In Isaiah 40:3-4 the prophet declares “make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” What does this preparation look like? What is the highway for? It turns out that preparing the way of the Lord is not about highway construction at all but about the inward preparation of repentance.
View SermonIsaiah
Made One in Christ
Jesus the Christ is the way the truth and the life into the kingdom of God. He is our garment of salvation, His righteousness bestowed upon us; He is our hope and our fulfillment. In Him we are bound unto the intimate relationship with God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who loves us and calls us to Him in power. We are united to one another and become a member of His glory. Blessed are those invited to the wedding supper of the lamb
View SermonDressed for Salvation
For those of you who are married, can you remember what you wore on your wedding day? If you are not married, think about another significant event in your life. We tend to wear special clothes for special occasions. In Isaiah 61:10, the speaker seems to be the servant of the Lord, the Messiah (see 61:1). Earlier in the chapter, God’s people were given “garments of praise” (61:3). Now the Servant himself is given special garments for a special purpose, Salvation and Righteousness. He is getting prepared to save his people. He is getting ready to visit us!
View SermonExpectations
In business, it is important to underpromise and overdeliver. Sometimes this is referred to as “managing expectations.” It is important to be mindful of expectations in all of our relationships, whether business or personal. Especially in marriage. Unspoken expectations lead to lots of conflict and resentment.
In the Gospel passage today, John the Baptist is in prison for speaking truth to power. John’s role was to prepare the way for the Lord. The Messiah was coming, the time was imminent. John was sure that Jesus was the Messiah, he knew it even while he was still in his mother’s womb, and this truth was confirmed at Jesus’ Baptism. But now John was not so sure. His expectations were not lining up with what he was seeing. Why?
View SermonSpiritual Preparation for Hurricanes
If you have lived in Florida for any amount of time, you know a thing or two about how to prepare for hurricanes. You buy batteries, water, and food; and you put down sandbags and put away the loose objects in your yard. But have you ever considered what is involved in spiritually preparing for a hurricane, or any other storm of life for that matter? This sermon explores some key ways we can get ready when we know a storm is coming.
View SermonThe Near and Distant God
The tension between God’s “closeness” and his “otherness,” his transcendence and his immanence, is part of what led to the doctrine of the Trinity in the early Church. As Christians we believe that God is one God in three Persons. It is hard to get our mind around how this could be, and yet, this is how God has revealed himself to us. It is Jesus, the second person of the Trinity and the “image of the invisible God” who reconnects us with our heavenly Father and makes the distant God near to us once more. For those of us who are “in Christ,” God now dwells within us in the person of the Holy Spirit!
View SermonGood Friday
This is the amazing grace that we sing about: that Jesus, the only one ever without the stain of sin, offered himself as a sacrifice for all, that we might be saved and reconciled to God. Today we thank him for this amazing grace. And we accept, once again the gift that he gives us.
View SermonNo Longer Forsaken
Have you ever felt forsaken and desolate? Do you feel that way right now? These are the terms that Isaiah used to describe the nation of Israel, but he also said that they would be called a new name, “My delight is in her,” and their land would be termed “Married.” Marriage is one of the key images that God uses to describe his love for his people. In this sermon, find out what this means for you.
View SermonWhat are You Doing with Your Baptism?
Baptism is not intended to be a nice memory from your past. It is a life changing event which you can grow into day by day. What does God want to do with your life? What are you doing with your Baptism?
View SermonPoetic Truth
Poetry can be beautiful and it can express truth in ways that prose can’t, but it can also be cryptic! The prologue of the Gospel of John is much like poetry, it is beautiful, and it can be hard to understand at first, but it contains some important truth about who God is and who we are, along with a surprise that is almost too good to be true (but it is true!).
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