Friends Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Pastor Dan Cale
Listen to the weekly message at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. The podcast includes sermons by Lead Pastor Dan Cale, Discipleship Pastor Zac Sanchez, and Student Ministries Pastor Jon Delker.
Reaching up. Reaching out. Reaching people.
Recorded on Sunday, March 13, 2022. This is part 1 of a multi-sermon sermon through the book of Haggai. Youc an find sermon notes at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Find notes for this sermon at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Turn in your Bibles to Habakkuk chapter 3.
Recorded live Sunday, March 6, 2022.
Find notes for this sermon at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Turn in your Bibles to Habakkuk 1: 12 - 2: 20.
Recorded live on Sunday, February 27, 2022.
You can find sermon notes at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
This sermon was recorded live on Sunday, February 20, 2022.
Find notes for this sermon at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
This is part 2 of a two part series through the book of Jonah.
This sermon was recorded live on Sunday, February 13, 2022.
Find notes for this sermon at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
This is part 1 of a two part series through the book of Jonah.
This sermon was recorded live on Sunday, February 6, 2022.
You can find the notes for this sermon at https://friendschurch.org/sermon-notes. Please open your Bibles to 2nd Thessalonians 3: 1-18.
This was recorded live on January 30, 2022.
Find notes for this sermon at http://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Recorded live on Sunday, January 23, 2022.
Please open your Bibles to 2nd Thessalonians 1:1-17.
Find notes for this sermon at http://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Recorded live on Sunday, January 16, 2022. Please open your Bibles to 2nd Thessalonians 1:3-12.
Find notes for this sermon at http://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Recorded live on Sunday, January 09, 2022.
Please open our Bibles to Thessalonians 1:1-4.
Pastor Zac Sanchez delivers this mornings New Years Day message. Recorded live on Sunday, January 2, 2022.
Find notes on this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
The day after Christmas, Pastor Dan give us a fresh perspective on Luke 2:1-20.
Recorded Sunday, December 26, 2021
Pastor Dan continues in I Thessalonians chapter 3. You can find notes and discussion questions for this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded live on Sunday, September 12, 2021.
Find notes and discussion questions for this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. This is part 6 of Pastor Dan's series through 1 Thessalonians.
Recorded live on Sunday, September 5, 2021.
Find the notes and discussion questions for this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Pastor Dan continues his series on the Heart of a Faithful Church.
Recorded Sunday, August 29, 2021.
Welcome Pastor Zac Sanchez to his first sermon with Friends Church in Hughesville. He continues the series through I Thessalonians.
Recorded Live on Sunday, August 22, 2021.
You can find the notes and discussion questions for this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Pastor Dan continues the series in 1 Thessalonians and the heart of a faithful church.
Memory verse: You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. I Thess 1:9b
Recorded August 15, 2021.
Pastor Dan is just getting started through the book of I Thessalonians. Sermon notes and discussion questions are available at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
A faithful church is a living church. A living church has the power of God working in it to accomplish great things. The living church is a powerful church. The spirt-led church is obedient to the Holy Spirit moving in us, around us, and through us.
Weekly Memory Verse: our gospel did not come to you in word
only but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction
I Thess 1:5a
Recorded Sunday, August 8, 2021.
Sermon notes and discussion questions are available at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory Verse: Grace to you and peace. I Thess 1:1b
Recorded Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Pastor Dan's series through Colossians continues. You can find sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory Verse: Whatever you do, do your work heartily,
as for the Lord rather than men. Col 3:23
Recorded live Sunday, July 11, 2021.
Sermon notes and discussion questions are available at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory Verse: “Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times?” Matthew 16:3b
Recorded on Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Pastor Dan's finishes his series through Colossians. You can find sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory verse: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping
alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Col 4:2
Recorded Live on Sunday, July 18, 2021.
Pastor Dan continues with the New Life in Christ series as he continues through the book of Colossians. You can find notes for this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Featured memory verse: "Beyond all things put on love, which is
the perfect bond of unity." Colossians 3:14
How do we “put on” love in our lives?
Recorded Sunday, July 4, 2021.
Find the notes for this sermon at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Colossians and delivers the next part of the series "New Life in Christ."
Featured memory verse: "Christ is all, and in all." Colossians 3:11.
How does this reality that "Chris is all, and in all" reflect your life in Christ?
Recorded on Sunday, June 27, 2021.
Pastor Dan dives into Colossians 3. You can find sermon notes at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory verse: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Col 3:3
Question: How are you seeking the fundamental realities of life in Christ as opposed to the fundamental realities of this shadow world?
Recorded on Sunday, June 13, 2021.
You can find notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory Verse: “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize…” Col 2:18a
Question: Read Col 3:9-11; Col 1:16, Romans 11:36, Romans 14:7-8, I Cor 6:19-20. What do all these texts have in common?
Recorded on Sunday, June 6, 2021.
Pastor Matt gives his final sermon at Friends Church in Hughesville. Notes for this sermon can be found online at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory Verse
Arise, O’ Sleeper
And Arise From The Dead,
And Christ Will Shine On You. (Eph 5:14b)
Recorded May 16, 2021
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Colossians.
Are you seeking Christ like you would the most precious treasure ever found? Or are you chasing after the world's treasures. Are yo spending your life chasing the wind and leaving behind the only treasure that matters?
Recorded on Sunday, May 9, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Memory Verse: For it was the Fathers good pleasure that all the fullness to dwell in Him Col 1:19
Recorded live Sunday, May 2, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." - 1 Colossians 13-14
Recorded Sunday, April 25, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Pastor Dan continues with Colossians.
Recorded April 18, 2021
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan starts a new series through the book of Colossians. We come 1,000 years forward from where we have been in the book of Judges and Ruth. It's 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus.
As we walk through this book, you're going to find a people trying to live their faith in the context of a very dark world full of false religions and false gods.
Recorded on Sunday, April 11, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. This is part three of the series, "Jesus Our Redeemer." Pastor Dan leads communion at the end of the episode.
Recorded on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021.
Join Pastor Matt for this special Sunrise podcast episode on Resurrection Sunday. He will read from Matthew 16:21-23, 17:22-23, 20:17-19, 28:1-10.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. We continue a three-part series, "Jesus Our Redeemer," leading up to Easter Sunday.
We're going to spend some time chasing down the picture of the kinsman redeemer.
Ruth 4 and John 19:23-30.
Recorded Sunday, March 28, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. We start a three-part series, "Jesus Our Redeemer," leading up to Easter Sunday.
We're going to spend some time chasing down the picture of the kinsman redeemer.
Ruth 1 and Romans 1:18-25.
Recorded live on Sunday, March 21, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Open your bibles to Ruth chapter 4. Pastor Dan concludes his powerful and inspiring series on Ruth, When God is King.
Recorded on Sunday, March 14, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Open your bibles to Ruth chapter 3. Pastor Dan continues with part 3 of his series through the book of Ruth, When God is King.
Recorded live on Sunday, March 7, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Pastor Dan continues with part 2 of his series through the book of Ruth.
Recorded Live on Sunday, February 28, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Pastor Dan begins a four part series through the book of Ruth: When God is King.
Recorded February 21, 2021.
Pastor Matt talks about God's work in his life as he was being prepared for his call to lead a church. You can find sermon notes and discussion at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded live Sunday February 14, 2021.
Matthew 14:22-33 Acts 16:6-10
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes. Pastor Dan begins to wrap up his sermon in the book of Judges with chapters 19 through 21.
Recorded live on Sunday, January 31, 2021
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan begins to wrap up his sermon in the book of Judges with chapters 17 and 18.
Recorded live on Sunday, January 31, 2021
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Judges with part 2 of Samson's journey.
Recorded live on Sunday, January 24, 2021
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Judges with part 1 of Samson.
Recorded January 17, 2021.
Find notes and discussion at https://hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dans continues through the book of Judges with part 2 of Jephthah.
Recorded on Sunday, January 10, 2021
Grab the sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan continues his series through the book of Judges. This is part 1 of 2 sermons on Jephthah.
Recorded Sunday, January 3, 2021.
Grab the sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan continues his series through the book of Judges and the death of Gideon.
Recorded Sunday, December 27, 2020.
Grab the sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Pastor Dan continues his series through the book of Judges and continues with Gideon.
Recorded Sunday, December 20, 2020.
The series through the book of Judges continue with Gideon starting with Judges 6:33. You can find sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded Sunday, December 13, 2020.
The series through the book of Judges continue with Gideon. You can find sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded December 6, 2020.
The series through the book of Judges continues. You can find sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded on live on Sunday, November 29, 2020.
The series through the book of Judges continues. You can find sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded live on Sunday, November 22, 2020.
Follow along with study notes and discussion questions: https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Recorded on Sunday, November 15, 2020.
Part 1 of the series through the book of Judges. Download the study guide and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes
Recorded on November 8, 2020.
Scripture References:
2 Timothy 3:15-17
Hebrews 4:1-2
Numbers 35:51-53
Exodus 6:6-8
Joshua 1:2-3, 5-6
Joshua 23:12-13
Pastor Matt concludes the second of a two part series in Ephesians. Download the sermon notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes
Recorded live on November 1, 2020.
Download the study notes and discussion questions from https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
To watch the video "Amazing Grace in 50 Countries:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA7pdABvpnc
Recorded Sunday, October 25, 2020.
The final installment of Pastor Dan's sermon through the book of 2 Timothy. Recorded Sunday, October 19, 2020.
Download the study notes and discussion questions at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/sermon-notes.
Download the sermon notes and discussion questions.
Recorded on Sunday, October 11, 2020.
Pastor Dan continues with 2 Timothy chapter 4. Recorded live on Sunday, October 4, 2020.
Prerecorded sermon on 2 Timothy 3:16 - 4:5 was delivered live on Sunday, September 27, 2020.
Pastor Dan continues with 2 Timothy. Prior to the sermon, Davena Laverty discusses her plan to launch a home church based on the Friends Church livestream service each Sunday.
If you'd like to learn more about the home church, please contact us.
Recorded live on Sunday, September 20, 2020.
We'll continue to hear about the Joy of the Lord as Pastor Dan continues in 2 Timothy. This service was delivered Sunday, September 13, 2020
The series in 2 Timothy continues in chapter 1. This sermon was recorded on August 09, 2020.
Additional Scripture cited during the message:
1 Corinthians 12:1
Romans 12:6
1 Peter 4:10
Ephesians 4:7
We start a new series in the book of 2 Timothy. Recorded on Sunday, August 02, 2020.
Additional scripture readings:
Deuteronomy 6
Jeremiah 20:9
Pastor Dan finishes his series on the book of Acts and sets us up for the next series through 2 Timothy. Recorded Sunday, July 26, 2020.
Pastor Dan continues his series through the book of Acts (chapter 27). Recorded on Sunday, July 19, 2020.
recorded live on Sunday, July 12, 2020 at Friends Church (https://hughesvillefriends.org).
Here are scriptures to read along with the main passage (Acts 25:23 - 26:32):
Luke 21:12-13
2 Corinthian 5:20
Philippians 1:20-21
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Acts.
Additional Scripture:
Acts 23:11
Hebrews 12:1-3
Recorded on June 28, 2020. Pastor Jon recognizes the accomplishments of the graduating class. Rachel Bitler shares her testimony.
Recorded June 14, 2020. Let us pray for you https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/prayer-request.
Recorded on June 7, 2020. Let us pray for you at https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/prayer-request.
The plot to kill Paul v.12-15
The plot spoiled v.16-22
The journey to Caesarae v.23-35
Additional Scripture:
Deuteronomy 19:11-12
Luke 8:17-18
Recorded Live on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
Christ exalts racial harmony.
Scripture References:
Matthew 22:38-39
Luke 10:27
Acts 17:26
Revelation 7:9
Genesis 1:26
Recorded May 24, 2020.
The Arrest of Paul v.27-40
Paul's Defense v 22:1-21
BC Life v. 22: 1-5
Conversion Experience v. 6-16
Commission v 17-21
Scripture References
Acts 5:38-39
Recorded on May 17, 2020.
Takeaways:
Love like there is no tomorrow. This is a new commandment love.
Obedience to God's will.
Scripture references:
Acts 19:21
Acts 20:22-23
John 13:34-35
John 15:12-15
Numbers 6:9-20
Recorded Live on May 10, 2020.
Scripture References:
Proverbs 24:33-34
Matthew: 24:42-44
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, 6
1 Peter 1:18-19
1 Timothy 5:17
Ephesians 6:12-13
Recorded live Sunday, April 26, 2020. Pastor Dan continues his series through the book of Acts. Let us pray for you: https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/prayer-request
Pastor Matt leads an Easter morning sonrise devotion. It's designed to listen to it at sunrise on Easter morning, but it's really a timeless devotion.
The hymn "In the Garden" is performed by Reflect Worship and used with permission.
Part 3 of the April 2020 Easter series. Recorded on April 5, 2020.
Study Notes:
They crucified Him. v.33
Prayer 1: Father forgive them. v.34
Prayer 2: My God, my God, why have thou forsaken me Matthew. 27:45-46
Prayer 3: Father into your hands I commit my spirit. v.46
Scripture:
John 3:16
Romans 5:8
Romans 1:20
2 Corinthians 5:21
John 10:17-18
John 11:25-26
Part of the Easter 2020 series, Prayers of the Cross continues. Recorded live on Sunday March 29, 2020.
Study Notes:
Gat Shmanim v.36-37
My Soul is Deeply Grieved v.38
Let This Cup Pass From Me v.39
If this Cannot Pass v.42
Scripture References:
Luke 21:37
Mark 14:33
Psalm 75:8
Jeremiah 25:15-16
Isaiah 51:17, 2
Isaiah 51:22
Isaiah 53:4-5
Matthew 20:22a
2 Corinthians 5:21
Luke 22:43
Isaiah 41:10
Hebrews 5:7-10
Matthew 26:40-41
Luke 12:35-37
Recorded on Sunday, March 22, 2020. We break from the book of Acts to lead up to Easter.
4 Petitions
Kept in his name v.11-15
Sanctified in His truth v.17-19
Unified that the world may know v.20-23
Assured of a place with Him v. 24-26
Scripture
Matthew 5: 13-16
1 Peter 2: 9-10
John 14: 1-3
Revelation 19:6-8
Recorded live on March 15, 2020. Pastor Dan continues his series through the book of Acts.
Study Notes:
A weary disciple v.1
God intervenes v.2-17
New friends v.2-4
Old friends v.5-8
A new call v.9-10
The Bema v.11-17
The journey home v. 18-22
Scripture References:
1 Corinthians 2:3
1 Kings 19:1-8
Philippians 4:15
1 Corinthian 1:4
Isaiah 40:30-31
Psalm 27:14
Pastor Dan continues to teach on the acts of the disciples. This sermon was recorded live on Sunday, March 8, 2020.
Scripture references:
1 Corinthians 6:19
Proverbs 21:1
Romans 1:20
Romans 11:36
Romans 1:22-23
Pastor Dan continues in Acts with chapter 17. This sermon was recorded Sunday, March 1, 2020
Study Notes:
Thessalonica - 4 men turned the world upside down.
Courage - If there's anything you need in this world, it's God.
Commitment to the text.
Perseverance
Scripture References:
John 6:68
Psalm 119:105
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Romans 1:16
2 Kings 22-23
2 Kings 23:3
Galatians 6:9
Recorded on Sunday, February 23, 2020. Acts 16:19-40.
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Acts.
Recorded February 16, 2020.
Study Notes:
A Visit for Macedonia v.6-10
The Heart of Darkness v.11-13
The Place of Prayer v.13-15
A Little Girl Enslaved v.16-21
Pastor Matt continues preaching through The Acts of the Apostles. Recorded on Sunday, February 9, 2020.
Scripture References:
Hebrews 10:24-25
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Colossians 2:2
Romans 1:11-12
John 14-27
Acts 13:13
Colossians 4:10
2 Timothy 4:11
Philippians 24
1 Corinthians 9:6
Matthew 18
Pastor Dan continues through the book of Acts. This sermon was recorded live on February 2, 2020.
Have faith in Jesus Christ. There are no "ands."
Study Notes:
The Growing (v. 1-5)
The Arguments (v. 6-18)
- The Holy Spirit - Peter
- The Power of God - Paul
- The Scripture - James
The Verdict (v. 19-20)
Additional Scripture:
Galatians 2:11-13
Amos 9:11-12
Zacharias: 2:11
Recorded live at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA on January 26, 2020. Pastor Matt talks to the congregation about his spiritual journey during his sabbatical.
This sermon was recorded live on January 19, 2020. Pastor Dan continues his sermon through Acts. Main scripture is Acts 14.
Recorded live at Hughesville Friends Church on January 12, 2020.
Study Notes:
The arduous journey (v. 13-14)
Paul preaches in the synagogue (v. 15-43)
God is the central player in history
The response (v. 42-52)
Scripture References:
2 Corinthians 11:26a
Genesis 8:21-22
Philippians 3:20-21
1 Peter 1:18-20
Luke 9:5
Pastor Dan continues the series through the book of Acts.
Recorded live on Sunday, January 05, 2020 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA.
Study Notes:
A New Testament church (v.1-3) is built on the word of God, ministering to the Lord, and is powered by corporate prayer.
The Holy Spirit is central (v.2-7)
Opposition is always present (v. 6-10)
Our God is greater (v. 11-12)
Additional Scripture:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Hebrews 10:24-25
Acts 6:4
Recorded live on December 29, 2019.
Scripture referenced:
Leviticus 16
John 5:22-24, 27
John 10:27-30
The fourth Advent sermon based on Matthew 2:1-12. Recorded at Friends Church in Hughesville PA on December 22, 2019. https://nughesvillefriends.org
Study Notes:
Magi from the east arrived v.1
King of the Jews v.2
Herod was troubled v.3
And the star went on before them v.9
They fell to the ground and worshiped v.11
Additional scripture:
Daniel 2:2
Isaiah 60:1-3
Micah 5:2
Psalm 19:1
Phillipians 3:8
Recorded on December 15, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale. Shepherd's Tale is the third Advent sermon based on Luke 2:1-20.
Study Notes:
The hearts of kings v.1-5
The rich became poor v.6-7
No more fear v.8-14
Little people, big God v.15-20
Scriptures Referenced:
Proverbs 21:1
2 Corinthians 8:9
Hebrews 2:14-15
Revelation 1:17-18
Recorded live on Sunday, December 8, 2019, by Pastor Dan Cale. Visit us at https://hughesvillefriends.org. Luke 1:26-38.
Study Notes:
It began with God v.26
- Gen: 1:1, Gal 4:7, John 3:16, John 6:44, Rev 1:8, Rom 1:22-23
Do not be afraid v.28-33
- Isaiah 9
Nothing is Impossible with God v.34-38
- Col 1:17, John 1:3, Rom 11:36, I John 2:15-17, James 4:4-5, John 10:10
Question:
When will you give up your sordid love affair with the world?
Pastor Dan Cale starts the first in four Advent sermons with the Galatians 4:1-7. Recorded live on December 1, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA (https://hughesvillefriends.org).
Study Notes:
The Plan:
- The coming of the Messiah was not a reaction to man's sin
- The prophets were sent to declare hope to the hopeless.
The Fullness of Time
- The Time - 1 AD
- The Place - Israel
The Bottom Line
- God knows what He is doing.
- God cares about what He is doing.
- God care about you!
Scripture References:
Psalm 118:22-24
Revelation 13
Ephesians 1:4-5
Isaiah 9:1
Psalm 16:10
Pastor Matt McGovern welcomes children into the main church service to worship alongside adults, according to scripture. Recorded live on Decembe 7, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA (https://hughesvillefriends.org).
Scripture:
Luke 2:41-47
Exodus 12:24-28
Acts 20:7-12
Ephesians 6:1
Colossians 3:20
Exodus 12:21-27
Deuteronomy 16:9-11, 13-14; 31:9-13
Joshua 8:34-35
Deuteronomy 27 & 28
Ezra 10:1-5
This sermon on Acts 12 was recorded live Sunday morning on November 17, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA (https://hughesvillefriends.org).
Study Notes:
The martyrdom of James v.1-5
The arrest of Peter v.6-19
The death of Herod v.20-25
Three lessons from the text:
- It's folly to oppose God--He always wins.
- God is able to deliver us.
- What happens when the angel doesn't come.
Additional Scripture:
Philippians 1:20
Daniel 3:17-18
Revelations 2:10
Luke 21:12-15
Recorded live on November 10, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA.
Study Notes:
An Inherently Dangerous Business v.1-18
- He explained in orderly sequence
- He squares it with scripture
- He shows them Gods work
Harvest in a foreign land v.19-26
Devotion determines character v27-30
Scripture references:
Acts 2:42
Matthew 28:19-20
In the Day of the Lord, God intervenes decisively for judgement or salvation. It is the unmistakable appearance of God. This sermon was recorded live on Sunday, October 27, 2019 by Ed Walsh, Director of Finance and Administration at Eastern Region.
Recorded Sunday, October 10, 2019 by Family Life Pastor Matt McGovern.
Study Notes
Healing of Aeneas (v32-35)
Resurrection of Tabitha (v.36-43)
Gateway to the Gentiles (v.43)
Takeaways
Which area in your spiritual life will you work on this week?
Seek active rest by walking in fear of the Lord.
Reject complacency in your spiritual life.
All the church to be your drill sergeant (equipping saints).
Seek help.
Step back and see the forest through the woods. Is God preparing you?
Scripture Referenced
Luke 5:17-26
Luke 8:40-42, 49-56
The Acts of the Apostles series continues. This sermon was delivered by Pastor Dan on Sunday, October 13, 2019.
Study Notes
A Guide (v. 10-19a)
Transformation (v.18-22)
Growth (v.23-25)
Help (v. 26-31)
Additional Scripture
1 Timothy 1:15-16
Philippians 3:7-8
Ephesians 4:14-15
Hebrews 5:21
Sermon was recorded live on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Contact us: (570) 584-2686 or https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/.
Study Notes:
The Worst of the Them All (v.1-2)
The Goads (v.3-4)
The Confrontation (v.5-7)
Three Days of Darkness (v.7-9)
Scripture References:
Acts 2:42
1 Timothy 1:15-16
Philippians 3:4b-6
John 16:2-3
Acts 26:12-18
This podcast was recorded live on September 29, 2019 by Student Ministries Pastor Jon Delker.
Scripture Referenced:
Matthew 5:13-16
Luke 9:23-24
Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 5:13-16
Deuteronomy 6
The Acts of the Apostles series continues with Pastor Matt. This sermon was preached on September 22, 2019.
Study Notes:
"Whatever you devote yourself to will determine your destiny"-Acts 2:42
"Wherever the Holy Spirit is there is a harvest" -PD
The Great Scattering (v.8-1-8)
- Saul's character exposed
- Fulfillment of Acts 1:8 in Samaria
- Philip's character = unhindered obedience
Simon the Magician (v. 8:9-15)
- Many saved and batpized
- Simon the occult leader exposed
- Peter and John come (Unity and Samaritan Pentecost)
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (v.26-40)
- Unhindered Obedience = first missionary to Africa!
What kind of scatterer do you want to be?
- Garden scatterer from Mark 14:47-45
- or a
- Philip scatterer from Acts 8:5, 26, 27, 29, 30, 40
Questions for You:
- What is your first step toward becoming a Philip Scatterer?
- Who will you tell about your commitment and who will help you?
The sermon was recorded live September 15, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
Notes
Stephen (v.6:7-10)
Before the council (v6.12-15)
Stephen's Defense (v7.1-50)
Abraham (v.4)
The Patriarchs (V.9)
Moses (v.27)
The Law (v.39,41)
The Temple (v.48)
Stephen's Accusation (v.751-53)
Stephen's Reward (7:54-60)
Additional Reading
These scriptures were reference in the sermon:
Acts 7 (sermon included excerpts)
Luke 12:11-12
Romans 8:6-8
This sermon was recorded live on September 1, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale, as he continues to deepen our understanding of the early church.
Notes
- Persistent Faith (v.17-21a)
- Passionate (v.21b-32)
- Purpose Filled (v.33-39)
- Persecuted (v.40-41)
- Patient Devotion to God (v.42)
Additional Reading
- Jeremiah 20:9
- Matthew 16:18
- Matthew 5:11
Sermon was recorded live on Sunday, August 25, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
Bulletin:
- There is a heart that please God.
- God is not to be trifled with!
- The fear of God unleashes the power of God!
Recommended Reading
Pastor Dan referenced these scriptures during the sermon:
- Matthew 6:19-21, 24, 31-33
- Matthew 19:23-24
- Matthew 25:34-36
- Luke 12:32-34
- John 15:12-14
- Proverbs 6:16-19
- Exodus 19:18-21
- Exodus 20:2-7
- 1 Chronicles 16:25
- Psalm 104:1-4
- Revelations 7:9-12
- Job 38-40
- Revelations 4:8-11
- Isaiah 66:1-2
Contact Friends Church: https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/contact-us
Pastor Dan Cale delivered this sermon live on Sunday, August 18,2019.
Contact Friends Church: https://www.hughesvillefriends.org/contact-us.
This sermon was recorded live on August 11, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
Pastor Dan continues preaching through the book of Acts chapter 3. Recorded live on August 4, 2019 by Pastor Dan.
The meeting (v.1-6)
The magnitude of the miracle (v.7-10)
Beggars at the gate (v.11-16)
The moment (v.17-26)
Recorded live on July 28, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
Continually devoted (v.42)
- Apostles teaching - spiritual learning
- Fellowship - sharing life through Christ
- Breaking bread
- Corporate bread (not individual)
Devotion leads to transformation (v.43-47a)
- Awe
- Signs and wonders
- Unity
- Generosity
- Single-mindedness - worship, sharing meals, joy
- Praising God
Result (v.47b) - Lorded add to their numbers day-by-day
Scripture Reference
Jerimiah
Isaiah 6
Luke 9:23
Pastor Dan continues to preach through the Book of Acts. Recorded live on July 14, 2019.
The Last Days (v.15-21)
- Great Witness (v.17-18)
- Great Peril (V.18-21)
Jesus Attested by God (v.22-35)
- Miracles (v.22)
- Prophecy (v.23-31)
- Resurrection (v31-32)
- Holy Spirit (v.33)
Jesus whom you crucified (v. 12-13)
What shall we do? (v. 37-41)
- Metaneo - Repent
- Baptizo - Be baptised
- Lambano - Receive
Recorded live July 7, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
Pentecost or Shavuot (v.1)
Suddenly (v.2)
Manifestation (v.4-11)
Supernatural (v12-13)
Additional scripture references:
Deuteronomy 16:10
Book of Ruth
Acts 1:1-11--This is what the church in America should look like.
Recorded live on June 23, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale. Pastor Dan takes from the book of Revelation to the book of Acts.
Wait for it! (v.1-5). Until the Holy spirit comes, our witness is worthless.
You shall receive power (v. 6-8)
- Power for Boldness (Acts 4:31)
- Power for Conviction ( Acts 2:37)
- Power for Wisdom (Acts 6:10)
- Power for Effectiveness (Acts 11:23-24)
Why do you stand looking into the sky? (v. 9-11)
Scripture References:
Luke 24:45-49
John 16:7-8
Acts 4:31
Acts 2:37
Acts 6:10
Acts 11:23-24
Matthew 21:28
Recorded live on Sunday, June 16, 2019 by Pastor Matt McGovern. This is part 4 or 4 of Matt's series That explores a Christian worldview of vocation.
- Words are necessary.
- Do we really believe in "salvation by osmosis?"
Scripture:
Romans 10:14
Peter 3:15
Matther 28:19
Matthew 16:15
Luke 24:47
Acts 1:8
Luke 12:2
Mark 13:11
Recorded live on June 9, 2019 by Pastor Matt McGovern.
This is part 3 of a 4 part series on a Christian worldview in the workforce.
Scripture:
John 13:34-35
Matthew 22:37-29
Ephesians 6:5-9
1 Timothy 6:1
The final sermon in the Book of Revelation series was preached on June 2, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
A promise (v. 6-9).
A warning (v. 10-12).
A reminder (v. 13-15).
An invitation (v. 16-17).
A heart response (v. 20).
Scripture References:
Matthew 24 & 25
Ephesians 1: 9-10
Ephesians 4:4-6
Romans 11:36
Isaiah 11
Sermon recorded live on May 26, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
The river of life (v. 1).
The tree of life (v. 2).
There shall no longer be any curse (v. 3)
There shall no longer any night (v.5)
Scripture References:
Ezekiel 47:1
Revelation 7:16
Revelation 21:6
Genesis 2:29
Genesis 3:22
Genesis 1
Genesis 2:7-10
2 Chronicles 7:13-14
2 Corinthians 5:1-4
Exodus 33:20
1 John 3:2
Genesis 1:26
2 Peter 3:10-13
Recorded Live on May 19, 2019 by Pastor Dan Cale.
The bride has become the wife (v. 9-11).
The entrance is not new (v. 12-15).
The Holy of Holies (v. 16-18).
The stones of the ephod (v. 19-21).
There is no temple (v. 22-27).
Scripture References:
John 14:1
Exodus 28
Exodus 25:8-9
Genesis 1:14
Psalm 86:9
Isaiah 60:11
Isaiah 66:20
Colossians 1:10-14
This sermon was recorded live by Pastor Matt McGovern on May 12, 2019.
Scripture:
Matthew 22:34-38
Colossians: 3-23
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Genesis 39: 1-10
Genesis 39: 21-23
Genesis 41:37-46
Genesis 45:4-8
Join Pastor Dan in that "hallelujah shouting place" as he continues through Revelation.
Recorded live at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA on May 5, 2019.
Scripture References:
Genesis 1:1
Romans 8:20-21
Genesis 6:3
1 Corinthians
Pastor Matt McGovern starts a four part series on the Christian Worldview About Vocation. This is part one based on Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 & Matthew 25:14-30.
Recorded at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA on April 28, 2019.
In this April 14, 2019, sermon, Pastor continues preaching through Revelation. You can find out more about Friends Church as http://hughesvillefriends.org.
The great supper of God (v 17-21)
The adversary (v 20:1-10)
The great white thrown (v 10-13)
The last enemy (v 14-15)
Additional Scripture References
1 Peter 4:17
[06:31] Matthew 22:2-7
[39:55] 2 Corinthians 5:10
[43:15] Matthew 25
[45:33] 1 Corinthians 15:24-26
[46:21] Deuteronomy 30:17-19
Following the regular sermon on April 7, 2019, Pastor Dan held an extended teaching session on Revelation. The goal was to address items that are less certain and provided a Q&A session.
Pastor Dan continues his sermon through the Book of Revelation. This sermon was from April 7, 2019. Visit us online at http://hughesvillefriends.org.
The fourfold hallelujah (v1-6)
The Jewish wedding
- Ketubbah - covenant
- Mohar - bride price
- Erusin - betrothal
- Nissuin - wedding
- the feast - marriage supper
The declaration (v7-10)
The bride groom arrives (11-16)
Additional Scripture cited
[28:02] John 14
[40:36] Matthew 25:1-13
Jon Delker, Young Adult Pastor, turns the fifth Sunday sermon over to Brody Heller. This sermon was delivered live on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA.
Scripture References
[04:03] Romans 12:1-2
[09:58] Ecclesiastes 9:10
[12:04] James 4:13-17
[14:48] John15:18
[14:57] 1 Corinthians 4:3
This sermon is from Sunday, March 24, 2019. Pastor Dan continues preaching through Revelation and offers this disclaimer. The views expressed in this sermon are not unique but do represent a minority view withing church position on Revelation today. Pastor Dan shares where God has led him.
As background, read about the wicked king Ahab and his wife Jezebel in 1 Kings 16-20 with emphasis on 20:35-43) and 2 Kings 9:30-37. John previously referred to Ahab and Jezebel in Revelation 2:19-22.
Revelation 17-18
- The Great Harlot (17:1-3)
- The seeds of destruction (17:14-18)
- The fallen empire (18:1-8)
- The lament (18:9-19)
- The vindication of the saints (18:20-24)
Additional scripture referenced
[11:14] Revelation 2:7
[11:37] Revelation 2:11
[11:48] Revelation 2:17
[12:07] Revelation 2:26
[12:27] Revelation 3:5
[12:42] Revelation 3:12
[13:02] Revelation 3:21
[13:54] Revelation 17
[28:16] 2 Kings 9:35-37
[29:57] Revelation 18
[54:48] John 10:10
Visit Friends Church on the web.
This sermon was delivered by Past Dan on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at Hughesville Friends Church.
The Witnesses: 15:1-4
The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord: 15:5-16:1
The Wrath of God: 16:2-21
- First bowl: Beasts mark becomes foul.
- Second bowl: Seas are made devoid of life.
- Third bowl: Life giving water.
- Fourth bowl: Sun burns earth and men.
- Fifth bowl: Kingdom of antichrist is thrown into darkness.
- Sixth bowl:Everything that holds back the adversary is removed.
- Seventh bowl: It is done!
The Conclusion: 2 Peter 3:10-18
[mm:ss] Additional Scriptures Quoted:
[01:53] Genesis 8:20-22
[04:22] Joel 2:30-32
[05:35] 2 Peter 3:3-7
[07:59] Revelation 15
[12:54] Exodus 15
[18:39] Revelation 15:8
[24:30] Matthew 25
[26:42] Revelation 16
[32:35] Genesis 1
[46:10] 2 Peter 3:10-18
This episode was recorded live on Marsch 10, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Pastor Dan continues his sermon through revelation.
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This episode was recorded live on March 3, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Pastor Dan continues his sermon through revelation.
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This episode was recorded live on February 24, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Pastor Dan continues his sermon through revelation.
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This episode was recorded live on February 17, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. In this sermon, Amanda shares her testimony in God.
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This episode was recorded live on February 10, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Student Mininistries and Young Adult Pastor Jon Delker preaches through assorted scriptures.
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This episode was recorded live on February 3, 2019 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Pastor Dan continues his sermon through revelation.
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Family life Pastor Matt McGovern talks about finding joy in 2019.
What's your first step toward joy?
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This episode was recorded live on December 30, 2018 at Friends Church in Hughesville, PA. Pastor Dan continues his sermon through revelation.
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Pastor Dan delivers a Christmas from the first five verses of Revelation chapter 5. Do you see it yet? You will.
This sermon was delivered on December 23, 2018.
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Pastor Dan continues preaching through the book of Revelation. This sermon was delivered on December 16, 2018.
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Pastor Dan continues preaching through the book of Revelation, and in this episode, he's discussing the church in Laodicea. This sermon was delivered on December 9, 2018.
Dan offers a fresh perspective on Revelation 3:15-16. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
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Pastor Dan continues preaching through the book of Revelation, and in this episode, he's discussing the church in Philadelphia. Sermon was delivered on December 2, 2018,
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Pastor Dan continues preaching through the book of Revelation, and in this episode, he's discussing the church in Sardis. Sermon was delivered on November 25, 2018,
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Pastor Dan continues preaching through the book of Revelation, and in this episode, he's discussing Thyatira. Sermon was delivered on November 18, 2018,
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Pastor Dan preaches on the cultural compromise in the church at Pergamum. Sermon from November 11, 2018.
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Pastor Dan preaches on Revelation 2:8-11, Smyrna. Sermon from November 4, 2018.
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Pastor Dan Continues through the book of Revelation.
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Part 2 of a journey through Revelation with Pastor Dan. Part 1 of the series (Revelation 1:1-8) is not available on the podcast.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series on discipleship. This sermon was delivered on September 23, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series on discipleship. This sermon was delivered on September 16, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series on discipleship. This sermon was delivered on September 9, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series on discipleship. This sermon was delivered on September 2, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series on discipleship. This sermon was delivered on August 26, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series on discipleship. This sermon was delivered on August 19, 2018.
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Join Family Life Pastor Matt McGovern as he delivers his sermon on August 5, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he begins a series on Making Disciples. Sermon from July 29, 2018.
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Join Surge Student Ministry Pastor Jon Delker in his sermon from July 22, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he finishes a year-long series through the book of Matthew. Sermon from July 15, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series through the book of Matthew. Sermon from July 8, 2018.
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Join Lead Pastor Dan Cale as he continues his series through the book of Matthew. Sermon from July 1, 2018.
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Listen to Lead Pastor Dan Cale's sermon from June 24, 2018.
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Lead Pastor Dan Cale's sermon series through the book for Matthew continues. This message was delivered on June 17, 2018.
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Family Life Pastor Matt McGovern's sermon "Conflict from a Kingdom Perspective Part 2" was delivered on June 10, 2018.
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Family Life Pastor Matt McGovern's sermon "Conflict from a Kingdom Perspective Part 1" was delivered on June 3, 2018.
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Lead Pastor Dan Cale's sermon "Putting God on Trial" was delivered on May 27, 2018.
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Lead Pastor Dan Cale's sermon "The Cup of God's Wrath" was delivered on May 20, 2018. Jesus wasn't sent to pour out God's cup of wrath; he was sent to drink it, so we don't have to.
Additional reading: Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17, Jeremiah 25:15-26.
The ________ has come. v30-35
The gat shemanin - v36-46
A kiss, a ________, and a Savior. v47-56
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Family Life Pastor Matt McGovern delivers the Mother's Day message on May 13, 2018. Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1-3, and 1 Timothy 5:1-4.
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Pastor Dan Cale picks his series on Matthew up in 26:20-29. This sermon was delivered on May 6, 2018.
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Welcome to the Friends Church Podcast. The podcast was recorded live during Sunday's sermon on April 22, 2018. In this sermon Pastor Dan Cale presents a passover puzzle from Matthew 26:17-20.
At the end of the video, Pastor Dan plays a video. A link to the video can be found in this episode show notes. Visit hughesvillefriends.org/sermons for more information to subscribe to the podcast.
Watch the Lamb video: https://youtu.be/UNT1AThOgME
In this message, Pastor Dan helps us understand four important ideas: The Father’s plan. The die is cast by the religious leaders to kill Jesus. Jesu is anointed for burial by Bethany, and the betrayal of the King by Judas.
You can follow along in your bible at Matthew 26:1-16.
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Listen to Pastor Dan Cale's message, "The King is Coming" based on Matthew 25:31-46.
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In this Easter sermon, Pastor Dan Cale preaches from John chapter 20: verses 19 to 25 on Easter Sunday on April 1, 2018. H
Want to know more about friends church? Connect with us at hughesvillefriends.org or follow Friends Church Hughesville on Facebook.
You’re listening to Sunrise Service from April 1, 2018, at Friends Church in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, with Family Life Pastor Matt McGovern. Pastor matt preaches from 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 in his sermon “SonRise: A Matter of First Importance.”
The Apostle John tells us that Jesus tells parables so that only people who are listening with spiritual ears will hear what he's trying to say. They are breadcrumbs that lead us into a spiritual, into a theological, into a Jesus, and into a God truth.
Pastor Dan Cale follows the breadcrumbs in the Parable of Talents.
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Matthew 24:32-25:13 The olive tree v32-35 Like the days of Noah v36-44 Faithful stewards v43-51 The marriage of five v25:1-13
The Lamb has been examined, but now He is going to turn His eyes on the examiners. He is going to examine the shepherds. Additional scripture: Ezekiel 34 The Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41
Pastor Matt finishes the Joshua House sermon series with an exploration of the partnership between the church and the home.
Pastor Matt expands on Generational Discipleship principles as they relate to families in crisis. NOTE: Audio quality is not good - you will need to increase your speaker volume
After the miracle on the Sea of Galilee that we looked at last week Jesus comes to the area of Gennesaret where He continues to heal and teach. At some point a group of Pharisees from Jerusalem come to confront Jesus. These men would not naturally be here in this area their arena is Jerusalem and the Sanhedrin. It is likely that they came here for the distinct purpose of confronting Jesus and ultimately condemning Him before the people. Anyway they come full of self-righteous indignation and arrogance. Before we read the whole passage this morning I want to frame it for you with what I believe is the key moment – v.7-9. This confrontation centers around a disconnect between the hands and the heart. Let’s read the whole passage.
To get where we are going today in the latter half of chapter 15 we have to go backwards to go forwards. First let me show you on a map where these things take place then we can take a look at what Matthew is trying to share with us. Matthew and in fact Jesus leaves a trail of bread crumbs that bring us in the end to the momentous question posed by Jesus that forms the heart of this Gospel. Bread in fact forms the theme of this section of Matthews writing. The trail begins outside Bethsaida (5000 fed), moves to Genessaret (confrontation with the Pharisees over bread), moves to Tyre (Canaanite woman), Decopolis (4000 fed), Magadan (second confrontation), Bethsaida (the meaning of the circuit). So let’s look briefly at each crumb and then at the conclusion that is so important to us.
We come today to the pivotal passage in the book of Matthew. In some ways it is the climax of Matthews Gospel. I say that not because it is the climax of Jesus ministry, that obviously would be the cross and empty tomb, but it is the climax of Matthews message. From here like water running downhill this Gospel will run quickly to the last week of Jesus public ministry and a cross. The Setting: Caesarea Philippi – is a gentile and pagan city north east of the Sea of Galilee. It is located on the extreme northern fringe of Israel. From this area spring the headwaters of the Jordan River and the landscape is dominated by Mt Hermon the highest peak in the region of Syria. This mountain was the sight of worship for many gods and is the probable location for Jesus transfiguration. It is to this place far removed from the crowds of Galilee and the religious turmoil of Jerusalem that Jesus comes to pray according to Luke and to ask the most important question ever asked of man. He starts by asking a leading question:
John’s Gospel was the last to be written; Matthews was likely the first written within a few years of the resurrection of Christ (around 40AD). If John’s Gospel were the heart of the New Testament pouring out a passionate heart stirring message; Matthew’s Gospel might be considered it’s mind coaxing the doubting, struggling, seeking mind to consider the evidence and see Jesus as Messiah. Matthew draws extensively on the Old Testament to present his case for the Messiah – using nearly 150 direct or indirect quotes from the OT. Matthew is speaking to primarily a Jewish audience in 1st century Palestine but his words echo down through the ages to resonate with a questioning audience in the 21st century. We are inching closer and closer to that critical question in this Gospel that Jesus poses to His disciples “Who do you say that I am?” Matthew offers compelling evidence that He is not only Messiah but King! Let’s dig into chapter 14. He concluded the previous section with this statement “And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief”. What follows is the beginning of a long section filled with his insights on the ministry of the rejected king. Matthew presents in chapter 14 three stories about faith and fear – as the heart responds to the message of Christ. We will look at the first one today.
We continue in our study of Matthew’s Gospel with the 3rd of his stories on fear vs faith. It happens on the heels of the last. If you remember the disciples have had a really tough day. It started in Capernaum where they worked to near exhaustion and continued in the wilderness outside of Bethsaida where they witnessed and participated in the feeding of the 5,000. Mathew says immediately after that miracle Jesus “made the disciples get into the boat” and begin rowing toward Genessaret just southwest of Capernaum where they started. The journey would be one of about 4 miles – but it turned into a much longer journey.
If you remember Mattew concluded the previous section with this statement “And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief”. What follows is the beginning of a long section filled with his insights on the ministry of the rejected king. Matthew presents in chapter 14 three stories about faith and fear – as the heart responds to the message of Christ. Today we look at the second event. Of all of the miracles Jesus preformed during His earthly ministry this is the only one recorded in all four of the Gospels. The story begins with Jesus in Capernaum where He has made his home. The news of John the Baptist’s death reaches Jesus and Matthew says He withdrew from the crowds to a lonely place. We know that Jesus got in the boat and they rowed together across the northern end of the Sea of Galilee to the wilderness east of Bethsaida. That is where we pick up the story.
Pastor Matt expands on generational discipleship concepts by teaching on biblical roles of "Seasoned Christians" (i.e. Grandparents) in the family.
As we close this series on prayer this week I want to move us from the intimacy of prayer in the inner room to the power of prayer in life. What a powerful promise of God – “then you will call upon me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you”. Have you given any thought to what a privilege it is to be invited into the heart of God? What a wonder it is as broken man to be allowed into the inner rooms of the Divine Experience? To step backstage of the Cosmic reality and find our Father directing the movements of galaxies. The Power of prayer is immense and in fact uncalculable:
Pastor Matt expands on the ideas presented in previous sermons in this series. Specifically he explores the biblical roles of women as mothers and wives.
We started this series several weeks ago with a disciples earnest plea. One of the twelve watches Jesus as He prays and comes to Him and says “Lord teach us to pray”. This morning I want to bring us back to the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus teaching on prayer for I think will be the final time. I want to use it as a launching point to share with you some final thoughts about prayer this week and next week. Jesus calls us to pray in the inner room – it’s possible that He is being very literal here and intends to say that when we pray we should find a quiet, private room with little in the way of distraction and pray in that spot. It is also probable in my opinion that He is speaking both literally and figuratively about an inner room for prayer. It’s time for each of us as disciples of Christ to construct an inner room where we can pray and that is what I want to talk to you about this week.
We are nearing the end of this series on prayer but there are a few more things that we need to learn about prayer before we return to the book of Matthew. To this point we have focused on the process of prayer and how it changes and transforms who and what we are. As we learn to pray we learn to find intimacy with the Father. When we pray our hearts, minds, and souls are turned toward God. When we pray we find our place of abiding in God. Today I want to turn to the next part of prayer. We return to a familiar passage of scripture in Matthew 7. What happens when God answers prayer?
Today we come to the conclusion of Jesus model prayer given to His disciples. Over the last couple of weeks we have been learning how to use this passage of scripture and really any passage of scripture as a framework on which to hang our prayers. Jesus uses this framework to teach His disciples how to pray. The framework begins with orienting us with a right relationship with God – He is our Father – and also engaging our faith in Him as Father. Two sets of petitions are made – the first orients us to a right understanding of God – hallowed be They name. The next two establishing our goal His kingdom and His will. One could spend many days in prayer just on these few pieces alone before finding the end of the prayers that could and should be prayed. But Jesus continues. “give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil”
We began two weeks ago to look at this longest teaching of Jesus on the subject of prayer. We started in verse 9 last week looking at the framework for prayer give by Jesus and how we can hang our prayers on the framework of His words. I want to remind you that these are not the only words that can be used as a framework for prayer. Almost any scripture can be used this way. We started with the first 6 words – Our Father who art in heaven and found in them both the establishment of our position as sons/daughters but also the establishment of our faith in Him as Father. We continue this week with the first set of three petitions made within the prayer.
We have spent several weeks looking at this idea of prayer. It began with the words of one of the disciples as he watches Jesus pray. “Lord teach us to pray…” he says. Today’s text brings us to some of the most familiar words of the New Testament. It has been called “The Lord’s Prayer” and it has been the focus of countless books and teachings. I hesitate to tackle this because so many theologians and preachers far smarter and more educated than I am have been here before me. But here we are – and here is the text before us – let’s look at it together.
It is impossible to plumb the depths of prayer without spending deep moments in what is Jesus longest teaching on the subject. He evidently teaches these principles many times over His 3 year journey with His disciples. Matthew’s Gospel gives the longest teaching of Jesus on the subject. It is included as part of His sermon on the mount and it wasn’t long ago that we addressed it in that context. This week and next I want to dig a little deeper into this section and see what Jesus teaches us about prayer.
As we continue our series on prayer I want us to dig deeper into Jesus answer to His disciples urgent request; Lord teach us to pray. Let’s read forward a bit and see how Jesus answers.
This morning I want, in the time we have left, to introduce the reason we have taken a break from our study of the Gospel of Matthew. I want to talk to you very personally and very purposefully on the topic of prayer. It’s not often that I say this so please understand that I mean it from my heart – God has been breaking my heart in this area – in some ways I feel like Nehemiah when he was told about the walls of Jerusalem being in ruins – the scripture says that he sat down and wept and fasted for many days. He saw the foundation of his faith in ruins and knew he needed to do something about it. I feel the same way – I see the foundation of our faith in ruins and my heart is broken. It wasn’t long ago that my prayer life was a broken tatter or walls. Oh, I prayed and I prayed often but prayer was something I did, a discipline, it wasn’t something I really enjoyed. My life and ministry changed the day I prayed a simple prayer to God at our first Intercessors Prayer meeting; Lord, I prayed, help me to fall in love with prayer. Look with me at Luke 11:1 because I think you will find there that Jesus disciples had a similar experience.
Pastor Matt continues the Joshua House series by expanding on Jesus' definition of Marriage and connecting this concept to generational discipleship.
Last week we spent the morning looking at the cup that Jesus drank for us on the cross. The cup of God’s wrath emptied as Jesus hung upon a cross. If the story had ended on the cross our lives today would be very different. Paul says to the church at Corinth: 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NASB) 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain…17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. If Christ is who the Bhuddist, the Muslim, and the atheist say He is – a man who taught good things – if this is all He is then we are in deep trouble. If His bones are lying in some unmarked grave somewhere in Palestine then friends Paul says your faith is worthless and you are still lost in your sins. The cup of wrath is still yours to drink and judgment is coming for us all. But if Christ is who we say He is – if He is the Messiah, the anointed one of God, the Lamb who was slain who rose again – who lives today at the right had of the Father. If that is true then our life should be very different. Peter begins his letter with a greeting but then jumps right to the topic at hand; v.3-5. In verse 3-5 Peter shows us the resurrection in three contexts; the now, the then, and the in between. Let’s look together at Peter’s view of the resurrection of Jesus.
Pastor Matt continues the Joshua House series by focusing on how the Trinity interacts in relationship and how that relates to our relationships as being made in the Image of God.
This morning we are closing chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel with the remaining 6 parables of the Kingdom. This chapter marks the halfway point in the Gospel and a transition in Matthew writing – What follows is the teaching of the rejected King. After this morning we are going to take a short break from the Gospel and we will return to the second half in early summer. As we look at these 6 parables we see Jesus revealing to His disciples the deeper plans and heart of God for the Kingdom. To understand what Jesus is about to teach them you have to understand what they have already been taught. The Tanakh – the collection of the Old Testament writings including the Torah and Neviim (prophets) and the Ketuvim (poetry) point to a picture of what Messiah will be when He comes. That picture, however, is somewhat confusing. On one hand we see a Messiah who will be the lamb of God (Isaiah 53:4-5; 7) but on the other hand we see Him as a King who will bring judgment and rule over all nations (Isaiah 40:10, 11:4-5). We see in much of the OT a picture of the Messiah seen both as a Lion and a Lamb. The belief of the faithful within Israel in the first century was that the Messiah would come as a King to establish a worldwide rule – that is one reason they could not see Jesus who came as a Lamb and showed little evidence of the Lion. These parables tell us the rest of the story and Jesus tries to make clear to His disciples the full meaning of Messiah. The Kingdom in two stages: The Lamb (Isaiah’s Sacrifice) – The Lion (Isaiah’s Coming King) and between them would come and age unlooked for – an age of God’s planning – an age called The Church Age. This is a time unlooked for by those who are standing with Jesus by the seashore and yet they will live in it as we do. It is the age between the coming of the Messiah and the rapture of the church. The time between when God indwells His people (The Spirit) and the end when history is wrapped up in the Judgment of God. What does Jesus tell them about this period (this mystery of God.
This morning I would have you peer back through time with me – we take up the lens of scripture to watch events unfold that have been planned from the moment of God’s first creative word spoken into the void. We find Jesus kneeling in an olive grove alone. His face covered with the sweat mingled with drops of blood. So fervent has been His time of prayer that as He bows with His face to the ground capillaries in his skin have ruptured and blood has mingled with His tears and He cries out “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…” Just five days earlier the scene was much different. Jesus is riding on a colt (a donkey) from Bethphage to Jerusalem passes by this same spot. The hill above him that day was lined with people laying palm branches on the road and crying out “Hosana, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord”. Jesus entered the city to the fanfare of the people. The week would be a time of preparation – cleansing the temple, teaching in the streets, and preparing for the Passover. At the Passover meal Jesus would serve 4 cups of wine each associated with a promise given to the nation of Israel.
We return this morning to the parable that Jesus began in verse 1 of chapter 13. After a discussion with His disciples about why He chose to use parables the way He did Jesus returns to the subject at hand; the parable. So let’s backtrack a bit to verse 1-9 to set up today’s text. The parable of the sower is the first of seven parables Jesus uses to give deeper understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven and what is going to happen in the future of this Kingdom. This first parable deals with the inception of the Kingdom the others will deal with its span between the Messiahs coming and His return. Let’s start with this parable of the sower and the seed. In verse 1-9 Jesus sets up the story. A story about a farmer who goes out to a field to sow his grain. As he goes about sowing the field the seed is cast far and wide and falls on four types of soil that are common in Palestine.
The context of chapter 13 is once again found in the preceding chaper. Opposition is rising among the Jewish religious elite to Jesus teaching as a new Rabbi. They are now not only monitoring His teaching they are actively seeking to destroy Him. We saw in chapter 12 the two paths of people who are hearing Him speak. One group is increasingly asking themselves if this could be the Messiah – the other group led by the Pharisees have already decided that He is not and are actively opposing Him. Today in Chapter 13 we see how Jesus responds to this set of events as a Rabbi.
I want to start today by admitting to you that I really struggled with this passage of scripture this week. I read it over and over from different perspectives. I read a dozen commentaries and searched for sermons written by others. It is possible to pull some select verses from this passage and create many sermons – the unpardonable sin, out of the abundance of the heart, seeking for signs – but all of those seemed to me to take the passage out of its context. As we have studied the book of Matthew I have tried to be true to what I believe Matthew (and God) intended when it was originally written. I am going to do the same today. Up to this point Matthew has presented to his primarily Jewish audience the evidence for Jesus as King of Israel. We now come to the conflict. His audience is having to deal with what we looked at last week; a confrontation between the Pharisees view of the Torah and Jesus view. They can’t both be right. Either Jesus broke the law and was not of God or He kept the law and is showing them God’s truth. You can’t have it both ways. I believe what comes next is Matthews way of saying to a first century audience what Elijah said to his audience some 800 years earlier:
As we launch into chapter 12 of Matthews gospel this morning we find the growing resistance among the Pharisees to the teachings of this new Rabbi. We find Jesus and His disciples walking through the grain fields on the Sabbath day. I want you to think with me about how unusual this would be for a group of Jews to be traveling on the Sabbath.
Two weeks ago we finished chapter 10 with its power call to those who would be His disciples to commit to the hard road. Perhaps its not unusual for Matthew then to turn his attention to another difficult subject – doubt. In chapter 11 we find Jesus speaking into the heart of three kinds of doubt that can trouble our spiritual lives. See if you can pick out all three as we read.
Pastor Matt continues his series on developing family ministry within our homes by exploring the concept of being Adopted into God's family.
CS Lewis in his classic book The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe tells the story of the Gospel in a child’s novel. There is a moment in his first book when the children in the story are confronted with the reality of the kingship of Jesus – Aslan the Lion is the picture he uses for Jesus. “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” We want Jesus to be safe – in fact we want following Him to be safe and easy. We want heaven with little or no inconvenience to our lives. But this is a false view of religion and life. Faith that is meaningful is never easy and rarely safe. Two weeks ago we looked at the middle verses of chapter 10 and discovered the hard road that Jesus calls His disciples to walk. He gives them warnings of what life will look like – sheep among wolves etc. He then calls them to a life without fear – don’t be afraid God will be with you. After presenting to them the hard road He then calls them to the point – are you in or are you out?
We left off in our study of Matthew 2 weeks ago as Jesus gives His now empowered Apostles the directive to go and share the Gospel that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. This next piece is vital to our understanding of following Jesus as King and Rabbi. This is the part that most of the time we minimize or put in small print. There is a cost to following Jesus – the very idea that following Jesus is easy or safe disregards both the direct teaching of Jesus and the history of those who have followed Him. Ten of the twelve apostles who are being sent out in this moment will lose their lives for following Jesus.
Chapter 10 marks a major shift in Matthews gospel. Up to this point Jesus has been on His own teaching the people. He has gathered followers who have become disciples (Hebrew = Talmid “wise student”, Greek = Mathetes “one learning under the instruction of a master”). To this point Matthew indicates that Jesus disciples have taken the role of student as they have watched, listened, and learned in the school of Beth Midrash. In verse 1-2 something very important happens. Jesus summons His disciples (students) and He gave them authority (this is of vital importance). Matthew describes it as authority to over the demonic world, over disease and sickness. But this authority goes deeper and would have been better understood in the context in which it is written. The word authority is the Greek word Exousia and it means “the power to act”. In the Rabbinic tradition there is a concept that is very important for disciples and it is known as S’mikhah. It is the laying on of hands. The New Testament is full of examples of the idea of s’mikhah. It’s important here because it is likely what Jesus does to convey this authority to His disciples. A Rabbi would lay hands on a disciple at his commissioning and the laying on of hands is seen as the Rabbi actually giving a part of himself to his disciple. It follows the sacrificial model – the Rabbi’s believed that when you offered your guilt offering by laying hands on the lamb you were actually giving part of yourself to be offered on the altar of sacrifice thus sin is forgiven. In this act of giving authority Jesus is actually placing a part of Himself into each of these disciples so as to empower them to go out and teach themselves. They are still under the oversight of the Rabbi but this is in part a graduation. We will see a full idea of s’mikhah in chapter 28 as He commissions them to be Rabbis themselves. But in this moment we see Jesus conveying the authority to act as they go out to teach about the Kingdom of God. They are no longer just disciples they are now apostles – sent ones.
Never more than on a day like today, when our celebration of the birth of Christ falls on our Sabbath day, do I want to have something profound to say to you. A pastor should rise to the occasion and share something powerfully moving that would make this day more special. Well I don’t have anything flashy for your this morning – in fact what I want to share with you is as simple a message as I know how to give.
We were looking at the miracles of Jesus that begin in chapter 8. Matthew joins these miracles together in groups of three to make several points. The first group of three was to define Jesus authority to teach – His miracles are punctuation and proof that He is not some fly by night Rabbi. The second group of three serves to prove His divinity and therefore His right to redefine their understanding of truth – a truth that He says cannot be patched into the Pharisees teachings but must be substituted for them. This third set of miracles I believe serves another function – to draw us to the heart, the mind, and the mission of the Rabbi.
Join Pastor Matt as he begins a sermon series about Family Ministry. "Why Family Ministry? Part 1" establishes a foundation and definition for family ministry, while investigating the need for the American Family to practice generational discipleship.
As we come to Matthew 9 once again we see Matthew present Jesus miracles in a set of three scenes. It started in chapter 8 – 3 scenes demonstrating the outcast and Jesus ability to heal physical disease – then 3 scenes demonstrating his authority over the men, the natural, and the supernatural world. With each set of 3 scenes Matthew is bringing his readers to understand a higher level of Jesus authority – now he brings them to a deeper message and a deeper healing- see if you catch it. Matthew 9:1-17 Jesus crosses back over the Sea of Galilee from the decopolis (area of the Gaddarenes) to Capernuum where He has made His home – probably in the house of Peter. Somewhere in the village He has gathered a large following who are filling the house while He is teaching. He is once again sitting in the seat of the Rabbi in Beth Midrash teaching His disciples while the crowd watches on. In the crowd are some of the local Scribes and Pharisees who have come to listen to this new Rabbi.
The second set of miracles in Matthew chapter 8 deals with Jesus authority over men, over nature, and over the supernatural but tells a deeper story of discipleship and peace.
. This section on the Beatitudes lays out for Jesus Talmidim (Disciples) how counter cultural their lives must be if they are going to follow this new Rabbi. Eight inner characteristics are on display that will set them both apart from and even against the cultural tide. The explain the key function of a disciple – INFLUENCE. It’s interesting to continue to read on – because Jesus goes from Blessed to Persecuted. In fact He ties the two together closely.
This morning we come to the conclusion of Jesus sermon on the mount. Throughout this sermon we find Jesus sharing the truth that the Rabbis of the people have led them to wrong conclusions about life, about living, about God, and about each other. The defining moment comes when Jesus says to them “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of God.” Now Jesus presses home his teaching by saying to each person seated with Him “you have a choice to make”. I have laid out the differences between what I am teaching and what the Pharisees have taught you. Now it’s time to choose: Throughout scripture we have been faced with the choice to follow God or not: Adam and Eve made that choice first. Deut 30:19-20; Josh 24:13-15; 1 kings 18:21; Jer 21:8. Into each life a choice falls – “who do you say that I am?”
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is an anchor scripture for a model of Family Discipleship. Listen as Pastor Matt unfolds an ancient biblical model for spiritual leadership in the home and how to partner with the local church.
Wars, recessions, terrorism, crime, violence, drugs, natural disasters, cancer, sickness, pain, suffering; it’s a dangerous, unpredictable, and broken world we live in. The news is full of dark frightening stories or mayhem and misdeeds. Not a very hopeful way to begin a sermon ehh? I want you to know however that the world that Jesus is speaking into is not much different than ours. Oh the news spreads in a different way but the people sitting on this mount with Jesus knew the same fears and troubles that you face every day.
Today I want to look at this passage as I believe Matthew wrote it – and Jesus preached it – as part of a whole. The purpose of Jesus sermon is not to give instruction on giving or praying or fasting though He does all three. The purpose is to establish the deeper understanding of the Torah and the heart of God to His disciples. Notice that verse 1 stands in stark contrast to what Jesus has already said – in this conflict we see the heart of Jesus teaching here. In the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches this new inner way of life and faith through the Beatitudes. He continues by saying, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven”. Now look at verse 1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before me to be noticed by them…”.
To understand the fullness of what Jesus teaches next we must again return to the context of the teaching. Jesus is sitting on the mountain as a Rabbi – a teacher – surrounded by His Talmid (disciples). He is instructing them in a new way of interpreting the scriptures that they have been taught all their lives. He starts with an extraordinary claim “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”. The message – your rabbi’s are wrong. They are wrong about blessings, they are wrong about the law, they are wrong about prayer and fasting, they are wrong about security, and they are wrong about their role in the preservation of society. “Do not judge lest you be judged.” This is perhaps one of the most misunderstood teachings of Jesus in all of scripture. Partially that is because of the pendulum effect. You have to understand the context – the Pharisees had set themselves up to be the judges of all men. They set the standards (faulty) and they were the sole judge of what was right and wrong. They proudly looked down on everyone from the seat of their elite system. Jesus steps in to correct their error.
… Matthew does not write necessarily in a chronological order with perfect transitions … some believe that the Sermon on the Mount is actually a compilation of sermons/talks of Jesus all rolled into one … others believe that the SOM was actually like an inaugural address … either way, Matthew captures this sermon in a bit of a patchy way … o We go from an image of Salt & Light, right to a profound statement in V. 17 about the Law …
We concluded chapter 4 last week by looking with Ray Vanderlaan at what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Remember that being a disciple (Talmid) is not about knowing what the Rabbi knows but instead a Talmid wants to become what the Rabbi is. It’s not by accident that Matthew begins his section on the teachings of Jesus on the heals of his call to His talmid (disciples). What follows is Jesus teaching His talmid who He is and how they are to become like Him. As we read these verses I want you to understand that they are not just a series of nice ideas – they are the lessons of a Rabbi to His talmid about becoming like Him.
The wilderness of Judea is a hot, barren 600 square mile stretch of land that extends from the Dead Sea almost to Jerusalem. To see it today is to see it when Jesus walked there – very little has changed. It is still sand and broken stone. It was out into this wilderness that the Spirit led Jesus for 40 days. A proving ground if you will for the newly crowned King not so different from the proving ground all Israel faced for 40 years in its earlier history. Here in the wilderness Jesus found strength from a time of fasting and undisturbed fellowship with the Father before He began his earthly ministry. Undisturbed at least by man – someone else was waiting for Him in the desert
Who do you say that I am? This verse defines the heart of the Gospel of Matthew and it’s the most important question you will ever answer in your life. All eternity and even life today hinges on your understanding of who Jesus is. Matthew establishes in the first four chapters Jesus preparation to be King of Israel. If you remember back a couple of weeks Matthew has established in the first 2 Chapters Jesus right to be king both through his lineage and through the fulfillment of prophecy. Chapter 3 pushes further to announce his coronation. Chapter 3 begins with the voice of one crying in the wilderness – the herald of God – in the form of a man named John.
Who do you say that I am? Jesus asked that question of His disciples and He would ask it of every one of us. Your eternity rests on the answer. Your life rests on the answer. Read Matthew 2 – Stay with me on in this long passage I was tempted to take this is smaller pieces in several sermons but I have come to believe that Matthew moves quickly through this for a reason. The big picture is lost when we divide this passage into smaller pieces. There are certainly truths to be learned but we miss what Matthew is presenting to us. You see in chapter 2 Matthew presents Jesus right to be Israel’s King through 4 places and 4 prophecies. We can find here also 4 eternal promises.
John’s Gospel was the last to be written; Matthews was likely the first written within a few years of the resurrection of Christ (around 40AD). If John’s Gospel were the heart of the New Testament pouring out a passionate heart stirring message; Matthew’s Gospel might be considered it’s mind coaxing the doubting, struggling, seeking mind to consider the evidence and see Jesus as Messiah. Matthew draws extensively on the Old Testament to present his case for the Messiah – using nearly 150 direct or indirect quotes from the OT. Matthew is speaking to primarily a Jewish audience in 1st century Palestine but his words echo down through the ages to resonate with a questioning audience in the 21st century. I invite you to open your minds as well as your hearts as we dig deeply into this Gospel to discover more about Jesus the Messiah. As we begin our journey it’s important to know that Matthew does not construct his gospel to be a chronological narrative of the life and times of the Messiah. In fact Matthew divides his account of the good news of Jesus into 5 clearly divided lines of thought about Jesus: His Preparation, His Preaching, His Proof, His Practice, and His Purpose. His message is to understand that Jesus is the answer to the psalmist’ question “who is this king of Glory?”
Last week we began hunting this illusive concept of contentment in a world of discontent. If you remember in these closing verses Paul shows us how right thinking brings us into close proximity with the God of peace with the result being a contented life. Peace at a deep and pervasive level. Last week we looked at the first 4 principles: trusting the provision of God, being satisfied with little, living independent of our circumstances, and finding supernatural strength. Today we close out the book of Philippians with one last principle of contentment and joyful living. Contented joyful people are givers not takers. Once again lets dig into this passage and see that this principle is practiced by the Philippians and applauded by the Apostle. You have done well – Kalōs – something noble and beautiful in character. This is not disconnected from what we saw just a few sentences before – V.8 – Right thinking has brought the church to right being. They have thought noble thoughts and they have lived noble lives through their generosity of spirit. What have they done?
Pastor Matt shares about unity and conflict resolution from the first three verses of Phil 4. He concludes with an exploration of partnering in the gospel and the book of life.
Paul begins this next thought with a word that you might miss – but it is vital to our understanding of what he is saying. The word is “brethren”. The next verses are not written to contrast Christians with the World. These words are written to express where joy is found within the journey of following Christ. On this journey of becoming disciples of Jesus Christ we find two paths laid out but only one of them brings true joy.
Ok it’s been two weeks since we have been in this passage of Philippians so let’s step back a moment and put this morning’s scripture in context. Paul has just described how joy is found in a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ defined by 4 characteristics: • Leaving the world behind – full focus on Christ not living in two worlds • Changed values – world is skubalon – surpassing value of Christ • Resting in Grace – not righteousness of our own – but in grace • Knowing Him – Power, suffering, conformity That is where we begin this morning.
If you remember two weeks ago, we left off in chapter 2 with the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul begins the next part of his letter with the word finally – sometimes this means he is concluding his letter in others (as here) it means he is beginning a new thought. He begins this new thought with a directive – rejoice (be joyful) in the Lord. Have you ever wondered why Christians are not more joyful than they are? After all we have found forgiveness and reconciliation with God. We live with a supernatural God active in our every moment. We know a Savior, Redeemer, and King. We are not alone. Why aren’t we more joyful people. Why do Christians still find themselves in angry disputes, disagreeable, despairing, and despondent? Why do Christians still grumble in corners, complain about everything, and murmur about each other? Could it be that we have missed something along the way? Paul says “Rejoice in the Lord”.
We left off a couple of weeks ago with verses 1-4 as Paul begins to address the joy of maintaining right relationships with each other. Read v.3-4. Paul begins to expand further on the idea of how we keep our relationships with each other right by laying out the path of discipleship.
Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ – v. 27a – We live in a world that wants to have a faith that makes no demands on our conduct. We want to have a faith that gives us all good and wonderful things with eternal benefits but makes no demands on our lives. Paul makes it clear that following Christ is no such idea. Following Christ above all things makes demands on who we are and what we do. If you want a belief system that leaves you free to do as you please and be who you are – you’ve come to the wrong place. In fact the art of joyful living is not living free of the demands of God but living in the glory of God. This takes me back to the words of my mother every time I left the house “remember who you are”. She reminded me that my father had established a name for himself in our small community and that everything I did reflected on Him. How I lived affected my father’s reputation. Solomon writes in Proverbs 22 “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” How many of you consider that as Christians how you live reflects on how others see God. How we live reflects either a true idea of God or a false idea of God in the world around us. When we live lives unworthy of the Gospel we diminish the view of Christ in the eyes of others. What does this life look like?
Viktor Frankl – A Jewish psychologist living in Austria – spent 3 years in concentration Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps wrote this: We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you would become the plaything of circumstance, renouncing freedom and dignity to become moulded into the form of the typical inmate. Frankl spent his life teaching a theory of psychology based on finding meaning even in suffering from a deeper purpose in life. Though he never came to know Christ, he unwittingly shared the very heart of Paul’s message in the beginning of his letter to the church at Philippi.
We started last week in this letter of Paul to the church at Philippi. This church planted as the first Christian fellowship on the continent of Europe. The major theme of this letter is centered on the Joy that we find in Christ as we serve Him together. Joy is the major theme of the letter and so we are pursuing this letter with that in mind. As we pick up in verse 8 we find the prayer of Paul that he expressed for them generally in verse 4. Let’s read this prayer together: Paul prays for 4 things to happen in these people he holds in his heart – all of which lead to joy in our lives through our relationship with Jesus.
I am excited about beginning this letter for several reasons: First, it is my favorite letter of the Paul’s writings. I have studied every word of this letter many times over the years. It resounds with joy and passion and every time I read it my heart is uplifted. It is often referred to as Paul’s hymn of joy! Second, though it is a short letter, it is packed with profound meaning. As I think you will see Paul’s letter to Philippi is easily applied to our lives today. Paul concludes his letter by saying he has found the secret to being content in all circumstances and with his beloved statement “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul in these opening verses gives us a glimpse into how a person remains joyful in the midst of difficult circumstances.
If indeed preaching through the book of John was the most ambitious series I have ever attempted what we begin today is perhaps the most daunting. The book of Romans is the Mt. Everest of letters – the grandest proclamation ever written and perhaps the deepest revelation of the heart of God for His people. This book holds a great deal of personal history with me – as it does for many who have come to Christ. From the earliest days of my connection with Christ it has informed my understanding of salvation: Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9 As I came to Christ in earnest as a follower in my early 20’s I began writing key verses in my Bible. This week when I looked at that page again I found that 25% of the verses came from one book – this book – Romans. It is a letter about salvation in Christ, about the fundamental knowledge of God, and about what it means to follow. Here are a few of the highlights we are going to discover along the way: But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s start where we always need to start – I the beginning.
We have a lot of ground to cover today. We left John’s narrative as Jesus spoke the words “It is Finished”. The climax of the story is past. The battle for mankind is won. The price has been paid. The lamb has been sacrificed. But the story isn’t over. It’s only just beginning. Thousands of men had died on crosses but only one was the Son of God. John tells us his story as only an eyewitness can tell it:
Once again this week I wrestled with this text. What could I say – how could I explain – what analysis could I share as John gives a play by play of the greatest battle in human history. I decided to do something that I havn’t done in exactly this way before. I want to simply let the scriptures speak for themselves. I am going to ask you to do one of two things – you pick. • Take your Bible out and turn to this passage and read with me – anything you find really important to you personally I want you to take a moment to underline it. • Second option is to close your eyes and carefully listen to the words – listen carefully enough that you can jot down a note on your note page about the things you find really important to you personally. As we play the tape of John’s recollection of that fateful day I will simply hit pause a few times to point out a particularly critical moment when Jesus speaks. It’s important that you find these moments that are important to you personally because I’m going to ask you to do something when we finish. If you have ever given God your full attention – I’m asking you to do it now! Jesus has entered the ring. He has faced Annas and Caiaphas the power brokers of Israel. Now from a mock trial in the Temple He is led to the Praetorium – if you want to picture this in your head the Muslim Dome of the Rock sits approximately where the Praetorium stood in Jesus day.
As we move into Chapter 18 the darkness of John’s Gospel becomes profound. The darkness of the night contextualizing the darkness of the content. We stand in the shadows of Gethsemane – a small olive grove just outside the city of Jerusalem. This is a place that scripture tells us that Jesus came often to pray. The solitude of this walled garden must have been a welcome retreat from the crowds that accompanied His every step. In bold contrast the theme of John’s Gospel comes into full relief as he describes the escalating conflict between two kingdoms. From the earliest lines of his Gospel John describes the two kingdoms that are in conflict.
Jesus and His disciples have made it to the edge of the city likely standing just outside the gates of Jerusalem in the gathering shadows of the cross. He is on His way to Gethsemane where He will pray alone – in words so fervent that his sweat will fall as drops of blood upon the ground. John gives no account of those moments in the garden where he sleeps while Jesus prays. He does however give us what no other Gospel writer does – a glimpse into the heart of Jesus prayers for His followers then and now. Contained in the 17th chapter of John is what is often called Jesus High Priestly Prayer. The prayer of the Rabbi for His disciples, the prayer of the Shepherd for His sheep, the Prayer of the Father for His children, the prayer of the master for His friends.
Jesus answers the "How" question that his disciples are wrestling with. "How" do we deal with the persecution to come to Christians? Jesus outlines three POWERFUL resurrection outcomes to combat persecution (Holy Spirit, Joy, & Prayer)
Jesus lovingly explains to his disciples why they are "guilty by association" and therefore they should expect persecution to come.
Leaving the upper room, eleven disciples and Jesus walk through the darkened streets of Jerusalem. As Jesus walks slowly down the dusty streets toward the eastern gate of the city, He knows that His time is at hand. Judas has gone for his silver. Eighteen hours from now Jesus will lay Himself on a cross and give Himself for us. Gethsemane awaits Him and apparently, as He walks he shares His heart with His disciples. Perhaps stopping along the way to teach as he passes a familiar spot. “You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and that your fruit would remain…”
Have you ever been lost? What did it feel like? I remember vividly when I was just a small child getting lost at the State Fair. I remember running into the arms of my father. That’s what John 14 is all about. After spending a week meditating on this passage of scripture I am convinced that I could spend many weeks covering the details of each verse but in doing so I am afraid we would miss the forest for the trees. There are at least 7 or 8 possible sermons in this sequence of scriptures. I want today to look at this scripture as I believe John meant it – an answer to an honest and fearful question. Lord we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way? Thomas verbalizes what all the other disciples are feeling. For 3 years they have followed Jesus. Every day they have spent as He order them. Jesus was their leader – their Rabbi – their Lord. Now it’s obvious that He is going somewhere and everything is going to change. For 3 years they have known where to go and what to do because Jesus has been with them to tell them. Now what? What are we supposed to do? How are we going to get to where you are – where you want us to be? They were lost!
The tension is rising. The quiet Passover meal in the upper room now takes on a hushed tone. Jesus has taken a piece of the matzah and broken it and declared that His body would be broken for these men. He had taken wine and declared that His blood would soon be spilt to usher in a new covenant. What started with Jesus taking on the role of a servant and washing their feet now builds to talk of His impending death. They had talked about it before but now they see in Jesus face the determination of its proximity. Judas has stormed out of the room out into the darkness of the night under a cloud of suspicion that he might be the betrayer. The tension is palpable and a cloud of fear hangs in the room.
John uses "bookend prophecies" in this text to show that the people at the triumphal entry progress from belief to unbelief, and warns us to be careful not to make the same mistake.
Spring has come and with it the time for the Passover. Jesus has spent some weeks after the raising of Lazarus in the city of Ephraim about 15 miles north of Bethany. He stayed there until 6 days before the Passover. Jesus makes His last trip towards Jerusalem before the cross. The remaining week He will spend moving between Jerusalem and Bethany until He celebrates the Passover in the upper room in Jerusalem. John takes this moment to share with us another Kingdom contrast. It happens in the home of Simon the leper in Bethany. Mary, Martha and Lazarus have a home in Bethany but this dinner doesn’t happen there. Matthew and Mark tell us that Simon the leper is the host of the dinner. Simon is one of the lepers who has been healed by Jesus. It’s important to understand the language here. “So they made Him supper there” indicates that this was a celebration dinner in His honor. These two men who have been given back their lives are now honoring Jesus.
Winter gives way to spring and we find Jesus lingering in the wilderness areas on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Multitudes seem to be coming to hear him in this the same arena where John the Baptist taught for so long in preparation for Jesus coming. Jesus is in this wilderness when some men sent by his friends Mary and Martha come to beg his return to Judea. The raising of Lazarus is interesting because it is one of Jesus most well known miracles but is recorded only in the Gospel of John. John is so moved by this moment that we see a most detailed account of all the Jesus does from beginning to end. This is unusual for John except when seen from the perspective of kingdom conflict. John begins to set up our final journey to the cross by dealing with Life and Death in two kingdoms.
The Kingdom conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees over the healing of a blind man continues in chapter 10. Jesus says of the Pharisees that though they are sighted they are spiritually blind. Once again into the breach Jesus seeks to proclaim life to those who are hard of hearing. Jesus turns to a metaphor that pervades the chapters of the Old Testament and new, the picture of the shepherd. Psalm 23 comes to mind “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul…” The picture of God as shepherd is played against the common application of all leaders as shepherds of Israel. The Pharisees saw themselves as the shepherds of Israel’s faith. They saw themselves as shepherds of God’s truth and justice. Into this picture Jesus now shines the light of the world. Jesus draws the picture of a common scene in Israel. That of the sheep pen. Shepherds would commonly bring their sheep back from the pastures at night and into a sheep pen. Some roughly constructed of briars and brambles others like this one constructed of stone. Many shepherds could use a common pen with one standing watch (as a doorkeeper) throughout the night to protect the sheep. Jesus then uses 4 pictures to of shepherds and sheep to further separate Himself from the Pharisees.
As we come to John chapter 9 this morning we find Jesus leaving the Temple on the last day of the feast of Sukkoth. He has declared Himself to be the light of the world. He has said to those who would believe “If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciple of mine; and you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” The response of the Jewish believers is to pick up stones to kill Him so He leaves the Temple. What happens next is John’s description of Jesus response. John 8:59-9:41 Jesus leaves the disgruntled Jews in the Temple and on His way out He comes upon a beggar. Now I don’t for one moment believe that this is happenstance or coincidence. I believe that this blind beggar has a divine appointment with Jesus.
Where do you stand with Christ? I can’t possibly begin to tell you how many people I have asked this question to over the years. More and more however I find it to be a useless question in our culture. In America 80% of people identify themselves as Christians – yet you and I know that 80% of Americans are not following Christ as disciples in their lives. Jesus in the later part of John chapter 8 stands toe to toe with believers and says there is more to this than believing. Many of the people Jesus confronted in the Treasury believed that He was telling the truth. Many even named Him the Messiah. And yet Jesus then turns to them and says this: Literally: John 8:31-32 (NASB) 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." A more accurate understanding of what Jesus says is found in the NIV John 8:31-32 (NIV) 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
After our brief encounter with the woman caught in the act of adultery, we return to John’s previous narrative at the perfect moment. Chapter 7 tells us that Jesus has come to the Temple in Jerusalem during Sukkoth or the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths. The feast of Tabernacles is one of 3 great feasts that all of Israel are required to pilgrimage to Jerusalem to attend. The Festival of Sukkoth is a time of tremendous rejoicing. The people would set up booths (tabernacles) to dwell in during the 7 days of this feast. Four things are important to us about Sukkoth:
Last week we looked at the first confrontation of Jesus with those who had eaten the bread and fish in the feeding of the 5,000. His challenge to the first group was to ask them “why are you following me?” Jesus shares with them that He is the bread of life and until He is enough nothing will ever be enough in life. This week we look at the second confrontation. It comes in the synagogue of Capernaum in front of many of his would be followers that remain. It’s interesting that John says that the Jews were grumbling about Him. All the people He had confronted in the last few verses were Jews. Here we see the great division of the Kingdoms John showed us back in chapter 1.
This morning we come to a difficult passage in the book of John. It is difficult not because of its content so much as because of its placement. Most modern translations have this passage set apart by brackets or italics. This passage is not found in the most ancient manuscripts of the book of John at least not in this place. It isn’t until around the 3rd century that this passage ends up here in this spot. Some earlier manuscripts place it as an appendix to chapter 7 others at the end of the Gospel. There is little skepticism about its authenticity or its historic nature but the placement here has come under much deserved scrutiny. Because of that, I want to address this passage inside its own context and apart from the story that John is telling. So this morning we step into a private encounter and in fact a Kingdom encounter with Jesus.
John set this next passage up by telling the people what happened with the feeding of the 5 thousand. Jesus leaves them in the wilderness and comes to Capernaum which is on the north west side of the Sea of Galilee. He gets there in an unusual way. The disciples go by boat and Jesus walks on the water to meet them. Early in the pre-dawn morning Jesus meets the disciples and Peter gets out of the boat to walk with Him. But John skips that story for one that he sees as more important. The people come to Capernaum and find Jesus – and now we find the reason that John includes the miracle of the loaves and fish. When the people find him they are still wanting to make Him a king. Why did you run off? When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell us where you were going?
John writes about this miracle to set up what comes next – but for today let’s just start here. John the Baptist has been beheaded, Jesus popularity with the people is increasing, and the animosity of the Sanhedrin is increasing with it. Jesus has been teaching and healing the multitudes somewhere in Galilee when he gets the news about John. It has been a long and exhausting day when they have had no time even to eat as they ministered to the people. When Jesus gets the news about John he gets into a boat and leaves the people to find a quiet place to pray. The disciples ferry Jesus along the coast to the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee to the wilderness near the city of Bethasida. The people are so set to be with Jesus that they make their way on foot (gathering others as they come) and meet Jesus in the wilderness. This is where we pick up the story.
As we continue in the Gospel of John we find another story that John uses to force us to think about the Kingdom we are walking in. Two kingdoms are described. John turns his story here to an incident that happens in Jerusalem. Jesus has come to Jerusalem for a feast (which one is not noted). He comes again to the Temple to the pool called Bethesda. On the surface, this is just another miracle performed by Jesus to demonstrate His power and His purpose. I believe John places this passage here for another purpose. I believe he uses this moment as a parable to augment what he has said about Nicodemus, the woman, and the father.
Throughout the book of John we have seen the juxtaposition of two kingdoms. One kingdom of the world filled with spiritual darkness and one kingdom of God filled with spiritual light. In one world things are broken, corrupted, lost, and useless. In the other things are made whole, purified, found, and useful. It’s into this conversation that we see Jesus step into a teachable moment with his disciples. They return from gathering food in town to find Jesus in deep discussion with a Samaritan woman. Like Nicodemus and the woman they have deep questions that they are not willing or able to ask. “what are you doing with HER?” “Why are you talking to THAT?” The disciples are lingering in the Kingdom of the World- Jesus speaks uses this moment to call his disciples into a new kingdom mentality.
The end of this service we lose the mic. I posted this sermon twice - the second is the full sermon. 1) What Whosoever Means – John uses these next verses to draw a stark contrast with what has gone before. This passage is intimately connected with what he just finished sharing. Nicodemus – Has a name, Man, Pharisee (pious Jew), Follower of the Law, Pure of lineage and action, privileged, rich The Woman – Nameless, Woman, Samaritan (polluted religion), Follower of part of the law, corrupt, outcast, poor In Common – Lost, living in the kingdom of the world (flesh), thirsty, answering spiritual emptiness with worldly answers (legalism/relationships), neither know the right question to ask but Jesus answers them anyway.
We find Jesus in chapter 3 in the midst of Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. He is likely staying in the house of the apostle John when a knock comes at the door during the night. A man named Nicodemus comes to Jesus with a problem. Nicodemus is described as a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin – the Jewish ruling council made up of 70 men. He is an important man – he is inquisitive – and he is worried- he doesn’t want to be seen with this man who just disrupted the Temple. He doesn’t want to give him credibility and he doesn’t yet want to be associated with him. He comes by night. John 3:1-21
Remember that John is a religious man – in fact a disciple of John the Baptist. Unlike some of the other disciples, John is in earnest search for the redeemer of God. He has heard the declarations of his Rabbi to make straight the way of the Lord.” He has heard the cries for repentance and preparation for the day of Messiahs coming. His heart has been stirred by the passion of his master. John the Baptist has preached with such conviction, such authority, and such result that many believe that he may even be the Messiah. Certainly he is a great prophet sent by God. The first in 400 years. So we pick up the story there. John 1:19-37.
- The opening lines of this gospel have had a deep and profound effect on my life. In the beginning… The most profound words in all of scripture. They define the basis from which all of this life flows. Genesis opens this way as well. There are only two ideas that emerge about the origins of our existence and each have a profound effect on what we believe.
Finding the life that God has promised us. Let me clarify one thing here before we move on to chapter 2. Canaan this land of promise is not a place of health, wealth, and absence of conflict. It’s not a utopia where we have no problems to face – we are talking about Canaan not Eden. The land of promise represents a place where we are able to become all that we are created to be. A place where we can reach our God given potential. A place where God’s promises of peace, wholeness, joy, and blessing are real in everyday life. But this place is not without conflict or pain as you will see as we read further. Let’s look at chapter 2 together. Rahab is an interesting character. She is a harlot – a prostitute. She is likely a Temple prostitute given over to the worship of Baal the Canaanite Fertility God. Anyway she presents a very unlikely ally for the spies of Joshua. Here is a woman who is deeply involved in sinful brokenness and dedicated to a false God – perhaps if you will the worst of the lot in Jericho. In Rahab we find several principles of God’s work that are important to our finding of the promised land in our own lives.
Let me set the stage for you. Israel has come once again to the borders of the Promised Land. Their fathers stood in this same spot 40 years before and refused to cross over and possess the land. Fear, frustration, sin, and brokenness kept them out of Canaan. For forty years this troop of merry fools marched and wandered in circles through the desert just a few miles from the land that flowed with milk and honey. They wandered until all of those who had rejected Gods invitation died in the wilderness – the last of whom was their great leader Moses. Now they come again to the doorstep of Canaan but a new leader has risen among them and his name is Joshua. Chapter 1
The wall is re-built and the gates are hung. Nehemiah has faced many obstacles on the way to fulfilling the call of God but now the job is complete; or is it? Nehemiah calls the people of Jerusalem together in a large gathering inside the walls. They are surrounded by the evidence of God’s faithfulness and promise that has been accomplished through their hands and His strength. Nehemiah and Ezra the Priest stand before the gathered assembly and a hush falls over the crowd. Now the most important part of Nehemiah’s journey is about to be revealed. He has hinted at it but now it’s time. If you’ve been paying close attention throughout this series you might have caught it. Let me go back and pick out just a few hints.
Chapter 4 the wall is half way built. Chapter 5 the wall is almost finished. Chapter 6 the wall is finished only the gates still need to be hung in place to finish the project. Yet in this moment with victory so near at hand the enemy is not done with Nehemiah. Nehemiah has survived the battles from without with armies surrounding his half-built wall. Nehemiah has survived the battles within as the people turned on each other with the wall almost done. The greatest battle lies yet ahead. The greatest enemy is still to be fought. Nehemiah 6
In Chapter 4 the walls around the city are half way built and Nehemiah finds himself surrounded by enemies. In chapter 5 we find the walls almost completed but a new enemy raises its head and it’s more deadly than anything the world has to throw at Nehemiah. The Enemy Within – there arose a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brothers. This new enemy is far more dangerous than Sanballat or Tobiah ever thought of being. What the world cannot do from the outside the wall the people inside the wall can do for themselves. Outside enemies pulled the workers together but now the people themselves begin to turn on each other. How do we fight this internal scourge?
We are continuing our journey through Nehemiah as we talk about becoming Kingdom Builders as we share the heart and love of Christ with our community. We’ve talked about having broken hearts for people and what we can do and what only God can do. Chapter 3 is a description of the names of families who worked on the wall. As we move to chapter 4 we find that it doesn’t take long when you start making a difference for opposition to rise. Today we see that the battle is at hand.
I want to share them with you to encourage you to make a difference; that you can make a difference in the world around you. I want you to think about being Kingdom Builders, Change agents, transformational leaders, and most of all disciples of Christ. I want you to see that we are not only called to build the kingdom of God but that we are equipped to do it. For the next several weeks we are going to get a glimpse into the life of Nehemiah and his journey to make a difference and find that we can make a difference too. Nehemiah is a slave in Babylon. For 70 years the Jewish people were in captivity (Daniel and Jeremiah) in Babylon. Over the next 90 years the Jewish people trickled out of Babylon (Ezra) back into the promised land and Jerusalem. The story starts as a few men of Judah came and brought news to Nehemiah of the happenings in Jerusalem.
. Five months have past from November to April between chapter 1 and chapter 2 of this book. We find Nehemiah again in the presence of the King and an amazing thing happens. I told you last week that Nehemiah isn’t allowed to speak to the King he is protecting. That is important as we read on now. As we think about the Kingdom work that God has called us to in leading others to Christ I want you to know that just like Nehemiah there are things that we can do and there are things that only God can do. We need to know the difference.
This week of Thanksgiving leads us directly into the season of Advent as we celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world. I think it’s so appropriate that the season of the year when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to mankind is begin in a season of Thanks. Psalm 95 is a call to thanksgiving. It’s a call to worship.
Perhaps CS Lewis puts it best when he writes this: An “impersonal God”—well and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own heads—better still. A formless life-force surging through us, a vast power which we can tap—best of all. But God Himself, alive, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at an infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband - that is quite another matter. There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall? There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (“Man’s search for God”!) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us?
In Mattew 25 Jesus is talking to His disciples about eternity. He is talking to them about the way they spend their lives. Read Matthew 25:31-46. It appears to me that Jesus says that how we treat people in Our Town really does matter to Him. Do you agree? How we invest our lives has eternal consequences for us and for others. What kind of consequences does Jesus give us here for how we treat others? Now lets look at the passage that precedes this one. It’s a great lesson about how to be a sheep not a goat. Matthew 25:14-30. There are three things that I want you to think about today:
Jesus sees the need of the people and begins to heal their sick. He meets a physical need so that He can then meet the deeper need in their hearts. All afternoon He speaks to this now attentive audience. No one leaves – everyone hangs on His every word. Except it seems His own disciples. They are standing in the wings becoming anxious. When is this going to be over. Doesn’t Jesus see what’s going to happen here? These people are going to need to eat. I want you to see three contrasting pictures here. 1) Jesus who is eagerly feeding a spiritually hungry audience. 2) The Audience who is wrapped in the folds of God’s love and embrace. 3) The disciples who are anxious and looking at the sundials on their watches. You know something tells me that many in today’s churches would walk out angry with Jesus because he didn’t stick to the 1 hour worship format. That’s beside the point. The disciples come to Jesus and say – “Master ummm its time to wrap this up, people are going to be hungry and then there is going to be trouble. This is what I love.
Easter Changes Everything! What a wonderful theme for a new start. The resurrection makes all things possible because we serve a risen Savior. We preach no dead religion or stale moldy doctrines. We preach Jesus Christ alive, active, and interested in our daily living. On this Sunday morning that we celebrate new beginnings, new life, new opportunity, fresh inspiration, and a living faith I want to begin a dynamic series on Living Your Dreams – about Finding God’s Best for Your Life.
About a month ago after a pretty long layoff because of pain and injury I started working out again. In some ways it’s been difficult – starting from scratch and working through those early muscle pains that go along with training. In other ways it’s been very fulfilling – helping with stress levels and making me feel more in control of my own body and health. Frankly it’s been good for me. In fact you can pray for me – I’m reaching for a very difficult goal – training this spring to try to run a half-marathon in the fall. That’s my goal reach it or not. I decided if I was going to do this I had to have a goal or it wouldn’t work. That’s kind of what Paul is saying to Timothy in this passage of scripture this morning. Over the next few weeks I want to share with you how 30 minutes a day can transform your life.
I used to think that the problems we see in the world and the church around us were cause by a lack of breadth. Our cultural decline and struggle caused by a lack of outreach and drawing people to Christ. What I have come to believe is that our real problem is not a lack of breadth but a lack of depth, a lack of depth within the Christian experience. We live in a day where the church is dominated by momentary fads, fashion, and entertainment.
Last week we looked at the prophets and angels as the words changed from He is coming to He is here. This morning we look at the shepherds and the Magi who are among the first to respond to the message He is here.
In the messages of Prophets and Angels we hear the message that God is with us. From the moment of Adams sin the world lay in brooding watchfulness for the moment when God’s plan for the redemption of man would be fulfilled. Adam, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Jeremiah, Isaiah on and on goes the list of heroes of our faith who walked in the darkness waiting for the dawn. For a thousand years prophets looked for the day when Immanuel (God with us) would stand upon the earth. He is Coming!
We have been talking about rediscovering the work of the Holy Spirit in the church this third person of the Trinity – the God who seems to be all but forgotten in the church of the 21st century. We’ve talked about 3 important words Parakletos (comforter) and Dunamis (Power), Metamorphoō (transform). Today we look at one last word in this series – the word is Charisma – means gifts.
Hmm. “Filled up to all the fullness of God”, sounds nice doesn’t it, but what does it mean and how does it happen? Paul prays for the church in Ephesus where he pastored for 3 years. He prays for something profound to happen in their midst, and it starts with one thing… “Being strengthened with Power through His Spirit in the inner man…” That is the idea I want us to think about over the next several weeks, it’s time for the evangelical church to rethink the Holy Spirits role in our lives and our churches.
In an age when the church is becoming increasingly irrelevant to the daily life of people, when the message of the church seems to increasingly fall on deaf ears, and when the truth is mocked as meaningless and unattainable, Jesus speaks to us these words; “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” He tells us a parable about a Sower and His seed. It’s a parable that holds tremendous truth for the church today and I want to share with you over the next couple of weeks about seeds that survive. This week I want to take a look at the Sower and His seed - then I want to talk with you about being better ground.
Pastor Matt shares about what it would be like if we lived looking daily for Jesus return.
Our Lay Minister of Outreach shares the testimony of his life and the people who made a difference.
The idea of commitment in the world today has become muddled. We live in a society of easy, cheap, and disposable. The idea of working hard for something that is worthwhile has given way to short cuts and instant gratification. We have learned to expect great results and abundant rewards with minimal effort – but in the area of relationships it’s left us hurting.
Sunday morning dawned. Light rising from the shadows of the deepest darkness the world has ever known. The third day of the epic climax of God’s redemption of man. Two guards – roman soldiers in full array – armor, shields, weapons and attitude are set to guard the tomb. A seal is placed on the stone – all Roman authority lie in the keeping of that seal. The seal bore the mark of the greatest empire in the world and to break it meant death. All means had been set in place to assure that what was placed behind that stone stayed behind that stone. It’s kind of funny if you think about it. Guarding a tomb.
Easter morning started cold and cruel with the lingering pain of the cross. The trauma of watching the agonizing death of a friend, confidant, teacher, and mentor fresh in the minds of all those who had witnessed it. The grieving of lost friendship and even worse lost hope still filled the hearts of those who had called Jesus Lord. Easter dawned cold and cruel with a stone rolled securely into place separating a group of women from their goal.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Have you ever given that passage much thought? What does it mean to love the Lord your God with all your heart? Maybe a better question is “do we?” Over the next few weeks I want to talk with you a bit about falling in love again for the first time. Falling in love with God heart, soul, mind and strength.
The church in Jerusalem was growing. Amazing things were happening at the hands of the disciples of Christ. For a while there was excitement and unity, sharing and love, power and God’s presence. And all the people said the Amen – it is enough, this is wonderful, this is fantastic, great is Thy Faithfulness O God – right? The truth is that at this moment when growth and impact was at its greatest is when the trouble began. Luke writes simply – “A complaint arose…”
Abraham Lincoln in his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863 said this: We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. His proclamation sounds resoundingly like that of the psalmist doesn’t it? We have forgotten God. We have grumbled about His provision. We have convinced ourselves that we are who we are because of our own industry. We have tested God by asking in our hearts “Is the Lord among us or not?” It’s 3,000 years later and we still can’t get it right. So what does the psalmist say is the remedy for this dreadful situation?
So how does this God idea we are wrestling with begin to interact with life to change it for the better? How does this faith idea make my life better – more fulfilling? My first answer is that faith is at the core of Hope – Hope is the core of peace and – Peace is the core of abundant living.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the idea of faith. What is this mysterious thing that changes life in the world around us? Where does one find it? What does it really mean? Can a man lose it or squander it in some way? What does faith do and how does it do it?
The sad truth for many people today is that they are drifting through life. Simply reacting to the things that happen to them with no real plan for where they want to be. They have set their marriages, families, jobs, and futures on a deadly course of drifting through life. This morning I want you to look at a man who took control of his life; his name is Bartimaeus and he lived in Jericho.
Truth be told for most of us faith is an afterthought of life. It’s something to be turned to in times of trouble. It’s something to be practiced in ceremonies that make us feel better about the world and ourselves, but faith that is real interacts with the fabric of daily living.
Men I want to get real with you this morning about the call of God on your life – about the greatest stewardship entrusted into your hands – being a Man.
In moments when our fears and failures overwhelm us, in moments when our lives seem too small, when our ability to cope is at its end nothing else is enough to make it ok. In a living savior a living Jesus we find radical transformation – only a living Savior takes these frightened, broken, lost men and turns them into the body of Christ.
How are we to take seriously Jesus direction to “wash each others feet?” What does it mean to become servants in a world full of masters?
Each one of us deals with limitations, Personal, Spiritual, Emotional, and Family limitations that affect our ability to invest in the world around us. Because we have limitations we need desperately to begin to make better choices about our lives. If we are going to overcome the weariness of the world we need to learn balance in our schedules.
In moments like these when the future is a mass of darkness. In moments like these when we you’ve been deserted and life like the stone in front of the tomb seems immovable. Nothing in our experience, theology, or ritual makes it better. Nothing makes this ok. But a Living Jesus makes a difference.
In moments like these – when the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you feel like you are suffocating in responsibilities that are too big for you. Nothing but a living Jesus makes a difference
When the dawn breaks nightmares become reality – trial, blood, crucifixion, death. In James heart he knows they are coming for him next. If they can do this to Jesus nothing will stop them from killing him too. And so we find him hiding with the other disciples when Jesus steps into the room. We find again that for James only a lliving Jesus makes a difference.
Looking at Peter's failure in the courtyard we find that in moments like these when it’s all crumbling down around your ears, when the brokenness catches up to you, when you feel useless, ashamed, and alone – nothing but a living Savior makes a difference.
In moments like these is an Easter series that will explore moments in the lives of the disciples that mirror the moments in our own lives and experiences when the only thing that will make a difference is a living, breathing, Jesus in our lives.
For most of us we want this journey to be easy. We live in a fast food world that demands simple, easy, solutions to problems that don’t cost much. I want my life to be better, I want to make better decisions, I want to be blessed but I want it cheap and I want it now. The truth of our lives with Christ is that we want the crown without the cross.
This morning I want to tackle that question. What is holding us back – what keeps us in the boat? What keeps us from experiencing an ever closer walk with Christ? For the answer to that question let’s look at Hebrews 12:1-2.
Why is it that for most Christians their walk is either in a state of stagnation or even in decline? If I were to ask the question “are you at present walking with Christ more closely than ever before in your life – the honest answer for most of us would be no. Then there is the obvious question – Why? This series that we embark on today tries to tackle this very question
How do we communicate the Gospel to our children? Is passing on our faith a priority? Listen as Pastor Matt shares his heart for family ministry.
We have been called, in fact, created to shine the light of Jesus into a broader world. The purpose of the church is not merely to touch us but to touch others. Jesus instruction to these first disciples is no different than the charge given to us.
Effective change always begins at the point of most control. The space between my own ears. How can I change to build a functional spiritual community in here?
Effective change always begins at the point of most control. The space between my own ears and then the family I am surrounded with. How can I change to rebuild a functional family community in my own home?
The real question for the apostles is how do we build a community? Interestingly the same question that we face today. We find in this passage the building blocks of a faith community - what is the glue that holds us together that allows us to buck the odds and make this all work?
Solomon shows us in Ecclesiastes 4 the benefits of living and working in the context of Christian Community.
Is it possible for this generation to rediscover the benefits, blessings, and power of living in community with each other? I believe its not only possible but necessary if we want to thrive as a church and as a culture.
Find out from the journey of the Wise men how God has led us to Himself to find peace and wholeness in life.
Today we are talking about finding financial margin – a place that many in our culture struggle with more than any other. We are living through perhaps the most tragic time in our nation’s financial history. Debt is at an all time high...
This sermon addresses the issues of unity in diversity, harmony, and love within the body of Christ.
Advent is a story of Peace – come to mankind from the hand of the creator. The overarching story is God Created, Man Destroyed, God Restores. That is the message of the prophets and it is the message of the Messiah.
So how do we find margin in margin less lives? How do we take control of this beast that has control over us? How can we possibly find margins in our time – there is just too much to do. Let me ask you a question – how many of you need just one more day in a week to get everything done. Here is the truth – you would just end up in the same place because this isn’t a matter of time it’s a matter of choices.
If we indeed are the body of Christ – if we are indeed Friends Church – then we need to take responsibility for that. We need to understand that whatever the body of Christ is to the world around us is because of who we are.
Paul pleads with the church to understand the gravity of the situation. The truth is that we have been invited by the God of the Universe to become personally and passionately involved in the only cause that will last through eternity.
It seems that this idea of being the Friends Church is a much larger responsibility that we have understood. That’s a tall order isn’t it? So the remaining question to answer is this – How – How do I live this out in my life? How do I become what I am declaring I will be?
AW Tozer wrote this in his book success and the Christian – “Practically everyone has too much, knows too much, sees too much, hears too much, goes too many places, and comes back from too many places. It’s simply too much too much. So for all of you for whom life is just too much sometimes – this series is for you.
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 7 about this struggle with moral limits that is deep at the heart of every person. It’s a struggle with boundaries, limits, and an enemy who’s sole purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. So why are we so bent on testing our moral limits?
Stress, fatigue, and burnout are the predictable results of living for too long without margins. We have learned as a society to prolong the suffering. To increase the time we can spend at our limits by using a temporary fix – coping. It doesn’t solve the problem or change the results it just prolongs the inevitable.
The constant highs and lows, demands, and frankly the people begin to wear on us sometimes. Emotional margin is perhaps as difficult to find as any of the others we have talked about.