Back to Basics: Sola Gratia (Part 1)

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Pastor Matt Tarr – PM Sermon

Scripture: Selected Scriptures

In the words of the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, “If anything is hated bitterly, it is the out-and-out gospel of the grace of God… [But] if you remove grace out of the gospel, the gospel is gone. If the people do not like the doctrine of grace, give them all the more of it.” This is most definitely true. The gospel itself demands salvation by grace through faith alone. And if you understand the nature of man, you’ll understand why. It is because of our totally depraved condition, that grace is a Divine necessity.

All Things Done Well

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Pastor Matt Tarr – AM Sermon

Scripture: Mark 7:31-37

Jesus is in Decapolis – a region of ten cities established by Pompey a bastion for idolatrous worship. But it would be here that the crowds would react to a particular healing more dramatically expressed than any reaction to miracles performed in Galilee. Very simply, they were superlatively beyond all measure, superlatively astonished, leading them to conclude rightly about Him, “He does all things well.”

Add. Ref.: Romans 8:18-19, 26

Back to Basics: Justification (Part 2)

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Pastor Matt Tarr – PM Sermon

Scripture: Selected Scriptures

The great question before all humanity is this, “How can sinful men be justified before a holy God?” Roman Catholicism adamantly maintain that justification by faith alone was a protestant convention found nowhere in Scripture. Is that true? Furthermore, what do we make of James 2:14-26 which seems to confirm justification by faith plus works? The answer is quite simple, but the text, just as with the rest of all Scripture, must be understood in context.

Feeding Dogs and the Gospel of the World

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Pastor Matt Tarr – AM Sermon

Scripture: Mark 7:24-30

Jesus’ message being completely rejected by those from his own region in Galilee, Jesus moves north to the completely pagan, idolatrous, and wicked region of Tyre and Sidon where He is met by a woman with a desperate plea. Ironically, she demonstrates to have a better understanding of God’s redemptive plan than even the Jews, and because of her great faith, Jesus casts the demon out of her daughter.

Add. Ref.: 1 Kings 11:9-10; Luke 18:1-8; Matthew 8:5-12

Back to Basics: Justification (Part 1)

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Pastor Matt Tarr – PM Sermon

Scripture: Selected Scriptures

Justification is the method by which we are forgiven and reconciled to a holy God. It is a result of the Holy Spirit’s work which gives us a new heart for worship. Although not made righteous, through Justification we are declared righteous. This is a foundational Christian doctrine, and one which every Christian should understand.

Dealing with the Heart

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Pastor Matt Tarr – AM Sermon

Scripture: Mark 7:14-23

As Jesus teaches His disciples, it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him. In other words, it is what is within his heart that causes him to be defiled, since a person’s outward actions are a result of inward attitudes. There is only one way to resolve this issue, and that is to receive a new heart.

Trying Great Things for God

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Missionary: José Alonso – PM Sermon

Scripture: 1 Samuel 13-14

This stirring sermon by High Point Baptist Church’s missionary to Columbia, José Alonso, challenges the Christian to go out and be bold in our service to the Lord, so long as we are properly intentioned and rightly focused on Him and His glory.

Wrong Doctrine, Wrong Worship

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Pastor Matt Tarr – AM Sermon

Scripture: Mark 7:1-13

There are many who claim to worship the Lord, but without a proper view of Who the Lord actually is and what He has done, a person can fall into the trap of worshipping an idol, a manufactured God of their own creation. We are challenged, therefore, the think rightly about God through a sound doctrine so that we might worship Him rightly and in the way He deserves.

Add. Ref.: John 15:24-25; Philippians 3:4-11

Back to Basics: Inspired Means…

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Pastor Matt Tarr – PM Sermon

Scripture: Selected Scriptures

What does it mean when we say that the Scriptures are “inspired”? A study of the history of the canon of Scripture including what qualifies a book of the Bible as inspired and what doesn’t gives us insight into how we know for sure that the Bible truly is God’s Word.

When You’re Blind, You’re Blind

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Pastor Matt Tarr – AM Sermon

Scripture: Mark 6:45-56

We are each described as being spiritually blind before the intervention of the Holy Spirit during our salvation, meaning we are completely incapable of understanding the things of God. It is this same hardness of heart that prevents the apostles from understanding, even as they are witness to five manifestations of Christ’s divine power on one night.