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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

• 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?

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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

• 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?

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This is the audio from the January 5, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: A Prepared Path!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 3

• Person:  Matthew 3:1-4

  • Following Jesus began in earnest with John being a prepared person who was called to make the way ready for the arrival of the Messiah.  His preparation came through his obedience to God’s call to preach a message of repentance.  This prepared person made the path straight for Jesus to be the One prepared as the sacrificial Lamb who could take away our sin.  Our obedience to what became known at “The Way” is possible because a prepared person shared the good news of Jesus with us.  We too can be a prepared person as we learn from God’s Word and share the good news of Jesus with others.  

• Attitude:  Matthew 3:5-6

  • Following Jesus always comes from a prepared attitude.  While we will talk a bit later about humility, John’s attitude was one that acknowledge a need for change.  The path John was preparing for Jesus was a path marked by repentant people who were tired of a sinful way of life.  This attitude of repentance would lead to a willingness to follow Jesus because He taught not as the teachers of the law, but rather as One with authority.  In fact, this prepared attitude is one which we’re commanded to take as our own if we indeed have any good which comes from our relationship with Christ.  We too can live with a prepared attitude when we are willing to be honest with God and our self about the sins which grab hold of us.

• Teaching:  Matthew 3:7-12

  • Following Jesus flows from our acceptance, and obedience to a prepared teaching.  This teaching which has been prepared for us does not come from worldly wisdom but rather from the wisdom of God.  John’s teaching was shocking to the religious leaders of the day because it not only called for the people to be sorry for their sins, it called for the people to produce fruits of repentance as they changed their life.  Even Jesus said He did not do, or teach, anything on His own but it all came from the prepared teaching of His Father.  We too can live with prepared teaching when we allow the Word of God to be the authority in what we believe and in what we share.

• Humility:  Matthew 3:13-16

  • Following Jesus is only possible when we choose to live with a prepared humility.  While a false humility may lead us to decline doing what God would calls us to because we’re “not worthy”, this prepared humility brings about an obedience because God is worthy.  John’s hesitation in baptizing Jesus shows a humility which knows Jesus is much greater, but it is also the humility within him which follows through with the baptism of Jesus because it is the type of humility which leads to obedience.  It is a humility that may well say to Jesus, “I’m tired, I’m not qualified, and I don’t want to but I’ll do it anyway simply because you say so.”  We too can live with a prepared humility when we set apart Christ as Lord in our heart.

Today, how will you follow the prepared PATH?

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This is the audio from the December 22, 2024 sermon, “Following Jesus: Seeking the KING!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 2:1-12

• Knowledge:  Matthew 2:1-2

  • Seeking the King begins with our desire to know Christ even as we are known by Him.  This knowing and being known is a level of intimacy which produces a new life . . . our new life in Christ.  

• Intention:  Matthew 2:3-4, 7-8

  • Seeking the King requires that we accurately examine our intention and motive for finding Him.  The intention of the Magi was to worship the King in recognition of the One who was worthy.  Herod’s intention in seeking the King was not of noble cause as he sought to kill Him.  We seek the King in a worthy manner when we approach Him with the intent of exalting Him in the worship He alone is due.  

• Need:  Matthew 2:5-6

  • Seeking the King leads us to examining the need which only He can meet.  We often develop our own lists of things we think we need and then become disappointed when God doesn’t give us all we desire.  His desire is that we look to Him and His Word for a better understanding of what is important enough to actually be a need.  We seek the King in a productive manner when we know our need for both a ruler and a shepherd.

• Gifts:  Matthew 2:9-12

  • Seeking the King causes us to seek the gifts fit for a king.  While most focus on Christmas often grows from seeking the gifts we desire to receive, the result of seeking the King should lead us to pursue the gifts we can give.  While the greatest gift of all was given to us in Jesus, the good news of that gift is also the greatest gift we can give to others.

Today, how will you seek the KING?

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This is the audio from the December 15, 2024 sermon, “Following Jesus: He Is HERE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 1:23-25, Philippians 2:5-11

• Humble:  Philippians 2:8

  • Living with an awareness and reflection that Jesus is here should draw us to an attitude of humility.  When Paul writes to the Philippians, and to us, he states that we should take on the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus — an attitude and practice of being humble.  We show the world that He is indeed here when we choose to be humble.  

• Exalted:  Philippians 2:9

  • Living with an awareness and reflection that Jesus is here will lead us to exalt Him above all.  While being humble and being exalted sound like contradictory traits, it is God Himself who exalts Jesus above all other names.  We show the world that Jesus is indeed here when we choose to exalt Him above everything else which exists.  

• Recognized:  Philippians 2:10

  • Living with an awareness and reflection that Jesus is here ought to result in Him being recognized in us by the way we live.  In fact, a day will come when everyone recognizes Jesus on the day of His return when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He indeed is Lord.  We show the world that Jesus is indeed here when we live a life which daily recognizes His presence and authority.

• Eternal:  Philippians 2:11

  • Living with an awareness and reflection that Jesus is here acknowledges that He is indeed eternal.  The existence of Jesus with God and as God before His birth as a baby, during His life on earth, and after His resurrection back into heaven gives us the picture of Him being honored and praised throughout eternity.  We show the world that Jesus is indeed here when we live our life in Christ preparing for eternity.

Today, how will you proclaim He is HERE?

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This is the audio from the December 8, 2024 sermon, “Following Jesus: The Promised CHILD!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 1:18-23

• Conception:  Matthew 1:18

  • Following Jesus recognizes the Spirit’s involvement in His promised conception and understands that we share in the nature of Jesus when our new birth is also conceived by the Holy Spirit.  

• Honor:  Matthew 1:19

  • Following Jesus understands the promised honor that would be bestowed upon Jesus even when the world would not understand His origin.  We share in the promised honor when we look beyond the appearances of what might be and see the reality of what is.  

• Intention:  Matthew 1:20

  • Following Jesus calls for a grasp of the promised intention of this child being born to save His people from their sin.  We live with this promised intention when we look at every person with the intention of God that all would come to repentance and be saved.

• Love:  Matthew 1:21

  • Following Jesus leads us to know the promised love that God has for mankind as shown through the giving of His Son.  We grow in becoming like Christ when we both accept this promised love and then share this same love with all people.

• Dwelling:  Matthew 1:22-23

  • Following Jesus is possible because of God becoming a child and dwelling among us.  We learn how to grow in Christ because of God through His Spirit dwelling within us.

Today, how will you experience the promised CHILD?

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This is the audio from the December 1, 2024 sermon, “Following Jesus: Knowing the PAST!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 1:1-17

• Promise:  Genesis 17:3-7 (Abraham)

  • Following Jesus is based on knowing and believing the promises of God and then applying the goodness of God’s promises to our life.  

• Authority:  1 Kings 2:2-4 (David)

  • Following Jesus requires us to believe and submit to His authority as the One promised by God to reign forever.  

• Service:  2 Chronicles 30:7-9 (Kings)

  • Following Jesus calls us to know and live a life of service which reflects His nature as One who came to serve rather than be served.

• Truth:  Acts 10:34-35 (People Used By God)

  • Following Jesus is based on the truth that all people are valuable to God and it is His desire that no one should perish but all would come to repentance.

Today, how will you know the PAST?

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This is the audio from the November 24, 2024 sermon, “A Vision of Victory: Ready to WIN!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Zechariah 14

• Witness:  Zechariah 14:3-8

  • A vision of victory will help us be ready to witness the goodness of God and to be a witness to others of that goodness.  

• Inhabit:  Zechariah 14:9-11

  • A vision of victory will lead us to following God in order to be ready to inhabit the eternal dwelling being prepared by Jesus for all who are His.  

• Nurture:  Zechariah 14:16-21

  • A vision of victory will prepare us to be ready to nurture one another as we grow together in Christ.
    
    

Today, how will you be ready to WIN?