Sermons on Fuller:

Loving Your Rights Or Your Right To Love Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 22, 2009

What distractions keep you from being an effective witness for Jesus Christ? One of the chief distractions is focusing on the minor differences between us, instead of building each other up in love. Paul takes this topic head-on in Romans 14.

We’ve been talking about making ourselves available to become like God and be used by God in his Great Story. Have you ever had an important task to do—a paper to write, an assignment at work to complete, a check book that needs to be balanced? As you set yourself to that task, the phone rings, you ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-4

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Loving Your Rights Or Your Right To Love Part 2 Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 28, 2009

We continue to look at how the Lord desires us to live in the war zone of this age - compliant with government as long as it doesn’t force us to violate God’s Word and loving to others who are not as far along as we in their walk with God.

Living as a believer in this age is like being in a war zone. It’s hostile territory. In chapters 12-15 Paul explains how we can not only exist, but do God’s will and even thrive in enemy lands. We do it by knowing our place and purpose. Our place is as a part of the body of Christ and our purpose ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:5-23

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Be Encouraged! Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 5, 2009

Paul’s final theological words to the Romans hold a lot of weight. But in some ways Paul says to ’lighten up!’ when it comes to dealing with people who are different than us in the body of Christ.

We’ve been talking a lot about getting along in a hostile environment. That, to use an old adage, honey attracts more flies than vinegar. To be a compliant citizen of your nation, even when it doesn’t reflect the character of God very well, is a good thing because it allows the spotlight to be on ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-33

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Making Connections Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 13, 2009

For some, Paul’s greetings at the end of Romans might seem boring and not relevant. To the contrary, Paul’s connections with other believers offers us a rich tapestry of life and service in the 1st century church.

Paul’s letter to the Romans was not merely a theological treatise on God’s plan to rescue mankind from evil. He wrote it to people he had (mostly) never met, in a city where he had never been. The purpose of his letter was that of introduction. “Hi, I’m Paul, and this is what I believe.” In ...read more

Scripture: Romans 16:1-27

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Jesus-The Son Of David Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 19, 2009

If you look at it one way, Jesus came from a very dysfunctional family and a dysfunctional family line. If God has set about to save the world, shouldn’t He have made things a little better along the way? Actually, it’s really a cool part of God’s salvati

Matthew’s gospel was one of the first written in the decades after the resurrection (50 A.D.). At the time the many forms of Judaism were on the wane. After the fall of Jerusalem, in fact, only two remained: one was Rabbinic Judaism (which came from the Pharisees) and Jewish Christianity. It was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-25

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Who Do You Belong To? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 16, 2010

Often times we think of our society today as so different from Bible times. But it may surprise you that the things facing the Corinthians are much the same as today, and so is God's grace!

1st Corinthians was written in A.D. 56 from Ephesus at the close of Paul's 3 year residence there (Acts 20:31, 1 Corinthians 16:5-8). Paul's relationship with the Corinthian church is in Acts 18:1-18. He met Aquila and Priscilla there and taught in a house next door to the synagogue for 18 months. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Don't Worship Your Pastor Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 20, 2010

You might never think of yourself as worshiping your pastor. But that's just what has happening in Corinth and it happens in churches all over the world to this day. What are the dangers, how to spot it, and how to avoid it are the subject of part two in

It had been only 18 months since Paul left his newly formed church at Corinth. A trusted family had filled him in on what had happened to this fledgling body: fights, divisions, class envy, a return to paganism, and out and out sin. I picture Paul pulling his hair out and tearing his clothes as he ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 3: Don't Confuse The World's Values With God's Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 27, 2010

In today's politically correct world it seems more and more Christians are swallowing some pretty bad stuff in order to 'get along.' The culture pushes back to get us to conform to the values of our culture. Paul comes against that and says you should thi

In lesson three Paul takes aim, not at superstar pastors, but the philosophies and values of the world around us. The Corinthians were very much in the middle of a culture that valued philosophy and discussion as a way to arrive at truth. Paul's time before the Areopagus in Acts 17 was like that, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 4: Don't Trust Your Mind - Trust God's Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 4, 2010

The mind is one of the most amazing and most dangerous things we possess. It is incredibly creative, self-justifying and horribly deceiving and sick. So Paul tells us when it comes understanding God, using our minds only will never get us there.

In our series: Lessons in how NOT to be a Christian, we have seen: Lesson 1: You (and your church) do not belong to you, but to God Lesson 2: Don't worship your pastor Lesson 3: Don't confuse the world's wisdom with God's And now Lesson 4: Don't rely on your own mind Scientific ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 5: Don't Remain A Baby Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 11, 2010

One of the most dangerous places to find yourself as a Christian is thinking you are more mature than you really are. This was one of the main reasons the Corinthian church had so many problems and may be a reason you are not moving forward in your walk.

I have a granddaughter, little Maya. She is our first grandchild and, of course, she is the cutest baby on planet earth. Up until now Maya has only known her mama's milk as her food. She is just starting to eat puréed foods like bananas and the like. We saw the cutest video of her and she actually ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 6: Get Over Yourself - Get On With The Work Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 18, 2010

One of the greatest blessings is when God works through you. One of the greatest dangers is when God works through you. Learn how to avoid the penetrating gaze of the Lord and simply rejoice in His work through you.

What’s the hottest thing you’ve ever been close to? I remember once being near a log deck fire that was so hot that it was melting the asphalt under my feet. I’ve seen the effects of intense heat and fire reduce a full house to a pile of ashes and a chimney, with things melted in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:5-17

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Lesson 7: Look Out For The Culture Of Celebrity Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 25, 2010

Is there such a thing as the celebrity pastor? Is that a good or bad thing? How should I look at a church to make sure I will be fed as a believer?

As we’ve seen in looking at the problems of the Corinthian church, the members of this congregation had expended a great deal of energy putting certain leaders up on pedestals and then aligning themselves with that leader and claiming their leader was better than theirs. In the first part ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

How Far Will You Go? Part 1

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 19, 2011

There are three questions each Christian should ask themselves when it comes to deciding just how far to go in serving the Lord. They are not easy questions, but your answers will reveal much about yourself. In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul gives us a clear choic

Answer this question for yourself: “I feel good about my life when …” In a way, the Apostle Paul could be asking the Corinthians to consider this question when they judge him. If you answer the question: “I feel best when external circumstances are not difficult and when ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

How Far Will You Go? Part 2

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 26, 2011

Often we enter into partnerships without thinking of the consequences for either us or those that we influence. Though we are not to withdraw from this world, we need to be careful when we entangle ourselves in the values of this age. Today we examine bei

Are you willing to appear as a fool in order to be used more effectively by the Lord? Who is the main author of the book of your life? So finally we get to question 3: Are you willing to be differentiated from the world in order to be used more effectively by the Lord? The problem with ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Power Of Positive Repentance

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Aug 2, 2011

Taking criticism is one of the hardest things for us humans. When it comes to God's critique of our lives, and areas He needs to touch, we often react with our natural human defenses. But Paul in addressing the subject with the Corinthian church, gives us

What happens when you realize you’ve blown it? You have done something, said something, held an attitude about something—and somehow you get called on the carpet. Perhaps it’s by the Holy Spirit, maybe by a Bible study, or listening to a sermon, or even someone else telling you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Denomination: Calvary Chapel