Sermons on Fuller:

The Power And The Shame Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jan 11, 2009

Paul lays out the entire book of Romans in just two verses and gives his reason for excitement about the gospel, an attitude that can infect us as well.

How ‘bout them Blazers! They beat Golden State 113-100 before a sellout crowd of over twenty thousand in the Rose Garden. The Portland Trailblazers are now 22-14 for the season, inching up on first place Denver in their division. Portland is a basketball town once again. The team is winning and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Man Is Basically Good Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jan 18, 2009

Thought that might get your attention. The debate about the goodness of man rages, as does the arguments for the existence of God. Paul takes on both in this very hard hitting section.

How can you know you are dying unless someone tells you ‘you have a terminal disease’? How do you know you need to be set free unless someone tells you ‘you are a captive’? How can you tell something is wrong unless someone tells you what is right? That’s the essence of the rest of Romans 1. Before ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:18-32

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

How Do You Receive The Word Part 2 Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 5, 2008

The philosophers of Paul’s day are not really that much different from what we see in the world around us in a post-Christian society. How Paul addressed them can help us in dealing with people who collect thoughts like Matchbox cars.

What did you collect as a child? I collected a number of things, pennies, model trains, marbles, and Matchbox® cars. I would wait anxiously until my mother would drive me down to the toy store so I could drool over the latest and greatest tiny little car or truck. I used to show off my more ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Finding Friends In Low Places Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 12, 2008

Do you ever find yourself in a place where nothing is going right? The Apostle Paul came to Corinth in just such a state. Learn how God brought him help and fellowship just when he needed it.

The recent plunges by the world stock markets, bank failures, fortunes lost, even suicides by financial planners—all bring back chilling reminders of the Great Depression. 25% of Americans were unemployed. People couldn’t find work that lasted and many people lost their homes. Discouragement was at ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-28

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Firing On All Cylinders Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 19, 2008

Finally after years of struggle, Paul sees victory after victory, even amidst tough opposition in Ephesus. It is an affirmation of his apostleship. What happens as God begins to work more through you than on you?

Chapter 19 could be called the High Point in Paul’s ministry. In this chapter he goes to the place he may have wanted to go way back at the beginning: Ephesus. God confirms his authority as an apostle by healing, his reputation as an apostle through mention by demons, vindication of his ministry ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:1-41

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Paul's Pep Talk Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 26, 2008

Sometimes in the face of difficulty we need some encouragement to stay the course. That’s what Paul gives us as we prepares for a very difficult time in his life.

I dislike performance evaluations. (Performance Evaluation Dictionary). Giving or getting employee evaluations are a little like going to dentist, but without the Novocain. I like coaching better. I took golf lessons as a youngster. I really liked it when the coach would come over and put his hands ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:1-38

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Walking Headlong Into Trouble Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 2, 2008

What do you do when you know trouble is coming? Do you run the other way as fast as you can? Paul didn’t and his example helps us when we face difficulty or when those close to us face trials.

Did trouble take Paul by surprise? It shouldn’t have. Back in Acts 9, right at his conversion, Jesus made it clear to then Saul what his future would be like. He told Ananias, who was sent to pray for Saul, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:1-40

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Facing The Court Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 16, 2008

The Apostle Paul has put himself in harms way and now stands before a Roman court. Thanks to the Lord working through other people, he is bold to share his faith - a boldness we can have too.

As we saw in verse 11 of chapter 23, Jesus’ will was for Paul to go to Rome. Paul may have not known just how he was going to get there but here he was in Roman custody, having barely escaped being torn to death twice—first by the Asian Jews in the Temple and second by the Sanhedrin itself. What ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Escape Button Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 24, 2008

We learn from the Apostle Paul that as we mature as a Christian it becomes less about us and what we get and more about the Lord and what we give for Him, including ourselves.

It’s been my experience in the 30+ years I’ve been a follower of Jesus Christ, that there are two major stages in the maturity of a Christian, and within those major stages are two parts. What Can I Get For me from the Lord (it’s about me finding blessings for my life) In me from the Lord (it’s ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Judgment Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jan 26, 2009

Many people have a hard time understanding or accepting the idea of God as a judge. We learn about judgment and the nature of God in this section. The news actually is good!

There’s probably one question I get more than any other from those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior: “How can a loving God send anyone to hell. How can a loving God judge anyone? Didn’t Jesus say ‘judge not lest ye be judged’?” Judgment is a very difficult subject to talk ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:1-11

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Justification Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Feb 1, 2009

How do you know if your good is good enough? What do you compare your goodness with to know? Get answers to these questions as Paul bursts some "human" bubbles.

Many years ago, prior to 9-11, as a reporter I would need to go to crime scenes or get into events in order to get good shots and interviews—do my job essentially. But sometimes there were security types who somehow didn’t believe that a news truck, news camera, and reporter/photographer made up an ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:12-29

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Humanity's Greatest Folly - God's Great Gift Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Feb 8, 2009

Do you know what are human’s three great faults? It leads us to know why we can never reach God ourselves. But we also see in chapter three how God does what we cannot.

There are three great faults in humanity—three great reasons why we have such a hard time as a race accepting the good news of Jesus Christ. Those reasons are that we are self sufficient, self justifying, and self focused. Self sufficient means we can do it ourselves, we can create goodness, we can ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-31

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Audacity Of Simple Faith Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Feb 15, 2009

Abraham didn’t have much to go on - God’s promise. But what Abraham did, when he did it, and through what agency speaks volumes to the Jew and Gentile alike how to have trust in a God you cannot see.

Despite the good news that God gives new life free of charge, we humans have a hard time accepting such a gift. We, by nature want to earn or buy what we get. For the Roman Christians reading Paul’s letter, that would also have been true. In fact, many of them were Jewish Christians, and thinking ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:1-25

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The War Is Over! Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Feb 23, 2009

You may not have even known you were God’s enemy. You started the war, but you couldn’t end it, only God could. And how He did it and what He did for you will blow you away!

We are in a war. We don’t see many signs of the war, at least not that we equate with this war. It’s one we can’t win but have committed to anyway, or at least have been committed to by others. We started it but cannot end it. It could be called “The War of Independence.” It’s not independence from ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

A New Race Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Mar 1, 2009

All that Adam did by his willful disobedience to God’s command - infecting the human race with sin and the resulting death - Jesus undid by one sacrifice. Learn about the new race He created and how you can be a part of it.

To understand what Paul is talking about in Romans 5:12-21 we have to go back to the beginning, not of creation, but of sin. 12 – 14 Sin is basically independence from God. Genesis 2:15-17 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12-21

Denomination: Calvary Chapel