Sermon Video: The Advantage of the Living Savior - Romans 5:9-11

Having established that our sins have been forgiven, and the wrath of God averted, by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, Paul now looks toward what our life in Christ should look like now and where we are ultimately heading.  He begins that process by reminding us that it is not simply the death of Jesus that saves us, for Jesus did not remain in the grave but rose to new life.  Given that Jesus now sits in glory at the Father's right hand, how much more has God planned for those he has redeemed?

What Every Christian Should Know About: Church History - Part 1 of 3, The Early Church to St. Augustine

In this 3 part series, Pastor Powell seeks to highlight some of the most important ideas, people, and movements within the universal Church during its two-thousand year history.

In part 1, the Early Church, the Early heresies regarding the person of Jesus, the Ecumenical Councils, and St. Augustine are the focus.

Sermon Video: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:6-8

What is the value of one human life?  What would you be willing to risk, or lose, to save it?  God answers this question definitively from his point of view in that Jesus Christ was willing to die on behalf of the ungodly.  That is, Jesus came to die, not for family or friends, not for the good or the righteous, but for those who were powerless to change their own hopelessly sinful state, a group that happens to include all of humanity.

What did God prove by putting forth and accomplishing this plan of redemption?  How powerful, how effective, and just how amazing his love is, no wonder John would later write that "God is love".  Stand in awe of God's love for lost sinners.

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.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #19: Matthew 26:52

The Vision of the Cross, 1520-24 by Raphael and his assistants

Matthew 26:52     New International Version

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword."

The History of the Church contains amazing highs of love, mercy, and justice, and horrific lows of hate, greed, and injustice.  As a rule of thumb, the more temporal power the Church has wielded, the worse it has behaved.  When the Church has had the power to put people to death, it has tortured and murdered in Christ's name.  

Prior to the famous vision of Constantine preceding his victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312, the Church was a persecuted minority.  One generation later it began to wield the power of the Roman Empire, a change for the worse if ever there was one.  Now, nobody in their right mind would rather be a member of a persecuted minority instead of a member of the ruling elite, but those aren't the only two choices that were, and are, available to the Church.

In America today, 'Christian' Nationalism promises to give Christians the cudgel with which to beat down their enemies, enabling the Church to dominate society through the force of law whether its teachings are accepted by the citizens of the nation or not.  This proposed bargain has tremendous appeal to those who are scared about the future of the Church in America, promising to erase decades of change that they don't like.

But the promise is a hollow one, and also something that Jesus warned Peter against believing.  Having the whip-hand won't fill our churches again, it won't undo the sexual revolution, and it won't force God to bless America simply because prayer in school is once again mandatory. 

What it will do, instead, is make evangelism a more daunting task, drive yet more young people from a Church that in their eyes cares more about controlling than loving people, and offer up to Christians all the temptations associated with the love of power (its cousins in crime: lust and greed).

The sword?  It won't help you.