Venice church of Christ

You have probably heard someone speak of a person or a church as "sound" or "unsound." What do we mean by those terms? What do the Scriptures mean when they use them? How should we view "soundness" in individuals and churches, and how might we avoid self-deception in these matters? Soundness | The Restoration Plea in the 21st Century | Sermon Outline

Speak where the Bible speaks; be silent where the Bible is silent. We can understand how this slogan came about on account of the various competing sources of authority in "Christendom." Yet the premise is only as good as it is truly followed, for it proves far too easy to be silent where the Bible speaks, and speak where the Bible is silent. Speak Where the Bible Speaks; Be Silent Where the Bible...

In a world of religious confusion the call went out to use "Bible names for Bible doctrines." The statement sounds appealing; the concerns it critiques are most valid. And yet "Bible names" could become just as problematic depending how they are used. We do well to explore how language is to be used to communicate the purposes of God. Bible Names for Bible Doctrines | The Restoration Plea in the 2...

God has all authority, and is the Source of all authority (Romans 13:1). Lesson over, right? By no means! We do well to explore how God exercises His authority, and to what end. The Authority of God the Father | Authority | Sermon Outline

"I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God" was the expected confession of early Christians, and they were to make good on that confession in their lives. Heresies would develop; it became very easy to insist on certain formulations of the faith in order to be seen as faithful and orthodox. Creeds and creedalism have defined "Christendom" for the better part of 1700 years; let...

Jesus did not come and die to create a fractured, denominated kaleidoscope of organizations. He came to save people from their sins. The path of Christ is not found in a denomination or an anti-denomination; we must transcend denominationalism entirely if we would become one with God and His people. Undenominational Christianity | The Restoration Plea in the 21st Century | Sermon Outline

Thus saith YHWH, "Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, 'We will not walk therein'" ( Jeremiah 6:16 ). The call has been made to "seek the old paths" of the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom as set forth by the Apostles and their associates in the New Testament. Does this call still hold...

The Western world is in a crisis of authority. We are skeptical of all authority except our own. It has not always been so, but the way authority has been used and abused is an age old story. A way out of the crisis exists, but it is surprising and not very easy. A Crisis of Authority | Authority | Sermon Outline

Our God is a consuming fire; it is dangerous to draw near to Him. How could we trust to venture to draw near if it were not for our confidence in God's covenant loyalty? God mediates His relationships with people through covenants; we do well to understand what covenant is all about. Covenant in the Bible | Community and Covenant | Sermon Outline

We hear a lot about declining church attendance and the exodus of young people from the church. Many reasons exist for such trends, but one in particular is well-illustrated by an interesting and surprising contrast. Community proves important: if many do not feel any pain about what the relationships are leaving or losing when departing from the faith, why would we be surprised to find them depar...

Much is riding on our ability to properly discern what God would have us accomplish in Jesus. We do well to strive to diligently interpret and apply the New Testament; join us as we explore how we may best do so. Interpreting the Bible: New Testament Interpretation | The Bible | Sermon Outline

Jesus concluded His discourse with His disciples with a prayer to His Father. He entrusted His disciples and all Christians to His Father's care; He had made the Father known so that they could go and make God's purposes known to all. The High Priestly Prayer | John 17:1-26 | Jesus' Final Discourse | Sermon Outline These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, "Father, the...

In only a little while, Jesus would go. There would be trial in the world, but Jesus had the victory, and in Him the disciples would too. Tribulation and Victory | John 16:16-33 | Jesus' Final Discourse | Sermon Outline "A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me." Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, "What is this that he saith unto us,...

Jesus encountered opposition and hostility unto death for manifesting God's character to the world and upholding truth and righteousness. He wished to prepare His disciples to prepare for the same. The potential is always there; we must always be ready to bear witness to Jesus in word and life even unto death. The Hatred of the World | John 15:18-16:3 | Jesus' Final Discourse | Sermon Outline "If...

The Old Testament is a wealth of treasure for the Christian if he or she is willing to explore it. We do well to understand how to best handle the Old Testament and its interpretation. Interpreting the Bible: Old Testament Interpretation | The Bible | Sermon Outline

Jesus had much to say to the disciples regarding their relationship with God and their dependence on Him. And so He turned to the grape vine for illustration and inspiration. It's now perhaps one of the most famous illustrations of Jesus, and for good reason. We do well to explore Jesus' discourse on the vine and its branches. The Vine | John 15:1-17 | Jesus' Final Discourse | Sermon Outline "I am...

Jesus was leaving, yes, but would not abandon His disciples as orphans. They had no reason to fear; the Comforter would come. We have much to gain from what Jesus told the disciples. The Comforter | John 14:15-31, 16:4-15 | Jesus' Final Discourse | Sermon Outline "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with y...

Jesus had one last chance to encourage His disciples before His death and He took full advantage of the situation. He wished to encourage His disciples with the most important message: love one another as He loved them, for He is the embodiment of the character of God, the way of our salvation, and would die so we could be reconciled to God and abide in His household. The Way, the Truth, and the L...

The Bible can be understood; God has communicated His purposes so that people can come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). God communicated according to human conventions of language, including in both literal and figurative ways. We do well to explore literal and figurative language in Scripture. Interpreting the Bible: Literal and Figurative Language | The Bible | Sermon Ou...

When most people in the world think of a "church," they think of a building. The Greek word ekklesia , which is most often translated as "church" in the Bible, never refers to a building, but always a group of people. The church is not a building: this is a message which requires proclamation to the world and reinforcement among the people of God. The Church Is Not a Building | Musings on the Loca...

Christians in a local church are to meet together to encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25); local churches therefore must give some thought to facilities. But what kind of facilities are necessary for the church to do its work? Such has proven to be a contentious and divisive matter, sadly. We do well to search the Scriptures and gain principles from its pages. The Local Church and Facilities | Mu...

God has an eternal purpose in Christ for the church. The local church has its place in that purpose; we do well to explore it and manifest it to the glory of God. The Local Church in God's Purpose | Musings on the Local Church | Sermon Outline

God has communicated His will and purposes through the prophets and Apostles; they recorded those messages in the Old and New Testaments (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 1:1). God communicated His purposes to be understood: good guidelines exist which help us properly make sense of what God has said. We do well to explore these guidelines for interpretation, known as basic hermeneutics. Interpreting th...

Israel had its choice: would they follow the Messiah God had sent them and seek after God's purposes? Or would they raise up for themselves a "messiah" of their own desires and seek after what they expected the Messiah to do? In 30, and again in 66-70, and finally again in 132, Israel rejected Jesus the Christ and His way and raised up for themselves messiahs in their own image. The Day of YHWH ca...

The prophets warned Judah. Israel served as an example. Yet Judah persisted in idolatry and ruinous foreign policy. The Day of YHWH came for them in 586 BCE. It was a destructive end. But it also proved to be a new beginning. The Day of YHWH in 586 | The Day of YHWH | Sermon Outline