The repentant sinner rejoices at being found in the loving embrace of the Father's full and free forgiveness. His forgiveness may look foolish in the eyes of the world, but when we draw water from that wellspring of salvation, our hearts overflow with praise to our Lord as we realize that He is our salvation.
The journey of Lent is a journey of repentance. God's righteous punishment of the idolatry of ancient Israel serves as a warning to us: Repent of our own arrogance which tries God's patience, and humbly trust in our faithful God whose Son intercedes on our behalf. As we eat and drink of Christ our Rock, He is turning over the soil of our hearts to produce the fruits of repentant faith. Pastor's sermon, "Beware of Losing Your Footing" is based on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.
Even in the face of threats and rejection, Jesus resolves to finish the journey of His saving mission. Only in Jesus’ loving resolve do we find the strength to be resolute in our own journey to follow Him. Pastor's sermon, "Desire the Persevering Love of Jesus" is based on Luke 13:31-35.
In our own everyday battle with temptation, we lose. Yet Christ won that battle for us! He perfectly obeyed the Father's will and resisted the devil's temptations so that we could be counted eternally righteous before God. So, we now have nothing to do to be victorious over temptation than to trust in Jesus' perfect obedience for our sakes. Our victory in Christ gives us strength to continue the daily fight with temptation, trusting in God's grace when we fail. Pastor's sermon, "Rely on Jesus for Victory Over the Devil" is based on Luke 4:1-13.
This Lenten season our attention turns to the hidden glory of the cross. It's fitting on Ash Wednesday, as we gather to repent of our sins, to remember that often the greatest opposition to Jesus and His cross comes from His own people--then and now. Jesus' trial before the chief priests, scribes and elders serves as a warning to us to cling to Christ and let nothing come between us and the truth of His Word. Tonight, we behold the glory of the cross "Hidden in the Savior's Rejection by His Own". Pastor's sermon is based on Matthew 26:57-68.
As we are about to enter another Lenten season to observe Jesus' suffering and death once more, we see the Son of Man basking in His eternal glory and the Father's approval. While the events of Jesus' transfiguration give us a taste of heaven, He cannot remain there. He must face the cross as our Savior from sin and death. But as He does so, we can be certain that He is truly God. As we face our own crosses, we know that we can listen to Him, trusting that He leads us to eternal victory. Pastor's sermon, "Listen to Jesus, the Lord of Glory'" is based on Luke 9:28-36.
We have great difficulty showing love to those who hurt us. Doing so often risks further pain and hurt. Yet we can reflect the Lord's love, forgiving those who hurt us, by seeing God's grace behind the hurt. Pastor's sermon, "Reflect the Lord's Love, Even When It Hurts" is based on Genesis 45:3-15.