Sermons by “Rev. John R. Larson”

Getting It All Wrong, Or…

Pastor Ginkel, in that same e-mail that mentioned Gerideane, had this little word of wisdom: 1,000 years from now…

…it will not matter at all whether

You lived in a mansion or a shed; You ate steak or cold cuts; You drove a Cadillac or an Escort; You had a doctorate or signed your name with an X
…what will matter a great deal is whether

You believed in Jesus as your Savior from sin; You remained faithful to Jesus until death; You witnessed to Jesus by word and deed; You earnestly prayed for souls and Kingdom growth.

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God’s Plea

Therefore!! What a little particle in the English language. He bases his plea on everything that he has said to this point. He built up his argument and then gives his appeal. If God is going to ask that you give yourself totally to Him then He, first, had to give Himself totally to you. He did. Jesus, willingly, sacrificially, gave Himself fully in body and mind and soul to you so that you would be God’s child. You would be forgiven and healed from all your soul-pain and that you would be certain of life on earth and life in heaven because Jesus gave His life for you. Therefore is a great word. It tells us about Jesus and what He has done.

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To Us? To Him!

The motive, I hope, is not self-glory, but love for others. I am asking you to support this project in many ways. I want you to be in prayer that this renovation would be used for decades to come so that children and youth and adults would come to a vibrant faith and would grow in that faith. I pray that as those who have skills in music and singing can grow in their love for God, they would share their enthusiasm and faith with us. Verses 14 and 15 of this psalm read, “May the Lord make you increase, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” The psalmist’s concern was for the hearer and for those coming later.

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Job and God

There are many people who live without a belief in God. Without God, no one is in charge. For some, despair has arrived and stayed. There is no anticipation for the future. No God. No hope. No order. Only chaos.

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Much With Little

See. We are little. There isn’t much to us. We are just a broken piece of pottery. Common. Lowly. We use the word “Sinner” to sum up how little we are. God uses that word about us, too. But remember – God does much with little. Like Barclay said, “Little is always much in the hands of Christ.” But we are more than just broken pottery – we have a treasure. The treasure – Christ, our greatest treasure. Jesus is our Savior. He died for our sins. He rose for our victory and for our eternity. Jesus changed everything for 5,000 hungry men and some women and children, with the words, “Bring those 5 loaves and two fish to me” – “Bring them here to me.” He is not done doing miracles when we, and others, are brought to Him.

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The Kingdom of Heaven

Do you consider yourself the treasure that the man or merchant in the parables pursues and purchases? You should. You are. That is how God looks at you. But it doesn’t have anything to do with who you are or the wonderful things you have done. It has nothing to do with the sticker on your minivan telling the world what you once were. In God’s eyes you are the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of greatest value. As my friend, Phil Johnson, told me 20 years ago, “God can never love you more and He will never love you less.”

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The Sower

But here is the remarkable thing of the parable – the sower, on purpose, threw his seed in those places. What a foolish farmer, huh? No!! What an inviting farmer! Remember the context. Remember the opposition, the hard hearts, those who had better things to do than follow Jesus. But the farmer – on purpose – threw his seeds hoping for a good result.

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As One

To be “As One” requires the work of many. In the most recent Reporter, the monthly newspaper of the Missouri-Synod, the lead article was about “Racism and the Church – A Time to Listen.” Michael Grannis the pastor of Calvary in Lincoln Park, Michigan, who led his congregation on a protest march, said that they assembled with prayer and a presence of peace. He led the Litany from the hymnal, asking God “To give to all peoples concord and peace; to preserve our land from discord and strife; to give our country Your protection in every time of need; to direct and defend our president and all in authority.” Pastor Grannis said that others, not in their group, came and asked to join them in that prayer. As One they asked God’s hand for the right change in our country. Many can join in a common work, As One, for the good of many.

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Law and Order

But so many folks are not free. So many of us are not free. I’m not talking about the restrictions that we have had since March. I’m talking about the bondage we can have in our souls and minds when we live by the lies that Satan feeds us. Peter writes, “A man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” (II Peter 2:19b) Sinful habits, addictions, compulsions, walking down the wrong path are all things that rob us of the freedom that God has designed for His people. This is what Paul says of that control, not from God, but from the devil, in our lives, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21) You and I can be bound by Satan and the deception that he can bring into our lives. Alcohol, drugs, pornography, bitterness have us by the throat.

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The Rest of the Story

After Jesus, in Matthew 10, tells those who were going to be His about the hatred they would experience and the rejection they would face, He goes on to tell them the rest of the story – the account of God’s strength in their life. Jesus says, “So do not be afraid of them.” (Matthew 10:26a) God’s personal care to them, and us, is promised, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

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