Sermons

No One Can Say ‘Jesus is Lord’…EXCEPT

God’s power on the cross is an invitation to believe what He has done for you and trust in His Name. “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28) The power of the cross is spoken in the last sentence of our reading from Acts, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It doesn’t say everyone who teaches Sunday School or sings in the choir or attends worship regularly and gives generously will be saved, although these are all good things and they are all faith building and are fruits of faith. But it says, “Call on Jesus.” Believe on Jesus who stands at the door of your heart and knocks and you will be saved.

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Somewhere to Go; Something to Do

God loves you deeply, right? He sought you and found you. He put you on His shoulder. He received all your sins. He won all your battles. He loves you. Love, truly love others. Love your parents and grandparents. Love your brothers and sisters. Love your best friend and the person who last week was your best friend and now you’re not speaking to. Do you see? You have so many wonderful things to do. Speak of your Jesus. Love Him. Love others. David concludes the psalm, “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!’ As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and deliverer; do not delay, O my God.” (Psalm 40:16-17, ESV)

I give Psalm 40 to you as your psalm. In my Bible I have dedicated that psalm to the 2021 Confirmation Class. Your seven names are in ink next to this psalm. Make it yours. This psalm tells you, “There is somewhere to go; there is something to do.”

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The Theology of Seatbelts

I become overwhelmed with that kind of love. It brings me to my knees. It causes me to repent. There’s nobody on the face of the earth that would ever put up with all the evil we’ve done — if they knew about it. If your spouse or a friend knew all those things you’ve thought, all those things you’ve felt on the inside, all those things you were tempted to do — he or she would not put up with you.

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A Pod of P’s

Jesus says of us, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8) That word “much” fruit can also be translated “great” fruit. Do you ever find that you have had the best day when you did something that benefitted another person? You called them. You listened to them. You prayed for them. You cared for them. Paul, in Ephesians, writes, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

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All In

Love that person who is a pain in your rear-end. Love the person who gets under your skin. Love the person who nobody can stand. Martin Luther said of this, “He who is learned should serve him who is not learned; he who is rich should serve him who is poor; he who is sensible should serve him who is foolish, and so on. ” (AE 30:279)

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The God Who Makes Us Strong

Fight. With everything you have – fight. Don’t let the devil destroy your life and leave you beaten and defeated. But don’t fight alone. Our battle is not against flesh and blood and victory will only come with the Lord God fighting this battle for us and with us. When the people of Israel were being pursued by the Egyptians and they had the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh and his well-equipped armies closing in on them, Moses said, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14)

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The God Who Lives in Homes and at Work

A few weeks ago when I was saying good-bye to my dad on the phone he said, “John, we’re proud of you.” Wow. When is the last time you told your kid, or anyone that you know, “I’m proud of you”? Do it. If the only word that your kid hears is “No”, “You’re doing that wrong”, or if you use cruel or vulgar words to them, or about them, you have to stop and ask for their forgiveness. “Do not embitter your children.” “Do not exasperate your children.” Don’t tear them down. Build them up. Love them.

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Go!

Go to Him. Go to His word. Trust Him. Become a Christian. Be a Christian. And the truth of Jesus and His resurrection is also for others. In our reading the angel spoke to the women with a directive, “But go, tell His disciples and Peter.” (Mark 16:7a) They must have gone. The disciples heard and believed. Peter heard and believed. Later they would all come face to face with the resurrected Jesus. And they told us. They told us, in written word what they so wonderfully experienced. Everyone that was stuck in grief and depression and hopelessness were visited by a living Christ and they were made bold and alive.

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Set!!

This is a sad day. Worship on Good Friday is quite dark. The hymns are somber. In this service we move toward a more reflective, emotional, even grief-stricken day. This isn’t Easter with the sweet smell of lilies, the joyous hymns of triumph, the choir and trumpets. Some people avoid this day and avoid this service because it is too sad and depressing. But it is the day that He owns and this day owns us. This is the day that allows us to “stand firm” and “let nothing move you.”

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Ready!

Ready? If you have a broken heart you are ready. If you have a contrite spirit you are ready. If you can see that this meal is a feast of Christ’s body and blood given for your eternal salvation, you are ready. If you know that this gift is not just for emergencies but it is the ongoing feeding of God for His children, for you, you are ready.

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