Sermon Notes & Videos
2023-04-07 | Matthew 20 | Dilating the Pupils
Weekly Scriptures | Sermon Notes | Sermon Video
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Undoubtedly you’ve heard this verse used to explain all sorts of poor decisions and bad behavior. Oftentimes it hovers over both the believer and unbeliever alike, serving to excuse, or even dismiss, what would otherwise be unacceptable. The assertion is that the heart of the redeemed person is really no different than that of the unredeemed. You know it’s true. No, not that the hearts are the same, but that the verse is used so indiscriminately. Let’s correct the record; you should not be surprised when a pagan acts like a pagan, but you should be very disappointed when a Christian does.
Everyday-life circumstances are very effective at exposing what’s in a man’s heart. Y’shua often taught His disciples lessons that would reveal their heart condition. He performed cardiac stress tests, here and there, by inserting parables about the heart into His teaching schedule. If we return to the infamous verse and read what comes next, this is what the Lord told Jeremiah: “Yahweh, searches the heart—tests the mind. And He gives every man according to his choices, according to the fruit of his actions.” A few things jump off the page here. First that the heart is actually the mind. Elsewhere we learn that the Word of God exposes the thoughts and intents of the heart. It should be obvious to all that thoughts and intentions are functions of the mind. It is also apparent that we can discern what is in a man’s heart by observing his activities; let’s say both his words and his actions.
But again, the challenge is about the heart of a Christian. Are we really no different? Are we no more equipped than the average pagan? Are we only equally capable? You’d think that was so each time a Christian commandeers that verse, “The heart is deceitful above all things…” and feels to use such to justify or excuse his or another’s words and actions. “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing? My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” May this be the last day, as a follower of Christ, that you erroneously lean on Jeremiah’s words about a deceitful heart. Instead, grab onto these from Ezekiel; “You have been given a new heart and a new spirit; your heart of stone has been removed and replaced with a heart of flesh.”
Y’shua will test your heart as He does all those who sit under His teachings. And, He poses this question to every one of us. “Has My goodness uncovered any wickedness lurking in your heart?” Now, let us contemplate two additional paradigm-shattering questions. Pretend you are sitting at the feet of the King on His throne in heaven. Maybe even picture a judge’s bench in a courtroom. Or, to make it more intimate, imagine sitting on God’s lap, warmed by His loving embrace. I can only imagine! The King has a few questions for you—two questions, essentially the same. “What do you wish?“ And, “What do you want Me to do for you?” But two very different answers… What do I wish? I wish to be exalted above all others—very Luciferian. “What do I want You to do for me?” Lord, open my eyes that I may follow You. Two similar questions; two very different answers.
Sight is a function of the eyes and when all you can see is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, you are truly blind. Vision, however, is a function of the heart and when you understand with a pure heart, you will see what all the prophets and righteous men of old desired to see. This exercise can cause your mind to wander in a few very different directions, but one thing is certain. Your answers say everything about what’s in your heart. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Sell all you have to follow Him and you will be His true disciples.
2023-03-31 | Passover | PREPARATION DAY | Who are Legitimate Sons?
Asking questions is one of the most powerful ways to engage people on a deeper level. Paul used this rabbinic technique and has stirred the imagination of Christians for the past two thousand years. If we consider just his letter to the Romans, his greatest theological treatise of all, he asks at least 75 different questions!
Here are a few:
* “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
* “Do we then make void the law through faith?
* “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
* “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
* “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?”
* “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
Y’shua also used questions quite effectively. “Who do men say that I am?” challenged Peter to come to a Spirit-inspired conclusion. This was posed to Peter to bolster his understanding of sonship; “From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” However, what might be the most provocative question of all is one that Y’shua leaves the conclusion for you to discover. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?” I want you to contemplate the answer to this question, but not before you consider His prior remarks earlier in the same sermon. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Here are a number of mysterious and challenging questions of my own to solve, while also pondering Y’shua’s riddle:
* “Who then is the faithful and wise servant?”
* “What is the gospel of the kingdom?”
* “What ends after the gospel of the kingdom has been witnessed by all nations?”
* “Whom does the Father chasten?
* “What does it mean to be a legitimate son?”
* “What does it mean to be a firstborn?”
* “Who was at risk of at the first Passover; what did it determine?”
These are not simple questions, so please don’t be too hasty to reply. I can, however, promise you this; if you make searching for the answers a priority on your devotional journey with the Lord, when you do discover the truth, it will change everything!
2023-03-24 | Matthew 18-19 | Legal Matters
Weekly Scriptures | Sermon Notes | Sermon Video
It’s a double entendre. Don’t you just love how that flows off your tongue? A double entendre is when something has a twofold or double meaning. That’s the simple explanation. Here it is used to describe when a single phrase is intended to amalgamate two ideas that seem to compete for precedence, into one unified concept. And as you contemplate what that means to you, and what is meant by “compete,” avoid the temptation to believe that those thoughts must “oppose” one another, and rather consider that they are two lofty ideas connected to one another, yet difficult to think about simultaneously.
Double entendres birth two independent thoughts in one moment, thoughts that require intense focus and concentration, demanding the expenditure of abundant mental energy. You must discipline your mind to instantly switch between two ideas again and again, until they blend. Maybe it’s the sentence structure that changes the potential meaning, depending on how you read it, necessitating a double-take like: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord…” or, “I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God…” or, “I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise…”or, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God…” or, “If you’ve seen Me you’ve seen the Father because I and My Father are one, and you are one just as We are One.“
Think hard! Is the voice shouting in the wilderness or is the preparation in the wilderness? Is He drinking the wine and then waiting to drink again, or is He not drinking until? Is He telling the man today about paradise or will the man be with Him in paradise today? And, are they calling Him good because only God is good and He is God, or is it that only God is good so they should not call Him good? It must be because He is one with God which makes Him both the same as the Father, but also separate and equally yoked, and so are you! So much to think about—so many double meanings that it makes your brain hurt!
Or imagine a double entendre as a phrase that might be both a noun and a description, character trait, or directive of that noun at the same moment. Consider a noun phrase like “The Narrow Road.” Yes the road itself is narrow, plus the path traveled is less frequented because those on it are a rarer breed who must choose to do the less popular thing because the more popular thing is the wrong thing which is more attractive.
And then there is the double entendre that inspired this message…”Legal Matters.” Any matter of law is a legal matter and all matters of law really matter. As you will soon discover, Y’shua utilized the law to navigate the rough terrain of first-century legalism and to reveal just how to apply His Father’s commands in everyday life circumstances. In other words, He took the law out of the Book and used it to rule on specific legal matters, thereby turning law into case law. And He did that in two ways: the first was during actual events, like the woman accused of adultery. The second was by displaying in a fictional story how He would rule; we call those parables. Yes, parables are meant to establish case law. In both ways He operated as the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Heaven, thus setting precedent for all who would follow. Will you follow?
2023-03-17 | Matthew 17 | Climb Your Mountains
Caracas, Venezuela is nestled in a valley, surrounded by mountains. As a Boy Scout, I was involved in some physical training that included excursions in basic mountain climbing. At first, our adventures lasted a few hours and took us only up into the lower altitudes. That’s where we became acclimated to the terrain and to the lower oxygen concentration in the air. As we became stronger climbers, able to navigate more difficult landscapes and our bodies adapted to less oxygen, we were able to climb higher and higher. The summit on the coastal mountain range in Caracas, known as “The Avila,” is called “Pico de Naiguata,” and is situated on the border between the Venezuelan states of Miranda and Vargas.
I had no idea that what I was learning at that time in my life would play such a significant role later on. It seemed then that I was simply enjoying myself learning about nature and hanging out with my friends away from the immediate grasp of my parents. That was good enough for me! Think about it; it was an easy way to get outdoors, while at the same time having very little parental oversight. There was no way for me to know back then, at eleven years old, that God would use those experiences in nature, climbing mountains, to help craft a message decades later about the skills needed to do essential spiritual mountain climbing. The parallels are astounding!
When we read Matthew 17, it’s easy to zero in on the amazing and magnificent “transformation” moment on the mountain. “And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.” Beyond any doubt, what this represents, and the conversation that ensues during and immediately afterwards, is the most critical topic in the chapter. Yet, don’t get so transfixed that you miss something significant, the climb up the mountain itself.
How does the “climb” play out in your life as a Christian today? Is there anything significant about the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual effort it takes to climb the mountain with our Blessed Savior? At minimum, we must assume there is some effort required. And borrowing from the words that Christ Himself used so often to preface a statement, “Most assuredly I say to you,” a significant effort is demanded. How significant you might fear?
Allow me to use a bit of an “artistic license” to reword and combine certain pre-existing biblical concepts. Maybe in this case we will call it a “pastoral license!” “If anyone chooses to climb up the mountain with Me, he must deny his own desires and self-interests, and make significant sacrifices every day in order to follow Me.”
And let’s acknowledge that more often than not, it is easier to achieve things in the natural realm than in the spiritual. Climbing to the top of the mountains in your spiritual life is significantly (there’s that word again for the seventh time!) harder than strapping on a pair of boots, loading a backpack, and heading out on the trail. Let’s sort out what is so significant about what it will take for you to be victorious as you “Climb Your Mountains!”
2023-03-10 | Matthew 16 | Sign me up
We are a few months into the new calendar year, but it’s not so distant that you don’t remember that feeling. You know, that “New Year’s Resolution” feeling that so many of you had. Maybe the most common tingly inspiration was the one to get in shape. So, what did you do? You hopped in your car and went gym shopping.
Keep that sentiment in mind! Try to recall exactly what that felt like. You arrived at your first “test facility” where an eager staff member showed you the ropes. You were just as eager to look around the place because you wanted to see if it was the right fit for your fitness goals. After your tour, the way-to-enthusiastic staff member went right in for the close! And rightfully so, it’s not just their job; they believe in what they sell! “Are you ready to sign up?” At this point, there are only three main options on the table: yes, no, and maybe. You’ve had a little taste of the facility, seen the potential advantages and benefits, maybe even watched a few gym devotees in action and they were looking pretty good. And you eagerly respond to the pitch; “YES! SIGN ME UP!” Or maybe it’s a clear “no” for you. There is nothing about the place or the offer that inspires a bite or even a lick. Then there is the standard, “I think I need to think about it a little. It’s got some of what I am looking for, but I did not see exactly what I had in mind.” Welcome to modern day Christianity!
Many people in Christendom today view following Christ the same way they look for the perfect fitness facility. If they don’t see exactly what they are looking, everything that meets their expectations, they pass on the offer. Or, maybe the cost is a bit steep, or the people they encountered were not their “type,” so they just keep shopping around. If it’s not completely obvious this is for them, they will assuredly walk away to look for something else, just like they would in search of the perfect fitness facility, one to “fit their personal flavor and needs.”
In today’s study, Jesus calls those looking for a sign of their “perfect flavor Messiah” an“evil and adulterous generation.” This is precisely how so many modern believers either onboard and off-board their relationship with Christ. They are looking for a relationship flavor based on God’s performance in their lives, one that tastes more like a genie in a bottle. A gym membership with a holy and majestic God named Yahweh, well, that seems like way too much work with way too expensive membership dues! If they don’t see exactly what they are looking for, it’s okay to just bail, right? I want to challenge you today with these sentiments from Jesus; “Are you ready to deny yourself, lift up your cross and follow Him?” Are you ready to say, “Sign me up!”?
2023-03-03 | Matthew 14-15 | May I borrow Your Handkerchief
Weekly Scriptures | Sermon Notes | Sermon Video
First you listen and learn; then you watch what you’ve learned in action; then you do it with the person from whom you’ve learned it; then you do it alone while you are watched by the person who taught you; then you do it alone without being watched; then you teach while someone else listens and learns; then they watch you do what they learned from you; then they do what they learned with you; then they do alone what they learned while you watch; then they do alone what they learned without being watched; then they teach what they learned to the next person who will listen. Paul says it concisely: “The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Wash, rinse, repeat—it should be that simple.
Nevertheless, there are a few diagnoses that describe why this does not happen nearly as often as it ought: “daft-disciple-disorder,” “self-serving-syndrome,” and “greedy-gain-gangrene.” These illnesses can be found on two sides of the same counterfeit coin. One side… they just don’t get it. The other side… they do get it, but want it just to serve their own selfish desires. Yes, they sit on either side of the same counterfeit coin, separated only by the thin margin that makes the coin’s edge. And in the end, they all point in the same direction; go back to square one—back to where you started, because clearly no progress has been made. As children, we played the game Red-Light-Green-Light 1-2-3. The objective of the game is to reach the finish line without any movement being detected. From the starting line, you move forward only when the arbiter over the participants is facing away. As he calls out the game’s name, you strategically advance and when the last “eeee” of the number “three” loses its audible sound, he whips his head around to catch all those trying to squeeze in one last step. If busted for moving while in his field of vision, you must go back to square one, back to the starting line, while everyone who has adhered to the rules of the game continues forward.
Paul tells us to imitate him as he imitates Christ. You imitate me as I imitate Him and others will imitate you: wash, rinse, repeat. Christ gave lesson after lesson, demonstration after demonstration. He was in the boat with them and calmed the storm; He asked them to feed thousands of hungry people and then showed them how. He sent them on the boat without Him, and then walked out on the sea to meet them, and again calmed the storm. He presented a second occasion to feed the multitudes and yet they still asked, “Where would we get enough food in this remote wilderness to feed such a huge crowd?” And throughout it all, He healed the masses of every imaginable disease and promised us we’d do greater things one day!
If you are flipping a coin and it keeps coming up: heads you lose—tails… you lose, then you are suffering from an undiagnosed disease. I suggest you take a look at Y’shua’s playbook and learn from Him. And start living on the edge of the coin. That is where, although narrow, the seas become calm, bread forms out of thin air, and the masses are healed by simply touching your garment or the handkerchief you once held, or maybe even because they passed through your shadow. It will happen as long as you lose your daftness and stop making it all about you!