Scripture for Sunday, Dec 26th: Luke 2:15-20

Sermon Title: Christmas Gifts That Won't Break - The Gift of Love

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it ware amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

There is a story that Dr. Ann Shorb tells about three sons who wanted to give their mother gifts for her 70th birthday. One son decided to give her a ring and the other a new car. The youngest son thought about how much she liked to read the Bible, so he bought her a parrot that could quote the entire Bible. It took 12 years for the parrot to be trained and it cost him more than what the other brothers spent on their gifts.

The mother received the gifts on her birthday via delivery and she quickly sent thank you notes to each of her sons. To the first son she wrote, "Son, thank you for the ring. It's beyond anything I have ever imagined." To the second son she wrote, "Thank you for the car. I couldn't imagine having that wonderful of a vehicle ever in my life." To the youngest son she wrote, "Thank you for the chicken. It was delicious."

Christmas can be like that for many people. Christmas comes with its gifts, songs, activities and food, and people can miss the most important message that Christmas is intended to deliver - that God loves us. We know this without a doubt because He sent His Son to take the form of a mere infant so that the infant could one day grow up and die as a sacrifice for our sins. God the Father spared nothing so that we could have a relationship with Him. I hope that you will not miss this message - it truly is what Christmas conveys to the world - that God loves us. And there is no greater message that we could ever hear or receive. This coming Sunday we will talk more about that message of God's love, and how it should impact the way we treat others. I hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Dec. 19th: Luke 2:8-14

Sermon Title: Christmas Gifts That Won't Break - The Gift of Peace

"An there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.'"

Writer Julia Bettencourt makes this observation concerning the passage: "The first time I ever heard a choir sing Handel's Messiah in a live concert, it just amazed me. I was a senior in high school and the music just blew me away. I remember that, and the many performances of Handel's Messiah over the years, and then think if that is so amazing to hear, I wonder how a whole multitude of angels praising God could sound. When we think about those shepherds on the hillside in the Christmas story, we think about how the glory of God shown down on them, and the first angel appeared, and they were afraid, but what about what those shepherds heard that night? Wow! It must have been mind boggling to hear all of those angels praising God."

What are we hearing this Advent season? The noises of people demanding our time and attention, the worries in our hearts and minds or the constant tones of movement as we rush from place to place? I believe God wants us the hear from Him, and to receive the peace that comes from His presence, during this busy season. I encourage you to make time for Him today, to include Him in your activities, and truly remember that He is the Real Reason for the season. Include God in your life today and receive His peace as you do so.

I will speak more about this gift of peace that God gives to us as we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent this coming Sunday morning. I hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Dec. 12th: Matthew 1:21-25

Sermon Title - Christmas Gifts That Won't Break: The Gift of Joy

"'She will bear a son and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.' All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel' which means, 'God is with us.' When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son and he named Him Jesus."

I am struck by the fact that this passage says Joseph "did as the angel of the Lord commanded" (v. 24). He could have allowed fear to overwhelm him and then fail to take any action. Or he might have doubted the angel and decide to do what he had thought to be a better course of action. Or he could have simply willfully disobeyed. But instead he did exactly what the angel of the Lord told him to do. And because of his obedience, he was allowed to play a critical role in the birth of the Son of God and has been part of the greatest story that has ever been told ever since. Thus, the rewards for his obedience were so much greater than he could have ever imagined.

What about us? Do we excuse our disobedience to what God has called us to do and be because of our own fears, doubts or desires? Are we willfully disobeying God in our thoughts, actions and attitudes? May we decide during this Christmas season that the best gift we can give God and others in our lives is to obey God. May we follow the example of Joseph and live our lives as God has commanded, and as we do, we will find the impact our obedience will have on our lives and the lives of others is so much greater than we could ever imagine.

This coming Sunday I will be speaking on one of God's unbreakable gifts that He provides through His Son Jesus Christ: the Gift of Joy. This gift is based on new life, God's promises and faith that produces obedience. Hope to see you on Sunday!

Scripture for Sunday, Dec 5th: Matthew 1:18-21

Sermon Title: Christmas Gifts That Won't Break - the Gift of Hope

"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."

Dr David Jeremiah writes the following concerning this passage: "None of us are good all the time. We make mistakes, we say and do dumb things. We hurt others, ourselves. That fact points to the reality of sin in our lives. All of us have sinned and sinned repeatedly, against God, against others, against ourselves. God has said in the Bible that our sin is our greatest problem in life. It fills us with regret, guilt and shame. It robs us of hope, peace and joy. And it separates us from God; we're alienated from our Creator, Who made us to enjoy a love relationship with Him. But instead of love, there's now hatred between us - all because of our sin. You're familiar with the Christmas card that says, 'If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, He would have sent an entertainer. But our greatest need was to be saved from our sins, and so God sent us a Savior.' The name Jesus tells us the reason He came to earth. 'Jesus' is the Greek form of the Hebrew name 'Jeshua' or 'Joshua' and it literally means, 'Yahweh (or God) is salvation.' And so the angel's announcement to Joseph, 'You are to give Him the Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins' (verse 21). Isn't it incredible? The Son of God comes into the world, and His point of first contact with His people is not what's best about us, it's what's worst about us. When Jesus comes to us He doesn't meet us in our goodness, but in our badness, not in our strength, but in our weakness, not in our beauty, but in our ugliness, not in our riches, but in our poverty and need. He connects with us first at the point of our sin, which the holy God hates. That's the mercy, the grace, the love of God. That's incredible!"

We will discuss this passage further Sunday, as we see how the angel's announcement brought hope to the world and to each of us individually. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Nov. 21st: Philippians 4:5-7

Sermon: When We Are Thankful

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The word, "gentleness," is translated as "moderation" in other Bible versions. It means "reasonableness" or "yieldingness" when dealing with matters of personal rights. Thus, this verse says, "Let your willingness to be reasonable be part of your reputation." Or, as the Living Bible translates it: "Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do." The reason for such an attitude is found in the last part of the verse: "The Lord is near." As Christians, we don't need to make sure our "rights" are always respected - "the Lord is near" and because He is, there is a greater calling placed on our lives. That is a calling to bless others, sometimes at the expense of our own personal rights (see Matthew 5:43-48). "The Lord is near" and the time that we have before He comes we should use to the best of our ability to bless others in our lives.

During the Thanksgiving season, may you remember to be "reasonable" when dealing with your family and friends, and make blessing them a priority during this season. Love and care for others because "the Lord is near" and the time we have with them is truly short and fleeting.

This coming Sunday I will be speaking about what happens when we as Christians are thankful. I hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Nov. 14th: Luke 17:11-19

Sermon Title: Why We Should Be a Thankful People

"Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!' When He saw them, He said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when He saw He was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then He said to him, ' Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'"

A Samaritan was what was often considered a half Hebrew. This was a person who was a descendant of a group of people who were not taken into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians. In fact, they helped to erect the temple when Zerubbabel led a group of captives back to Jerusalem to rebuild it (Ezra 4:2). By the time Jesus lived, the Samaritans were considered by other Israelites to be people to be shunned, and they attempted little to no association with them. This was primarily because the Samaritans did not accept the writings of the prophets and only believed the Torah (the Law) had spiritual authority. The Samaritans were also considered not to have "pure" Hebrew blood and thus their worship was thought to be contaminated.

So why would someone like this be the only one out of ten (the rest were probably Hebrews) to come back to thank Jesus for his healing? Perhaps it is because he felt he was even more undeserving of healing than the other nine. Though in truth none of the ten "deserved" to be healed and were healed by the grace of God, the Samaritan may have understood just how undeserving he was of this, and he was overflowing with gratitude (note verse 15, "he threw himself at Jesus' feet").

We, too, are much like the Samaritan - we are undeserving of God's grace and His work in our lives, and yet we receive it on a daily basis. And we, too, should respond with the same type of overflowing gratitude towards our Lord. This coming Sunday I will further discuss why we should be a thankful people as Christians. I hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Nov. 7th: Joshua 24:11-15

Sermon Title: What We Should Be Thankful For

"When you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I handed them over to you. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove out before you the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant. Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Many of the Israelites believed that they were at the Promise Land because of their superior abilities or knowledge. Joshua reminds them that it was because of God and only God alone that they were able to overthrow their enemies and possess the Promise Land. Who were the enemies of the Israelites? They were the principal tribes of the region who ruled various areas of the Promise Land (Mesopotamia), usually with brute force. The tribes represent those areas of our lives which remain unconquered for God and under the influence of sin. We, like the Israelites, must decide whether we are going to allow sin to dominate our lives, trust in our own abilities to conquer sin or "serve the Lord" (v. 15). Read Deuteronomy 8:1-20 and I Corinthians 10:1-13 for further study.

This coming Sunday I will remind us that we should be thankful for what God has done for us, for what God has given us and our ability to believe. Sunday is also our Re-Commitment Sunday and Annual Business Meeting. And we will have a pot-luck dinner after the worship service with more of Dan Walk's beans! Hope to see you at this special time in the life of our church.

No Scripture for October 31, 2010: Concert with Captive Free

On Sunday, October 31st, we will have a concert with the group, Captive Free. Therefore, we will not have a traditional sermon or Scripture text.

On Sunday, October 24th, we concluded a series of messages based on the book, "Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World," by Dr. David Jeremiah. Here's a summary of those messages:

Stay Calm, John 14:1-6: It is important that we focus on God and the place He is preparing for us, heaven, as we travel through this world. We are not of this world; we are citizens of a heavenly country, and as such, we need to remember as we go through the chaos of the world that it will not last forever - we are travelers heading home to be with our God.

Stay Compassionate, I Thess. 3:11-13: Christians can either become harden because of the chaos of the world. Instead, we should become more sensitive to others around us that are struggling and express our compassion to our family, church, community and even enemies. Ultimately, we should build a legacy of compassion through the way we live our lives.

Stay Constructive, John 20:15-22: Every Christian is given a mission by God to bless others in their lives. In order to do this, we need to focus on the needs of others and less on our own needs and desires.

Stay Centered, Colossians 3:1-3: God asks us to center our lives on Him and His will, not on the chaos of our world. God controls all things, and because He does, we can trust our lives and circumstances to Him as we focus on His will for our lives.

Stay Consistent, I John 2:10-20: God asks us to stay consistent in our faith and trust of Him. We need to base our lives on God's Word and determine to apply it to our lives on a daily basis.

Stay Committed, James 5:7-11: In order to stay committed, we need patience. The patience we are required to have is an active faith that looks forward towards the future with hope and believes in God's continues work in our lives.

Dr. Jeremiah concludes his book with this statement:

"I believe Christians all over the world are wide awake and more aware of the time than we've ever been. As followers of Christ, we must be alert, watchful, and vigilant, with one eye on the headlines and the other on the eastern skies. That's what Paul is shouting: 'Awake! Awake! He's coming! Live every single moment for Him as if you knew this would be your last on earth and the sweet moment of reunion. Do nothing you wouldn't want to be doing when the Lord of the universe comes to claim His bride. The victory will be overwhelming - let's put on the armor of light and take our stand.'"

Amen! Let us live in light of His coming and the fact that this world is not forever- Christ will soon rule and the chaos of the world will be forever ended.

Hope to see you this coming Sunday as we enjoy the ministry of Captive Free!

Scripture for Sunday, October 24th: James 5:7-11

Sermon Title: How to Live Confidently in a Chaotic World - Stay Committed

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

Dr David Jeremiah, in his book, Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World, makes this observation:

"Without question, these are fearful days. Billionaire investment guru Warren Buffett has observed, 'I have never seen Americans more fearful. It takes five minutes to become fearful, much more to regain confidence.' He adds a profound statement, 'The financial system does not work without confidence.'

We see all these things and recognize, once again, the signs of a civilization edging toward its final climax. The more chaotic things become, the easier it is for us to gravitate toward some social extreme - a path of least resistance, whether it's despair, anger, or simply closing our eyes and pretending that everything is fine.

An alternate suggestion: what about sitting down, reflecting on the sovereignty of Almighty God, and reminding ourselves that nothing takes Him by surprise? He is in no way confined by the limits of the moment. He rules from outside the realm of time, which is simply one more element of His complex sovereignty. He foresaw this moment at the foundation of the world, and it has its proper place in His great plan. It is woven, along with everything else, into the infinitely fine tapestry of His will and work.

Knowing that fact brings profound peace. If the world believed it, people wouldn't turn to whiskey, gambling and narcotics. There would be less of a frenzy these days, and that would be good for everybody. People would understand that the true destiny of creation is in good hands, and believers would surge forward with new determination to seize the day for His glory. There are the times in which the hope of our Lord shines most brightly through the world's murky fog. Our destiny is decided: we will be reclaimed by the returning in Christ to spend eternity in His presence. For now, we have the exciting task of seeing how many people we can bring along with us on that journey."

This coming Sunday, I will speak on staying committed to the Lord by being patient as we await His return that Dr. Jeremiah writes about. Specifically, I will speak about the instruction, illustration and implications of being patient. This is a message that I need to heed personally. I hope to see you then.

Scripture for Sunday, October 17th: I John 2:10-20

Sermon Title:

How To Live Confidently In A Chaotic World -

Stay Consistent

"Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. I write to you, dear children, because the darkness has blinded him. I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His Name. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him Who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, becasue you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him Who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth."

This coming week I will speak on the need to be consistent in our lives and faith. Dr David Jeremiah, in his book, Living With Confidence In a Chaotic World, writes the following concerning the consistent living:

"The truth is, the world itself is inconsistent enough. Our stock market is the very study of inconstancy with its roller-coaster gains and losses. Nothing is stable about international politics, and on a social level, we see marrriages struggling and careers going bust. The only consistent things about our world is that it's inconsistent. What about you? Are you the same person on Mondays that you are on Sundays? Do solid biblical principles guide each section of your life? These are hard questions, and issues that aren't always pleasant to consider. But one of the biblical essentials for getting through times like these is to live a life of solid consistency - to be one person through and through, to be an example of tough-minded integrity that does not throw out the game plan just because things have gotten tougher."

Consistency is in short supply in our world today. On Sunday, we will talk about how to be consistently confident, compliant and consistent. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Oct. 10th: Colossians 3:1-3

Sermon Title: How To Live Confidently in a Chaotic World - Stay Centered

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ Who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

Dr. David Jeremiah, in his book, Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World, makes these comments concerning this passage:

"I'm sure you've been through trying times, perhaps the loss of a job or a loved on. While surrounded by sorrow, you might have found that it helped to fix your mind on one thing, something positive and productive. For instance, work can be a true blessing. We call it "staying busy." But Paul counsels us to set our hearts on Christ in such a way that every facet of this life is transformed by its relationship to Him.

We know we are destined for heaven. We realize we are citizens of another world. Therefore we are to set our hearts on the things of God, which are perfect and beautiful, rather than the things of the world, which are in disarray even at the best of times. When Paul wrote this statement, he used a verb tense that means 'keep on doing this,' as opposed to a one-time action. In other words, it's not 'think about heaven at this moment.' It's 'Keep on keeping your mind immersed in God and His Word, all the time.' This is a discipline too few of us have mastered: the art of heaven-based thinking. Some call it the practice of the presence of God.

In times such as these we have to look somewhere for answers. The psychologist tells us we should look within. The opportunist tells us we should look around. The optimist says we should look ahead, and the pessimist says we should look out. But God says we should look up - even when we feel down.

Think for a moment about a compass that you might carry on a hike. You can turn your feet in any direction, but the arrow of the compass will faithfully point to magnetic north. That way, should you ever become lost, the compass will align your position for you. In life, our true north is Christ. Whatever direction our world's path may twist, however off-path it may wander, our lives should point faithfully to the One and Only Lord of every place, every time, every situation. When He is our determining point, everything will find its proper orientation."

Amen Dr. Jeremiah - our lives should truly "point faithfully to the One and Only Lord of every place, every time, every situation"! May each of us look towards our Lord this day for continued direction in the midst of whatever chaos we find ourselves in. On Sunday, I will talk more about being centered by focusing on God's control of our lives, His care for us and His commitment to us. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, October 3rd: John 20:15-22

Sermon Title: How to Live Confident in a World of Chaos - Stay Constructive

"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.' Again, Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then He said to him, 'Follow Me!' Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, 'Lord who is going to betray you?' When Peter saw him, he asked, 'Lord, what about him?' Jesus answered, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me."

Dr. David Jeremiah, in his book, Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World, writes the following concerning living in America today:

"We began the new millennium with terrorism on our own soil, with high school shootings, and with dramatic rollbacks of traditional moral boundaries. The Cleavers, the Brady Bunch, and the Huxtables no longer mirror our complex families. Diversity is the new state religion, with tolerance demanded in all things except for traditional Judeo-Christian values.

Paul tells us not to be surprised: 'Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherours, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people' (2 Timothy 3:1-5, MSG).

Does that sound to you like a picture of today's world? I realize it's easy to be discouraged. We could throw up our hands and simply quit. Such is not a godly attitude, according to the Scriptures. In a time of tearing down, we are to be about His work of building up. In a destructive world, we are to maintain constructive attitudes."

How do we maintain these "constructive attitudes" that Dr. Jeremiah refers to in the midst of our chaotic world and lives? Find this Sunday as we talk about living confidently by staying constructive. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Sept 26, 2010: I Thess. 3:11-13

Sermon Title: Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World - Stay Compassionate

"Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may He so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Fatehr at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints." I Thess. 3:11-13

This coming week we will be discussing another way to live with confidence in a chaotic world: by staying compassionate. Dr. David Jeremiah writes about the problems and difficulities faced by the Thessalonians (to which our Scripture passage was written), but yet he notes what Paul tells them to do in the midst of their chaos. He writes:

"Paul understands their discouragement, but he wants to bolster his friends, keep them from giving in to self-pity, and motivate them to serve God with deeper resolve. He wants to offer them a prayer, but what do you pray for people under intense pressure? Would you ask God for protection? Courage? Perhaps removal of the problem? Paul doesn't take any of those roads. He asks God to teach the Thessalonians to be more loving and compassionate toward one another. It seems counterintuitive, doesn't it?

Have you stopped and considered that the real purpose of your struggles, at a given moment, might be the heart of compassion that God is building within you? Smooth sailing doesn't develop such a thing, you know. Trials develop our humility, and humility opens our eyes to the needs of others. If we look to do His service during tought times, we will come out better rather than bitter. That's Paul's prayer for the struggling church at Thessalonica."

This coming Sunday, I will talk about the essence, expression, example and effect of compassion and how they each relate and build on one another. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Sept 19th: John 14:1-6

Sermon Title: Stay Calm

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

This coming Sunday we will start a new series of messages entitled, "Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World," based on a book that Dr. David Jeremiah wrote with the same title. Sunday, we will answer the question, "How can we live with confidence?" with the answer: Stay Calm.

Dr. Jeremiah writes this in his book concerning staying calm: "Some people believe that when they accept Christ, they will receive a Get Out of Stress Free card and live a life of uninterrupted bliss. To be honest, when I became a believer, I picked up a few new problems I hadn't had before. Jesus never offered a false promise. At every point, He warned us that troubles would follow our path and that obedience to Him would actually increase our persecution. But He is also the One Who said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

He further writes: "But here's what I want you to know: as we await the Lord's return the atmospherics of your heart and mine should be calm. The Bible says we have a God who calms the storm and a Savior Who rebukes the wind and waves so they are calm (Psalm 107:29; Luke 8:24). The writer of Psalm 131 said, 'Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul.' Proverbs 17:27 tells us that a person of understanding has a calm spirit; and in Isaiah 7:4 (NIV), the Lord tells us, 'Be careful, keep calm, and don't be afraid. Do not lose heart.'"

So exactly how do we remain calm in the Lord in the midst of the chaos of our world? Find out this Sunday, as I share more of Dr. Jeremiah's insights, my own thoughts and most importantly, what God's Word has to say about this subject. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, Sept. 12th: Luke 10:30-37

Sermon Title: Jesus, the Best Friend of Those in Need

On Sunday, Sept. 5th, we complete a series of messages entitled, "The Top Ten List of Principles for Christian Living." Here's a summary of that list:

10. It Works Better If You Plug It In!, Luke 18:9-14: The story is taken from the parable that Jesus taught about how a religious leader went to the temple to pray and said to God, "I am glad I'm not like other people - I am better!" and a tax collector went to the same temple and prayed, "Lord, have mercy on me, for I am a sinner!" Even though the religious leader looked like he was close to God, he was not plugged into Him. And so it is with you and I - we need not a form of religion, but a real relationship with God.

9. There Are No Perfect Situations, Psalm 118:19-24: This reminds us that no circumstances or people are perfect; every day and every person comes from God and we should rejoice in everything because of this fact.

8. You Can't understand If You Don't Know the Language, John 1:9-14: This means that we must understand the basic Christian terms of grace, mercy and salvation if we are to truly understand how God relates to us.

7. Remember Everybody Has an Empty Sleeve, Ephesians 4:25-32: This principle reminds us that everyone has a weakness or shortcoming and no one should demand perfection from others.

6. There Is A Land of Beginning Again, Luke 19:1-10: This tells us that God is a forgiving God and is always ready to forgive you and make you better than ever.

5. It's Important to Focus, Mark 8:22-26: This reminds us that there are some things more important than others, and living for God and others is what we should focus our lives on.

4. You Don't Have to Reinvent the Wheel, John 21:15-17: This means that God has taught us how to live and practice our faith and we don't need to recreate how we do this.

3. There is a Key to Unlock Yourself, Mark 10:17-22: This principle reminds us that God is needed in our lives if we are to experience life the way it was intended for us to experience it.

2. If You Catch the Wrong Bus, You End Up in the Wrong Place, Matthew 7:13-14: This tells us that we must be intentional in how we decide to live our lives otherwise we may end up doing something we didn't intend to do or become something whom we did not intend to become.

1. Love is the Best of the Best, I Corinthians 13: Love is the greatest attribute because God is love; without love, we cannot be the type of people intends for us to be.

This coming Sunday I will talk about how the Good Samaritan is like Jesus and He is better than religion or anything we can create apart from Him. Hope to see you (and one of your friends) on Sunday!

Scripture for Sunday, Sept 5th: I Corinthians 13

Sermon Title: Love is the Best of the Best

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protect, always truts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophey in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disppears. When i was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror then we shall see fact to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. And now these three remains: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Faith, hope and love are the greatest graces, but love is the greatest of all because it contains all virtues. The other virtues are concerned with human duties or with deeds that will cease when our earthly needs and trials cease. Love bears all of these virtues and points us to God. Love looks towards God, does all for Him and soars above all to see Him.

Writer E.B. Pusey reminds us that there are four stages of love for God and others: (1) fallen humanity is to love himself or herself; (2) loving God and others for one's own sake (i.e., loving God for the blessings we receive from Him); (3) loving God and others for His sake (i.e., responding to God's love for us); and (4) loving God for Who He is and loving others through that love. What stage of love for God are you in today?

This Sunday I will talk about how faith is better than unbelief, hope is better than despair and love being the best of all. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, August 29th: Matthew 7:13-14

Sermon Title: If You Catch the Wrong Bus, You End Up in the Wrong Place

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Here's some devotional thoughts about this passage from the great Bible scholar, FB Meyer:

"It must be admitted that, in its first stages, the broad way is generally easy and rather delightful. The boat launched on the flowing stream sweeps merrily and pleasantly along, the gradient of the road slopes so as to make walking easy, the sun shines, and the path is filled with bright flowers. But to a life given up to self-indulgenece, there is only one end - destruction.

There is a more excellent way, but it is too narrow to admit the trailing garments of passionate desire, too narrow for pride, self-indulgence, greed and avarice - it is the Way of the Cross, but it leads to Life! We all want to see life - and the remarkable thing is that those who expect to get most out of it by self-indulgence miss everything; whilst those who seem to curtail their lives by following Christ, win everything. Few find and enter this path, is the lament of our Lord. Let us put our hand in His, that He may lead us into the path of life, 'that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.'"

This Sunday I will speak about this "more excellent way", a life that is committed and obedient to Christ, and fears the "broad road", the life of sin. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, August 22nd: Mark 10:17-22

Sermon Title: There Is A Key That Unlocks Yourself

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on His knees before Him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call Me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," He said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

This young man is not introduced in the Gospel of Mark, but the Gospel of Luke recognizes him as a member of the ruling council or court ("ruler"). See Luke 18:18-30 and Matthew 19:16-30 for their versions of this story. Notice that the young man asked, "What must I do...?" He thought that eternal life was something to be earned. Jesus taught that eternal life was something to be received just as a little child receives a gift (see Mark 10:14-15). Jesus noticed this and says, "One thing you lack..." What the young man lacked was a heart that was disengaged with the world; his heart was attached to his riches and power above all. Thus, he was placing his riches and power over Christ and Christ was declaring to him that He would require full allegiance.

Also notice verse 21, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." Even though the young man was not fully committed and did not decide to follow Jesus, Jesus still loved him. I believe we can apply this verse to each of us, as Christ looks at us and loves us (see Romans 8:35-39). What a powerful thought - the Creator of the Universe looks at us with love.

I will speak about this and more on Sunday as we examine how the truth of Christ, the love from Christ and faith in Christ can literally transform our lives. See you then!

Scripture for Sunday, August 15th: John 21:15-17

Sermon Title: You Don't Have to Reinvent the Wheel

"When they had finished eating, jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.' Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

Peter had denied the Lord three times and now Christ was giving him the opportunity to affirm his belief in Him three times. Notice Peter's response to Christ question, "Do you love me?" Peter responses, "Lord you know all things; you know that I love you." Peter was unwilling to compare himself with the other disciples (see John 13:37) or speak about the depth of his love in his response (see Matthew 26:33). His modest response reflects the fact that he learned not to trust in his own heart (see Luke 22:62) and he now knew that his ability to please the Lord was from God alone, not based on his own strength (see I Peter 2:25).

If the Lord asked you if you love Him, how would you respond? Would you say, Lord, you know how much I give, how often I attend church, pray and help others? Or would you say, Lord, I love you more than other Christains? Or perhaps the best answer would be, "you know Lord." I am not perfect, I often fail you, I always need your forgiveness, but you know Lord, I love you.

Why did Jesus ask Peter to "feed" His lambs? Find out the answer to that question this Sunday morning, as I talk about how "feeding" the "lambs" will encourage us to attend church and live morally. See you then!

Scripture for Sunday, August 8th: Deuteronomy 31:6,8

Sermon Title: God, the Greatest Partner that We Could Ever Have!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

"The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

The Isrealities were faced with having to confront and defeat their enemies as they were to move into the Promise Land. The Lord's exhortation to them was "be strong and courageous" (see Joshua 1:6; 10:25). Notice that God did not instruct them to trust in their own abilities and strength. Rather, they were to trust in God, Who would "never leave" them nor "forsake" them (see Joshua 1:9).

These verses speak to us of God's accompanying power that is with us in all our journeys and assisting us in all our work. Whatever our expectation is of God, He is doing so much more; you cannot expect too much from God ("He will never leave you"). God knows without Him you cannot do anything and because of this, He will continue to be with you ("nor forsake you").

This coming Sunday is Vacation Bible School Sunday and we hope to have several of the kids from our Saturday one-day VBS in attendance. I will focus the message on how God is the Greatest Partner we can have because He never leaves us, always helps us and forever loves us. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, August 1st: Mark 8:22-26

Sermon Title: Its Important to Focus

"They came to Bethsida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, 'Do you see anything?' He looked up and said, 'I see people; they look like trees walking around.' Once more Jesus put His hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village.'"

Two questions arise from the reading of this story: one, why did Jesus tell the man who was healed not to go into the village? Biblical scholars give many reasons, but the most probable reason is because Jesus was not finished with His ministry in Bethsida and was afraid that the man who was healed would cause chaos and a crisis. This had happened before in Galilee (see Mark 1:45). This is in contrast with other places where Jesus told those who were healed to "proclaim" what was done for them (see Mark 5:18-20). In those places Gentiles (non-Isrealites) were the dominate population, so they were not expecting a Messiah who would deliver them. Today, God wants us as Christ followers to tell others about the miracle-working Christ and the salvation that is provided through His death and resurrection throughout the world (Mark 16:15).

The second question that arises: why did Jesus have to touch the man's eyes twice before he was fully healed? To hear the answer to that question, you have to come to church on Sunday and hear the sermon! Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sunday, July 25th: Luke 19:1-10

Sermon Title: There Is A Land of Beginning Again

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.' So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.' But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.' Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Zacchaeus, being a tax collector, made a living by charging taxpayers more than what they owed to the Roman government. Thus, the tax collectors were despised by the people because of their greed and lack of conscious. However, Zacchaeus was so touched by the ministry of Jesus that he went beyond what was required by law in making restitution to those he owed (see Exodus 21:37; Numbers 5:5-7). His faith allowed him to experience a new relationships with Christ, one which allowed him to fellowship with Christ in his home. It was not his actions that "earned" him this privilege, but rather his faith was demonstrated in his actions (Galatians 3:10-14).

This coming Sunday I will speak about the story of Zacchaeus and how it demonstrates that there is "a land of beginning again" with God. In this "land" we can find acceptance, forgiveness and life from God. See you then!

Scripture for Sunday, July 18th: Ephesians 4:25-32

Sermon Title: Remember Everybody Has An Empty Sleeve

Our text reminds us that words do matter. It says that "unwholesome talk" (v. 29) grieves the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is holy, loving, true and peaceable. Unwholesome talk is unholy, harsh, lacks love and truthfulness. Because this grieves the Holy Spirit, it interferes with our relationship with God (I Thessalonians 5:19; Hebrews 10:29). Thus, the text encourages us to "be kind" (v. 32) and speak "what is good" so that we can extend "grace to the hearers" of our words (v. 29). Let us learn to put the "unwholesome" words away and practice speaking grace to others, especially to those in our own homes (see Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:8; and Matthew 5:6 for further study).

The sermon on Sunday will focus on Ephesians 4:31-32 and I will speak on how we should remember that everyone has a weakness and need. If we remember this, we can better understand, forgive and love others. Have a blessed week and see you on Sunday!

Scripture for Sunday, July 11th: John 1:9-14

Sermon Title: You Can't Understand If You Don't Know the Language

Our text tells us that life is found in the light (see verse 4). Moses saw this same light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2). Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1-5). Peter, James and John saw it on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2). This light is Jesus Christ (v.9) and enlightens every person but the world refuses to receive this light and consequently the world does not know the source of the light where life is found (v. 10,11). Notice that those who do receive Him, He empowers to be transformed and enlightened, and they become His children (v.12). It is our responsibility as Christians to live in this light be being in fellowship with the Source, Jesus Christ, and point others to the light.

This week's sermon will focus on understanding three key terms that are basic to the Christian faith: mercy, grace and salvation (all of which are found in Sunday's Scripture text). These are three of the most common terms we use at church. They are powerful words, but if we fail to clearly define what they mean, we can't understand what God is trying to convey to us. So I hope to define these terms and apply them to our daily lives in my sermon on Sunday.

Have a blessed week and see you at church on Sunday!

Scripture for Sunday, July 4th: Luke 10:25-28

Sermon Title: O America, can you see?

"One day an expert on Moses' laws came to test Jesus' orthodoxy by asking Him this question: 'Teacher, what does a man need to do to live forever in heaven?' Jesus replied, ' What does Moses' law say about it?' 'It says,' he replied, 'that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all you mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself.' 'Right!' Jesus told him. "Do this and you shall live!'" Lk. 10:25-28 (Living Bible Translation)

The man in this story probably heard Jesus give this answer before (see Mt. 12:33-40 and Mk. 12:28-34). Notice the response Jesus gave to this man: "Do this and you shall live!" (v. 28). I thought about this story when I read William Bennett's writings recently. Among his writings is the following:

"Right now Americans are playing a rhetorical game in which we say one thing and we do another. Consider this - We say that we desire from our children more civility and responsibility, but in many of our schools we steadfastly refuse to teach right and wrong. We say that we want law and order in the streets, but we allow violent criminals to return to those same streets. We say we want to stop illegitmacy, but we continue to subsidize the kind of behavior that virtually guarantees high rates of illegitimacy. We say we want to encourage virtue and honor among the young, but it has become a mark of sophistication to shun the language of morality. We say we want goodness in the land but instead of according religion its proper place, much of society riducles and disdains it and mocks those who are serious about their faith." (William Bennett, "Redeeming Our Time," Imprimis, pp. 6-7).

What would Jesus response be to this? It may very well be the same response he gave to the man in this story - Love God and others. Do this and you shall live! In other words, don't just say you want America to be a place where God is respected. Love God with all your heart and let your love for God be reflected in the way you treat and relate to others. Do this and bless our country, your community and your family.

May God bless America and your family this 4th of July weekend. See you at church on Sunday.

Welcome!

This is our blog for First Baptist, Girard. I will post the scripture text for the upcoming Sunday's sermon each week along with some thoughts. Please feel free to post your own thoughts and reflections on the Scripture. My hope is that the blog will be used by each of you to reflect on the Scripture that will be used on upcoming Sunday every week.