Judges 1:1-2:18
The Book of Judges: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay The Second-Generation Syndrome SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: I suspect some of you are glad we’ve finished our series on “Great Church Fights” and can now move on to something more edifying than conflict. Well, we’re moving on alright—to a book of the OT that specializes in murder, mutilation, ethnic cleansing, rape, idolatry, and general moral mayhem. It’s almost like watching the evening news. You may end up wishing I had found some more church fights…
Judges 2:16-3:31
The Book of Judges: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay Breaking the Cycle of Partial Obedience SPEAKER: Paul T. Stolwyk Introduction: John is a homeless man. An unfortunate set of circumstances converged to take this once middle-class man to the streets. By night, he sleeps in several places. By day, he forages for food in the dumpsters behind local eateries. A street tip tells him of a dumpster behind a restaurant where the pickings are not only plentiful, but they beat the typical Burger King…
Judges 4-5
The Book of Judges: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay Deborah and Barak: The Value of Teamwork SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: The author of Hebrews, in his great panorama of men and women of faith in chapter 11, writes, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets—men of whom the world was not worthy.” We are taking the time to examine some of the lesser-known OT characters in some…
Judges 6
The Book of Judges: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay Gideon: The Man of Faith Who Doubted SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: My message title today contains something of an oxymoron. We’ve always been told that faith and doubt are antithetical to one another. How can I speak of “a man of faith who doubted?” Yet it’s amazing how many great heroes of the faith went through periods of significant doubt before, and even occasionally after, they earned their reputations for courage and confidence. One thinks of…
Judges 7
The Book of Judges: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay Gideon Takes a Course in Divine Math SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Report on Huntington, Utah: I want to take the opening moments of my time this morning to tell you a story that has nothing to do with my message. Those of you who attended our last congregational meeting have some prior knowledge of this situation, but much more has taken place and I want to bring all of you up to…
Judges 8
The Book of Judges: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay The Tragedy of Not Finishing Strong SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: One of the most important goals of my life is to finish strong. I am in my mid-fifties, which means I may have ten years remaining as a senior pastor, then hopefully a few more years as an interim pastor or in some other ministry capacity. Ten years is not long in the total scheme of things, but it’s long enough to…
Joshua 1:1-9
SERIES: Joshua: Victory through Faith Filling Big Shoes SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: How many times have you heard someone say, or perhaps even said yourself, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fill his or her shoes?” I think a lot of people have struggled with that—some more than others. How would you like to have been the next Prime Minister of Great Britain after Winston Churchill, or the backup soprano to Maria Callas, or the successor to John Wooden as…
Joshua 1:10-18
SERIES: Joshua: Victory through Faith Follow the Leader SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: The world is made up of leaders and followers. Most of us, if asked to do so, would probably peg ourselves as either a leader or a follower, based upon our personality or our job status or our function in the Church. The fact of the matter is, however, that all of us are both leaders and followers, depending upon which of our relationships is being evaluated. You may be a…
Joshua 2
SERIES: Joshua: Victory Through Faith God Specializes in Zeros SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: When one of my esteemed colleagues saw my sermon title today, he asked, “Since when are you into autobiographical sermons?” Well, in a sense, a very real sense, today’s message is autobiographical, but then it’s also biographical of every human being who has been sought out and saved by the grace of God. You see, when we think of zeros, of real losers, we think of people like…
Joshua 3
SERIES: Joshua: Victory through Faith Got Any Rivers You Think Are Uncrossable? SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: Please turn with me to Joshua, chapter 3: “Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are…
Joshua 4
SERIES: Joshua: Victory through Faith Find Ways to NOT Forget SPEAKER: Paul T. Stolwyk DATE: May 26, 1996 Introduction: On my first trip to Moscow, a pastor from Minnesota and I volunteered to meet some people at the Moscow train station and then take the underground Metro to the Moscow Bible Church for Sunday morning services. Rick Thompson, the pastor at Moscow Bible Church, wrote out detailed instructions on how to get to the church from the train station. It had all the…
Joshua 5
SERIES: Joshua: Victory through Faith Prerequisites for Special Service SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: What’s the difference between great athletes and mediocre athletes? More often than not, it’s not native physical ability, but rather desire, preparation and training. What’s the difference between a great salesman and an ordinary salesperson who just makes a living? Usually, it’s not a matter of personality or intelligence or even a superior product, but rather desire and preparation—a willingness to learn the product and study the market. What’s the difference…