Sermon20110724

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Two Necessary Goals for every Christian:
I. The goal of Christian freedom is to win others to Christ vv.19-23
Four categories of people to win vv.20-22
Race-the Jews
Religion-those under the law
Religionless (irreligious)-those without law
Restrained-the weak

Sermon20110724

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110717

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110710

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110703

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110626

James 4:11-12
11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.
12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you to judge your neighbor?

1 Slander is a sin against others
2 Slander is a sin against the law
3 Slander is a sin against God

How to combat this sin:
1 Sins of the tongue come from the heart.
2 Love your neighbor as your self and obey the royal law.
3 Seek to love the Lord your God and fear him.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110619

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110612

1 Corinthians 9:1-18

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are theseal of myapostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4   Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
5   Do we not have a right to take along abelieving wife, even as the rest of the apostles and thebrothers of the Lord andCephas?
6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
7 Who at any time servesas a soldier at his own expense? Whoplants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does notuse the milk of the flock?
8 I am not speaking these thingsaccording tohuman judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing. God is not concerned aboutoxen, is He?
10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes,for our sake it was written, becausethe plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
11  If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, wedid not use this right, but we endure all thingsso that we will cause no hindrance to thegospel of Christ.
13  Do you not know that those whoperform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their sharefrom the altar?
14 So alsothe Lord directed those who proclaim thegospel toget their living from the gospel.
15 But I haveused none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man makemy boast an empty one. 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, forI am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preachthe gospel.
17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have areward; but if against my will, I have astewardship entrusted to me.
18 What then is myreward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospelwithout charge, so asnot to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Theme: Two important features of personal rights so you might know when to surrender them for the good of others

I. Paul’s Apostolic Ministry served as an example of personal rights  vv. 1-12a

A. Apostles belonged to an elite group  vv. 1-2

The Proof of Paul’s Apostleship Asserted

B. Apostles had equal rights comparable to all other Christians vv. 3-6

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Asserted

C. Apostles had equal rights compared to other common occupations of that time vs. 7

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Illustrated

D. Apostles had a Biblical basis for receiving support vv. 8-10

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Defended with Scripture

E. Apostles formed unique bonds with those to whom they ministered vv. 11-12

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Applied

II. The gospel is the highest priority and reason to surrender one’s rights vv. 12a-18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110605

1 Corinthians 9:1-18

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are theseal of myapostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4   Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
5   Do we not have a right to take along abelieving wife, even as the rest of the apostles and thebrothers of the Lord andCephas?
6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
7 Who at any time servesas a soldier at his own expense? Whoplants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does notuse the milk of the flock?
8 I am not speaking these thingsaccording tohuman judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing. God is not concerned aboutoxen, is He?
10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes,for our sake it was written, becausethe plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
11  If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, wedid not use this right, but we endure all thingsso that we will cause no hindrance to thegospel of Christ.
13  Do you not know that those whoperform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their sharefrom the altar?
14 So alsothe Lord directed those who proclaim thegospel toget their living from the gospel.
15 But I haveused none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man makemy boast an empty one. 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, forI am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preachthe gospel.
17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have areward; but if against my will, I have astewardship entrusted to me.
18 What then is myreward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospelwithout charge, so asnot to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Theme: Two important features of personal rights so you might know when to surrender them for the good of others

I. Paul’s Apostolic Ministry served as an example of personal rights vv. 1-12a

A. Apostles belonged to an elite group vv. 1-2

The Proof of Paul’s Apostleship Asserted

B. Apostles had equal rights comparable to all other Christians vv. 3-6

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Asserted

C. Apostles had equal rights compared to other common occupations of that time vs. 7

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Illustrated

D. Apostles had a Biblical basis for receiving support vv. 8-10

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Defended with Scripture

E. Apostles formed unique bonds with those to whom they ministered vv. 11-12

The Rights of Paul’s Apostleship Applied

II. The gospel is the highest priority and reason to surrender one’s rights vv. 12a-18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sermon20110529

To Eat or Not To Eat, That is NOT the Question Part 3

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
2  If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idols temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12  And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

Theme : Five principles governing the free exercise of knowledge so you might live in devotion to Christ and love for other believers.

I. All knowledge is inferior to Christian love vv. 1-3

Four implicit reasons:

A. Knowledge is common to all (vs. 1)
B. Knowledge is as equally detrimental as love is beneficial (vs. 1)
C. Knowledge is by nature deceptive (vs. 2)
D. Knowledge of God does not give us a right standing with God, but love for God does (vs. 3)

II. Biblical knowledge provides us with an accurate view of God vv. 4-6

Three ways:

A. Biblical knowledge exposes idolatry as nothing (vs. 4)
B. Biblical knowledge reveals that there is only One God (vv. 4-5)
C. Biblical knowledge always culminates in an affirmation of the Christian faith (vs. 6)

III. Those lacking in knowledge have a weak conscience vv. 7-8

Two Questions:

A. Who is referred to?
B. What is the specific knowledge they don’t have?

The General Food Principle (vs. 8 )

IV. Those possessing knowledge must not destroy the conscience of a weak brother vv. 9-12

A. The Discretionary Command: Don’t cause your brother to stumble (vs. 9)
B. The Solemn Warning: A Sobering Consequence (vs. 11)
C. The Solemn Warning: Proliferation of Sin (vs. 12)

V. Knowledge coupled with love relinquishes the free exercise of one’s liberties, for the sake of a brother vs. 13

A. The extreme solution
B. The discovery of true freedom

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

To Eat or Not To Eat, That is NOT the Question Part 2

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
2  If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idols temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12  And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

Theme : Five principles governing the free exercise of knowledge so you might live in devotion to Christ and love for other believers.

I. All knowledge is inferior to Christian love vv. 1-3

Four implicit reasons:

A. Knowledge is common to all (vs. 1)
B. Knowledge is as equally detrimental as love is beneficial (vs. 1)
C. Knowledge is by nature deceptive (vs. 2)
D. Knowledge of God does not give us a right standing with God, but love for God does (vs. 3)

II. Biblical knowledge provides us with an accurate view of God vv. 4-6

Three ways:

A. Biblical knowledge exposes idolatry as nothing (vs. 4)
B. Biblical knowledge reveals that there is only One God (vv. 4-5)
C. Biblical knowledge always culminates in an affirmation of the Christian faith (vs. 6)

III. Those lacking in knowledge have a weak conscience vv. 7-8

IV. Those possessing knowledge must not destroy the conscience of a weak brother vv. 9-12

V. Knowledge coupled with love relinquishes the free exercise of one’s liberties, for the sake of a brother vs. 13

Podcast: Play in new window | Download