Sermons

Come to the wedding feast.

“…everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry… Then he said to his servants, “The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.”

Master, Cornerstone, True Vine

Have this mind among yourselves.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Not a Wage, but a Gift

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Welcome the ones who are weak in faith.

…for God has welcomed them. As believers we are alive only by faith in the Son of God, who is himself the Righteousness of God. Who are we then, to pass judgment on the servants of another? It is before their own Master that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Let us show mercy to our fellow servants as Jesus Christ has shown mercy to us.

Be subject to the governing authorities.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those [governing bodies or powers] that exist have been instituted by God. As members of Christ’s body, we live in submission to the authority God instituted for our mutual benefit. In our submission we strengthen our witness to others. And it is in keeping with Paul’s earlier admonition: If possible, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with all.

Love at all costs.

United in One Body

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Mercy On All

In the eleventh chapter of his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul makes it clear that God had not rejected his people, whom he foreknew, for their disobedience. It was for mercy that the Father sent the Son to die for sin. It was for mercy that he raised him to Life, to save all who would obey the Gospel and believe, even those who had put his Son to death.

Evidence of, Not a Formula for

“If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved.” But confessing and believing are not a formula to be followed to become saved. Rather, they are evidence that we have been saved. Believing and confessing are the outward expression of an inner reality. By God’s grace the Word of faith is indeed near us, in our hearts to believe and in our mouths to confess.