Good Shepherd Online: Recent Episodes
Pastor Randy Moll
Are you bringing your "If thou wilt" to God today? Take a moment to step into a solitary place, trust in His ability, and surrender to His perfect will.
We, too, need to repent if we hope to be justified and acceptable in God's sight when we stand before the judgment seat of Jesus, the Son of God. Simply going through the rites and rituals of a religion is not enough.
This should be the desire of all ministers of the Gospel — for open doors and opportunities to speak the truth and tell others about Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection.
The book of Colossians centers on the "preeminence of Christ." Paul argues that because Jesus is the Lord of creation and the head of the Church, His redemption should permeate every corner of our lives. When we are brought to faith in His cross, we aren't just given a ticket to heaven; we are integrated into a new Kingdom with a new, God-pleasing way of relating to one another.
In our baptism, a profound exchange took place. By the working of the Holy Spirit, we were joined to Jesus Christ in both His death and His resurrection. Our old, sinful nature — that “Adam” within us that rebels against God — was crucified and put to death on the cross with Jesus. But the story did not end at the grave. Just as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father, we have been raised to a brand-new life.
“What about you?” You have heard of His birth and even know of His sufferings and death for your sins and of His glorious resurrection. Do you reject Jesus and try to silence those who would speak to you of Him because Jesus is a threat to you and your way of life? Do you know all the facts about Jesus, but still fail to come and bow before Him and give Him your praise and worship? Or, like the wise men of old, do you follow the star (seeking the guidance of Holy Scripture) to find Messiah Jesus and worship your God and Savior, presenting Him with the costliest of gifts — your very lives?
These historical events hold great significance for each of us today. God’s own Son was born in Bethlehem on that historic day. His birth brings "good tidings of great joy" to us as well, for He is the long-promised Messiah, the Lord God Himself. He went to the cross for the sins of the world — for the sins of each of us — and rose again in victory. Through faith in Him, we have forgiveness for all our sins and the promise of eternal life.
Life often feels like a series of unrelated struggles — wilderness wanderings, dark valleys, stormy seas, and dry deserts. Yet, Psalm 107 weaves these disparate experiences into a single tapestry of grace. It is a song for the weary traveler, but, more importantly, an instruction manual in gratitude for those who have been rescued.
Believers in Christ are not to let anyone judge them in regard to their food or drink, in regard to observing certain holy days or religious festivals, or in regard to observing the sabbath day. Why? Because believers in Jesus Christ are complete in Him.
Why would anyone want to insist that it is necessary for a Christian to be circumcised and follow all the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament to be saved when believers are complete in Jesus and are blessed with all they need through their baptism into Christ Jesus?
The Apostle Paul warns his hearers, both at Colosse and around the world today, to beware “lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words” (v. 4). Much is preached and proclaimed in the name of Christianity which is nothing of the sort.
What do you think of when you hear the word church? For many, it conjures up an image of a well-organized service: a pastor delivers a sermon from the pulpit and leads the congregation in prayer, an organist, choir, or worship team leads in song, and the congregation listens respectfully. While this is the norm today, a peek into the first-century church reveals a different, more dynamic scene. The Apostle Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 14 offer a glimpse into a time when every member had a part to play and worship was vibrant and communal.
“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12:31 (Read 1 Cor. 13)
After pointing out in 1 Corinthians 12 that the spiritual gifts God gives to those who trust in Jesus Christ and His cross for pardon and forgiveness are to be used for the benefit of the body of Christ, His church, made up of all who trust in Him, the Apostle Paul shows the believers in Corinth “a more excellent way” — how God would have us use the gifts and abilities He gives to us. Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 13 is a powerful reminder that all our gifts, knowledge, and actions are to be exercised in conjunction with selfless love — the love of Christ!
Worship at Merciful Savior on Aug. 31, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, focused on the Lord's Supper.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Aug. 24, 2025, with Scripture lesson from 1 Cor. 11:1-16.
Worship at Merciful Savior on August 17, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Corinthians 10:14ff.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Aug. 3, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Cor. 10:1-13.
Worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on July 27, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Corinthians 9.
Bible Study in Genesis 10 and 11 on July 27, 2025, at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas.
Worship at Merciful Savior on July 20, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Corinthians 8.
Worship at Merciful Savior on July 13, 2025, with a Scripture study on 1 Corinthians 7.
Worship at Merciful Savior in Rogers, Ark., on July 7, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Corinthians 6.
Bible study in Genesis 4 and 5 on July 7, 2025, at Merciful Savior in Rogers, Arkansas.
Bible study in Genesis 4 and 5 on July 7, 2025, at Merciful Savior in Rogers, Arkansas.
Worship at Merciful Savior on June 29, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from 1 Corinthians 5.
Worship at Merciful Savior on May 25, 2025. The Scripture lesson is from 1 Corinthians 3.
Worship at Merciful Savior on April 27, 2025, with a Scripture Lesson from John 20:19-31.
Bible Study in Revelation 13 and 14 on April 27, 2025, at Merciful Savior in Rogers, Ark.
Worship at Merciful Savior on April 13, 2025, with the Scripture lesson from Isaiah 53.
Lost, wandering, and scattered sheep, each going in a different direction, well describes our world, with people wandering here and there and looking for life, happiness, and fulfillment in everything but the LORD God who created them. God sent His own Son and laid our sins on Him that we might be saved through faith in His cross.
While the world passed by the cross of Jesus, seeing only the judgment of God or that of a cruel Roman empire upon a Jewish Rabbi who dared to challenge the existing religious system of the day, Jesus, the very Son of God and promised Messiah and Savior, was suffering and dying to make atonement for the sins of the world. He was paying the price for your sins and mine that we might look to Him in faith and have pardon and peace and live forever with God our Maker!
Worship at Merciful Savior on March 30, 2025. The scripture lesson is from John 19:1-16.
Worship at Merciful Savior on March 23, 2025, with the Scripture lesson taken from John 18:28-40.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Bible study in Revelation 6-7 at Merciful Savior on March 23, 2025. Opening of the seven seals.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Who believes what the Scriptures say of Jesus? Who believes that He is the long-promised Messiah and the Savior of sinful mankind? Writing some 700 years before the birth of Messiah Jesus, Isaiah the prophet spoke of His coming, His sufferings, death, and resurrection, and of His rejection by the people. And these words still hold true today!
Worship at Merciful Savior on March 16, 2025, with a Scripture lesson from John 18:12-27.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Feb. 23, 2025, with Scripture teaching from John 17:1-19.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Jan. 26, 2025. Scripture lesson is from John 15:18 - 16:4.
In John 15:18-20, Jesus prepared his disciples for the hatred and persecution they would receive from the world.
The account of Christ's birth in Luke 2 is far more than a quaint story. It is the message of how God sent His Son into the world to be our Savior from sin and death and win for us pardon and life eternal.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Nov. 24, 2024, with a Scripture lesson on giving thanks from Romans 1:20-21.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Nov. 17, 2024, with a Scripture lesson from John 15:9-17.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Oct. 27, 2024, with a Scripture lesson from John 14:1-11.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Oct. 13, 2024, with a Scripture lesson from John 13:18-30.
Bible study at Merciful Savior on Oct. 6, 2024. The study continues in Chapter 3 and covers Chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Sept. 29, 2024, with a Scripture Lesson from John 12:37-50.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Sept. 15, 2024, with the Scripture lesson from John 12:12-19.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Sept. 8, 2024. The Scripture lesson was from John 12:1-11.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Aug. 25, 2024. The Scripture Lesson is from John 10:22-42.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Aug. 18, 2024. The Scripture lesson is from John 10:1-21.
“Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgment, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.’” John 9:39 (Read John 9:1-41)
Could it be that your own opinions and beliefs are keeping you from knowing and trusting in Jesus as the promised Messiah and Savior of the world? Do you turn from Him and reject His mighty work as your Savior because He, somehow, doesn’t fit into your religious views and ideas?
Worship at Merciful Savior on July 31, 2024, with a Scripture lesson from John 8:31-47.
Sad to say, many people will die in their sins because they have not believed in Jesus Christ, God's only-begotten Son and the Savior of the world. Will you die in your sins?
“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.’” John 8:12 MEV
Worship at Merciful Savior on July 7, 2024, with a Scripture text of John 7:53 -- John 8:11, the woman caught in adultery.
Worship at Merciful Savior on June 30, 2024. The Scripture lesson was John 7:25-52. The sermon was on John 7:37-39.
Bible Study at Merciful Savior on June 30, 2024. The Bible study took up 1 Peter 5 and started in 2 Peter 1.
In-person worship at Merciful Savior on June 16, 2024, with Scripture from John 6:60-71.
Bible study at Merciful Savior on June 16, 2024, covering 1 Peter 3:18 through 1 Peter 4:11.
Do you by faith partake of Jesus, that Bread of Life come down from heaven to be our Savior?
How can Jesus give us His flesh to eat? This was a question that troubled Jesus’ hearers in the synagogue at Capernaum, but it still troubles those who hear His words today.
Sunday worship at Merciful Savior on May 12, 2024. The scripture reading was John 6:15-21
Worship at Merciful Savior on April 7, 2024. The text for Sunday's message is from John 4:46-53.
Worship at Merciful Savior on March 24, 2024, with a focus on Jesus' sufferings and death in John 18 and 19.
Worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on March 10, 2024. The Scripture text for the day is John 4:1-14.
Bible Study at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Study continues in 1 John 5.
Worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on March 3, 2024. The sermon text is John 3:22-36.
Bible study at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on March 3, 2024. The study continues in 1 John 4.
Jesus' doctrine is not some new or different teaching; it is that of God and we would do well to heed it. Based on John 7:16-17
It’s not quite yet time for Jesus to return to earth and show Himself to the world as the almighty God and our Judge. It is, however, your time and my time to repent and look to Him for pardon and forgiveness before it is too late!
You've heard from God's Word of Jesus coming into this world to be our Savior. Do you seek Him so that you might worship Him and partake of the salvation He won for us, or do you remain indifferent or even oppose Him? Consider the message of Matthew 2.
Are you walking in the light or in the darkness? Are you in fellowship with God the Father through faith in the Son, Jesus Christ, or are you covering up your sinfulness and living in impenitence and unbelief? John's first epistle teaches us what it is to walk in the light and what it is to continue in darkness.
In the Song of Zacharias, his Benedictus, or words of praise to the LORD God of Israel inspired by the Holy Spirit, Zacharias gives the reason for His song of praise to God ...
Worship at Merciful Savior on Dec. 10, 2023, with a Scripture reading and sermon text of Luke 1:26ff.
As it was during Jesus’ earthly ministry, so it is today. Many are glad to follow Jesus in the hope of receiving some earthly benefit. But, when they hear that they must repent of their sinful ways and place their faith in Jesus as the Messiah and atoning sacrifice for the sins of all, they turn away from Him and go their own way.
A Christian — one who acknowledges his sins and shortcomings and looks to God in faith for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of the shed blood of Jesus, God’s Son who came into this world to be our Savior — will be thankful to the LORD God for His lovingkindness and mercy.
Sunday worship at Merciful Savior on Nov. 12, 2023, focusing on Revelation 3:14-22 - Jesus' letter to the church in Laodicea.
Bible Study at Merciful Savior Lutheran on Nov. 12, 2023, studying the final verses of Luke 20 and the opening verses of Luke 21.
How can Jesus give us His flesh to eat? This was a question troubling Jesus’ hearers in the synagogue at Capernaum, but it still troubles those who hear His words today.
Worship at Merciful Savior on Nov. 5, 2023. The sermon text is from Rev. 3:7-13, Jesus' letter to the church in Philadelphia.
Do you partake of Jesus, the bread of life, through faith? Do you acknowledge your own sins and inability to please God and look to Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness?
How could Jesus be the life-giving Son of God, come down from heaven to give spiritual and eternal life to sinners? Jesus’ Jewish hearers stumbled over this question because they knew Mary and Joseph, His parents.
These words of Jesus tell us the will of God the Father: “that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Those who partake of Christ and His cross in faith have all they need in Christ. They shall never hunger or thirst. But those who do not partake of Christ in faith remain spiritually malnourished, starved, and dead. They hunger and thirst but can find no true spiritual nourishment apart from Jesus that they might live!
Sunday Worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on Oct. 15, 2023. The sermon text is Rev. 2:12-17.
Bible study on Sunday, Oct. 15, at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church in Rogers. The study is on Luke 19:28-48.
Sunday morning worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church in Rogers on Oct. 8. 2023. The sermon was on Revelation 2:8-11.
Worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church on Sept. 24, 2023. The sermon text was Revelation 1.
Why does God test us in seemingly impossible situations? It’s certainly not because God doesn’t already have a plan in mind. And, it’s not to see what we’ll do, for God already knows that too. So why does God test us? To teach us to trust Him in every situation! That’s why Jesus questioned Philip as to where they could buy bread to feed a multitude of more than five thousand who had followed Jesus to this remote spot along the Sea of Galilee.
Do you believe the words of Jesus — that He is the only-begotten Son of God, come into this world a true man that He might fulfill God’s law for us and then suffer our condemnation and punishment by His death on the cross?
Jesus’ words were true: “You are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (v. 40). And, of course, these words of Jesus still ring true today. We have heard of Jesus’ miracles and His teaching. But do we repent of our sins and look to Jesus and His cross in faith?
Worship at Merciful Savior Lutheran Church in Rogers, Ark., on Aug. 27, 2023. The sermon text was Romans 14.
For Jesus’ sake, God’s lovingkindness and mercy are upon all who place their hope in Him and His sacrifice for the sins of the world. And, because of Jesus, our hope is not in vain!
It is vain and useless to place our trust in great numbers or strength; all of these have failed. But the LORD will never fail those who place their trust in Him!
Worship at Good Shepherd on Aug. 13, 2023. The sermon text is Romans 13:1-7 and deals with the Christian and civil government.
Whose purposes and plans will stand? We sometimes forget that when nations and people devise plans and policies that oppose the will of the LORD God, who created the heavens and the earth, they will ultimately fail.
Bible study on justification issues troubling major Lutheran synods in answer to a question.
Do you stand in awe of Him? When we consider God’s creation, we have every reason to fear and honor the LORD God, who made all.
Sermon is based on Romans 12:3-8 and takes up spiritual gifts for service in the body of Christ.
We have every reason to sing for joy to Yahweh, to praise Him with a new song coming from grateful hearts, for He has shown us lovingkindness and mercy, and His words, His promises to us, are true!
Not only did God the Father entrust to His Son the power and authority to call the spiritually dead to faith and life through His Word, but He has also entrusted to the Son the power and authority to raise all the dead on the last day and judge them.
Has God cast aside Israel? Is there still hope for those descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? We Look at God's Word in Romans 11 for God's answer.
Worship at Good Shepherd on July 9, 2023. The sermon and Scripture lesson were from Romans 10.
Indeed Christ Jesus is the end — the fulfillment (telos) — of the law for righteousness to all who believe. Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for us and, through faith in His sufferings, death, and glorious resurrection, God “hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:6-7).
If you believe Jesus’ words and trust in Him and His cross for pardon and forgiveness, take comfort! You will not be condemned on the day of judgment but have passed from death to life! But, if you do not believe Jesus’ words and do not trust in Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness, you stand condemned already because you do not believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of God, your only Savior. Now is the time to repent and look to Jesus for pardon and forgiveness!
"What shall I do to inherit eternal life," an expert in Old Testament law asked Jesus to test Him. When Jesus directed him back to the law and to love for God and love for neighbor as the fulfillment of the law, the lawyer asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" The point of Jesus' telling of the Parable of the Good Samaritan may surprise you, but it reveals that none of us loves God or our neighbor as the law requires, and our only hope is in Jesus, our Savior.
Jesus will be our judge on the last day. Those who honor Him and trust in His name will be spared in the judgment. Those who do not will be condemned on that day.
As God the Father raises the spiritually dead and gives them life through faith in Christ Jesus, so also God the Son gives life to whom He will through the preaching and hearing of His Word.
Are we like Jonah, not wanting to go where God sends us and do what He commands? Do we truly desire that all repent and look to God for mercy in Jesus Christ? Or do we take joy when evil comes upon our enemies? What does God say to us in this short Old Testament book about the ministry of the prophet Jonah?
Sermon is based on Romans 8:16-27, where we learn that we can expect suffering in this world as followers of Christ, that all of creation (us included) looks forward to the day when our bodies are changed into sinless bodies and the curse of sin is removed, and that the Holy Spirit comes to our aid in our weakness and intercedes for us in accord with God's perfect will.
Did Jesus sin when He, on the sabbath day, healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda who had been disabled for 38 years? Did Jesus sin when He told this man to stand up, pick up his bed and walk? He said, "My Father worketh until now, and I work."
Have you ever tried to avoid God and flee from doing His will? Jonah sought to hide from the LORD when commanded to go and warn the people of Ninevah of God's impending judgment so that they might repent and look to God for mercy. As these first chapters reveal, trying to flee from the presence of God doesn't work out so well.
There was a problem for those who should have rejoiced at this miracle of God and the mercy shown to this helpless man. It was the Sabbath! Instead of praising God for healing this poor man, the Jewish leaders confronted the man, saying, “It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.”
Consider the nobleman who came to Jesus while at Cana in Galilee. He came to Jesus from Capernaum (in the valley along the Sea of Galilee) because his son was deathly ill, and he asked Jesus to come down to Capernaum and heal his son. But what did Jesus say? “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
How is it that one can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? How can one “be filled with the Spirit,” as the Apostle Paul commands us in Ephesians 5:18?
As Jesus ascended into heaven to the right hand of God the Father, so He will return in clouds of glory on the Last Day as our Judge. Only those who repent of their sinful ways and look to Him and His cross for mercy will be spared on that Day!
As Jesus ascended into heaven, so He shall also return on the Last Day, the Day of Judgment. He will come again in clouds of glory with His holy angels. Every eye will see Him! His return will be no secret rapture — both the believer and the unbeliever will see Him coming in glory! The true question for us is this: “Are you ready for His return and judgment? Are you prepared to meet Him?”
There is no escaping the judgment of God for those who reject His Word and turn aside from following after the true God. But those who repent and look to Jesus, the promised Messiah and Savior, for pardon and forgiveness will be saved from His wrath and given a place in God's everlasting kingdom.
We are saved by God's grace and through faith alone in Jesus Christ. How can we then walk as children of God in newness of life?
Though the religious rulers of Israel did not want to hear the word of the LORD warning them of God's impending judgment on account of their impenitence and sin, God sent Amos to tell them of their end should they not repent and return to the LORD. So also today, people do not want to hear the word of the LORD warning them and calling them to repentance and faith in Jesus, and God's judgment will not pass over those who fail to heed God's warning and look in faith to Jesus and His cross.
If we turn away from Christ and back into sin, seeking to turn God’s grace into a license to live in rebellion and enmity against God, we justly earn the wages and penalty for our sins, which is death and the eternal wrath of God. But if, by the grace of God, we continue trusting in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for our sins, we are set free from the condemnation of the law and from our former servitude to sin, and God’s gracious gift to us is forgiveness for all our sins and eternal life for Jesus’ sake.
In Amos 5 and 6, God calls upon His people to repent of their sinful ways and turn to Him with all their hearts and souls, and they will live. If they do not turn to Him, from the heart, and seek His mercy, His judgment would come upon them and they would not escape. This has application to us today, as well. In the LORD, there is life. Apart from Him is only death and judgment.
Worship at Good Shepherd for April 30, 2023
The sermon text is John 16:5-15. The theme is "The Holy Spirit's Working."
The Order of Matins from The Lutheran Hymnal is used.
Should we continue in sin that grace may abound? God's answer to this question is recorded for us in Romans 6. Listen to today's sermon for an explanation of these words of Scripture.
Here is a truth we seldom consider. Through the sin of the first man, Adam, death was passed down to all men; but through the righteousness of the second man, Jesus Christ, forgiveness and life are made available to all men. Sermon based on Romans 5:12-21
I once had a bumper sticker on my car that said, “Christians Aren’t Perfect, Just Forgiven!” And how true that is!
What does Jesus' bodily resurrection on the third day mean for us today? What hope does it give to all who trust in Christ Jesus?
Have you ever considered the words you would like inscribed on your tombstone? It may sound morbid to speak about epitaphs at Easter, but in light of Jesus’ resurrection on the third day, it’s not morbid but a message of hope.
Good Friday online worship with Scripture from Luke, chapters 22 and 23, and music from The Hymnal Project.
Do we recognize the judgments of God upon us, our people and our land? Joel points out that these things are the judgments of the LORD God to bring us to repent and look to Him for mercy lest the great Day of the Lord come upon us and we be found impenitent and unprepared.
Being justified by faith in Jesus Christ, we now have peace with God and access to the grace of God in which we stand. - A study of Romans 5:1-11
God calls upon His people to repent and look to Him for mercy and forgiveness. The wise and prudent hear His Word and turn to Him; the foolish stumble over them.
Why was it written in the Bible that Abraham believed God and God counted it to him for righteousness? Romans 4:13-25
How were Abraham and David counted righteous in God's eyes? Was it by works or through faith in the promises of God? We consider God's Word in Romans 4:1-12, as well as Genesis 15 and Psalm 32.
It wasn't enough to be a descendant of Abraham or be a part of a strict religious sect of the Jews; a spiritual rebirth was needed. Nor is it enough today to be born into a religious family or be a member of a church denomination or organization; one must be born of God!
Though Jesus’ many mighty works and signs confirm His identity and authority, He has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind through His Word. Thus, those seeking only signs and wonders and spectacular works are likely never to know Him. But to the ones who sit humbly at His feet, hearing, reading, and studying His Word, Jesus reveals Himself as their merciful and loving Savior!
Hosea testified to the northern kingdom of Israel of its sins and the coming judgment of God. Though the LORD God desired the people's repentance, they continued in their idolatry and rebellion against God and His law -- much the same as is happening in our own nation today. God's judgment is coming!
Hosea tells of God's attempts to chastise and wake up the northern kingdom of Israel because of the people's lack of knowledge of the LORD God and their participation in the idolatry of the nations and peoples around them. God desires to show them mercy, but because their repentance is empty and shallow, His judgments are coming upon them. These warnings are so fitting for our people and time, as well!
Jesus is zealous for God’s house, as the Scriptures say, “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up” (Psalm 69:9). Not only is Jesus concerned for the earthly temples built with our hands; He is concerned with the temples of our bodies which He has created and redeemed. What would He cast out and cleanse away in your body or in your life?
Though the time of mercy for Israel had run out, God's mercy is seen in His promises to redeem them and bring them back again. We, too, by our unfaithfulness and lack of knowledge of God, bring on ourselves God's judgment and wrath. He desires that we repent now and turn back to Him for mercy and a knowledge of the truth before it is too late!
Worship at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rogers on February 19, 2023. The sermon text is from Romans 2:19-29.
Hosea 2 speaks of the coming judgment of God upon a people who were unfaithful to Him, who turned aside into idolatry instead of worshiping and serving the true God who had so richly blessed them. But Hosea 2 also promises mercy in Jesus Christ so that those who had not received mercy and were not God's people now receive God's mercy and are God's people.
As we read the parable of the sower and its explanation, we are quick to identify people we know with the poor kinds of soil and ourselves with the good. But, when we do this, we miss the warning and comfort of this parable for ourselves.
Through similitudes, God warned the people of the northern kingdom of Israel that God's judgment was coming, that His mercy had come to an end, and that they were no longer His people. Yet God promised to gather His elect under one Head, Jesus Christ, and keep His promise to make spiritual Israel an innumerable company, His own people, through faith in Jesus and His cross.
This parable of Jesus is a warning to us that, wherever the Gospel is sown and true believers are in this world, the devil will also sow his lies and false teaching to lead people into false security and hope based on their own works and righteousness or upon some other lie or deception of the evil one. They may appear to be a part of Christ’s church in this world but they are not. They remain impenitent and unbelieving. In the end, they will be gathered up and cast into the fires of hell!
The Apostle Paul shares greetings from fellow Christians ministering with him in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can learn much from a study of these individual believers and their service to the Lord Jesus.
The Holy Ghost, through the hearing of God's Word, reveals to us the true meaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and a tremendous weight and burden are lifted from us, for we come to know that salvation is God's free gift to us in His Son, Jesus Christ, which is ours through faith.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19
15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well [spoken that] which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.
(v. 15) Promise: God will raise up a Prophet like unto Moses, we are to hear Him and heed His Word.
(v. 16) According to their desire at Mt. Horeb. Cf. Exodus 20:18-21; Deut. 5:23-31.
(v. 17-18) Well-spoken that which they had spoken — who can stand in the presence of God and hear His Word?
Jesus the fulfillment — the Prophet like unto Moses — the Mediator of a new covenant. Acts 3:22-23; John 1:14-18; 3:31-34; God the Father on the Mount of Transfiguration — Luke 9:34-35. The Great Commission — Matthew 28:18-20.
(v. 19) Those who do not listen to and heed the voice of the Son will be judged by God. Cf. John 8:42-47; 12:44-50; John 3:14-18, 36; Heb. 1:1-3; 2:1-4.
Do you hear the Son and heed His Word? He calls upon you to repent of your sinful ways and look to Him and His cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness. Cf. Luke 24:46-47.
Cf. 1 John 5:7-12.
Are you, like Simeon, ready to die and stand before God, your Maker? Are you at peace with God, knowing that your sins are paid for and forgiven for Christ’s sake?
When we depart this life, can we say with Simeon, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel”?
The heavenly messenger brought them good tidings of great joy not just for themselves but for all people; for that very day in Bethlehem, the city of David, a Savior was born, the Messiah, the LORD (Jehovah) Himself in human flesh.
Far more than a quaint story, these verses from Luke, chapter two, describe a historical event that occurred at a real time in history and in a real place in this world. It was the fulfillment of all those ancient prophecies that promised the Seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent and the one who would redeem His people from their sins (Gen. 3:15; Ps. 130:7-8).
When we know God and trust in Him, we have peace beyond all human understanding. We have peace and confidence in the midst of the chaos of this world.
"What A Friend We Have in Jesus" music used with permission from GospelRiver.com. The music performer(s) may not agree with the theological positions of this site.
In the prophetic words we sometimes call the Benedictus, Zacharias the priest, being filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke of the salvation God was providing in His only-begotten Son and also of the ministry of his own son, John the Baptist.
Who is Jesus? The announcement of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary leaves no doubt. Jesus is Jehovah God in the flesh! He is the “Son of the Highest” and also the promised Son of David who would rule over God’s people forever and ever.
The words of Gabriel to Zachariah echo the Word of the Lord recorded by Malachi, the prophet: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:5-6).
Therefore, through Christ, and as a result of His love and mercy upon us, we are exhorted to “continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share. For with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Music courtesy of Robert Evans and scripturesongs.net.
And what God is teaching us in this commandment is to trust Him in all things and to be content in Him and in all His blessings. We are not to covet or desire what God has not given us but to trust in Him and rejoice in His blessings.
Do you despise the Gospel blessings and count them as less important than the things this world has to offer? Consider the message of Hebrews 12:14-17 as it relates to Esau despising and selling his birthright in Genesis 25:29-34.
This is a warning for us as believers not to esteem the grace of God lightly — not to risk it all or sell our birthright in Jesus Christ to enjoy the temporary pleasures of this world.
Reformation Festival at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rogers, Ark., with the sermon text being Revelation 14:6-7 and the theme being "The blessings of the everlasting Gospel."
Where can we find the truth? How can we know and be assured of forgiveness for all our sins and a place in God's everlasting kingdom? Jesus answered those very questions when He said to the Jews who believed in Him: “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
The sermon is from Hebrews 12:1-13 and deals with running the race of faith set before us and not despising the discipline of the Lord.
In private confession and absolution, and each Sunday in corporate worship, sinners confess their sins to the Lord God and look to Christ Jesus and His cross in faith for the forgiveness of sins; and, the pastor announces unto them the grace of God and, in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgives the sins of penitent sinners.
“But who can forgive sins but God alone?” some may ask.
The sermon text was Hebrews 11:23-40, and the sermon theme is "How Strong is your faith?"
These words of Jesus have an application to you and me. Jesus, first and foremost, desires that we repent of our evil ways and turn to Him for forgiveness and life everlasting. He seeks to gather us to Himself as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings so that we might be spared in God’s judgment.
Worship at Good Shepherd on Oct. 9, 2022. The sermon theme and text was “Faith of the Patriarchs” from Hebrews 11:8-22.
The opening words of the Bible, those found in Genesis 1:1, proclaim a foundational truth upon which all of Christianity rests: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
God will not be mocked. We cannot sow to the sinful longings of our flesh and expect to continue in the faith and go to heaven.
As Jesus offered living water to the woman at the well in Samaria (John 4:10,13-14), so here He offers it to all who had come to the temple in search of God’s mercy and blessing. And, He offers it to you and to me, as well!
What kind of worship does God desire? Should it be with liturgy and organ or with contemporary song and guitar? Should it be in a beautiful church or cathedral or in a steel building or barn? What does God say?
Do we deserve that God would cast us off and take His Holy Spirit from us? Most certainly, for we, like David, are guilty before the LORD!
Jesus was sacrificed once for the sins of the world, so we do not sacrifice Him again and again as an unbloody sacrifice for sin, as does the Church of Rome. Instead, in the Lord's Supper, Christ gives us to partake of His one sacrifice which fully atoned for the sins of all.
How often should we forgive a brother or sister who sins against us? Jesus' answer: "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
As God’s people under Moses were to circumcise their sons and teach their children to know the LORD God and love Him, so also God commands parents today to bring their children to Him in baptism and to bring them up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).
Sermon covers Hebrews 4 where we are told to fear and take heed lest we also come short of obtaining the rest promised to all those who believe the promises of God's Word and look to Christ and His cross for pardon and forgiveness.
We have, by our sins, crucified the LORD's Christ and the only way we can be saved is to repent and be baptized in the name of Messiah Jesus for the full and free remission of all our sins.
What do you do when the situation seems hopeless? Certainly, the situation must have seemed hopeless for Jesus' disciples; He had told them to feed the multitudes of people, and they only had five small loaves of bread and two fish with which to feed this crowd of over five thousand.
Have you ever wondered what kind of body you will have in the resurrection – what you will be like? It’s hard even to begin to imagine what we will be like on that day when Jesus Christ returns and raises up those who have died trusting in His name and changes the living who trust in Him for forgiveness and life.
Since the holy Son of God took on flesh and blood and redeemed us with His blood, shed on the cross, the devil can no longer successfully accuse us when we despair of our own faulty works and righteousness under the law and flee in faith to the cross of Jesus for refuge; through faith in the crucified and risen Christ, our sins are covered and washed away in Jesus’ shed blood!
But need we be afraid of the troubles of life? God's Word tells us: “But now thus says the LORD who created you, O Jacob, and he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.’”
Ezekiel’s message? The soul who sins shall die, whether father or son. But those who repent of their wicked ways will be pardoned and live!
Not only do we have the Word of God revealed to us by God’s angels and by the prophets of God; we have the very Word of God the Son, who came into this world a true man that He might redeem us and bring us back into fellowship with God.
Have you ever considered what a blessing it is to have the forgiveness of God? What a blessing to have the LORD not hold your sins and iniquities against you? To be forgiven of the LORD removes all fear of wrath and condemnation and gives us peace with God. To have forgiveness for all our sins gives us the assurance of life everlasting!
Have you ever been afraid that you would come short on Judgment Day - that instead of being welcomed into heaven, you would be condemned to eternal suffering in hell because of your sins and shortcomings? To be honest, I think all Christians are troubled by such fears.
Wouldn’t we also, if we found ourselves standing in the presence of the Lord God, like Isaiah, say, “Woe is me! For I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts”?
Why is it that some will be saved and have everlasting life in heaven and others will be condemned to everlasting torment in hell? We find the answer in John 3:14-18.
As we prepare for Christ’s second advent — His triumphal entry into this world as eternal King and Judge — we lift up our souls to the LORD and pray that He would remember and look upon us in His mercy and not according to our sinfulness under His law.
It’s not where we worship, the music we sing, or even the words we speak. God desires that we worship Him in spirit and in truth. And that only happens when we repent of our sinful ways and look in faith to Jesus and His cross for pardon, forgiveness and acceptance in God’s sight.
Worship service at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rogers, Ark, on June 26, 2022.
The Gospel invitation has gone out to you: "Come, for all things are now ready." Do you have time to come to Jesus and learn of Him and the eternal blessings He has won for you? Or, are you too busy with the cares and concerns of this life?
In the Aaronic blessing, the name of the LORD God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is also spoken over us and placed upon us!
What Jesus commands us to do is to disciple, or make disciples of, all the nations and peoples of this world. The way that we are to do this is by going out to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them to observe all that Christ taught and commanded.
Hold fast to the Christ Jesus of the Bible and take comfort in His atoning sacrifice and the forgiveness He has won for you. Abide in Him, for God has promised us eternal life in Jesus’ name!
John urged his hearers to continue in that truth they were taught by him and by the other apostles, in the beginning. They were to let what they heard, in the beginning, remain in them.
For a little while, we may grieve and sorrow - though we still have hope because we know Jesus rose from the dead and will return to raise us up and give us the everlasting joys of heaven. But, in a little while, when Jesus comes again, we shall rejoice with joy inexpressible!
The apostle’s message, the true gospel, is that we are complete in Jesus – our salvation and everlasting life are certain in Him – there is nothing we need add to His redemptive work!
Are you walking in the light or in darkness? Sad to say, many, even among professing Christians, are walking in darkness. To continue on in darkness leads to death! To walk in the light leads to forgiveness and life everlasting!
This parable of Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a man who sows his seed and waits until the seed, of itself, springs up and grows, maturing until the harvest. Then the farmer puts in the sickle for the harvest. The farmer can only sow good seed, cultivate the crops, and wait for the fruit to mature. He himself cannot make the seed grow and produce fruit.
Jesus gave to His disciples the Holy Spirit and a task to carry out — to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in Jesus’ name “among all nations,” beginning right where they were, in Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47; cf. Matt. 28:16-20). They were to forgive the sins of the penitent and retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they did not repent.
Instead of being judged and condemned for our own sins, God judged and condemned His own holy and innocent Son and He offers and gives to us, through faith in Christ, pardon and peace with Him. What could be more beautiful to the lost and condemned sinner!
Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this Sunday. And, indeed, the bodily resurrection of Jesus is the key doctrine of the Christian faith upon which all else stands or falls.
Sometimes a single word can also express a truth better than a thousand; and in one particular case, that is most certainly true. Before He yielded up His spirit and died upon the cross, Jesus uttered what is rendered as a single word in the Greek New Testament: “Tetelestai.” This single Greek word is translated with three English words, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
What was the testimony of John the Baptist? He testified that Jesus is that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
The apostle Paul here tells us as Christians that we who trust in Christ Jesus should follow His example and humble ourselves now, trusting that God will also raise us up and exalt us to reign with Christ Jesus after we have suffered a while in this world. But in these words, the apostle teaches us much about the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Worship service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, on April 3, 2022.
There’s a concept in the Bible that many modern-day Christians fail to grasp and understand; and it’s found throughout the Bible, from beginning to end. That concept is covenant or testament and, particularly, those covenants or testaments established by God for the benefit of man.
Jesus warned his enemies - the Jewish high priests, elders and scribes - that though they rejected Him now, they would one day see Him seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven and coming in the clouds of glory to be their Judge. And the same warning applies to those who reject Him today!
How can one eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood? The Jews did not grasp Jesus’ meaning, nor do many in our day. Jesus is not indicating that Christianity is some kind of cult in which the faithful literally eat human flesh and drink human blood.
Satan’s most effective weapon is whispering into the sinner’s ear, “You need to do something for your salvation."
The Scriptures admonish us, as children of the light who have come to a knowledge of the truth, to walk in the light of God's Word and continue trusting in our crucified and risen Savior. And, rather than joining together in the unfruitful works of darkness, we are called upon to expose and reprove these works for what they are.
How did God create man? The Bible answers that question for us when it says: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27).
Are you in the depths of woe and despair? Well, we all have good cause to be! Think about it; we are sinful human beings living in a sinful world and about to stand before the LORD God, a holy and righteous God who created all things good and who hates sin, wickedness and rebellion against Him and His Word.
Even though a flood like that of which God warned was unheard of in Noah’s day, Noah believed the LORD and prepared an ark, warning others around him to repent of their wickedness and turn back to the LORD. By so doing, Noah forsook the present world and became an heir of the righteousness of God which is by faith.
At the relatively young age of 365, Enoch was taken directly, without seeing death, to be with the LORD God in heaven. Enoch was translated; that is, changed from a temporal, earthly existence to an eternal, heavenly one.
Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of the Lenten season for Christians around the world, especially for those who hold to more traditional and liturgical forms of worship.
If Jesus had not died for our sins and risen again, you and I could not be saved. It is as the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth (1 Cor. 15:17-19): “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”
Why do people not come to Jesus? No one likes to have his deeds exposed as evil and wrong. Rather, we would prefer to justify our actions and keep our sins and shortcomings hidden and out of sight. But that leads to eternal death and damnation.
The parable of the sower warns against being like one of the three poor kinds of soil. We may think of ourselves as the good soil, but how often do we not also fit the descriptions of the poor ground! Which kind of soil are you?
Before finishing His sermon on the mount, Jesus adds this admonition to his disciples: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat ..."
Not all who are outwardly affiliated with a church — even with a faithful church — not all who have been baptized or who have partaken of the Lord’s Supper will be saved.
It is God’s perfect will that children obey their parents in all things – the only exception being when obedience to parents would cause disobedience to God (cf. Acts 5:29). Obedience to parents, God says, is “well pleasing unto the Lord.”
Are you ready to die and stand before God, your Maker? Are you at peace with God, knowing that your sins are paid for and forgiven for Christ’s sake?
In so many ways, Christ’s Church in this world — His little band of true believers — is like that boat being swamped by the waves in the windstorm on the Sea of Galilee. Will it perish?
The Scriptures tell us that, when God created man, He formed man's body of the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.
The LORD God created the first man and woman in His own image and after His likeness. What does this mean? What happened to that image? Will it be restored?
The Bible calls upon us to pray in faith, but what is it to pray in faith? Today’s Gospel provides two excellent examples.
In the Parable of the Vine and the Branches, Jesus teaches us that only those who abide in Him – those who are connected to Him through saving faith – are able to produce fruit acceptable to the LORD God; and God the Father will cut off those branches which produce no fruit for Him. He also prunes and purges those branches which do produce fruit that they might bring forth more fruit for Him.
The result of Jesus' turning water into wine at a wedding feast was a revelation of Jesus' person to His disciples, causing them to believe that He indeed was and is the Son of God and the promised Messiah and Savior of Israel.
January 22 marks the 49th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision which opened the way for legalized abortion in the United States; and I would have to count that day to be the saddest in American history because, since that day, almost 63.5 million babies have been murdered in this country through legalized abortion.
Adopting a personal mission statement can keep one focused on what is truly important in life and turn away attention from other, often less important, matters.
Is God pleased with us if we only pay Him lip service and yet continue on in our own disobedient ways, doing our will and living according to our own sinful desires? What does God say in His Word?
You have heard of Christ's birth and know of His sufferings and death for your sins (and the sins of the world) and of His glorious resurrection. You have heard God’s offer of mercy and forgiveness to all who repent and look to Jesus in faith for pardon and life eternal. How do you respond?
Do you have God’s forgiveness, or are you attempting to hide and cover up your sins? Are you justified by God, or trying to justify yourself?
Who is this Child born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem and laid in a manger? That Babe born in Bethlehem was none other than God Himself, the eternal Word, made flesh that He might dwell among us and redeem us from sin and eternal death and damnation.
What does account of Jesus' birth mean for us today? Is it just a quaint story to be repeated each year at Christmas time or does it have meaning for us each and every day of our lives?
The child in Mary's womb was and is God with us – the LORD God Himself in human flesh – and He came into the world to fulfill all righteousness and to suffer and die in the stead of all mankind for the sins of the world.
In these prophetic words, Zacharias the priest, being filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke of the salvation God was providing in His Son, and of the ministry of his son, John the Baptist.
St. Paul and all who are called by God through the Church to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are ministers and servants of Christ, and they are stewards of the mysteries of God.
How can this be? Upon hearing the announcement of the angel Gabriel, Mary wondered how she, a virgin, could conceive in her womb and bring forth this Son who would be called "the Son of the Highest" and who would reign on the throne of His father David forever, over an eternal kingdom.
Instead of overindulging in food, drink, or the things of this world, living in drunkenness, or being wrapped up with the cares of this life, we are to be watching and praying that we not be caught off guard and, like the rest of the world, be found living in sin and impenitence and not ready at Jesus’ return.
Truly, it is high time to awake from the sleep of our sin-darkened minds and make ourselves ready for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is God Himself in the flesh, the judge of the living and the dead!
Are you ready for Jesus Christ to return on the Last Day? Jesus told this parable to admonish us to be watchful and ready at all times for His return.
It’s so easy to neglect to thank and praise the LORD God and to forget that it is He who has so richly blessed us with all that we have and need. And, when we do speak words of thanks, it is so often only an outward expression and not the true and sincere response of heart and soul.
On the Last Day, when Jesus Christ returns with all His holy angels to judge the living and the dead, He shall separate the believers and unbelievers from one another as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats, putting the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left.
Like David, we look to the LORD God for mercy, acknowledging our sins and failures to the LORD and turning to Him in faith for pardon and forgiveness for the sake of the Son, Jesus Christ, and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead.
[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Common Version.]
As the battle rages on here in this world and the Scriptures warn us of the suffering yet ahead for believers, Jesus shows us a vision and picture of the end. He wants us to know we have the victory in Him. The eternal joys of heaven are certain for all who trust in His shed blood.
Christ has entrusted us with the task of "discipling" the nations for the Triune God. We do this, not through church-growth programs or through having exciting and emotion-stirring styles of worship. We do this by going out into the world and encountering people of all ethnicities and nations. We do this by baptizing in the name of the Triune God. We do this by teaching all that Christ taught and commanded as is recorded for us in His Word, the Bible.
Are we saved by God’s grace alone and through faith alone in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, or must we also keep certain commandments and traditions of a church?
How do you know your sins are really forgiven when your minister announces God’s grace and mercy to you in Jesus Christ and, in the stead and by the command of Christ, absolves you of your sins for Jesus’ sake?
Unless the LORD God opens our eyes and gives us understanding, His Word, the Bible, remains a closed book to us.
God’s gracious invitation continues to go out to all — us included — but only those who, by the grace of God, repent and heed the Gospel call, trusting in Christ alone for eternal salvation, will be saved.
When by the grace and mercy of God, we are brought to see our sinfulness and to turn to Jesus for forgiveness and life in Him, we become children of God - saved by His grace alone. We have an inheritance in heaven and look forward to the day when Jesus our Savior returns to take us to live with Him in holiness and righteousness, forever with our God and Savior.
In private confession and absolution, and each Sunday in corporate worship, sinners confess their sins to the Lord God and look to Christ Jesus and His cross in faith for the forgiveness of sins; and, the pastor announces unto them the grace of God and, in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgives the sins of penitent sinners. “But who can forgive sins but God alone?” some may ask.
Can anyone be counted just and saved by doing good works? by living a good life? by obeying God’s commandments? What does God say in His Word?
So, I ask you, what do you think God desires? To love one’s neighbor and help him on the Sabbath day? Or to refrain from loving and helping a neighbor because it is the Sabbath day?
When did God create the heavens and the earth? Again, the Bible answers that question for us when it says: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…” (Genesis 1:1).
Though Jesus does not intervene at every death and call the dead back to life, He has intervened for all of us in a much greater way. Jesus had compassion on us in our hopeless and helpless situation and tells us to stop crying because He is our solution.
The Bible teaches that the LORD God, when He created the heavens and the earth, also created a great number of angels to carry out His commands and do His will.