We’ve had opportunities in the past few weeks to see our faith tested. We’ve also had the opportunity to rely on God and give up our futile human sense of control. In this Sermonette, we will explore several Scriptures that can provide the light for the path that we must follow as Christians. As we’ve heard in recent Sermons, being a follower of Jesus Christ requires that we trust in Him, and illustrates our gratitude by obeying Him.
Frank Bruno
Finding Courage in Crisis
Most of us believe or hope that if confronted with the choice of good and evil, we will choose to be on God’s side. There are times in life, and especially during times of stress, threat, and crisis, that the choice may not be about us—but about those we care about or have responsibility for. There might also be the temptation to compromise. The Bible shows us how to have courage to do what is required to follow God.
Being Generous Towards God
We know that God does not require our money, nor anything of this earth that we possess. What God commands of us is obedience from those He has drawn. In this message, we will review a few scriptures that help us to understand that our gifts to God must come from the heart, and from a spirit of generosity and appreciation for all He has done, and continues to do for us.
Water of Eternal Life
Water has been an enduring substance created by God to sustain life. It has also been symbolic of God’s promise to us if we follow and obey Him. In this Sermonette we will delve into several scriptures that illustrate that without God’s living waters we are merely dust, with no prospect of the eternal life that can only be obtained through our faith and obedience in Him and His Son.
A Two-Front War
Increasingly, each day we are barraged directly by Satan’s temptations and challenged by carnal nature which leaves us more susceptible to sin. We also face the work of men and women who confront us with issues and choices which require our discernment and reliance on God for guidance. This can be overwhelming. In this message, we will explore Scriptures that can help us to understand what we are facing, and act as God wants us to.
The Choice of Nicodemus
Since we were not yet alive during the ministry of Jesus Christ on the earth, we have no idea what it was like to be invited by Jesus to join Him in His work. We may believe that we would have not hesitated at all, had Jesus asked us to follow Him. Like the rich young man who asked Jesus how he might attain eternal life, would we be willing to give up positions, homes and possessions? One man had such a moment, and in this Sermonette we will consider the Scriptures that cover the interaction that Jesus Christ had with a certain powerful Pharisee named Nicodemus, and what lessons we can draw from the brief but meaningful time they spent discussing this very question.
Beyond a Doubt
Doubt is a word that we use in our everyday lives—perhaps even overuse. There are so many examples of how we express doubt in our lives, and it can creep into our relationship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ. In this Split Sermon, we will discuss the insidious nature of doubt and explore scriptures that can offer a pathway to strengthen our bond with Jesus and our obedience to God’s Commandments. Doubt can be like a poison in many ways, and faith and confidence in Jesus Christ arethe antidote.
Discerning Salvation
Each of us face a variety of decisions every day—of course some are more critical than others. Occasionally we may be confronted with choices that challenge us to the core of our humanity. To those that God has called He has an expectation that we will use the blessings and skills that He has imbued us with. This is the ability to discern the correct choices and pathway that is in keeping with God’s commandments. During this Passover observance and the Feast of Unleavened Bread we reinforced our understanding that in taking part in the Passover observance we are to first discern the body of Christ. We are to be aware of His life and that He died so that we could gain access to the Kingdom and the blessing of eternal life with Jesus and the Father. Discernment is a blessing from God and in this Sermonette on the Last Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread we shall together explore the scriptures that will help us to better understand this blessing and the purpose in our lives.
Just a Second
In the sermons and sermonettes leading up to the Spring Holy Days we have heard and considered that even a person drawn by God to follow Jesus Christ can be beset by sin. Most of us would like to believe that we are basically good people in the eyes of God and among our brethren. However, in this sermonette on the Feast of Unleavened Bread we will consider just how easy it is for a human to sin, and how important repentance is to save us from our nature and mistakes, and even restore our confidence. We need not fall prey to Satan if we remain mindful of the blessing of the Holy Spirit sent to help us move forward. Repentance is the tool that we can wield to return to the embrace of the Father and His Son.
Dead Center
The world today likes to deceive itself that it prefers life in the center—a world of compromise. Politicians who do not espouse this sentiment, this focus on false healing and unity are condemned. The world is of course hostile to any truth associated with being obedient to God’s laws. Worldly negotiation demands driving to the center—accepting pain for all! Humans cannot succeed in this world if they are true to God’s commandments, yet, conversely, they cannot find the narrow pathway to the Kingdom of God if they seek to please two masters. In this Sermonette we will cover several scriptures that make this perfectly clear. Participating in the politics of this world by definition means choosing between the lesser of two evils—not the ways of the Lord. This is not acceptable for followers of Jesus Christ.
