A stranger in the world, by Philpot

"For we are strangers before thee and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding." 1 Chronicles 29:15

"If you possess the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and, Jacob, you, like them, confess that you are a stranger; and your confession springs out of a believing heart and a feeling experience. You feel yourself a stranger in this ungodly world; it is not your element, it is not your home. You are in it during God's appointed time, but you wander up and down this world a stranger to its company, a stranger to its maxims, a stranger to its fashions, a stranger to its principles, a stranger to its motives, a stranger to its lusts, its inclinations, and all in which this world moves as in its native element. Grace has separated you by God's distinguishing power, that though you are in the world, you are not of it. I can tell you plainly, if you are at home in the world; if the things of time and sense be your element; if you feel one with the company of the world, the maxims of the world, the fashions of the world, and the principles of the world, grace has not reached your heart, the faith of God's elect does not dwell in your bosom. The first effect of grace is to separate. It was so in the case of Abraham. He was called by grace to leave the land of his fathers, and go out into a land that God would shew him. And so God's own word to his people is now, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Separation, separation, separation from the world is the grand distinguishing mark of vital godliness. There may be indeed separation of body where there is no separation of heart. But what I mean is, separation of heart, separation of principle, separation of affection, separation of spirit. And if grace has touched your heart, and you are a partaker of the faith of God's elect, you are a stranger in the world, and will make it manifest by your life and conduct that you are such."
- J. C. Philpot - 1802-1869

I’m but a sojourner below,
As all my fathers were;
May I be well prepared to go
When I the summons hear.
- Isaac Watts, 1719

Hot dog vendor

Author Lisa Harper, on Focus on the Family radio, said that the early Christians were about as popular as a hot dog vendor at a vegan festival.

Denault’s The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology, and other reviews

The posting of book reviews does not constitute endorsement of the books or book reviews that are linked.

• A Book Review of Pascal Denault’s The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology -- "The book itself is succinctly written and wastes no space.  There is heavy citation of original sources, but the reader will find none of it arduous or difficult to understand."
• Against Returning to Egypt: Exposing and Resisting Creedalism in the Southern Baptist Convention. (Book Review) -- "Self-proclaimed Baptist freedom fighter Jeff Pool, in his critical examination of the document, claims that the RPTSC and its adoption by the SBC represents the most serious theological threat to the denomination in its entire history."
• Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 "...presents both the historian and churchman with a resource worthy of mining for historical verification, personal anecdotes, insight into the lives of great men and women, and examples of piety in adversity and blessing."
• “Better Than The Beginning: Creation in Biblical Perspective” By Richard Barcellos -- "Is it possible that even while giving lip-service to the doctrine we fail to live in the light of its implications?"
• Book Review: A History of Western Philosophy and Theology -- "Yes, this really is what you think it is, a one volume survey of Western philosophy and theology!"
• Book Review: Neither Complementarian nor Egalitarian, by Michelle Lee-Barnewall -- "Lee-Barnewell does not take a “side” in this discussion, even in conclusion. She advocates instead for a different kind of discussion."
• Book Review: Symphonic Theology -- "I read a helpful little book this past week, and I’d like to pass it on to you. Mind you, it is not light reading."
• Book Reviews (Spring 2016) -- "Reviews of Eight Different Books"
• Erasmus and the Age of Reformation, by Johan Huizinga -- "An elegantly written biography of Desiderius Erasmus describing his life, thought and character as a scholar who hoped to awaken “good learning” and to bring about a purified Catholic church..."
• Review of Stephen Holmes, Baptist Theology -- "This is the best introduction to Baptist theology published to date."
• Review: The Flipside of Feminism -- "...this book outlines the tremendous and continuing damage feminism has done to our nation.
• Thomas Schreiner’s Commentary on Hebrews -- "The words of Jesus on the cross, ‘it is finished’ (John 19:30) capture the theology of Hebrews."

Philpot and Oden

"Godliness is profitable unto all things." 1 Timothy 4:8
"Under whatever circumstances the child of God may be, 'godliness' or rather the 'exercise' of godliness is profitable. And it is drawn out by these circumstances. It lives in the face of trials; it is strengthened by opposition; it becomes victorious through defeat; it gains the day in spite of every foe: it 'Stands every storm, and lives at last'." -- J. C. Philpot 

"God’s love and grace are the originating causes of salvation. The atoning death of Christ is the meritorious cause. The Spirit of God is the efficient cause. The Word of God is the instrumental cause. Faith is the conditional cause. The glory of God is the final cause.” -- Thomas Oden

An exceeding great and precious promise

Roman 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Paul presents a powerful promise to a powerless people. It gives us confidence and encouragement. It should cause us to sing and rejoice. Evangelist R. A. Torrey (1856-–1928) said that the promise of Romans 8:28 “is a soft pillow for a tired heart.”

• The promise is knowable, comprehensible, plain (“We know”). It is beneficial to us. Not only is it certain -- else we could not know -- but we reap the benefits of knowing we have God's promise, that God is at work for our good.
• The promise is complete (“all things”). Not some things. Not a few things, but all things. All things are not good, but in all things God is working good. 
• The promise is controlled by God (“work together”). Things do not haphazardly, randomly or accidentally work together. “God works” -- He is the cause of the promise and the cause behind the promise. “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Ephesians 1:11
• The promise is beneficent (“for good”). It confers benefits through God's kind action and benevolent purpose. We don't live in a world where things just happen, but where things happen for a reason, under the good hand of God. 
• The promise is distinguishing, directed to a specific people (“to them that love God, to them who are the called”). God can do all the good He wants to anyone He wants at anytime He wants -- but this promise is not to everybody. It is to those whom God has called, to those who love God because He first loved them. These specific people can depend on it, all the time. 
• The promise is intentional, directed for a specific purpose (“called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son”). God's work is “for good,” but that alone is not the sole purpose. God's purpose is also described as bringing those He foreknew and predestinated in conformity to the image of His Son. “...be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

2 Peter 1:3-4 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

All the sermons in Acts

NEW TESTAMENT ADDRESSES IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
Reference	Preacher	Place	Audience	Subject	Text
Acts 1:15-22	Peter	An upper room	Church	Replacement of Judas	Psalms
Acts 2:14-40	Peter	Jerusalem	Assembly on Pentecost	Jesus Christ	Joel 2:28-32
Acts 3:12-26	Peter	Jerusalem	Crowd in Temple area	Jesus Christ, repentance
Acts 4:5-12, 18-20	Peter	Jerusalem	The Sanhedrin	Jesus' power, healing
Acts 4:23-31	Disciples	Jerusalem
Acts 5:1-11	Peter	Jerusalem	Church	Lying
Acts 5:17-42	Peter	Jerusalem
Acts 6:2-4	Twelve	Jerusalem	Church	Deacons
Acts 7:2-60	Stephen	Jerusalem	The Sanhedrin	History of Jews, crucifixion
Acts 8:4	Scattered	Everywhere
Acts 8:5-13	Philip	Samaria	Samaritans	Christ
Acts 8:20-23	Peter	Samaria	Simon the sorcerer
Acts 8:25	Apostles	Samaria	Many villages	The word of the Lord
Acts 8:27-35	Philip	Desert	Eunuch of Ethiopia		Isa 53:7-8
Acts 9:17-31	Paul	Damascus	Synagogue	Christ as Son of God
Acts 10:34-43	Peter	Caesarea	Cornelius' household	Salvation of Gentiles
Acts 11:1-18	Peter	Jerusalem	Church	Defense of preaching to Gentiles
Acts 13:16-49	Paul	Antioch of Pisidia	Jews and God-fearers	Jesus, resurrection
Acts 14:1	Paul/Barns	Iconium	Jews and God-fearers
Acts 14:6-20	Paul	Lystra		The gospel,
Acts 15:7-11	Peter	Jerusalem	Church	Circumcision, salvation by grace
Acts 15:12	Paul	Jerusalem	Church	God's work among Gentiles
Acts 15:13-21	James	Jerusalem	Church	Circumcision, salvation by grace
Acts 16:25-34	Paul	Philippi	Jailer & family	Believe and be saved
Acts 17:2-3	Paul	Thessalonica	Jews and God-fearers	Jesus, resurrection
Acts 17:10-12	Paul/Silas	Berea	Jews and God-fearers
Acts 17:17	Paul	Athens	Jews and God-fearers
Acts 17:22-34	Paul	Mars Hill, Athens	Philosophers
Acts 18:4-5	Paul	Corinth	Jews and God-fearers	Jesus as Messiah
Acts 18:6-11	Paul	Corinth	Gentiles
Acts 18:24-28	Apollos	Ephesus		Jesus as Messiah
Acts 19:1-7	Paul	Ephesus	About 12 disciples	Holy Ghost, baptism of John
Acts 19:8-20	Paul	Ephesus	Synagogue
Acts 20:7-12	Paul	Troas	Church
Acts 20:17-38	Paul	Miletus	Elders of Ephesus Church
Acts 21:8-14	Agabus	Caesarea	Church
Acts 22:1-21	Paul	Jerusalem	Crowd at Jerusalem
Acts 23:1-11	Paul	Jerusalem	The Sanhedrin
Acts 24:1-27	Paul	Caesarea	Felix and Drusilla
Acts 26:1-32	Paul	Caesarea	Festus and Agrippa
Acts 27:10-26	Paul	Mediterranean Sea	Sailors and Prisoners
Acts 28:17-29	Paul	Prison, Rome	Jewish leaders
Acts 28:30-31	Paul	Prison, Rome	Anybody	Jesus and the kingdom of God

All these might not strictly be considered sermons.