COG Sermons
Ron Dart 1991 Sermons
| 9137 Are We Living in the Last Days? Dart addresses 4 assumptions about the last days that he feels need correction, or at least adjustment: 1) the end will come at a time that has already been determined. 2) Events of the end of the world are visited on man by a wrathful God. 3) The world will come to an end. 4) The end is coming very soon and there is no time to have a life. Bottom line: "Be ready, but live your life." |
| 9175 Born to Win What does it mean to overcome? Is it necessary? Why; isn't grace enough? Is it ok to be competitive? Contentious? Do we have to struggle and persist? Just because God might not grant our prayer, do we just give up? He wants us to push Him, to try another way. The ultimate overcomer, the ultimate winner is, of course, Jesus Christ. There is something in each of us that resists being pushed around. Satan wants us to surrender our will to him. Biblical examples of winners and losers. God has invested in us; He expects us to be profitable, to be winners. David was not lazy, not fearful, would not be defeated; a man of action, probably a bigger sinner than most of us, yet a man after God's own heart; a winner. |
| 91-05-19 Pentecost - 91 What was the purpose of giving power at the first Pentecost? Why tongues? Why fire? Conversion of the first gentiles. Explanation of Acts 10 “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” Dart addresses our tendency to stay in our own comfortable group and how God has in the past forced people to go everywhere preaching the gospel. “You can’t enter the kingdom of God without leaving home.” The example of Abram. The purpose of the 3 pilgrimage festivals is to be a part of more than our local clan. It is critical not to be clanish and separate in God’s church. |
| 91-07-20 Fatherhood of God The religion of the Bible is patriarchal. Why? The 70 elders were all men. The priesthood was all men. Jesus chose 12 men. Paul established that only men are to lead the church. The husband is the head of the wife. Why? How does modern society view this? Abraham was a father. Jesus has revealed that we are to relate to God as Father. Is this just sexism? Or is it really something else? Dart answers these questions, and addresses the role women play. |
| 91-07-27 Nuggets From Paul Various scriptures from Paul addressing predestination, grace, sin not imputed, redemption, inheritance, bringing all things together in Christ. Very inspirational comments on what is in store for all the heirs. The sharing of fellowship & depth of love. A very fascinating speculation on the nature of light and God being light. |
| 91-08-10 Hands in the Dirt God created man with the idea that all of creation will be put under man. How was Jesus made perfect? How did He deliver us from the fear of death? What does that mean? Jesus had to learn what it was like to taste death to be the captain of our salvation. He experienced what we go through. To know Jesus Christ was everything to Paul. God is still very much working on His project. |
| 91-08-24 Springfield MO Campaign An evengelistic message at Springfield, Missouri. Dart uses the current USSR instability to show that WCG and CGI have always believed there will not be WWIII between the US and the USSR. Why? The what and when of a prophecy is worthless without the why. What the difference is between apocalyptic literature and prophetic literature. Prophetic literature has a moral teaching as part of it. The Book of Revelation shows the what and when, and it frequently references back to the prophetic books, where we can learn the why. Why does God bother to reveal prophecy to anyone? Dart gives the 2 reasons. We know a diabolical world order will come to power at the end time. We know some people will be protected. Those who understand have an obligation to tell others. |
| 1991-10-19 First & Second Tithes Dart explains that there are 3 tithes: 1 - for the work, 2 - for the festivals, 3 - for the poor. He explains 3 portions of the law: 1 - the commandments, based on the nature of man, the nature of God, and the way things are, 2 - the statutes (one of which is tithing), 3 - the judgments, which can be personal or collective, which are made by the Levites or the church leaders. Dart's primary subject is the 2nd tithe, although he does spend time on the 1st and 3rd tithes, as well. He explains the Bible, CGI's position on how these tithing statutes apply to the Christian, and what to do if you think you can't afford to tithe. |
| 1991 7 Theories for Passover Bible Study. Dart addresses 7 theories on Passover timing. Most of the study focuses on the 2 main positions, that the lamb was slain early on the 14th or late on the 14th. |
| 1991 An End to War In the light of the end of the 1991 Iraq war, Dart ponders the real cause of wars and the ultimate end of all wars. He contrasts the spirit of war and the forces of this world with a world with no Satan and the Kingdom of God, described by Dart with exciting imagery. |
| 1991 Before Pentecost Dart talks about Pentecost's origins, the Old Testament names and meanings, the wave-sheaf offering and when the count to Pentecost starts. Why is the Pentecost offering leavened? Why two loaves? Why was Israel instructed: "you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field" during this time of the year and what does it mean for us? The parallels between the time leading to Pentecost and the time leading to the Jubilee. All of this is just a prelim to the real Pentecost harvest that is plenteous. The first gift God gave on Pentecost was to enable the gospel to be preached, leading to repentance and baptism. That work was a priority then, and remains so today. |
| 1991 Bread of Affliction During the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are to abstain from leaven – Why? Are we to eat unleavened bread? If so, why? “Unless you drink the blood AND eat the body” – what symbolism is the body? An excellent explanation of why we’re to take up our cross. Why Jesus had to suffer. Why Paul had to suffer. Why we have to suffer. If you are suffering, this sermon is for you. |
| 1991 Clan Paradox A Biblical view on race. Dart debunks many verses that are used to justify racism. What race was Adam? What was the mark of Cain? Did Eve mate with Satan? Did demons mate with women? Who were the nephilim? Was Noah genetically perfect? Is the curse on Canaan still in force today? The second half of the message talks not about race, but about clans. Man tends toward clans, and God allows them in order to prevent a concentration of power. They often clash, yet sometimes unite. In the church, we are technically one, yet there are still clans within the Church of God, sometimes leading to the evil of exclusivism and its attendant lies about others and judgments of others. |
| 1991 Day of Prayer |
| 1991 Demonizing |
| 1991 God's Judgements |
| 1991 Increasing Your Love for God Of the two great commandments, it seems the first gets a lot less attention. Dart looks at how this first great commandment demands more than the second, as in agape - to prefer to all others. Dart gives extensive scriptural examples of violating this, some using hyperbole. Priorities are important in this respect. How idols apply in today's Baal-less society. Definition of idol worship, including the rather obscure "trimming the corners of one's beard". Why are men so tempted to use God's name in vain? What about sacred names? How can you go about loving God more? The Sabbath is a good starting point, as it contains actions one can do, and can do now. Why the Sabbath? How is it part of worshipping Him? Tips on Sabbath-keeping. |
| 1991 Kingdom of God - Old Testament Daniel 2 & 7. Old Testament Prophets. Isaiah 2 & 9. The earthly reality of the kingdom of God. Purpose of sermon: Get everyone focused on what the kingdom of God is from the Old Testament perspective, because unless you understand that, you're going to easily go off in the wrong direction when it comes to the New Testament kingdom of God. The kingdom of God as symbolized by the 7th day rest. The Kingdom of God is also for Gentiles. We turn from reflecting the light, to being a source of light ourselves. Dart talks of a phenomenal future in the kingdom of God and it is more than just speculation. Dart tackles many Old Testament scriptures and doesn't have time for the many more. "Thy Kingdom Come." |
| 1991 Sloth The slothful were cast into everlasting punishment not because of something they did, but because of what they did not do. Sloth is a serious problem that has severe consequences. Dart discusses many Biblical admonitions and proverbs against sloth. Sloth leads indecisiveness which leads to inaction. Being lazy makes for more work and depression, anxiety, and despair result. Carelessness due to haste is due to sloth. Sloth and excuses. “Sloth is the fundamental sin that causes us to give up.” Self-starting and self-motivation lead to productivity and wealth, activity and responsibility. Do it now; do it well. Why does God care whether we do it now and do it well? |
| 1991 The Feast of the Passover Dart discusses the 14th/15th differences and establishes that there are two aspects to the Passover. It is a sacrifice, and the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of that Old Testament sacrifice of the lamb, and the New Testament sacrifice of the Lamb. But Passover is also a feast, even if we don't typically refer to it that way. Dart makes a case for the Feast of the Passover being the same as what we call The Night to be Much Observed. He also discusses important aspects of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Jesus Christ has put sin out of our lives; the Days of Unleavened Bread are a time of liberation from sin and its consequences, and a time to keep sin out. Will there ever be another death angel? Yes, and it is the blood of Christ that will save us in that day. |
| 1991 The Jewel in the Crown Given during the Feast of Tabernacles, Dart reflects on his feasts starting in 1958. England, South Africa, giving 8 sermons in 8 days, the first CGI feast in 1978 with people who had been burned. These growth periods for Dart led him to see deeper meaning to the FOT beyond the boilerplate church understanding. He also looks back on the startup of the Little Rock and Memphis churches, noting that those who had been to the feasts exhibited far more spiritual maturity than those who hadn’t. Dart’s difficulties in the early feasts enhanced the value of them, and brought appreciation for the 2nd tithe. “The Feast of Tabernacles is probably the most powerful unifying force that exists in the Church of God.” Dart notes how having a separate feast was an important tactic in keeping Israel separate from Judah. Dart shows appreciation for the education he received via Herbert W. Armstrong, and he is appreciative of the freedom we now have to speak about things we differ on, observing how they fade into insignificance in the light of the feast. Dart tells of his one regret from his days in WCG and how it remains (1988) one of the big differences between WCG and CGI. In the end, the FOT reminds us of our temporary existence, and how it is all about the people and Jesus Christ. |
| 1991 The Lesson in the Wilderness Given on the Last Great Day. Dart notes how the Feast of Tabernacles is required for God’s people and will one day be required for the whole planet. He then cites the parallels between Israel’s wanderings and entrance into the promised land with our journey in life and entrance into the kingdom of God. We are to remember what happened on that journey and what we learned. What does God have in store for our eternal life that necessitates our need to learn lessons in this life? If God is chastening you, even severely, thank Him that He is working to create something in you that isn’t there now. God will have you, no matter what it takes. The stakes He is playing for dwarf anything in this life. |
| 1991 Who Will You Be? After everything is all over, who will we be? Will we know each other? Will we know our past life and the people from it? What will our relationship be with them? What about our experiences, our wisdom, our character? How much do circumstances over which we have no control, like racism or slavery or disability, play into our character development? What difference does it make? What is God looking for? A bunch of yellow pencils? What does He expect? Lots of questions and Dart makes a stab at answering them. He cites a great example of character built, shows how very different all of our experiences have been, and concludes it is this character, and its variety, that God is after. |
