Sermon Central
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But Proffering Our Physical Lives As Living ...
Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Aug 11, 2009 (message contributor)
But proffering our physical lives as living sacrifices, we get the benefit of living life to its fullest because we are in agreement with God as to priorities and purpose. We aren’t really giving up our lives. We are learning to stand beside ourselves and see ourselves as God sees us. We see our potential through God’s eyes. We see the possibilities for service from God’s perspective. Instead of burning incense, offering animals, or even putting our money on the line, our sacrifice is to be a life lived according to God’s agenda.
Now, just as you don’t really have an athletic contest without rules (and usually, without keeping score), you really don’t have worship until it leads to action. The great behavioral scientist of the early 20th century, William James, made this a point in his Varieties of Religious Experience. He said that the only way to judge a faith was to see what it accomplished in a practical way. I’m not sure we can ever have enough facts at our disposal to make such a judgment about others, but I think we need to see our faith making a difference in our daily lives if we’re really living in faith.
My former New Testament professor, Dr. Fred L. Fisher, repeatedly said that there was no such thing as worship in the New Testament that didn’t lead to service. Faith that doesn’t lead to action isn’t real faith. You might have heard that before. James told us that in James 2:17. To continue the athletic analogy, it isn’t enough to get the ball into the “Red Zone,” we need to get it over the goal line. It isn’t enough to take it to the warning track, we want to hit it over the fence. And that goal line or home run fence is serving God and serving God by serving others.
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The Church Is Like Noah's Ark: The Stench Inside ... PRO
Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Jul 29, 2003
“The church is like Noah’s ark: The stench inside would be unbearable if it weren’t for the storm outside. It’s true—sometimes we stink and the world is stormy. But as imperfect as we are on this side of heaven, the miracle is that God in fact chooses to ...read more
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In 1829 A Man Named George Wilson Was Arrested ...
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
In 1829 a man named George Wilson was arrested for robbery and murder in a US mail heist. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Some friends intervened on his behalf and were able to obtain his pardon from President Andrew Jackson. But when told of this, Wilson refused it ...read more
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John Sutherland Bonnell, The Great Preacher Of A ... PRO
Contributed by Aaron Householder on Sep 30, 2004
John Sutherland Bonnell, the great preacher of a generation ago, has suggested five questions which are useful in evaluating Christian effectiveness and commitment. Look Closely at them to judge your strengths and weaknesses as a disciple of Christ. 1. Does my life witness each day to the power ...read more
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Like Bill Hybels, I Believe That There Is Nothing ... PRO
Contributed by Jim Kane on May 25, 2004
Like Bill Hybels, I believe that there is nothing like the local church when it is working right. In addition, I agree with what he says after that sentence: “Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the ...read more
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The Simple Fool Tends To Go With The Flow. He ...
Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 14, 2004
The Simple Fool tends to go with the flow. He believes whatever he hears. It reminds me of the way Garrison Keilor described members of the Unitarian Church: They believe whatever book they just finished reading. Too many people live that way. · They’ll go to church on Sunday, · try to ...read more
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