Sunday Sermon Outline: Back to Basics

“Back to Basics”
Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount

I. Resolve Differences Responsibly Matthew 5:23-25
     "23 If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, in order that your opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison“ (Matthew 5:23-25).

II. Keep Your Word Matthew 5:34-37
     "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36 Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; and anything beyond these is of evil” (Matthew 5:34-37).

III. Return Good for Evil Matthew 5:38-39
     "You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' 39 But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:38-39).

IV. Look Beyond Work and Money Matthew 6:19-21
     "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-20).

     Matthew 6:33, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”

V. Don't Criticize Matthew 7:1-2
     "Do not judge lest you be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2).


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Sunday Sermon Outline: Jesus the Carpenter

“Jesus the Carpenter”
Mark 6:1-6

Introduction: Mark 6:1-6, “And He went out from there, and He came into His home town; and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? 3 "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him. 4 And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his home town and among his own relatives and in his own household." 5 And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He wondered at their unbelief.”

I. A carpenter defines the value of honest work.
     “Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”

II. A carpenter demonstrates that he can create something new.

     Matthew 12:20, “A battered reed, He will not break off; and a smoldering wick, He will not put out.”
     John 1:3, “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being.”
     John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” 

III. A carpenter displays the potential in his materials.
     "You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called ‘Cephas.’”

IV. The Carpenter died upon a carpenter’s creation for our sins.


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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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Sunday Sermon Outline: Ecclesiastes 4

Working with God
Ecclesiastes 4

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.”


I.  Living in an evil world vs. 1-4
     “Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. [2] So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. [3] But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. [4] I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

 Ecclesiastes 8:12-13; Luke 12:15; James 5:5-6, 8


II. Working in an evil world vs. 5-8
     “[5] The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. [6] One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. [7] Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. [8] There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.”

 Romans 6:23


III. Working in God's kingdom vs. 9-12
     “[9] Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. [10] For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. [11] Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? [12] And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” 

 Romans 8:31; Luke 10:1, 4


IV. Favoring God's kingdom vs. 13-16
     “[13] A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. [14] For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. [15] I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. [16] There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.” 

2 Timothy 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:4


Conclusion: Ecclesiastes 5:1; Hebrews 6:10-12


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Perception vs. Reality

Perception is not always reality, especially for Christians. Having been reminded that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), then perhaps what is seen is not always the whole story.

Over the course of a twenty-five year ministry, I was fired four times. That sure doesn't look good. I know of other ministers who have spent fifty years with the same congregation. That looks great! For the last two and a half years, I have not received a paycheck from a regular employer. That doesn't look good. I know others who have steady jobs and do a wonderful job of financially supporting their families. That looks great! But haven't you heard? Looks can be deceiving!

To the world (and even most of my family), it seems as if I do nothing. I am not employed by any congregation, and I have been unsuccessful – to the present – in securing any secular employment. There was a time when I, too, worried about such things, until the word of God reminded me that “the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14).

“But no church will hire you!”

You see, it is in response to that observation that I found spiritual truth. The local congregations that I have served were never my employers. The One for whom I have consistently “worked” is the Lord. I have served Him faithfully for almost twenty-eight years. Every message preached, every lesson taught, every article written, every person counseled or consoled, edified or evangelized has been under His employ. What support I have received – whether from congregations or individuals – has been at His discretion.

Like Timothy, I have been instructed, “Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). Such a command is in no way dependent upon a paycheck. The apostle Paul did not minister because of compensation, but because he was compelled to do so. “For I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Not“woe is me” I won't get paid, but “woe is me” if I don't respond to the Lord's call.

Therefore, I continue to go where the Lord leads, preaching and teaching the truth of the gospel as God provides opportunity. I have never stopped being “eager to preach the gospel” (Romans 1:15).

“But you don't get a paycheck! How will you pay your bills and support your family?”

I used to worry about that, as well. Then I remembered the command of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ [32] For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. [33] But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

“But … but ...”

But what? Consider Elijah, called by God. Upon delivering the Lord's message of impending drought, the prophet's “work” took him to the brook Cherith where he spent the next two and a half years being fed bread and meat by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-6). Then, when the brook dried up, the Lord led him to a nearby widow who continued to provide for his needs (1 Kings 17:7-16).

“But that's not a REAL job!”

Isn't it? Upon whose reality do we make such a determination – man's or God's? The end result of his time spent with the widow seemed to produce exactly the spiritual result that God intended, as “the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth”” (1 Kings 17:24).

Consider Jesus' apostles. What evidence is there to suggest that any of them ever again held secular employment after submitting to the Lord and becoming fishers of men? The brothers never again worked their father's boat for profit. Matthew never again sat at the tax collector's table. After the birth of the church, they didn't even have time to wait tables, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

And what of Jesus Himself? What “work” did He do to provide for Himself? The answer is: He didn't. Didn't receive a paycheck, that is. Absolutely, He worked! “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working” (John 5:17). But that “work” didn't provide a roof over His head, as He states, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). Nor did that “work” pay His taxes, but when confronted about what was “owed,” the Lord sent Peter fishing! “Go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me” (Matthew 17:27).

“So you believe that the Lord is going to pay your bills?”

Does it matter? What matters is my obedience to the Lord. So far, I have not missed a meal in two and a half “unemployed” years. I still have a roof over my head, and I still have clothes on my back. The majority of this provision has been the result of three individuals who have not “paid” me for a “job,” but who have supported the ministry to which they know the Lord called me.

“But what do you do when the bill collector's call?”

Perhaps the Lord will provide me with vessels of oil to pay the debts (2 Kings 4:1-7). Perhaps he will eventually provide a means of secular employment. Or perhaps I'll end up in debtor's prison. If so, there are ample biblical examples of men who accomplished great things for the Lord from behind bars. Regardless, I cannot prove disobedient to my heavenly calling (Acts 26:19). Just because I don't know where God is leading me, doesn't mean He's not leading me. Again, perception is not always reality.

I no longer own a house. I own no property. I have a 240 sq. ft. RV, and a burning compulsion to share the word of the Lord. I haven't been provided with gas money, so obviously the Lord doesn't want me going anywhere at the moment. Therefore, I will sit and write. I will reach out via the Internet as long as I still have that access available.

God Himself declares, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; [11] So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). I believe that with all my heart. Therefore, I will continue to obey! I must “work the works of Him who sent me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

Certainly I don't like to be in debt. Without a doubt it is uncomfortable not knowing whether I will be able to pay next month's lot rent. No one likes to scrape through the change jar for enough to buy a gallon of milk. And – like Paul's “thorn in the flesh” – I have prayed that the Lord would alter the situation. But His response to me is ultimately the same one given to the apostle, ““My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. [10] Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

My marching orders have been issued: “Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). If the Lord has so employed me, then I know He is able to fully supply my need (2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:19). Spiritual reality trumps worldly perception every time.

Give us this day our daily bread

“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). There it is, right there amidst what is affectionately known as the Lord's Prayer. All I've really ever heard in explaining this verse is to trust the Lord to meet our needs. I've always been the special child though … the one who needs just a bit more information before I will be satisfied.

What did Jesus mean by this statement? I believe every word spoken from His mouth is important, therefore it really jumps out when He repeats Himself twice … in only seven words. “Give us THIS DAY our DAILY bread.” How can anyone read that without thinking immediately of the children of Israel traveling through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land being given by God their daily provision of manna?

Alright, here's my problem: Why did Jesus – teaching His disciples how to pray – instruct them to say something like, “Give us this day our daily bread”? Isn't that why we wake up and go to work each day, to supply our daily needs? But wait a minute, if I'm working my 9a-5p job to pay the bills, why should I pray such a prayer at all? I get paid to work. If I spend my paycheck on groceries, and utilities, and rent, and clothing … then I'm the one who has provided the daily bread, not God.

But the verse didn't say, “Provide me with a job, Lord, and I'll take care of the rest.” It said, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Well, surely it isn't suggesting that I quit my job and stop working. Is it? When you look back at the example of the children of Israel en route to the Promised Land, they held no work positions. There were no careers being utilized. No years of training being put to use to provide for their well being.

“You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, and You gave them water for their thirst. [21] “Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell” (Nehemiah 9:20-21). God says, “I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant” (Joshua 24:13).

So God provided the food, water, clothing, land, cities, houses, vineyards and groves. But what about Jesus? Surely He wasn't suggesting we stop working? Actually, I guess it depends on what you mean my work. Didn't Jesus say, “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!” (Luke 12:24)? Didn't He say, “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. [28] “But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!” (Luke 12:27-28)?

Why would Jesus offer to us – as people – the example of animals and plants? Why would He specifically mention that they do not work for a living … and then top it off by making it a faith issue? But wait! He's not finished! “And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. [30] “For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. [31] “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you” (Luke 12:29-31).

Now I'm really confused! “Do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink ...” But isn't exactly what people do every single day of their lives by going to work? Don't they specifically use words like, “I've got to put food on the table”? So do they? Have to put food on the table? Jesus' instruction was to seek God's kingdom “and these things will be added to you.”

Are the apostles examples in more ways than one? We have recorded that Peter, Andrew, James and John – all professional fishermen – left their vocation behind (Matthew 4:18-22) and, as far as we know, never returned to it. Likewise, Matthew was a tax collector, but left it all behind for Jesus (Luke 5:27-28).

For that matter, what about Jesus? He said of Himself, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). When confronted to pay taxes, He found the tax money inside a fish's mouth (Matthew 17:24-27). Oh, I know everyone calls Him Jesus the carpenter, but is there any actual evidence that He worked in such a capacity?

Right about now, I would expect that someone would bring up 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” That's a wonderful verse, but in context it was written concerning those were “leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies” ( 2 Thessalonians 3:11).

“So get to the point, Jonathan!” Fine, I will. We're going about this all wrong. Today's world teaches us to get a college education and a job that will pay the bills and allow us to live comfortably. That's not what the Bible teaches. How can we live comfortably in a world in which we “reside as aliens” (1 Peter 1:1)? Is the payment of bills more important than the pursuit of Christ's kingdom?

For the record, there's nothing wrong with work! It's what you're working FOR that matters. The average person in America is working FOR their family or FOR themselves, not FOR God. They use their earned money on their bills, their property, their desires, their vacations, their savings, or their retirement. It's all self-centered.

But if I'm working for God, then a worldly education doesn't dictate whether I eat or not. God does. A worldly vocation isn't mandatory for meeting my needs, because that's the Lord's job. My focus has to be on “His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24). “Sell your possessions and give to charity” (Luke 12:33). “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Our work is not about feeding our families and paying the bills, it's about displaying our ultimate trust in God. It's about using our God-given resources to aid the family of God and support Christ's kingdom. Regardless of what Wall Street does, Christians should be focused on one another rather than on themselves or the world.

We must become like the first Christians, “All those who had believed were together and had all things in common; [45] and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:44-45). We should be like the Macedonians, “in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. [3] For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, [4] begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, [5] and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:2-5).

There is a priority that is being missed completely – certainly in the world, but unfortunately also in the modern church. Our work isn't about bills, property, bank accounts … or for that matter, anything worldly at all. Our work is about spiritually strengthening the body of Christ. “I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls” (2 Corinthians 12:15). This isn't about capitalism, it's about Christ. It's not about socialism, it's about sharing with others what God has shared with us. “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

We must rethink what we have been taught about work. “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. [2] It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep” (Psalm 127:1-2).