Sermons by “Rev. John R. Larson”
Advent Expectation
The great stuff you want to ask of God? Do it!! When you are burdened with loss and grief and heartache, ask God to be present with you. He is Immanuel – God with us – in the flesh of Jesus. When you are under sin’s curse and feel that there is no new beginning in life – go to this God who lifts up the humble and gives comfort to the heart that hurts. When Jesus cleans us we are pure and whole. If you face the impossible in life, then look to the One who the Bible tells us did the impossible over and over. Jesus is Savior and Lord and God, we can look to Him for all things.
View SermonAdvent Silence
I think I remember a song from my former life that said, “Silence is Golden.” But here is the golden part in it – we are silent so we can hear. Zechariah was quiet so he could hear God’s word and promises and plan even better. When we take that time to be silent it allows us to hear the voice of God in our lives, as well. A parent will try to quiet a child who is in trouble, in distress or even in a panic, so they can tell them what is happening and how things can be. God does the same with us. Zephaniah, a little-known prophet in the Old Testament, speaks a gracious word, “He will quiet you with his love.” (3:17)
View SermonSecond String
When Jesus speaks over and over again the words, “Follow me”, isn’t it made clear that we are not in the lead, but He is? Recently I came across a hard situation that left me without an easy answer. The problem was bigger than me, and I felt hopeless. But then I was reminded by another, “God has this.”, “This is in His hands.” He is Savior. He has the answer for our souls, and our eternity in His hands. Jesus died for that purpose and He rose for it too. He has a grip on our everyday life, as well. Lord. Master. First Chair.
View SermonWho Is King?
Do you know who does Christmas right? God does. Christmas is not complicated but it rather simple. Quite humble. Quiet. Micah the prophet speaks of His coming in this way, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2) It is true that our Savior is King, He is the King of glory. And as King of glory every one bows to Him. But at His birth “she wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7) He is King of the humble and lowly and needy and of sinners. He comes to our level and experiences our sorrow and loss and pain and trouble. He is so much more than a King who is great and mighty, He is King who is compassionate and caring.
View SermonSomething Missing?
Something’s missing!! Do you know what it is? Joy. Joy is missing. I remember a few years ago I preached a sermon that meant a lot to one of the worshippers. Life wasn’t very good at that time for them. They were going through a bunch of frustration and they didn’t have much joy. They counted how many times I used the word joy in my sermon. She said to me upon leaving the service, “Do you know how many times you mentioned “joy” in your sermon?” I didn’t, but she did. It was missing from her life at that time and she wanted it once again.
View SermonFirm To The End
At the end of all His warnings Jesus speaks the word, “And he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:13b) Firm to the end. Keeping a faith in our God until life’s end. Holding to a confession that doesn’t disappear before we leave this world. Jesus is concerned that they would give up their faith. It is like Jesus in John’s Revelation who would say, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10b) Firm to the end.
View SermonAlways Enough
You know what He gives us enough of? Faith. It took faith for that woman to give Elijah stuff to eat. There was only a little flour. There was only a little oil. But it never went empty – God provided. But the thought of always having enough is not just having enough money or food or drink, it is having a conviction in God’s goodness on our behalf.
View SermonBlessed?
So, what makes the hard moments the good moments? God. When we acknowledge that we are spiritually poor and empty, that we have no answer for our troubles and our sin and guilt, then we are in a good place. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Something had to happen between the poverty of having no answers to having God’s reign and rule, His grace, in our life. It is God. Having God, trusting in Him, resting in Him is what makes such poverty in things of soul so blessed.
View SermonThe Best Thing About Money
But for each of us, there is something that keeps us captive, makes us slaves, takes away the fullness of life. Jesus, the greatest treasure, desires us to know His grace, the richness of His love and calls us daily to follow Him. He seeks to destroy the false gods so the rule of the true God, the only God, can reign in us.
View SermonUgly and Beautiful
Jesus is the burden bearer. He was a magnet for all the sins we have committed, the sins of silence, or the sins when we should have been silent, the sins we have committed and the sin of failing to have the strength to do what was right. The burden bearer, Jesus, makes us holy, pure, cleansed, whole, right. We are restored and completed by the death of Jesus and by His resurrection
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