Introduction
A. The third chapter of Romans probably comes closer than any other single chapter to summarizing Paul’s message.
B. One of the most extraordinary points about God’s plan for redeeming man lies in His ability to justify sinners while maintaining His own justice at the same time.
I. Man has a problem.
A. Man’s problem is sin (1 John 3:4).
B. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
C. The problem...
The Just Shall Live by Faith
Introduction
A. There are many who would tell us that salvation is by faith alone.
B. While there are many who recognize the essentiality of faith, there are but few who understand the Biblical principle of living by faith.
I. God taught Habakkuk to live by faith.
A. To this man it appeared that God was allowing the wickedness of His people to go unpunished (Habakkuk 1:1-4).
B. When God says He will punish them by the...
Not Done in a Corner
Introduction
A. As a man whose heritage was largely Jewish and whose family had ruled the Jewish people for many years, he was indeed “expert in all customs and questions” about the Jews (vs. 3).
B. When Paul tells Agrippa that these things “were not done in a corner” (vs. 26), what does he mean by this?
I. God had been announcing these things for centuries.
A. Paul was only declaring what the prophets of God...
Paul’s Defense
Introduction
A. When Paul made his defense in Jerusalem (his first in a long series of such), no man stood with him, but the Lord did (Acts 23:11).
B. Paul was always ready to give a defense, not just of himself, but of the Gospel that he preached with such boldness.
I. This was neither the first time nor the last that Paul had to make a defense.
A. Paul’s defense was for the Gospel (Philippians 1:17).
B. Paul had made his defense...
Cleansing the Leper
Introduction
A. Although it is easily curable today, leprosy is a disease that adversely affects skin and nerve tissue, resulting in permanent disabilities.
B. While leprosy has been virtually eliminated in the modern world, there is another plague that is silently killing millions every year.
C. The cure for this disease is also available, but few will seek it.
I. God gave Israel specific laws regarding leprosy.
A. First, God gave...
Dealing With Conflict
Introduction
A. In the earliest days of Christianity, the church enjoyed remarkable harmony (Acts 2:46; 4:32; 5:12).
B. In Acts 15, we see the first serious conflict in the church, and therefore a critical moment in the church’s history.
C. How would these conflicts be resolved? Who would draft the constitution by which this body would be governed?
I. Where there is conflict, leadership is vitally important.
A. Where...
What Is the Gospel?
Introduction
A. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to listen to Paul preach, Acts 13 is a great source.
B. In this sermon Paul talks about the “Good News,” the Gospel. What does this sermon tell us about the Gospel we preach?
I. The Gospel is positive.
A. These are encouraging words (vss. 15,45,48).
B. The Good News constituted the fulfillment of ancient promises (vss. 32-37).
C. The Good News was...
What Is a Christian?
Introduction
A. Most dictionaries define the word “Christian” as “a person who believes in the doctrines of Jesus and acknowledges his divinity.”
B. While man’s definitions of a Christian are diverse and conflicting, the only definition that matters is God’s, for He invented the word.
C. In fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 62:2), God gave His people a new name (Acts 11:26)—“Christian.” What does it mean to be a...
Saul’s Conversion
Introduction
A. Saul set out for Damascus with the intention of arresting all the Christians he could find in the synagogues there, but when he arrived, he preached that Jesus is the Christ.
B. When Saul of Tarsus was converted, he left no room for doubt in anyone’s mind that he was changed forever.
I. In Saul’s conversion, we see a dramatic change in him.
A. There was a change in his perspective (Acts 26:9)...
Discipline: A Test of Love
Introduction
A. Although discipline probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of great demonstrations of love, these two are always bound together.
B. True discipline is the training that corrects the mind and molds one’s moral character.
I. Love requires me to discipline my children.
A. This first involves constant instruction from God’s Word (Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:13-17).
B. It also involves...