The Manifold Wisdom Of God (Ephesians 3:1–13)

Ephesians declares that the Church is the manifold wisdom of God made known in the world. In the ancient Church, Christians were sometimes mistaken for atheists. They stuck out like sore thumbs because they did not worship the ubiquitous gods of their age. Is the Church today in any way comparable? Is the Church today the manifold wisdom of God made known to the world? Modern Christians too, should stick out like sore thumbs, and not for bad reasons—but rather for commitment to following Jesus.

A link to the audio of this message is found below. Apologies for the not-perfect audio quality.

https://vocaroo.com/i/s1sAeynTGQdF

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2018: A New Year, A New Life (Luke 2:22ff.)

This sermon was preached on December 31st, 2017. For Jesus, God the Father’s great plan was the journey to the cross, dying for the world, and being raised from the dead—and, to our surprise, God’s design for our lives is actually much the same! “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:23–24). So God’s plan for Jesus mirrors our destiny in Christ. In fact our lives are designed for this very purpose—losing ourselves for Christ. Will 2018 finally be the year when we live how we’re designed by God to live—and thereby live the best life possible?

A link to the audio is found below and we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s0fQ9y1MaSSO

All God’s Children: Christmas Eve Message

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

What is the point of the Christmas Gospel narratives? This message addresses the critical issue of CHRISTmas.

A link to the audio is found below and we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s0xbHRxWIh41

Peace On Earth (Mark 1:1–8)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on December 10th, 2017, examines the peace of God. Scripture speaks very highly of the peace we have with Jesus. Ask yourself: Do worries and thoughts and anxieties control my behavior? Are my troubling thoughts in control of me? Who is really my Lord? The peace of God is instantly available to all Christians, but in order to experience the deeper relationship with God we have to LET Christ dwell in us richly in order to receive His grace.

A link to the audio is found below and we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s10W6vHF2kzj

“Thank God” (Luke 17:11–19)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on November 19th, 2017, considers “Thanking God.” We can know God’s grace, “Thank God,” and yet still fall short of receiving saving grace. The difference lies in truly recognizing in our hearts that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God, the Savior—all true—but this realization must be existential! I must know MY personal Savior, believing in Him that He saves even ME, because I need it, I need Jesus, and, thank God, praise God!—Just like the man healed in the Gospel of Luke.

A link to the audio is found below and we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s1z42cG2F2dQ

Salvation Belongs To Our God (Revelation 7:9–17)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on November 5th, 2017, considers Revelation 7:9—17. The Greek word μάρτυς, where we get “martyr,” means “one who testifies in legal matters; a witness.” And what sort of court are we a witness in? Well, it’s the trial for the devil, and he’s on the stand, and he’s sweating. He’s sweating really, really bad. He knows he’s going down in flames. But how will you testify? For him, or against him?

A link to the audio is found below. Click on the link for the audio. And we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s1fq728hmBoT

500 Years Of Protest (Matthew 22:34–40)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on October 29th, 2017, considers the Greatest Commandment. The Gospel is a heart transformation that the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ alone—shed on that cross—is capable of effecting by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is the fulfillment of Israel’s Old Testament TRUE story in the person and work of Jesus, and with his atoning work on that cross, the sins of the world are forgiven. Following the Greatest Commandment is none other than “putting this reality into practice” PROTESTING anything against it.

A link to the audio is found below. Click on the link for the audio. And we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s1E2kHBNYAvQ

Christ’s Self-Humbling (Philippians 2:1–11)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on October 1st, 2017, considers Philippians 2:1–11. Jesus is Lord. Jesus walks on water. Jesus calms a terrifying storm—even the wind and waves obey him. Jesus feeds over 5000 people with just a few loaves and a couple fish. Jesus is Lord. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Son of God—Jesus is Lord. But! Jesus “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage” (Philippians 2:6)! Instead the Word became flesh and stayed human and died a horrible death on the cross. Are we self-humbling in the way of Christ, as Christ calls us to be?

A link to the audio is found below. Click on the link for the audio. And we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s10qSBNLdQmK

The Gospel Of Jonah (Jonah 3:10–4:11)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on September 24th, 2017, concerns “The Gospel of Jonah.” If you thought Jonah was about a big fish—wrong! In Jonah we find the Gospel. Jonah is not about a fish, but the never-failing purpose and love of God—ultimately that God loves us so much Jesus would die on a cross for the renewal of all creation and salvation for those who believe.

A link to the audio is found below. Click on the link for the audio. And we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s1yQFR9zdWMK

What Do Our Hearts Look Like? (Matthew 18:21–35)

Dear Reader, if you are new here and curious, or are looking for answers immediately, please follow this link to our Start Here page: https://hewasraised.wordpress.com/about/. The Start Here page is designed as the beginning point of this website to which these further posts correspond. Thank you, and may “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV).

The following sermon, preached on September 17th, 2017, focuses on our hearts. Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). Jesus answers, “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (18:22). This is the Gospel in a nutshell: that God looks at our own hearts and forgives us not seven, but seventy-seven times. But can we—the forgiven ones—ourselves forgive others who have wronged us? As Jesus says, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of YOU unless YOU forgive YOUR brother or sister from YOUR heart” (18:35, emphasis added).

A link to the audio is found below. Click on the link for the audio. And we apologize for the not perfect quality of the audio!

https://vocaroo.com/i/s1Sgretvy6Up