We enjoyed a fantastic day yesterday at Crestview. My AM Sermon, Advent Hope (Malachi 4:4-6), helped connect the notion of hope to the coming of Jesus (both first and second advents were in view). I hope that’s an encouragement.

Speaking of Advent, Thomas Cranmer, an English Reformer, wrote some masterful prayers (called Collects) to help guide people during advent. Here’s the first one:

Collect for Advent I:
“Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son, Jesus Christ, came to visit us in great humility: that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead; we may rise to the life immortal.”

https://theanglicanbreviary.wordpress.com/2016/12/10/advent-collects-2/

The highlight for me was getting to be a part of two young women in our church who gave strong testimony of how Jesus has changed them. Here are some pics I’ve collected from yesterday’s baptisms:

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My 10/31/21 sermon at Crestview, Reformed and Always Reforming (2 Corinthians 3:18), is online. Reformation Day rarely falls on a Sunday, so I used this opportunity to think about how the church can grow (or semper reformanda, always be reforming). Specifically, we dug into how we need more love and more Bible (transformation), leading to a new of more Jesus. I hope this sermon encouraged you, and if you haven’t heard it, it will bless you.

My 10/24/21 sermon at Crestview Bible Church, Free From Anxieties (1 Corinthians 7:25-40), is now online. The challenge of this sermon was that the original situation Paul is addressing was related to unmarried people in the Corinthian church, so I worked to apply this to unmarrieds in our congregation. But, because Paul’s overarching concern was to free the people from anxieties, I gave some applications to those of us who struggle with anxiety. And, in that sense, I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 10/17/21 sermon, The Rare Jewel of Contentment (1 Corinthians 7:17-24), is online. This sermon dug into the thrice-repeated words to recognize the life we’ve been given from the Lord. We are called to certain actions in light of this. This passage, then, invites us into contentment so that we might walk in a certain way. I think this particular section unlocks the book of 1 Corinthians. So, I hope the sermon encourages you.

Sept 12 – Who Judges Who? – 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Sept 26 – The Gospel and Our Bodies – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Oct 3 – On Marital Intimacy – 1 Corinthians 7:1-7

Oct 10 – Called To Peace – 1 Corinthians 7:8-16

As you can see, I’ve been neck-deep in the book of 1 Corinthians. This book is challenging in some ways. But, as I continue to work through the content, my heart is so encouraged because the central aim is that the good news of what God has done for us through His Son should impact the way we live. And, in these passages that I’ve summarized in these sermons, you can see how the Gospel informs judgment, how we use our bodies, how marital intimacy is enjoyed, and how relationships can find peace.

I hope these encourage you.

My 9/5/21 sermon, A Clean People (1 Corinthians 5:1-8), is now online. Among other things, this sermon dug into how the church at Corinth needed to take action with a notorious sinner, doing things that both God and the surrounding culture knew were wrong. Instead of addressing it, though, they are arrogantly boasting in this sin. Paul directs them to restorative action in light of the sacrifice Christ has made for sin. In giving them direction, Paul helps all of us deal with sin, as well. I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 8/29/21 sermon at Crestview, Fixing Pride (1 Corinthians 4:14-21), is online. In dealing with the arrogance of the Corinthian church, Paul encourages them to flee pride as a father admonishes his children. They are encouraged to step into this action out of what Christ has done for them and with the examples they have around them of people living this way. Moreover, what’s needed is action, not mere talk. I hope this sermon encourages your fight against pride. n