Sermon Archive
January 2023
Continue Living The Gospel
Try to carve out some time to read chapter three of 2nd Timothy before you listen to this message. That’s the passage that we’ll be studying together on Sunday. True to form, Paul will continue his final letter with his characteristic, laser-like focus on the Gospel. If the message of chapter 1 was “guard the Gospel” and the message of chapter 2 was “be willing to suffer for the Gospel” than the message of chapter 3 is “continue living the Gospel.” It’s a chapter that is rich with helpful insights.
A Solider, An Athlete, And A Farmer
In the first chapter of Paul’s last letter (2 Timothy) he talked about the importance of guarding the Gospel that has been entrusted to us. Then, in the second chapter, which we will be studying this coming Sunday, Paul will go on to talk about some of the costs and sacrifices that followers of Jesus will be called upon to make for the Gospel. If the main message of chapter 1 was guard the Gospel then the main message of chapter 2 is to stand ready to suffer for the Gospel. In the opening v…
Paul’s Last Will and Testament
The book of 2 Timothy was Paul’s last and final letter. It was most likely written shortly before he was martyred in Rome. There is evidence from within the letter itself that Paul knew the end was near even as he wrote to his young friend, Timothy. For example, in chapter 4 he said, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.” His parting words to Timothy are tender, personal and they focus on the hope of the Gospel with laser-like focus. …
Making All Things New
The word “new” is one of God’s favorite ways of describing His work in the world. NEW commandment (John 13:34) NEW covenant (Luke 22:20). NEW creation (2 Corinthians 15:17). NEW heavens and a NEW earth (Isaiah 65:17). NEW spirit (Ezekiel 11:19). NEW song (Isaiah 42:10). He is the God who is “making all things new.” (Revelations 21:5)
In Ephesians 4:22-24, which we will be studying together on this New Year’s Sunday we find another great example of a God who loves transformation and n…
December 2022
Christ’s Journey To Earth
Of all the unexpected visitations that occur in the Christmas story by far the most unexpected is that of Jesus Himself. His coming into the world was unanticipated by most and misunderstood by nearly all. The profound mystery of the incarnation (That’s a five-dollar word meaning that Jesus became a human being like one of us.) wherein God clothed Himself in flesh and became really, truly and fully man without becoming any less divine is a truth that we can grasp and know truly without unde…
The Magi’s Journey
In this message we be consider the story of the wise men found in Matthew 2:1-12. The Christmas story is not the only place in the Bible where we bump into this mysterious caste of foreign priests known as the Magi. For example, they are mentioned in the Old Testament books of Daniel and Esther as wise men who could give supernaturally derived counsel, wisdom and insights to the rulers of their day. They were practitioners of an ancient form of astrology. Interestingly, the same exact word …
The Shepherd’s Journey
I wonder how the shepherds announced themselves when they arrived outside the place where Jesus had been born. Was their arrival in the night as loud and surprising as the angel’s had been? I wonder if they barged right in or did they “hallooo” from the street? Maybe they approached with reverential trepidation, quiet and wide-eyed. I wonder how many of them there were, and what were their names. Was it at all unwelcome for Mary to receive male visitors so shortly after giving birth? I wond…
Mary and Joseph’s Journey
The Christmas story is one of the most well-known and beloved portions of scripture in the Bible. Perhaps the mention of the Christmas story conjures for you images of camel-riding wise men pointing toward a distant star, or a very pregnant Mary riding on a donkey being led by Joseph, or awe-filled shepherds surprised by a heavenly choir, or a newborn baby boy wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger.
The narrative of the Christmas story is marked by a number of journeys. Fir…
November 2022
Courage For When Our Fears Come True
Have you ever asked the question, “Why does God let bad things happen?” As I get to know people and hear their stories, I become aware that this question, when it is asked, is not posed by philosophers sitting in ivory towers who just like debating interesting ideas. This is a burning question on many of our hearts, and that is because we carry with us the heartbreaking baggage that comes as we journey through this sin-affected world. Loved ones have died. We have suffered betrayals. We, or…
Courge For Mission
We’ll be looking to the life of Gideon in the Bible to find some helpful insights on how we can find the courage necessary for Christian mission. You’ll find the story of Gideon, an unlikely and somewhat reluctant, hero in chapters 6-8 of the Old Testament book of Judges.
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