Tri-Annual Singing!
October 17, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Category: Obedience
Subject: Obedience
A Militant Faith
A peculiar aspect of our culture is a tendency to shy away from any reference to militancy as a positive characteristic. I suppose that there has been so much violence that people are uncomfortable even entertaining the concept of a legitimate use of force — i.e., a defensive application.
And yet, scripture commonly makes use of the concept. For example, Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith…” In another place, Paul described the characteristics of the mature Christian in militaristic terms, exhorting the Ephesians: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13). Continue reading “A Militant Faith”
FB: “You, Yourself, are to be feared”
In Psalm 76, the poet proclaimed of Jehovah, “You, Yourself, are to be feared; And who may stand in Your presence when once you are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to judgment, to deliver all the oppressed of the earth” (7-9).
An angry God is a truly awful sight. When you consider His power, and that it is “a righteous thing with God” to take vengeance on those who do not obey Him (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9), it makes clear that we should seek rather to please Him.
Lest any take from this the idea that God is hateful or capricious, we emphasize that the Lord is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He loves us, and desires the salvation of all. Alas, not all will come to Him. Jesus lamented, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37).
In short, God is always ready to bless those who serve Him. But, there is reason to dread the awesomeness of our God if we choose rather to disobey. Fear Him!
Sermon: The Joy of Serving the Lord
What are some things we can do to help us remember the joy of serving the Lord in a world full of darkness and sin?
Invitation: How to See Good Days
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
1 Peter 3:10 Peter explains how to live a good life here, and receive God’s approval for eternity. Refrain from evil, and do good!
Sermon: Jesus in the Temple
Second in a series on the life of Jesus. Jesus’ obeyed His Father, and accomplished His will in redeeming man. We too have a stewardship from God, and we too must be faithful.
The Patternists: We Walk by Faith
The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Contextually, these words were a reference to his surety about life after death. “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord” (vs. 6). Men wonder, “What happens after we die?” Paul was a Christian. He knew. God told him. He was confident that after death he would be rewarded with eternal life (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8).
Since judgment was certain, and an eternal existence after death was his lot, how did Paul react? “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him” (vs. 9).
It is unwise to live your life to please yourself. If you make it your aim to please Him, then you too can look forward to an existence in the presence of God!
God has revealed to us what pleases and displeases Him. It is foolish to take chances, presuming to know what pleases God. Instead, make it your aim to learn God’s will, and do what is “pleasing to Him.”
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Sermon: What if I am a One Talent Man?
Regardless of my talent, I have value to the Lord. I am to be a good steward, and I am promised a wonderful reward!
Parable of the Two Sons
“These Do”
Paul exhorted the Philippians:
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).
From this text we learn that Paul had supplied them, through teaching and example, with those things that are true, noble, just, pure and lovely. He instructed them to meditate on these things. To meditate is to reckon, to deliberate, to take into account. The idea is to consider what is righteous for the purpose of making application to our lives.
Of those things, Paul wrote, “these do.” Obedience to what God has ordained as right and good is necessary for the “God of peace” to be with us. We don’t approach God on our terms. We approach God on His terms! Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).
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Sermon: Our Obligations Toward Truth
Our obligations toward truth include: Procuring it, Practicing it, Proclaiming it, Protecting it, and Pleading it.
Invitation: Burdens & Loads
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
Galatians 6:1-5 reveals two important points:
1) We need to show love for one another by helping our brethren get to heaven.
2) Ultimately, each individual will be held accountable by God for his own actions and words.
Sermon: “I am the true vine”
The text of John 15:1-8 contains Jesus statement of self-identification, “I am the true vine…” This text teaches us not only about Jesus, but about our responsibilities toward Him.
Sermon: God’s Mirror
The text of James 1:21-25 supplies thoughts regarding the 1) Importance of knowing how we look to God; 2) Importance of improving our spiritual appearance; and 3) God’s word is the only reliable mirror to determine how we appear to God.
Let Your Conduct be Worthy
In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul gave them this charge, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27). He also noted of what that worthy walk consists.
- “That you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” This was important to Paul, and he wrote about it often. In 1 Corinthians, he made the same call to the brethren there, “that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1:10).
This unity of mind has the common purpose of serving the Lord. We work together for the faith. This is why unity can only be based upon God’s revealed will. This is why the concept of unity in diversity (agree to disagree) is so misguided. Our one mind must be centered on the gospel of our Lord.
- That you “not in any way [be] terrified by your adversaries” (28). Such fear of those who oppose right can discourage and even defeat our will to walk in a worthy way. Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
Put simply, a worthy walk is found in working together with other Christians in obedience to God, no matter the obstacles and enemies that might seek to prevent it. To do this is to secure salvation!
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Sermon: The Christian’s Responsibility to God
The most important of our responsibilities is toward the eternal God of Heaven, our creator and the author of our redemption. We should worship, fear, obey & love Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind.
