South Union Sermons

Bottom line: If you humble yourself and come home, you and Jesus will rejoice in the thrill of the find.

Jesus searches and looks for lost people because He loves them. And when He finds them, He rejoices in the thrill of the find (i.e. salvation, adoption, redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness, etc.)

Bottom line: We must control our tongues or they will control us, because they have the power to direct, to destroy, and to delight.

Bottom line: Why is Easter a big deal? Because Jesus is a big deal.

Who is Jesus? To the unbeliever, the answer to this question is paramount. How you answer this question will determine whether you trust Him or not for salvation. To the believer, the answer to the question is also of the utmost importance. How you answer this question will determine whether you crown Him as King of your life.

Who is Jesus? He is the Son of God, the crucified One, The risen Savior, and the coming King.

Bottom line: When you choose to live your calling, you choose to live a better life.

In 1 Peter 1:13-21 Peter shares with us what our calling is and incentives to answer it. As Charles Swindoll says, "There is a better life to be lived than what the world offers, our flesh longs for, or what Satan tempts us toward." The better life that holiness offers us is in the area of all the intangibles: relationships (God, spouse, family, friends), living life in line with God’s will, character, integrity, honor, etc.

Bottom line: Sometimes we must come full circle so someone else can do a one-eighty.

In the conversion story of Saul of Tarsus we learn the Jesus can save anyone, change anyone, and use anyone. Because these things are true, we never give up on anyone. Saul of Tarsus made a 180 degree change in his life by the grace of God. The persecutor of Jesus became the follower of Jesus. The one who sought to stamp the church out of existence became the greatest church planting missionary of all time.

We learn from Ananias in Acts 9 that we must come full circle and remember who we were before we met Jesus. If we will remember where we came from before we met Jesus, we won't be afraid to go and tell others about their need of Jesus. God used Ananias to touch Saul, and He used Saul (Paul) to touch the world.

Bottom line: The result of our willing choice to believe, trust, and follow Jesus is to live a balanced life of work, worship, and witness.

Every individual must decide what to do with Jesus. Deny Him? Or, submit to Him? The final result of your choice will ultimately be willfully unbelieving and rejecting Jesus, or willingly believing and following Jesus which can lead us to a balanced life of work (service), worship, and witness.

Bottom line: The condition of our heart’s soil is determined by our willingness to receive God’s Word and pursue its understanding.

Just like the soil makes the difference in literal seed producing fruit in the field, the willingness of the heart makes the difference in seed (truth) of God’s Word producing fruit in our lives.

Bottom line: A guardrail in my life provides for God's protection and direction in my life.

Just like we need guardrails to help keep us safe when driving, we need spiritual guardrails to help keep us safe from compromising with temptation and worldliness. A spiritual guardrail is a mindset that is fixed and determined concerning our behavior, biblical beliefs, or biblical values; it becomes a matter of conscience to protect us from compromise with temptation and/or worldliness.

In Daniel chapter one, we see Daniel use a guardrail to provide protection and direction in his life, and we can learn from his example.

Bottom line: God re-fires the quitter (i.e. discouraged) with His presence, power, person, and plan.

Elijah's story in chapter 19 reveals to us how God doesn't want us to stay in a place of discouragement. He is always pursuing us in a continuous love relationship, and He is always inviting us to join Him in His work.

When Elijah was discouraged, God pursued him, revealed His presence, power, person, and plan to him. God will do the same for us. Let's spend time in His presence and focus on His person. He has a plan for us to fulfill.

Bottom line: Persevering patiently across the spectrum of prayer results in restoration and revival by the power of God.

James uses the illustration of Elijah to encourage us to persevere and be patient in prayer. He addresses those who are suffering, the weak in faith, the elders (pastors) of the church, and the entire congregation. He says that we need to pray, pray, and continue to pray. Pray in all circumstance at all times whether suffering or rejoicing. Ask others stronger in faith to pray with you and for you.

The story of Elijah is a perfect illustration for revival and restoration. What did Israel need? Showers of blessing. What do the spiritually weak need? Showers of blessing. Rains of revival and restoration.