Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church

The sermon is from Luke 9:23-27– “Count the Cost; Take Up the Cross; Follow Christ”.  “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” – Luke 9:25

All three synoptic gospels contain this question (See – Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36). The Spirit of God intends for us to answer it. Suppose you opened a small business that became a large business. And suppose further that the large business grew and grew. It became a large corporate empire. Then, you were able over time to purchase other businesses like Amazon and Federal Express and others until you ran a world-wide monopoly. Then, you began to purchase land until you owned every square inch of the earth – even the depths of the sea. You, as Christ states, “… gained the whole world ….” What good would all your riches be if you lost your soul and perished eternally? Jesus probes and he probes us deeply with this question.

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The sermon is from Luke 8:26-39 – “The Plight of Man; the Power of God”.  “… they … found the man … sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind …” – Luke 8:35

The Bible records several dramatic conversion experiences. One may think of Manasseh in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 33:1-13) or Saul of Tarsus in the New (Acts 9:1-22). Now, the deliverance and transformation of the demon-possessed man in Luke 8 should certainly capture our attention and cause us to include him in a list of dramatic conversions in the Bible. The story begins with a description of his plight (8:27-30); the story ends with the man totally transformed and in his right mind (8:34-39). The story begins with the plight of man; the story ends with the power of God.

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The sermon is from Luke 8:22-25 – “Power for the Perishing”.  “And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’” – Luke 8:24

“They went and woke who?!,” you may ask. The One they awoke was God Incarnate. “For in him,” according to Paul, “all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell.” Paul goes on to state, “God was manifest in the flesh …” (1 Timothy 3:16 KJV). How could God take a nap? Afterall, Psalm 121:4 announces, “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” To understand this, one must remember that Christ is one person with two natures. He possesses a divine nature, but He also possesses a human nature. Therefore, He slept in the back of the disciple’s boat. In Mark (4:38), we discover that He even had a cushion! So, He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. In every respect, He has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:14-16).

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The sermon is from Luke 7:36-50 – “Do You See this Woman?”.  “… he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman?’ …” – Luke 7:44

Simon the Pharisee certainly “saw” the woman kneeling behind Christ. In fact, she would be hard to miss. She was weeping at the feet of Jesus; She was wiping the tears away from His feet with her hair; She was kissing His feet and anointing them with costly perfume. But Simon kept his distance from her. He knew all about her “history.” Likely, she was one of the town prostitutes and Simon was not about to let her forget it. Thus, it took courage for her to enter Simon’s home. No one needed to remind her of her past. She knew it all too well. She had been used and abused. Her sins like Gibraltar towered over her. But somehow, she had learned of the claims of Christ and her sense of need forced her through Simon’s door. Here, she found forgiveness but she also found One who is “the friend of sinners.” (Luke 7:34; 15:1-2)

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The sermon is from Luke 7:18-25 – “Dungeons and Doubts”.  “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard …” – Luke 7:22

John the Baptist was languishing in prison. Death by beheading awaited him (See Mark 6:14-29). Satan possibly introduced doubts into his mind with these questions – “Was my ministry a waste? What if my message to the people was untrue? What if my declaration, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,’ was a false hope?” So, he sent messengers to inquire of Christ, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” In a tender and yet powerful way, Christ demonstrated His deep affection for John. Instead of sending the messengers back to John with a cold, verbal message, “Yes, I am the Messiah,” Christ heals the sick and infirm, and He preaches good news to the poor. Then, He sends them back as eye-witnesses to His fulfillment of the Messianic promises (Isaiah 35:1-10). John died experiencing the peace of God that passes all understanding guarding his heart and mind.

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The sermon is from Luke 6:25-27 – “A Rebuke from the Resurrected Christ”.  “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” – Luke 24:25

Are you slow of heart on this Easter Sunday to believe all that the prophets have spoken? This question begs another question, “Have you read all that the prophets have spoken? That is, have you read the Old Testament?” It is hard to believe the Old Testament predictions and promises concerning Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection if you’ve never read them. Now, suppose you have read the Old Testament or you have heard a preacher proclaim the message concerning Christ’s humiliation and exaltation, have you enthusiastically embraced this Christ by faith? Can you say in a similar fashion with these disciples, “Did not my heart burn within me as Christ opened to me the Scriptures?” Christ, by His Spirit, still performs this work today as the Bible is read, preached, and believed.

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The sermon is from Luke 6:46-49 – “Floods and Foundations”.  “And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house ….” – Luke 6:48

Stress tests determine the strength of one’s heart. Floods test the strength of a building’s foundation. In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus likens the day of judgment to a flood. That day will test our spiritual foundation in this life and in the life to come. Are we like a builder who builds a house with its foundation on a rock? Or, are we like a builder who builds a house on the ground without a foundation? Christ’s imagery is clear. The day of judgment will test our spiritual foundations. Are we building on a firm foundation? Or, are we building on a faulty or even non-existent foundation. Christ shelters those who trust Him from the wrath to come. (Nahum 1:7-8)

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The sermon is from Luke 5:27-32 – “The Doctor is In”.  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” – Luke 5:31

In spite of the value of preventive medicine, many of us do not call for a doctor’s appointment until we are sick. Some illnesses, diseases, and injuries leave us desperate and helpless. We are totally dependent upon the training and experience of a skilled physician. With this awareness, Christ sets forth a profound truth in the spiritual realm. Some see themselves as healthy, spiritually speaking. They see no need for Jesus Christ. Others see themselves as sick. They realize their desperate need for the Lord Jesus. Jesus, as you see (vs. 29) “reclines at table” with sinners who cry out to Him in faith.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Luke 5:1-11 – “Catching Fish and Catching Men”.  “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” – Luke 5:8

The “deep sea” held a deep lesson for Simon Peter and his colleagues, James and John. In verses 1-11 of this chapter, Luke describes what should have been a joyous event for these fishermen. Jesus Christ had filled two boats with so many fish that the nets were breaking and the boats were sinking! But, instead of exuberant emotions, Peter was confessing his sinfulness (Vs. 8). And, instead of great joy, these disciples were fearful. Christ’s miracle demonstrated that they were in the presence of God in human flesh. As on another occasion, they exclaimed, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:35-41)

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Luke 4:16-30 – “The Hometown Heretic”.  “When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.”  – Luke 4:28

Compare the rage of Luke 4:28 with the admiration of Luke 4:22. At one moment, the worshippers in the synagogue were marveling over Christ’s words. A few moments later they were filled with wrath and seeking to kill Him. Why the sudden alteration in their opinion of Christ? Christ had essentially reminded them of the promises of God’s covenant with their forefather Abraham. God had declared in Genesis 12:3 that in Abraham all the families of the earth would be blessed. Christ simply reminded them of God’s love for the nations of the world (See Luke 4:25-27). A message regarding God’s love filled them with hate.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA