A church can have buildings, officers, organization, and programs in place and still lack what it most desperately needs: spiritual life through the Word and Spirit of Christ. In Nehemiah 8, the wall has been rebuilt and the people have been ordered, but now the covenant community gathers "as one man" and asks for the Book. This passage shows how God reforms His covenant people through His Word as they gather to hear, understand, and worship. God's people are united around His truth, listen with reverence, respond with worshipful submission, and receive the Scriptures through faithful teaching. Yet understanding biblical truth alone cannot give spiritual life. Ezra and Nehemiah ultimately point beyond Israel to Jesus Christ, the faithful Covenant-Keeper who obeyed the Word we have broken, bore the curse our disobedience deserves, rose from the dead, opens minds to understand the Scriptures, and sends His Spirit to make His Word effectual in His people. The preacher may give the sense of Scripture, but only the Spirit gives spiritual sight.

The sermon explores the necessity of seeking divine wisdom from God, particularly in the midst of life's trials and temptations. Drawing primarily from James chapter 1 and references to Proverbs and the Sermon on the Mount, it emphasizes that true wisdom is a gift received through humble, unwavering faith rather than human effort or mere knowledge. The preacher highlights God's generous character, noting that He gives wisdom liberally without reproach to those who acknowledge their spiritual poverty. Ultimately, the message asserts that this godly wisdom leads to a deeper reverence for God and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, who embodies all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I. A Unity with Father and Son A. Of Love and Fellowship B. In Obedience and Indwelling II. A Unity of Shared Glory A. In Christ Dwells All the Fullness and Glory B. Christ Gives His Glory to Us: "Christ in You" C. Christ in You Unifies Now, Later Perfectly III.A Unity Leading to the World's Conversion A.The Compulsion of Unified Believers B.The Power of Communing w/ God Believers

THE UNPARDONABLE SIN TEXT: Matthew 12:22-32 SUMMARY: The context of Jesus' teaching on the unpardonable sin gives both words of comfort and words of warning to anyone desiring forgiveness with God. I. WE SEE GOD'S GRACE EXTENDED, vv. 22-24. A. To the man. B. To the multitudes. C. To the Pharisees. II. WE SEE SATAN'S MOTIVES EXPLAINED, vv. 25-29. A. Satan Has a System. —In the first parable (vv. 25-26) = a kingdom. —In the second parable (v. 29) = a house. B. Satan is Very Powerful. III. SWE SEE A GLIMPSE OF GOD'S COUNSELS REGARDING SIN AND ITS FORGIVENESS, vv. 30-32. A. First Theory: The sin of attributing the work of God to the power of Satan. B Second Theory: The Sin of compounding or accumulating sin. APPLICATION & CONCLUSION. Comfort and warnings in light of what Jesus says about the unpardonable sin: Statement 1. The grace of God has been sufficient even for great sinners. Statement 2. God's grace can be despised, snd His patience may in time run out. The passing of time without repentance is a dangerous thing. Statement 3: Jesus' words about the unpardonable sin are given as a warning, and not as a fact.

Bible Reading: John 14:1-14;27-31 (KJV) Sermon Text: John 14:27 (KJV) "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The Christian should: 1. Always look to Christ for his peace. 2. Never look to the world for its peace. 3. Enjoy the peace that the world gives. The sermon explores the supernatural peace offered by Jesus Christ, contrasting it with the temporary and superficial peace of the world. Drawing primarily from John 14:27 and Romans 5, the message establishes that true peace is a gift secured through Christ's sacrificial death and received by faith, resulting in reconciliation with God. The Holy Spirit serves as the Comforter who indwells believers, enabling them to maintain this peace amidst life's trials and external chaos. The preacher urges listeners to reject worldly anxieties and instead anchor their hearts in the finished work of the cross. Ultimately, the text calls for a continuous reliance on Christ to enjoy and let His peace rule within the believer's heart.

Jesus gives us access to the Father, knowledge of the Father, and assures us of the Father's love.

Giving to the work of God is an expression of a spiritually mature heart which desires to please the Father in heaven by providing practical support to the gospel ministry here on earth. THE BIBLE Baptist Church of DeLand, Florida Pastor James W. Knox Pastor David A. Brown https://biblebaptistdeland.com For more sermons and Bible study materials, please visit our web store at https://store.jameswknox.org/ DeLand School of THE BIBLE: https://dsbkjv.com

God gives us grace to serve King Jesus, and His body, and its members from all the nations.