Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: February 24, 2008
HOW TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE SERMON
How much do you get out of the preaching you hear each week? The word “sermon” is
derived from a Latin word which means “a stab or a thrust.” It is also a relationship
between the preacher and the listener. The preacher must spend considerable time in
sermon preparation, in prayer and in conditioning his own heart to deliver God’s word.
Nevertheless, if the sermon is to be helpful and effective, it requires some input on the
part of the listener. Some things are necessary for the listener to do if he is to benefit
from a sermon.
—> PRAY: Spend some time praying for the preacher and ask God to give you an open mind
to receive the truths that are presented.
—> HAVE YOUR BIBLE IN HAND: Using your Bible will help you keep your mind on what is
being said. It will also be helpful to make notes in the margin as you listen. You will be
doing the same noble work as the Bereans (Acts 17:11).
—> STAY AWAKE AND ALERT: A failure to do so will cause loss to you as the hearer and
may result in a misunderstanding of the message and the messenger.
—> LISTEN ATTENTIVELY: Samuel Johnson said, “The true art of memory is the art of
attention.” It truly requires a lot of hard work to develop the art of listening.
— JUDGE THE CONTENT: Don’t waste your time criticizing the preacher’s mistakes in
grammar, inflection, voice quality and style. Concentrate on what he is saying.
—> DISCUSS THE SERMON WITH OTHERS: Discuss the sermon with members of your
family or with friends, not critically but with a desire to profit from the discussion.
Determine that you will put the things learned from each lesson into practice in your own
life. — Adapted
“TAKE HEED THEREFORE HOW YE HEAR” (Luke 8:18).
THE GRACE OF GOD AND RIGHTEOUS LIVING
Don Blackwell
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). It is by the
grace of God that we are saved. But, we must do anything in the Word of God that tells us
what to do to be saved. If we want to go to heaven, we must do what the Word of God
says. Christ said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). And, “The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:
9).
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12). In Psalm 1:6, we read, “For the Lord knoweth
the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” If we don’t do the things
the Lord has said we shall be eternally lost. God expects us to do those things which he
tells us to do. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). If we continue to live in sin after having obeyed the truth,
then we will be eternally lost. We must be faithful to Christ if we expect a home in heaven.
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ;” (Titus 2:13). We must be looking for Christ, because he may come tomorrow.
Heaven will be so much more beautiful than the world we live in now. And, the best thing
about heaven is that it will be eternal.
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a
peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). We when become Christians, we must
be workers for the Lord. Being a Christian does not just mean being a Sunday morning
Christian! Do we just occupy a pew on Sunday morning and then Monday through
Saturday forget about Christ and do whatever we like? We must be workers for the Lord
every day. Have we lost our zeal for serving Christ?
We must be righteous people! We must always be ready for Christ’s coming! We must be
workers for Christ! If we are not these things, we will be eternally lost!
IS BAPTISM ESSENTIAL TO OBEDIENCE BUT NOT ESSENTIAL
TO SALVATION?
Ben Justice
The Hiscox Standard Baptist Manual affirms, “Baptism may not be essential to salvation,
but it is essential to obedience.” In glaring contrast to the first part of this statement,
Peter plainly said, “Baptism doth also now save us” (I Pet. 3:21). Peter did not say, as the
Baptist Manual states, “Baptism doth also not now save us.” Either baptism is essential to
salvation or it is not. The Bible says it is. Now, who will you believe – Baptist doctrine or
Bible doctrine?
It is incredible to say the least that the above statement says baptism “is essential to
obedience.” How is it that something can be said to be “essential to obedience” and be
said to be “not essential to salvation?” Heb. 5:9 declares, “And being made perfect, he
(Christ) became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” This verse
plainly and emphatically declares that obedience is essential to salvation. So, the Baptist
Manual plainly contradicts the Bible. Since baptism is essential to obedience, it is
therefore also essential to salvation. How can it be otherwise? How can one disobey God’s
commands and still be saved?
The Baptist Manual also teaches that baptism is essential to church membership. It
states, “A person may be admitted to the church on a profession of faith in Christ, by
baptism.” It further states that one is voted into church membership in order to be
“received as a member, on being baptized.” So, baptism is not essential to salvation, but it
is essential to becoming a member of the Baptist church. Since baptism is seen to be
essential for one’s admittance into the Baptist Church, but not essential to salvation, it is
logically deduced from the Manual itself that it is easier to get into heaven that it is to get
into the Baptist Church! Why not just stick with the Bible, for you know you can’t go wrong
when you do? Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that
believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).