Sermon Date: June 11, 2023

Matthew 9:9-13:
⁹ As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. ¹⁰ And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 18:10-14:
¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 19:1-10:
¹ He entered Jericho and was passing through. ² And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³ And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. ⁴ So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. ⁷ And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Sermon Date: June 4, 2023

The paradox of the Triunity of God: 3 in 1; and 1 x 1 x1 = 1; and, 3 persons, not 3 people.

The Action of the Triune God in our lives:

1. Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
2. Luke 3:22: “And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him [Jesus] in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My [the Father’s] beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
3. John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My [Jesus’] name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
4. John 15:26: “When the Helper comes, whom I [Jesus] will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me . . .”
5. Acts 10:38: “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
6. Romans 1:4: “Who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord . . .”
7. 1 Corinthians 6:11: “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
8. 2 Corinthians 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
9. Galatians 4:6: “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
10. Ephesians 1:17: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
11. Ephesians 2:18: “For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”
12. Ephesians 2:22: “In whom [Jesus] you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
13. Hebrews 9:14: “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
14. 1 Peter 1:2: “According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”

So now, try the attitude of gratitude. “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This kind of gratitude comes first from what God the Son has done for us in His story; first of promise of the Redeemer; life of the God the Son in the flesh of humanity; Then, that kind of gratitude spills out of your life in the service of the God the Son. Joy is like a muscle; the more you develop it, the stronger it becomes.

Here are two exercises to help you develop inner joy, peace, purpose and focus in this world; worship regularly, study in depth of the word of God, daily pray, praise, and give thanks!

Let’s bring the focus of the Triune God to the world to change its focus, rather than the other way around.

Sermon Date: May 28, 2023

Acts 2:1-11:

¹ When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Par′thians and Medes and E′lamites and residents of Mesopota′mia, Judea and Cappado′cia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phryg′ia and Pamphyl′ia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyre′ne, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Sermon Date: May 21, 2023

Exodus 17:10-13:
“So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.”

1 Peter 5:6-11:
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Sermon Date: May 14, 2023

Prayer of the Day:
O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think
those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Acts 17:16-34
“¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he
saw that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the
devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
¹⁸ Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said,
“What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign
divinities” — because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they took him and
brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are
presenting? ²⁰ For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what
these things mean.” ²¹ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend
their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

²² So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in
every way you are very religious. ²³ For as I passed along and observed the objects of your
worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you
worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴ The God who made the world and everything in
it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, ²⁵ nor is he served
by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and
breath and everything. ²⁶ And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the
face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
²⁷ that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is
actually not far from each one of us, ²⁸ for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as
even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ ²⁹ Being then God’s
offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image
formed by the art and imagination of man. ³⁰ The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now
he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because he has fixed a day on which he will
judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given
assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” ³² Now when they heard of the resurrection of
the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” ³³ So Paul went
out from their midst. ³⁴ But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were
Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”

Sermon Date: May 7, 2023

Lamentations 3:19-26, 31-33

“¹⁹ Remember my affliction and my bitterness, the wormwood and the gall! ²⁰ My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.

²¹ But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: ²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; ²³ they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

²⁴ ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ ²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. ²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

³¹ For the Lord will not cast off for ever, ³² but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; ³³ for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.”

Sermon Date: April 30, 2023

John 10:1-11, 16

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but
climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own
sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and
the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from
him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not
understand what he was saying to them.

So, Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came
before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters
by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The
good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my
voice. So, there shall be one flock, one shepherd.'”

Sermon Date: April 23, 2023

Luke 24:13-48

“¹³ That very day two of them were going to a village named Emma′us, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cle′opas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning ²³ and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, ²⁹ but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

³⁶ As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. ³⁷ But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. ³⁸ And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? ³⁹ See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴¹ And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate before them.

⁴⁴ Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things.”

Sermon Date: April 16, 2023

John 20:19-31

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”