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God’s Salvation through Faith in Christ Alone

October 3, 2021 | Romans 10:1-13 | exposition

How have you responded to God’s plan for our salvation, for making us right with Him? Many of us are like the Jews of Paul’s day. We believe that we can be good enough to please God. You can knock on most doors in this city and ask people to answer, “If you died today and stood before a holy God and He asked, ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?’ What would you say?” Most will answer, “I tried to be a good person.” They think they can climb into heaven by their own self-effort, their own “trying to be good.” Or they think it’s by be religious: “I go to church/synagogue/mosque.”

Yet, the Bible teaches that we can only receive God’s salvation through faith in Christ alone. However, even this triggers our flesh. We hate being told there is only one way to do a thing. In chapter 10 of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he explained why Israel had failed to receive God’s salvation because they had sought to establish their own by keeping the law, rather than placing their faith in Christ alone. We can see why God’s salvation can only be received through faith in Christ alone.

Questioning God’s Justice

September 26, 2021 | Romans 9:14-33 | exposition

Perhaps you’ve heard people question God’s justice and goodness. Questions like: If God is good, why is there evil in the world? If God is just, why does He allow suffering? If God is truly loving, why would He send anyone to hell? If God is fair, why is faith in Jesus the only way to be made right with Him? Aren’t there many paths to pleasing God? What about the person who has never heard? Many see these and other questions as reasons not to believe in God’s existence or to believe in some man-made version of Him instead.

Have you questioned God’s justice and goodness? Or have you learned that your arms are too short to box with God? In chapter 9 of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he dealt with the question “Is God unjust?” The Spirit inspired Paul to answer that God’s justice is beyond question. We can understand that God’s justice is beyond question.

God’s Word Never Fails

September 19, 2021 | Romans 9:1-13 | exposition

“Has the Word of God failed?” Or putting it in the present, “Can the Word of God fail?” Or making it more personal, “Will God’s Word fail for me?” How do you answer that? Now I know you good Christians are answering it with, “No, no way, not ever! God’s Word cannot, will not ever fail!” Yet, we live like it will. We try to earn our way to pleasing God, though His Word says salvation is a free gift. We doubt our salvation, though His Word says that we can be assured that nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus.

What if you could rest and live in the knowledge that God’s Word never fails? In chapter 9 of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he expressed his great sorrow that the vast majority of his Jewish brothers had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Yet, he was convinced that God’s Word had not failed.

How the Mighty Have Fallen

June 13, 2021 | 1 Samuel 31 | exposition

The original game of thrones goes all the way back to the beginning of humanity. For it was Adam and Eve who first “rejected God from being king over them.” And as a result humanity has fallen. Since then, humanity has continually struggled against God in a kind of game of thrones. Now Saul, the man who would not surrender his throne to God, has fallen. O how the mighty have fallen!

Who sits on the throne of your life? Is it you? How’s that working for you? Have you got everything under control? Or are things flying apart? And what about tomorrow? Can you see the future? Are you ready for tomorrow? Even more important, are you ready for eternity? Because there’s no sugar coating this last chapter of 1 Samuel. It’s about Saul’s fall, his death.

In the final chapter of 1 Samuel, the Lord brought Saul’s life and kingdom to an end, preparing the way for His anointed king, David. We can learn several important spiritual lessons from Saul’s death.

Finding Strength in the Lord

June 6, 2021 | 1 Samuel 29-30 | exposition

Does anyone need strength today? Do you need encouragement? Many are feeling weak and discouraged today. Are you discouraged? The dictionary defines discouragement as a loss or lack of confidence or enthusiasm. To feel dispirited, demoralized, despair, despondent, or disheartened. It is the loss or lack of strength and courage to go on.

David was struggling with discouragement too. But that’s when he turned to the Lord! In the book of 1 Samuel 29-30, when David was at his weakest, he found strength in the LORD his God. We can find our strength in the Lord.

The Dangers of Fear and Doubt

May 30, 2021 | 1 Samuel 27-28 | exposition

When we doubt God’s Word or when we fear others more than we fear God, we fall into a world of dangers. One of the dangers is that fear and doubt affects how we think––how we think of ourselves, how we think of God and how we think of others.

How do you think about your identity? Do you let fear and doubt shape who you are, what you believe, the decisions you make? Or do you trust God for your thinking and your decisions?

In 1 Samuel 27-28, both David and Saul go awry. It starts with fear and doubt and goes down hill from there. In 1 Samuel chapters 27-28, both David and Saul experienced the dangers of giving in to fear and doubt instead of trusting in God. We can avoid the dangers of giving in to fear and doubt by trusting in God.

Depending on God For Deliverance

May 23, 2021 | 1 Samuel 26 | exposition

How do you respond when trouble comes your way? Some of us question God asking, “Why me Lord, why’s this happening to me?” Some of us try running away, hoping that trouble won’t be able to find us. Some of us get angry and embittered and just wallow in our pain. Others become immobilized with fear and stick our heads in the sand, hoping trouble will just go away. But trouble always finds us doesn’t it?

God was preparing David to be king and he was being persecuted by the king who opposed him. Let’s see how David responded to trouble. In the book of 1 Samuel 26, David again spares Saul’s life, depending on God to deliver him from all his trouble. We can depend on God to deliver us from all our trouble.

Putting Everything In God’s Hands

May 16, 2021 | 1 Samuel 23:15-24 | exposition

Are you ever tempted to take matters into your own hands? Sometimes it may seem to be your only recourse, but most of the time it only leads to more trouble. This is especially true when we become impatient with how things are going with our finances or in our relationships. We know what God’s Word says about debt and being a good steward, but we think we know a better way. So we take it into our own hands by going into debt to buy a new car or a new house, but then we can’t even enjoy them because of the financial stress. Or a single person becomes so lonely and worried about not finding a certain someone, that they take matters into their own hands and compromise on matters of faith and end up feeling even more miserable. The temptation to take matters into our own hands usually comes from a lack of patience and trust for those in authority over us. This is especially true in our willingness to trust God and to put things in his hands.

In the book of 1 Samuel, while fleeing from Saul in the wilderness, David learned to put everything in God’s hands. We can learn to put everything in God’s hands.

Dear Abby

May 9, 2021 | 1 Samuel 25 | exposition, mother's day

Where do you get your advice? Is it from a newspaper column or a horoscope? Is it from your parents, your mom or dad? Your grandparents? Many get their advice from peers or from the culture or from a Hollywood star or a sports hero. The truth is though, most of us just follow our own advice. We do what we want to do. But the Bible says: Proverbs 3:7 (ESV) Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

This is the better way. We can get wisdom from the Lord. We can live by godly wisdom. In the book of 1 Samuel 25, the Lord gave a woman named Abigail godly wisdom to prevent David from killing her foolish husband. We too can live by godly wisdom.

Trusting God in the Wilderness

May 2, 2021 | 1 Samuel 21 - 23:14 | exposition

How many of you in going through a time of wilderness today? You’ve been asking those same wilderness questions, like, “Where are You, God?” Or maybe you’ve been running so long, trying to find your own way, that you just feel so lost that you don’t know where to turn. Some of you may be feeling like you’re in a great place today, but be certain of this, we will all face times in the wilderness at some time in our lives. That’s where David is in our reading today. He’s on the run and living in the wilderness.

In the book of 1 Samuel, David learned to trust the Lord more than he ever had, while living on the run from King Saul in the wilderness. We can learn to trust God when we feel like we’re living in the wilderness.