Summary: auto-extracted from transcripts

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. Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning and rumblings and peels of thunder and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches which are the seven spirits of God and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass like crystal around the throne and on each side of the throne are four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind the first living creature like a lion the second living creature like an ox the third living creature with a face like a human like a human face and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle and the four living creatures each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and inside day and night without ceasing they sing holy holy holy the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come and whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne who lives forever and ever the 24 elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever they cast their crowns before the throne singing you are worthy our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created so this is where we are in the throne room this is where we're gonna step for a little bit so the purpose of the vision of God's heavenly court is to show us the the the coronation to show the church the coronation and enthronement enthronement of Jesus Christ the crucified and risen Lord so we're going to get to his enthronement after we talk about the throne room but but if we think about acts if you hold your hand here and then go back to the book of Acts chapter 1 books or the book of Acts chapter 1 so this is right after the gospel of John and this is this is the continuation Luke wrote the book of Acts and so when Luke's gospel and it picks up again then right here in the book of Acts so chapter 1 beginning in verse 6 of the book of Acts so when they had come together this is the the apostles they asked him Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel he replied it is not for you to know the times or periods that the father has set by his own authority but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem in Al Judeian Samaria and to the ends of the earth when he had said this as they were watching he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight while he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven suddenly two men in white robes stood by them and so then angels talked to him so this is that's the earthly perspective of the ascension of Christ to the father now we're going to go back to to Revelation because this is where we receive the heavenly perspective of Christ entering or returning to the father so so we have it's the same thing but here in Revelation we get heaven's perspective of when Christ when Christ is received by the father so John sees the throne of God he sees the throne of God he sees the one sitting on it the one is the object of all worship there's a lot of worship happening here he doesn't give us any specific facial or bodily characteristics so he doesn't describe the one on the throne but says that his appearance is like the precious stones of Jasper and some say Sardius and some this one says Carnelian and then there's a rainbow of emerald around it doesn't mean that God is a stone it does not mean that God is a stone but the appearance of God's glory think of when you hold a precious stone in the sunlight and the light reflects through and the rays shine through and is cast out like put out everywhere so the appearance of God's glory it reflects it reflects the brilliance of his presence as precious stones reflect rays of the sun so we can't look directly at the sun but we can catch a glimpse of the beauty of the sun through the reflection of those rays so so God is not a stone but his glory is brilliant his glory is brilliant Isaiah and Ezekiel also have scenes within the throne room we're not going to study those today but I thought as I was studying I thought oh that would be a really fun small group so not this coming year but look for it in the future because I think that would be a fun one so the stones Jasper Sardius emerald those are all part of the breastplate that the high priest was told to wear in Exodus when when they got all the the instructions those stones were on the breastplate of the high priest and the high priest represented Israel before the throne or before God offering sacrifice for a tonement so this is this is the setting that we're in we get to the 24 elders these 24 elders are sitting on thrones they are wearing crowns and they are they are wearing white robes they are sitting and they are wearing robes and crowns they are not angels they are not heavenly beings or heavenly creatures they are elevated saints they're elevated saints and the 24 elders are the church of the Old Testament of Israel who believed in the New Testament we have the 12 tribes of Israel or the the 12 tribes from Jacob right those are represented for the Old Testament and we have the 12 apostles which are the saints of the New Church or of the church so we have the 24 right there together they're representing the totality of God's people they sit on thrones and they wear crowns because they are victorious in Christ they wear the crown of victory they have white robes because they have been cleansed through the blood of Christ they're in his presence they're in God's presence representing the church they're in God's presence because that by grace is exactly where they belong which is good news that is good news that the church belongs in the presence of God the other thing I want to talk about here is that glassy see that glassy see that is before before the throne there are a couple of things that are really interesting about this so so first of all there is there is that representation of a separation right and while we remain here on earth there is a separation between us and and God we're still separated from the eternal glory when he calls us to home to be in his presence then we will not be separated from his eternal glory but here on earth we are still separated from the eternal glory also think about how the sea is often portrayed or what it symbolizes in Scripture so often it's a raging steep sea it's chaotic it's tormenting and it's it's really representative of the evil and the wickedness and the chaos of our sinful lives and here the the sea is like crystal it's a glassy sea that is transparent it's like crystal it's still it's calm the turmoil of our sin which separates us from God before the throne of God it has been still it has been still it has been conquered and it is tranquil we don't have to fear the torment of the chaos we don't have to fear the the torment or the chaos of wrath of God's wrath and judgment because all is peaceful all is peaceful between God and his creation before the throne just calls for all of us to just take a deep breath and we know that all is at peace before the throne then we have these winged creatures that are flying to and fro Isaiah refers to them as Sarah Femme Ezekiel refers to them as Cherubem John doesn't give them either of those names he sees that that they are closer to God than any other creature and I like how one author says that they can be thought of as the choir masters leading the heavenly host in the song of praise and worship they sing praises of the Lord they initiate the worship the angels and the saints they join in as these flying creatures sing holy holy holy and that song that song continues throughout it comes up several times in revelation and there will be stanzas added to it we see this time in the throne or in the throne room it's a time of complete worship it is it is a time of singing and praising and honoring God God who is so brilliant that he can't be described this this is the scene in which we were seeing or that John John shows us so they're singing holy holy holy all the heavenly hosts are praising God the church on earth praises God and sings this song we sing this song even in suffering because we are still called to worship the Lord and we still can worship the Lord even in the midst of suffering so now we get to the really exciting part of the throne room we get to the lamb okay so we're going to go back to Revelation chapter 5 and we're going to just read the whole thing because it's so exciting it's so wonderful okay so so he's he's in the throne room he is seeing all of these heavenly hosts and the winged creatures singing and and and the majestic one the brilliant one on the throne and the church represented by the 24 elders and he says and then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back sealed okay so he sees the scroll in the right hand of God God's right hand works salvation for his people the contents of the scroll have ultimate good and glory of God's people the completeness of its contents is sealed but we know that there's a completeness of contents because it's written on the inside and on the back so it's fully fully written but it's sealed so the message is hidden the revelation is hidden it would remain closed and unknown until the worthy person came to claim it okay so let's keep going back in here so we're back to to a verse two and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals and no one no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it no one had earned the privilege or the ability to open this sealed scroll and John says I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it then one of the elders said to me do not weep see the lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and it's seven seals so no one was found to be worthy no one in all of God's creation no no no one not even that an angel was worthy to open this scroll and to stand before the presence of God and lay legal claim to this scroll and then an elder an elder one of the church tells this weeping John who is so saddened so saddened that no one is found to be worthy and he's weeping bitterly and an elder representing the church he says look look to the lamb look to the lamb and he calls him the lion of Judah the lion was a messianic symbol of royal rain and power and when you think of a lion you think of a lot of power I mean we most of us have heard of or read the Chronicles of Narnia and God is depicted as the lion aslan you know and it's this powerful powerful being and so so we have the elder saying seeing the lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered so he can open the scroll and it seven seals and then verse six then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth this is an amazing picture that we have here we have the angel announcing who's worthy who's worthy John weeping bitterly because there's no one who is worthy to open this scroll and elder says no no no look check out it's the lion of Judah and so John turns expecting a lion of Judah and he sees Jesus he sees the lamb the lamb who was slain who shows the marks of the crucifixion the lion of Judah is a lamb standing in the midst of them all this is a beautiful witness of the crucifixion of Christ because he stands the lamb as one who has been slain but it also is a beautiful testimony of the resurrection because it is the lamb who stands he stands there in the midst of them all living forever so we have both the crucifixion and the victory of the resurrection right there in that verse it's amazing I had one cohort who said he pictured this scene like a boxing ring where you you know they say oh and in this corner and there's just this light that shines on and all of a sudden it's the slain lamb in the light and so this is where we have him he has ascended to the Father he is right there all the heavenly hosts see him and we continue yes we continue so so he went this is verse 7 he went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell before the lamb each holding a harp and golden bowls of full of incense which are the prayers of the saints in that beautiful the church the heavenly beings they bring the prayers of the saints that's us that's us brought to the right hand of the Lord the lamb who has the right and legal claim to the scroll who has the right the legal claim to all of human history they sing a new song you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God and they will reign on earth then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands singing with full voice worthy is the lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and glory and honor and blessing then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them singing to the one seated on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever this is not a mass Exodus of the of the Sunday school I'm just saying they are going to sing with the saints and the four living creatures said amen and the elders fell down and worshipped so the action of receiving the scroll is very very important because the lamb not only reveals human humanity's destiny but it shows that he also has control he has control no one anywhere can dominate over the contents of the scroll so what is in the scroll no one can dominate over it no one else has the power or authority over it they can't even receive the scroll only the chosen lamb only Christ himself can receive that he alone determines the outcome of human history he rules on behalf of his father and for the benefit of his church so that the church will be protected in faith and will be protected in hope and we'll be able to carry out the mission that it has been given so receiving the scroll that's the coronation of Jesus Christ he is the king of kings the Lord of Lords this is the beginning of the everlasting reign of Jesus Christ of God's righteousness through the exalted sun it's a reign that is consummated at the end at the resurrection that you and I will be a part of and in that new heaven and earth which we are going to talk about the new heaven and earth next week we're going to stay here this week remember in all of these cycles how I said that there were interludes so there are interludes that happen in here and I don't think it's a mistake that interludes happen because you read any of these plagues, scenes of the end and it's a lot you know and John receiving this vision there's no way that he's not filled with fear he's seeing all of this happen and so there is that is that is scary so we're going to turn to Revelation chapter 7 we're going to talk about the church triumphant and the church militant so the 144,000 beginning in Revelation chapter 7 verse 1 so we're going to start here and this is after the horses or the horsemen have come so after this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or see against any tree I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun having the seal of the living God and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to damage earth and sea saying do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads and I heard the number of those who were sealed 144,000 sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel and then it goes through and it's 12,000 from any names all the tribes so the 144,000 that represents God's people on earth there are at least one cult of Christianity that claims that only 144,000 people will be in heaven we're going to see that that's wrong but this is representative of the church on earth of God's people who are in perfect order there is perfection in that order and they are ready to march it is the church militant poised and ready to carry out the mission that it has been given so we today are part of the church militant we are this side of heaven we have a mission given by the Lord to go to all nations making disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father the son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded we read right before the ascension in the book of Acts he said you will be my witnesses to go so we are the church militant with that mission so then we go down to chapter 9 of chapter 7 where it says after this I looked and there was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation from all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the Lamb robed in white with palm branches in their hands they cried out in a loud voice saying salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb and all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God and it continues well actually know we are going to continue because it is too beautiful not to and all the angels worship God singing amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever amen then one of the elders addressed me saying who are these robed in white and where have they come from I said to him sir you are the one that knows then he said to me these are they who have come out of the great ordeal they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb for this reason they are before the throne of God and worship him day and night within his temple and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them they will hunger no more and thirst no more the sun will not strike them nor any scorching heat for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd and he will guide them to springs of the water of life and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes it's just incredible absolutely incredible John in this vision sees a multitude of people before God's heavenly throne from every nation every tribe the number is so great that it cannot be counted this is the church triumphant John is allowed to see God's people he's allowed to see that God's people on earth are ready to carry out their mission as the church militant they are ready to enter into the valley of the shadow of death and then before they are taken he sees them sealed the ceiling that they receive means that no matter what no matter how much he John and God's people no matter how much suffering we endure this side of heaven the mission will be fulfilled the mission will be fulfilled and God will protect us in faith God will protect the church militant in the faith there will be faith suffering there will be death we all die we all have our soul separate from our bodies we all do die but we won't lose faith the church does not lose faith and God will defend the faith in the end the church then becomes the church militant then becomes the church triumphant because we are all brought into the presence of God the church is sealed and kept in faith and elevated to glorify Christ and to live in his glory when John sees this great church triumphant he's filled with joy he's filled with joy because he knows they are coming out of tribulation they are coming out of suffering but they have been protected and brought to glory in Christ in Revelation in verse three of chapter seven it says that they've been sealed so God knows exactly who belongs to him and he seals them so the Christian and I had to write this exactly how it was written because it's so beautiful and it's such a comforting word that the Christian can be absolutely certain and sure of his salvation and faith because it rests on the truth of God's word and God's seal within that word the Lord knows who's who are his it's through his word that God seals his people assures them by his spirit that they belong to him and that he will protect them in faith Paul says Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit given to the Christian as God's pledge or guarantee of the inheritance that God has promised it's the pledge of God's promise that seals the Christian in his heart the seal then assures the believer that he belongs to God and is known by God the Holy Spirit does this through the word of God's promise which has been brought to fulfillment by Jesus Christ the throne room the lamb that sits upon the throne the church militant continuing to march we are a part of that but we have the assurance of God's protection we have the assurance of his promise we have the assurance that we have been sealed what do we do every single baptize or every single baptism we seal that person in the name of the Father the Holy Spirit that they are sealed sealed in the spirit of God they are claimed the Lord knows who are his and we are promised and we should find great comfort that regardless of the suffering that we have this side of heaven that we are promised that we will be part of the multitude that is countless that we'll be singing the praises and worshiping the Father in that glorious throne room Lord, we thank you for your grace, we thank you for your word, we thank you that your word is indeed truth and you lead us by your spirit into all things that are true. I think of Christmas I mentioned that in my sermon today we took a look at a portion of the great great hymn joy to the world so it's not surprising that perhaps Christmas was on my mind as I came to prepare this class there are there are so many great hymns aren't there and remember great hymns are those hymns that preach one of the great hymns associated with Christmas is the hymn what child is this just a beautiful rich hymn lifting up the imagery of Mary and the infant Jesus it's so beautiful there's a tranquility and a peacefulness about it but one of the stanzas that you sing some of the words are nails spear shall pierce him through the cross be born for me for you hail hail the word made flesh the babe the son of Mary it can be almost a shock when one comes to those words you surrounding the services of Christmas Eve it's such a beauty and the and the scene of the birth of the long anticipated Messiah of the world seen Mary and Joseph and the baby and there's this beautiful beautiful tranquility that surrounds that service service ending with silent night and the candles reminding us that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and so when you have a hymn associated with Christmas and oftentimes sung on Christmas Eve that talks about nails and spear piercing him through the cross be born for me and you it is almost a shock isn't it but that hymn is so helpful for us because it reminds us of why Jesus Christ came why there was the incarnation why there was the inflection of the second member of the Trinity Jesus came he was born to go to the cross he was born to bear our sin upon the wood of the cross that tree towers above all other trees in Holy Scripture is one was through the seasons of the church here I think also not only of Christmas I think also of a particular week holy week and one of the services of holy week is good Friday such a contrast isn't it the service on Christmas Eve the gradual extinguishing of lights the removal of the linens and the paramins the draping in terms of the black cloth that goes upon the pulpit and upon the altar we leave in silence we leave in darkness having been reminded in a special way of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ that service called good Friday which begs the question what what's good about it it is just as an incredible event that happens it is so unfair to the Lord Jesus Jesus never sinned and yet there he is receiving the death penalty on a cross between two guilty criminals looked at it from the human point of view one would have to say what is good about that how one how unjust is that that's why Friday has to be understood from the vantage point and the perspective of God because when we see it from God's perspective that's why we call that day good turn over please to the book of Hebrews the 12th chapter good way to find Hebrews is just a turn to the last book revelation start working your way slowly back towards Matthew you're going to cross over the Johns Peter James and then you come to the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 12 please verse 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross disregarding its shame and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God the joy that was set before our Lord was the joy of winning salvation for us remember when the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross he took our sin upon him he took the wrath of God that should fall upon us he took it upon himself he paid the penalty he cried out to tell the story paid in full the sin death paid and the joy that was set before him was the end result then of the cross forgiveness reconciliation redemption turn please to Isaiah the 53rd chapter good good way to find Isaiah is open up to the middle of the Bible you'll find Psalms and then start moving right Psalms Proverbs ecclesiasties song of Solomon and then Isaiah Isaiah chapter 53 verse 10 Isaiah 53 verse 10 yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain I like how the N.A.S.V the new American standard version translates that it says but the Lord was pleased to crush him and so this verse here that looks ahead to the Messiah on the cross the Lord was pleased to crush him because it's pleasure that which is born of what would come about because of the cross this incredible incredible act of God born of grace turn it with me now please to Matthew chapter 26 because I'd like to explore this with you this the greatest tree the cross of the Lord Jesus let's go to Matthew chapter 26 the first book in the New Testament Matthew chapter 26 and picking up in verse 36 then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane and he said to his disciples sit here while I go over there and pray he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebede and began to be grieved and agitated then he said to them I am deeply grieved even to death remain here and stay awake with me and going a little farther he threw himself on the ground and prayed my father if it's possible let this cup pass from me yet not what I want but what you want then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and he said to Peter so you could not stay awake with me one hour stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak again he went away for the second time and prayed my father if this cannot pass unless I drink it your will be done again he came and found them sleeping for their eyes were heavy so leaving them again he went away and prayed for the third time saying the same words then he came to the disciples and said to them are you still sleeping and taking your rest see the hour is at hand and the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners get up let us be going see my betrayer is at hand the very beginning of that reading is the reference to the place called Gethsemane to the garden Gasemani Gasemani had trees they were all of trees so here in a garden surrounded by trees there we find the Lord Jesus with that image in mind think back to what we studied in Genesis with the two trees in the garden for there in the garden our first parents Adam and Eve there they were surrounded by trees and it was there that all suffering began let's turn back there please to Genesis chapter 2 Genesis chapter 2 verse 16 Genesis 2 verse 16 and the Lord God commanded the man you may freely eat of every tree of the garden but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat of it you shall die then now please to Genesis 3 picking up in verse 16 to the woman he said I will greatly increase your pangs and childbearing in pain that you shall bring forth children yet your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you just a little to side on that this of course is after the fall the desire here your desire shall be for your husband that word there in the Hebrew it means a hungering intent upon in other words because of sinfulness the the woman will want to dominate the man but notice the the same sin here that dominates the man it says yet your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you so born out of sinfulness what can so often manifest is a husband and a wife trying to trying to dominate the other that's all the result of the fall that is it that's the opposite of submitting to one another as servants back then again please to Genesis 3 verse 17 to the man he said because you've listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you you shall not eat of it curse it is the ground because of you in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground for out of it you were taken your dust and to dust you shall return jumping out of verse 22 then the Lord God said see man has become like one of us knowing good and evil and now he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken he drove out the man and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life in the garden surrounded by trees there is Adam and Eve and there is the beginning of suffering born out of the fall into sin the second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ came to undo what the first Adam did let's go to Romans chapter 5 Matthew Mark Luke John Acts and then Romans Romans chapter 5 verse 14 yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam who is a type of the one who was to come so you've got the first Adam and you've got the second Adam the second Adam is the Lord Jesus the first Adam is considered a a type in other words he said a pattern that in some way would be followed by Christ let's examine that let's go to Luke the third chapter Matthew Mark and then Luke Luke chapter 3 verse 38 Luke 3 verse 38 here you have a long genealogy with regard to Jesus notice the last phrase son of enus son of Seth son of Adam son of God so you've got God and then by God's creative touch there is Adam now let's go to Luke the third chapter verse 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove and a voice came from heaven you are my son the beloved with you I am well pleased so there's the reference to Adam son of God notice the small letter S there of course and then you have reference to the son of God my beloved the father says Adam was created as a son of God God is or Jesus is God's beloved son he's a type Adam was tempted by Satan back into Genesis the third chapter again Genesis chapter 3 verse 6 so when the woman saw that the tree was good for food that it was a light to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise she took of its fruit and ate and she also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate Adam was tempted by Satan a type pointing ahead to the second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord Jesus Christ is tempted by Satan let's go to Luke chapter 4 Matthew Mark and then Luke verse 1 Jesus followed the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan was led by the Spirit in the wilderness where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil and remember with every temptation what Jesus did he kept saying it is written it is written it is written oh that is such a powerful word for us when we face temptation to say it is written in other words what is God's will for us Adam created as a son of God Christ is God's beloved son Adam was tempted by Satan the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan Adam's response to the temptation was sin which led to death Jesus's response to the temptation obedience which leads to life through the cross let's go to Romans the fifth chapter Matthew Mark Luke John Acts and then Romans Romans chapter 5 verse 15 but the free gift is not like the trespass for if the many died through one man's trespass there's the first Adam much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man Jesus Christ abounded for the many and the free gift is not like the effect of one man's sin for the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification if because of the one man's trespass death exercised a minion through that one much more surely were those who received the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercised a minion in life through the one man Jesus Christ here's the point the second Adam began his greatest suffering in the garden surrounded by trees and in the garden of Gethsemane surrounded with trees there we find the Lord Jesus Christ who has come to deal with the sin and death and misery that is a result of the sin of humankind it's really Genesis 3 all over again isn't it but now the outcome has a joyous joyous ending turn please to Isaiah 53 Isaiah 53 verse 7 he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he did not open his mouth like a lamb that is led to the slaughter and like a sheep that before its shears is silent so he did not open his mouth oh the love of God for us in the Lord Jesus Christ Romans the 8th chapter verse 32 Matthew Mark Luke John Acts and then Romans he who did not withhold his own son but gave him up for all of us will he not with him also give us everything else it is the picture and the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ carrying on his back the very wood that his blood would soon stand to John 19 now please Matthew Mark Luke and then John John the 19th chapter picking up with verse 6 and halfway through that verse John 19 picking up in verse 6 all right let's just start right at the beginning when the chief priests and the police saw him they shouted crucify him crucify him Pilate said to them take him yourselves and crucify him I find no case against him and now to verse 16 then he handed him over to them to be crucified so they took Jesus and carrying the cross by himself he went out to what is called the place of the skull which in Hebrew is called golgotha there they crucified him and with him two others one on either side with Jesus between them Pilate also had an inscription written then put on the cross it read Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews golgotha golgotha typically is identified today because of this rocky outcropping near Jerusalem that resembles a skull interestingly tradition says that golgotha was so named because it was the place of Adam's skull or his grave now let me underscore that is not scripture that is tradition in the church so we can't say with any scriptural authority that that is the case but that is the tradition in the church therefore according then to this tradition the second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified over the grave of the first Adam Luther talked about it this way quote thus the center of paradise was where Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jericho were located later on the places where Christ and John spent the greater part of their life it is possible Luther says that later on Calvary where Christ offered himself for the sins of the world was located where the tree of the knowledge of good and evil had been while paradise was still standing thus so far as the place is concerned death and destruction through Satan would be matched by life and salvation one through Christ and when Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world on the cross paradise was regained go to John the third chapter please John chapter 3 verse 14 Matthew Mark Luke and then John John 3 will pick up in verse 14 and just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the son of man be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal life remember we had studied about that wooden pole upon which that bronze serpent was placed Luther referred to the Lord Jesus Christ as the serpent of salvation what he was drawing on was was this verse that on good Friday a new serpent was lifted up Luther said it was the serpent of salvation the Lord Jesus Christ and we look unto him for salvation well of course the story does not end with Jesus dead on the cross does it look turn with me please to Luke the 24th chapter Matthew Mark and then Luke Luke chapter 24 picking up in verse 1 but on the first day of the week at early dawn they came to the tomb taking the spices that they had prepared they found the stone rolled away from the tomb and when they went in they did not find the body while they were perplexed about this suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground but the men said to them why do you look for the living among the dead he is not here but has risen remember how he told well he was still in ghettily that the son of man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again then they remembered his words and returning from the tomb they told all this to the 11 and to all the rest the resurrection is the validation that the sacrifice for sin had been accepted look with me please at 1 Corinthians the 15th chapter Matthew Mark Luke John, Acts and Romans 1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians chapter 15 beginning with verse 12 now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead there is no resurrection of the dead than Christ has not been raised and if Christ has not been raised then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain we are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified of God that he raised Christ when he did not raise if it's true that the dead are not raised for if the dead are not raised then Christ has not been raised if Christ has not been raised your faith is futile and you're still in your sins and those also who have died in Christ have perished if for this life only we've hoped in Christ we are of all people most to be pitied but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who have died for since death came through a human being the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being for as all die in Adam so all will be made alive in Christ the gospel what a glorious glorious word from the trees of Eden's garden to the burning bush on Sinai to a wood pole lifted up that had a bronze serpent upon it to which the people were called to look from the tram family tree of the Lord Jesus all the way to the cross our heavenly Father uses trees and wood to bless his people and the tree of trees the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ I pray these weeks of study have been a blessing to you the Lord be with you Welcome back to our study on trees. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate he ascended into heaven is seated at the right hand of the Father same thing he will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead his kingdom will have no end then moving over to the Athenation creed we read that the Father is one person the Son is another the Spirit is another but the deity of the Father Son and Holy Spirit is one equal in glory co-eternal and in majesty what the Father is the Son is and so is the Holy Spirit uncreated is the Son the Son is infinite eternal is the Son Almighty is the Son the Son is God the Son is Lord the Son was neither made nor created but was alone begotten of the Father he has taken humanity into himself he does not transform deity into humanity it's very important again that's holding those two full natures with one another as complete and whole truth those are from the creeds but those words that we hear from from that the the only Son we hear that in scripture and that's exactly where we're going to turn now let's go to John the the gospel of John that's the fourth gospel and we're just going right to that first chapter this first chapter when you really sit there and think and read through it and ponder and meditate on what it means and what is really being written and said here it can become overwhelming just the the heavy truth of it it's absolutely gorgeous so John the first chapter we're going to look first at verses one through three in the beginning was the word so in the beginning we have that in another place in scripture Genesis in the beginning in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God he was in the beginning with God all things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being so here we have it set up that there's this word the word was not only with God but the word was God that is absolutely trinitarian in in its nature and it's in its patterns words that this word which in the Greek is logos or logos this is held up as as that that which is with God in the beginning and not only with God but was God this is where we get that from the Athenation Creed the Sun is infinite eternal is the Sun right we have this uncreated that he is with God continuing on with verses 14 through 18 the word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen his glory the glory as of a father's only son full of grace and truth John testified to him and cried out this was he of whom I said he who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace the law indeed was given through Moses grace and truth came through Jesus Christ no one has ever seen God it is God the only son who is close to the father's heart who has made him known so we know God and God is revealed through the person of Jesus Christ Jesus himself tells us this which we will get to let's look at the birth of Christ we had this reading earlier today in service or we'll have it in a little bit in service Matthew 1 so go over you're going to flip backwards to the first gospel which is Matthew and this is about the birth of Jesus the Messiah bless you so skipping down into into verse the last verse in or last sentence in verse 18 she was found this Mary was found to be with child from the holy spirit then jumped down to verse 20 when Joseph had resolved to to dismiss Mary quietly an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for the child conceived in her is from the holy spirit you are to name him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins and this is what fulfills the prophet the words of the prophet look the virgin shall conceive in baris son and they shall name him in manual which means God is with us so again we have that set up right from the beginning in this birth telling or retelling of Christ that he is conceived of the holy spirit that he will be named Jesus that he will be called Emmanuel which means God is with us let's go over to the gospel of Luke the first chapter that's the third so you're going to go through Matthew past mark and find yourself in Luke the first chapter and starting in verse 30 this is where the angel has come to Mary to tell her well we'll read it the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and now you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you will name him Jesus he will be great and will be called the son of the most high and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom there will be no end Mary said to the angel how can this be since I am a virgin the angel said to her the holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you therefore the child to be born will be holy he will be called son of God again that birth story or the coming birth story the angel stating this is this is the son of God he will be called holy name him Jesus so we're getting before he's even born we're getting this set up by the angel through the holy spirit that that Christ will be conceived by the holy spirit and that he will be indeed the son of God here God with us in the solid declaration in the formula of concord so that's part of the book book of concord the confessions the Lutheran confessions it says it reads that he demonstrated his divine majesty in his mother's womb in that he was born of a virgin without violating her virginity I thought that was very poignant that even before birth Christ was proving himself to be God in that he was conceived within a virgin by the power of the holy spirit but she in her virginity was not violated right I think that's that's a really poignant poignant remark there so that was one demonstration of his divine nature he had humbled himself and he was found to be in human form but Jesus did reveal his divine nature in his earthly ministry let's go back oh you know what let's stick in Luke because we're here already and we're just going to go down to Luke 2 verses 41 or picking up in 41 and we're going to we're going to kind of skip ahead this is where Jesus was lost and I say that with air quotes they thought he was lost in Jerusalem so Mary and Joseph turned back to find him they found him on verse 46 after three days they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers when his parents saw him they were astonished and his mother said to him child why have you treated us like this look your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety he said to them why were you searching for me did you not know that I must be in my father's house but they did not understand what he said to them then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them his mother treasured all these things in her heart and Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor so he knew he was in his father's house can you imagine a 12 year old speaking with such authority and such wisdom amongst these learned rabbis that there was even in his young age it he was already revealing his divinity just by his wisdom so now let's go over to John the second chapter where we have Jesus first miracle at the wedding at Cana John chapter 2 on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding when the wine gave out the mother of Jesus said to him they have no wine and Jesus said to her woman what concern is that to you and me my hour has not yet come his mother said to his servants do whatever he tells you now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rights of purification each holding 20 or 30 gallons Jesus said to them fill the jars with water and they filled them up to the brim he said to them now draw some out and take it to the chief steward so they took it when the steward tasted the water that had become wine and did not and did not know where it came from though the servants who had drawn the water new the steward called the bridegroom and said to him everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after their guests have become drunk but you have kept the good wine until now Jesus did this the first of his signs in Cana of Galilee and revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him so this is his first miracle that he performed he is revealing his glorified nature he's revealing his divine nature through that miracle if we go over to John 11 we see another incredible miracle in the raising of Lazarus we're going to start with verse 25 because I think this is a really important I don't think I just think but this is period a really important statement that Jesus makes about himself in verse 25 Jesus says to Lazarus's sister I am the resurrection and the life those who believe in me even though they die will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die he is declaring himself to be the resurrection let's go down to verses 38 through 44 Jesus again greatly disturbed came to the tomb it was a cave and a stone was lying against it Jesus said take away the stone Martha the sister of the dead man said to him Lord already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days Jesus said to her did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God so they took away the stone and Jesus looked upward and said Father I thank you for having heard me I knew that you always hear me but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here so that they may believe and that that you sent me when he said this he cried out with a loud voice Lazarus come out the dead man came out his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth and his face wrapped in a cloth Jesus said to them unbind him and let him go this only God could do the man had been dead and I know that that Paul does call someone back to life but this it's done in the name of Jesus right and here we have Jesus praying he's saying this is done to show his glory to show the Father's glory rather and it's it's very important to realize and this is something that I like to draw attention to when we're called into faith it is just as Christ called Lazarus right he said come out Lazarus didn't him and ha he didn't sit in the cave saying I don't know is this the choice I want to make right he just came he was called and he came and that is that is how we are called into faith we are dead in our sin we are dead in our trespasses we may as well be Lazarus physically dead we're dead and then Christ calls us into faith and we respond not because we make a choice but Christ has made that choice for us and has called us into faith by name we're about out of time I've got some more okay hold on okay I know I've got so in John 14 it tells us that Jesus is the revelation of the Father Philip Jesus is talking to Philip and Philip is saying where are you going and where are you going and and he says that Philip could believe because of all the works that Jesus had performed through his divine nature he was able to perform all of these works and that Philip could believe through those works by witnessing those works if not by the words alone but again those works always point to the word they always point to the truth that Christ is God in Philippians 2 6 through 11 it says though he was in the form of God he did not require a regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself taking the form of a slave being born in human likeness he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name so at that name of Jesus every knee should bend in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father in collagens to verse 9 it says in him in Jesus the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily second Peter has more we're going to go into this more next next class period where we'll also look at the transfiguration where Jesus glory is shown and revealed before three of his disciples so if you have questions ha ha that's the there you go no time for questions today ha ha ha ha if you have questions email me and we will pick up here on the first of January so not next week but the following week in 2020 we will pick up with the divinity of Christ Well, today I want to talk with you about the subject of forgiving family members, forgiving family members. 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 today I want to take a look with you at the middle road between good good works and bad good works The middle road between good good works and bad good works When you consider bad good works It's important to keep in mind that we are looking at this subject from how does God regard this? 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.

Video citations

• Romans 9-11: Lesson 4 — Thank you so much for this day. We thank you for the sun that shines for the birds that chirp and for truly all of creation that sings praise to you. Lord, we thank you that we are part of creation…
• Romans 9-11: Lesson 3 — Thank you so much. We thank you that we are in the season of Easter and truly as a Christian people. We already live in Easter and we are promised that we will live eternally in Easter. Lord, we…
• Romans 9-11 : Lesson 2 — Thank you so much for this day. We thank you for this week, this holy week, that we are entering today. Lord, we ask that you would draw as closer to yourself, that we would reflect in these last…
• David Lesson 7 final — Great, this is Heavenly Father. We give you thanks for the joy of being in this, your house, on the Lord's Day. We thank you for the preciousness of your Word. We thank you for the story of David…
• David - Lesson 6 — Thank you for this day of grace for your promises that surround us, that gird us up. We ask now for your rich blessing as we open up your word, speak to us for your servants listen in Jesus name.…
• David- Lesson 5 — Grace, this Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this day of grace. We give you thanks for your promises. We ask now for your blessing upon this class to your glory in Jesus' name. Well, we…
• David - Lesson 4 (2-22-16) — Thank you for the uniqueness and the beauty of this day. We thank you for your grace that surround us, that your promises that uphold us. We pray now for your presence in your blessing upon this…
• David - Lesson 3 — We'll go ahead and pray for you. Good morning. Let's pray together please. Grace is Heavenly Father. We give you thanks for today, for calling us together to this place, for giving us Word and…
• David - Lesson 2 (2-8-26) — Good morning. Let's join in prayer, please. Grace is heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Unique in all of history. Your day of grace, we thank you for gathering us together in this year's…
• David - Lesson 1 (2-1-26) — Thank you. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time to be in your house on this your day. We thank you. How you come to feed us through Word and Sacrament and to send us forth.…
• Angels - Lesson 4 (1-18-26) — Heavenly Lord, we thank you for your grace. We thank you that you are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the God above all. And we thank you that in your Almighty and sovereign love and wisdom,…
• Angels: Lesson 2 — Thank you so much. We thank you for your grace. We thank you for this day. We thank you for the good news that we are saved by grace through faith and it is not our own doing. Lord, we thank you…
• Angels- Lesson 1 (12-21-25) — We thank you for the birth that we are so eager to celebrate this week. We are thankful for all the angels that proclaimed of your coming, that proclaimed to the shepherds of your birth, and that…
• Confession: Repentance and Forgiveness - Lesson 4 — Thank you. Heavenly Lord, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you that we are in the season of Advent looking towards the celebration of the time in which you entered into humanity into…
• Confession: Repentance and Forgiveness - Lesson 2 — Have a good Lord with them, so much, with them for your grace, with them for your love, with them for your mercy. Lord, we know that, left to our bottom, device that is left to our bottom, that the…
• Joshua: Servant of the Lord - Lesson 9 — Good morning. Let's pray together. Holy God, we give you thanks for this time in your word, your word is truth. We ask for your blessing upon all the classes that are occurring now this hour to your…
• Joshua: Servant of the Lord Lesson 7 — Good morning. Let's join together, please, in a word of prayer. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this opportunity to open up the pages of Scripture. We know that the voice that we…
• Joshua: Servant of the Lord - Lesson 6 — Good morning. Let's join in prayer, please. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for today and this opportunity to be in your house. We pray now, O Lord, that…
• Joshua: Servant of the Lord - Lesson 5 — Good morning. Let's pray, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for your word, for your word is truth. We ask Father for your blessing upon this lesson today. Guide us and lead us,…
• Joshua: Servant of the Lord - Lesson 3 — Good morning. Let's join together in prayer, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, what a joy it is to be in your house on this the Lord's day. You have called us and you have gathered us together…
• Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5 — Thank you. Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity to be in your house. We thank you, O Lord, how you feed us through word and sacrament and then send us forth to be missionaries.…
• Idioms that Originate in the Bible 5-4-25 — Heavenly Lord, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for the beautiful weather, for the birds singing, for the breeze blowing. Lord, you are good and we see your goodness in creation…
• Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 3 — Heavenly Father, you created us in your image. Though we humans fell into sin, you chose to redeem us through your Son. As we study your Word and your world today, open our eyes to the truth of who…
• Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2 — O mighty God, you spoke all things into existence by your mighty Word. Fusur of us and the children you entrust to our care from the errors of our age. Keep us vigilant against the enemy who seeks…
• Galatians: Lesson 9 — Thank you so much for your grace. We thank you for your mercy and we thank you that, though we have done nothing and can do nothing to earn it or to deserve it. Lord, you love us and you have saved…
• Galatians: Lesson 8 — Lord Jesus, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for your love, your grace, your mercy. You never, never end in your love for us. And we thank you so much for that. We ask that you would…
• Galatians: Lesson 7 — Thank you. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this opportunity to be in your house, to receive word and sacrament, and then to be sent forth. We praise you for the holy scriptures that…
• Galatians: Lesson 6 — Lord Jesus, we thank you so much. We thank you for calling us as your own, for washing us in the waters of baptism to be redeemed and saved by your grace. Lord, we ask that as we continue to study…
• Galatians: Lesson 5 — Thank you so much for this day. We thank you so much for your love, your mercy, and your grace. Lord, we thank you that we are promised that we stand redeemed by your blood and that we have…
• Galatians: Lesson 4 — Heavenly Lord, we thank You. We thank You so much for Your Word. Your Word is truth and Your Word. Your Word delivers us. It delivers us through hearing that we are saved by the blood of Jesus…
• Galatians: Lesson 3 — Lord, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for your grace. We thank you that we are free to live in your grace. Lord, we thank you that you have given to us your spirit of truth. We ask…
• Galatians: Lesson 2 — Lord Jesus, we ask that you would bless this time of study. We thank you so much that we turn to you and that we know we can turn to you and that you always hear us and are with us and we trust you…
• Galatians: Lesson 1 — Thank you so much for your word. Your word is truth. We thank you that you guide us through your word. That you guide us first calling us as your own. That we would know that we are saved. That we…
• Wisdom Incarnate: 1-19-25 — Lord Jesus, we thank you so much. We thank you that you are the wisdom incarnate of God that through your wisdom, which is greater than our own, you have made yourself known. You have made your love…
• Wisdom Incarnate: Lesson 4 — Heavenly Lord, we thank You for Your grace. We thank You for the love that we have in You. Lord, we ask that You would use this time of study to grow us in the faith that You have blessed us with,…
• Wisdom Incarnate: Lesson 2 — Okay, let's open in prayer. Heavenly Lord, we thank You for Your grace. We thank You for Your mercy and we thank You that You give us every opportunity to share Your good news with those around us.…
• Lessons from the Mission Field 11-24-24 — Lord Jesus, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for being the God that you are, the God who redeems us, saves us and calls us to be your own. Lord we ask that in this time of study together…
• Lessons from the Mission Field 11-17-24 — So we talked last week about how we are all missionaries, how we are not necessarily called to go and proclaim the gospel in China, we may be, but we may not be. But we are called to go and make…
• 1,2,3 John: Lesson 9 — I, good morning. Let's pray together, please. Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor. And further us with your continual help that in all our works be gone, continued,…
• 1,2,3 John : Lesson 8 — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Almighty God, you have called your church to witness that in Christ you have reconciled us to yourself. Granted by your Holy Spirit, we may proclaim the…
• 1,2,3 John : Lesson 6 — Let's pray together, please. Almighty God, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts that He may rule and direct us according to your will, comfort us in all our temptations and afflictions, defend us…
• 1,2,3 John : Lesson 5 — Good morning. Let's pray, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the opportunity together on this, the Lord's Day. As you gather us together to feed us with your Word and sacrament…
• 1,2,3 John: Lesson 4 — What a beautiful day the Lord has given us. Let's join together, please, in prayer. Almighty God, grant to your church your Holy Spirit in the wisdom that comes down from above, that your Word may…
• 1,2,3 John: Lesson 9-22-24 — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Merciful God, we humbly implore you to cast the bright beams of your light upon your church that we being instructed by the doctrine of the blessed…
• 1,2,3, John: Lesson 1 — Well, good morning. What a beautiful day that the Lord has given us, huh? Beautiful day. Let's pray together. Blessed Lord, you have caused all of Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant…
• Psalm: Lesson 10 — Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time in your Word. We give you thanks for the God that you are. You rule your people in justice and love. We confess that we have not always…
• Psalms Lesson 9 — Heavenly Lord, we thank You so much for Your grace. We thank You for being the God that You are. We thank You that You are the God of creation. You are the God of redemption and You are the God that…
• Psalms: Lesson 8 — Heavenly Lord, we thank You so much for Your grace. We thank You so much for Your Word and we thank You so much for letting us know You through Your Word. We ask that You would bless this time of…
• Palms: Lesson 7 — Thank you for your love, thank you for your grace, thank you for your mercy, and thank you for calling us together as your own children together. Lord, we ask that you would use this day, this time…
• Psalms: Lesson 5 — Heavenly Lord, we thank You so much for being our God and for calling us to be Your children. We ask that as we study Your Word together, that You would grow our faith in You and our service of You…
• The Psalms: Lesson 4 — We're going to be studying from Psalm 68. Definitely this week, very possibly further next week. It's a really cool psalm, and Martin Luther really loved this, as it gives us the story of God, but…
• Isaiah: Lesson 18 — Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the richness of this day and the richness of this week. We ask, O Lord, as we move through holy week that You will indeed bless these services to…
• Isaiah: Lesson 17 — Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for this, the Lord's day, and the joy of being in your house. We pray, Father, for Your blessing as we open up the pages of Scripture. Confident that the voice…
• Isaiah: Lesson 16 — Grace the Seventhly Father, we give you thanks. We praise you for your goodness. We praise you for your grace. We praise you for the solid word upon which we stand, the word that you give us, the…
• Isaiah: Lesson 15 — Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for the beauty of today, but more importantly, we give you thanks for the beauty of your promises. We give you thanks for the beauty of who you are. Blessed we…
• Isaiah 2 11 24 final — Holy and gracious God, we come before you, Throne today, lambs of your own redeeming and sheep of your own fold, and in the confidence set as ours through the blood of Jesus Christ. We thank you for…
• Isaiah: Lesson 11 — Gracious Heavenly Father, what a joy it is to be in your house on this year day. We thank you for the gifts that you have to give us word and sacrament. We pray, Father, that you will kindle the…
• Psalms: Lesson 3 — Heavenly Lord, we thank You so much for Your Word. We thank You for the clarifying truth that You bring to us through Your Word. Lord, we ask that by Your Spirit You would lead us in this time of…
• Psalms 1-7-24 — Heavenly Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for this new year. We thank you for this new time of study. Lord, we ask that you would lead us by your spirit through the study that we have this…
• Huh? Nephilim and Time, Time, and a Half a Time — So today for our time of, we're going to, I think we're going to have fun. We're going to start in Genesis, but then we're going to end in Revelation. We're going back to Revelation. This is going…
• Isaiah: Lesson 9 — Gracious Heavenly Father, with thankfulness in our hearts, we come to your house. For you have gathered us here. We thank you, Lord, for word and for sacrament and for how you send us forth, as…
• Huh? A Levite's Concubine 11-12-23 — In this story from Judges, we encounter the starkest evil of human behavior. Surround us with your grace and compassion as we look at things we'd rather turn our eyes away from. Give us the courage…
• Isaiah: Lesson 7 — Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the preciousness of your Word and the opportunity to gather around Word and sacrament. Blessed we pray this time of study to your glory and praise in…
• Isaiah: Lesson 6 — The gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the beauty of today and the beauty of your promises. We ask Father for your rich blessing upon our time and your word today. We thank You for the…
• Isaiah: Lesson 5 (10-15-23) — Good morning. Let's pray, please. Holy and gracious God would enjoy to be on this your house, on this your day. And we ask, O Lord, for your blessing, we open up the pages of Scripture, confident,…
• Isaiah: Lesson 4 (10-1-23) — Blessed, Lord God, we give you thanks for the opportunity to gather in your house on this the Lord's day. We give you thanks for your word, O Lord, for your word is truth. And Lord, as we open up…
• Isaiah: Lesson 3 — Good morning. Let's hear our prayer together, please. Holy God, we give you thanks for this day unique in all of history, but bathed in your promises and in your grace. Blessed we pray this time of…
• Exploring Isaiah Chapters 2-5: Peace, Pride, Picture, and Planting (Isaiah: Lesson 2) — Gracious Heavenly Father, how good it is to be in your house on this the Lord's day. We give you thanks for your word, for your word is truth, and we ask, O Lord, that as we open up the pages of…
• Revelation: Lesson 6 — To those of you who are joining in on YouTube, you missed a chunk because I didn't have my mic on and I appreciate your grace and your patience with me. We talked about the anti-Christ is not a term…
• Revelation: Lesson 5 — Thank you so much for today. We thank you for every day that you have blessed us with this side of heaven. Lord, we thank you that today is but one day in all of eternity and that we will be called…
• Revelation: Lesson 4 — Lord, we thank you for your grace, we thank you for your word, we thank you that your word is indeed truth and you lead us by your spirit into all things that are true. Lord, open our minds, open…
• Revelation: Lesson 2 — Let's pray. Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for the promises that are given to us through your word and that are answered for us through Jesus. Lord, we thank you so much for your…
• Genesis: Lesson 17 — Well, good morning, and welcome to, welcome to Holy Week, what a fantastic time this is in the life of the community, in the life of the church, isn't it? And what a wonderful time to study God's…
• Genesis: Lesson 15 — Good morning and welcome back to our study on Genesis. Let's share a prayer together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for your goodness and for your grace. We give you thanks…
• Genesis: Lesson 14 — Good morning. Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time and your word for your word is truth. We give you thanks, O Lord, for your grace…
• Genesis: Lesson 13 — Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for this day. We thank you for your word, the word of truth, the word of love, the word of hope. Lord, we thank you that through these messy lives that we…
• Genesis: Lesson 12 — Good morning. Let's pray, please. Grace the Seventh-day Father, we greet today in the confidence that is ours for the cross of Christ. We thank you, Lord, for the richness of your promises and for…
• Genesis: Lesson 11 — We'll good morning. Another beautiful day that Lord has given us, and welcome to our continued study here on Genesis. Let's pray together. Gracious Heavenly Father, we do indeed thank you for the…
• Genesis: Lesson 10 — Welcome as we continue on in our study of Genesis 26 and through chapters 50. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the beauty of this day, the beauty of this…
• Genesis: Lesson 9 — Good morning. Let's pray to get the place. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time to study your word. How precious O Lord is your word, inerrant and infallible. And so Father, as…
• New Beginnings: Lesson 4 — Okay, so let's just dive right in. Let's open up to Genesis chapter 6. I'm hoping that we can get through three. I'm hoping we can get through three. We'll see. Actually, we're going to. So that's…
• New Beginnings: Lesson 2 — Thank you. Lord, we thank you for this morning. We thank you for your goodness, your glory. We thank you for every new beginning. You give us each day. You allow for us to draw in breath for our…
• New Beginnings: Lesson 1 — Okay, so we're gonna go ahead and begin with a word of prayer. Please join me. Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for this glorious day. We thank you that we have been gathered here to worship…
• The Tabernacle: Lesson 5 — So let's, we're gonna pick up with our final class in the Tabernacle. This has been such a fun study. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Before I say anything more, let's go ahead and begin with a word…
• The Tabernacle: Lesson 1 — So excited to have our class today and before we get started, let's of course turn to the Lord in prayer. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for dwelling amongst us. We thank you…
• Genesis: Lesson 8 — Well, good morning. What a beautiful day the Lord has given us today, huh? Wow, 70 degrees and the blue skies, what a great day the Lord has given us. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly…
• Genesis: Lesson 7 — Blessed we pray now, this study to your glory and to your praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, last week we studied chapter 17 to 19, and you'll notice that God had changed the name of Abram to…
• Genesis: Lesson 6 — Good morning. Thank the Lord for rain today, huh? Wasn't that a wonderful sound? I had read about rain in a book, you know, and to actually see it was really something else. And it wasn't on the…
• Genesis: Lesson 5 — Well, good morning. Let's share a prayer together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for the beauty of today, but chiefly we thank you for the beauty of your promises. We praise you, O…
• Genesis: Lesson 4 — Well, good morning. What a gorgeous day the Lord has given us today. Ha, beautiful. Let us pray, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we do indeed thank you for the beauty of today, unique day and all…
• Genesis: Lesson 3 — Good morning. Let's pray together. Hold in gracious God we give you thanks for your goodness and for your grace. We give you thanks for the opportunity to go forth and to be salt and light into the…
• Genesis: Lesson 2 — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, what a joy it is to be in your house and to open up your word. We praise you, O Lord, for your infallible word. It is the bedrock…
• Resurrections: Lesson 4 (5-22-22) — Good morning. Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blessed, and make our hearts your place of rest. Come with your grace in heavenly aid, and fill the hearts which…
• Resurrections: Lesson 3 (5-15-22) — Good morning. Let's pray, please. O God of all grace, you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to bring life and immortality to light. We give you thanks that by His death He destroyed the power…
• Resurrections: Lesson 2 (5-8-22) — Let's pray. The strife is ore and the battle done. Now is the victors, triumph one. Now be the song of praise begun. Hallelujah. The powers of death have done their worst, but Christ their legions…
• Resurrections: Lesson 1- Jonah — Well, good morning. Let's pray together, please. O God, for our redemption, you have given your only begotten Son to the death of the cross. And by His glorious resurrection, you have delivered us…
• Around the World: Lesson 5 — Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you that you have led us to the truth, the truth of our sinfulness, the truth of redemption in you and the truth of eternal life in you and you alone. Lord, we…
• Around the World: Lesson 2 — So let's open in prayer. Lord, we thank You so much for gathering us here today. We thank You for Your Word of both law and gospel. We thank You that You have called us to live in the light of Your…
• Around the World: Lesson 1- Judaism — Good morning. I tell you what, I thought I would start with the easy world religion because you know we're Christians and we know so much out of where we learn and work so much out of the Old…
• Glory: Glory in Our Rule with Christ — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Lord Jesus, thank You for the forgiveness You won by submitting to the cross. Let our lives give thanks to You with willing and happy service, faithful…
• Glory: Glory in Witness — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. O Lord, open our lips and our mouths in order for us to show forth your praise. Empower us to be faithful witnesses to your love. Bend our knee before the…
• Glory: Glory in Tribulation — Good morning. Let us pray together, please. Forgive us, Lord, for doubting your love in times of trouble. Renew us by the forgiving power of the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father,…
• Glory: Glory in Humility — Good morning. Let's join in prayer, please. Grant us forgiveness, O Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ. For our stubborn sinful pride and false humility, Jesus' humble willingness to lay aside the…
• Glory: Glory in Our Union with God — Good morning. Let us pray together, please. We praise you, Jesus, for the glorious unity between us and the Holy Trinity, that you made possible by your cross. Help us more fully understand and…
• Glory: Glory in Christ’s Cross — Good morning. Let's pray. Help us, dear Jesus, to glory in your cross. Lift our eyes to see your great and final victory on Calvary. Move us by your patient love to glorify your cross in all our…
• Twelve Ordinary Men: Lesson 5 — And we'll begin with prayer. Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for calling the 12 men that you called. We thank you for showing us their flaws and their weaknesses, as well as their strengths…
• Twelve Ordinary Men: Lesson 4 — Let's pray. Lord, we thank You so much for Your Word. We thank You for gathering us today to hear Your Word. We ask that Your Spirit would guide us, that we would learn from the men that You called…
• Twelve Ordinary Men: Lesson 1 — Good morning. So today we are studying our study on the apostles, which should be fun. I guess I've been into the history of the church this year, so we're historicizing. But we are going to, of…
• Numbers in the Bible: Lesson 5 — Well, good morning. Let's join together, please, in prayer. Almighty, in everlasting God, you knit together your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of…
• Numbers in the Bible: Lesson 4 — Good morning. Let us join in prayer, please. Blessed Father in heaven, you are abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. We thank you for the grace and mercy…
• Numbers in the Bible: Lesson 3 — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Gracious God, we ask your blessing on our daily lives, especially our relationships. Give blessing to all we do and say, use us as a blessing to others in…
• Reformation: Lesson 5 — Okay, well let's turn to the Lord in prayer because that is always a good place to start. Let's pray. Lord we thank you so much for this morning, this day. It is a day that you have made and we do…
• Reformation: Lesson 4 — Let's open in prayer. Heavenly Lord, we thank You so much for this morning. We thank You for calling us and gathering us here to worship You and to learn more from You and about You and to know You…
• Reformation: Lesson 3 — Good morning. Let's begin with prayer. Lord, we thank You so much. We thank You for this day. It is a day You have made and we do rejoice and we are glad in it. We thank You for all the blessings…
• Reformation: Lesson 2 — Okay, so we are in week two of the Reformation, and so I'm really, we have so much, so much, so much to get to. So let's open in prayer. Lord we thank You, we thank You for Your Word, we thank You…
• "Trees" - Lesson 5 — Welcome back to our class on trees. We have been examining various trees in Holy Scripture and their meaning and how God used them and we come today to the concluding class in this series and I'd…
• "Trees" - Lesson 3 — Welcome back to our study on trees. This is session number three. Let us pray together, please. Lord God, Heavenly Father, you provided healing for your sinful people by raising up a bronze serpent…
• "Trees" - Lesson 2 — Welcome back to this class, simply entitled Trees. This is the second session in this series. Let's begin with a word of prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, who in loving kindness came down from heaven to…
• Trees- Lesson 1 (4-25-21) — Hello and welcome to this class simply entitled, Trees. Let's pray. It is truly meat, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places. Give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father,…
• Apologetics in Action - Lesson 3 — Good morning and welcome back to adult education. We are wrapping up our class today on apologetics in action. We have a lot to get to so we're going to dive right in. I do want to say that if you…
• Apologetics in Action - Lesson 1 — Good morning and welcome to adult education. We are going to be studying apologetics in action. And apologetics we know is a defense of the faith. We might ask ourselves why is apologetics important…
• Biblical Prophecy: Lesson 5 — Good morning and welcome back to our study on Prophecy. This is the concluding class in this series and I just want to briefly go over where we were last time in our study together. We took a look…
• Biblical Prophecy: Lesson 4 — Welcome back to our study on biblical prophecy. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for this time and your word. And especially, we want to thank you, O Lord, for the…
• Idols: Lesson 5 — Good morning and welcome to the fifth and concluding class in this series on idols. Let us pray together please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks now for this time in your word your word…
• Idols: Lesson 3 — Good morning and welcome to our third session in this study on idols, let us pray together. Gracious Heavenly Father, how precious is your Word. We thank you Father for this opportunity to open up…
• Idols: Lesson 2 — Good morning. We continue today with our study on idols, but before we begin, let us devote this time to our Lord through prayer. Gracious Heavenly Father, how precious it is to open up your Holy…
• Idols: Lesson 1 — Good morning and welcome. What a joy it is to rally a new around the Word of God and we begin today a whole new season of adult classes. There are several different classes that for this season have…
• Eyes on God; Lesson 5 — Good morning and welcome. Let us pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, what a joy it is to open up the pages of Scripture, for we know that the voice that we hear is your voice. So Father, as we study…
• Eyes on God: Lesson 4 — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Grace of Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time and your word, your word is truth. We give you thanks, O Lord, that you continually lift our…
• Eyes on God: Lesson 2 — Good morning and welcome. This is session number two in a class that I've entitled Eyes on God. And what we're doing is we're taking a look at the pandemic through the lenses of Holy Scripture. And…
• Eyes on God - Lesson 1 — Good morning and welcome. I look forward to sharing with you over these next five weeks special class that I have entitled Eyes on God. And what I'd like to do is I'd like to examine with you the…
• The Art of Neighboring: Lesson #3 — Good morning. How are you doing today? It is so wonderful to be able to gather with you again and to continue today. We're actually wrapping up our adult education hour on the art of neighboring. I…
• The Art of Neighboring — Hey, good morning. Welcome to our adult education hour. I'm very excited to be able to bring this class to you. It is not coincidental that as we were planning the adult education for this school…
• Blessings in Disguise Lesson 3 — Good morning. Good morning, let's pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessings that abound, the blessings that you pour out. We thank you also, Lord, for these blessings, some so…
• Blessings in Disguise- Lesson 2 — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, how precious is your Word, and what a joy it is to come into your house as you feed us with your very Word. Blessed now we pray…
• Blessings in Disguise- Lesson 1 — Good morning. Let's pray please. Grace is Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the opportunity to study your Word and we give you thanks. For the sermon on the Mount, as we walk through this…
• Contentment Class 2 — Let's pray together, please. Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for your gift of contentment, your gift of contentment rooted in who you are and your promises. We thank you for the…
• Contentment Lesson 4 — And a good morning. Let's pray, please. Gracious God, we give you thanks for today, the word that you place upon our lips and in our heart that word of proclamation. We ask Father that as we study…
• Christology- Lesson 1 — So today we are starting our study on Christ's Dology, which is figuring out how the two natures of Christ work and why both Jesus as truly man and truly God, 100% man, 100% God, why that's true and…
• Contentment: Courses and Patterns — Good morning. Let's pray together, please. Grace is Heavenly Father. We give you thanks for this opportunity to gather around your word. We thank you for the gift of contentment. And we ask, O Lord,…
• Christology- Lesson 5 — Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you for this time to come together and dive further into your word, further into what Scripture has to say about you. We ask that you would bless this time of…
• Christology Lesson 4 — Okay, so quick review because we are shifting over into the humanity or I mean into the divinity of Jesus today, but to go back to look at the humanity of Jesus, we know from biblical sources that…
• Forgiving Family Members — Well, today I want to talk with you about the subject of forgiving family members, forgiving family members. You know, the family can be such a tremendous source of joy. It's a place obviously where…
• Understanding Forgiveness — We're going to examine today in the topic of forgiveness. We're going to look at understanding forgiveness. Well, let's start with Colossians II chapter. Colossians 2, that's in the New Testament.…
• Understanding Heaven and Hell Part 6 — Today I want to examine with you the question of how do we know that we're going to heaven? And to individualize it more, how do you know that you're going to heaven? How does a person know that…
• 3 The Justice of God and the Fate of the Unredeemed — Today I want to talk with you about the justice of God and the fate of the unbeliever, the justice of God and the fate of the unbeliever. Of all of the seven sessions that we're going to have around…
• 2 What Happens When We Die — We began last week the class understanding heaven and hell and we're going to deal with this subject for about about eight weeks or so. Last week we talked about that when you look at the reality of…
• 1 The Reality of Heaven and Hell — Well, I look forward to beginning this seven-week walk with you on this subject, understanding heaven and hell. And during the summer months is actually when I plan out the entire teaching cycle for…
• Desert Flowers #7 — Well, last week as we continued on, we were talking about complexity and simplicity with regard to the prophetic word. Sometimes you'll see as we study a direct application where there will be a…
• Flowers Emerge 1-13-19 — We studied last week in our walk in this class called Flowers in the Desert. And specifically, we're taking a look at the prophets from Isaiah to Malachi. And as you walk through that landscape of…
• Medical Ethics Part 2 — Oh, hi. So we're back at this again. I think I've seen you all before. Well, most of you. Tonight, oh, did you keep me? Is that right? Well, it's time right here. She gave me four copies of it.…
• Advanced Care Planning — doing advanced care planning. I think I know most of you, but I'm Pastor Tim Rairson from South Dakota. I am on a statewide task force to try to increase the number of people who do advanced care…
• The Starkness — My first call out of seminary was in Eastern Washington in a congregation called Richland Lutheran Church. I remember the evening that I received a call from the call committee chairperson who was…
• 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 5 — Well today I want to take a look with you at the middle road between good good works and bad good works The middle road between good good works and bad good works When you consider bad good works…
• 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…
• Comforting Others Session 1 — Well, welcome to this new class that's going to carry us through the end of this cycle of teaching. We move into summer on Memorial Day weekend and so this is going to keep us through up until that…
• Comforting Others Session 2 — Well, welcome this this morning. We continue on this class and that is focusing on the subject of bringing comfort to others. Last week we looked at the subject of how do we bring comfort to people…
• Heresies 1 — Well, good morning. Let's pray together, please. Grace is heavenly Father, it is such a joy to be in your house. We thank you that you call us together as your people. We thank you that you have…
• 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 6 — Grace the Heavenly Father, we with joy, we approach today. We approach it in your promises. We know of your constant presence with us. We know indeed that you form our days, that all occurs, passes…
• Heresies 7 — Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for the beauty of this day. We thank you for your promises that continually surround us and for the privilege of joy and joy of being your people. Commissioned…
• Heresies 9 — Well, we pick up in our study on the heresies of old, last time that we were together, we studied about what is called a nosticism. Nosticism is the belief that God speaks to us apart from his word,…
• Heresies 10 — Well, we continue along in our study looking at some ancient heresies and how they apply today, where we see the expression of those. The purpose, of course, is so that when you hear these, you'll…
• Education Witness Style 1 — I want to break this down a little bit as we study this. In verse 13, for it was you who formed my inward parts. All of our bodies are made by God with this intricate complexity to them. And the…
• Education Witness Style 2 — Gracious Heavenly Father, it is a joy to be in your house on this year day. We thank You, O Lord, that You command us to come, for You have something to give us, word and sacrament. We thank You, O…
• Education Witness Style 3 — Well, we have been taking a look here at this little class entitled witnessing within your own personality style and just to review a little bit from whence we have come. Last time we talked about…
• Education Witness Style 4 — Well, welcome back from our little break last week. We were studying last time we got together two weeks ago about how Jesus witnessed to people. We noticed that sometimes Jesus was the one that…
• Education Witness Style 5 — Well, we have come to the last of our witnessing within your personality style classes. It's just a little bit of review where we were last time we got together. We talked about how God gives us…
• 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 2 Why Do We Need To Be Justified — Father, we confess how difficult it is to see our own sin and unworthiness. Pride runs deep in our sinful hearts. The devil works tirelessly to convince us that we're not desperate beggars before…
• Justification 3 What Moves God To Justify Us — Father, we have failed to obey Your Holy Law. We know that we deserve only Your wrath and punishment. Make sure us today that Your own Son kept Your law perfectly in our place and has given us His…
• 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…
• Justification 6 How Long Does It Take To Be Justified — O spirit, you alone have produced faith in us. The credit for us being believers is all yours. Help us now, O Lord, as we study to acknowledge your grace in giving us the gift of faith, in keeping…
• Justification 7 What Is The Connection Between Justification and Sanctification — Heavenly Father, give us deep and sincere gratitude for the gift of justification to Christ. Fand into flame our love for you by the love you have shown us in winning our salvation. Help us…
• Justification 8 What is the Current and Final Status of the Justified — Father, assure us today that no matter what our hearts may tell us, no matter what the world may say to shake our confidence in the full and free nature of our salvation, that they're wrong. Renew…
• "Actually..." 4-12-26 — To thy own self be true, to thy own self be true. A great man who once walked this earth said or wrote, those words shared, these exact words with the world, a creator of great works, unparalleled…
• Tears of Jesus: John 20:1-18 (4-5-26) — Would you open your Bibles, please? With me, too, the gospel of John the 20th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, that you'll find in front of you or underneath you, the 20th…
• "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…
• Obtaining Eternal Life- "The Test" 3-1-26 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 10th chapter of the gospel of Luke. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you will find that in the New Testament page 62. Luke the 10th…
• "Rooted" 2-22-26 — Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew 13th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 12 in the New Testament. We are in Matthew 13th chapter. I'm from…
• "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…
• Our Value: "Face to Face" 2-15-26 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the Gospel of Matthew the 13th chapter. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find in front of you or underneath you, the 13th…
• "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…
• God Hears Us - 11-23-25 — Job in your Bibles, please, for our time in God's Word to the 11th chapter of the gospel of John, John the 11th chapter if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture. You're going to find that in…
• Thankfulness: Saying Grace (11-16-25) — What you open your Bibles, please, with me for our time and gods were today to the gospel of John the sixth chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find the sixth…
• God's Will: Unyielding Trust 11-9-25 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the 11th chapter of the gospel of Matthew? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find in front of you or underneath you,…
• "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…
• Who am I? "AM and Am Not” 9-14-25 — Jesus is Lord and we can run into the arms of God. Receive O Lord the praise of your people. As we open up your Word, we are confident that the voice that we hear is your voice. And we proclaim…
• Words of Jesus.- “Hearing and Acting” 9-7-25 — Would you open your Bibles Please with me to Matthew the 7th chapter if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture you'll find in the Pew rack in front of you or underneath you you'll find that in…
• God Willing: "D. V." 8-31-25 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to Proverbs 16th chapter. Proverbs 16, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament page 561 for our…
• 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…
• Foolishness: “Tiered Foolishness” 8-17-25 — Would you open your Bible's please with me for our time and God's Word to Proverbs the 30th chapter? If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament…
• "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…
• "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…
• "Wisdom" 6-1-25 — If you would please open your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 1, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 547 in the Old Testament. We're in Proverbs chapter 1.…
• "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…
• "Imitate" 5-11-25 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to first thisologians the first chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New Testament, page 179. First,…
• "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…
• "God's Personal Love" 4-20-25 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to John the 20th chapter for our study this morning. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll see in the rack in front of you or…
• "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…
• "Owning It" 3-5-25 — Would you open your Bible's please with me this evening to Exodus the 30-second chapter? Exodus chapter 32, if you're using a few additional Holy Scripture, you will find that on page 73, the…
• “Fear Not (the Final Word)” 2-23-25 — Ever since the beginning of the year, we have been in a sermon series entitled Fearless, overcoming fear in the new year. And we began by talking about the difference between being scared and having…
• “Fear of Death” 2-16-25 — Would you open your Bible's please with May 2, Philippians, the first chapter? Philippians, chapter 1. If you are using a few addition, you'll find that in the New Testament page 174, Philippians,…
• 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…
• "???" 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…
• Facing Problems: “Promise Focus” 12-1-24 — You open your Bible's please with me to the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. If you're using a Pew edition this morning, you're going to find that in the New Testament page 49. Luke the first…
• 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…
• "Wiggle Room" 11-24-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to first the Salonians the 5th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 181 of the New Testament. 181. First, the Salonians…
• Comparing: "Thanksgiving Twist" 11-17-24 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to Luke the 18th chapter for our study today? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture you're going to find that page 70 in the New Testament the…
• "Fragrant" 11-10-24 — Okay, everyone close your eyes. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose. You smell the church. Keep your eyes closed for a moment. And imagine the smell of freshly baked bread.…
• Goodness of God: "He is Good" 11-3-24 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to first Chronicles the 16th chapter. First Chronicles is in the Old Testament. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture you're going to find that on…
• "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…
• Culture: "No Jellyfish" 10-6-24 — Zuma Beach, California. As a boy, during the summer we would take frequent trips to Zuma Beach. We lived in the San Fernando Valley, and so the drive wasn't too terribly far. We would go through the…
• 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…
• Witnessing: "Come and See" 9-15-24 — Gracious Heavenly Father, indeed, may we bring you glory. You have given us breath and time this side of heaven for the soul purpose of bringing you glory. And so Father we ask, in Word and deed, in…
• "Advocate" 9-8-24 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to first Samuel the 19th chapter for our study today. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the Old Testament,…
• "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…
• Believing in God 8-25-24 — With your Bible's please, to first Kings the 18th chapter for our study this morning, first Kings the 18th chapter. If you're using a Puedition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page…
• “Dependent” 8-18-24 — Do you ever step out of your house or maybe you're still in your house and you turn on the news or you get a phone call and hear the latest from a friend or family member? And it just makes you want…
• “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…
• "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…
• 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…
• "The Answer is Yes" 5-26-24 — If you would please open your Bible to the first letter of John chapter 2, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, this can be found on page 211 in the New Testament. We're in 1 John chapter 2.…
• 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…
• "Prayer" “Cause and Effect?” 5-12-24 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 11th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, for our study today, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that New Testament…
• “Beyond Opinions” 5-5-24 — Would you open up your Bible's please for our time and gods word today to first Corinthians the seventh chapter. First Corinthians chapter seven, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture,…
• “The Question Regarding ‘Cherem’ ” 4-28-24 — Would you open your Bibles please with me for our study today to the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, the 20th chapter. If you are using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you are going to…
• “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…
• "Proof" 4-7-24 — A few years ago, there was a woman in Canada who was skydiving. She was 5,000 feet in the air and she jumped out of the airplane and she began plummeting to the earth. Her first parachute didn't…
• "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…
• Doing the Right Thing 3-17-24 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the 23rd chapter of the Gospel of Luke for our study today? If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 76 in the…
• "Expectations" 3-10-24 — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the 23rd chapter of the Gospel of Luke if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture in the Pew rack in front of you, you will find that page 76 in…
• "Prayer: Called to Pray" 2-25-24 — You open your Bibles, please, with me to Luke the 22nd chapter for our study this morning if you're using a Pew Edition of Holy Scripture that will be on page 75 in the New Testament. Luke the 22nd…
• "Disappointment" 2-18-24 — Open your Bibles, please, with me to the Gospel of John 11th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find in front of you or underneath you, the 11th chapter of the Gospel…
• “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…
• Wandering from the Lord.: Do You Also....? 2-11-24 — Would you open your Bibles, please, for our time of study today, to the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New…
• "Real Fruit" 2-4-24 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew 7 chapter, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you will find this on page 6 in the New Testament where Matthew chapter 7. If it…
• 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…
• “New Year” 1-7-24 — What you open your Bible's please with me to the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew for our study this morning. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page…
• "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…
• 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…
• The Heart and Words: "Trees and Hearts" — Would you open your Bible's please with me to the 12th chapter of the gospel of Saint Matthew? If you're using a few edition you'll find in the rack in front of you or underneath you, that's on page…
• 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…
• "It is Enough" 11-26-23 — I love traveling. I love traveling and I love anticipating what I'm going to see, what I'm going to do. And in order to travel any time you go anywhere, you have to pack. You pack, you pack a bag.…
• “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…
• Replacing Worry 10-22-23 — Would your open your Bible's please with me to the sixth chapter of the gospel of Saint Matthew for our study today? We're using a Pewadition of Holy Scripture. You're going to find that in the New…
• 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…
• :Lost?" 10-8-23 — If you wouldn't please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 15th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 67 in the New Testament. We're in chapter 15 of…
• "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…
• “Love Who?” 9-17-23 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew for our study this morning? Matthew the fifth chapter if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture,…
• “Who Do You Say?” 9-10-23 — We'll open up your Bibles Please with me for our time of study today. To the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, if you are using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on…
• "Here I Stand" 9-3-23 — If you wouldn't please open your Bibles to the letter of Jude, that's on page 216 in the New Testament, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, we're in the letter that Jude wrote page 216 in…
• “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…
• "I'm Not God" 8-6-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to Romans the first chapter, where in Romans the first chapter page 133 of the New Testament, if you're using a Pue edition of the Bible. Romans chapter 1. As I…
• "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…
• “Non-Judgement?” 7-23-23 — Let us pray. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. We praise you, gracious God, that as you gather us today in this your house, you gather us together as your…
• “Calming the Sea and Rocking the Boat” 7-16-23 — Let us pray together, please. Grace is Heavenly Father, we are indeed a people who buy your grace, sing the words that you are our Redeemer. Lord Jesus, we praise you for the cross and for the empty…
• “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…
• “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…
• "The" 6-18-23 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the Gospel of John the 14th chapter for our study today? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 95 in the New…
• "God is Not Angry" 6-11-23 — Do you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the fifth chapter of the Book of Romans, if you're using a Pue edition, you're going to find that in the New Testament, page 136, Romans the fifth…
• “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…
• "One On One" 5-14-23 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the 24th chapter of the gospel of St. Luke, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture this morning, you'll find that page 78 in the New…
• "His Christology" 4-30-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, the 24th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, that is on page 78 of the New Testament. We are continuing our walk on the…
• “Christology” 4-23-23 — Do you want your Bibles please with me to the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. If you're using a few additional this morning, you're going to find that on page 78 for our study. Luke the 24th…
• "Discussion" 4-16-23 — Everybody is different. Everybody thinks differently. Everybody processes differently. Everybody functions just a little bit differently. There are those who went faced with something that they're…
• "See the Place" 4-9-23 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the gospel of St. Matthew 28th, chapter if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find that on page 29 in the New Testament. Matthew…
• "The Bread of Life" 4-6-23 — It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead. Do not think that I have come to…
• “Reactions” 3-26-23 — Do you open your Bibles, please, with me to the 12th chapter of the gospel of John. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find that on page 92 in the New Testament. The 12th…
• "Seen" 3-19-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to Luke the 19th chapter, we're in the Gospel of Luke the 19th chapter. We had a small group recently on the book The Highting Place and one of the questions…
• "Now I See" 3-5-23 — If you would please open your Bibles to Luke the 18th chapter, Luke the 18th chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of the Bible, you can find this on page 71 in the New Testament. We are in Luke…
• "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…
• “Kyrie Eleison” 2-22-23 — On this holy night, the church gathers. Ash Wednesday is one of the most somber of services. Good Friday, Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday begins that walk for the church of the 40 days leading to Holy…
• "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…
• “Fellowship With One Another” 1-8-23 — Put your open your Bibles, please, with me, to the book of 1 John in the New Testament. That is on page 211, if you're using a Pew edition this morning of Holy Scripture. 1 John, the very first…
• "Pray for One Another" 1-29-23 — Which opens your Bibles, please, with me to the fifth chapter of the Book of James. James is in the New Testament, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, it's found on page 204. James the…
• "Instruct One Another" 1-22-23 — Would you open your Bibles, please? With me for our time of study today to Romans the 15th chapter. Romans chapter 15, if you're using a Pue edition, you're going to find that on page 143. Romans…
• “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 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…
• “How Do I Know God Loves Me?” 10-30-22 — How do I love the? Let me count the ways. We are all probably familiar with that most famous sonnet of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a 19th century poet. And she penned that sonnet in which she counts…
• "Heigh-Ho" 10-23-22 — Welcome to the second chapter. We are going to find the second chapter of Ephesians on page 170. We conclude today this sermon series, Salt and Light and what a joy. For choir and children to join…
• “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…
• “Praying for the City” 10-9-22 — With your Bibles, please, with me to Jeremiah the 29th chapter for our study today. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find Jeremiah the 29th chapter on page 690 in the…
• "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.…
• "Instead" 9-25-22 — Would you open your Bibles please with me for our study today? To first Peter, the first chapter. If you're using a Pula Edition, you're going to find that on page 205 in the New Testament. Page…
• "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…
• "You Are" 9-11-22 — What you're open your Bibles please with me for our study this morning to Matthew the 5th chapter. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find the 5th chapter of Matthew in the New…
• “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…
• “Omniscience” 8-28-22 — What you open up your Bibles, please, for our study this morning, to the book of Psalms, Psalm 139. If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 540 in the Old…
• “Omnipotence” 8-21-22 — Would you open your Bibles' plays with me to Numbers the 11th chapter this morning? That is in the Old Testament and if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on…
• "Truth" 8-14-22 — Tell me if you have ever heard or told something that goes a little bit like this. I was out on the lake the other day. I was sitting in my boat. I cast a line into the water. Nothing had been…
• "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…
• “Impassibility” 6-26-22 — Would you open your Bible's please with me for our study today to the book of First John? We're going to study out of the fourth chapter. If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find…
• “Aseity" 6-12-22 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the book of Exodus in the Old Testament, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 47 for our study this…
• “If/Then Is Now” 5-29-22 — If you would please open your Bibles to Colossians the third chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of the Bible, that can be found on page 178 in the New Testament. We'll be in Colossians the third…
• “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…
• "The Lone Ranger" 5-1-22 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to first Corinthians the first chapter for our study today? If you're using a Pue edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New Testament,…
• "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.…
• "Confident" 4-14-22 — Get up, shoulders back, look me square in the eye and tell me the truth. Have you ever denied Christ? It was Passover. Jesus and His disciples had gathered together to share this celebration, this…
• “Glory From the East” 4-10-22 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the Gospel of Mark the 11th chapter? If you're using a Pew edition you'll find that on page 41, Mark the 11th chapter for our study today. Details.…
• “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…
• “Resting for a Purpose” 2-20-22 — Do you open your Bibles, please? With me, too, the Gospel of Mark the sixth chapter for our study today. Mark chapter six, as we continue to look at the action gospel, the gospel of Saint Mark. When…
• “More Grace to Bestow” 2-13-22 — Welcome to your Bible's Please with me, too. The Gospel of Mark the 5th chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 34 for our study today, Mark the…
• "Boat Trip" 1-30-22 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the Gospel of Mark the 4th chapter. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that in the New Testament on page 33, Mark…
• “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…
• “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…
• "He" 12-26-21 — If you would please open your Bibles to Psalm 111, our text for this morning will be from Psalm 111. Love Christmas Eve service. There is so much excitement happening on Christmas Eve. Everyone is…
• “Serve” 12-19-21 — Would you open your Bibles please with me this morning to first Peter the fourth chapter for our study? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, please find that on page 207. Page 207. First…
• "Grow" 12-12-21 — Would you open your Bible's please with me this morning for our study? To first Peter the second chapter, if you're using a Pue edition, you're going to find that on page 206, first Peter the second…
• "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…
• "Tomorrow" 11-21-21 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the fourth chapter of the book of James for our study today? If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that page 200 and 4,…
• “Today ” 11-14-21 — Would you open your Bible's please with me this morning to Psalm 118. An easy way of course to find the book of Psalms is simply to go to the very center of Scripture open it up. You're going to…
• “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…
• "Entrusted" 10-24-21 — If you would please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, the 25th chapter, the Gospel of Matthew, the 25th chapter. Right now, we are in a sermon series on life management. And I don't know if…
• “A Mustard Seed, Yeast and Flour” 10-17-21 — What you're open your Bibles, please, with me this morning to Matthew the 13th chapter. If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 13 in the New Testament.…
• "Entrusted" 10-10-21 — Who's your open your Bibles, please, with me for our study today to Matthew the sixth chapter, the very first book in the New Testament, Matthew chapter six for our study today. We begin today a new…
• "Loving and Yearning" 10-3-21 — What you're open your Bibles, please, with me this morning to Jeremiah the 31st chapter for our study today. If you're using a few edition, you're going to find that on page 693 in the Old…
• “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…
• “Gentle and Humble” 9-12-21 — Would you open your Bibles please with me to the 11th chapter of the gospel of Matthew? If you're using a few additional this morning, you're going to find that on page 10 for our study today.…
• "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,…
• Sermon 8-22-21 — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me this morning, to the book of Proverbs, the 26 chapter, using a few edition, you'll find that page 50 and 71 for our study today, the 26 chapter of the…
• “What is God’s Strategy for Anxiousness?” 8-15-21 — Would you open your Bibles please with me for our text of study today to first Peter the first chapter if using a Pew edition? You're going to find that on page 208 first Peter the fifth chapter for…
• "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…
• "What is the Purpose of Angels?" 7-11-21 — If you would, please open your Bibles to the book of Hebrews the first chapter. We're going to be studying Hebrews the first chapter. Okay, so I'm going to ask a question. We're in a Q&A sermon…
• "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…
• "Does God Hear the Prayers of Unbelievers?" 6-27-21 — If you would please open your Bibles to Psalm 139, we're going to be studying Psalm 139. So in this Q&A series of taking questions to Scripture and seeing what God's Word has to say and using…
• "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 are We Saved From?" - 1 John 2:1-2 — Would you open your Bibles please with me today to first John the second chapter for our study, first John chapter two. The late R.C. Sproul, a theologian, a told story of when he was walking along…
• "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…
• "New Heaven and Earth" 5-23-21 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the very last book of Holy Scripture? Revelation, the 21st chapter for our study today. Revelation, chapter 21. Today is the final sermon in this…
• "New Body" 5-16-21 — Would you open your Bibles, please? With me to first Corinthians, the 15th chapter, for our study today, first Corinthians, chapter 15. Jack the Lane, who is an interesting fellow. He is regarded as…
• "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,…
• "The Heavenly Accent" — Would you open your Bible please with me to Proverbs the 15th chapter? Proverbs 15 for our study today. The accent, the accent. Exams can be so intriguing, can't they? And so interesting and quite…
• "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…
• "The Golden Rule" 2-21-21 — Let us pray. Holy and gracious God, we give you thanks now for this time when you're word, your word is truth. We praise you, O Lord, for the treasure that you have placed in our hands for Holy…
• "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…
• “A New Thing” — Let's open our Bibles, please. To Isaiah, the 43rd chapter for our study today, Isaiah, chapter 43. Watch this. Just you wait. Do you see what's happening? When we hear those phrases, when they are…
• "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…
• "New Heart and Spirit" 12-20-20 — What you open your Bibles, please, with me to the Prophet Zikil, chapter 36 for our study this morning, is Zikil the 36th chapter. Grace, it is such a beautiful, beautiful word, and it's even a…
• "In His Presence" — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to Psalm 16 for our study today? Psalm 16 and we're going to focus in on one particular verse, that is verse 11. But we're going to explore all of this…
• "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…
• "Made Cheerful" — Let's open our Bibles, please. This morning to second Corinthians, the ninth chapter, second Corinthians, chapter nine, for our study this morning. Cheerfulness. Cheerfulness. That is a wonderful…
• "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…
• “Born of the Spirit’s Action” — Let's open our Bibles, please, today to Galatians the 5th chapter for our study. Galatians the 5th chapter. Several years ago, our family was vacationing at Disney World. It was a summer day and the…
• "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 Set Before Him" — Let's open our Bibles, please, to the Book of Hebrews this morning. Hebrews the 12th chapter for our study. This is sermon number three in a series that we have simply entitled Joy. And during this…
• 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…
• "Ezra" — Okay, we've got an honest question for you and I expect you to give an honest answer. We can't see you. We know you're at home watching this. We're shipping with us. So I'm going to ask you, have…
• "Lois and Eunice" — Would you open your Bible please with me for our study today? The Book of Second Timothy, Second Timothy, the very first chapter for our study this morning, Second Timothy, Chapter 1. Sluggins,…
• "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.…
• "Josiah" — Let's open our Bibles, please this morning to the book of 2 Chronicles, the 34th chapter for our study today, 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament chapter 34, as we study God's Holy Word together. In…
• "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…
• Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego — Let's open our Bibles. Please this morning to the great book of Daniel, the third chapter for our study today, Daniel the third chapter. It was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, interesting dimensions,…
• "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…
• Rufus — Would you open your Bible with me this morning to the book of Romans? Please, the 16th chapter for our study this morning, Romans the 16th chapter. When you're watching a movie, there are some…
• "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,…
• "Those Who Wait" Isaiah 40:28-31 — Let's open our Bibles, please, to the 40th chapter of the book of Isaiah for our study this morning. Isaiah the 40th chapter. A recent survey was done. Research was done and it came to these…
• "Rock and Sand" — Let's open our Bibles, please. This morning to the 24th chapter of the gospel of Luke for our study on this Easter day. When one comes to Easter day, it is such a joyous day for so many reasons. And…
• "Conditional vs. Unconditional Love" — Would you open your Bible's place with me this morning to the 11th chapter of the gospel of Mark for our study this morning? Throughout the season of Lent, we have been focusing on the theme of the…
• "For the Greater Purpose" — Would you open your Bibles' Please with me to the 21st chapter of the Book of Acts for our continued study in this great book. The 21st chapter of the Book of Acts for our study this morning. We've…
• The Lord's Will Be Done — We have all over the years received competing advice. Advice that really contradicts the advice you just received, right? For example, if you ask someone, what's the fastest way to get wherever? 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…
• Keeping On Keeping On — When I was in my 30s, way back when, when I was in my 30s, I thought it would be a great thing for me to be a runner. And I signed up for a race, a 10k, and I was very gung-ho and I trained…
• Living the Story — When you look at various figures, throughout the scriptures, oftentimes you can associate a word with them. For example, Adam and Eve, Apple, Noah, Flood, Abraham, and Sarah, covenant, David,…
• "Awestruck" — Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the 19th chapter of the Book of Acts? The seven sons of Skiva. Those band of boys were bad news. They were exorcists that went around, traveling…
• "11 to 4, and Evenings" — Schedules, we all have them, rhythms to life. Sometimes those schedules are kept in our phones or in our daytimeers or maybe sometimes even just in our minds. But we all have the rhythms that we…
• 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…
• A Great Light — Would you open your Bible, please, this afternoon, to the ninth chapter of the Great Book of Isaiah? Beloved in the Lord the grace and peace of God Almighty be with you, Amen. In the beginning, God,…
• 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…
• If God Wills — The Bible tells us about a person by the name of Gideon. Gideon knew what the will of God was, but he just wanted confirmation. And so he said, God, I'm going to take this fleece of wool. I'm going…
• "Hindsight" December 8, 2019 — Hinesite, hindsight. Perhaps you've heard the phrase or you've used it yourself. Hinesite is 100% or hindsight is 2020. In other words, when you're looking over your shoulder at something that is…
• Unknown to Known — It was a talk show and the topic for the day does God exist. The guest was an avowed atheist and the host and the guest were having a debate for the entire hour. As the show was starting to wrap up…
• "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,…
• "Focus" October 27, 2019 — As you turn the pages of Scripture, and you meet various folks, it becomes evident, right? A little bit about their personalities. You've got extraverts, Scripture, you've got introverts, you've got…
• "Driven to the Knees" — It is my favorite math problem. Take whatever number you want, whatever number you want. Double it, then add 10 to it. Divide it in half, and then take the original number, and subtract it, and you…
• Rejoice Reaction — reactions. Reactions. We all have them. Don't we? That's sometimes the best thing is just not to react, right? But if you want to press the point, even not reacting is a reaction, right? Reaction…
• "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…
• "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…
• Declaration — The last few weeks we have been studying out of this great chapter, the 15th chapter of Acts. And specifically, we have been looking at the three D's. We hope that it's a simple little memory device…
• "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…
• "Two Fold Witness" 8-11-19 — As one studies the miracles of our Lord, we see various reactions that occur. I think for example of the miracle in which Jesus comes the wind. He's walked on the sea. He's then with the disciples…
• "The Greater Healing" 8-4-19 — There are a host of healings recorded in Holy Scripture. And as you read the account of these healings, they are tremendously moving, aren't they? Does the Lord Jesus Christ still heal this side of…
• "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…
• "Providential Care" June 23, 2019 — One of the great joys of studying through the Book of Acts is that you come across some amazing, amazing sermons. By Justin Art studies so far, we have studied the great sermon of Peter at the time…
• "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…
• "Unexpected Surprise" June 2, 2019 — We are smack dab in the middle of a really exciting story of rescue and deliverance out of a miracle of God And as I was studying this text and I was trying to think of a great way to open this…
• "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,…
• "Christians" May 12, 2019 Sermon — names of churches interest me. I've always maintained that this church she has a great name. Living Word, why it refers to the word, the Lord Jesus Christ, it refers to Scripture, it draws on the…
• 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,…
• The Gathering 3-24-19 — The gathering, the gathering. We see various gatherings throughout Holy Scripture. I think for example in numbers, when people are complaining against Moses and their thirsty, and so God grants them…
• "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…
• " Presented Alive" March 3, 2019 — So in today's text, we have two stories of miracles that are performed by Peter. The last that we had heard about Peter or seen Peter was when he was evangelizing in Samaria. In chapter eight before…
• After Some Time February 24, 2019 — You're open your Bible's please with me to the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts as we continue our study in this wonderful book. The Book of Acts is filled with action. Is it not? Why there are…
• 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…
• "Purchased" Christmas Eve 2018 Sermon — Several years ago, I served the congregation, and we had our Christmas Eve services at 4 o'clock and 11 o'clock. So there were quite a few hours in between the worship services, and it really helped…
• "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.…
• "Light" October 28, 2018 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me, to the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. We are in a four-week study that I have entitled the Mission. Leveraging off of our study in the Book of…
• "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…
• "Not Just A History Lesson" Acts 7:9-16 — We are working through Act still and we're in Chapter 7, looking at Stephen's sermon picking up in verse 9, but we will get there. First I want to tell you a little story. When I was in ninth grade,…
• Sermon 10-7-18 Review Sheet: Abraham — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the seventh chapter of the book of Acts, as we continue our study of this magnificent book that God has given to us. A few weeks ago, I had received a…
• The Bridge — Would you open your Bible, please, to the sixth chapter of the Book of Acts for our study together? I did my internship when I was in seminary in a place called Navato, California. It was 30 miles…
• 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,…
• Sermon September 2, 2018 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the fifth chapter of the book of Acts? As an old children song, the lyric is simply this. I am the church. You are the church. We are the church…
• "When Does God Judge Us?" Mt:25:31-46 — To open your Bible, please, with me to the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew for our study this morning. Throughout this summer, we have been dealing in the sermon series, questions and answers.…
• "What Is Not a Part of Faith" Romans 10:14-15 — Would you open your Bible, please, with me this morning to the 10th chapter of the Book of Roman. The miracle on 34th Street. It's a classic movie, isn't it? And within that movie, there are a…
• Are We a Success Yet Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75 — You're open your Bible, please, with me to the 26th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. Success. Success. There really is a great emphasis upon being a success in life, isn't there? Why we tend to…
• 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…
• Why Do We Worry Mt 6:25-34 — Would you open your Bible please with me to the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew for our study today? The couple is up late at night and they're thinking about the reorganization of the…
• 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 7-8-18 — If I asked for directions to the Pacific Ocean, and I insisted that there was a way to get there by taking I-35, you would know I was completely wrong. There's absolutely no way that you can get to…
• Sermon June 17, 2018 "Maturity" — The Department Store was relatively quiet, save a few customers, a mother, and a couple of for kids. The kids were being, well, as kids can be, in a Department Store when they're trying to pass…
• Sermon June 10, 2018 — Would you open your Bible please with me to the third chapter of the book of Romans? Are people basically good? Are people basically good? It's an interesting question, isn't it? For we hear the…
• 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 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,…
• Sermon 4-22-18 — You open your Bible, please, with me to the fourth chapter of the Book of Acts, as we continue our study in this great gift that God has given us this great book of Acts. In the first chapter of the…
• 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…
• Word Alone — Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks now for this time and your infelible word. We thank you for the sure foundation upon which we are able to stand. Use now this word to your glory. In tune…
• To Do List — To do lists, to do lists. Do you have any of those? Why they can be lists of the rather mundane things and also lists of rather important things? Here's my question for you this morning. Did Jesus…
• While We Wait — Let's open our Bible's please to the very first chapter of the Book of Acts. We began our journey in this incredible book last Sunday and I just want to recap what we went over. Because the first…
• Apostleship — Would you open up your Bible please with me to the very first chapter of the book of Acts? The Twelve. The Twelve. They're known as the Twelve. They're known as disciples. And when you look at this…
• In Our Own Language — Would you open your Bible please with me to the second chapter of the Book of Acts as we pick up from where we left off last week as we moved out of the first chapter of the Book of Acts. Remember…
• The Promise For You — How many times in your life have you heard the words I promise? And how many times in your life have you said the words I promise? I was thinking about what promises we make in our lives every day.…
• 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.…
• Utterly Astonishing — Okay, I have a fun surprise for you today. I'm going to do magic. Nothing, my sleeves, nothing in my hands. There's going to be something in my hands. I have here a plain cup of water and a second…