In some ways, The Lord’s Prayer is a bit of an aside to the main point Jesus is making. If you will recall, Jesus has been calling out the Scribes and Pharisees for their religious hypocrisy. To drive the point home, Jesus gives three examples of spiritual practices: giving, praying, and fasting. These practices … [Read More…] When You Fast
People feel a longing for Jesus to come again. But since we don’t know the time and date of that return, what should we do in the meantime? As we wait for the return of Christ, we are to be the people of God, empowered by the spirit of God, to testify to the … [Read More…] It’s Time
The final phrase, or benediction, of The Lord’s Prayer is a grand crescendo in what has been a rather sobering prayer for mercy amidst a dark and battered world. It feels like all of a sudden light pierces the darkness as the speaker proclaims the forever kingdom, power, and glory of God. It’s a phrase … [Read More…] Kingdom, Power, and Glory
All of us prefer to avoid tests in life, because these are moments of accountability when we’re exposed for who we really are. The danger of tests is that we’ll come to realize we’re not all that we ought to be, that we’re frail and faltering beings. In this sermon, we explore the phrase … [Read More…] Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Have you ever questioned God’s intentions for your life? Do you wish that God was doing something different through the course of events that you experience? God can seem to answer our prayers in ways that are unexpected and complex. In this sermon, we’ll be reminded of three important truths that we can hold … [Read More…] The Wonderful Wisdom of God
“Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.” – C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity It’s not hard to see that our world needs to be a more forgiving place. Our families need to be more forgiving places. Our churches need to be more forgiving places. And, of course, it’s … [Read More…] Forgive Us Our Debts
Far too often we treat prayer like a cosmic 911 service. Some emergency happens, and suddenly, we become praying people. On a daily basis, we try not to bother God with the little stuff, thinking that we can handle most circumstances on our own. Most of the time, life feels manageable. We rationalize that … [Read More…] Our Daily Bread
Jesus knows what it’s like to live within this broken world, and He knows how to pray His way through it. In this passage from the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is going to teach us how to pray our way through the brokenness of this life. This sermon focuses on Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom … [Read More…] Your Kingdom Come
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!
