Sermons
Prone To Wander
Many of us have idols. We just don’t realize it. Ask yourself…
Where do I spend my time?
How do I use my talents?
Where do I spend my money?
What occupies my mind?
Where do I find my joy?
Be Humbled. Be On Guard. Trust The Process.
Peter’s life was radically changed by Jesus Christ.
All of Peter’s letter should be looked at under the lens of the sovereignty of God, especially 1 Peter 5:6-11.
The God of all grace is sovereign over salvation, suffering, life, death, and everything in between.
Peter exhorts the older in faith to shepherd the younger ones in the flock.
God rewards those who shepherd others in accordance with His will.
Younger Christians ought to submit to the wisdom of their elders.
Humility is not natural. We have to put it on.
Pride leaves no room for grace.
Allowing worry to captivate you is a form of submitting to pride.
Humility is a gift to be applied under the sovereignty of God’s mighty hand.
Be humbled.
Be on guard.
Trust the process.
Marked To Be The Center
There is always room in our lives for more Scripture and more prayer.
The triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was nothing like a Roman triumphant entry. There were no spoils of war, prisoners, army, or golden chariot.
The people were expecting a conquering king to come and reestablish Davidic reign.
Riding on a young colt was a symbol of Jesus coming in peace rather than as a conqueror.
Hosanna means “Please! Save us!”
The people were praising Jesus, but their motives were what Jesus could do for them.
As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, our prayer life should grow as well.
Asking God to meet our needs is an important part of prayer, but prayer is much more that only asking and receiving. It includes adoration, gratitude, confession, and more.
Jesus doesn’t want to be a priority in your life. He wants to be the center.
Compassion In A Desolate Place
The crowd was with Jesus for 3 days without food. Their desire to be with Him was greater than their desire for food.
Jesus had compassion on the crowd. Compassion means to co-suffer with someone. Jesus had more than empathy or pity; He suffered with the crowd.
Jesus gave them what they needed to sustain them on their way home.
Jesus knows more than anyone else what you are going through because He has compassion for you. He endures your struggles with you.
Jesus made sure the entire crowd was fed and satisfied. Even when we can’t see Jesus from where we are, He still cares deeply for us.
Being yoked with Jesus is another image of His compassion.
The compassion of God…
…gives our souls rest.
…restores our hope.
…leads us through the struggle to the cross.
…knows we’re starving and gives us the Bread of Life to sustain us.
…gets us all the way home to Him.
…became the Passion of Christ.
Live The Cross
Peter’s (and the disciples’) view of the Messiah was too limited.
The Kingdom of God is here now but is also yet to come.
Jesus taught the disciples “on the way.”
Rebuke comes as a challenge to understand and leads to repentance.
We see what we are trained to see more than what is there.
Social justice is important to the heart of God, and He wants the best for us, but there is more to being a disciple than that.
Getting Jesus’ title correct is only the first step of being a disciple. Disciples are called to deny self, take up their execution stake, and follow Christ.
When we deny ourselves, we say “no” to the “I” that would enslave us, and we say “yes” to God, and He leads us to life.
To take up our cross and follow Christ means to suffer and die. It’s the difference between a disciple and an admirer of Christ.
Jesus doesn’t need new PR or good marketing. He needs disciples who are dying to self and living the cross.