Author: Stan Cox

Perhaps the best known and most quoted passage in scripture is Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” It is also one of the most misunderstood and misused passages in scripture. The sermon seeks to explain Jesus’ teaching in the passage.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The sermon seeks to explain what is, and what is not Autonomy, as revealed and defined in the Scriptures, especially regarding the Lord’s Church.

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As we enter a new decade, it is amazing to look at how humans have messed up the world in which we live.

As always, the problem is sin (cf. Romans 3:23), and one has only to look at the headlines of the day to see how decrepit our world has become. Let me give you a sample, taken from some of yesterday’s headlines:

New Year Drunks Should Pay for Hospital Care? Taken from a Reuters report, the headline references the toll intoxication is taking upon Great Britain’s public health care program. British citizens do not have to pay for their health care, and in the last decade hospitalization for alcohol intoxication has doubled. The government is considering charging the equivalent of $845 to anyone who is admitted to the hospital in a drunken stupor. (Health care costs for alcohol related illness in Great Britain are in the area of 5 billion dollars a year).

Continue reading “In The News: A Messed Up World” →

I have put on the back table in the foyer a very good daily Bible reading schedule that will help you read through the entire Bible in a year’s time. Best of all, you only read on the weekdays, so you aren’t behind! It starts tomorrow.

I do not know of a better habit to form than daily Bible reading. The commitment is no more than 30 minutes a day. Those who have a fast reading rate can finish the reading in 20 minutes or less each day.

Remember the words of the apostle Paul, written to his son in the faith, Timothy. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Read His word. God will bless you with wisdom in this New Year!

One of the sermons in the series, Simple Answers for Difficult Questions. The sermon shows why it is sinful to smoke marijuana (or use other illicit drugs).

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

A simple sermon containing suggestions on how to live more zealously for God in 2010, beginning a new year, and a new decade.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

1 Peter 3:3-6

In this text, the apostle praises God, and gives reason for that praise. He, according to His mercy has “begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

The term “begotten” in verse 3 is the same term in verse 23, where we are told we have been “born again” through the word of God.

The term is found only in these two verses. Interesting, it is a similar term to the one used in John 3:16, where Jesus is said to be the “only begotten” (gk., monogenes). Here all Christians are “begotten” (gk., anagennao).

Where Jesus, in a sense, is the only begotten; in another sense all Christians are begotten of God when we obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As stated in the text, when we are begotten, or born again, we are granted great privileges. We have hope, and an undefiled and incorruptible inheritance reserved in heaven.

This is so because we are kept by God’s power. We are protected by Him because we are His children. This is a reason for rejoicing, no matter the present circumstances of our lives. We are the begotten of God!

A new year is upon us, and it is a good time to resolve to do a better job of living for our Lord. Of course, any time is a good time to resolve to do a better job of living for our Lord, but none better than the present.

We are now a full decade into the 21st century. It is an amazing thing that despite the passing of time, God and His word remain just as relevant and significant today as He and it have ever been.

What do you want to do this next year to better serve Him? Study more? Pray more? Be more diligent in attending Bible class or worship? Share the gospel with more lost souls? Be more loving? More hospitable? More longsuffering? More patient? More diligent?

All are laudable goals, and are well worth considering. Surely we all have room for improvement!

I want to start this article with an admission, I am not a young man anymore. I have always viewed myself as a young man, even as two decades have passed since the day I came as a 28 year old preacher to work with this congregation.

Twenty years, and I am rapidly approaching my 48th birthday. Now, I know that “young” is a relative term. There are many in the congregation that would still consider me a “whippersnapper”. Actually that term means an insignificant person, according to Webster, but I have always heard it combined with the term “young.”

Continue reading “Frail Bodies” →

Just about everyone knows who Tiger Woods is. He is the most famous golfer, and perhaps the most famous athlete in the world. He has also become one of the most infamous athletes due to being a serial philanderer.

Numerous women have been linked to him. Despite initial denials it was obvious that he had been unfaithful to his wife on numerous occasions with multiple mistresses. When denials proved futile, he finally admitted his infidelity, and has taken a sabbatical from golf to try to save his marriage, and regain the trust of his wife.

Continue reading “In The News: A Philandering Tiger” →

Just about every year at this time I ask you to consider a systematic Bible Reading schedule for the New Year.

There are many such schedules available, both online and in printed form. If you are interested, let me know and I will hook you up.

Perhaps the best schedule is a bit more challenging. Read the New Testament, once a month, every month, for a year. The simplest way to do this is to divide the New Testament into 28 or 29 sections. Take the total number of pages, divide it by 28 or 29, and read that many pages (to the nearest chapter) each day. You can miss a day or two, and still finish on time each month using this method.

This is a bit challenging, but doable. Maybe you will want to try it in 2010?

The sermon examines the conversion and ministry of the apostle Paul, noting that the one who was “chief among sinners” by the grace of God became one of the most influential men in the Christian faith (Acts 9:21-23)

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

A companion to the previous week’s sermon, The Kingdom of God. This sermon examines the nature of Christ’s reign in His kingdom.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

From the series, Simple Answers to Difficult Questions. The sermon shows that racism is sinful.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon examines the usage of the phrase “Kingdom of God” in scripture.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .