iCrucified

Archive for the ‘Preaching’ Category

Installment #7 was my assignment for this weekend’s worship services. My title for this message was “Preventative Maintenance: Creating and Maintaining a Healthy Biblical Community.” As is my custom, I have included the manuscript, sermon outline, and small group discussion questions along with the audio file. I am always interested in constructive critique and feedback.

download manuscript (.pdf file)

download outline and sm.grp. discussion (.pdf file)

2010FEB14 ChristianJourney 7jb by valleychapel

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Installment #4 was my assignment for this weekend’s worship services. My title for this message was “Rules of the Road: God’s Way of Loving Ourselves and Loving Others.” As is my custom, I have included the manuscript, sermon outline, and small group discussion questions along with the audio file. I am always interested in constructive critique and feedback.

download manuscript (.pdf file)

download outline and sm.grp. discussion (.pdf file)

2010JAN24 ChristianJourney 4jb by valleychapel

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It’s always a joy to share God’s Word…

It was my privilege to “kick off” the first message in our new series The Christian Journey this past Sunday. My message topic was to share the goal of the Christian Journey and to set the stage for the remaining eight weeks of this study. My manuscript can be downloaded here and I’ve included a link to the small group discussion and sermon outline here. As is my practice, I am including the audio file here for streaming or for download.

2010JAN03 ChristianJourney 1jb by valleychapel

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Here is an embedded player that has all the audio files updated into a single player. Scroll through the list to select the sermon/message you’d like to hear.

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Was honored to share the third message in our (my local church) latest sermon series on the Beatitudes. My lesson was on the third beatitude; “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” I have included the audio file, outline with discussion questions, and my manuscript. Blessings!

Outline and discussion questions here |||||  Manuscript here

2009OCT04 WGWUTB humble by valleychapel

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This was a sermon I shared in yesterday’s continuation of our “One Church” Core Values teaching. My contribution to this was centered on our core commitments of Growing through Spiritual Development and Loving & Encouraging One Another. I am including the audio file as well as my sermon notes. I always enjoy feedback and discussion!

Sermon Transcript ||| Outline and Small Group Discussion Questions

2009SEPT06 OneChurch Pt2 by icrucified

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Over twenty-two years ago Laurie and I attended a small “revival” meeting in Start, Louisiana. The visiting evangelist was a man named Danny Stevenson. During that evening toward the end of the service, Brother Stevenson came to Laurie and I laying hands on us in prayer. During his prayer he spoke words that reflected a shared (Laurie and I) life in service and ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ. Through trials, turmoil, and many years of my own rebellion and selfishness we arrived today as one…Laurie and Jeff, sharing ministry side-by-side teaching about what marriage looks like in the eyes of the Creator of marriage. While ministry and serving Jesus is a joy to me beyond expression, today a memory was made that will stand as cherished for the remainder of my days.

I am including with the audio file, two .pdf documents:

• Sermon outline and small group study questions
• Sermon transcript

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We started a new teaching series to push us through the summer. The series is titled “The 10 Most Important Things.” Last week was the introduction to the series and this week I had the privilege of the “first…most important thing.” The title of my sermon was There Can Be Only One — My text was from Exodus 20:3 and the audio file follows along with the sermon manuscript, bullet outline, and small group discussion questions. I would love to hear feedback.

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² We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, ³ remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸ For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. ⁹ For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

Imitation is how human beings learn and grow. Everything depends on whom or what we choose to imitate. The converts at Thessalonica got it right; they imitated Paul and his group (who were imitating the Lord Jesus Christ).

Passion and Devotion-

Francis de Sales, a Jesuit priest in the 16^th-17^th centuries, wrote “there is only one true devotion, but there are many that are false and empty. If you are unable to recognize which kind is true, you can easily be deceived and led astray by following one that is offensive and superstitious.”

I think it is our passion and sincere desire to grow in the ways of Jesus that help us to mature and become what God desires most in us; and what He desires most is for us to become fully transformed into the image of His son Jesus. Half-baked Christians do not produce the results nor bring joy like the converts of Thessalonica. Actions do indeed speak louder than words…actions that imitate the lifestyle of Jesus produce fruit-bearing results (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10). May our actions speak words of righteousness and holiness…joyful hope of eternity with our Savior King, JESUS! Amen.

This teaching from which this excerpt came was from an inductive study I worked through in the First Letter to the Thessalonians. The full document can be found here.

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“If you want to exercise the priesthood of your soul, do not let the fire depart from your altar…” Origen – from Sermons on Leviticus.4.2.

I am including a link to a teaching I shared a couple years ago titled Rekindle the Romance. I believe it is helpful for us to remember and rekindle…fanning into the flame the passions of our heart renewed for our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Manuscript here (I am also including the original teaching in the audio file below, if you care to listen)

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