Darkness on SermonAudio

The sermon centers on the profound responsibility of dedicating children to God from conception, emphasizing that each life is purposefully designed by God before birth, as illustrated by Samson's divine calling as a Nazirite. It highlights the tragic consequence of Samson's failure to maintain his spiritual dedication, resulting in the loss of God's presence, physical blindness, and spiritual darkness—serving as a sobering reminder that divine power is forfeited through unrepentant sin. The message calls believers to genuine repentance, not merely regret, but a transformative change of mind and behavior rooted in Scripture and the Holy Spirit's guidance. It warns that small, seemingly insignificant choices can erode one's spiritual vitality, likening them to 'little foxes' that destroy the vine. Ultimately, the sermon offers hope: God promises restoration, renewal, and the replacement of spiritual loss with beauty, provided one surrenders all to Him.

The Five "Giants" Newton categorizes the major forces of sin and spiritual danger into five specific giants that every person must fight: Giant Heathenism: Spiritual darkness, ignorance of God, and the global need for gospel truth and missionary work. Giant Selfishness: The natural inclination toward self-centeredness, greed, and failing to love and serve others. Giant Ill-Temper: Uncontrolled anger, impatience, bad temper, and bad behavior in personal and family relationships. Giant Covetousness: The insatiable desire for things that belong to others, material greed, and discontentment. Giant Intemperance: Addiction, lack of self-control, and the ruinous consequences of strong drink and indulgence.

John Wycliffe was, I think, really the man who publicly had the position, the learning, and the moral courage to begin to question the doctrine and practices of the Church of Rome way back in the late 1340s. He spoke the Bible's truth to show the Pope, the Cardinals, the Bishops, and the Monks, that very much of their theological system was wrong. And much of their worship and practice was God-dishonoring and even blasphemous. How did John Wycliffe proceed in his confrontation of Rome? He proceeded by faith in Christ, and by holding fast and holding forth the truth of the Bible. He showed us what a living faith in Jesus Christ is like. He recovered these things related to a living faith by studying the Bible carefully. And he compared it with what the Church of Rome was believing and doing. And when he did this, the Lord worked together with him. And the results were very great. When he preached and taught, the Light of truth came to people's minds with power. And the darkness of ignorance and false doctrine, which had prevailed for so long, began to be dispelled. And many were awakened to the truth and they believed what he was teaching. And having been instructed by this godly man, they began to walk as disciples of Christ with him. The truth of God's Word began, once again, to be seen and understood and proclaimed by many.

Walk as Children of Light A wrong thing can become familiar enough that we stop resisting it and begin making excuses for it. Ephesians 5:6-14 calls us to remember the change Christ has made, seek the fruit of His Spirit in our choices, and wake up wherever we have grown careless. This message brings the question of light and darkness into the life we actually live. Christ gives us reason to face sin honestly and help to walk in obedience to Him. Scripture References: Ephesians 5:6-14 John 8:12

In this sermon from Job 42:1-6, Pastor Green brings the book of Job to its climax, where Job finally answers the Lord and repents in dust and ashes. His central burden is that this book is not chiefly about theodicy or the justification of suffering, but about God Himself—a sovereign Lord who is also immanent, present with His servant in the very depths of the storm. Pastor Green reminds the congregation that God initiated Job's trials from the heavenly courtroom, and that even Satan is restrained, a creature on a string serving God's purposes. Working through Job's confession, Pastor Green unfolds three movements: revelation, reflection, and repentance. Job had heard of God by the hearing of the ear, but now his eye sees Him. True repentance, the sermon insists, is always grounded in God's self-revelation and flows into faith. Job cannot atone for himself or be his own redeemer; he points forward to Christ, the spotless Lamb and suffering Servant who alone could be crushed for His people. Pastor Green presses the application toward pastoral care and personal holiness. Believers are called to counsel sufferers by beginning with revelation rather than scolding, and to grab hold of repentance boldly and joyfully, leaping at it as a sign of resurrection life. Repentance divorced from joy is not biblical repentance. The sermon closes by urging hearers to let Christ be the bait that draws them, to live for an audience of One, and to trust the living Redeemer in the dark, sharing this hope with gentleness toward a watching world.

Surveying the Seven Sayings of Christ on the Cross and the Six unusual Sights that surrounded Christ on the Cross as God's divine providence unfolded redemption for His people.