Community Baptist Church of Fargo

Pastor Doug is uplifted and more than uplifted, more than grateful, knowing that our Lord and Savior is eternally interceding on behalf of those who have received Him as Lord and Savior. The powerful text for the sermon shows that our deep, passionate prayers to the Lord are heard. We each have different ways of organizing our prayers, but Christ’s eternal prayerful intercession is really the crown jewel of prayers as they bless our lives every moment on this earth and forever. Scripture tells us: Romans 8:34: "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us". Hebrews 7:25: "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them". Just as prayer is a good, powerful, and blessed part of our Christian lives, it is crowned in efficacy (my word) by the Lord’s intercession on our behalf. It is comforting and blessed to know this truth and contemplate it.

I’ve been a born again believer for 37 years and this is the only sermon I have heard about not bearing false witness (not lying) as commanded by the Lord in the Ninth Commandment. Pastor Doug reveals not only how serious lying is, but also how common lying is. Purposeful distortions and half-truths are actually lies despite our frequent and mealy-mouthed attempts to flee from that truth. What about when we speak of our unsaved co-workers or neighbors as “good people but they are not saved?” Are we really being kind or are we lying in order not to sound “judgmental” to ourselves or others? Maybe we need to meditate on the verse “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” This sermon is presented gently and humbly. He does not blast the congregation or the sermon audio listeners with harsh tones about our lying propensities. Rather, as the saying goes, he “tells it like it is,” and everyone needs to listen and respond to the Ninth Commandment.

This sermon reminds us not to take revenge and to "turn the other cheek" as we follow Christ in being Kingdom Citizens of love, peace, and hope rather than of revenge, wrath, and pride (which are the paths of fallen human nature). I have definitely wrestled with this issue since I became a born again believer 37 years ago. I had one colleague in particular when I was teaching high school in the 1990's who was always bossing his fellow teachers around, and I often blew up at him. After considerable prayer, one day I asked that teacher for forgiveness for losing my temper, but he said he didn't know what I was talking about. He continued to boss me around, but I listened and said nothing and was in perfect peace. Soon thereafter, I had a chance to transfer to another high school, and did so. As soon as I turned from my unholy response, the Lord opened a door for me to find a different, better high school.

In this sermon, Pastor Doug refers to love letters he received from his wife while he was in college. He speaks about how much they meant to him and how perfect they were. Rarely does one encounter such openness in sermons, and for me it was a wonderful, refreshing communication.

This sermon is a gracious and loving reminder about just how rooted all of life -- from the smallest particles of nature to the most spectacular vistas -- is created by and in the all-knowing, all-loving hands of God. We are all capable of making good and bad choices in life, but what makes a choice "good" is that it is from God. We might even learn not to make a choice -- like not taking heroin -- from others who do not even believe in God. But what makes that choice "good" is that its goodness is derived from God. But choices about what is or is not good are ultimately hit or miss without the Word. In His Word we find ongoing and increasing delight in righteous living. The Word is from the Lord and expresses His great love for His creation, the world. Pastor Doug encourages everyone listening to practice a daily reading of the Holy Scriptures. The reading of the Word should become more than a task, but a kind of fulfilling excursion into God's Love, His Truth, and His Way.

I was blessed by the sermon. We are saved by grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone. By grace alone means just that -- without signing a card to the effect that I have made a "decision" for Christ. Amen. Christ made a decision [sic] to go to that old rugged cross. Of course, it wasn't a "decision" but the obedient will of the eternal God which, as Messiah, as second person of the Triune God, He was born to carry out. Amen.

As a preacher seeking inspiration for a sermon I shall be preaching next Sunday on Colossians 1: 9-18, I turned to Pastor Vandermeulen's sermons at SermonAudio.com. I knew that I wanted to bring out the special glory and purity of the gospel message, and had many notes. But the unity I was seeking was still to be found. This sermon provided that unity, namely that the Law reminds one that he is a sinner, whereas the Gospel of Jesus Christ that he is forgiven. Pastor Vandermeulen announces this simple but profound principle of understanding towards the beginning of this sermon, and then proceeds to add layer upon layer of understanding of this basic point. Christ is the One prophesied for centuries. He and He alone takes away the corruption of sin and frees us for eternal life with Almighty God. Christ Alone, Faith Alone, For the Glory of God Alone are profoundly brought together as the sermon awakens our minds as well as our hearts to the salvific power of the Gospel. And, as I have noted in other reviews of sermons by Pastor Vandermeulen, his preaching now has an intensity and focus that were not present to as great a degree 15 years ago. Although the word "anointing" is overused in some circles, I can only say that I believe this sermon is truly anointed.

Great exposition of this text . You are a very clear communicator , thank you brother .

Pastor VanderMeulen reminds us at the very beginning of this sermon of the endless wonders of the book of Romans. It is a fountain of truth and wisdom that could engross our attention for many lifetimes. In it, we drink deeply of Almighty God through Jesus Christ transforming our lives to that which is the acceptable, good, and perfect will of God. There are so many layers of wisdom and truth in this sermon, it would be beyond a SermonAudio comment to try to re-state them. But this commenter was struck particularly by the preacher's recounting of the contention between Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Billy Graham. Lloyd-Jones did not accept Mr. Graham's invitation to sit on the platform at Graham's first crusade in England. He explained to Mr. Graham that he (Graham) had reversed the process by which one followed Jesus, namely we do not first make a decision and then begin to move into being born again. We are first to be born again. We are born again by faith ALONE. (John 3:3) The sermon is rich with details, but it is an impassioned call to be thankful for our faith, to live out our faith, to rejoice in our faith, and to know that our faith has set us free -- it is a thrilling panorama as we move towards those "pearly gates."

This sermon was delivered with unusual passion and intensity. It deserves this treatment because Christian biblical commitments and beliefs are increasingly being challenged in our society. However, Pastor Doug VanderMeulen reminds us at the beginning of the sermon how the demonic homosexuals attacked another pastor about 40 years ago in San Francisco when he fired a homosexual man who played the organ in an Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Although the case was won in court, the man and his family suffered years of persecution. The story of that horrible case can be read here: https://www.billygraham.ca/stories/attacked-but-not-silent/ However, in the sermon that episode is to reflect a commitment to Christ that is parallel to that of Stephen in Acts. When we are blessed by the Lord, of course we should be grateful. But when horrible treatment abounds in our lives, we are equally challenged to be grateful and to respond in humble gratitude to our Lord and Savior. The sermon emphasizes that no matter what the appearances may be Jesus Christ is in control. The Lord is the Lord of society no matter whether we are seeing outcomes and behaviors we agree or disagree with as Christians. We must welcome His will in our lives and must maintain a strong witness of His Lordship!!

Thank you so much for this timely sermon . I was studying this commandment after hearing about “The Chosen” media production . So many Christians are ok with it but I felt it was breaking the second commandment . I pray others will hear this great sermon and understand the biblical way to worship .

Pastor Vandermeulen's sermon is a tour de force of theological reasoning, philosophical analysis, and homely examples. He discusses faith as making truth claims, discusses the reflections of Ursinus, and gives some cogent examples of faith from his earlier life experiences with Evangelism Explosion. He also reflects upon such everyday, homely examples as opening and eating the contents of canned goods as well as sitting on a chair depending on the objective ability of the chair to support us, not merely a "hope" that it will support us. He points out at one point that some Bible deniers at one point said there was no ancient place named Sodom, but later an archaeologist unearthed some ancient list that named Sodom and Gomorrah -- cities that existed in realtime until they were torched by Almighty God. The entire 48 minutes were really engrossing, and were well-timed because I am now reading "Searching Our Hearts In Difficult Times" by John Owen which stresses the importance of faith. For example, I just finished the section entitled "The Use and Advantage of Faith in a Time of Reproaches and Persecutions." So if you are interesting in better understanding faith and in building up your own, this sermon is a must listen.

This sermon uniquely considers the Holy Spirit as God. Ptr. Vandermeulen does not fall into the mistaken idea of the Holy Spirit as a mere "force" that sometimes comes into play in our lives or, on the other hand, identifying the Holy Spirit with various ecstasies and unusual phenomena as we sometimes find in charismatic or pentecostal churches. In his desire to reveal the power and richness of the Holy Spirit in the fullness of His Person and Essence, Ptr. Vandermeulen is preaching with an intensity that I have not heard in 15 years of listening to his sermons. His sermons are typically incisive, consistent, warm-hearted, and true to all known canons for Biblical exegesis. But, to repeat myself, this sermon is presented with an intensity that is remarkable which helps the hearers appreciate the significance of the topic, the life changing power of the Holy Spirit, correct knowledge of the Holy Spirit, and the application of that understanding to the world-life experience as a whole as well as application specifically to the born again body of Christ as a whole. He uses the terms "Common" and "Special" both as overarching categories and as subcategories to help us understand and to out-picture how the Holy Spirit operates in the world and in the body of Christ. Thank you.

I do not recall hearing another sermon that brought to life the events of Christ's crucifixion like this sermon. In the course of the sermon, Ptr. Vandermeulen recommended a book by A.W. Pink that exposits the seven last words of Christ on the cross. I found that interesting because Pink's book about Elijah inspired me greatly. In that book, the reader (myself) felt as though I were literally present and observing the various events that unfolded in Elijah's life. In this sermon, for the first time, I really felt the same way about being present at Christ's crucifixion. I was not merely present at a recounting or re-summarizing of the events, but as if I were actually there, and thus could identify wholly with the reaction of the centurion. At the end of the sermon, we are asked to reflect, if possible, outside our comfort zones about the last moments that we each can anticipate having. Will we be dissolved in fear or will we be filled with hope and gratitude for the infinite caring and sacrifices of our beloved prophet, priest, and king? Or will be hardened in indifference? The narrative in this sermon was gripping. The final question addressed to the humanity hearing this sermon (in person or online) is as urgent and profound as any that might be asked.

I will say, what if we do t believe those elders and leaders have been placed there by God, but have placed themselves? This is where we find ourselves in America. I’ve been praying about many things at my church over 30 plus years. I don’t see answers, in fact it would seem this is the only area of prayer not being answered over the years. It could me be?? It must be, because I don’t have a fancy position in the organization. What I have seen is at times, leaders just removed and replaced with little explanation. Great perspective! I hope God is moving somewhere!!!