Sermons on Fuller:

God The Patient Gardener Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 24, 2006

Do you ever picture God as a vindictive judge who can’t wait to throw judgment at sinners? This and other misconceptions about God are addressed in Luke 13.

God - The Patient Gardener - Luke 13:1-35 What are some common misconceptions about God? 1. That God rises above all religions and a piece of God is found in each 2. God is "the big man upstairs" who is not really involved in affairs here on earth 3. Good things happen to good people, bad things ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-35

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Nature And Purpose Of Suffering Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 28, 2006

How many times do you question whether God causes suffering as a judgment? There are really four causes for suffering. Find out how God uses them for good.

Luke 13:1-5 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-5

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Jephthah: The Rough & Tumble Guy Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Aug 26, 2007

How does an outcast rebel outlaw end up in the hall of faith and did Jephthah really sacrifice his daughter?

The story we are going to look at in Judges 11 and 12 today is one of the strangest and most troubling in the Bible. It’s about a notorious man who comes to the rescue of Israel, then promptly vows to sacrifice his own daughter and gets into a big fight where 42,000 fellow Israelites are killed. Or ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Samson Part 1 Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 2, 2007

Samson had everything going for him: supportive, godly parents, a good home environment, and blessing from God. So why did he decide to walk a path of selfishness and what does that say to us?

Samson is a puzzling character. He had great successes for the nation of Israel but personally was a total failure. He was as weak morally and spiritually as he was strong physically. Why the Lord ever used him is beyond me and why his story is just so interesting and compelling floors me. I think ...read more

Scripture: Judges 13:1-25

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

On The Edges Of Timnah Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 9, 2007

How close to the world can you get without getting into trouble? Samson finds out and the results are less than pleasant. Learn about how to keep your purpose pure as you live in the world as a Christian.

There’s an old saying that goes: "when you journey through the vineyards, you’ll eventually eat the grapes." I’ve wandered through a vineyard or two, watched them harvest the grapes about this time of year. They sure do taste sweet. But what if along with the sugar came warfarin, an anticoagulant? ...read more

Scripture: Judges 14:1-20

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Samson, Part 3 Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 17, 2007

What happened to Samson that brought him back to the Lord and what was his real source of strength. How does that relate to our own strengths in the hands of God?

What was the secret to Samson’s strength? Was it really his long hair? God never says that. In fact, I think from the text the secret to his strength was the inrushing of the Holy Spirit. We see it in 14:6 with the lion, 14:19 with the 30 Philistine men, 15:14 and with the 1,000 Philistines. From ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Losing Your Way Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 23, 2007

Like a hiker without a map, compass, or landmark - Israel has gone off the trail and into danger. How can that happen to us and how to get back on the trail to God?

Perspective is a nice thing. When you are on a long hike, like in my Boy Scout days, it was always great to come up on the top of a ridge so you could have a look around and get your bearings and chart the course ahead, knowing that once you plunged down into the forest it’d be hard to get the big ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Restoring The Broken Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 30, 2007

When you let the natural nature of the human heart take over you don’t go from bad to good you go from bad to worse. Yet in the midst of a tragic story we find tremendous hope.

The events of Judges 19-21 probably represent the worst of the worst of the history of Israel. They happened, surprisingly, not long after Joshua passed away signaling, I think, the fact that shortly after conquering the Promised Land, the people fell away quickly into idolatry which then infected ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Hope In The Hard Times Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 7, 2007

Do you go through difficult trials that don’t seem to have any way out? So did Naomi, but God showed his love and an alternative she hadn’t thought of, like he does with us.

Ruth was written in perhaps the 2nd half of the 12th century, making it contemporary with Jephthah and Samson of Judges 11 and following. This is important because if you didn’t know that you’d think there’s no way the events could take place concurrently with Judges. Judges is filled with ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Tilling Of The Heart Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 4, 2006

How is the soil of your heart? Are you ready to receive what God has to say? Learn what true repentance means and doesn’t mean in the ministry of John the Baptist.

Let me say first of all that I am not the gardener in our family - that’s my wife. I am the assistant gardener. But I have learned a thing or two over the years. One is that without adequate soil preparation your garden will not grow plants, it will simply grow seedlings that will be eaten by ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-38

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Fighting Temptation Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 13, 2006

The Devil does not appear to us in a red suite with a pitchfork. In fact, Satans temptations are often attractive and fill legitimate needs - or seem to. Learn how Jesus fought these temptations and how we can as well.

Temptation An attorney was sitting in his office late one night, when the Devil appeared before him. The Devil told the lawyer, /’I have a proposition for you. You can win every case you try, for the rest of your life. Your clients will adore you, your colleagues will stand in awe of you, and you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-39

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

When Jesus Becomes Real Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 18, 2006

Jesus Christ invades the normal world and brings about healing, foregiveness and acceptance to the outcasts of society. When does He become real to you?

Do you ever have those moments when the Bible just comes alive to you? I had such a moment standing on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (also known as Sea of Gennesaret). It’s been many years now, but I remember being there near Kibbutz Ginossar, standing on the small pebbles that made up the shore ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-39

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Wired To Explode Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 26, 2006

How is your life wired? Jesus paints a picture of God\’s character to show us how differently we are wired and how much we are in need of a Savior.

A few years ago I thought I was pretty smart. We were putting in a hot tub and some people said - you should have it installed by a professional. "I don’t need no professional!" I responded. Well, we got the thing in okay- after hefting it sideways and rolling it on some very flimsy hand trucks or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:1-19

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

What Is God Like? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 3, 2006

Have you ever wondered if you could meet God - would you like Him? We learn from Luke 6 that many of God’s characteristics run counter to our natural way of thinking. Learn how freeing it is to live life like God lives life!

What is God like? Mankind has asked that question for millennia. God is powerful - He created the universe and can send down lightning bolts. God is angry - He likes to judge and punish people. God is distant - if you see Him you die and he lives far away in heaven where we can never touch Him. God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:20-49

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

How Do You Approach Jesus? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 10, 2006

Meet 5 people or groups who approached Jesus in many different ways. Jesus reaction tells a lot about how we should and should not approach Jesus when we are in need, in grief, in sin, or in control.

How do you approach Jesus? Here are some possibilities: Burn with anger Shrug your shoulders in indifference Look the other way Run the other way Stand off at a distance Look down your nose Bow prostrate Run into His arms Run up to Him and demand One thing’s for sure - we all approach Him ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-50

Denomination: Calvary Chapel