Sermon List

Mercy or Merit: The Case of Cornelius
Acts 10: 30-35

Introduction: Jesus and the Gentiles
The Commissioning in Matthew 10

The Door Opened Part 1
Acts 10:17-33
I When Visions are Thick upon the Ground vv. 17-19
A The Moment of Ignition
1. When God does a new Thing

The Way to Begin
I Samuel 17

I. David Embraced the Will of His Father even though that Will Appeared Thankless and Obscure vv. 17-20
II. David Counted the Cost v.26

The Way to Begin
I Samuel 17

I. David Began by Accepting an Obscure and Thankless Job Assigned by His Father vv. 17-20

The World and the Word in the New Year

The grass withers,
the flower fades
But the Word of our God
stands forever
Isaiah 40:8

1.The visible world is passing away

(We apologize that this sermon was not recorded.)

I. The Three Main Characters
A. Magi:

What the Angels Said
Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:14

The Visit of the Magi
Matthew 2: 1-11

Why Do We Still Learn from this Story??

1.What we learn about the alternatives to true worship.
* Superstition as an alternative.

The Visit of the Magi
Matthew 2: 1-11

Why Do We Still Learn from this Story??

1. What we learn about the alternatives to true worship.
* Superstition as an alternative.

Who is Waiting for Whom?
Dennis Strellman 11/28/2010

(We apologize that this sermon was not recorded.)

Has God ever told you "NO", when it was something or someone you really cared about? This is what happened to Moses.

The God Who Says No

THE TWO VISIONS
Part 2

Acts 10:5-23

I. The Authority of Peter

“…send for a man named Simon who is also called Peter.” Acts 10:5

Human creatures are by nature idolaters. And there is no idolatry more deceptive than the idolatry which wears the mask of intellectual respectability.

TWO SIGNS FOR THREE CITIES

Acts 9:32-43

I. The Ministry on the Coastal Plain vv. 32-39

A. Peter Outside Jerusalem v. 32

B. The Three Places vv. 35-36

TIME ALONE WITH GOD

Part 4

Mark 1:35

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house,
and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”

TIME ALONE WITH GOD
Psalm 63:3-8

“If I want to know the universal sovereignty of Christ,
I must know Him for myself and how to get alone with Him.”

- My Utmost for His Highest
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)
Reading for October 14th

TIME ALONE WITH GOD
Part 3
Making It Happen
Psalm 63:3-8

I. David Experienced With God What He Believed About God v. 3

II. David Employed all his Faculties in the Worship of God vv. 3-5

TIME ALONE WITH GOD
PART 2
Making It Happen
Psalm 63:1-2

1. David is Emotionally Engaged with God

Oh, God v. 1

2. David’s Relationship with God is Intensely Personal.

Thou art my God v. 1

3. David is Resolved.

I shall seek Thee v. 1

4. David has a Priority

I shall seek Thee earnestly (early) v. 1

5. David Understands that what He really wants is God.
Everything Else is an Inferior Substitute which cannot Satisfy

THE DESIRE FOR TIME ALONE WITH GOD
Jeremiah 2:2

I. The Desire for Time Alone with God is One Proof of our Love for God
A. Jesus Ranks Love for God as the greatest Commandment
- Matthew 22:35-38
B. The One who Loves desires Time with the Beloved

“Love for God includes a conviction of His excellence, a satisfaction with what Scripture tells us about Him, a fervent advocacy for His kingdom, and gratitude for His mercy.”
-paraphrase from The Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character Gardiner Spring (1785-1873)

THE POINT OF FELLOWSHIP
John 17:11-23

I. The Practical Clarification

A. What Fellowship is Not

1. Fellowship is Not the Church’s Social Activities

2. Fellowship is Not a Set of Programs

3. Fellowship is Not an “Extra” in the Christian Life

4. Fellowship is Not a Means to an End in the Christian Life

B. What Fellowship Is

1. Fellowship is a deep and abiding friendship with God which makes a mirrored friendship with other believers possible.

THE GIFT OF FELLOWSHIP
Psalm 133

I. Fellowship Defined and Characterized (v. 1)

Brothers dwelling together in unity

A. Fellowship is a Rare Thing

B. Fellowship is a Good Thing

C. Fellowship is a Pleasant Thing

II. Fellowship Compared by Analogy (vv. 2-3)

A. The Analogy of the Oil upon the Priest

THE PRAYER GOD REFUSED TO ANSWER
Part II
Prayer and God’s Plan for Us
I Kings 19:9-18

I. Two Men with the Same Name

A. The Man of James 5

B. The Man of Romans 11

II. Finding the Place of Prayer –
Where Will God Meet with Us?

A. God Will Meet with Us in a Person
The Lord Jesus Christ

B. God Meets with Us Because of an Event
The Cross

C. God Meets with Us Through a Commitment
Obedience

III. The Priorities of Prayer

THE PRAYER GOD REFUSED TO ANSWER
I Kings 19:1-18

I. The Prayer was Ruined by Elijah’s Focus (19: 1-3)

A. The Focus was on the Word of Jezebel (v. 2)
B. Focus is the Mother of Fear and
Focus is the Mother of Faith (v. 3)

…he was afraid. (19:3)

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.
--Romans 10:17

II. The Prayer was Ruined by Elijah’s Location (19:3, 9, 11,15)

THE BEGINNING OF PAUL’S MINISTRYActs 9:22-31I.   Saul’s Progress     (vv. 22-24)A.  He Confounds Unbelief     (v. 22)B.  He Confirms Truth              (v. 22)C.  He Becomes a Target         (vv. 23-24, 29)II.  The Occasional Necessity of Strategic Retreat     (vv. 25, 30)III.  Fear and the Power of One     (vv. 26-27)IV.  The Courage of Boldness         (vv.

PAUL’S CONVERSION and OUR OWN

Part 2

Acts 9:15-25

Elements in Paul’s conversion in common with all Christians

I.   Public Confession of Faith in Jesus     (Acts 9:20)

II.  Growth     (Acts 9:22)

    A.  The Evidence of Life

    B.  The Danger of Complacency

    C.  The Alternative to Growth

III.  The Encounter with Opposition     (Acts 9:23-24)

PAUL’S CONVERSION and OUR OWN
Acts 9:15-25

I.  Patterns which are Unusual and Distinct

A.  A Spectacular Public Conversion    (Acts 9:3-8)

1.  The Burning Bush     (Exodus 3:2ff)

2.  The Damascus Road     (Acts 9:3-8)

3.  “Most conversions are a gradual realization
      of what God has already done.”
                          --Donald Grey Barnhouse (1895-1960)

B.  Immediate and Prominent Ministry Engagement     
      (Acts 9:20-22; Galatians 1:15-18)

II.  Patterns which are Common and Shared

THE CONVERSION OF PAUL
Part 3
Acts 9:1-16
CHRIST THE SAVIOR

I.  The Sovereign Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ    (Acts 9:1-6)

   A.  The Suffering of God’s Friends     (vv. 1-2)

   B.  The Mercy to God’s Enemies         (vv. 3-6)

II.  The     Question Jesus Asks          (v. 4)

III.  The Miracle Jesus Works         (v. 8)

   A.  The Lesson of the Anti-Miracles     (Mark 11:13-14, 20; Acts 9:8)

   B.  Blindness as a Spiritual Reality     (John 9:39-41)

IV.  The Community Jesus Employs    (Acts 9:10-16)

THE CONVERSION OF PAUL
Acts 9:1-9
A CAREER ARRESTED AND TRANSFORMED

I.  The Phenomenon of Celebrity Conversion

    A.  Some Fall Short

      - The Case of Anthony Flew

    B.  Some Fade Away

      1.  The Case of Bob Dylan

      2.  The Case of Jane Fonda

   C.  Some Go Badly Wrong

       – The Current Case of the Actor and Producer

D.  Some Blossom and Flourish

      1. The Case of Charles Colson

      2.  The Case of Saul of Tarsus

II.  The Character of the Man Saul     Acts 9:1-3