This coming Lord’s Day, we will jumping into John 1:1-2 and seeing 3 truths about Jesus. In prepping this sermon, I was remembering how well-served we have been through Athanasius. Here’s some background articles on him and a link to the Athanasian Creed. We come this Sunday to worship Jesus, fully God and fully man, born to save us from our sins. Come ready to look heavenward.
Weekend Recap – Jesus is Better
My sermon overviewing Hebrews 1-9 from 11/13/11 entitled Jesus Is Better is now online. This sermon sought to point to the big picture of the first nine chapters and, having shown that, be used to inspire us to persevere. We should be wowed by Jesus so that lives are changed.
In the evening, we continued looking at Respectable Sins by Bridges. Really helped by that book.
Weekend Preview – Perfect Sacrifice
As we think about approaching God in corporate worship this coming Lord’s Day, 11/6/11, we will be looking at Hebrews 9:23-28 (read this if you can carve out time this week). This passage brings together many of the big themes we’ve found in these first nine chapters. Specifically, we will again see the temporal nature of earth and the eternal work done in heaven by Jesus. It is quite staggering really. One truth that stands out is at the end:
“Just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him” (Hebrews 9:27-28).
You’ve maybe heard it said that Jesus came the first time to save, but next time He’s coming as King. This is clearly taught in our passage for Sunday. Come expecting to worship your Savior and King this Lord’s Day.
Weekend Recap – Better Sacrifice (2)
My sermon from 10/16/11AM entitled Better Sacrifice (2) from Hebrews 9:11-14 is now online. We don’t like people claiming to be the best. When it comes to Jesus, as C.S. Lewis famously said, “He’s either a liar (not the best acting as if He is), lunatic (acting like He’s out of His mind) or Lord (He is the best).” The stakes could be any higher for the writer of Hebrews. Jesus is the best. He is the Lord. And, He’s proven that His work is way better than Old Testament sacrifices and law keeping by giving His own blood to secure freedom from sin and a pure conscience. This sermon unpacks these types of truths. Hope it’s a blessing to you.
Weekend Recap – Better Sacrifice (1)
My sermon from 10/9/11AM entitled Better Sacrifice (1) from Hebrews 9:1-10 is now online. The sermon really unpacked the bad news on the limitations that were in place for the OT worshipper. There wasn’t access to God, but barriers and even the priests work was continual and dealt with outward realities. We need words like this occasionally to see the brightness of the Gospel.
I saw a good summary of my sermon on Google+ in a quote from John Bunyan:
“Run, John, run, the law commands but gives us neither feet nor hands;
Far better news the Gospel brings: it bids us fly and gives us wings.”
Hope you have a great week standing in awe of what God has provided for you to draw near to Himself through His Son.
Weekend Preview – Better Covenant…
This coming Lord’s day, we plan to look at Hebrews 8:6-13. It is an amazing picture of seeing just how beautiful our relationship with God through Christ looks. Here’s a couple of gems from Pete O’Brien
So Jesus’ role as mediator is not in a strict sense that of an arbiter or intermediary of a bilateral agreement. The terms of the covenant are not in dispute or up for discussion, so that Jesus has to act as a mediator by bringing the two parties together to hammer out an agreement. He is an agent, or delegate invested with divine authority in God’s settlement, which Jesus realizes and guarantees. (p.292)
One benefit of the new covenant is that we know God and again, O’Brien writes:
To know God is to recognize Him, to trust Him, and to obey Him. (p.300)
I hope to see you this coming Lord’s day as we relish in these and other glorious truths so that Christ is seen as the glorious Savior that He is.
Weekend Preview – Heaven IS for Real…
Yes, the title of this post was meant to bait you in…
I know many of you have probably read Heaven Is For Real or experienced something like that and thought, “It was so encouraging to read something like this.” Actually, when we say something like this it communicates for more than we may intend. The story told in that book is an experience of someone and we somehow feel as if that experience helps cement reality.
The Bible, though, is as real as any best-seller ever was. And, this coming Lord’s Day, we will be looking at how Heaven Is For Real in Hebrews 8:1-5. You see, our salvation is a sure and final thing because Jesus didn’t perform His ministry in an earthly tent…No! Jesus went to heaven where the real tabernacle was and ministered on our behalf there. That is reality. Heaven is for real and Jesus really ministered there and because He did, our lives will never be the same. I hope this coming Sunday you rest in Jesus as your reality.
Weekend Recap – Simply the Best
My sermon from 9/11/11 is online. It was from Hebrews 7:20-28 and entitled Simply The Best. God had engraven on our hearts a desire to live for ultimate realities. This is why we tune in to finales of reality shows and championship contests in sporting events. We love the know the best. And, in the case of Jesus, we have one who is the best. There are no denying His amazing qualifications based on what we’ve seen in Hebrews. I hope this message urges you to look to Christ.
Weekend Recap – Better Priest
Well, Sunday is complete and Monday Labor Day holiday has begun. We had a great morning yesterday singing about Jesus’ finished work, fellowshipping together and looking at Hebrews 7:11-19 in a sermon entitled A Better Priest. The sermon sought to show reasons why Jesus is a better high priest than the old order of Aaronic priests. It was pretty compelling that because of the power of Jesus’ indestructible life and the better hope He gives in our drawing near to God that He is better hands down.
I hope your Lord’s day was rich and rewarding as you sought the Lord. Blessings to you this week.
Weekend Preview – Jesus Is A Better Priest
Maybe you’ve heard of the game 5 steps to Kevin Bacon, which traces a journey of movies starring Bacon back to any actor in Hollywood. Well, this Sunday, Lord-willing, we are going to be looking at some steps that get back to Jesus and how He is a better priest that what is found in the Levitical law. The passage we intend to look at is Hebrews 7:11-19. The progression of steps are highlighted by William Lane in his book on Hebrews:
(11-12) – prophecy about a new priesthood demonstrated the old was insufficient (13-14) – prophecy of Psalm 110:4 was Jesus coming to be our High Priest (15-17) – the new priest is superior in quality to Levitical priests (18-19) – Levitical priesthood and old Law was set aside by a new and better hope based on superior quality of high priest
Now, with all of these parts of the book of Hebrews, we need to expend some mental energy to understand the argument, but, as we do, we will find that the picture it gives us of our Lord and Savior is a resplendently brilliant one. Therefore, come expecting God to move through His Word to glorify the Son, our Better High Priest.