“ A Little Disjointed ” I just finished watching this sermon. My hopes initially were high due to the subject. Alas, I was disappointed.
Todd tried, but he fell short from the beginning. What he did (& it didn't work out well) was to compare the moneychangers in the temple to King Jeroboam. In a sense they are comparable, but overall they aren't.
Todd tried to be nice to the moneychangers by saying they were just trying to make it easier on the less fortunate during Passover time. That is patently not true & Todd knows this. The Pharisees were in the money making business. In every aspect they were all about the money. THEY allowed the moneychangers in & took a nice healthy profit.
Todd also makes a very audacious statement by saying the world hates INTOLERANCE. Actually, we live in a very intolerant society. Nothing is tolerated anymore. Any subject you come up with or can think of, there is no tolerance of it. So, we live in a very INTOLERANT society. The world can't hate what it practices so passionately.
Todd's not sure where he wants to go with this sermon. He lacks his normal boldness & this is where it was needed most.
Scripture references - Luke 4:16/19; 1 Kings 11:31/12:25; Exodus 30; John 2:13-17; Matthew 21:12
“ Nooooooo! ” As a simple believer my plain reading of the scripture I see 2 groups Israel and the Church. No form of spiritualisation of the text can change the plain reading. I do not lock arms with Luther here.
“ Damaged Video ” I don't know how it happened or why it was posted up in this condition, but the video is damaged.
The last 11:38 min of this video is at the beginning of the video. It starts in mid-sentence. Then at the 11:39 min mark the video ends normally and the beginning starts & runs through to where it was cut off. Who does this?
I had to cut it apart when I got it downloaded & repair it in order to watch it all the way through. It ran fine with the exception of the audio having slipped.
The sermon is a good one, Todd takes the 23rd Psalm apart & explains it in detail. He explains there are 2 kinds of people - sheep & goats. He explains Justification & defines it as "God being absolutely just". He goes onto explain that this world is actually the Valley of the Shadow of Death & that Christ is the House of the Lord.
Something that is central in this sermon is Todd's description of the elect being like sheep & he expounds on how sheep act as animals & how the elect are just like them. He also mentions that God's sheep dogs are GOODNESS & MERCY. I liked that.
Scripture references - Hebrews 13:20; Matthew 25:31; John 10:3,24-29; Psalm 22/23; Genesis 1; Romans 5:1/7; 2 Corinthians 5:21
“ What A Christian Really Looks Like ” I was curious to see where Todd would go with this subject. Not many preachers (pastors) can get a clear & concise handle on this subject and avoid it at all costs, even though it's not that complicated (to me).
He did a fairly good job here. One of the things that I was impressed with was the fact that he took the time to define what SANCTIFICATION was/is. He defined it as being "to take something that is common or ordinary & to set it aside in order to make it Holy". I agree with that.
He went on to speak on several other issues regarding what a believer is.
At the end of the video, there is a film clip of someone playing Amazing Grace on an acoustic guitar, while different scenes are displayed on screen. Why? I don't know. Didn't see the point of it really.
Scripture references - 1 Peter 1:1-9; 2 Timothy 3:16; John 17:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Matthew 1:21
“ Not My Will, But Thine Be Done ” This is my favorite passage of scripture, so I wanted to see how Todd would preach it.
To me, this is not a complicated passage. It is clearly the battle between the flesh & the spirit for Christ. There is nothing too great for the Son of God; however there is plenty that is too great for the flesh & that is what I believe we see here.
Todd was presumptuous in stating several times at the beginning that no one could understand this passage of scripture as it was intended & that is patently not true. God can reveal it to whomever He wishes & He won't be checking in with Todd prior to doing so. All Todd is required to do is preach the word true & faithful & God will cover the rest.
He did point out that the cup of sins were for the elect alone. Not the world. He also noted that Christ prayed 3 times for the cup to be taken; I believe that was clearly the fleshly part of Christ. God had allowed Christ the man to look into that cup & he was almost completely devastated by what he saw in there.
Todd covers/references the account from Mark, Luke & John.
Scripture references - Luke 12:50/22:39-46; John 12:27/18; Hebrews 5:7; Mark 14:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:10; Lamentations 1:11
“ Not Quite Sure How To Take This Sermon ” The title caught my eye. I was curious as to how Todd was going to approach this sensitive subject. I was hoping to learn.
I was wanting (& needing) a distinct explanation of believer's actually not sinning.
Early on he brought up the comparison of the "practice of sin" and the "committing of sin". Here's the problem, he never elaborated enough on it to where I could see clearly the difference between the two. I wanted to see it. I needed to see it.
I know that my sins have been forgiven. I know that in the flesh I sin. I know I do. Todd admitted that much about himself in the sermon. But there was never a clear distinction of exactly what the subject matter was.
The sermon was too vague. The subject matter was interesting & needed to be discussed, but he wasn't up to the task. He quoted a lot of scripture, but never explained anything. I am no further along in my understanding now than when I started the sermon.
Scripture references - 1 John 1:6-8,10/2:4,6,27-28/3:4-6,23-34/4:16; Psalm 119:1; Colossians 2:9-10; 2 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 8:31-39; Ephesians 1:3-4/3:11-12; Philippians 3:8; John 6:53,67/15:1-7
“ Overcoming the World Through Christ ” This was a hard sermon to take in. Primarily because it was incomplete.
Todd begins by explaining the world is in fact every unbeliever. He goes onto explain that faith is not what one thinks of oneself BUT what they think of Christ.
He points out that in the world we as sinners have to deal with the Lust of the Flesh - Desire & Pleasure; the Lust of the Eyes - Our outer image; the Pride of Life - Power & Control.
He draws a contrast between Christ being meek & lowly & man being proud & arrogant. Reminding us of the 1st Beatitude - Blessed are the poor in spirit.
At the 20 min mark Todd describes the would be believer as one who uses the word "I" alot. Here is where the problem comes in. He is correct in what he says, BUT he fails to remind us of what Paul himself says so audaciously in 2 Timothy 4-7. "For I am now ready to be offered & the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished MY course, I have kept the faith". Has he now? It was all Paul & not of God? Where is ANY credit to God there? No preacher seems to be able to preach or teach it. I was hoping Todd would, especially with what he was talking about - but he didn't. Maybe in the future he will address this issue with Paul.
“ God Gets ALL the Credit - Man Gets NONE ” I watched this sermon twice in the last week. A heavy sermon packed with alot of needful information.
Todd starts by saying he has 7 points. They are "Wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved". 1-Wherein, 2-He, 3-Hath, 4-Made, 5-Us, 6-Accepted, 7-In the Beloved.
He mentions that being saved in Grace is not a one word definition. It breaks down to 1-we've been 2-we are 3-we're being 4-we will be.
He notes that RELIGION is not a good thing & explains why.
Towards the end he asks how you can tell if you are saved. He asks 2 questions. 1-What do you think about yourself? Are you a sinner? 2-What do you think about God?
During the sermon, Todd walks away from the podium & when he does, the audio drops significantly & you can hardly hear him. That is a little problematic when trying to make notes.
Also noted the words "accepted" & "favored" are the verb forms of the word "Grace".
Scripture reference - Genesis 14:21; Exodus 34; Psalm 100:3; Song of Solomon 6:3; Ephesians 1:3,6/2:13; Romans 5:19/8:31/11:33; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:19; 1 John 3:5/5:1-4; Hebrews 13:5; Colossians 1:20; 1 Corinthians 1:30/15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 17:4; Luke 7:47; John 2 & 5; Revelation 1:5
“ Excellent Sermon! ” I love Aliyah's comments also. If everyone's ideas are right then there is nothing special about the Truth of the gospel. The pearl of great price was precious because there was only one. The gospel has a singularity to it and the message from Genesis to Revelation is Christ and Him crucified. Paul said he was determined to know nothing else. Paul was not sitting on any fences and neither was Peter. This world tries to teach us to be accepting of what everyone believes. We can be kind to all who will allow us to be, but agreeing that what someone else believes is ok if they don't believe in Christ is not loving them. If you love you want everyone to know the Truth and you will yearn to tell them of Christ if they give you any opportunity to do so. In fact you will create opportunities.
“ The Work of God is this... ” When Jesus was asked what should be done that they might do the work the works of God Jesus said in John 6:29,"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Trust and obey and you will believe Christ and that His work does the job. Paul says, should when sin that grace abound, "God forbid." That is not the desire of one who loves Christ, but it is the reality in this flesh. The Bible presents all those in scripture as they are, sin and all. That is why it is called grace. We can never earn it. It is given freely to the Elect. As in Christ's parable of debts forgiven, the more one realizes how much they owe to Christ the more they love Him and the more they desire to do His will.
“ I Love Todd but I must say... ” Abraham is indeed the father of many nations, naturally and spiritually. God given faith in our Savior's work on the cross is the only means of salvation for Jew and Gentile. But Israel and the Church play different roles in this world. Romans 11 was clearly speaking about the elect of national Israel when in verse 28 he states, "... they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sake." He also says in Romans 11 that God is not through with them and their blindness is in part til the fullness of the gentiles be come in when he will turn ungodliness from them. And in verse 29 Paul states that God does not change His mind. I love what Todd says about the work of Christ in our salvation, but I must say we don't agree on the issue of Israel. Even though most Jews may not be saved there are some and will be more. God is not done with them. He has a plan that includes Israel and the Church.
“ Blessed Sermon ” It isn't complicated. Christ was revealed on the cross (the blood), by the descent of the Holy Spirit on Him, and by His baptism. Todd might not have made it clear as some might like, but as for me I loved his message and I do believe it to have many spiritual lessons about Christ. Martin Luther translated the Bible into German but did not translate the book of James because he was afraid people would think James was teaching works. I believe Luther was wrong. Salvation is by grace through faith and that not of yourself. It is the gift of God as stated in Ephesians 2:8. James was saying that grace creates works in us. Love is a powerful motivator and as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14- For the love of Christ constraineth us. But Paul himself speaks of his waring with the flesh. Yes we have a new spirit but we still have our wicked flesh to deal with and that will not change until we die and are released from this body of death. David was a man after God's own heart, not because he was perfect. If you read about the life of David you know of his horrendous sins. David was a man after God's own heart because he knew God was right and sided with God against himself declaring that God would be just to condemn him. David gave God the glory for his salvation, not himself.
“ Abraham is as described ” Todd is one of the best preachers I have ever heard and this sermon is a great blessing. Even so There is one subject I feel needs to be addressed because the last days before our Lord comes is closer than ever and I believe this is something that is more important than ever to understand. Abraham is indeed the father of many nations, naturally and spiritually. God given faith in our Savior's work on the cross is the only means of salvation for Jew and Gentile. But Israel and the Church play different roles in this world. Romans 11 was clearly speaking about Israel when in verse 28 he states, "... they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sake." He also says in Romans 11 that God is not through with them and their blindness is in part til the fullness of the gentiles be come in when He will turn ungodliness from them. And in verse 29 Paul states that God does not change His mind.
“ 3 In 1 - 1 In 3 ” I wondered how Todd was going to approach this subject. He did quite well actually. He brought out some good points, made some clear statements & stayed focused on the subject matter. Well done, Todd.
He began by pointing out that there are 3 separate entities in one. The Father, the Word (Son) & the Holy Ghost (Spirit). He also went on to note that nowhere in scripture are the terms "Trinity" or "Sovereign" used. Those are man made terms used in order to describe God.
He also points out the definition of the word 'Transcendent' - giving the definition as being "beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience".
Lastly he spends some time on both the terms "omniscience" and "omnipotence" and what they are.
If you are unclear on the subject of the Trinity, this sermon would go a long, long way into helping one understand it more clearly. Highly recommended.
Scripture references - 1 John 5:7; John 1:1/2:24/3:13/6:29/15:26; Genesis 1:1, 26; Isaiah 6:8/9:6; Matthew 3:13/28:19; Proverbs 30:4; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 1:8/13:8
7/29/18 1:50 PM
