Sermon Central
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John
Contributed by Glenn Durham on Jan 11, 2008 (message contributor)
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1. Criticizing God
Contributed on Jan 11, 2008
God draws criticism until we are drawn to God.
Scripture Introduction A miller and his son were driving their donkey to sell at the market when they met a group of women: “Look there,†cried one, “did you ever see such foolish fellows, trudging on foot when they might ride?†The old man hearing this, quickly placed his son on the ...read more
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2. When You Are As Dry As Dust
Contributed on Feb 4, 2008
God offers complete satisfaction to all who entrust their longings to his solution.
Scripture Introduction God required his people to have a grand party each fall. This joyous, harvest festival reminded the Jews of Jehovah’s favor and brought thousands to Jerusalem for the “Feast of Booths,” or “Feast of Tabernacles” (as it is sometimes called). For eight days, everyone camped ...read more
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3. When Following Jesus Separates Friends
Contributed on Feb 12, 2008
God calls us to decide for Jesus, even when doing so divides families and friends.
Scripture Introduction Two snowflakes drop softly from a dark cloud. The wind twists and twirls these “friends,” so that appear to play “Tag, you’re it!” One bumps the other, then jumps away; the second chases and almost reaches his “opponent.” They bounce up and down, giggling as they swing ...read more
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4. When Grace Condemns Condemnation
Contributed on Feb 20, 2008
God’s mercy rescues the greatest sinners.
Scripture Introduction Our text this morning engenders unique debate which would take hours to explain adequately all the issues involved. Since I preach only once per week, for about 30 minutes, I must strictly limit my comments. When God inspired men to write the Bible, their handwritten ...read more
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5. Light For A Dark World
Contributed on Feb 25, 2008
God provides light for all who would have their darkness revealed.
Scripture Introduction The first words of God recorded in the Bible are: “Let there be light.” Later we find that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1John 1.5). Darkness universally symbolizes sin and death; light corresponds to life and holiness and purity. Thus King David sings ...read more
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6. How To Make It To The End
Contributed on Mar 1, 2008
God provides comfort and encouragement to persevere.
Scripture Introduction We rarely think of Jesus as needing to persevere. Yet he faced greater rejection and more opportunities for discouragement than any of us could imagine—he was forsaken by the whole world, and even by God. It would be wise of us, therefore, to look to him for a theology ...read more
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7. What Do We Labor For?
Contributed on Mar 4, 2008
God offers a satisfaction deeper and more real than any pleasure the world provides.
Scripture Introduction “I am the bread of life.” “I am the light of the world.” “I am the gate.” “I am the good shepherd.” “I am the resurrection and the life.” “I am the way and the truth and the life.” “I am the true vine.” Each of these seven statements by Jesus, known as the ...read more
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8. Why It Matters Exactly Who Jesus Is
Contributed on Mar 4, 2008
God gives eternal life and joy to those who die “in the Lord.”
Scripture Introduction The relationship between Jesus and the religious leadership continues to deteriorate. By refusing to acknowledge their importance, his ministry threatens their power and prestige. Therefore, they turn on him: attempted arrest, entrapment, theological tests, dismissing his ...read more
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9. Do Not Be Afraid
Contributed on Mar 4, 2008
God is to be feared, and not to be.
Scripture Introduction I was listening (a few days ago) to a sermon by Tim Keller, a PCA pastor in New York. He made (for me) a helpful distinction between looking at a truth and looking through it. Some think of Christianity as a dry and stagnant and intellectual exercise — a religion that ...read more
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10. True Freedom
Contributed on Mar 10, 2008
God offers freedom to those who admit their slavery.
Scripture Introduction The world defines freedom as the license to do whatever we want. God (on the other hand) says it is the ability to do whatever is right. Human freedom flows from obedience. I can sit at that piano with “liberty” to pound each and every key; but I lack the freedom to ...read more
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11. God Provides For Every Need
Contributed on Mar 11, 2008
God’s power and provisions are superabundant for those who trust and obey.
Scripture Introduction Only one of Jesus’ miracles is recorded by all four evangelists — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. God chose to describe the person and work of his Son from four different angles, four perspectives. Each author brings a unique point of view to his account as each writes for ...read more
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12. Does Everyone Who Believes Believe?
Contributed on Mar 11, 2008
True faith seeks glory from God.
Scripture Introduction “Seeing is believing,” or is it? Is “seeing, believing,” or is “believing, seeing”? A group of men stand meters from Jesus; they believe he is there; they know he exists; they see his miracles. Yet he says that they do not believe. Earlier we read James’ indictment of ...read more
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13. Is There Really A Point To Life?
Contributed on Mar 11, 2008
God shows the purpose of life to those who truly believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
Scripture Introduction The events we are about to read occur after Jesus’ healing of a paralytic. An invalid for 38 years, this man’s only hope was the rumor of an angel coming down from heaven, dipping his wings into a pool, and creating a healing balm for the first person to enter the water. ...read more
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14. What God Thinks Of Our Rules
Contributed on Mar 12, 2008
We are freed when God breaks all our rules.
Scripture Introduction When people picture Jesus, few imagine a man intentionally offending others. Yet that is exactly what he does in John 5. Jewish teachers had strict guidelines for keeping the Sabbath. Jesus knew them and he flaunts his disregard for their rules. It seems so reasonable to ...read more
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15. Let's See Some Magic!
Contributed on Mar 12, 2008
Jesus’ signs demand faith even when he provides no miracle.
Scripture Introduction I love the idea of magic. And I’m fascinated by science fiction – I think because it seems to bring magic into real life. When the situation is desperate – Captain Kirk is being choked by a Klingon while on a planet in the final convulsions before its cataclysmic ...read more
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16. Where Do You Go To Church?
Contributed on Mar 12, 2008
Central to worship is the “us” and “Him,” not the place and means.
Scripture Introduction God is seeking worshippers in spirit and truth. That does not mean that God seeks to make worshippers, as if there were people not worshipping whom he hopes to change. The issue is not whether we will worship, but whom and how. John Calvin (a pastor in the 1600s) ...read more
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17. Meeting God When You Are Hungry
Contributed on Mar 12, 2008
God allows us to participate in building his kingdom.
Introduction Thomas Edison (inventor of the light bulb) said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Today we are with Jesus’ disciples when they miss an incredible opportunity. Not dressed in overalls, but as the much despised ...read more
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18. Meeting God When You Are Dry
Contributed on Mar 12, 2008
God seeks and saves dry souls through his Savior.
Introduction In Switzerland every year, in the city of Basel, the festival of Fasnacht is held. The event takes its name from the start of the fasting season of Lent. Before beginning this time of penance and doing without, there are three days of parties and festivities and revelry (similar to ...read more
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19. Why It Matters Exactly Who We Are
Contributed on Mar 18, 2008
God speaks truth to those who know themselves well enough to listen.
Scripture Introduction A few years ago, accountability was the hot word among Christians. Many voices encouraged us to find another person, or even a group, with whom we would share what was really happening in our lives. Maybe you think highly of those; others may doubt their value. Leaving ...read more
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20. Meeting God When You Are Thirsty
Contributed on Mar 18, 2008
God created us with a thirst only he can satisfy.
Introduction Sermon #9 in a Series on the Gospel of John An albatross (known as a sign of good luck) arrived in the nick of time to lead the ship out of the destructive ice field: At length did cross an Albatross, Thorough the fog it came; As if it had been a Christian ...read more
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21. Friends Don't Let Friends Grab Glory
Contributed on Mar 18, 2008
God’s glory is man’s greatest good.
Introduction (Sermon #8 in a Series on the Gospel of John) You have likely heard the slogan, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” The idea is simple: we may feel like doing something, but, in fact, it would be better if we did not. We recognize that we are easily manipulated, the excitement ...read more
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22. Creatures That Scurry From The Light
Contributed on Mar 18, 2008
God’s love gave his son and leaves his church to model and multiply his message.
Introduction Sermon #7 in a Series on the Gospel of John One Thursday the mailman delivered an unusual item from the Northend Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Seattle, Washington. An announcement card (show sample) listed the special things which would be done for everyone who attended ...read more
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23. The Original Nic At Night
Contributed on Mar 18, 2008
God provides a new birth for those who recognize their first one did not fit them for heaven.
Introduction Sermon #6 in a Series on the Gospel of John Someone once asked a young woman, “What is the difference between my religion and yours?” She responded, “They are actually quite close. In fact, only two letters separate our beliefs. Your religion is spelled, ‘D-O; DO.’ Mine is ...read more
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24. What Is In Man? What Is In God?
Contributed on Mar 18, 2008
God’s zeal guarantees the redemption of divided hearts and souls.
Introduction At the end of the world, where the Narnian sky meets the earth, Edmund and Lucy climb out of the Dawn Treader and begin to wade southward along the beach. But between them and the foot of the sky there was something so white on the green grass…they could hardly look at it. They ...read more
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25. Good Wine – God's Glory
Contributed on Mar 19, 2008
God’s good gifts insist that we believe in an overflowing joy and contentment found in the presence of the Messiah.
Introduction While attending seminary, I served as director of a college and career ministry. Seminary is the academic, the educational side of training. It is the study of the Bible, of the doctrines of the Christian faith, of the history of the church, of the relationship between Christianity ...read more
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26. Responding To Jesus
Contributed on Mar 19, 2008
God’s kindness urges a faithful response to Jesus.
Introduction In 2004, The Barna Group polled teenagers about music piracy. Despite widespread coverage of the legal arguments and fight against this form of theft, the vast majority of teens (86%) believes that copying a CD for a friend or downloading music online that is not paid for, is ...read more
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27. What Were We Expecting?
Contributed on Mar 19, 2008
God’s supernatural work is more wonderful than we would dare imagine.
Introduction For all who have ached to serve God and see his kingdom advance, we must surely appreciate Oswald Smith, standing before an examining board in 1920. One dream dominated his heart – to be a missionary for Jesus. Over and over he had prayed, “Lord, I want to go and tell people of ...read more
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28. Hope And Power
Contributed on Mar 19, 2008
God in human flesh gives hope to human faith.
Introduction Last week an article in the Wall Street Journal reflected on our need for hope. The author attended a “new age” type church service in which participants wrote their regrets and failures on pieces of flash paper. (Flash paper is specially treated to ignite and burn instantly and ...read more
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29. Different Reactions To Jesus
Contributed on Mar 19, 2008
God offers to the followers of Jesus something worth selling all else for.
Scripture Introduction Pastor Douglas Webster wrote a provocative book entitled, Selling Jesus. He described the American church as taking a foolish route to attract an audience. While the claims of Christianity can and should compete in the “marketplace” of ideas, we must be careful of ...read more
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30. Sin, Suffering, Sickness And Our Savior
Contributed on Mar 20, 2008
God redeems and will cure every disease, even death.
Introduction Over the last few weeks I have been rereading C. S. Lewis’ delightful Chronicles of Narnia series. I was struck by a scene in The Silver Chair in which the children’s faith is tested by an uncertain outcome. The children were given signs by which they could fulfill their mission in ...read more