Weekly Sermon

James 2:5 reads, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

James 2:5 indicate that those from the poor class in relation to this world who place their trust in Christ as Savior are chosen by God to be rich in relation to His kingdom.  Regardless of their poor status in the realm of this world, they possess an abundantly rich status in the realm of faith.  Indeed, every one of us who are the children of God through faith in Christ are spiritually rich in the realm of faith.  These spiritual riches may be considered from two perspectives.  First, we may consider our spiritual riches in the realm of faith in relation to our eternal salvation.  Second, we may consider our spiritual riches in the realm of faith in relation to our daily walk.  So then, in this first part of the message, let us consider the first of these truths.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  And His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful - Isaiah 9:6     
                                                                                       And His Name Shall Be Called Counsellor - Isaiah 9:6     

Isaiah 9:6-7 reads, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Now, the fullness of this promise and prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.  The Lord Jesus Christ has not yet come in the fullness of His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule and reign over the whole world from the throne of David in Jerusalem.  Yet the fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has indeed begun to be fulfilled.  Unto us that Child has been born.  Unto us that Son has been given.  The zeal of the Lord is already at work.  God the Father has already sent God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be born into this world as God in human flesh.  The fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has already begun in Christ’s first coming, and most certainly the fulfillment will be completed in Christ’s second coming.  Amen, and amen.  “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

However, the focus of this message is not upon the coming of our Lord, but upon the char-acter of our Lord.  In the closing portion of verse 6 five titles are given to reveal the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son who was given to be born in human flesh – “And His name [His title] shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  In this message let us consider five truths concerning the third of these titles – “And His name shall be called . . . The mighty God.”

Now, the phrase, “The mighty God,” refers to the one true and living God who is almighty in His eternal Person and in His sovereign works.  So then, in what ways is our Lord Jesus Christ to be called The mighty God?

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon:  And His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful - Isaiah 9:6     

Isaiah 9:6-7 reads, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Now, the fullness of this promise and prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.  The Lord Jesus Christ has not yet come in the fullness of His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule and reign over the whole world from the throne of David in Jerusalem.  Yet the fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has indeed begun to be fulfilled.  Unto us that Child has been born.  Unto us that Son has been given.  The zeal of the Lord is already at work.  God the Father has already sent God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be born into this world as God in human flesh.  The fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has already begun in Christ’s first coming, and most certainly the fulfillment will be completed in Christ’s second coming.  Amen, and amen.  “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

However, the focus of this message is not upon the coming of our Lord, but upon the character of our Lord.  In the closing portion of verse 6 five titles are given to reveal the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son who was given to be born in human flesh – “And his name [His title] shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  In this message let us consider four truths concerning the second of these titles – “And his name shall be called . . . Counsellor.”

Now, the word “consellor” refers to someone who possesses such wisdom that he behaves wisely in his own conduct and is able to deliver wise counsels and correctives unto others.  So then, in what ways is our Lord Jesus Christ to be called Counsellor?

Thought for Meditation


Is the gift of eternal salvation free or costly?
Certainly, according to the truth and teaching of God's Holy Word,
we should recognize that the gift of eternal salvation is free unto all who trust Christ.
Yet we should also remember that this gift was abundantly costly 
for our Lord Jesus Christ to provide so freely unto us believers.

Thought for Meditation

Our Lord Jesus Christ was made a servant that we might be made rich.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was made a sacrifice that we might be redeemed.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was made sin that we might be made righteous.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was brought to sorrow that we might be brought to rejoicing.

Weekly Sermon

1 Peter 2:6 – “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

 I.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is a Living Stone. (1 Peter 2:4)
II.  In Christ we also are lively (living) stones. (1 Peter 2:5)

Weekly Sermon

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 reads, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”

At the time that the apostle Paul wrote these things unto believers at Corinth, there were false teachers out and about.  Some of those false teachers were falsely teaching that there was no such thing as a resurrection from the dead.  Therefore, the apostle wrote 1 Corinthians 15 in order to defeat this false teaching.  In sod doing, the apostle began by communicating the elements of the gospel message and the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection out of the dead.

In verses 1-2 the apostle declared unto the believers at Corinth, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” Now, the word “gospel” means “good news.”  Herein the apostle Paul was speaking of the gospel, the good news; and in verses 3-4 he revealed the three elements of this good news, saying, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Weekly Sermon

In Romans 1:14-16 the apostle Paul gave testimony, saying, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.  So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Brethren, how seriously do we take our Lord’s commission to preach the gospel of Christ to the lost world around us?  How ready and committed are we to preach the gospel at any given opportunity?  How much confidence do we have in the gospel to convict and save the lost?  How faithful are we in our gospel witness from day to day?  In Romans 1:14-16 the apostle Paul delivered a testimony under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit concerning his own faithful service in gospel witness.  Thereby the apostle is presented as an example for our faithfulness in gospel witness.  Even so, by that example we are taught three truths concerning this matter.

Weekly Sermon

Isaiah 9:6-7 reads, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Now, the fullness of this promise and prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.  The Lord Jesus Christ has not yet come in the fullness of His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule and reign over the whole world from the throne of David in Jerusalem.  Yet the fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has indeed begun to be fulfilled.  Unto us that Child has been born.  Unto us that Son has been given.  The zeal of the Lord is already at work.  God the Father has already sent God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be born into this world as God in human flesh.  The fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has already begun in Christ’s first coming, and most certainly the fulfillment will be completed in Christ’s second coming.  Amen, and amen.  “Even so come, Lord Jesus."  (Revelation 22:20)

However, the focus of this message is not upon the coming of our Lord, but upon the character of our Lord.  In the closing portion of verse 6 five titles are given to reveal the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son who was given to be born in human flesh – “And his name [His title] shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  In this message let us consider three truths concern-ing the first of these titles – “And His name shall be called Wonderful.”

Now, the word “wonderful” refers to someone or something that is so positively unusual that it causes pleasant surprise and joyful amazement.  So then, in what ways is our Lord Jesus Christ to be called Wonderful?

Weekly Sermon

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.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

In these two verses of God’s holy Word, our Lord gives us three instructions.  First, our Lord instructs us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him.  Second, our Lord instructs us not to be conformed unto this present evil world.  Third, our Lord instructs us, rather, to be transformed into His own image by the renewing of our minds.  Yet all three of these instructions are built upon one foundation.  That foundation is presented in the opening phrase of Romans 12:1, where the apostle Paul states under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God.”  The foundation for our obedience to our Lord God’s instructions is the foundation of our Lord God’s mercies toward us.  Indeed, when we truly meditate upon “the mercies of God,” then we will be moved and motivated to obedience.

What then is involved in “the mercies of God” toward us?  Mercy can be defined either as a holding back of a punishment that is certainly deserved, or as a helping compassion for an individual in desperate need.  In “the mercies of God” toward us, we find that both elements are involved.  Under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul presented the elements of “the mercies of God” throughout Romans 1-11.  Thus we shall find the answer to our question in these chapters – What is involved in “the mercies of God” toward us?

Weekly Sermon

Romans 5:17 reads, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”

In Hebrews 9:27 God’s Word reveals that “it is appointed unto men once to die.”  In the opening portion of Psalm 89:48, Ethan the Ezrahite asked the rhetorical question, “What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?”  In the opening portion of 2 Samuel 14:14, the wise woman Tekoah stated unto King David, “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.”  In 1 Corinthians 15:26 God’s Word declares, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”  Death reigns all around us.  Yea, death reigns within us.  Yet we might ask – Why does death reign?  Why does death even exist in this world? 

Did the Lord our God and Creator originally create this world as a world of disease and death?  No, He most certainly did not.  The opening portion of Genesis 1:31 reveals the opposite.  It reveals that after the Lord our God and Creator had completed His work of creation, He looked upon “everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  So then, if the Lord our God and Creator did not originally create this world as a world of disease and death, why does disease and death now exist in this world?  The answer is given in Romans 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man [that is – the first man Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”  Again the answer is given in the opening line of Romans 5:17 – “For if by one man’s offence [that is – the first sin of Adam] death reigned by one [that is – by the first man Adam].”

So then, in this message let us consider a matter of death and of life.  Yea, let us consider the Biblical truth concerning the reign of death and the reign of life.