Baptist Distinctives – Jude 1-4

What I have for you this evening will not be much more than an outline – or maybe two or three outlines. There won’t be too much meat on these bare bones, but I have reasons for this. First – the points I’d like to make this evening should we well-known to most of...

Goliath’s Shield Man – I Samuel 17:1-11

I have read, studied and preached from this chapter many times. But it occurred to me the other day that there has been something I’ve skipped over – over and over again. As Goliath came out to challenge Israel, there was a man who came out ahead of him. Verse 7 –...

These Are Not Drunken – Acts 2:1-28

Our message this morning was from Acts 2:40 – “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” We began reading from verse 29 – “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David.” While I was preparing for that message, I began looking over the...

The Brand of Christ – Galatians 6:14-18

As you can see these are the last words of Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians. Having studied this book just a few years ago, I hope you remember Paul’s general purpose. The Book of Galatians is a defense of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It carries...

O Lord, Consider my Meditation – I Timothy 4:6-16

I have been in God’s service and ministry for over 50 years. I say that without the least bit of pride, because I know that I am here only by God’s grace. And I am constantly discovering my ministerial failures. I could give you a litany of those failures, but even in...

The Prayer of an Old Man – Psalm 119:81-88

While looking through one of my notebooks of sermon seed thoughts, I ran into the words “Seeing Clearly.” I immediately thought, “Ah ha,” here is something to which I can relate. I know what it is to see poorly, nearly not to see at all, and now to see clearly in some...

Statutes of Limitation – Nehemiah 13:1-31

I confess that from the moment we started this study of Nehemiah I have been dreading this chapter. I read this book several times before we started, and I knew it concluded with an unpopular and controversial subject. Now, here we are. But as is most often the case –...

Quality Christianity – II Corinthians 4:17-18

Let’s say that you’ve just been introduced to someone new, and the question of “Christianity” has come up. You want to know whether this person is a genuine child of God or just a name-only Christian. How should we test that person? – Or for that matter, how could...

They Willingly Offered Themselves – Nehemiah 11:1-2

As Paul was beginning to bring his Epistle to the Romans to a close, he commented – “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning…” If we were to paraphrase Romans 15:4 we might say “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were...

We Will Not Forsake the House of our God – Nehemiah 10:39

Even though we have read only one verse this evening I’d like to consider 2 scriptures separated by 3 chapters. Near the conclusion of the “sure covenant” Israel was making with Jehovah, the people promised, “We will not forsake the house of our God.” I’d like you to...

Witnessing Something Special – Matthew 3:13-17

  A few months ago, Sister Rosemary loaned me a book. It was work of fiction based upon the Bible. The author retold the story of the last days of Christ, weaving his imagination into what the Bible tells us. It was entertaining and enlightening. I’m going to try...

How to Move God to Action – Nehemiah 9:5b-38

As you have seen, this prayer is filled with references to Israel’s history. I will probably not deal with that history other than to say at this point – “Actions have consequences.” Israel proves that even when God’s people sin, they will be punished. God is...

Why Have Convictions about Baptism – Matthew 3:13-17

In a few minutes we are going to hold a baptismal service. Sadly, we don’t have the privilege of observing this ordinance often enough. So it’s important to stop and consider the subject once in a while. There are new Christians who need to be baptized and to go on in...

The Feast of Tabernacles – Nehemiah 8:13-18

This chapter begins on the first day of Tishri – the Jewish New Year according to one calendar – and the seventh month of the year according to the other. It was also the first day of three important Festivals – Trumpets, Tabernacles and the Day of Atonement. On this...

The Feast of Trumpets – Nehemiah 8:1-3

This will be a relatively short but somewhat convoluted message this evening. I approach it with some trepidation, because I’m venturing into territory in which I have never felt particularly comfortable. But I’m hoping that it will be a blessing to you. Prior to the...