We cannot truly understand Jesus without understanding his crucifixion. The glory of Jesus that was revealed on the mount of transfiguration only fully makes sense in light of his death, resurrection, and ascension. Through these mighty events, Jesus saves us and he begins to transform us.
View SermonEpiphany
Forgiving Our Enemies
The Gospel of Luke is sharing the radical ideas of Christian love from Jesus. The heart of the Gospel is in these words spoken to us today. Jesus calls those who follow him to walk in His ways and to love our enemies. At a quick first glance this seems like a good idea but if we dive more fully into the text we see how truly difficult this is in comparison to our world view.
View SermonSent and Sending
The word “mission” comes from the Latin word mittere which means “to send.” We see the word “sent” or “send” in most of our readings today. For example, in the Gospel of John (20:21) Jesus says “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Just like Jesus, we are sent into the world with a mission.
View SermonMembers of the Body
Biblical Church membership is different from the worldly idea of membership.
The worldly view says: “I pay my dues which entitles me to benefits.” The biblical view says: “I am in indispensable part of God’s mission team in this place.” William Temple, a former Abp. of Canterbury, once said “The church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.” At Good Samaritan, our vision is: Loving our neighbors and helping them to find God, love, God, and share God. None of us can fulfill this on our own. We need you, and you need us.
Encouragement the Jesus Way
How might God want to prompt you this morning towards His kingdom work? Is there a person in your life that God might want to reach with encouragement? I guarantee you that if you are listening to this sermon you are called to love someone better. You are called to make a difference in someone else’s life for the good. If you do not know what it looks like to love, read your Bible. Read the letters of Paul to the churches in the New Testament. You will hear how God longs for us to treat each other.
View SermonBehold, My Servant
At the end of “the Beauty and the Beast” the spell is broken and the true nature of the beast is revealed. You might call this a manifestation, a sign that shows something clearly. The season of Epiphany is all about manifestations that reveal the true nature of Jesus as both fully God and fully man. As the old hymn says “God in man made manifest.” Today we see such a manifestation just after Jesus is baptized in the Jordan river.
View SermonGod has Been There
Imagine what it might have been like for Mary to answer the door and see Magi with their whole entourage! Strange men from far away bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What became of these gifts, we don’t know, the Bible doesn’t tell us. They may have been a part of God’s provision for the Holy Family during what happens next.
View SermonStuck in Fear
Today we meet Elijah, sitting in a cave, exhausted and fearing for his life. Elijah feels alone, he feels like a failure, he feels exhausted, and he is scared for his life. Elijah was paralyzed by fear to the point where he could no longer move forward. He was stuck. I think we all get to that place sometimes. Things seem to be falling apart all around us and we are scared to move forward and scared to turn around and go back. Where do we turn? What do we do?
View SermonBlessing the Nations
When God called Abraham in Genesis 12:3 he told him: “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God didn’t save you to keep that blessing for yourself, he wants you to share it. There is no treasure greater than a relationship with the Living God! By sharing this treasure you lose nothing and those who receive the gift gain everything. We are called to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. What part is God calling you to play in his mission?
View SermonShaped by the Great Teacher
Today lots of people in positions of power often do not realize the full impact of their words and actions. Today we can consume ideas and thoughts in the privacy of our homes or the privacy of our phone viewing. So it is easy to see how people can not realize the sheer quantity of people who are hearing their message. A number on the screen can not compare to human bodies in front of us. Rarely do we have to watch or listen to something in front of others. This is a profound difference in the way that humans have taken in information for all of time. With the invention of the internet and the invention of the cell phone we can quietly consume ideas without the input of others around us. So how do we live for Jesus and set down our ideas to the one who can shape us for good? Come listen with us.
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