Sermons on Suffering
Romans 8:18-25
The Agony and the Ecstasy[i] Introduction: One of the most distinguishing features of biblical Christianity is its philosophy of suffering. Some religions deny the reality of pain and suffering altogether, calling it an illusion. Others attribute suffering to the fact that God is finite and thus unable to eliminate it. There is a view held by some evangelicals that suffering is never God’s will and is simply the result of weak faith. Jesus and His Apostles, however, took a very balanced approach toward suffering. They acknowledged…
1 Peter 3:13-22
Defending the Faith, Not Ourselves In chapter 1, we were introduced to the reality that becoming a Christian introduces a tremendous new tension in life. Our faith in Jesus causes our citizenship papers to be transferred from one kingdom to another. Paul tells us in Colossians that God “has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.” (Col. 1:13, NLT) The tension results because though our papers…
1 Peter 4:1-6
ARM YOURSELF! Concealed carry has been a very controversial issue in our country over the past two decades. I personally don’t like guns, but in view of the domestic terrorism that has occurred in our country recently, I am frankly rather pleased that we have a dozen or so members of our church packing heat on any given Sunday. I recall back in Missouri in 1998 there was a ballot issue called Proposition B, a measure that would have made it legal…
1 Peter 4:7-19
First Priorities in the Last Days If you knew a great disaster was coming how would you prepare for it? Our passage today talks about a coming disaster and tells us how to prepare: (1 Peter 4:7‑11) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self‑controlled so that you can pray. {8} Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. {9} Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. {10} Each one should…
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
How the Church Suffers for the Gospel The Apostle Paul and his two missionary companions, Silas and Timothy, came to Thessalonica and planted a church during Paul’s second missionary journey, but within weeks their success in winning converts stirred up tremendous opposition. In fact, a riot was generated, and they had to flee the city during the night. Paul’s detractors apparently used that fact against him, claiming he had used and abused his new converts and then abandoned them to handle persecution…
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
The Justice and Judgment of God Introduction: My kids ask me whether I’m nearsighted or farsighted on a regular basis, not because they have a bad memory, but because the concept is hard for them to understand. I always respond the same way to their question, which turns into a small litany. I say, “I’m nearsighted,” and they say, “What does that mean again?” I say, “It means I can see near, but not far.” Then they say, “Can I put…
Hebrews 11:32-40
God’s Hall of Faith: The Gallery of Israel’s Golden Age, Captivity, and Dispersion In our journey through God’s Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11, we have walked through the Gallery of the Ancients, the Gallery of the Patriarchs, and the Gallery of the Exodus and the Conquest. But once Israel inherited the Promised Land, did the need for faith disappear? Not at all. It was still essential and still evident during Israel’s Golden Age, Captivity, and Dispersion. These are the final galleries of the…
2 Cor. 1:3-11
No Preferential Treatment Last Lord’s Day we launched a six-month study of the book of 2 Corinthians. I would encourage you to listen to that message if you happened to be out of town over the holidays. We provided lots of important background information for the book and talked about what we can expect to gain from this study. This morning I would like to review just a couple of important points made last Sunday. Second Corinthians is a very personal and emotional…
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
The Man Who Visited Paradise and Returned to Tell About It We come today to one of the strangest and most fascinating passages in the whole Bible. It contains two remarkable stories–Paul’s visit to Paradise and the thorn in the flesh he was given as a result of his visit to Paradise. This is not an easy passage to interpret or to understand, and I’m convinced we will never understand it fully unless we see it in the context of the dispute…
ecclesiates 3:1-22
The Tyranny of Time and Eternity Two of the most incomprehensible terms in the English language are “time” and “eternity.” Have you ever tried to define these words? Years ago I conducted a rather thorough search for a workable definition of time. About the best I could come up with was the following: “Time is the mere abstract possibility of events in durational sequence.” Now if you take pains to examine that definition and to digest each part of it very carefully, you will probably be forced to admit you don’t understand what time is…