Sermons on Matthew (Page 3)

Gay Marriage and the Bible

Did Jesus address homosexuality? Many say no. Jesus did, however, clearly define marriage and the bounds of sexual intimacy between one man and one woman in a one flesh union. This is not “traditional” marriage or Jewish custom. Jesus said that this is how God designed male and female and society at the beginning, in the garden of Eden. What we see today, divorce, adultery, same-sex marriage, is a result of sin. From the beginning it was not so.

The Necessity of Forgiveness

Jesus tells us in the strongest of language that Christians must forgive. To withhold forgiveness is to put yourself in danger of eternal condemnation. Since we must forgive, the obvious question becomes, “How do we treat someone who is unrepentant or where reconciliation is impossible?” To answer that question, we look at Romans 12. We commit not to take revenge, we proactively show love, and we leave room for the wrath of God.

Conflict and Forgiveness

It is inevitable, people will sin and you will be affected by it. How then do we deal with conflict? What does confrontation look like? What is the role of the church? This sermon seeks to explain an important passage when looking at conflict and forgiveness.

The Hope of Forgiveness

There is hope in forgiveness. There is joy and satisfaction in being forgiven by God and extending forgiveness to others. But what is forgiveness? How should Christians forgive? We are called to forgive others as God has forgiven us. God forgiveness is (1) gracious, yet costly; (2) conditional; (3) a commitment not to hold sin against us; (4) inseparable from reconciliation; and (5) does not mean that all consequences are removed. From these things we can appreciate more Christian forgiveness.

The Trellis and the Vine

What is the church and what does the church do? And what does a trellis and vine have anything to do with it?The church is a called out people sent on mission to call others to follow Jesus Christ through proclaiming the gospel, baptizing, and giving instruction so that people obey what Christ has commanded. This is who we are and what we do. Sound simple? It may sound simple but it can be filled with distractions along the way.