Psalm 16:1-11 How to Build Confidence in My Relationship with God A pastor was leading a group of high school students on a backpacking trip. Being a prudent planner, he had two scoutmasters and an Eagle Scout on the trip to ensure the safety of the students. Wanting to show his value to the team, the pastor went out front to blaze the trail, to show the scouts that he could read the map and stay on the trail. Hiking... Read more
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 How to Make the Most of Life If money doesn’t bring happiness (as we saw in Ecclesiastes 5), then the question is: what does bring happiness? The theme shifts from dealing with money to dealing with circumstances in life and how to deal with them. There are two directional outlooks on life addressed in this chapter: I can look at life in a negative light. 1. I make no money (Ecclesiastes 6:1-2) “Here is a tragedy I have... Read more
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 An Eternal Guarantee for More Than a Lifetime Have you ever been offered a guarantee on something which you have committed – either with money or talents? You commit to something on the promise that the guarantee is true. For example: Buy this car, then you will receive free oil changes for two years. Take this pill and you will be guaranteed to lose weight. Do what we ask and we can guarantee your safety. There are... Read more
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Why the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Matters Easter is our greatest celebration as Christians because it focuses our minds on the highlight of the Christian faith—the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, His rising physically, visibly, bodily from the tomb, His remarkable return to life following His torturous death. This isn’t just another wonderful gospel story or another in a series of amazing miracles. This is the story and the miracle of Christianity. It ties together all... Read more
5 Reasons Why the Resurrection Is Essential to the Christian Faith April 13, 2017 Year A The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact of history. It is also an essential reason for the Christian faith. Without it, the Christian faith fails. I want to share with you five reasons why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is necessary for the Christian faith. FIVE POSITIVE REASONS WHY THE RESURRECTION IS ESSENTIAL TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 1. The fact is that Christ... Read more
Matthew 21:1-11 My Commitment to God In his book Concentric Circles of Concern, Dr. Oscar Thompson wrote that “the gospel moves on contiguous lines – on lines of relationship.”1 The key to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ he said is relationships. This passage addresses a pathway of relationships. First, I have my relationship with Christ. Then I have my relationship with my crowd. Then, I have my relationship with my community. One sees this relationship on social media.... Read more
5 Circles of Commitment to God April 7, 2017 Year A Matthew 21:1-11 As Jesus prepares to enter Jerusalem, we see five different decreasing levels of commitment to God. 1. Christ “When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me.” (Matthew... Read more
Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 Dollars and Sense CNN recently covered a story about a man with stomach pain. The report said, “French doctors were taken aback when they discovered the reason for the patient’s sore and swollen belly: He had swallowed around 350 coins: $650 worth.” The sixty-two-year-old man came to the emergency room of Cholet General Hospital in western France, having a history of psychiatric illness. His family warned doctors that he sometimes swallowed coins, and a few had been removed... Read more
Romans 8:6-11 The Right Christian Mindset Romans 8:6-11 The Right Christian Mindset In the 1990s, a group of Washington children participated in an eight-year antismoking-campaign program. The results were not impressive. Of the group that went through the program, 25.4 percent now smoke regularly. And of the control group—those who did not participate in the study—25.7 percent now smoke regularly. The education campaign hardly made any difference at all. Our society believes education is the answer to our culture’s problems.... Read more
With a Little Help From My God April 4, 2017 Year A Psalm 143:1-12 The Beatles had a hit song entitled “With a Little Help From My Friends.” The song is about the fact that when things go wrong, one can depend on friends for help. In this psalm, David is asking for help from God. David was considered a friend of God. During his time of struggles, he called upon God for help. We all need a little help... Read more
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