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Stop Being Such A Greedy Pig

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We must guard ourselves against all selfishness, greed and coveting.  As Charles Spurgeon said:

It is not possible to satisfy the greedy.  If God gave them one who world to themselves they would cry for another; and if it were possible for them to possess heaven as they now are, they would feel themselves in hell, because others were in heaven too, for their greed is such that they must have everything or else they have nothing.  

This Sunday, we will look at Hebrews 13:5-6 and its call to contentment.  Search your heart?  Are you greedy, loving money and “more”?  Come Sunday and hear how God is more than enough for anything you need.

More On Esteeming Marriage

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After my summary of Sunday’s sermon, Esteeming Marriage, yesterday, I thought I’d follow up today with some questions you could work through to further apply the message.

Here’s the info:

My Outline:
3 encouragements in esteeming marriage…
I. Honor It!   II. Protect It!  III. Sanctify It!
Questions:

What seemed to be the main emphasis of Sunday’s sermon and how did that resonate with you? 

Why do you think we tend to take so little time prioritizing the health of our marriages?
Other than the ones mentioned, in what ways can we seek to make marriage honorable before all?
What should be our response to those who have witnessed a dishonorable marriage from us?
What are some remedies for keeping the marriage bed undefiled?
How do we fight against the onslaught of the world around us and their thinking on $ex?
Why do we in the church shrink back from talking openly about marital relations?
Why does the writer of Hebrews go to such lengths to remind us that God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous in this passage?
How does remembering God will judge inspire you to action?
What applications need to be made in your life in light of Sunday?

If you discuss this with your spouse, maybe spend time in prayer together afterwards to help draw you together as one.

Weekend Recap – Esteeming Marriage

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My sermon from 9/23/12AM entitled Esteeming Marriage from Hebrews 13:4 is now online.  While many in our culture scoff at what the church thinks of marriage, God calls His people to live in such a way that marriage is honored among all.  He also calls us to pursue the purity of marital relations as well as seek holiness in light of His sure judgment.  All of these thoughts led this sermon to conclusions like: Honor marriage!  Protect marriage! Sanctify marriage!

Hope you had a great Lord’s Day and God richly blesses your week.

Weekend Recap – 3D Love

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My 9/9/12AM sermon, 3D Love, from Hebrews 13:1-3 is now online.  This sermon, coming almost in the same breath of a revelation that God’s a consuming fire, helps us orient our lives in worship properly by displaying love to those around us.  The three dimensional love taught to us is an inward love for other Christians in the church, an outward love for those outside the church and a particular love displayed for the needy, as if we have the same kind of need.

I hope you had a great Lord’s Day, as well.  Now, with Monday, we have the opportunity to live out what we experienced yesterday.  I pray you do that in a way that pleases God.

Weekend Preview – Love, Love, Love

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This coming Lord’s Day, we will be looking at Hebrews 13:1-3 and it’s call upon our lives to a 3 dimensional kind of love.  One of the rubs in our day and age (especially in the church) is that we talk a good game of love.  For instance, we can probably communicate how hard we are sacrificing in this or that area.  But, if we’re honest a lot of that is hot air.  We’re not that inconvenienced.  We have time for others if we make time for others.

The author of Hebrews just lays it out there, though.  We must be a loving people if we are going to live before a God who is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  This weekend, then, ask God to prepare your heart to receive God’s Word that we may emerge a people characterized by love in striking ways.

Responding To A Consuming Fire

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My sermon from 9/2/12AM entitled Consuming Fire from Hebrews 12:25-29 is online.  The sermon showed how we respond to a revelation of an awesome God (His being a consuming fire).  Specifically, we need listening ears (25-27) and worshipping lives (28-29) to respond rightly to Him.  I hope the sermon was encouraging and if you haven’t had a chance to listen yet, check it out.  Enjoy this Labor Day Weekend.

Weekend Recap – 2 Ways To Relate To God

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My sermon from 8/26/12AM entitled Relating To God from Hebrews 12:18-24 is now online.  The sermon exposed the ways we try to relate to God but, in the end, showed that only relating to God through Christ is the path that allows us to face God, the judge of all, with confidence.  Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.  This also was an amazing lead in to the Lord’s Supper and Jesus’ blood of the covenant.  It was an amazing Lord’s Day.

The morning, coupled with Jerry Bridges’ chapter “I am a new creation” (Who Am I? chapter 5) helped show the glorious realities that are ours in the Gospel.  I hope you had a great Lord’s day reveling in truths like these.

Weekend Recap – Committed to Completion

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As I wrote over the weekend, yesterday, 8/19/12AM, my sermon was on Committed To Completing the Race from Hebrews 12:12-17.  My opening illustration was from the ’92 Olympics and video of that can be found from Friday’s post.  God’s marked out a race for all of us.  This passage really encouraged us to demonstrate our commitment to complete the race by a Godly striving for peace and holiness in community and by a zealous fighting against all the things that would detract us from Gospel allegiances.  I hope it proved helpful for you.  And, I hope you had a great day of worship with other believers.  Have a great week.

Committed To Finishing

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This coming Lord’s Day, we plan to look at Hebrews 12:12-17 and hear a call from God to strengthen our resolve and commitment to finish the race.  This means striving hard after things like holiness and peace and fighting against things like sinful roots, immortality and the anti-grace mindset that so easily raises its head.

To introduce this message, I am going to use the story of Derek Redmond from the 1992 Olympic games where his father helped him finish the race and cross the finish line.  Here’s a video of that story. As you watch it, think about your desire to finish the race that God has called you to run and come this Sunday expecting God to give you help in His Word.

Weekend Recap – 8/12/12

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We enjoyed a great Lord’s Day yesterday.  For me personally, it was great to get back into the pulpit and, specifically, return to the book of Hebrews to find strength for enduring.  My sermon, Father’s Discipline, from Hebrews 12:5-11 helped orient us to God the Father’s love and care for His children.  God helps us endure by training us to run and encouraging us to be holy and bear fruit that is honoring to Him.

Also, before I preached, we saw a video as Arwen and TJ sang “The Prodigal.”  Here’s that video:

In the evening, we met in small groups.  My group worked through Chapter 4 of Jerry Bridges’ book Who Am I on the appropriate subject: “I am an adopted son of God.”

All in all, we had an amazing Lord’s day.  I hope you were blessed through it.