“Discipleship must happen not merely within the four walls of this building. We can’t merely outsource biblical, moral training to the church. It needs to be a part of our lifestyle”
Are you merely familiar with Jesus, or are you captivated by him? Learn why the answer to this question is so important in this sermon on Matthew 13:44-58
Delivered by Nathaniel at Cedar Rock First Baptist Church on September 25, 2016.
“If your faith is just a leisure time activity — just something you do for an hour in a pew — then your faith will wither”
How do we account for people who at one time had a glimmer of faith, but that faith faded? Jesus gives us an answer in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-23.
Delivered by Nathaniel at Cedar Rock First Baptist Church on September 11, 2016.
I know I’m supposed to share the gospel. But fear always seems to get in the way.
To wit: I once had a conversation with a staunchly liberal (and probably unsaved) lady in my town. I invited her to my church and mentioned how faith inspires us to love the least of these. As I walked away, though, I realized I had only wanted to talk about topics she wanted to hear. I held back the portions of the gospel that caused friction with her worldview — namely, that Jesus is the only way to the Father.
On another occasion, I discussed faith with a deeply conservative (and probably unsaved) man. After I explained my interest in international missions, he said, “I hope you don’t leave the country. I hate any country that’s not America.” I didn’t know how to respond, so I didn’t. I held back the portions of the gospel that caused friction with his worldview — namely, the parts about Jesus saving us to share his good news to the ends of the earth.
In both instances, fear prohibited me from sharing parts of the gospel my listeners didn’t want to hear. So I stayed away from controversial topics. And both of them heard something less than the full gospel message.
“We must ensure that our lives are not just tidied up, but that our hearts are taken by Jesus.”
In Matthew 12:38-50, we see three stories that teach the same point: Get off the fence.
Delivered by Nathaniel at Cedar Rock First Baptist Church on September 4, 2016.
Nathaniel D. Williams 