Bind A Wild Man
Context: The stilling of the tempest. Mark 5:1-20, Matt. 8:28-34, Luke 8:22-40 I: The Country of Gadara: 1. It was a farming country. 2. There were beautiful places of pleasure. 3. But there was a dreaded drawback. 4. The stillness of the night was broken by the cries of a demon possessed man. (Eagle’s scream, a panther’s snarl, a hungry lion’s roar, the cry or the moan of a tormented soul). 5. It was dangerous to go near the graveyard. II: The Wild Man Broke their Bonds. 1. They had tried to keep him tied. 2. He was wild as a leopard. 3. He cut himself with stones and tore his clothes from him 4. He was a sorrow to his family and a terror to his community. III: Then Jesus Came! Jesus Binds the Wild Man. 1. A few hours before he had calmed the...
Because There Was No Room
It was a troubled world on that Christmas long ago. Luke 2:1-7, John 1:1-12 I: No Room for Jesus. 1. The nice homes and hotels had no room. 2. Roman’s were busy conquering the world. 3. Greeks busy with their learning. 4. A flood of pagan religions. 5. The recipients of God’s special care were narrow and blind to the world about them. II: But Some Made Room. 1. Zacharia and Elizabeth. 2. Joseph and Mary. 3. Angels and Shepherds. 4. Wise men and the Stars. III: Our Modern World. 1. No room at the conference table of Nations. 2. Crowded out of public life. 3. Business moves without him. 4. War and roomer’s of War but no time for Christ. IV: But Some Make Room for Him. 1. Missionaries of every kind. 2. Churches and the faithful members. 3. Hearts...
Are We Too Respectable?
Luke 15:1-32 – “Does Religion make a difference? Air Bases up in Japan and Arabia have their religions. Why bother them with ours?” I: The Ministry of Jesus Was Marked by Scandal. 1. All his life he lived under the shadow of the Virgin birth. 2. His preaching offended the Church Officials. 3. He kept company with sinners. 4. He never compromised the gospel to gain a following. 5. He was crucified and put to open shame by religious leaders. II: The Early Christians Were Not Very Respectable. 1. In their first revival they were accused of being drunk. 2. They were ignored because they were a small group. 3. When they turned the world upside down they were put to shame and death. 4. They took the gospel from house to house at the cost of all they...
An Ancient Toast
“I drink to one.” he said, “whose image never may depart. Deep graven on a grateful heart till memory is dead.” To one whose love, for me shall last. When lighter passions shall have passed. So holy tis, and true, to one whose love hath longer dwelt. More deeply fixed, more keenly felt, than any pledged by you. Each guest upstarted at the word, and laid a hand upon his sword. With fiery flashing eye, and Stanley said; “We crave the name, Proud Knight, of this most peerless dame, whose love you count so high.” St. Leon paused, as if he would not breathe her name in careless mood, thus lightly to another. Then bent his noble head as though to give that name the reverence due, and gently said, “My mother!”
A New Heart
“Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Psa. 51:10 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Prov. 4:23 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seethe not as man seethe, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Sam. 1 16:7 Eric Johnston, Feb. 25, 1958 Rally of groups and interest induced pressure on behalf of America’s multi-billion dollar program of foreign aid, representatives of Protestants, Catholic, and Jews. The Marxist view is: “Societies are changed from without, and that the individual is changed in accordance with the exchanges in external environment.” Our foreign aid has tried to...
A Mountaintop Experience
Matthew 5: Isaiah 55:1-2 I: “Blessed are the Poor in Spirit.” 1. We must know that our buckets are empty. 2. We must know that we are poor. 3. No felt need, no desire to be met! 4. Only the hungry can be fed spiritual food. a. No forced feeding! b. No nurture from our veins, but from His veins. II: “Those Who Mourn” vs. 4 1. Why would God’s people mourn? a. They were to weep over loved ones. b. They were to weep over neighbors. c. They were to weep over nation. “Give me Scotland or I die.” 2. Paul mourned over his people. 3. Mourn over spiritual death. Mourn over spiritual suicide. 4. Mourn over our own spiritual condition, indifference, lack of commitment, loose tongues, no conscience for a lost world. “Out of the...
A Hopeless Sin
Earn that, hear lest, eyes that see not. Luke 15:11-32 I: Jesus Confronted With it: 1. The self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees condemned him for association with sinners, but felt no need of healing for themselves. Luke 5:27-32 2. The prayer of the Pharisee. Luke 18: 3. The early Church — Peter and others. II: Self-Satisfied People: 1. The people who gave Jesus the most trouble were not sinners. 2. The most hopeless people were not Publicans and sinners. 3. The people that planned His crucifixion were not the outcast. III: Self-righteous Older Brother: 1. No concern when his brother left hoe. 2. He never spent an hour of agonizing prayer for his return. 3. He lost no sleep nor missed one’s hour of work over his lost brother. 4. Bad news of the...
A City Set On A Hill
Have you ever rejoiced to see a city at night from a distance? (Tulsa, 1933) Matt. 5:12-14 I: Influence of Christians. 1. Like salt, taste, and flavor to life and preserves from rot. a. Must not lose its taste. b. Natural salt is no good. We must have more than the appearance. c. Salt must penetrate our whole Christian life. 2. “Ye are the light.” a. Light is essential to life. b. Light keeps us from stumbling. c. Light rejoices the eyes of the lost man. II. A City Set On A Hill Shows In the Window. 1. The Christian should never object to being watched! 2. The weary traveler rejoiced to see the lights of the city. 3. A Christian set on a hill is like a city of refuge. 4. To fail to shine might cause some brother to miss the refuge and die. 5. Our...
Lost without Compassion
Nothing is more useless than salt that has lost it’s saltness. Luke 15:1 I: “The Pharisees and Scribes Murmured.” 1. Who murmured? 2. Pharisees, “Separated by special works. (150 BC).” a. Their influence was very great, ruling the Sanhedrin and all Jewish society except the slight opposition of Sadducees. b. An oath taken: “Not to eat of anything that had not been tithed.” c. Their social meals modeled after the passover supper. 3. There are 7 kinds of Pharisees. a. “Keep the law for what it will profit them.” b. “Tumblers: Always hanging down the head and dragging the feet.” c. Bleeders: Who to avoid looking at women shut their eyes, and see bumped their heads. d. Mortars: Wearing caps in the form...
Lost Individually
In this busy world we have almost lost sight of the individual. Visitation was a mark of Pantalets. Everybody prayed and witnessed. Human stood up and prayed. Luke 15:1-24 I: Jesus Never Lost Sight of Individuals. 1. Although he fed the multitude he used a boy’s lunch. 2. He wept over Jerusalem, but sought out the individual. 3. He unfolded the miracle of the New Birth to an individual. 4. The woman at the well had his personal attention. 5. The thief on the cross was dealt with as an individual. II: The Parable of Lost Things. 1. The lost sheep: a. This sheep had gone astray (stupidity). b. This Shepherd sought until he found him. c. There was rejoicing of the friends over the sheep that was found. 2. The lost coin: a. This coin was lost because of...
Lord I Believe
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the title deed to the promises of God. Faith is as essential to the Christian life as blood to the body. I did not see God swing the world’s into space but I believe that He did. I was not there when he put the stars in the heavens, but I believe he did. I did not hear him say to the ocean, “thus far and no farther,” but I believe he did. I was not present when he commanded the light to shine, but I believe it. When he divided the day from the night, I was not there, but I believe. I did not watch Him when he fashioned man of the dust of the earth, but I believe. I was not present when he caused Adam to sleep and formed Eve from one of his...
“Little but Wise”
“There be pure things which are little up on the earth.” Prov. 30:24-28 I: “They Are Exceeding Wise.” A. “Go to the ant thou sluggard.” In the day and last minute preparation … Prov. 6:6-8 1. The ant works while it is yet day. 2. The ant is not hindered by the playful grasshopper. 3. He is able to look at the long cold winter without fear. B. “The Conies are but as Feeble Folk” In this day and learning of many efforts. 1. He has many names: Little Chief Hare, Rock Rabbit, Whistling are. 2. He is about 7-10 inches long, brown yellow or grey. 3. His habitation is from 8600 feet up and his home is built at the base of a cliff among the rocks. 4. His food consists of leaves, grass, and Herbs. 5. He feeds in groups...
