Read: Daniel 1
The Seventh Commandment (5) Homosexuality
“We are not defined by our desires. We are made by God and for God. The way to life and blessedness is the way of salvation in Jesus Christ, and the way of being, renewed in the image of Christ. That involves dying to self. It involves that for all of us, no matter what our particular struggles and inclinations are. Just giving into our desires is the way of death. One of the great themes of the New Testament is that in Christ it is possible to live a life that is pleasing to God – not perfectly in this life, but nevertheless really. The Bible does not hide the fact that this is sometimes very hard. But it insists that the Christian life is the life of blessedness and true well-being. There is no better way to live than the life that is the result of salvation in Christ – the life of submission to God – the life of love and service – the life of putting God’s will before our own.”
Sermon Series: The Ten Commandments
“As the LORD, the God of Israel lives.”
Read: 1 Kings 16:29 - 17:7
“There are a lot of warnings in Scripture. But these warnings are motivated by God’s grace and mercy and they all anticipate Jesus and his mission because it is in him that we escape the punishments that are the consequences of sin.”
Sermon Series: The Message of Elijah
The Message of Elijah
Elijah brought the word of the Lord during a time in history that is like ours in many ways. The society into which he spoke was a godless and idol-worshiping society that was heading for God’s judgment. But as long as God is calling people to repentance there is hope. This series will consider the message that Elijah brought in the light of its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
The Seventh Commandment (4) Pornography
“Fighting against sin is a multifaceted thing – it is about putting off sinful attitudes and actions and putting on godly attitudes and actions. It is about drawing on the resources that God has given us in the gospel. It is about being part of the body of Christ and receiving rebuke and encouragement from the other members of the body, and it is about nurturing love for God and our fellow man through the nourishment of the means of grace.”
Sermon Series: The Ten Commandments
Biblical Responses to Secular Beliefs (9) Cultural Marxism
“The greatest oppression that human beings experience is the oppression of their own sin and the tyranny of the devil. Jesus came to set us free from that and as Jesus himself said in John 8:36. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.””
Sermon Series: Biblical Responses to Secular Beliefs
The Seventh Commandment (3) Singleness (2)
“The deep joy and satisfaction that is possible for us as human beings does not come from seeking joy and happiness directly but by seeking God and his kingdom. It is when our focus is not on ourselves, but outside of ourselves on enjoying our relationship with God and giving ourselves in his service that the result of that is the profound joy and happiness that we are designed to enjoy. This is why the Bible focuses on obedience rather than the idea of satisfying our desires with the things of this life.”
Sermon Series: The Ten Commandments
Biblical Responses to Secular Beliefs (8) The Psychological Man
“The great assumption of the Psychological Man is that it is possible to be psychologically whole apart from God, while the great truth from the beginning to the end of the Bible is that to live apart from God is death. Man’s wellbeing depends entirely and completely and utterly on being in a state of reconciliation with God – being accepted by God – loving God and being loved by God and living for the glory of God.”
Sermon Series: Biblical Responses to Secular Beliefs
The Seventh Commandment (2) Singleness
“The only way that the things of earth can truly satisfy us is if they point us to God and satisfaction in him. And one of the points of all the pleasures and satisfactions in life is that they are not enough. We cannot be complete without God. Our hearts cannot right rest apart from God. And so marriage and sex make the point that they are not enough. They can never be what God must be in our lives.”
Sermon Series: The Ten Commandments
Biblical Responses to Secular Beliefs (7) Expressive Individualism
“Our happiness and greatest wellbeing come from living for God rather than living for ourselves. We were not designed to find our deepest happiness by focusing on ourselves. We are designed to find our deepest happiness in God. The Bible is actually very concerned with man’s happiness, but as a result of living for God rather than living for ourselves. The picture that the Bible paints of a life in the service of God is a wonderful picture of fulfillment and wellbeing and profound happiness. The Bible makes it clear that the deepest joy that we can know is joy in the Lord and in his service. Psalm 32:11 says “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” ”
Sermon Series: Biblical Responses to Secular Beliefs