PastSermons

"AVAILING MUCH"

(Luke 18:9-14)

01/26/03

Gary Hibberts

Introduction: Chapter 18, begins with two parables back to back. First, teaching persistent faithful prayer. Secondly, teaching that prayer wrongfully made or being made by the wrongful is futile. Additionally, the second parable gives us the key to communion with God. But it begins with a warning to three types of sin that lie hidden behind a cloak of religion. We don't need to be religious first, we must be Christian first and our religion be a product of and by our relationship with Christ!

1. Those that trust in themselves: Notice verse 9. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves......"

All they need dwells within their own bodies and minds. They need neither God nor man, (or not too often if ever). (Pr.26:12)"Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him."

((1Co.8:2)"And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know."

(1Co.10:12)"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

2. Those who are self-righteous: Again notice verse 9. "that they were righteous."

Good enough for God as they are. They are sensitive to the needs of the Church and to the needs of people. They build up virtue and merit by good deeds and clean living.

(Pr.21:2)"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts."

(Mt.23:27), (Ep.2:8,9)"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.

3.Those who despise others: Once more to verse 9, "and despised others."

No one is as good, important, or righteous as they are. They want nothing to do with the poor, the downcast, the unfortunate, or the sinner.

(Lk:10:30-37) "The Good Samaritan"

Ro.2:4)"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Conclusion: The parable concludes with the publican. He was not forgiven

because of his profession, (tax collector), he was forgiven because of his confession, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

God still calls on individuals to:

Admit your sin.

Believe on Jesus Christ.

Publicly confess your faith in Him.

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WHAT TO DO?

Gary A. Hibberts

(Ro. 7:15-25)

01/05/03

Introduction: When reading about the Saints of Scripture, we often forget that they had human frailties the same as we. Temptations, problems, needs, physical limitations, these were things they dealt with the same as we have to deal with them today. Just as we are faced with inward conflict, self doubt, and insecurities, so were the Saints.

Now with the new year comes new questions, new problems, new trials. Those things that we dealt with and conquered last year are replaced with new issues. I don't want to oversimplify this morning, but, I also don't want to underestimate the power and loving kindness of our God. The past is done, over, finished, we can't alter it, or destroy it, it is set forever on the pages of time for all eternity. But, tomorrow is before us and it is in our hands to prepare today for tomorrow. So what to do?

Just as Paul was dealing with personal strength in his battle against the flesh and temptation, so do we have to first have to deal with our own weaknesses. So I want to go to three different places in scripture and ask some questions of us.

"1. What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)

Just as these asked this question of Peter Just as these asked this questions of Peter and the other apostles so do we need to ask God. There is a response for the lost and a response for the saved.

A.To the lost:

1. Repent; turn from your sin.

2. Believe; by faith accept the work of Jesus Christ.

3. Confess; by mouth that you receive Him as Savior

4. Be baptized; be willing to publicly show that you belong to Jesus.

B. To the saved:

1. Pray; asking God's direction. We always need His guidance.

2. Read; only in the word of God do we find His will for His people.

3.Do; not just a hearer of His word, but a doer of His word and work.

2. "What doth hinder me?" (Acts 8:36) His question was why can't I be baptized? What is keeping me from being a Christian? With all the hindrances he faced; being an infidel, being scripturally illiterate, he only lacked one thing.

"If thou believeth."

* We have no hope without faith. Faith leads us to God through Christ, faith

causes us to pray, faith urges us to read, faith inspires us to go.

Three Southern Baptist Missionaries were killed in recent weeks because of their faith. They had faith to leave home and go to distant lands to spread the gospel, thinking not of their lives, but thinking of the commission of Jesus in spreading the Word. Their faith led them to believe, to pray , to read, and to work.

3. "What must I do?" (Acts 16:30) "Must" is an auxiliary verb used to express necessity or obligation. Like it or not, agree with it or not, accept it or not,

this is this is an absolute.

1. You must believe to be saved.

2. You must work because you are saved. God didn't call any of us to be spectators.

Conclusion: "What shall I do Lord?" (Acts 22:10) Paul asked God personally what he was supposed to do. God answered him personally. God has something for you to do, have you asked Him?

NO JOY WITHOUT CONVICTION"

(Acts 2:37-41)

11/24/02

Gary A. Hibberts

Introduction: Peter has just delivered the first gospel sermon of the Christian

Church. It was a contextual masterpiece because it had at its core Jesus. His birth, death, and resurrection and his presence at the right hand of God. In verse 37 we have the most important words of beginning any relationship with God, "They were pricked in their hearts." It means they were feeling guilt, remorse, and personal responsibility for the death of Jesus.

I believe when this truth was revealed to them some wept, some sobbed, and some fell to their knees, hung their heads in shame, or buried their face in their hands.

This morning I want us to look at something that was present on the day of Pentecost that is not evident in most modern worship services. Many people have the idea that when they come to Church they only need to hear things that make them feel good.

Feel good about yourself; make you comfortable and confident.

Feel good about God; just sit in your pew and snuggle up to God knowing that He loves you and that's all there is to it.

Peter began his sermon by pointing out their sin, not by telling them a joke or how good they were because they made it to church that day.

The Gospel: It is Good News, but it often makes us feel bad at first.

*Notice that the people listening to Peter were first, "pricked in their hearts."

My desire is that you leave here today feeling good about yourself, but if there is unconfessed sin in your life I hope you are feeling bad right about now.

The Conviction: (Read He. 4:12) Conviction is not being convinced in the

mind, it is being pricked in the heart. It means coming to the point of

feeling guilt and remorse and the desire to be right with God.

(John 16:7-11) Three thing need mentioning here:

It brings a feeling of guilt: (Convince the world of sin). He exposes our guilt.

It brings a feeling of remorse: (Convince the world of righteousness). He shows us we fall short by ourselves. In other words God has been right with me, but I haven't been right with him.

It brings a feeling of desperation: (Judgment to come). If you knew that tomorrow you were being sentenced to life in prison, what would you do to remain free? Anything Possible! When the Holy Spirit convicts us it means that God has judged us and it makes us willing to do anything to escape the punishment our sin deserves.

The Remedy: Conviction is not God's final answer. In verse 37 the people cried

Out; "What shall we do?" That is the same response all need to make when they are convicted by the Holy Spirit.

Everyone needs forgiveness: (Ro.3:23)

God made a way of forgiveness: Repent: We should receive the Word of God and do what it tells us. (v38)

Conclusion: Do you enjoy your relationship with God? Do you enjoy worship?

The word of God should be enjoyable to us even when it produces conviction. Why? Because when the Word brings conviction it is also offering forgiveness. God wants you to be right with Him more that you do!

Have you ever received God's forgiveness and been born into His family? Can you think of a specific time when you bowed your head and received God's forgiveness? If not then today is a wonderful opportunity to receive Him into your heart if you have been convicted by the Holy Spirit.

THIS WORLD/THAT WORLD

(Luke 20:27-38)

12/01/02

Gary A. Hibberts

Introduction: Jesus was confronted with much opposition during His ministry,

the greatest of, which came not from Rome or any part of the secular

community, but from the religionist's of His day. This opposition was

especially strong from the:

Pharisees: (separatists) they felt they lived above everyone else.

Sadducees: (deist) belief in the existence of a god without accepting

revelation.

This morning I want to examine the Sadducees question of Jesus and His

response. Their question concerned God's command to Moses in

(De.25:5,6). Their concern was to disprove the resurrection and to disprove

Jesus most of all. The Sadducees made up a large number of the Sanhedrin,

or the religious ruling body of Judea. They did not believe in a resurrection,

angels, or spirits. They were deists or sceptics, or to us they would have been

philosophers. I want to especially notice two verses in Jesus' response,

verse 34 and verse 35. That is the reason for the sermon title, "This world/

that world."

This world:

A) Concerned mainly with things of this life. Some people cannot think of

heavenly things because they are so all consumed with things going on in their lives, and that doesn't give God time to speak with them.

B) Governed by the flesh. (Ep.2:2,3). For a Christian to be consumed with

satisfying the flesh and its lusts is to invite destruction. We are not our

own anymore, we are bought with a price.

That world:

A) Must be worthy to enter in.

By grace: (Ep.2:8) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that

not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

By justification: (Titus 3:7) "That being justified by his grace, we

should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."Simply put, when God sees our faith in his Son, He forgives our sin and makes us right with Him.

By faith: (Ep.2:8)

B) Must be part of the resurrection:

In His likeness: (Ro.6:5) "For if we have been planted together in the

likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his

resurrection."

In its power: (Ph.3:10) "That I may know Him and the power of His

resurrection."

Because of the Sadducees disbelief in the resurrection of the dead, they were

missing the integral part of what Jesus was come to do.

Conclusion: So the question for you today is, This world, or that world, where d

you have all your hopes pinned? If it is in this world that will someday pass

away, then you have no hope. If you are consumed with the thought of this

world then you are not giving God time to speak to you and you are missing

what being a Christian is all about. This world or that world, for which are

you striving? This world or that world, which one has the most, promise?