Sermons by Michael Andrus (Page 22)
1 Cor. 3:5-15
Building the Church Introduction: Did you know that the manner in which you serve in God’s church will determine how you spend eternity? Now some of you are probably saying to yourselves, “Did I hear him right? Is this Pastor Andrus, who has always preached salvation by grace, not works, now telling us that our service in the church will determine how we spend eternity?” Yes, that’s what I’m telling you. But please note, I didn’t say where you spend eternity, but rather how you spend it. The…
1 Cor. 3:16-23
Destroying the Church Introduction: I have always been fascinated by ancient ruins. Especially intriguing are the temples that archeologists have unearthed and preserved for posterity. There is the great Acropolis in Athens, the Temple of Aphrodite in Corinth, Petra in Jordan, Karnak and Luxor in Egypt. These great temples conjure up visions of ancient cultures, of gods created in the image of man, and of man’s futile search for meaning in a pagan world. They stand as stark reminders of the truth of Paul’s assertion in 1 Cor. 3:11: “For no man can lay any foundation other…
1 Cor. 4:1-7
Pastoral Evaluation Introduction: When I was in college a generation or two ago, students had the privilege of filling out teacher evaluations at the end of each semester. I really enjoyed that. When I taught in college a few years later I didn’t enjoy it as much. The fact is, it is human nature to want to offer criticism and it is also human nature to resist it when it comes our way. In 1 Cor. 4 the apostle Paul gives us some advice…
1 Cor. 4:8‑13
Has God Promised Health and Wealth to the King’s Kids? Introduction: One of my favorite theologians is Dave Barry, syndicated comic in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Back in 1984 he wrote a column entitled, “Rev. Al: A Blessing in Disguise.” It’s a bit lengthy, but I think you will understand why I include it this morning. “When I tell you about Rev. Al, you’re going to think I’m making him up, but I’m not. There really is a Rev. Al. He runs the…
1 Cor. 4:14-21
Marks of a Good Discipler Note: This sermon was preached at First Free in Wichita in 1985. Introduction: Last words are important words. I don’t care if it’s the last words a coach says to his team before they take the field in the championship game, or the last words a President says before he leaves office, or the last words a loved one whispers before he dies. No words are considered more important than last words. Is it any surprise, then, that the…
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
How to Handle a Scandal Introduction: I doubt if there has ever been a time since the Middle Ages when scandal has been more public, more common, or more devastating to the Church of Jesus Christ than during the past several decades. High profile individuals, like Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton, David Hocking, Gordon MacDonald, Henry Lyons, Mike Trout, and many others have succumbed, and those are all professing evangelicals. If you add in the scores of Catholic priests, Mormon leaders, and…
1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11
Restoring Fallen Brothers and Sisters Introduction: Last week I preached a hard-hitting message on sin in the church and the need for the church to discipline its members. I am going to speak with equal vigor today about the need for forgiveness and restoration for those who have fallen once they have repented. I want to begin today with a question: What would you say is the most representative symbol of the Church of Jesus Christ? Would you suggest a cross? If so, you’re no doubt in the majority. But what about a fish,…
1 Corinthians 5:9‑13, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Biblical Separation SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 5:9‑13, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Introduction: As we start a new year, I want to return today to our study of the biblical book of 1 Corinthians–a challenging treatise about a church in crisis. In the opening verses of chapter 5 we encountered a tragic incident in which the church was tolerating a man among its membership who was apparently having an affair with his stepmother. Paul, of course, rebuked the church for its moral laxness, and later he…
1 Cor. 6:1‑8
Suits that Don’t Fit Introduction: What is justice, true justice? We don’t see a lot of it in our society, do we? I have a saying I often laid on my sons as they were growing up, but teenagers aren’t the only ones who need to hear it: “Life isn’t fair.” And the fact that we have one of the most advanced judicial systems in the world today doesn’t change that. I wonder how many people in the audience here this morning have been involved in a lawsuit…
1 Cor. 6:9‑11
Your Past Doesn’t Define You Introduction: Have you known people who were prisoners of their past? Either they have done something that society or family will not let them forget, or they have done something they won’t let themselves forget, or they have suffered some trauma they keep reliving. Our mental hospitals are full of people whose inability to deal with the past has resulted in a near total loss of contact with reality. Many suicides can be traced directly to the fact that…
1 Cor. 6:12-20
Six Reasons Why Sex Outside Marriage Is Wrong SCRIPTURE: 1 Cor. 6:12-20 Introduction: I read recently of a wife who went to lunch with eleven other women who were taking a French course together, since their children were all in school. One rather bold woman asked the rest, “How many of you have been faithful throughout your marriage?” Only one raised her hand. That evening when the woman of our story related the incident to her husband and admitted she was not the one who had…
1 Cor. 6:18, Genesis 39
Epitaph of a man of God: “He fled.” SCRIPTURE: 1 Cor. 6:18, Genesis 39 Introduction: I groped sleepily for the phone, wondering why the hospital would be calling my husband Bob back to work when he had just returned at midnight from a 36-hour shift. “Aunt Ann,” my teen-age niece sobbed hysterically into the phone, “tell Uncle Bob to come right now. Daddy has hung himself–and I can’t get him down.” “Oh, no! Hold on, honey–he’ll be there in five minutes.” Bob…