Sermons

No one knows what 2011 will brings us. All of us will go through situations we haven't thought about; some for tragedy and some for miracles. The truth of the matter is the people who go through trouble will end up in a better position than the people who are seemingly blessed because when hard times come it gives us an awareness of our need for God. In the parable of the ten virgins half of them thought they were ready for Jesus and they weren't. If Jesus Christ came today would you be ready? In the beginning of this new year examine yourself and make sure you are ready. It is imperative to get right with Jesus.

The church is Christ's body, made of many members — young and old, many races, rich and poor — with different gifts and functions. Just as we must maintain the health of our physical bodies, we are to maintain the spiritual health of Christ's body, both individually and corporately. This is done through love for one another. A lost and hurting world will not receive Christ if they are hurt and rejected by His followers. The church is to be an agent of transformation and a haven for the hurting. The body must breathe in Jesus if we are to be healthy — unified and aligned to God's purposes.

There is a liberating power when we choose to acknowledge Christ's victory in the midst of our struggle and trial. If in the midst of your suffering you choose to worship God your song will affect those around you and deliverance will come both to you and them. In God's economy He has already determined to deliver you. The question is, “Are you willing to pull others out with you? What kind of song is sung that makes prison doors open and breaks the bounds of those who are held captive? It is the song that you sing through the midst of your darkness that will catch the attention of those around you who don't know Jesus. Prayer and praise break the foundation of the prison and silences the voice of the enemy. It is time to praise God!

If we are truly Christians we are called to be given to the poor and afflicted. When the Son of God knocks on the door of your heart to put what you know about Him into practice, how will you respond? We are called to take everything God has given to us and use it for the betterment of human suffering. This doesn't make sense to the natural man who will choose self preservation and stay locked behind a closed door fellowship. If you reach out to the widow and the hungry in a time of famine, the treasure of Jesus Christ will be unlocked to you. When we turn our hearts away from helping the poor and needy, we rob ourselves of the presence of God. Jesus stands at the door and knocks and if you will open the door He will give you provision to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and touch the heart of a sin-sick world. Let your heart come into agreement with what God speaks for your life. If you have resisted this call Jesus is willing to knock again.

Gary Wilkerson exhorts the church to examine their hearts and repent of having lost their first love and passion for Jesus Christ. Using examples from Acts and Revelation about the church of Ephesus, as well as the story of the sinful woman anointing Jesus' feet in Luke 7, this sermon emphasizes that God's eternal purpose is for the church to love His Son above all else. Gary warns against getting distracted by good things like ministry, doctrines, and programs, and challenges believers to have an intimate, singular devotion to Jesus. The sermon is a heartfelt plea for the church to return to a deep love for Christ.

The answer to this question is yes. We are saved to serve. We will never know the fullness of Christ until we say yes to our calling. We must recognize that God is the one who calls us and He is also the one who equips us and enables us to serve. We are set apart for God rather than for living for ourselves. And the gifts given to us by God are to be used for the benefit of others. This message encourages us to accept our calling with a glad surrender. When we live our lives for the betterment of others we have answered the call to ministry.

Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. There are seasons in our life when God will allow forms of sorrow into our heart for His own purpose. Sometimes God will allow times of isolation so we can stop and think about His ways in order to get an eternal perspective. If you are feeling alone this message reminds us that it was the shepherds that were isolated out in the field who got the revelation of Jesus. It was Simeon a lonely man who waited for the comfort of Christ. And it was Anna, a widow who was no stranger to sorrow. Has it ever occurred to you that isolation and loneliness might be mandatory for us to see Christ in the midst of crisis. In the last days it talks about a bride filled with oil who will see Him in calamity. Those who have suffered will be filled with oil so they see the nearness of Christ and His power. Get ready to light your lamp and dance!

Man's inherent problem is that he thought in himself that he could be God. We all have a sin nature in us that desires to make choices apart from the will of God. God gave us the law as a school master to prove to us that we can't keep it. When we try to struggle our way out of a situation we are being God in that area. When we try to defeat sin in our own strength we are being God in that area. God the Father and Jesus Christ made a covenant with each other to put an end to sin and the power it has over us. It is only when we bend our knee to God and put our faith in the finished work of the Cross the struggle stops and God can be God to us. WE don't make promises to God, He makes them to us and He keeps them. It is not about works, it is all about faith in what Christ has already done.