Grace Bible Church - Sermons 2002

Spiritual Gifts, Part 2 - Romans 12:7

Sun, 29 Dec 2002 12:00:00 -0500

What do you call someone that has some body part that does not function properly or is missing? Proper terms include "handicapped" or "disabled," though some now consider those to be insensitive and politically incorrect language. Such people tend to label the function that is impaired and say the person is "challenged" in that area. For example, a person with poor eyesight is "visually challenged," a person with poor hearing is "acoustically challenged," and a person with a bad leg has a "mobility challenge."

Spirtual Gifts, Part 1

Sun, 22 Dec 2002 12:00:00 -0500

Turn to Romans 12. This morning I want to continue in our study of the nature of the church and begin a study of spiritual gifts. Starting in verse 3 we read the following:

The Functioning of the Body of Christ

Sun, 08 Dec 2002 12:00:00 -0500

In our study of Romans last week, we looked at the foundational principle that is to guide us in our relationships with one another in the church. In fact, it is the foundational principle that should also guide us in our relationship God and all other people.

Thinking Rightly About Yourself

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 12:00:00 -0500

I have noticed a curious report over the last few years in which American High School students are tested and then compared with students from other countries. These reports have caused quite a stir among educators because for quite a few years American students have been lagging significantly behind in Science and math as compared to those from other nations. This math and science "deficit" has resulted in several programs that are trying to boost those scores. There was, however, one area in which the American students were rated top in the world. Self-esteem. Though the students were performing poorly compared to those of the other nations, they did feel better about themselves than those other students felt about themselves. In this case, self-esteem and actual performance were not directly related. The strange thing is that only a few conservatives thought that this indicated a problem. Perhaps it would be better if our students did not feel so good about themselves and so would work a little harder to perform better. But that idea is contrary to the philosophy of the educational elite which greatly values a high self-esteem.

Having a Renewed Mind

Sun, 24 Nov 2002 12:00:00 -0500

In my last two messages I have told you the stories of missionaries and their efforts to reach the unsaved with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Both Jim Elliot and Stanley Dale were men that were living and holy sacrifices, acceptable unto God. In both cases, these men not only lived for God, but they eventually died as martyrs as well. In a world that has turned inward and selfish, such sacrifices as these men and their families made in moving to distant lands and living in primitive conditions is thought of as foolishness. These men and their families went out to gain something the world does not understand - the pleasure of serving their Creator and desiring to hear from God at the end of their lives, "Well done, though good and faithful servant." Jim Elliot was correct when he said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose."

Keys to Godliness, Part 2

Sun, 10 Nov 2002 12:00:00 -0500

Don Richardson's book, The Lords of the Earth, tells the story of missionary Stan Dale and the effort to bring the gospel to the Yali people who lived in Irian Jaya's Snow Mountains, far from any mission base. These were a people engulfed in fear of their demon-gods. Their evil practices included cannibalism.

The Keys to Godliness, Part 1

Sun, 27 Oct 2002 12:00:00 -0500

Some of you have heard the story of Jim Elliot, but for others of you, maybe most of you, this may be new, because the events took place more than 46 years ago.

God's Plan for Israel's Future

Sun, 20 Oct 2002 13:00:00 -0400

This morning we come to a very important theological truth. God keeps His promises. He has not cast away the nation of Israel. He still has a plan for that nation's future. Obviously, this is very important to those who are Jewish. To those of us who are Gentiles, that may not seem very important, yet it is. Why? Because God's faithfulness to the nation of Israel is a demonstration of His trustworthiness. If God keeps His promises to Israel, then we can also trust Him for the promises that He has made to us as followers of Jesus Christ. If God will not keep His promises to Israel, then we cannot trust Him to keep His promises to us. Being able to trust God is a very important issue.

God's Kindness & Severity

Sun, 13 Oct 2002 13:00:00 -0400

Over the last month or so we have been studying God's relationship to the nation of Israel as explained by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans. It is not uncommon for people, especially those who are not Jewish, to read through Romans and then wonder why Paul includes chapters 9, 10 and 11. By chapter 8, Paul has explained the gospel and its wonderful benefits, and in chapter 12, Paul begins to apply the truths of the gospel to daily life. So why three chapters dealing with Israel? There are two basic reasons.

Man's Responsibility in Salvation, Part 2

Sun, 06 Oct 2002 13:00:00 -0400

God's timing is marvelous. This evening we will have one of our missionaries with us. Alex Knauss, who has served with Trans World Radio for nearly 20 years, will be speaking in our evening service. This morning, we come to one of the great missionary texts. God has been faithful to send His messengers out with the gospel message. Turn to Romans 10.

Man's Responsibility in Salvation

Sun, 29 Sep 2002 13:00:00 -0400

Over the past several weeks, as we have been studying Romans 8 & 9, we have seen Paul emphasize God's sovereignty in salvation as a means to encourage and comfort believers. Those who have placed their faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ have been delivered from their bondage to sin and its condemnation of death and made free to live by the Spirit of God in righteousness. The new nature that we receive at salvation makes us aliens and strangers in the very world to which we were born. We have an increasing longing to depart from this world and be with our Savior in heaven, where our citizenship now resides. God's sovereignty guarantees that the promises that He has made us will come true.

God's Choice for Mercy

Sun, 22 Sep 2002 13:00:00 -0400

This morning we come another passage that is very theologically deep and often misunderstood. As I have said over the past few weeks, I believe the reason for the misunderstanding is that theologians want to understand the infinite God within a framework that they can comprehend. The result is that they interpret Scriptures within the logic of their theological framework instead of what those Scriptures actually reveal about God. We must always remember that God is beyond us. His ways are higher than our ways and often beyond our understanding (Isa. 55:9). He does not have to make logical sense to us. We need to accept and believe what He has revealed about Himself in the Scriptures. Please keep that in mind this morning as we study the last half of Romans 9. While I hope to help you understand what God has said in this passage, I know that you may still leave here still trying to make sense of it all, for when we come to the issue of God's election and man's responsibility for his own choices, both are true.

God's Choice of Israel

Sun, 15 Sep 2002 13:00:00 -0400

How important is the salvation of others to you? How much are you willing to give of yourself in seeking to see others rescued from their sin and its eternal damnation? This morning we will look at an example that will challenge us to think more seriously and be more giving toward the salvation of others.

Secure in Christ

Sun, 08 Sep 2002 13:00:00 -0400

This morning we come to one of the most encouraging texts in the Bible. It is a revelation of God's sovereignty and character with direct application to His loving relationship and promises to the Christian. Turn to Romans 8:31 and follow along as I read through this passage.

God's Work in Redemption

Sun, 01 Sep 2002 13:00:00 -0400

I want to begin this week by repeating something I said last week, for we are going to be looking at two verses that have been the center of a lot of theological debates. I believe that the major reason for this, as with the majority of theological debates, is that man wants God fit within his own theological system. He then interprets Scripture in light of the logic of his theological system rather than in careful consideration of its grammatical and historical context in order to know God as He reveals Himself, whether He fits our system or not.