Audio sermon from Rev. Al Tricarico on Jn 13:1-17, Christ’s Love and Yours.

“Conquer thine own self and the whole world is conquered.” Augustine

Can these bones live? David Brack preaches the gospel from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel.

Christianity is not just for the smart, the wealthy, or the socialites. It is for Jew and Gentile, it is for the artist and the scientist, it is for all types of people.

In 1 Timothy 1:18-20 Paul reiterates Timothy's charge, and as emulators of our elders, we too are to dress for the battle too. Not with guns and knives, but with faith and a good conscience in order that we do not go astray and become shipwrecked.

The greatest story ever told of Jesus Christ coming into the world to save sinners is one many of us have heard time and time again. We can grow cold towards it if we're not careful, but don't grow jaded brothers and sisters! Let us learn from Paul's testimony here in 1 Timothy 1:12-17 to recall our sins against God and his great pardon of them.

This week, from 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Paul will correct their misuse of God's law and set it on the right course. 

This week we will observe from 1 Timothy 1:3-7 the command to Timothy to stop the false teachers. We will also see just what it was these false teachers were teaching, and finally, we'll look at love as the true teaching.

Passing the torch: “[First Timothy] was designed to carry with it an authoritative value, to convey instructions respecting church order and Christian work.” - Patrick Fairbairn

Matthew 7:13-29. This time we will examine our relationship to those on the narrow path, to false-prophets, and to Christ.

Matthew 7:1-12, our study this week. As Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount we find him addressing relationships. Our relationship to our brother and judging him. Our relationship to those who reject the gospel. Our relationship to our Father in prayer. Our relationship to our neighbor and how we treat him.

Does anxiety keep you up at night? The restlessness from worry is very common for the average person.  In Matthew 6:19-34 our Lord examines the diagnosis of anxiousness and then prescribes the cure.

Last week Jesus gave three examples of that difference: alms giving, prayer, and fasting. But not only did Jesus point out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in prayer, but he also gave believers a model prayer. It's that prayer, the Lord's Prayer, that we'll be studying this week from Matthew 6:9-15.

Are we motivated to give, pray, and fast so that others see us, or so God sees us? Join us this week as we learn who our audience ought to be when doing good, Christian works.

We cannot forget the two word summary of the Sermon on the Mount and that is: Christian Counterculture. We see much of that in this week's lesson as Jesus continues to correct the Pharisaic perversions of the Old Testament.

In this passage Jesus tells us, it is not enough to simply not murder physically, but we also shouldn't destroy others' lives verbally. There is also the issue of the heart, that we ought not hate our brother in our heart. How many of us are guilty of murder without a knife or gun? Jesus also tells us it is not enough that we do not commit adultery with our bodies, but we also must not commit adultery in our hearts. How many of us are guilty of such lust? The third issue we will study is that of divorce.

We will note three things this week: 1) Jesus does not abrogate, that is to tear down piece by piece, the law. Rather his teaching is a continuance of previous Old Testament teaching. 2) The law for Christian living demands meticulous observance. We often call these people nit-picky legalists, but Jesus shows us the importance of adhering to all the law including parts we might consider minutiae. 3) There is a complete distinction between the righteousness of the Pharisees and Christians. The Pharisees so called righteousness was not enough to earn entrance into God's kingdom, rather our God demands much more righteousness that can only be had in Christ through the Holy Spirit.

In Matthew 5:13-16 we find that Christians are two things: salt and light. We know that salt is a preservative meant to keep rot and decay away. That is exactly the Christian's job as a follower of Christ. The salt is to keep society and culture from plunging headlong into decay. This is only accomplished by Christians looking different than the world and staying true to Scripture, yet when Christians do not act differently they become worthless, good for nothing but to be trampled on.

The slander of Christians is a common form of persecution in our day, and yet we are blessed because of it. So please come out this Sunday evening and learn more about these last three Beatitudes. Hope to see you there.