Sermons on Assurance
Romans 8:12-17
The Family of God Introduction: One of the most common characteristics of rebellious, delinquent children is the feeling that they aren’t loved or appreciated and that they don’t really belong in the family. This perception may well be faulty, but the very perception itself generally results in aberrant behavior. Dr. James Dobson, former Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Southern California and now President of Focus on the Family, writes about how critical this lack of self-worth is in society as a…
1 John 2:3-11
Something Old, Something New Introduction: I have an immense amount of respect for this Apostle who was willing to call it like he saw it—not mincing words, not worrying about whether others agree with him, refusing to compromise his black and white stand on the Gospel. Perhaps he could speak boldly as he does because he was in his 90’s. There’s something about growing old that helps you realize you have nothing to lose. We have been looking at the three tests…
1 John 3:11-24
The Mark of the Christian Introduction: Someone has likened the First Epistle of John to a spiral staircase in that the Apostle keeps returning to the same three topics—love, obedience, and truth—only each time he picks up one of those themes he takes it to a higher level. In our last message the moral test of the believer’s faith (are we obedient?) was predominant, but it ended with a transition to the social test in verse 10: “Anyone who does not do what…
1 John 5:13-21
What Do You Know for Sure? Introduction: What do you know for sure? I ask that question a lot as a variation on “How’s it goin’?” or “How you doin’?” The answer I get most often is, “Nothin’ much.” I suspect if I had asked Ben Franklin, “What do you know for sure?” he would have responded, “Death and taxes!” At least that’s all he was sure of in 1789. But the Apostle John, as he closes this brief but profound epistle that has…
Matthew 7:21-29
Once Saved, Always Saved? Introduction: Our Scripture text for today is Matthew 7:21-27, which constitutes the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount. Will you pay close attention to the words of Jesus, which are also the Word of God for us? “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not…