Sermon
The Natural Comes Before the Spiritual
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NaturalComesBeforeTheSpiritual.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 15:35-49 I. It’s spring and gardener’s are out putting seeds into the ground, looking forward to crops of fruits, vegetables and flowers. A. Yet, no gardener puts in a seed expecting the seed to get bigger. The seeds stop being seeds, they “die” if you will, and become…
Read MoreJust as I Am (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/JustAsIAm.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 51 I. “Just as I am! Without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me, and that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, Oh Lamb of God, I come! I come!” A. When each of us come to Christ, we have no argument to offer that we deserve…
Read MoreThe Split of the Catholic Churches
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SplitOfTheCatholicChurches.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Matthew 23:1-12 I. Very shortly after the first century, one elder in the church became the chief elder and took on the title of bishop to distinguish himself from the other elders. A. Even though elder and bishop refers to the same duty – Titus 1:5,7 B. By the third…
Read MoreStand Still and Keep Silent
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/StandStillAndKeepSilent.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Exodus 14:5-31 I. Israel has been freed from the bondage of slavery by a series of miracles from God. A. But even as they were moving out of the Egyptian lands, Pharaoh changed his heart and came after his former slaves with an army. B. The people of Israel found themselves…
Read MoreWhat Does It Mean to Be a Christian?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WhatDoesItMeanToBeAChristian.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Peter 1:13-25 I. Over 75% of Americans claim to be Christians, a percentage that has been steadily declining while the non-religious rises. A. Still, it is a high number, but it appears to be in conflict with Jesus’ warning – Matthew 7:13-14 B. What actually makes a person a Christian? II. For…
Read MoreWhat Are Elders Responsible For?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/WhatAreEldersResponsibleFor.mp3 Text: Ezekiel 34:1-10 I. Oversee the Church – I Peter 5:2 A. Shepherding the flock – This is where the term “pastor” comes from 1. They see to it that the church is taught, so all can grow – Ephesians 4:11-16 2. But sheep have a tendency to stray – I Peter 2:25 a. Because people forget to…
Read MoreQuoting Scripture as Evangelism
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/QuotingScriptureAsEvangelism.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 1:3-11 I. It is difficult to read the New Testament and not notice the number of times Jesus and the apostles make their points by directing the person to the Old Testament by means of a quote. A. Regarding eating grain plucked on the Sabbath – Matthew 12:3-5…
Read MoreAbijah’s Brief Reign
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/AbijahsBriefReign.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Chronicles 13 I. Abijah succeed Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, as king of Judah – II Chronicles 13:1-2 A. This same king is call Abijam in I Kings 15:1-8. 1. Not much is mentioned of him I Kings other than there was constant war between Abijah and Jeroboam, the king…
Read MoreThe Apostles’ Creed
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ApostlesCreed.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: John 17:11-23 I. Every once in a while someone will ask what is our statement of faith. A. Back when we were home schooling, we were wanting to get involved with a local group, but they wanted us to sign a statement of faith B. Another name for a…
Read MoreMisquoting the Scriptures
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/MisquotingTheScriptures.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Timothy 2:14-19 I. Atheists will often use short quotes from the Bible to make it appear that the Bible is contradictory or teaches something that people would find repulsive A. But then, when you lift words from their context, you can make almost any point you want B. To be…
Read MoreCorruption in Church Organization
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/0020/01/CorruptionInChurchOrganization.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Acts 20:17-35 I. Equality of members (first century) A. The early church was marked by the equality of its members – Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11 B. As Jesus prayed, the desire was for all Christians to be one – John 17:20-21 C. There were different duties, but the people were…
Read MoreThe Organization of the Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/OrganizationOfTheChurch.mp3 Text: Hebrews 8:1-5 I. We give God glory when we teach His doctrine and execute it accordingly – I Peter 4:11 A. Thus we are to follow the pattern set for us – Philippians 3:17 B. Warnings abound not to change the message – Galatians 1:6-10 C. Any change would give glory to man and no longer…
Read MoreStrategies for Dealing with Problems
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/StrategiesForDealingWithProblems.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 14:3-9 I. The world is filled with problems. Some caused by others. Many that I cause myself. A. How do you deal with them? II. Ignore them A. It is so tempting to pretend that the problems aren’t really there. B. Don’t forsake your friends – Proverbs 27:10 C. Example from the Good…
Read MoreHow Have You Loved Us?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/HowHaveYouLovedUs.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreThere Is No Fear of God Before Their Eyes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ThereIsNoFearOfGodBeforeTheirEyes.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 3:10-18 I. Most of us have been burnt one time or another. A. The memory of the sharp pain makes a lasting impression. As a result, we hold a healthy respect for fire and other hot things. The fear of what fire could do generates a respect for fire.…
Read MoreLabeled for Christ
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/LabeledForChrist.mp3 by Alan Feaster What are you labeled as? A label declares who a person is. Jesus was labeled, quite a few names (Revelation 19:13) “The Word of God” (Revelation 19:16) “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 1:5, 8) “faithful witness” “the firstborn of the dead” “I am the Alpha and the Omega”…
Read MoreRedeeming the Time
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RedeemingTheTime.mp3 by Alan Feaster Text: Ephesians 5:1-21 Definition of redeemed Vines Pertaining to Salvation: λυτρόω lytroō “to release on receipt of ransom” (akin to lutron, “a ransom”), is used in the Middle Voice, signifying “to release by paying a ransom price, to redeem” (Deuteronomy 15:15; 24:18) God Redeemed Israel. (Titus 2:14; I Peter 1:17-19) Christ has…
Read MoreHastening the Day of the Lord (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/HasteningTheDayOfTheLord.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 3:3-15 I. When there is an event coming up that you really look forward to, it seems that time just drags. A. Christmas when you were little, graduating from High School, going off to college, your wedding day, etc. B. But then in other ways you realize that there…
Read MoreBlasphemy
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Blasphemy.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 12:22-37 I. What is blasphemy? A. A transliteration of a Greek word, blasphemia 1. It is a compound word: hurt and speech B. It means to speak evil of someone or to slander someone 1. Contained in it is the idea that a third party is involved 2. It is one person telling…
Read MoreWhy Are There Denominations?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/WhyAreThereDenominations.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 1:10-15 I. I was asked by a gentleman in Nigeria why there were so many denominations A. A denomination simply means a division. B. Among those who call themselves Christians, there are a great number of divisions 1. Even within various divisions, there are divisions 2. The Episcopals are dividing over…
Read MoreAre We a Sect?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/AreWeASect.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 28:16-24 I. The Jews had difficulty understanding the church in its early days. A. It was founded by a Jewish teacher from a small, remote town called Nazareth. B. It began an flourished in their capital city, Jerusalem. C. It taught heavily from the Law, though it added new doctrine that…
Read MoreThe Canon of the Old Testament – Part 1
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/CanonOfTheOldTestament1.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 31:9-13 I. As the last few years of a presidency winds down, people begin to discuss the legacy of the current President. How will the future remember him? What will historians say about him? A. So what makes a President great? 1. Is greatest determined by the writings of famous historians?…
Read MoreHoliness: A Study of Leviticus
2016 Fall Gospel Meeting by Joe Works The Tabernacle of God https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2016Fall1TheTabernacleOfGod.mp3 Tabernacle of God (Handout) Tabernacle of God (Powerpoint) God with Us (Powerpoint) The Value of Old Testament Study https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2016Fall2TheValueOfOldTestamentStudy.mp3 The Value of Old Testament Study (Powerpoint) Be Holy for I am Holy https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2016Fall3BeHolyForIAmHoly.mp3 Be Holy for I am Holy (Powerpoint) Acceptable to the…
Read MoreWhy Are They Unable to See?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/WhyAreTheyUnableToSee.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 19 I. I’m sure it has happened to you. You’re talking to someone and the point is clear and obvious to you, but the other person can’t see it. A. You can see it in the apostles when Jesus stated he was going to die – Mark 9:31-32 B. Some…
Read MoreTrip Report – 2016 (Bali, Singapore, Malaysia)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/TripReport2016.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:17-18 I. My trips to the South Asian islands started in 2013. A. I had been studying with a young man in the National University of Singapore for several years via Skype. He had asked me repeatedly to come hold a meeting in Singapore and things…
Read MorePining for the Past
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PiningForThePast.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Numbers 13:32-14:4 I. People are known for their selective memories A. Some wrap themselves up in the horrors of their youth, blaming every misfortune on what had happened to them in the past. B. More common though are the people who remember the good things that happen and suppress the bad…
Read MoreFoundations
Foundations – Part 1Foundations – Part 2Foundations – Part 3Foundations – Part 4 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 61 I. When we are teaching others, it is important not to just address the issues raised, but to think about why a person has come to the wrong conclusions. A. When a person claims to be…
Read MoreJeremiah’s Belt
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/JeremiahsBelt.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Jeremiah 13:1-7 I. The Bible is filled with interesting small stories A. One time God told Jeremiah to buy a linen belt to wear. B. Later he was told to put the linen belt in a rocky crevice near the Euphrates river C. Still later he was told to retrieve the belt, but…
Read MoreFaith Illustrated
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FaithIllustrated.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The great stories of the Bible never grow old A. We tend to idealize the characters and forget that these are ordinary people, like you and I B. People whose faith was tested and many triumphed over sin C. After discussing many people who illustrated faith, the writer of Hebrews to stand…
Read MoreWhy the Jews Did Not Believe
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/WhyTheJewsDidNotBelieve.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 12:27-43 I. It is a curious thing, the Son of God lived among men (John 1:14) yet He was rejected A. John 1:9-11 – Even among those who were expecting Him, those who had claimed to be God’s children, did not accept him. B. How can this be? II. Because they…
Read MoreA Sound Mind in a Sound Body
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SoundMindInASoundBody.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 4:6-16 I. Back in the time of the early church, a Roman poet, Juvenal, stated “You should pray for a sound mind in a sound body.” A. The thought is clear. To have one without the other is far from an enjoyable life. B. But what is meant by…
Read MoreAbstain from Drinking
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Read MoreOnly an Appearance of Religion
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/OnlyAnAppearanceOfReligion.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Amos 4:1-5 I. When you look at the religious world, there are many odd ideas about what constitutes a religious person. II. Exhibitionism as Religion A. Some people judge how religious a man is by the religious things that he does in public 1. Matthew 6:1-6 – Some people make sure everyone notices…
Read MoreOne of Those Days
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/OneOfThoseDays.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 14:1-36 I. It is easy to get a distorted view of time while reading the Bible A. We see the highlights over a 4,000+ year period of time and come away thinking that miracles and exciting events happened constantly B. But sometime we read the events in the Gospels and don’t…
Read MoreAll By Myself
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AllByMyself.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:12-17 I. Why do I have to go to church? A. After all, I can worship God all by myself. B. After all, all Christians are priests – I Peter 2:9 C. I can read my Bible and I don’t need anyone else – Ephesians 3:3-4 D. I can pray all by…
Read MoreThe Good Confession
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GoodConfession.mp3 Text: I Timothy 6:6-16 I. We all have heard of the five steps of salvation, even though there are really more than five steps. Five just makes it easier to remember. A. Today we are going to focus on confession. B. Exactly what is to be confessed? How is it to be confessed? When are we…
Read MoreSeeing the White Fields
Seeing the White Fields – Part 1Seeing the White Fields – Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 4:5-42 I. Indulge me for a moment and consider the following situations: A. You are talking about what various church have to offer in the area with your neighbor and you take the opportunity to invite him…
Read MoreLongsuffering
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Longsuffering.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Numbers 13:30-14:12 I. In a desire to be kind, to give each person a chance, our criminal system frequently fails to uphold justice A. We assume people want to improve themselves, so we give people multiple second-chances. 1. For a few it is an opportunity to turn their life around 2. But…
Read MoreCareful What You Say (Sermon)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/CarefulWhatYouSay.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 5:1-8 I. There is a passage that should cause each of us to pause – Matthew 12:32-37 A. We will give an account to God for every idle word we speak! B. What we say will either justify us or condemn us C. We will not be able to avoid facing…
Read MoreShelomith’s Son
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/ShelomithsSon.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Leviticus 24:10-23 I. Shelomith had married a non-Israelite and it appears that her son took more after his father than his mother A. He got into a fight with an Israelite. During the fight he cursed and blasphemed the name of God. For this he was jailed. 1. He wasn’t jailed for…
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