Category: Sermon Prep (and Follow-up)
Yesterday, we held our celebration service in the new building. It was a great time of rejoicing and glorifying God for His kindness. I preached on the six values that the FRAC elders have articulated for our church. Below I have listed each value (in bold), followed by some of the key Scriptures from which we derive them, and the application questions that I asked for each value statement. May our gracious Lord grant us to maintain our devotion to these things.
The inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture
John 17:17, Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is inspired by God
2 Peter 1:3, His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
2 Timothy 3:14-17, You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Application:
1. Read, meditate on, and study God's word. Let it critique you; be taught, reproved, corrected, and trained in righteousness.
2. Where do we go for truth? hope? wisdom? meaning of life? We should consult God's word for answers regarding the challenges and struggles of life: relationships, sin, parenting, marriage, government, work, calling.
3. Wayne Grudem: Do you think you would pay more attention if God spoke to you from heaven or through the voice of a living prophet than if he spoke to you from the written words of Scripture? Do you think your present level of response to the written words of Scripture is an appropriate one?
The expositional teaching and preaching of the whole counsel of God
Acts 20:27, For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
Application:
1. We should come to church hungry for the preaching and teaching of God's Word and the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
2. We should give the apporpriate time and effort needed to apply God's Word.
The shepherding of God's people by elders
Hebrews 13:17, Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
1 Timothy 5:17, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.
Application:
1. Do you know your shepherds? Are you praying for them?
2. Do you submit to your elders—joyfully? Do you seek advice from them?
3. Is the Chief Shepherd—Jesus Christ—pleased with your respect of, and relationship with, the elders He gave you?
4. If you are not committed to a local church, then you are missing out on one of Christ's rich blessings—shepherds who will take care of you.
The promotion of God-centered, believer-oriented worship on the Lord's Day
Hebrews 10:23-25, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another
Acts 2:42, And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Application:
1. Come on Sundays.
2. Engage in worship (don't simply attend and observe).
The necessity of corporate and private prayer in all things
1 Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing.
Ephesians 6:18, With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints
Application:
1. When someone is praying at church, pray with them. Say, "Amen!" to the Lord.
2. Pray in small groups or during ministry prayer times.
3. Make it a regular habit to pray privately.
The preservation of the gospel which is salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone
1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Ephesians 2:1-9, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Application:
1. Hold fast to the truth of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation and forgiveness.
2. Get it clear in your mind and heart that salvation is the free gift of God, received only by believing the gospel of Jesus Christ's atoning work on the cross.