Posts and Sermons

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The Beauty of the Broken

Many believe that God can only work through The Strong. The Whole. Those who have their “stuff” together. But that’s not what scripture reveals. God is able to not just sustain us in our brokenness, but help us shine with his plan.

It isn’t just that he tolerates us in this state because it’s all God has left. On the contrary! God seeks us out in our existing state. It is HIS glory that allows us, even now, to serve him with our whole (damaged) heart. And often times, it is through this service that we receive our own healing. We shine in ways that we never knew we could. And… that is kind of the point.

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Servanthood…

Jesus did something that shocked his disciples — he washed their feet.

This was a thing that the lowest-ranking servant did — a service that often Jewish slaves looked down on, forcing it upon the gentile slaves, who they saw as lesser-than. And while the disciples were discussing “privately” about who would be first in heaven, yet again, Jesus flips the script. Let’s see what Jesus says about Servanthood…

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Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Message 4, the final in the series of The Lord’s Prayer. Matthew 6:9-13.

How often do we feel tempted? Today we look at asking God to help DELIVER us from evil. Not that he drags us toward evil, but that it is alluring, enticing and exposes our own weakness. Jesus is saying that we have to acknowledge our own weakness and how great God is: “God, please don’t lead me toward something that — with my weakness, which you know and understand — would tempt me… but, even then, even when I stumble and fail, deliver me from Evil.”

Jesus faced temptations. He knows what weakness is. But it is through God’s strength we face what he has in store for us. Let’s go look at how we ask God for his guidance.

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Bread and Debts

Today we continue with The Lord’s Prayer. How often do we ask for what we need? And in the same light, how often do we give others what they need — forgiveness. Let’s look at these two concepts as we dive into The Lord’s Prayer a little further.

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Lessons in Failure: Jonah

Jonah ran from God, but not because he just didn’t want to do something, in general. Jonah was a true patriot! He loved his nation of Israel. And when God commanded Jonah to preach to Nineveh, Jonah fully, totally trusted that God could and would forgive them if they repented. And he believed that if he preached, they most likely would repent like many others had in his life.

And he didn’t want that to happen. He wanted Nineveh destroyed! He believed he could choose which nations were worthy of receiving God’s love and grace.

His sin was the sin of Nationalism… putting his love of the nation of Israel over the love of God. What are the callings that God has placed on OUR hearts that we run from? What are prejudices in our hearts keep us from seeing others the way God sees them? We must remember that we are not the gatekeepers of God’s mercy. God will forgive and love whomever God chooses to forgive and love. Let’s check it out deeper here!

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Lessons in Failure: Lot

Lot was given the opportunity to see the easy path, so he made a decision that would define the rest of his life. He chose from a sense of feeling and dreams, but not seeking God first. And by the time we get deep into the story, he’s not living in tents NEAR the city, but living directly in the city.

Now, before we are harsh with Lot, we do exactly that. Feelings are fickle guides… and if we don’t consult with God, we are easily dazzled by the things of the world. Let’s look at Lot’s life, and see what God is teaching us through it.

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Lessons in Failure: Pilate

Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. Pilate knew that the Jewish leaders were only trumping up charges to railroad Jesus. He admits it in the text. And in that, he still sent Jesus to die, because it was more politically appropriate. His politics outweighed his morals, and his politics won out.

Before we point a finger at him, let’s look ourselves. Knowing the truth is not the same as obeying it. Does what we know to be true come out in our lives every time? No… fortunately we have grace. Let’s look at Pilate today.

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Lessons in Failure: Delilah

When “SELF” is on the throne of our hearts, others cease to be humans. They are no longer souls that deserve love. When the Philistines approached Delilah, she didn’t hesitate to take them up on their offer, and even attempted it multiple, multiple times.

Before we blame her too hard, do we do the same? Are we manipulative at times? Do we push to get our own wants and needs met over the lives of others? Our own comfort at the cost of someone else? Let’s talk about it.

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Lessons in Failure: Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar stood in his pride, but his heart remained calloused. But don’t point your finger too hard at him… we’ve all done that. So let’s look at what that looks like and how we can work to be better at loving God, praising God for his movement in our lives, and not focus on our own accomplishments as if God didn’t participate in it.

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Inheriting the Kingdom (as a Child)

Jesus talks about the fact that without faith and trust like a child we will not “inherit” the kingdom of heaven. Some translations say “enter” the kingdom. This is the last sermon on the life of Child-Like Faith, but it takes us back to the beginning.

What does it take to have a faith like this, that is so absolutely loving and trusting to inherit the Kingdom of God? Let’s look at what the bible is telling us, and what Jesus himself says.