LifeBridge Community Church

Reaching the Lost. Discipling the Saved. Sharing the Love of Jesus with Everyone.

Tag: Sermon (Page 1 of 9)

Justus Served

May 12, 2024 /

Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias

Being an apostle of Jesus is a big deal! These people were chosen by Jesus Himself to be with Him in His ministry, be His closest disciples and friends, be His witnesses to the world, and even sit on thrones in the Kingdom off Heaven!

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

1 John 5:11-12

Wow!

Of course one didn’t make it to the end. Judas Iscariot was out! But who was going to replace him?

We are told there were two candidates: “Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.”

But what do we know of most of the apostles? We could probably name some things from the likes of Peter, James, and John. And Thomas. Perhaps some others. Maybe we could even eventually name them all, given enough time (and maybe some help).

But replacing Judas had to be a big deal, too! But whom to choose? The criteria was set forth by Peter, “one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us.” The two put forth, Justus and Matthias were good, qualified candidates; and a great choice was made!

Matthias was in!

Justus didn’t make the cut.

I wonder how Justus felt. Did he feel rejected; depressed; let down? Did he feel less worthy or that his work was less important? Did he pout? Or maybe he thanked the Lord for Matthias’ appointment and got back to work!

The thing is, neither Matthias nor Justus are mentioned again in Scripture! Scripture only tells us about them here.

Are we to take that to mean that neither had an impact of Christ’s Church or that they didn’t serve faithfully beyond the little we know?

No!

The fact is, if we place our value on what we or others perceive as important or lasting, we will always be disappointed. That’s not our Calling. We, like Matthias, Justus, the apostles and all Christians everywhere are Called to believe in Jesus and to love and serve Him and others. If we take our eyes off of Him and one comparisons with someone else, either pain or arrogance will follow; not the godly, sanctified life He has Called us to live.

I am sure that “Justus served” the Lord, as did Matthias and the other apostles.

We get to as well!

Jesus has chosen each one of us! He died for us, forgives us, rose for us, and prepares a place for us in Heaven. He wants to use every one of us to share that Good News with the world. He has Called you for that task!

“Use us, Lord! Let us serve faithfully, without comparison! Amen!”

Scriptures

  • Acts 1:12-26
  • 1 John 5:9-12
  • 2 Corinthians 5:20

Trust in the LORD

May 5, 2024 /

We know the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Luther gives us the meaning that “we should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” We also know the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord…with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

Today’s Scripture from Proverbs reminds us of that.

Everyone and every other thing will fail us. They are unreliable, imperfect, and ultimately do not perfectly care about or for us. That goes for our own ‘understanding’ and ‘wisdom.’ We can place ourselves, our plans, our understanding above God.

This should never be!

If there is a discrepancy between what we believe is good or plan is better; about a direction to take or path to follow; about how the universe is run or things operate, it is that which comes from God that is correct. Period.

We need to trust that. We need to trust Him.

In all things.

For all time.

And we can do this fully and confidently because He has proven Himself time and time again, throughout history and in every situation – including all areas of our life!

This is most evident through the cross and empty tomb!

We would have had a different plan for mercy and forgiveness. God’s is the one that worked! We may have different ideas on who to love. God’s idea is perfect! We would have different ideas of how salvation should happen. God’s is perfect!

Trust in Him! In Everything! You will not be disappointed. Ever. Jesus is proof!

Scriptures

  • Proverbs 3:5-8

Did You Study?

April 28, 2024 /

Scripture tells us to “test the spirits,” but how do we do that? The answer is as simple as we learned in Sunday school: “Jesus!”

By this you will know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

1 John 4:2-3a

Acknowledging Jesus Christ as God come in the flesh, who died and rose is doing so on the basis of the Holy Spirit making that known to us. Denial of that Truth is not from God, but from evil spirits and the world.

But testing should not stop there. Everything we know and believe should be done on the basis of what’s in the Word of God and to make the determinations as to what is godly and what is not, we have to actually know what God’s Word says. We have to be in the Word! We have to learn the Word! We have to believe the Word! We have to live and breathe the Word!

When God’s Word becomes such a part of us and His Spirit dwells in us, it is a much simpler matter to discern right and wrong; good and evil. It becomes clear when evil spirits, the world, and sin try to lead us astray.

“We are from God.” and the Spirit who is in us “is greater than he who is in the world,” so rejoice, and revel in the tests, because we have the Answer – Jesus!

Scriptures

  • 1 John 4:1-6

What Have You Done Lately?

April 21, 2024 /

Faith in Jesus is to show itself through actions. Continually. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection were one-time events, but our response to the salvation won for us through them is to show itself throgh daily living.

This is [God’s] commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He commanded us.

1 John 3:23

We often don’t live like that. We confess a Faith in the Life, but live in seemingly faithless living. Yes, His commandment is “that we believe in the name of [God’s] son, Jesus Christ and love one another” (1 John 3:23), but that love is to be done “in deed and in truth,” not just “word or talk” (1 John 3:18).

God’s love, forgiveness, and faithfulness are constant. Our response should be the same! Is this true for you? What have you done lately to respond to God?

Do it! Now. Consistently. Lovingly. Responsively. Let all know about your belief in Jesus and your love for others in deeds and truth – today! Every day! In gracious thanksgiving.

Scriptures

  • 1 John 3:18-24

Restored Classics

April 14, 2024 /

Anyone who restores classic cars (or other items, I’m sure) knows that they take extra love and work. You need to take time to nurture them and keep them going. They also have less amenities, they often don’t perform as well as modern vehicles, and they are less safe.

Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

1 John 3:3

But classic cars are awesome! They are simpler, bring back memories of forgotten times and, frankly, they look so much better than the vast majority of modern vehicles on the road!

We can be like some of those classic cars. Through our stubbornness and arrogance we take a lot of love, nurture, and work for the Holy Spirit to do in the process of a holy “restoration.” We are simplistic by the standards of many in the world and, in our case, I don’t think we look any better.

Yet God desires us. Us! He delights in putting in the love, time, and effort to continually restore us and keep us in Him. He grinds away our old, sinful heart and purifies us from the cancerous rust and decay of our sins into beautifully restored children living for Him. He takes the old, decrepit, sin-filled junk that we were and restores us daily through our baptism, through forgiveness, and the the death and resurrection of Jesus. He transforms us from trash to His treasured children! He purifies us from refuse through His righteousness.

Now, let us live and glem in His glory, transformed and restored to what He desires us to be – His holy children and examples to the world!

“Continually restore us, O Lord!”

Scriptures

  • 1 John 3:1-7
  • Psalm 4

God is Light. Walk in Him.

April 7, 2024 /

When we are in the dark our eyes adjust. We may not see everything as vibrantly or clearly, but we manage. And we get used to it. So much so that, when in the dark, we dread turning on the lights or going into a brightly lit place.

God is light, in in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practive the truth.

1 John 1:5b-6

Coming into the light from darkness can hurt! So many stay in the dark.

But being in the light means we see things clearly! In the dark we see only dark shades of grey. In the light, we see the vibrancy of everything! And when we go from light to dark, it also hurts. We bump into things. We miss crucial things that might be right in front of us!

This is the way of sin.

When we live in sin we live in darkness. We stumble around. We hit things. We get hurt. We can’t see the full picture of what’s going on around us.

And worst of all, we get used to it and like it!

But this is not the way it should be.

“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” If we say we are Christians but keep walking in darkness (sin) instead of in Him, we are lying. Those two things are incompatible!

If we are Christians, we must live in the Light. Live in Him. We must not keep going back into the darkness of sin and hiding and shame.

But we must remember that, through faith in Jesus, when we stumble back into sin and darkness, “we have have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” who will forgive us, and bring us back to the bright living that is Him!

Thanks be to God!

Scriptures

  • 1 John 1:1-2:2

The Power of the Easter Promise

March 26, 2024 /

EASTER SUNDAY!!

The men said to them, “Why do you seek the Living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

Luke 24:5b-6a

This Sunday marks the highest, most Holy day of the year; because the Resurrection of Jesus changed our eternity! It is the quintessential pivot point from despair to joy; from no future to an everlasting one; from death to life!

Join us as we celebrate!

Scriptures

  • Luke 24:1-12

Until…The Kingdom of God!

March 24, 2024 /

Holy Week – and indeed, Faith iteself – comes with a roller coaster of ups and downs; highs and lows.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

We see that as Jesus rides into Jerusalem triumphantly, welcomed by the crowds as the Son of David; just to be betrayed, denied, abandoned, judged, sneered at, and crucified later that week.

In our readin from Luke we are backing up just a little in our journey to Jesus’ last supper where He instituted the Lord’s Supper and celebrated the Passover with His disciples.

He says, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

This is a high. Jesus having this wonderful celebration with His disciples that He has “earnestly desired” to have with them.

But the lowest low is coming. Evil s coming. Suffering, pain, and death will follow.

But there is an “until!” There will be more to the story! There will be the highest high when the day comes and He will once again when the Kingdom of God is fulfilled. When death is conquered. When suffering ends. When all evil has been utterly and permanently destroyed forever!

Until can be a difficult word when going through evil or when it is on the horizon. But it is also a word of hope – and patience. A word of anticipation and a word of reliance. It is a word which we can hold on to because we know that what comes after all the trials and pains and lows and evil will be far outweighed with good and joy!

And so we endure. And wait. UNTIL! And then we rejoice – forever!

Scriptures

  • Psalm 118:19-29
  • Luke 22:14-23

ALSO: WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!

That Day, and Today!

March 17, 2024 /

Evil is often louder than good. We see it in the news. We see it in our lives. Criticism lingers even as compliments fade.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

The evil around Jesus at the crucifixion was deafening. Mocking and ridicule by the religious leaders, by the executing soldiers, and by guilty criminals next to Jesus rand throughout the hilltop. And Jesus, the innocent One, the recipient of it all. Not only that, His own Father had forsaken Him for a time.

But then there is a voice of hope from a strange place. A voice of confession. A voice of longing. A voice of belief. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And this lone voice from a self-proclaimed sinner elicits a response from the One who had been experiencing only evil before now: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Today! You and Me! In paradise!

When all the world lifts their voice in a cacophony of evil and pain, remember those words for you: through faith in Jesus, His salvation is realy for you today and paradise awaits for eternity!

Let those words of truth and hope echo louder than any evil in your lives; for they are the ones that matter! They are the ones that will last! They are the ones for you; today and tomorrow and forever!

Scriptures

  • Luke 23:26-43

Faith for a Complicated World

March 10, 2024 /

The world around us is a complicated place that can be hard to figure out. Life sometimes sends us a fair bit of pain and suffering. It’s not hard to spot cruelty and injustice, pain and confusion, all around us. Much of the time, it’s probably best for us to say two things.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

The first is this: “I don’t really understand how this is all fitting together, but I am here with you as we go through it.”

The other thing that we say and that we believe is: Our God is still at work, and he knows how to take the evil and use it for good.

It’s not a blind faith. The proof of it, simply put, is Jesus.

God worked good from evil for us and all people, through Jesus our King, our living, reigning King through His suffering, trial, death, and resurrection.

And God still does that today, for the people of the King.

Praise the Lord that, even though evil still hurts and affects us, it doesn’t overcome us.

It is a conquered enemy for our eternal future in paradise!

~ The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, edited by The Rev. Scott Heitshusen

Scriptures

  • Luke 23:1-25
  • Acts 4:23-28

When You See Such Blind Ignorance, What Do You Think?

March 3, 2024 /

Jesus now stands before the religious leaders for a “trial.”

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

Sure it’s really a mockery of one, but even the leaders know they need to go through the paces to get things taken care of. If a mockery of justice will do it, so be it!

In fact, since it is a mockery, mocking this Jesus is given the green light. The guards, even before the trial begins beat and mock. When in the trial, the leaders ask questions with no intention of listening to the answers; so they can ask in mockery. “Are You the Son of God, then?” They weren’t really asking. They weren’t interested in any response Jesus was going to give; so long as they could turn it around and get to the conviction they had already decided to impose.

Jesus knows this and isn’t interested in helping them in this mockery. But He does say something interesting here: “From now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

This time of evil and darkness will be over soon, true; but is there more to this? Is He giving them the ammunition they need to get it over with; to get the Plan moving forward?

Perhaps.

Or maybe He was also giving them an out: a reminder of who He is and a chance to crawl out of their willful, blind ignorance and into the Light; into Him?

Perhaps some of both.

But we mustn’t fall into the trap of thinking that we would act differently than these soldiers and leaders. We would act godly! We would stand up for righteousness and the Righteous One!

These people likely felt they were fulfilling ‘justice’ – maybe just more efficiently.

This man was guilty; anyone could see it! They were doing their job; their godly job!

They were blind-fully ignorant!

But we are blessed now because the Holy Spirit has given us sight into His Will and cured our ignorance of His Plan! We are called to act, no longer in the blind ignorance of unbelief, but in the gracious way of salvation through Jesus!

The Holy Spirit has removed our blinders and lets us see Jesus, the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of the power of God!

All by His grace. All by His mercy. All by His spirit.

There but for the grace and Spirit of God would we go!

“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for enduring mockery for our sake and for the Holy Spirit who has removed our blind ignorance in Faith!”

Scriptures

  • Luke 22:63—23:1

The Real Battle

February 25, 2024 /

Heart-wrenching.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Genesis 50:20ab

That may be the closest we come to describing the happenings in the Garden.

Jesus is about to be betrayed, denied, and much more leading to death. He knows it’s coming. He knows the immense pain and suffering about to take place – and at the hands of His friends and religious leaders who were supposed to welcome the Messiah and prepare the people for Him.

But the main antagonist in this story is the one who is not named – “Satan,” Jesus’ adversary.

He tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry and would return at “an opportune time.” He entered Judas and was looking for the right time to betray Him. He is looking forward to “sifting” Peter, leading him to deny Jesus. His chaos in this moment cause the disciples, not to stand firm in the temptation, but flea in fear.

This is his hour. His moment. And Jesus knows it!

He tries to tell the disciples to pray in this moment and He Himself makes sure to; with a pit in His being that is palpable.

The real battle of good and evil. Spiritual forces, flesh and blood. And this is evil’s time.

Heart-wrenching.

But where Satan and evil will have the moment, Jesus will have the rest of eternity!

Satan still works his wares. Our sinful nature still gives in to temptation and evil. These things still affect us for the moments we’re this side of eternity. But those moments will end; forever!

Jesus made sure of it; in those moments. In the Garden with blood and tears. On the cross in agony and death.

But that moment ended, and the rest – life – is yet to come!

Just you wait!

Scriptures

  • Luke 22:39-62
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Phone / Email

(979) 885-7270 [Church]
(713) 965-6761 [Pastor Scott Heitshusen’s Cell]

info@lifebridgesealy.com

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2162 FM 2187 Rd (location)
P.O. Box 934 (mail)
Sealy, TX 77474

Connecting People to Jesus by:
Reaching the Lost.
Discipling the Saved.
Sharing the Love of Jesus with Everyone.

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