Sermon Video: Jesus: Fulfilling God's promises to the Jews, showing mercy to the Gentiles - Romans 15:7-13

In his conclusion to the section that began in chapter 14 about the need for Christians to accept each other, Paul offers us a telling analogy: "just as Christ accepted you."  This prompts Paul to a brief explanation as to how Jesus both fulfilled the promises to Abraham, and brought God's mercy to the Gentiles.  Thus our task becomes clear, to be bearers of hope, by overflowing with hope and peace, to both Jew and Gentile alike.

Sermon Video: A Zeal that imitates Jesus - Romans 12:11-12

The Church, in America at least, isn't suffering from a lack of zeal.  We have plenty of passionate intensity, much of it in the form of outrage, but we sorely lack zeal that looks like that which Jesus demonstrated.  We need Christ-like zeal, need it focused on doing God's will (which he alone can define for us) and we need it bolstered with hopeful joy, patience, and prayer.

Sermon Video: Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ - Romans 8:35-39

How confident are you in the love of God?

The Apostle Paul wants you to know that if your hope is in Christ, the love of God CANNOT be taken away from you, it cannot be overcome, deleted, sabotaged, or in any other way removed.  It is permanent, period.

So, why don't we live like we believe that to be true?  How differently would we live if that confidence were as strong as the "more than conquerors" verdict that Romans imparts to us?

Sermon Video: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31-32

"It sounds too good to be true."  Maybe that's what your heart says when you hear the wondrous Good News that God loves you and his Son died to set you free from sin.  "That might work for some people, but not the likes of me."  Maybe that's what trauma and disappointment have taught you to think.

Rest assured, God knows your heart, he knows you need reassurance, encouragement, and hope.  So here it is: When you are on God's team, how can you lose?  Since God was willing to sacrifice his Son (being Trinitarians as Christians are, that always means he was willing to sacrifice himself because Jesus is God too) to save us, there is zero reason to think that God won't finish what he's started, and that includes his work in each of us who have come to know Jesus by faith.

Sermon Video: All Creation awaits the Redemption of God's people, Romans 818-25

We, as God's people redeemed by Jesus, are already saved, but not have not yet been fully transformed into what we will become (Christ-like).  We have begun a journey by faith, but are traveling there still, with hope to help us along the way.  In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us that all of Creation (personified for literary purposes) itself anticipates this transformation, it too suffers presently and looks forward to glory to come as God's redemptive plan reaches its glorious conclusion.

Sermon Video: "comfort my people, says your God", Isaiah 40:1-5

The prophet Isaiah offers a word of hope and comfort to the generation to follow that will experience the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God."  Why?  In the aftermath of tragedy, where does the comfort come from?  The Promise of God.

Isaiah was told to encourage them that their exile would mark the extent of God's wrath and that he would soon send forth those to prepare the way to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

Matthew calls upon Isaiah's words 500 years after the Exiles took comfort from it to proclaim that John the Baptist had fulfilled the prophecy a second time when he prepared the way for the Messiah, offering a message of repentance prior to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.

Lastly, in any generation, we live by faith just as our ancestors did, we too take comfort from our knowledge that God keeps his promises, that no matter how we feel about the present or the future, God is working in our world.  Our calling is to remain faithful, here and now, knowing that like always God's word will stand.

Sermon Video: "hope does not put us to shame" - Romans 5:3-5

Suffering is an oft misunderstood topic.  Many religions and philosophies, including people within Christianity, get it wrong.  Suffering isn't necessary, for evil will ultimately be vanquished, and it can be opposed and lessened, nor does God cause it in the hopes of bending it to his will.  Suffering is, however, a reality in this present life, but so is hope.  Hope is not only possible but guaranteed if we trust in God, live righteously no matter what, and persevere by faith.

Sermon Video: "being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised." - Romans 4:13-22

Why was Abraham able to wait, without losing his faith in God and hope in God's promises, for YEARS as both he and Sarah grew older and older with the arrival of the son they desired so much?  Abraham knew two truths: (1) God had the power to do what he had promised, and (2) having a child at this point would take a miracle.  In the end, Abraham's faith held firm because he knew God, had a relationship with him.  This is not something exclusive to Abraham but a blessing available to all who put their hope in Jesus Christ.

Sermon Video: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" - Mark 9:14-29

 Is faith all or nothing?  Is there room for hesitancy, fear, or doubt?  Faith isn't like a light switch, all on or all off, but a continuim, it can grow and it can be weakened.  As Jesus helps a father whose son health need is too difficult for his own disciples to overcome, he also confronts the issue of wavering faith.  Jesus does not condemn the man who admits that his faith is weak, he helps him.  As Christians, and as a Church, we need to do likewise: admit our own weaknesses and help those in need.

Sermon Video: Five loaves and two fish - Mark 6:30-44

 Instead of finding rest in a solitary place, Jesus and the disciples are met with a large crowd.  Jesus has compassion on them and teaches them, but when the disciples observe that the people need food, Jesus says, "You give them something to eat."  HOW?  They can't solve this problem, but Jesus still asks them to try, to asses their resources, and then uses their small contribution (5 loaves and 2 fish), blesses it, and then has the disciples be the one to pass out the food to the crowd.

What is our lesson in all this?  19th century missionary William Carey said it best, "Expect great things from God.  Attempt great things for God."

Sermon Video: The Word Became Flesh - John 1:14

 Amidst the wonder of Christmas, the angels and shepherds, the wise men and the star, is a deeper amazing truth. That moment in Bethlehem when Jesus first took breath was the coming of the Word of God, Immanuel, God in the flesh, living here with us. Why? Not to start a political revolution, or lay forth an ethical or philosophical path, but to bridge a gap. A gap between a holy and righteous God and a sinful people living darkness. This task only God could complete, so he came here to make our salvation possible. Jesus did not receive grace, as do we all, but was its source, he did not seek Truth, he was the Truth. This story begins before the world was created with the plan of God, takes a massive step forward at Bethlehem, but was always headed to Calvary and the Empty Tomb of Easter. So let us give glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rest. Merry Christmas.

Sermon Video: The Light Shines in the Darkness - John 1:1-5

 Where does the Christmas story begin?  Matthew starts it with a genealogy, Luke with the birth of John the Baptist, and Mark with the ministry of John the Baptist, but the Apostle John starts the story much further back.  In the beginning, that is before time and space, before anything existed except God in three persons as Holy Trinity.  John also highlights the amazing capacity of the Word of God who took upon himself humanity, declaring him to be both Life and Light.  The Life is not merely biological, but spiritual, offering freedom and restoration to all through his self-sacrifice.  The Light of that Good News is able to shine through any darkness, to overcome any obstacle and accomplish God's will of saving the Lost.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: A world without life after death - 1 Corinthians 15:29-32

What would be different about our world if we knew that there was no life after death? Considering that most people both now and throughout history have some sort of belief in an afterlife, the changes would not be small. The Apostle Paul outlines three of them, (1) we would lose our connection to our ancestors, (2) any rationale for self-sacrifice {much less worth dying for}, and (3) any hope for final Justice. In the end, without a resurrection the most likely human response is, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Hedonism and hopelessness are a toxic combination. Thankfully, Paul's thought is only a hypothetical, for the resurrection of the dead IS a reality, there will be a Judgment Day, and we have every reason to Hope beyond this life when we are in Christ.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: In Christ all will be made alive - 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

The fear of death is common to all of humanity, and in the present COVID-19 crisis, it is being felt keenly by millions. But death is not the natural state of humanity, it is an aberration, one that God has provided the solution to. Because the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact we can place our hope for life beyond death in Jesus. Those who are in Christ, that is, those who have repented of their sins and chosen to live by faith in this world according to God's Word, have not only received a promise of full live in the world to come, but a more abundant life here and now as well. This is the blessing that God offers to all who believe.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: God will preserve his people, increasing his glory - Jude 24-25

Having just instructed the Church to show mercy to those who doubt, Jude now encourages all believers by assuring us that God is capable of keeping us from stumbling (whether through our own failures or any outside attack), and thus present us before his throne, WITHOUT FAULT! This is the culmination of the Christian hope: To stand in the presence of God, not only free from accusation, but clothed in the righteousness of Christ. This promise that God will finish what he has begun in each of us offers to us great comfort when things are difficult, and motivation to be self-sacrificial toward the mission of the Kingdom of God. Lastly, Jude ends by speaking of the timeless nature of God's glory, majesty, power, and authority, all of which existed before God became the Creator, and all of which will only increase and more and more people are brought into the family of God by faith in Him.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: The Greatest of these is Love - 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

In the culmination of his ode to the supremacy of Love, the Apostle Paul emphasizes the permanence of love by comparing it to the temporary nature of three other spiritual gifts: prophecy, tongues, and knowledge.  These gifts exist because of the flawed nature of humanity.  In order for the Church to function, it needs spiritual assistance from God, but this will not always be the case.  After the establishment of the Kingdom of God, when humanity is fully reconciled to our Creator, there will no longer be a need for assistance in bridging the current gap between God and man.  Yet in that day, Love will not cease, but fully come into its own.  Rather than a limited version of God's love, in imitation of Jesus, the children of God will have and experience love in its pure form, no longer marred by the selfishness of sin.  Finally, while faith and hope are also foundation with love, Paul declares love to be the greatest of these, for one day faith will be sight, hope will be fruition, but love will be fully realized and once more in its glory as it was within the trinity before Creation.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Real Love - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Christians are supposed to be known for their love, love for each other, and love for even their enemies.  This, of itself, is beyond our capacity, but when viewed through the Apostle Paul's explanation in 1 Corinthians as to what constitutes real, genuine love, it would seem to make a difficult situation hopeless.  Thankfully, God has given his Spirit to his people, has empowered them to live like Jesus here in this world, because he has called us to embrace all 14 of the aspects of love that Paul highlighted (and perhaps others as well, it is not an exhaustive list, although it certainly is comprehensive).  What must our love be?  Patient and kind.  What must it be free of? Envy, boasting, pride, any willingness to dishonor others, selfishness, anger, and record keeping of the wrongs of others.  Give up yet?  In addition, love must rejoice in truth while rejecting the lure of utilizing evil (even thinking, 'that good may result', a false lie).  Love must always protect, trust, hope, and persevere. 
This is not a question of focus, willpower, or determination.  We cannot accomplish this on our own, not even close.  Once again, we must depend upon the transforming power of the Spirit of God, must embrace our role in the community of believers (for help, guidance, and support; mutually so), and must move forward, toward Christ-likeness, in faith because we all need real love.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Jesus and his friends - Luke 22:14-16

Less than twenty-four hours before his brutal death upon a Roman cross, Jesus celebrates the Passover with his chosen disciples; his friends.  He tells them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."  For Jesus there was immense value in this time with his companions before he walked the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows) alone.  Jesus' friends bolstered his courage and his hope, helping him find the endurance to complete the Father's plan and drink the cup placed before him.  We too require Christian fellowship to fulfill the tasks assigned to us by the Father.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: The Anchor holds, in spite of the storm - Acts 27

During the journey to Rome, where he will face a legal trial despite his innocence, the Apostle Paul faces a more immediate threat: a terrific storm.  After enduring the storm for nearly two weeks, all those on board lost hope, including Luke, Aristarchus, and Paul.  Paul and his companions had not lost their faith, they still remained firmly convinced in the love and power of God, it was simply a question of whether or not God would choose to intervene in their current situation.  In other words, they did not despair regarding their souls, but saw no sign that their mortal bodies would survive the storm.  To lose hope, in this life, is NOT a failure of faith, for we have not been promised a life free of trial or tribulation, and everyone has a breaking point, nobody is impervious to being worn down by pressure (whether it be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual).  We must, as Christians, be honest with each other regarding the troubles we're experiencing, we must admit when we are battered and worn, and be wiling to receive help, and we must be willing to give that help in turn.

When all hope was lost, an angel spoke to Paul and reassured him that the lives of all those aboard would be spared.  At that point, when God had spoken, Paul's outlook changed, hopelessness was replaced with confidence, because Paul knew God already, he had experienced the power of God in his own life, and had seen that the Word of God could be completely trusted.  Notice: God did spare all 276 aboard the ship, as he had promised, but the ship was still destroyed, the people aboard still had to swim to shore amidst the crashing waves.  That which God has promised, he will do.

The sermon title was obviously inspired by the Lawrence Chewning song, "The Anchor Holds" made famous by Ray Boltz.  Credit where credit is due.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Life expectancy dropped in the U.S. last year; despair is blamed, hope is the answer, and we have it to share.

Life expectancy in the United States dropped last year, and not from disease, war, or natural disasters, but due primarily to increases in both suicides and drug overdose deaths.  The statistics can be read in this article: Fortune: Here's Why Life Expectancy in the U.S. Dropped Again This Year  The associate professor who co-authored the report for the CDC, Steven Woolf, said "We are seeing an alarming increase in deaths from substance abuse and despair."  On average, 115 people die in America each day from a drug overdose, six per day from alcohol abuse, and the suicide rate has increased 24% between 1999 and 2014.  As a nation, we are losing young people at an alarming rate from causes whose root is despair/hopelessness.

There are public policy answers that might help stem the tide, there are things that can be done in the arena of public health to mitigate the worst aspects of this crisis and save lives, but these are not solutions to the question of why so many people in America are hopeless.  Our ancestors had less food, less comfortable and secure shelter and clothing, more fear of lawlessness and violent deaths, lived in a less free society with more injustice, worked longer and harder, were more subject to sudden death by disease, lost more of their children to scourges we have cured, had less education, less recreation, and less opportunity to change their lives for the better.  And yet it is here in modernity, with our unparalleled access to recreation and entertainment that despair and hopelessness have taken hold.  Material prosperity is not alleviating emotional poverty, why?

The element that will typically be left unaddressed in the debate that will follow this alarming report is spiritual health.  Hope is not solely a factor of economic or political situations, well off people in free societies (i.e. America) do not automatically have it, and those living in crushing poverty under repressive regimes do not automatically lack it.  Hope is a quality that mankind can possess, which all other forms of life on this planet are unconcerned with.  Hope is a difficult to define state of mind, but one we recognize when it is present or missing.  Hope is built upon things greater than ourselves, it thrives in community and wilts in isolation, and it hinges upon our expectations of the future.

We are less connected to our community than our ancestors, that much is certain.  We may see far more people in a given day than they could have dreamed of, but we interact on a genuine human level with few of them, and our technology has consistently striven to eliminate the need for true human to human interaction.  This is a part of the problem, but not its root, for that we must go deeper.

When Job lost nearly everything of value in his life: his business, his children, and his health, his wife despaired; who can blame a mother for doing so after enduring such pain?  Job chose not to despair, not because he was a unique human being, but because he understood something fundamental about human existence: it belongs to God.  Job responded to his wife by saying, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10)  Later, in response to his friends' attempts to understand his tragedy, Job said, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" (Job 13:15).  Job did not understand why he had suffered, he didn't see a purpose or a reason for it, but he did not give in to despair, he did not rage at God or take his own life, because even at the lowest point imaginable in his life he still knew who his Creator was, knew that God's love transcended the circumstances of life, and knew that one day he would stand before God in judgment.  Even when life told him otherwise, Job had hope because he was adamant in his belief in the goodness of God.

Hope is not our own creation, we cannot socially engineer it, we cannot package and sell it, it is a gift from God, a gift for those in relationship with the one who created them, sustains them, and will one day live with them.  As a runner, I can't help but like Isaiah 40:31

Isaiah 40:31 New International Version
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

To live without hope is to live as a shell of what you were intended to be.  The Church of Jesus Christ is the caretaker of the hope that was given to humanity in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  When he ascended into heaven, having completed the Father's mission by securing the ultimate victory over sin and death, Jesus entrusted the sharing of that Good News (i.e. The Gospel) to his followers.  Since that day, nearly 2,000 years ago, the Church has attempted to share the news that God is willing to forgive those who repent, is willing to save them from the fallen state of humanity if they believe in his Son, and is willing to transform them, by the Holy Spirit, into the likeness of Jesus.  This news is hope beyond our imagination, it is light shining in the darkness, water to those dying of thirst, and it is free.  Freely given, freely received.  It is also available to all, men and women, young and old, of any race or nation, all are eligible, all are invited to join those who have found hope in what God has done for us through Jesus.

Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Ephesus about the transition from hopelessness to hope:  "remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:12-13

Living life while ignoring our spiritual need, a need all human beings share, is the path to despair.  Faith in Jesus is not a magic elixir, it doesn't take away all our troubles, or make us immune to pain and sorrow, but it does provide a foundation upon which we can stand, a shelter in times of storm.  As the writer of Hebrews put it: "we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." Hebrews 6:18b-19

The local church is a community, a group of people who have acknowledged their own shortcoming and have chosen to put their faith and hope in the sinless person of Jesus instead of themselves.  They are not perfect, but they are will one day be perfected by God.  They are not free from difficulty in this life, but they know that in the next they will see the face of God and all sorrow will be no more.  They worship, pray, and serve those in need, together, because God created us to be social, because we can shoulder each others burdens, and because there is great joy in being a part of the family of God.

Despair has lowered the life expectancy of the average American, but it doesn't have to be this way.  The problem derives from the spiritual barrenness that afflicts so many, and the solution addresses that very problem.  Belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ is faith, and faith belongs to a powerful trio: faith, hope, and love.