Jeff Shelnutt Sermons

The outworking of the fifth commandment goes far beyond the parent/child relationship. It is not an exaggeration to say the stability of society is dependent upon it. The way you treat your parents is a mirror that reflects your relationship to the Lord. We see in this commandment the responsibility of children, the responsibility of parents, and the responsibility of God.

Once we deglamorize the nativity scene, we realize the many inconveniences surrounding the birth of Jesus. There was an inconvenient census, journey, setting, and birth. It's when things are not what we'd prefer them to be that we often get glimpses of God at work. The Son of God was born right into the chaos, the bustle, and the inconveniences to show us that it is God who took the initiative to draw near.

Of the Ten Commandments, the fourth commandment is the most challenging in understanding its application to the church today. This message 1) explores the origins of the sabbath; 2) looks at how the sabbath is twisted; 3) clarifies the sabbath's meaning in the New Testament; and 4) seeks to apply the sabbath to the Christian life today.

We often think of the third commandment as only pertaining to what comes out of our mouths. But as we'll see, its application goes far beyond speech. In continuing to consider what the Ten Commandments teach us about worship, we should not underestimate what is in a name. Neither should we underestimate the extent of the third commandment, nor its depth.

While the first commandment teaches us WHO to worship, the second commandment teaches us HOW to worship. Not many today in the modern West are guilty of physically bowing down to an idol. But we have all created an image of God in our minds that is inaccurate. In this message we explore the meaning of, the reasons for, and the fulfillment of the second commandment.

The first commandment is first for a reason. It tells us Who must be the object of our worship. By considering this foundational commandment, we discover who God is and what He does. Since worship is transformative, we also consider what we will become.

Often when the Ten Commandments are listed, the prologue is omitted. Yet it is these first two verses of Exodus 20 that give us the context for the Ten Commandments. These laws were audibly spoken to Israel by God Himself. They are applicable to every single person in every age. In this passage we see that 1) God spoke absolutely; 2) God spoke in love; and 3) God spoke freedom.

As Peter closes out his letter to the scattered churches, he reminds us that the God of all grace makes Himself available to those who suffer. As Christians, we never "move on" from the grace of God. We needed it at salvation, need it presently for our sanctification, and will need it in the future for our glorification.

Peter understood that the source of the hostility directed against the followers of Jesus is a personal and malevolent entity the Bible calls the devil. Though this is the first time Satan is mentioned in the letter, the passage reminds us of the overlap between the physical and spiritual realms. In order to resist this enemy of God and God's people, we must know 1) what to look for; 2) how to respond; and 3) what to keep in mind.

In humility, we are told to cast all of our anxieties upon the Lord. Therefore, it is prideful to worry and fret. In our passage we observe 1) how to be humble toward one another; 2) why to be humble toward one another; 3) how to be humble toward God; and 4) why to be humble toward God.