Jeff Shelnutt Sermons

God shows His people favor so that they might make His ways known to the ends of the earth. It is faith working through love in practical ways that will impact others. God desires that all the peoples praise Him. In the universal quest for happiness, this psalm tells us that joy is grounded in God's justice and guidance. The curse upon the present creation will be lifted. In the meantime, how the Christian navigates the tension of the in-between is a testimony of God's blessing.   

Having to flee in the night from Thessalonica, Paul, Silas and Timothy arrive in Berea to find a receptive audience in the local synagogue. The Bereans examined the Scriptures with great eagerness. They tested what Paul said about Jesus of Nazareth against the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Everything must be examined in light of Scripture. This includes different interpretations that one might hear, as well as life in general. The grid for determining truth is the Word of God. 

The unbelieving Jews in Thessalonica stir up animosity toward the young church. Not finding Paul and his missionary companions, the mob drags Jason and other believers before the city authorities. The unbelieving Jews not only pursued the wrong means, they also pursued the wrong end, denying that Jesus is King. The Christian has a better King than Caesar--a King that is coming again.  

Paul boldly presses on to the city of Thessalonica in spite of the persecution he and Silas received in Philippi. In the local synagogue, Paul uses a combination of Scripture and logic to prove that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah. Paul works with his hands to support his ministry. Through different approaches--preaching, conversing, and witnessing by setting an example--the missionary team leads people from very different walks of life to the Lord. 

The psalmist remembers what God has done in the history of Israel. He recognizes what God is doing through his present hardships. And he anticipates what God will do in the future. The deliverance at the Red Sea was a pattern for every future deliverance. The Red Sea experience of every Christian is their conversion story. Prayer is anticipating what God will do in the future, anchored in what God has done in the past, and recognizing what God is doing in the present. 

After Paul and Silas expound the Gospel to the Philippian jailer, his joyful response is to first cleanse their wounds. He and his household are then baptized, and they share a fellowship meal with the missionaries. When the city magistrates attempt to send Paul and Silas away quietly, they are alarmed to learn that they have beaten and imprisoned two Roman citizens. Paul is not concerned for his own rights, but he is mindful of the future of the Philippian church. Also, we take some time to explore the importance of believer's baptism. 

Paul and Silas are asked a simple question by the jailer in Philippi: "What must I do to be saved?" Their answer, "Believe in the Lord Jesus," is both simple and profound, with significant implications for this life and for the life to come. While taking the time to unpack the meaning of salvation, the problem of sin, the person and work of Jesus, and the authority of His Lordship, this message will also explore the relation of good works to salvation. You will have an opportunity at the end to pray to receive the Lord Jesus, or, if you are a Christian, to rededicate yourself to His Lordship.  

Paul and Silas were beaten and placed in stocks in the inner cell of the prison in Philippi. Their obedience to God's call brought them intense physical and emotional pain. Yet they chose to pray and praise in response. When suffering strikes, there are three responses to it that we discover in this passage: singing in the suffering, expecting God to move in the suffering, and testifying to others through the suffering.  

Paul and his team continue to proclaim the Gospel in Philippi. Being repeatedly followed by a very vocal slave-girl who is possessed by an evil spirit, Paul commands the spirit to depart from her. Though the girl is set free, Paul and Silas are apprehended, beaten and placed in prison. This passage reveals a supernatural worldview, push back from the supernatural realm, and a willingness to sacrifice physical freedom for the spiritual well-being of another. 

King David flees from Absalom, his son, who has stolen the throne and the hearts of the people. In the wilderness, David is sustained by seeking God, seeing God, and remembering God. Only a vision of the surpassing lovingkindness of God in Jesus Christ will produce lasting change.