Category: Reverence
Subject: Reverence
Sermon: Silence is Virtue
In a world full of noise, it is important to note virtue of being silent. It indicates reverence, respect, submission and discretion. Sometimes it is best to be silent!
Sermon: Who Can Find a Faithful Man?
A simple premise. To find a faithful man, one must know his attributes. These attributes can be seen by looking at the characters of faithful men such as Abraham, Moses and Daniel.
Learning Respect
2 Kings 2 is an interesting chapter. It chronicles the departure of Elijah, taken up in a whirlwind by God in a chariot of fire. It must have been quite a sight.
The chapter also contains a simple object lesson for our consideration. Elijah’s protégé, Elisha faithfully followed Elijah. (Note: Though younger than Elijah, Elisha himself was a mature man). Perhaps his maturity is what led him to act as he did as Elijah was taken up. In their last conversation, Elijah said, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” In response, Elisha requested, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (cf. vs. 9-15). Such an interesting request, showing the great respect Elisha had for his mentor.
Shortly after, some youths of Bethel came upon the prophet Elisha. They showed great disrespect for the prophet, and mocked him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” (verse 23). No doubt the youths thought themselves to be funny, but they (as is often the case with those who are young) showed horrible disrespect to this great man of God. In response, we are told that after Elisha pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord, two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths.
This narrative shows how important it is that we show proper respect for God, and for that which belongs to Him.
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Sermon: R-E-S-P-E-C-T & Disrespect
Three points: 1) Christians must always respect others; 2) Christians must always live in such a way to gain the respect of others; 3) God is worthy of, and demands our respect of Him.
Sermon: Reverence in Worship
The Psalmist (Psalm 89:7) calls for fear and reverence in the assemblies of the Saints. The lesson emphasizes the benefits of joy, gladness, quietness and orderliness in attaining this ideal.
From the Preacher’s Pen: “I Do Not Like Thee, Disrespect.”
I subscribe to the “Daily Writing Tips” email distribution list. On Tuesday the message dealt with the use of the word “disrespect” as a verb. As in, “You disrespect me.” I must admit that I cringe everytime the term is used in that way, as in the past it was commonly expressed, “You show me disrespect.” (As it turns out, though it sounds objectionable, the usage is not incorrect). Following is a short poem describing the feelings I and others have about such usage:
I do not like thee, Disrespect,
Perhaps it is your sound effect,
That causes me to so object
And makes you sound so incorrect.
But this I more than just suspect:
I do not like thee, Disrespect.
Of course, much more objectionable is the act of showing disrespect toward others. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:17, “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” The word “honor” here means to revere or respect. While it is not always possible to respect the demeanor and actions of men, it is important to always approach them with honor and respect. In this, the Christian will show himself to be commendable and righteous before men.
Turns out, there is good reason to object to the action, if not the usage of the term. “I do not like thee, Disrespect!”
Sermon: Admonitions for the Priests of God
Speaker: Jonathan Hinds
The lesson uses the text of Malachi to admonish us as the priests of God (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). It is possible to despise the name of God, to weary him by our apathetic response of faith. We must take care to worship him with reverence and zeal.
Powerpoint Slides (will be uploaded soon)
Invitation: Fear God
Invitation delivered by: Chad Gallman
Chad uses the book of Ecclesiastes to establish the truth that man, because he is man, should fear God.
From the Preacher’s Pen: Juice and Crackers
A problem common to our time is an inappropriately casual attitude toward worship. I recently came across a quote from a preacher, dating to 1985. I do not know of him apart from the tract, titled A Burning Fire. His name is James W. Boyd:
It makes my blood nearly boil to hear the smart-aleck liberals castigate what they call “traditionalism” in such flippant terms. One describe dour worship to God as two songs, prayer, another song, “juice and crackers.” That man proved that all fools aren’t dead. The very idea of speaking of the divinely ordained memorial to the sacrifice of the Son of God as “Juice and crackers.” You can see the level of his respect for God and His will!
The man’s purpose in writing was to encourage preachers to be careful in the language they use in and out of the pulpit. He further wrote:
Reverence and respect for that which is divine and of divine order is mandatory lest we sin by being sacrilegious and blasphemous.
It is probable that the problems with such casual and unthinking attitudes have grown greater in the 35 years since this was written. It certainly is something for us to think about!
God’s Name Must Be Revered!
(Note: The following article was written by one of the members at West Side, Tommy Davis. I commend it to you).
In our society God is being removed from our life as our Savior and replaced by using His name as merely a curse word or as a “cute” expression. Unfortunately, many who profess to be Christians are getting caught up in this as well. On some mainstream websites (Yahoo is one that comes to mind), there is a section called “OMG.” When you click on the link, it takes you to today’s newest Hollywood shocker. Most people in the younger generation will recognize this from texting as shorthand for oh my God. Other expressions like “gosh”, “jeez” and “golly”, are closely related. These offend me deeply, but more importantly, it offends God deeply.
Sermon: Showing Respect for God and His Word (Nehemiah 8)
In Nehemiah 8, the remnant of Israel showed a respect for God and His Word, as Ezra the scribe read the law in their hearing. Such respect led to their obedience, and standing before God. Such serves as a wonderful example to us today.
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
AOTS: Why Go To Worship?
AOTS Number 58
We should ask ourselves, “Why do we go to church services.” Are we interested in being entertained, or listen to a “favorite” preacher? Or are we being faithful to God?
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AOTS: The Old Paths
AOTS Number 11
A poem praising the virtues of past days where the Bible and God were respected, and there was less evil in the world.
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Sermon: Another Sermon on the Fear of God
Matthew 10 describes the limited commission given by Jesus to his disciples, and the persecution they could expect in their preaching. Our Lord indicated in the text that the fear of God should trump any fear of man, and motivate them to fulfill their duty.
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
In The News: T.O. & Lord Byron
A couple of weeks ago two events happened on the same day, that represented the best and worst of our society.
First, former pro golfer Byron Nelson passed away from natural causes after having led a long and eventful life. Second, Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Terrell Owens was admitted to the hospital after overdosing on pain medication.
