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The Greatest Human Evil

I’ve never heard the sharp noise of battle,
Nor have I seen the senseless slaughter of men;
I’ve never witnessed the bomb’s exploding metal,
Nor watched a nuclear flash as bright as the sun.

But, Lord, you know the greatest human evil
Is done in darkened homes and daily words,
By divided hearts and vain minds, by feeble
Imaginations that cannot fathom your Lordship.

Let not this terrible wrong take hold of me!
Make light suffuse the truth from stem to stern!
Worthy of Christ may I in my soul be!
Save my life, as worlds around me burn!

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You Are My Son

“… And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’  Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry …” Luke 3:22-23.  After many convincing proofs from His birth and childhood about who Jesus was, Luke, writing from his investigations and eyewitness accounts, ties in John’s role as a forerunner to the Messiah’s ministry and then gives the biggest endorsement of all: the Father’s seal of approval.  Without that, Jesus would have just appeared as a carpenter from Galilee who, either through deception or lunacy, was going around Judea declaring Himself to be the Christ.  But, He, at thirty years of age, was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and publically declare who He was and what He was about.  This was not done in secret.  The crowds that John was ministering to are well attested to earlier in the chapter.  There were many who Luke must have spoken to who were there when Jesus stepped down into the water, who saw heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descend like a dove, and who heard the Father’s voice declare Jesus to be His Son.  Perhaps that was why they began to follow Him.  Do you follow God’s Son?

Intro: John prepares the way for Jesus, Luke 3:4-9

I Jesus was baptized … to Receive the Holy Spirit

  • Luke 3:21-22a
  • We do too, Acts 2:38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14

II Jesus was baptized … to Please His Father

  • Luke 3:22b; Matthew 3:13-15
  • We do too, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 8:16-17

III Jesus was baptized … to Begin His Ministry

  • Luke 3:23
  • We do too, Luke 14:25-34
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Roller coaster world

What a roller coaster this world is, O Lord! People are led by their passions and emotions, swayed by their peers, motivated by the approval of those who have no influence on their eternal destiny. Keep me from entering this heart-rending ride.

How small is the life lived far from you, O Lord! Nothing beyond the visible, idols on every side, routines with no redeeming qualities. Keep me near your presence.

How short a human’s time on earth, O Lord! We are born to trouble, we age quickly, our bodies wear out rapidly. Keep me now that I might enter your eternal kingdom.

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New Editor

J. Randal Matheny indeed has a long reach to stretch from Brazil to snowy northern New York State along the Canadian border to twist my arm to sit in the editorial chair for sermonlines.com.  Knowing the challenges of small church ministry as I am now in my twentieth year with the Plattsburgh Church of Christ, I hope to make sermonlines a true preachers-helping-preachers site, where we create an encouraging and biblical repository for the exchanging of ideas to build the Kingdom.  Like those free lending libraries that are popping up everywhere, leave an idea or take an idea to promote the gospel locally and around the world.

God bless, Douglas Kashorek

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This age is passing away

Our blessed Father in heaven, forgive our sins. Keep us from sinning. Help us overcome temptation. We rejoice in the remission of all our transgressions. Help us to live worthily of the gospel. We want to be righteous people. The gift of Christ’s sacrifice is precious to us. Praise to you for your grace.

Let our souls rest in you. Keep the worries of the world at bay. Remind us that you are our guarantee and protection of security in this world. Show us the ephemeral nature of this age. It is passing away. All that it contains will be destroyed. So we want to trust in you and find our peace in your Son.

We pray for our governing authorities. May they rule fairly. Let us live in peace and quietness. May our society be more just. We are grateful for the justice of the final day and for the mercy you extend to us. In the present, we ask that we may live in security and confidence, thanks to the proper actions of government.

Build up your church. Let us place upon it its proper value. Let us see in it the expression of your rule. Help us to dedicate ourselves to your people. Make the body of Christ a priority for us. Show us ways to do good, especially to those of the family of faith. Thank you for giving us a loving community of saints, among whom we may grow, learn to serve, and develop our hope.

Give us a word of encouragement to speak to the tired and weary. Show us how to admonish and correct with love and tenderness. Teach us to love sincerely and earnestly. Restore in us your image, in Christ, that we might, with patience and strength, be people who care and share. Above all, help us to share the message of salvation.

May you be glorified among us and in the world, as we live by the power of your Spirit and walk in the ways of your commandment.

—•••—

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Give Us Fear of You

You are good and you are sovereign,
Seeking to save the unclean and common.
Walk among us, give us courage,
Make our faith and confidence flourish.

Man may destroy our physical body,
He may leave us bruised and bloody;
Nothing can he do to our spirit,
Powers of his you sharply limit.

Only you, the Lord of creation,
Hold in your hand the soul’s destruction.
Give us fear of you, and reverence,
Never afraid of man’s belligerence.

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The Mountains’ Rocks Are Trembling

The mountains’ rocks are trembling,
Shaken to the roots;
The armies are assembling,
On the ground are boots.

Across the skies are flying
Angels with their swords,
To judge the unchaste defying
Christ, the Lord of lords.

Lord, come to save your children —
Prayers to you ascend;
Come carry up this pilgrim —
Rest without end.

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I will trust you all the day long

Do I believe in you, O Lord?
Yes, I believe! I do and will.
Help me in my unbelief!
I will trust you all the day long.
Let not my needs overwhelm me.
Keep enemies from overrunning me.
Preserve me for the Kingdom’s field.
Give me sight to see your glory.
Open my ears to hear the reading
Of the Scroll, for saving wisdom.
Make the present full of attention,
Senses aware of your Holy Spirit,
My tether the Cross where sins are nailed,
The gospel’s chains my desired freedom.
Yes, I believe your word, O God!
Descend, that I might rise with you.

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The death of Christ gives new perspective

2 Cor 5.16-17

“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
Eph 4.23 NLT
—•—

  1. About Christ, Jn 7.24.
  2. About others 2 Cor 5.16-17.
  3. About family in Christ, Rom 14.15; 1 Cor 8.11.
  4. About oneself, Gal 6.3.
  5. About serving, Gal 5.13; 1 Pet 2.16.
  6. About suffering, Heb 12.7.
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Act for the kingdom’s cause

Dear God, help me to accept the present and not pine for the past, nor worry about the future. Make me content in this moment. Help me to see how you are fulfilling each need of mine. I trust in you. I will call upon you, confident of answer. I will set my watch for your movement in my direction. You are God who feels compassion for his people. You care for your own. You are the fountain that slakes our thirst.

Build me up in faith, so that I, like those of old, might patiently wait upon the arrival of what I seek. Make me worthy to be included in their midst. Move your Spirit among us. Pursue your plan with us as your instrument of peace. Let the devil not frustrate your will for us. Keep us from temptation and from evil. Let us not return evil for evil, but rather good. Make us light in this world of darkness.

Be present, O Lord, in the small things today, and make them grow by your immense power. Act in this day to bring forward the kingdom’s cause. Let each brother and sister be sensitive to your will, desiring your glory, working for the gospel, rejoicing in the Spirit. So we pray in Christ, Amen.