Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on January 31st, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

I. Play with sin OR focus on GOD. (1:1-2)

     A. We can DIGRESS into sin (1; Prov. 1:10ff; I Cor. 15:33-34; James 1:13-15)

WALK  ->  STAND  -> SIT

     B. We can DELIGHT in God (2)

          1. His WORD (119:9-16, 24, 47, 70, 92)

          2. His WAY

II. Grow near the STREAMS OR get BLOWN away (1:3-4)

     A. A healthy tree (3)

          1. Near the SOURCE of life. (Jer. 17:7-8; Ps. 52:8)

          2. Bears FRUIT (John 4:10, 14; 7:37-39; Gal. 5:22-23)

     B. Chaff (4; Jer. 17:5-6)

No ROOTS  ->  No LIFE  ->  No HOPE

III. Fall at the JUDGMENT OR stand FORGIVEN. (1:5-6)

     A. We can be JUDGED by our sin. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 3:19-20)

     B. We can be DECLARED righteous. (Rom. 3:20ff; 4:3ff; I Cor. 6:9-11)

2 groups of people at the end of time:

     1. Sinners FORGIVEN by the blood of Jesus.

     2. Sinners who are NOT FORGIVEN.

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on January 14th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

I. God is an all-KNOWING God. (1-12)

     A. He knows ALL ABOUT me. (1-4)

     B. He is PRESENT. (5-12)

          1. That is a COMFORT. (5-10; Isaiah 52:12)

         2. That is a WARNING. (11-12; Rev. 2 & 3)

II. God is a CREATING God. (13-18)

     A. He MADE me. (13-14)

     B. He KNOWS me. (15-18)

          1. My PAST. (15)

          2. My FUTURE. (16; Jer. 1:5; Isaiah 49:1)

III. God is a HOLY God. (19-24)

     A. He hates EVIL. (19-22; Psalm 97:10)

     B. He wants to PURIFY us. (23-24; Heb. 4:12, 13)

God wants to help us SEARCH ourselves so we can become what He DESIRES!

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on January 17th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, Ohio.

Outline:

I. The Psalms help us know GOD.

     A. WHO He is. (18:1-2; 47:7-9)

     B. WHAT He does. (68:32-35 + 115:3-8; 77; 98; 86)

II. The Psalms help us appreciate the BIBLE.

     A. The Bible's ORIGIN. (119)

     B. The The Bible's VALUE. (19:7-11)

     C. The Bible's CONSISTENCY. (78:12ff; 105; 22)

III. The Psalms help us understand OURSELVES.

     A. As God's CREATION. (33:6-9; 8; 139)

     B. As finite CREATURES. (90)

     C. As people in a BROKEN world. (119)

IV. The Psalms help us understand our RELATIONSHIP with God.

     A. Our need for TIME with Him. (42:1-2; 84:10; 63:1ff)

     B. Our need to live GOD'S way. (119:9-11; 1)

     C. Our need for FORGIVENESS. (51; 32)

Our only hope: to LISTEN to God and take REFUGE in Him. (Psalm 34:22)

Tom Claibourne’s sermon preached on January 10th, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ.

Outline:

God Laughs and Rules – Psalm 2

I.  Rebels _ (2:1-3)

Who are they? (Acts 4:23-28; John 5:23; Rom. 1:18-31; Gen. 3:5; Jdg. 21:25)

II.  God _. (2:4-6; Psalm 59:8)

a.  He laughs at _.

b.  He _ and _ them. (Psalm 37:12-13; Acts 2:36; Heb. 12:22-23; Eph. 1:22-23; Rev. 1:5; I Cor. 15:25)

III.  Jesus _. (2:7-9)

a.  The king’s _. (7-8; Acts 13:33; Heb. 5:5; Matt. 28:18; Rev. 1:5-6)

b.  The king’s _. (9; Rev. 12:5)

IV.  God _ and us _.

God’s invitation:

1.  Be _. (10)

2.  Be _. (11-12a)

3.  Be _. (12b)

I will choose surrender and _ instead of defiance and _. (Phil. 2:9-11)

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on January 3rd, 2021 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

I. Avoid the ENEMY. (I Peter 5:8-9; I Timothy 6:11-12; Ephesians 6:10-12)

II. Find SHELTER. (Psalm 61:1-4; Hebrews 10:25)

     - In God's PRESENCE and in His CHURCH.

III. Find SUSTENANCE. (I Peter 1:22-2:3; Psalm 119:105)

IV. Establish COMMUNICATION with friendly forces to effect recovery. (Psalm 3)

     - PRAYER is the key.

V. Maintain a will to SURVIVE. (Ephesians 6:13; Acts 20:22-24; I Peter 5:10-11; Revelation 2:10)

God offers strength, RECOVERY, and life, no matter what CHALLENGES we face.

Christian Martin's sermon preached on December 27th, 2020 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

Jesus' secret to relevance:

He spoke about THINGS that were HUMAN PROBLEMS.

Luke 14:1-11

The man knew where to go:

          TO JESUS.

Instead of TAKING the SEAT that was RIGHTFULLY His, He GIVES it up.

Philippians 2:5-11

"Have this MINDSET among YOURSELVES."

Instead of "ALL ABOUT ME;" I choose HUMILITY.

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on December 20th, 2020 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

Matthew 2:1-12

I. BUSYNESS? (21; Luke 2:16-19)

     Mary's secret: being STILL enough to PONDER. (Lk. 2:19)

II. A PLACE? (2:2)

     Let's focus on the HOME that really matters, and what Jesus did to TAKE us there.

III. PEOPLE?

     Christmas is not necessarily about certain people, but about ONE SPECIAL PERSON: Jesus!

IV. The Bible! (Matt. 2:3-6)

     A. The Bible points us in the RIGHT DIRECTION. (Ps. 119:105; Rom. 10:17)

     B. the The Bible and Christmas GO TOGETHER.

V. The CHRIST!! (Matt. 2:7-12)

     Jesus is THE ONE! (Matt. 2:2; 1:21-23; John 1:45; 6:46; Acts 10:42; Mk. 15:12-13; Rev. 11:17)

     Jesus' invitation to us: John 3:16; Matt. 10:32-33; Lk. 13:3; Mk. 16:16

The greatest way to find Christmas joy is by FOLLOWING JESUS. 

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on December 13th, 2020 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, OH.

Outline:

Jesus was born during the time of KING HEROD. (Matt. 2:1)

Christmas frustrations:

I. INTERRUPTION.

     A. The innkeeper (Luke 2:6, 7)

     B. The shepherds (Luke 2:8-20; Eph. 5:15-16)

          -- At every turn and interruption in life, there is a potential MEETING PLACE with God.

II. INCONVENIENCE. (Matt. 2:1-2)

     The Magi (wise men)

          Remember: God was LEADING them! (Matt. 2:9-12)

III. Irritations

     A. CHRISTMAS irritations.

     B. HEROD'S irritations. (Matt. 2:3-8; 16-18)

     C. Does JESUS ever irritate you? (Luke 9:23)

     D. Does the Bible ever irritate you? (II Tim. 3:16, 17)

     Secret: We must give up our SELFISH will, like Jesus did. (II Cor. 8:9; 5:14-15)

IV. Inadequacy

     A. Mary & Joseph. (Luke 1:26-38; Matt. 1:18-25)

     B. What about you? The answer, as always: GOD WITH US.

Is God IN YOU?

Tom Claibourne's sermon preached on December 6th, 2020 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, Ohio.

Outline:

I. God prepared CAREFULLY to send the Savior Jesus. (Eph. 1:3-4)

     A. Through PROPHECIES. (Gen. 3:15; 12:3; 49:10; Isa. 9:6-7; Ps. 22; Isa. 53; 7:14; Micah 5:2; Daniel 9)

     B. Through PROVIDENCE. (Lk. 2:6-7; Gal. 4:4-5)

      God prepared the world SPIRITUALLY, SOCIALLY, PHYSICALLY, INTELLECTUALLY, EMOTIONALLY.

      C. A place: BETHLEHEM. (Micah 5:2; Boaz & Ruth, David; Lk. 2:1-7)

II. God overcame every OBSTACLE to bring Jesus to our world.

      *Satan is at war with God. (Rev. 12:7-9; Eph. 6:11-12)

      A. Satan tried to keep THE SAVIOR from coming.

      B. Satan tried to DESTROY Him after His birth. (Rev. 12:1-5; Matt. 2)

III. God will fulfill His PURPOSE and send Jesus back again.

      *Satan’s war continues: The life of Jesus; The early church; Church history; The present & future.

      * Words of promise and hope: Rev. 12:10-11; I John 2:1-2; Rom. 8:31; Lk. 22:53; Rom. 16:20; Acts 1:11

Are you PREPARED for Jesus to come?

Christian Martin's sermon preached on November 29th, 2020 at Bethlehem Church of Christ in Winchester, Ohio.

Outline:

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:10-11 ESV

A Line in the Sand

     ·  An IMBALANCE of good or bad leads to an IMBALANCE in the relationship.

     ·  WRONGED by ASSOCIATION.

John 8:1-6

     o  Lev. 20:10

     o  Deuteronomy 22:22

     o  Deuteronomy 17:7

     ·  Jesus was not INTERESTED in CONDEMNING a woman CAUGHT in SIN.

John 8:7-11

     ·  “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on SIN NO MORE.”

     o  Luke 6:27-36

     ·  He was showing LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, and HOPE to the people who would otherwise be HOPELESS and REJECTED.

     o  John 3:16-17

     o  John 12:44-50

·  The only person who has the RIGHT to condemn did not come to the world to CONDEMN it, but to SAVE it and LOVE those who should have been CONDEMNED

      ·  Jesus did not come to earth to CLEANSE it of SINNERS. He came to CLEANSE the SINNERS of earth.

Sometimes, LOVE is hard to FIND. But it always starts with BEING KIND.