Sunday Sermon Outline: The Recognition of God's Mercy

“The Recognition of God’s Mercy”
Psalm 86

I. Recognizing God’s mercy means living in TRUST. vs. 1-7

“A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You. 3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. 4 Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You. 6 Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.”

Psalm 25:1-3,  “To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.”

II. Recognizing God’s mercy means walking in TRUTH. vs. 8-13

“8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; no deeds can compare with Yours. 9 All the nations You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord; they will bring glory to Your name. 10 For You are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name. 12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. 13 For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave.”

Psalm 25:4-14, “Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths; 5 guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. 6 Remember, O LORD, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to Your love remember me, for You are good, O LORD. 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. 11 For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.”

III. Recognizing God’s mercy means persevering in TRIBULATION. vs. 14-17

“14 The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life-- men without regard for You. 15 But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant. 17 Give me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.”

Psalm 25:15-22, “My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only He will release my feet from the snare. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!”

Conclusion:

Psalm 28:6-9, “Praise be to the LORD, for He has heard my cry for mercy. 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. 8 The LORD is the strength of His people, a fortress of salvation for His anointed one. 9 Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.”

 

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Sunday Sermon Outline: When Wrong Seems Strong

“When Wrong Seems Strong”

Psalm 37:1-7

Introduction:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

Psalm 37:1-7, “Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. 2 For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.”

Psalm 73:2-3, “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

I. Trust in the Lord vs. 1-3

“Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. 2 For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”

Ezekiel 34:31, “You [are] My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, … and I am your God.”

John 10:9,14, “I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. … I am the good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me.”

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

II. Commit Your Ways to the Lord vs. 4-6

“4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.” 

Acts 13:22, “a man after My heart, who will do all My will.”

III. Wait on the Lord v. 7

“7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.”

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“The Lord … is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Conclusion:

“what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:36)?

“Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Matthew 11:30, “My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”

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Sunday Sermon Outline: A Place Called Wits' End

“A Place Called Wits’ End” 

Psalm 107:23-27

 

Introduction: 

    Psalm 107:23-27, “They went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24 They saw the works of the LORD, His wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end.”

 

I. “Lord, I’m at my wit’s end!”
     

    “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). 

    1 Peter 4:12, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”
    Psalm 107:28-31, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.”
    Deuteronomy 1:31-32, “… in the desert … you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place. 32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your God.” 

    Psalm 37:23-24, “If the LORD delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; 24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand.” 

 

II. “Lord, send me a miracle!”
    Psalm 106:7, “When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.” 

    “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7). 

    Deuteronomy 2:7, “These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.”

     “Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering” (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5).

 

III. “Lord, what will happen to me now?”
    “This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit"” (Jeremiah 17:5-8).

 

Conclusion:

    Psalm 107:28-31, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.”

 

 

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Sunday Sermon Outline: Out of the Mouth of Babes

"Out of the Mouth of Babes"
Matthew 21:15-16; 19:13-15


Introduction:
     Matthew 21:12-14, “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”


I. Children are important to the King. Matthew 21:15-16
     “But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they became indignant, 16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABES THOU HAST PREPARED PRAISE FOR THYSELF'?"”


     A. The wrong reaction vs. 15-16a
     1 John 3:1, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.”
     1 John 4:19, “We love, because He first loved us.”


     B. The righteous reaction v. 16b


II. Children are important to the Kingdom. Matthew 19:13-15
     “Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 And after laying His hands on them, He departed from there.”


     A. The wrong reaction v. 13


     B. The righteous reaction vs. 14-15
     Matthew 18:1-4, “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”


Conclusion:
     Mark 10:15, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all.”
     2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
     1 Corinthians 1:22-25, "For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."




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Sunday Sermon Outline: In God We Trust

“In God We Trust”
Psalm 33:8-22


Introduction: Romans 13:4; Isaiah 5:20; Hosea 10:13-14
     2 Chronicles 20:20, “Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.”


I. We must trust in God’s plan. vs. 8-15


     A. We must trust in His Sovereignty, vs. 8-11.
     “Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.”


Isaiah 46:9-10; Psalm 103:19; 9:7-10; Proverbs 19:21; Deuteronomy 7:21


     “Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock” (Isaiah 26:4).


     B. We must trust in God’s Selection of a people, vs. 12-15.
     “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. 13 The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; 14 From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works.”


     Psalm 65:4-5, “Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple. 5 You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.”


Romans 13:1; 8:28-31; 2 Chronicles 16:8-9; Romans 11:5


     Psalm 4:3-5, “But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; The LORD hears when [we] call to Him. 4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the LORD.”


II. We must trust in God’s protection. vs. 16-22


     A. We must trust in His Strength, vs. 16-19.
     “The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, 19 To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.”


Psalm 118:8; 1 Chronicles 5:18-20; 2 Chronicles 14:8-12


     Jeremiah 17:5-8, “This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."”


     Isaiah 12:2, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.”


     B. We must trust in His Security, vs. 20-22.
     “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name. 22 Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You.”


     Psalm 25:1-3, “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame, …” “in You I trust, O my God.”


2 Corinthians 1:9-10; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Corinthians 15:19-22; 2 Timothy 1:12


     Psalm 56:3-4, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”

     Psalm 86:2, “Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.”


Conclusion: Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”


1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 26:1-3; 1 Peter 4:19; James 4:7-10


     “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You” (Psalm 84:11-12).




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Sunday Sermon Outline: Colossians 2

Colossians 2
Fighting Against the Flesh

I. Believe Christ vs. 1-7
     “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. “


II. Obey Christ vs. 8-15
     “8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”


III. Trust Christ vs. 16-23
     “16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. 20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”


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Sunday Sermon Outline: John 2

John 2

Revealing the Glory of the Father

John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

I.   The Power of God  vs. 1-12

      “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; [2] and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. [3] When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” [4] And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” [5] His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” [6] Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. [7] Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. [8] And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. [9] When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, [10] and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” [11] This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. [12]  After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.”

James 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” 1 John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. [15] And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”

II.  The Zeal of God  vs. 13-22

      “[13]  The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [14] And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables . [15] And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; [16] and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business.” [Gr, emporiou, emporium] [17] His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.””

Malachi 3:1-3, “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts. [2] But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers’ soap. [3] He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. [4] Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.”

     “[18] The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” [19] Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [20] The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” [21] But He was speaking of the temple of His body. [22] So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.”

John 1:47-51, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” [48] Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” [49] Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” [50] Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” [51] And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.””

III. The Trust of God  vs. 23-25

      “[23]  Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. [24] But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, [25] and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”

John 6:57-71, ““As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. [58] “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.” [59] These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. [60]  Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” [61] But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? [62] “ What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? [63] “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. [64] “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. [65] And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” [66]  As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. [67] So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” [68] Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. [69] “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” [70] Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” [71] Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.”


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Sunday Sermon Outline: 1 Thessalonians 5

“In God We Trust”
1 Thessalonians 5

Introduction: Hebrews 12:9


I.  Trust God as your focus vs. 1-10
     “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. [2] For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. [3] While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. [4] But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; [5] for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; [6] so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. [7] For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. [8] But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. [9] For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4' Revelation 2:4; Matthew 6:33; Malachi 1:6


II. Trust God in your fellowship vs. 11-15
     “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. [12] But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, [13] and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. [14] We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. [15] See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.”

Galatians 6:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7


III. Trust God as your Father vs. 16-22
     “Rejoice always; [17] pray without ceasing; [18] in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. [19] Do not quench the Spirit; [20] do not despise prophetic utterances. [21] But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; [22] abstain from every form of evil.”

Colossians 3:2; Psalm 50:23; 2 Peter 1:20-21


IV. Trust God enough to put Him first vs. 23-28
     “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. [25] Brethren, pray for us. [26] Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. [27] I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. [28] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”


Conclusion: Ephesians 6:1-3; Revelation 7:11-12


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Sunday Sermon Outline: Ecclesiastes 11

Sow With a View to Righteousness
Ecclesiastes 11

Introduction: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. [14] For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

 Hosea 10:12


I.   Work Wisely  vs. 1-2
     “Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. [2] Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.”

 Matthew 6:19-21


II. Work Trustingly  vs. 3-6
     “[3] If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. [4] He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. [5] Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. [6] Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.”

 Psalm 37:3-18


III. Work Joyfully  vs. 7-10
     “[7] The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. [8] Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility. [9] Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. [10] So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10; John 9:4; Hebrews 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16 – 7:1


Conclusion: Hosea 10:12


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Midweek Lesson Outline: Judges 6-8

“The Real Strength of a Nation”
Judges 6-8

Introduction: Judges 2:6-12; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Judges 6:1


I. Gideon was strong enough to trust God. Judges 6:11-24

“Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. [12] The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.” [13] Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” [14] The LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” [15] He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house.” [16] But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” [17] So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. [18] “Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”

[19] Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.[20] The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. [21] Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. [22] When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” [23] The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” [24] Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace.”

1 Corinthians 1:27; Psalm 33:12-22


II. Gideon was strong enough to stand up for God. Judges 6:25-32

“Now on the same night the LORD said to him, “Take your father's bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the *Asherah that is beside it; [26] and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” [27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father's household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night. [28] When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built. [29] They said to one another, “Who did this thing?” And when they searched about and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.” [30] Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.” [31] But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.” [32] Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had torn down his altar.”

Matthew 10:36-37


III. Gideon was strong enough to seek the truth of God. Judges 6:34-40

“So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. [35] He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. [36] Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, [37] behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.” [38] And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. [39] Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” [40] God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.”

Hebrews 11:32-34


IV. Gideon was strong enough to obey God. Judges 7-8

Judges 7:1-9, “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. [2] The LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ [3] “Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained. [4] Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” [5] So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” [6] Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. [7] The LORD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.” [8] So the 300 men took the people's provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. [9] Now the same night it came about that the LORD said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands.”

Judges 3:4


Conclusion: 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 2:9

That's Not Trust

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; [9] indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; [10] who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

The circumstances in which the apostle found himself were dire indeed. When you've reached the point where you truly believe you are going to die, how much lower can you go? But God specializes in the impossible. As Jesus testified, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). What is required from man though is trust.

I would define trust as responsive faith. It believes, but doesn't only believe. It has faith, but that faith actively works. Trust means putting what you believe into practice.

“Did God really say that?”
"Yes, He really said that.”
“Did He mean it?”
“Yes, He really meant it.”
“And He actually wants me to do something about it?”
“Yup, that's the fact, Jack.”

I would suggest that there is little evidence that the modern church understands trust at all. For example, let's imagine Jesus is standing right on the other side of a deep chasm. He says, “Walk to Me.” Now, in the Bible we read of Peter and the trust that He placed in Jesus, getting out of the boat and walking on the water. But walking on air? Joe Christian is ready to obey though, so he grabs a hatchet, cuts down a few nearby trees, fashions a makeshift bridge, and is able to walk out on it just far enough to reach Jesus' hand. The Lord looked at him, sighed, shook His head, and said, “That's not trust.”

Imagine Jesus handing a note to Joe and saying, “Take this to your next door neighbor.” Hmmm. Joe's never actually talked to his next door neighbor. Doesn't even know his name, but he's willing to be obedient. So he calls a bunch of his friends and invites them to a party at his house. Knowing the noise of the party will get his neighbor's attention, he rents a large flashing signboard, programs in the message from Jesus, and sets it directly between his house and the neighbor's. And Joe, watching from his house, finally sees his neighbor look out his window and read the sign. The next day, Joe returns to Jesus with a big smile. “Mission accomplished!” The Lord looked at him, sighed, shook His head, and said, “That's not trust.”

Imagine Jesus taking Joe to a small lot in a relatively poor neighborhood. Joe notices a concrete foundation and a stack of building supplies nearby. Jesus says, “I want you to build a house.” He points to the supplies, “Everything you need is right there.” After Jesus leaves, Joe – ready to obey – rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. Framing the house doesn't take very long, since the wall studs were already together. Joe only had to raise them into place and secure them. He noticed a bag full of nails, but understanding the principles of construction, went out and bought power screws instead. He knew they would last much longer and be much more secure. Then Joe was ready to place the exterior walls. He noticed the boards Jesus provided weren't very attractive, and wanting to really please his Master, went out and bought better boards with his own money. By the time Joe was finished, the outside of the house was attractive and much more pleasing to the eye than those simple boards. All that was left was the inside. Again, Joe noticed the Lord's supplies were basic and minimal at best, so he called some of his friends in the community and asked if they would donate some better supplies for finishing and furnishing the inside of the Lord's house. Lots of people got involved, and soon the house was a veritable showplace inside. Joe smiled. He knew the Lord would be pleased with his initiative. About to contact Jesus, Joe had one last flash of brilliance, contacting a local company to completely landscape the yard. When the Master finally arrived, Joe smiled, asking, “Isn't it beautiful?” The Lord looked at him, sighed, shook His head, and said, “That's not trust.”

Can you imagine Jesus warming up the crowd with a few jokes before the Sermon on the Mount? Do you really see the apostles on the Day of Pentecost using a praise band to get the audience pumped before convicting them of crucifying the Christ? Can you really see one apostle or prophet surfing the internet during office hours, or attending the local meeting of the ministerial alliance? Can you see the early Christians, persecuted heavily because of their beliefs, gathering together for an exercise class? In fact, how many – if any – of our modern practices can be justified in Scripture?

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

What reason do we have for believing that the Lord will be proud of the congregations we have constructed? Is it because our buildings are so beautiful? How beautiful are the lives of those within? Will the amount of acreage we own make up for the lack of knowledge we possess or the lack of faith we display? Do we really believe that our improvements to the church are superior to what the Lord of all creation provided? Are we really so bold as to think that marketing experts know more about reaching the lost than the One who is King of kings and Lord of lords? The “Christian” church that is being presented to the world today is nothing like that found in the New Testament, yet our “Restoration” leaders smile, pat each other on the back, and say to Jesus, “Mission accomplished!”

“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). Jesus turns away, saddened by the vain attempts to supplant His eternal wisdom. He sighs, shakes His head, and says, “That's not trust.”