Sermon Video: How the impending return of Jesus affects our lives now - Romans 13:11-14

The Apostle Paul's confident assertion in the previous passage that Love is the fulfillment of the Law, is to be integrated into our lives in light of the "present time."  What time is that?  The time between Jesus' establishment of the Church (and its birth at Pentecost) and his promised return to establish his kingdom (the End Times).  We live in an intermediate stage of unknown length.  Jesus could return today, or it could be 10,000 years from now.

So, what do we do with that uncertain certainty?  We live now in a way that way that we wouldn't be ashamed of if Jesus does indeed return in our lifetime.  We walk in the light, not the darkness, and imitate Jesus, while at the same time rejecting the temptation to sin.

Light vs Darkness and the reason why Christians should be perpetual optimists

 

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Philippians 2:9-11

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

We know how the story ends, right?  These three verses are but a few of those that proclaim where the true power in this universe lies and that set forth that at the end of history the victory of God will be total and complete.  So, why aren't Christians the most perpetually and undisturbedly optimistic people you could ever meet?  Honestly, I've met a few that bubble over with that joy, but they're the minority.

We are the ones who believe that Jesus Christ rose in victory over sin and death, right?

We are the ones who believe that he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead establishing a kingdom that will have no end, right?

And yet, what we often see from Christians is fear and anxiety, something that is as unfortunate as it is unnecessary. Jesus told us to not let our hearts be troubled, that while this world would indeed continue to be full of evil until the Last Judgment, the ultimate victory has already been secured. 

This truth leads us to several conclusions about life here and now, among them:

(1) Whatever victories Evil has in this world, they will be transitory, whatever defeats Good has in this world, they will be temporary.  Our task is to continue to serve in the time and place where God has placed us.  We don't know when the End will come, but we know that when it arrives Good will triumph completely and Evil will be no more.

(2) The people, institutions, and causes which truly serve God have nothing to fear from spiritual evil.  While the martyrs have demonstrated that they may imprison or kill the body, and persecution has shown they may burn or bomb buildings, both the souls of those who are in Christ and the ongoing life transforming power of the Gospel are forever beyond the power of evil to corrupt in any way.

(3) Because Christ achieved his victory through self-sacrifice we are called to do the same.  Our weapons are not made of metal, they don't fire bullets, we don't need political, cultural, or economic power in this world.  The true power of God at work in us is service, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, love, and ultimately self-sacrifice.

So let us embrace the certainty of the faith that has been given us, set aside worry and fear, and go forth in love.

Ronald Reagan was wrong, America is not a "city on a hill", it never could be.

When you ignore the context of the Bible to apply it in a way that works for you, bad things happen.  I liked Ronald Reagan as a President, and as a young man would have cheered on his nationalistic blending of American patriotism and Christian imagery.  But the truth is, his use of John Winthrop's use of Jesus' imagery from the Sermon on the Mount is wrong, and dangerous.

Matthew 5:13-16  New International Version

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The 'you' that Jesus is addressing in his sermon are his followers, in other words those who seek God, living by faith and doing righteousness.  Shockingly to his contemporaries who thought otherwise, the people of God don't belong to either an earthly kingdom or a specific ethnicity.  In fact, the Kingdom that Jesus established transcended both political kingdoms and racial barriers, becoming a spiritual kingdom both more widespread and more powerful than any kingdom of men that ever was or will be.

I appreciate that Ronald Reagan loved America, I do too.  But America is not, indeed cannot, be the 'city on a hill' to which all men should aspire.  Is America the ideal destination for millions, if not billions, in our world today?  Absolutely, and we can be proud of that distinction.  Yet America is NOT the salvation of anyone's soul.  It may be the world's best place for political and economic freedom, but it offers nobody freedom from sin and death.  It cannot, it is a country, not the Kingdom of God.  The purpose of God in our world is not political freedom or economic prosperity (although both are certainly a blessing), but instead the moving of the Spirit throughout the world to bring men, women, and children to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and lives transformed by the Spirit to selfless discipleship.

When we conflate America and the Kingdom of God in our overzealous patriotism (leading to Christian Nationalism), we do a disservice to not only the true meaning and purpose of the Church, but that of America too.  We ask too much of our country, expect it to represent too much, achieve too much, and we ask far too little of the Church.  No earthly kingdom was ever supposed to be to us what the Church must be.

The only true ideal that shines forth and draws all people to its light is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It alone can set people free, it alone can transform the hearts and minds of the Lost and save souls by the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That was the city that Jesus was talking about.

America has no monopoly on the Light of Christ, no monopoly on God's blessings, let's not pretend otherwise, doing so leads not toward the light but in the other direction.

Related writings of mine:

The blasphemous "One Nation Under God" painting by Jon McNaughton

A profoundly biblical and powerful book: The Myth of a Christian Nation - by Gregory Boyd: a summary and response

Sermon Video: What is the Kingdom of God like? - Mark 4:26-34

An unhealthy overemphasis on politics

Beware of the Political Church: John MacArthur declares, "any real true believer" can only vote one way.

Rejecting Idolatry: No, Mike Pence, we will not, "Fix our eyes on Old Glory"

Sermon Video: His own did not receive him - John 1:6-11

 Following his soaring introductory paragraph, John speaks of the precursor of the Light of Mankind, John the Baptist, and his work to prepare his people for the coming of the Messiah. Then John tackles a difficult issue, while Jesus is the True Light, the very Son of God, his own people (for the most part) rejected him. Not only that, a majority of humanity has never accepted Jesus as the Savior of the world, why is that? It isn't the plan from the Father that is flawed, nor the execution of the plan by the Son, nor the 'tech support' to that plan offered by the Holy Spirit. The flaw resides with the recipients of God's grace. Fallen humanity exists in rebellion against God, with darkened hearts and minds, capable of believing lies and rejecting Truth. 2020 has reminded us of this, with both the pandemic and the election spawning countless false narratives and outright hoaxes, believed by millions. Yet the True Light remains, the Gospel retains its power to transform lives and save souls.

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: The Dark Side of Church Leadership - 3 John 9-14

Having commended Gaius for showing hospitality to the missionaries/teachers that the Apostle John had sent, John next turns his attention to that same church's leader, Diotrephes, who rather than being cooperative has allowed his ego to warp him into opposition toward the work of the Gospel.  Here we see what happens when those in leadership in the Church embrace immorality, a "my way or the highway" mentality, or a "win at all costs" mantra.  The destruction such leadership can threaten the very life of a local church.  It is unacceptable for any disciple of Jesus Christ to "walk in darkness" rather than exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, but when it comes from those in authority the consequences can be far reaching.  In the end, there is no room in Church leadership for dictators or egomaniacs, no space for immoral and unethical people, for the Bride of Christ's reputation must not be besmirched on this way, and the work of the Gospel is far to important to be squandered by the sinfulness of God's people.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Why "winning" as the goal ought to be anathema to Christians

To 'win', at all cost, and by all means, whether in business, politics, or personal relationships, is an idea embedded in the human heart.  Unfortunately, the disregard for morality, and the value of other people, in the pursuit of 'victory', is a symptom of the darkened heart of mankind apart from God.  As such, the people of God, those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and are therefore no longer under the power of what the Apostle Paul terms, the "flesh" (our sinful nature), must forcefully and consistently reject the false claim that "the end justifies the means".

The modern era is not the first time that attempts have been made to remove morality as a check on human behavior, the Italian Renaissance political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli advocated the divorce of morality from politics in his seminal work, The Prince.  In it he wrote, "He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation."  Thus, immorality is to be excused when it is deemed necessary, hence the association with the immoral claim that "the end justifies the means."  Machiavelli, while influential, was certainly not the first to treat morality as a hindrance to be disregarded when necessary.  The first king of Israel, Saul, convinced himself that he needed to offer a sacrifice to God prior to an upcoming battle, despite knowing that he was not to usurp the role of the prophet Samuel, because necessity demanded it.  Saul's disregard for the expressed will of God was instrumental in his downfall and the choice of David to replace him.  By contrast, in Scripture there are examples of the rejection of this abdication of morality: Joseph remained true to the moral code of the God of Abraham despite the opportunities he had to abandon it when faced with the advances of Potiphar's wife.  Even as a wrongly enslaved man, Joseph refused to set aside his devotion to doing what was right.  In addition, the Apostle Paul and Silas refused to run from jail in Philippi, despite being unlawfully imprisoned, when an earthquake damaged the facility.

Throughout the Scriptures, those who abandon morality when convenient come to bad ends and those who hold true to the Law of God (whether specifically or in principle) are commended.  That is not to say that those who choose to do what is right are always vindicated in this life, nor are they promised such by God, neither do all those who choose to set aside right/wrong receive punishment for their immorality in this life.  Therein lies the rub.  When righteousness is not immediately rewarded, and wickedness is not immediately punished, the selfish and rebellious heart of man begins to seek ways to avoid the absolute demand of God that we live holy and righteous lives, it seeks loopholes, shortcuts, compromises, and makes Faustian bargains.  Such is the darkness of the heart of man in rebellion against God.  For the people of God, however, this cannot be tolerated or excused.  When we go along with immoral means with the hopes of achieving an end we deem to be worthy, we sully the name of Christ and grieve the Holy Spirit.  When we choose power, wealth, fame, or any other moniker of 'success', pursued by immoral actions, we abdicate our responsibility to be salt and light in this world, endanger our witness to the Lost, and call into question the genuineness of our conversion and discipleship.  

For all those who prioritize 'winning' or 'victory' above the call of God to live always, and in all things, according to his Holy Word, a series of warnings from God are a reminder of the futility of that path.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!

    They are like chaff

    that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Ephesians 5:5-7 New International Version (NIV)

5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

Romans 3:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!

It may seem possible to play in the mud without getting dirty, it may seem possible to make bargains with or support others who act immorally without ourselves becoming tainted, but these are lies, lies from the Father of Lies, and lies of a mind not in submission to the will of God.  The choice is clear: Either we, as God's people called from darkness into light, walk in the light, win or lose, success or failure, or we don't.  

Mark 8:36-37 New International Version (NIV)

36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Sermon Video: In Him we have redemption - Colossians 1:12-14

The 4th of Paul's examples of what it means to "live a life worthy of the Lord" (The first three were: bearing fruit through good works, growing in the knowledge of God, and being strengthened by his power) is the one that he chooses to expound upon: giving joyful thanks to the Father.  We have, as followers of Jesus Christ, ample reasons for ongoing gratitude toward God, here Paul chooses to focus upon how we became disciples of Jesus in the first place: God rescued us from darkness and brought us into the light.  All of the verbs that Paul uses to describe our redemption are passive and past tense.  In other words, it is something which God, and he alone, accomplished, and it is something that has already happened.  In addition, Paul reminds us that the mechanism by which God rescued us was the payment of our sins (redemption) by the Son, which made the forgiveness of our sins possible.  In the end, we have every reason to continue in joyful thanks to the Father.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: From Darkness to Light - Isaiah 9:2

In a world mired in moral and spiritual darkness, with humanity hopeless to solve the fundamental problem of our own fallen nature, it was up to God to intervene and change the trajectory of his creation.  And so God came, the Word of God made flesh, the Son of God in human form, to bring light to those living in darkness, truth to those who know only falsehood, and life to those who were spiritually dead.
The light of Christ was the beginning, from there the grace of God has spread throughout the earth as the Gospel's message of repentance, reconciliation, and restoration has transformed lives generation after generation.  We who believe today have inherited the light that first spread with the apostles, we now carry that light as ambassadors of God, bringing to news peoples and a new generation.  May we all shine brightly as we reflect the glorious light of the Christ.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

There are no racists at the Cross

As recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia remind us, there is a segment of the white supremacist movement that insists upon following in Hitler's footsteps by appropriating Christian symbols and claiming to defend Christendom.  As it has always been, racism in no way defends Christianity or Christendom, it is an abject mockery of it.  There is no common ground between the Gospel of Jesus Christ and any theology/philosophy/political movement that seeks to divide the world into groups of "us" vs. "them" and thus foment bigotry, hatred, and violence.

At its very founding, the Church was given the mission of taking the Gospel to the ends of the Earth.  Jesus said to his disciples, "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) echoing the promise of God to Abraham, "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3).  Paul would later clarify the import of Jesus' words by declaring that, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28).  This list of Biblical references to equality in Christ could continue, for it is absolutely clear, without a doubt, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is God's message of salvation for ALL people, and that race, nationality, class status, and gender are in no way at all a barrier to God's grace, so much so that the Gospel destroys all such distinctions within the Church.  We, the people redeemed by God's grace, CANNOT allow discrimination and stratification to continue, as it does in society, within the Church.
The racists are not working for the Church and Christianity, they are working against it.

Can the Gospel save a racist?  Absolutely, by destroying in him/her that same sin nature that all mankind shares, that same sin nature shared by murders, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, lovers of money, the prideful, hateful, and narcissistic.  Racists are no worse sinners than anybody else when compared to the holiness and perfection of God, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:23-24).  The Gospel, that is the power of God, can save anyone, even the must vile among us, but that person won't remain the hate-filled sinner they were before the grace of God, they cannot.  If they remain enthralled to sin, of any kind, racism included, they cannot be a true child of God, born again in Christ.  John makes this point repeatedly in his first letter, "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (I John 1:6-7)  John goes on to speak of the absolute necessity of love among Christian, ALL Christians, "Dear friends, let us love on another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (I John 4:7-8)  If you don't love your fellow sinners saved by grace, if you hate the people who don't look and act like you who are a part of the Church, then you are not a Christian, period.

If you are a racist, right now, it is an ongoing part of who you are, then you cannot be a Christ-follower anymore than a person who right now continues to walk in the darkness of lust, greed, or pride.  The people of God are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, here and now, they cannot continue to walk in the darkness.  The people of God are not perfect, they will fail and need to repent, but they are not, nor can they be, people who walk in darkness, they cannot be racists.  The White supremacists are not defending Christendom, they are anti-Christs.

Sermon Video: The Sign of Jonah - Luke 11:29-36

How does God respond to unbelief and doubt?  While it is true that God often shows exceeding amounts of patience, especially to the Lost who do not know him, God also responds with disappointment, even anger, when those who should already know him persist in not hearing his word and obeying it.  Jesus was asked by a crowd of his fellow Jews, people of the Covenant who have the Law and the Prophets to guide them, who have the Temple and the priests, and who were raised to know the name of the LORD, for a sign from heaven.  This request for a sign came on the heels of yet another miraculous healing by Jesus.  The response to the request by Jesus was to tell the crowd that no new sign would be given to them except “the sign of Jonah”.  Jesus then explains that the people of Nineveh, a wicked people with no advantages of Law and no prophets before Jonah, had repented when he warned them of God’s impending judgment, and because they repented, despite their lack of advantages, that the people of Nineveh would condemn the generation who listened to Jesus and rejected him.  When you consider all the advantages those listening to Jesus had in comparison to the people of Nineveh, it is little wonder that God would be exasperated with them.

                Jesus then offers a second analogy, comparing the curiosity of the Queen of Sheba, who came to hear of Solomon’s wisdom after hearing a rumor of it, to the stubbornness of those listening to Jesus who though they already know of God, are not interested in listening to his emissary.  After having told the crowd that no new sign would be forthcoming, Jesus concludes by comparing the doubt and unbelief of those who know God, or know of God, but won’t listen to him, to someone who lights a lamp and then places it under a bowl.  The purpose of a light is to shine forth, if the Covenant people are too darkened by sin and unbelief to accept the light, then that light will go elsewhere. 

                The warning to the Covenant people that the Gentiles, who found God’s grace despite not being a part of the Covenant, will stand in judgment against them, is a warning that applies equally to the Church.  There will be no excuse for those raised in the church, or those living in lands where the Church of Christ is active, who fail to respond to the message of the Gospel.  What excuse do a people have who live in freedom, who have an abundance of Bibles, and a Christian neighbors demonstrating the love of Christ, if those people fail to accept God’s offer of forgiveness?  None.  The warning is dire, but so is the need for humanity to accept the grace of God through Christ.  As Christians, such a warning ought to spur us on to vigilance in our own house (both family and church) knowing that each must choose Christ, and it ought to give us further incentive to continue our efforts of personal evangelism to those in our lives who have not yet found the light of Christ.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video

Christmas Eve Sermon Video: "the true light that gives light to every man" - John 1:9

It is fitting that we surround our celebration of Christmas with light, there was much light at the original Christmas, from the brightness of the angles speaking to the shepherds, to the star which guided the magi.  The prologue of the Gospel of John also speaks of the light of Christmas, John calls Jesus, “the true light that gives light to every man”.  Humanity was living in darkness, Jesus brought the light with him because he was the light.  During his lifetime, the light of Jesus was clearly visible to those who knew him, but after his departure back to the Father, what light was left among men?  The light of Christ now shines forth through his people, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to likewise illuminate a dark world and let the truth of God’s love be known.  It is indeed fitting to celebrate light at Christmas, that is a light everyone needs, and the people of God must share.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The Light of Christ vs. the Darkness of Man's Heart

Here I was spending my day doing Mustard Seed Missions work, trying to help those in need; polishing up my sermon for Sunday on the birth of John the Baptist; real salt and light kind of things; looking forward to the Hobbit tonight...in other words, a good day...then I see that yet another school shooting has happened; the numbers, horrific even when 1 are much higher than you could imagine...is it any wonder that I spend my life trying to help people find there way out of the darkness that envelops our world and into the light of Christ?  Can anybody really say that this world is fine without God, mankind's hopeless situation on his own, sadly on display again today.

Sermon Video: "walk in the light" I John 1:5-7

How do we know the Truth?  What is our guide in the darkness to find our way to the light?  John writes that God IS light.  He has no darkness at all in his essence.  If we're going to fellowship with God, we're going to need a remedy for the sinfulness (darkness) of humanity.  That remedy is the blood of Jesus which enables us to begin walking in the light.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video