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

Tag: Sermon (Page 11 of 14)

Undivided Devotion

I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:35

We get pulled all over the place. Our attention, our finances, our devotion, our time, and our energy. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done – and there doesn’t ever seem to be an end in sight to that.

It’s exhausting!

God certainly doesn’t want us to ignore the needs of our family or others in our devotion and work for Him. Rather, by being devoted to Him, we show our love for others. Even better than being and example for our families and others is for them to come along with us, too!

That is devotion that’s good for everyone!

Follow Me!

God knows us better than we know ourselves. Every scary, unsavory, terrible bit! And He calls us anyway to “follow Him,” – just as we are!

But just because He accepts and Calls us as we are, doesn’t mean we get to stay who we are! He Calls us as we are – to become more like Him!

That means often putting aside what we want and living the way He wants. That’s a true Calling! That’s true freedom! That’s true joy!

May you be comforted in the Lord’s acceptance of you, Call to you, and growth for you in Jesus!

Follow Me!

John 1:43c

Living in Our Baptism

What does it mean to be baptized in God’s name? What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? Are they two things? Does it make a difference?

Today is the remembrance of the Baptism of Jesus and what that means for us today and for our future.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4

Second Sunday after Christmas

If we want to be more like Jesus, we need to act more like Jesus.

One of the primary things that Jesus did was to be in His Father’s House (i.e., “in church”) and in The Word (i.e., “the Bible”). If we are to grow “in wisdom and stature” and in our love of the Lord and in deeds that please Him, we need to do the same by seeking His Word and His presence.

May we commit to that this 2021 and beyond!

I must be in My Father’s House.

Luke 2:49c

First Sunday after Christmas

The coming, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus completed and pulled together all of History! His coming reminds us that God fulfills His promises and, more specifically, fulfilled His promise of One who would be “His salvation,” “a Light to the Gentiles,” and the “glory of His people, Israel!” He is the One! He completes us and all that we need! Praise the Lord!

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

PRINCE of PEACE: God With Us Through the Chaos

We complete our Advent journey to the manger today.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27

“Peace” seems pretty fleeting in our current world, country, and culture. Yet that’s what we’re called to! We are to be the ambassadors of God’s peace in our families, our communities, and our culture. That doesn’t mean there will be no hostilities around us, but that in and through them, we are sharing the One who brings peace amidst and through the chaos. We share the coming Jesus as the One through whom chaos and hostilities have been conquered. We share Jesus, Who blesses the world with hope through the peace only He can – and has – given! Bring it, Lord!

EVERLASTING FATHER: God With Us Beyond Temporary Hardships

We continue our Advent journey to the manger today.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

John 8:58

Our lives are temporary. By extension, so are all our hardships and troubles. Every difficulty we are going through will end! We often forget that. We also forget that, through Jesus, we have an eternity to look forward to where there will be no crying or hardships or pain. Those will have passed away forever! When we backup and look at our current challenges through that lens, it is a lot easier to endure them and see them for what they are – a very small, very temporary setback that will be forgotten!

MIGHTY GOD: God With Us in Our Weakness

We continue our Advent journey to the manger today.

You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.

Psalm 89:26

One of the many things this pandemic has taught us is just how powerless we are! We seem to be dragged into situations and predicaments we feel helpless to change. Working and schooling from home, or mandates of what will or will not be open (and the loss of livelihood that may follow!), and other things can make us feel, well, weak. But we have a God who is mighty and nothing that is or can happen is too big for Him! His is over all of this and, because He loves and cares for us, we know that His power is exercised in a way that will work out for our good! That’s His mighty promise – and He always keeps His Word! The Incarnation is proof of that! So rise up, mighty child of God! Your Savior has come!

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR: God With Us When We’re Down

We begin our Advent journey to the manger today.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned.

Isaiah 40:1-2b

Jesus’ incarnation means that we have a God Who not only knows what we’re going through because He made us and knows everything, but also because He became like us in the flesh! So when we are down or going through a difficult time, we can go to Him and know He not only knows what we’re going through, but can empathize with us and do something about it! And His counsel is always best, right, loving, and caring! What an awesome God we have with us in Jesus!

“Final Testimonies / Admonitions / Encouragements”

“Truth. Love. JESUS!” That has been our theme these past many weeks.

John thought those themes so important he repeated them throughout this book.

As we draw to a close, may we must never forget the TRUTH that Jesus died and rose for our sins and eternal life; the LOVE that is God and exhibited through that sacrifice; and the One who all history and salvation centers around, JESUS HIMSELF!

May we always hold to this TRUTH and LOVE, found in JESUS!

“This is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

1 John 5:11

SCRIPTURE USED:

  • 1 John 5:6-21

“Love of the World – Love, Part 4”

Everyone struggles with something, and every struggle has its origin apart from God. That is, every sin comes from our love of the world instead of our love for God and His ways.

We have talked about our love of the world. Today, we go further in our work to put those loves aside and focus on the Love that really matters!

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

1 John 5:4

SCRIPTURE USED:

  • 1 John 5:1-5

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