Sermons by “Rev. Chris Matthis”

Judge Not

We must have the humility to recognize that our criticism may be misguided or misinformed. After all, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes…” (Prov. 12:15). We do not know all the circumstances or temptations faced by another person. We cannot see all ends.

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Salt & Light

Jesus calls you salt and light. This call on your life is a statement of fact—not a wish, and not a command. You are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world! If the light of Christ and his forgiveness is burning brightly in your heart, then you are everything you are meant to be. You have everything you need. And you have everything that the world needs!

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Blessed Are You

This past year has redefined how we understand what it means to be blessed. Before the pandemic, we felt blessed if we were able to spend some leisure time with our family, if we got along with our boss at work, if we weren’t bullied at school, and if we had a little extra money after all our bills and investments. Now we know we are blessed if we have a job at all, if we can go to school in-person, if we’re still breathing. In fact, less than a year ago, you were counted blessed if you could just find toilet paper! So much that we used to take for granted no longer seems a given. We recognize that we live by the hand of God. For when everything else we have is taken away, all we are left with is Jesus.

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The Faithful Word

This is, without a doubt, the most terrifying thing Jesus ever said. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” How in the world could God abandon his only-begotten Son? How could the Father forget about Christ? How could Jesus feel separated from God when he himself is divine? Were his words only for effect? Were they mere sentiment? Or was Jesus really, truly abandoned by God in that moment on the cross? And, if God could abandon Jesus, then what about you and me? Are we ever really safe if there is a possibility of God forsaking us?!

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The Forgiving Word

Yet most of the disciples who defended Jesus’ honor so vociferously were not to be seen or heard of at the crucifixion. The only ones at the cross were Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ mother Mary, and John. (At least one of the Thunder Boys had enough fire in his belly to brave the cruel public execution of Jesus). When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all the apostles fled. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered…” (Zech. 13:7; cf. Matt. 26:31).

But Jesus didn’t hold that against them. If we were betrayed or abandoned like that, we would probably nurse our pride and brood bitterly on how bereft we are in this world. Jesus did not. Instead he prayed for them. He prayed for the Jewish priests who mocked him. He prayed for the Roman soldiers who nailed him to the cross. He prayed for us all. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

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A Sermon Dialog with Malcus

P As St. Paul said in his letter to the Colossians: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

R That’s it. That’s the life is found in Jesus’ touch. That’s the life I pray for you.

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A Sermon Dialog with Judas

The answers aren’t easy. A crossroad can bring daunting spiritual pain. And it can bring us to our knees. It can even bring us to destruction.

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