Category: Salvation

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) teaches us four lessons. 1) The danger of ingratitude; 2) The Necessity of Repentance; 3) The Mercy and Compassion of God; and 4) The Importance of Rejoicing in the salvation of sinners.

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Because of who God is, He deserves every expression of good will and praise we can offer. He is our Creator, and is a caring and just Being.

There is no better reason for our devotion and praise than His efforts to secure our Redemption. As our text shows, His mercy led Him to bring us to reconciliation through His Son, Jesus.

Specifically, we have hope through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. This hope is living and sure. Jesus is a forerunner. His victory over death assures us that we too one day will transformed to eternal life (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

That eternal life is a wondrous thing, here described as “incorruptible and undefiled”, and “reserved in heaven.”

As always, however, the Holy Spirit reveals the conditional nature of that hope. It is not reserved for all men. It comes only for those, “who are kept by the power of God through faith” (vs. 5).

He has chosen to save, through Jesus, all who believe (cf. John 3:16). One day Christ will come again, and that hope will be realized. Will you be among the elect, ready to claim your reward?

Using Matthew 10:16-26, this short talk points out that the cost of discipleship is persecution, and even (possibly) death. But, we have the promise of eternal life if we endure.

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The sermon discusses the gospel (the foolishness of God), and expresses why, even as simple people, we can trust in our understanding of the meaning of, and the dependability of, His word. (Lesson based from 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

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The Hebrew writer here shows the place of preeminence given to Jesus as God’s Son. In so doing, he establishes an order with God being first, angels second and man third.

In the beginning, the Word was God (cf. John 1:1). The Word then became flesh (cf. John 1:14), and this event is referred to by Paul as an experience where the Son of God was humbled, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Paul continued in that passage, “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (vs. 9). This passage in Hebrews agrees with that assessment.

Because of Jesus’ death, the payment for sin was paid. God ordained Jesus as Savior, and the proof of this choosing is found in the resurrection (cf. Acts 2:32-36). God has exalted Him. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, ruling in the kingdom. He is above every name, both human and angelic. He is the Son of God. He has been crowned, and we are subject to Him alone.

“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel” (Colossians 1:3-5).

The Bible often refers to heaven as the final abode of the righteous. Those familiar with the Christian faith understand, of course, that it is intended as a reward for the faithful — a good thing. But, what does the Bible reveal heaven to be?

First, the definition of the term. The word heaven comes from a root word that means “to rise, rear up.” It is used to reference the sky, and by extension, the abode of God. The term implies, as it is used in scripture, happiness, power and eternity.

Continue reading “Heaven is a Wonderful Place” →

Sermon by Kris Braddock – A thorough look at the way the phrase, “calling on the name of the Lord” is used in scripture. Showing that the phrase indicates the necessity of adhering to God’s will rather than a mere incantation.

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A careful consideration of Philippians 3 reveals the necessity of surrendering ourselves to Christ, and then diligence in a life of obedience to the Master, pressing on in the hope of the resurrection and eternal life.

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In John 10:7, Jesus said, “…I am the door of the sheep.” In verse 9, “…If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.” The college age class studied this text last week. In reading it, four things come to mind.

1. Authority. Jesus is the one who is able to save us. Hence, we are to give our allegiance to Him, and submit to His will.
2. Exclusivity. Jesus is THE door. There is only one. The only way to salvation is through Him. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
3. Efficacy. Jesus has the ability to accomplish what he promises. He promised salvation, and delivered. He died on the cross, paying for our sins, and was raised from the dead, blazing the trail to eternal life.
4. Accountability. We have to enter the door. Something is required of us! “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).

Stan here preaches a straitforward first principle lesson on the conditions God has placed upon man. In other words, the five steps any man must complete to be saved by God. As simple as this is, it is often misunderstood or denied by the religious world.

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On February 15, 2011 the Christian Chronicle noted on its blog that Texas Ranger baseball player Josh Hamilton had visited Lubbock Christian University on the previous day.

The blog entry contains a video, and text from the local newspaper, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. The title of the blog post is: At Lubbock Christian University, baseball star Josh Hamilton discusses his faith. The Journal reported that during the 90 minute conversation, “the main narrative thread of the evening was the Hamilton couple’s struggles with Josh Hamilton’s drug abuse and the couple’s Christian faith.” (http://tinyurl.com/47s3qh3)

Continue reading “In the News: Nicer Than God?” →

This sermon shows that our love for God is the result of the love and benevolence we have received from Him. He has created us, saved us by His grace, sustained us on this earth, and given us hope for a future home with Him.

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