Sermons on Obedience
Exodus 4:18-6:12
A Long Obedience SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: Friedrich Nietzsche was not the kind of philosopher with whom Christians find much in common, but even radical unbelievers sometimes have good things to say. In his book, Beyond Good and Evil he wrote, “The essential thing in heaven and earth is that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.” Eugene H. Peterson borrowed Nietzsche’s phrase for…
1 Kings 1-4
Solomon: “Give Your Servant a Discerning Heart” Introduction: We’re going to begin today with a little quiz. I want you to take a pen or pencil and write something on your worship folder. Suppose I was in a position to give you any three wishes your little heart desired, what would they be? That’s right. Anything you want. Write it down. You don’t have to show it to anyone else–this is just between you and the Lord. Have you got it? Now just set it aside; we’ll come back…
1 Kings 13, 20
The Man of God From Judah: Nothing Trumps a Word from God. Introduction: Every Sunday I announce at the bottom of the outline what the sermon and the text will be for the following Sunday. Last Lord’s Day I noted that today I would be preaching on “The Man of God from Judah” from 1 Kings 13, and the epitaph I listed for this unnamed prophet was this: “He listened to a prophet of the Lord instead of to the Lord.” Well, I’m still…
1 Kings 18:16-46
Elijah: “Do It Again.” Introduction: This morning we come to one of the great battle stories of the Bible–not great in the number of troops involved or in the number of casualties experienced but in the decisiveness of the victory. This battle was between two men. One was a wealthy and powerful monarch with scores of troops and bodyguards, plus chariots and countless weapons, yet he stood morally bankrupt and helpless in the presence of the other. The second man was without wealth, without…
2 Chronicles 34, 35, 2 Kings 22, 23
Josiah: “I Have Found the Book of the Law in the Temple!” Introduction: Have you ever thought about the difference one good leader can make? We come today in our series on the kings and prophets of Israel to Josiah, the last good king of Judah. There were only eight kings out of 20 who could be called “good” in any sense of the word, but Josiah was one of the best. He was a remarkable exception to the ungodliness that characterized Judah during…
1 Peter 1:13-2:3
Cultural Advice for Ex-Patriots Whenever you go to a foreign country it is wise to read up on its customs and culture. A number of years ago I took a trip to Russia, unwisely in January! I discovered some very interesting things about Russian culture–some before I went and others after I arrived. Russians always remove their shoes when they come into a house or an apartment. Usually there is a basket of slippers to choose from; if not, you just walk around in your…
Colossians 3:18-21
Renewing Our Passion for Family SCRIPTURE: Colossians 3:18-21 SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: Our brief but profound text for today is found in Colossians 3:18-21: Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Bible scholar Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones has stated, “The failure to understand and implement…
Matthew 21:28-32
A Supper Parable The parable I have chosen today is best known as The Parable of the Two Sons. I’m not thinking of the Prodigal Son and his Elder Brother. That is undoubtedly Jesus’ most famous story; the parable I want to talk about may be His least known. The Prodigal was Jesus’ longest parable; this is one of the shortest. However, the story I want us to examine today also has some striking similarities to the longer and more famous parable. Both brothers in both of…
Hebrews 13:7-25
Many years ago Allen Funt took his Candid Camera television show to an elite prep school out East, posing as a vocational guidance counselor. Most of the students in this school anticipated being college presidents, bank presidents, or famous corporate lawyers. The producer called the young men in one by one to give them the results of the vocational test they had taken, secretly filming their reactions. A very fine young senior came in, veritably trembling with anticipation of the result of…