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Doctrine, Luke, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

BattleReady
, July 3, 2014
1 comment »

Back in the mid ’80s, two books took the publishing world, especially the Christian publishing world, by storm. Sales of This Present Darkness topped 2.5 million and its sequel, Piercing the Darkness, over 1 million. Although they were works of fiction, they awakened the reality of spiritual warfare in the lives of many, including yours truly. As always there were those who took it above and beyond where Peretti intended, but the picture of spiritual warfare is a vivid one.

We shouldn’t need a fiction book to remind us or alert us to the reality of spiritual warfare. It filters through the Bible. Paul often used battle imagery to make his point, none so clear as in Ephesians 6:10-17.

The battle was just as real in Jesus’ day as it is now. Maybe even more so since He was the Son of God and constantly being challenged. My Scripture for Sunday is Luke 11:14-26, where they accused Jesus of working with Beelzebul, of being in bed with him. Of course Jesus shows how preposterous that whole notion is.

One of the most powerful parts of that Scripture is verses 24-26. I think there are several lessons which come out of that:

  1. Unclean spirits prefer to inhabit human bodies rather than to wander aimlessly.
  2. A life that is clean but without God is still helpless against the Adversary.
  3. A subsequent demonic encounter can be worse than the original one.

It ought to be an interesting Sunday morning. Your prayers are much appreciated.

Mark, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Trapped
, June 26, 2014
1 comment »

Over at my other site I have been having a “discussion” about rules and regulations and their place in our walk with Christ. You can read them here and here. The latter will not post until 8 pm tonight (Thursday).

My sermon Sunday is from Mark 10:17-31 which is the story of Jesus and the rich, young ruler. The discussion between them shows the young man’s tendency to being a “law-abiding” kind of guy. Not civil law necessarily, but God’s law (which incorporates some obedience to civil law). But the young man’s problem was evident. His righteousness was based on keeping the Law…which he did very well.

But as we know, Jesus’ measuring stick is different from ours. Jesus is not concerned with all we DO. He is much more concerned with WHO WE ARE. While we are preoccupied with what we have done, Jesus is much more focused on who we become. I think you can see this in His statement “One thing you lack…” It is almost like He is saying, “Fine. You have kept the Law. Good. But…there is still something far more important Give it all away.”

Say what?

Yeah, give it all away. It rings for us as well. No one can enter by their own merit or deed, but all can be saved by the gift of God. We all have to make a choice-eternal or material. We can either be Trapped or Free.

Family, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Heroes
, June 12, 2014
2 comments »

How can you preach a Mother’s Day sermon and not a Father’s Day sermon?

Easy.

Don’t.

But it doesn’t work that easily. So after changing my sermon for Mother’s Day at the last minute, I found myself having to change my schedule again for Father’s Day. Least I didn’t wait until the last minute this time. :)

We love the underdog. Good triumphing over evil. When William Wallace rallies the men on the Fields of Bannockburn; when Aragorn rallies the troops against Mordor; when George McFly decks Biff with one punch; we feel this “something” rise inside us. We have also seen a “love affair” develop with Superheroes over the past few years. The weakling becomes Captain America. The geeky journalist become Spiderman. The arrogant, narcissistic playboy becomes Iron Man. The truck become Optimus Prime.

We are a culture in need of heroes. Sadly, the biggest hero we should have is one in our own backyard. He is the one we should look up to, “revere,” and think there is no one like him. Our father. God has designed the man to be the head of the home. That is not a sexist statement. It is a biblical fact. But too many men have abdicated that role. So much so that church has been designated as “being for woman and sissies.”

“Every man has a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue” is the mantra of Wild at Heart. While God never intended all men to be the outdoorsy-type, that mantra should be true of every man. We need a new breed of hero. We need men who will step up to the plate and be the leader of their family- his wife, his children- in all ways. Physically. Emotionally. Socially. Spiritually. Definitely spiritually.

My sermon Sunday will focus on how a man is to love his wife, and therefore, his family. Thanks for your prayers.

Mark, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Schedules
, June 5, 2014
2 comments »

Over the course of the final months of 2013 I sat down and worked on planning my sermons for what I called The Great Adventure. The winter played havoc with a couple of weeks when we had to cancel due to snow. I was pretty steady through March and April but May threw me a curve with Mother’s Day.

This Sunday a friend of Ryan’s from high school will be preaching. He and his wife are headed for South Sudan for mission work. So I gave up this Sunday for him (and was glad to do it). But then the following Sunday is Father’s Day. I can’t preach a Mother’s Day sermon and then let the fathers off the hook, now can I? :) So I wrote a sermon this week called “Be a Real Hero” for Father’s Day. That left me two weeks in June. Do I preach the sermons on Mark I already have planned, done or underway and take them into July or do I take another approach.

I prayed and felt God leading me to take another approach. UGH! All that work for naught (at least for now). So the plan which emerged was to take the sermons on “Change” I was going to preach on Mark in June and move them to October. It works because October 12th is our 10th anniversary as a church. I will take the last two weeks of June and preach a two-part series: “The Mountain and the Valley” (from Mark 9), and “The Trapped and the Free” from Mark 10. I’ll tell you more about them as I get closer to preaching them.

I reckon there is a lesson to be learned: schedules are made to be broken, especially when God is behind the reason for the change. :)

So this Sunday: Will Reed. Next Sunday: Be a Real Hero.

Matthew, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Judgment
, May 29, 2014
2 comments »

“All you Christians do is judge, judge, judge. Don’t you know the Bible says, ‘Don’t judge!”

The catty person in me wants to say, “So…now you know what the Bible says?” But the other side of me absorbs the misquoted and misunderstood verse and moves on.

The Age of Tolerance is upon us. Well…at least if you agree with them it is. I honestly get so tired of hearing “Judge not” as though I am not allowed to have an opinion of my own, especially if it is contrary to theirs. I’m not really sure there is a more over-used and more misunderstood section of Scripture than Matthew 7:1-5.

There is a difference between criticism and discernment. While criticism of a person is often (most likely) unwarranted, discernment of right and wrong is necessary. It is not judgment when a lifestyle choice is spoken of as being ungodly or sinful. It is not wrong when theft or lying or idolatry is called sin. Without discernment we would fall for anything.

Discernment has two measuring sticks:

  • Character
  • Creed

It will not be an easy sermon to preach. Attitude will play a big part in the approach I take. Please pray for a right heart for me as I preach and for the listeners.

Matthew, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Vision
, May 22, 2014
1 comment »

My eyes are bad. Myopia. Astigmatism. Wearer of (much thinner) glasses these days thanks to technology. Sadly, I passed on my eyes to at least my oldest daughter, Tami. In fact, she called me over a month ago to thank me for her “special eyes.” That is what her eye doctor called them. Special does not mean X-ray eyes or eyes which can melt steel like Superman. Special as in, you really ought to have the Lasik surgery now before you get any older and your eyes get worse. Sorry Tami. :)

Then, of course, there is Daredevil who was blind. He didn’t need his eyes to “see,” especially in the night. Sorry Tami. No special eyes like that.

Jesus speaks of vision when He says, “Where your treasure is that is where your heart is.” He also says, “Do not lay up treasure where moth and rust corrupt, and thieves break in and steal.” In the course of that same conversation He talks about the eyes. An eye that is clear represents a single minded devotion. An eye that is bad is a heart that is selfishly indulgent.

Along with talk of treasure is also talk about worry. I think Jesus has just gone from preaching to meddling. :P

Those are my two thoughts this Sunday as I preach on Radical Vision. Staying focused on what really matters.

Mark, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Gotcha!
, May 15, 2014
2 comments »

“Revenge is the greatest instinct in the human race.” Friedrich Nietzche

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” That is some serious hurt and revenge! You’d think that was out of some commando manual for bettering society. :)

Nope.

In reality, those words are found in Exodus 21:24-25. Ouch! You mean the Bible actually says that? Sure does. And those words were exactly what Jesus was speaking against when He said, “But I say to you…”

The Law of the Jungle was get even. If you have to get even, get even first and hard. Jesus rebuts the Pharisees’ misinterpretation and forbids retaliation in personal relationships.

The Law of the King was different. That is why He said, “You have heard, but I say to you…” The Law of the King is found is simple words: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” That whole love your neighbor thing is hard enough, but I have to pray for them also? Sure do. In fact, Proverbs 24:29 says, “Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’ “

Jesus commanded a love without limits. Talk like that is revolutionary, whatever a person’s culture. Act different. Love different.

Gotcha!

FYI: A case in irony. This was supposed to be the sermon preached last week on Mother’s Day. I changed it. I didn’t think a sermon on “eye for an eye” was appropriate. :)

Family, Love, Luke, Preaching, Story, Sunday Sermon

Mary’sExample
, May 8, 2014
2 comments »

This was one of those times when God intervened. When I scheduled my sermon for May, I can honestly say the fact Mother’s Day was included never crossed my mind. I know…those are bad words to let out. :) So on Wednesday while I riding my bike (against an 18 mph wind) I had to occupy my mind with something other than pain and agony and slow riding. My sermon came to mind and with it an “Oh no! What have I done?”

So late Wednesday afternoon found me laying groundwork (research) for a sermon especially for Mother’s Day. Thursday found me getting started early and working until it was done. I settled on Mary, the mother of Jesus. There is so much misunderstanding about her, especially within the Catholic Church, but I am going to sidestep those issues since they are unimportant to my purpose.

I’ll start by sharing the Wild at Heart mantra for men: “Every man has a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.” The woman’s is similar but different: “Every woman wants to be romanced (fought for), have a role in the adventure. and a beauty to unveil.”  I’ll also be showing this video at this point of the sermon.

Mary shows us several cries from her heart. The first is her willingness to tell Gabriel “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be so according to your word.” (Luke 1:38). Her other cry is what is called The Magnificat. (1:46-55) So simple yet so profound. We see her attitude of worship; her object of worship; and her reasons for worship. A great example to follow.

 

Respect and honor your mom, wife, grandmother, etc, but remember who really gets the glory this Sunday. The same ONE Mary gave praise to.

Expectations, Matthew, Preaching, Sunday Sermon

Lifestyle
, May 1, 2014
1 comment »

My journey on The Great Adventure finds me/us back in Matthew for the month of May. I’ve decided to take some passages from the Beatitudes and focus on them this month. My theme is “Radical.”

This week’s sermon is RADICAL LIFESTYLE.

Nothing unfamiliar or earth-shattering I don’t suspect.

“You are the salt of the earth.”

“You are the light of the world.”

The challenge which confronts us is that age old conundrum: How can a follower of Christ be in the world but not of the world? In a world so seemingly out of step with God’s desires, how can His children be salt and light?

Someone who will flavor.

Someone who will shed light.

And when we do that, how do we do it so as not to be seen by men?  See, it is one thing to be salt and light. It is another to do it to be seen by men (wrong motive). Along with 5:13-16, I also plan to bring in the possible problem with it as seen in 6:1-4.

Radical Lifestyle. We are called to that. Please pray for me and the church this Sunday. Thanks.

Doctrine, John

Peace
, April 24, 2014
1 comment »

Across the street from the church building is a new business. Actually it is a new control center for Hoosier Energy. Several weeks ago the three staff members were given a tour of the new facility. In several places were signs which read, “Danger.” In all areas where electricity is involved you will see signs which say, “Danger. High Voltage. Keep Out!”

Some summer days, especially in high heat, I can ride my bike underneath power lines and literally hear them humming as electricity passes through them. Model trains run on transformers, but those transformers certainly aren’t powerful enough to run a house.

In John 14 Jesus talks about the power of the Holy Spirit. What is it? Maybe for some a more appropriate question might be “Who is the HS? One thing for sure: no one can completely understand Him or claim to. But we also cannot ignore or bury Him either.

In John 14 Jesus is in the Upper Room with His disciples, telling them what to expect coming down the pike. But He gave them a promise-the promise of the Holy Spirit. Coinciding with that was the promise of peace which came from the presence of the HS in their lives.

That same promise applies to us. That means two things for sure: One, we are not alone. Two, we are inseparably linked to Christ Himself. I am going to explore this whole idea in a much deeper vein this Sunday.

If you would, please pray for me and for a “move” of the Holy Spirit. Thanks.

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