Jan 3, 2014 | Matthew
Here we have three little verses, saying very little, but suggesting so very much. Sadly, there are a lot of people who think that these verses say far more than they actually speak. We would be greatly remiss if we didn’t spend at least thirty minutes considering...
Jan 2, 2014 | Matthew
The Lord Jesus has once again traveled down to Jerusalem with His disciples. He will not return to Galilee. He knew perfectly well, what was going to transpire there in the Israelite capital. That makes me wonder whether or not He said “good bye” to the people...
Jan 1, 2014 | Matthew
If I had a choice, I’d make sure that all of my sermons had an eye-catching, or ear-catching, title. That is not always possible, but I think that this morning I have succeeded. The title of today’s message is – “Jesus the Liar.” Of course, I don’t believe that to be...
Jul 15, 2013 | Matthew
Two day’s ago, as I was planning this morning’s message, I intended to read all the verses that I just read. But as my thoughts matured – or was it, as they “fermented” – I chose to cut the Lord’s parable in half. I created two parables, fully realizing that the Lord...
Jul 14, 2013 | Matthew
Matthew 18 has several divsions, but it is all about one subject. It reads somewhat like a well-written story. I have never studied the art of creative writing. But I have read a few books, and I’ve learned a few things about a good story. Some of those...
Jul 14, 2013 | Matthew
As I said this morning, I believe that the underlaying theme of the entire chapter is “unity.” It is not the ecumenical, love-everyone-wearing-the-Christian-label variety of unity. Christ was speaking to His church – one in which there was a problem of pride and...
Jul 13, 2013 | Matthew
If you noticed the title of this message in today’s bulletin, and then heard the reading of the scripture, you could very well have jumped to conclusions about my theme. Perhaps it was my intention to misdirect you just a little bit, but I’ll not actually confess to...
Jul 12, 2013 | Matthew
It seems when Baptist church’s come to church discipline they often go to one of two extremes. Many churches do absolutely nothing to discipline errant members. While others move too quickly to dismiss people, without following proper Biblical guidelines....
Jul 10, 2013 | Matthew
The scripture which we read from Matthew 11 was our text for a message preached about a year ago. It was entitled – “Christ and His Father.” I hope that you will excuse me for returning to a couple of the thoughts which that message contained. But I want...
Jul 9, 2013 | Matthew
Have you ever meditated on “the will of God,” or as the Lord puts it here “the will of your Father in heaven”? I didn’t spend a lot of time on the subject this week, but I did come up with different areas to explore. There is the will of God –...
Jul 8, 2013 | Matthew
As I read these four verses a few minutes ago, they probably didn’t jump off the page at you. These are not among the gemstones of the scriptures – demanding, by their beauty, that we spend an hour studying them. In fact, we have seen two of these verses in a...
Jul 7, 2013 | Matthew
Mark, tells us that it was while the disciples were journeying back to Capernaum that they had began squabbling about pre-eminence in Christ’s kingdom. As I have said repeatedly, the kingdom of Heaven is a multifaceted subject. You and I are currently living in one...
Jul 6, 2013 | Matthew
After the first few years of my Christian life, I was inserted into an atmosphere of hyper-evangelism. By that I mean that men who pastored and taught me were so interested in what they called “the salvation of souls” that they were not above bending the...
Jul 5, 2013 | Matthew
This wonderful story is given to us only here in the Book of Matthew, and I am surprised at that. It has practical value for the Christian, so I’m surprised that the Lord hasn’t emphasized it for us. And it ought to be in the Book of John, because it clearly...
Jul 4, 2013 | Matthew
Let’s introduce our thoughts for this morning with a fictitious story. A wife and mother of five hasn’t been feeling well for several weeks – rundown, lethargic, constantly tired. She thinks that it is probably nothing, so she doesn’t tell her busy husband, but she...
Jul 3, 2013 | Matthew
Something not shared with us by Matthew is that the man and the lunatic boy were not the only people with the disciples at the foot of Transfiguration Mountain. Mark introduces the healing of this possessed boy by saying – “When he came to his disciples, he saw...
Jul 2, 2013 | Matthew
The title, if not this entire sermon, is probably not politically correct. I have entitled it – “Mercy on the Lunatic.” If I had to guess, I’d say that “lunatic” is not to be found on some accepted vocabulary lists. Both this word and the...
Jul 1, 2013 | Matthew
Let’s start this evening by returning to another question that I’ve asked several times already – Why did the Lord choose Moses and Elias to discuss our Lord Jesus’ decease – His “exodus.” There is no definitive answer to that question – at least there...
May 7, 2013 | Matthew
I would like to return to subjects to which I have already referred several times. The first relates to these three disciples who were invited to witness this transfiguration. And the second is one which has often popped up, but which has come up with a different...
May 6, 2013 | Matthew
As they were descending from the heights of this mountain, Jesus told His three disciples not to repeat what they had witnessed. At least they were not to talk about it until after Christ’s resurrection, ascension and glorification. “And as they came down from the...
May 5, 2013 | Matthew
I am reasonably sure that as our Lord climbed to the top of Mount Hermon, He knew what was going to take place there. Yes, He wanted to get away from the maddening crowd – and perhaps He wanted to get a little rest. Then as Luke tells us “He took Peter and John and...
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....
