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Christ has set you free not to live however you please, but to love and serve God and others. Because you are no longer under the law's condemnation, your obedience can flow from gratitude and love rather than fear. True faith produces a growing desire for holiness, guided by God's Word and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As you stand firm for biblical truth, remember to treat fellow believers with patience and love, using your freedom to build others up rather than tear them down.

Let Jesus get the last word. 1. In life ("I know..." and "Fear not...") 2. In death ("Be faithful..." and "crown of life.") Does Jesus have the last word in your life? In your death? In your faithfulness? In your labors?

Jesus' final words to His disciples in John 16, focus on the promise of peace amidst worldly tribulation. The central message asserts that while sorrow is inevitable in this fallen world, the joy found in Christ is permanent and cannot be taken away. The text highlights the theological necessity of the Trinity for salvation, arguing that only through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can sin be atoned for and righteousness imputed to believers. By connecting the disciples' impending scattering with their subsequent boldness, the sermon illustrates how the assurance of Christ's victory over the world transforms fear into courage. Ultimately, the passage serves as a direct comfort to believers, encouraging them to trust in God's faithfulness and to live as distinct witnesses of the Gospel in a hostile world.

The religious health of the nation of Israel was in bad shape during the life of Christ on the earth. He taught the truth. He exposed the lies of the false teachers. However, the people loved the false teachers more than God. Now the false teachers were at the place where they wanted to kill Jesus. However, they feared the people. They needed to figure out how to kill Jesus and still keep the people on their side.

The sermon explores Psalm 101 as a declaration of personal commitment to live in obedience and purity before God, framing the psalm's 'I will' and 'I will not' statements as a call to holy conduct in daily life. It emphasizes that true worship involves aligning one's heart and actions with God's character, rejecting wickedness, gossip, and deceit while embracing mercy and justice. The message connects David's royal responsibilities to the believer's duty to steward their household and influence, urging a deliberate separation from sin and a close fellowship with those who fear the Lord. Through illustrations of discipline, temptation, and the consequences of compromise, the text argues that a life of integrity is not accidental but requires constant vigilance and reliance on God's grace. Ultimately, the sermon points to Christ as the perfect example of obedience who fulfills the law on behalf of believers, offering hope and motivation for a life set apart for God's glory.

In Luke 9:37-50, Charles Sebold follows Jesus and His disciples down from the Mount of Transfiguration, where on the very next day everything goes wrong. In fourteen verses the disciples fail four times, and every failure springs from the same root: they want the glory of the mountain but not the road to Jerusalem. First, the nine cannot cast out a demon from a father's only child, though Jesus had given them authority over all demons. Echoing Moses descending Sinai, Jesus rebukes a "faithless and twisted generation" in the words of Deuteronomy 32, then gives the boy back to his father, and all see the majesty Peter later testified to. Second, while the crowd marvels, Jesus tells them plainly that the Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; the saying is concealed from them, and they are afraid to ask. Understanding the cross is a gift of God, yet the disciples remain responsible for their fear, for God's sovereignty and human responsibility both stand. Third, they argue over which of them is greatest, and Jesus sets a child at His side, one with no status who can do nothing for anyone, teaching that whoever receives such a one in His name receives Him and the Father, and that the least is the great one. Fourth, John tries to stop an outsider casting out demons in Jesus' name because he "does not follow with us," and Jesus answers as Moses did about Eldad and Medad: be strict about Christ but generous about the borders of our own circle. The disciples would not learn this until the cross, where the truly great One became the least for people arguing about rank. Who is the child Jesus is setting beside you this week?

Psalm 11 is significant because it addresses the challenge of remaining faithful to God when society's moral and spiritual foundations appear to be collapsing. David faces advice to flee from danger, as the wicked prepare their weapons and attack the upright, prompting the question, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). Rather than surrendering to fear, David declares his trust in the LORD, who reigns from His holy throne, sees everything, examines the hearts of humanity, and will ultimately judge the wicked while upholding righteousness. In the context of "Foundations Crumbling," this psalm reminds believers that although earthly institutions, moral standards, and human security may fail, God's throne and righteous character remain unshaken. Christians are therefore called to stand firm in faith, resist the temptation to despair, and trust in God's sovereign justice and enduring righteousness, knowing that the LORD loves the righteous and remains their ultimate refuge even in times of widespread corruption and uncertainty.

Luke 12:32