Sermons

Following Jesus – Compassion For the SICK! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Compassion For the SICK! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the March 2, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Compassion For the SICK!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 9

“I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” 
Jonah 4:2 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  As Matthew’s gospel continues, we find Jesus encountering many people who had great needs.  As Jesus met those needs through His choosing to suffer with us, He shows us what it looks like to have compassion for the . . .

  • Sleeping:  Matthew 9:18-26

    • Jesus had compassion on those who were sleeping, even when people thought it was too late.  While the father of the girl in this portion of our text believed Jesus could bring life to his daughter, everyone else laughed when Jesus said the girl was just asleep.  We have a tendency to give up when people appear spiritually dead.  What Jesus wants is for us to have compassion for them as one who is just asleep and needs to be spiritually awakened. 

  • Invalid:  Matthew 9:1-8

    • Jesus had compassion on those who were invalids for one reason or another.  His heart went out to the lame, the blind, the deaf, to those physically impaired in whatever way imaginable.  But even more than a pity for their physical condition, Jesus was concerned about their spiritual disability.  While others would ignore them and even mistreat them, Jesus looked beyond their limitations and could see their faith.  We would do well to live with that same compassion which sees all people as valuable to God.

  • Crowd:  Matthew 9:35-38

    • Jesus had compassion on the individuals who make up the crowd.  He noticed their despair and trouble in a way which led His heart to go out toward them.  Rather than blame them for their condition, He recognized a lack of leadership which kept them from finding a good and godly sense of direction.  Yes, each person is responsible for the choices we make.  However, there is an increased responsibility for each one of us to be careful in how we represent Jesus and how we lead those within our care.  We share in the compassion of Jesus for the crowd when we notice the individuals and do our part to follow Jesus in a way which leads others to Him.

  • Kind (“That Kind”):  Matthew 9:9-12

    • Jesus had compassion on “that kind” of people.  When Matthew responded to the call of Jesus to “come, follow me”, his friends were not the kind of people the religious leaders found acceptable.  It was their belief that Jesus should not associate with “that kind” of people.  Whether a simple lack of understanding or a full out prejudice, we all have people that don’t fit our definition of belonging.  Rather than deny the truth, we would do well to let the truth lead us to a growing compassion for every person we encounter and especially for those we have the most trouble identifying with.  

Today, how will you have compassion for the SICK?

Following Jesus – The One Who HEALS! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – The One Who HEALS! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 23, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: The One Who Heals!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 8

“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.”
Matthew 8:16 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  As Matthew’s gospel continues, we find Jesus encountering many people who had great needs.  As Jesus met those needs, we discover that following Jesus includes knowing the One who . . .

  • Hears:  Matthew 8:1-7

    • Jesus is one who hears both what we say and what we don’t say.  There is great healing which takes place through the powerful act of being listened to.  Jesus could hear both the spoken request to be healed and the unspoken request to be touched.  We become more like Jesus when our following of Him leads us to listen for the purpose of hearing. 

  • Examines:  Matthew 8:8-13

    • Jesus is one who examines the motives of our heart even more than the actions of our hands.  As one who examines, Jesus encourages us to grow in faith as we move our belief in God from words to trust.  We can know the healing of Jesus when He examines our life and finds great faith.  We become more like Jesus when we examine, by the truth of His Word and His Spirit, our faith and find it growing.

  • Acts:  Matthew 8:14-16

    • Jesus is one who acts according to what is good and right and just.  The One who heals does so not only through hearing and examining, but by acting upon what was heard and noticed.  Our desire to be like Jesus ought to lead us to a greater awareness, and practice, of how we should act toward one another.  We become more like Jesus when we act like those who have been healed by His blood.

  • Loves:  Matthew 8:17

    • Jesus is one who loves above all others and sets the example of how we should love one another.  His love is not only evident in the laying down of His life to pay the penalty we deserve from sin, it is also evident in His living life as one of us and enduring the hardships and troubles that we ourselves encounter.  We become more like Jesus when our love is not only willing to die for others, but is willing to live a life of sacrifice for them.  

  • Saves:  Matthew 8:23-27

    • Jesus is the one who saves when no one else can.  When we find ourselves overwhelmed in the turmoil of life, the healing that we need is greater than a simple physical healing.  When the waves of worry and trouble crash over us, we can find comfort and healing when we cry out to Jesus to save us.  While the body we live in will not last forever, when Jesus saves us we have an eternal healing that will never fade.  We become more like Jesus when we share the good news of Jesus as the One who saves.

Today, how will you reflect the One who HEALS?

Following Jesus – The Correct PATH! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – The Correct PATH! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 16, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: The Correct PATH!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 7

“Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  As Jesus sat down on the mountainside to teach His followers, including us, He takes teaching from God’s Word and makes it sound new.  As Jesus began to conclude His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, He not only calls for us to find the path which leads to eternal life, He defines for us the correct . . .

  • Problem:  Matthew 7:1-6

    • Finding the correct path begins when we are able to find the correct problem . . . and that problem is the sin in our own life.  While it can be easy to notice, and want to do something, about the sin we see in others, our path to eternal life begins when we acknowledge our own sin and agree with God about its need to go.  Yes, there is a time to help our brothers and sisters in Christ deal with the sin which so easily entangles them, but our priority begins in dealing with the plank in our own eye. 

  • Answer:  Matthew 7:7-12

    • Finding the correct path continues when we find the correct answer to the problem we find in our life . . . the answer to the problem of sin.  The good news is that the answer we need is Jesus and He promises that those who genuinely ask, seek, and knock will find an answer of a door opened by His life, death, and resurrection.  When we are willing to know Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we discover the correct answer to our problem of sin.

  • Tree:  Matthew 7:13-23

    • Finding the correct path will lead us to the correct tree . . . a tree which bears good fruit.  We find that choice of tree laid out for mankind since the beginning of time.  While there were many trees in the garden of Eden, we find two of them that were named with one of those two being forbidden.  While it can be easy to question Adam and Eve’s decision, how often do we choose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil rather than the tree of life?  While the garden of Eden was protected by angels and then destroyed in the flood, the new tree of life is the cross where Jesus paid the penalty for our sins.  It is by eating the fruit of this tree that we find our path to be the correct tree which bears much fruit to the glory of God.

  • Home:  Matthew 7:24-29

    • Finding the correct path will lead us to the correct home . . . an eternal home build on the solid foundation of Jesus.  We build on that foundation when we choose to hear the Word of God and do what it says.  It is this home that stands even when the storms of life and the attacks of the enemy seek to kill, steal, and destroy.  While the path is narrow and few find it, the good news is that all are invited to find this correct path and to join with others as we journey toward an eternal home with Jesus.

Today, how will you find the correct PATH?

Following Jesus – Looking At the NEW! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Looking At the NEW! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 9, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Looking At the NEW!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 6

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 6:1 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  As Jesus sat down on the mountainside to teach His followers, including us, He takes teaching from God’s Word and makes it sound new.  As we look at what He teaches which is new, we find that He shares with us about taking a new look at the . . .

  • Needy:  Matthew 6:1-4

    • As we are called to look at the needy, God wants us to have a new direction in that the focus is on helping people rather than on making a name for our self.  While not really a new concept, it is a new approach compared to the way the people had seen the needy being used for the benefit of others looking good rather than actually being helped.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we must look at the needy with the eyes of Christ which seek to lift them rather than exploit them. 

  • Eternal:  Matthew 6:5-18

    • As we are called to look at the eternal, God wants us to examine the spiritual practices of prayer and fasting that were meant to help us grow in relationship with Him.  Prayer and fasting were normal activities in the lives of those who would have gathered around Jesus but for many the practices had simply become religious routines rather than eternal relationship.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we must look at the eternal as something we desire with enough intensity that we are willing to be real in our conversations with God and at times choose to go without some things of this world in order to pursue God more deliberately.

  • Wealth:  Matthew 6:19-34

    • As we are called to look at the wealth, God wants us to see Him and His kingdom as that which is valuable above all else.  Sometimes this requires a change in our practices, and sometimes it requires a change in our motivations.  Do we really seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, or are we more worried about our self.  When we take this new look at wealth, we discover the worry of tomorrow has no place in disrupting today.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we recognize our relationship with the living God fills us with a greater wealth than any of the riches of this world could ever bring.

Today, how will you care for the NEW?

Following Jesus – Overcoming What You’ve HEARD! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Overcoming What You’ve HEARD! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 2, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Overcoming What You’ve HEARD!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 5:17-48

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:20 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  As we continue into the Sermon On the Mount, we find Jesus helping us understand the heart of God which will help us overcome what we’ve . . .

  • Harbored:  Matthew 5:21-26

    • “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'”  Matthew 5:21
      To overcome what you have heard about murder, Jesus wants you to examine your heart to see the anger which is often harbored.  Rarely, if ever, does murder just happen.  It is generally born out of the things which are harbored in the heart and allowed to grow.  It is not just the murder of a physical body which God is concerned about when it comes to our actions.  His commands teach us to look beyond what we thing we’ve heard and see the great damage caused by the murder of a person’s reputation, image, position, or any damage caused to their social, emotional, physical, or spiritual well-being.  We overcome what we’ve heard when we choose God’s help in removing all the harmful things which we tend to harbor. 

  • Eyed:  Matthew 5:27-32

    • “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.'”  Matthew 5:27
      To overcome what you have heard about adultery, Jesus wants you to examine what you allow your eyes to linger on.  The lust in a person heart causes great damage whether that lust is focused on a person, place, or thing.  Unresolved and unrepented of, the lust of the eyes lead us to desire, touch, and take things which do not belong to us.  We overcome what we’ve heard when we pay attention to what we eye and choose to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

  • Authorized:  Matthew 5:33-37

    • “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'”  Matthew 5:33
      To overcome what you have heard about oaths and promises, Jesus wants you to pay attention to what you believe you have the right to authorize.  It is far too common to make uncommitted commitments simply to avoid saying yes or no.  When we choose to rank our promises based on who they’re made to, we show favoritism and partiality in ways which go against all that is of God.  We overcome what we’ve heard when we choose to be impartial in authorizing our yes to be yes and our no to be no every time.

  • Resisted:  Matthew 5:38-42

    • “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'”  Matthew 3:38
      To overcome what you have heard about revenge, Jesus wants you to pay attention to who your resisting is against.  Our human nature wants to resist the person we believe has wronged us while the nature of Christ within us calls us to resist the devil so that he would flee from us.  While our flesh often wants revenge, God’s Word reminds us that our battle is not against flesh and blood.  We overcome what we’ve heard when we choose to resist the devil and all his temptations of revenge against others.

  • Decided:  Matthew 5:43-48

    • “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'”  Matthew 5:43
      To overcome what you have heard about love and hate, Jesus wants you to decide to love like He loves.  When we choose love and hate according to the standards of the world, we find our life filled with division and labels based on the distinctions defined more by hatred than love.  Prejudice and favoritism has no place within the kingdom of God in any way, shape, or form and definitely not in the way we love.  We overcome what we’ve heard when we decide to love all people in the way that Jesus loves them.

Today, how will you overcome what you’ve HEARD?

Following Jesus – A Blessed Life! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – A Blessed Life! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the January 26, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: A Blessed LIFE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 5:1-16

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’”  
Matthew 25:34 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live life following Jesus.  After Jesus stood fast against the temptations of the devil, He began to teach what it looks like, even when faced with being poor in spirit, mourning, being meek, hungering & thirsting for righteousness, being merciful, being pure in heart, being a peacemaker, being persecuted, being insulted, and/or being falsely accused, to live a blessed . . .

  • Lesson:  Matthew 5:1-2

    • A blessed life begins with the willingness of Jesus to sit down with us and share a blessed lesson.  

  • Intention:  Matthew 5:3-9

    • A blessed life, from the perspective of Jesus, will call us to understand the blessed intention woven within the life we live.

  • Faith:  Matthew 5:10-12

    • A blessed life can only be experienced in the difficulties of life when we live with a blessed faith in all circumstances.

  • Example:  Matthew 5:13-16

    • A blessed life is given to us by God so that we would become a blessed example of His goodness.

Today, how will you live a blessed LIFE?

Following Jesus – Called To COME! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Called To COME! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the January 19, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Called To COME!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 4:12-25

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  
Matthew 4:19 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live life following Jesus.  After Jesus stood fast against the temptations of the devil, He began to proclaim a time to . . .

  • Change:  Matthew 4:12-17

    • When Jesus calls us to follow Him, it is a call to change.  Following Jesus requires a new direction and a new life.  Being called to repentance should lead us to change the direction, and the director, of our life.  When a person chooses to put Jesus in charge of their life, nothing remains the same.  The call of Jesus to follow Him must always be met with a willingness to change.  

  • Obey:  Matthew 4:18-22

    • When Jesus calls us to follow Him, it is a call to obey.  Far too often, we want to offer a conditional obedience . . . I’ll obey in the areas I believe are beneficial to me and I’ll continue to do my own thing in the areas which I determine I’m doing okay in.  Unfortunately, that is now what obedience to God looks like.  The response of those initially called by Jesus we to immediately leave what they were doing and follow Him.  The call of Jesus to follow Him must always be met with a decision to obey.

  • Mend:  Matthew 4:23

    • When Jesus calls us to follow Him, it is a call to mend that which is broken.  While Jesus spent time mending the brokenness of sickness, injury, and other physical needs, He also set about mending the brokenness of injustice, prejudice, and abandonment.  While there is much good done by those who can help with physical healing, Jesus calls us to be involved in the emotional and spiritual healing of others as we share Him with them.  The call of Jesus to follow Him must always be met with a desire to mend, just as He mends us.

  • Expand:  Matthew 4:24-25

    • When Jesus calls us to follow Him, it is a call to expand the kingdom of God.  The “come, follow me” was not just a statement offered to a few who were chosen, but rather a call of God to all who would be willing to respond.  It is God’s desire the no one should perish, but that all would come to repentance.  Until the day of Christ’s return, the fullness of the kingdom of God will always operate with the truth that there is room for one more.  The call of Jesus to follow Him must always be met with our desire to see the kingdom of God expand as we also share the good news of Jesus.

Today, how will you respond to this call to COME?

Following Jesus – Ready For the TEST! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Ready For the TEST! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the January 12, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Ready For the TEST!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 4:1-11

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live life following Jesus.  As Jesus prepared to begin His public teaching and ministry, He shows us what it looks like to be ready for the . . .

  • Treat:  Matthew 4:1-4

    • As we live as those ready for the test, we learn from Jesus about being ready for what appears to be a treat.  After forty days of prayer and fasting, and tempting, the devil offers Jesus the one thing that would make the most sense — food!  The response of Jesus, as with all of the devil’s temptations, is to apply God’s Word to His current situation.  We must be very careful when we are offered that which caters to the desires of our flesh rather than the desire of the Spirit who lives within us.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for the treats of this world when we set our eyes upon the ultimate reward of life forever with Jesus.  

  • Excuses:  Matthew 4:5-7

    • Being ready for the test comes when we learn from Jesus how to overcome the excuses of the enemy designed to lead to our disobedience.  The devil tried to use scripture as an excuse for Jesus to throw Himself off the high point of the temple.  It is a similar technique he used in twisting God’s Word in asking Adam and Eve if God really said they could not touch the tree in the garden.  We are surrounded by the work of the devil in filling our minds with excuses which attempt to justify sinful behavior.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for the excuses of this world when we fill our minds daily with the truth of God’s Word.

  • Success:  Matthew 4:8-10

    • Being ready for the test requires that we are prepared with a godly response to the allure of success.  The devil offered to give Jesus the kingdoms of this world in exchange for a moment of worship.  The lie woven within this offer of success is that the kingdoms of this world are only temporarily under the rule of the devil . . . Jesus was, is, and will be Lord of all.  We can easily desire success to such an extent that we give in to the temptations of shortcuts and settling for less than God’s best.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for success when we measure true success by our faithfulness to God and His faithfulness to us.

  • Time:  Matthew 4:11

    • Being ready for the test comes with an understanding to be ready for the time at hand.  As I understand the accounts of this wilderness time in the life of Jesus, He was being tempted by the devil not just these three times at the end, but throughout the forty days of prayer and fasting.  But it didn’t end there.  Luke tells us that after these three specific temptations, the devil left Him for “a more opportune time”.  The forth temptation in this series is the temptation that we have somehow overcome to the extent that there is no more temptation to come.  We must always be on guard and prepared for the many temptations of the evil one at times when we expect it and and times we least expect it.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for time when we daily put on the full armor of God so that we can stand, and after all is done, we stand.

Today, how will you be ready for the TEST?