Posted on

Straddling the fence

By Landon Rowell

As a young boy I found myself in many peculiar situations. On one particular day my family and I were visiting my aunt and uncle. They had a “farm” and for city slickers like us it was an amazing place.

It just so happened that my uncle had an old motorcycle. Being as adventurous as I was I asked if we could drive it around. My uncle conceded after much begging and my brother and I set off to enjoy a day of driving around; it was just in circles around the pasture but it was exciting.

Like many stories go with those that are driving motorcycles I ended up, on the last go around, wrecking the bike and hurting my knee. As I was picked up and taken back toward the house there was a point that I will not soon forget, if ever. Continue reading “Straddling the fence”

Posted on

We have in Christ

By John Henson, Dibrell congregation, McMinnville TN

Ephesians 1:4-10

  1. A Savior who chose us (Verse 4).
  2. A Savior who redeemed us (Verse 7).
  3. A Savior who planned our freedom (Verse 9).
  4. A Savior who came prepared to save us (Verse 10).
Posted on

Now available: The Right Kind of Christianity

The printer has delivered the book, The Right Kind of Christianity, and you can purchase it now.

With 13 chapters, the book makes an excellent quarterly study for groups and classes.

Twelve brothers on three continents contributed to the book. With experience in ministry, missions, servant training, personal evangelism, and mass media, they’ve been on the front line of expressing the truth of the gospel.

Discover how postmodernism seeks to change the Way. See how the truths of the gospel do not change.

Confirm your faith and help others to be confident that the original plan of Scripture for the gospel continues the same as ever.

 

Posted on

Serving God’s purpose

By John Henson, Dibrell congregation, McMinnville TN

ACTS 13:36

I. DAVID SERVED GOD’S PURPOSE

  1. By becoming king.
  2. By writing inspired scripture.
  3. By being the one through whom the Christ would come.
  4. By prophesying the coming King — Jesus.

II. WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR US

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:21 That we might be made the righteousness of God.
  2. Galatians 2:16 That we might be justified by an obedient faith.
  3. Hebrews 12:10 That we might be partakers of his holiness.
  4. 3 John 8 That we might be fellow helpers of the truth.

III. ARE YOU SERVING GOD’S PURPOSE?

Submit your outline to Sermon Lines!

Posted on

Gospel paradoxes

By Joe Slater, Justin, TX

  1. If you would be wise, you must become a fool (1 Cor. 1:18-27; 4:10).
  2. If you would be happy (blessed), you must mourn (Matthew 5:4)
  3. If you would be victorious, you must surrender (James 4:7; 1 Cor. 15:57; John 5:2-4)
  4. If you would live, you must die (Romans 6:2-4)
  5. If you would be free, you must become a slave (Romans 6:17, 18)
  6. If you would be rich, you must become poor (Matthew 19:21)
  7. If you would be great(est), you must become a servant/slave (Luke 22:24-27; John 13:12-15)
Posted on

The progress of faith

Matthew chapter 16 provides a scale of faith. Where are we along this scale?

  1. Unbelief, Mt 16.1-4.
  2. Little faith, Mt 16.5-12.
  3. Faith in the revelation of the Father, Mt 16.13-20.
  4. Faithfulness in following Jesus, Mt 16.21-28.

To be pleasing to God, we need to reach the last stage of faith.

—JRMatheny

Posted on

Come back

by Jerry Elder

In 1979 (yes, I know that was a while back) my freshman year in college, I had a Hispanic friend, Enrique, who went to a store to purchase a few things. When leaving the store, he heard the words “COME BACK”! So he turned around went back to the counter and stood there.

The lady was checking out another customer and did not acknowledge him. So he turned around and was walking toward the door when he heard those words again, “COME BACK”!

Again, he turned around, walked back to the counter, and stood there while she checked out another customer. The lady notices him there and then asks him, “Can I help you”? Continue reading “Come back”

Posted on

Outline of Christianity in 10 Ws

If you like alliteration, this is the outline for you. Ten — count ’em — ten Ws to form upon your lips and wave your hands over. You can supply a ton of Bible texts for each point. This is a good summary of the whole of the Faith.

  1. The Will — God willed man’s existence and salvation from eternity.
  2. The Word — God became man in the person of Jesus Christ.
  3. The Wound — Jesus was wounded for our transgressions.
  4. The Well — Life and power spring from the Holy Spirit.
  5. The Way — The Bible reveals God’s plan, purchased people, and practice of righteousness.
  6. The Work — Eternal salvation is the objective of every effort by God’s people.
  7. The War — Conflict with evil powers is at the heart of faithfulness.
  8. The World — Saints are in, but not of, and sent to, the world.
  9. The Worship — God seeks people who worship in spirit and truth.
  10. The Worth — Heaven is worth giving up life, limb, and luxury.

UPDATE: I’ve reordered a couple of these, to reflect a more logical progression. I flipped nos. 3 and 4 and nos. 9 and 10.

—JRMatheny

Posted on

She wasn’t that way when I married her!

Many marriage partners become frustrated with the way their spouse has turned out. One husband approached Dr. Howard Hendricks with a list of gripes about his wife. Hendricks “consoled” the guy with his Columbo-type tactics. He told the man he was surprised that a man of his intelligence would marry a woman with so many blatant faults. The man quickly defended his prenuptial decision by declaring, “She wasn’t that way when I married her!”

Hendricks retorted, “Then I guess it means you made her that way.”

The fault we often pin on our spouse can frequently be—at least partially—ours.

—House to House

Posted on

A lion’s courage

The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion, Prov 28.1, ESV.

As God’s righteous saints, let us be bold and courageous:

  1. When it comes to prayer, 1 Chr 17.25; Heb 4.14-16.
  2. When it comes to evangelism, Acts 9.27; 23.11; 28.31; Eph 6.19-20; Phil 1.14; 1 Thes 2.2.
  3. When it comes to the truth of the gospel, Mic 3.8; 1 Cor 16.13; Gal 2.5, 14; Phil 1.15-18.
    • About Jesus as the only Way, Jn 14.6; Acts 4.12.
    • About the Bible as God’s Word, 2 Tim 3.16-17; 2 Pet 1.20-21.
    • About eternal salvation as the church’s work, Rom 6.22-23; 1 Pet 1.9; Heb 5.9; 9.12, 15; 1 Jn 5.11.

—JRMatheny