Category: 2015 Sermons

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Sermon Audio: Are You Ready?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 12:35-48
Duration: 21:12
Size: 9.70 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Are You Ready?
Luke 12:35-48

There are some things that are far too important to take a chance on. One of these is our relationship to God.

The one who has his treasure in heaven will be ready and watching for the Lord’s return; the one who has his heart set on the treasures of this world will be caught completely unaware at His coming.

The First Characteristic of a Good Waiter is Preparation.

They kept the light burning and themselves in a constant state of readiness to spring up at a moments notice to joyous welcome their master home.

The Second Characteristic of a Good Waiter is Expectancy.

What is important is being prepared and living a life of expectancy.

The Third Characteristic of a Good Waiter is Faithfulness.

Concerning Faithfulness Jesus has two things to say.

1. For the Faithful the Lord’s Return Holds Reward.

They are alive and active, serving Christ to the best of their ability.

2. For Some the Lord’s Return Holds Only Terror.

What makes the difference between whether Jesus is seen as the welcomed Master or the dreaded thief? The difference is relationship.

The thrust of Jesus’ message can be summed up in two words: Get ready!

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Sermon Audio: The World’s Most Acceptable Sin
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 12:22-34
Duration: 20:36
Size: 9.43 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The World’s Most Acceptable Sin
Luke 12:22-34

One leading physician has stated that, in his opinion, 70% of all medical patients could cure themselves if only they got rid of their worries and fears.

We know that we shouldn’t worry but we just can’t seem to keep from worrying.

He is trying to fight the battle of life on two fronts at the same time and he is bound to lose the war.

Two Reasons That Worry Is a Bad Idea.

To worry is foolishly to forget who we are – we are children of the King.

Worry can rob us of two things in life, we won’t live as long and we will be unable to live a happy and fulfilled life.

Four Great Principles For Overcoming Worry!

So how can we attempt to overcome worry? In the text we find four great principles for overcoming worry.

Principle One: Trust God.

Whenever we start to feel anxious we can give our burden over to the Lord.

Principle Two: Put God First.

Seeking the kingdom of God is the means to achieve the meeting of our material needs.

Principle Three: Don’t Give In To Fear.

Jesus tells the believer that they are to stop being afraid, it is this fear that manifests itself in our lives as worry.

Principle Four: Reduce Your Worry Load.

In order to excuse our self-indulgence, we just add to the list of what is essential.

The crucial issue in life is not the amount of our treasure but the location of it.

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Sermon Audio: What’s Really Important In Life?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 12:13-21
Duration: 17:52
Size: 8.17 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
What’s Really Important In Life?
Luke 12:13-21

The passage from Luke that we are going to be looking at today forces us to look at our lives and ask ourselves What’s really important in life?

It’s amazing how humbling this realization is; to know that the poorest of us in this room are richer than most of the rest of the world and yet do we have enough?

A change of heart, that was what made Jesus’ teaching so different.

Starting in verse 16, Jesus gives us five principles of what happens when our hearts begin to focus exclusively on ourselves and we become greedy.

The First Principle: When we focus on ourselves, we do not give God the credit for things he has done.

The Second Principle: When we focus on ourselves, we make plans but leave God out.

The Third Principle: When we focus on ourselves, we consider spending our resources only on ourselves.

The Fourth Principle: When our hearts are focused on ourselves, we store our treasures in the wrong places.

The Fifth Principle: When we focus on ourselves, we will find ourselves in conflict with God’s Plan for our lives.

So our decision comes down to a very simple question.

Are you going to live for yourself or for God?

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Sermon Audio: Acknowledge Christ Before Men
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 12:8-12
Duration: 18:33
Size: 8.49 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
Luke 12:8-12

Then he urged his disciples to acknowledge him before men.

I. The Priority of Acknowledging Christ Before Men

A. The Reciprocation for Acknowledging Christ Before Men

It means that whatever we do, whether at work or at school or at home or at play, we do it all for Jesus.

If Jesus has promised to acknowledge us in heaven, then we should take courage and acknowledge him on earth.

B. The Retribution for Not Acknowledging Christ Before Men

Because we did not take a stand for Jesus Christ while we were alive on earth, he will not take a stand for us when we die and stand before God in heaven.

II. The Principles in Acknowledging Christ Before Men

A. There Is Sin That Is Forgivable

A good example of such forgiveness is the forgiveness that Jesus offered the people who taunted him while he was hanging on the cross.

B. There Is Sin That Is Unforgivable

A person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit is so strongly opposed to Christ that he believes that Jesus is in fact Satan.

III. The Persecution for Acknowledging Christ Before Men

A. The Hostility in the Persecution

They would be dragged before the various religious and political leaders and forced to defend their faith.

B. The Help in the Persecution

When Peter and John were arrested and hauled before the Sanhedrin, the Holy Spirit helped them to say what ought to be said in that situation.

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Sermon Audio: Have No Fear
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 12:4-7
Duration: 18:59
Size: 8.69 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Have No Fear
Luke 12:4-7

Jesus recognized that his disciples struggled with fear. And so he addressed the issue of fear in their lives.

I. Proper Fear

But in Luke 12 Jesus teaches his disciples two very important principles with respect to fear.

A. Do Not Fear People

Jesus urged his friends not to fear people. He urged them not to fear even those who could kill the body.

B. Do Fear God

It is God, and God alone, who has authority to cast into hell, because of our sin against him.

“Fear of God is desperately needed in today’s church.”

How we need this wholesome fear that Jesus commended to his disciples.

II. Preserving Fear

Jesus teaches that a proper fear of God is in fact a preserving fear.

A. God Cares for Sparrows

But, not even the sparrow thrown into the bargain without real value is forgotten before.

B. God Cares Far More for Christians

Jesus was saying that God cares for sparrows. But he cares far more for his children.

If you don’t fulfill the mission God assigned to you, who will?