Sermons on Freedom
2 Chronicles 29-31
Hezekiah: “He Sought His God and Worked Wholeheartedly. And So He Prospered.” Introduction: Two weeks ago we examined the life of the worst of the kings of Judah. The Bible’s epitaph for Ahaz was, “In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful” (2 Chronicles 28:22). Thankfully the worst was succeeded by the best. Of all the kings of Judah and Israel since David himself, none had a heart for God like Ahaz’ son, Hezekiah. None was as faithful to his calling as a spiritual as well as…
Romans 6:15-23
You Gotta Serve Somebody! Introduction: What happens in our civilized American society when, for one reason or another, the laws of the land are temporarily unenforceable? It should embarrass all optimistic secular humanists that the answer to that question is usually flagrant and shameless crime. One need only recall the endless line of people running away from department stores in Los Angeles with all they could carry in the looting that followed the Rodney King verdict. Some seemed even unconcerned that their faces would…
1 Peter 2:13-25
The Godly Reaction to Unfairness: Submission Introduction: Today and next Sunday we are going to be dealing with topics in 1 Peter 2 & 3 that I think are increasingly difficult for Americans to look at objectively. All of them have to do with authority– the authority of government over its citizens, the authority of management over labor, and the authority of husbands over their wives. Fortunately, that third one won’t come up for another week and the Lord may return by then. Seriously, these are tough issues, and there are…
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 Corinthians 9:1‑18
He Practiced What He Preached SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 9:1‑18 Introduction: The topic of our text today is one I do not relish. It deals in part with the question of whether pastors should be paid. This topic, however, is really only used by the Apostle Paul as an illustration of a broader theme which he began in chapter 8 and continues through chapter 10, namely the theme of Christian liberty and the need to limit that liberty by love for one another. If you were…
1 Cor. 10:23-11:1
Using Freedom Rightly SCRIPTURE: 1 Cor. 10:23-11:1 Introduction: You know friends, I really look forward to our times together here at First Free. Sunday is the high point of my week. But it hasn’t always been. It wasn’t my favorite time when I was growing up. I was always in church, and I never really rebelled against going (it wouldn’t have done much good–my dad was the pastor), but neither did I enjoy it very much. Why the difference today? Well, there are probably a lot of…
Daniel 6, 1 Cor. 6:9-20
Flee Immorality Introduction: In Daniel 6 we were challenged to follow Daniel’s example of exceptional allegiance to duty in the face of temptation. We considered a number of crises facing us today (integrity, marriage, parenting), but time did not permit us to examine the crisis in sexual immorality. We return to that topic this morning. Pastors have been known to make sweeping statements, sometimes overstatements, to wake a congregation up, statements like: “Never before in the history of mankind has sin been darker,”…
Acts 13:13-52
How to Be Free Indeed Introduction: Everyone cherishes freedom. Political freedom is sought by people everywhere, and they will devise ingenious methods to get through the Berlin Wall, or pay exorbitant sums to gain a place on a boat leaving Indochina, or risk their lives in the face of guns in the Philippines, all for political liberty. People are also desperate for religious freedom. Our own church’s forefathers cherished freedom from the state churches of Scandinavia, so much so that they named their…
Acts 21:1-14
Finding the Will of God Note: I am not ashamed to acknowledge my debt to two authors from whom I have borrowed extensively in the preparation of this sermon. The book, Decision Making and the Will of God, by Garry Friessen and Robin Maxson, is one of the ten most influential books I have ever read. I purchased a copy in 1980, have read it many times, and have taught through it more than once. I encourage you to buy it and read it carefully. I…
Revelation 2:12-17
To Pergamum: The Too Free Church Freedom is one of the greatest words in the English language. It’s also a great biblical term. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.” And one of my all-time favorite verses is this: “If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.” I really believe in Christian freedom, which I would define as the liberty to make my own doctrinal decisions and lifestyle choices under the boundaries of Scripture and under…
Luke 7:36-50
Have You Miscalculated Your Indebtedness? Every one of us likes stories, and Jesus was a storyteller par excellence. It just so happens that the first parable I am going to tackle is a parable about two debtors, but that is where the connection with last Sunday stops. Missionary aviation is a field of service that for the past fifty years has enabled the gospel to penetrate the most remote areas of the third world. About six years ago I left the southernmost…
2 Corinthians 3:7-18
The Superiority of the New Covenant I want you to engage your sanctified imaginations this morning. Transport yourself with me back to the year 950 B.C. Solomon is the King of Israel; the magnificent Temple of Solomon, which took 150,000 workers seven years to build, is just about 15 years old, having taken the place of the Tabernacle which was built in Moses’ day some 500 years before. You live in Jerusalem and are a devout believer, so you walk to the Temple…
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