Category: Judgment
Subject: Judgment
“Your sin will find you out”
Numbers 32 records the petition the children of Reuben and Gad made to Moses and the leaders of the congregation of Israel. They desired to settle on the east side of the Jordan River rather than with the rest of the Israelites in Canaan. Moses agreed to allow this, so long as the two tribes guaranteed they would fight with the rest of Israel until “until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance” (vs. 18). Having given his approval, Moses warned the people should they go back on their word:
“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out” (vs. 23).
There are many different examples, in both the Old and New Testaments, of people trying to hide their sin. While it is possible for the sinner to hide his sin from men, it is not possible to hide his sin from the Almighty.
In the News: Foolish Predictions
As everyone knows, the ancient Mayan calendar ended on December 21, 2012, and the world did not end. Now, the Mayans were not predicting the end of the world, but that didn’t preclude a lot of foolish people predicting its demise, based on the calendar.
In fact, such foolishness has a long history. I recently came across an internet article which recounted 11 different predictions of earthly destruction (at the least), none of which came true. Here is a concise listing, with a couple of points at the end:
Painful Consequences
One of the many reasons why sin is so popular in our society is that people have been able to convince themselves that such activity can be enjoyed with few consequences.
While certain sins in the past carried with their commission a certain stigma, such is not the case today. Pregnancy outside of marriage, sexual promiscuity, drug use, homosexuality — all are accepted by society, or at the most are looked upon as a mild indiscretion. We witness the famous engaging in bizarre and destructive behavior, and they are continually enabled and excused in their lawbreaking and infidelities. Authority figures in our country, including policemen and educators, often have their hands tied when trying to deal with crime and delinquency. We are a society that defends, rationalizes and enables. Sin is seldom dealt with as God intends — even in the church.
Invitation: How to Prepare for the Day of the Lord
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
Since, as 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 indicates that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, many will be unprepared for that day. We can not know when the Lord will come, so those in the light will be sure and prepare themselves for that day.
Sermon: Characteristics of a Fool
The fool has certain common characteristics he shares with others of his ilk. He denies God’s existence, does not control his base impulses, ignores the dangers of sin, refuses godly counsel because of prideful heart, and never prepares himself for his inevitable death.
Sermon: “You thought that I was altogether like you”
The 50th Psalm reveals God to be a righteous judge. One that will reward the righteous, and punish the wicked. We have no right to question God and His righteousness, but man commonly does, not realizing that God is not like us!
Sermon: The Tri-Fold Character
Sermon 1 of 9
Gospel Meeting May 5-10, 2012
Speaker: Chip Foster
The sermon examines the character of the Centurion in Luke 7:1-10, as it is assessed by those who witnessed his behavior, as he humbly assessed in himself, and finally as assessed by the Savior. The applications are obvious, and clearly established by brother Foster.
Sermon: The Goodness and Severity of God
Romans 11:22 affirms that God is both good, and severe, depending upon our standing with Him. The lesson affirms the need for obedience, that we might witness God’s goodness.
Sermon: 7 Promises of God
The sermon first establishes that all of God’s promises are sure. Then, discusses the following promises of God:
- To supply every need we have.
- That His grace is sufficient for us.
- That His children will not be overtaken in temptation.
- Victory over death.
- That all things work together for good to those who love Him.
- Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.
- Eternal Life.
Invitation: Teach us To Number Our Days
Invitation delivered by: Dennis Craig
Dennis uses the text of Psalm 90, the prayer of Moses near the end of a generation’s wandering in the wilderness, to discuss the frailty and duration of our life on earth.
Sermon: The Path of All Men
The sermon follows the path of all men, from birth to death to eternity, in chart form.
Note: In addition to the audio link, there is a link to a zip file which extracts to a self-contained Prezi presentation. Also, there is a link to a handout that was included in the sermon as a hardcopy reminder of the material.
In the News: Last Second Shot!
Friday night the Castleberry girl’s basketball team won a game with the most exciting finish you can imagine. They were playing Mineral Wells, and were shorthanded. One of their players had blown an ACL ligament the previous week, and was out for the season. Their best player had a virus, and though she was playing, was struggling physically. None of their shots were falling, and they were down 12 points to start the fourth quarter.
The deficit continued until about halfway through the quarter, and then all of a sudden the shots started falling. The girls knew they had to win to keep their hopes of going to the playoffs alive. They dug down deep, and narrowed the deficit to one point. With 2.6 seconds left, Castleberry had the ball out of bounds. Josh (my son is the coach) drew up a play, and their best player banked home the shot for the win. The stands erupted, the girls (and Josh) went crazy, and everyone cheered.
Lessons Learned from Torment
In Luke 16, our Lord revealed to his disciples the particulars of two men’s deaths: A rich man, “who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day,” but had insufficient love for God. A poor man named Lazarus who desired “to be fed crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table,” and was in good standing with God.
We know the spiritual standing of these two men, because Jesus revealed their disposition after death. The rich man, we are told, was in “torments in Hades” (vs. 23). Lazarus, in contrast, “was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” where he received comfort (vs. 22).
In the News: Our Unstable World
The recent Baghdad bombing captivated and distressed the world’s population, as news services showed pictures of the devastation, and reported on the dead. A recent news article from the Sydney Morning Herald, dated December 24, 2012, in Australia, noted:
The attacks were the worst since a string of bombings in August that killed 74 people. But they were merely the latest in a country where stability and plurality remain a bitter illusion. The 16 bombs, 63 deaths and 185 wounded will undoubtedly be viewed through the prism of the grave political crisis that, within a week of the US withdrawal, has put an end to any hope of the country moving forward under a nationalist banner.
Additionally, the long time despot and leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, died on December 17th. There is much conjecture and concern as to what effect his passing will have on the stability of that nation. This is especially troubling since North Korea has nuclear capabilities. The fact that China, which has emerged as one of the preeminent economic and world powers is an ally of North Korea gives even greater cause for concern.
In the News: October 21, Just Another Day
Back in late May, we noted that radio personality Harold Camping had incorrectly predicted the world would end on May 21st. It was a big story at the time, though I am not sure why. Such predictions have been made since the first century, and have always been bogus. There is a reason for this, as the Bible clearly reveals that man can’t know the day of the Lord’s second coming, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).
Camping refused to admit that he was wrong when May 21st came and went. At least, not completely wrong. Instead, he claimed that Jesus had indeed come in judgment upon the world, but had in His mercy allowed the world to continue for five more months. He then proclaimed confidently that the universe would come to an end on October 21st. This tactic of revising predictions after the fact is again not unique. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, among others, have done it on several occasions.
Continue reading “In the News: October 21, Just Another Day”
