Bethel Church Temple TX Podcast (Sermons)

Rejection, My Friend

Series: Bad Day

June 27, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:53 -58

Verse of the Week: “The stone which the builders rejected has

become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing”

Matthew 21:42

1. Rejection reveals your…

 Character

“Jesus returned to Nazareth” Matthew 13:54

“Nazareth” – the guarded one

“they took offense at Him [refusing to believe in Him].” Matthew 13:57

“When they heard this all the people in the synagogue were filled with

rage” Luke 4:28

“Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary”

Matthew 13:55

“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things passed away;

behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“When He taught there in the synagogue, everyone was astonished

and said, ‘Where does He get this wisdom and the power to do

miracles?”’ Matthew 13:54

“astonished” – to expel by a blow, drive out or away

 Determination

“My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.”

John 4:34

“Jesus did only a few miracles there.” Matthew 13:58

2. Rejection can be a time of redirection

“The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief

cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing” Matthew 21:42

“rejected” – to disapprove, repudiate

“Where did Jesus learn all these things?” Matthew 13:56

3. Dealing with rejection

 Base your life on God’s perfect love

“perfect love casts out fear” 1 John 4:18

 Know your identity

“I am complete in Christ” Colossians 2:10

“we are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for good works”

Ephesians 2:10

 Be cautious about your connections

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully” Proverbs 12:26

 Forgive those who reject you

“do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for

those who mistreat you” Luke 6:27 & 28

Like Father, Like Son

June 20, 2021 Elwyn Johnston

John 8:39 – 47

Verse of the Week: “you are imitating your real father.” John 8:41

1. Am I living in deception or in truth?

“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you

cannot hear My word.” John 8:43

“He who is of God hears the words of God” John 8:47

“Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature” John 8:44

“Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in

the garden?” Genesis 3:1

“The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die! For God

knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and

you will be like God”’ Genesis 3:4 & 5

“you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32

2. Am I being destructive or constructive?

“The devil was a murderer from the beginning.” John 8:41

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” John 10:10

“We were not born of fornication; we have one Father” John 8:41

“you are trying to kill Me because I told you the truth” John 8:40

“a son is part of the family forever.” John 8:35

“I am not here on My own, but He sent Me.” John 8:42

“if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” John 8:36

 Live a life of sacrifice

“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, for Christ

lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son

of God who loved me and died for me.” Galatians 2:20

 Live a life of submission

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

James 4:7

God’s Dragnet

Series: Jesus Stories

June 13, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:47 - 50

Verse of the Week: “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:19

1. Sharing Jesus must be a priority in our lives

“Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

“to finish God’s work.” John 4:34

2. Allow God’s passion to motivate you

“the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that caught

fish of every kind.” Matthew 13:47

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that

whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

“not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

3. We must be patient and persistent

“is patient toward you” 2 Peter 3:9

“when the net was filled, they drew it up on the beach” Mt. 13:48

“the works that I do, you will do also” John 14:12

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed me to

preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim

release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free

those who are oppressed” Luke 4:18

Greater Value

Series: Jesus Stories

June 6, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:44 - 46

Verse of the Week: “knowing that you have a better and an

enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.” Hebrews 10:34

1. The treasure of the kingdom

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden” Matthew 13:44

“upon finding one pearl of great price” Matthew 13:46

2. The test of the kingdom

“sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44

“he went and sold all that he had and bought the pearl.”

Matthew 13:46

 The test of residing.

 The test of ruling

“I lay down My life” John 10:17

“Examine yourself” 2 Corinthians 13:5

“taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”

2 Corinthians 10:5

“blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth….this is

not right!” James 3:10

“where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

“Make the most of your time” Ephesians 5:16

3. The triumph of the kingdom

“from joy over the treasure he goes and sells all that he has and buys

that field.” Matthew 13:44

“he being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory

of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I

see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right

hand of God!” Acts 7:55 & 56

“joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you

have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

Therefore, do not throw away your confident trust in the Lord, which

has a great reward.   Patient endurance is what you need now”

Hebrews 10:34 -36

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have

kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of

righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me

on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who love His

appearing” 2 Timothy 4:7 & 8

“humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even

the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and

given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of

Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on

earth, and of those under the earth,   and that every tongue should

confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:8 – 11

“He will reign…and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:33

“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is

fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

Psalm 16:11

Seeds and Leaven part 2

Series: Jesus Stories

May 30, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:31 - 33

Verse of the Week: “I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31

3. The permeation of every part

“permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but God made you

grow. It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the

center of this process but God, who makes things grow.”

1 Cor. 3:6 & 7

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and

sowed in his field” Matthew 13:31

“I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31

4. The provision of the promise

“when the mustard seed is fully grown, it is larger than the garden

plants and becomes a tree, and birds come and make nests in its

branches.” Matthew 13:32

“Carry each other’s burdens” Galatians 6:2

Seeds and Leaven part 1

Series: Jesus Stories

May 23, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:31 - 33

Verse of the Week: “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are

greater than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16

1. The potential of the product

“when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes

a tree” Matthew 13:32

 Ask God for insight

“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, please open his eyes so that he

may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw…the

mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

2 Kings 6:17

 You impact what is harvested

“whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7

2. The power of the pieces

 The principle of increase

“seed fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some

sixty, and some thirty times as much.” Matthew 13:8

 God uses the insignificant

“who hath despised the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10

Wheat & Weeds

Series: Jesus Stories

May 16, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:24 – 30; 36 - 43

Verse of the Week: “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in

the kingdom of their Father.” Matthew 13:43

1. There is _____________ and there is ______________.

“enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat” Matthew 13:25

“An enemy has done this!” Matthew 13:28

“You will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16

“humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may

exalt you at the proper time” 1 Peter 5:6

“every knee will bow…and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ

is Lord.” Philippians 2:10 & 11

“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.”

2 Corinthians 13:5

2. God’s ____________ _________ is front and center

‘“Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘while

you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with

them.’” Matthew 13:28 & 29

“whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is

better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and

that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

3. There will be a _____________!

“Let them grow together until harvest time.” Matthew 13:30

“into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and

gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:42

“His field” Matthew 13:24

“His angels” Matthew 13:41

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue

which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the

heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from

the Lord” Isaiah 54:17

“greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4

“Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their

Father. The one who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:43

The Sower part 2

Series: Jesus Stories

May 9, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:3 – 9; 18 – 23

Verse of the Week: “Listen then to the parable of the sower.”

Matthew 13:18

1. Prepare the soil to receive the seed

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my

mouth.” Psalm 119:103

“the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the

deceitfulness of wealth, so no fruit is produced.” Matthew 13:22

2. Soil needs to be fertilized.

“when affliction or persecution arises because of the word”

Matthew 13:21

3. Let the soil rest

“the land shall have a Sabbath rest” Leviticus 25:4

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8

4. Grow in love with the Sower

“Listen then to the parable of the sower.” Matthew 13:18

“you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your

heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what

God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

The Sower part 1

Series: Jesus Stories

May 2, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:3 – 9; 18 – 23

Verse of the Week: “The one who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:9

1. CALLOUSED heart

“some seeds fell beside the road” Matthew 13:4

“does not understand the Word, the evil one comes and snatches

away what has been sown in his heart.” Matthew 13:19

2. CASUAL heart

“they had no depth….after the sun rose, they were scorched; and

because they had no root, they withered away.” Matthew 13:5 & 6

“I have been crucified with Christ” Galatians 2:20

“when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word,

immediately he falls away.” Matthew 13:21

3. CROWDED heart

“fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.”

Matthew 13:7

4. COMMITTED heart

“fell on the good soil and yielded a crop” Matthew 13:8

“bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some

thirty times as much.” Matthew 13:23

Can You Hear Me Now?

Series: Jesus Stories

April 25, 2021 AM Elwyn Johnston

Matthew 13:10 – 17; 34 & 35

Verse of the Week: “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of

the kingdom” Matthew 13:11

1. Reveals the mysteries of God

“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries” Matthew 13:11

“I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the

foundation of the world.” Matthew 13:35

 Confound the hard-hearted - rejection

 Clarity to the hungry - revelation

“Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and

understandings flow freely.” Matthew 13:12

2. Receive truth differently based on the hearing of the hearer

“the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing,

and their eyes they have closed” Matthew 13:15

“they would not listen to the voice of their father” 1 Samuel 2:25

“in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite

uncommon.” 1 Samuel 3:1

“Then the LORD came and stood, and called as at the other times: ‘Samuel!

Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for Your servant is listening.’”

1 Samuel 3:10

3. Response is expected.