Table of Contents

Contributing Authors 10

Preface 11

Sermons

Jan 3 Wed The Words of Jesus Christ (Col 3:16) 13

Jan 7 Sun AM A Controlling Motive for the New Year (John 20:30-31) 15

Jan 7 Sun PM Two Character References (Ps. 1:1, 4) 18

Jan 10 Wed The Invitation Continues to Come (Matt. 4:19) 20

Jan 14 Sun AM Jesus: God's Last Word (Heb. 1:1-2) 22

Jan 14 Sun PM Sinning Man and Seeking God (Gen. 3:6) 25

Jan 17 Wed Jesus's Assumption Concerning Prayer (Matt. 6:6) 28

Jan 21 Sun AM Be About God's Business (Luke 2:49) 30

Jan 21 Sun PM Down Life's Dead-End Streets (Gen. 22:2) 33

Jan 24 Wed The Savior's Encouragement Regarding Prayer (Matt. 7:7) 36

Jan 28 Sun AM Do the Things That Are Right (Matt. 3:15) 37

Jan 28 Sun PM A Token Forever (Ex. 12:14) 40

Jan 31 Wed The Nature of Prayer (Matt. 9:37-38) 43

Feb 4 Sun AM No, Satan, I Will Not Serve You (Matt. 4:10) 46

Feb 4 Sun PM Following the Shepherd (Ps. 23:1, 6) 49

Feb 7 Wed The Necessity for Privacy (Mark 6:31) 52

Feb 11 Sun AM What Are You Looking For? (John 1:38) 54

Feb 11 Sun PM The King of Glory (Ps. 24:7-8) 57

Feb 14 Wed Have Faith in God (Mark 11:22) 59

Feb 18 Sun AM God's Time Is Always Best (John 2:4) 61

Feb 18 Sun PM When Guilt Is Gone (Ps. 32:1-2) 65

Feb 21 Wed The Golden Rule for Human Relationships (Matt. 7:12) 68

Feb 25 Sun AM Resisting Reality (Matt. 26:57) 69

Feb 25 Sun PM Let's Just Praise the Lord! (Ps. 103:1) 72

Feb 28 Wed Are You Living the Abundant Life? (John 10:10) 75

Mar 4 Sun AM Trafficking in Treachery (Matt. 26:14-16) 77

Mar 4 Sun PM The Travail and the Triumph (Isa. 53:5) 80

Mar 7 Wed As I Have Loved You (John 13:34-35) 83

Mar 11 Sun AM Dallying with Denial (Mark 14:29-31) 85

Mar 11 Sun PM God's Social Register (Isa. 55:1) 88

Mar 14 Wed The Untroubled Heart (John 1.4:1) 90

Mar 18 Sun AM Cavorting with Cowardice (Mark 15:15) 92

Mar 18 Sun PM The Night of the Lions (Dan. 6:23) 94

Mar 21 Wed Jesus Sets Us Free (John 8:36) 97

Mar 25 Sun AM Choosing with Carelessness (Matt 27:20-23) 99

Mar 25 Sun PM God's Irresistible Love (Hos. 3:4-5) 102

Mar 28 Wed What Reward Will You Receive? (Rev. 22:12) 104

Apr 1 Sun AM Witnessing the Resurrection (Matt. 28:9-10) 108

Apr 1 Sun PM The Way of Faith (Heb. 11:8-9) 111

Apr 4 Wed The Great Commission (Matt 28:19) 114

Apr 8 Sun AM You Can Conquer Disappointment (Job 2:10) 116

Apr 8 Sun PM When Faith Is Tested (Gen. 12:10: 13:7, 11) 118

Apr 11 Wed Look on the Field (John 4:35) 122

Apr 15 Sun AM You Can Conquer Doubt (1 Peter 1:3-5) 123

Apr 15 Sun PM After These Things (Gen. 15:1) 126

Apr 18 Wed Witnesses for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8) 129

Apr 22 Sun AM You Can Conquer the Guilt of Sin by Being Born Again (John 3:3) 131

Apr 22 Sun PM A Distinct Voice but Disguised Hands (Gen. 27:22-23) 134

Apr 25 Wed Hope for Sinners (Luke 5:32) 136

Apr 29 Sun AM You Can Conquer Unhappiness (Ps. 32:1-2) 137

Apr 29 Sun PM A Vision of God (Gen. 28:16-17) 140

May 2 Wed Someone Is at the Door (Rev. 3:20) 144

May 6 Sun AM You Can Conquer Worry (Prov. 3:5-6) 146

May 6 Sun PM Face-to-Face with God (Gen. 32:30) 149

May 9 Wed The Lord's Promise to Return (John 14:3) 152

May 13 Sun AM Helping Mothers to Be Good Mothers (Prov. 31:28) 154

May 13 Sun PM Back to Bethel (Gen. 35:1) 157

May 16 Wed The Proof of Love (John 14:15) 159

May 20 Sun AM Five Great Functions of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14) 161

May 20 Sun PM Hard Knocks and a Right Response (Gen. 37:24) 164

May 23 Wed The Promise of Spiritual Power (Arts 1:8) 166

May 27 Sun AM Guidelines for the Prevention of Divorce (Mal. 2:16) 168

May 27 Sun PM When Temptation Strikes (Gen. 39:10) 171

May 30 Wed A Word of Triumph (Rev. 1:17-18) 173

Jun 3 Sun AM The Practice of Forgiveness in Family Relations (Luke 17:3-4) 174

Jun 3 Sun PM After the Storm-the Sunshine (Gen. 41:41) 177

Jun 6 Wed Abel: The Man of Respect (Gen. 4:4) 180

Jun 10 Sun AM Who Is Responsible for Christian Home Life? (Eph. 5:21) 181

Jun 10 Sun PM All These Things Are Against Me (Gen. 42:36) 184

Jun 13 Wed Enoch: The Man Who Walked with God (Gen. 5:24) 187

Jun 17 Sun AM Helping Fathers to Be Good Fathers (Gen. 5:21) 189

Jun 17 Sun PM The Memorable Moment (Gen. 45:8) 191

Jun 20 Wed Noah: The Man Who Built the Ark (Gen. 6:8) 194

Jun 24 Sun AM Proud of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16) 195

Jun 24 Sun PM Facing the Final Enemy (1 Cor. 15:26) 198

Jun 27 Wed Abraham: The Father of a New Spiritual Race (Gen. 12:3) 201

Jul 1 Sun AM The Universal Necessity of Salvation (Rom. 3:19-20) 203

Jul 1 Sun PM The Blessed Book (2 Tim. 3:16) 207

Jul 4 Wed Jacob the Supplanter Transformed into Israel the Prince of God (Gen. 32:28) 210

Jul 8 Sun AM The Nature of God's Salvation (Rom. 3:21-22) 211

Jul 8 Sun PM God Is Alive! (Ps. 42:2) 214

Jul 11 Wed Moses: The Leader and Lawgiver of Israel (Ex. 3:10) 217

Jul 15 Sun AM Salvation by Grace through Faith Illustrated (Rom. 4:4-5) 219

Jul 15 Sun PM A Giant Step for God (John 1:14) 222

Jul 18 Wed Joshua: The Soldier of the Lord (Ex. 17:9) 225

Jul 22 Sun AM Rejoice in God (Rom. 5:11) 226

Jul 22 Sun PM The Abundant Energy Resource (John 14:12) 229

Jul 25 Wed Jethro: The Man with Sound Advice (Ex. 18:19) 231

Jul 29 Sun AM Blessings Brought by Christ (Rom. 5:18-20) 233

Jul 29 Sun PM Whatever Became of Sin? (2 Sam. 12:7) 236

Aug 1 Wed Elijah: Mighty in Prayer (James 5:17) 239

Aug 5 Sun AM The New Attitude of the Saved Person (Rom. 6:22-23) 240

Aug 5 Sun PM Born Again (John 3:7) 243

Aug 8 Wed Gideon: The Big Little Man (Judg. 6:12) 246

Aug 12 Sun AM A Person's Intense Struggle against Sin (Rom. 7:6) 247

Aug 12 Sun PM The Marvel of Being Human (Ps. 8:4-5) 250

Aug 15 Wed Isaiah: The King of the Prophets (Isa. 6:8) 253

Aug 19 Sun AM The Christian's Ultimate Triumph (Rom. 8:18) 254

Aug 19 Sun PM Satan Is Real (Eph. 6:11) 257

Aug 22 Wed Joseph: A Just Man (Matt 1:19) 260

Aug 26 Sun AM More Than Conquerors (Rom. 8:35, 37) 262

Aug 26 Sun PM One of Christ's Greatest Promises (John 14:3) 265

Aug 29 Wed Titus: A Faithful Henchman (Titus 1:4) 268

Sep 2 Sun AM Jesus Is the One You're Looking For (John 4:26) 270

Sep 2 Sun PM The Conversion of Simon Peter (John 1:40-42) 273

Sep 5 Wed Jesus as Mark Saw Him (Mark 1:1) 277

Sep 9 Sun AM Jesus Is the Way (John 14:6) 279

Sep 9 Sun PM Simon Peter's Call to the Ministry (Matt. 4:18-19) 281

Sep 12 Wed One Having Authority (Mark 1:22) 285

Sep 16 Sun AM Christ the Door (John 10:9) 286

Sep 16 Sun PM In Simon Peter's House (Mark 1:17) 289

Sep 19 Wed One Facing Attacks (Mark 2:28) 293

Sep 23 Sun AM Christ the Living Bread from Heaven (John 6:35) 294

Sep 23 Sun PM Peter's Lesson on Faith (Matt. 14:27-28) 297

Sep 26 Wed One Demanding Response (Mark 3:35) 301

Sep 30 Sun AM The Open Secret Concerning the Resurrection (John 11:25-26) 302

Sep 30 Sun PM Peter's Loyalty to Jesus (John 6:67-69) 305

Oct 3 Wed One Sharing Truth (Mark 4:1-2) 309

Oct 7 Sun AM Zacchaeus (Luke 19:6) 311

Oct 7 Sun PM The Eagle Christian (Isa. 40:31) 314

Oct 10 Wed One Conquering Fear (Mark 5:34) 317

Oct 14 Sun AM Nicodemus (John 3:3) 319

Oct 14 Sun PM Look unto the Hills (Ps. 121:1-2) 322

Oct 17 Wed One Provoking Recognition (Mark 6:2) 325

Oct 21 Sun AM A Conversion in a Ghetto (John 4:13) 327

Oct 21 Sun PM Consider the Lilies (Matt. 6:28-29) 330

Oct 24 Wed One Defining Defilement (Mark 7:6) 333

Oct 28 Sun AM The Conversion of the Jewish Scholar (Acts 22:10) 336

Oct 28 Sun PM Palm Tree Christians (Ps. 92:12) 339

Oct 31 Wed One Offering a Second Chance (Mark 8:36) 342

Nov 4 Sun AM The Faithful Steward Is Faithful in Living (1 Cor. 4:1-2) 345

Nov 4 Sun PM A Throne Was Set in Heaven (Rev. 4:2) 349

Nov 7 Wed One Possessing Power (Mark 9:1) 351

Nov 11 Sun AM The Faithful Steward Is Faithful in Giving (1 Cor. 16:2-3) 353

Nov 11 Sun PM Ephesus: Remember, Repent, and Repeat (Rev. 2:5) 358

Nov 14 Wed One Teaching Reality (Mark 10:1) 360

Nov 18 Sun AM An Imperative for Christian Stewards: Living Within Our Means (Eph. 4:28) 363

Nov 18 Sun PM Be Sure to Let Him In (Rev. 3:20) 368

Nov 21 Wed One Exercising Authority (Mark 11:33) 370

Nov 25 Sun AM Big Deal Big Barn, Big Fool (Luke 12:20) 372

Nov 25 Sun PM How Well Do You Hear? (Rev. 3:22) 377

Nov 28 Wed One Probing Man's Heart (Mark 12:30-31) 379

Dec 2 Sun AM Christmas: Star and Scepter (Num 24:17) 382

Dec 2 Sun PM Hey, That's Our Church! (James 5:13-16) 384

Dec 5 Wed One Issuing Warnings (Mark 13:37) 387

Dec 9 Sun AM Our Ultimate Ruler (John 18:37) 389

Dec 9 Sun PM When a Church Worships (John 20:19) 391

Dec 12 Wed One Pondering Death (Mark 14:1) 394

Dec 16 Sun AM The Hinge of History (Luke 2:10-11) 396

Dec 16 Sun PM When a Church Prays (Acts 4:31) 398

Dec 19 Wed One Accepting Kingship (Mark 15:2) 401

Dec 23 Sun AM Where Is He? (Matt. 2:2) 403

Dec 23 Sun PM The Night before Christmas (Luke 2:11) 405

Dec 26 Wed One Erasing Doubts (Mark 16:14) 407

Dec 30 Sun AM Is There Any Word from the Lord? (Jer. 37:17) 409

Dec 30 Sun PM Closing the Door on 2018 (Ex. 14:19-20) 411

Miscellaneous Helps

Messages on the Lord's Supper

Breaking Bread Together (I Cor. 11:20, 33-34) 415

Sitting at the Lord's Table (1 Cor. 10:21) 416

Honoring Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:25) 418

Messages for Children and Young People

God Has a Plan for Your Life (Matt. 26:42) 419

A Disciplined Life (1 Peter 4-1; Luke 9:23) 421

Funeral Meditations

Three Things to Remember (Ps. 103:1-2) 423

God Cares! (1 Peter 5:7) 425

In Times Like These (Ps. 46:1, 10) 427

Weddings

A Wedding Ceremony 429

A Marriage Ceremony 430

Sentence Sermonettes 433

Subject Index 435

Index of Scripture Texts 437