Sermons About Salvation
We Study to Remember
What goes through the mind of an apostle? We can never know for certain - aside aside from what is written in the Bible that is. Yet what we have in the Bible is only "half" of the conversation. In other words, we think so much more than we speak or write. Yet by looking at the text of 1 Thessalonians, taking insights from the historical background of the first century, and considering information contained in the book of Acts, we can deduce some concerns Paul may have had about the young "church" in Thessalonica.
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The Back-Story of Jesus
The first chapter of Luke gives us the background or back-story of Jesus. We find out the historical setting, and we meet an important godly couple (Zechariah & Elizabeth) who (though Elizabeth was barren) had a very special son named John. Elizabeth's cousin, Mary of Nazareth, is visited by the angel Gabriel and finds out that she (an unmarried woman) is going to become pregnant (not through human means) with a son that is going to fulfill all of the Old Testament promises! Through this back-story, we learn that God gives mercy to the humble, always keeps His promises, and sends salvation through Jesus.
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The Aftershock in Our Lives
It is easier to see and feel the impact of sin collectively when we see the news, but many times it is easy to admit our own brokenness. Many times we are willing to admit that the world is messed up but unwilling to admit our own lives are messed up. So we begin a masquerade to cover the brokenness and hide our pain. We do different things to impress different people and sometimes even in an attempt to impress God. We are afraid to admit our own brokenness because it would mean we are needy. We are ashamed to admit our own brokenness because it makes us feel dirty; but the reality is that only when we admit our brokenness can we find healing and can God through Jesus Christ put our lives back together again.
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Are You Chosen to Follow Jesus?
What was the real issue in this story? It was about being chosen by God. The Hebrews were chosen from all the nations of the world to be God's special people. Similarly, the NT teaches us that all followers of Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, are chosen by God to be His special people in these last days of time. Instead of choosing only one ethnic group to save, God chooses people from all ethnic groups. God chooses Jews and Gentiles from all over the world to be His chosen people. These people are chosen to follow the Messiah. Again, they are not chosen because they are intrinsically better than anybody else. In fact, they are sinners like everybody else. Instead, they are chosen on the same basis that God chose Abraham; they are chosen because of their trusting, obedient faith in God. They believe God's word and they accept God's Messiah--God's own Son, Jesus--as their personal Savior and Lord. I will briefly explain three implications of being one of God's chosen people.
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Lose Your Life to Christ and His Cross
From this crucial text in the gospel of Mark, Pastor Brian Curtis asks us: 1. What does it mean to lose your life to Jesus' cross? and 2. Why is it worth the sacrifice to do so? Listen to the words of our Lord as he calls to deny our selves, take up our cross, and follow him. Listen as Christ calls us to lose our lives.
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What Is Worship?
This message focuses on the component of worship while looking at what defines worship. Is worship limited to a style of music or type of building, or can worship be something more transcendent? We explored how life is worship that extends beyond an hour on Sunday morning.
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Fruits of an Unrepentant Heart
The second sermon in the series on Repentance. A look at David's life and heart.
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We Study To Be An Example
Context is King. If we ignore context we can make the Bible say anything we want. For example, I can command you to do something most think is an "un-Christian" thing to do - all by using Scripture...“Judas went out and hanged himself; do likewise, and what you do, do quickly” (Matt27:5b; Lk3:11; Jn13:27b). All from Scripture; obviously not godly activity - context is vital. How does context impact what Paul writes in the opening chapter of 1 Thessalonians?
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