Jeff Shelnutt Sermons

God relates to the Christian as both a Father and a Judge. There will be a future judgment for everyone, believer and non-believer alike. The Christian will not be condemned because Jesus Christ was condemned in his place. Yet, there will be eternal rewards based on a Christian's deeds. Not only that, but God's judgment includes His present discipline. By submitting to God's discipline, we grow in likeness to the Lord Jesus. Knowing that we were redeemed from a meaningless way of life through the blood of Christ sets us free to focus on the things of God.

Bombarded by distractions, the Christian needs focus if he is to be holy as God is holy. In this passage we discover what to focus on, how to focus on it, and what proper focus produces. Living in the tension between the resurrection and the return of Jesus Christ reminds us that holiness is not something we can produce. The holy behavior God expects of the Christian is the holiness of Christ's life within.

The Old Testament prophets saw dimly what we are privileged to clearly comprehend. The suffering and glories of Jesus Christ were hinted at in the Old Testament Scriptures, but clearly unfolded in the Gospel to the church. Not only is the death and resurrection of Jesus the foundation of the Christian life, suffering and glory is also the pattern for the Christian life. It is through the suffering brought about by trials that God uses us to impact others.

No one likes trials, yet they are common to us all. For the Christian, no trial is an accident. God designs each trial for a reason. We consider from our text 1) the nature of trials; 2) the purpose of trials; and 3) the outcome of trials. Though a trial is not enjoyable, it can be embraced. And in doing so, we will see Jesus more clearly.

It is possible to greatly rejoice regardless of your circumstances. Peter tells us how. It all has to do with the greatness of God's mercy demonstrated through Jesus Christ. Every Christian experienced a spiritual birth in the past, will receive an inheritance in the future, and is protected by the power of God in the present. It is in reflecting on these truths that we find joy consistently available.

As the apostle Peter begins this letter to Christians scattered across Asia Minor, he reminds them of the importance of calling. Here we see the call to a vocation, the call to a location, and the call to salvation. The Father knew of your current situation before you found yourself in it. The Spirit is working through your situation to make you holy. And the sprinkled blood of the Son provides continual cleansing in your situation. The Christian must be clear on his calling in order to make an impact in a hostile environment.

In Matthew's account, the two Mary's arrive to a dramatic scene at the empty tomb. We discover that the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1) gives you proper perspective; 2) renews your rest; and 3) brings God to you. The death of Christ opens the way into God's presence. In seeking God, the resurrection ensures that God will find you.

Every Christian experiences seasons of silence. In Psalm 22, David grapples with the silence of God. He demonstrates how we must remember past deliverances, persevere in present prayer, and hope in future fulfillment. Yet, there is more going on in this Psalm than for what David's life alone gives account. The prophetic words clearly point to the crucifixion of Jesus. It is at the Cross we discover why God's silence never means God's absence.

David begins this psalm with the reminder that sin is not something external, but internal to each of us. The answer to our rebelliousness against a good Creator is not trying harder but seeing clearer. We need a vision of God's limitless love. Once we see ourselves in God's light, there is only one proper response: to trust in the way provided for us. Where do see God's love on display? At the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is only in Christ that we will be satisfied.

The Acts of the Apostles comes to a conclusion without a resolution. The reason for this is because the acts of the Holy Spirit through the church are not finished. God's people are still called to be witnesses; the Gospel is still going forth. As Paul issues a warning to the unbelieving Jews visiting his rented quarters in Rome, we make these observations about the Word of God: it is relevant; it is accurate; and it is enduring.