I've begun to anticipate starting the week by reading quick summaries of sermons preached or heard over the weekend. I trust that the summaries are a blessing to others as well. I encourage you to post a summary of one of your/your pastor's Sunday messages. Perhaps it will raise a question or prompt a discussion. Maybe it will just be an edifying "fyi," letting others know what the Lord is doing elsewhere. Anyway, please chime in! Tell us the passage, give a one paragraph summary and highlight the most significant lesson learned.
Filed under: Sermon Summaries
On Petition in Prayer
Over at My Two Cents, Chris Anderson invites pastors to review their Sunday messages. Here are some of the details of the message I preached on April 2 (AM).
“Just Asking” Matthew 6:11-13
Begin With The Body
“Our daily bread” s…
hi Chris
For our installment, we first were in Jer 21-25 on “The Word of the Lord to the Last Kings”. God gave specifically detailed prophecies to the last four kings of Judah which emphatically enhance the authority of his more general prophecies to the nation. The message used Jeremiah’s illustration of good figs and bad figs in ch 24 to ask how we can know if we are “good figs” in God’s eyes. The answer is the work of the Branch (Jer 23) and wholehearted repentance (24.7).
Second, we covered Jer 30-33 and Dan 1 in “Bright Hope for Tomorrow”. For once a positive message from Jeremiah! Thesis: The Lord’s purposes for redemption are not frustrated by the unfaithfulness of mankind.” Jeremiah’s purchase of his cousin’s field and Daniel’s faithful commitment to the Lord are illustrations that God preserves gems in a field of soot, even when judgement rains down all around.
Last, we were in Habakkuk and Joel for “The Babylonians are Coming”. In this one, we answered Habakkuk’s question, “Is God righteous in using the unrighteous to judge His people?” Joel enhanced the ferocity of the Babylonian invasion with his locuat metaphor.
We will be almost all Jeremiah next Sunday as we finish off the book and possibly get Lamentations also. The messages are sober commentaries on sin. God does not trifle with our foolishness, but he does allow us to use enough rope to hang ourselves, so to speak.
Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
The text for yesterday's morning worship service was Matthew 17:9-21. I dealt with each verse, obviously. However, the Lord worked in my own heart about two particular points:
1. Christ's Condescension. Christ's eternal glory had just been revealed. He had been commended again by the Father. He had conversed with Moses and Elijah. Now what? He heads down the mountain to conflict and disbelief below. What a picture of Christ's condescension and "forbearance" (as 17:17 demonstrates).
Understand, I'm not allegorizing here. Jesus went down a literal mountain that he had climbed the day before. I'm just saying that it is a stirring picture of His entire ministry, His condescension shown in the incarnation. What grace!
2. The Disciples' Impotence. A frenzied crowd, skeptical scribes, a desperate man, a suffering boy: these are all somewhat expected. But nine powerless disciples who despite their best efforts had no ability to help? That's a travesty. That was the thrust of the latter part of the message, and frankly, the Lord broke my heart with it. These men were orthodox. They had recently confirmed their belief in Christ as the Messiah and Son of God. They knew Him intimately. They had seen Him do miracles. Indeed, they had performed miracles, even casting out demons. Yet, theirs was a powerless orthodoxy. The reason for their impotence wasn't the wicked culture around them, their lack of resources or their own humanity. The reason Christ gave for their lack of impact was (a) lack of faith (17:19-20) and (b) lack of urgency (17:21), demonstrated by their neglect of prayer and fasting.
I'm convicted that fundamentalists–that I–can be orthodox, but lack genuine power to help desperate people. I desire to see the Lord do supernatural things in people's lives and in this community. I don't want to comfortably do my thing at home, then lead as we do our thing at church. Yet, I'm all too prone to such complacency. Prayer and fasting? Spirit power to help people the lost? I can think of no better response than the desperate father's: "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24).
Don,
The Lord used Habakkuk over and over again in my life during my undergrad years. Then shortly after we came to Mentor, I preached through the book. What a blessing! No matter what happens, God knows what is best and is doing what is best.
All,
I preached from 2 Peter 1:12-15 and was reminded of my need to not be negligent in reminding God’s people about God’s truth. Spiritual lethargy sets in too easily. But with God’s help I can help in keeping them spiritually awake.