Blog - LIVING STONES FELLOWSHIP

Sermon Notes: Christ the Cure

1/30/2015

NOTE: This sermon manuscript (edited and polished) is part 2 in this semester's Killing Sin preaching series. Listen to the sermon here. Check out part 1 [read|listen], part 3 [read|listen], part 4 [read|listen], part 5 [read|listen], part 6 [read|listen], part 7 [read|listen], part 8 [read|listen], and part 9 [read|listen].

In John 3, we have the historical account of a man named Nicodemus coming to ask Jesus some questions in the middle of the night. Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews, a Pharisee, who knew the law and the prophecies of the Old Testament backwards and forwards. But he didn't understand the things Jesus was teaching. To help Nicodemus understand how someone can see the true kingdom of God, He talks about something that happened to the Jews in the Old Testament:

A Typical Issue of “Inside IUB”

1/27/2015

Received this email message last week, an issue of Inside IUB: Weekly news for faculty and staff from the Indiana University Bloomington Campus. This particular issue embodies IU's widespread promotion of rebellion against the Word of God in its ideals and programs. There are 4 sections in this one: "headlines," "features," "editor's picks," and "spotlights." (Don't ask me what the difference between all of these is.)

While I have no clue what the distinction between these sections, it appears to be a requirement that each one must have at least one article that vaunts IU's self-righteousness and parades its wickedness as goodness. Under headlines we get to "read about IU's annual GLBT alumni celebration weekend." Under features, we see IU's efforts to "end sexual violence on college campuses" (see why this isn't as wonderful as it sounds here). Under editor's picks (Did the editor not pick the other ones?) we're informed of an "opportunity" for IU faculty and staff to "learn more about meditation during an upcoming on-campus program" (trust me, it's not about meditating on the law of God, à la Psalm 1). And finally, the cherry on top, under spotlights we get a pitch for Bloomington's annual PRIDE Film Festival where homosexuals proudly oppose God and His Word.

Indiana University, whose motto is "light and truth," has left its first love (Revelation 2:4). The university which was once Indiana's State Seminary now has an saddening resemblance to Isaiah 5:20:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Sermon Notes: You Are Going to Die

1/26/2015

Killing Sin

NOTE: This sermon manuscript (edited and polished) is part 1 in this semester's Killing Sin preaching series. Listen to the sermon here. Check out part 2 [read|listen], part 3 [read|listen], part 4 [read|listen], part 5 [read|listen], part 6 [read|listen], part 7 [read|listen], part 8 [read|listen], and part 9 [read|listen].

You are going to die…

The Only Sins We Can Kill…

1/26/2015

The only sins we can kill are the sins that have been forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus. Owen said, "There is no death of sin without the death of Christ." To attempt to kill sin without Christ will only delude us and harden us further in our sins. The first priority in dealing with sin is to look to the crucified Savior, Jesus Christ.
(Brian G. Hedges, Licensed to Kill, 16–17)

Preaching the death of sin in the death of Christ on IU's campus this semester: Killing Sin, every Tuesday at 8 PM in Ballantine 304.

White House Policy on Human Sacrifice

1/23/2015

The US House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 7) yesterday which, according to Huffpost, "would prevent women from having their abortions covered by Medicaid; restrict a woman's ability to buy private insurance plans that include abortion coverage; and deny small businesses a tax credit, which they currently receive through the Affordable Care Act, if they include abortion care in their health insurance plans."

Our leaders in the White House had something to say about that:

Owen, Grudem, and the Doctrine of Election

1/22/2015

I've been studying several good books in preparation for preaching and teaching this semester. For preaching, I've been reading The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, which is John Owen's powerful defense of God's complete sovereignty in the salvation of man. God ordained that this topic coincide with our Bible study topic this week, the doctrine of election. Dewayne, Nisha, Selena, and I have been using Wayne Grudem's Bible Doctrine to prepare for leading our students through the foundational doctrines of Scripture. Here's a helpful quote from Wayne Grudem which clarifies the "different emphases" of Calvinism and Arminianism:

For Brave Souls

1/19/2015

In another post I recommend a book called Licensed to Kill by Brian Hedges. One reason I recommended it is because it's easy to read. It was released in 2011 and it's an inviting 104 pages. For brave souls who wish to venture into the waters of books that are quite difficult but commensurately rich and helpful, I strongly recommend John Owen's Overcoming Sin & Temptation. It's actually an edited volume of 3 of Owen's works: Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It, and Indwelling Sin.

I've based the entire outline of our Killing Sin preaching series on Owen's Motification. It's that good. But Owen's writing is dense and requires focused attention. I came across this description of his writing by J. I. Packer, a brilliant Christian theologian in his own right, from his introduction to Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ:

Sin Is Deceitful

1/17/2015

In preparation for our new preaching series Killing Sin, I've been rereading a book called Licensed to Kill by Brian Hedges. It is extremely helpful, and very easy to read. You can get it on Amazon, and copies will be available for sale at CNCF when we start our series this Tuesday at 8 PM in Ballantine 304.

Hedges points out the realities of sin we must understand in order to effectively wage war on sin:

One Day In

1/12/2015

It's only the first day of classes at Indiana University–Bloomington, and we just received this Crime Alert from the University:

Our New Website

1/12/2015

Welcome to the new jesusatiu.com! This is the web-home of Clearnote Campus Fellowship, an evangelical campus ministry at Indiana University rooted in the local church.

Click around to find out why we exist and who our leaders are. We've even got a brand-new blog and sermon recordings (coming very soon) which we hope will proclaim God's truth and strengthen you in your calling to serve Him.

Got questions? Let us know by using our Contact Form. Or come and meet us at any of our events on and off campus. We'd love to meet you!