Redemption Church Sermons (Huntington, WV)

You and I are not innocent. We are guilty. We not only need a defense. We need a defender. Someone who will plead our case in order to set us free. Think they can get you forgiveness? Think that they should? The Bible says there is only one that good.

In times of trouble in mind and spirit, the Bible doesn't usually explain to us our situation or even the details of God's plans. The Bible does tell us, however, continually who God is. And to trust Him. Namely, that He is the way. He is truth. He is life.

To abide in Christ means to trust in, lean on, dwell deeply with Jesus. It’s to draw your power and motivation and direction from Him. Abiding leads to life. Refusing leads to death.

A sermon series on Jesus' person through a study of His names and titles has to be incomplete. Because He's infinite. But through a survey of his 4 biographies in the Bible, we can rest in God's choice to reveal what is essential for us. Through God's truth we can know Jesus fully, truly, and personally.

We need a Shepherd, badly. We have a Shepherd, thankfully. Jesus is our Shepherd. He's a good leader, so we follow Him. He has great power, so we answer to Him. He knows everything, so we rest in Him.

Jesus is the beginning and ending of all things. And everything in between. He knows how the pattern all fits together. Because He puts it together and He holds it together. And He’s ready and able to defend it.

Messiah was the one who would fulfill all of the promises of God about the kingdom of God for the people of God. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He has the words of eternal life. Will you believe?

When it comes to God’s rule there is a monarchy, not a democracy. God’s arrangement of things is that there is a kingdom with a king. And this king be a king over all human kings. And this Lord be a Lord over all other lords. Or any other authority. That His name be above every other name. No one has the right over Him as He does over us. In fact, no one has the right over anything like He does.

Jesus has a name above every other name. His sovereign authority is summed up in the name "Lord". We don't make him Lord, we acknowledge and receive Him as Lord through faith. Then live our lives in response to his good and gracious rule.

Moses’ psalm gives us a paradigm for how to live wisely. It starts with God, and ends with God. It focuses us on his holiness and wrath. It encourages us to live wisely in light of who he is. And it ends with his grace and favor. A perfect model, all year long.

There is something in parts of our life that’s shameful, disappointing, embarrassing. And God in grace moves us from Nazareth to Bethlehem and because of His grace reminds us that He’s got a new future in mind. A new direction. For some, virtually a miracle.

Ruth's story serves as a countermelody to God's story of redemption. It is full of beauty, variety, and love. Proclaiming the message of a Redeemer who extends grace to all, regardless of our background or past.

Jesus said, I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. So when you come to Him you’re coming to a Savior, not a judge. And he is able to help you become the person of virtue that you’ve always wanted to be. And he can take those sins that have dominated you all of your life and deliver you and never hold them against you. Rahab is standing righteous before her God right now. So can...

God keeps His promises. Not only will God not break promises. He can’t break them. He not only won’t lie. He can’t lie. In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman. (Gal. 4:4) All the promises of God find their yes in Him. (2 Cor. 1:20)

These are the final recorded words of the apostle Paul. And they drip with grace. Through them we can prepare now for the inevitable final hours of our life. It happens as we receive grace. And then live in grace for the rest of our days.

Life can be lonely. Times can be hard. Needs can be many. Friends walking through it all with us can make all the difference. 2 Timothy 4:9-15 is all about cultivating close friendships and admitting needs. While we have no greater friend than Jesus Christ, we also need one another.

One of the greatest reasons I can think of loving and following Jesus is that he is a God of grace. A God of forgivingness. In Him we truly have someone who can help us with our regrets. One who can make all things new. He, alone, has the ability to free you from the bondage of your memory and remove the stains of our sin.

There is a message to be proclaimed. It isn’t our message or our word. We don’t twist it or soften it or change it. We can’t even make anyone like it or believe it. We are given a divine charge to make a divine message known. Even if it doesn’t make people feel good. Even if it’s an offensive message to the culture. Even if you don’t think it will work in bringing change.

People who finish well do so because they live lives based on a core set of beliefs and convictions. This guides their lives. God has given us those beliefs and convictions in his word.

All of God's people want to make a big difference for God. God wants that for us too. It won't necessarily mean size, visibility, or applause. But it will mean impacting the lives of those around us as we remember the past, anticipate the future, and continue in our present.

We have been made for our times and our times are made for us. We have God's promises and power to live with discernment and decisiveness. Awareness and action.

Competence is what a person can do, and that they do it well. Character refers to who a person is, what they are like morally. In the case of Christian leadership character always is more important than competence. It's character that God is developing in his family.

God can be trusted to speak truth and keep his promises. We know this because of the Bible and the person of Jesus Christ. As diligently stay faithful to both we can stand firm against the tide of our times.

Not only is life difficult, the Christian life is a hard and narrow way. I want to set the record straight on that once and for all. The journey God has us on is full of valleys, setbacks, danger, unexpected detours, and obstacles. It is neither easy or simple. That isn't popular to say. It's not God's desire to make us feel good, but his desire is to grow us up.

There are only two things on this earth that are eternal. The first is God’s word. The second thing is people. It does something to us when we realize that the Word of God and people are eternal investments. In light of that. God calls us to guard the word and refresh people.