Sermons on Wisdom
Our Fuel
Sermon text: Colossians 3:16 In the midst of Paul’s instructions to the Colossians, he tells them to let the word of Christ dwell richly in them. This directive is to the individual believer and to the entire church body. In Ephesians, he gives a similar command but tells them to be filled with the Spirit. This speaks to the powerful relation between God’s word and the control of the Holy Spirit. When we allow God to lead us in this…
Stay Safe
Sermon text: Colossians 2:8 The church at Colossae was being ravaged by false teaching. All sorts of aberrant ideas were pulling the people away from the truth of the gospel. The apostle Paul’s letter to them was geared to combat the error threatening the fellowship. Paul explained that they must not let philosophy and vain teachings take them captive. Two thousand years later, the church is again facing a similar threat. We would do well to heed Paul’s instructions and…
Good Sorrow
Sermon text: 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 In writing to the church in Corinth, Paul contrasts worldly sorrow and godly sorrow. When it comes to sin, worldly sorrow is what we experience when we get “caught.” Worldly sorrow wants to blame circumstances and other people. On the other hand, godly sorrow can be at work even if no one else knows you’ve done something wrong. Godly sorrow seeks to bring restoration through repentance. Godly sorrow is even willing to take whatever penalty…
The Widow’s Oil
Sermon text: 2 Kings 4:1-7 The wife of a prophet was in dire straits. Her husband was dead and she was in debt. The creditor was planning to enslave her young sons to recover his money. She came to Elisha begging him for help. The prophet asked what she had in her house. She responded that she had nothing but a jar of oil. But the Lord used that jar of oil in a mighty way! And how God used…
Things We (Should) Know
Sermon text: 1 John 5:18-20 At the very end of his first epistle, the aged apostle John lists some basic truths. He prefaces each with the phrase “we know.” These facts relate to how sin affects believers, the difference between those how follow Christ and those who don’t, and how we have been given spiritual understanding. Internalizing these can help us to better deal with the world around us and put our reliance on Jesus.
When Times Get Tough
Sermon text: James 1:2-8 We all go through trials in life. It’s just part of being human. What’s different for the believer is how we respond to those difficult situations. James tells us that we should meet obstacles with joy. We don’t need to be thrilled about the struggle. But we should see every setback we encounter as an opportunity for growth in our faith walk.
The Disconnect
Sermon text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 The world considers God’s plan of salvation to be moronic. That goes for all who believe in it as well. But for those who put their trust in Jesus’ finished work, we know that it is actually the greatest demonstration of God’s power. Unbelievers of every generation mock and question and find fault with Christ and His followers. They put their confidence in shaky religious schemes and sketchy philosophical systems. But their most honored thinkers…
The Need for Clarity
Sermon text: Colossians 1:28-29 Our culture today is anything but clear. So much of what is said is muddy at best. Competing agendas and philosophies are even complicating straightforward concepts like gender and marriage. It’s reasonable to assume that confusion is running rampant. This is why there is such a need for clarity from the Christian community. Our message about Jesus must be clear. We cannot cloud it with wrong motives or unimportant information. People’s eternal souls are at stake.
Proper Expectations
Sermon text: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 Paul had a lot to deal with when it came to the church in Corinth. One particularly onerous situation involved an incestuous relationship within the fellowship. What made matters worse was that the church leadership was accepting of this sin in their midst. Paul had told them earlier that they could not fellowship with these types of people. But the Corinthian Christians didn’t get it. They though he meant to not befriend people caught up…
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.
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