“Dear Faithful Church” (Revelation 3:7-13)
Dear Faithful Church (Rev. 3:7-13) Introduction In his novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck provides a harrowing illustration of the pressure families faced during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Due to poor farming techniques and severe drought, tens of thousands of families were forced to migrate to California. But the recession had such a widespread impact that few people were better off. In their weakness, families had to rely upon the kindness of strangers, which oftentimes resulted in…
“The Return of the King” (Luke 24:1-35)
The Return of the King (Luke 24:13-35) Last week we considered the triumphal entry of Jesus as he rode upon a donkey into Jerusalem with a large crowd shouting “Hosanna in the highest!” They were ready to crown him as their king. They viewed him as the Messiah, the promised Savior. But they limited his reign to a physical throne, and his salvation to political freedom. Jesus came to accomplish so much more. The entrance of the King was merely…
“The Departure of the King” (Matthew 27:26-61)
The Departure of the King (Mt. 27:26-61) This morning we considered Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Although he was praised and honored, it was merely the beginning of the end of his earthly ministry. As we come to a passage that is so familiar to us, we really want to engage our minds and hearts. Let us rely upon the Holy Spirit to move us with a fresh understanding of Christ’s death. We want to understand the event itself so…
“The Priority of Following Jesus” (Luke 9:57-62)
The Priority of Following Jesus (Luke 9:57-62) A few months ago we were at Costco looking at Traeger smokers. Our BBQ is on its last leg and we’ve heard good things about Traegers. After talking to the salesman, we were on the verge of leaving with one. But we decided to grab some lunch at the food court and think it over. Personally, I had every intention of going back and buying it, but after calling some folks we began…
“Dear Dead Church” (Revelation 3:1-6)
Dear Dead Church (Rev. 3:1-6) In his book, Drunk Tank Pink, Adam Altar points out the curious phenomenon known as “nominative determinism”. It’s the idea that our names can often have a profound effect upon how we live. Our name predetermines the outcome. He shows how people are often preoccupied by ideas related to their name. The Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2008-2013 was Justice Igor Judge. His colleague, Justice John Laws, was on the court of appeals…
“Dear Compromised Church” (Revelation 2:18-29)
Dear Compromised Church (Rev. 2:18-29) We now come to the fourth in this series of seven letters written to churches in Asia Minor. It is a mixed community that represents the makeup of the broader visible church in all times. It’s the longest letter, positioned right at the center of the bunch, so we would do well to pay attention to its message. Expository preaching forces me to address all kinds of sin. If I always focused on pet sins,…
“Responding to Rejection” (Luke 9:51-56)
Responding to Rejection (Luke 9:51-56) Jesus is now leaving Galilee and heading towards Jerusalem. We will see three different characters/groups (Jesus, Samaritan Village, James & John) with three different purposes. I think the goal is to evaluate whether our own mission/purposes are aligned with Christ’s kingdom purposes. We so easily focus on our own agenda to the neglect of Christ’s mission. This will also be the theme of the passage that follows. It also complements our text this morning. Take…