The Pursuit of Holiness : Part 1
The Pursuit of Holiness II Corinthians 6:11-7:1 The United States Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…” What does it mean that […]
The Paradox Of Ministry : Part 2
The Paradox of Ministry : Part 2 II Corinthians 6:1-10 Are you protected? You may be asking, “protected from what?” The initial question is somewhat open-ended, it can be answered in quite a few different ways. Some people may be asking whether or not your property is protected by insurance for physical damage. Or maybe […]
The Paradox of Ministry : Part 1
The Paradox of Ministry II Corinthians 6:1-10 What do you think about this statement; “the only constant in life is change?” Is that true? Has that been your experience? This is what we call a paradox. A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is often true. In […]
The Ministry of Reconciliation
The Ministry of Reconciliation II Corinthians 5:17-21 In the mid-1970s, David Berkowitz went on a shooting rampage in New York City that spanned several years. At one of the crime scenes, he left a letter signed, “Son of Sam.” Berkowitz claimed the motive for the killings was Sam, a demonic spirit in his neighbor’s black […]
The Constraint of Love
The Constraint of Love II Corinthians 5:11-16 Elijah Cadman was born in England in 1843. He was the youngest of five children and his father died when he was three years old. Six-year-old Elijah was small for his age, and he began to work as a chimney sweep. He continued that job until he was […]
Looking For A New Home
Looking for a New Home II Corinthians 5:1-10 When our children were younger, there was a neighboring church in our community that hosted an annual “father/son campout.” We were part of it for several years and we always enjoyed it. Everyone, except for a few, slept in tents. We’ll never forget the one weekend because […]
Dying to Live
Dying to Live II Corinthians 4:13-18 What do you want out of life? Happiness, security, acceptance, pleasure, comfort? What about meaning and purpose? And if you want those things, what are you doing to get them? Is it even possible to get them? How do you go about getting what you want? Isn’t it true […]
Jars of Clay
Jars Of Clay II Corinthians 4:7-12 In 1947, a Bedouin boy was herding his goats in the Judean wilderness along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. One of his goats strayed from the flock so, naturally, he went after it. As he searched for the goat, he absentmindedly tossed a stone into one of […]
The Light of the Gospel : Part 2
But the god of this age is also a mindset or a worldview. It includes the ideals, opinions, goals, and hopes of the majority of the people in any given culture or people group. It influences their philosophy of life, their religion, their education, the things they buy, and the places they go. If you […]
The Light of the Gospel : Part 1
The Light of the Gospel: Part 1 II Corinthians 4:1-6 When I was a child, I was afraid of the dark; I was scared of the “boogie man.” I remember not wanting to be the first one to go up the stairs to my bedroom at night. Some of that fear probably stemmed from the […]