Category: 2016 Sermons

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:03 — 9.6MB)

Sermon Audio: The Law and the Kingdom of God
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 16:14-18
Duration: 21:03
Size: 9.63 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Law and the Kingdom of God
Luke 16:14-18

Just as there was resistance in some states ratifying an end to slavery in the United States, so there is resistance in some people accepting God’s kingdom.

I. The Ridicule of the Pharisees

The Pharisees apparently regarded money as their rightful reward for their faithful observance of the law.

Which master are you serving? Is Jesus Christ the master of your heart, or are you still slaving away for money?

II. The Response of Jesus

A. The Misunderstanding of Possessions

The Pharisees believed that the abundance of their possessions proved that God had blessed them.

Therefore, they presented themselves to people as justified before God.

We may try to justify ourselves before others – and God – by means of our church attendance, or ministry activity, or financial giving, or any one of a number of religious activities.

Money and possessions do not save us. Jesus saves us. And Jesus teaches that disciples serve God and not money.

B. The Misunderstanding of the Kingdom

John began preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, and Jesus and his disciples continued to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.

Religiosity has never and will never save anyone.

C. The Misunderstanding of the Law

The civil and ceremonial aspects of the law found their fulfillment in Jesus, while the moral law has ongoing and continuing validity.

The Pharisees thought that they were pleasing God by keeping his law. But, in fact they were perverting God’s law and were displeasing him.

What gets us into the kingdom of God is the work that Jesus did in his life by his perfect obedience to the law of God and by his death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:09 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Shrewd Steward
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 16:1-13
Duration: 21:09
Size: 9.68 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Shrewd Steward
Luke 16:1-13

The most common feature of Jesus’ parables is their shock value.

THE PARABLE OF THE SHREWD STEWARD

Does it come as a shock to you that you are a steward and as a steward you don’t own anything.

• We are stewards of our material possessions.
• We are stewards of our time. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
• We are stewards of our gifts and abilities (I Peter 4:10)
• We are stewards of the Gospel. (I Thessalonians 2:4)

The man in the parable was in trouble because he had forgotten that stewardship involves not only responsibility and privilege but it also involves accountability.

What the steward is probably doing is discounting the face value of notes by suspending the interest charges.

It is obvious that Jesus is not commending this man for being underhanded or dishonest.

THE PRINCIPLES OF SHREWD DISCIPLESHIP

1. We Are Called To Use Opportunities Wisely

Good businessmen, either then or now, see the possibilities and seize the opportunities in the world around them.

Shrewdness about money, will force us to realize that although money can be powerful it is limited, temporary and temporal.

2. We Are Called To Use Material Possessions Faithfully.

I Corinthians 4:2, “2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

3. We Are To Serve God Wholly

The truth about money is that we can either be stewards of it or we can be servants of it.

How Are You Doing With Your Stewardship?

• In the Area of Material Possessions?
• In the Area of Time?
• In the Area of Gifts and Abilities?
• In the Area of the Gospel?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:31 — 14.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Older Brother
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 15:25-32
Duration: 30:31
Size: 13.9 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Older Brother
Luke 15:25-32

But the most important part of the parable is really how the story ends: with the self-righteous older son refusing to share in his father’s welcome.

We will do almost anything, suffer almost any hardship, travel almost any distance, to get where we all eventually want to be: home.

I. The Older Son’s Absence

He was oblivious to what had just transpired at home between his father and his younger brother.

II. The Older Son’s Anger

The older son was angry because the younger son had been accepted into a relationship with the father.

III. The Father’s Appeal

Like he did with the younger son, he publicly humbled himself to go to his older son and find yet another lost son.

IV. The Older Son’s Answer

The older son had served his father many years and never disobeyed his command. But, he did not do so because he loved his father.

All these years the older son had been serving his father for what he could get from him.

V. The Father’s Assertion

Jesus did not end the parable. Jesus wanted them – and all of us too – to consider how to respond to the invitation to join the banquet.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:15 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Gracious Father
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 15:17-24
Duration: 22:15
Size: 10.1 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Gracious Father
Luke 15:17-24

This parable in Luke 15 is the most beautiful illustration in all of Scripture about God’s joy over the recovery of lost sinners.

The parable of the lost son is a dramatic illustration of the love of a father for his son, and wants him back.

I. The Younger Son’s Plan

Eventually, the younger son was so hungry that he came up with another plan.

If the younger son repents and makes his way home by his own efforts, then the third part of the parable is exactly opposite to the first and second part of the parable.

The younger son thought that if he softened his father’s heart with his apologetic statement, he could present his plan to be treated as one of his father’s hired servants.

II. The Father’s Welcome

A. He Receives His Son

He knew that if he were to get to his son before any of the villagers, and publicly receive him and welcome him, then no one in the village would treat his son badly.

No matter how far we have wandered into the far country of sin, God welcomes sinners to himself.

You see, the father did not demonstrate grace in response to his son’s repentance. No, the son demonstrated repentance in response to his father’s grace.

B. He Celebrates His Son

In response to the father’s love and grace, he has repented and reconciled the relationship with his father.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:58 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Younger Brother
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 15:11-16
Duration: 20:58
Size: 9.60 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Younger Brother
Luke 15:11-16

Astonishingly, Jesus’ message about the kingdom of God and how to enter it resonated not with the religious people of his day but rather with the irreligious people.

However, the parable is really not about a “prodigal son”, it is about a gracious father and two sons.

Sin never delivers what it promises, and the pleasurable life sinners think they are pursuing always turns out to be precisely the opposite: a hard road that inevitably leads to ruin and the ultimate, literal dead end.

I. The Younger Son’s Demand

The division of the father’s wealth normally came at the end of his life.

The younger son has broken the relationship and not the law.

God grants us freedom, even to reject his love.

II. The Younger Son’s Departure

The younger son left the village and his father and older brother, he was very aware that if he lost any money, the entire village would cut him off forever.

Surely, we who know our heavenly father should do all we can to facilitate reconciliation between him and our lost brothers and sisters.

III. The Younger Son’s Decline

When people are rebelling against God, they are certainly squandering his gifts to them.

IV. The Younger Son’s Destitution

At this point, he should have stopped and realized that he was a rebel against his father.

Sin is like that. Satan lures us into doing things that seem satisfying and fulfilling at first. But, eventually, they no longer satisfy. And we are left alone in our misery.

Stop running.

Turn to Him.

Receive His grace.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:00 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Lost Coin
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 15:8-10
Duration: 23:00
Size: 10.5 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Lost Coin
Luke 15:8-10

The parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son in Luke 15 is the most beautiful illustration in all of Scripture about God’s joy over the recovery of lost sinners.

All three parts of the parable in Luke 15 make the same basic point. In each story something is lost, sought, found, and celebrated.

I. The Woman’s Search

Faced with walls, floor, and a ceiling constructed of black stone, and with almost no light from three-inch ventilation slits, it is little wonder the woman had to light a lamp and search diligently for her coin.

The reason is simple: women were as important to him as men.

The three personal, compassionate metaphors for God in the Psalms are: Shepherd, Mother, and Father.

So, Jesus used the trilogy of Old Testament metaphors about a compassionate and personal God in the parable of Luke 15 in the persons of the shepherd, the woman, and the father.

II. The Woman’s Success

He is intentional and deliberate and diligent in searching for the lost. And he always succeeds in finding the lost!

III. The Woman’s Celebration

A. There Is Celebration on Earth

When we lose something and then find it, we want others to share in our joy.

B. There Is Celebration in Heaven

It is God who is rejoicing before the angels. God is filled with joy when a sinner repents of his or her sin.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:11 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Lost Sheep
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 15:4-7
Duration: 22:11
Size: 10.1 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Lost Sheep
Luke 15:4-7

Psalm 23 was written by David. David realized that the loving care he gave his sheep was like the loving care he received from God.

According to God’s prophets, God’s sheep were lost. But the prophets also proclaimed God’s remedy:

Jesus constantly told them that entrance into the kingdom of God was through faith in him and repentance from sin.

The parable began with Jesus as the Good Shepherd who finds the lost sheep.

I. The Shepherd’s Search

Bailey points out that the context for this part of the parable seems to be a village community.

Of course, the shepherd goes after the one that is lost, until he finds it.

When the shepherd pays a high price to find the one, he thereby offers the profoundest security to the many.

Jesus will find every single lost sheep. Not one will be left in the wilderness. Not one will perish. Is that not encouraging?

II. The Shepherd’s Success

The caring shepherd picks up the lost sheep and carries it all the way home. But, instead of doing it grudgingly, he does so rejoicing!

III. The Shepherd’s Celebration

A. There Is Celebration on Earth

As a community of God’s people, we should be deeply concerned about lost people. And when Jesus finds a lost sinner, we should all rejoice that a lost sinner is saved.

B. There Is Celebration in Heaven

But when a sinner repents, all heaven rejoices! Isn’t that encouraging?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (9.2MB)

Sermon Audio: The Lost Chapter
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 15:1-3
Duration: 20:05
Size: 9.19 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Lost Chapter
Luke 15:1-3

It has been called “the gospel in the gospel,” as if it contained the very distilled essence of the good news which Jesus came to tell.

I. The Approach by the Irreligious

Immediately after setting down the costly terms of discipleship, Luke noted in Luke 15:1 that now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus.

In Luke’s Gospel, the Pharisees and the scribes perceived sinners “as forfeiting their relationship to God because of a lifestyle unfaithful to God’s law.”

Do you know anyone who is not yet a Christian?

Will you care enough for that person and have something to say to him or her about the good news

of the gospel?

II. The Grumbling by the Religious

So, according to the Pharisees and the scribes, Jesus should not be associating with tax collectors and sinners, let alone be eating with them.

We who are active in the life and worship of our church need to ask ourselves whether we are like the Pharisees and the scribes.

III. The Parable by the Savior

In each story – of the sheep, the coin, and the son – something is lost, sought, found, and followed by rejoicing.

The plain meaning of the chapter is that just as there is joy when any shepherd or any housewife or any father recovers a loss, so there is joy in heaven when a sinner is reunited with God.

Do you share in Jesus’ joy for the salvation of the lost?