For many of us, prayer raises more questions than answers. Does it even work? Am I doing it right? Am I using the right words? How can I know God is even listening? Jesus’ early followers had similar questions about prayer, but they saw something different in Jesus. Jesus prayed with a confidence, closeness, and … [Read More…] Our Father In Heaven
He is Risen! He is Risen! He is Risen! Easter Sunday marks the turning of the tide. The power of sin is shattered; the chains of Satan are broken; the dominion of death is conquered, for the Son of God has risen with power and is alive forevermore! In this sermon, we go back … [Read More…] He Is Risen!
Each of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – allocate approximately 1/3rd of their biographies to the final week of Jesus’ life. It’s as if everything shifts into slow motion, every definitive moment captured, each dialogue carefully conveyed, every detail meticulously preserved. Because this is the … [Read More…] Hosanna in the Highest!
No one wants to be on the wrong side of history. As it was in the days of Jesus, so it is today. Our passage for this sermon takes place at a time when it seemed to some that the right side of history was about to be revealed. The people of Jesus’ day … [Read More…] The Right Side Of History
It is common to feel frustrated about prayer that doesn’t seem to work as we intended. We can feel like God isn’t answering in the way we want, or we don’t feel heard, so we just gave up. But what if you’re using prayer the wrong way? In this sermon we learn about how … [Read More…] Pray Then Like This
There’s probably nothing sicker than religious hypocrisy–people who claim to be tight with God, but then turn out to be total fakes. We hear it all the time: “the church is full of hypocrites.” If religious hypocrisy makes you mad, you’re in good company, because Jesus couldn’t stand it either. In fact, a lot of … [Read More…] Religious Hypocrisy
In this sermon with guest speaker Dr. James Hamilton, we explore the connection between the Old Testament foundation for baptism in Exodus 15 and the New Testament foundation for Peter saying that the flood corresponds to baptism. The chiastic structure of the song in Exodus informs us about Moses’ intent for the Israelites thousands … [Read More…] The Song of the Sea
If you were a 1st century Jew living in Capernaum, life under Roman military occupation was difficult. Talk of revolt and uprising were everywhere. Some had even claimed to be the chosen one to lead Israel to freedom from Roman rule, until they and their followers were crucified. Emotions were running high, like a tinder … [Read More…] Loving Enemies
It’s one thing to understand the symptoms; it’s another to get the diagnosis right. Effectiveness of the prescription depends on the accuracy of the diagnosis. So, when it comes to the brokenness of humanity, the symptoms are easily identified, but it’s the diagnosis that’s difficult. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day (Scribes and Pharisees) … [Read More…] Manipulation on the Lips
Throughout this series, we’ve been working our way through Jesus’ illustrations of what that kind of perfect righteousness flowing from the goodness of a heart like God’s looks like. The kind of heart only Jesus can give us. In this sermon, we come to the 3rd illustration of a heart made right in the … [Read More…] Divorce on the Mind
