August 18, 2013 | Colossians 1:1-8 - Faith, Hope, and Love: The Greatest of These is Hope?

We recently began a new expositional sermon series on Paul's epistle to the Colossians. Below you will find the first installment.





Audio
Notes



For more:
Faith, Hope, and Love: An Early Christian Confession 
MacArthur on a Faith that Saves 
September 2, 2012 | Philippians 1:1-11 - The Joy of Thanksgiving & Prayer 
September 16, 2012 | Philippians 1:19-30 - The Joy of the Future
September 23, 2012 | Philippians 2:1-4: The Joy of Humility
September 30, 2012 | Philippians 2:5-11: The Joy of Holy Condescension
October 7, 2012 | Philippians 2:12-30: The Joy of Sanctification 
October 21, 2012 | Philippians 3:1-11: The Joy of a Pure Gospel
October 28, 2012 | Jude 1-25 - Is Grace a License to Sin?: Jude & the Antinomians

Sermon Notes: The Loved of God

In Sunday's sermon introducing our new series on the cross, I argued that one of the reasons why the cross matters is because it Personifies the Love of God. At the cross we clearly see His Divine Love for only His radical, unconditional, agape love can explain why He would send His Son to die in the place of sinners like us.

For us, this means we define love by looking at the cross. Throughout the New Testament we find the apostles exhorting believers to walk in love following the example of God in Christ seen at the cross. Thus when we speak of God's love, the New Testament often points us to the cross. I highlighted a few of the verses which support this thesis and below I want to offer even more for you own studies.

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:37 – But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Ephesians 1:4-5 – just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Ephesians 2:4-5 – But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Ephesians 5:2 – and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

2 Thessalonians 2:16 – Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,

Titus 3:4-5 – But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

1 John 3:1a – See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are

1 John 3:16 – We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 4:9-11 – By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:19 – We love, because He first loved us.


For more:
March 3, 2013 | God Pursues Sinners
November 14, 2010 - God is Love
MacDonald on the Love of God   
March 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:43-48: Love God as He Loved You
Weekly Recommendation: "The God Who Loves"

March 3, 2013 | God Pursues Sinners

In the second sermon introducing the subject of church discipline, we discuss that God loves sinners and thus pursues them. Do we?




Audio
Notes


January 27, 2013 | Matthew 17:24-27 - We Are Free Indeed: The Glorious Truth of the Gospel
Matthew 18:1-4 | Children Only: The Secret to being great in the Kingdom of God
February 17, 2013 | Matthew 18:5-14 - Primum Non Nocere: The Kingdom & the Treatment of Children
February 24, 2013 | God Hates Sin
 

This is Love

This is love.


What Is Love? from cvcnow on Vimeo.

September 30, 2012 | Philippians 2:5-11: The Joy of Holy Condescension

After exhorting the Philippians to be unified and to be humble, Paul then turns to the perfect example of Christ who condescended Himself by becoming a man and a man who was put on a cross.  If we can grasp both the Incarnation and the Passion of Jesus, we would do ourselves some good. Christians, by name and nature, are called to imitate and to follow Christ. If we do that, we will find joy in the place called Unity and Humility and Obedience.

⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.




Notes
Audio


September 2, 2012 | Philippians 1:1-11 - The Joy of Thanksgiving & Prayer 
September 16, 2012 | Philippians 1:19-30 - The Joy of the Future
September 23, 2012 | Philippians 2:1-4: The Joy of Humility


For more:
Theology Sings: Thoughts on the Hymn of Philippians 2:5-11
Philippians 2:5-11 & Kenotic Theology
Book Recommendation: "Humility" by CJ Mahaney
Grudem on the Deity of Christ 
The Gospel Coalition on the Deity of Christ 
Mahaney on the Person and Work of Christ:  Christ Our Mediator  
Stomach Virus' and the Humanity of Christ:  Moore on the Suffering and Sick Servant
Sayers on the Incarnation of Christ  
If Jesus Were Born in Our Digital Age
December 26, 2010 - Jesus is Human
December 19, 2012 - Jesus is God
Basic Christianity: Daniel 4:29-37 - Humility Before God
Basic Christianity: James 4:1-10 - Humility Before Others

November 14, 2010 - God is Love

I know I'm over a week late, but here is the audio and notes from the sermon from two weeks ago on the Doctrine of Divine Love.

Audio
Notes





For more:
MacDonald on the Love of God  
September 12, 2010 - God is Creator 
September 19, 2010 - God is Provident 
October 10, 2010 - God is Sovereign  
October 24, 2010 - God is Immutable
October 31, 2010 - God is Holy 
November 7, 2010 - God is Jealous  

MacDonald on the Love of God

This Sunday we will be discussing the love of God and what a wonderful doctrine it is!  One of my favorite pastors, Dr. James MacDonald, was once interviewed on the subject.  Here is what he had to say:

August 15, 2010 - Matthew 7:7-12: The Golden Rule and a Community of Love

Here are the notes from last weeks message. Sorry that I'm just now getting around to posting it.  I've been a little busy.  I don't have any audio, but only the notes.  Oops.  Our text was Matthew 7:7-12:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!   In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

 Notes 


For more:
January 17, 2010 - Matthew 5:1-12 - If Your Joyful and You Know It . . . 
January 24, 2010 - Matthew 5:13 - Stuck Between Salt and Manure:  The Call to Preserve the Gospel 
January 31, 2010 - Matthew 5:14-26 - Its Dark in Here:  The Call to be the Light of the World 
February 7, 2010 - Matthew 5:17-20 - Medium Rare is Unbiblical or What Do Christians Do with the Law
February 14, 2010 - Matthew 5:21-22 - I Am a Murderer . . . And So Are You 
February 21, 2010 - Matthew 5:23-26 - Resetting What Was Broken:  The Necessity of Reconciliation
February 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:27-30 - America's Pastime: Our Lust for Lust 
March 7, 2010 - Matthew 5:31-32 - The Gospel and Divorce:  What Does the Bible Say?
March 14, 2010 - Matthew 5:33-37 - Allergies to Toast, the Gospel, and Integrity
March 21, 2010 - Matthew 5:38-42 - I Surrender!  I Surrender!
March 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:43-48 - Love God as He Loved You
May 23, 2010 - Matthew Thus Far:  Matthew 1-5 
January 17, 2010 - Matthew 5:1-12 - If Your Joyful and You Know It . . . 
January 24, 2010 - Matthew 5:13 - Stuck Between Salt and Manure:  The Call to Preserve the Gospel 
January 31, 2010 - Matthew 5:14-26 - Its Dark in Here:  The Call to be the Light of the World 
February 7, 2010 - Matthew 5:17-20 - Medium Rare is Unbiblical or What Do Christians Do with the Law
February 14, 2010 - Matthew 5:21-22 - I Am a Murderer . . . And So Are You 
February 21, 2010 - Matthew 5:23-26 - Resetting What Was Broken:  The Necessity of Reconciliation
February 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:27-30 - America's Pastime: Our Lust for Lust 
March 7, 2010 - Matthew 5:31-32 - The Gospel and Divorce:  What Does the Bible Say?
March 14, 2010 - Matthew 5:33-37 - Allergies to Toast, the Gospel, and Integrity
March 21, 2010 - Matthew 5:38-42 - I Surrender!  I Surrender!
March 28, 2010 - Matthew Thus Far:  Matthew 1-5 
January 17, 2010 - Matthew 5:1-12 - If Your Joyful and You Know It . . . 
January 24, 2010 - Matthew 5:13 - Stuck Between Salt and Manure:  The Call to Preserve the Gospel 
January 31, 2010 - Matthew 5:14-26 - Its Dark in Here:  The Call to be the Light of the World 
February 7, 2010 - Matthew 5:17-20 - Medium Rare is Unbiblical or What Do Christians Do with the Law
February 14, 2010 - Matthew 5:21-22 - I Am a Murderer . . . And So Are You 
February 21, 2010 - Matthew 5:23-26 - Resetting What Was Broken:  The Necessity of Reconciliation
February 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:27-30 - America's Pastime: Our Lust for Lust 
March 7, 2010 - Matthew 5:31-32 - The Gospel and Divorce:  What Does the Bible Say?
March 14, 2010 - Matthew 5:33-37 - Allergies to Toast, the Gospel, and Integrity
March 21, 2010 - Matthew 5:38-42 - I Surrender!  I Surrender!
March 28, 2010 - Matthew 6:1-4 - Camouflaged Gold:  Why Christians Should Give In Secret
May 30, 2010 - Matthew 6:5-8 - Jesus on Prayer:  Our Inward Motivations
June 6, 2010 - Matthew 9-13 - The Model Prayer 
June 13, 2010 - Matthew 6:14-15 - The Forgiven Forgive:  The Inseparable Reality of the Gospel of Forgiveness
June 27, 2010- Matthew 6:16-18 - The Gospel of Self-Denial:  Why Fasting is Biblical and What it Says About Our Faith
July 11, 2010 - Matthew 6:19-24 - Investing in the Kingdom of God  
August 1, 2010 - Matthew 6:25-34 - Worry and the Providence of God:  What Our Anxiety Says About What We Believe About God 
August 8, 2010 - Matthew 7:1-6 - Judge Not But Please Remove This Speck.  Its Killing My Eye:  Learning to Judge Righteously, Not Hypocritically 

Bonhoeffer on the Golden Rule

I found this interesting from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's pen regarding the Golden Rule.

To sum up: it is clear from the foregoing that the disciple has no special privilege or power of his own in all his intercourse with others.  The mainspring of his life and work is the strength which comes from fellowship with Jesus Christ.  Jesus offers his disciples a simple rule of thumb which will enable even the least sophisticated of them to tell whether this intercourse with others is on the right lines or not.  All he need do is to say ‘I’ instead of ‘Thou,’ and put himself in the other man’s place.  ‘All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.”  The moment he does that, the disciple forfeits all advantage over other men, and can no longer excuse in himself what he condemns in others.  He is as strict in condemning evil in himself as he was before with others, and as lenient with the evil in others as he was before to himself.  The evil in the other person is exactly the same evil as in ourselves.  There is only one judgment, one law, and one grace.  Henceforth the disciple will look upon other men as forgiven sinners who owe their lives to the love of God.  ‘This is the law and the prophets’ – for this is none other than the supreme commandment: to love God above all things and our neighbours as ourselves. -The Cost of Discipleship, 188.

Wednesday Night Bible Study - Philemon: Be Reconciled

Here are the notes for Philemon.  It was a good discussion and I strongly encourage everyone to come out on Wednesdays.  Here's the description:

Philemon is one of those letters than many overlook.  For one, many don't understand why it is in the Bible.  But once we look carefully at the text, it shows us how the gospel meets us in the real world.  It is a letter of reconciliation, forgiveness, and love and it is a message we all need to heed.

Philemon:  Be Reconciled

For more:
Slavery, Philemon, and the Gospel:  The Challenges the Book of Philemon Raises

March 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:43-48: Love God as He Loved You

Here is the audio and notes from yesterdays message.  We have completed Matthew 5 and it has been a great ride.  However, this is not the entire Sermon on the Mount.  The Sermon on the Mount covers three chapters Matthew 5-7.  Starting the Sunday after Easter we will likely spend  a few weeks in the book of Haggai and then will return to the last two chapters of the Sermon on the Mount.

In the meantime, here is Matthew 5:43-48:



audio
notes

Love Your Enemies: Even If He is a Murderer

Tomorrow we will discuss Jesus' command to love your enemies and pray for your persecutors.  When we live in a fairly safe community, this seems like an easy command.  As we'll see, this is not an easy task.  Imagine if you will if your spouse or parent was killed during church by a crazed murderer.  How would you respond?

That is the situation that the family of Pastor Fred Winters found themselves in.  Winters was murdered during a church service in front of his congregation.  Days later, his wife appeared on national TV on CBS offering her forgiveness to the murderer and praying that he repent and turn to Christ.

Would you have done the same?



CBS: Pastor's Wife Forgives Accused Gunman

Wednesday Night Bible Study: 1 John

Here are the notes for 1 John. Hope their helpful. We had a great conversation.

1 John: Truth and Love

Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit Series

Well it has been a long trip, but we have finally completed our series on the Fruit of the Spirit. Although more could be said, I hope this has been an encouraging series. It seems like every week God was reminding me to be more like Him as I repeatedly failed to do. Below are all of the sermons, links, and book recommendations made throughout this series.

Sermons:
April 26, 2009 - Got Fruit?
May 17, 2009 - Walk In the Spirit

Love:
May 24, 2009 - What's Love Got To Do With It?
May 24, 2009 - All You Lack Is LoveWhat is Love? - Audio
June 7, 2009 - 1 Corinthians 13:8-13: Love Never Ends

Joy:
June 15, 2009 - Matthew 5:1-5: Joy of Spiritual Humility
June 28, 2009 - Matthew 5:6: Starving? Why Wait?
July 12, 2009 - Matthew 5:7-9: The Joy of Holiness
July 19, 2009 - Matthew 5:10-12: The Joy of Persecution
(Sunday Night) - July 19, 2009: Hebrews 11:30ff - The Legacy of Suffering Joy

Peace:
August 2, 2009 - Psalm 23:2: Peace of Rest
August 9, 2009 - Psalm 23:3: The Peace of Restoration (notes only)
August 16, 2009 - Psalm 23:4: "The Peace of Comfort"
Sunday Night - The Agony of Job and the Sovereingnty of God
August 23, 2009 - Psalm 23:5: The Peace of the Shepherd's Sovereignty
August 30, 2009 - Psalm 23:6: The Peace of the Shepherd's Providence

Patience
September 6, 2009 - Faithience: When Faith and Patience Collide
September 13, 2009 - Genesis 13:1-18: The Biggest Loser
September 20, 2009 - Genesis 15:1-18: The Patience of Our Deliverer
October 4, 2009 - Genesis 16: Impatience

Goodness:
October 18, 2009 - 1 Peter 2:21-23 - Christus Exemplar and the Goodness of God
October 25, 2009 - Galatians 6:6-14: Selfless Goodness

November 1, 2009 - "I Believe, Help My Unbelief": The Power of Faithless Faith
November 8, 2009 - "God Be Merciful To Me a Sinner": The Gosple in 7 Words
November 15, 2009 - Living In Meekness
November 22, 2009 - Self-Control in the Face of Temptation

Book Recommendations:
Weekly Recommendation: "A Gardener Looks at the Fruits of the Spirit"Weekly Recommendation: "The God Who Loves"Weekly Recommendation: "The Greatest of These is Love"
Weekly Recommendation: "Kingdom Living"
Weekly Recommendation: "Foxe's Book of Martyrs"
Weekly Recommendation - "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23"
Weekly Recommendation: "Traveling Light"
Weekly Recommendation - "Restore My Soul"
Weekly Recommendation - "A Grief Observed"Weekly Recommendation - "Finding Peace"
Weekly Recommendation - "Heaven"
Weekly Recommendation: "When Bad Things Happen to Good People"

Other:
True Love From Veggie Tales
Bonhoeffer: The Meaning of Poor In Spirit and the Joy of Being Spiritual Bankrupt
Bonhoeffer on Matthew 5:7-9
Mephibosheth and the Sanctity of the Disable: God's Glory In the Face of Deformity
Theodicy as Evidence of a Theos
"I Am so Easily Satisfied With Just Going About" - A Gut Check

The Fruit of the Spirit: Love

Here is the series of sermons and links from our look at the first Fruit of the Spirit: Love.

Sermons:
May 24, 2009 - What's Love Got To Do With It?
May 24, 2009 - All You Lack Is Love
What is Love? - Audio
June 7, 2009 - 1 Corinthians 13:8-13: Love Never Ends

Recommended Books:
Weekly Recommendation: "A Gardener Looks at the Fruits of the Spirit"
Weekly Recommendation: "The God Who Loves"
Weekly Recommendation: "The Greatest of These is Love"

Other:
True Love From Veggie Tales

Weekly Recommendation: "The Greatest of These is Love"

For the past several weeks, we have been studying 1 Corinthians 13 and the importance of practice real, biblical agape love. One of the books I have been reading is by Cale K. Burgess called, "The Greatest of These is Love." Burgess offers a simple and straightforward survey of what the Bible has to say on this important subject.

Most of the book covers 1 Corinthians 13, but the author does not limit their survey to this chapter alone. The book is rather simple and not very deep. Throughout the book, the author provides countless illustrations, poems, hymns, and quotes from various persons to drive their point home.

My biggest complaint regards the illustrations and they are two-fold. First, the number of illustrations is quit overwhelming. Burgess quotes others more than actually writes themselves. Page after page is covered with illustrations, quotes, stories, and other things. At times I found myself saying, "OK, I get it. Now tell what to do." Although the book contains many great insights into the Biblical teaching on love, it could be much shorter without all of the extra information and citations.

Secondly, Burgess quotes various persons and sources that would best be left out. For example, at one point the author quotes Mohammad, the founder of Islam. Grant it, there is some truth to be gained in most things as the result of common grace, but in a book that expounds Scripture, it is best to leave such things out.

Overall, however, I found this book to be helpful and an easy read. It is simple and straightforward and for the most part a good summary of the Biblical teaching on love. However, good luck finding it anywhere as it was written over 50 years ago.

True Love From Veggie Tales

Since we've been going through 1 Corinthians 13 and talking about love, I could help but post this silly song from Veggie Tales: Love Songs With Mr. Lunt - His Cheeseburger. Anyone who hasn't seen it should watch it (it's only 3 minutes) and laugh.

May 24, 2009 - All You Lack Is Love

Click here to download the notes.

May 24, 2009 - What's Love Got To Do With It?

You can download the notes here. Otherwise, you can listen and download the sermon by clicking on the title.

Weekly Recommendation: "The God Who Loves"

Rather than move on to another series, I want us to spend one more week on the last week of Jesus. This week, we will be looking at John 21. A major theme throughout that chapter is love and obedience. As I was studying this week, I went back and read John MacArthur's book, "The God Who Loves: He Will Do Whatever It Takes to Draw Us."

What I really like about this book, is that it is a sober treatment of the issue. We all love the fact that "God is Love" but most of us do not understand it. MacArthur takes what Scripture says about this issue and lays out what John means whenever he writes those words. Usually, by referring to the love of God, we mean that God is above being judgmental, wrathful, or angry. And yet, at the same time, we read and study about God killing people throughout all of Scripture from Pharaoh's army in Exodus, to the Israelites in Numbers, to Herod in Acts, to sinners in Revelation. How can these two truths of God be reconciled?

Many simply ignore the wrath and anger of God. They do not try to reconcile these two apparently contradictory characteristics of God; they simply ignore His wrath. We do this as a means to rationalize our sin. This is unfortunate. Because by ignoring the wrath of God we cheapen the love of God. MacArthur gives the reader balance and explains why both the wrath and the love of God are necessary to understand, affirm, and study.

MacArthur has an ability to clearly lay out what Scripture teaches while at the same time warn the reader not to fall for the traps on both sides. Anyone interested in understanding the love of God in deeper and more Biblically, I cannot recommend any other book above this one. John MacArthur has influenced me immensely. His study of Scripture accompanied with decades of pastoral ministry give him important insight and depth. If you want to fully understand what the Bible teaches about God's love, read this book.