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Posts Tagged ‘Lent’

Fifth Sunday of Lent-March 6

05 Apr

Fifth Sunday in Lent-March 6, 2025-Doers, not just hearers-Matt 7:24-27  Jesus said those who hear his Word but do not do them are like a man who builds his house on sand and when storms come, the house will fall. But he who hears God’s Word and does it is like a man who builds his house on solid rock. If we hear His instructions, but do not follow them, we build on a very shaky foundation and when trials come, our house will collapse because it isn’t built on God’s Word. Men today think they know better than God but the world they built will collapse when trouble comes, as it must. Since God created us, He knows what is best for us. If we follow His instructions, we will prosper. If we hear His Word and follow it, we will be on a firm foundation and won’t be shaken when we experience trials. We need to return to the way God taught us.  Few churches today teach Biblical values to their people. That is why  wrote the courses on Biblical values. In the same way, preaching alone does not change people. Jesus spent three years teaching the masses but they did not automatically become disciples because His preaching told them what to do but did not show them how. Jesus chose twelve disciples and they followed Him. They watched Him as He lived out what it means to love God and those around them and they learned how to live a life pleasing to God as they watched Him. Too many churches are filled with spiritual babies because the church relies on preaching alone.

 

 

Fourth Sunday in Lent-March 30

28 Mar

Don’t do to be seen by men-Matt 6:1-8. Jesus tells us that we should not parade our piety before men but do it in secret before God.  Some people like to give alms and pray in front of everyone so everyone will be impressed with how pious we are. When we do that, it is to find favor with men and we will be rewarded by men, but God will not be impressed. The Pharisees used to stand on the street corners and pray so people would be impressed and look up to them as pious people and Jesus often chastised them for it because they loved the praise of men more than they loved God. He wants us to do it to please Him, not to please men. If we do it in secret, God will reward us openly.

 

 

Sermon-Known For Their Fruit

25 Mar

 

Second Sunday in Lent Mar 16

21 Mar

 Matthew 18:1-5 Like A Child-Many people now think that Sunday school is for children. When they grow up, they don’t need to go anymore. Jesus says that unless you are converted (born again) and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. When we are born again, we become like a child and need to learn how to walk in the way God wants us to, just as a child has to learn to live the way society expects him to behave. Children are not apathetic about the world around them, they are fascinated with everything around them. They want to see everything, feel everything, and try everything. We should be just as eager to learn about God and how to walk in His ways. That involves listening to Biblical preaching, discussing it in a class setting, and living it out in a close fellowship, just as parents need to lay down rules for their kids, talk to them about how to obey them, and then allow them to interact with the family where they gain experience.

 

 

First  Sunday of Lent-Mar 9

10 Mar

Liberals have failed to create the great society they expected because they fail to understand man. They feel that man is good by nature and society corrupts him. All man needs is to be freed from the restraints of society and he will develop best. They feel that if laws prevent him from doing what he feels best, he should ignore the law. However we know from watching a child that they are selfish by nature and want to do what they should not do. We have to establish rules to prevent them from harming themselves and others. As they grow up, they should learn to control themselves and as they do, laws are not needed as much, but we still have to have laws because the desire remains and some don’t learn to restrain themselves. If a child does not learn to control themselves, they become a threat to themselves and others. We, as a society are reaping the results of not training children to restrain themselves. Jesus said “You must be born again” He is not talking about a mere makeover but a new life, a fresh start. We can’t continue to live in the way of the flesh and expect to have fellowship with God. We must die to self and be born again through the Spirit of God. Paul says in Ephesians 4: 22-24. “We must lay aside the old self which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” During Lent, let us seek to put off the old man of flesh and be born again through the Spirit of God.

 

 

Ash Wednesday March 5

03 Mar

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Lent was a time when the early church instructed new converts in the  Christian life in preparation for baptism and should be a time when believers examine their life and seek out any sin in their life that would stand between them and serving Christ. It is a good time to examine our life in light of the revelations in the Gospels by reading through the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), a chapter or portion of a chapter every day. As we read, we should consider what Christ has to say about following Him and try to apply it to our own lives. As we examine our life, it should result in changes in how we live. Faith without works is dead for our works demonstrate our faith, just as a fruit tree that doesn’t bear fruit is worthless, works without faith is in vain because the works alone will not produce faith and often are merely a means to be seen by men. James 2:14-26. Now is a good time to reexamine your life and your faith.

 

 
 

video-Mistaken Identity-Sermon

24 Mar

 

Video-Intro to Holy Week

20 Mar

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent-Mar 17

13 Mar

Matt. 5:27-30 Thou shall not commit adultery-God commanded the children of Israel not to commit adultery because it destroys the marriage relationship by dividing the affection of the one committing adultery and destroys the trust of the other marriage partner. However, Jesus said You have heard it said, “You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” It is not the act of adultery that destroys the marriage relationship but the lust that precedes the act itself. When someone lusts after another, they have already set in motion the thoughts that lead to the act and even if they never commit the act itself, they have already violated their marriage vows to love only their spouse by fostering love for someone outside the marriage in their heart.  See “The Value of Family and Gender”   in Udemy at https://www.udemy.com/course/value-of-family-and-gender/?referralCode=B59AC09CACA5C0C97BDD

 

 

Fourth Sunday of Lent-Mar 10

13 Mar

(Matt 5:21-26) Jesus said, “You have heard it said…., you shall not kill….., but I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.” It is not killing that creates division, it is the anger that precedes the killing that creates the division and God hates anything that creates divisions among His people. Therefore, Christ says that we should not be angry with our brethren. While few church people are guilty of murder, there are many who are angry with each other and won’t speak to each other. You can not regulate hate because it can be hidden and not easily observed, so the law must forbid killing. However love goes beyond the Law. He who loves his brother will not hate him and so will not desire to kill him so the law forbidding murder will never be applied to them, however the law must still exist to control those who do not love each other and are liable to kill someone in order to prevent them from doing so or to punish them if they do. Love is only learned as God changes our heart.   See “The Value of Life”  on Udemy at  https://www.udemy.com/course/christian-values-life/?referralCode=5EA3B1D6ED6DAB183AD0