Sermons on Fuller:

The Coming Evaluation

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 5, 2011

One of the worst pieces of mail you can receive comes with three little letters in the return address: IRS. Getting audited is like going to the dentist without the novocaine. As troubling as it may seem, an even more important audit is coming for all of

In the first part of Chapter 5 I have some good news and some not so good news depending on how you look at it. The good news is that you’re due for an upgrade. The bad news: you’re being audited. First, the upgrade. We talked last time about the fact that to God we are ordinary clay ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Shipwreck Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Dec 14, 2008

The Apostle Paul is thrown into (literally) a very tough spot while on his way to possible execution in Rome. Why does God allow turmoil upon turmoil in our lives and how can he use it for His (and our) good?

Recently Margaret and I had the opportunity to spend some time at sea. At times all you could see was ocean. There were no islands or land of any kind in sight. All you had was the rolling waves. I thought what it must have been like for the Apostle Paul—on his way to Rome where he would most ...read more

Scripture: Acts 27:1-44

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Shake It Off Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Dec 29, 2008

Paul safely escapes shipwreck only to have a snake come out of the fire and bite him. Instead of panicking or making a big show of how "bullet proof" he was, the Apostle simply goes about the business of serving God. It’s a great lesson for us when we fac

Doesn’t it seem like something (or someone) didn’t want Paul to reach Rome? Angry mobs, corrupt leaders (both Israeli and Roman), then even the wind and waves seem to conspire to destroy Paul or crash him up against the rocks—anything to keep him from reaching God’s intended destination. But as ...read more

Scripture: Acts 28:1-31

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Knowing Your Place Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jan 4, 2009

Paul the Apostle knew who he was (and was not) and his job in the kingdom. It’s his passion for his job that led him to write to a group of people he’d never met, in order to introduce himself and the theology of grace to them. It encourages us to know ou

I think it is great to study the book of Romans just after leaving Acts. Much of Acts is devoted to what Paul did—whereas in Romans we get to see how Paul thinks. Paul wrote the letter in about A.D. 57, which coincides with one of his visits to Corinth (Acts 20). Paul was looking ahead to the next ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:1-15

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Finding Your Place Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 10, 2009

How do you get a sense of well being, identity and purpose? Is it by how you feel inside and how you compare to others outside? Paul gives us some wonderful advice on how to deal with this as a member of the body of Christ.

Last time we talked about how to respond to God’s mercy—by making ourselves available to God by putting ourselves on the altar as a living sacrifice, shunning the molding of the world on our character externally, while embracing the transformation of our character internally by the presence of the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Show Or Show Off? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 25, 2009

Many times when we think of God using us and us using spiritual gifts we think of some pretty impressive stuff - miracles, prophecy, healings and the like. But Paul gives us some great instruction about the color of the ways God uses us.

We’ve come to this point in our study through Romans by seeing that since God has had so much mercy on us that it is only reasonable for us to make ourselves available to Him to help spread the truth of God’s love and gift of salvation. Last time we saw that we need an accurate look at ourselves ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9-13

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Living Life Upside Down Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 2, 2009

One of the hardest things we as Christians have to deal with is people who don’t like us and who do bad things to us. We think we know how to react but Paul turns life upside down as he gives us the real way to overcome our enemies.

Here are a set of principles that many of us live by without knowing it. • Each negative action towards us should be met with an overwhelming opposite reaction so that those that oppose us will be crushed and humiliated. • Be happy when others are happy. Be absent when others are ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:14-21

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Principals For Giving – Principals For Living Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Apr 11, 2011

Often times as a Christian we think that what we do only affects us. In reality the body of Christ is an intertwined unit and who we are and what we do does indeed impact others for good or not. With that in mind, the Apostle Paul gives some parting but v

Usually people ignore the final chapters of many of Paul’s letters. They are usually filled with last minute instructions, greetings, and signatures. We don’t know who many of the people are, and already know who Paul is, so we skip over these sections. But in 1st Corinthians 16 there ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:1-24

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Come Out Of Hiding - Part 2

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Apr 25, 2011

For some of us, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a reminder, not of the victory over death, but the death of victory in our lives. We fear really relishing in the resurrection because of our own failures, fears, and weaknesses. If that's you, then I've

The first Resurrection Sunday was not a happy day for the most part. For the disciples it was a day to cower in fear that they were next to be hauled away and crucified. It was a day of extreme sorrow for the women who loved Jesus so. It was a day of fear and dread for the Roman soldiers who ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Purpose Of Suffering

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 2, 2011

Why do we go through hard times? Is it because God is not pleased with us? Is it that we just must suffer in order to really be deserving of God's grace? Though the reasons might be many (and those two are not among them), Paul gives us one of the most im

Having received a very stern letter from the Apostle Paul, you’d think that God’s problem church, Corinth, would have gotten their act together. The church was rife with pastor worship, division, misuse of spiritual gifts and the Lord’s supper, class distinctions, tolerance of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 10: Don't Solve Kingdom Problems In The World Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 22, 2010

What happens when Christians disagree? If it is reasoning from the Scriptures about the Word, that's one thing. But when believers quarrel often it can be a sign of immaturity. When they try to resolve those disputes in front of the world, the gospel is t

In the last chapter Paul talked about how to deal with big problems in the church involving open, unrepentant sin. Now as we move into Chapter 6, he talks about handling smaller problems between believers. In a way, this is a continuation of the flow from Chapter 5. There he is telling the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 11: Be Wary Of Addiction Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 28, 2010

Is there something in your life that if it was taken away your life could not go on? Is there something you just can't stop doing? You may be addicted. In fact, even many Christians are addicted to something they are not even aware of - the flesh. How to

What's your addiction? I know that's a pretty strong statement but I want us to think about that. Put another way, what controls you? What can you not do without? What, if taken away, would mean your life was over? You might say "I'm not addicted to anything!" If that's true, then halleluiah. But ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 12: Don't Panic Part 1 - Marriage & Divorce Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Dec 6, 2010

There are many misunderstandings about Paul's words on marriage and divorce. Looking at them in the context of the situation they were written in, and context of our purpose as redeemed humans offers us some real wisdom.

Beginning in chapter 7, Paul begins to address specific questions the Corinthians had sent him regarding marriage, eating meat sacrificed to idols, worship, the Lord's supper and the resurrection. First he addresses a question about marriage. If you look at the chapter as a whole the context might ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:1-16

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

What Should You Change? 1 Corinthians 7:17 - 40 Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Dec 13, 2010

When we experience new life in Jesus Christ we might think a change in our external appearance, position, or circumstances will make us more useful to the Master. But you might just miss out on one of the greatest opportunities available to you.

Last time we talked about how some in Corinth, especially women who were just experiencing new freedoms in the body of Christ, thought it best to divorce their pagan husbands, or remain celibate in marriage in order to be better Christians. In the context of an overly-sexualized society, and of a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:16-40

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 11, 2011

This question haunts many of us, especially as Christians. We think that things should go well if we are blessed of the Lord. When bad things happen, even seemingly disconnected things like losing a job or getting into an accident, we wonder why? Paul won

Finally here in the latter half of Chapter 11, Paul defends himself to the super-apostles by listing his accomplishments. He does it very reluctantly as he should. Taking credit for what you’ve done was normative for the false teachers in Corinth but is “this age” thinking. God is ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel