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Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Disaster Looms: The Temple Is Not the Answer Jeremiah 5-9 Introduction: Reading these chapters we see God giving Jeremiah a justification for the destruction of the nation. In the end, Jeremiah is totally appalled as God pulls back the curtain and reveals the utter sinfulness of the people and their refusal to listen to God. Chapter Five: Introductory Description of Israel’s Stubbornness 5:1 Search the city to see if you can find a man who does justice and seeks truth. God had promised Abraham that he would spare Sodom if just 10 righteous could be found in the city. With Jerusalem, God says, “Just find one!” 5:3 No punishment or severe consequences of their sin will change them. 5:7-8 “How can I pardon you?” They are full of adultery, as lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife. 5:12-13 The people mock God. “He will do nothing…the prophets will become wind…” 5:15-17 Description of the invasion 5:19 Why will God destroy them? “As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.” 5:22-23 Even the powerful seas obey the command of the Lord, “but this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart.” 5:28 They do not give justice to the fatherless or defend the rights of the needy. 5:30-31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?” Chapter Six: Disaster Comes! 6:1-6 Description of the invasion. God is directing the attack! 6:7 illustrates the nature of sin. As a well continues to provide fresh water, so the people continue to come up with more evil. That is the way sin is. Sin pushes back on the idea of “just a little.” Sin says, “There’s more to see; there’s more to experience; don’t miss out!” (Like Facebook) 6:10 God tries to give a warning. But his word is an object of scorn. “They take no pleasure in it.” Good question: do we take pleasure in the word of the Lord? 6:13-15 “They [prophet & priest] have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is not peace.” Prophet and priest treats the people’s sins as if they are nothing; not a big deal. There won’t be consequences. That’s because they are making money from the sacrifices! They commit abominations before the Lord, but they are not at all ashamed nor to they blush. Such callousness is the reason sin is so dangerous! 6:16 “Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is…” God doesn’t keep “revealing” his ways and his laws. They have been revealed long ago, and he has not changed. 6:20 We can’t pay God off with expensive gifts or sacrifices! This may have been the result of Josiah’s restoration. But the hearts of the people had not changed. 6:23 They are coming! They are cruel and have no mercy…against you, O daughter of Zion! 6:27-30 Jeremiah, a tester of metals. When Jeremiah preached God’s word to them, he was testing their hearts, exposing their character. God proclaimed that they are “bronze and iron,” that is, resistant and hardened, not like gold and silver that can be purified. The “fire bellows fiercely” against them and the lead is consumed, but these wicked are not affected. God has tried to purify the people, but they cannot be purified. Therefore, they all will be taken away. Chapter 7 The Temple Has Become an Idol (Jeremiah’s speech at the gate of the temple to those who enter to worship the Lord) “Worship” describes bowing down to someone higher and acknowledging total dependence on God. But the physical action of bowing and the words from the lips of proclaiming praise is not the true essence of worship. 7:3-4 Trusting in the “temple of the Lord.” How foolish and stubborn the Sanhedrin Council in the days of Stephen (Acts 7)! Do we today put our trust in, “we go to church and worship” while our ways and deeds have not changed? 7:3-4 “Amend your ways and your deeds”—now that is worship! 7:21-26 I didn’t ask for sacrifices. I commanded, “Obey my voice…” 7:25 “I have persistently sent my servants the prophets…yet they did not listen.” How persistent has God been with us? All 66 books! How many Christians have lived their whole lives only knowing a third of that? (NT is a third) Lesson: Are God’s laws and commandments something negative to you? Do you look at them as restrictions to the life you would like to live? Is seeking God in diligent study, praying and seeking his heart, and coming to worship to draw closer to him and to each other a burden? Do you evaluate serving God on the basis of finding the minimum you have to do? 7:30–8:3 They have put their detestable things in the house of the Lord and built high places of Topheth (“stove or oven”) in the Valley of Hinnom. It will soon be called the Valley of Slaughter! Chapter Eight: Sinfulness Makes No Sense 8:4-7 “when men fall, do they not rise again?” They do evil like a horse plunging into battle without considering the conseq

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Freedom! Detachment from Sin Introduction: Romans 12:9 “Abhor what is evil; cleave to what is good.” How are you doing with that command? Please note, Paul’s inspired command does not say, “Don’t do what is evil,” it says, “Abhor it.” There are many temptations to sin that we try not to do and succeed in not doing, but that does not mean we abhor the sin. You will notice, the text contains an extreme contrast: “abhor” and “cleave” (“glue, weld together, adhere, attach oneself to”). To the extent that we cleave/hold fast to what is good, the more we are able to abhor what is evil. The word detachment, though not specifically used, is a good description of the verse. The only way to abhor something is to become completely detached from it. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Jesus admonition is, your love for him is to be so great, that to challenge that love or in any way suggest a competing love, should have a reaction of hate. Matthew 6:25-33 Even though Jesus is dealing with things we need to live on this earth, notice how he turns our minds away from those needs to concentrate on the Kingdom and righteousness. Again, there is abhorring anxiousness in favor of seeking first the kingdom. The Battle with Our Desires Why are we tempted? Why does the desire seem so strong? We were created to seek inner fulfillment (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14 “And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.”). Satan urges us to seek fulfillment with empty promises. The sin or diversion from God never meets up to the possibilities the mind has created. In fact, every time the sin is committed, it disappoints more than it did previously. We are using a person or a thing to fill an inner void which never can be filled apart from God. Look at it rationally, we can realize that these uncontrolled appetites damage us in two ways: They deprive us of enjoying God and what truly satisfies. These desires torment us and corrupt our minds until we are enslaved by them. The problem is: “It is extremely difficult to deny ourselves what we truly desire.” We may occasionally have success in overcoming our desires, but it is unlikely that we will consistently conquer those desires. What can be done? What if we could rid ourselves of those appetites? If the appetite is extinguished, there will no longer be a desire to feed on those sinful pleasures. But is that possible? It is not possible to escape all temptation, but it is possible to no longer have an appetite for that which Satan tempts us. That is exactly what God argues we can do (Colossians 3:1-7; Ephesians 4:17-24). In fact, did Jesus really want to jump off the temple, turn the stones to bread, or fall down and worship the devil? No! He conquers the temptation because his desire for the Father is intensely passionate beyond any other desire. Our problem and humanity’s problem is that we think we can overcome by simply refusing a pleasure that our heart desires. We are trying to fix the wrong thing. It is the heart’s desires that need fixing, not simply the will-power (Matt. 5:21-28). We will never be successful in fighting a sin if we do not stop the craving. The problem with our present cultural arguments: Our culture celebrates their attractions/desires and identifies with them as special and so compelling that anything but fulfillment is unfair and cheating them out of a fulfilling life. In regard to sexuality, regardless of one’s sexual attractions, every human has had to deal with sexual sins and fight the desires of the mind. God made us with desires! He also gave us right and wrong ways to fulfill the desires. All desires can partially be fulfilled now but ultimately fulfilled in eternity with the Lord — “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). God’s argument in scripture is not that temptations to sin will go away, but that we are able to conquer those desires through Christ. Genesis 4:7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Every Earthly Desire Disappoints (Isaiah 55:1-3) Only God is a sure thing. Only God can and will provide for our emotional and physical needs. God intentionally m

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Gospel of Christ Crucified 1 Corinthians 1–2 Introduction: If you were asked what the primary sin-problem confronting the Corinthians, I’m sure most of you would immediately answer that it was a problem of being divisive. Paul said it plainly in the opening of his letter (1:10): “I appeal to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” That solved it! Well, no. How can a church that won’t even eat the Lord’s Supper together, just be told to stop it, and then it happens? Even if you are very familiar with our text, Paul’s teaching about the wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of man usually diverts our attention away from the subject of division. In other words, if a church called you and said, “We need help. Our church is full of division, would you come and help,” would you do a study of chapter two of 1 Corinthians with an exposition of the gospel of the cross? Quickly notice some of Paul’s key statements that will give you a feel of his foundational message on division: 1:17-18 “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1:20-21 “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” 2:1-4 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 2:6-9 “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” Now, having read those texts, would you say that Paul is correcting the divisions of the Corinthian church? Everything in this text has to do with the gospel of Christ crucified. But how is that an answer to division? That is the message we want to discover this morning. It is a message that will expose and correct every division within a church. Becoming Familiar with the Message of the Text First, Paul’s emphasis is on the cross of Christ and that the message of the cross is foolish to those who hold to worldly wisdom including both Jews and Greeks. But the cross is our power to salvation (1:22-24). Second, Paul admits that it was God’s intention to preach a “foolish” message to save the world (1:21). Third, this foolish message preached is a revelation of the thoughts and words of God, and could never have been thought of or discovered by a human mind. Not even the most exalted human could have understood what was hidden in the mind of God “before the ages for our glory” (2:7). Fourth, the thoughts of the mind of God have only been revealed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit alone has access, and he alone chooses to whom the message will be revealed (2:10-13). Further, God has used the Spirit to reveal to the apostles and prophets the words of the Spirit, not the words of human thought. Fifth, Paul stresses a contrast between two kinds of “wisdom.” There are those who are wise according to this world’s standards, and there are those who have rejected the wisdom of this world in favor of the “foolishness” of the wisdom of God, the foolishness of Christ crucified (2:6). These two “wisdoms” are opposed to one another. Sixth, those who hold to the wisdom of the world cannot understand, nor will they accept the wisdom taught by the Spirit (2:13-14). Seventh, only the “mature, spiritual person” (one who has accepted the things of the Spirit) can understand and receive the words of the Spirit because those words are spiritually discerned. A “natural man” cannot understand the hidden message of God because he is not spiritually discerning (2:14-15). Eighth, and possibly most importantly, Paul refused to preach this message with lofty speech or wisdom or plausible words of wisdom as was being done by the Corinthian sophists. Though Paul’s preaching was considered unim

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Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Jeremiah: God’s Call to Repentance 3:1—4:4 Introduction: “Repentance,” how often do you think about it? The whole concept probably does not cross our minds very often. However, repentance is one of those commands that should be an ongoing, regular part of our lives. If we ask God for forgiveness every day, repentance should be on our minds. Possibly our major problem with the concept of repentance is that we think it means being sorry for something we did. We could only wish it was that easy! It is not. Repentance is changing the very core of who we are, and change is not easy. This section of Jeremiah calls upon God’s people to change. But their challenge comes from the fact that they have been practicing their lifestyle for generations. Mom and dad lived this way and so did grandma and grandpa. Day to day life is embedded in who they are, and their culture continues to reinforce their failures. Nothing has changed. Everyone of us has faults, flaws, weaknesses and habits that are not in favor with God. And we ignore these things within us, even nurture them and protect them. God’s Call to Repentance: Overview God gives no doubt as to the message of this section. The key Hebrew word used 17 times in this section in different forms is sub (pronounced ‘shoove’). Depending on context, the word means to “turn or return.” Used negatively it is Israel “turning away” from God. It is also translated “faithless.” For example, 3:22 read more literally, “Turn, you turning away sons, and I will heal your turnings.” Used positively, the word is translated “return,” as in repentance. Israel had turned away, but now they are called upon to “turn back.” 4:1 gives an example of this turning, “If you return, O Israel…to me you should return.” You can see God’s point. Israel had a tendency to “turn” in this way and that, from one idol to another and from one nation to another for help. God’s plea is, if you are going to turn, turn to me! God Exposes Israel’s Turning Away, 3:1-20 1-5 The Lord quotes from Deuteronomy 24:1-4. This law was given to stop the misuse of wives trading them back and forth to other men and then bringing them back. It was considered an abomination. This was the way Israel was treating God: “you have played the whore with many lovers and would you return to me?” (3:1). Did this mean it was impossible for them to return to God? Obviously not because this is God’s plea. But their return must be with their whole heart 3:10, and not in pretense. Oh how this is still done today! How can we even think of paying homage to God, pretending to be thankful in the eating of his body and the drinking of his blood, but then giving ourselves to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and then in the pride of our hearts act as if God is accepting us! 2-5 describes the lustfulness of the nation toward their idols. They have been a brazen prostitute, sitting alone like in a wilderness, willing to be ravished by anyone who passed by. They have the “forehead of a whore,” indicating their boldness in their sins and refusal to be ashamed. And yet they are so brazen that they will speak to God with words of love as if their harlotry has been a minor issue and that God’s anger should not endure. 3:5b indicates how God is appalled at their words, “Behold you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could.” We would say, “You are a joke, Israel!” 6-14 Notice how God refers to Israel as “faithless one,” that is, “Turning away” one. God had hoped that after she had her fill of her whoredoms that she would “return” to me.” But not only did she not turn back to God, her sister Judah saw what she did, and in spite of God divorcing Israel by sending her away, Judah followed in the path of Israel’s harlotry. Judah became so bad that she was worse than Israel. So much worse that God even calls Israel to “return, faithless (turning)” Israel. God would happily have her back if she would “acknowledge her guilt.” 15-20 The Lord looks ahead to speak of future blessings if his people will truly repent. This section obviously sees God’s blessings in the Messiah and his kingdom. God will provide good shepherds who will feed them with spiritual knowledge and understanding. God will multiply them and they will be fruitful (clearly and evangelistic blessing). The loss of the ark of the covenant will no longer be a care because the new Jerusalem will be the throne of God (not the throne of a physical, temporary king). When this happens, the nations will be gathered to the Lord in the new Jerusalem. The people’s hearts will be changed. They will no longer stubbornly follow their own evil heart. They will be united as one nation; no longer a divided kingdom. 19-20 The previous blessings remind God of what he had originally planned for the nation. They would be his sons and daughters and they will call him Father, and they would not “turn” from following him. But instead they had been a

Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Call and Message of Jeremiah Chapters 1-2 Introduction: Jeremiah is a unique prophet in many ways. God called him when he is young, at least in his early twenties. He is called to live a hard and difficult life. He is hated by his own people, and kings desired to kill him in spite of the fact that his message was intended to save them. The heart of Jeremiah is what is most moving. In reading the book, it is not long before your heart becomes wedded to his and that every emotion he feels and every hurt he endures, becomes your emotion and your hurt. Soon you realize that what you are experiencing is not just Jeremiah’s heart, but the heart of God himself reflected in his prophet. Please participate in the readings this year. You will travel through great valleys, but in the end you will ascend to the mountain top with God. Overview of the last kings of Judah during Jeremiah’s ministry Reigns of the final kings of Judah Manasseh: 696–642 Amon: 642–640 Josiah: 640–609 (Jeremiah’s ministry begins in the 13th year of Josiah: 627–586) Jehoahaz: 609 (3 months). Deported to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho Jehoiakim: 609–597 Put on the throne by Necho 605: Babylon defeated Egypt at the battle of Carchemish Jehoiakim served Nebuchadnezzar until 597 when he rebelled and is killed Jehoiachin 597 (3 months): taken and imprisoned in Babylon for 35 years until Evil-merodach mercifully freed him (2 Kings 25:27) Zedekiah 597–586: Puppet king to Nebuchadnezzar. Rebels in 588 and after an 18 month siege, Jerusalem and the temple are overthrown. Though the first half of Jeremiah’s ministry is during Josiah’s reforms, it is evident by Jeremiah’s message that the heart of the people is unchanged. The message: External reforms did not achieve the change of heart God demands. The last half of Jeremiah’s ministry (chapters 21ff) are the worst for him since he is now dealing with the wicked sons of Josiah as kings. Jeremiah is treated as a traitor and accused of treason for urging Zedekiah to submit to Nebuchadnezzar according to the word of the Lord. But Zedekiah’s advisors believe that Jerusalem cannot be conquered, and therefore their rebellion becomes the demise of the nation. Key Messages & Lessons: Chapter One 1:4 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…I consecrated you…” Do you believe that could be said of you? Has God formed you, knew you, and consecrated you before you were born? “…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:4-6) Go home and look in the mirror. Look deeply and carefully. You have a purpose. You were created for a purpose. Consider the amazing blessing God desired for you and planned for you. He specially appointed and chose you to be a part of an eternal plan and to exalt you above the angels. You may look in the mirror and see someone you do not like, someone who you know has failed the purpose for which God created you. We’ve all been there. Now is the time to step up and meet that purpose. One day at a time, rebuild your life to please God. The above is so easily said, but the effort needed is very difficult, especially in the beginning as you change old habits. Here is a “simple” daily schedule that must be followed if you are to succeed: Prayer! “Ask and you will receive…” Read one chapter a day with a pencil, with notes of discoveries in a journal. Uncomfortable at first? Yes, if you’ve never done it. But this is absolutely necessary if God is going to renew your mind! 1:6-8 “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth…do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.” God accepts no excuses! Jeremiah was young, very young—barely in his twenties. He had a lot of reasons why he shouldn’t be the one who challenged kings. But that is the point! God never has looked for the “mighty” and the “talented.” God uses those who know that the power resides in God alone. We are nothing. But with God and the faith of the grain of mustard seed, mountains are moved. Do not look to yourself. That will only demoralize you and cause you to lose hope. Look to God. There is no failure with God. Never has been! 1:16 “And I will declare my judgments against them; for all their evil in forsaking me.” It is important that we always ask ourselves this question: Am I forsaking the Lord? There is a simple rule of thumb here—when our hearts are turned to other things, and the Lord is not our priority, we are forsaking him. The only outcome is our own failed idolatry. Key Messages & Lessons: Chapter Two 2:1-3 The violation of love and the marriage covenant This is a picture of love and the initial covenantal marriage of God with Israel. It is important to feel the Lord’s heart and love as he looks b

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville “And He Gave Evangelists…” (2) Introduction: What would you say are the top four greatest needs in God’s kingdom today? I’m sure we could all come up with good answers to that question. I will give you my top four: The first is obvious: Christians who are passionate about knowing God, loving God, and loving lost souls. Moms and Dads who raise their children to pursue the one true God and bring all other pursuits in service to him. Elders who equip and shepherd the flock, not “exercise authority of them” (Matthew 20:25, 1 Peter 5:1-4). Evangelists who actually “do the work of an evangelist” as outlined by Paul in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul told us that these last two needs, along with the apostles and prophets, were gifts Christ gave to the church for the equipping of the saints, to bring them to maturity in order to cause the growth of the body (Ephesians 4:11-16). These lessons are about gaining a better understanding of the need for evangelists in God’s kingdom and what we can do to encourage a desire to do this work. Recap from the First Lesson When we study Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, we cannot miss the challenge and the extensive nature of the work. Just as God set aside the tribe of Levi to spend their lives teaching Israel, so he gave “evangelists, shepherds and teachers” to the church to equip and grow the body. The failure of the Levites to fulfill their purpose led to the failure of the whole nation to live up to God’s purpose. Today, God did not appoint a whole tribe, he appointed individuals who give their lives to bring the gospel message both to equip Christians and to spearhead reaching lost souls. But the shortage of evangelists is becoming more and more apparent. Paul’s Overview of the Work: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 Vs. 6: “…trained in the words of faith…” 7-8: “…train yourself for godliness” 11: “Command and teach these things.” 12: “Set the believers an example…” 13: “Devote yourself to the public reading of the Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” 14: “Do not neglect the gift…” 15: “Practice these things, immerse yourself in in them…” 16: “Keep close watch…Persist in this…” Conclusion: These are not things that can be done by men who hold a secular job. Why Not Be Content with the Men Preaching? “Preaching” is not “doing the work of an evangelist” It was not God’s design (Ephesian 4:11-12) Who will go out at night to teach the lost? Who will teach the lost in the daytime? Who will train and equip the church to do their part in evangelism efforts? Who will train more men to be evangelists? The Result: whole churches are being trained to neglect the lost and be content with the “99” (Matt. 18) What Keeps Men from Preaching? First, the increasing wealthiness of our culture, which is enticing to young, college age men. The possibilities of living a comfortable and prosperous life are all around them. In conjunction with the above, relying on a church for wages feels uncomfortable and unstable to a man who plans to be married and raise a family. This is especially true when these same young men have repeatedly witnessed churches discharge a preacher every few years. (Of course that is not exclusive to preaching!) Relying on churches for support to work at a church that is not self-supporting. I have had preachers tell me they could never do what I have done and be in a church where they needed outside support. “How can I be confident that the support won’t be dropped on a moment’s notice?” Second, preaching is often not a draw to younger men when they consider the whole church can become their “boss and critic.” Further, they have often seen preachers mistreated. Talk to any older preacher—their greatest trial will have come from their own brethren. Therefore, there are many who have decided to work a secular career job while utilizing opportunities to “preach a sermon” as the need arises. That certainly shouldn’t be considered wrong, but it does contribute to the lack of evangelists. Third, preaching is not a “job,” it is a passion. Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 9:16-17, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.” I trained one man who had wanted to preach from the time he was 14 years old. He went to FC and majored in Bible (not a good idea), and then asked to train with me. I had known him from childhood, and therefore accepted him. After six months I said to him, “I think you would be happier doing something else. What do you think?” He agreed, and went back to school for a secular job. The problem wasn’t that he couldn’t preach a sermon. It was that it wasn’t his passion. Frankly, he hadn’t even learned what it meant to love God with all his heart. Too many young men see preaching as a job. Another young man possibly c

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Be Careful How You Hear (2) How to Understand the Message Introduction: Last week we looked at the emphasis Jesus placed on hearing. He accused the multitudes of having the same dullness and hard heart as their forefathers in Isaiah’s time. However, it is a peculiar rebuke considering the sermon was merely 5 stories without any mention of explanations or applications. Therefore, in this lesson we will explore the method of of the Master Teacher. Jesus used a method that is uncommon today but was common in the first century. Consider Luke 2:46-47 when Jesus at age 12 was in the temple. “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” The text reflects the method of teaching and learning. The scribes are questioning Jesus; they are not simply giving him information. It is not a one-way street. Jesus is listening and asking, but the teachers are also asking Jesus questions. They are testing his knowledge and his desire to learn. Why continue a conversation if he loses interest? Therefore, to understand Jesus and the biblical message, we must understand Jesus’ method of teaching, a method that is usually unfamiliar to the modern reader. Understanding Begins with How Jesus Taught There are many messages in the Parable of the Sower. One of those messages is how aggressive our minds must be in order to learn. Television and other types of media have caused us to be lazy listeners. It is noteworthy that Jesus refers to the secrets/mysteries of the kingdom. When we read a mystery book or watch a mystery movie, what happens? The joy of the mystery is trying to see the clues given in the story in order to find the answer to the mystery. That is what Jesus has done in telling parables, not just the Sower, but 9 parables, five to the multitudes and four more to those who came in the house wanting answers. Add the parables up, meditate on them, and we come to a very good picture of what Jesus has planned for his kingdom. Therefore, this sermon of parables was used by Jesus to engage dull minds in discovering a secret. Isn’t that in many ways the whole method in scripture? There are always embedded messages. Why did God rest on the seventh day? What is marriage about? Why do we read an elaborate story of the Exodus? Mysteries and secrets are echoed time and again and God is urging us to work at discovering the answer. We should say to ourselves, “Wow! How exciting! The God and Creator of the universe is bringing us into an eternal reality show. Want to play? Consider Mark 4:13, “And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?’” Obviously, it was not impossible to understand the parable without Jesus giving an explanation. Challenging, yes, but not impossible. Jesus gave them clues: this is a parable about the coming kingdom (of which the Jews had the wrong belief) and it is a parable about “hearing.” The only other ingredient needed was a knowledge of farming—seed responds differently to different soils and that’s the way the kingdom of God is! That’s not rocket science, but it does need careful meditation. The point is, the possibility of understanding was present in the parable. One of the themes of Mark’s account is the dullness of the apostles and the Jews in general. However, though Jesus gives a mild rebuke to the disciples in the house, he commends them for asking in order to learn and condemns the multitude for not pursuing an answer. With the above knowledge, “why did Jesus speak to them in parables?” Did he expect the multitude to understand? No way! Not even the apostles understood. In fact, at the moment Jesus does not intend for the multitude to understand: “but for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, hear but not understand…” (Mark 4:11-12). He is looking for people who desire to know and learn; people who will come and ask and pursue the greatest offer made to mankind, the Kingdom!—“to you it is given to know, but to those outside it is not given!” Therefore, Jesus purposely does not make everything perfectly understandable to every person on every point. Does that surprise you? We would be appalled if a preacher today gave a sermon of five parables without explanation! The expectation was and is that each person would bring their brain to the study and go into discovery mode and draw conclusions from what they heard and then ask questions and seek answers. Jesus was testing their hearts, testing their desire for the Kingdom of God! Consider some examples; Example: Exodus 3:6 “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Jesus strongly rebuked the Sadducees for not understanding the resurrection based on this verse. Listen to his words, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know nei

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville “And He Gave Evangelists…” (1) Introduction: Many Christians may not be aware of the decreasing number of evangelists and qualified shepherds in our brotherhood. I’m sure most of you would understand the seriousness of this problem. The danger is that when a church has good elders and a good preacher, not much thought is given to the many churches who may not have elders and cannot get it an evangelist,—someone who does more than preach a sermon. This need is not about a “sermon,” it is about what Paul commanded Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” The problem begins with leaders who did not prepare themselves for the work and/or do not place their primary focus on Ephesians 4:1-16. Paul’s direct proclamation in Ephesians 4:11-12 teaches that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers are gifts from Jesus to his body for the equipping of the saints and for the growth of the body, remind us of how important evangelists, shepherds and teachers are to the church. This text is the foundation for growth! In this lesson, we will concentrate more on evangelists than on shepherds because Paul taught in 1 Timothy and Titus that evangelists are required to teach and equip the church so that qualified shepherds can be appointed. Of course, your first response might be, “What does that have to do with me? What could I possibly do to help that situation?” That is the subject of this sermon. There are principles we can all understand better and efforts we can all make to improve us and any other church that we may influence in the future. Disclaimer: Much of what we will discuss in this lesson has often or “generally” taken place in a significant percentage of churches. I am not suggesting that all churches or even a majority of churches are failing their calling. But there certainly is and have been a strong trend toward both preachers and shepherds to fail pursuing the requirements of Ephesians 4:1-16. The Work of Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers (Ephesians 4:11-16) What do you see? Primarily, it bring “the whole body to maturity.” Maturity includes…? Unity of the faith Knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man (not tossed by every wind of doctrine) Able to “speak the truth in love” The whole body knit and joined together so that every part does its share The Pastoral Epistles: Paul’s Challenge to an Evangelist (imagine yourself as Timothy or Titus and being given this charge) 1 Tim. 1:3 “…that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies… The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving rom these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers…” Roles of men and women in the church Modesty (teaching women not to overdress!) Appointing elders/deacons Warning against various departures from the faith Instructing widows and the church concerning widows Instructions to servants and masters Instructions concerning contentment and the love of money Charge the rich… 2 Tim. 2:2 “…what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men/woman who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Tim. 2:14 “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does not good, but only ruins the hearers.” 2 Tim. 4:16 “…avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.” 2 Tim. 4:2-4 “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching…” 2 Tim. 4:5 “…always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Titus 1:5 “This is why I left you at Crete, so that you might set in order things that are wanting…. And appoint elders in every town as I directed you…” Titus 1:10 “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers…they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” Titus 1:12 “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith…” Instruct older men, younger men, older women, younger women, bondservants and masters. Titus 1:15 “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority.” Titus 3:10 “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him…” Titus 3:14 “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” Summarizing the above survey, 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” If you were Timothy or Titus, how do you feel about what you have been called to do? Why the Need for a Full-Time Evangelist? In the OT, God set aside a whole tribe in Israel so th

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Expectation of Our Father: Be Careful How You Hear Introduction: Reading: Matthew 13:18-23. Our text is Jesus’ interpretation of the Parable of the Sower. What is the message? What is the key to the parable? Did you “hear” it? Yes, the message is hearing. The message is when the word is spoken, taught, or preached, what is the condition of the heart, the mind? Jesus said it plainly at the end of the parable: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” In Luke’s account, “he cried out.” When Jesus answered the apostles’ question of why he spoke to the people in parables, his answer was, “…because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” At the conclusion of Mark’s account of the parable, Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear…” (4:24, ASV). “Consider carefully what you hear” (NIV). “Pay close attention to what you hear” (NLT). In Luke’s account (8:18) “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Did you also notice that when the seed is sown, everything depends on the condition of the ground? Ask yourself this question: On this day, did Jesus preach a good sermon or a bad sermon? If you said he preached a good sermon, you would be in the minority. The multitudes believed he preached a bad sermon. They walked away without any desire to understand or to know more about what Jesus taught. They were similar to “wayside ground, stoney ground, or thorny ground.” Therefore, if you evaluated Jesus’ sermon as did the multitudes, why was the sermon bad? It was a bad sermon, because they were bad listeners! Nothing has changed. Sometimes sermons are bad because they do not reflect the message of the scriptures. But many times, sermons are bad because you or I have been bad listeners! Poor Listeners Are Common in the Scriptures The Bible is filled with people who complained about God’s word. There are repeated complaints about the preaching of God’s prophets and even NT teachers, with Jesus being at the top of the list. Isaiah addressed the problem repeatedly, even quoting the people mocking his teaching with the English equivalent of “blah, blah, blah, blah.” Isaiah 28:9-10 “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” The Corinthian teachers mocked Paul’s preaching, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing” (2 Corinthians 10:10). Paul recognized that Timothy would have the same problem when he admonished him to continue teaching with patience regardless of whether it fit the desires of the people because the time was coming when they would “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and would turn away from listening to the truth” (2 Timothy 4:2-4). To these people, what is a good sermon? It is a sermon that fits they desires. Jesus said to the Jews, “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word” (John 8:43). The Present Day Application There are and have been thousands of inept preachers, even in Bible days, and there are today. Many should not even be preaching because they don’t have the passion or desire for learning the scriptures. I had one preacher ask me, “How do you get excited about studying? I really have to force myself to get in the office and at work at it.” I fear there are way too many who preach who have that problem. It is evident in their lessons. That being said, Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles exposed what none of us want to hear: we listeners are a bigger problem than the speaker! Jay Adams states, “In the scriptures, there is more instruction about listening than about preaching and teaching! Leave it to us sinners to reverse things, putting all of the stress on the latter at the expense of the former!” Preaching is not like building a house, fixing a car, or the painting of a great artist. I imagine that every one of us has at some time thought of preaching as if it were a one-way street, as if the responsibility of the biblical message rests solely on the speaker and that you and I have nothing to do with it. But we know better! When Jesus taught the above parables, he clearly showed that teaching and communicating demands competence from both the listener and the teacher. And Jesus put the bulk of the blame on the listener. The heart and ears of the listener can cause a great sermon to be mediocre and what is considered a bad sermon into a great sermon. The preacher must work with people who had a bad night’s sleep, are repeatedly interrupted by their children, are not interested in the message, misunderstand the text or what was said, and even become angry. Unlike c

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Understanding the God of Judgment Introduction: Luke 1:46-55 Unlike the other Gospel accounts, Luke reveals the praises of those who encountered the birth of Jesus. Mary, Elizabeth, Zachariah, the angels, Simeon, and Anna, all join a praise to God for fulfilling his promise to send a Savior. Even though no one knows the actual day when Jesus entered this world, it is appropriate any time of the year to join these praises of Mary and the others for the mercy of God. Therefore, there are two notable principles both Mary and Zachariah revealed in their praise and should cause “joy to the world”: The first is the word mercy. Mercy reminds us that every person who ever lived was and is doomed to an eternity without God. To rejoice in the birth of Jesus and not recognize that the reason is our need for mercy is to demean his coming. Second, verses 51-53 remind us that with Jesus’ coming, there will also be judgment. You cannot have salvation without judgment because if there is no judgment, there is no salvation. The human deficit has always been a lack of acceptance of the seriousness of our sins. We, like Satan, want to believe that even though we have sinned we shall not surely die. That sentiment disregards the fact that though God’s greatest desire is for us to be with him, a holy God cannot dwell with an unholy people. The lesson this morning is to help us understand a God who created a Judgment Day, and why that Judgment Day is a reason to sing, “Joy to the World!” Jesus’ Teaching about Judgment Most people would be surprised to know that Jesus talked about hell more than any writer in the Bible. That will seem odd to most people who say they are believers but do not think that God would punish anyone in hell. Even more shocking is to actually read Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:31-32, 41, 46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left…Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Please note, what we just read are the final teachings of Jesus concerning his rule as the King of kings. Imagine! His last words give this stark warning! But lest you think it was a rare caution Jesus gave, consider that losing life found in his kingdom and instead suffering in hell was also his first warning and continual warning. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), the introductory manifesto of his kingdom, Jesus warns of losing life and ending up in hell at least six times. “…unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (5:20) “…everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. (5:22) “…If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (5:29-30) “… but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (6:15) “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (7:13-14) “…Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (7:19) “…On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (7:22-23) In Matthew 13, Jesus gave nine parables about the kingdom (including the “Seed Growing Secretly, Mark 4). In 6 of the 9 parables Jesus warned against losing the treasure found within his kingdom. Someone might think, “Well, losing the treasure is not the same as hell!” Oh, that is where you are missing the message. You see, the day will come wherein the only place God’s blessings are found is within his kingdom. At present, everyone enjoys God’s blessings. But on that Great Day, God’s blessings will only be found within his kingdom. This is a pattern God has repeatedly followed: The Flood. Blessings are in the ark. Curses are outside the ark. Where do you want to be? The Passover in Egypt: Blessings are inside the house with blood over th

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Who Is This God of Judgment? Pt. 1 Parable of the Virgins & Talents Matthew 25:1-30 Introduction: About 40% of those who call themselves believers today reject the idea of hell. About 80% of the under 30 generation rejects the biblical teaching of eternal punishment. Certainly, much of this disbelief when comes from a lack of knowledge of the whole Bible, and the rest from the simple reason, “I can’t believe a loving God would send anyone to hell.” Matthew 24-25 is the fifth major discourse by Jesus recorded in Matthew. The entire discourse is about Judgment. It begins with judgment on the nation of Israel for the rebellion against the Lord and then transitions from judgment on Israel to judgment on the world. We must remember that Jesus is speaking as King of his Kingdom. The transition begins with 25:1, Then the kingdom of heaven will be like…” From there Jesus blends together three parables: virgins, talents, and sheep and goats. The first two build on the householder parable in chapter 24. Each have an absent lord and each deal primarily with watchfulness and preparedness. The last, the sheep and goats, more graphically pictures final judgment. Each portray varying standards of judgment. The Householder parable considers the way the ruling servants care for the house. The Virgins picture preparedness. The Talents picture usefulness. The Sheep and Goats portray the way the Lord’s servants love and care for one another. Parable of the Virgins We begin with the understanding that as Jesus tells this parable he is echoing a story that fit the Jewish culture. Bridegrooms often gave a general time frame of when they would arrive to take the bride and her maidens on a procession through the streets finally arriving at the couple’s new home. The bridegroom might even make a game out of surprising his bride, not coming at an hour she would expect. A crier would go before him and announce his impending arrival giving the wedding party only a short time to trim their lamps and lead the wedding party through the streets. This reflects the manner in which we can expect Jesus’ return. Weddings and honeymoons were also different in Jewish culture. Instead of going away for the honeymoon, they stayed at home feasting and celebrating for a week with their chosen friends. It was a great honor to be admitted to the celebration. We see all these principles in the story Jesus tells. But the critical part of the parable is not just that half the virgins were different from the other half, but how much all ten virgins were alike. All ten want to be a part of the wedding procession and join in the festivities of the wedding week. All ten are depicted as virgins. There is no hint of immorality here. They all had lamps. Even those called foolish had lamps with the intention of using the lamps in the procession. Therefore, it is important that the parable is not about those who are of the world. This is not a parable of five Christians and five unbelievers. These are all believers and are all people who want to be with the bridegroom and the wedding feast. Therefore, the parable is about us; it is about Christians. After all, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. How many times do we see such a thing? Jesus repeatedly contrasts disciples. Some make it and some do not. The criteria always has to do with whether the Lord is their number one passion. What may be puzzling is the question of why the five foolish didn’t bring oil with their lamps? Though we cannot name specific reasons, we do have an answer. Whatever it was that caused them not to bring extra oil had to do with a lack of giving the bridegroom and the procession a priority in their life. In other words, what were they doing instead of buying more oil? Here is a critical lesson, we can sometimes pay so much attention to avoiding transgression that we are not paying attention to preparation. There doesn’t need to be overt sin in our lives to lose our souls. We cannot pat ourselves on the back because of our moral lifestyle while at the same time ignore that God has a eternal, heavenly purpose for us and he expects us to prepare for it and accomplish that purpose. In other words, we may be Christians, but that is not the end of the story. We can be foolish Christians. What other meaning can you get from the story? In fact, that is the very meaning of verse 13, Watch therefore. What does Jesus mean by “watch?” Looking out the window to be the first to see the bridegroom coming would not have helped the foolish virgins. They still wouldn’t have been prepared. Here is the deal: They didn’t believe they had to prepare that much! In fact, they seem to have the idea that the bridegroom would still be merciful once the door was shut. There is a point in which it is too late! No wonder Jesus said, Strive to enter. No wonder Paul and Peter both urged the utmost diligence and carefulness lest we have come short. This is serious! An

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Increasing Our Awareness of the Devil Introduction: There is an interesting phenomenon that goes on in our world, and often among us. It is the question of why there are evil people, or even more amazing, how can the most evil of people command so much power to the point of ruling nations. Sometimes we act as if this phenomenon is new to our present culture. But we have always read about it both in the Bible and in secular history. Possibly more befuddling are those who side with evil people, rationalize their actions, and make excuses for them: “they grew up in poverty, they had a wicked father, or were never taught morals.” While any and all of those may be contributing factors, Ezekiel 18 actually describes all those same circumstances, but God still reminds Israel that, “the soul who sins will die.” No excuses. Everyone will stand before the judgment seat of God and answer for what they have done, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). Well, what is the answer to evil? Most Christians would easily say that it is because of the devil. Yes, that would be correct. But are we aware of the extent of his influence and his power by which evil reigns in the world? What about the extent of his influence even in our own lives. We enjoy living with the knowledge of God’s presence with us. But are we also aware of Satan’s presence? Let’s consider. Satan as Jesus Saw Him One of the studies I had never done was to simply examine what Jesus said about Satan. We read over these statements easily and see the overall message, but do not stop and think about the implications of Satan’s character, purposes, and methodology. Amazingly, Jesus refers to Satan over 30 times in the four Gospels. That alone should wake us up to his message. First, we should note that Satan was not always Satan. He was a created being like all the heavenly hosts. Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” The names by which Jesus referred to the devil tell us about him: Satan, the Devil, Beelzebub. Satan: The word means, adversary. This is the OT name for the devil (other than being called the “serpent” in the Garden). This name is used of him 47 times throughout the Bible. He was blessed with great intelligence and tremendous power. With that intelligence and power, he became self-absorbed. Those who follow Satan are referred to as his offspring. Therefore, we see his character by what he produces in humans who follow him. Thus, he became God’s adversary. The Devil (diabolos): slanderer, accuser Zechariah 3:1, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.” Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” The above verses reveal to us the Devil’s desire to defeat God’s purpose for us. It is the reason the devil desired for us to sin. Sin ruins God’s plan & Satan did not believe God could remedy man’s sin. God cannot be true to himself and his justice by accepting us once we have sinned. There are three times in scripture that we hear the voice of Satan, and he slanders in all three occasions. In Genesis, he slanders God to man. In Job, he slanders man to God. And in Matthew, he slanders the God-Man to his face. Beelzebub: from Baal-zebub: “Baal”– the master, “zebub”– of the flies; dung-god. Thus, the god of rottenness. From here we will divide Jesus’ teachings about him in three sections: (1) Satan’s interjection into God’s purposes, (2) Satan’s direct involvement into our lives, and (3) the need to be aware of a dangerous devil. Satan’s Direct Involvement in Our Lives John 8:43-45 “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.” Jesus’ words reveal that Satan is in the business of affecting our “will,” that is, our desires. The greatest reason anyone does not give full loyalty to God is very simple: I don’t want to! We grieve and shake our heads when we see those in or out of the church who simply will not give up this world. We think to ourselves, “Maybe they just don’t know enough. Maybe if I explained it better. Maybe if…, maybe if.” No, that is not the answer. Jesus gave the answer as he watched the multitudes walk away after his parables on the kingdom. “To you it is giv

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