Tag: Sermon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:03 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Learning To Be Thankful
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 17:11-19
Duration: 19:03
Size: 8.72 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Learning To Be Thankful
Luke 17:11-19

From these ten lepers we can learn some valuable lessons about being thankful.

1. We learn to be thankful when…we think about the fact of how desperate our situation is before we met Jesus.

They were thought to be unclean, and incapable of having a right relationship with God.

2. We learn to be thankful when…we think about the fact of what we have gained.

By obediently making their way to the priest, the lepers were demonstrating that they had faith in the words of Jesus.

3. We learn to be thankful when…we think about the fact that what was done for us could not have been done by us.

This one leper was different than the others. He did three things; he turned back, he began praising God and he fell on his face at the feet of Jesus thanking him.

The more you train yourself to be one who praises, the less mistakes you’re going to make and the less regrets you’re going to have.

4. We Learn To Be Thankful When…We Think About How Much Our Ingratitude Grieves The Heart Of God

There should not be any doubt that when we are not thankful, it grieves the Lord.

While all ten lepers had received physical healing, only this Samaritan had the faith for spiritual healing as well.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:26 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: What Does God Owe Me
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 17:7-10
Duration: 24:26
Size: 11.1 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
What Does God Owe Me
Luke 17:7-10

In America, we have gotten our work ethic a little twisted we don’t just work to make a living; we work for perks.

Even worse, this attitude begins to affect how we look at God; He is just not blessing us like we deserve.

Jesus explodes such thinking with a mini-parable The Parable of the Unworthy Servant in verses 7 through 10.

1. We are Called to Faithfulness in Ordinary Tasks.

We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there.

2. Our Service is Only the Humble Fulfillment of Our Lord’s Legitimate Expectation.

The slave received and deserved no special treatment or thanks for doing his assigned task; they were his duties.

3. We Must Never Have The Attitude That God Owes Us Or Be Upset That God Did Not Do Something We Asked.

God owns us through the right of creation and through the price he paid to redeem us from sin, he thus owns us twice.

Jesus is telling us that we have nothing to get puffed up about, when we actually do as He has asked, this is the way we are supposed to live.

4. God Rewards Faithfulness Not Because He Has To But Because He Wants Too.

It was almost as though I could hear the voice, he leaned down and said, “But you’re not home yet.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:38 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Don’t Be A Stumbling Block
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 17:1-6
Duration: 26:38
Size: 12.1 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Don’t Be A Stumbling Block
Luke 17:1-6

What I choose to do is my business!

First, be careful that you’re not a negative spiritual influence.

Our first responsibility is to make sure that we do not negatively influence other Christians in their walk with God.

Every one of us will influence other Christians so as Jesus said in verse 3, “So watch yourselves…”

Second, be willing to forgive those who have hurt you but have repented.

Closely linked to the responsibility of not causing others to stumble into sin is the responsibility to help them when they do fall.

By being willing to lovingly confront the person who sinned against you.

Jesus is clearly talking about personal hurts done to you by another Christian as the phrase; “sins against you” makes clear.

By extending forgiveness immediately to the person who hurt you, if they repent.

We need to recognize that forgiveness is as much for our benefit as it is for the offender,

By being ready to forgive repeated failures.

So regardless of the personal nature of the offense or even in the event of the repetition of the offense, if the other person repents, you are to forgive them.

The problem was not the size of their faith but their willingness to forgive.

By Recognizing that forgiveness is not a matter of ability but of willingness.

The disciples are right in understanding that the kind of forgiveness that Jesus is calling for cannot happen apart from a work of the Holy Spirit, but they are wrong in their understanding of the nature of faith.

1. Be careful that you’re not a negative spiritual influence.
2. Be forgiving of those who have hurt you but have repented.

• By Being willing to lovingly confront the person who sinned against you.
• By Extending forgiveness to those who have hurt you but have repented.
• By Being ready to forgive repeated failures.
• By Recognizing that forgiveness is not a matter of ability but of willingness.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:19 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: What If Hell Is Real
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 16:19-31
Duration: 23:19
Size: 10.6 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
What If Hell Is Real
Luke 16:19-31

Your not believing in Hell don’t lower the temperature there one degree.

I. THE COMPARISON BEFORE DEATH

The rich man could have easily assisted Lazarus, but he ignored him and went on enjoying his recognition and his riches.

II. THE COMPARISON AFTER DEATH

The revelation of where each man ended up after death would have astonished Jesus’ original audience and shattered their long held assumptions about wealth being a sign of Gods’ favor and blessings.

III. THE CORRECTION OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HELL

Misconception #1

Hell is nothingness we will just sees to exist, hearing, seeing and feeling nothing.

Misconception #2

Not realizing that the choices we make in this life fix our destiny in the next.

Misconception #3

After I spend some time in Hell I will be able to get out.

Misconception #4

Hell won’t be so bad, I’ll be there with my buddies.

Once we have that matter established in our own lives then we must think of others.

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?