Sermon Notes & Videos
2022-08-19 | Deuteronomy 7-11 | The Great Paradox
The most expensive thing in the universe is free. Make sense? Let me say it in another way to clear up any contradiction; it will take every resource you have to buy something infinitely valuable that cost nothing. Is that better? No? Okay, try this; the faith that you were given for free, which guaranteed your eternity with God for free, will cost you everything. Still confused?
These are what are known as paradoxical statements. A paradox is a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when further investigated and explained proves to be well founded or true. I assure you, the above statements are true. Yes, they are absurd on the surface and seemingly contradictory, but they are nevertheless accurate; they are indeed fact.
It’s the great paradox. You come to the Lord naked and ashamed, and deserving of nothing. You are a helpless child and have nothing to offer Him. Yet, the Lord says, come buy bread with money you don’t have; use what is in your empty pockets to purchase living water from the fountain of life—an absurd paradox! Do you see it now? It is the most valuable thing in the universe and you do not have a single asset to offer in exchange. Yet, you partake freely. And suddenly something extraordinary happens. Your eyes are opened and you see everything before you that must be left behind you. Everything you were, all you held as sacred, each dear thing from which you crafted your persona, formed your identity, and derived your self-worth, you must now let die. Everything? Yes everything! You have become a new creature; it had cost you nothing and now it will cost you everything.
“What must I do to become a disciple?” That becomes the burning question; that becomes the only relevant question. And the answer becomes the only thing that matters. Y’shua said, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” In other words, the fruit one produces is the evidence that one has become a true disciple. But, unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it cannot produce fruit. Those who received that free faith, who freely ate the bread and drank from the fountain must now forsake all, even their very lives. If that is you, it will cost you everything for this thing that cost you nothing. It’s obviously absurd and seemingly contradictory. But, now that we’ve further investigated, it has proven to be well founded and true. It’s the greatest of all paradoxes!
2022-08-12 | Deuteronomy 3-7 | Ten Commandments – Who are they for?
In our Bibles, “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not” can be found hundreds of times. Undoubtedly, Yahweh’s intention was to provide fresh revelation to Moses in the form of His finger-scripted stone tablets. And God was not just revealing His commands to be a cosmic kill-joy. They were meant to be a blessing! It is well established and agreed that the Ten Commandments are the underpinning of western civilization. They are the bedrock for our cultural morality. However, as time passes since the revelation to Moses, and the further we get from its message, the greater the erosion of societal behaviors. Have we lost our ethical moorings?
The Church, unfortunately, has not been the guide rod and moral compass it was meant to be. A very prominent pastor recently published a book in which he writes, “The Ten Commandments have no authority over you. None. To be clear, “Thou Shalt not obey the Ten Commandments.”” If this is the message well-known pastoral figures are preaching from their platforms, why should the unbelieving world have any desire to surrender their humanistic agendas? Why not just live life according to how things make you feel? If it feels good, do it; if it doesn’t, don’t. What a simple and self-satisfying way to live. And isn’t this precisely what we are witnessing all around us today?
Because of its wish-washy doctrine, the western church is largely to blame for this phenomenon. As an institution, it has bowed to what people want to hear. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and the church has been all too accommodating to supply greasy grace to the loudest complaints! One of only two things can occur. Either the culture is shaped around God’s Word, or God’s Word is shaped around the culture. Trust me, no one complains when they get to do whatever they wish. It only gets noisy when people are taught to fit their lives into the narrow parameters of God’s instructions.
As such, it is no accident that the world is behaving the way it is. It should be no surprise that morality is at an-all-time low. Why? Because when humans are left to determine what is right, the outcome is always the same! If it feels good, do it; if it doesn’t, don’t. What a simple and self-satisfying way to live.
As Christians, we should be asking everyone this question. “Ten commandments, who are they for?” You might not win the “most popular” title, or the “most likely to succeed” award, but you will leave a lasting imprint. No, it is not your job to convince or change anyone’s mind, but it is your duty to challenge their way of thinking.
We are now experiencing the ramifications of living in a pluralistic society, one in which Christians are encouraged, even forced, to keep their opinions to themselves. Moses was handed down stone tablets and told to openly proclaim the truth written upon them. But, it is the enemy’s desire that their powerful meaning stay sealed behind closed doors. Ultimately, who are the ten commandments for? They are for all of humanity, because in the end, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And until that day comes, be sure that “teaching others to obey!” is part of your disciple-making agenda.
2022-08-05 | Deuteronomy 1-3 | Anti-discombobulated
It’s the elephant in the room, so let’s first stop pretending and settle the issue. “I didn’t know” is not the reason. It’s not a viable excuse. Okay, now that we have that out of the way, we can get down to business. His voice is loud and clear, no interpretation necessary. And His instructions are straightforward and unambiguous; nothing to clarify. Now, the only question remaining is, “Will you go?”
There is probably no more challenging directive in the Bible than the one that instructs the hearer to “Go!” That type of command can be very destabilizing. Comfort zones are comfortable for a reason. It’s like a mother’s warm and confined womb. A child floats in utter bliss with every provision on automatic. But, birth changes things; birth disrupts things. It’s time to leave the comfort zone through the canal of transition. Your mission is to enter a whole new world, an exciting world, but an uncomfortable one. It’s time to go!
Abraham was told to go. Isaac was told to go. Jacob was told to go. Jacob’s ten sons were told to go. Moses was told to go. Israel was told to go. David was told to go. Elijah was told to go. The disciples were told to go. Paul was told to go. You also were told to go. Go therefore! What simply remains is your response. Israel went, but opted for the forty year plan. Even after all the proof that Yahweh would provide every step of the way, they chose the round about route. The disciples went at first and saw miraculous things; after witnessing the crucifixion they scattered like cockroaches in the light.
After the resurrection, the disciples were again told to go; then they went back to fishing. You also were told to go. It’s the elephant in the room, so let’s first stop pretending and settle the issue. “You didn’t know” is not the reason. You have no viable excuse. And now that we have that out of the way, all you have to do is make a choice. His voice is loud and clear, no interpretation necessary. His instructions are straightforward and unambiguous; nothing to clarify. Go or don’t go. But, let’s not fool ourselves, “You didn’t know” is not the reason.
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2022-07-29 | Numbers 30-36 | Oh, What a World it Would Be… if…
Oh what a world it would be if men kept their word, but they don’t. Wars are fought over such things and people die. Vows are broken; marriages fracture and families are scattered. Fathering is optional and children are abandoned. Promises are forgotten and trust is lost. Help is withdrawn and dreams are shattered. Doing the right thing is discounted and someone always gets hurt. Greediness prevails and needs go unmet. Faith is discarded and every wrong option becomes available. Forget you are created in the image of God and the enemy gains free reign in your life.
Why must it be said, “If you make a promise you should keep it?” But, unfortunately, it must. Man has the propensity to violate his vows, to renege on his promises. And this condition is not novel. The disease is universal and timeless. God made it clear; “If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”
Oh what a world it would be if man exemplified fidelity with his “I do…”; responsibility with his “I have…”; integrity with his “I will…”; confidence with his “I can…”; character with his “I know…”; generosity with his “I possess…”; freedom with his “I believe…”; and certainty with his “I am…!” Oh what a world it would be.
2022-07-22 | Numbers 25-29 | How Not to Become the Warning
WARNINGS, WARNINGS, WARNINGS—they are all around us. From an early age, we are accustomed to being warned about many different things from parents, relatives, teachers, and friends. If you are grown now, yet still immature, you might still be receiving warnings. During your toddler years, you were undoubtedly told, “Don’t put your finger in that outlet; don’t put objects in your mouth; and don’t put that bag over your head.” As you got a little older, they warned you to, “Look both ways before you cross the street; and to brush your teeth at least twice a day.” In reality, the list of warnings could probably fill a book. In some ways they did!
Imagine if you didn’t obey and decided to stick that metal doohickey in that electrical socket. If you tried that as a youngling, you’d probably become a very strong advocate for prevention of that “shocking” mistake. When you experience the consequences of ignoring a warning, you then “become the warning.” Instead of just a herald you become an object lesson. These are very different. One is a voice; the other is an experience. The experiential displays more meaning and carries more weight than a talking head, better for the student, not so much for the teacher! This should not be shocking (excuse the pun)!
The human heart and emotions are the same today as in ancient days. We are fooling ourselves if we believe those Bible stories of old are outdated and have no relevant meaning for today. From one perspective, the Bible is one massive word of warning that we might receive like this; “Do not yourself become the warning.”
In other words, if you choose to ignore God’s Word, you will indeed become that warning. Peter best describes what God does with these sorts of people; He “makes them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly.” Our minimal aim as Christians should be to live by the Spirit and follow after the precepts of Yahweh, so our very testimony preaches the warning, rather than a disobedient life that then causes us to BE the warning. DO NOT BECOME the arning!
2022-07-15 | Numbers 22-25 | What Did The Donkey Say to The Jackass?
It’s actually hilarious when you think about it. Let me set the scene. You are so obstinate, so out of touch with reality, so absolutely wrong—and yet you are totally clueless! You have not even reached the starting line of “getting a clue!” I can think of so many idioms that describe this mental condition…
“You couldn’t be more wrong.”
“It’s like the blind leading the blind.”
“We’re not even on the same page.”
“It’s like you’re dead from the neck up.”
“You’re as dumb as a post.”
“You’re not playing with a full deck.”
“You’re one sandwich short of a picnic.”
And after you have demonstrated the befuddling capacity to be consistently wrong and clueless at the same time, it can only get worse if you verbally insist that it’s not you, but others who drown in delusion. “Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” to frame yet another idiom. In the end, there is a way to know who is right and we can use one final idiom as evidence. “The proof is in the pudding.” Yes, the truth of a thing is obvious from the results of the thing! Now, let’s witness this cluelessness in action in the Scriptures. Get ready to laugh—or cry, if unfortunately this describes you.
Did you ever read the story in the Bible where the prophet of God becomes the wannabe-relevant-prophet-to-the-stars? This defector becomes so out of touch with God that the donkey he is riding has to: first turn off the path; then resort to crushing his foot against a retaining wall to get his attention; only to follow by simply laying down, as to not move forward one more inch. You’d think this pseudo-man-of-god would get the message. Nope! He just beats the messenger to carry on.
Finally, he discovers that his dumb ass is not so dumb after all, as she blurts out a few choice words. Okay, lets really consider what’s going on here. How would you react? First, you would be in utter shock and amazement that the mute beast suddenly spoke, no? I think we can universally agree on this. Certainly you wouldn’t just start conversing with the animal, as if this is totally normal. Would you engage in a conversation? Would you carry on as if this was typical? More so, would you try to reason, or better yet, argue with the four legged creature?
It’s stunning as you read the narrative. But maybe if we take another perspective it will seem a bit less distressing. Maybe the talking female donkey is not speaking human at all. Maybe the man upon her back has instead descended into thinking like a jackass (a male donkey) and it’s the female donkey who should be shocked that her once human passenger has become nothing more than a stupid beast.
Here is the takeaway and Moses said it best; “Don’t bless yourself and say, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.’” Don’t descend into such a place of blindness and depravity that you begin to think like an animal! In other words, don’t become a jackass who is forced to converse with donkeys.