King Solomon wisely wrote, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23, NLT). In this next part of Matthew’s account of the last hours of Jesus, we see just how true these words are. In this sermon, we look closely at two men who sinned against Jesus…
As we come to chapter 26 in our church’s study through Matthew, we begin the last act in the great story of God’s salvation. This is what Matthew has been building to since the opening words of the book. As one scholar observed, “The reason for the incarnation begins here. God became human flesh and…
What does it take to “fire-proof” our lives against the inevitable firestorms that come our way on a fallen planet? To answer this question, we begin the new year with Psalm 1 – one of the Bible’s great pictures of what it really means to be a man or woman who lives under the Lord’s…
The night Jesus was born must have seemed like any other night to most people. Indeed, if we could interview the shepherds from three towns over, they would have said nothing remarkable happened that night. But the shepherds outside of Bethlehem knew better. They knew that the Savior who is Christ the Lord had been…
It’s been said* that “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” That has certainly been the story of 2020 for many people! In this sermon, we look to the angel’s announcements to Mary and Joseph about the birth of Jesus for help in handling life’s disrupted plans. Scripture Luke 1:26-38…
For many Americans, 2020 has been a year of frustrated hopes. From lost seasons to canceled vacations to restricted holiday gatherings, the disappointments just keep piling up. In Luke 1:5-25, we meet an elderly couple who knew all about disappointed hope. After decades of a childless marriage, disappointment must have felt like a constant companion…
If someone asked you to describe the meaning of the birth of Jesus, the phrase “missions trip” might not be the first words to come to mind. But according to Isaiah 42, maybe they should be! These verses present the Messiah’s ministry in a way that resembles the work of a modern day missionary. In…
When we first learn to swim, most of us start out in the shallow end of the pool. And that’s not a bad thing. The shallow end let’s us learn the basics in a safe environment. But if we are going to learn to swim well, eventually we have to strike out for the deep…
Most people enjoy a good mystery. That’s why mystery novels and movies and games are so popular with so many people. Apparently the apostle Paul enjoyed a good mystery, too – though for a very different reason. For Paul, it wasn’t about solving the mystery. It was about proclaiming the mystery! In this sermon, we…
Some people are confused about what the church is for. From stained glass in the windows to Slurpees in the café – different people can have wildly different expectations. This is why it is so important to let the Bible rather than personal preferences set our expectations. In Ephesians 3, the apostle Paul uses his own relationship to the Gospel to outline for us God’s great purpose for His church.