Ten Principles for Christian Giving (Part 2)

A Continuation of Ten Principles of Christian Giving: Very often people ask or wonder “what are the basic biblical principles for Christian giving?” As we seek God's answer to that question and contemplate our own giving to the Lord's Church in response to the clear teaching of His Word, perhaps it would be wise and helpful to review those principles. First, I would encourage you to read the following passages in the Word of God itself: Matthew 6:1-4; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8:9-15; and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. In our review of these four New Testament passages, we find at least Ten Principles for Christian Giving: 6. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in light of the incarnation. Many Christians argue about whether the tithe (10% of our…

The Sum of Your Word is Truth

If you have your Bibles, I would invite you to turn with me to Psalm 119, verses 153 to 160. And you note, in the very opening words of this portion of Psalm 119 that the psalmist again is dealing with his own affliction and is crying out to God. How often we encounter this theme in the psalms. And so we should not be discouraged when we encounter affliction in our trials in this life. The psalmist himself knows this affliction. And I would say that this whole section is about how the Word of God helps us in affliction. And I want you to see a number of things as we read this passage together tonight. I want you to see how God cares about our affliction, I want you to see God as the source of life in the midst of our affliction, I want you to see how the truthfulness of…

What is the Gospel?

If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to the gospel of John. We’re taking a break from our series in the book of Hebrews to look at the Gospel – what is the Gospel? There are wonderful summarizing statements of the Gospel all through the New Testament; there is none more familiar, more beloved, or clearer than this one. This passage comes in the middle of a conversation between Jesus and one of the most learned teachers in all of Israel, a man named Nicodemus, who was confused by what Jesus had been teaching about the new birth. Nicodemus had heard Jesus’ teaching that in order to see the kingdom of God, in order to understand God’s kingdom, to be a part of God’s kingdom, you have to be born again. And Nicodemus didn’t understand this. How…

With My Whole Heart I Cry

Well we’re back in Psalm 119. You may have forgotten; I did! We were working on the sermon schedule and somebody said – I think it was Sean, he said, “Well Ligon, you need to finish the last four sections of Psalm 119.” I said, “I’ve already finished Psalm 119.” He said, “No you haven’t!” And I looked back and he was right! I hadn’t finished Psalm 119! And so we worked it into the schedule and I’m delighted that we have because this is a great psalm and…

Live Life as a Sacrifice of Praise

If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Hebrews chapter 13. We’re going to be looking at verses 15 and 16 today. As we have worked our way through the book of Hebrews together, we have seen the theme repeated that we should continue to trust in Jesus. William Hendriksen says that the exhortation and argument of the whole book can be summarized this way: “Jesus is worthy of your faith. Have faith in Him and do not fall away.” Now the way we’ve been putting…

Firstfruits

If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to the book of Proverbs. We’re going to take a break this morning from our series in the book of Hebrews to look at the text that has been chosen by the deacon stewardship committee for our theme verse for Commitment Sunday. Today is the Lord’s Day on which we make our commitments to the support of the church’s work and worship for the year to come. And so at the end of this service we’ll make our pledges for the 2014…

Let Us Go to Jesus

If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Hebrews chapter 13 and look at verse 8. Our reading is going to be from verses 8 to 14 but go ahead and allow your eyes to scan just a little bit back up the page all the way to verse 1 and notice something. Before we do the reading, I want you to note two interesting things. The first thing I want you to note is this whole chapter is filled with exhortations about living the Christian life. We’ve emphasized that already. …

Ten Principles for Christian Giving (Part 1)

Very often people ask or wonder “what are the basic biblical principles for Christian giving?” As we seek God's answer to that question and contemplate our own giving to the Lord's Church in response to the clear teaching of His Word, perhaps it would be wise and helpful to review those principles. First, I would encourage you to read the following passages in the Word of God itself: Matthew 6:1-4; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8:9-15; and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. In our…

How Faithfulness Looks at the End

If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter 4. We’re going to look at Paul’s last written words to Timothy. Now these aren’t Paul’s last words to Timothy because in this very passage we learn that Timothy is going to see Paul again. But this is the last letter of Paul to his young mentee, Timothy, a man that he views as a son in the Lord and who looks us to him as a father in the faith. And in these words, we do find, as Denny Terry reminded us…

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