“Sola Gratia” (Ephesians 2:1-10)
Sola Gratia (Eph. 2:1-10) It’s a lot easier to state the truth of this doctrine than it is to feel the joy and freedom we have received because of it. God gives life through his Son to display the riches of his grace. Our silence is not only a missed opportunity for our neighbor to hear the gospel, but, a missed opportunity to display God’s grace. I want to know fully and display often, the riches of God’s mercy. Illus:…
“The Corruption of Worship” (Judges 17-18)
The Corruption of Worship (Judges 17-18) Jack Arnold writes: There can be no appreciation for the Reformation until one sees the great spiritual need of the western world in the 16th century. No Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant or Independent can gloss over the period of history from 590 to 1517. This period is a “black spot” to all who name the name of Christ, but it is Christian history. The Medieval Church had repeated the failure of Israel during the…
“The Death of Samson” Judges 16:1-31
The Death of Samson (Judges 16) Introduction I’m going to try to be somewhat discreet as I preach this text, but we will need to address a topic that was a significant problem for Samson. It’s a significant problem for many more people today. In his book, Hide or Seek, John Freeman writes: At times I’m still amazed at the pushback I get from men who are reluctant to install a filter or accountability software on their computer. For men,…
“The Parable of the Sower” (Luke 8:4-15)
The Parable of the Sower Brad Mills / General Luke / Parables / Luke 8:4–15 The dangers of falling asleep in church are often exaggerated when we read the story of Eutychus in Acts 20. In fact, falling asleep in church is quite common, and it rarely leads to any serious injury. I appreciate what Kent Hughes says about it: Falling asleep in church really does not concern me. It can happen for any number of reasons, both good…
“Samson Defeats the Philistines” (Judges 15:1-20)
Samson Defeats the Philistines Brad Mills / General Judges: So Great A Salvation / Judges 15:1–20 As Americans, many of us have grown a little battle weary. We cringe whenever we hear about wars and rumors of wars. We struggle to understand why there is so much violence in our world today. But maybe it is even more troubling to read of such violence in the pages of Scripture. God’s grand design may not make sense of all the…
“Women Accompanying Jesus” (Luke 8:1-3)
Jesus had just finished attending a feast at Simon the Pharisee’s house. While there a prostitute had entered the room and served Jesus as if she herself were the host. She kissed his feet and washed them with a mixture of her tears and ointment. Here, in this brief passage, Luke provides us with a description of Jesus’ traveling companions: the twelve, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others. Read Luke 8:1-3 We can only imagine the blessing it would…
“A Match Made In Heaven” (Judges 14:1-20)
How do you respond when life doesn’t make sense? What do you do when loved ones make decisions that contradict everything you taught them? Wrestle with that question for a moment. Do you throw your hands up? Do you take their decision personally, as if you were directly responsible for their actions? Do you grow angry with God? Do you doubt his power or presence? All of these are understandable reactions, but none of them reveal a heart that is…
“A Sinful Woman Forgiven” (Luke 7:36-50)
A Sinful Woman Forgiven Brad Mills / General Luke / Luke 7:36–50 During our Summer Study in 2017 we considered the importance of eating in the ministry of Jesus. We used Tim Chester’s excellent book A Meal With Jesus to spend several weeks talking about the role of meals in the life of Jesus. One of the quotes that stuck was from Robert Karris: In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming…
“So Great A Salvation” (Judges 12:1-7; Judges 13:1-25)
So Great A Salvation Brad Mills / General Judges: So Great A Salvation / Judges 12:1–7; Judges 13:1–25 We need to wrap up our look at the end of the Jephthah narrative, before going to another controversial figure in the book of Judges. The Samson narrative provides another good opportunity to remind us that the book of Judges is ultimately about how God operates through Israel to bring about redemptive history. Colorful characters should not become central. Yes, they…