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Showing posts from April, 2008

Why Do We Do Evangelism? -- 1 Timothy 1:3-7, 12-15; 2:1-7

Why Do We Do Evangelism? -- 1 Timothy 1:3-7, 12-15; 2:1-7 by Pastor Lee Hemen April 27, 2008 AM Many people reject the concept of evangelism. They may think evangelistic efforts violate a person’s freedom. Others, though they believe in evangelism, refuse to take part in it for a variety of reasons. Time, effort, or the will to do it. They do not recognize that all Christians have a responsibility to participate in evangelism. God calls believers to do their part in evangelism. Today’s sermon encourages us to do our part in winning others to Christ. How and why we should do this is very important for us to understand anew for our world today. We live in a time when many misunderstandings exist about salvation. Believing that all truth is subjective, many do not acknowledge objective truth: That there can only be one truth. Therefore they resist efforts at evangelism because they do not believe that any single road leads to salvation. Others may believe that objective truth exists, but

Christian Responsibilities – Colossians 3:18-4:6

Christian Responsibilities – Colossians 3:18-4:6 by Pastor Lee Hemen April 20, 2008 AM We all have responsibilities in life. Some of may take them very seriously while others may have never prioritized their lives at all. I remember very well how I had to learn what responsibility meant when I got my first dog. It meant I had to make sure he was fed, tied up at night, bathed when he rolled in something awful, and I had to train him to behave. Which, would have been a whole lot easier if he did not run away so often! Paul knew that Christians have responsibilities as well. In his concluding section of his letter to the Colossians, Paul covered several subjects. He first outlined the responsibilities of the members of a Christian family. Paul further dealt with believers’ responsibilities toward Christian servants and their masters. Then he stated certain responsibilities believers have toward their church and toward non-believers. Let’s discover what Paul taught about Christian responsi

Holy Living -- Colossians 3:1-17

Holy Living – Colossians 3:1-17 by Pastor Lee Hemen April 13, 2008 AM My mother had favorite expressions she would use when she caught us doing something we were not supposed to be doing. Sometimes she would declare, “What in God’s green earth do you think you are doing? or she would ask us, “In the name of all that is holy, what in the world are you up to?” I am not sure exactly what she meant by either of these. Maybe she felt that at that moment we were up to something unholy or that God’s green earth could not survive? Trying to do the right things that would not bring about these inquiries from my mother could be at times kind of tough. Living holy lives for the Lord is sometimes better said than done in the lives of Christians as well. This is especially true in a world that not only promotes ungodly living, but encourages it as being “normal.” Paul gave the Colossian church the answer they needed in order to live holy lives for God through Jesus Christ. What he related to them c

The Revelation of Jesus – Colossians 1:25-29

The Revelation of Jesus – Colossians 1:25-29 By Pastor Lee Hemen April 6, 2008 AM Most folks like a good mystery. One where there is intrigue and suspense and maybe a surprise outcome as well! I will never forget the mystery of the “Broken Cookie Jar.” Never heard of it? Well, I am not surprised because it happened to my family. My mother had a cookie jar she loved and one day it got broken, but none of us siblings would confess to the dastardly deed. She therefore lined us all up in a row and asked each of us if we had broken it, and, each time she asked, each one of us said, “No, it wasn’t me.” Since none “confessed,” we all suffered the consequences. Many years later the mystery was solved when my sister came clean to breaking it. Sure, this is not as great a mystery as say some others, but it confused my brother and I for years until my sister plead guilty! The Apostle Paul spoke of another mystery. One that has eternal and spiritual consequences for our lives. It is the mystery of