Sermons and Biblical Studies

MATTHEW 28:16–20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Jesus commanded that all members of the new covenant be baptized with water. What are some of the dimensions of this rite? First of all, baptism … Continue reading “ENTRANCE BY CLEANSING”

HEBREWS 6:13–20 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath (Hebrews 6:17). Why do we have sacraments? Isn’t the Bible enough? The answer to the second question is yes and no. Yes, the Bible contains all the … Continue reading “THE PURPOSE OF SACRAMENTS”

GALATIANS 3:15–29 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ (Galatians 3:27). When Paul brought the Philippian jailor into the church, he baptized him, and not only him but also his household (Acts 16:33). This brings us to a brief consideration of the nature of the sacraments. There has … Continue reading “THE IMPORTANCE OF SACRAMENTS”

ACTS 16:11–40 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out” (Acts 16:37). We stopped our survey of Acts on … Continue reading “PAUL’S MINISTRY AT PHILIPPI”

1 CORINTHIANS 13 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me (1 Corinthians 13:11). There is growth in the Christian life. The final end of that growth comes when we are face … Continue reading “TRANSFORMATION INTO GLORY”

ROMANS 14:13–23 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peacce and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Because the Bible says that Christians are to be joyful, and because joy is a positive, upbeat thing, many Christians nowadays have fallen into the trap of projecting … Continue reading “REAL JOY AND TRUE PEACE”

1 CORINTHIANS 13 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). In his magnificent work Charity and Its Fruits, the great American theologian Jonathan Edwards wrote these words: “What a watch and guard should Christians keep against envy and malice and every kind of bitterness of spirit toward their … Continue reading “LOVE VERSUS DEATH”

ROMANS 5:1–11 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us (Romans 5:5). As we begin a consideration of the fruit of the Spirit, we must start with love. Galatians 5:22 lists love as the first and preeminent fruit … Continue reading “THE WELLSPRING OF LOVE”

GALATIANS 6:1–18 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted (Galatians 6:1). Paul concluded by encouraging the Galatians to repent and to help each other repent. He told them that the Judaizers’ campaign springs from ignoble motives. They … Continue reading “RESISTING THE SINFUL NATURE”

GALATIANS 4:21–5:26 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16). Paul’s seventh argument against the Judaizers is this: If the law is kept as a way of salvation, it produces only death and destruction because of its curse. Thus, the Judaizers really destroy … Continue reading “GRACE FULFILLS THE LAW”