: This is one of Jesus' most important and foundational discourses about money. The issue is the basic orientation of our life to money and to the kingdom. Jesus makes clear that our money is the window of our soul: our attitude toward our money and possessions reveals the condition of our heart and shows us who or what our true Lord really is.
Sermon title: Luke 12:35-48-"Living in Light of the Second Coming of Christ" Video | PDF
Description: Christ will be returning to the earth, which will entail resurrection and judgment of everyone and the inauguration of the new heavens and new earth. When he comes will be a complete surprise to everybody. In light of this, we need to be ready and faithfully persevere now in what we have been called to do, manifesting Christ's presence, nature, compassion, and love to others. If we do that, this passage reveals probably the most amazing promise that Christ makes in the entire Bible!
Sermon title: Acts 3-4-"The Early Church and Us" Audio (not available) | PDF
Description: This important passage begins with an event similar similar to Jesus' healing the man in John 5:1-18. It records the first prayer of the church and the nature of the early church, particularly the church's attitude toward money and possessions. These two chapters show that having a dynamic relationship with Jesus is possible, how to have such a relationship, and what can happen when the church has such a relationship.
Sermon title: Rom 12:1-2-How to be "Spiritual" Audio | PDF
Description: Many people like to say they are "spiritual, but not religious." Such an approach to spirituality is purely subjective. However, the resurrection of Christ gives us the objective basis by which we can know what true spirituality is. This passage explains that true spirituality is corporate, not just individual, yet it is individually transformative. True spirituality is outward or physical, inward or mental, and is the expression of a new relationship with God.
Sermon title: 1 Cor 3:10-15-"Building the Church" Audio
Description: All Christians are like workers constructing a building: the foundation is Christ; what we build on the foundation (our works; our life) must perfectly conform to the foundation, because the owner (God) is going to evaluate our work, for better or for worse, at the judgment.
Sermon title: 1 Cor 3:18-23-"Radically Committed to Christ" Audio
Description: The Christian community should live in such a way that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We should see this in how we relate to the leaders of the church, how we relate to others who are part of the church, and how we relate to those who are not yet members of the church.
Sermon title: Heb 4:15-5:10-"The Difference of Jesus" Audio | PDF
Description: All people have deep needs and are looking for "something more" in life, but nothing in this world ever truly, completely, or permanently satisfies those needs. Jesus alone can meet our deepest needs, because no one else is like Jesus. He knows what we are going through; he has the power to give us what we need; he has the character we can trust; and he has our best interest at heart.
Sermon title: Heb 5:11-14: "I'm a Christian--Now What?" Audio | PDF
Description: Although Jesus should make all the difference in the world, many Christians do not experience the difference Jesus makes. This passage contrasts spiritually immature and spiritually mature people and gives four keys to spiritual maturity, which will result in experiencing Jesus with new depth and power: (1) "solid food"; (2) practice; (3) powers of discernment; and (4) the ability to distinguish good from evil.
Sermon title: Heb 11:5-6: "Walking With God" Audio | PDF
Description: The example of Enoch (Gen 5:21-24) tells us that we please God by living a life of faith ("walking with God"). In this message we look at Enoch, consider what is necessary if we are thinking about entering into a relationship with God, look at what a relationship that pleases God involves, and consider some suggestions to strengthen our relationship with God.
Sermon title: Heb 12:1-4: "Focusing on Jesus" Audio | PDF
Description: Most non-Christians look up to Jesus, but He plays no personal role in their lives. Christians call Jesus their Lord, but their lives often do not reflect this. This passage diagnoses why we are not making the difference we would like to make and shows us how we can get out of that trap by: (1) being aware of something; (2) doing something; and (3) focusing on something. Practical suggestions for how to get to know Jesus personally or know him better are given.
Sermon title: Jas 2:1-13-"Treating Strangers Like Friends" Audio
Description: We all tend to show partiality for or against people based on their being part of a group (e.g., rich or poor; or member of a certain ethnic group). According to James, this is a great sin that is contrary to the gospel and adversely affects others, the church, and ourselves. The words of James and Jesus give us the key to overcome this pervasive problem.
Sermon title: Jas 2:14-26-"The Faith That Is Not Alone" Audio
Description: Three times in this passage James repeats, "faith without works is dead (or useless)." Although we are saved by faith alone, as Martin Luther famously said, "The faith that saves is never alone." Three biblical examples of the relationship between faith and works and how this works out in our own lives are considered.
Sermon title: 1 John 3:11-24-"The Mark of a Christian" Audio | PDF
Description: In order to be in right standing with God, we need to know what God wants individual Christians and the church as a whole to be like. This passage gives us God's description of and prescription for the church and reveals that the central mark of being in right standing with God is demonstrating practical acts of love to others.
Sermon title: 1 John 4:20-5:5-"Christian Faith in a Nutshell" Audio | PDF
Description: We need to know what the Christian faith involves and implies for our lives. This passage reveals that the Christian faith is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus and is based on who Jesus is and what he did, obedience to him, and love for God and for people. Christian faith enables us to overcome the world's values and priorities, value what Jesus valued, and live as he lived.
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Sermons: Topical
Sermon Series: The 3 Axes Of Faith | Christian Giving | Put It In Perspective | Misc. Topical Sermons
Sermon title: "The 3 Axes of Faith: Belief" Audio | PDF
Description: True, saving faith has three axes or dimensions. The first of these is belief. The "bottom line" of Christian belief is that Jesus is Lord over all, and He proved it by His resurrection from the dead.
Sermon title: "The 3 Axes of Faith: Behavior" Audio | PDF
Description: True, saving faith has three axes or dimensions. The second of these is behavior. This may be summarized by the statement, "How we live proves what we believe."
Sermon title: "The 3 Axes of Faith: Devotion" Audio | PDF
Description: True, saving faith has three axes or dimensions. The third of these is devotion. Love and devotion to Christ are central to true, saving faith.
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