Grace!!:
Last week, we ended the message on Ephesians 2:1-4 with two simple words, “But God”. This week we will begin our message with those same two words, “But God” We will progress from “who we were before Christ” to how we got to the place of being “in Christ”. and, friends, it really boils down to one word: grace!

6/30/2024

Who We Were before Christ:
DEAD
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” Ephesians 2:1
We must consider the reality of death. Death is a physical reality. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…” Hebrews 9:27
The reality is that, because of “sins and transgressions” we have physical death. Adam and Eve broke God’s moral law and we have been suffering the consequences since then.
There are other aspects of death that we must consider and what that means for humanity that id without Christ. Let's see what our text has to say.

6/23/2024

Paul's Prayer for All Believers:
Ephesians 1:15-23 is not a passage about prayer, it is a prayer. But the heart of Paul's prayer is knowing God. And that is what Paul has been doing thus far in Ephesians. Chapter 1 has been filled with amazing truth, all of it flowing out of who God is.
And now, Paul is putting that truth into a prayer for them, and by extension, for us. When you read this prayer we’re not just reading some nice words that Paul expressed for the believers in Ephesus; we’re reading words that express the very heart of what God desires for His adopted children, the heirs of salvation, joint heirs with Jesus Christ!
This is a prayer that God wants to answer, and will answer, as we seek Him.

6/16/2024

The Holy Spirit of Promise:
In the gospels we have many great and wonderful promises! It would have been amazing to have been there when Jesus proclaimed one of the greatest for the New Testament saints. Turn to John 7 and let’s look at it.
To get the context of this promise, let’s read verses 1-2, “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.”
To understand the promise, we must understand the context, and the context is The Feast of Tabernacles. This feast takes its name from the tents which were built around the temple, in public places, in courts, and on the flat roofs of peoples’ houses, and in gardens; in which the Jews dwelt for eight days, in commemoration of the forty years during which their ancestors dwelt in the wilderness. It was celebrated for eight days, from one Sabbath day to the next Sabbath day.
The promise I want to look at occurred on the 8th day of the feast, as John 7:37 calls it, “…the last day, that great day of the feast…”.  This was the most joyous and celebrated day of the feast!
Why? Let's find out together!

6/9/2024

Broken; A Communion Sermon:
"One tiny child caught our attention. We were told that she was three years old, but she weighed less than fifteen pounds. Shocked at her emaciated appearance and hollow gaze, 1 walked over and simply rubbed one side of her face with my right index finger. Suddenly, she smiled! That smile ruined me. Yet, in that gesture of a simple smile, we were reminded of the human cost of suffering–and we were reminded how often human suffering affects children most profoundly.
Thirty minutes later, that tiny little girl died.
We had no way to make sense of such grievous loss when we first encountered it –and we are not sure exactly how to make sense of it now. But there comes a point when you are so changed by God that your heart simply breaks for the lost and hurting of our world."
That is a story told by a missionary, a story we so often miss because we don't often see that here in America. Yet, brokenness is all around us. Let's take a few moments to look at what it should mean for us.

6/2/2024

All Things Reunited in Christ:
How do we make sense of today’s world? What message do we as Christians have for those around us?  According to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we have been given the ultimate revelation that gives a unique, supernatural perspective of everything. What natural humanity cannot see or understand, God has revealed to the Christian through this profound mystery: God is reuniting together all things in Christ.
All of creation, excluding fallen people and fallen angels, will be united in Christ in perfect harmony at the end of the age.  Friends, as followers of Christ, we are face to face with a reality beyond just personal salvation. Paul is taking us to a place our finite minds can barely consider. Let's go there together.

5/26/2024

Predestined to Adoption Part 2:
Continuation of last week's message.

5/19/2024

Predestined to Adoption Part 1:
I heard of an article recently about a trend among well-off or retired Americans to spend their own money to travel to needy parts of the world to work as volunteers. The woman writing the article had spent two weeks at an orphanage in Romania. She spent her time giving focused attention to some handicapped children who are hardly ever touched, cared for, or loved. One woman who stayed on after the other volunteers went home reported that the children were mostly neglected, left in squalid conditions with no one to give them any attention. Because most of the children in the orphanage have physical or mental handicaps, they are not sought after for adoption.
Can I tell you that, before you and I met Jesus Christ, we were in far worse condition than the worst of these poor orphans. Even if we were decent, moral, responsible people in the eyes of the world, from the standpoint of God, who is absolutely holy, we were wretched and rebellious, as Isaiah says, “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment.” Isaiah 1:5b-6
We were filthy and squirming in our mess, left to die because that is what our sin deserves.. Our sins, whether pride, lust, greed, selfishness, anger, or whatever, rendered us loathsome in God’s holy sight. There was no merit in us, that He would choose us to be His children. And yet, to the praise of the glory of His grace, He “predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will”  Ephesians 1:5!
That's the heart of this message!

5/12/2024

The Cross Means Forgiveness:
Let’s begin by defining forgiveness: The Greek word for forgiveness has shades of meaning, including: “release from bondage or imprisonment” and “pardon of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty”.
With the shedding of Jesus' blood, it is now possible to be “forgiven”, that is, “pardoned” so that we are no longer guilty of or imprisoned by sin.
Now, God doesn’t skimp on His pardons. I don’t know where this came from, but I like it! “We cannot conceive God's notion of pardon...When God forgives, He does not merely barely pardon...He pardons with pardons! When he casts our sins away it is not into a shallow pool, it is into the depths of the sea...He pardons with pardons, with pardons again and again, wave upon wave.”
That is pardon! That is forgiveness! If you’re sitting here this morning under the guilt of your sin or the regrets of your past, you’re living in a place God doesn’t intend for you to live!
Let's learn more!!

5/5/2024

Redeemed And Transformed: Exploring The Riches Of God's Grace:
In these verses  we’ll uncover the transformative power of God's grace and redemption. These verses reveal to us the incredible blessings poured out upon us through Jesus Christ. Here we get to explore the depths of Christ’s love and the richness of His grace.

4/28/2024

Our Greatest Need:
Last week, as we began a series through the letter to the Ephesians, I made the comment that, if we could grasp what Paul is writing about in here, it would transform our lives, both individually and as a church. I believe that the prayer of Paul that I just read bears this out.
Notice what he prays for them: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; (to know what?):
*that you may know what is the hope of His calling,
*what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
*and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
Friends, this is our church’s greatest need! Our greatest need isn’t more money, it’s not to figure out the right programs or ministries, it’s not new leadership or a better vision statement; no, our church’s greatest need is to have our understanding open that we might fully know who Christ is and who we are “in Him”.

4/21/2024

Christ and His Church: Redemption in Christ:
Right from the start I want to say that any church that doesn’t grow in the truth found in the book of Ephesians will end up in the same place that this church found itself in Revelation- being chastised by her Lord because she had left her first love.
The book of Ephesians is, first and foremost, a book about Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom. But it is also a testament to what Christ has done for His Bride, the Church. I would say Ephesians is to the New Testament what the Song of Solomon is to the Old. If any New Testament book brings out the love relationship between Christ and His Bride, it has to be the book of Ephesians.
As we work through this book together, it is my prayer that we may grow abundantly in our understanding of "Christ in us the hope of glory"!

4/14/2024

The Exodus and the Cross:
When we look at Scripture, we must understand that the atonement is the hinge of history. Actually, I don’t believe it to be a stretch to say that the cross is our theology, the central focus of everything that God has done in His redemptive plan. Of course, the cross could not have happened without the Incarnation, nor would the cross have been the completion of redemption without the resurrection, but the cross is the central event between both of those, and the cross is where redemption occurred.
Therefore, when we read through the pages of Scripture, it shouldn’t be surprising to see everything pointing to that day when our Jesus hung between Heaven and earth on that cruel cross. As a matter of fact, we should be looking for the picture, the parallel between what we’re reading at the moment and what happened on Golgotha’s hill 2,000 years ago.
This morning, as we prepare our hearts and minds to take of the bread and the cup, let’s go way back, almost 3500 years, to a land called Egypt, a people called Israel, and a man named Moses.

4/7/2024

Alive- An Easter Sermon!
I would like to begin by paraphrasing a quote from the great literary work of Charles Dickens as given to us by Gonzo in a Muppet Christmas Carol. Gonzo, as Dickens, says, “The Marleys were dead…as dead as a doornail. That one thing you must remember, or nothing that follows will seem wondrous.”
This morning, as we begin this message, we must remember, “Jesus was dead... That one thing you must remember, or nothing that follows will seem wondrous.”
That was the reality of that first Resurrection morning 2,000 years ago. To fully celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we must begin where Jesus’ followers began. Despair…defeat…tears…fear…hopelessness.
That morning began with the reminder of death. Our first introduction of that glorious morning is not in the ecstasy of life or the rejoicing of promise, it begins with despair, “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.” (Matthew 28:1).
Let's pick up the story there!

3/31/2024

Jesus- Our Worthy Redeemer: A Palm Sunday Message:
Here we are on Palm Sunday! The day that we remember the triumphal entry of our Savior-Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. We know that less than a week later this same crowd would be demanding the crucifixion of this same Jesus. But, in spite of everything they got wrong, on Palm Sunday there was one thing that they got right…Jesus is worthy of our praise!!
This day was prophesied over 500 years before Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
There is another day prophesied of, yet future, that speaks of another triumphal entry of Jesus Christ: Revelation 19:11-16.
But today I want us to focus on that first Palm Sunday and what it means for us today in relation to Jesus Christ as “Our Worthy Redeemer”.

3/24/2024

Jesus The Obedient Son:
“...though He was a Son (Jesus), yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Hebrews 5:8.
The Bible gives us the story of two sons. Adam is described as a son of God (Luke 3:38, “the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”). He is a son by creation. God loves him with Fatherly care and provides for him and protects him in the Garden of Eden.  When Adam is given the opportunity to trust His Creator’s goodness and faithfulness, he fails. The result is death and exile from the Garden of Eden.  Adam is the failed son, the disobedient son.
Later on in the biblical narrative we have another Son, another garden, and another temptation. We have Jesus, The Son. This Son is different than Adam: Adam was a son by creation, Jesus is THE Son in complete oneness and essence with the Father. He is God Himself (“I and My Father are one.” John 10:30).
Later in the story, this Son will face a garden temptation like Adam did. This time the Son does not fail but submits to the Father’s will. While Adam’s disobedience was a rebellion leading to death, Jesus chooses to submit to the will of the Father in obedience and it leads to death, as well, His own.
Jesus’ life was a life of obedience to the Father’s will, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38). However, that one place we mentioned a moment ago, a garden, specifically, the Garden of Gethsemane, where we see this obedience on display in its fulness. Let’s go there.

3/17/2024

Jesus Christ The Person of Prophetic Scripture:
All of Scripture points to Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39
In our text for today, Matthew 24, we have a passage of Scripture that has caused a lot of debate, accusation, and confusion. This chapter is a prophetic passage about a coming time known as “The Tribulation”. It fleshes out a part of the timeline found in Daniel 9, verses 24-27, especially verse 27.
There are a lot of other places we could turn, but obviously Revelation is a key part, as well. And that’s why Revelation 19 was part of our Scripture reading. Please note verse 10, the second half, “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Let's talk about Jesus-the Person of prophetic Scripture.

3/10/2024

Infinite Love in the Face of Unimaginable Betrayal- A Communion Sermon:
In the Communion passage we often read from on Communion Sunday, there’s one line that has really stuck out to me this week. It’s found in             1 Corinthians 11:23 and it simply states, “the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed.”
I’d like to ask: How many of you have ever been betrayed by a close friend? And by close, I’m not talking about a person you might hang out with for 30-minutes after church. I’m talking about the kind of friend that knows the “real you.” The friend that knows your fears and failures as well as your hopes and ambitions. The friend that has been there to celebrate your successes and also encourage you in your failures and losses. That’s the kind of friend I’m talking about. Well, how did it feel to be betrayed by that person?
I’m asking because this is the kind of betrayal that we see in our text for today. Judas was a part of Jesus closest disciples-the 12. He had a front row seat to everything Jesus ever taught and every miracle He ever performed. He had been sent out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom and cast out demons. He got to see who the “real Jesus” was as Jesus walked through the highs and lows of His three-and-a-half-year ministry. Even more incredible, Judas knew what it was like to be loved —truly loved— by Jesus Christ.
And then we look at this passage in John and see the amazing love that Jesus displays toward Judas. In my mind, it brings me to a place of wonder and amazement, as well as humility. Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, yet Jesus loves Him anyway. Let's look at what this meant for Judas and what it means for us today.

3/3/2024

Jesus the Master Architect:
Peter gives a great confession about Christ in our text, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God"! Jesus commends Peter and then says, "You are Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My church..." If the Church was to be built on the foundation of Peter, Jesus would have said “Upon you I will build My church...”, referring to Peter, but He didn’t.
Jesus is the One who is going to do this because He will be the One who lays down His life for His Church: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…” Ephesians 5:25
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep…As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep…Therefore My Father loves Me, (13) because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:11, 15, 17, 18
Let's build upon this thought as we look at Jesus' words, "I will build My church..."

2/25/2024

The Servant of the Lord:
There are 4 Servant Songs in the book of Isaiah. All four songs show the Messiah to be God’s meek and gentle Servant. He is a royal figure, representing Israel in its ideal form; He is the high priest, atoning for the sins of the world. Isaiah predicts that this Servant of the Lord would deliver the world from the prison of sin.
The Servant Songs are found in Isaiah 42:1–9; Isaiah 49:1–7; Isaiah 50:4–9; and Isaiah 52:12—53:13.
This passage from Matthew is the Servant Song of Isaiah 42. Remember, Matthew is writing His Gospel so that we might know that Jesus is the promised, prophesied Messiah. The passage that we have here today contains the largest passage from the Old Testament in the Gospel of Matthew. So, we should probably pay attention to it.
From this prophecy, and how it is applied to Jesus, we will learn two defining identities of who Jesus is and why He came to the earth. Let's take a look.

2/18/2024

Jesus Our Sabbath Rest:
“Shabbat Shalom”! This is not a phrase we hear or use often in Christian circles, and for good reason. It was a greeting using by the Jewish people as they prepared for, and celebrated, the Sabbath. It comes from an understanding of God’s giving of the day of rest after He created: Genesis 2:1-3 (READ).
Now, we know that God didn’t really need to rest. He did this as a pattern for us, He made the Sabbath for man, not the other way around: “And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.’” Mark 2:27
I’m going to share something with you this morning that I have never heard a sermon on in my 48 years as a Christian. It’s not something new or novel, but something that I guess we just don’t consider very often. What I want to speak about is Jesus as our Sabbath Rest.

2/11/2024

Jesus  Friend of Sinners:
Jesus has finished His great sermon-The Sermon on the Mount- the manifesto of His kingdom. In the next few chapters we see Him moving among the people of His day as the King of this kingdom He has just spoken of.
In chapter 8 of Matthew we see Jesus doing many wonderful things, not the least of those being the healing of the sick and casting out of demons. In every one of these interactions He is touching the lives of people who have been impacted by the consequences of sin, not necessarily of their own doing, but sin, nonetheless. And so Jesus is ministering to sinners.
In chapter 8 there’s the cleansing of a leper, the healing of the Centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, and the crowds at large. We also see Jesus casting out demons.
In chapter 9 this work continues with the healing of a paralytic, a woman with an issue of blood, two blind men, a mute man, and, for good measure, He raises a young girl from the dead! He also, again, has compassion on the crowd and teaches and heals.
But there is one significant passage I would like us to read here. The passage is Matthew 9:9-13 (READ).
Why am I highlighting this passage?  I’m highlighting it because it is a signpost leading us to the portrait of Jesus that I want us to see. I want us to see Jesus as "A Friend of Sinners". What does that mean? Let's find out.

2/4/2024

Jesus- Truth: Our Foundation:
We’ve been working our way through the gospel of Matthew. Our goal- to learn more of who Jesus is and what that means for us as His followers.   I’m sure every one of us could share stories of times in our lives where, if it were not for Jesus being our sure foundation, we would have seen our world crash down around us in hopelessness and despair.
But He was there! Today I want us to dig deeper into what it means to have Jesus as our Rock, our Foundation, the stability of our lives in an absolutely unstable and sinking world.

1/28/2024

All Life Matters! Sanctity of Life Sunday:
The unborn, the elderly, the disabled and the terminally ill, are they a burden to society or do they have intrinsic value? Abortion, euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, what do these speak to us about the value of human life?
On September 11, 2001- over 3500 people were killed in the terrorist attacks against our country. Did you know that on September 12, 2001, over 3,500 people were murdered? Approximately 3,570 unborn babies were ripped from the “safety” of their mother’s womb.
But that story was never told on the news.
Why am I going here today? Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. It was designated as such by President Ronald Reagan in a presidential proclamation on January 13, 1984, designating Sunday, January 22, 1984 as National Sanctity of Human Life Day, noting that it was the 11th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, in which the Supreme Court issued a ruling that guaranteed women access to abortion. Today, the push to end lives has expanded to embrace all life because we now have euthanasia and assisted suicide. Though not legal throughout the whole country, it is becoming more common and, therefore, is being pushed for legalization on a larger scale.
Let's take a few moments to see what God has to say about life and its value.

1/21/2024

Jesus Our Emancipator:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
And, so, American Revolutionaries began  their Declaration of Independence. Karl Marx had his Communist Manifesto. The United Nations developed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a manifesto concerning the whole world.  The Sermon on the Mount is sometimes thought of as Jesus' "Declaration of the Kingdom."
With this message, Jesus declares what His Kingdom is all about. It presents a radically different agenda than what the nation of Israel expected from the Messiah. The expected a conquering King as pointed out by their words as Jesus entered Jerusalem just before His crucifixion: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! ‘Hosanna in the highest!’” Matthew 21:9
But the Sermon on the Mount doesn’t present the political or material blessings of the Messiah's reign. Instead, it expresses the spiritual implications of Jesus' rule in our lives. This great message tells us how we should live when Jesus is our Lord.

1/14/2024

Let Us Fix Our Eyes  on Jesus:
“…looking unto Jesus, the Author (Originator) and Finisher (Perfector) of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2a).
“…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…” Philippians 1:6-
These are promises!!
1. I actually like the way the NIV renders this verse, “fixing our eyes on Jesus”.  
The word “fix” comes from a Greek word that has the idea of concentrating your gaze. It means to look away from other things so that you can focus all your attention on one object. It’s the idea of a sprinter, when the gun sounds, running as hard as he can. He doesn’t look back. He doesn’t look around. He keeps his eyes on the finish line and he keeps on running.
To fix our eyes on Jesus demands a continuous and sustained action, like  the pilot of a plane in dense fog. He keeps watching his instrument panel to make sure he stays on course. This touches all that we do and asks us to consider how we use our time. What fills our gaze? Is it Jesus? How could it be anything else?
As believers, our life of faith begins when we look to the Lord and trust Him for salvation  (Romans 3:21-24, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God,  through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”), it continues as we keep our eyes of faith fixed on Him (Hebrews 12:2a, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”), and it climaxes with faith becoming sight as see Him in all His glory (1John 3:2, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”).
This is the idea and this is what we will look at today.

12/31/2023

Christmas Worship:
If you're really a believer, if you're really a Christian, if you're really a follower of Jesus Christ, what matters more than true worship of this One who gave everything for us? What matters more than pleasing, serving, honoring, and glorifying God; the Father, the Son, our Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?
A life that pleases Him is a consecrated life. A life that pleases Him is empowered by God to serve Him. This is true worship. This, friend, is what we are called to. And, so, this morning, let’s look at Christmas worship- a life of worship that is our gift to God.
Christmas is about worship today, just as it was during that first Christmas season in Bethlehem. The birth of Jesus Christ must be about worship before it’s about anything else. More than anything else, Christmas must be about us falling to our knees as the Wise Men did in  surrender and adoration of the one who is the “King of the Jews” and, ultimately, the King of Kings!
The God of all creation took on the life of humanity in order to offer humanity true life for eternity. Christmas represents the greatest expression of the unconditional love of God the world has ever known.
And when the manger of Bethlehem is joined to the cross of Golgotha the result is God offering the free gift of eternal life to all who would receive it.
The very foundation of our Christmas celebration is worship. And I’m not talking about singing. Singing is just one outward expression of worship. True worship is an attitude of the heart, it’s something that wells up from inside us. True worship is us being filled with wonder and praise for WHO God IS and WHAT God has DONE for us. It’s us responding to God. It’s us taking in what He has done and then us expressing it back to Him. It’s us giving back to God in response to what He has given us, all that He’s given us. We’ll touch on this a bit more later.
The Bible speaks of singing in worship. It mentions the raising of hands and clapping, shouting, and making a joyful noise, but that’s just a part of it, the easy part. But it is a part, and so let’s take a look at worship on that first Christmas morning.

12/24/2023

Christmas Hope:
We live in a world desperate for hope! Henry David Thoreau saw this and wrote, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
We live in a world where hope is nearly impossible to find- There is a cry for peace, but none is found. Instead, we have wars and rumors of wars. We see famine and disease all around us, even in countries that seem to have plenty. As a result of all of these things, death abounds. For all of our technological advances, death has not been beaten. In all of this, God is mocked as impotent, uncaring, and even irrelevant.
Is it any wonder that people are drinking and drugging themselves into oblivion, finding pleasure wherever and with whomever they can. “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” has become the life motto of many.
Despair, depression, apathy, and, for far too many, suicide. Is there any hope?

I believe the answer is YES!! Let's take a look at our text to see it.

12/17/2023

Christmas Joy:
If there is a single word that describes what Christmas is all about, it’s the little word “joy.” Several of our favorite carols mention it:
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come,”
“O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,”
“Shepherds, why this jubilee, why your joyous strains prolong?”
“Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice,”
“Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies, with the angelic host proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’”
But I wonder; how many of us really feel joyful this morning? It’s not hard to feel joy when you come to church and sing these wonderful songs. But it’s not always easy to feel joyful. As a matter of fact, joy can be a challenge to the church. Sometimes we can get caught up in the do’s and don’ts of the Christian life. We can walk away from church pretty depressed some days.
I believe that part of our problem is that we’ve got the wrong idea about joy. We tend to connect it with happiness and think that joy depends on our circumstances. You can’t have joy by going from one party to another or frantically racing through the shopping mall. In fact, going to the mall this time of year is a sure fire way to lose your joy!
So, where does Christmas joy come from? Listen to the words of Luke 2:8-10 and see if you can discover the answer: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the (5) Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”
Let's dig deeper!!

12/10/2023

Christmas Tears:
“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’” Matthew 2:16-18.
Whenever choirs do Christmas concerts, they don’t sing about this part of the story. As far as I know, no Christmas carols mention this tragic event. Yet it happened one night in Bethlehem. What Herod did to those baby boys is just as real as Mary giving birth to Jesus.
Mary rejoicing, Rachel weeping. Christmas joy, Christmas tears—all wrapped up together.
In this message, I would like to investigate one question that has always stuck in my mind. Why is this shocking story recorded in the Bible? It must be true because the Bible records it as a sober historical fact, and it must be important, or Matthew wouldn’t have mentioned it, and that means there must be something here we need to think about. There are times in the Bible when you read something and it is so amazing or so unexpected or, in this case, so heartbreakingly cruel you ought to stop and ask, “What’s going on here?”

12/3/2023

Jesus-Justifier or Judge?:
The time has come!
Jesus is now ready to begin His public ministry. He doesn’t do it through a huge marketing program or by gathering a crowd and performing signs and wonders. Instead, He goes out into the desert to be baptized. Here we are introduced to John the Baptizer, “ In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.”
Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” Matthew 3:1-6
This seems like an odd way to begin a ministry, but John was sent to herald the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One of Israel; “Prepare the way of the Lord”.
John’s gospel adds an interesting note to this whole scene: John 1:24-34 Notice verse 29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
John the Baptizer recognized Jesus for who He is, “the Lamb of God”, the One who came to pay the price for the sin. This is why the Baptizer said, “but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.” Matthew 3:11, and also, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30.
John the Baptizer’s role was to point people to the Messiah. And in our text today, we see two very clear pictures of who Jesus is and why we should worship Him, love Him, and serve Him.

11/26/2023

Learning Contentment: A Thanksgiving Message:
Paul had to learn to be content. It did not come natural for him any more than it does for us. And I believe this to be one of the biggest challenges for Christians in America.
Paul’s contentment was in Christ. It was not dependent upon any circumstance. This was not self-help that Paul was practicing. He had come to know and love Jesus. Jesus was all He needed. That is why he says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Christ has strengthened Paul to be content.
And we can learn the same lesson Paul did. Let's find out how.

11/19/2023

Series in Matthew: Its all about Jesus:
I want to begin a series of messages that will take us through the gospel of Matthew. However, my goal will not be to preach on every verse or principle; my one primary, all encompassing, and determined goal will be to show you Jesus so that you and I may savor Him above all else. I want us to gain a clearer picture of Jesus-who He is and what that means for us so that we can love Him more deeply, trust Him more fully, and share Him more confidently.
I want the reality of Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13 to hit home with us,            “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46
In all of this, I would ask you to do one thing: if you honestly desire to know Christ better, to have Him be your greatest treasure, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you personally through His Word in these messages. I will fall short in my attempts because I’m a fallen and broken person, just like you, but the Holy Spirit will never fail if we are genuinely seeking.

10/22/2023

King Jesus:
It has been a battle of the ages- human kings trying to usurp the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. And our text for today is no different. Jesus, the One who would save His people from their sins, had been born. Immanuel, God with us, had entered the world as  one of us. And an earthly king is threatened.
King Herod, the madman who had his own family murdered due to concerns that they might try to overthrow him, “was troubled” when the Wise Men from the East came looking for “He who has been born King of the Jews”.
King Herod is so desperate that he goes to extreme measures to protect his crown and kingdom. Look at Matthew 2 verses 16-18, “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’”
Let's continue to look at Jesus-our great King!

10/12/2023

How to be a Healthy Church-Part 7 The church in Laodicea:
In our day, the final church, Laodicea, is probably the most well known of the seven, as it’s the one the modern church (at least in America) is compared to.
The name Laodicea conjures up images of Christ retching at their spiritual condition. The letter to the church has been used as a cudgel to beat church members in action, whether for activity or behavior. And no church wants to be associated with any aspect of this sad excuse for a congregation.
But my attempt this morning will be to look at this church in a way that is honest, yet will teach us what to become, not simply what to avoid.
“Are we, each one of us, willing to look in the mirror to see if this might be us”? Do I perform my religious “duties” in my own strength? Am I self sufficient in my Christianity? Am I depending on my own abilities? And am I proud of it?
This is not meant to bring condemnation, but evaluation and conviction, if needed. As His child and as a part of His body, Jesus loves you. He wants you to know and enjoy the fullness of a relationship with Him.

10/8/2023

HOW TO BE A HEALTHY CHURCH-Part 6  The Church in Philadelphia:
I would like to begin with some quotes for you to consider:
"God requires no more than faithfulness in our place." – William Gurnall

"Faithfulness is our business; fruitfulness is an issue that we must be content to leave with God." – J. I. Packer
"I know of nothing which I would choose to have as the subject of my ambition for life than to be kept faithful to my God till death." – C. H. Spurgeon

"It is impossible to be faithful to Jesus Christ and not incur the opposition of the world." – William Still

As we move through the letter to this church, remember the word “faithfulness” and reflect upon where we are as a church (which applies to each of us as individuals because we make up the church).

9/24/2023

HOW TO BE A HEALTHY CHURCH-Part 5 The Church in Sardis:
Ezekiel 10 (READ); Why did the glory of the Lord depart from the Temple? Ezekiel 8 (READ).
Israel was guilty of “having a form of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5).
Outwardly, everything looked great-they were performing the required sacrifices, the priests were dressed in the appropriate attire, they were reading the Torah and praying the correct prayers-but it was all form with no life; they were spiritually dead.
Can a church become like that? Well, from this letter to the church in Sardis, we see that’s exactly the case.
Sardis was the capital city of Lydia. It was a city that was considered impenetrable because it was a mountain fortress with one way in and out. Sardis was also known for its riches, mainly because it was a trade center famous for textile manufacture, dyeing, and jewelry.
But what about this letter? What can we learn from Jesus’ words to this church?

9/17/2023

HOW TO BE A HEALTHY CHURCH-Part 4 The Church in Thyatira:
It’s interesting that of the 7 churches, Thyatira would be considered the least significant in terms of importance. Unlike the other cities we’ve looked at so far, Thyatira had no special religious significance. It was not a center of either Caesar-worship or of Greek worship. The only notable thing about Thyatira from the religious point of view was that it possessed a fortune-telling shrine, presided over by a female oracle called the Sambathē. Certainly, no threat of religious persecution hung over this church. The one significant thing we do know about Thyatira is that it was a great commercial center, especially of the dyeing industry and of the trade in woolen goods. It was from Thyatira that Lydia, the seller of purple, came (Acts 16:14).
But of great importance to the Lord of this church was the issue of compromise. This church compromised morally and doctrinally. Jesus had some serious words for this church about its sin and what needed to be done to become a healthy church. These are words we need to hear today, as well.

9/17/2023

2023/9/3 How to be a Healthy Church-Part 3: The Church in Pergamos:
The major threat to Christians in Pergamos came from its role as a center of emperor worship in Asia. Caesar worship required each citizen, once a year, to offer a pinch of incense to Caesar on his altar and profess him as Lord. The citizen was then given a certificate valid for one year which allowed him to worship whatever god or gods he preferred with absolute freedom.
But this church, unlike the church in Smyrna, decided it best to try to coexist with the world around it. And so, we see that Jesus Christ comes to this church represented in a very appropriate way…
“These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword…” Revelation 2:12b
The first thing that came to my mind when I read this was Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Here we see Jesus introduced, for the first time, in judgment! This church is in imminent danger from the One who walks amongst the candlesticks! And so, the greatest threat, really, to this church was not the pagan, idolatrous culture around them, it was the Son of God in their midst! Let's look and take heed!

9/3/2023

How to be a Healthy Church- Part 2: The Church in Smyrna:
Smyrna literally means “myrrh”. The balsam tree that yielded myrrh would  yield its sweet smelling resin when it was crushed or bruised even to death. The crushing or pressure applied to the tree would bring forth its strongest odor.
Because of the culture these Christians lived in, one of unhindered sinfulness and idolatry, they would be singled out for their devotion to Christ. Living in Smyrna as a Christian was basically a life sentence to poverty, abuse, and possibly even death.
We must note the little phrase added here,  “but you are rich”. They may not have had much of this world’s goods, but they had everything they needed in Jesus Christ. What a contrast to the church in Laodicea, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17.
Far better to be rich in the things of God and hated by the world than to have all of the earthly goods and be found “lukewarm”, sickening to Jesus and, thus, vomited out!
So, let's see what else we can learn from the persecuted church in Smyrna.

8/27/2023

How to Be a Healthy Church-Part 1: The Church at Ephesus:
We have a Great Physician named Jesus. He is the head of the Church, His body. He knows what is best for His body and has given us a “prescription”, a program that He Himself has designed, for the ultimate health of His Church. But we must heed His diagnosis and treatment if the Church is to be whole and healthy.
I believe the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 give us exactly what we need to be a healthy body.
And so, over the next several weeks we will look at each church and see what the Great Physician recommends. And, today, we begin with the letter to the church in Ephesus.

8/20/2023

The Importance of the Church-Part 2:
Imagine that you were to ask the average person in the street, “Why is the church important?” you would probably get a wide range of answers. Some would laugh at the question, because for them the church isn’t important at all. Others might see the church in the same category as museums: they both preserve things from the past. They’re a nice place to visit on rainy days, where you can observe how people used to live, but they’re out of touch with our modern world.
Others might couch their answer in political terms: they view the church as a powerful voting block to oppose the erosion of morality and to preserve the family. Or some might respond to your question by saying that they see the church’s importance as a social institution. It helps meet the physical needs of the poor and the emotional needs of the lonely and distraught. It ministers to people at the pivotal times of life: birth, marriage, death, and times of crisis.
For many American churchgoers, the church is important because it meets a lot of their personal needs. They shop around for a church that makes them feel good. They get their weekly high that enables them to cope with life.
As we continue our man-on-the-street interviews, we come to a short, balding man with a beard, who looks decidedly Jewish. Somewhat hesitantly, we ask him.
“Sir, we’re asking people the question, ‘Why is the church important?’ Would you care to comment?” We’re hardly prepared for his answer.
He says, “I believe the church of Jesus Christ is the most important force in the world today. Its task is more important than all the governments and universities of the world combined. There is nothing to compare with it!”
We reply, “That’s a pretty strong statement, sir! Why do you say that?” He responds, “Because the most significant event in human history was when the living God took on human flesh and lived among us as the Lord Jesus Christ to bear our sins. And since He ascended into heaven, His church now reveals Him on earth, even as He revealed God when He was on earth.” So, the church is important because it reveals Christ, even as Christ reveals God in human flesh.
"It (the Church) reveals Christ"! We are Jesus to the world around us. Let's look deeper into this mystery!

8/6/2023

The Importance of the Church Part 1:
Imagine that you were to ask the average person in the street, “Why is the church important?” you would probably get a wide range of answers. Some would laugh at the question, because for them the church isn’t important at all. Others might see the church in the same category as museums: they both preserve things from the past. They’re a nice place to visit on rainy days, where you can observe how people used to live, but they’re out of touch with our modern world.
Others might couch their answer in political terms: they view the church as a powerful voting block to oppose the erosion of morality and to preserve the family. Or some might respond to your question by saying that they see the church’s importance as a social institution. It helps meet the physical needs of the poor and the emotional needs of the lonely and distraught. It ministers to people at the pivotal times of life: birth, marriage, death, and times of crisis.
For many American churchgoers, the church is important because it meets a lot of their personal needs. They shop around for a church that makes them feel good. They get their weekly high that enables them to cope with life.
As we continue our man-on-the-street interviews, we come to a short, balding man with a beard, who looks decidedly Jewish. Somewhat hesitantly, we ask him.
“Sir, we’re asking people the question, ‘Why is the church important?’ Would you care to comment?” We’re hardly prepared for his answer.
He says, “I believe the church of Jesus Christ is the most important force in the world today. Its task is more important than all the governments and universities of the world combined. There is nothing to compare with it!”
We reply, “That’s a pretty strong statement, sir! Why do you say that?” He responds, “Because the most significant event in human history was when the living God took on human flesh and lived among us as the Lord Jesus Christ to bear our sins. And since He ascended into heaven, His church now reveals Him on earth, even as He revealed God when He was on earth.” So, the church is important because it reveals Christ, even as Christ reveals God in human flesh.
"It (the Church) reveals Christ"! We are Jesus to the world around us. Let's look deeper into this mystery!

7/30/2023

A Glorious Church:
This is a sermon that I preached to our congregation when we were going through an extremely difficult time. There was a real shaking, an upheaval, if you will, and I wanted to remind our church of what God is doing in His church and what that meant for us in the midst of this turmoil.

7/23/2023

A Biblical Response to Transgenderism:
There is a gender identity crisis sweeping across our nation and culture. This is a serious issue facing not only our society at large, but also the church specifically. Friends, if we get this wrong, it will impact generations to come. Why? Because this is ultimately a Gospel issue. We’ll get into that in a bit. As I prepared this message I realized that in this debate there are some people against whom we should have a righteous indignation (politicians, school/ college administrators and teachers, health care professionals, Hollywood, Disney, corporations, anyone who is in a place of authority and influence who is using this ideology to make money or gain power/ control/ influence), but there are others that we should treat with compassion and sympathy (children, teens, those who have been indoctrinated and are now young adults, any who have been pushed into this because they were confused and then deceived, lied to, and manipulated, and those with mental illness). And so, I want to address the biblical response to both sides of this: the perpetrators and pushers of this unbiblical and ungodly ideology, as well as those who are being impacted as a result.

7/16/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity-part 7: Speaking Clearly About Eternity:
If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next.” - C.S. Lewis
Here’s a question you probably don’t hear very often, “How often do you think about eternity”? As we finish up our series through Isaiah 53, we end with the subject of eternity. Let’s read Isaiah 53 and notice, in particular, verse 12, “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Verse 12 is speaking specifically of the eternal results of what Jesus Christ accomplished through His death. Verses 1-11, as well as the latter part of verse 12, speak of that death. But squeezed right here at the beginning of verse 12 is the eternal result of His time bound, flesh and blood, victory securing crucifixion! Let’s flesh this out.

7/9/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity: part 6: Speaking Clearly About Justification:
This morning I’m going to jump right into the message because of its significance for our lives as Christians. But also because, as with some of the other truths we’ve looked at, its lack of clarity and understanding in the minds of many believers.
As a matter of fact, John Calvin says “Justification is the main hinge on which salvation turns”. And another Reformer boldly stated, “Justification is the article by which the Church stands and falls.”
Why is this important for us to understand and defend as the church? Because every other religion says that you must earn your salvation yourself; no one else can do it for you. Even within so called “Christianity”.
So, let's look a bit deeper into the biblical truth of justification and what it means for you and me today.

7/2/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity-Part 5: Speak Clearly About Union With Christ:
As we continue working through “Pursuing Gospel Clarity”, we come to a truth that, in my estimation, is the least understood, yet may be the most essential, truth that we will look at.
I honestly believe that many Christians are weak and unsure in their walk with Christ because they don’t understand the reality of our union with Him. So, let’s zero in on this profound truth.
Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.”
You might think, “Where do we see our union with Christ in this verse”? Notice the little phrase, “He shall see His seed”. When we think of the seed of a husband and wife, we think of the children that have come from that “union”. And out of that relationship comes a child, a “seed”, that is bound in union to them because of their union. We have the same picture here.
We are bound to Christ, in “union” with Him because of what He has done for us and when it occurred. Let's take a closer look.

6/25/2023

Biblical Manhood:
Our society today is doing everything it can to destroy what it means to be a man. And they have unashamedly and aggressively gone after what it means to be a man as God intended. The most important question for us today, as men, is not just, “What does it mean to be a man in the 21st century?”, but “What does it mean to be a godly man and how do I become that man?”
I want to try to answer that question this morning by giving us a standard that will actually serve 2 purposes:
1. It will show us where we are at the moment as we measure ourselves against it;
2. It will give us a picture to look at as we strive to become a more godly man.

6/18/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity-Part 4:Speaking Clearly About Atonement:
Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
This classic passage on the crucifixion shows that it was a penal substitution- Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross takes the place of the punishment we should have suffered for our sins. As a result, God’s justice is satisfied, and those who accept Christ can be forgiven and reconciled to God.
Yet people sitting in some churches have a problem with hymn lyrics like,
“'Til on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. For every sin on Him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live.”
Why do we not understand the truth of substitution? Why is it rejected by so many in so called "Christianity"? And, more importantly, why isn't this foundational doctrine taught in our churches today? Let's answer thee questions, and more, as we look at pursuing Gospel clarity.

6/11/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity-Part 3 Speaking Clearly About Sin:
As we continue to look at Isaiah 53 and the issue of gospel clarity, we’ve looked at 2 very important, and essential truths of the gospel: Jesus Christ and holiness. We know that salvation would not be possible if it weren’t for Jesus willingly coming to this earth to die in our place. We also understand, I hope, that God’s holiness demands an appropriate response to the condition of man. And what is that condition? That is the focus of today’s message.
Genesis 2:8, 9 “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” And then 15, 16, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”
This passage is foundational to the understanding of man’s condition. God created man and put him in this special garden He had created. Adam had been given a special calling by God to steward what He had created. But he was also given one command that he was to keep, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”. That’s it. One command. Not 1,000 or 100; not even 10 commandments; just one. And we know what happened.
Genesis 3:1-7-Adam and Eve disobeyed. They believed the Devil and did the one thing God told them not to. They sinned.

6/4/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity-Part 2: Speaking Clearly About Holiness:
Holiness is the next truth we must understand if we want to have gospel clarity. Last week we focused on the absolute central and preeminent truth of the gospel, Jesus Christ Himself. But to really grasp why Jesus had to die for our sins, we must get ahold of two other significant realities: God’s holiness and our sin. So, let’s look at holiness.

5/28/2023

Pursuing Gospel Clarity-Part 1: Speaking Clearly About Jesus:
The one over-arching theme of the Bible is God’s scarlet thread of redemption displayed, not through a system of religion, nor a series of principles through which to reach God, but a Person: the Person of Jesus Christ. He is its focus, its main point, its pinnacle and climax from Genesis 1 to revelation 22.
The first verse of the Bible says, “In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1). And who is this God but Jesus Christ Himself; “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16).
I want to begin a sermon series on the chapter of the Bible that gives us the clearest portrait of Jesus as our Savior, our Substitute, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Isaiah 53. Of course, the context in which we share the gospel, and first heard it, was in the context of unbelief. Maybe that’s you, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
I want us to look at this chapter and really get a sense of what Jesus did for our salvation and all that means. I think most Christians see the gospel message as “Jesus died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead. I can be forgiven by asking for and receiving that gift for myself. Now I know that I’m going to heaven.” But is that really all there is to the gospel? I don’t think so. And I believe Isaiah 53 gives us a very clear understanding of exactly what this great salvation we have is.
So, let’s begin with the most important truth there is about our salvation-Jesus Himself. We must have absolute clarity on who Jesus is and what He did.

5/21/2023

Biblical Womanhood:
There are only a few times a year I preach to the calendar (Easter, Independence Day, and Christmas). However, on this Mother's Day, in light of our culture’s continually increasing attack on God’s ordained plan for men and women, I thought it appropriate to do a message honoring womanhood. God created you, as a woman, as a very unique and special part of His creation. Your value lies, not in being a mother, but in being a person created in the image of God for His purposes. So, this message is a reminder of God’s desire for what a godly woman should be.
As I contemplated what text to use, I thought, maybe Proverbs 21:19. “Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman” or Proverbs 27:15, “A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike”, but then, I thought, we don’t have any women like that in our church. All kidding aside, I chose 1 Peter 3:1-6 because it gives God's definition of what a godly woman is and what she looks like. And, by the way,  verse 4 says, "let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." What an amazing thought!

5/14/2023

Jesus is Precious:
Precious- (Miriam Webster)- “Of great value or high price; highly esteemed or cherished”.
When we think of the word precious, we think of those things most valuable to us: Our spouse (yes, I started here!), our children and grandchildren, family heirlooms, and our very lives would be a few things that might come to mind.
Scripture here points us to something that is extremely precious and what our attitude toward it should be. And we are remembering it this morning as we remember the death of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

5/7/2023

Building Christ's Kingdom, Not Mine:
Many times throughout the Scriptures, before God built something great in the Spirit, He first tore down the efforts of the flesh.
We are enamored in the church today with programs and events-something catchy to grab people’s attention with the hope that we can sneak Jesus into the conversation. And we do it all in the name of “church growth”. Church life in many places has become about nickels & noses, butts & bucks or the ABC of church growth: attendance, buildings, and cash. But is that really what Jesus is after.
I want to submit to you that Jesus’ greatest desire in building His church was none of these things. Why? Because you can have all of these things and be useless- Revelation 3:14-22 (READ).
I’ve come to the conclusion that we should no longer focus on growing the church, instead we should seek to reach and bless our city. As we do that, Jesus will build His church with those that He would have here. Isn’t that what He said? “I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18. Let's build on that thought.

4/30/2023

Understanding Discipleship:
I honestly believe that one of the greatest hindrance s to making disciples is a lack of knowing what a disciple is and how to make them. A disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus. A pretty simple, yet profound definition if we grasp exactly what it is we are called to produce. However, the other big part of this is that we can't do this on our own. We can give knowledge and equip people with skills, but it is the Spirit of God who has to transform the heart of an individual to live out that knowledge and use the skills with the right motive. So let's dig into this whole deal of making disciples.

4/23/2023

How Great a Debtor/ Living "Sent"   Romans 1:8-16:
“HillCity Church will, by God's grace, love the unlovable, touch the   untouchable, and do the impossible as we grow up in Christ and go out in love.”   This is the vision that God has given to us. The question is, "How do we fulfill this vision"? We do it by obeying the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”) and by having a heart like the apostle Paul , found in our text, "Romans 1:14-16, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” So, let's talk about what that means.

4/16/2023

Oh, What a Morning!:
I would like for us to spend some time today looking at that great morning when our Lord, Jesus Christ, conquered death, Hell and the grave forever. There has never been a morning like that before, nor shall there ever be one like it hereafter.
Now, please understand that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus has effects that reach beyond that morning to this very day. You see: HE IS ALIVE this morning! So, let’s walk together through these verses and look at that morning!

4/9/2023

The Reality of Palm Sunday:
As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we remember the worship and praise that was given to the Lord Jesus. As He rode into Jerusalem on that donkey, thus fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9), He was being heralded as the coming Liberator for the nation of Israel. Yet, as we know, that wasn't His plan. And if we focus only on this part of the Triumphal Entry, we miss so much. Luke alone records for us another part of this scenario that we so often miss, yet is central to Jesus understanding of this day. Let's learn together.

4/2/2023

Having a Jesus Attitude:
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus'" What does that mean? How does it apply to us today? Are there things (idols) in our lives that are getting in the way of us having this mind? Is it something I have to ask God for or is it already mine? These questions, and more, will be addressed in this message. But do more than just learn; accept the challenge that comes out of this message.

3/12/2023

Have the Mind of Christ:
The most important aspects of the Christian life is to become more like Jesus. This starts with our minds, our thoughts, our attitudes. Only as our minds are transformed can we begin to walk as Jesus walked and live life to glorify Him. That is the subject of this message.

3/5/2023

An Exhortation to Unity:
The apostle Paul laid out for us in verse 1 of this text the tools, the resources that are ours in Christ, as a body of believers, for unity. He now goes on in verses 2-4 to tell us what the church should look like when these resources are properly used. It should be a church of selfless humility; of putting others before ourselves. A church that looks like Jesus Christ! Let's take a few moments to work through the evidences of unity in Christ.

2/26/2023

Revival: Some Thoughts on The Asbury Revival:
A  phenomenon is taking place at a small Christian University in Kentucky named Asbury University. It's being called "a move of God" or "an awakening"; some are even calling it a revival. As with anything that goes on, especially under the umbrella of "Christian", we must test it against the teachings of the Word of God. So, what is going on in Asbury? And, more importantly, is it biblical? Let's take a look.

2/19/2023

Let This Mind Be in You:
We are going to do a brief series on Philippians 2:1-11. This passage speaks of the "humiliation" of Jesus as He humbles Himself to become a man, a bondservant, to fulfill the will of the Father and purchase our salvation. We will look at what it meant for Jesus and what it means for us. And we will begin with one simple verse, verse 1. There is much for us to learn from this first verse.

2/12/2023

May Your Garments Be Always White:
Solomon gave us these words as a form of blessing. But what would this have meant to the people of his time? How would they have understood these words? Let's take a few moments to dig in and see what we can find out and, more importantly, what it means for us today!

2/5/2023

Too High a Cost?:
We live in a day of soft Christianity. You can become a "Christian" and live any way you want to with no expectation of growth in Christ or surrender to Him. Is this the message of the New Testament? Is this the message that the Apostle Paul preached? As we finish up the book of Colossians, let's take a look at Paul's commitment and his outlook on this. And as we do, let's "remember my (his) chains". And, more importantly, let's ask ourselves the question, "Are the things I'm living for worth Christ dying for?".

1/29/2023

Sanctity of Life in a Culture of Death:
As we celebrate sanctity of Life Sunday, we must realize that we live in a culture of death. Suicide, abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia are all realities n our nation that we must face and stand against. Video games, social media, movies and TV all glorify  death as they make billions of dollars sensationalizing and normalizing it. The church must stand up and stand against this obsession with death! God is the giver of life and He loves the life He gives us. Psalm 139 speaks to this and we'll learn from it today.

1/22/2023

Open:
As Paul nears the end of his letter to the church in Colossae, he asks for prayer and gives some instruction in how we are to live. The one word that would best describe his heart in this is the word "open". He asks for prayer, thus speaking of an open throne room of grace. He specifically would like them to pray for "open: doors for the gospel and the right words as he "opens" his mouth. He then reminds them of how their lives are to be "open" to both believers and unbelievers in the way they act and speak.

1/15/2023

The Christian Life Is a Race:
The Apostle Paul reminds us that the Christian life is a race, a marathon, that we must run to the end if we are to finish well. Let's see what we need to learn to run well and to finish strong.

1/8/2023

In It For the Long Haul:
Too many people place way too much emphasis on New Year’s resolutions. As Christians, we should not be looking to the calendar and looking at our commitment to Christ for the next year. We need to be Christians that will stop looking at the Christian life by the week or the month or the year and, right now, make a lifetime commitment. We need to be Christians that are in it for the long haul.
Christianity is not an experiment. It’s not a hobby or a fad. It’s not just a phase that you grow out of. It’s a life-long commitment. I’m in it for the long haul! I want to be here until the end! I want to finish what I started!
G. K. Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”
Let's determine to be in it for the long haul.

1/1/2023

Because of Christmas, God Has a Face:
As the Shepherds stood there with Joseph and Mary, the face of that newborn baby, so gentle and sweet, had already blazed with the light of the incredible brightness of the Sun.
Baby Jesus, as God the Son, was the Creator and had already been the focus of the adoring gaze of Heaven’s countless hosts. His face caused the cherubim, closest to His Throne: to cover their faces, for He was God. His radiance of Glory made them bow in humility.
And now, the face of God was able to be looked upon as He entered this world, as one of us!
Let's worship Him together as we open His Word!

12/25/2022

The Wonder of Christmas:
Human history has been gradually unfolding according to God’s sovereign,   ordained plan.
The coming of Jesus was prophesied thousands of years before it actually happened.
Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
There had been 400 years of silence Israel. God had not spoken a word through His prophets to the nation, and the people were in despair under Roman oppression.
And then...He came! And it was an event surrounded by joy, difficulty, and...wonder! Let's look, together,  at the wonder of Christmas.

12/18/2022

Mary's Example: A Christmas Sermon:
The story of Christmas begins with an angel's visit to a young Jewish woman. The angel tells her that she has been chosen by God to be the one to carry and mother the Savior of the world. This will involve sacrifice and loss for her; she will be misunderstood and maligned. How does she respond. Let's learn together what trust and faith look like as we consider the example of Mary.

12/11/2022

And They Were Amazed:
The shepherds were a ragtag bunch, considered outcasts by the average folks. And yet, God sent His angels, proclaiming the message of a newborn Savior, to them first! And how appropriate that they should be the first audience to the babe lying in a manger. Why? Because they are the perfect picture of each one of us: outcasts to God because of our sin, dirty and lowly and of no real importance to anyone. But God...but God thought differently! And so the message went to the shepherds, and the message comes to us! Will we be amazed by Jesus? Will we come to Him as they did and then go and proclaim the message, just like the shepherds did?

12/4/2022

God's Design for the Sexes:
I’m sure you would agree that our society today is confused about men and women and what their roles and responsibilities are in every facet of life. As a matter of fact, this was clearly brought out in Matt Walsh’s documentary, “What is a Woman?” He had medical professionals, college professors, politicians, and average people on the street who could not, or would not, answer the question, “What is a woman”?
And the confusion and controversy about men and women doesn’t stop at the church door. A survey done by Ligonier Ministries found that 37% of professing evangelicals believe that gender is a matter of choice. These are people who say that, “The Bible is the highest authority for what they believe”.
But we are letting the world dictate what marriage should look like. God demands order, the world wants balance.
The Bible, however, is crystal clear on the issues of gender and the roles and responsibilities of men and women, especially in marriage. If we want to have God’s blessing on our marriages, we would do well to follow His prescribed directions. And, let me tell you, you will be challenged, and maybe even ticked off, by this message! But that’s ok if it gets you to dig in and really find out what the Word of God says! Because, you see, the created order will always, eventually, spin out of control when it is not centered on the glory of God. The church MUST get this right.

11/27/2022

A Thanksgiving Message From Habakkuk:
As Thanksgiving rolls around again, we must ask ourselves the question, "What do I have to be thankful for?". We can reflect back over the past 11 months of the year and decide how we will respond to what has happened in our lives. Habakkuk was in the midst of some devastating circumstances. Israel was about to be invaded by a ruthless nation. They would leave destruction and death in their wake. Many of them would be taken to Babylon. And yet...Habakkuk has a choice to make. As this little book unfolds, we see the prophet going from doubt and despair; questioning God and what He's doing, to prayer and praise as he learns more of who God is and rests in that truth. We can learn much from Habakkuk. So, let's travel together through each chapter and glean lessons for a lifetime! Happy Thanksgiving!

11/20/2022

God's Presence is Essential:
This world we live in is brutal! Sin has ravaged everything and it affects our lives! But what are we to do? Where are we to turn? Unfortunately, many have turned Christianity  into a system of works or a program to be followed. It has become about rules and performance. Is this what God intended when He sent Jesus to die in our place? Is this really all there is? The Bible says, "NO", there is much more! Jesus did not come to give us a system or program, He came to give us Himself! And that is all we need is Him! And when we have Him we have everything! He is our peace, oour joy, our holiness, and our everything! And so, we simply need Him! And He is always with us as Hid followers! His presence is essential to our walk with Him! "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" is still in the Book, but are we aware of the reality of this promise? Let's journey there together!

11/13/2022

From Death to Life-Following Jesus and Dying to Self:
Why should we focus on the fact that the disciples just couldn’t grasp the significance of Jesus’ impending death?
Because I believe we make the same mistake! If we really understood the significance of the death of Jesus we would live differently; we would view our sin as the heinous thing that it is; we would look at the lost world around us with eyes of compassion; and we would share the gospel with a passion.
Let’s go  to Luke 9 for a moment. Look at verses 23-25, “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?’”
This is the way to life; dying to self.

11/6/2022

Good Citizens of Two Kingdoms:
As Christians, we live in two worlds. We are citizens of two kingdoms. And we are to be good citizens of both. Philippians 2:20 tells us, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”.
Because of this, every aspect of our lives should be ruled by the laws of the heavenly kingdom. Read the Sermon on the Mount, look at the Fruit of the Spirit, consider the love chapter (1 Corinthians 13), meditate on Ephesians 6 and you see how we are to wage war for God’s kingdom, and revel in the book of Revelation as it unfolds, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:5) as you learn what it means to be a citizen of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ!
But then we see the other side. Because we are to be, first and foremost, citizens of this heavenly kingdom, we are called to be good citizens of whatever earthly kingdom God has placed us in. How do we do that? Let's learn together.

10/30/2022

Blessed-The Beatitudes:
The Greek word for blessed means, possessing the favor of God, experiencing ‘spiritual prosperity’. It describes a state of being marked by fullness from God. And it comes from being in right relationship with God. Notice that the word “blessed” is used in Psalm 32:1, 2 and what the source of that blessing is: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”
This is where Jesus begins in the Beatitudes; "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". And He goes on from there. Let's learn what Jesus has for us as we reflect on just a few of the Beatitudes, maybe in a way you haven't seen them before.

10/23/2022

The Feast of Tabernacles:
The Feast of Tabernacles (also called Feast of Booths or Sukkot in Hebrew) was the seventh and final feast commanded in the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament). In addition, it served as the third of three yearly occasions when all Jewish men were to appear before the Lord to worship (Deuteronomy 16:16). It was mentioned frequently in Scripture and is also significant due to the Jewish temple being dedicated during this time (1 Kings 8:2).
Interestingly, the Feast of Tabernacles was also described as a key time of revival when the returning Israelites came to rebuild the temple during the time of Ezra. In the New Testament, Jesus preached during this same feast in Jerusalem, giving His famous teaching, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:37-38).
Pastor Mike shares with us about the feast and what it means for us today.

10/16/2022

A Harmonious Body:
As we continue through our study of Colossians, we find Paul, in this passage, encouraging us to unity. His desire is that the body of Christ would show forth itself as a "harmonious" body. And he tells us how we can do this and what it should look like. Just as it was his desire for the church in Colassae, it is the Father's desire for His people today.

10/9/2022

Yom Kippur and Communion:
This year Yom Kippur begins on the evening of Tuesday, October 4th. Jewish people around the world will fast and pray, hoping their sins have been forgiven and their names sealed in the Book of Life for one more year. There is no longer a priest to cast lots, no scapegoats to send into the wilderness, and no blood to be poured on the mercy seat. For those who know Him, Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, has finished it all.
And today, we celebrate the fact that we have been washed in the blood, made as white as snow, our debt is paid! The elements on the Communion Table represent the broken body and shed blood of the precious Lamb of God. We can be free from the penalty and power of sin simply by realizing and accepting for ourselves that Jesus Christ did this for me!
Thank God for the Blood!

10/2/2022

Putting on the Character of Christ:
As Christians, we need to be dressed appropriately! The great thing is that God has chosen our “wardrobe” for us and all we have to do is put it on! . Believers will never enjoy mutual fellowship through compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, or patience; they will not bear with each other or forgive each other unless they put on Christ and love one another. To try to practice the virtues of Paul has listed above apart from love is legalism. They must flow from love, which in turn is a fruit of the Spirit-filled life

9/25/2022

Pastor Mike Berger-Lessons From Ruth:
There is much that we can learn from the story of Ruth. Join Pastor Mike Berger as he walks us through some of those lessons.

9/18/2022

Not Carnality, But Christ:
The Cross, the focus of history, redemption and the godly life, has two sides: it involves a death, and it was followed by a resurrection. Both of these aspects are related to the believer. The one serves his connection with the past life, the other introduces him to a new life in union with Christ. Not only are we, by God’s grace, to abandon the pre-death life, but we are to aspire to the post-resurrection life. This is the reality for those who name the Name of Jesus Christ; we are meant for something more than just a ticket to "the sweet by-and-by", we are meant to be made like Jesus Christ!

9/11/2022

Message for Broken People:
Jesus came for broken people, which means that Jesus came for every one of us. This message brings home that truuth. Are we willing to admit our brokenness, even as believers? Will we come to Him for what we need or will we continue to hide behind our religious veneer? Jesus wants to make us holy and "whole"

9/4/2022

Jesus Christ, Not Religion:
One of the most serious problems facing the orthodox Christian church today is the problem of legalism. One of the most serious problems facing the church in Paul’s day was the problem of legalism. In every day it is the same. Legalism wrenches the joy of the Lord from the Christian believer, and with the joy of the Lord goes His power for vital worship and vibrant service.
It’s also been put, more succinctly, this way, “With legalism, nothing is left but cramped, somber, dull and listless profession.”

8/28/2022

The Power of the Cross:
Before we came to Christ we had three major problems that kept us from God:  our sinful nature, the law and Satan. Our sinful nature made us desire sin and to choose that sin over God. The law showed us our sin and brought us condemnation. And Satan was our tempter and accuser – both tempting us to sin and then accusing us before God when we gave in to temptation to sin. We were under the power of our sinful nature, the power of the law and the power of Satan, and we needed deliverance.
Fortunately, there is a greater power than the power of our sinful nature, the law or Satan. And that greater power is the power of the cross. That’s what our passage in Colossians is all about this morning: the power of the cross to free us from the power of sin, the law and Satan

8/21/2022

Beware-Don't Be Cheated- Part 2:
The conclusion of last week's message.

8/14/2022

Beware-Don't Be Cheated-Part 1:
Anyone who has read the New Testament letters written by Paul and the others knows that false teaching and bad doctrine came into the church very quickly. The Apostle Paul, here in our text, is warning believers to be on their guard! There are those out there who would come into the church and try to pervert the simple gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wants the Colossian believers to receive and enjoy the full benefits and blessings of their relationship with Jesus. Therefore, he warns them to be diligent in the truth. What an admonition for us in our day!

8/7/2022

Paul's Heart for the Church:
“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh...” These words come from the Apostle Paul and show his great love for all believers in churches everywhere! His desire was to be a blessing and a help to whomever he could in the body of Christ. Do we share that same heart, that same desire to see fellow believers enriched and encouraged as they grow in their understanding of and love for the Lord Jesus? We should, and we can!

7/31/2022

Paul as a Minister and an Example:
The Apostle Paul, as he writes this letter to the Colossians, is more than willing to defend his call to the ministry and to set himself as an example to follow as he follows Christ. Could we say the same thing about our lives? We should be willing to have others look at our lives and know that it is about Jesus. We should be able to say with Paul, "Follow me as I follow Christ"!

7/24/2022

Reconciled in Christ:
Last week wqe looked at the preeminence of Jesus Christ; one of the reasons He is the Preeminent One is because He fulfilled the Father's will and, through His death, brought about reconciliation. We'll lay that out a bit more  in this message to grasp, just a bit more, what it is that Jesus accomplished on our behalf.

7/17/2022

The Preeminence of Christ Colossians 1:9-14
Whether it's the book of Colossians or any of the others of Paul's letters, Jesus Christ is always  the central focus.  Our text this morning zeroes in on that very truth and lays out for us just why Jesus Christ is worthy of our praise and service.

7/10/2022

A Declaration of War: 1776 and Today-An Independence Day Message:
As we remember and celebrate the freedoms we have as Americans, let's never forget those who paid a very high price for those freedoms; the final eight words of the Declaration being a covenant that the 56 signers made with one another to give, "Our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor". We must especially remember those Patriot Pastors who led the way! And yet, many years before that, Another gave His all, by Himself, for the freedom of humanity from the bondage of sin; Jesus Christ. As great as the sacrifices were of the colonial Americans to secure our freedoms, none can compare to the sacrifice, nor the freedom gained, of the Lord Jesus!

7/3/2022

Five Benefits We Have in Christ:
Jesus death did a whole lot more than just give us a way to get our ticket to Heaven punched. As a matter of fact, that's only a fringe benefit. His death and resurrection accomplished far more than that. Let's take a look together at what Paul lays out as five benefits we have in Jesus Christ.

6/26/2022

Needed: Godly Men (Or, Boys Will Be Boys Unless You Don't Let Them, Then They'll Be Girls) -A Father's Day Message:
We live in a day of the fatherless child. Many homes have a mom and children, but no dads. Some of these homes may have a man in the house, but he is missing when it comes to being a husband and a father. And it's not just in the world! The church suffers from the same malady! Why is this? And, why is it so important to see this change? What can we do? Let's see what Scripture has to say about all of this.

6/19/2022

Strength For the Journey:
As we continue to look at Paul's letter to the church in Colosse, we will notice that his heart fro them is that they might be "strengthened with all might" as they walk worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ and fulfill the Father's will for them as a church. Let's learn together about this "strength for the journey" that the Apostle Paul prays for believers in Christ.

6/12/2022

Four Encouragements to Hope:
As believers in Jesus Christ we have hope! Even though we are living in this fallen world, we have hope! Though trials and troubles will come our way, we have hope! Pastor Mike Berger encourages us to have hope in Jesus Christ!

6/5/2022

A Memorial Day Sermon: Remember!!:
On this Memorial Day we want to properly honor those who gave their all that we might keep and enjoy the freedoms that we have as Americans. Yet, as much as we are grateful for those freedoms, there is a greater freedom that is found in the sacrifice of One, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who takes away the sins of the world. So, let us remember!!

5/29/2022

Paul's Prayer for the Colossians-The Knowledge of the Will of God:
As we move into our study of the book Of Colossians, we see that right away Paul prays for these believers. A key part of this prayer is that that would, "be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God". Sounds great! How do we do that? Let's find out together!

5/22/2022

Colossians for 21st Century Christians:
As we begin a study through the book of Colossians, a great question to ask is, "What does Colossians have to say to me in the 21st Century?" This message lays the foundation for our study by answering that question. And the answer is, "A lot!!"

5/15/2022

Preaching in the Last Days: As we see this world becoming more and more lawless and the return of Christ fast approaching, the faithful minister of the Gospel must do one thing, and he must do it with urgency and unapologetically-preach the Word! In this day of itching ears and a sugar-coated gospel we must proclaim the truth of God's Word!

5/1/2022

Jesus Taught Revelation 6 and the Seals:
As we continue our study of end times prophecy, we must notice the correlation between Jesus' teaching in Matthew 24 about the last days and the writing of John in Revelation 6 about the seven seals. If we compare them side by side, we will see that they are both about the same thing! And so, by putting the two together there is much that we can learn and understand.

4/24/2022

Easter Sermon-While It Was Still Dark:
As dawn was approaching, Mary found herself going to the tomb of Jesus "while it was still dark". But the greatest darkness was not that of the early morning hours, it was the darkness of that horrific day just a short time before when Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross. It was the darkness of emotional turmoil at the loss of a dearly loved friend and the confusion of dashed dreams; it was the spiritual darkness of promises unfulfilled and hopes shattered; it was the darkness of physical exhaustion; everything seemed dark now. And yet...! And the same is true for us today. My prayer is that you will find encouragement and hope as you see your darkness torn asunder by the glorious light of the resurrected Christ!

4/17/2022

Here Comes the King! A Palm Sunday message:
On this Palm Sunday we're going to compare two different times when Jesus arrived on the scene. The first will be that day He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the promised King of Israel. The second arrival we will look at is in the throne room of Heaven as the Father holds out a scroll and, for the moment, John wonders if there is anyone worthy to take and open its seals. This is when Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb, arrives on the scene! We will see many similarities and one significant difference!

4/10/2022

The Day of the Lord:
The Day of the Lord is a topic that is very rarely preached or taught in our day, yet it is of extreme importance to a biblical understanding of the last days! What is the Day of the Lord? Why is it so significant? When does the Day of the Lord occur? How can I know when the Day of the Lord is near? Today's message will hopefully answer some of those questions and more. We must get a grasp of this incredible prophetic event!

3/27/2022

Laying the Groundwork from the Book of Revelation:
As we begin to dig into the study of the last days, I have chosen to use the book of Revelation as the framework upon which we will build. We will not cover every point or verse in Revelation, instead we will use it as the skeleton upon which the body of end times teaching will be developed. This message covers a few points in chapters 1-4 of Revelation with our main focus settling on chapter 5.

3/20/2022

The Mystery of Lawlessness and the Lawless One:
As we look at the world around us, it's pretty obvious that things are beginning to really spin out of control (man's control, not God's). One area in particular seems to have just gone off the rails, and that's the level of lawlessness we see. And what is most alarming is that it's not just in the world that we see it, but in the church, as well. Is this a sign of the times? Is the return of Christ near? How should we as Christians respond to both the world and the Church?

3/13/2022

The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy:
The prophecies of Scripture are some of the greatest proofs to the veracity of Scripture. Yet, many Christians ignore prophecy because they can't understand it or it's too controversial. In this introductory message to end times prophecy we will see that if Jesus Christ is the central focus of the study of prophecy, then we can learn much and be strengthened in our faith.

2/27/2022

A Challenge to the Church in America:
The Church in America has fallen asleep and the society around us considers us irrelevant. The country is now trying to silence the Church completely. The issues of gender equity, racism and BLM, immigration, Critical Race Theory, and many more are not ultimately about bringing down the American government or economic systems of this country, they're about erasing our Judeo-Christian foundation and removing the God of the Bible from public life! The Church MUST wake up and advance the cause of the Gospel in our nation!

2/20/2022

Praying the Heart of God:
As believers, we know that we are to pray according to God's will. But what does that mean? John gives us some very practical advice, with a general principle and then a very specific illustration of what it means. We can know how to pray exactly as God would have us to as we apply John's instruction to our prayer lives.

1/30/2022

Witnesses For Jesus Christ:
John provides us with a very clear picture of the witnesses for the truth of who Jesus Christ is. As he continues to refute the arguments of the Gnostics, he points again and again to the humanity and deity of Jesus.

1/23/2022

Marks of an Overcomer:
Jesus Christ came into this world to do the will of the Father, which was to die for the sins of the world. Once we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we need to realize that He didn't come just to save us from sin and to get us into Heaven. He came that we might live a life of righteousness that overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil. John gives us the marks of the person who is living that kind of life-a life that honors the Lord Jesus Christ!

1/16/2022

The Importance of Brotherly Love:
John has been very specific and persistent on the topic of love in his eprstle. In today's passage he makes it very clear what it means to love God AND how important it is to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, an important lesson for all of us!

1/2/2022

Looking Back-Looking Ahead:
Even though we live in the present, it's always a good idea to look back at where we came from and to look ahead to where we are going. In this message we will look back at 2021 and ahead to 2022 with an eye on 3 different areas: the church in America, HillCity Church, and the nation. What can we learn from 2021 that we can apply to 2022 in each of these areas and, more importantly, how does Scripture speak to this?

12/26/2021

He Came Once, He's Coming Again!
Jesus Christ came to this earth as a baby. This is a truth that was both prophesied and literally fulfilled. Just as surely, He's coming back again! Let's look at the similarities of these two events and then the striking differences!

12/19/2021

The Scandals of Christmas:
When we look at the lineage of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 1, we notice that grace runs through the whole thing! However, of particular interest is the names of 5 women (women were not normally listed in Jewish genealogies). What can we learn from their stories? Let's find out!

12/12/2021

Christmas: A World at War:
Today we will begin a short series of messages related to the Christmas season. We begin with the fact that Jesus was born into a world that was at war-spiritually. We'll begin in Matthew 1 and then parallel it with Revelation 12 to see this. Then we'll ask the question, "What does this mean for me today?"

12/5/2021

The True Meaning of Hanukkah:
As Hanukkah is being celebrated by Jewish people around the world, as Christian,s what should we think? Pastor Mike Berger shares a Messianic Jewish message on what Hanukkah is and why Christians should rejoice in it!

11/28/2021

When God Can't Be Explained:
Sometimes life seems to make no sense at all! Everything we've depended on has failed and God seems silent. What are we to do? Well, Habakkuk has a great lesson for us in this hymn that is found at the end of his little book. This is a message of hope and encouragement for all who are asking, "Why"?

11/21/2021

Test the Spirits!:
Throughout this whole book John has been warning us of a false gospel and a false profession of faith. He now comes to the revealing of false teachers and prophets. His warning is very direct and dire: false teachers are among you and will deceive people! Therefore, we must test the spirits to see where the teaching is coming from. Is it from God or is it from the spirit of antichrist? and how can we be sure? KNOW THE WORD!!

11/14/2021

The Definition & Value of Brotherly Love:
In our last message we noticed John laying out for us the absolute necessity of brotherly love. In today's text he will give us a definition for this kind of love and he will also display its tremendous value in our lives.

11/7/2021

The Necessity of Brotherly Love:
As John continues to teach us, he constantly takes us to the importance of brotherly love. Here, John points out some very important and necessary truths that we must understand if we are to walk with God.

10/31/2021

The Christian and Sin:
John has been laying out very clearly for us the difference between the child of God and the children of this world. He does this again for us here in our text today. If you were to compare your life towhat John is saying here, what would your life display?

10/24/2021

Living In the Light of Christ's Return:
Someday Jesus Christ will return. Are you ready? John gives us some very clear and necessary instruction on how to live in the shadow of the return of Christ and in preparation of the Judgment Seat, a time of rewards for the believer.

10/10/2021

The Doctrine and Deception of the Antichrist Spirit:
We have been spending some time looking at the antichrist spirit and what it's all about. We end that discussion today with some insight into the doctrine of antichrist and how this spirit is so deceptive. A much needed warning for our day!

10/3/2021

We The People: Special service in Hancock, NY July 24, 2021
"We The People" was a gathering meant to challenge people, especially Christians and pastors, to stand up for truth and liberty. We are seeing a determined effort in our nation to uproot and erase everything that America was built upon and stands for. If we truly value liberty and freedom we must do something! This is the call to that end!

10/2/2021

The Antichrist Spirit:
The Bible clearly teaches that a person will come on the world scene who is called the Antichrist. However, John tells us that the antichrist spirit is already at work in the world and in the church today. John's words are extremely important for us today if we desire tobe true to our Savior and not be deceived by this antichrist spirit!

9/26/2021

The Love That God Hates:
Their is a kind of love that God hates and it'sthe love of the world. As Christians we are to doe to the world and the world to us. This is that system that is under the control of the Evil One. Do you love the things of the world? We need to examine our hearts to see if we love what God hates.

9/19/2021

The Christian and Government:
How are we as citizens of America to repond to our government? What are our responsibilities? Do we have to submit to a government that dishonors God in so many of its laws and actions? Important questions that we will answer as we see what the Bible has to  say to the believer about these issues.

9/12/2021

A Biblical View of Obedience
John has been following a pattern here as we move through his defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He now comes to the subject of obedience. The Gnostics believed the flesh was wicked, so obedience didn't matter. John says obedience is the evidence of true bibllical faith. He again shuts down the false teachers.

8/29/2021

A Biblical View of Sin
As John continues his defense of the gospel against the false teachings of the Gnostics, we see him move from the issue of who Jesus Christ is to the need that we all have as sinners. He confronts the topic of sin head on along with the remedy: the Advocate, Jesus Christ Himself!

8/22/2021

A Biblical View of Jesus Christ
As we begin to work throug 1 John, we see that the apostle goes right to the heart of the issue: who is Jesus Christ? Everything hinges on how you answer this question! Jesus said to His disciples, "Who do you say I am?". I would ask you the same question!

8/15/2021

Introduction to 1 John
As we begin a study through the book of 1 John we will start with some introductory material that will help us to understand why John is writing this letter.

8/8/2021

When Troubled Hearts Meet Difficult Circumstances: Part 2
The Bible gives speaks often about our hearts; what does it have to say and how should we respond? If we are going to walk with the Lord in the way He intends, we must have sound, biblical answewrs to these questions. And those answers are given to us in the Word of God.

8/1/2021

When Troubled Hearts Meet Difficult Circumstances: Part 1

7/25/2021

Overcoming Fear
We live in a world of fear! It's all around us and it brings us to a place of despair and ineffectiveness. What if I could tell you that God has given us the answer to fear? Would you be interested? Well, He does! Let's learn together!

7/18/2021

Value Life
What is a life worth? In Psalm 139 we see exactly what a life is worth from God's perspective. You, friend, are fearfully and wonderfully made! God knows everything about you from the moment of you conception because He is the one doing the handiwork! He is creating a masterpiece! (This message was preached to prepare us for a presentation later in the day grom The Haven Crisis Pregnancy Center).

7/11/2021

Is There Not a Cause
The enemy had defied the living God! The troops of the Israeli army trembled in their sandals! Goliath cursed them and their God, not once, but twice a day! And here comes David. He hears the taunts and sees the fear in the eyes of his brothers and their fellow soldiers! Then David boldly asks, "Is there not a cause?". That same question must be asked today! And the answer is a resounding, "YES"! How will you and I respond?

7/4/2021

What's Your Identity?
We live in a day where we are identified by our skin color, gender, or sexuality. It might be our job or our family that we are identified by. But what if I were to ask, "Really, who are you?", how would you answer that question? From God's perspective there are only two identities: "out of Christ" or "in Christ". Now how would you identify yourself and what can you do about it? Let's find out what the Apostle Paul had to say about this in Ephesians chapter 2.

6/27/2021

Remembering the Vision
When I first came to HillCity Church God laid a vision upon my heart for what He had us to do. The statement that sums it up is this, "By God's grace, we will love the unloveable, touch the untouchable, and do the impossible as we grow up in Christ and go out in love". Since I became pastor a full year ago we have seen many new faces come in and so I thought that it was time to revisit the vision.

6/20/2021

The Gospel of NO
Israel was in a bad place. According to verse three of 2 Chronicles 15 they had no idea who the true God was, no one to teach them who God was, and no influence of the Word of God upon them. This last one was the root of the problem and the reason they were facing judgment. The same is true for the church in America today. Many "Bible believing" churches in America today have the same issues. Why? Because thery have forsaken the Word of God for gimmicks and entertainment. The church needs to get back to the centrality of God's Word!

6/13/2021

The Cross is Our Security
As believers in Jesus Christ, our only hope for salvation and sanctification is the cross of Christ. And as believers, the only message we have is Jesus Christ and Him crcified for the sins of the world. Where does your hope lie today?

6/6/2021

What's in a Worldview
How we view the world around us affects every thought, decision, and action we have. Our world today hammers us with its' fleshly, sensuous, anti-God worldview. Are we doing all we can to make sure that our worldview is biblical and honoring to God? Here's the challenge and some answers to make that happen!

5/30/2021

Worship and Our World
Our world needs to see churches that are living out and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to see being a witness as an act of worship. Will we be that church?

5/23/2021

Worship for a Healthy Church
This week we will continue our thoughts from last week's message on how worship helps to make a church healthy.

5/16/2021

Worship is a Way of Life
As we continue to look at worship, we need to see it as more than just an hour on Sunday morning or simply the time we spend in church. Worship, Scripture bears out very clearly, should be a way of life!

5/9/2021

Worship: Our Highest Priority
We were created for one ultimate purpose-to worship God!

5/2/2021

Defending the Faith Part 2
This is the conclusion to last weeks message on what the faith is that has been given to us and why we must  defend it.

4/25/2021

Defending the Faith Part 1
We live in a day where false teachers and cultists are constantly twisting, redefining, or flat out denying "the faith once delivered to the saints". Jude earnestly challenges us to contend for that faith. He has much to teach us as we defend the faith in our day!

4/18/2021

For Those Who Are His
Our Father has many blessings for those who are His children. Paul puts on display for us, in Romans 8, just a few of those blessings.

4/11/2021

There Is Hope For Failures
We can all relate to Peter. In some way we can see ourselves in so many of his decisions and words. The one we don't like to see ourselves in is his denial of Jesus as He was being tried and eventually crucified. Yet, we fail, we falter, and we deny. But there is hope! And forgiveness! And restoration!

4/4/2021

Grace To Be Like Jesus
We know that we are saved by grace, but what about becoming like Jesus? Isn't that done through our own efforts? I think you might be surprised to find that the grace that saves us is the same grace that sanctifies us!

3/28/2021

Truth Under Attack
We live in a day where truth is considered relative. Your truth is for you and mine is for me. At the trial of Jesus Christ in the First Century A. D., Pontius Pilate asked the question, "What is truth?". Do we dare answer that question and then stand up for the truth?

3/21/2021

Communion and God's Holiness
As we approach the Communion Table we must do so in a way that is worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can be assured of doing this as we consider the holiness of our God. The grace that saves us is the same grace that sanctifies us!

3/14/2021

A Sinner's Hope
The party was going along just fine until "she" showed up. You know, "the sinful woman". And yet her presence brought forth a great truth from the lips of Jesus, "her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Yes, friend, there is hope for sinners like you and me.

3/7/2021

Will You Be A Praying Harvester?
Jesus viewed the crowds with compassion and saw them as "sheep without a shepherd". He has called us to pray that harvesters would be sent into the harvest. The real question is, "Will we be the answer to that prayer?" Will you and I be, "praying harvesters"?

2/28/2021

A Biblical View of Suffering: Part 2
We will continue to look at suffering and what the believers attitude should be when it comes. God has much to say.

2/21/2021

A Biblical View of Suffering Part 1
We don't like to think about suffering, yet it comes to all of us sooner or later. Some of us have suffered much throughout our lives. What does the Bible have to say about suffering and our response to it? Why does God allow suffering when He is more than capable of ending it? Is suffering meant to simply be endured or does God want to do something through it? Hopefully these questions and more will be answered as we work through this 2 part message.

2/14/2021

Jesus' Prayer for Believers
Just before His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane and agony on the cross we see one of the most intimate moments that Jesus spent with His disciples as He prayed for them and those who would believe through their testimony. There is so much for us to learn as we look at this prayer: the centrality of the cross, the significance of truth, and the seriousness of unity. As we work through this passage we will see exactly what this prayer means for us.

2/7/2021

You Are God's Plan
The message of the cross is not very well accepted in our day. As a matter of fact, by many, it is considered absolute foolishness! And yet it is the message that God has given us to share with the world. And you are His plan to accomplish that! Do you feel weak? Foolish? Unworthy? Then you are just the person God is looking to use! Why? Because then He receives all the glory! Let's look at this passage from 1 Corinthians 1 together and see what God has in store for those He wants to use.

1/31/2021

The Way of Righteousness
Psalm 1 gives us a very straight forward picture of what the life of a blessed person looks like. It reveals to us two people, two paths, and two destinies. Do we want to have a life blessed by God? Look at these two paths and choose the one that leads to life!

1/24/2021

Fear Not...Be Ready!
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation today about the mark of the beast. Is it possible it's out there now? Can I accidentally take the mark? Will God's elect be deceived into taking the mark? Scripture answers these questions, but, more importantly, it answers the ultimate question: how can I be ready? The Bible gives us the answers so that we don't have to be afraid!

1/17/2021

So Great a Salvation
The foundation of our faith is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! Chapter 1 of Hebrews tells us God has spoken through His Son in these last days. He then follows up with the great salvation that is ours and a challenge to not "drift away" or "neglect" this salvation. That is what this message is about.

1/10/2021

The Old Paths
Leonard Ravenhill once said, "The greatest tragedy in the world today is a sick church in a dying world". And the reason the church is sick is because she has lost her way. God has given us all we need to know to walk with Him and it begins by walking on the correct path. Jeremiah points us in that direction. Let's follow the signposts and get back on the right track!

1/3/2021

God Incarnate
To fully appreciate the significance of Christmas we must understand the truth that Jesus Christ, fully man, was also fully God. John bears this out very clearly, simply, and yet, profoundly in the prologue to his gospel; "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."

12/20/2020

Keep On Being Filled With the Spirit
The filling of the Holy Spirit is one of those areas where we might not be real sure of what we mean. And yet I believe it is the most important truth a believer needs to know and understand if we want to live a life worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's look at what the filling of the Spirit is not, what it is, and what it means for you and me today.

12/13/2020

Christmas and Communion
We don't often put Communion and Christmas together, but neither one means anything without the other. The death and resurrection of Christ would have no meaning or significance if the sinless Son of God had not been born, and without the death and resurrection of Christ the manger would have no meaning. The two must go together, hand in hand, for the birth, death, and resurrection to any eternal impact on our lives.

12/6/2020

Look Up, Look In, Look Out
Isaiah had an experience with God that we would all do well to meditate upon! He saw the Lord high and lifted up and it transformed his life! But it began with an upward look to the awesome holiness of God. Will we look up and be changed?

11/29/2020

Understanding a True Thanksgiving
What do you do when Thanksgiving rolls around and it has been one of the most difficult years of your life? Well, according to Habakkuk, you give thanks! Habakkuk knew what it meant for life to be hard, but he chose to rejoice. What can we learn from Habakkuk about true thanksgiving?

11/22/2020

Surviving Perilous Times and Perilous Men
Paul told Timothy that the last days would be perilous and one of the main reasons why would be false teachers. The good news is that Paul not only gave the warning, but the means to overcome: godly teachers and a godly life!

11/15/2020

Don't Lose Heart
We live in a lost and crazy world! We wonder if hope has forsaken our world. I want to remind you, it has not! Jesus is our hope and the apostle Paul tells us how to not lose heart.

11/8/2020

Chasing Sheep
Jesus, our Great Shepherd, has called us to have a heart just like His. When one sheep is lost He goes after it. What is our heart toward the lost and wandering? We need to be about the business of chasing sheep!

11/1/2020

Why Do We Exist Church?
Why is the church on earth today? What is God's ultimate purpose in leaving the church here in the 21st century? If we get this wrong we get everything wrong, so it's of vital importance to understand why the church exists!

10/25/2020

Unanswered Prayer
We pray, we plead, and we promise, yet the answer doesn't come. The heavens are as brass and God's ear seems to be turned from us. Have I sinned? Maybe I'm not even saved! OR...maybe God has something far greater in  mind that what I am asking for. Sometimes unanswered prayer is the greatest answer to prayer God could give us!

10/18/2020

Towel Bearers
Just hours before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion Jesus gave us one of the greatest displays of His love and mission: He washed the feet of His disciples. This was more than just a nice gesture. It was an extravagant teaching moment; a moment for us to embrace. Will we, like Jesus, humble ourselves and serve one another and a lost and dying world?

10/4/2020

Yom Kippur-The Day of Atonement
The holiest day on the Jewish calendar is Yom Kippur-The Day of Atonement. If we, as Christians, looked at it from a New Testament perspective we would be amazed at how Christ fulfilled so much of what happened on that day!

9/27/2020

Rosh Hashannah
Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. And yet it has significance for us as Christians as we look back to the Jewish roots of our faith

9/20/2020

Waiting Upon the Lord
God has called us to seek His face. The only possible way to do this is by waiting in His presence. We must be willing to simply rest in Him.

9/13/2020

The Father's Heart
Pastor Mike shares his heart with us as he goes to the story of the prodigal son. Here we see the heart of the Father, as well as the heart that we should have for one another.

9/6/2020

A Call to Return
In Joel chapter 2, God is calling Israel back to Himself. He gives the call, what the return looks like, and the result that can be expected if they obey. He is giving the same call to believers today. And while this promise was made to Israel there are principles for us. Simple question: will we return?

8/30/2020

Baptismal Service
In Romans 6 we are told about our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. We publicly display this union when we follow Christ in water baptism. Paul also exhorts us to a life of righteousness and submission to Christ

8/23/2020

Characterized By Unity
Jesus has called the church to unity. In verses 1-6 of Ephesians chapter 4 we see how this is possible as He works out His character in us.

8/16/2020

The Mystery Displayed and Prayed
In Ephesians chapter 3 the Apostle Paul explains the giving of and purpose behind the mystery of the church. This mystery was laid out in chapter 2, the uniting of Jew and Gentile into one body. Paul climaxes this chapter by praying that the church would live out this mystery revealed to the glory of God.

7/19/2020

Tear Those Walls Down!
In Ephesians 2 the apostle Paul addresses the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. He also gives us God's solution to the problem through Jesus Christ. In a day of a deeply divided nation our only hope for reconciliation is found in that same solution, Jesus Christ.

7/12/2020

Casting a Vision
This is a time of new beginnings for HillCity Church. A lot has changed over the few months that our country has been shut down. One of the most significant for HillCity Church is that we have a new pastor! What does God want to do in us and through us? That is the heart of this message.

6/7/2020

What Does Pentecost Mean For Us Today?

5/24/2020

Strength in Weakness
God is able to do His most powerful work through us when we turn to Him in our weakness.

5/17/2020

Victory Through Jesus!
Life is hard. How are we supposed to handle it? Understanding what Jesus has done for us makes the difference!

1/1/2020

No Man Cared For My Soul
There is a lost, broken, and dying world out there. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, need to have compassion for our world even as Jesus did. Will we choose to be those who care for their souls?

1/1/2020

Faith Is the Key
Jesus wants to work In our lives. Will we have the faith to let Him?

1/1/2020

Why Me, God?
When suffering and trials come into our lives, we often ask, "Why, God?"  Maybe we are asking the wrong question.  Maybe we need to look at God's dealings with us through His eyes.  Maybe we need to be asking "What are You doing through this, God?"

1/1/2020

But God!
God is able to step into any situation and change it!

1/1/2020

The Hope of the Resurrection
Our hope as Christians is found in the truth that Jesus has risen from the dead!  Find that hope again today!

1/1/2020

Lawlessness and Revival
We live in a day of lawlessness and the only hope for America is a God ordained revival!

1/1/2020

And They Overcame Him
For centuries Christians have been willing to die for their Savior. In Revelation 12:11 we are given some principles that will guide us to live, and die, as they have.

1/1/2020

Getting Out of Lo-Debar
Are you in a place where it seems that God is not there? Do you feel alone and abandoned? God has not forgotten you! He wants you to come out of Lo Debar to sit at His table!

1/1/2020

Jerusalem: A Cup of Trembling
Jerusalem plays a key role in end times prophecy. This is a sermon that I preached on December 10, 2017, just days after Pres. Trump announced U.S recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. What significance, if any, does this announcement have?

1/1/2020