In this passage Paul is dealing with false teachers who were forbidding people to marry and commanding them to abstain from certain foods. Over against that effort he insists that God’s gifts are to be received with thanksgiving.
Read 1 Timothy 4:1-5
Since the central command of the Great Commission is to make disciples, an important part of implementing it is the discipling of children. The primary responsibility for the discipling of children rests with the parents, but the church is also called to be involved. This sermon looks at the call to parents to nurture their children in the gospel. The next will consider the role of the church.
This passage is the conclusion of this great chapter about Jesus as the good Shepherd. It describes the response of unbelief on the part of the Jewish leaders and the response of faith on the part of many of the people across the Jordon where Jesus visited after leaving Jerusalem.
Read John 10:31-42
It is clear from the Bible that prayer plays an important role in the fulfillment of God’s saving purpose as well as in the Great Commission which is part of that purpose. Examples from both Testaments are considered as well as biblical instruction about the content of our prayers.
The promises made in this passage are comforting to the degree that we are aware of the danger that we are in apart from Christ. This sermon considers the danger of perishing, the fact that Satan is trying to snatch us out of Christ’s hand and the fact that we are weak and vulnerable before expounding the comfort of the promises that Christ makes here.
Read John 10:28-30
When people think of the Great Commission they tend to think of bringing the gospel to unbelievers. And that certainly is part of what Jesus is commanding his people to do. However, main command of the Great Commission is to make disciples and that involves the nurture of believers as well as the conversion of the lost. The primary instruments that Jesus has given to the church for the fulfillment of the Great Commission are the Word of God, the Sacraments and Prayer. This sermon considers the centrality of the Word of God (especially preaching) and the Sacraments in the process of making disciples.
These verses contrast the response of the Jewish leaders to Jesus with the response of Jesus’ sheep. The end result of these two responses are “perishing” and “eternal life” respectively. We are called to examine our lives in the light of the characteristics of his sheep that Jesus gives here. “My sheep listen to my voice; …and they follow me.” The gospel in this passage is in the fact that Jesus knows his sheep.
Read John 10:22-27
The Great Commission is Christ’s “Mission Statement” for the Church. It must be understood in the light of the rest of the Bible. When we do this, we understand that it is a part of God’s mission to rid the world of sin, bless the nations and renew his creation. Seeing our mission in the light of God’s mission is encouraging and motivating.
Read Matthew 28:16-20
Not all of the questions apologetics must deal with are intellectual in nature. For many people, the gospel does not seem to be relevant to their lives. This sermon gives a number of biblical principles which guide us as we seek to show unbelievers the attractiveness of the gospel.
Using metaphors from the world of ancient shepherding, Jesus sheds light on the nature of the relationship between himself and his people. The focus is on Jesus and how he loves and cares for his people as the good shepherd.
Read John 10:1-21
