Category: Chastening
Subject: Chastening
Sermon: The Return of the Remnant (Ezra)
A discussion of the book of Ezra, giving an overview, and examining several points of importance suggested by the book.
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The Patternists: Responding to God’s Chastisement
In the book of Amos, the prophet recorded God’s disappointment with Israel. God had chastised His people in myriad ways, and yet they refused to come to repentance. Consider the ways that God chastised His people.
POVERTY: “‘I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places; yet you have not returned to Me’, says the Lord” (4:8).
DROUGHT: “‘I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months to the harvest… Yet you have not returned to Me’, says the Lord” (4:7,8).
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The Patternists: The Chastisement of the Lord
Hosea prophesied during a very dark period in Israel’s history. To show to Hosea and the people how far they had fallen from Him, He had the prophet take a harlot as a wife. The reason? “For the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord” (Hosea 1:2).
Hosea married the harlot Gomer, and she conceived and bore him children. The name of each child was given by God, as a means of emphasizing the broken relationship between God and His people. Hosea’s first son was named Jezreel, “for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel” (1:4). His first daughter was named Lo-Ruhamah, “for I will no longer have mercy on Israel, but I will utterly take them away” (1:6). Hosea’s second son was named Lo-Ammi, “for you are not My people, and I will not be your God” (1:9).
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Sermon: The Hedge of God
God chastises those He loves. This chastisement is described in Hosea 2 as a hedge of thorns. The lesson discusses the nature of and reason for God’s chastisement of His people.
Invitation: The Motivation of Admonition
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
2 Corinthians 2:4 explains Paul’s motivation for admonishing the Corinthians. When we receive admonition, it is good to remember why our brother feels compelled to correct us.
Sermon: The Tone of Our Preaching
The sermon is a treatment of an email correspondence the speaker had with a Christian who holds to the “Positive Gospel” concept of preaching. What is the proper tone to be used in the preaching of the gospel of our Lord?
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From the Preacher’s Pen: Comfort and Encouragement
Paul exhorted the Thessalonians in his first epistle to , “…warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all” (5:14).
It seems to me that Paul was trying to get the Thessalonians to look out for and take care of each other. Sometimes, to take care of someone, you must warn them. Tell them of the consequences of their actions, so that they will not lose their standing with God. Other Christians may need comfort. The idea of “fainthearted” here indicates someone who is discouraged or troubled in spirit. Finally, some may be weak, and need to be upheld. We need to stick with those who are struggling, including babes in Christ, and support them until they become strong, and can do the same for others.
Simply put, we are to love each other!
Stan
Sermon: The Chastening of the Lord (Hebrews 12)
The Chastening of the Lord does not seem pleasant, but secures for us the same standing with God as that enjoyed by such patriarchs as Abraham, Joseph and Moses (cf. Hebrews 11).
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
