Sermons on Doug Nichols:

Imitator

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

It was customary in Hosea’s day for people to rejoice at harvest time. Israel, however, was commanded not to do so, because she attributed the abundance she experienced to the idols she worshiped, instead of God who sent it (v. l). Because of her spiritua

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: President Calvin Coolidge invited some people from his hometown to dinner at the White House. Since they did not know how to behave at such an occasion, they thought the best policy would be just to do what the President did. The time came for serving coffee. The ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 9:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Promises

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Israel prospered under King Jeroboam’s leadership by gaining military and economic strength. However the more prosperous the nation became the more they used their income for building more altars for idol worship (v.1). It is often the same today. More we

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst; He promises honor and pays with disgrace; He promises pleasure and pays with pain; He promises profit and pays with loss; He promises life and pays with death. (Donnie Martin - Sermon Central) Israel prospered under ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 10:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Love

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Up to this point in the book the emphasis has been primarily upon Israel’s disobedience for which judgement must fall. However, from this point on the emphasis is on God’s love for Israel, in spite of her disobedience for which judgement must fall. In the

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: To demonstrate God’s love a certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on “The Love of God.” As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Rebellion

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Before developing the themes of guilt and judgement (12:9-13:16), Hosea reminds Israel of its unfaithfulness (vv.1-2), and of its need to repent (vv. 5-6). In doing so he draws a lesson from the life of Jacob (vv. 3-4). Much like the people of our day the

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: Svetlana Stalin, the daughter of Josef Stalin, told the incredible story is told of how her father Josef Stalin had been a seminary student, preparing for the ministry. Then he came to a point in life where he made a decisive break from his belief in God. This dramatic ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 12:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Choices

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Knowing that life is filled with choices , we must as Jacob of old, wait upon the Lord (Gen. 49:18). Jacob’s descendants likewise had to make choices, but they chose to go against God and His love:

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: Eamon De Valera was an Irish statesman who served three times as prime minister of Ireland and subsequently as her president. After the Easter rebellion of 1916, De Valera was sentenced to penal servitude. While traveling to prison, he took out his pipe and was about to ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 13:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Repentance

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Hosea calls for repentance (vv. 1-3) and God promises restoration (vv. 4-8). God had to punish Israel for its gross and repeated violation of His law, but He would do so with a heavy heart. The preceding chapters have painted a very drab picture (v. l). N

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. The misbehavior of students led to a riot in which professors who tried to restore order were attacked. The following day a meeting was held between the university’s board, of which Jefferson was a member, and defiant ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 14:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Christian Liberty

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

Sometimes its hard to know when to defer to the weaker brother. Paul gives a simple rule of thumb to help in making that decision.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: A prayer before the U.S. Senate. “Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Denomination: Baptist

Diversity

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

In the body there is a diversity of gifts. There is a tendency among Christians for some people to magnify the "sensational" gifts. Some believers feel very guilty because they possess gifts that do not put them in the limelight. It is this attitude that

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: You may remember a few years ago when Snoopy, the lovable beagle in the Peanuts cartoon, had his left leg broken. Hundreds wrote letters to Snoopy or sent sympathy cards. Snoopy himself philosophized about his plight one day while perched on top of his doghouse and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

For a third time, Paul stresses the fact that God, not man, assigned the gifts (vv. 18, 24, 28). God gives to each person and each congregation just the gifts it needs when they are needed. No individual believer possesses all the spiritual gifts. Each be

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: This story was related by Donald Grey Barnhouse. Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

Communication

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

Paul’s statement in verse 10 gives us good reason to believe that he was referring to known languages and not some “heavenly” language.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: The story is told about three kids bragging about their fathers: The first one said, “My dad’s so smart he can talk for one hour on any subject.” The second one said, “My dad’s so smart he can talk for two hours on any subject.” Finally, the third one said, “My dad’s so ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Organized

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

Two things are specifically emphasized in this passage: 1. "Let all things be done unto edifying" (v. 26). 2. "Let all things be done decently and in order" (v. 40).

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn’t. “What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?” asks Linus. “These five fingers,” says Lucy. “Individually they’re nothing but when I curl ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Denomination: Baptist

Resurrection

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

It has been said that this is truly the great resurrection chapter of the entire Bible. The first eleven verses present the Gospel message and the evidence for its truthfulness. Paul gives three proofs to his readers that Jesus Christ has indeed been rais

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, he was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Resurrection

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

These verses reveal the essential nature of the resurrection of Christ so far as Christian truth is concerned. There were people in Corinth who were saying there was no resurrection. Paul presents logical consequences of denying the resurrection:

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: D. L. Moody, the great evangelist of the nineteenth century, assigned some ministerial students to conduct evangelistic tent meetings throughout the city of Chicago. The students were to preach nightly sermons as a means of winning souls for Christ and to practice their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

Body

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

The apostle Paul opens up discussion concerning the nature of the resurrection body. He deals with two questions which foolish objectors raise (v. 35). The first question implies that resurrection is impossible; the second, that it is inconceivable.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: In March of 1981, President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. , and was hospitalized for several weeks. Although Reagan was the nation’s chief executive, his hospitalization had little impact on the nation’s activity. Government continued. On the other hand, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:35-44

Denomination: Baptist

Changed

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

In the previous passage, we were told that the body is buried in corruption because it is going to decay; but it is raised with such a nature that it cannot decay. With this change there is no decay or death in heaven.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: It was not until 1850 that our world reached the one billion mark. By 1930 we reached two billion. It took only thirty more years for the world’s population to reach three billion. We have now arrived at six billion. Statisticians tell us that by the end of this century ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:45-50

Denomination: Baptist