Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on June 20th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

https://sermons.church/archived?church=bethlehem&sermonid=17807

Outline:

I. Real men live for GOD.

     A. RECOGNIZE who He is. (Psalm 145:1, 5:2)

     B. Recognize our DEPENDENCE upon Him.

     C. RESPECT His Word.

II. Real men live with COURAGE. (1 Cor. 16:13; Deut. 31:6-8; Josh. 1:6-9; Acts 4 & 5)

     * Be STRONG & COURAGEOUS.

     * We must STAND up for what is RIGHT, no matter what the COST.

III. Real men live for OTHERS. (1 Cor. 16:14)

     A. Faithful SERVICE. (Phil. 2:3; Matt. 20:26-28)

     B. Serving FAMILY. (Eph. 5:25)

     C. Future GENERATIONS.

IV. Real men live with INTEGRITY. (Prov. 20:7)

     A. RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Prov. 14:34)

     B. CONSISTENCY. (Matt. 22:16)

     C. Results:

          1. Our FAMILY is blessed.

          2. SOCIETY is blessed.

          3. WE are blessed.

What are you LIVING FOR?

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on June 13th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

https://sermons.church/archived?church&sermonid=17525&cred_referrer_form_id=25

Outline:

I. Choose UNITY instead of DIVISION. (Genesis 1; Ps. 133:1; John 17:20-23; Rom. 12:16; I Cor. 1:10; Eph. 2:14-19; 4:1-3)

     Satan is a DIVIDER. (Gen. 3)

     His strategy: DIVIDE and CONQUER.

          3 God-ordained institutions: 1. FAMILY 2. STATE 3. CHURCH

II. Choose TRUTH instead of FALSEHOOD. (John 8:32; Rom. 16:17-18; Isa. 5:20)

III. Fight the true ENEMY instead of manufactured ENEMIES. (Gen. 13:5-9; Eph. 6:12)

     *God created only ONE race. (Gen. 1:27; 3:20; 8:18; 9:18-19; 10:32; Acts 17:26)

     * Satan is the FATHER of racism.

IV. Choose GRACE instead of CANCEL CULTURE. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; I Cor. 1:2-4; Eph. 2:3-5, 13-18; 4:2, 15, 31-32)

     Peacemakers (Rom. 12:17-18, Gal. 3:26-28)

Peace with GOD -> Peace with OURSELF -> Peace with OTHERS.

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on June 6th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

I. God called His people all through SCRIPTURE to speak truth to their culture. (Matt. 5:13-16)

     A. Old Testament (Prophets; Prov. 14:34)

     B. New Testament

          1. John the Baptizer (Lk. 3; Mark 6:17-18; Matt. 11:11)

          2. Jesus

          3. Early Christian leaders (Acts 14-19)

II. God raised up PREACHERS in early AMERICA to speak truth to their culture.

     - Black Robe Regiment; Declaration of Independence; The Revolution

III. God still calls HIS PEOPLE to speak truth to their culture. (Matt. 5:13-16; II Cor. 5:20)

     A. Sometimes God's people have FAILED to do that.

          - Germany (1930's); America (1960's, 1970's; Now)

     B. We must be God's VOICE of truth.

     C. Being God's voice of truth in culture is PROCLAIMING Christ.

We must boldly LIVE and SPEAK God's truth out of love for God and others.

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on May 30th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

* We are in a WAR. (Gen. 3:15; Eph. 6:12)

* Jesus LOVES His church.

I. Jesus' church offers LIGHT. (John 1:4; 8:12; 9:5; Mt. 5:14-16)

     *The devil hates the EXPOSING power of light. (John 3:19-21; Eph. 5:8-14)

II. Jesus' church offers TRUTH. (John 8:32; Matt. 7:15)

     *The devil hates the ABSOLUTENESS of truth. (Gen. 3; Isa. 5:20)

III. Jesus' church offers a SUPPORT NETWORK of love. ("one another")

     *The devil hates the MUTUAL SUPPORT of the church.

IV. Jesus' church offers the SAVIOR. (John 14:6; 15:18-21; Luke 13:29; 14:23; 19:9-10)

     *The devil hates SALVATION and the Savior. (John 10:10-11; Acts 5:27-32)

I will experience and celebrate the BLESSINGS of Jesus' church and guard against the devil's ATTACKS.

Christian Martin's sermon preached on May 23rd at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

If JESUS wrote a LETTER to the BETHLEHEM CHURCH OF CHRIST, what would it say?

Context: Revelation 1:9-20

I. The DANGER of COMPLACENCY (Rev. 3:14-16)

     a. 2 Peter 2:20-22

     b. Jeremiah 24:1-10

II. The DANGER of SELF-SUFFICIENCY (Rev. 3:17-19)

     a. Luke 15:11-32

III. The GIFT of MERCY (20-22)

Are you living on your own SUFFICIENCY or on God's MERCY?

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on May 16th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

I. God uses places as His STAGE.

     A. Involvement with HUMANITY. (Gen. 28, 32; Ex. 3; Gen. 22 & II Chron. 3)

     B. Incarnation of JESUS. (John 1:14)

     C. Involvement in OUR LIVES. 

II. God TRANSCENDS places.

     He is not confined to a LOCATION. (Acts 17:22-25; Jer. 7:1-14)

III. God's PURPOSE transcends places. (John 4:16-24)

     A. His passion is RESCUING people. (Titus 3:3-7; Eph. 2:1-5)

     B. His goal is BUILDING lives.

          1. Through WORSHIP.

          2. Through DISCIPLESHIP. (Col. 1:28-29)

          3. Through FELLOWSHIP. (Acts 2:42ff; Heb. 10:24-25)

          4. Through SERVICE. (Eph. 2:19-22; 4:15-16)

     C. His invitation is to a NEW place. (John 14:1-3; REv. 21:1-5)

I will make a NEW BEGINNING in this place, as I continue my journey to the place that REALLY MATTERS.

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on May 9th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

OUTLINE:

I. A woman of INFLUENCE. (16:14)

     A. Her business.

     B. A mother's influence.

II. A woman of PRAYER. (16:13, 14)

     Do you put FIRST things FIRST? (Matt. 6:33)

III. A woman with an OPEN HEART. (16:14, 15)

     A. She went where she was LIKELY to receive God's MESSAGE.

     B. She ACCEPTED the message. (14)

     C. She OBEYED the message. (15)

     Common pattern in responding to the Gospel: Acts 2:36ff; 8:12, 13; 8:35-38; 9:18; 16:33; 18:8

IV. A woman with an OPEN HOME. (16:15, 40)

     Three motives:

          1. HOSPITALITY.

          2. LEARNING.

          3. Christian INTERACTION.

Will God find you FAITHFUL?

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on May 2nd, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

I. God on the THRONE: a picture of HOLINESS. (Isa. 6:3; Ex. 15:11; I Sam. 2:2; Hab. 1:13)

Holy = SET APART.

His holiness is our MOTIVATION to be holy. (I Pet. 1:14-16)

II. Sin in the MIRROR: a picture of BROKENNESS. (II Sam. 11; 12; 51:1-4, 16, 17)

The key: Seeing and acknowledging our sins SPECIFICALLY.

-- why the BIBLE is so important.

-- why CONFESSION is so important. (Prov. 28:13; Ps. 32:1-5; I Jn. 1:8, 9)

III. Self in the DIRT: a picture of REPENTANCE.

* A common Bible scene: SACKCLOTH and ashes. (Neh. 9:1; Es. 4:1-3; Isa. 22:12)

* Evidence of repentance: Long-term CHANGE. (II Tim. 2:19)

IV. Christ on the CROSS: a picture of GRACE. (Rom. 5:8; Tit. 2:11-14)

V. Spirit in CONTROL: a picture of POWER. (Rom. 6-8; Acts 2:37, 38; II Pet. 3:9)

I REPENT, and desire to live in a HIGHER PLACE by the power of God's Spirit.

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on April 25th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

Jesus is Passing By (Luke 18:35-43; Mark 19:46-52)

I. We learn something about the INFLUENCE we can have.

     A. POSITIVE influence. (18:36-37)

     2 things have to be true:

          1. We have to be WITH people.

          2. We have to be living RIGHT. (I Pet. 2:11, 12)

     B. NEGATIVE influence. (18:38, 39)

II. We learn something about JESUS. (18:40, 41; Mark 10:49, 50)

     A. He took TIME for PEOPLE.

     B. He didn't play FAVORITES. (Luke 17-19; John 3:16)

III. We learn something about the BLIND man.

     A. He demonstrated CURIOSITY. (36)

     B. He demonstrated FAITH. (38, 39; Mark 10:49, 50; James 2)

     C. He demonstrated PERSISTENCE. (39)

     D. He was ready to ______. (43; Lk. 9:23)

IV. We learn something about OPPORTUNITIES. (37)

     A. Many opportunities only COME ONCE. (James 4:13-17)

     B. We have many opportunities at BETHLEHEM. 

     C. EACH of us has an opportunity. (Eph. 5:15-17; Luke 19:5)

     II Corinthians 6:2

Upon the face of the CLOCK of life is written one word: NOW!

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on April 18th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

OUTLINE:

I. Jesus is ALPHA: He is Lord of the PAST

     A. He is ETERNAL. (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17)

     B. He's BEEN there. (Hebrews 13:8)

II. Jesus is OMEGA: He is Lord of the FUTURE.

     A. We live in a CHANGING world.

     B. Jesus IN CONTROL. (Col. 1:16-17)

     C. Jesus will COMPLETE things properly. (Phil. 1:4-6; Deut. 34:5-8; Josh. 1:1-6)

     D. Jesus offers HOPE. (Rom. 5:1-2, 5, 8)

III. Jesus is ALPHA and OMEGA: He is Lord of the PRESENT.

     A. He is PRESENT. (Psalm 31:14-16)

     B. He gives PURPOSE. (Rev. 21:6)

     C. He gives POWER. (Eph. 3:20, 21)

          He is ABLE! (Heb. 7:25; Jude 24; 1 Cor. 10:13; II Cor. 9:8)

Jesus is ____________

     A. I must decide WHO Jesus IS. (Matt. 16:15, 16; John 14:6)

     B. I must decide what I will DO. (John 18-19)

What will I DO?