Category Archives: Apologetics

Matthew 6:25-34 – Don’t Live Your Life Under The Tyranny Of The What If’s

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In our previous study we learned about the deadly disease of affluenza or materialism.  The reason that this is so deadly for the Christian is because it results in an unbiblical focus on the acquisition of things.

Materialism causes people to lose their ability to achieve contentment and leads instead to compromise and coveting.

Jesus tells us in verses 19-24 of chapter 6 to beware of the trap of thinking that possessions satisfy the soul because not only do they not satisfy but they cannot satisfy.  We are not designed by God to be satisfied by material possessions.

Notice that verse 24 serves as Jesus’ summary of the result of disregarding this spiritual truth – you will be mastered by things.

I want to consider two questions and their answers this morning in light of what Jesus says –

  • What happens when we disobey this warning?
  • What happens when we obey it?

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Matthew 6:19-24 – The Danger of Affluenza

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Over the last several weeks we’ve been learning the difference between authentic Christianity as presented by our Lord Jesus and religious formalism demonstrated by the religious leaders of Jesus’ day and many who profess faith today.

The apostle Paul would refer to this latter group as people who held “a form of godliness although they have denied its power.”  Paul’s exhortation concluded with the warning to “avoid such men as these.”

Jesus simply called them what they were – hypocrites.

As we look back at this great teaching that started in chapter 5, we come to understand more and more why Jesus says what He says.  For example, “You have heard it said, but I say to you” can be seen as Jesus saying “Your religious formalism demanded (such and such) but authentic Christianity, true righteousness is demonstrated by (such and such).”

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Matthew 6:1-18 – What Constitutes Godly Righteousness?

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Most of you know this but it bears remembering that chapter and verse designations are man-made.  They were placed throughout the text of the Bible as a means to navigate through the Bible.  In many cases they do make a clean break in the thoughts of the authors.  In the Sermon on the Mount however, this is not the case.

Chapter 6 continues the explanation of Jesus on what constitutes true righteousness.  He has contrasted true righteousness from false righteousness by using the religious leaders of His day.

Jesus makes the point in this chapter that what people do is a direct result of the righteousness they possess – whether their own, or the righteousness God gives us through faith in Jesus Christ.

That was certainly the intent behind what He said in 5:17-20.  Up till that point Jesus had taught the people how godly righteousness was first of all apprehended and secondly how it was manifested.  In that passage verse 20 is a pivotal verse in helping us understand exactly what Jesus was saying.

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Christ-less Conservatism – Coach Dave Daubenmire

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America is a mess and it is getting messier every day. If you think I am wrong I invite you to spend a couple of hours with a group of high school seniors.

I don’t care where you find them. I don’t care if it is in a school, at a mall, or, dare I say it, a Christian youth group at your local church. You will be hard pressed to find any of those students who hold and are able to defend a truly Biblical worldview.

The fake left has been successful in classifying hard-core Biblical beliefs as “hate” speech. Because the worst thing anyone can do today is hate something even the adoption of Christian values has to be given a different name. It is very unusual to find any young person who will self-identify as a Christian when questioned regarding his/her political ideology.

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Parenting in the Land of Moloch – Doug Overmyer

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I sat there, on my couch, late at night, watching a giant cockroach gorge on some “red shirt,” splattering the camera with poorly-rendered CGI blood, while the heroes of this B-movie ran for cover down some cavern.  I loved those kind of movies. The cheesier and bloodier the science fiction, the better.  In this case, the horror and blood was nothing but gratuitous, and I relished in it on that particular night.

My wife and I were going through a marital challenge, and I was unjustly angry at her. I knew putting something like this on television would make her leave the room.  It did, and she went to bed.

In the midst of the movie, I recognized I was “numbing out” the anger and pain I felt by watching these monsters feast bloodily on humans, or at least the image of humans, since it was just a movie.

“Why am I enjoying watching the image of humans getting ripped apart?” I suddenly asked myself.  “Isn’t this devaluing and degrading to the image of God?” The thoughts came unbidden to my mind.

And then suddenly, almost as clear as you reading this to yourself, came the question, “Why do you enjoy watching the destruction of people, when I love and died for them?”

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

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