Spirits on SermonAudio

Heidleberg Catechism Q. 86 Q. Since we have been delivered from our misery by grace through Christ without any merit of our own, why then should we do good works? A. Because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, is also renewing us by his Spirit into his image, so that with our whole lives we may show that we are thankful to God for his benefits, and that he may be praised through us, and further, so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits, and by our godly livin gour neighbors may be won over to Christ.

The sermon examines the theological distinction between the judgment of sin on the cross and the judgment seat of Christ, which evaluates the works of believers. It clarifies that salvation is secured by grace alone, while the Bema Seat determines rewards based on faithfulness and obedience to God's will. The message emphasizes that Christians must live with an awareness of future accountability, prioritizing spiritual growth and service over carnal desires or self-directed plans. By contrasting the temporary nature of worldly achievements with the eternal value of godly works, the preacher urges believers to pursue a life of consecration and dependence on the Holy Spirit. The tone is both instructional and urgent, calling for immediate self-examination and a renewed commitment to serving Christ with integrity.

This sermon addresses the anxiety surrounding upcoming political and social uncertainties by urging believers to find stability in God's sovereignty rather than in worldly events. The central message emphasizes that while life is brief and full of trouble, Christians can possess lasting peace through faith in Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and a mind focused on God's character. Key theological themes include the necessity of peace with God through justification, the importance of living in the Spirit to bear the fruit of peace, and the call to trust in God's control over all circumstances, including national judgments. The preacher instructs the audience to replace fear with prayer, immersion in Scripture, and an awareness of their eternal readiness, citing passages such as James 4, John 16, and Psalm 46. The tone is pastoral and reassuring, aiming to convict believers of their need for divine peace while comforting them with the assurance that God remains in control and offers refuge in times of trouble.

If you'll remember… last week we… we left off with Gideon… standing at the edge of a battle… that he could never win… by his own strength. The Midianites… the Amalekites… and the people of the east… had crossed the Jordan… and filled the Jezreel Valley. And the Spirit of the LORD covered Gideon. He sounded the trumpet. And men from several tribes rallied to him. But not long after that… the doubt started to weigh in. And Gideon asked God for reassurance through a sign. He put out a fleece—not once… but twice. And when he did…God patiently answered. And we talked about… the difference between honest weakness… and making signs a substitute… for obeying a clear command. And right here… after God answers Gideon's request for a sign… just when Gideon might expect God to strengthen his army… the LORD begins sending soldiers home. Folks… sending soldiers home… wasn't how military commanders… would expect to prepare for war. But it was DEFINITELY… how God prepared His people to know… who He was… and who would bring the victory!

Sermon Title: Forgetting and Remembering Sermon Theme: Jesus brings forgiveness and renewal Sermon Points: 1. One Perfect Sacrifice (vv. 11-14, 18) 2. We Remember God's Law (vv. 15-16) 3. God Forgets our Sin (v. 17)

Those who know our parents well are often quick to recognize family resemblances in us. God is light, and those born of Him are called to walk as children of light. God is holy, and those born of His Spirit are called to pursue holiness, reflecting His character in their lives. God is love, and we resemble Him most when we love others as He has loved us and forgive as He has forgiven us. How do we discern what pleases God in matters of human sexuality (Ephesians 5:10)? How do we live without grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)? And how can we distinguish genuine, godly love from its worldly counterfeit?

This sermon examines Matthew 16:18 to affirm that Jesus Christ is the sole builder and preserver of His church, refuting the notion that Peter holds a unique papal authority. The exposition highlights that Christ builds His body through the effective work of the Word and the Spirit, as demonstrated in the early church's growth in Acts, rather than through human effort or entertainment. Furthermore, the text interprets the phrase "the gates of hell shall not prevail" as a promise that death itself will not conquer the church, offering profound comfort against cultural fears and personal mortality. The preacher urges believers to rely on these divine promises by engaging in faithful prayer and preaching, while calling the unconverted to trust in Christ for salvation and eternal life.

We study where God sent Phillip to The Ethiopian Eunuch to instruct him in the things of God with the Spirit convicting him birthing him into the body of Christ, thus the statement what hinders him from being Phillip since he believed Phillip concerning Jesus, The Gospel and the Doctrine (instructions of the word), since God opened his understanding to understand what he had read.

I hope I have made good my claim that N.T.Wright distorts the biblical doctrine of God as the God of judgment. Furthermore, that Wright, using this distortion, then distorts Christ‟s threeyear ministry and his crucifixion, and then distorts the ministry of the Spirit through believers during this present age. I am convinced that Scripture shows us that believers are called to preach the appeasement of the wrath of God against sinners and their sin by the propitiation Christ accomplished, with the aim of leading as many sinners as possible to trust Christ for their everlasting salvation, leading to a life of progressive sanctification and conformity to Christ. Wright‟s ministry of believers might be summed up as their engagement in a global, social new-creation project; in short, God will use them in schemes which will „put things right‟. To spell it out, this means believers are to be involved in merciful and compassionate schemes to deal with social injustice, rectify human abuses, heal the sick, engage in political acts to improve the lot of their fellow-humans, and look after the natural world, and the like.

In Chapter 1 of The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, John Owen argues that all human beings exist in one of two mutually exclusive spiritual states—being "carnally minded," which leads to spiritual and eternal death, or being "spiritually minded," which results in life and peace. Grounding his exposition on Romans 8:6, Owen explains that true spiritual mindedness is not merely a passive or intellectual assent to religious concepts, but the active, continuous engagement of a Holy Spirit-renewed mind whose deepest affections, thoughts, and delights are habitually set on heavenly realities. He warns that while genuine believers may struggle with competing worldly attachments, settling for a low or complacent level of spirituality to accommodate earthly pursuits jeopardizes true peace of conscience and may indicate that a person remains under the ruling power of the flesh.