Sermon Notes & Videos
2023-06-16 | Acts 6-7 | All Used Up for God
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One moment you’re being selected as one of the few men, hand-picked to serve. It’s a complete honor and you humbly accept. Your reputation is without blemish and your commitment to God is obvious. The next moment God is working great miracles through you. A tick later, they are lying about you and you’re being publicly accused of things that could never be true, but you are indicted anyway. Blink your eyes and you’re standing at trial, the charges levied are beyond the pale, outside the limits of acceptable behavior or the judgment of any civilized person. These accusations are only possible because they are being corroborated by false testimony, lying witnesses who have no conscience, and obviously no fear of the Lord. How did you go from being picked for a grand purpose to standing accused before this council so quickly?
Maybe this nightmare will end. The man in charge inquires, “Are these things true?” Ah, finally! Someone wants to know the truth. Does he? At this point, you don’t even need to speak on your own. God promised that when you get arrested and brought to trial because of Him, you need not worry beforehand about what to say; the Spirit will assemble your words. And it happens. For ten solid minutes you give the most lucid defense imaginable. You’re testimony is exculpatory; it’s clear that nothing they’ve said about you is true—you’re acquittal is imminent. You’ve presented everything the man in charge needs to hear to exonerate you. You could rest your defense in that instant, but you don’t. Rather, you seize the opportunity; you look at your accusers, and all the members of the should-be-honorable court; and you tell them without hesitation, “You are the guilty ones. You have committed the crimes I’ve been accused of here, and worse. You murdered the Just One who the prophets said would come. You missed the Messiah because you resist the very Spirit that has inspired my defense today. You are all guilty.”
That does not go over well. What started as a good day is about to end in tragedy. What began as a moment of honor is about to be terminated with an execution. You are dragged out of the court and you are executed in a brutal onslaught. You are smashed with stones until your skull is crushed, your bones are broken, and your blood has spattered over the surrounding dust. And even then, with your last dying words, you ask your dear Lord, the very Messiah these murderers rejected, to let it pass. “Don’t hold this against them; they are just ignorant religious people.” And then you breathe your last breath.
There are moments in life when you must come face-to-face with the purpose for which you were placed here on earth. You have an assignment and you can’t go back to what you were doing before. It’s true, even if in one moment you feel honored to have been selected for such a purpose, and in the next you are being stoned to death. You can’t control everything that happens between the bookends of your life, the dash on your gravestone, be it a few days or many years. But you can control this… Will you say yes!
2023-06-09 | Acts 5 | Disruptive Technology
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It’s completely disruptive; but, not rude or inappropriate. It’s innovation that simply attracts an under-serviced market. And, unfortunately for those who are used to dominating the field, it quickly supplants its incumbent competitors. It operates in such a way that significantly alters how consumers view the product they have come to expect and opens their eyes to something far better. Suddenly, it sweeps away the current entrenched systems and replaces them, because its attributes are recognizably superior.
Yes, “suddenly” also seems to be a character trait of disruption. It suddenly comes on like a five-hundred-mile-per-hour tsunami! And it seems to be energized by the same types of forces: earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, or other massive catastrophic disturbances. And just like a tsunami, it arrives with an overwhelming force that both crashes into objects and then consumes their broken debris as it is sucked back into the ocean.
And both the existing system and the new system share a set of characteristics which guarantee that an immutable force will impact an immovable object. But, in practice, the seemingly immovable object will turn out to be quite vulnerable in the end—it’s just that the collision is so astronomical, so mammoth, so colossal that it takes some time to let the smoke, dust and debris settle. Then you can evaluate the devastation. Inevitably, the once entrenched, long-established, deep-rooted system will have given way to the new superior force.
The only variable that remains are the people caught in the waves. There are really only two sides here. One is the side of profound wisdom, erudite judicious perception. The other side is foolish obstinance—self-serving, power-hungry pride. The sage advice is this: If the immutable force is authentic, you can’t stop it anyway, and if you try you will find yourself in a fight against God, and unless you think fighting God is a good idea—you should reconsider your position. However, if this whole disruption is a manmade farce, it will soon dissipate and fade into oblivion on its own, like a ripple in a lake caused by a small stone. So, take a step back and take a deep breath. Trust me, you don’t want to be on the wrong side of history here.
2023-06-02 | Acts 3-4 | A Profound Challenge
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Do you recognize an opportunity when it presents itself? Are you the first to volunteer? Are you the type who accepts a challenge easily? Do you jump in enthusiastically? Don’t think impetuous when you hear “jump in”; think instead eager, fervent and passionate. Here am I, send me! You want me to represent you? I’m in awe; I’m humbled; I’m stunned, but I’ll do it! It seems that the more obvious it becomes that we are called to something magnificent and undeniable, the more some will dig in their heals and deny. Others respond instantly, not with denial but acceptance, wonderment, appreciation and utter amazement. Which type are you? Do you run towards or away from challenges?
Here is a grand recommendation for when you encounter a profound truth. Don’t dip your toe—rather, immerse your whole body, soul and spirit! Suck the marrow from the moment. Extraordinary things happen when you do; your eyes open to possibilities not previously noticed—some of which match the magnitude of the profound truth staring you in the face with profound challenges that stand between you and the expression of that truth! Challenges have a way of pressing us through a cheese cloth, until there is hardly a bead of moisture left, like being squeezed from all sides until even taking a sip of oxygen seems elusive. But once you see it, you can’t unsee it!
That is what it is like, at times, when your eyes open to the mysteries of God and the herald screaming in your brain becomes so loud, so clear, and so pervasive that it is impossible to imagine the plain message was a hidden secret just moments ago, but it was. You just might be a special agent assigned to the earth for such a time as this, to understand these kingdom mysteries. And, that is one of those things that fits the sentiment of this message; don’t dip your toe—immerse your whole body, soul and spirit! Seize the opportunity! Suck the marrow out of it!
Do you want to know a secret? It’s about your role in the earth at this moment in history. “In your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” You were most certainly taught that was the unique role of Abraham. And when you suddenly discover it is not unique, that you too are called as such, it represents one of those profound truths that comes with many profound challenges. But that’s okay, because great challenges are met head on with great grace, the divine power necessary to turn a challenge into a reality!
2023-05-26 | Acts 1-2 | To Be Continued
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Have you ever heard the forward-looking phrase, “You can’t get there from here.”? I’m sure you have. But let’s say we turn it around into a backward-looking version; “You did get here from there!” And that will make much more sense as soon as we define ‘here’ and ‘there’ and ‘where,’ especially when you recognize how critical it is to get to the correct ‘here!’ In other words, if ‘where’ we are right now is the incorrect ‘here,’ it must be because we didn’t know ‘where’ the proper ‘there’ was. And when we travel into the past and look back ‘there,’ you must consider this all-important truth: our ‘there’ was their ‘here.’
‘Here’ is ‘where’ they were in the first century, shortly after Y’shua ascended into the clouds. But, how did they get ‘there,’ if ‘there’ is ‘where’ they were supposed to be at that prophetic moment in history? And maybe even more critical than that, if that is even possible, is this. ‘Here’ we are two thousand years later in our ‘here.’ How did we get ‘here’ and are we ‘where’ we are supposed to be? And that brings to mind another phrase I’m sure you’ve heard; “You don’t know ‘where’ you’re going, if you don’t know ‘where’ you’ve been.” In other words, you can’t get proper directions if you don’t know where you are! Framed as a question it sounds like this; “How can you know ‘where’ to go if you don’t know ‘where’ you are or even ‘where’ you’ve been?”
Here is some data to plug into the mishmash of ‘here’ and ‘there’ and ‘where.’ In the first century the ‘here’ was “It was Pentecost and they were all in one place in one accord.” The ‘there’ was, “Three times per year you must make your way to Jerusalem for the feast,” and this was one of those times. The ‘where’ was, “Standing near the Temple waiting for a promise to be fulfilled.” Today oftentimes, the ‘here’ is, “Everyone follows the dictates of his own heart.” The ‘there’ is, “You do err not knowing the Scriptures.” And the ‘where’ is that, “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”
What must happen now, in order to change the ‘here’ we are right now, in order to arrive ‘where’ we are destined to go, which is “there is one body and one Spirit”? That is the question we must answer today as this ongoing story continues…
2023-05-19 | Matthew 28 | The Great Conspiracy
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It’s the Great Commission. It’s your main focus when you open the last chapter of this epic Gospel, but there’s so much more. “Go therefore…” ends our journey that began at His birth. In between, we witnessed His baptism in the Jordan and heard the delighted voice of His Father from heaven. We watched His release into the wilderness to be tempered by fire, and had a front row seat at the launch of His ministry—the kingdom of heaven was indeed at hand. It wasn’t long before His ragtag collection of students were assembled, His would-be disciples, some of whom we come to know quite intimately on their travels. And Matthew’s Gospel is stippled throughout by prophetic moments, each seemingly marked by a grand sermon, mysterious parable, deep lesson, supernatural encounter, or stiff admonishment. Along the way, we realize we are all kingdom scribes getting a kingdom education, but some don’t like it! It’s undeniable, yet somehow people in certain positions do deny it. Extraordinary miracles occur, so outrageous that they can only be explained one way. Y’shua is the Son of God, the Christ!
We learn that He has a plan; He is going to pass His ministry onto others! But why? Is He going somewhere? He tells them over and over again that He is; but they don’t like it, so they avoid it, even deny it. But, it’s inevitable! He makes many enemies as He moves about, but really there is one most relevant; a power-hungry class of religious hypocrites. They still exist today and they’re not who you think. You can spot them because they build their own kingdoms. Then and now there is one satanic antichrist spirit at work. It hates what He is doing and that His reputation is growing. You’d think religious leaders would be thrilled; He’s the Messiah. But they’re not! He’s steeling the spotlight; attracting their donors; exposing the induration of their dark hearts; calling them hypocrites; and the majority of these religious elite are not ready to relinquish power, to surrender their man-made religious system.
As time goes on, He further clarifies who He is and what He will be, and what we will be in Him. And the clearer it becomes, the more resistant are those who have the most to lose—power, fame, fortune and control. And Y’shua meets their escalating denial and aggression with a move of His own—He becomes more brazen, more pointed, more intolerant. Gentle Jesus gives way to a full exposé on hypocrisy. Then, He seals the deal with His final two lessons. One is about the end-of-the-age, who to be and how to prepare—from the Mount of Olives. The other is about the age-to-come, what it will be like and how to get there—at His last meal.
Finally, the powers that be have had enough and they conspire to murder Him, to do whatever it takes to eliminate Him. Nothing is off limits; lies, false witnesses, unproven accusations, even the willingness to partner with a pagan Roman system to get what they want; it’s all on the table. Then they kill Him. They capture Him, and indict Him, and convict Him, and torture Him, and they murder Him. But it does not end there! The truth cannot be denied. Or can it? Even after He resurrects from the grave, even after the stone is rolled away and He is not there—He is risen; they conspire to tell yet another lie. “He has not risen; He’s been stolen.”
I take a deep breath and try to imagine the level of hatred; the level of self-righteous, self-serving narcissism; the vile incessant vitriol; the acid tongues and acid hearts that would not only deny the final obvious fact—He has risen; He is the Christ, but that they would instead master-mind the greatest coverup in human history. Humans can deny the obvious; that itself is obvious! Just tell more lies, spread more deceit, offer more bribes—hatch one more conspiracy. To this very day some people still believe it was all just a conspiracy. That is why we must go make disciples; preach that He has risen, and preach that we must become different because of it. We are meant to become just like Him!
2023-05-12 | Matthew 26-27 | Final Footsteps
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There is more to say than could be said with words. Really think about it. There are only two days remaining until He takes His last breath on this side of eternity. “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” And having said this, He breathed His last. It all comes down to this and the number of significant things—history-changing things, personal life-changing things that are about to take place in the span of less than forty-eight hours.
The Sermon on the Mount of Olives was complete. It was finished late afternoon, close to sunset, the day after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Think about all that happened in those preceding two days, most of those events taking place on two visits to the temple. Technically, it’s less than two full days. He rode into Jerusalem in the morning, left the city that night, went back the next morning, and that evening He left the city again and went up onto the Mount of Olives to deliver that sermon. There He taught about the coming end to a dying religious system and about the signs of the end-of-the-age and how to be prepared. If we think about the timing of Passover, which takes place as the sun is setting, we get a clearer picture of when He completed that sermon. When He was finished teaching, He said to His disciples, “You know that Passover is just two days from now, and I will be handed over to be crucified.” This places the timing of that sermon late in the day on Monday—forty-eight hours before Passover.
The next day, Tuesday morning, He is in Bethany being anointed for His burial with expensive perfume, and that evening, the night before the Passover, is when Jewish men would traditionally make their final preparations. It’s called the preparation day and on that evening Y’shua will share His last meal, the Last Supper, as He delivers His final preparation remarks to His closest disciples. To get ready, He sends His disciples ahead into Jerusalem to secure a room in which to prepare.
After the meal that night, He is off to the Garden of Gethsemane where His life as the Passover Lamb will be traded for the lives of all mankind. Subsequently, a court case takes place in the cover of darkness, mitigated that night by hypocritical religious leaders at the helm. And we know the timing because Peter is waiting overnight in the courtyard of the High Priest for a verdict, when the morning rooster crows, but not before he had denied his Lord three times.
That morning Y’shua is passed off to the Roman courts because the Jewish leaders display the worst brand of cowardice imaginable. They want Him dead, but they need someone else to do the dirty work. By noon Y’shua is beaten, bloodied, His flesh is torn from His body, and He is there hanging on a cross innocent, but crucified in humiliation for all to see.
The question for you is this; are you willing to go there with Him? Would you walk in His final footsteps? The journey through those final moments are unmatched in intensity and significance by any other span of hours in the history of humanity. Will you go there? Will you walk like He walked?