Category: Subject Index
Study Material Categorized by Subject
Mining the Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The message of the cross, the gospel of Christ, is the means by which God saves man, cf. Romans 1:15-16. Here it is contrasted with the wisdom of the world. The world has always allayed against God and His will. Nevertheless, God chose to save those He could through the preaching of the gospel message. Faith in Christ is the means to salvation. Without believing the testimony of scripture, a man is doomed to salvation. “…it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (21).
It is interesting to note that even God’s foolishness is incomparable to the wisdom of man. “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (25).
Unfortunately, to most, the preaching of the gospel appears as foolishness, or a stumbling block. There are few who are interested in God and His word. They are arrogant in their so-called wisdom, and instead of believing and obeying, they refuse.
Truly, the way is difficult and the gate is narrow! (cf. Matthew 7:13).
We Are Stewards!
Do you ever think of yourself as a steward of Jesus Christ? Paul writes that we are! “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2).
The Greek word translated steward in the text is oikonomos, and is defined as “the manager of a household or of household affairs; especially a steward, manager, superintendent” (Thayer). It is used figuratively here to indicate a servant, but one who is given authority to accomplish important tasks. In other words, stewardship indicates service to Christ where we accomplish what he has given us to do.
Wayne Fancher said in a recent sermon that even the one talent man was given a lot of responsibility. One talent is a lot of money. When we think of servitude, we tend to think of someone as low as possible on the social ladder. Not so with a steward. He was certainly bound, but with responsibility, “it is required in stewards that one be found faithful”
So think of study, prayer, meditation, the practice of pure religion (cf. James 1:27), attendance, evangelism, love, etc. as duties given my God. Responsibilities for which you will be held accountable.
A sobering thought, isn’t it?
Sermon: Spirit and Truth
Justin Carrell discusses Jesus’ meaning in answering the Samaritan woman’s question regarding the proper place to worship God, recorded in John 4.
Sermon: Building on God’s Foundation (1 Corinthians 3)
A discussion of the meaning of 1 Corinthians 3:1-15, from the carnality of elevating mere men, to the types of materials (gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw) used to build God’s building.
Current Culture and the Christian
There is great interest about how Christians should react to, and interact with our present culture. A few observations will help to introduces our subject. First, faith in Jesus Christ has always, is now, and will ever run counter to the cultural views of the world. That is why the Bible speaks of God’s people in exclusionary terms. For example, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13-16). The Hebrew writer’s designation of these heroes of faith as “strangers and pilgrims” is intended to be an exhortation to Christians to have the same relationship to the world. We are not to fit in. Our views, convictions and standards should not align to the world. Continue reading “Current Culture and the Christian”
Fall Meeting 2023 (Wayne Fancher)
Below are the 9 lessons, both audio and video, that Wayne Fancher preached for the West Side congregation from November 4-9, 2023. We commend them to you.
11/4 (Saturday Night)
Continual Reorientation in An Ever Changing World
11/5 (9am Sermon, Sunday)
Little By Little
11/5 (10am Class, Sunday)
Lessons from the Parable of the Prodigal Son
11/5 (11am Sermon, Sunday)
How To Fight Sinking When We Are Hit By Sorrow Upon Sorrow
11/6 (Monday Night)
The Different Aspects of Faith
11/7 (Tuesday Night)
God Who Makes the Broken Beautiful
11/8 (Wednesday Class @ 10am)
She Has Done What She Could
11/8 (Wednesday Evening Sermon)
Spiritual Collateral Damage and Blessings
11/9 (Thursday Night)
Soldiers of Christ Arise and Put Your Armor On
Admonition to Imitation
Any surface reading of the New Testament gives plenty of evidence to refute the Calvinistic doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. The Calvinistic view ultimately excuses the unrepented failures in the lives of erring Christians. An example of such a refutation can be found in Paul’s writing to the Ephesians. In chapter 5 of the letter, Paul writes to Christians (the audience to which he writes) to be “imitators of God as dear children” (1). This is an admonition, an admonition with consequence as we will quickly see. Continue reading “Admonition to Imitation”
Mining the Scriptures: Romans 1:21-25
Though all men have a knowledge of God, such that no one is excused from unbelief or corruption, many in every age have not given God sufficient praise or thanksgiving. It is a peculiar but easily established truth that men forget who God is, and seek to exalt themselves against him.
Paul expresses one way this is done — by the establishment of idolatry. It is a foolish pursuit, to take the almighty, preeminent and eternal Being in the universe, and seek to minimize Him. (Remake His image to be like men or animals).
God’s response? Allow it. Such a practice, rejecting God, has a deleterious consequence. When God is out of the picture, men are left to their own devices. It is seen in the corruption of worship, showing adoration for the “creature rather than the Creator” (25). It is also demonstrated here in uncleanness, which will be demonstrated further in later verses. “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lust of their hearts, to dishonor their own bodies” (24).
The Help of God’s Holy Word
Paul told Timothy, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
This passage succinctly establishes the purpose and holiness of the Old Testament scriptures. Timothy was half Jewish (cf. 2 Timothy 1:5), and had been taught by his grandmother and mother from the Old Testament scriptures. These verses paved the way for the coming of the Christ. They prophesied His coming, described His kingdom, and established what constitutes righteousness before the Father. They were able to make Timothy “wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
The Old and New Testaments are both God’s word, coming through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Together they make the whole of God’s revelation to man. While we are under the authority of the new covenant, we must learn and familiarize ourselves with the entirety of the Bible.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Setting Things in Order
The apostle Paul directed the young evangelist Titus in his letter to him, preserved for us through God’s providence. It is apparent from the text that the church was not all it could be on the island of Crete, and so admonition and instruction was needed from Titus.
After his greeting, Paul wrote Titus, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set it in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (1:5). The rest of the epistle is a discourse on the lacking things, and the efforts Titus needed to make. By noting them, we can know what kind of congregation and individual Christians we need to be! Consider broadly the text. Continue reading “Setting Things in Order”
Mining the Scriptures: Acts 1:21-26
After the death of Judas Iscariot, in response to Psalm 109:8, it became necessary for the others to replace him as an apostle. The two men considered, Matthias and Joseph (Barsabas Justus), were faithful disciples who had witness the entire ministry of Jesus. One of them was to officially become “a witness with us of His resurrection” (22).
This was not a choosing made by the disciples. Instead they left the choosing entirely to God. First, they prayed to God. They asked God to “who which of these two You have chosen” (24).
Second, they cast their lots. Typically, the casting of lots would only choose through chance. But this time the context indicates that God was in control. This was the disciples’ way to accede all will to God Himself.
The lot fell on Matthias. He truly became one of the twelve. His name is not mentioned again, but with the others he had the responsibility of teaching and edifying the church during its infancy.
The Day of the Lord
The text of 2 Peter 3:10-13 relates the truth of Christ’s second coming. Certain truths are unequivocally revealed there for us to consider and heed. These are: Continue reading “The Day of the Lord”
Only God Can Vindicate!
The Psalmist in Psalm 26 asks for a personal examination to be vindicated. He claims to have “walked in my integrity”, “walked in Your truth.” Conversely, he has not slipped, has not “sat with idolatrous mortals”, nor gone “in with hypocrites.”
He recognized that the Lord’s “lovingkindness is before my eyes” and he was eager to “tell of all Your wondrous works” having loved “the place where Your glory dwells.” He prayed that God might, “Redeem me and be merciful to me” (Psalm 26:1-12).
In a more prosaic way, Paul also proclaimed that vindication comes only from the Lord. He wrote, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:3-4).
Simply put, it doesn’t matter what others think, or even what we think. We need only to know that our God will examine and vindicate us! It is a good thing that the one who will judge us wants our salvation! “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
We need not worry about a capricious God. He loves us, and will treat us with mercy.
Sermon: Efforts at Evangelism
The efforts of the apostles and other preachers of the New Testament, revealed in the book of Acts, served two purposes. First, to save souls. Second, to equip those souls to be soul winners themselves.
Sermon: The Risen Christ, Our Hope
Stan discusses the text of 1 Corinthians 15, showing the ultimate hope of life for the child of God, based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
