Jesus

Mother Hen ~ A Sermon Teaser

/ The Pastor

The following is the opening paragraph for the sermon that God has placed on my heart…

The love of Jesus for sinners is communicated and shown in a number of ways throughout scripture. His commitment to the mission is put on display throughout scripture. (i.e. Jesus’ rebuke of Peter, his face set like flint). And his power has been made known over and over again. From the beginning, God’s plan has been in effect; a plan to redeem His fallen creation. (“He will crush your head, but you will bruise his heal”). God proclaimed the New Covenant through the prophet Jeremiah. God promised to raise up His chosen one; the Messiah – and He followed through. Scripture is replete with God’s promises. God has proven Himself faithful thus there is no reason to doubt that God will come through again. With all of this being said, nothing and no one can get in the way of God’s plan. Why? Well, God is God and His love will NOT be denied. Luke 13 displays this tenacious love through some mother hen feistiness in Jesus…

I can hardly wait to preach this sermon. To God be the glory.

The Pastor -|—

Your Ways

/ The Pastor

Your ways, oh Lord, are right. They are true. Yet, the fork in the road always seems more appealing. Satan’s signs are deceptive and thus I follow. And once on that path of lies, I see the darkness. I desire Your path but take easier ones. I desire Your truth but embrace a lie. I desire You but follow others. In the words of Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Help me, oh God. Forgive me. Heal me. Empower me. Lead me. I want Your path. I want Your ways. I desire You. In the name of Jesus, draw me unto You and show me Your ways. Make me to dwell in Your light. Transform my heart to take the correct fork in the road. May Satan be sent packing and return to hell, for You are my God; my light and my salvation. May all my desires be that which please You. Oh to walk in Your ways, oh Lord. Yes, that is where I want to be. I want Your path. I want You. Your ways, and Your ways alone. And so, as I begin this day, lead me to take the correct fork in the road. In the name Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior I pray, Amen!

The Pastor -|—

Speak!

/ The Pastor

Those days are done. The time of silence is over. The glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, speak.

The Word is being abused; twisted and contorted. Rewritten to fit the desires of the world. But the glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, speak.

Firm, Word-standing Christians are being mocked. Hate-filled language is being hurled at us. But the glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, speak.

People are lost and confused; searching for meaning. People are being mislead and deceived. But the glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, speak.

Many church are conforming to the world. It’s leaders are preaching a false gospel. But the glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, speak.

This slippery slope sliding culture is plunging faster and faster into oblivion. But the glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, speak.

The Church is becoming more and more irrelevant. But the world cannot afford to miss our message, for the glory of Jesus has been revealed.
Speak, my friends, SPEAK!

The Pastor -|—

Your Glory

/ The Pastor

It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to You,
oh God,
our Creator and Redeemer.
Through Jesus Christ You showed us Your amazing grace and mercy. Through Jesus Christ You revealed Your abundant love.
Through Jesus Christ You defeated sin, Satan and the power of death. Through Jesus Christ You revealed Your glory
and showed us THE path to You and thus eternal life.
May we listen to Jesus and thus proclaim this glory.
And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we join in proclaiming this glory
and singing Your unending praise…

The Pastor -|—

Christ my Savior

/ The Pastor

Christ my Savior, Christ my Lord,
always will you be adored.
Christ my refuge, Christ my rock,
thankful that I’m in your flock.
When the storms arise, you are there.
When the wolves circle, you are there.
In persecution,
In opposition,
heavy affliction,
and destitution.
Christ my Savior, Christ my Lord
my feeble strength is restored.

The Pastor -|—

Transform

/ The Pastor

Jesus bids me to follow him,
and not to live a life so grim.
For really there is no other way,
to meet God on that glorious Day.
For to save my life in the here and now,
is to forfeit my life while others do bow.
So You sent me Your Spirit so I could hear,
and thus I embrace my Savior so dear.
Your grace and mercy is an awesome gift,
oh God, do help me, that I may never drift.
Guide and show me Your most holy way,
forgiving me when I most certainly will stray.
So transform my life that I may show,
Your glory, oh God, that all may know.

The Pastor -|—

The Persecuted Church

/ The Pastor

Mighty God,
You are holy and sovereign,
gracious and merciful.
I commend my brothers and sisters in Christ to You;
those who are undergoing persecution
because of the Name; Jesus Christ.
Jesus said that if the world hated him,
they would hate those who follow him.
Today, that is as true as it was then.
Many are dying because of the Name.
Many are imprisoned because of the Name.
Many are tortured because of the Name.
Many live in fear and worship in secret because of the Name.
Protect their faith, oh God, and give them perseverance.
Shield them with the hope of the resurrection.
Strengthen them to serve in a dangerous mission field.
Surround them with Your angel armies.
May the Name of Jesus be praised.
I also lift up to You those who are doing the persecuting.
You changed the heart of Paul,
and so I know You can change the heart of anyone,
namely, those who hate You.
May their eyes be opened and their hearts softened.
May they see the Truth of Your love
and refrain from the atrocities that they inflict upon Your children.
May they see their sins;
confessing and repenting of their hate-filled actions.
And through their conversion,
may You be glorified in the world.
It seems to be a far-fetched prayer,
but with You anything is possible.
Oh God, the world can’t stop You or Your Church.
May we take comfort in that truth.
May our worship and rejoicing be unhindered
by this world.
In the mighty Name of Jesus I pray,
Amen.

The Pastor -|—

Goose Bumps Moment

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Psalm 103:10 (ESV) ~ He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Just think about that above verse.

Go ahead and think about it. I’ll wait…

[cue Jeopardy theme]

Did you think about it?
Are you blown away by it?
Did you get goosebumps?

Let’s review…

God the almighty. God the Creator. God the holy, holy, holy One. This God does not deal with you according to your sins. He does not give to you as you deserve. You sin and thus deserve death. You sin and thus deserve condemnation. You sin and thus deserve hell. God does not repay you according to your sins because someone already paid the price…

JESUS

Jesus took the full wrath of God and thus received what you deserved for your sins.
He suffered
He was crucified
He died
He was buried
But…Jesus rose victorious FOR YOU and thus, through faith in Jesus, you receive what you do not deserve.

That’s AMAZING grace 🙂

WOW! Got goose bumps yet?

The Pastor -|—

Brand New

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Oh Lord,
You live in me and I in You,
and by Your grace, You don’t give what I’m due.
You heal and redeem;
You lift up and on You I lean.
You make alive,
and indeed I thrive.
Oh Lord,
Hear me as I cry out,
even as I often doubt.
Increase in me Your Spirit,
that I may shout of You and others hear it.
May I rejoice
and make noise.
May I show it
and others know it.
For You, oh Lord, live in me and I in You,
and by Your grace I am made brand new.

The Pastor -|—

Never Forsaken

/ The Pastor

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Mark 15:34 ESV]

Have you considered and reflected on the forsakenness of Christ; those long, horrible hours on the cross? Have you? I mean, it’s one thing to be beaten to within an inch of your life but Jesus was also nailed to a cross after that to suffer an unimaginable agony. And now, on top of that, Jesus is forsaken by God to endue the weight of the sins of the world.

But consider the Psalm that Jesus is quoting from. Yes, this is more than a cry to his abba. It is a cry of hope…FOR YOU.
~ Yet you are holy (vs 3)
~ To you they (our fathers) cried and were rescued (vs 5)
And it goes on to talk about his suffering, BUT, ends with praise. God is doing something. Jesus cries out in agony, but, through Psalm 22, proclaims the Gospel in the midst of his agony.
~ For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. (vs 28)

What is awesome about Jesus’ suffering is that he was not focused on the suffering itself but rather on the victory that is coming. Even though God had forsaken him at that moment, Jesus was still looking forward to his redemption. This is not a desperate cry but rather a cry of salvation…FOR YOU.

In the midst of your suffering, look to your Father in heaven and know that you are NEVER forsaken. Jesus suffered the ultimate forsakenness that you would never have to. This momentary affliction is nothing compared to the glory that is to come through Jesus Christ.

Reflect on THAT and praise HIM always and forever.

Amen!

The Pastor -|—