For many Christianity, is a religion of rules. Endless lists of dos and don’ts that prove to us that we don’t measure up cause us to despair. In fact, if we’re honest it often causes us to draw back from God and Jesus. Some may participate because it is “the right thing to do,” but this is only duty and it actually causes many people to steer as far away as possible from church, religion and anything that has to do with faith. However, in Mark 1, we read about two sets of sons who were working in their respective family businesses. One day these sons encountered Jesus during the course of their work day and the result was that they resigned from their Father’s businesses and became students of this up and coming Rabbi. What did Jesus teach that caused them to leave their life’s work so quickly and easily. It was very powerful, but it wasn’t a list of religious rules. Jesus was relevant to those men for the rest of their lives and He is completely relevant to us today because of the power of His Teachings.
Sermons by Rob Cupp (Page 2)
What happens when following Christ doesn’t seem worth it anymore? The author of the Book of Hebrews was writing to a group of people who were thinking of “jumping ship” because of persecution and imprisonment they were facing. Sticking with Jesus was costing them a lot, but the writer makes a case that Jesus is better and has better things for us. We need this exhortation today. No matter what difficulty we face, following Jesus is the only option when we see His Greatness and we understand the rest He wants to give us.
God has always been speaking to the human race, calling us, inviting us, challenging us and communicating His desire for us to be with Him. In fact, He made us to be fueled by Him as we dwell on this planet. If we try to be fueled by anything else, our lives will not run properly. So, God speaks to us to remind us that without Him it won’t work. During the history of Israel, God used the prophets and his mouthpiece to remind them that He is the only way. Today God continues to speak and to call us to decide to be fueled by Him and Him alone.
Be careful what you wish for. Many of us look at the world around us and desire to have a different life in some way, and the Israelites were no different. They wanted to be like the other nations around them and have a human king rule over them. They asked, and God graciously gave them what they wanted – even though it wasn’t the best for them. Over the history of Israel there were good kings, but none of them were as good as God was. In our lives, we must be careful what we demand and ask for from God…we might just get what we want.
“Life Happens” is an often-heard phrase when we try to explain difficulty, pain and setbacks people face in life. Sometimes when “life happens”, the deeper and often unspoken question asked by those who have faith (and even those who don’t) is “Who is this God that allowed….or caused….or didn’t act in time?” We see this in the story of Moses. Israel finds themselves at the end of 400 years of being the slaves of Egypt and a God they have only heard about in family stories begins to move. And it doesn’t always seem that He moves in their favor. As they ask their questions, God is on a mission and revealing to His People who He really is.
Not all religions are the same. Nor are all “gods.” During the Christmas Season, we celebrate the incarnation of the All Mighty, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When He “became flesh” it revealed to us who God The Father is and how He loves, relates to and cares for us. As a result, the Incarnation is the reason we can sing “Joy to the World, the Lord has come!”
Living in the world we live in; it is easy to fall into a “side” of an argument or discussion. This ease often causes divisions and breaking in relationships. Unfortunately, even in the early days of Christianity, this breaking and division began to happen in the Church. But in 1 Corinthians, Paul begins to lay out the beautiful possibility that we can have a change of mind and live in unity with all who “are being saved” by Christ and His Gospel Message. Not only is this possible, but it is God’s desire and plan to have our relationships reconciled and be fully united in Him.
As we continue looking at Hope’s values, our second value is God’s Guidance. When we seek, live in, and desire God’s Presence, we will also get all of God’s Guidance…in every area of life. Living in the Presence of God is like having a GPS for every relationship, project, decision, culture, and area of your life. God wants to lead and direct us because He is our gracious and loving King. And He will lead us if we let him! But, be aware the destination God has for us as He leads may not always be the one we would choose for ourselves, but His Ways are always ultimately better than our ways.
As we start the season of Advent, we move into a time of great anticipation, longing and waiting….and waiting…and waiting. In fact, before the birth of Jesus many in Israel were waiting desperately for their entire lives to see God send His promised Messiah and to see that Messiah bring about all that God had promised. Generation after generation, desperately longing and waiting for God. Those that stayed close with God celebrated when they simply saw the baby Messiah. Today, we can relate to Israel’s desperate waiting and longing for things to change, for something new to come, for a breakthrough.
Jesus reigns and He is near to all of His followers. Yet, when difficulties come, it’s natural to get distracted from this central reality. Anticipating hard seasons, Paul used a quill to remind us of several exquisite everlasting facts of faith which he calls the armor of God. This week we will learn why we desperately need to embrace, in our challenging days, God’s breastplate of righteousness