Sermon Notes & Videos
2022-12-23 | Matthew 1-2 | Best Supporting Actor
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They had reached the edge of the river. On the other side lived all the promises of the Father. All they had to do is step in and cross over. In your mind, no doubt, this imagery paints the Israelites at the bank of the Jordan looking over at the promised land. Yet, for Christians there’s more, so much more. Crossing over means finding rest, and rest means you have come to live in such a place that faith, and I mean complete faith, has become the blood that flows in your arteries and veins. Your faith is the lifeblood that is pushed around by your every heartbeat.
In Christian vernacular rest means Christlike perfection, and perfection means that the kingdom of heaven has become the pulse bounding from your beating heart. In other words, God’s heartbeat has become your heartbeat. And nowhere is the heartbeat of God better felt than in the Gospel narrative of Matthew—reading it is as if you are pressed against God’s bosom. I “fear” the Gospels! They are His Holy Ground! Dare we step on that soil with dirty feet. Dare we echo His words with unclean lips. Cross over, yes, take a strong stand on the land He has promised, but do so with reverence, awe and extreme gratitude, for such privilege would be unimaginable, had He not synchronized our hearts with His. Dare you step over? The best way to keep your heartbeat synchronized with God’s is to listen and obey, regardless of what you hear. Dare you go to that place? It’s scary, but maybe it’s okay, for a while, to feel like a wounded bird, flying in circles, searching for a perch on which to land, knowing you won’t find one just yet, at least not now.
This comes to mind if we stay with the imagery of our wounded bird—imagine a homing pigeon. They are locked onto from where they came and they are trained to return, to end up at their origin, no matter how far the journey—no matter how long it takes. You were crafted in God’s image and you are being trained to return to that image, no matter how far the journey—no matter how long it takes. What does that training look like? Listen for His voice; it’s calling you home! And, obey immediately, or your journey will take so much longer than necessary, and might even end in tragedy. The early chapters of Matthew demonstrate this perfectly.
Joseph was pressed into God’s bosom, locked onto His voice; and had he not been or had he not obeyed immediately, history altering tragedies would have ensued at each stage of his instruction. Everything, and I mean everything hinges on your ears to hear God’s heart and your willingness to obey—and I mean everything! So, home in, even if you have to fly in circles for a while!
2022-12-16 | Joshua 23-24 | Interspecies Marriage
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You feel like you’re all in. You use all the words and you sport the tidy little package called modern Christianity. You live in the world but are no longer part of the world, at least that’s the party line. Yet, you cannot overlook the obvious, you are here… “in the world.” It’s all around you; they are all around you. They live among you; that is an unavoidable fact. Among you, yes, but in you? That is the part that is completely optional.
There’s the rub; that is the choice. You are in the world, but is the world in you? The scriptures teach, nay they warn, do not intermarry—do not consummate with those who live among you who are not of you. If you do, they will get in you and you will get in them. It will be as if your thin fragile parchment became bonded with theirs, glued over every square inch to one another. Just try to separate them, to tear them one from the other, and all you will produce is fragments of both, still laminated together.
It only gets worse when one tampers with their witness. What might that look like? Oh, it’s likely much more common than you notice on any regular basis. Included in this species are all those who would swear that they are following the Lord. But, they’re not. And, you might not easily notice them because they work tirelessly to look good on the outside. Survival instincts prevail when animals are desperate to stay alive. This species will do anything necessary to appear like they are committed to the Lord, even though they happily consummate their relationship with the world daily.
Are you using your animal survival instincts to substitute a sin that is harder to recognize, for one that is obvious, just so you can remain undetected among those who care about sin? It’s just like sowing tares among the wheat. It’s all kosher on the packaging; it’s facon bacon. If you are hiding, only one question remains—are you simply struggling with sin, or do you not care? God has no problem dealing with your sin, as long as you do! It’s when you don’t struggle with your sin, when your sin does not bother you, that God’s anger burns. If you are wrestling against entanglements with the affairs of the world, tempted to carry a label that makes you appear right with God, like imitation crab, then there’s good news—when you are weak, He is strong. But, if you feel no regret or guilt about your sins and addictions, you may sadly discover that both pieces of parchment were cut from the same animal all along.
2022-12-09 | Joshua 20-22 | Pick a Vowel
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It’s encouraging when God’s people get it right. It doesn’t happen very often—unfortunately. In fact, it’s more common in biblical narratives to witness God’s people make foolish choices, rather than wise decisions. And sometimes it is the smallest nuance that separates the will of God from the will of man.
We might even say that the biblical narrative continues today. Really, other than that the reports are not being written in a book, THE BOOK, can’t we say that there has been one continuous story since creation—our story? It’s easy to overlook, but the Bible does seem to support this idea; “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ.” And might we even agree that we still get it wrong more times than not? Look around at how common it is for God’s people to ruin their testimonies. It’s so predictable that worldly onlookers have come to expect it from Christians—many using the apparent hypocrisy as fuel to stay far away from the Church.
What separates a good witness from the bad is often just one small thing: a jot, a tittle, a yod, an iota, a small stroke of the pen — one letter. It’s easy to alter things, to change them in subtle ways that make them sound the same, but they’re not. One small letter transforms the Altar into an alter. And for Christians there’s only One Altar. “We have an Altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.” Are you eating from that Altar or another? It’s not always easy to tell, but I can tell you it’s easy. It’s as easy as reading a letter and recognizing letters. “You are an epistle of Christ known and read by all men.” And all it takes to alter your Altar is to exchange one small vowel in one small word with one small stroke of a pen—a jot, a tittle, a yod, an iota. Ask the right questions and it will be easy to tell if someone is worshipping the alter or at the Altar.
There was a song popularized in 1969 about worshipping the “alter of self.” It’s title—My Way. It’s most famous letters screamed of self; “I did it my way!” It’s what happens when you alter letters. Apparently, those who worship at the true Altar sing a different song —His Way. It’s letters sing… “What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know? Every word of God is pure; do not change one letter, lest you be found worshiping at the wrong alter.”
2022-12-02 | Joshua 16-19 | Apostolic Footprints
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He has done so much for you already. Are you permitted to feel dissatisfied? I guess it depends on why? There is a very fine line between ungrateful discontentment with what the Lord has already provided and knowing that He has more for you. I am 100% convinced that the Bible teaches this, so you must be able to determine when you ought to feel satisfied—completely fulfilled, and when you ought to press into Yahweh for something more.
Distinguishing which attitude is appropriate at any moment has everything to do with God’s plan for mankind, and for you personally—your specific purpose and dreams. To abide in the Lord, to immerse yourself completely in His will, means you must expand your imagination beyond human limitations. I like to think of it like this; if you can imagine it, then Yahweh has even more for you. Paul says, “Be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God, and glorify Him who is, with His power working in us, able to do immeasurably more than all we ask, think or imagine.” I like that! But, what does “immeasurably more” even mean?
Are you supposed to let your imagination run wild—demand satisfaction for every desire? No, it always hinges on knowing God’s will and His promises. It’s worth repeating a thousand times! To your faith, first add virtue! If your first step forward in any decision or desire is not virtuous, seeking the Lord’s heart, will, direction and approval, then your next step will always be into the abyss.
However, when you seek God’s heart and hear His voice, and you willingly submit to His direction and approval, you are then free to be as bold as imaginable. Take down a giant, lay down with lions, strangle a bear, open an ocean, hold back a raging river, and occupy a mountain. Sometimes God wants you to take more land, occupy higher ground, maybe even seize more authority.
However, once you are certain God is waiting on you, before He releases more, it’s time to go boldly before His throne to ask for it, even at the risk of seeming dissatisfied. “Thank you Yahweh, what You’ve provided is amazing, but it’s not complete; I’m certain there is more.” Trust me, at times that is exactly what you ought to pray.
However, following your bold request, it is critical you apply two safeguards. First, when Yahweh grants more, “Take it!” Even if you have to work for it, or it looks scary, or it looks impossible; take it because it’s a guarantee. And secondly, when Yahweh grants more, take “It!” Stop asking; don’t you dare request something different!
2022-11-25 | Joshua 12-15 | The Promise Remains
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Why do you call me Lord and not do things that I say? It’s a great question! In modern vernacular we might even call it a reality check. And they can range quite a bit, these reality checks, from reality check and friendly nudges to harsh warnings and hostile shoves. It all depends on you. Are you receiving the message? Is reality getting through to you?
Now, there is a word that needs some clarification—reality. We can’t just assume. I mean, maybe we could at another time in history. But in a universe in which we cannot even distinguish between a man and a woman, I can’t safely assume anything. Reality should be simple to define, but it isn’t. Reality has become relative. Now, if there was EVER an oxymoron it is that…reality is relative.
Relative: existing or possessing a specified characteristic only in comparison to something else; not absolute; a fair degree of; comparative, qualified, modified… Impossible! Reality CANNOT be some degree of something. Reality is absolute. Reality is truth.
So, I will again ask; is reality getting through to you? Is absolute truth getting through? Well, when it is not, we get gentle reminders, and if we still remain dense we get disturbing and uncomfortable reminders. Then, at some point we must pick a side —definitively. The Master has gone away, but blessed is the servant whom his Master finds doing what he is supposed to be doing when the Master returns. Oh, and if you didn’t catch that, what the Master expects you to do is the ONLY reality that matters! But, there is ANOTHER reality you should wholly avoid, not another as if there is an alternative truth, but another as in the other side of the same coin.
Yes, the Master has gone away and is returning soon. One reality is this; “Blessed is the servant whom his Master finds doing what he is supposed to be doing when the Master returns.“ And the “alternate reality?” “Cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites!” Can we all agree that you’d be better off letting those mild nudges that sometimes become brutal shoves do a work in you. Why? Because the “alternate reality” is sharper than a two edged sword and it will shred you to ribbons!
2022-11-18 | Joshua 9-11 | A Relaxed Voice
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I could not think of a better way to introduce this subject than to pepper you with a spray of soundbites. Generally I am against Christian one-hit-wonders, or should I say one-verse-wonders? But, this compilation of platinum singles really amalgamated like a precision missile strike.
Why have you deceived us? Because you did not ask counsel of the Lord. You fight and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss. Then Joshua spoke to the Lord; ‘sun, stand still,’ and the Lord heeded the voice of a man. Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said; then the land rested from war. We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Come to Me and I will give you rest. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us; and whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. You will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Peace, be still! And the wind ceased. And most inspiring of all: “Lazarus, come forth! Loose him from those graveclothes, and let him go.” After that barrage you might be left wondering, “Who is foolish enough to not ask? And who is stubborn enough to not follow the strict guidelines of asking? In other words, what parameters ensure that asking is met with a favorable response?
The Bible is replete with examples of natural phenomena set on a collision course with the supernatural. Mountains get tossed into the sea; oceans separate; raging rivers hit invisible barriers; gale force winds cease; and the sun stands still in the sky, motionless, at the sound of a man’s voice. How does this happen? And could you duplicate such cataclysmic authority? Maybe you can and maybe you can’t, but one thing is for sure, you can’t unless you ask. So, we are left with just two options: do not ask the counsel of the Lord, or speak to the Lord and witness the sun stand still! I don’t know about you, but I will simply ask these two questions again.
“Who is foolish enough to not ask?” And, “Who is stubborn enough to not follow the strict guidelines of asking?” Oh, and when you do get around to asking, do it with a relaxed voice!