Sermon Video: "Jesus had to rise from the dead" - John 20:9

The account of Resurrection Sunday in the Gospel of John contains a note from the author that Peter and John didn't understand that "Jesus had to rise from the dead".  Not simply that he did rise from the dead, but that it was predicted, necessary, and inevitable.  As the Messiah, the Lamb of God, and the sinless Son of God, the grave had no hold upon Jesus.  He had to rise from the dead.

To watch the video, click on the links below:
Sermon Video Part 1
Sermon Video Part 2

Sermon Video: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" - John 12:12-16

Jesus enters Jerusalem at the beginning of Passion Week with the shouts of praise from the crowds ringing in his ears.  Unlike a Roman triumph, Jesus enters riding humbly on a colt.  The crowd wanted Jesus to be the conquering hero, but Jesus continues to predict that he will be the suffering servant.  What are our expectations of Jesus when he returns?

To watch the video clink on the links below:
Sermon Video Part 1
Sermon Video Part 2

No man knows the number of his days

Many who know me know that I have been dealing with several important life-direction choices in recents months and weeks.  For the most part, they've gone down in flames.  My attempt to join the Army as a chaplain was shot down (no pun intended) by a single doctor's opinion about the health of my knees (and yes, I'm still running and playing ball each week).  A couple of other opportunities have recently come to my attention, but there have been snags that may prevent them from working either.  In the midst of my own angst, and my genuine concern for the well being of my wife, I got a strange phone call this past week from my best friend.
I've received hundreds of call from him over the years, we've played sports together and hung out for almost thirty years, but this call was different.  The voice on the other end of the line was strained and sounded weaker somehow.  It didn't take long before he told me that he was in the hospital.  Having played basketball together six days prior I at first thought it was a joke; but it wasn't.  Long story short, my friend had been rushed to the hospital for an emergency situation that while treatable, could have been life threatening if no dealt with quickly.  We're both 36, our birthdays are a month apart; that's a wake-up call.  While I was worried about the direction of my career, my finances, and my wife (all legit things), my best friend was suddenly facing a very serious medical situation.  In the long-run, he'll be fine and this will be a blip on the radar, but it is also a reminder that none of us know the day or hour appointed for us by the Lord.  We don't know how long we have on this Earth to make a difference, how much time we'll have with our loved ones, or how many 2nd and 3rd chances we'll get to do the right thing.  Let's not waste any more of that time, it's too precious.
Get better soon, those 18 year old kids still need to be taught some lessons on the court.

Sermon Video: John 12:23-32 "When I am lifted up"

Jesus prepares his followers for the road to the cross by explaining that the Son of Man must be lifted up.  In God's ultimate act of love, his holiness and wrath are satisfied by the sacrfice that Jesus chooses to make on our behalf.  Jesus also reminds us that if we're going to be his followers, we're going to need to be servants who rely upon God for rewards rather than seeking after reward in this life.

To watch the video clink on the links below:
Sermon Video Part 1
Sermon Video Part 2

Sermon Video: "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" - John 9:26-38

One of the Bible's unsung heroes, the unnamed blind man healed by Jesus, stands up against the powerful Pharisees, a religious group with a reputation for piety and self-righteousness.  When he asks them if they want to become Jesus' disciples too, they throw him out.  Jesus seeks out the healed man and asks him if he believes in the Son of Man.  What was his response when Jesus told him he was looking at the same man who had healed him?  "Lord, I believe."  Jesus' care for this one forgotten man illustrates the lengths that God will go to in the ongoing effort to share his Grace and Mercy with us all.

To watch the video, click on the links below:
Sermon Video Part 1
Sermon Video Part 2