by the Editors
Perhaps my greatest burden as a pastor is the constant realization
that so many of my people so often live far beneath their privilege in Christ.
Life in this compromised world seems to entice us toward settling for far
less than what Jesus Christ actually died and rose again to provide for us.
This concern is what led to a series of messages that I placed under the borrowed
title, “The Life You Were Meant to Live.” (There are a few books
published with similar titles). The foundational question for the series was,
“Is there enough power in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ
to transform a person’s life?” What is your answer? I would imagine
anyone who genuinely believes in Jesus as the Son of God would answer, “Yes.”
Certainly there is enough power in what Jesus did for us on the Cross and
in what was sealed for eternity when God mightily raised Jesus from the dead,
that our lives truly can be changed.
But if that’s true, then among those who claim the name of Christ and who truly have received Jesus as Savior, why are so many of us so unchanged? Why are so many Christians without victory over the trials and temptations of this world? Why are so many
Christians living with a constant sense of anxiety and fear?
Why are so many who claim to be Christ-followers not living lives that are
distinct from the average, happy, American pagan? Why are so many Christians
still entangled by sin?
This series seeks to bring biblical answers to these important questions.
by David Gallimore
David has led growing churches in Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Oklahoma. After 20 years of pastoral ministry, David has just entered the field of full-time evangelism in the Church of the Nazarene. David Gallimore International Ministries is based on the Georgia District. At the time of this writing, David pastored Western Oaks Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City.
This is a seven-part sermon series I developed for the scorching
hot summer months while I was pastoring in Oklahoma City. Right up front let
me say this title has nothing to do with Richard Simmons. Actually there was
a Sunday-evening service in early June when the air conditioning in the sanctuary
was not producing as it should, the temperature outside had already hit the
century mark, and I was getting ready to preach a sermon from the Book of
Malachi! You talk about exciting! Thus, on a whim I got up to preach and announced
a timely sermon series, “Sweatin’ to the Oldies.”
The core values I identify in the Book of Malachi are relevant for our present generation. Many times in this writing, the prophet uses a negative reality to emphasize a positive core value and then presents it as an available possibility. For example, love has grown cold and worship is lifeless. That’s the hard truth. Remember, the Book of Malachi begins with “An oracle” (1:1), or “heavy burden.” But, “‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord” (1:2), and “my name will be great among the nations” (1:11). The result is that we can now love God, because He first loved us, and our worship is the result of our recognition of His great name.
by the Editors
Some of my most significant preaching experiences with a local
congregation have come in the context of an extended series of sermons. Series
preaching can offer the congregation an opportunity to “soak”
in a Biblical text or in the story of a Bible character and learn some deep
lessons. When a congregation is focusing together on this over time, things
begin to happen that go far beyond the sermon itself.
Here is a series possibility on the life of Joshua. This is
a wonderful and colorful story that begins in Genesis with God’s amazing
promises to the people who would eventually be called Israel. In Joshua, the
promises of God are ripe, just ready to be harvested. But it won’t be
automatic. What is still called for is the obedient response of God’s
people. So this series might be called, “God’s Promise and Our
Potential.” Or simply, “Crossing Over” in reference to the
mission of Joshua to take the nation into the Promised Land.
This series can be effective in helping to call a congregation to a time of transition and change that involves risk. It asks the question, “What will it take for us to ‘cross over’ into the future God has planned for us?”
