Eaglecom On Demand

Matthew 5:29 and Mark 9:43). It says: "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell"  An Exposé of the Word  

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 4:46-54

In the Kingdom of Heaven, faith is the medium of exchange. Whatever we receive from God is according to our faith.

Adrian Rogers says, “The greater your faith, the greater glory God gets; by faith man gives God pleasure and by faith God gives man treasure.”

John 4 tells the story of a man whose superficial, superstitious faith was transformed into a strong, saving faith.

“So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe’” (John 4:46-48).

First, we must see the problem of superficial faith.

In this passage, the nobleman had heard about Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine, and was blown away. But Jesus knew that signs and wonders do not truly help in developing a strong faith.

We must also consider the problem of superstitious faith.

God performed miracles through Jesus to authenticate His ministry. It is dishonoring to demand a sign from God in order to believe in Him. It is also self-deceiving; signs and wonders can easily deceive; it is how our enemy leads others astray.

This passage also shows the progression of strong faith.

There are steps in developing this sort of saving faith, the first being hearing the Word of God, and then believing it. What we believe is not contrary to reason; it goes beyond reason. We must obey the Word of God, and then rest in it.

Adrian Rogers says, “Faith is not seeing signs and wonders, rather, it is a response to the character of God.”

Finally, this passage shows the provision of saving faith.

After the nobleman’s son was healed, he not only believed in a miracle worker but in a Messiah.

All of Jesus’ miracles point to the greater miracle, which is the new life in Him.

Apply it to your life

If you want to strengthen your faith, get a good grip on the Word of God. Don’t look to the miracles, but to the Messiah; do not follow the signs, but the Savior.

Every civilization in human history has longed for something beyond the grave. In this message from John 14, Dr. John Neufeld explores what God has revealed about heaven — a real, physical place where the greatest joy won't just be the place itself, but coming face to face with Jesus. He also addresses the most important question any of us will ever face: how do you actually get there?

Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for the Easter season as Dr. Neufeld walks us through the various aspects of the time leading up to Jesus’ death. Talking about the stories of Jesus in the week leading up to his death, also known as Passion week, ought to awaken our own passion of service, thankfulness, and worship. This is a series you won’t want to miss!

Many of our difficulties in the Christian life stem from the fact that we don’t really know God as we ought to know him. Our view of God is too small—too domesticated—too much formed by personal opinion and cultural assumption—and not nearly enough formed by the teaching of the Scriptures, through which God has made himself known. We begin this new series on the eternity of God—the truth that God in his being transcends time and is uniquely eternal. This is a vital truth for us to explore.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Matthew 7:13).

Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/general

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: James 1:22

The Bible is so full of rich, variegated splendor that there are many emblems and symbols for the Word of God. The Book of James identifies God’s Word as a mirror.

James 1:22-23 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror…”

In this passage, James has in his mind two imaginary people in front of a mirror. The first person takes a casual glance: “for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was” (James 1:24).

There are some who casually scan the Bible, but God doesn’t reveal much truth to the people who just glance at His Word.

On the contrary, the other person noted in this passage takes a concentrated gaze: “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).

We need to absorb the Word of God, look into it as a mirror that reveals who we truly are. When we study Scripture, it can reveal in us any sin we’re harboring, or have yet to confess, so that we can do something about it.

Adrian Rogers says, “When you read the Bible, the Bible reads you. When the Word reveals something, whatever it is, take heed to it. Don’t just read it and forget it; if you do, you’re deceiving yourselves.”

The first purpose Scripture serves is to show us what we are by nature, but it also shows us what we ought to be by grace. And the ultimate reason why we read Scripture is to become more like Jesus.

This means we never stop growing: we simply go from one stage of glory to another stage of glory. (See 2 Corinthians 3:18.)

Apply it to your life
Adrian Rogers says, “Do you want to be a great Christian? God’s given you a mirror. Each morning, look in there and see what you look like. If you’ve got a dirty face, get clean and then continue to read: not only see yourself but see your Savior.”

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "Not Quite Dead." Enjoy!