May 4, 2013 | Matthew
Let me try to explain these events as I see them. As I said last week, I believe that the transfiguration took place on Mt. Hermon. Honesty demands that I tell you that not everyone agrees with that idea. Tradition says that this was on Mt. Tabor, which is 12 to 15...
May 3, 2013 | Matthew
A hundred and forty years ago, Philip Bliss wrote some poetry and then put it to music. With the advent of contemporary worship hymns, who knows if Christians will be singing it in another hundred and forty years. But as of today it is still popular in a many...
May 2, 2013 | Matthew
This morning I raised the question, “Why were Peter, James and John invited to witness the transfiguration?” Was it an arbitrary choice on Christ’s part, or were there specific reasons. Were they better men than the rest of the disciples, and if so in what way? How...
May 1, 2013 | Matthew
This past week, I have had several people, who know that I am a pastor, ask me if I was “ready for Easter.” They were thinking that I must have a lot of special preparation to do for this day. I told them that for the most part I was, even though I didn’t have this...
Apr 17, 2013 | Matthew
I have entitled this message – “Two Comings of Christ,” but there is a slight “slight of hand” involved. Notice that I didn’t use the definite article “the” two Comings of Christ. Most of you understand what the preacher means when he talks about the two comings of...
Apr 16, 2013 | Matthew
I’m sure that on several occasions Christ and His disciples spent nights out in the wilderness – under the stars. Sometimes on the eastern side of the Sea, or perhaps traveling north to Syro-Phoenician-Phoenicia. There were undoubtedly evenings, after the crowds had...
Apr 15, 2013 | Matthew
The psalmist David – King David – loved the Word of God. In Psalm 19 he sang: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of...
Apr 14, 2013 | Matthew
I have some neighbors who are about as religious as anyone possibly can be. I think that they both work in a religious school, probably attending either chapel or their church nearly every day of the week. They wear very conservative clothing; they have religious...
Apr 13, 2013 | Matthew
Tonight, let’s think about the principles of Christian leadership. My reason for this subject is that everyone of us are, or will be, or ought to be leaders of others. If you are a parent, teacher, drill sergeant, pastor, deacon or someone’s hero, you are a leader....
Apr 12, 2013 | Matthew
The ministry of the Lord Jesus was beginning a transformation period. If you think back on it, ever since creation, the “work” of the Son of God has changed and changed again. There were things which He did to Israel and the patriarchs which were special. “But when...
Apr 11, 2013 | Matthew
In Luke 9 we have the condensed version of the event that we are studying here in Matthew 16. Luke omits verses 18 and 19. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it....
Apr 10, 2013 | Matthew
One of the heretical doctrines of many cults is that the leader, or some group, controls the keys to Heaven. Some demand allegiance to the founder of the cult, and so when that leader dies, so does the cult. Some place all their converts and devotees in communes or...
Apr 9, 2013 | Matthew
When the Lord Jesus said, “And I say also unto thee…” He basically meant – “You’ve just said something really important, and now so will I.” Peter had said – on behalf of all the disciples – “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus replied,...
Apr 8, 2013 | Matthew
I have heard it said that there are a hundred million billion stars in the universe. One hundred million billion – that is an astronomical number (no pun intended). That is a number exceeded only by America’s national debt – it is almost incalculable. With that many,...
Apr 7, 2013 | Matthew
This scripture gives us the opportunity to consider, once again, our doctrine of Ecclesiology – the church. You might not think that this is important, but it is. As Bible believers there are several doctrines which we hold, but which are hated by churches around us....
Apr 6, 2013 | Matthew
This is not the first time that Christ Jesus has called Himself “the Son of Man.” And this is not the first time that I have said anything about this title. Just as Jesus spoke of this often, perhaps we should refer to it often as well. But it’s not a matter of...
Apr 5, 2013 | Matthew
In Matthew 24, the disciples came to Christ and asked Him to explain Bible prophecy to them. In His reply, He said that toward the end of time, there would be more and more famines, earthquakes and wars. And then He said, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many...
Apr 4, 2013 | Matthew
The preaching ministry should have a variety of purposes. One ought to be to teach and explain the Word of God – so that we all might understand what God says. A second purpose ought to be to find ways to apply those things to our hearts. Paul spoke to all pastors...
Apr 3, 2013 | Matthew
Let me begin by outlining some of what believe, and what we do not believe, about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I wish that we had a dozen visitors here this evening, so that this wouldn’t simply be a review. First, I believe that Jesus started His church long...
Apr 2, 2013 | Matthew
Most of our Lord Jesus’ ministry thus far has been around the Sea of Galilee. I can’t tell you how many times that little church has crossed the lake from one side to the other. And I can’t tell you which direction they were headed on this occasion. John Gill among...
Apr 1, 2013 | Matthew
As I hope you noticed from our earlier scripture, this is not the first time that the Pharisees came to Christ tempting Him to perform miracles. In chapter 12, Jesus after calling them “an evil and adulterous generation,” responded in exactly the same way as He did...
Mar 8, 2013 | Matthew
I have entitled this message “The Glorious Return,” but it doesn’t have the connotation some might expect. It’s not about the return of the Lord in the air for His saints, and it’s not about the establishment of the Millennium or anything quite so eschatological....
Mar 7, 2013 | Matthew
For the third time in the Book of Matthew, either Matthew or the Lord Jesus refers to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In chapter 10, when Christ was giving His disciples their commission, He specifically said, “Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into...
Mar 6, 2013 | Matthew
Have you ever had a stomach flu so terrible that you thought you were on brink of death? Maybe it was a head-ache so severe you thought your cranium might explode. Have you ever been so hungry that you didn’t think you’d have the strength lift your fork?...
Mar 5, 2013 | Matthew
I will try not to keep you long this afternoon. I just want to make a few explanatory remarks about these somewhat cryptic words of our Saviour. With just a little thought, there is nothing really remarkable about what is said here. Let’s start by looking at the...
Mar 4, 2013 | Matthew
Most people in the Western world think that they have a good handle on Jesus Christ – who He was. Many will happily prove their knowledge by declaring that He is the Son of God, the Saviour. But then they will say that He was born on Christmas Day in the year 1. But...
Mar 3, 2013 | Matthew
A crafty lawyer came seeking to ensnare Lord Jesus one day asking, ”What do you think is the greatest of all the commandments?” He was probably thinking that no matter what answer the Lord gave it could be disputed. If the Lord said that the second commandment was...
Mar 2, 2013 | Matthew
Our Lord’s conversation here revolves around tradition. As I was considering the subject, it seemed to me that there are only slight differences between tradition, habit and doctrine. That is something to which I’ll return in just a few minutes. But first, if what I...
Mar 1, 2013 | Matthew
Among the many things which this passage teaches us is the danger of religious decay. Any group gathered together for the worship of the Lord can degenerate into Pharisees and hand washers. And of course, that is not what we are about. We are in the soul-cleansing...
Feb 9, 2013 | Matthew
The final phrase of Matthew 14 is: “and as many as touched (him) were made perfectly whole.” When was the last time that you felt “perfectly whole”? Can you even remember when you were “perfectly whole?” Do you suppose that the statement really means what it appears...
