Sermons on Communion
A Savior You Can Trust
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his…
Jesus Loves His Own
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. John 13:1 (NIV)
The Essentials: Evangelism
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 (NIV)
The Table: Six Layers of Communion
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with…
A Shattered Illusion
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have…
The Cross and Compassion
Jesus was deeply moved with compassion for people, knowing that they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Compassion should lead us to pray for our sin-sick world, with a willingness to be the answer to that prayer. We should also follow Christ’s example by personally interacting with others and meeting them at their point of need: loving, forgiving, and caring. The cross is the ultimate expression of the compassion of Jesus.
The Cross and Missions
God’s pattern of redemption — God reconciling the world to Himself — is not a pattern of might and power. Just as Christ suffered shame and reproach on the cross, we are to identify with Him in suffering as we are sent as ambassadors of reconciliation. We should fix our eyes on what is unseen and eternal, view others as having intrinsic value, and give our resources sacrificially, so that God’s glory may increase and that others may find the hope of eternal life.
Sights, Sounds and Significance of the Cross
On the cross, the Son of God endured agony and public humiliation. As He heard the mocking of the onlookers He spoke words of forgiveness, promise, care, and victory. The significance of the cross is that Christ died specifically for each of us as individuals, to absorb the wrath of God on our behalf and bring us to reconciliation with God. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on…
The Servant Who Redeems
Jesus is the Redeemer who rescues us from our slavery to sin. The Son of Man and glorious High King of Heaven (Daniel 7:13-14) is the same one who gave His life to ransom many (1Peter 1:18-19). Through faith in Christ , we can be set free now from the penalty and power of sin, and one day we will be freed from the presence of sin in heaven.
The Lamb’s Reward
Jesus, the Lamb of God, stands in heaven triumphant. What rewards has Jesus purchased for Himself by His sacrificial death? His reward is a holy people being sanctified more and more through the Word and the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:25-27). These people are also to be zealous for good works, not in order to achieve salvation, but as an outgrowth of salvation by grace. Finally, Jesus receives the glad, reverent adoration of eternal worshippers (Revelation 5:9-10). When the dust of history settles, the Lamb wins!
The Cross Benediction
The Cross Benediction (Revelation 1:5b-6) reminds us that Christ’s love for us has been demonstrated by His death on the cross. Christ’s redemption saves us from the penalty and power of sin now and from the presence of sin in eternity. We are now part of His kingdom, the sovereign rule of Christ in our hearts and lives. We are to gratefully serve as priests, making Him known to others.
Boasting in the Cross
The world counts as folly what we count most precious: the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:14 exhorts us to make the cross our exclusive boast – what we joyfully exalt in, what shapes and molds our lives. The cross is worthy of our boast because it satisfies the wrath of God (Isaiah 53:6), it secures us in the love of God (1 John 4:10), and it separates us from the grip and influence of the world’s priorities (1 John 2:15-17).
Fear Not
How can we overcome fear that tries to take root in our hearts and lives? We are reminded in Hebrews 13:5-8 of the promise of Jesus to never leave or forsake us. No one can do anything of consequence to us in light of eternity, and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. So fear not! Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you…
Justly Justified
What is justification? God, motivated by grace, declares guilty people to be righteous. God is both just and the justifier, sending His son to be the atonement for our sin.
The Power of God for Salvation
The Gospel is an announcement of good news. Salvation is our rescue from guilt, separation from God, slavery to sin, and eternal death. Salvation is also rescue for life, adoption as children of God, and blessedness. The Gospel message is filled with the inherent power of God for the salvation of all who believe.
Forgiven
In Psalm 32 King David expresses the blessedness of forgiveness. David had committed sins of which the consequences of those sins still occurred, but he received forgiveness and a restored relationship with the Father when he cried out to God. Righteousness comes through faith to us as well. It is credited to us as a gift, apart from works.
Repent and Believe — Now!
Mark 1:14-15 marks a turning point in history when Jesus proclaims, “The time has come.” Israel had been waiting for the Messiah for thousands of years, the Promised One who would suffer and die for our sins and bring deliverance from sin. Our response to the sacrificial death of Christ on our behalf should be one of repentance and faith, awe and worship.
Amazing Grace
Grace is undeserved, unearned redeeming love and forgiveness. God’s forgiving grace is eternal and irreversible.
Nailed to the Cross
Nothing more powerful than the love of Jesus on the cross has ever happened in this world. The entire sin debt that we owe to God has been cancelled forever. Satan and his demonic forces have been defeated. The cross is a triumphant cross of victory.