LBC Sermons & Messages

Text: Ephesians 3:14-ff.

We have been reminded that Christ is the foundation for everything in our lives. Apart from Him we would have and be nothing. Christ is the Author of salvation alone for no one can come to the Father but through Him, John 14:6. It is a mystery that Christ who knows everything about us would then turn around and gives Himself that we might be redeemed to the Father.

Paul then ends this section by praying for the struggling church. He first prays for the church to have the strength of the Spirit, vs. 16. Luke 4 and Acts 1 show us that through the strength of the Spirit we can do anything God wants us to do. There is no job or problem too great. Paul also wants the church to know the strength of the Spirit in the inward man. Jer. 17:9-11 teaches us that our hearts are wicked and evil but the Holy Spirit will come in and transform even our hearts. This is only possible though if we will listen to the Spirit, Prov. 13:1, 15:31. A wise man will listen and allow the Spirit to change him from the heart out.

Paul also prays that the church would have the faith of the Son that
they may be rooted and grounded in love, vs. 17-19a. It is our job to be grounded in truth and then to teach it to others, Duet. 6:3-7. If you and I do not teach truth, it will not be long before truth is a thing of the past. To teach truth you must know it, John 3:16, Rom. 5:8, and then allow it to change your life.

Lastly, Paul prays for the church to have the fullness of the Father, vs. 19b. We must know the fullness of His love, Rom 8:38, 39. When He saved you and I it was completely and there is nothing that will separate us. We also can be full of His infinite wisdom, Rom. 11:33-ff., Ps. 19. What a great and caring God we serve!

Then Paul reminds us of the promise of God, vs. 20, 21. God is not done working in this world. He will work through us if we would just yield to Him, Heb. 13:20, 21. He will also receive the glory, John 13:33. No matter where you are today, what you have done, and what is going on in this evil world God wants to cleanse us and do a great work through you and I. Get close to the Father and let Him transform your life today and every day.

Text: Ephesians 3:8-13

Paul starts off this section in Ephesians by describing the mystery of salvation. The mystery is that fallen man can fellowship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. This fellowship is truly a mystery still today because why would a perfect and holy God want to love a fallen creation and then give His only Son to die for him? If that is not enough, this fellowship was put in place even before the fall, even before the beginning of the world, vs. 8, 9. The phrase that it was hid in God tells us that it is through God alone for there is no other way, John 14:6.

Paul then tells us that even the angelic beings now know that this mystery is in Christ alone, vs. 10, 11. Peter goes on though in I Peter 1:12 to show that the angels though are limited in their understanding of this mystery. They do not understand how the perfect, holy Christ could share His glory with man once he repents and calls upon Christ. It does not make sense but I know it is true because the Word of God confirms it, Rom. 5:8. While we were yet enemies Christ willingly gave Himself to redeem us, Rom. 5:10.

Then Paul shares with us two of the benefits of this mysterious fellowship. First, we have the presence of God, vs. 12. God said that He will never leave us or forsake us, Heb. 13:5. Also, throughout scripture, God tells us that he will be our help, our fortress, our keep, etc. Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, we now have the continual presence of God, John 14. The account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego comes to mind. Even in the fiery furnace God did not forsake them. When Stephen was stoned for preaching the gospel, God was there. He will never leave us alone and we can go nowhere to escape his presence, Ps. 139.

Secondly, we can have consolation in time of tribulation, vs. 13. We discussed last week how that God has plans for us and they are all good. God tells us that that we can glory in tribulation, Rom. 5:3. This is possible because we know that all things work together for the good, Rom. 8:28. So, this week we need to remember that God is always with us strengthening us. May our lives be lived to the praise and glory of the Almighty!

Text: Ephesians 3:1-7

Have you ever thought about your relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ? Why do you even have a relationship with Him? How is it even possible? The truth is Jesus Christ is the only foundation and the one and only way to the Father as we just discussed in chapter 2.

Paul tells us that he is a prisoner of Christ because he understood that Christ was much more than a friend, much more than a crutch, much more than something He did a day or two out of the week, He was Paul’s all in all. He was Paul’s very reason for living. Paul understood that in spite of all God knows, He still chooses to love us. Isaiah 44:1, 2 tells us that God formed us in the womb and has eternally helped us even there. Jer. 1:5 goes on to tell us that God even knows us personally. While we were yet in the womb God called us and separated us to do His work, Job 31:15, Gal. 1:15, Ps. 139:13.

The bible also tells us that God not only knew us in the womb but He knows our name. Think about it, the Almighty knows your name. John 10:14-30 tells us that Christ is the Good Shepherd and He takes care of us all the time. Earlier in the chapter 10:1-5 the scripture tells us that the Good Shepherd calls His sheep by name.

God formed and called us in the womb, He knows our name, and He even knows the number of the hairs on our head, Luke 21, Matt. 10:28-31. He knows His children so much he knows how many hairs are on their head. What an amazing God we serve and are able to have a relationship with.

Lastly, God has a specific plan for you and I. Even before we took our first breathe, the Father separated us and called us to a specific job. What we must remember is that God has special plans for us and those plans are always for the good, Jer. 29:11-14. No matter how rough the road gets and no matter how dark the pathway grows God will always do what is right and Christ will never leave us nor forsake us. We must have trust and faith that He will work all things out. He has never failed and never will. So, what will you do with the fact that the Father knows everything bout you, still loves you, and wants to do great things through you?

Text: Ephesians 2:14-ff.

What would happen if you built a building and started with just laying block on the ground? The building would probably look great for a bit but in short time it would shift and crack. Any storms that would come in would beat upon it and it would not be long until it would be unsafe and crumble. There must be a foundation first and it must go deep and be secure.

The same is true in our spiritual life. We may look like we have it all together. We may come to church, say the right things and dress the right way but without a true foundation it is just like that building. Time goes by and storms come and we will not be able to withstand in the evil day.

First Paul reminds us that Christ is the true foundation, vs. 14a. Apart from Christ we can do and know nothing. Rom. 5:6-11 teaches us that Christ is the one who paid for our redemption which is our foundation. Coupled with Rom. 3:24 we see that Christ paid for our redemption and therefore he owns our redemption. Then, because our redemption is founded and owned in Christ, He will be the judge, Rom 2:16.

Secondly, Paul then shows us how this is possible, 14b-19. Christ is the one who has broken down the wall that separated mortal man from the presence of the Almighty, Matt. 27:51. Christ also has abolished the enmity between man and God, Rom. 5:10. In accomplishing all this, He alone has brought reconciliation, II Cor. 5:17-ff.

So, what exactly is this foundation that can help us to stand strong? Truth, Truth that Christ is who He said He was, Truth that the Bible is the Word of God, and Truth that the Almighty wants to have a vibrant relationship with each one of us through Christ. John 14:6, we see that Christ Himself is the way and the Truth. God also promises that He will give us the Spirit of Truth, John 15:26, 27. Then if that was not enough, God gave us the church to be the pillar of Truth, I Tim. 3:15, 16.

We also must remember that Christ is not only our foundation, He is our Cornerstone, Ps. 118:22, 23; I Pet. 4:16. When Christ is our Cornerstone, then we can be a building fitly joined together, Eph. 4:16 to the praise of our Father. Praise God!

Text: Acts 1:8; II Cor. 9

Today we are continuing Faith Promise Giving. Last week we defined Faith Promise and looked at the principles of giving and farming that are applicable to us as we give to the Lord. You reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow and you reap later than you sow. This is true in every aspect of our Christian walk.

Today, let us look first at the person of giving. World wide evangelism will not happen over night and it will not happen unless we are all on board. You have heard the phrase, “many hands make light work.” Then more of us that are willing to get involved, the more work will be done and with a lighter load. When a church gives to faith promise, the Lord multiplies His blessings upon that church and the gift itself of that church. The more we give the more multiplication will happen. But it is a group effort that starts with you and I. It is personal between you and the Lord. It is a choice that you personally have to make and then trust God to complete.

Secondly, let us look at the commitment of giving. It is a commitment because it is above our tithe and offerings. It will stretch you and I. Faith Promise is a continual reliance upon the Almighty. It keep the Lord active in our lives on a daily basis. Therefore, we must purpose in our hearts. Satan hates Faith Promise and will do whatever he can to distract and discourage you from giving and being a part of it. Stand strong and know that He is God. It also comes from the heart. It is not through guilt or even desire. It comes from a heart that wants to reach and impact this world with the gospel of Christ.

God loveth a cheerful giver. What does that mean? Christ Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Giving goes against our nature and then pushes us right into His nature. When we give, we have to rely upon Him and His graces. When we give it shows our total reliance upon Him and our love for God. Faith Promise comes from a heart that loves the Lord unconditionally and then the Almighty turns around and blesses. What an absolutely amazing God.

Lastly, it takes faith to give. Faith that God will supply. Faith that God’s message will go forth. Faith that He will take this money and multiply it to reach this wicked world. It is totally up to God. If He wants you to give and certain amount and has made it clear to you then it is up to God to supply it. Remember, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills so nothing is out of His reach. Romans also teaches us that the just will live by faith. Again, when we rely upon Him, God will always come through and He will never leave us nor fail us. He cannot fail.

So, the challenge is to fight. We fight by using our weapon of prayer. We pray, pray some more, and then when we are almost exhausted we pray some more. Men, God has called us to lead, therefore, take up the mantle and be the leaders that God wants you to be. Lead yourself first. You cannot lead others until you lead yourself. Ladies, the men cannot do it without your support. It is the way that God has designed it and it works. Again, this is a team effort and we will be victorious together. Young people, there is always a job for you. You are never too young to give to missions. I have been giving to Faith Promise since I was 10 years old and I only started then because it was a new concept. Give early and get into the habit and watch God bless. You are just as much of a part of this church as anyone else. Let’s work together and see God win this evil, wicked world through us.

Text: Acts 1:8; II Cor. 9

What is missions, what is our role as a church and how do you and I make it possible for worldwide evangelism? Each of us has a role and the church and missionaries are counting on us to hold up our end. To understand world missions, we must first see the need.

Acts 1:8 is the fourth time we hear Christ give the Great Commission of the church in the New Testament. They are the last words the Christ spoke to the church so they are very important. Our job as a church is undoubtedly to reach this world with the gospel message. He has given us all power to do so, all funds to do so, as well as the Holy Spirit. There is absolutely no excuse. John 3:16 reminds us Christ died for the world not just for you and I so that we may have a comfortable church to attend, live the high life, and the spend eternity with Him. He died for all the world.

One of the ways that we support worldwide evangelism is to financially support Faith Promise Missions. It is not a pledge because you sign nothing and nobody knows what you promised but God. No one will call you to collect. The Holy Spirit will remind you of what God wants to do through you. It also is not taken out of your regular offerings and tithe.
Faith Promise Missions is just between you and God. It is waiting before the Lord and asking for His instruction and guidance to see what He would like you to do in reaching the world. Faith Promise must also be carried out by faith that God will supply for other needs as you continue to give what you have promised. If we obey the Father, He will always supply abundantly. We are told to test God all throughout scripture and allow Him to show us that He is God. Let us be obedient.

Now, the Biblical basis for Faith Promise, II Cor. 9. As Christians, we love verse 8 and we claim it all the time. God will make all grace abound toward us having all sufficiency. This is true but only if we obey verses 6 and 7. We tend to over look this. When we give to God what He tells us to, obedience, when we purpose in our hearts that nothing will stop us, and we obey, God always blesses and does much more than just supply.

If we look to the farmer, we can learn a lot about sowing and reaping. First, you and I will only reap what we sow. If you want tomatoes, you must sow tomatoes. If you want peppers, you must sow peppers. Before we go any further, let me remind you that the ground must be worked, sowing must happen, and the garden must be tended. Secondly, you will reap more than you sow. Each plant will produce more than one fruit. Most of the time, this is dependent upon how good the ground was worked and how well the garden was taken care of. Lastly, you will reap later than you sowed. No farmer plants one day and then reaps on the next. It takes time. In spiritual matters, we may not see the harvest until we are in heaven. We must be patient.
In closing, let me challenge you to pray. Ask the Father, “What part do I have in the missions of Londonderry Baptist Church? How much will You give through me to reach out to this world?” Then trust God to bless and you will not be let down.

Text: Ephesians 2:14-f.f.

What do you have in Christ? We can make lists of Christ being our Counselor, our High Priest, our Savior, our Friend, our Propitiation, our Peace, etc. Do we really know what these all mean or are we just conditioned to say them? Today, Paul discusses some of the benefits of Christ Being our peace. This world and its possessions definitely do not offer peace. Peace is only found in Christ.

What is involved in the peace of Christ because Col. 3:15 tells us to let the peace of God rule in our hearts but we cannot allow peace to rule if we do not understand it. First, Paul tells us that the peace in Christ helps us with each other especially the Jews, vs. 14. In Isaiah, one of God’s judgments to His people Israel for their blatant disobedience is that the world will despise them. In our natural estate before Christ, man is born into this world with an anti-Semite attitude. On the other hand, there was an outer gentile court in the temple that was the only place a gentile could go in the temple to worship God. Only the Jews were able to go in past this court. The peace of God now reconciles Jew and Greek, Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11.

We are also all reconciled to the Father, vs. 15-17. In Matt. 25 we see that when Christ arose from the dead the temple curtain blocking off the holy of holies was torn right down the middle allowing all to enter into the presence of God. II Cor. 5:17-f.f. reminds us that we are reconciled to the Father through Jesus Christ and then made ambassadors.

Then, Paul reminds us that through it all we have the presence of the Father, vs. 18-f.f. He will never leave us, forget about us, or abandoned us, Heb. 13:5. To remind us of this truth on a continual basis, we are sealed with the Spirit who is our earnest or our promise, II Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13, 4:30. We are never alone no matter how tough it gets. Whether we feel His presence or not, God is always there watching, guiding and protecting us. It may be too dark at times to see and feel God but rest assured that the presence of God is always with His children. Remember this week to let the peace of God rule your heart.

Text: Ephesians 2:1-13

Happy New Year! Did you make any New Year resolutions? Some are hilarious and some are very serious. The most made and broken resolution is to loose weight. I have never been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions because they are so easily broken. However, I believe they can be good and each year should be closed out with careful consideration of what we did right and wrong so this new year we can make changes accordingly. So, I suppose you could call that a New Year’s resolution. This year, I would like to draw attention to the grace of God. If there is one thing that I need to work on and we as a church need to be mindful of, it is growing in the grace of God. We are saved by grace through faith but is that it?

To grow in the grace of God, we must be an equipped servant. II Peter 3:18 tells us to grow in the grace of God. We are saved by grace but that is just the beginning. How have you and I limited the grace of God this past year. In II King 22 we find how and what happened when King Josiah became an equipped servant. He grabbed hold of the Word of God and it transformed his life. He became equipped. How can you and I become better equipped and be a people of truth this year?

Also, to grow in grace, we need to be enlightened servants. Prov. 8:33 and 19:20 both tell us how a wise man responds to truth. How often have we heard truth and rejected it. This world does it all the time but we are no different. Satan does not want us to know truth so every time we hear truth it is a battle. A wise man hears truth and puts it into action. Josiah heard the truth, became equipped and then took hold of truth and allowed it to transform his life. He did not care what others thought of him or would do to him. It was truth period. This year, we will hear truth and we must be in the Word daily. The question is what will you do with it? Will you and I be wise and take hold of truth or will we just absorb truth and do nothing with it?

Lastly, we need to be encouraged Christians. Is 54:17 reminds us that no weapon fashioned will be able to stand against us. No one can destroy us. They may be able to hurt this old body but our souls are in the hand of God and no one, including Satan himself can touch us. We are secure. II Cor. 4:3-12 also tells us that we can do it. We can do what ever God desires us to do no matter how steep the mountain is. No matter how difficult the going gets, we can do it. We may be beaten up physically but we can go on through the wonderful grace of Jesus Christ.

So, will you join me this year and make a decision to grow in grace. Lord, help us to be people that are continually growing in grace. Help us to be families and a church that is constantly growing in grace. Let this year be a year that is full of grace and miracles to Your praise and glory. Amen!

Text: Luke 1:26-2:20

Merry Christmas and Peace to all! Now I know Christ most probably was not born in December, but what a wonderful day. Celebrate the birth of our Savior and celebrate it every day. For unto us a child is born and He is the Christ that sets us free from sin and death.

Let us this morning just take a look at the names of the Messiah and then allow them to penetrate our hearts and make a difference in our lives. First, He is named Jesus or Jehoshua. This means salvation. There is no other name under heaven that can break the chains of sin and death but the precious name of Jesus, Acts 4:8-12. Christ said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, John 14:6 and no one comes to the Father but through Him. Salvation belongeth to the Lord.

The Messiah is also called Wonderful. This word has become so common place today but it literally means full of wonder, miracle. Now think about Jesus and miracles. From his miraculous conception by the Holy Ghost to miracles He did in life. He turned water into wine, he gave sight to blind men and healed the lame. He also raised the sick and dead. Then think of His miraculous death and resurrection. He stayed in the grave for three days and then rose again. He is alive and gives us all salvation and peace today. What a Wonderful Messiah.

He is called Counselor. Christ leads us in the paths of Righteousness, Ps. 23. He is the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12:2. In other words, He gives us the ability and wisdom to please the Father through obedience. He is our counselor.

He is the Mighty God or a giant. Who else can teach the Rabbis at the age of 12? Who else can make mud with His spittle and heal a blind man? Who else can speak and heal a dead child or His friend? Who else can speak and level a group of Roman soldiers? Who else can lay down his own life then take it up giving us life everlasting? Only our giant and Mighty Savior can!

He is the Everlasting Father. Christ has no beginning and no end. Man tried desperately to destroy Him only bringing in salvation to all. His throne and dominion are also everlasting, Ps. 93:2. One day, Christ will come back and rule and reign for all of eternity.

Lastly, He is called the Prince of Peace. There is no peace with the Almighty apart from Christ. If we are not at peace with God the Father than we will never know peace here on earth. Christ ushers in that peace allowing us to live at peace with man. He is the Prince or the ruler of peace. His is the one who can take an upside-down world and give sense to it. He can take lives that are torn apart by sin and heal them and make them whole again. Only he can melt away the hate of this world.

So, the question is will you allow the Messiah truly into your life? Will you allow Christ to be your Savior? Will you allow Christ to be the Wonder of your life? Will you listen to the Messiah and be obedient to the Father this Christmas and this year? Will you and I allow Christ to be our all in all and watch Him do great and mighty acts through us? It is our choice and He is just waiting to be allowed in.

Text: Ephesians 2:11-13

Have you ever lost something and blamed someone else for moving it only to find it exactly where you left it? If you could have only remembered, you would have saved yourself time and frustration. For me it is usually car keys and of course I need them when I am in a hurry.

Paul here tells us to remember. Once again, we must remember where we came from to understand the love of Christ and to see the path that we are to take. So, take a look at this past year. It is almost over and if we are to remember, we need to reflect. What were some victories you had? What were some failures? What can be done to help promote more victories this coming year?

We must also remember the old paths, Jer. 6:13-19. This is not necessarily talking about music, dress, food, etc. It is talking about a heart issue of following the Lord. God pleads with Israel, His chosen people, to remember how their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, and more walked with Him. They were not perfect but they walked with God and desired to be godly and pass on a godly heritage. It is all about a relationship with God being led by His Word the Truth. When we are led by His Word it will show in our music, dress, food, etc. We must remember the godly heritage we have been given and pass it on. If you were not given a godly heritage then become a heritage builder and pass it on. It is never too late.

When we reflect and remember the past, we then can see the hope we have in Christ, vs. 12. This hope is eternal life with Christ in heaven, John 14. This is why we celebrate Christmas. This world is dark and on it’s way to hell and no way out. This world is hopelessly lost in sin and rebellion as enemies of God. Then comes the Light of the World, the Prince of Peace born of a virgin to eventually become the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the whole world. God Himself shows us that it is more blessed to give than receive, Acts 20:35. He gave His life’s blood to redeem mankind to the Father. So, remember the old paths, remember what Christmas is all about, and give the glory to God.