John 18:12-14, 19-24, Mark 14:53-65
SERIES: The Gospel of John The Abuse of Religious Power SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: The capacity for evil on the part of deeply religious people is frightening. Two weeks ago an American immigrant to Israel opened fire on a group of Palestinians at prayer and murdered about 40 of them. It was done in the name of religion. Last month hundreds of Bosnian Muslims were slaughtered by Serb Christians. It was done in the name of religion. A year ago a mad bomber tried to…
John 18:28-19:16
SERIES: The Gospel of John Pitiful Pontius Pilate SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: A creative Sunday School teacher once asked her students to draw a picture of any major event in the life of Christ. After the pictures were turned in, she saw that most of the youngsters had drawn the familiar scenes—the Holy Family in the stable, Jesus overturning the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple, and the three crosses at Calvary. But she had to ask one enterprising youngster to…
John 18, et al
SERIES: The Gospel of John The Amazing Transformation of Rocky Johnson SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: I would like to preach another biographical message today—this one about a character named Rocky Johnson. Of all the characters in the NT, other than Jesus, he is probably the best known. His Jewish name was Simon Barjona. That last name simply means “son of John,” for “bar” means “son” as in “Bar mitzvah” (Son of the Law). If he were Scandinavian, his last name would have been John’s…
John 19:16-42
SERIES: The Gospel of John SERMON: First Things First SCRIPTURE: John 19:16-42 SPEAKER: Paul Stolwyk DATE: March 27, 1994 Introduction: What is on your mind right now. What has first importance in your thoughts. Is it your children? Is it cleaning up your yard? Getting your taxes done? Getting a new outfit for Easter? Is it getting a project done at work, home, or school? The details of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection form the foundation of the Christian message. The Apostle Paul regarded these facts as “first…
John 20:1-9
SERIES: The Gospel of John The Not Quite Empty Tomb SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: All but four of the major world religions are based upon mere philosophical propositions. Of the four that are founded upon a great person, only one claims an empty tomb for its founder. The father of Judaism, Abraham, died about 2000 BC. He was buried in the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron in the Holy Land, and I have personally visited his gravesite. The father of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha, died…
John 20:11-29
SERIES: The Gospel of John Grief, Fear, and Doubt: Three Enemies of the Soul SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: Last Lord’s Day we had three great worship services. The music was marvelous, and our people were able to focus their hearts and minds on the risen Christ in a very special way. In a message on the Not-Quite-Empty Tomb, we noted that the Apostle John came to believe in the Resurrection, not through OT prophecies about it, nor through Jesus’ own predictions concerning…
John 20:24-29
In Celebration of Doubt SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: In Christian circles doubt tends to have a bad reputation. Belief and faith are the hallmarks of a Christian, not doubt and skepticism. But I want to suggest this morning that an honest doubter and a truth-seeking skeptic are far more honorable than those who profess to believe everything the Christian faith teaches but never take the time or effort to examine their personal views. Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” It’s also…
John 21:1-17
SERIES: The Gospel of John The Trouble with Fishing SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: We come this morning to the final chapter of the Gospel of John, planning to complete our journey next Lord’s Day. This is one of my favorite chapters in the NT, not because of profound theological content or inspiring prose, but rather because of its deep insight into human nature, as well as into the person of Christ. John 21 continues the very honest portrayal of the checkered…
John 21:18-25
SERIES: The Gospel of John “Lord, What About Him?” SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: Today we conclude an exposition of the Gospel of John which began in September of 1992. On that Sunday morning nearly 20 months ago I began this study by proposing the following: “The Gospel of John is the most amazing book that was ever written. It is a pool in which a child can wade or an elephant can swim. It is both simple and profound. It meets the spiritual need…
Why I Believe in the Bible
Why I Believe in the Bible Introduction: What is the most heinous sin a human being can commit? Is it brutal, premeditated murder? Is it the abuse of an innocent child? Is it gross sexual perversion and cannibalism a la Jeffrey Dahmer? Is it the annihilation of an entire race, as Hitler attempted to do? I think we can answer that question if we first ask and answer another one: What is the only sin that will send a person to Hell, the only sin God refuses to…
The Ordinances of the Church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Theological Essay: The Ordinances of the Church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper Introduction to the ordinances: Jesus gave many exhortations, commands and ethical imperatives to the church, and orthodox Christians consider all His teaching to be equally true and authoritative. However, two of His commands have been considered “ordinances” or “sacraments” due to their singular nature as perpetual public practices of the church. Those who use the term “ordinances” generally view baptism and the Lord’s Supper as symbols of grace. Those who speak of “sacraments”…
The Sabbath: A Requirement or a Choice?
Theological Essay: The Sabbath: A Requirement or a Choice? Michael P. Andrus August, 2023 Introduction: The Sabbath is a confusing topic for Christians today. In fact, there are at least four distinct views that evangelicals have taken on the issue of Sabbath observance: (1) Some believe Sabbath observance is required today just as in Moses’ day, and they mean Saturday. (2) Others accept all the Sabbath requirements but transfer them from Saturday to Sunday, which they call “the Christian Sabbath.” (3) Still others reject…