November 27, 2011 | John Bayles | Go Into All The World: Mandates of Kingdom Citizenship - Part 2 (Matthew 5:13-43)

This sermon is an expansion of the principle of imperative mandates flowing from the indicative action of Christ at the cross. But mandates they are. In this sermon the mandates of Kingdom citizenship are examined from Matthew 5:13 ff. The sermon is built upon the Reformed principal: "We are saved by grace alone, but not a grace that is alone." As the presentation stresses, we must continually be aware that we are living a reflective faith and taking initiative in our Christian witness not because we must, but because we can.

November 20, 2011 | Go Into All The World: Mandates of Kingdom Citizenship - Part 1 (Matthew 5:13-43)

There are statements in the scriptures that state established, unchangeable, indicative facts. For example, Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." The truth of the phrase is not ongoing, nor contingent upon further actions – it is an indicative statement. There are many of these types of statements in the scriptures, and many of them have to do with the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross. Others have to do with God's view of us and our status: "You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." These are complete, finished realities – they are indicative statements.

November 13, 2011 | John Bayles | Go Into All The World: Napkins and Placemats - Part 2 (Romans 10:1-17)

Drawing upon the first lesson, during this sermon there will be a practical presentation of the Gospel. So often we think of the Gospel being shared in church or at some evangelistic meeting. This should not be the major case. During the one-on-one time we spend with established or developing relationships over a meal or casual conversation, we need to be ready to share a simple, yet comprehensive presentation of the Gospel. The audio quality is not of the best quality (see note below), but the message is worth the effort to master. May you find the words of Jesus to be a reality in your life this week: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last" (John 15:16).

November 6, 2011 | John Bayles | Go Into All the World: Napkins and Placemats - Part 1 (Romans 10:1-17)

In this sermon, we will make a close examination of the Substance of the Gospel and then the Spread of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul is not acting independently from the Lord, as this text so dramatically reveals. Far from a personal passion that weighted the mind and actions of one man, the mandate to share the Gospel is the core job description of each and every Christian from the time Jesus gave it to the present day.