The Furnace of Fire (Matthew 13:47-52)

During an interview on television, a reporter asked a girl involved in punk rock, “What are you looking forward to?” She said, “I’m looking forward to death.” The reporter asked her why. She said, “I want to die so I can go to hell and have fun!”  This is a complete misunderstanding of Hell!

In this final parable in Matthew 13, the Lord shares the story of the “dragnet” which is a picture of the gathering of judgment at the end of the age. All of these parables have been pointing towards God’s kingdom. The Jews looked for the God’s kingdom to be physical but the Lord emphasized that the kingdom would take place within the heart. The culmination of these parables and the kingdom will be the judgment which will separate those who are entering God’s kingdom and those who will not. The end result for the rejecters is the “fiery furnace” where there will be indescribable agony and torment for all eternity. When Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”, it was a wakeup call to pay attention. Are you paying attention?

Is the Kingdom Important? (Matthew 13:44-46)

In the two parables that the Lord shares in this passage, He uses “treasure hidden in a field” and “a priceless pearl”.  Both of these items had great value.  They were so valuable that the individuals sold everything they had to obtain them.  Both items represent the “kingdom of God”.  The “kingdom” is so valuable that we should do anything we can to make sure that we have the “kingdom” in our own lives.  The question is: “Do you have the kingdom?” and, if not, “why are you not seeking it?”

The Power & Influence of Christ's Kingdom (Matthew 9:13-31-33

In the two parables that the Lord shares in this passage, He uses a mustard seed and leaven to illustrate spiritual principles.  A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  The mustard seed and leaven are both very small items.  The underlying meaning is that the Kingdom of Christ starts out small in the believer’s life but its influence is huge.  Are these in your life?  The message touches upon this…

The Kingdom and the World (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

Matthew 13 introduces parables to the reader of the Gospel. Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings.  The Lord begins to use this form of teaching to reveal and conceal truth to the listeners.  In this second parable (The parable of the “Wheat and the Tares”), the Lord emphasizes the two types of seeds (“wheat” or “tares”) that are planted into the field (“the world”).  The question is: “Are you wheat or a tare?”

Responding to the Gospel (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23)

Matthew 13 introduces parables to the reader of the Gospel. Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings.  The Lord begins to use this form of teaching to reveal and conceal truth to the listeners.  In this first parable (The parable of the Sower), the Lord emphasizes the types of soils (hears) that the seed (Word of God) touches.  The question is: “What type of soil are you?”

The Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:1-17)

Sometimes, the easiest way to understand a principle is to have someone explain it very simply with an illustration from everyday life.  The Lord knew that so He began to teach using everyday situations and things to illustrate spiritual principles.  In Matthew 13, the Lord emphasizes that His teaching ministry is changing.  So, He begins to teach in parables which is an earthly story with an heavenly meaning. He also indicates that teaching in parables emphasizes God’s judgment in a part of the parable process.  Are you receiving truth or are you having truth hidden from you?  Today’s message talks about both.

A Man After God's Own Heart (Psalm 63:1-8)

King David was an interesting study in contrasts.  He was a great king and a poor father. He loved God and yet wandered away from God’s intents.  He followed God and yet followed his own way on more than one occasion.  In all of his weaknesses and strengths, he is the only one that God called “a man after His own heart”.  Our desire should be to me “people after God’s own heart”.  This is a special “Fathers’ Day” message.

Learning How To Walk (Galatians 6:16-25)

I loved watching my kid’s first steps.  Before they took those steps successfully, they held on to things and often fell down.  After victory, they began to venture out more and more and became bolder in their attempts to walk.  There is a parallel in our spiritual lives as well.  As we begin to develop the fruit of the Spirit and move away from the deeds of the flesh, we begin to really enjoy our freedom in Christ.  Where are you today? Are you clinging to the old ways of life or are you beginning to really flex your spiritual muscles?

Overcoming Doubt (Matthew 11:1-6)

Do you ever struggle with doubt?  Interesting question because everyone has struggled with some form of doubt from time to time.  John the Baptist struggled with doubt.  He had been imprisoned by Herod for about a year when he sent two of his followers to Jesus to ask Him the question, “Are you really the one that we have been looking for?”  The Lord gave John an interesting answer.  His response serves as a format for the way that He would answer us if we were to take our doubts to Him as well.

What Makes a Church Great? - "Stones of Remembrance" (Joshua 4:1-9)

It is a very profound question – “What makes a church great?” There is a wide variety of opinions on how that question should be answered. But the correct answer is, “How do they treat the Word of God?”  In Joshua 4, the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River into the promised land and laid “stones of remembrance” into a monument to remember God’s faithfulness.  Using that format, we are speaking of three stones that comprise a monument to God’s faithfulness in our lives as well.  How do we treat those stones in our lives and in our churches?  Today’s message speaks of what is important to God.

What Does a Disciple Look Like? [P#3] (Matthew 10:34-42)

The United States is normally considered a Christian nation.  In surveys regarding the religious background of Americans, it is thought that up to 80% of respondents said that they were Christian while 40-50% considered themselves evangelical.  Yet, many don’t attend church and seldom read the Bible.  The Lord addresses this issue in the next few verses.  He emphasizes that there are certain characteristics that make up the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Are these a part of your life? This is the third message in this mini-series in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Greatest Force in the World (2 Timothy 1:1-5; 3:12-17)

“Happy Mothers’ Day”

 God has blessed every one of us with a mother. God designed the mother to be a very powerful and impacting influence in the lives of her children. As a matter of fact, a mother is the “most powerful force on the earth”. She has the unique ability to influence and shape the generations to come. Today’s message talks about Timothy’s mother and grandmother. They really impacted his life for all eternity. They serve as wonderful role models for all of us.

What Does a Disciple Look Like? (Part #2) [Matthew 10:32-33]

The United States is normally considered a Christian nation.  In surveys regarding the religious background of Americans, it is thought that up to 80% of respondents said that they were Christian while 40-50% considered themselves evangelical.  Yet, many don’t attend church and seldom read the Bible.  The Lord addresses this issue in the next few verses.  He emphasizes that there are certain characteristics that make up the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Are these a part of your life? This is the second message in this mini-series in the Gospel of Matthew.

What Does a Disciple Look Like - Part #1 (Matthew 10:26-31)

The United States is normally considered a Christian nation.  In surveys regarding the religious background of Americans, it is thought that up to 80% of respondents said that they were Christian while 40-50% considered themselves evangelical.  Yet, many don’t attend church and seldom read the Bible.  The Lord addresses this issue in the next few verses.  He emphasizes that there are certain characteristics that make up the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Are these a part of your life?

When You Can't Get Along (Acts 15:36-41)

There is a principle that is common in life: “As long as there are two people, conflict is inevitable.”  In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas come to an impassable situation regarding a disagreement.  The Bible always has the answer to our problems and the answer to dealing with conflicts is no different.  If we want to handle conflicts in a way that honors God we need to pay attention to what God says regarding conflicts.

Christlikeness: The Goal of Discipleship (Matthew 10:24-25)

In your journey as a “believer” or a “born-again Christian”, have you ever asked the question, “Is this all there is to be a Christian?”  Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”  What exactly does that mean?  How do I know if I am having abundant life.  What exactly is abundant life?  The Lord begins a mini-series in Matthew as He details the issues surrounding what it means to have abundant life.  The question today is: “Are you experiencing abundant life?”

How Should We React to the Resurrected Lord (John 20:11-31)

Sandy Patti has a song that is entitled, “Was It a Morning Like This?”.  It speaks of the reactions to the resurrected Lord.  We all react to Easter differently.  Some of us get excited, some of us like that it is a holiday that we can get together with family, and some of us don’t really care.  But, Easter is the one day that separates Christianity from everything else.  We serve a risen Savior.  The tomb is empty.  Our Lord is alive and He is everything He said He was.  As the saying goes, “He is risen, He is risen indeed!”

It's Palm Sunday! - Where will You be Standing? (Matthew 21:1-11)

Growing up in a church, I remember Easter very well.  Easter activities always began on “Palm Sunday”.  The kids in the Sunday School would be handed “palm branches” and we would invade the auditorium during the service by coming down the center aisle, waving the palm branches, and shouting “hallelujah”! It was exciting for us even though we didn’t fully comprehend what it really meant.  The crowds also didn’t comprehend what it meant when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  There were 4 different groups represented that day.  We have to ask ourselves, “What group would we have been in?”

Living as Sheep Among the Wolves (Matthew 10:16-23)

When I pastored in Michigan, I had a member of my church that raised sheep.  I used “sheep” as an illustration in a sermon one Sunday and, afterward, he asked me to come out to his farm so I could actually observe sheep.  I found that his sheep, like everyone else’s, were pretty typical.  They usually didn’t know where to go or what to do if he didn’t direct them and watch over them.  It was a very unique education that day for me.  It is no mistake that the Lord refers to His children as “sheep”.  In today’s passage, the Lord tells the disciples that He is sending them out as “sheep among the wolves”.  What exactly did He mean?  Today’s message answers that question.

Light for Dark Days (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17)

It is an interesting and terrible fact that approximately one out of every 400,000 children will be born with a rare genetic disorder known as familial dysautomomia.  Literally, the child will never feel any pain.  What a wonderful thing.  To think that you could go through life with no aches or pains, no headaches, no stomach aches, no feeling from sprains or breaks, etc., etc., etc.  What sounds wonderful is really a curse.  The tragedy of this disorder is that the child will never live long enough to make it to adulthood.  Pain is often what saves our lives as it points out the issues or problems that need to be corrected or looked at.  In the spiritual realm, pain is also the vehicle that often helps us to grow and become like Christ.  Paul’s message today explains the blessings of pain as we grow and mature.