Tag: Sermon (Page 1 of 20)

I love it when Jesus turns things around on those trying to test Him.

In our Scripture today, Pharisees are trying, once again, to trap Jesus. (Will they never learn?!)

[Jesus] said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Matthew 22:21b

He calls them hypocrites and then answers their question in the most Boss way; by answering and simultaneously pointing out their hypocrisy!

Man, that burn’s gotta sting!

They ask if it is lawful to pay taxes to Ceasar. If Jesus says “yes,” then He is advocating for a power and leader other than the Lord. If He says, “no,” He runs afoul of the Romans and the law.

“Render to Caesar the things that are Ceasar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21b).

Yes, pay your taxes, but do not neglect the weightier matter of rendering all things that are meant for God, like all glory, all worship, all praise, all devotion, all obedience, all honor, all love, all things! All! That’s what is God’s! That’s what the Pharisees who are trying to trap Jesus owes God – and they know it (and aren’t doing it)!

Hypocrites!

The taxes to Caesar may be earthly dictated for a time. Ok. The things to be rendered to God are for all believers for all time!

So, then, the question is before us: “what are you rendering to the Lord?” Are you trying to sidestep your duties to God by feigning needs outside of Him? “I can’t give monetarily to His Church because I don’t have enough.” “I can’t volunteer my time to serve Him or others because I’m too busy as it is.” “I can’t use my talents for His purposes because I am wiped from using them in my job and at home.”

Hypocrites!

Everything you have, everything you are, everything you do is a gift from God. He is the reason for all of it!

But much more than that is the fact that God has rendered to you and me forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus!

I mean, really; what is better than that?! (Nothing, BTW!)

So I ask you again: what will you render in thankful response to all that from God?!

Nothing we can render can change what He has given to us. Nothing we can render can out do what He has given to us. Nothing.

But we can try, in joy! We can render our very heart, because it is full of thanksgiving! And when He has our hearts (which is what He really wants), we will not be hypocrites, but will be acceptable, letting all things flow freely!

Rend your hearts, knowing what Jesus has rendered to you – salvation in His love!

“Lord, take my heart and lead me, move me, use me; take everything I am, everything I have, all I value, for I am Yours! Thank You for giving me all things through the Cross and empty Tomb and remind me that You provide for all my needs every day, so there is nothing to fear, for You are with me. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’ precious Name do we pray. Amen!”

Scripture

• Matthew 22:15-22
• Psalm 96:1-9 (responsory)

It is quite amazing to listen to Christians who know so many things through Scripture and faith, but their vocabulary, conversations, and daily living belie a different belief system that causes struggle.

Case in point: So many times it is difficult to see a difference in the way a Christian and non-Christian speaks of worry or anxiety. Both seem to vocalize things the same way.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

In a similar vein, Christians seem to struggle with rejoicing always and giving thanks in all circumstances.

And how many times do we, as Christians, struggle with contentment in the same way as unbelievers?

It’s really quite shameful. It’s as if we don’t really know the Scriptures (or have trouble believing them).

This, even though, we know what God says in passages like today’s Scriptures (Philippians 4:4-13), and we have seen Him be faithful throughout our lives and all of history!

God’s track record is perfect!

And yet, we doubt. And yet, we do not rejoice. And yet, we are anxious. And yet, we are not content.

Before we have kids, Jen and I drive down to the Florida keys for a couple of days. People will tell you that being there (and certainly living there) is a different state of mind.

Indeed it is!

Worries and cares seem to drift away. In Key West, people stop and gather every evening to watch the amazing sunset. The beauty of God’s creation seems to melt away all other concerns for a bit.

I wonder, what is – or should be – the “state of mind” for the Christian?

When I look at today’s reading, I wonder.

It’s not like there are no cares or concerns for the Christian. After all, we still live in this world with all it’s fallen nature that affects us, too. St. Paul in our text even says that he knows “how to be brought low, and…how to abound” (Philippians 4:12).

But he also share that he has “learned the secret of facing” the ups and downs – Jesus Christ, who strengthens him!

Jesus is our strength and solution as well. Do we have the state of mind – the faith – to trust Him completely and in all circumstances? Do we look to Him and know He has, is, and will provide all our needs, so there is only reason for rejoicing and none for worry? Can we look to the Son-set and let our cares melt away because nothing matters but Him?

Christ is the One who strengthens you and me. Through faith in Him we have all we need – in this life and the one to come. There is nothing that is going on in your life or mine that He has not already answered, before the issue was even on our mind.

That is reason to “rejoice always” (Philippians 4:4)!

Thank You, Lord!

“Gracious and providential Lord; thank You for providing all we need every day, so that whether we are in want or abundance we look to You, trust You, and rejoice in You in everything. Grant us through Your Spirit to have a “state of mind” to keep this state in all circumstances, because You are faithful – always! In Jesus’ name, amen!”

Scripture

• Philippians 3:4b-14
• Psalm 80:7-19 (responsory)

It is tough to look at the giants of faith in Scripture and compare ourselves to them, even though nearly all of them had giant foibles and issues. They still tower over us, or at least they do to me. Paul is probably one of the pinnacle examples. In today’s reading, he even gives his curriculum vitae, if you will: his qualifications as a Jew, a scholar, a Pharisee, a persecutor; someone righteous and blameless under the law. He really did seem to have it all. And then he goes on to say that he knows he is not perfect in achieving the goals of Christian living.

My goodness, if Paul says that, what possible chance is there for any of us?!

Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 

Philippians 3:7-8

Paul counts all of his qualifications and good deeds – everything that set him apart and above – as loss. He wants to forget those things and strain forward for what lies ahead, “pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

“The upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

That is an amazing phrase. God calls us upward, in our reflection, our action, our faith, and our walk. Where we are isn’t sufficient for the Christian. The Christian always wants and looks for more, because God has called him to it. This is not a matter of salvation, but a matter of one who is already saved.

Paul counts all of his previous accomplishments and qualifications as useless and loss, because he has a better call, an upward call, one based not on himself but on Christ, who has done all for him and now bids him respond joyfully and willingly. Paul knew that what he had before was nothing compared to Jesus. Now that he has Jesus, he wants to do everything for Him and everything to reflect Him. Christ is what it’s all about, and living for Him is what really matters, so that others can see, receive, and be saved in Christ too.

We try to compare ourselves to others, and it’s a useless task. Comparing our works to Christ’s is likewise useless. But if we see in Christ that we have everything through faith, then all we do becomes a useful, productive, and joyful task.

That is our upward call.

May we find ways to strive and strain forward in that upward call in Christ Jesus, as a grateful response to His salvation for us.

“Gracious Lord, we count all that we are and all that we have done as loss when compared to what Christ has done for us on the cross and through the empty tomb. Thank You that through Your Son and our Savior we have been given everything that matters, and that You have given us an upward call to do things that matter in faith and to touch others with that same saving gospel. Grant that we do it joyfully and wholeheartedly. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Scripture

• Philippians 3:4b-14
• Psalm 80:7-19 (responsory)

There is a lot going on in our Scripture for today, but we are going to focus on the second half of it (Matthew 21:28-32).

Jesus is being confronted by the chief priests and elders of the people. They don’t like the way things are going and want to put a stop to them. They ask about Jesus’ authority for His actions and Jesus turns things back on them. (I love it when He does that!)

 “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.”

MAtthew 21:31ab

He makes His point with their hubris, but then drives the point home with a question of His own.

He lays out a story about a man with two sons, who he asks to go work in the vineyard. One is defiant and says he won’t, but ends up changing his mind and obeying. The second does the opposite, saying he will go, but doesn’t. Jesus then asks which “did the will of his father (Matthew 21:31)?

The leaders rightly answer with “the first.”

But Jesus drives it home by saying they – the religious leaders – say they will follow the Lord; His will and ways, but when they point to Jesus, they change their minds and believe in the One God sent. Others – gentiles – say they don’t want to have anything to do with God, with the Word, and with Jesus, but many of them have changed their minds are do believe unto salvation!

Which is the better?

To believe!

But there has always been something about this story that Jesus didn’t bring up that has rubbed me wrong.

Isn’t the best way for things to play out to both say you will obey the Father and actually do it?

After all, I’ve heard say, “delayed obedience is disobedience;” and there is truth to that.

But that’s not what Jesus was getting at in this teaching. He was giving opportunities to show that doing the will of the Father by His Word is more important that knowing the Word and refusing to do His will.

Or, let’s break this down another way.

We start out in sin and all we desire is against the Father’s Will; so our initial state and reactions will always be against. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, our hearts have been opened and granted faith in Jesus and has changed to want and do His will through that faith.

That gets us to faith and life. That gets us sanctification.

But it doesn’t end there.

Now that we are saved, we take the next step and get into His Word so that whenever He calls, we both respond with a resounding, “yes, I will go!” and while the words are yet ringing in the air, our bodies are racing toward to door to do it!

That’s our joyful response to the gift of salvation in Jesus! That’s our heartfelt desire because of the mercy and grace shown to us! That’s our default action for what the Lord says to us, requires of us, and desires of us!

“I will, Sir! I will!”

May we, who have been redeemed by Christ, be ever in His Word, His Will, His desire, His plan, and His heart all our days!

Thank You, Father!

“Gracious Lord, forgive us when we refuse Your Word, Your Will, or Your call to action. Forgive our disobedience, our reluctance, and our delay. Forgive our shortness of mind, of character, or desire and of heart. Thank You for the gift of Faith through the Holy Spirit and grant that, as Your forgiven, renewed, and led children, we answer “I will, Sir!” to anything and everything all our days; giving bold witness in word and action. In Jesus’ Name; amen!”

Scripture

• Matthew 21:23-32
• Psalm 25:1-10 (responsory)

There is a lot of great stuff in today’s Scripture from Philippians; that “Christ be honored in my body” (Philippians 1:20, as Paul is being persecuted); “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21); do “not be frightened in anything by your opponents” (Philippians 1:28); that it is granted that we “believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29; and today’s title passage, “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).

That is so very awesome; and chilling; and bold; and terrifying; and clear; and cloudy!

A life worthy of the gospel of Christ…what does that mean? What does it entail? And note that it doesn’t say being “worthy of Christ, but of the Gospel of Christ.”

Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

Philippians 1:27

Frankly, how can we be “worthy” of either – ever?!

If we look at all the pain, suffering, and persecution Paul endured (indeed, he was writing this from prison), he had a lot to be bitter about, to complain about, lash out about. He had a lot of ways to be able to give an excuse for any poor behavior on his part. Surely people would understand that suffering elicits challenges that are often reflected in reduced choices.

But Paul makes it clear that his earnest desire is to not be ashamed in his body, but instead honor Christ (and the Gospel).

People knew who Paul was. They knew he was a devote follower and adherent to who Jesus was and the teachings He espoused. To live in a way that contradicts Christ Jesus and the Gospel doesn’t just bear a bad image, it is hypocritical and leads others away from Him rather than toward Him.

May we never do that!

It is one thing to mess up for ourselves. It is a vastly different thing to give ungodly witness to Jesus and the saving Gospel of His suffering, death, and resurrection through our actions!

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are “God’s workmanship” and that He created us to do good deeds; not for salvation, but because we have it already. Our pervious worthless lives are now made worthy through the Gospel. We are now called to live that worthiness out in our body, our actions, our hearts and minds.

We will fail many times in this. Many.

And we will suffer many things in this life. Many.

Yet through it all, let us live (and die) in a manner that holds up the Gospel of Christ, holds up God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness; holds up good, Holy living, so that others may be drawn to Him and His salvation as well.

Let us live in His worthiness in all we do – for Christ and his Gospel!

“Dear Lord, we come confessing that we have not lived our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. Forgive us for those times, Lord, and send us Your Spirit – in heart, mind, and action, so that whether we suffer or thrive, live or die, others may be drawn to You, Lord Jesus. In Your precious name, Amen!”

Scripture

• Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30
• Psalm 27:1-9 (responsory)

Proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Matthew 10:7

Today we’re taking about some “family business.”

Scriptures

• Exodus 3:7-8, 10
• Ephesians 2:1-10
• Matthew 9:35—10:7
• Psalm 1 (responsory)

My generation will know these words (though maybe not without the music or graphic, but let’s see):

As your body grows bigger,
Your mind must flower.
It’s great to learn,
‘Cause knowledge is power!

If you need a little more help, here’s the rest:

It’s Schoolhouse Rocky
That chip off the block
Of your favorite schoolhouse
Schoolhouse Rock!

That opening and closing to the shorts of Schoolhouse Rock! Was a Saturday morning staple for us – and I suspect most of us still know most of those shorts by heart!

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3

These shorts we easy and fun ways to teach kids some of the basics of grammar, math, science, government and more.

There have been similar efforts to teach the Bible over the years, like “Davy and Goliath” and Veggietales.

What an awesome, noble, and biblical goal: teaching Scripture!

We are all called to learn Scripture; learn more about God and the Faith; learn about sin, forgiveness, and holy living! This is what every Christian is tasked and blessed to do – and it’s far easier to do now than ever before. So many good (and many bad, of course) resources to help us along the way.

That is absolutely fantastic!

But sometimes I wonder if we forget the very basic fundamental of Faith in our efforts. The “fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” Knowing that we won’t and can’t know everything about the Bible and God – and that’s ok, because we know God!

Knowledge may be power, but faith in Jesus is salvation!

Of course we must strive for more understanding of God and His Word, but not at the cost of loving and trusting God and His Word.

God want’s our devotion more than our deliberation; our faith more than our facts; our hearts more than our heads.

Here’s the truth – we will never fully understand God and His Word, and that’s ok. But through the Spirit we can have saving, trusting, loving Faith in Jesus, and that’s what’s needed!

Grow in knowledge, but never lack childlike faith in Jesus!

“Dear Lord, help us to have faith like a child – fully fearing, loving, and trusting You above all things. Grant us knowledge and wisdom for our heads but let us never loose a heart turned to You. Let our heart never doubt, even if our head does. In all things, hold us in Your Son, our Savior, Jesus! In His name do we pray; amen!”

Scripture

• Psalm 32:1-7 (Confession)
• Matthew 18:1-6, 10-14

Having standards is good. You know what’s expected. You can make a plan for action and then strategically follow through.

But what if the standards are too high to hit? Too far beyond your abilities. What if the standards are simply impossible?

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

Then we don’t see them as good; we see them as depressing. We no longer find any hope of being able to reach that which has been set before us. Instead, we despair. We lose all sense of capability.

Our text today is from Romans 12, and St. Paul lays out a lot for us to consider — a lot of standards, a lot of to-dos, a lot of things every Christian needs to not only consider but to follow through with.

They’re all good things. I don’t think any of them are ones that we would disagree with or have a problem with.

But when we really look at the magnitude of them in number and scope, it is more than unsettling. It is frightening. It is daunting. It is, truly, at its core, impossible.

If this is what God requires of us, then God help us, for we cannot do it. Taking to heart just the list in our text produces a guttural “Uh-oh” moment as we grasp the true height of God’s perfection and the depth of our depravity.

Just the last verse in our text, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21), seems so simple and innocuous. But how are we supposed to do that? How are we supposed to overcome evil with good when we’re not good ourselves — when we so often fail to even recognize what good is, when we so easily drift or even run to evil ourselves? The evil within us. The evil around us. The evil that defines us.

God help us indeed!

And that’s where we have to land. That’s the only place we can land: in the merciful, forgiving, loving hands of God, who not only helps us in keeping his commands but went even further — and through Jesus kept all of them for us. Fully. Willingly. Lovingly.

All that God commands us now is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, and through the lens of Christ’s satisfaction for all of these standards, now completed on a cross and through an empty tomb. “Uh-oh” becomes “A-ha!” All that God requires, he has fulfilled. All that he desires is completed through his gracious invitation, because of our faith in his Son, our Savior, Jesus.

Now all the things laid out for us are gracious invitations: to follow in His footsteps, invitations to love as He loved, invitations to live as He lived.

We no longer need to read God’s commands with an “Uh-oh,” but rather with the excitement of knowing that even when we fail to follow through perfectly, when our heart is joined to His, our imperfection is no longer an obstacle but a covered detour through faith in Christ.

Thank You, Lord!

“Gracious Father, You have laid out so many acts of love and service for us to follow in our discipleship to You and service to others. We confess we have failed to keep Your standards but rejoice that Jesus has done so for us. Grant us Your Spirit to now see Your loving Law, not as daunting but as exciting opportunities of doing; and when we inevitably fail in our execution, set us back up in You and move forward to try again. In the precious and perfect name of Jesus do we pray. Amen!”

Scripture

• Romans 12:9-21
• Psalm 26 (responsory)

Much is said when we talk about this passage in Matthew 16 about the interpretation of who or what the rock is. Catholics would have you say that the rock is Peter himself, and that this establishes the papacy. Others say that although it refers to Peter, his confession is the rock—the confession that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16

Let’s take away, for a moment, that discussion and focus on that confession. When Jesus asks who people say that He is, and then asks the disciples specifically who they say that He is, the response that comes back from Peter is not one that was arrived at naturally. It was not something that Peter or the others were going to figure out for themselves. God had to reveal Himself to Peter. God had to show Peter Jesus’ identity. And that revelation is going to be foundational to the Church, to its mission, to its fight against the devil and hell itself.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus was not just some rabbi or teacher or good man or someone with a new, interesting philosophy to live by. He was not someone who might have had special gifts and abilities to heal, or speak, or feed thousands from what seemed like magic tricks. He was the one promised from of old, all the way back in Genesis—the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah, the chosen one of God! This is who Jesus is: the Son of the living God, God and man, the One who came to fulfill what God promised, the One who was speaking to them as the fulfillment of God’s plan.

And this fulfillment—this Jesus—is going to storm the gates of hell, and they will not be able to withstand it. Through suffering and death on a cross, the death of God’s plan and the destruction of all that God loves seemed imminent. But God changed that. He reversed it. He used it instead to display His power, His glory, His victory over sin, death, and the devil on our behalf, forever.

And we are blessed, because this was not revealed just to Simon Peter but has also been revealed to us. By His word, we also now know, through the Spirit, who Jesus is, what he has done, and who we are now as his children—redeemed, forgiven, and granted salvation.

Let everything else come what may. Let the gates of hell and the Devil himself come against us—they will not prevail. Christ has already prevailed against them, for us, forever.

Praise God for that!

“Gracious God, thank you for the truth of who Jesus is: Your Chosen One, Your Son, the One who conquered all for us. Help us to build our foundation, in all aspects of our lives, on Him—our Rock, our fortress, our Savior. In His precious name we pray; amen.”

Scripture

• Matthew 16:13-20
• Psalm 138 (responsory)

Let’s begin getting something out of the way: this passage from Isaiah isn’t talking about current immigration policies, politics, and controversies in the United States.

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Isaiah 56:7c

That isn’t to say there aren’t tangential issues that will brush up against our discussion, but let’s keep the proper focus here.

Isaiah was a prophet during the Exile; when God’s people were taken captive into foreign lands. And in our passage he’s discussing the foreigner’s place before the Lord. (And let’s be clear: the people of God did not typically have a good or pleasing outlook on those outside of themselves.

They were God’s chosen. Others weren’t. They had the Covenant. Others didn’t. They had the Temple. Others didn’t. They had the only one true god, YHWH. Others didn’t.

And yet here Isaiah shares that “foreigners who join themselves to the Lord” (Isaiah 56:6) this same YHWH; this same only one true God, “will bring to [His] holy mountain, and make them joyful in [His] house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on [His] altar; for [His] house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7).

Amazing! Those who turn their hearts to Him, he accepts! We might put it this way, “those who trust in the Lord, who put their faith in Him, are saved by Him.”

What wonderful news! But it goes a little further: this same only one true God, YHWH, “who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, ‘I will gather yet others…besides those already gathered’” (Isaiah 56:8).

Did you catch that: “The outcasts of Israel.”

God’s people were outcasts so many times in their history. In Egypt; in the wilderness; in the exile; and many other times. So as ones treated poorly by others and by grace from God, they should know how to treat others with love and respect and how to share the love and grace of God with them, too.

And here’s where we should learn and apply.

We were outcasts, too. We have been shown undeserves grace and mercy by God through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Our sins have been forgiven. Everlasting life has been granted. Immeasurable blessings are shown to us daily.

And all of that is not just for us. It is to be shared with others through us; so they are saved, too.

How are we doing with that?

Do we realize LifeBridge is not our but God’s for all His people? Do we welcome, love, and respect all God brings into His house here, eager to pray with them, walk with them, cry with them, laugh with them, mourn with them, praise God with them, love them the way God love us?

May we see in this place an avenue to receive God’s mercy and grace and share and live it with all God brings here so that all may see and believe in Jesus!

“Gracious Father, thank You for showing us Your grace and mercy through Your Son, our Lord, Jesus; bringing us to Your Holy Mountain in worship. Move us, Lord, to be winsome and welcoming to ll You would send us so that they, too, would have salvation in Jesus. In His precious name do we pray. Amen.”

Scripture

• Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
• Psalm 67:107 (responsory)