COG Sermons
Ron Dart 1987 Sermons
| 8703 Leaving the Faith Why do people leave the faith? Do they find out something wrong with Jesus or the Bible? No, people kind of just fall into unbelief. They rarely work hard to establish their unbelief. In fact Laodicea is the trait of not doing anything, and assuming room temperature. Many turn to eastern religions; others to the pursuit of money. The Lord alone is to be exalted. When all the end-time pressues start piling up, will anything else even matter? Dart then through each of the 7 churches of Revelation, discussing ways people leave the church and our vulnerabilities. Do you have a false sense of security, believing you are in one of the 7 churches so the other warnings don't apply to you? There are good and bad individuals in all the churches. The question of being pleasing to God is at the individual level. |
| 8754 Who Do You Trust? Can you love someone you don't trust? Dart looks at trust and freedom - in families and churches. "Don't you trust me?" actually means "I don't trust your judgment." Trust is a 2-way street. Parents-children. Church leaders-members. "Cursed is the man who trusts in man" - how does this apply? "Man at his best is but vanity." "The heart is deceitful." "Be not wise in your own eyes." We trust in things, men, government, selves, all of which let us down. God won't. Rely on Him. |
| 87-03-28 A Clash of Wills A thought-provoking and captivating narrative of Moses' life and the clash of his will with God's. Also, other's clashes of will with God, including Jesus. Pre-Passover trials and self-examination of our own will and hard-heartedness. Moses was reluctant -- are we? |
| 87-04-14 Unleavened Bread 87 This audio opens up with Dart's offertory message containing an interesting perspective on giving to God. The following sermon is a very good narrative and commentary on the Exodus and the exhilarating freedom accompanied by the terrifying responsibility. Why criticism of God is directed at Moses. Rebellion stories. New Testament parallels on the vulnerability and perils of freedom. A list of things to be wary of. What is sincerity and truth? Sometimes unleavened sincerity equals unvarnished truth. |
| 87-05-09 Israel In Prophecy Explanation of the covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah; who they were/are and their history. The two sticks of Ezekiel 37 becoming one stick and how it must be still future. Prophecies relating to end-time Israel and end-time Judah. The purpose of prophecy. So, who is Israel today? Our responsibility as a watchman. |
| 87-06-06 Our Small Miracles The floating axe head, the water into wine, Elijah and the widow’s steady food supply, finding your missing wallet. Small miracles. Why? God knows the number of sparrows in the air, hairs on your head, and every little one of your needs, fears, hopes, problems. The importance of belief when asking. Yet, our belief is affected by the degree of difficulty of the asked-for miracle. Why? Does pessimism, skepticism, and cynicism undo a believing prayer we may have made? Even a small miracle like our daily bread is faith-building if we’ve asked. Could it be that a group prayer is effective due to the accumulation of small miracles? |
| 87-07-04 No Strings Attached It is possible to give without love, but true generosity is giving with no strings attached, no ulterior motives. What about giving to the street beggar? Generosity can be not only with money, but with time, even with judgments. It is easier to be generous when they have a need I can fulfill. Principles of lending from the Biblical law. Are there priorities greater than giving to the poor? Second tithe (festival tithe) and third tithe in this high-tax governmental system discussed. First tithe principles; tax deductions and giving; church politics and giving. God wants people to help people directly - to be personal. Giving has to be with no strings attached or it doesn't mean anything. |
| 87-07-25 Confessing Your Sins When was the last time you were wrong? When was the last time to realized you need a savior? Salvation means nothing to one who doesn't think he's done wrong. Why do we try to deny we've been wrong? Biblical examples of vindication of sins, self-justification and mitigation. How do we get right with God? Actions? Repentance? Both? Confession is required to be forgiven and made right with God. To change, we must admit wrong and confess, which require daily daily self-examination and daily self-denial. Yet, if we are going to be made right with God, there are things that must change. Reconciliation of Paul's writings "by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified" and "the doers of the law shall be justified". |
| 87-08-15 From Seed to Harvest Nature seems almost wasteful in its prodigious production of seeds similar to the indiscriminate nature of the spread of the gospel. Yet, you can never tell where a tree might grow. Efficiency is not our commission. It is God who grants the increase; we are evaluated by our labor. Similarly, when we help the poor, it is our actions that matter, not the result. The seed must be scattered as was not done by the early church until persecution hit in Acts 8. |
| 87-09-05 Unnatural Acts Jesus calls on us not to do what comes naturally, such as hold grudges, lust after a woman, seek financial security, self-exalt, divide, make ourselves of no reputation, esteem others better than self. The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God. Our human nature must be crucified. |
| 87-09-12 Pattern of Pride Excellent self-examination sermon. Prideful behavior is repeated throughout the Bible and follows a pattern. Examples are Satan, Korah, King of Tyre, Pharisees, Corinth church, people who believe they deserve salvation. Discussion of the fruits of pride and the motivations of pride. Pride is the antithesis of repentance and thus stands in the way of salvation, which is why the unpardonable sin may be unpardonable – an unwillingness to repent. Apply this sermon to yourself, but don’t ever try to humble another – let God do that. C.S. Lewis: “the utmost evil is pride . . . pride leads to every other vice . . . pride is enmity.” |
| 87-10-15 Panama City FOT87 Why seemingly so much waste in nature, especially in reproduction? Is there a parallel with humans? -- The narrow gate; Few are chosen; To some it's not given; Shut them up to unbelief . . . that He might have mercy. Jesus died for the ungodly. Not willing that any should perish. All Israel shall be saved. The 2nd resurrection. It's not of him that wills . . . but of God's grace. |
| 87-11-07 A Place of Worship Dart looks at places people have worshipped over the years. Sometimes too much emphasis is placed on the building which, while important, is not what really matters. Israel trusted in the temple and it didn’t help. We are defined by place and time; God is not. Going to the place is not, in itself, worshipping God. We are to worship in spirit and truth, not in the temple necessarily. It is important to have these places, but if the focus isn’t on God . . . |
| 87-12-26 Cynical Spirit Dart discusses wounds from previous abuses in the church that still persist (1987) and how to deal with them. He gives a compassionate but stern “get over it”. Dart discusses a lack of forgiveness, bitterness, and how they get in the way of what we are to do, both individually and as a church. After all that Jesus has done for us and all He suffered, how can we hold on to bitterness? |
| 1987 Bearing Fruit What is fruit? What isn’t fruit, but might seem like it? Dart goes into extensive detail on various fruits, how to manifest them, and how it is necessary to prune to gain more fruit. |
| 1987 Knowing God God can be known, and He tells us to do so. We can know Him by what He does: lovingkindness, judgment, mercy. Dart discusses not only the goodness of God, but describes the severity of God with a blunt starkness. The law tells us who God is and how we ought to conduct ourselves. You want to know God? Do what He says. Those who say, but don’t do, will hear “I never knew you”. Dart: “If you want to understand God, start with the law. It is the most comprehensive expression of God’s character and will that you will find.” “If you really want to know the Father, the only way is through Jesus Christ.” |
| 1987 Perspective - Church Origins Is it possible to worship God without a church? Dart analyzes the early believers, who they were, where they lived, how they might have been organized, how the gospel spread. The new Testament church was brand new, not a modified Old Testament church. There was no hierarchy, no primacy of Peter. For the first time, the worship of God is deliberately expanded beyond the Israelites far and wide, even before Paul was called. How did the church in, say, Damascus, get started? How did Antioch grow? Basically, this is a message covering Acts 8-15 with excellent narration and commentary. Unfortunately, this recording ends prematurely at 41 minutes. |
| 1987 Why Christ Had to Suffer A pre-Passover sermon. Most Christians understand Jesus’ shed blood, but what about the body? What does the discernment of the body (1 Corinthians 11) have to do with sickness? Jesus was mocked, denied, scourged, and rejected by His own people and more. Wasn’t His death and His blood enough? Jesus bore our sins in His body. Why? It was all part of the plan (Psalm 22, Isaiah 50, 53). How baptism & healing & faith play into this. Dart relates how, in reference to healing, Herbert Armstrong said very clearly that God will not do for you what you can do for yourself (at 36:00). Dart also addressed what it means to partake of the Passover unworthily and how to do it worthily. |
