Weekly Sermon

Introduction:
 
     A.  The Conflict
 
           1.  The publicans and sinners come
 
           Luke 15:1 – “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”
 
           2.  The Pharisees and scribes complain
 
           Luke 15:2 – “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”
 
     B.  The Message
 
           1.  Rejoicing when a lost sheep is found
 
           Luke 15:3-6 – “And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?  And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.”
 
           2.  Rejoicing when a lost coin is found
 
           Luke 15:8-9 – “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?  And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.”
 
           3.  Rejoicing when a lost son is returned repentant
 
           Luke 15:22-24 – “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.  And they began to be merry.”
 
           4.  Rejoicing by God the Father when a sinner repents
 
           Luke 15:7 – “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
 
           Luke 15:10 – “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
 
I.     The Other Brother Did NOT Agree with the Father.
 
Luke 15:24-28a – “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry . . . .”
 
II.   The Other Brother Became Angry with the Father.
 
Luke 15:28-30 – “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.  And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”
 
III.  The Other Brother Broke Fellowship with the Father.
 
Luke 15:28 – “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.” 
 
IV.  The Other Brother Cared Only about Himself.
 
Luke 15:29-30 – “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”
 
V.   The Other Brother Continued in Bitterness against the Father.
 
Luke 15:31-32 – “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”
 
Note: The parable ends without any indication of repentance on the part of “the other brother.”  In fact, both brothers departed from fellowship with their father.  The younger son broke fellowship through a sinful lifestyle, whereas the older son broke fellowship through a sinful attitude.  Furthermore, the older son engaged in a broken fellowship while never leaving the father’s house, and while having continued in outward, “religious” service and obedience to the father.

Posted in Weekly Sermon, Luke, ​Delight of the Lord, Sin of Selfishness, Rebellion against God     

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Outlines in Psalms

“To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.”

  I.  The Cry of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:1-2)
 II.  The Confidence of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:3-4)
III.  The Commitment of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:5-6)
IV.  The Comfort of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:7-8)

Outlines in Psalms

“A Song of degrees of David.”

  I.  Godly Unity among Brethren Is Our Lord’s Desire

      Psalm 133:1 – “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

 II.  Godly Unity among Brethren Is Spiritually Precious

      Psalm 133:1 – “Behold, how good . . . it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

      Psalm 133:2 – “It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s
      beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.”

III.  Godly Unity among Brethren Is Blessedly Refreshing

      Psalm 133:1 – “Behold, . . . how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

      Psalm 133:3 – “As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there
      the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

Posted in Outlines in Psalms, Godly Unity, Delight of the Lord

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Outlines in Psalms

“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.”

1.  Because the Lord is gracious. (Psalm 147:2-3)
2.  Because the Lord is great. (Psalm 147:4-5)
3.  Because the Lord is good. (Psalm 147:6)

“Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.”

4.  Because the Lord provides. (Psalm 147:8-9)
5.  Because the Lord shows favor. (Psalm 147:10-11)

“Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.”

6.  Because the Lord blesses His people. (Psalm 147:13-14)
7.  Because the Lord reveals His Word. (Psalm 147:15-20)

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Meditations in Jeremiah

This meditation is a companion to a previous meditation:  A Provocation of Mine Anger - Jeremiah 32:26-35    

Jeremiah 32:42-44 – “For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.  And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.”

Outlines in Psalms

“Praise ye the LORD.”

 I.  Let the Saints Praise the Lord for His gracious salvation. (Psalm 149:1-4)
II.  Let the Saints Praise the Lord for His victorious empowerment. (Psalm 149:5-9)

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Weekly Sermon

Proverbs 31:28-31 – “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Outlines in Psalms

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.”

Psalm 11:1a – “In the LORD put I my trust.”
(Note:  The two questions of this psalm are significant for the flow of thought in this psalm.)

  I.  The challenge against the Lord’s trusting servant. (Psalm 11:1b)
 II.  The conflict for the Lord’s trusting servant. (Psalm 11:2)
III.  The concern of the Lord’s trusting servant. (Psalm 11:3)
IV.  The confidence of the Lord’s trusting servant. (Psalm 11:4-7)

Proverbs for Life

Proverbs 15:29 – “The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.”

A proverbial statement might be defined as a short, meaningful saying that expresses a significant, substantial truth for life.  In the book of the Proverbs, a proverb is often constructed with two lines, presenting a comparison or contrast.  Proverbs 15:29 presents a truth of contrast.  Whereas the Lord our God separates Himself far from the wicked, He abides close to the righteous in order that He might hear and answer their prayers.

Proverbs for Life

The book of the Proverbs is often described and defined as a book of wisdom, in contrast to the way of foolish-ness.  Yet the book of the Proverbs also has much to say concerning the way of righteousness, in contrast to the way of wickedness.  In fact, within the context of the book of the Proverbs, the way of wisdom is presented as being directly equivalent to the way of righteousness; and the way of foolishness is presented as being directly equivalent to the way of wickedness.  Even so, throughout the listing of proverbial statements in Proverbs 11, we find a number of truths concerning the benefits of righteousness (in contrast to the detriments of wickedness).

Weekly Sermon

 

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  By the Mercies of God - Romans 12:1
                                                                                       I Beseech You Therefore, Brethren - Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2 reads, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

What kind of sacrifice are you making for the Lord?  Many of God’s people, yea so very many of God’s children, are not willing to make any kind of sacrifice for the Lord at all.  Their goal in life is to live in comfort and convenience; and making a sacrifice of any kind, even for the Lord, is not comfortable or convenient.  Yet in Romans 12:1 the Holy Spirit of God pleads with us to make a sacrifice unto the Lord our God.  The Holy Spirit of God pleads with us on the basis of “the mercies of God” toward us.  He would have us to remember the infinite guilt, the infinite punishment, and the infinite wrath from which the Lord our God saved us.  He would have us to consider the horrible, miserable, wretched pit of darkness out of which God our heavenly Father delivered us through Jesus Christ our Lord.  He would have us to meditate upon the infinite sacrifice that God the Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, made for us when He bore our sins upon Himself on the cross, becoming a curse for us and laying down His own life to pay the penalty and suffer the punishment of our sins.  On the basis of Christ’s sacrifice for us, the Holy Spirit of God would move us and motivate us to make a sacrifice for the Lord.

Through the inspiration of the apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit of God pleads with every child of God, saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  Let us take notice of the three words “acceptable unto God.”  Yes, brethren, we are to make a sacrifice unto the Lord our God.  Yet it must be an acceptable sacrifice.  There are two kinds of sacrifices made unto God – those that He accepts and those that He does not accept.  Even so, in Genesis 4:4b-5a we read, “And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.”  In Jeremiah 6:20 the Lord declared unto His people in Jeremiah’s day, “To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country?  Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.”  Many believers do not make any sacrifice unto the Lord at all.  Others do many things that they view as sacrifices and offerings unto the Lord, but the Lord does not receive them.  They are not acceptable unto God.  God does not have respect unto them. 

Indeed, the Holy Spirit pleads with us to make a sacrifice unto the Lord.  Yet He pleads with us to make a sacrifice that is “acceptable unto God.”  Even so, in Philippians 4:18 the apostle Paul gave report to the believers at Philippi, saying, “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”  So then, what kind of sacrifice is acceptable unto God and well pleasing in His sight?  The answer to this question is found in Romans 12:1.

Proverbs for Life

This is a companion post to a previous post:  The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 1) 
                                                                        The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 2)

A proverb is a short, pithy saying that expresses a significant, substantial truth for life.  In the book of the Proverbs, the actual compilation of proverbial statements begins with chapter 10 and extends to the end of the book.  In the following series of posts, I wish to present those proverbial statements that specifically mention our relationship with the Lord.  Certainly, every proverb of God’s Holy Word concerns our relationship with the Lord our God; for every proverb concerns the character of our walk before Him.  Yet the following list of proverbial statements make specific mention of the Lord and of our relationship to Him.  In the first two parts of this study (see above), we considered passages from Proverbs 10-15.  In this part of the study, we shall consider passages from Proverbs 16.  (Note: Proverbs 15 & 16 are the two chapters of the Proverbs wherein we find the greatest number of specific verses concering the Lord and our relationship to Him.)

Proverbs for Life

This is a companion post to a previous post:  The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 1)

A proverb is a short, pithy saying that expresses a significant, substantial truth for life.  In the book of the Proverbs, the actual compilation of proverbial statements begins with chapter 10 and extends to the end of the book.  In the following series of posts, I wish to present those proverbial statements that specifically mention our relationship with the Lord.  Certainly, every proverb of God’s Holy Word concerns our relationship with the Lord our God; for every proverb concerns the character of our walk before Him.  Yet the following list of proverbial statements make specific mention of the Lord and of our relationship to Him.  In the first part of this study (see above), we considered passages from Proverbs 10-14.  In this part of the study, we shall consider passages from Proverbs 15.  (Note: Proverbs 15 & 16 are the two chapters of the Proverbs wherein we find the greatest number of specific verses concering the Lord and our relationship to Him.)