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Summary

Anytime we watch anything that touches on a theological notion I go this is just this just bad theology and and she started stopping me as we're watching something she just says mom I know I know it's I'm not turning to this for theology I'm turning it to it for fun but anyway so so there you go the Nephilim the great mystery not as exciting as we think or as as sometimes it's portrayed but but it makes more sense it's more realistic and so there we go all right so we started in Genesis now we're going to jump all the way to revelation there is um revelation is I mean we could I know we talked about this last year we could spend just years in revelation and still um be fascinated and find more uh we're gonna go to revelation 12 revelation 12 so we started in Genesis the very first book of the Bible and we're going all the way to the end to revelation the very last book in the Bible so we're making it very easy to find today um we don't even have to open to the middle and then flip we just know you either go to the front of the back so we're in the back of the Bible revelation verse 12 um so have you ever been reading in Daniel it also has this where where you read and it talks about a time times in half a time and we kind of read past that and go yep okay sounds good what is time times and half a time so that is what we're going to be looking at today so we're going to start with verses uh one through six because this is very interesting remember how we talked last year about how revelation goes in these cycles right it's cyclical writing and so here we're going to find in these first six verses of chapter 12 we find that um that it's it's a quick version of then what is laid out in the rest of 12 so let's go ahead and read verses one through six where John is seeing the vision and he says a great portant appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of 12 stars she was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs in the agony of giving birth then another portant appeared in heaven a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven diadams on his heads his tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born and she gave birth to a son a male child who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron but her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne and the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God so that there she can be nourished for 1,260 days okay so a great sign it begins by saying a great sign a great sign is it's pointing to something of importance remember how we hear that there will be signs and wonders that Jesus did many signs and wonders he is it that is always pointing to something of divine importance that's happening a visual representation of something divine right we know that when Jesus performs miracles something divine is happening right there we know that anytime there's a sign given there's something divine that's happening that's going on so so this woman is wearing a crown of 12 stars on her head now a crown was given in reward for a contest it was it was it showed a victory and this crown of of 12 stars it represents 12 of the 24 elders that were around the throne of God so in the throne room we read about the 12 elders that are praising and worshipping the Lord and we knew when we talked about this last year we talked about how 12 those 12 of those 24 represented or were the 12 tribes of Israel and the other 12 were the 12 apostles so you have the Old Testament and the New Testament coming together and you have the 24 represented so you have you have this woman who is wearing the crown of 12 stars on her head and prior to the child's birth the 12 stars are representing the 12 tribes of Israel it's those those 12 tribes so it's really that old testament people that are being represented here it's it's all the people of God in the Old Testament that are represented then after the child is born the 12 stars are representing the other 12 elders that are that are the 12 apostles which represents the New Testament Church which represents the people of God both both of the Old and the New it's it's the complete people of God the stars are signifying that the woman represents the entire people of God Israel and the New Israel the Old Israel and the New Israel Mary is is the model of the woman or for the woman she's also the model for and represents the church so here we have this woman and and and she is I mean we know that Mary did give birth to Christ but we also know that the church is referred to as a bride remember in the Old Testament how consistently the prophets write and and God writes through through them talking about the the unfaithful bride that is the church and then afterwards we hear in the New Testament about the church that is adorned as the bride for Christ right the bride of the lamb so the church is adorned with the sun and crown of stars God loves and honors his people God loves his people his people of all his people of now and his people to come God loves all of his church the moon that is under the woman's feet that shows that she's the dominant earth entity in his creation so everything everything in creation is governed for the benefit of the church the church is to increase to be cared for the church is protected by God the dragon then is sitting here it's just incredible imagery this dragon that is just waiting for this child to be born to debour him so so we see that the dragon at the start isn't again or isn't after the woman the dragon wants to destroy the child the dragon wants has a focus against the child that's where the warfare is all centered but the child escapes the dragon and that's when the dragon turns his rage toward the woman so if you keep your hand in revelation and if you go to Psalm 2 now we're going to open to the middle of our Bibles into Psalm 2 please it's just incredible when you get into you know I like the the Lutheran the Lutheran way of understanding that scripture interpret scripture because it helps to clarify it helps a lot to make sense of what doesn't seem to make sense and we see that that God has it he has what he wants us to know in his word so so it's just kind of cool that's a total aside but it's just it's just really cool to see how God gives us always through his word understanding so so in in Psalm 2 we read we read about the prophecy of this so reading in Psalm 2 it says why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed saying let us burst their bonds a sundering cast their cords from us he who sits in the heavens laugh the Lord has them in derision then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them within his fury saying I have set my king on Zion my holy hill I will tell of the decree of the Lord he said to me you are my son today I have begotten you ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession you shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel now therefore oh kings be wise be warned oh rulers of the earth serve the Lord with fear with trembling kiss his feet or he will be angry and you will perish in the way for his wrath is quickly kindled happy are all who take refuge in him so we see that in Psalm 2 God is telling us that he will anoint his king he will install his king who is the anointed one and in Psalm 2 verse 9 when it talks about the iron rod it's looking past the present age where gods or Christ rain is hidden right it's looking past that into the future rain when Christ's rain will be revealed in power and with glory and so it's light in light of the future rain the the future rain of Christ the kings kings are told fear worship and serve the Lord in that knowing that this rain indeed is coming and so this is what is the kings and those of us on earth are invited to to fear and worship so that that the escape of the wrath of God can happen remember happier all who take refuge in him we know that the rain the eternal forever rain is the Lord's and so when he comes again in all power and glory and and his kingdom is no longer hidden from the world we know as believers we do not need to tremble because our time now is is revering the Lord our king and and we know his kingdom is to come so that is that is an invitation and a warning right that that those who who revel in the worldly rain and the reign of the dragon gods wrath indeed will come upon them the dragon the dragon though can only look toward or look forward to his complete termination his a complete termination of his of his rule and so he's furious with this child he's furious with this child and that's where he wants to to snatch the child in Luke chapter one verses 31 and 32 we find out that the male child that is to be born to marry is to rule on the throne forever we know that his his rule and reign will be forever it is eternal and Jesus declares in his ministry over and over again that he is the shepherd he is the one who has come to call and gather the sheep just as God had promised so so in verse five going back to Revelation in verse five we read she gave birth to a son a male child who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron but her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne a lot happens in that phrase in this phrase we have the incarnation we have the ministry of Jesus we have the passion the death the resurrection and the ascension in just a little phrase so so so we have the sum of our whole everything that we know about Christ all in those few words that the child was born and snatched up to God Jesus the child he is exalted and enthroned it is not the dragon it is not the dragon who prevailed it is Christ it is the child born who prevailed praise the Lord the dragon couldn't destroy the child at his birth so now now we're going to jump down so so those verses one through six that an overall explanation of what's happening here then then John in his writing with the prophecy he comes back then beginning in verse seven and goes back over it and explains what happens and tells of it in more detail so in that we hear beginning in verse seven war broke out in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon the dragon and his angels fought back but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven the great dragon was thrown down that ancient ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan and deceiver of the whole world he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him then I heard a loud voice in heaven proclaiming now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down who accuses them day and night before our God but they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they did not cling to life even in the face of death rejoice then you heavens and those who dwell in them but woe to the earth and to the sea for the devil has come down to you with great wrath because he knows that his time is short okay a couple of things here why I keep highlighting that that this you know the first six verses give a shortened version and then we come back to get more details because when when one reads revelation in a linear fashion then we see that there are that that they're they're really then are two dragons how does this work and you see this timeline getting really muddled and very confused so when we understand that we're coming back to to the deeper explanation or more details it makes it clearer does that make sense yes oh good I'm so glad I also I also want to highlight I just find it so amazing these incredible descriptions of the serpent of the devil given where where it is it is in verse um verse 10 and into 11 it talks about um the accuser the accuser who accuses that day and night before our God and isn't that exactly what the devil does but stand there first saying you know come on it's okay you know tempting us warring us into sin we sin and then he says can you believe what you just did you should be ashamed you are unworthy you are un-savable right isn't that what the great accuser does I love those verses just it's just anyway so um so the dragon can't destroy child that has then the woman this this first Mary is now the church it's both the old and the new Israel um and and we read about that where where Paul in Romans writes about there's no longer Jew in Greek but but we're one in Ephesians chapter two we we read all about um the unity of who we are in Christ right that we are no longer separated but we are one we read in the New Testament in Paul where he talks about um you know we're all one in the Lord one Lord one spirit one baptism for the forgiveness of sin and so we have this unity and um let's go ahead and go back to Revelation verse 13 so when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child so he's pursuing after this woman he can't he cannot defeat the child and so he goes after the woman he goes after the church but the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she could fly from the serpent into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time see time and times and half a time okay we're gonna math that's okay this is this is simple math okay yes so we have we have time that's one we have times so that's two so we have that and then we have half so that is time times and half a time one plus two is three plus half is three and a half simple math now I'm gonna explain what this even means so so um three three and a half is half of number seven right so the number seven is very key here okay so when we read um we read earlier in Revelation we read about um about a 1,260 days uh that the witnesses of God are on the earth right and we read about um 1,260 days where where the city is trampled right and and so this is a very figurative language um three and a half years equals 1,260 days so we we're coming to look at this figuratively um and not linear so it's not that there will be two prophets proclaiming for three and a half years exactly and then there will be burning in the city for three and a half years exactly and then but it's it's figurative so the two the the prophets the witnesses of God were in that time period okay so um but we're talking about times time time times and and half a time um so so three and a half is half of seven seven is God's number seven is God's number remember he created in seven days and created in six rested on the seventh but but it's the seven days of creation um so so we have this this fullness in the number seven the fullness of of God well three and a half is half that is the devil's mockery of God three and a half is the devil's mockery of God and until the completion of God's time we are in a period of the devil's mockery we're in a period of the devil the accuser wreaking havoc and accusing doing all he can to torment the the church so he chased after the woman the woman went into the wilderness and she was in verse 14 it says that she is nourished for a time and times and half a time so we are currently in the time and times and half a time but the woman remember at this point is the church she is the church let's go back to Revelation to read in verse 15 then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman to sweep her away with the flood but the earth came to the help of the woman it opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth then the dragon was angry with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her children those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus so remember the dragon now is being referred to as the serpent where do we first see the serpent genocents in the Garden of Eden who deceive, eve and Adam right and is also told by God that he will be crushed that he will be crushed by Eve's offspring so now the dragon the serpent has been trying to devour this child can't cannot destroy the child he chases after the woman chases after the church continues to hound after the woman but the woman is cared for she is nourished she is nourished by creation she is provided for and we know that as the church we are under complete and the church being you know believers we are always under fire by the the serpent by the devil the dragon but we are nourished week after week with word and sacrament we are nourished day after day with word right and so we're always nourished and kept in in God's reign and rule by his mercy and by his grace so um yeah so God cares for the woman in the wilderness the serpent still causes a lot of pain a lot of anxiety and we see that he turns to then torment the rest of her seed. We talked about how family idolatry and really all idols can come from two different directions we pulled the old testament text that talked about the gods of our ancestors we applied that to how sometimes in family systems parenting from grandparents or parents can be brought into the system poor parenting and that becomes then part of how that system how that family operates or the gods of the Amorites how sometimes that which comes from our culture can influence how a family operates and so family idolatry can result from two different directions it can result from within it can result from without we took a look of course at the gracious word that is the forgiving word of God for us through Jesus Christ if we are convicted of the idol becoming or the family becoming an idol we hear of God's gracious word to us through the cross that is a word to cling to that is the word that gives us to light that is that gracious word that embraces us today I'd like to take a look at the idol of religion the idol of religion it's important as we come to this topic for us to define some terms so let me define what we're talking about when we talk about religion religion is the belief of the world religion is the is the human heart in its natural state religion is the belief that human beings can make themselves right before God religion is human beings going to God to affect this righteousness it's about what we do it's about either being good or bad those are components of religion how different that is from the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ the good news that Jesus Christ has born our sin on the cross that the tomb is empty that the world has been reconciled that we are a forgiven people claimed in the waters of baptism given a wonderful today and a glorious tomorrow life abundant life eternal it's the good news of the gospel how different that is how different it is from religion is what are the components of the gospel the components of the gospel is we can't make ourselves right before God we can't do that that God descended to humanity see the direction change it's not us trying to affect our own righteousness before God know it is God descending to us it is God who makes human beings right it's about not what we do it's about what Jesus did it's the fact that we are born bad Jesus is good and because of Jesus we have a glorious glorious future so here the distinction is then between religion and Christianity between religion and the gospel important point to remember is this Christianity should not be classified as a religion let me say that again Christianity should not be classified as a religion in fact when Christianity first arose it was never recognized as a religion it was understood as a non religion so with those terms then as the backdrop let's explore how religion can become an idol and remember the distinction between religion and Christianity to explore this let's go to Luke the 15th chapter please Matthew Mark then Luke Luke the 15th chapter and this is a parable of our Lord remember parables were earthly stories with heavenly meanings and this is a just an incredibly rich parable perhaps you are familiar with it it's a little bit on the longer side but I think it's important for us to take a fresh look at this parable and so we're going to pick up in verse 11 and I'd like to read through verse 32 so picking up in verse 11 of chapter 15 of the gospel of Luke then Jesus said there was a man who had two sons the younger of them said to his father father give me the share of the property that belongs to me so he divided his property between them a few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country and there he squandered his property in disillute living when he had spent everything a severe famine took place throughout that country and he began to be in need so he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs he would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating and no one gave him anything but when he came to himself he said how many of my father's hired hands have bred enough and to spare but here I am dying of hunger I will get up and go to my father and I will say to him father I've sinned against heaven and before you I am no longer worthy to be called your son treat me like one of your hired hands so he set off and went to his father but while he was still far off his father saw him and was filled with compassion he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him then the son said to him father I've sinned against heaven and before you I'm no longer worthy to be called your son but the father said to his slaves quickly bring out a robe the best one and put it on him put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet and get the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate for this son of mine was dead and his alive again he's lost and he's found and they began to celebrate it now his elder son was in the field and when he came and approached the house he heard music and dancing he called one of the slaves and asked what was going on he replied your brother has come out has come and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound then he became angry and refused to go in his father came out and began to plead with him but he answered his father listen for all these years I have been working like a slave for you and I've never disobeyed your command yet you've never given me a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends but when this son of yours came back who has devoured your property with prostitutes you killed the fatted calf for him then the father said to him son you're always with me and all that is mine is yours but we had to celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life he was lost and has been found this parable is historically understood as the parable of the prodigal son but notice back in verse 11 it says then Jesus said there was a man who had two sons I think really a better title for this parable would really be the parable of the two sons or perhaps the love of the father people will oftentimes define sin as immoral living they'll they'll define it in that category we're inclined to see the younger son here then as the only one who's guilty of sin but the older brother who was really highly moral was really far from a loving relationship with his father jump back into verse 1 of chapter 15 now all the text collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him and the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying this fellow welcomes sinners and eat with them so that's the occasion of this parable the Pharisees were just disgusted at Jesus welcoming sinners Pharisees were the most moral group around but their hearts were still far far from God Jesus was not seeking to make the Pharisees more moral now Jesus was seeking repentance by the Pharisees the older brother was just as far from the father as the younger brother the older brother was just as far from the father as the younger brother neither neither brother displayed that he actually loved the father or really cared about the father's happiness now they were both just using him to get the inheritance right the younger basically approaching it by saying I wish you were dead and the older was seeking to get the inheritance through being the upright upright son the one who did everything right but you see he's just trying to get the inheritance by his good behavior what's interesting is that at the end of the story the younger brother is at the feast and the older brother is outside with the Pharisees have understood that point would they have gotten what Jesus was trying to communicate you bet you bet they would the older brother the older brother had not come to the reality that the inheritance was by grace by grace look again with me please at verse 18 I'll get up and go to my father and I'll say to him father I've sinned against heaven and before you I'm no longer worthy to be called your son treat me like one of your hired hands this was a three-tiered plan then right from the younger a three-tiered plan he's going to go and say I've sinned against you I'm not worthy to be your son and now he's going to work his way back into his father's good graces work his way back into his father's life but what does his father do father cuts him off at the first two go on in to verse 21 then the son said to him father I've sinned against heaven and before you I'm no longer worthy to be called your son but the father said to his slaves quickly bring out a robe the best one and put it on him put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet get the fat of calf and kill it let us eat and celebrate for this son of mine was dead and alive he's lost in his fawn and they began to celebrate the father refused to let the son attempt to work his way back in the read admittance into the family was absolutely entirely by grace ponder with me for a moment Jesus is the true older brother he's the true older brother Jesus finds us he gives us read admittance into the father's family through the cross Jesus is the brother who paid our way and who gives us access to the banquet of the father grace grace not one one does but grace grace let's go to Galatians the fourth chapter Matthew Mark Luke John Acts and Romans first and second Corinthians and then Galatians and we'll pick up in chapter four Galatians chapter four the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes this my point is this airs as long as they are miners are no better than slaves though they are the owners of all the property but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father so thus while we were miners we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world but when the fullness of time had come gods sent his son born of a woman born under the law in order to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as as children and because you are children god has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying abba father so you are no longer a slave but a child and if a child then also an air through god formally when you did not know god you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods now however that you have come to know god or rather to be known by god how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits how can you want to be enslaved to them again you were observing special days and months and seasons and years I'm afraid that my work for you may have been wasted note the words here in this section the words here that highlight that our right relationship with god is entirely by grace and not by works remember the distinction again between religion and Christianity between religion and the gospel religion is all about works Christianity is about god's action to redeem us gods grace look again at verse one notice these words here that give us this gracious gracious message my point is this airs as long as our minor are no better than slaves you see an air means that something is unearned you are given you don't earn it go on to verse five in order to redeem redeem means to to buy back it indicates that we can't save ourselves god has to act to save us going on again into verse five the last part so that we might receive adoption as children adoption is not something for which a child deserves credit air redeemed adopted wonderful wonderful words verse nine now whoever that you've come to know god are rather to be known by god how can you return back again to the weakened beggarly elemental spirits how can you want to be enslaved to them again you're observing special days and months and seasons and years the Galatians had become enslaved by old religious customs they had forgotten that they were saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is not their own doing it is the gift of god they were assuming you see that it was Jesus plus something else it was Jesus plus adhering to religious rights it was Jesus plus works you hear it that's a slide that's a slide right into religion the idol of religion instead of Christianity so let me ask you a few questions today this can be questions that can test for the idol of religion in our lives here's the first do you ever feel uncertain about the status of your relationship with god how about this one are you often anxious worried and struggling with feelings of personal condemnation this one do you frequently condemn others especially on the basis of issues that are neither commended or condemned in scripture or forth do you feel like your life only has value when you're faithfully adhering to your religions moral codes and accomplishing its recommended activities see those are questions that can get at this whole issue for us about whether we are perhaps even in a subtle way sliding into the idolatry of religion what's the good news for us the good news is that through Jesus Christ we are forgiven that we're forgiven when we try and make Christianity into an idol of religion Christianity you see grace religion just a bunch of works but we can be tempted to slide and even in the subtlest of ways making Christianity into an idol of religion well as we've studied in these five weeks idolatry certainly continues to be an issue today that idolatry just wasn't that which occurred in ancient day no idolatry can take various forms we've talked in these weeks about how success can become an idol how technology can become an idol how the family can become an idol and how religion can become an idol but thanks be to God for the forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ because Jesus is so much more lovely he's so so much more beautiful than all the idols well I pray that this class has been a blessing to you next Sunday I'm going to start a new class it's going to take a look at biblical prophecy we're going to take a look at the wealth of prophecy in holy scripture and how do you understand it we're going to take a look at several different topics we're going to take a look at principles of prophecy we're going to take a look at prophecies that were fulfilled before Christ prophecies that were fulfilled by Christ prophecies that are being filled today and prophecies that will be fulfilled at Christ's return so we'll move into biblical prophecy next Sunday God bless you may you be used by him to boldly proclaim the gracious proclamation of Jesus Christ crucified and risen Good morning and welcome back to our study on idols. A carousine burning stove were all strangely puzzling to the inquisitive swamp merchants clinging together for moral support they watched the two on and the neonia that his wife with their baby they observed closely as the two on lifted a steaming bowl of food and began serving some of it onto his plate their eyes growing wide with mingle fascination and horror they glanced at each other and trembled then one of them put into words what they were all thinking a semmol hap ke maken these were a cannibal people they ate other humans but they never ate the brain they never ate the brain and so they ran out into the tribe and they were telling everyone about this to on who was eating brains it's true one of them exclaimed in words unintelligible to us it's true indeed the two on his eating brains wondering what the excitement was all about i lifted another fork full of macaroni to my lips it's a different world two world colliding how how was he going to be able to share the gospel of jesus christ with these people it was very very difficult the the warring villages of the sawi people had come together there were three tribes that had come together in the excitement of the two on and his family being there these three tribes that stayed at a distance from one another at all times unless they were hunting one another or seeking revenge because they were bound to war with one another if they got in close proximity but all of them wanted to be close to this white spirit all of them wanted to figure out what was happening all of them wanted the steel act and the match stick and the razors and the tin cups they were so excited about these tin cups because they would hold water otherwise they would go to the river throw up water into the air and try to catch it in their mouth because that was the same way to drink their water so they all wanted to be there and so dawn is trying to figure out how to speak to these people that are constantly warring with each other constantly fighting with each other he's trying to learn a language that had no written form he's just picking up what he can and making his many notes and writing everything he can to figure out how this language works and he's supposed to take this and communicate Jesus how is that going to happen and not with a very peaceful people though they were kind to him and his wife at that point so he gets to the point of trying to share Jesus trying to share the good news I spoke of God creating man in the midst of a beauty is some of the world the advent of evil into the human community the age old promise of a deliverer and finally the wondrous appearance of that deliverer I was approaching the climax of my narrative describing the ministry of Jesus among the Jewish people when suddenly my own yawned out loud and reached for his knife in a piece of split vine lying on the map beside him he was bored he didn't care about the story he didn't care about what he was hearing only once did my presentation win a ringing response from the them I was describing Judas is scary it's the trail of the son of God about halfway through the description I noticed they were all listening intently they noted the details for three years Judas had kept close company with Jesus sharing the same food traveling the same road at the climax of the story Maum who had whistle or who had yawned earlier whistled a bird called admiration Connie and several others touched their fingertips to their chest and off still others chuckled at first I sat there confused then the realization broke through they were claiming Judas as the hero of the story yes Judas the one whom I had portrayed as the satanically motivated enemy of truth and goodness and Connie leaned forward and exclaimed that was real to a son I man to a son I means to do with a man as one would do with a pig to fatten him with friendship for an unsuspected slaughter I saw now that the saw we were not only cruel but honored cruelty their highest pleasure depended upon the misery and despair of others overt killing no longer held real pleasure for them they would even risk letting an intended victim escape in order to pursue the more sophisticated ideal expressed in to a son I man that was why the story of Judas is scary it had aroused them it had touched the cold for of their psyche awakening a deep almost the blimminal response Judas was a super saw and Christ the object of Judas's treachery meant nothing to the men in the man house they honored the cruelty they honored the betrayal and the treachery they thought that was an ideal they lived to find the greatest treachery they could they lived to kill their enemy by tricking him first by inviting him in befriending him fattening him with friendship in order to betray him and kill him and eat him it was great honor in that culture so dawn was kind of stuck he's finally at a point where he can share Jesus and they hear about Jesus and they're cheering for Judas he knows the word he can speak with the saw he tribes but it doesn't matter because there is no hope for peace among these people there is no hope for them to understand Jesus in the words that he's using because even when someone is befriended in these tribes there is no guarantee that it's real there's no guarantee that these relationships these feelings these good vibes with these other tribes is real there's no trust there at all and so dawn is stuck because he's got three tribes of the sawi people living near him fighting with one another every single day no one had been killed at that point but he knew it was coming there was bloodshed every day over minor things in dawn's perspective and so he finally realized and announced Carol and Stephen and I need to leave you need to be able to live bar a part because there will be no peace amongst you if we stay you need to be in distance from each other so he announced that they were leaving and quickly the tribal leaders had meetings in each of their tribes and all my life long they were talking and they dawn and his wife could hear talking all night from these different tribal camps and in the morning they met together in a scene where the tribes were coming together the women were wailing and clawing at the men the men were carrying their children and don't know what was going on and so he watched and he saw two leaders kio and maehore they stood face to face maehore kio challenged will you plead the words of kimura among your people yes maehore responded I will plead the words of kimura among my people then I give you my son and with him my name and kio held for his son and maehore received him gently into his arms and then maehang held a lot one of his baby sons and cried kio will you plead the words of him and among your people yes then I give you my son and with him my name I give you my son and with him my name and don't watch as each of these men carried the other man's baby to his respective tribe and don't couldn't decide if he should stop this if they were going to kill these baby what was going on he didn't know what to do but he was also extremely curious at what was taking place he announced that he was going to leave because there could be no peace and all of the sudden these men are giving each other their babies and walking away and he didn't know what was happening and so he asked he asked a young man and the man said kio had given his son to him as a tarot tim a peace child and the hand in return has given a tarot tim to us why is this necessary I asked to on you have been urging us to make peace don't you know it's impossible to have peace without a peace child among the sawi demonstration of friendship with suspect except one if a man would actually give his own son to two his enemies that man could be trusted so they had a peace child and of course dawn Richard's in realized there's a way there's a way to communicate this there's a way to communicate after all when dawn had given up all hope when dawn thought there was absolutely no way to reach these people with the gospel of Jesus Christ right there in their own culture prepared way before dawn had ever heard of the sawi tried prepared for him for that moment to bring the gospel they had something within their culture within their culture of hate and cruelty they had something that was the peace child because my okodon this is dawn talking and he had named god in the sawi language he said my okodon it's the greatest spirit that's how he could explain who god is because my my okodon wants men to find peace with him and with each other he decided to choose a once for all tarot child good enough and strong enough to establish peace not just for a while but forever because all of the peace children that these warring tribes would give to each other eventually that that child would die because we all die as human beings and so then that war would pick up again until another peace child was offered and so he explained that Jesus because none of man's peace children were good enough that god had to send his own son to establish that peace forever for among all human children there was no son good enough or strong enough to be an eternal tarot I paused and searched their faces the curiosity level was rising whoever did he choose asked Mahane toasting a stick of beetle grubs over his cooking fire I answered with another question did kio give another man's son or his own he gave his own son they replied did you make him give another man's son or your own I gave my own he replied remembering the agony so did god they all it's that it clicked with them it made sense they heard it may have looked at me and asked if he the one you've been telling us about Jesus he's the very one I replied but you said a friend betrayed him if Jesus was a tarot it was very wrong to betray him we have a name for that we call it tarot gummon it's the worst thing anyone could do you're right again I said looking at me and in the eye despising the tarot child of god is the worst thing anyone can do I'm used inwardly before this moment jude jude has been a super saw me now now he was a villain tell us more man said laying aside his stick of toasted beetle grubs finally it made sense finally dawn had broken through with their own customs that still were not enough but Jesus Jesus the great spirit gave his son Jesus and all of a sudden it clicked and from there he started to be able to open up more and more of the gospel in this culture and language and try tried that had otherwise been closed at best and he was able to get the gospel into their lives and they started converting and he had some of the elders in the tribes who converted to Christianity and the peace children those two boys they grew up one died a young man that he was a Christian and the other one ended up getting getting educated and coming back to teach and he also lived a Christian life and think within those tribes how many they were able to save of that indigenous people just incredible I love that story so not only not only did dawn need the words of peace he needed that to click that message of peace through Jesus Christ he also needed the people to be of peace and open to receiving that word and that's nothing that dawn had done that was prepared beforehand by the grace of God that there would be a moment in their heart and hearts where they would be open they would be people of peace to hear that word and to receive that joy and that forgiveness so I wanted to share that story with you and if any of you ever want to read this you're welcome to borrow it it's a it's a fascinating fascinating story I'm still reading about cannibals who was twisted so our our gospel or our scriptural person of peace or experience of peace we're going to open up to act the 10th chapter it's the story of Peter and Cornelius and they spoke the same language they could understand each other but Peter was he was a Christian that at that point you know in Acts he was you know sharing the news of Jesus but he was sharing with other Jews and Cornelius was you the Gentile so it was still two cultures that were colliding still two cultures that could easily talk past one another but Cornelius Cornelius had been prepared by God he knew he knew that there was something and so it says if we pick up in verse 1 in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius a centurion of the Italian co-hort as it was called he was a devout man who feared God with all his household he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God that interesting he had not heard of Jesus at this point or Jesus Christ as the Savior who did not have that belief in Jesus but he was praying to God and giving alms he was starting his heart was warmed he was ready to receive and one afternoon at about three o'clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him Cornelius he stared at him in terror and said what is it Lord he answered your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God now send men to Jafa for a certain Simon who is called Peter he is lodging with Simon and Tanner whose house is by the seas seaside and when the angel who spoke to him had left he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him and after telling them everything he sent them to Jafa we continue with Peters side about noon the next day as they were on their journey and approaching the city Peter went up to the roof to pray he became hungry and wanted something to eat and while it was being prepared he fell into a trance he saw the heaven opened in something like a large sheet coming down being lowered to the ground by its four corners in it were all kinds of for footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air then he heard a voice saying get up Peter kill and eat but Peter said by no means Lord for I have never eaten anything that is good but he was a profane or unclean the voice said to him again a second time what God has made clean you must not call profane this happened three times and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had had or had seen suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared they invite him they tell him to come he goes to Cornelius and we're going to pick up we're going to pick up just a couple verses later in verse 23 the second part the next day he got up and went with them and some of the believers from Japa accompanied them the following day they came to Cessaria Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends on Peter's arrival Cornelius met him and falling at his feet worshipped him but Peter made him get up saying stand up I'm only immortal like the two on the two on the saw we people thought that Don Richardson was a spirit that he was a God of thought and Don had to correct them and say no no no no no get up just as Cornelius had to be told get up don't worship me I am not God and as he talked with him he went in and found that many had assembled and he said to them you yourself know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean so when I was sent for I came without objection now may I ask why you sent for me he was making it clear we have different cultures we are a different people but God has shown to me that you are not profane why am I here right we've got two cultures meeting not colliding meeting two people had been prepared for this Cornelius had been prepared Peter had been prepared for this and Peter picking up down in verse 34 Peter began to speak to them I truly understand that God shows no partiality but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him you know the message he sent to the people of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all that message spread throughout Judea beginning in Galilee after the baptism and John announced how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with him we are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem they put him to death by hanging him on a tree but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead all the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name he had the opening from Cornelius you have a word for me Peter what is this word the saw we tried they wanted to hear what Dawn had to say they didn't know what he had to say and it didn't click Cornelius knew he wanted to hear what Peter had to say and what does Peter tell him he tells him exactly who Jesus was exactly what happened to Jesus and exactly who Jesus is picking up in 44 while Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God then Peter said can anyone withhold water for baptising these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have so he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ then they invited him to stay for several days good news good news shared and think when this when this word of the gospel when the good news of Jesus Christ was opened to the Gentiles it continued to spread out and out and out that is how we have this word because Cornelius was open to it Peter was told by God that the Gentiles were not profane take this word to them Cornelius heard it his family heard it his household heard it they were filled with the Holy Spirit they were baptized and they took that message out to their whole household was baptized their whole household was converted these tribes the men of the tribes the others of the tribes heard the word of the Lord and they were baptized and they took it out God's word is promised to reach the ends of the earth and it does God's word is performative it does what it says and that's where this is so exciting to see these real people from scripture and from real today history that they took this word of the Lord and they reached out and they reached across barriers and they've reached across language barriers and they've reached across other cultures and they've shared Jesus and Jesus as the word of God does what he said and he forgives sin and he brings and calls them calls us as sinners to himself so what this means I guess for us today is that we don't quite know always who God is calling us to be amongst and sometimes there are these absolutely impossible situations like dawn where I got to wash my hands of this I need to leave because this isn't working I'm not getting through we don't ever know who God is calling us to be amongst but he is always preparing a way for us he's always preparing people preparing their hearts to hear the word of the Lord and if God was open an entry point with a savage and cannibalistic people certainly he has opened an entry point for you and for I to share our faith with someone maybe our favorite barista at the coffee shop maybe our children the other parents at our children's sports events maybe a coworker maybe someone in Chicago or Navajo New Mexico or Costa Rica or Dove Elementary we never know who God is preparing for us to share that word with but we know he's preparing it and we know we have that word so even when we're called out of our comfort zone even when we called into a new culture we have the word and we will be given that moment that in like the peace child will have that connecting moment with whom we're supposed to be sharing the gospel so learn the people learn the people that you interact with learn about who they are where they come from that's the beauty of being everyday missionaries as we are we get to learn our neighbors we get to learn the different cultures and what makes people tick and then we get to share the word and we need to remember that we're not the savior Jesus is we're not swooping in to save anyone Jesus has already saved us we get to deliver that news so that other people may be saved as well we are the messengers Jesus is the savior and God has prepared for us the peace child whatever that may be because God gave us his peace child I feel like I have to end saying that's really good news it's just incredible so I really I really do encourage you to to go out this week and keep in mind who God is putting in your lives and the different cultures even if it's someone from the Northeast if that's the different culture then why is God putting that person in your life and how can you connect and how can you share Jesus you Well, last week we took a look at despair and carnal security and we said, what's the middle road between the two of them? Here Paul writing under the inspiration of the Spirit says this, now you have observed my teaching my conduct my aim in life my faith my patience my love my steadfastness my persecutions and my suffering the things that happen to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra what persecutions I endured yet the Lord rescued me from all of them indeed all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted but wicked people and imposter will go from bad to worse deceiving others and being deceived but as for you continue in what you have learned and firmly believe knowing from who you learned it and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus all scripture is inspired Greek there means exhaled by God all scripture is exhaled by God and is useful for teaching for reproof for correction for training and righteousness so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient equipped for every good work the scripture then is trustworthy for doctrine for our faith and for our life and we're going to see in this class how God balances truths we'll see how one truth makes another truth more clear and we're going to example that we're going to examine the narrow middle of scripture and how if error is made you wind up in the ditch on either side the devil tries to manipulate our struggle to stay on the narrow middle so Satan is at work with regard to this let's go to Matthew the fourth chapter please Matthew chapter four very first book in the New Testament Matthew chapter four verse five Matthew four picking up in verse five and there we read then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle that's Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple saying to him if you are the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he will command his angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against the stone Jesus said to him again it is written do not put the Lord your God to the test notice here how Jesus fights temptation he fights temptation by the work look again here at at verse five if you're the verse six if you're the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he will command his angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone well there's a promise here in scripture right there's a promise that God will protect his people God will protect his people that's a truth isn't it however look how Satan uses the word here turn over please to Psalm 91 an easy way to find the book of Psalms is just open up the scriptures to the middle Psalm 91 verse 11 and it's interesting here that when Satan quotes scripture Satan just leaves out a little bit here of Psalm 91 that he's quoting so when Psalm 91 verse 11 it says for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone interesting there in Matthew the fourth chapter that what Satan eliminates is to guard you in all your ways the assumption here in Psalm 91 is that our ways will be in accordance with God's word God does not promise to protect me if following the 11 o'clock service I say I'm going to blindfold myself and walk across northwest highway as an expression of faith in the protective hand of Almighty God no that would just simply be dumb right that would be dumb so we've got the promise God will protect you but Satan leaves out the part in all of your ways assuming that you will enact in accordance with what God wants you to do which would not be put a blindfold on and walk across northwest highway faced with the promises of scripture faced with the truths of scripture we can be tempted to overemphasize one truth and thereby fall into air for example we can overemphasize the grace and love of God so that we then say since God is so loving filled with grace there is no hell you see that's where you overemphasize one promise and you fall in the ditch of air we can overemphasize the grace and love of God so that we wind up in the ditch of the error of universalism that says everyone in the end will be saved no matter what it is they believe or don't believe that's universalism in the end God's going to save everybody and the argument of the universalists is because God is so loving and gracious see what happens that's not dismissal of scripture denial you make arguments that it is but it's an overemphasis of one truth to where one falls then in the ditch of air why do we wind up in so many ditches the reason why one can wind up in so many ditches why one can stray from the middle of scripture where we see God balancing truths and we have to hold those truths together one of the reasons why we can wind up in the ditches is we listen to reason where reason takes control where the word of God should be in control now is is reason a blessing well sure it is is reason a gift of God absolutely reason provides order in life by helping us make reasonable decisions have you ever heard the phrase or used to use it yourself what would you use your head use your head here or I didn't use my head when I when I made that decision well that's just simply referring to reason reason is helpful in the study of of scripture as you're comparing passages as you're looking at the meaning of words as you're tracking down things in scripture reason is helpful but when it comes to theology and remember what theology is the Greek word for God is Theos T-H-E-O-S so you've got God written in theology is the study of God when it comes to theology reason must have the role of servant to the word of God reason doesn't want to accept that role why because our reason is corrupted by sin so we want to elevate our reason above the word of God have you ever heard as you're talking about something a matter of faith with someone and they say to you I don't care what the scripture says I know what I think you see that's the elevation of a person's reason above the scripture where the person says well what seems sensible to me the sharpest conflict between the fallen reason and the word of God is found in the doctrine of salvation that is the sharpest conflict between our fallen reason and the word of God it's right at the doctrine of salvation let's go to first Corinthians the first chapter Matthew Mark Luke John, Acts and then Romans first Corinthians first Corinthians chapter 1 will pick up in verse 18 for the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it's the power of God for it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart where's the one who's wise where's the scribe where's the debater of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world for since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom God decided through the foolishness of our proclamation to save those who believe or in Romans the third chapter Romans the book right before first Corinthians Romans chapter 3 verse 5 pull dismantles reason here so Romans chapter 3 verse 5 but if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God what should we say that God is unjust to inflict wrath on us I speak in a human way by no means for then how could God judge the world but if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory why am I still being condemned as a sinner and why not say as some people slander us by saying that we say let us do evil so that good may come their condemnation is deserved Paul is addressing the absurdity that we should go ahead and sin so that God has opportunities to show his grace and love to us see that's a fallen reason who says this is fantastic forgiveness to God God likes to forgive so I'll give him opportunities to forgive me it's a win win right it's a win for us and it's a win for God we're all happy we'll just sin up a store you see Paul takes reason in correct use and dismantles it he knew the narrow middle between contempt for God's gift of reason on the one hand and enthronement of reason over God's word on the other hand and he avoids the ditch by holding to the truth think of think of Satan's blatant attacks just blatant attacks on the word with regard for example to the Ten Commandments the murderer who reasons that his own life will that his own life and well-being are somehow threatened by the continued life of his enemy therefore his enemy should be murdered see that's reason go on a stray the two people having sex outside of the marital union or the adulterer who says but we love each other we love each other how about doctrine Jesus says this is my body this is my blood reason says Jesus could not have meant that so plainly so is doesn't mean is because it doesn't fit reasonably how can you have bread and wine and say this is my body and this is my blood that doesn't fit reason and so reason leads you then into a symbolic understanding with regard to holy communion because it's more compatible to reason to say that when we come forward to communion what we're receiving is a little bit of wine or grape juice and bread and that is a reminder of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross that seems reasonable but Jesus did not say did he he didn't say let this piece of bread remind you of the cross ahead let this wine remind you of my blood that will be shed he said this is my body and this is my blood and he refers to bread and wine so we take scripture then at face value and we say if scripture says bread and wine body and blood we say what is communion Luther wrote holy communion is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given with bread and wine for the forgiveness of sin is that hard for our head to wrap around sure but is that what the scripture says yes and so we bow to the authority of scripture and reason becomes the servant of the word we see in scripture where the word is ignored all together in Catholic doctrine you have the creation it is non-scriptural of purgatory where one goes to work off their sinfulness to make themselves worthy enough for heaven that the sins are forgiven prior to baptism but now you've got to work off the sins with regard to after baptism and so you go to purgatory to work that out that makes sense to the reason right it makes sense to a reason that's used to works righteousness works righteousness is all about us around us in our society it makes sense to us that indeed we then have to work off our salvation is it scriptural absolutely not absolutely not reason says well Mary must have been without sin after all her womb held the savior that sounds reasonable is it scriptural no praying to the saints to intercede for us that sounds reasonable because why not get a few friends here that can kind of help us out before the Almighty right does it sound reasonable sure is it scriptural no reason can act even more subtly reason can pretend to defend one truth of God in order to dismiss another for example Kelvin held up the truth that indeed our salvation is totally the work of God we contribute nothing to it it is totally the work of God what Christ has done for us on the cross totally the work of God faith is a gift Kelvin held up that we contribute absolutely nothing to our salvation but Kelvin falls in the ditch because he then says God chose some to be saved and some to be damned so he falls in the ditch of error why because there's the overemphasizing of one truth and that is God's action in our salvation what Kelvin ignores is what scripture says that if we don't believe then it's totally our own fault and so by overemphasizing one truth you wind up in a ditch what what's the Lutheran middle what is what does Lutheran say if you believe it's totally the work of God if you don't believe it's solely your own fault well how do you resolve that by reason well you don't because if you resolve it by reason you're gonna you're gonna let go by overemphasizing one truth over the other so you let the word stand as it is and you know God has got it figured out in God's own mind and that's good enough for me you too we just let God be God so then you have Arminius who comes along Arminius reacts to Kelvin Arminius says that we are the ones that are responsible for our salvation because we accept what Jesus Christ did on the cross with our free will we accept what Jesus Christ did on the cross what happens with Arminius Arminius just falls on the other ditch right just falls on the other ditch and what Arminius denies is our original sin how scripture says we are fallen and blind and dead and enemies of God period so what can happen then is Satan can work very subtly and can lead to the over-emphasis of truth which actually winds you up in air where reason comes in and says what is reasonable for us instead of reason submitting to the authority of the word Luther said this when something in the Bible conflicts with my reason I simply doth off my doctor's cap and assume that the Holy Spirit the ultimate author of the scriptures is a little smarter than doctor Luther got it right right he puts reason in place in the weeks ahead by God's grace we're going to stay on the on the middle road affirming the truths of scripture so that the ditches we don't wind up in because our eyes are riveted on the word of God so we're going to take a look at the Lutheran middle between doubt and presumption between carnal security and despair between an exclusive emphasis on God's providence or on God's promises concerning prayer the middle between good works and bad works the middle between idolatrous love of the world and ungrateful contempt for the world the middle between the universal priesthood of all believers and the office of the minister the middle between the doctrine of election and the great commission the middle between our anticipation of heaven heaven and serving Christ in the here and now it's great to have you as part of this class we'll continue next week Well, last week we took a look at the subject of how do we minister to people who are troubled with regard to their own sinfulness. Would you open your bios please to Matthew the 22nd chapter if you're using a Pew edition of God's Word you're going to find that on page 21 for our time of study today Matthew chapter 21 the trap the trap you ever noticed how many times when Jesus was asked a question it was a it was a trap question it wasn't a question that was generated out of wanting to know more or having something clarified or gaining more knowledge it was a question that was a trap for him for example take a look as we're in Matthew chapter 22 go down to verse 35 five please there we read this in one of them a lawyer asked him a question to test him teacher which commandment in the law is the greatest what was the motive test him was a trap or turn over please to chapter 19 of Matthew verse three Matthew 19 verse three some Pharisees came to him and to test him they asked is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause or back in Matthew chapter 22 picking up in verse 23 the same day some sadgesies came to him saying there is no resurrection and they asked him a question saying teacher Moses said if a man dies childless his brother shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother now there were seven brothers among us the first married and died childless leaving the widow to his brother the second did the same so also the third down to the seventh last of all the woman herself died in the resurrection then whose wife of seven will she be for all of them had married her let's a convoluted test question isn't it a trap question we see in Scripture that when we are in heaven we are not married and interestingly the question is coming from the sadgesies who didn't believe in the resurrection the trap questions trap questions soul also in our text for today the trap look please adverse 15 then the Pharisees went and plotted to and trap him in what he said so they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians so there's two groups here the Herodians was a group of Jews they had allegiance to wrong who is the people in power so the Herodians Jewish group they had their allegiance with wrong the Pharisees another Jewish group they hated wrong hated wrong they wrong rule over them so you've got the Pharisees and the Herodians interestingly in mark the third chapter it says the Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him that being Jesus how to destroy him but typically typically you don't see this this alliance between the Herodians and the Pharisees because they saw things differently going on the very next verse verse 16 so they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians saying teacher we know that you are sincere and teach the way of God in accordance with truth and show difference to know what for you do not regard people with parciality all of the things of the Herodians and the Pharisees were saying is absolutely true isn't it it is absolutely true that Jesus is sincere and teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth that he shows difference to no one that he didn't regard people with parciality but all of this flattery here for Jesus is absolutely laughable is there was no greater critics of the Lord Jesus than the Pharisees this is all simply a setup for the trap verse 17 tell us then what you think is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not the tax here that they're getting after it was called the whole tax it was the most hated tax of the Jews in ancient day it was literally a tax on every single head and the Jews they hated it just a little aside here remember when Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because a census was taken the purpose of the census being taken was to get an accurate count of the heads for what purpose the poll tax the poll tax they hated it now if Jesus answers no to this question then the Herodians will say not he's being disloyal to Rome he wants to overthrow Rome if he answers yes to the question then the Pharisees will say he's in love with Rome how could he possibly be in love with Rome you see it's a trap it's a trap question of two different groups that already have their answer to the question it's a trap and Jesus sees right through it verse 18 but Jesus aware of their malice said why are you putting me to the test you hypocrites show me the coin used for the tax and they brought him a the Narius memorandonarius is equivalent to a day's worth of wages for a common labor so Jesus turns and says your bunch of hypocrites here show me the coin used for the tax they brought him a denarius the coin would have been silver on one side of the coin it would have had the image of the emperor tibirius Caesar and on the other side of the coin there would be an inscription and the inscription on the coin that was given to Jesus it read tibirius Caesar son of the divine Augustus pretty heavy stuff for the seizures of all to guard themselves as God and you understand here what tibirius Caesar is saying on the coin right that he is the son of God very next verse verse 20 then he Jesus said to them who's head or you translated image who's image is this and who's title they answered the empers everybody would know that then he said to them give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empers give there in the Greek it it's a word that means you owe something pay the debt Jesus says will who's those images on the coin well let's see's as well then pay the debt you have a debt you owe pay it pay the tax hold picks up on this in Romans 13 chapter Paul writing on the inspiration of the spirit writes this let every person be subject to the governing authorities for there's no authority except from God and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God he goes on to say therefore one must be subject not only because of wrath but also because of conscience for the same reason you also pay taxes for the authorities our gods servants busy with this very thing pay to all what's do them taxes to whom taxes are due revenue to whom revenue is due respect to whom respect is due honor to whom honor is due it's the same thought of Jesus isn't it okay then back in chapter 22 of Matthew verse 20 Jesus says he said to them who's head is this and whose title they answered the empers then he said to them give their fork to the emperor the things that are the empers you need to pay the Jesus says you need to pay the tax whose image is on the coin but notice where Jesus goes next in Colossians the very first chapter Paul writes that this speaking of Jesus he says he is the image of the invisible God you want to know what God is like you look at Jesus he is Paul says the image of the invisible God he goes on to say the first born of all creation that's a word that doesn't mean that Jesus was created it's a word that means preeminence for him all things in heaven and on earth were created that's the first chapter of the gospel of John right that through Christ everything was that is was made through Christ for in him all things in heaven on earth were created things visible and invisible with a thrones or dominions or rulers or powers all things have been created through him and for him he owns it all he himself is before all things and in him all things hold together what is Scripture tell us that all of God's promises have their yes in Jesus Paul saying everything holds together through Christ verse 18 he's the head the source the origin he's the origin of the body the church he's the beginning the first born from the dead Jesus was raised out of the tomb he is the cause for the resurrection so that he might come to have first place in everything for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven by making peace through the blood of his cross it is a glorious and rich section and how does it all begin he is the image of the invisible God the Pharisees and the Herodians they recognized the image on the coin but they didn't recognize the image of the one who was standing before them the son of God they recognized the image on the coin but not the image of the these son of God standing right before and the son of God says verse 21 give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and that he sets and to God the things that are God's he turns to them and says pay the debt to Caesar pay the debt pay the taxes and the very one that tells them to do that the very one is the one who paid the debt of our sin all of those thoughts all of those words all of those deeds all of the things done and all of the things left undone he paid our debt of our sin on the cross to win for us the absolute the word of forgiveness Jesus said give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and to God the things that are God's and the father sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ to the cross to win salvation and that victory of the cross and the empty tomb is put with the water and we are washed in the victory we are washed in the declaration we are washed in that promise and what does God say in the waters of baptism to us but your mind your mind for all of the turn it your mind give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and to God the things that are God's and may we buy his grace yield absolutely everything in our life every area in our life may we yield it by his grace yield it all to the one to whom we belong first twenty two when they heard this they were amazed and they left him and went away there were amazed for the word means marveled see only time the only time in the entire new testament that this word for amazement is used it's the only time Jesus has schooled them he's schooled them it is concise it is clear it is absolute truth and they are marveling at what they have just heard but what did they do they walked away they walked away from the Lord Jesus Christ they walked away by God's grace let us continue to walk each and every day amazed and marveling at the love of God for us by his grace let us be amazed and marvel at the Lord Jesus Christ the image of the invisible God and by God's grace may we yield everything and free to the one who owns all to the one to whom we belong Would you open up your Bibles please with me to Psalm 86 for our study this morning? It's a teaching that we are freed by grace from sin so sin really isn't sinning we're just letting Jesus do his thing we're letting that grace be washed over even more so we're not doing anything wrong the law in any way in no way applies to us because we are free in Christ we are free from sin and so we're going to do whatever we want because whatever we want is in the freedom and we have full and more grace and we want to let Jesus do what he does so well which is offer us mercy and grace but think about this again thinking about the butterfly in the Christmas the butterfly that we see here who has emerged from this world of darkness emerged into this new life it doesn't work its way back into the Christmas it doesn't attempt to climb back into that confining and constricting darkness of the Christmas so why would the believer in that new life that he or she has been given through Christ Jesus attempt to crawl back into the constrictive and dark bondage of sin into that darkness of the sinful life we wouldn't the new believer or the any believer the new the Christian living in that new life would not work his or her way back into into walking or living in darkness and we can't assume that the person in new life through Jesus Christ would be wanting to work backwards or that we can simultaneously walk in the dark and the light it's not possible the butterfly who has emerged from the Christmas cannot fly and remain in the Christmas cannot experience flitting from one flower to the next while remaining in the dark cramped confining space of the Christmas just like we as believers cannot walk freely in the grace cannot walk freely as believers in Jesus Christ moving freely through the spirit and in the spirit doing good works by the spirit while remaining in the dark while remaining in bondage to sin we have been given new life and this is where Paul answers his own question so he asks what are we to say should we continue in sin in order that grace may may abound and he answers in verse two by no means by no means and he is so emphatic here that is a very strong exclamation sort of a point he's making no absolutely not God forbid that is what we do he continues how can we who died to sin go on living in it see death has already happened death to sin has already happened sin reigns in death sin has power in death in the curse but Christ defeated that curse Christ had victory over death so sin cannot reign over Christ or reign over anyone who is in Christ we died to sin as we became believers and this is not our own doing as as Paul continued do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death and now we're going to talk that new life that we are given in baptism in baptism we emerge through those waters we emerge from the waters as new people with a new life we hear where Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3 he talks about how we must be born again we must be new we must be brought into that new life and it's done through the waters of baptism baptism connects us to the death of Jesus Christ and it's really interesting when you consider baptism and the language that we use but it's really the only language that's appropriate when considering the blessings and what we are given in baptism it's not just something were given but it's something that is applied to us in baptism the salvation that we applied to us forgiveness is applied to us all of the righteousness that Christ has lived for himself lived through his own life it is applied to us in baptism and there is this relationship that is inaugurated that is beginning which brings us into Christ Jesus it brings us into a relationship with him and into the body of Christ Jesus and we are brought then into his death and we are brought then into his victory in Christ we have no condemnation under sin in Christ we have no condemnation under the law because he has applied to us his own righteousness in baptism we are able or through and because of baptism we are able to resist sin it's out there because we are baptized because we are people of faith does not mean that the devil is not still attempting to tempt us it does not mean that the devil is not as Peter puts it prowling like a lion ready to devour the devil is seeking to snatch us but in Christ we are given and through our baptisms we are given the ability to resist sin instead of persisting in it instead of running to it instead of trying to climb back into that chrysalis we are able to fly freely as the butterfly does and one of the things that we have to remember is that the faith and the righteousness that we are given in baptism they aren't separate things they really held together we are given and we are called into faith and all of that righteousness and Holy Spirit and living by the Holy Spirit and being empowered by the Holy Spirit that is all given to us in our baptisms when when Paul writes that we have died to sin and that we live in Christ when we have died to sin it's not an everlasting thing as far as we have to do it over and over and over again it's really written as a one-time event when we are baptized we died to sin it is done sin does not cannot reign over us we have the earthly struggle but sin does not reign just as when we were baptized it is a one time event we don't have to renew ourselves we don't have to re-establish ourselves or re-establish our relationship with Christ or rejoin ourselves to Christ day after day after day it is one baptism for the forgiveness of sins in our one baptism we were joined to Christ one and done when we were baptized we died to sin one and done what we do daily in that new life being born again into new life in Christ when Martin Luther writes about when we wash our faces remember our baptisms he's not saying wash your face and recommit yourself he is saying wash your face remind yourself that you are joined to Christ that you have been washed in his righteousness and that you today will walk in the newness of that life that has been claimed for you and so are response to our baptism is that we do walk in the newness of the life that has been given to us we don't seek to find that Christmas again we don't seek to climb back into darkness into a life of sin we don't seek to give Jesus a reason to exercise his grace we live freely in the grace and the mercy that has already been given to us and applied to us sin does not have dominion over you you have new life in Jesus Christ which was applied to you in your baptism the new life that we lead here this side of heaven is really a foretaste of the eternal life which we will lead with Jesus in our fully resurrected and glorified eternally new life with him the father and the Holy Spirit in the small cataclysm Martin Luther references the washing and regeneration by the Holy Spirit in regards to our baptism and when you think about what regeneration means really it's a reformulation or it's a formulation of a new thing of a new animal so if we think again about our butterfly metaphor it started as a caterpillar and it was in a Christmas and it emerged new as a new animal it is no longer a caterpillar it is a butterfly it's a new being we are born into this world as enemies of God we are born as children with a nature of wrath we are born hating God and as we are washed in the waters of baptism as we are called into faith we emerge with this new life this new life which lives in the freedom of Christ Jesus we are new and we are given that new life out of the grace of Jesus Christ therefore Paul continues in verse 4 we have been buried with him by baptism into death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father so we too might walk in newness of life in baptism you were claimed as God's own child you were brought into his family you were brought into himself the relationship that you have with Jesus Christ through and because of baptism is one that is more intimate than any relationship you will ever have with anyone else and it is in the new life that you are given through that relationship that you are able to resist sin that you are able to resist the darkness and the powers of this world and that you are able to walk in the new life that God has so graciously created for you so you look around during this spring and you see all this new life popping up everywhere but bring it back find pictures of your baptism find pictures of your loved ones baptism find pictures of your grandchild or your parents baptism and celebrate the new life that was created on that day for truly, truly new life began it was a life that was created in for and by Jesus Christ out of his love and mercy for you Good morning and welcome to worship.

Video citations

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• Heroes of Forgiveness — Okay, yes, good morning again. So we are wrapping up with our heroes of faith today. It's our last time This does not mean that you cannot look up other heroes of faith and see how they how…
• Heros of Peace — Have you ever tried to communicate with someone that just does not seem to communicate in the same way? Were you talk past each other, no pointing at yourself? Were you talk past each other or they…
• The Lutheran Middle 4 — Well, last week we took a look at despair and carnal security and we said, what's the middle road between the two of them? Those that fall into the ditch of carnal security fall into a ditch in…
• The Lutheran Middle 3 — Well, last week we talked about the middle road between doubt and presumption, between doubt and presumption. And remember, we had talked about how reason grasps on to what it knows. So when a…
• The Lutheran Middle 1 — One of the emphasis of this congregation because it is an emphasis of Scripture is doctrine. It is incorrect to say that whenever the Bible is taught there's no theology. There's always theology.…
• Comforting Others Session 4 — Well, last week we took a look at the subject of how do we minister to people who are troubled with regard to their own sinfulness. And we examine the question, are some sins worse than others? And…
• Comforting Others Session 3 — Well, we took a look last week about the subject of how do you comfort someone who is wondering if God is good or not? And that is the subject of the Odyssey. The Odyssey is the justification that…
• Heresies 2 — Gracious Heavenly Father, what a precious time it is together as your people around your Word. And we ask as we study the heresies of old that we will hear the echoes today and be able to respond…
• Heresies 5 — Races seven, they father, thank you for this time now in your word, your word is truth. Thank you for the privilege of delving in to your word and by your Holy Spirit, plumbing the depths of it, the…
• Heresies 12 — Well, we studied last week about the Sadducees and the Corinthians, and in particular, they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. We hear this expressed in the modern-day form of when…
• Justification 1 What Do We Mean By Justification — We give you thanks, O Lord, that all throughout this your house now and this hour, people from the youngest among us are gathering to receive your word. And we know that when your word is sent…
• Justification 4 Whom Does God Justify — Heavenly Father, it is easy to question your love for us and to have doubts about our salvation. Give us faith to trust you when you tell us that we are saved and to base that trust on the simple…
• Justification 5 Who Benefits From Justification — Jesus, you have carried out the work of our salvation perfectly and completely. Send the Spirit to give a simple trust in you as our Savior. May you receive all the praise for our salvation. May it…
• "For You" 4-2-26 — There are many sweet, sweet words in Scripture. Off of the top of my head, I think of Psalm 23, and the beautiful beginning verse of the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Or in the prophet…
• "Tears of Jesus" 3-29-26 — Would you open your Bibles with me please? To the Gospel of Luke the 19th chapter. The Gospel of Luke is in the New Testament. If you're using a few addition, you'll find that on page 72. Luke the…
• "What Joy" 3-22-26 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 15th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 67 in the New Testament. We're in the Gospel of…
• Change in the World: "Leaven Response" 3-15-26 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the Luke 13th chapter if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture this morning? You're going to find that in the New Testament page 66. Luke 13th…
• “Intentional” 3-8-26 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 16th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of this Bible, you will find it on page 68 in the New Testament. We're in Luke, chapter…
• "Patches and Wineskins" 2-19-26 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me this evening, to the ninth chapter of the gospel of Matthew, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, that you'll find in the Pew Rackin front of…
• "Fulfilled" 1-11-26 — Would you please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew the third chapter? If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 3 in the New Testament. We're in the Gospel of…
• "Good News" 1-4-26 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark the first chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible which can be found in the Pue and front of you or if you're in the front…
• "Obedient from Beginning to End" 12-28-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke the second chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 51 in the New Testament. We're in Luke chapter 2.…
• Human and Divine: "No Crying He Makes" 12-24-25 — What you open your Bible's please for a time in God's Word to the second chapter of the gospel of Luke. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find in the Pew rack in front of you…
• Chosen by God: "Elect" 12-14-25 — Would you open up your Bibles, please, with me to the 13th chapter of the gospel of Mark. Mark the 13th chapter for our time in God's Word. If you're using a Pew edition, you'll find in the Pew rack…
• Second Coming: "Left Behind" 12-7-25 — Who's your open your Bibles, please, with me, to the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew for our time of study. Today, if you're using a Pew edition, you'll find in the rack in front of you or…
• "Greater Than" 11-30-25 — Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets. These prophets, great prophets of old Jeremiah, Elijah, Elijah, Micah, Isaiah. They came prophesying oftentimes a very…
• :Thanksgiving" 11-26-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 22nd chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 75 in the New Testament. We are in Luke, the 22nd…
• "Grace" - Finding Grace 11-2-25 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture in front of you or underneath you, you're going to find that in…
• "Know" 10-26-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John, the 14th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 95 in the New Testament. We are in the Gospel of…
• God’s claim on us: "Not Your Own" 10-19-25 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 10th chapter of the gospel of John, if you're using a few addition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that New Testament page 90 for our study…
• “Sustenance” 9-21-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John 6 chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 85 in the New Testament, where in the Gospel of John 6…
• Children: "Set Apart for the Way” 8-24-25 — Would you open up your Bibles, please, with me to Proverbs 22nd chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find Proverbs 22 on page 567 in the Old Testament. Proverbs…
• "Just What I Need" 8-3-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Old Testament page 575, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, we're going to be in Proverbs, Chapter 30, Proverbs, Chapter 30. Before we turn or…
• Listening: "What?" 7-27-25 — Would you open up your Bible's please for our time and God's word today to Proverbs the 18th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament…
• Anger: Count to Ten 7-20-25 — Which open your Bible's please with me for a time and God's Word to Proverbs? The 15th chapter. If you're using a few additional full-day scripture, you're going to find that on page 560 in the Old…
• "A Life of Peace" 7-13-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to Proverbs 10, Proverbs 10. This is in the Old Testament. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 556, Proverbs 10, verses 24 and…
• "Speak" 7-6-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 31, Proverbs 31, if you're using a Puedition of the Bible, this can be found on page 576 in the Old Testament. We're in Proverbs 31. Last…
• Speech: "Tact" 6-29-25 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to Proverbs 16th chapter, Proverbs 16, if you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find in the rack in front of you or underneath you, you'll…
• Delight in God: "Favorite Things" 6-22-25 — Would you open your Bible's please for our time and God's Word to Proverbs 6, chapter 6, page 552, if you're using a Pue edition, 552 in the Old Testament. Reen drops on roses and whiskers on…
• Good Fear- When Fear is Good. 6-15-25 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to Proverbs 9th chapter for our time in God's Word today? Proverbs 9th chapter of using a Pew edition, you're going to find that on page 554 in the Old…
• "Reality Check" 6-8-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Book of Proverbs 24th chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 569 in the Old Testament, where in the Book of…
• "Discipleship" 5-25-25 — Do open your Bibles, please, with me to the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 67 in the New Testament. Luke, the…
• "Tell" 5-18-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Book of Acts chapter 4, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 104 in the New Testament, or in the Book of Acts 4 chapter.…
• "Stumbling" 5-4-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the first letter of John, this is in the New Testament. If you are using a Pue edition of the Bible, it is on page 211 in the New Testament, where in the…
• "Made and Molded" 4-27-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Book of Acts, the second chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, that can be found in the New Testament on page 104. The Book of Acts chapter…
• "Peace" Look Here 4-13-25 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to second Corinthians the fifth chapter. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 159. Second Corinthians the…
• "For Him" 4-6-25 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to second Corinthians the fifth chapter. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 159. Second Corinthians the…
• "Say What?" 3-30-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the letter to the Romans, this is on page 133. If you are using a Pue edition of the Bible, page 133, we're in Romans chapter 1. While you're looking for…
• "Back to the Beginning" 3-23-25 — I want to share a story with you. There was a young girl who was in grade school and as they had show in tell one day, one of her friends stood up and showed a doll that was absolutely incredible…
• Impatience: Antidote for impatience 3-16-25 — What you open your Bible's please with me to Psalm 130 for our time and God's Word today. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament, page 537,…
• Ignorance/Bliss 3-9-25 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, for our time and God's Word to the fourth chapter of the Book of Ephesians. If you're using a Puedition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that page…
• Alone: "Fear of Being Alone" 2-9-25 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to Psalm 139? Psalm 139, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament on page 540, Psalm 139. It was…
• 'Fear of Change" 1-19-25 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to Psalm 46, Psalm 46, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that great Psalm on page 480 in the Old Testament. Psalm 46 for…
• "???" 1-12-25 — Have you ever wondered what is my purpose? What is my purpose? What does God intend for my life? This isn't a bad or a wrong question until it is. Have you ever uttered, I will be led by the Lord in…
• "Two Births" 12-29-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke the second chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 51 in the New Testament. Luke chapter 2. In this…
• “Treasured and Pondered” 12-24-24 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. If you're using a copy of the Scriptures in the Puehrack in front of you or underneath you, you're going to…
• "Promises Made, Promises Kept" 12-22-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the first chapter, if you are using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 49 in the New Testament, where in the Gospel of…
• Words "Natural Words" 12-15-24 — Put your open your Bibles, please, with me to the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that New Testament page 49. Luke the…
• "Blessings" 12-8-24 — Would you open your Bible's please with me, too? The Gospel of Luke, the first chapter, for our study today, if you're using a pure edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New…
• Give Thanks: "On Display" 11-27-24 — You open your Bibles, please, with me this evening to the 17th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New Testament on page…
• "If" 10-27-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John 15th chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible that can be found on page 96 in the New Testament. We're in the Gospel of John…
• Kindness: "Regular Acts of Kindness" 10-20-24 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts. Acts the ninth chapter for our study today. If you're using a Pew edition, you'll find in front of you or…
• Concern for Others: 10-13-24 — You open your Bible's please with me to the second chapter of the Book of Philippians. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, Philippians is in the New Testament page 174 for our time and…
• Disagreements: "Rift" 9-29-24 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 15th chapter of the book of Acts for our study today. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 118. Acts…
• “Picking Up the Mantle” 9-22-24 — Relationships. Relationships are very, very interesting how we relate to one another and an aspect of relationships that I am very drawn to that I really enjoy studying is birth order. Now this may…
• "Redemption" “More to the Story” 9-1-24 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the fourth chapter of the book of Ruth. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament page 226, the…
• “Encountering the Living Lord” 8-11-24 — Oftentimes, when one travels to the Middle East, they have a tour guide and it's wise to have a tour guide when you visit the Holy Land because they know the ends and the outs, the safe places and…
• "Now, But Not Yet" 8-4-24 — bags are packed. All the suitcases have been loaded into the trunk. Everyone is buckled in. Everyone has their drink of water. The last trip to the bathroom was made. The GPS is running. We see the…
• “But...But...But…” 7-14-24 — For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the…
• Locating the Garden of Eden: "Finding Eden" 6-2-24 — Would you open your Bibles, please, or use the few edition in the rack in front of you to the second chapter of the Book of Genesis. Genesis 2 for our study today. As a boy, we would oftentimes sit…
• "Hide and Seek" 7-7-24 — How you played hide and seek with a toddler? It's not very difficult. My favorite is when a little kiddo will run wanting to hide for all himself in the middle of the family room floor, but feel…
• "Dear Church...." 6-30-24 — Very simply returned with a group. We did a mission trip in Costa Rica. The youth that went to Colorado just returned a couple of evenings ago and you know if you have ever been to Colorado Costa…
• Sermon 6 23 24 — Do you open your Bible's please for a time in God's Word to the 8th chapter of the book of Genesis, if you're using a Puedition of Holy Scripture, you'll find that page 6 in the Old Testament, the…
• Grace: "Gracious Intervention" 6-9-24 — But you'll open your Bible's Please to chapter 11 of the Book of Genesis. The first book in God's Holy Word, if you're using a Puedition, you're going to find that on page 8 Genesis 11 chapter for…
• Prophecy, Tongues “Measure Up?” 5-19-24 — As we continue our series this morning on the hard saying, some of them in Holy Scripture would you open up your Bible's please to 1 Corinthians the 14 chapter. If you're using a Puedition of Holy…
• “But I Say to You…” 4-21-24 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the fifth chapter of the gospel of Matthew. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that page 4 in the New Testament.…
• "UnForgiven" 4-14-24 — If you would have opened your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, the 12th chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 11 in the New Testament, we're in Matthew…
• :Three Crosses" 3-29-24 — Which you open your Bible's please this evening to the 23rd chapter of the Gospel of Luke, beginning with verse 39, we read these verses. One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him…
• "The Cup" 3-28-24 — 4 cups for at least 500 years before then. 4 cups for at least 200 or 2,500 years before today. 4 cups of Passover, 4 cups signifying God's covenant with His people found in Exodus 6. 6. Say,…
• "All In" 3-24-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 19th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 72 in the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke, the…
• "Courage through the Cross" 3-3-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 22nd chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 71 in the New Testament. We're in Luke the 22nd…
• “Belong Together” 2-14-24 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me for our study this evening to first John the 4th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you will find that on page 213 in the New…
• Spiritual Sight 1-21-24 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me for our study this morning to the eighth chapter of the Gospel of Mark. The eighth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy…
• "A Mystery" 1-14-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John the 8th chapter, if you're using a Puedition of Scripture, you can find this on page 87 in the New Testament, we're in the Gospel of John…
• "Family Business" 12-31-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the second chapter, we will be reading out of Luke the second chapter. If you want to use a Pue edition of the Bible, it is on page 51 in…
• "Peace" 12-24-23 — Would you open your Bible's Fleeze with me to the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke? If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find that in the New Testament page 50 for our study…
• Who is Jesus? Expediency 12-17-23 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 20th chapter of the Gospel of Luke? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 72 in the New Testament, the…
• Status: "Greater Than" 12-3-23 — Do you open your Bible's please with me to the 11th chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew. For our study today, if you're using a Pue edition, you'll find that in the New Testament page 10, Matthew…
• “What Do You Want Me To Do For You?” 11-12-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to Luke, the 18th chapter will be in the Gospel of Luke the 18th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 71 in the New…
• The Most Important Family Relationship: "Family by Rebirth" 11-5-23 — You open your Bibles, please, with me to the 12th chapter of the gospel of Saint Matthew. If you're using a few edition, you'll find that page 12 in the New Testament. Matthew the 12th chapter for…
• Freed from Bringing Glory to Ourselves "Regarding Glory" 10-15-23 — Would you open your Bible's please for our time of study this morning to the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page…
• Calling on Him as Savior and Lord: 10-1-23 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the gospel of John the second chapter for our study this morning? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 80…
• "Image" 9-24-23 — Would you open your bios please to Matthew the 22nd chapter if you're using a Pew edition of God's Word you're going to find that on page 21 for our time of study today Matthew chapter 21 the trap…
• “The Feet and Heart Connection” 8-27-23 — Would you open up your Bibles please with me to Psalm 86 for our study this morning? Psalm 86 in the Old Testament if you're using a Pue edition page 507 Psalm 86. The Gospel writer Luke was a…
• “Regarding Idiocy” 8-20--23 — Would you open up your Bibles, please, with me, for our time of study today to Romans the 8th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition, you'll find that in the New Testament on page 138, Romans the…
• "All of the Above" 8-13-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, the 22nd chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, it is on page 22 of the New Testament. Okay, we're going to start with a…
• "Held" 7-30-23 — Let us pray together, please. Love divine, all love, exhaling. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for such incredible love that you are poor. Chiefly, in the Lord Jesus Christ, the cross…
• “Jesus is Coming—Look Busy” 7-9-23 — If you would please open your vivals to Paul Bledert at Titus, it's on page 190 in the New Testament. If you're using the Pew edition of the Bible, we'll be in Titus chapter 3. Our bumper sticker…
• "Sin Posse" 7-2-23 — Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Texas as a whole is steeped in the old West. And in Western lore, we read a lot and hear a lot about bandits, about outlaws, riding the range. And…
• “God is My Co-Pilot?” 6-25-23 — In World War II, there was a squadron of pilots called the Flying Tigers. And the Flying Tigers was a group originally of pilots of these ace fighter pilots that volunteered to defend China against…
• “Got Jesus?” 6-4-23 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the gospel of John the 10th chapter for our study today? If you're using a Puedition of Holy Scripture that is found on page 90 in the New Testament,…
• "Epilogue" 5-21-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to Luke the 24th chapter, Luke the 24th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 78 in the New Testament. We are in Luke…
• "The Pattern" 5-7-23 — Let us pray. Indeed, beautiful you are, O Lord. Our beautiful Savior. You have brought us here this morning and you bring forth from our lips the words of praise, the words of praise of your beauty.…
• "Forgive One Another" 2-26-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to Ephesians the fourth chapter that's on page 171, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, Ephesians chapter 4. Paul writes, under the inspiration of the…
• "Submit to One Another" 2-5-23 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the book of Ephesians the 5th chapter for our study today page 172 Ephesians the 5th chapter? It is called the rule of three, the rule of three. The rule…
• “A New Creation” 1-1-23 — Our text today is out of second Corinthians chapter 5, but we're not starting there. I want everyone to hold out their hand. Yes, for real. Hold out your hand. Now concentrate really, really hard…
• “Patience and the Dim Mirror” 12-18-22 — Would you open up your Bible's please for our study today to 1 Corinthians the 13th chapter? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find 1 Corinthians the 13th chapter page…
• "Patience with Others" 12-11-22 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to Colossians the 3rd chapter? If you're using a few additions, Colossians is in the New Testament, page 178, Colossians the 3rd chapter for our study…
• “Patience and Walking Humbly” 12-4-22 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me? To the Old Testament, to the Book of Micah, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, Micah's on page 819, 819, for our study today. We continue…
• “For You” 11-27-22 — One of my favorite stories to read in this season leading up to the Christmas season is a Christmas Carol. It's a wonderful story written by Charles Dickens and in it we have a main character. It's…
• "Gratefulness in Prayer" 11-20-22 — Would you open your Bibles Please with me for our study today to Psalm 103. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament page 517. Psalm 103 for…
• “Gratefulness in Service” 11-13-22 — What you open up your Bibles, please, to Colossians III chapter. If you're using a few additional Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 178 in the New Testament. Colossians III chapter…
• “All Circumstances” 11-6-22 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me? For our study today, to first desolonyans, the fifth chapter. First desolonyans, chapter five, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're…
• “Holding to the Truth” 10-16-22 — What you're open your Bibles, please, with me today, to John the 18th chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find the 18th chapter of John on page 99 in the New…
• "Merciful" 10-2-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the sixth chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, that's on page 56 in the New Testament, we're in Luke the sixth chapter.…
• "Pure in Heart" 9-18-22 — Would you open your Bibles please with me today to Matthew the fifth chapter for our study? If you're using a Puedition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find the fifth chapter of Matthew on page 3…
• “Longsuffering” 9-4-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to second Peter, the third chapter, second Peter, the third chapter. Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. It's such a big, long part of life. We wait and we wait…
• "Has a Will" 7-17-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John, the sixth chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you will find it on page 85 in the New Testament. That's the Gospel of…
• "Wise" 7-10-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to Romans the 11th chapter, that's Romans the 11th chapter. If you are using the Pew edition of the Bible, you can find that on page 141 in the New Testament.…
• “Eternal” 7-3-22 — If you would please open your Bible to the book of Revelation chapter 1, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, that can be found on page 217 in the New Testament. We're in Revelation chapter…
• "On Retainer" 6-5-22 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me for our study today to the Gospel of John the 14th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 95 in the…
• "Day After Day" 5-22-22 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me for our study today to the book of first John, the first chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New…
• “What We Need to Hear” 5-15-22 — Let us open our Bibles' Please for our study today. So first Corinthians, the sixth chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find that on page 148. First Corinthians, the…
• "Grammar Lesson" 5-8-22 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to second Corinthians the fourth chapter for our study today if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find that in the New Testament on…
• "Calls" 4-24-22 — In the Gospel of John, the 14th chapter, Jesus tells his disciples the advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said…
• "Fingerprints" 4-15-22 — Would you open your Bible's please to this portion of Scripture on this holy night? Mark the 15th chapter. Page 47, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, Mark the 15th chapter.…
• “Impressed” 4-3-22 — If you would open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark 13, chapter, it's on page 43 in the Pew edition of the Bible that is Mark 13 on page 43. The Taj Mahal. It took 21 years to build. It was…
• “Law or Gospel?” 3-27-22 — Would you open up your Scriptures, please, to this portion of God's holy word, Mark the 12th chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 42, Mark the…
• "Receive the Kingdom" 3-20-22 — We are going to remain in Mark chapter 10. So if you have your Bibles open, that's wonderful. It's page 40 in the New Testament of the Pue edition of the Bible. As people, we value a lot of…
• “Inside Out” 2-27-22 — What's your open your Bible's please with me this morning to mark the 7th chapter. You'll find that on page 36 if you're using an edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find in the purest in front of…
• “A New Way” 1-16-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark the 2nd chapter, we will be in the Gospel of Mark the 2nd chapter. Have any of you ever tried to learn a new language or a 2nd language or…
• "The Need" 1-9-22 — Would you open your Bible's please with me this morning to the gospel of Mark chapter 2, if you're using a few addition, you're going to find that on page 31 in the New Testament, mark the second…
• “Immediate Rest” 1-2-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark the first chapter, the Gospel of Mark the first chapter. We are beginning a new sermon series today on Mark, an highlighting what is the…
• "The Receipt" 12-24-21 — Would you open your Bibles this afternoon to the book of Galatians, the fourth chapter, please? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find in front of you, you'll find that in the…
• "Pray" 12-5-21 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, too? First Thessalonians, the fifth chapter for our study today. If you're using a Pew Bible, you're going to find first Thessalonians, chapter 5, page…
• "Repent" 11-28-21 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Prophet of Hosea, the Prophet Hosea, the 14th chapter. I love traveling. I love going on a trip. And there are always so many preparations and planning…
• "Yesterday" 11-7-21 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me this morning, to the book of Joshua in the Old Testament, the fourth chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that…
• “Grace to Serve—Serve to Glorify” 10-31-21 — Open to the gospel of Matthew, we are going to be diving into this parable. We have been going through Jesus' teachings, Jesus' parables for the past four weeks. I said, this is the fourth week. And…
• “Compassionate and Sympathetic” 9-26-21 — If you would, please open your Bibles to the prophet Micah, the prophet Micah chapter 7. Over the past couple of weeks, we have been getting to know the heart of God, having a glimpse into the heart…
• “Merciful and Gracious” 9-19-21 — What you want when your Bible is pleased with me to Exodus 34th chapter for our study today. Exodus 34, if using a few addition, you're going to find that on page 75 in the Old Testament. Exodus…
• "Who Are the Saints?" 9-5-21 — If you would, please open your Bibles to Colossians, the first chapter will be studying out of Colossians, the first chapter. St. Christopher. This is the patron saint of Bachelors, Transportation,…
• "What is Bridled Speech?" 8-1-21 — Would you open your Bible's place with me this morning to James the first chapter for our study? If you're using a copy of Holy Scriptures, you'll find in the pew you'll find that on page 200 and 2…
• "Did Jesus Conceal Something?" 7-18-21 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the letter to the Church at Philippi? Philippians, the second chapter of using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture this morning, you're going to find that…
• "If I Believe in Jesus, Do I Still Have to Follow the Law?" 7-4-21 — If you would please open your Bibles to Galatians the 5th chapter, we're going to be studying out of Galatians the 5th chapter. It's Independence Day, July 4th, and this is such a wonderful time to…
• "Should We Repeat Prayers?" 6-20-21 — Let's open our Bible's please to Matthew the sixth chapter for our study today. Matthew chapter six as we study God's Word. Solomon, first Kings the third chapter, and there we find Solomon praying.…
• "What Were the First Questions in the Bible?" 6-6-21 — Let's open our Bibles, please, for our study today, to Genesis 3rd chapter. Genesis 3 3 for our study today. The Bible contains a host of questions. I think, for example, of the question that Jesus…
• "How Do I Know I am filled with the Spirit?" 5-30-21 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John 14th chapter, we're opening to the Gospel of John 14th chapter. I want to share a story with you of a Christian who grew up in a church in…
• "New Mercies" — Let's open up our Bibles, please, to the book of lamentations for our study today. Lamentations the third chapter. We're continuing this sermon series, simply entitled new, which is a celebration of…
• "New Mercies" 5-2-21 — Let's open up our Bibles, please, to the book of lamentations for our study today. Lamentations the third chapter. We're continuing this sermon series, simply entitled new, which is a celebration of…
• "New Covenant" (4-18-21) — What you open your Bibles, please, with me today for our study to Jeremiah the 31st chapter. Jeremiah chapter 31 for our study today. Idioms. Idioms. There are a grouping of words that if you take…
• "New Life" (4-11-21) — If you would please open your Bibles to the Book of Romans, the sixth chapter, the Book of Romans, the sixth chapter. I love springtime. I love it all of the flowers and the trees that are beginning…
• "The Beautiful Feet" — Good morning and welcome to worship. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us sing His praise. God Himself is present, let us know our joy in and with our baby for…
• "Burden Bearing" — Would you open your Bible please with me today for our study in Galatians 6, chapter. Galatians 6 for our study today. Comfort zones. We all have them. Don't we? For example, if you were to say,…
• "Encourage" (2-28-21) — Good morning. If you would please open your Bibles to first Thessalonians, the fifth chapter, that's first Thessalonians, the fifth chapter. These past few weeks and in this sermon series, we have…
• "Love" — Let's open up our Bibles, please. Today, to first John the fourth chapter for our study, first John chapter four. Count your blessings. Count your blessings. Have you ever heard that phrase or have…
• “Come, Lord Jesus!” — If you would please open your Bibles to Revelation chapter 22, that's the last book in all of Scripture, Revelation chapter 22. Okay, we're going to think about a scene and you tell me if this is…
• "Consumed" — If you would please join me in opening your Bibles to the Prophet Isaiah, the 43rd chapter, the Prophet Isaiah, the 43rd chapter. If you look at verse 1, it begins, but now thus says the Lord. But…
• "Instruct, Teach, Counsel" 1-10-21 — Let's open our Bibles, please, for our study today to Psalm 32, Psalm 32 for our study. We're continuing our series on resolutions, God's resolutions. And in the 30-second Psalm, in verse 8, is a…
• "I Will" — If you would please open your Bibles to the Prophet Jeremiah, that is Jeremiah chapter 29. Did any of you begin 2020 with any plans made? Whether it was a plan for a vacation or a plan for a surgery…
• "With You" 12-27-20 — In this sermon series, we are talking about resolutions, God's, that is God's resolutions, and how he acts towards us, how he is resolved to act toward us. We have talked about how God was resolved…
• "I, I am He" — Let's open our Bibles, please. To Isaiah, the 43rd chapter for our study today, Isaiah chapter 43. It has come to that time of the year in which perhaps our minds start to drift. Drift to…
• "Receive Much Joy" — So, let's open up our Bible, please, to the book of filemen for our study today, the book of filemen. All right, here's the question for you. What is the longest book in the Bible? Do you know? One…
• "Prayer Joy" — Let's open our Bible's please to the 16th chapter of the great gospel according to Saint John, John the 16th chapter for our study today. Prayer joy. Prayer joy. We've all experienced that haven't…
• "Stand Firm and Hold Fast" — We are going to be continuing in our series of joy. We have talked about the joy of revelation, the joy of God, and we are currently in the part of this series where we are discussing and learning…
• "Joy of Repentance" — The familiar. We are born with a sense of the familiar, of familiarity. We're born drawn to those voices that we could hear when we were in the womb. We are drawn to faces that we know well. We love…
• The Joy of God's Word — Let's open our Bibles, please this morning, to Psalm 119, Psalm 119, for our study today. Joy. Joy. It is such a beautiful, beautiful word, isn't it? And it is a beautiful reality. A gift of God to…
• "Uzziah" — What you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the book of second chronicles in the Old Testament, second chronicles the 26th chapter for our study this morning. 20 and 20. In the period of time,…
• Shiphrah and Puah — What you open your Bibles, please, with me to the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament, Exodus the very first chapter for our study this morning. Quotes, do what is right and not what is easy.…
• Melchizedek — Let's open up our Bibles, please, to the seventh chapter of the book of Hebrews this morning for our study. Hebrews the seventh chapter for our study. Game shows. The article said that the greatest…
• "Bartimaeus" — Let's open our Bibles, please, this morning for our study to the 10th chapter of the gospel of Mark, Mark the 10th chapter for our study this morning. As one moves through the various gospels of…
• "Rebekah" — Let's open our Bibles, please. This morning for our study, we will begin in Genesis, the very first book of Holy Scripture, the 24th chapter. Genesis 24, where we will begin this morning. The Bible…
• "Enoch" — Today we are going to talk about Enoc. Enoc is probably a very familiar name. You know you've heard it or read it somewhere in Scripture. You know it's probably Old Testament. And if you're thinking…
• "Abigail" — Would you open your Bibles please with me this morning to first Samuel the 25th chapter for our study? First Samuel the 25th chapter. Has anyone ever said to you, ah, don't do that. Perhaps you had…
• "Comforted to Comfort" — Would you open your Bible please with me to second Corinthians the first chapter, second Corinthians the first chapter for our study this morning? We're continuing on in the sermon series,…
• Living Peace — If you would please open up your Bibles to the Gospel of John, the 20th chapter, that's the Gospel of John, the 20th chapter. Today we begin a sermon series, a new series entitled Encouragement and…
• A Cleansing Love — Our text for this evening is one of my, and I go back and forth, because I have a lot of favorites. But, but this I think I can really boil it down to this is my favorite, just don't quote me on…
• "Instructions" — Instructions these days seem to be coming more and more with pictures. And sometimes the pictures don't exactly fit what it is you're putting together. Sometimes you long for words don't you? To go…
• Blueprint — The person side, his shoulders dropped. He said, the world's a mess. The world's just a mess. Yes, the world's a mess. The world's a mess. And when you consider how many people don't know the Lord…
• Gathered In — Let us pray together. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for your infelible word. We give you thanks, O Lord, that as we open up the pages of Scripture, the voice that we hear is your…
• This is the Church — Okay, so we've all heard the saying, it takes a village, right? We all know this saying it's not uncommon in our daily usage. It's actually an African proverb, and it means that an entire community…
• Next Steps — I love games. I love interactive games. I love physical games, not much of an athlete, but I like physical games. One of my favorite games to play in a youth group is a trust game. Have you ever…
• When Everything Old is New Again — You know, through the years there have been various shows that were based upon the premise seeing if you could guess what the next lyric was or what the song title was. Well, I'm banking on the fact…
• "Relentless" — We're all familiar with Thomas Edison. We know who that is, a famous inventor, famous, possibly most famous for inventing the light bulb. Right? We enjoy the fruits of his invention in our modern…
• What Upside Down is Right Side Up — It is a house that was intentionally built upside down. It's rather disorienting as you walk into it, because literally everything is upside down. All of the appliances, all of the fixtures,…
• "Liberated" — Have any of you heard any modern day prophecies or any modern day prophets? I've heard some where there's a foretelling of political future or a foretelling of a certain healing that is just sure to…
• "Purple and White" 9-29-19 — Courtney Bennett's, a delightful lady that was part of the congregation that I served when I was in Washington. Courtney had a flare about her, and she also had a very distinctive voice. It had a…
• "Followers" — So I have a question for you. Who in here is a planner? You are a planner. You owe lots of you. I can only raise my hand halfway up. Not a super big planner, but a planner little. But we love…
• "Who Was Right?" — Don Driesdale, he was a fantastic pitcher with the LA Dodgers a few decades ago. He ran a consecutive scoreless innings of 58 consecutive scoreless innings he pitched. Now when you ponder that, a…
• "Itinerary" — As we come to the conclusion of the 14th chapter of Acts, we come really to a transition point in the book of Acts. This marks the end of what is called Paul's first missionary journey. The first…
• "Chutzpah" July 14, 2019 — So there was a little old lady who was selling pretzels on the street corner day after day selling pretzels just a dollar of pretzel and every day a young gentleman would pass by and pretty soon…
• A People That Point July 7, 2019 — So as I said, we are right at the tail end of Paul's sermon. And we have studied for the past couple of weeks. This sermon of Paul's, he was invited to proclaim a word. He's in a synagogue and they…
• Promise Fulfilled June 30, 2019 — The two brothers were having a serious discussion in the grocery store. It was one of those discussions that as you passed by them, as they were doing their shopping with their parents, you could…
• "Herzpunkt" June 9, 2019 — Hearspunked. Hearspunked. It's a German word. And it means the heart point, the central point. With Luther would preach, Luther would always look for the hearspunked. As he would study a portion of…
• "Glimpse" June 16, 2019 — You'll recall that the book of Acts is the second volume. The first volume was written by the gospel writer Luke and then Luke writes the second volume, which is the book of Acts. In the first…
• "Rescued" May 26, 2019 — Rescues. Rescues. We see them throughout Holy Scripture. I think for example of the rescue of Jonah from the belly of the whale, that was the rescue, wasn't it? Or how about the rescue of Shadrack,…
• Easter Sunday Sermon- April 21, 2019 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to Psalm 90 for our study today? It was a trip to the zoo. It had been, well, a long time since we had been to the zoo. It's a wonderful, wonderful day. It…
• The Have and Have Nots Acts 10:44-48 — Let's open our Bible's, please, to the 10th chapter of the Book of Acts. We come to the conclusion of this great, great chapter. And we have been spending several weeks in this chapter. It is one of…
• "Essentials" Acts 10:34-43 (3-31-19) — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the 10th chapter of the Book of Acts? The sermon, the sermon. The proclamation of the anerrant and an enthelable word of mighty God. As we've studied,…
• Verboten 3-17-19 — So we're going to do a quick review of last week because where we're picking up today is right in the middle of a really really important and key story within all of Scripture. Last week in the…
• "Clinging" March 10, 2019 — Would you open your Bible please with me to the 10th chapter of the book of Acts for our study this morning? As we enter the 10th chapter today, we come to one of the most important chapters in the…
• Now Is The Time February 3, 2019 — So we're going to have a really quick confession moment. This is not rhetorical. You don't have to shout it out. But raise your hand. Who here is a procrastinator? Yep. It is always good to know…
• Intensely Personal February 10, 2019 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts? His name was John Newton. And John Newton penned the hymn that we just sang, amazing grace. Before John Newton…
• Moving Out January 13, 2019 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the book of Acts the 8th chapter this morning? As we return to our study of this great book. The book of Acts, you will recall, gives us 30 years of…
• Transformation and Struggle Acts 8:9-25 1-20-19 — Would you open your Bible, please, with May 2 8th chapter of the Book of Acts? You'll recall last week as we moved into the 8th chapter of the Book of Acts. That was a very, very important…
• "Eureka" January 6, 2019 — I've never had one of those, ah ha, ah ha moments when everything becomes clear and everything just makes sense. My kids and I have been watching an old detective show and recently in toward the end…
• "Personalized" December 30, 2018 — So lately, we have been talking about this gift that was given to us. Obviously, there's no huge surprise as to what this gift is. If you recall a couple of weeks ago, we heard about how this gift…
• "Planned" — Are you ready for Christmas? Are you ready for Christmas? We receive that question and we give that question, don't we? And when we do so, we certainly understand the meaning of it, right? At the…
• "Server" Nov 11, 2018 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Mark for our study today? These past several weeks, we have been studying in the sermon series entitled The Mission.…
• "The Crux" October 21, 2018 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to first Corinthians, the 6-second chapter? There are several phrases that over the years seem to be used. If someone says, that person gave 110%. Why…
• Sermon September 16, 2018 — In our modern day, we talk a lot about people getting triggered, getting really, really upset. It's when something is so upsetting that you fly off the handle. You lose all reason, all peace of…
• Sermon September 9, 2018 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the fifth chapter of the Book of Acts, as we continue our study this morning from this great book. You recall as we were in the fifth chapter last week,…
• "Same God Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" August 12, 2018 — All summer long, we've been turning to Scripture to ask questions. We asked, why do we worry? What's the point in praying? Why do bad things happen to good people? And today we're going to ask…
• Predestined in the Promise Eph. 1:3-4 — Do we all know who Mr. Rogers is? Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, snapping new day, right? We know who Mr. Rogers is. I watched his documentary, or the documentary made about Mr. Rogers a couple of weeks…
• Sermon 7-15-18 — If you would open your Bibles to Philippians 4 to follow along, but we're going to follow backwards. And I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but this is a really, really beautiful text. And…
• Sermon June 3, 2018 "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself" — Do you open your Bible, please, with me to the 22nd chapter of the book of Matthew. Questions? We all have them, don't we? And there is no better place to look for the answer than the infelible word…
• Sermon- May 27 "Perfect Church" — Today's a look for loop holes. I remember when I was a kid, there was a little bit of confession time. When I was a kid, I was tasked with changing the, the litter or the bedding of our rats cage.…
• Sermon 5-6-18 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the fourth chapter of the book of Acts as we continue our study in this great chapter and this great book of God's infelible, holy word. If you had to…
• Sermon 4-29-18 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the fourth chapter of the wonderful book of Acts. We're going to pick up where we left off last week. Silence can be such an interesting phenomenon,…
• Grace Alone — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to Romans 3 chapter for our study this morning? Martin, he was the son of a copper smelter and his father, his father really wanted Martin to be a lawyer.…
• Faith Alone — Did you open your Bible, please, with me to the fourth chapter of the book of Romans? His name was Jan Hus. Jan Hus. He was born about 100 years before Martin Luther. He was born in a town called…
• Know With Certainty — You open your Bible Please with me to the second chapter of the Book of Acts as we continue our study in this great book. The sermon. The sermon. The sermon is a unique form of speech, isn't it? The…
• Validation — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the third chapter of the Book of Acts, as we continue our study in this great book, healings. Healing's. We see in Holy Scripture great, great healings.…
• Need Effect Basis — Would you open your Bible, please, with me this morning to the third chapter of the Book of Acts. Repent. Repent. So often when we hear those words, we get an image of someone standing on the street…