A Letter to a Lady
Even in the salutation of the Apostle John’s Second Letter, he offers profound words of encouragement to the anonymous woman to whom he is writing. He calls her “chosen.” His letter’s opening reminds this woman that she and her children have not been forgotten, and they are loved—by John and the Lord. Whatever our circumstances or challenges, let us remember who we are in Christ and stand firm on the promises of God.
Question and Answer Program No. 61
Stephen and Scott discuss questions phoned in by listeners. Please note that there is NO transcript available for this program.
A Gallery of Grace
In typical fashion, Paul wraps up his letter to the Romans by greeting and thanking diverse individuals who are worthy of affirmation. But before they get too big-headed, Paul reminds them that God is the One who really deserves the credit. The gallery of our faith is just a hall in the greater gallery of God's grace.
Surviving Vanity Fair
At one point in John Bunyan's famous work, "A Pilgrim's Progress," Pilgrim and his friend travel through a town called "Vanity Fair." The town is a lot like yours and mine: materialistic, self-absorbed, pleasure-seeking, and God-rejecting. Temptation was lurking around every corner. In this message Stephen asks us to consider how well we are surviving the onslaught of temptation that surrounds us every day in our own Vanity Fair. In Bunyan's allegory, Pilgrim's friend didn't make it out alive. Will you?
We Interrupt This Letter
In Romans 16:17-18, the Apostle Paul interrupts his letter of commendation to warn the Church about false teachers. It's a warning as relevant to us today as it was to those Christians in Rome. So let's join Stephen in this message as he gives us the marks of a false teacher.
The Hall of Faith
There's a hall of fame for just about everything nowadays. There's a basketball hall of fame, a bicycling hall of fame, a nurses hall of fame, an aviation hall of fame, a quilters hall of fame; and the list goes on and on! In Romans chapter 16, however, we discover that God has a hall of fame as well. But unlike our worldly displays, the heroes in God's hall are not praised for great feats of strength, brilliance, or artistry. They are honored for their service and humility. So let's join Stephen now as he shows us a few of the people on display.
Choosing Third Class
Have you ever heard the saying, "No man is an island?" Well the Apostle Paul, spiritual and energetic as he was, would have said the same thing. In Romans 16:3-5, he introduces us to a Godly couple who poured into him as much as he poured into others. Were it not for their persistent ministry, Paul would not have been the Apostle he was.
Make Room for My Sister
God knows Your name and He knows everything about you. You might walk down the street or walk down the aisle of your Church and feel like just a face in the crowd. But there is coming a day when God will call you by name. He will embrace you as His child . . . and He will reward you for all the things you did for his glory that no one else saw. What a day that will be!
Sundown at Noon
There is no doubt that the "homegoing" of a young life, especially one whose life promised so much for the gospel of Jesus Christ, is often confusing and, in our perspective, tragic. One author referred to the death of a committed Christian at the early stages of great potential as, "The sun going down at noon." But what we learn from these men and women is that the best time to walk with God is always today. We never know what will happen tomorrow.ÂÂ
The Lost Book
Prior to the reign of young King Josiah, the scriptures had been misplaced. They were lost. Can you imagine what that would be like today? What if all the Bibles in the world suddenly disapeared? The truth is, while we have billions of copies of Scripture in different languages and translations, the Gospel is becoming as lost now as it was then. How do we rediscover God's Word in the 21st Century? The answer is found in 2 Kings chapter 22.