Seasonal Preaching

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5) Because of God’s immense love expressed toward us in the giving of His Son we can have confidence in our hope.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) How can we, like Paul, have Christ living in us? This lesson offers three keys for doing so.

Paul explained that God sent Jesus to die “to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26) How is it that God can justify us and still justly deal with sin? How do we benefit from this?

“But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” (1 Corinthians 8:3) Knowledge of God is important, but some do not know God as much as they think. If God knows us, then we are truly in right standing with Him. How do we know if God knows us?

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) What treasure was Paul referring to? Do we value it as such? What is our responsibility as those who possess this treasure?

Speaking of those who rejected the Christ Peter wrote, “They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed” (1 Peter 28). Did they have a choice? What did the Holy Spirit mean when He revealed this?

While the way to heaven is narrow and difficult already (cf. Matthew 7:13-14), sometimes we make things hard on ourselves. Why might it be so hard for some to be faithful?

Since sin separates man from God, only by pardon is man fit to serve God acceptably. There are falsified pardons which some are deceived by. These only worsen the problem. Pardon can and must be verified by the evidence of scripture. Securing such evidentiary pardon leads to intense, confident devotion to God.

God was very intentional in His creation of woman, and very intentional in His placement of her. When women are not mindful of God and His intentions for them the family, church, and society are negatively affected. When she seeks to please God by fulfilling the role He gave her, everyone around her is benefitted greatly. One can see the importance of a godly woman.

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” (James 1:26) Our religion is worth nothing unless it is governed by God’s word. Our speech will reflect whether this is so.

The fact that God has revealed His will to us is significant. The very act itself teaches us important truths. We must consider these in order to approach God’s revelation appropriately.

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” (Romans 1:11-12) As we are active, and increase in our faith we will be an encouragement for others to do the same. As we see their faith grow we are encouraged as well.

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” (James 5:13) God has given us instruction on how to react to suffering. The plan God has for us works. We can turn to Him in time of need, and the result will be cheer.

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) The Israelites were told to give God their all, and reserve nothing for the gods in the land they were going to possess. Because God is one, our devotion to Him should be entire.

In a context warning about apostasy, Paul revealed two specific errors for Timothy to watch for – forbidding to marry, and commanding abstinence from certain foods (cf. 1 Timothy 4:3). Concerning the latter, Paul said God created the foods to be received by “those who believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:3). Believing requires acknowledgement of the truth. However, knowledge by itself is not b...

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”  (Ephesians 1:22-23) What is the church’s purpose? What should any local church aim to be? How are we to truly be the “fullness” of Christ?

Christians desire confidence and assurance of their salvation. God has made ample provision in His eternal plans to ensure His adopted children of their inheritance. One blessing Paul mentioned in Ephesians 1 concerned the seal of the Holy Spirit, who is a guarantee of our inheritance (cf. Ephesians 1:13-14). What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”  (Ephesians 1:22-23) What is the church’s purpose? What should any local church aim to be? How are we to truly be the “fullness” of Christ?

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7) What does Peter mean in describing the wife as “the weaker vessel?” How does the husband give her honor?

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23) What is the church’s purpose? What should any local church aim to be? How are we to truly be the “fullness” of Christ?

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23) What is the church’s purpose? What should any local church aim to be? How are we to truly be the “fullness” of Christ?

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) Paul’s instructions concerning burden bearing included the correction of sin. Paul also instructed how one is to respond to such teaching, and warns about sowing to the flesh.

Paul told Timothy to “be diligent” (2 Timothy 2:15). Diligence is the basic virtue necessary for achieving anything, even growing in Christ. It is not something distant from us, but is often neglected. If we are to improve, and be pleasing to God, we must be diligent.

The Hebrew writer attributes the text of Psalm 40:6-8 to the words the Messiah spoke to God when He entered the world (cf. Hebrews 10:5-10). He entered a body prepared by God for the perfect sacrifice. The text shows the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice, and the Psalm in its own context gives us purpose as well.

Paul began his letter to the Ephesians enumerating the blessings they enjoyed in Christ, and followed with a prayer for their increase in the knowledge and wisdom of God (cf. Ephesians 1:15-23). Specifically, Paul’s prayer was for them to have a spirit of wisdom and revelation starting with the hope within them, and ascending upwards regarding the object of their heavenly inheritance, and even fur...