Sermons on Obedience (Page 3)
When God Calls
Sermon text: Judges 6:11-16 God calls people to do all sorts of things. The call could be to a whole new life pursuit or to a short assignment. Regardless of the length or difficulty of the call, God will always be there leading and equipping. Yet we often push back against His call at first blush. God’s call to Gideon shows us some of the ways we do this.
Your Father Knows
Sermon text: Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is one of the most well-known passages in the New Testament. It also is a serious challenge to His followers. Near the end of the sermon Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock. This is not just some random instruction or invitation. It really provides the basis on how we can live the directives of Jesus’ great sermon.
A Clean Break
Sermon text: Ephesians 4:17-24 The default human condition is alienation from God. This life is marked by spiritual blindness and an appetite for all sorts of sinful thoughts and actions. Someone surrendered to Christ should no longer have these characteristics. Instead, believers should be holy and righteous.
The Difference
Sermon text: Matthew 5:13-16 Early in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus challenges His followers to impact the world. He tells us that we are to be salt and light to a lost and dying generation. This speaks to what we do and why we do it. We must be different than those who don’t know Jesus as their Lord. And when they see the difference, we can lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus as well.
Lessons from a Donkey
Sermon text: Mark 11:1-11 On the first Palm Sunday Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. This was in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. We really don’t consider the donkey much in the whole panorama of the triumphal entry narratives. But we can learn a lot from this humble animal used by our Lord.
No Worries
Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:6-7 We often hear people quote 1 Peter 5:7: “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Thing is, this is the second half of a sentence that begins in verse 6. And this is where things can go wrong. In order to experience the positive impact of verse 7, you have to put verse 6 into practice.
Don’t Try…Die
Sermon text: Galatians 2:20 Many followers of Christ live what could be called a Christian lifestyle. They pursue choices that they believe match up with Scripture and avoid those which don’t. There’s nothing wrong with this. In fact, it’s commendable to wanting to live in accordance with biblical standards. But it’s also easy for this to tip into religion. And Christians aren’t called to be religious. We’re called to be surrendered to Jesus.
Don’t Settle
Sermon text: Genesis 16:1-6 God’s plan for each of us is perfect. That shouldn’t be surprising, since God is all-knowing. In fact, He’s know His plan since before creation. Yet, we imperfect and certainly not all-knowing humans try to convince Him of the merits of our plans. We settle for something that we don’t even know is going to turn out right, instead of His perfect plan.
Caution Ahead
Sermon Text: Romans 16:19 As Paul finishes his letter to the Roman Christians, he warns them of a potential threat. Many scholars believe that this would be false teachers, who would confuse and divide these believers. There are many threats today confronting the modern church. Christians today must heed the same warning and instruction provided by Paul.
The Master’s Business
Sermon text: Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus’ parable of the talents challenges believers to use our resources for God’s glory now, while we have opportunity. We don’t know when Jesus will return. It could be today. We need to make sure we’re making the most of all that Lord has blessed us with to reach and impact others. The parable also makes it clear that an unwillingness to do this indicates that someone is not a follower of Christ.