Happy Resurrection Day | 1 Peter 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
Sermons by Dean Wertz (Page 14)
Today we celebrate that Jesus is our Hope. We gather (remotely) for Palm Sunday in a world that is very different from ever before. More than ever, we recognize we are in need of help and that God is our King and Savior. It is a gift to reflect that He is the One who holds everything together, heals, and knows what it is like to walk through challenging times so that we also might find the strength to carry on.
Psalm 46:1-3
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
We pray “Thy kingdom come” and we are instructed to participate in the answer to our prayer by showing others what life with King Jesus looks like on earth as it is in heaven. Did you know that we also get to participate in the answer to this prayer by talking about God’s kingdom in our everyday conversations? In this message we consider reasons why it is not only faithful but fun to have conversations in line with David’s forecast in Psalm 145:11, “They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom.”
Have you noticed how busy life has become? On this first Sunday of Lent we observe in Psalm 63 that it is possible and beneficial to seek God earnestly everyday, especially when things seem to be spinning out of control. And, we consider habits to help us do so through Lent and beyond.
Whether we realize it or not, experiencing life with God is the hunger of every human soul. Though there are a variety of ways people throughout time have sought to connect with God, in this section of Jesus’ discourse on the hill, Jesus clarifies that intimacy with Him precedes ministry for Him when it comes to stepping in to life with God now and for eternity.
Just as a current can pull a swimmer off course so there are forces that can distract those who are accompanying Jesus in our walk with Him. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warns His followers about impressive and persuasive people who will enter our lives and, if we are not prepared, will pull us from our pure, simple, child-like walk with Christ our King.
Life is intended to be lived with God while apprenticing with Jesus to live by the Golden Rule. So, how do we begin this walk with our Lord? In this message we look at the first of 4 contrasting pictures that bring the Sermon on the Mount to a close. In this first one, Jesus shows us how to step into life with God forever.
In addition to guiding us personally, God loves to guide His people together. If we ask, seek and knock together, our Heavenly Father promises to give us what He describes as “good things.” So, in this message on the 1st Sunday of 2020 we discover why we will ask God for clarity on His vision for this local church’s future together and how we plan to do so throughout this next year together.
He was “born a child and yet a king.” So the Sermon on the Mount is His vision for the King’s kingdom – how things look when everything goes according to His way. This vision includes an ongoing conversation between God and His people that leads to His glory and our peace. His path to divine peace, revealed in Matthew 7:7-11, is a gift for all as we head into the New Year and beyond!