Tri-Annual Singing!
February 21, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Sermon: My Convictions Regarding Modesty
A present issue of controversy. My convictions regarding the issue.
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Sermon: Truths About Preaching
What constitutes false teaching, and how does God require we limit ourselves as preacher’s of the gospel?
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The Real Ruth of Moab
Last week while studying, in the background on the television was an old movie about the biblical characters in the book of Ruth. The movie, “The Story of Ruth” was released in 1960, starring Elana Eden as Ruth, and Stuart Whitman as Boaz. The movie is described as an adaptation of the biblical story of Ruth, and that “The film explores themes of tolerance, acceptance, love, and faith.”
Do I suggest you watch the movie? No, not at all. It is only a loose adaptation. Certainly not as ridiculous as the more recent Hollywood treatment of Noah, as an example, but no effort was made for “The Story of Ruth” to be an accurate representation of God’s word. Hollywood does not do a good job of following the Bible, something that should be obvious to all. Continue reading “The Real Ruth of Moab”
Mining the Scriptures: Matthew 3:1-6
John the Baptist, the son of Martha and Zacharias and cousin of Jesus, was born to his mother in her old age and heralded by his father (inspired with the Holy Spirit) as “the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).
This ministry of John is described by Matthew here. He preached repentance as he proclaimed the coming of the Christ. He prepared “the way of the Lord.”
John was described as an austere man here and elsewhere. As he appeared on the scene from the wilderness, his clothing was rough, and his food was simple “locusts and wild honey.” He was a successful preacher, capturing the hearts of the common people in Judea. His call to repent, and to be baptized for the remission of sins in preparation for the Messiah, was heard in “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan.”
Outward Expressions of Love
The characteristics of love, expressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, are outward, not inward. Less emotional, the love Paul describes is a demonstration of a charitable nature, concerned with others.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
If you are a loving person you are longsuffering. Rather than quick to anger and judgment, you strive for patience and kindness in your interactions with others. Continue reading “Outward Expressions of Love”
The Manifest Differences
The two groups which make up humanity are naturally divided, and categorized by John’s description:
“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10).
The characteristics of these two groups are easily discerned. In other words, it is necessary only to know them to know where they abide. The differences are “manifest.”
The children of the devil
They do not practice righteousness
They do not practice love (here for a brother in Christ).
The children of God
They practice righteousness
They love their brethren in Christ
Consider, if one strives to be righteous and yet is at strife with his brethren he can’t accurately claim to be a child of God. Consider, if one loves the brethren but lives a profane life he can’t accurately claim to be a child of God.
Can you and I rightly claim that we are children of God in every sense? We pray it is so, but it is not if these characteristics are not both present in our daily walk!
Sermon: Do Not Become Sluggish
We must be fervent in spirit! The sluggish disciples does not receive a reward from the Master.
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Sermon: Sanctification and Gender Issues
The concept of Sanctification requires that we as Christians address issues of Gender in accord with His will, rather than societal influences.
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Sermon: The Church and Politics
The government now allows churches to endorse candidates and issues from the pulpit. Does God give us the same liberty?
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The Fruit of the Spirit
In Galatians 5 the apostle Paul describes the conflict between the lust of the flesh and the fruit that is developed in the child of God as we grow and mature, heeding the Spirit of God. Noting the works of the flesh first, (19-21), we will in this lesson describe and define the fruit of the Spirit, listed in verses (22-23). This is important, for in this context Paul assures us to, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (16).
Love
The Greek word agape is the word that Paul uses here. It is uniquely used in the New Testament to describe the highest expression of love for others. It is an unselfish love, motivated and informed as to what is best for others. For example, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It is the type of love we should have for God (John 4:15); for our brethren (1 John 2); for our wives (Ephesians 5:25); and even for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). It is not surprising that this heads Paul’s list. A love for God and for man is the basis of God’s expectations for us as we serve Him (Matthew 22:36-40). Continue reading “The Fruit of the Spirit”
Marriage Duty and the Resurrection
Consider this text: “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel” (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). This duty of the second brother is the basis upon which the Sadducees argued that there is no resurrection in Matthew 22:23-33).
The Sadducees posited a hypothetical example of a widow of all seven brothers, none of which gave her an heir, which “proved” that the very idea of a resurrection was untenable. Consider, very religious people arguing vociferously from ignorance. That is what Jesus, in a decidedly pointed response, told them! “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:29-30). Continue reading “Marriage Duty and the Resurrection”
Mining the Scriptures: Revelation 2:8-11
The second church Jesus wrote to was the church in Smyrna. The church is known as the persecuted church. This congregation was oppressed. As they sought to be faithful at this time, they were beset by tribulation (cf. James 1:24) and economic oppression. Even so they were rich spiritually!
Jesus comforted them. That comfort was not a promise to deliver them out of trials, but rather a promise to give them an eternal reward because of their faithfulness. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life” (10). This end of the Christian’s sojourn on earth is our reason for hope. It is the reason we can live our lives in the midst of our enemies without fear! “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) (cf. Matthew 10:28).
Here is our promise, made by the Lord to the church in Smyrna at the end of the first century, “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (11)!
Beware of Dogs!
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote clearly that our default state as God’s children is joy! We are to rejoice in the Lord. That should remain our condition even when we receive warnings and admonitions such as those Paul shared with the Philippians, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (3:1).
One of those admonitions came in the very next verse. “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” (3:2). It seems obvious that in this case Paul is warning against the Jews, and more specifically against the error of the Judaizers, who felt that the Christian faith could be practiced only as a Jew or Jewish proselyte.
The word “dogs” here is used with derision. The Jew used it that way toward the Gentiles, but here Paul turns the table against them. Dogs were not beloved pets in the first century. The term was a sharp and negative name when associated with men (cf. Revelation 22:15).
Calling them evil workers, and associating their demand of circumcision to the Gentile with mutilation, completed Paul’s denunciation.
We too must “beware of dogs” today as Christians. Anyone who would disregard God’s will, and seeks to bring such error to other men deserves such a designation!
Sermon: Sanctification and Your Speech
The concept of Sanctification requires us to be godly and circumspect in our language.
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