The Church That Jesus Built - Matthew 16:13-20, Pastor Scott L. Harris. 
This morning we come to one of the great texts of Scripture. Some people claim it is great because of the controversy that surrounds it, but controversy is not the basis for making something great. It is great because it describes so clearly the state of man - blind and without understanding - and the mercy of God in intervening into the life of man so that he may come to know the truth. It is a great text because it centers on God's ability to use people that yield themselves to Him.

Beware of Poisoned Religion - Matthew 16:1-12, Pastor Scott L. Harris. Jesus warned his disciples concerning the Pharisees and Sadducees. This same spiritual poison they gave then is still around today and it  condemns the soul to death because the human spirit prefers this poison to what it needs for life.

Compassion for People - Matthew 15:29-39, Pastor Scott L. Harris.  The mercy of God continued to spill over to the Gentiles as Jesus travels to another area. In this sermon we find again that Jesus has compassion for all people.

Religion Versus Real Faith - Matthew 14:34-15:20.  There are many religious people that claim they want to follow God, but the proof of faith is in the actions of life. Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees while still encouraging those who struggled to believe, but genuinely wanted to understand. 

Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus - Matthew 14:22-36. When Jesus meets the His disciples in the middle of the Sea of Galilee by walking out to their boat, that was not what they were expecting and were quite afraid. Only Peter shows enough faith to get out of the boat, but sinks when He takes His eyes off Jesus and places them on His circumstances. In this we find an important lesson about faith and trust.

Feeding the Multitude - Matthew 14:13-21. Though Jesus had gone to a lonely place to get away from the crowds, He had compassion on the multitudes that had followed Him. He healed them, taught them, and then miraculously fed over 5,000 with the contents of a young boy's lunch. He used the opportunity to teach His disciples about trusting God to provide.  

The Death of John the Baptist - Matthew 14:1-12.  What you believe is very important for there are both temporal and eternal consequences to them. The test of the depth of your belief is how much are you willing to suffer for them. John the Baptist proved the depth of his belief and in doing so became a prime example of faith. 

The Tragedy of Unbelief - Matthew 13:53-58. Pastor Scott L. Harris.  How important is what you believe? Does it really make that much difference? Many view beliefs as the equivalent of opinions, and everyone has an opinion, and everyone's opinions are just as good and important as everyone else's. Or at least that is th4e view of those who want to reduce your  belief (and opinion) to relative unimportance. The truth is that belief is of vital importance because there are consequences to what you believe about Jesus Christ and this morning's text points out the consequences of refusing to believe the truth. There is great tragedy in unbelief.

The Value of the Kingdom, Matthew 13:44-52. Pastor Scott L. Harris. What do you value the most?  If your house is on fire, what would you have saved? In this sermon two parables are examined in which Jesus describes the physical treasure that two different men valued so much that they sold all they had to gain it. Jesus will use that illustration to teach the spiritual truth that there is nothing on earth as valuable as entering into His kingdom.

The Parables of the Kingdom, Matthew 13:24-42. Pastor Scott L. Harris.  This is the second of Jesus' kingdom parables designed to reveal truth concerning the Kingdom of Heaven to His followers while concealing it from His enemies. It still does that even though we also have the record of Jesus' explanation of it to His disciples.

The Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23. Pastor Scott L. Harris.  Many have stumbled in interpreting Jesus' parables. Liberal theologians have failed because they presume that by their supposedly superior intellect they can discern what each element of the story means and thus interpret it, but again, without the Holy Spirit you absolutely cannot understand the Scriptures. Conservative theologians have often presented erroneous interpretations too - sometimes due to the same intellectual pride as the liberals, but also many times because of a failure on the opposite end. They isolate the text and fail to do the diligent study they should to understand the context and what the other Scriptures say. In order to keep from stumbling into any of these traps, we will quickly review again the purpose of Matthew's gospel account and the nature of salvation as presented by Him so that we might properly understand the meaning of the parable of the sower.

The Purpose of Parables,  Matthew 13:1-17; 34,35. Pastor Scott L. Harris. A change has occurred in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus had been presenting Himself as the Messiah and His life and miracles demonstrated that He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. However, the Jewish religious leaders had rejected Him, so from this point on, Jesus starts talking about a kingdom they had not been expecting. A spiritual kingdom rather than an earthly one. Jesus also begins to speak in a way that would confuse these proud and self- righteous men while letting the spiritually-minded understand.

Jesus Christ Our Brother, Matthew 12:46-50, Pastor Scott L. Harris - What if you could pick your family?  In this passage we find that you can choose to be related to people that are loving, kind, good, patient, gentle, and joyful. If you are willing, you can have Jesus Christ as your brother and be an adopted son or daughter of God.

What Sign Are You Looking For? Matthew 12:38-45, Pastor Scott L. Harris.  How much does it take to prove a point? Despite Jesus' teaching and many miracles, the Scribes and Pharisees continually asked for more proof that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus’ answer to their demand shows that they would not be satisfied by anything that Jesus did. Nothing could be done that would bring them to believe in Him.

The Unforgivable Sin, Matthew 12:22-32, Pastor Scott L. Harris.  In this sermon Pastor Harris explains blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which is the only sin that Jesus said was unforgivable. Some people worry that they may have committed this sin. Pastor Harris explains the indications that they have not done so.

The Gentle Servant - Matthew 12:15-21, Pastor Scott L. Harris, August 15, 1993. Success for the Christian does not come through attaining positions of worldly power, though God often does put Christians in those positions, for success for the Christian is not in having power, but in being a faithful servant of the omnipotent God. Jesus never attained any position of worldly power. He never sought such a position; instead He was God's gentle servant. He was merciful, meek, chosen of God; quiet, sympathetic and unlimited in whom He would minister to as God's representative. We are to follow His example.

The Lord of the Sabbath - Matthew 12:1-4, Pastor Scott L. Harris, August 8, 1993.  Legalists are those who try to please God by their own means and methods rather than according to God's directions. They take the Scriptures, interpret them by their own standards, and make out of them a detailed system of what can and cannot be done. They existed in Jesus' time and in our own. In this sermon Pastor Harris looks at Jesus' teaching that shows why the Pharisee's legalistic standards were wrong. 

Jesus' Offer of Rest - Matthew 11:25-30, Pastor Scott L. Harris, August 1, 1993. The analogy of a heavy burden on our back is a good description of what life is like apart from Jesus Christ. Even for the Christian, when we are not walking with the Lord as we should and strive to do things in our own power, it can feel like the weight of the world is upon our shoulders. In this sermon Pastor Harris looks at  Jesus' offer of rest to those who are burdened and heavy-laden. 

The Critical & The Apathetic - Matthew 11:16-24, Pastor Scott L. Harris,  July 25, 1993. If people treated John the Baptist and Jesus with false accusations and their message with apathy, then we and our message will certainly be treated the same as we live for Christ. In this sermon Pastor Harris examines the response of Jesus to His critics and His warning to those who are apathetic. 

True Greatness - Matthew 11:7-15, Pastor Scott L. Harris, July 18, 1993. What makes a person truly great? Our society seems to have laid aside the old virtues and now judges greatness by fame, prestige, power, and wealth. All those things are fleeting. In this sermon Pastor Harris examines the life of a man whom God said was great and shows elements that need to be in our lives if we are to be great. 

Overcoming Doubt - Matthew 11:1-6, Pastor Scott L. Harris, July 11, 1993.  The problem with doubting is not in having the doubt itself - it is in what is done with that doubt. In this sermon Pastor Harris shows that one of the greatest men that ever lived had doubts, and his great character is demonstrated in what he did with those doubts.

Who is a Disciple? - Matthew 10:32-42, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. There has been much controversy among Christians about what it means to be a disciple, but Jesus made very clear statements about the subject. In this sermon Pastor Harris examines one of these passages to explain what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and its relationship to salvation from sin and its consequences.

Confidence for Disciples - Matthew 10:24-33, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Jesus sent His disciples out to minister and warned them of the hardships they would face. At the same time, He also gave them reason to be confident. In this sermon Pastor Harris examines the various things about which they could be confident and why and relates them to our own ministries. 

Sheep Among Wolves - Matthew 10:16-23, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. When Jesus sent His disciples out to minister He taught them that they would have to learn to trust God in the various situations they would face. In this sermon Pastor Harris applies the principles from this passage to our own ministries and learning to trust God. 

Instructions for Ministry - Matthew 10:5-15, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Jesus gave careful instructions to His disciples before He sent them out. In this sermon Pastor Harris examines those instructions for principles that can be applied in our own time as we go out to minister in the name of the Lord.

The Twelve Disciples - Matthew 10:1-4, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. In this Sermon Pastor Harris gives a brief biography of each of the twelve men Jesus chose to be His disciples. The Lord used men that were quite varied in their temperaments and skills. He still does. 

Workers Needed, - Matthew 9:35-38, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Jesus ministered to people because He had compassion for them and viewed them as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus calls on us petition God to send workers to help in ministry. In this sermon Pastor Harris explains how this is done. 

The Response to Jesus' Ministry,  Matthew 9:27-34, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. The proof that Jesus is the Messiah has been given in Matthew 8 & 9. Now Matthew is telling how the people reacted to Jesus. What did it mean to them personally that Jesus was present? Some believed and their lives were eternally changed. Some were those that were amazed, but no change took place in their own lives, and then there were those that rejected Him and blasphemed against Him. We still find these same three responses to Christ today. In which category do you find yourself?

Jesus' Authority Over Death, Matthew 9:18-26, 28:1-10, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Jesus demonstrates that He is the promised Messiah by proving He has authority over disease, nature, the supernatural, sin and in this passage - death itself. Pastor Harris' sermon is on the Jesus raising Jairus' daughter back to life - and then raising Himself up from the dead too. 

He Came For Sinners - Matthew 9:9-17, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Contrary to the beliefs of the religious leaders of the time (and many of our own time too), God calls sinners, not the righteous, to salvation. Pastor Harris examines this passage in which Jesus calls Matthew to follow Him and explains to the religious leaders His purpose in coming.

Jesus' Authority Over Sin - Matthew 9:1-8, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Only God can forgive sins (Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:18, 19) and Jesus proves He is God in human flesh, the promised Messiah by forgiving and healing the paralytic.

   Jesus' Authority Over The Supernatural,  Matthew 8:28-34, Pastor Scott L. Harris. Jesus demonstrates that He is the promised Messiah by His authority over the supernatural. In this case casting out a legion of demons and sending them into a herd of swine. 

   Jesus' Authority Over Nature Matthew 8:23-27, Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church. Jesus demonstrates that He is the promised Messiah through His authority over nature. The miracle described in this passage in contrary to the laws of Physics showing it had to have been done by God's intervention - but then, that is what true miracles are.
   
   

Will You Follow Jesus?  Matthew 8:18-22  Pastor Scott L. Harris, Grace Bible Church.  There are many people that claim that they want to follow Jesus, but fail to do so for a variety of reasons. In this sermon Pastor Harris examines Jesus' response to two men that said they wanted to follow Him, but then turned away. There are important lessons for our own times in this passage.

Jesus' Authority Over Disease - Matthew 8:1-17. In this sermon Pastor Harris begins his exposition of Matthew 8 & 9 in which Matthew demonstrates that Jesus is the promised by showing that He has authority over disease, nature, the supernatural, sin and even death. This sermon concentrates on Jesus' authority over disease. 

The Amazing Teaching of Jesus - Matthew 7:28,29. Jesus' teaching was amazed the people because He taught with authority. In this sermon Pastor Harris explains Jesus' authority and why it still applies to us today.

What is Your Foundation Built Upon? - Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with an illustration of the belief, action and destination of the self-righteous and truly righteous. In this sermon Pastor Harris applies these truths to the present time.