Sunday reflections...go toward what you know...sermon post


Three young men and one old guy.  I'm glad that I can still remember when I graduated from high school.  (So I'm not that old!)  My adult life was before me just as these three who have shared much of their lives together.  We are praying for them during the morning worship service as they enter their graduation week and it is a great reminder for us to pray for the next generation.  There are young men and women, especially from small town America, who will uphold the values of our great nation.

 The sermon this morning covered the 4th trial of Jesus.  Pilate has his first one on one conversation with Jesus and even though we sense Pilate's indifference with this man brought to him named Jesus, his judgment is that Jesus is innocent.  Done, right?  No, because that would not fulfill God's will and complete why Jesus came this first time.  Each time I read and study this section of Jesus' life I can't help but be amazed at God's hand in it all.  Even the words of those who we would deem as the enemy are saying things that play or better yet, are directed by God to fulfill His restoration plan of His children.  

 In a world that is throwing so many messages at us that are conflicting, the Christians need to focus on what they know and hopefully that is the life and words of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  His pinpoint accuracy of this final week should bring shivers up our spines to hang on everything else that He has said.  Jesus' prophecies, promises, and policies for His children should be followed as our most desired response to what we truly can hold onto in this world of uncertainty.

 Adam

A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life - Spurgeon

     I heard this phrase today along with another that if you connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life, it will end up effecting all of your life.  This came up in my study of the book of James and specifically the verses dealing with not just being a hearer of the Word but also be a doer of the Word.  It is all about application.  I can't look at preaching the Word without giving steps of applying the Word.  It really is an incomplete sermon if I don't.      Many times I think it has to be big and many points and given cute aliteration that makes it snappy and I think easy to remember and fun to write down.  Reality is, if I would make it a bit of Scripture connected to a bit of life and just that it would probably accomplish much more.  How much time I spend on the opening statement and lame joke and research and introductions and how many points and the closing statement and so little time on connecting the bit of Scripture to the bit of life.      So I guess I ha
Read more

Galatians #15 - Galatians 6:11-18 - "On The Road Again..."

Image
  Another week closer and it involves some more travel for the Wolfgangs.  I feel like the Willy Nelson song, " On the road again... "  I don't know if I agree with the next line though. " ...I can't wait to get on the road again. " One of the members of the church in Wisconsin calculated that I will travel well over 10,000 miles to make this transition.  Traveling mercies prayers please. Last Sunday we will look at Paul's final words to the churches in Galatia.  He brought them the gospel (good news) message of Jesus and what resulted were churches forming throughout the region.  The letter is to defend that message that our salvation comes from and is in Christ alone.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.  The summary statement of the letter is found in  Galatians 6:15 (LSB) .  " For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. "  Translated another way earlier in  Ga
Read more

Sermon prep and maybe a video...

     James 4 has brought up some interesting study.  First, "the quarrels and fights among you."  Those are usually worse than you think even though we try to minimize them.  The source is simpler than you think because it is coming from within you.  The solution is easier than you think because the solution that James gives is that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord.  Any sincere resolution is specific and brief.  Beware of lengthy resolutions that usually include explaining it away or excusing some of the behavior.      As I have seen before, the words are a sign of the heart.  I read this week that if we have a critical heart we usually start by speaking evil of another to ourselves.  Then we progress to speaking evil of another to that person with a running tally in our heads of all their wrongs.  Finally, we speak evil of another to others and broadcast in a way that we are thinking that we are helping.  Giving judgment is always easier than giving mercy.  I
Read more