Who May Ascend into the Hill of the Lord?

Text: Psalm 24:1-5 In this passage, there is an important question for us to consider. We’re going to notice the psalmist’s answer and also see why this question is important. To do that, we’re going to work backwards in our text – start at the end and move to the beginning to see what we can learn. Why […]

More Important Than Numbers

Text: Matthew 7:13-14 Some churches are so focused on numbers they will do almost anything to boost their attendance, membership, conversions, etc. We would certainly all prefer to see an increase in these numbers, but not at all costs. The New Testament shows that there are things that are more important than numbers. Favor of God […]

Things Which the Lord Hates

Text: Proverbs 6:16-19 The book of Proverbs contains wisdom to guide us in this life. It shows us the way that is right and warns us about the way that is wrong. In our text, the wise man warned about things which the Lord hates. We should heed this warning. What the Lord Hates Haughty eyes (v. […]

Mary the Mother of Jesus

Text: Matthew 1:20-23 Some in the religious world elevate Mary to the status of deity. She played an important role in Christ being born into the world, but she was not equal with Him. Without elevating her too highly, we can recognize and appreciate the good qualities she possessed. We will consider some of these in this […]

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

Text: Philippians 1:9-11 In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he described his prayer for them. He was continually thankful for them (Philippians 1:3) and looked forward to their fellowship in the gospel (Philippians 1:5). His appreciation of them and fellowship with them led to his prayer (Philippians 1:9-11). This prayer is applicable to us as well. […]

Exerting a Positive Influence

Text: Matthew 5:16 Unfortunately, there are sometimes good reasons why someone would be surprised to learn that another person is a Christian. Whatever those reasons are, it means that the Christian is not exerting a positive influence. This means that he is not in a position to credibly lead someone else to the truth. How can […]

A Blessed Life

Text: Matthew 5:3-12 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave instructions for the life of a disciple. In our text, He described the life of a disciple as a blessed life. These verses are often referred to as the “beatitudes” because they describe those who are blessed. This means more than just being happy – they were […]