For your listening enjoyment. Here is Sermon #2. It finally came together after a lot of struggle getting it off the ground. But, I felt really comfortable giving this message. Chime in and let me know what you think.
Filed under: Christ Likeness, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Law, Salvation, Sin, Tanach, The Church
Answer to Question #3
The answer to Question #3 turned out to be my sermon topic a month ago. You can listen. Or you can read the text below.
Today we’re going to focus on a text out of Matthew 7. A section out of the gospel called the “Sermon on the Mount.” But before we turn there, we’re going to need a little bit of background. In order to do that we need to look at the very beginning of chapter 5.
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying…
This is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. However, contrary to what is believed about this “sermon.” It really wasn’t a sermon at all. Take a look. “Now he saw the crowds…” Then, what did he do next? He went up the mountainside. Jesus wasn’t preaching to a crowd, he was getting away from a crowd. Then what does he do next? It says, “He sat down!” Now, for anyone who knows acting or speaking, the worst way to address a crowd is to sit down. So, it must have been a small crowd…which indeed it was because then the text says, “His disciples came to him and he began to teach them saying…”
What is very important to catch here is that Jesus wasn’t preaching to a crowd, he was preaching to his disciples. To his followers. It was an intimate small group teaching. The sermon on the mount folks isn’t for everyone. What Jesus goes on to talk about in chapters 5, 6, and then seven is meant for his followers, people walking with Him and know him well.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
I’ve seen that verse so many times, and it’s always presented as a downer. (more…)
Filed under: Accountablility, Christ Likeness, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Salvation, The Church, Torah
Hey guys…I preached this sermon at my church, Door of Hope Community Church. Enjoy.
Filed under: Accountablility, Christ Likeness, Kingdom of God, Sin, The Church
(I first wrote this on February 5th, but my blogging client never put it in, because I had some settings wrong, it’s been a rough month, so I let my blog go by the wayside.)
First, I would ask for your prayers as I’m feeling very frustrated with God and life at this moment, there’s a lot swirling through my head, lots going on in my life, and hefty decisions need to be made.
There is a myth in the church these days. It has to do with the perception, or appearance of evil. What does the church really mean when this idea is tossed out? Where does this idea come from? Lets first say that the idea is not biblical. The King James Version of the bible says in 1 Thes. 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” which is vastly different from the NIV version which says, “Avoid every kind of evil.” A quick glance and the differences are clear. If you can see it…let me splain…no…let me sum up. To abstain from the appearance of evil gives the impression that you need be watchful over everything you do not to give the perception or impression that you aren’t sinning. The other…gives a clear understanding to stay away from those things that are sin or evil. I believe avoiding perceived guilt diminishes the power of the gospel and the potential of the church. For example, there are a couple of men who have made it their mission to bring the gospel to pornographers. They go were many men would not go to preach the gospel. This is their calling. Why do many avoid this mission field? There is the appearance that they are going there for selfish reasons guised a mission from God? Could this be the case? Maybe? But, I don’t know these men, and I’m certainly not the person they would be accountable to. The gospel is diminished by the appearance of evil. Also, the power of the church working according to the gospel need not hide behind those who risk their position or status in the church by fearing the appearance of evil.
5“If your brother sins gainst you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that very charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.18Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18
In light of that scripture, isn’t it enough that if we do sin, a church working correctly and biblically would handle those who do sin. A church working correctly need not worry about the appearance of evil because there are always those who are accountable to others and those who knows their lives deeply. A church need worry about the appearance of evil because the sin of gossip would not permeate the people with speculation and innuendos. Those walking currently in the truth need not worry about the appearance of evil as they are so grounded in the teachings Jesus that they themselves know what is good, and those who know them will know their heart. The church would never again take a risk because to do so mean stepping out in faith against the man made rules of the church. To know Jesus is to know his heart. All things biblical are not black and white, and rote with questions and deliberations. Jesus asks us to work together as a community and not be held back for fear of being perceived to be evil.
(Written today) After milling over this subject for a month, I’ve also come to the realization that we as a church also bank on the “Appearance of Good”. Often making ourselves to look better then we really are. So, it’s deception on another level. We must strive to really be transparent as a church so the power of the gospel works. How can we be the hands of feet of Jesus without extending each other grace and accountability? How can we love each other as Jesus does if we keep a facade. God knows who we are, but does the church?
Had a great conversation with Jon this morning. In our short hour we covered a lot of ground. Of course, we’ve been playing tag for the last couple of months, trying to nail down a good meeting time. So, we’ve settled with Monday mornings at the Kensington Cafe. Which should be good considering we can remind each other at church on Sundays. We were supposed to get together for 7:30 and at about 7:25…Jenn nudges me in bed and is like, “Aren’t you supposed to meet with Jon this morning!” Thank the Lord for an awesome wife. Jon wasn’t in church yesterday morning to remind me. Anyhoo…we started by praising God for all that he’s doing with Tim and his vision. We then started talking about how churches “welcome” each other. Jenn and I met up with some new friends yesterday after church. We enjoy talking with alot. At our lunch…they mentioned that they haven’t met too many people at church yet, and that they’ve met the same three people like three times, each time they think they’re new. That’s just sad to me. So, Jon and I got to talkin about how churches greet new members. His been praying through the idea that churches tend to toot their own horn so to speak rather then be about Jesus. “Our visions, our plan, our programs, our pastors, our ministries…” To they really belong to the church? A church should be about “selling” Jesus…not themselves. A church should make the mission of Christ, their mission. If I’m being like Christ, then…not am I greeting new members, but committed reaching out to them with the same fervency that Jesus would want to get to know me. There are so many people at church I would love to get to know. Dom Lopez for instance. That man has been to hell and back over the last few months, yet, he and his family have been so faithful in their commitment to coming to church and praising the Lord. I see that man worshiping despite the loss in his life, and it just brings tears to my eyes. I want to be the kind of person were my life as a Christian would bring people to church, rather than my having to ask people to come to my church. I want people to see Christ as my church, not just a good sermon or programs. This was a verse that Jon said that stuck out to me.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” -Ephesians 5:16
We need to make the most of every opportunity when we meet together. If our conversations do not lead to Christ, are we really meeting together. Does this meet that everything we say has to be about Christ? No, but it should be pointed in that direction, openness, willingness to share our struggles and our faith. So, I challenge myself, and you…ask yourself…when you meet together with a brother or sister, does your meeting with them lead to Christ, if so…ask yourself…are you REALLY meeting with them? Hmmmmm…..
