South Union Sermons

Bottom line: God's power and presence are manifest in a praying church.

What do we want our church to be known for by God?

A church that is known for prayer is a church that lives out her identity as a "house of prayer," exercises the priority of prayer, seeks to fulfill the purpose of prayer, and experiences the power of prayer because she is a church that is open on the God-ward side.

When God knows our church as a praying church, we will know God's power and presence among and within us.

Bottom line: A faith that judges God faithful will grow and experience the fulfilment of God's promise in His timing.

Sarah's demonstration of faith teaches us some very important lessons:

1) To live by faith, you must judge God faithful

2) To live by faith, you must overcome your unbelief

3) If you live by faith, you can experience the impossible (i.e. God's possible)

Sarah overcame her own unbelief. When she overheard God say that in one year she would have a child, she laughed. She literally laughed at what God said because she didn't believe. However, she overcame her unbelief as she judged God faithful. At the age of 90 she experienced the impossible. She gave birth to her firstborn son, Isaac. Isaac's name means laughter. She went from laughing at the promise to laughing with joy because the promise was fulfilled.

Bottom line: Parents moved by faith act to "save" their family.

Heb. 11:7 shows us that Noah was a believer (a parent) that was moved by his faith to trust God's message about the future, act on what he believed, build an ark and ultimately save his family from future judgement and death and from the wickedness and spiritual dangers of the culture in which he lived.

We can learn from Noah's example that we too can by faith "save" our family.

Bottom line: Jesus meets our deepest needs because Jesus is all we need.

When we understand who Jesus is (Lord, Savior, Victorious King) and what He has to offer us (salvation, forgiveness, lordship, victory, etc.), then we don't have to look anywhere else to find what we truly need. In Jesus we have all that we need because Jesus is all we need.

Bottom line: Believer's baptism is the means by which we go public with our faith in and saving relationship with Jesus.

Believer's baptism is a public declaration of our association with Jesus. When new believers are baptized,. they declare that they are with Jesus and Jesus is with them. They declare they are associated with Jesus' message, movement, and mandate. Believer's baptism is a public shout of the believer's new identification in Christ; it's a public affirmation of faith in Christ, and it is a public demonstration of the cross of Christ.

It's a week after Easter and Jesus is still here. He is the midst when we gather together in His name.

Bottom line: Jesus is King! But, He is only your saving King if you believe in, trust upon, and yield to Him.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus declared Himself to be King not only of Israel but of all the world. He declared Himself King by fulfilling prophecy, cleansing the temple, performing miracles, and receiving the acclamation of men, women, and children. Jesus declared Himself King, but He was ultimately rejected by the Jewish leaders and crucified on a cross. However, He is now the resurrected King and will gladly be your king, if you will believe, trust, and yield to Him.

Bottom line: The story behind the love story is a story of God's redeeming love for you.

The story behind the love story of Ruth and Boaz was a story of God's better plan. God worked a better plan for Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. Even though what happened in their lives was not what they had plan, God worked a better plan. And this is a principle we can apply in our lives. When our life is not going the way we planned, when our love story is not working out the way we had hoped, we need to remember that God is good, kind, merciful, and wise, and in His providential grace is working a better plan. Our choice is to trust Him.

The bigger story behind the love story is the story of God's redeeming love for lost mankind. Ruth is picture of every believer redeemed by Christ. Boaz is picture of Jesus, the One who redeems because He is near kin, able, and willing. Jesus became a man to redeem us through His shed blood. Jesus was not only able to pay the price (i.e. shed blood), He was also willing. He did what He did not simply because He had the legal right or felt an obligation. He did what did in going to the cross because He wanted to redeem us and make us His.

Bottom line: The love story you will tell one day will be shaped by the choices you make today.

Ruth and Boaz both made choices that shaped the love story they would tell one day. The writing out of that love story included God's providence, Boaz' intentional pursuit, the elders' faith-filled prayer, marriage's pledge, and God's presents (the gift of sex and a son).

Bottom line: Our dreams for our love story (marriage) are born out of hope, but they are fulfilled by implementing our plans with "strategic righteousness."

Ruth and Naomi turned to God, and He turned the page on their story. God renewed their hope. Out of that hope a dream was born regarding Ruth and Boaz' love story. Dreams are born out of hope, but they will die without a strategy implemented to achieve the dream. In chapter 3 of Ruth we see that 1) Naomi made a plan to see if Boaz could be the one who would marry and redeem Ruth. 2) Ruth made a proposal. She proposed that Boaz propose to her. Ruth proposed that Boaz ask, "Ruth, will you be mine?" And she guaranteed him a yes in response. And 3) Boaz made a promise. He promised that he would would be her kinsman redeemer...if he could. He loved Ruth and wanted to redeem her but there was another kinsman who had the first right to redeem/refuse. He promised, if at all possible, "Ruth, I will make you mine."