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Justification (and peace and acceptance) by faith – audio sermon
The Bible teaches that Christians are “justified by faith” just as was the first Jewish patriarch, Abraham. Before the law of Moses was written, God declared Abraham righteous for his faith (and resultant obedience) and made a promise of acceptance and blessings to him in which Christians under the New Covenant enter into by faith as well. The Christian life is to be a delicate balance of conditions of heart. Martin Luther once offered his doctor’s cap to whoever could reconcile seemingly contradicting passages from the Epistle of James and Paul’s Romans epistle. James seemed to say “works” were required, and Paul seemed to say they were not required. This…
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Spiritual discernment in light of the original apostles’ doctrines – sermon audio
The world of Christianity is vastly different today than it was in the the first century when they were following the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42). The apostles were qualified as such in that they were eyewitnesses to Jesus Christ’s life, ministry, and resurrection. This combined with abundant foundational revelation from God and Christ’s acknowledgement of their preeminent status in His kingdom makes them an order of magnitude above the Protestant reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and, well, anyone before or since. Revelation 21:14 says the names of the original 12 apostles (including Matthias who took the place of Judas Iscariot who fell) will be written on the foundation…
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The resurrection life – audio sermon
Jesus Christ said He is the resurrection and the life, and the spiritual reality of the “resurrection life” is to be a dynamic, powerful phenomenon enabling the Christian. This message, given Easter Sunday, is not about the usual lighter side of the historical fact of Jesus Christ’s resurrection but speaks of the power the that early Christians knew in experience, and how that promise remains for us today. It is about life – for those who know that their “old man” is “crucified” with Christ, and how this is God’s solution for the sin nature in humans, as well as the basis for a living relationship, becoming truly spiritual, and…
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My best friend Immanuel – audio sermon
There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and His name is Immannuel. That was one of Jesus Christ’s prophetic names (Mt 1:23) meaning “God with us” and Colossians 1:27 also speaks of “Christ in you” to the Christian, and it is He who we are to know (Jn 17:3). Though much more could be said, the Christian faith which is now splintered into so many sects that cannot agree on what the Bible exactly teaches on various hot-button issues is supposed to be lived in, and taught by Immanuel.
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Jesus said ‘come to Me’ as little children – audio sermon
The gospels record several instances in which Jesus Christ told His followers to “come to Me” – with the implication being that they also stay with Him – as little children. The relationship of abiding in the Lord is first spiritual, from the inward depths of a person. Shallow or false religiosity may go a long way in duplicating the outward appearance of a Christian life, but God who deals with our spirits by His Spirit is satisfied by nothing less than authentic spirit-to-Spirit relationship. His goal is to restore us to Himself, in love, and by so doing create a testimony and witness that cannot be falsified by the…
