Love Undeserved

Sunday Sermon
February 14th 20x
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Skeleton:

Sermonic Pericope: ESV Hosea 1:1-2 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD."

ESV Hosea 3:1-3 And the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins." 2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. 3 And I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you."

Sermonic Theme: God’s Love (The Doctrine of Grace)

God’s redemption of the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage is one of the greatest OT examples of God’s love and Christ death on the cross is the prime NT illustration.

Sermonic Subject: God’s Forgiveness (The Doctrine of Mercy)

Sermonic Tension: Idolatry (The sin of syncretism)

Baalism then & Materialism/Hedonism now

(1) The Israelites have sinned against their covenant partner and therefore will suffer Gods judgment. (2)God loves his covenant people dearly and will forgive their sins and bring in a new age of blessing.

Israel worshiped Baal. North America worships the god of possessions today which is materialism. North America also worships the god of pleasure which is hedonism.

Sermonic Objective: The 21st Century North American Church must change the way she thinks and behaves toward God.

Sermonic Question: Has the culture of North America twisted your theology?

Sermonic Sentence: God loves you. (Usually people learn a great deal about the love of God through the trials of life.)

The prophet Hosea, like God irrationally loved someone who was not very lovely.

Sermonic Help: (Spurgeon at his best) When God says, “I will love them freely,” he means that no prayers, no tears, no good works, no alms are an inducement to him to love men. Nothing in not only them, but nothing anywhere else was the cause of his love to them, not even the blood of Christ. Not even the groans and tears of his beloved Son; these are the fruits of his love, not the cause of it. He does not love because Christ died, but Christ died because the Father loved. Remember that this fountain of love has its spring itself, not in you, nor in me, but only in the Father’s own gracious, infinite heart of goodness.

Sermonic Title: “LOVE UNDESERVED”

Sermonic Structure:

I. The Message from the Lord

II. The Messenger of the Lord

III. The Marriage arraigned by the Lord

IV. The Mercy extended by the Lord

A Hand Written Letter

Sunday Sermon
February 7th 20X
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Skeleton:

Sermonic Pericope: ESV Galatians 6:11-18 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Sermonic Theme: Saved & Set Free (The Doctrine of Justification)

Sermonic Subject: Saved by faith alone not works.

Sermonic Tension: Those who want to make a good showing in the flesh. (Circumcision or the Cross)

Sermonic Literary Device: Metalepsis; or, Double Metonymy (Two Metonymies, one contained in the other but only one expressed.)

Sermonic Question: What causes you to boast? (Notice apostle Paul is not boasting in the event of the cross or the emblem of the cross moreover Paul is boasting in the effects of the cross.)

Sermonic Sentence: Have you read the letter God has preserved for you?

Sermonic Title: “A Hand Written Letter”

Sermonic Structure:

I. This Letter is Personal (V.11)
A. It shows Paul’s Commitment
B. It shows Paul’s Congregation
C. It shows Paul’s Character

II. This Letter is Purposeful (V.12-13)
A. Christians are being persecuted

III. This Letter is Preserved (V.14-18)
A. For its message
B. For its meaning
C. For mankind

Divine Reciprocity part II

Sunday Sermon
January 31st 2010
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Skeleton:

Sermonic Pericope: ESV Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Sermonic Theme: Christian Ethics (Accountability)

Sermonic Subject: Christian Service (Responsibility)

Sermonic Literary Device: Hypocatastasis (Allegory & Continued Metaphor)

Sermonic Tension: Harvest is near. (Pay day someday)

Sermonic Sentence: You will harvest what you’ve sown. (God will make sure you get what’s coming to you. Keep in mind that this is an agricultural society) Good news/Bad news

Sermonic Question: Are you sowing to the flesh or the Spirit? (I’m accountable for the seeds I sow and I’m responsible for the harvest I reap.)

Sermonic Title: “DIVINE RECIPROCITY part II”

Sermonic Structure:

I. YOU WILL HARVEST WHAT YOU SOW

II. YOU WILL HARVEST LATER THAN YOU SOW

III. YOU WILL HARVEST MORE THAN YOU SOW