Text: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; John 20:1-18
Service Date: 4.20.25
Sermon:

• Today is a day to rejoice! Today is a day that we are celebrating the resurrection. Today is the day that we celebrate the empty tomb.
• As we look in the scripture, we see Mary Magdalene and the other disciples discovering the empty tomb. We see Mary Magdalene in tears due to Jesus’ body missing from the tomb. I must believe that the disciples had been mourning in the death of Jesus, who was crucified only a few days prior. Those emotions were still there. That wound was still raw. And yet, the disciples are now looking at an empty tomb, wondering if their savior was risen or if the body was stolen.
• They would have been solemn and scared. They would have felt a pit in their stomachs. Was the person that they followed for three years the person that he claimed to be? Or was this all a hoax and everything was now gone? And if it was real, what are they to do now? These are probably some of the questions and concerns that the disciples had before discovering the Risen King.
• Then, Mary Magdalene encountered the Risen King, Jesus Christ! Hope returned! Mary had not recognized Jesus at first. It seems that her grief had blinded her; I believe that she could not see him because her grief was too heavy, her focus was on her pain. Then he spoke her name, and immediately she recognized him. Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard his voice.  
• Mary did not meet the Risen Lord until she discovered the empty tomb. Similarly, we cannot meet Jesus until we discover that he is indeed alive, that his tomb is empty. It seems that God often meets with us in our darkness and in our times of mourning.
• With the revelation that Jesus resurrected, it seems that the disciples’ passion was reinvigorated. They found their hope and joy in the resurrection of the Risen King.
• I believe that this is a story that many of us can relate to, not just the joy of Jesus’ resurrection, but the reigniting of passion and hope in a time of hopelessness and mourning. I believe that this is a day that we can reimagine who we are as Christ followers and as people.
• Every single one of us has been hopeless. Every single one of us has mourned the loss of passion or the loss of love. Today is the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Hope. Today is the day that we celebrate the resurrection of love, the resurrection of passion. Today is the day that we can finally be at peace.

 
Conclusion: Let us be people who accept the hope and peace from God and can be at peace. 

Text: John 18:28-40; John 19:16-42
Service Date: 4.18.25
Sermon:

• As we join today to observe Good Friday, we solemnly enter our worship space. Today we remember the sacrifice of Jesus as he took up his cross and publicly died.
• As we saw on Palm Sunday, some of the same people that limed the streets and rejoiced over Jesus entering Jerusalem, where the same people that called for his crucifixion. This was a due to their misunderstanding of what kind of king Jesus was meant to be. It seems that the people expected a mighty warrior-king who would drive out the Romans. Instead, they got a man who was weak and vulnerable. Since that is the king that they got, the people decided that it is not what they wanted after all, therefore they gathered to sentence him to crucifixion.
• This is a sentence that Jesus accepted without hesitation and without a harsh word. Soon, Jesus found himself in front of Pilate. Jesus acknowledged his Kingship, yet Jesus was a king that would bring truth and peace to the people. The remains true to the followers of Jesus today.
• Pilate oversaw Judea from AD 26 to 36. He was unpopular with the Jews because he has raided the temple treasuries for money to build an aqueduct. He did not like the Jews, but when Jesus, the King of the Jews, stood before him, Pilate found him innocent.
• Pilate knew that the religious leaders did not like Jesus, yet he knew that the religious leaders could not sentence Jesus to death without the approval of a Roman leader. Pilate refused to sentence him without sufficient evidence. Jesus’ life became a pawn in a political power struggle.
• It is through the crucifixion; Jesus connects us together. It is through the crucifixion; we are brought together under the truth and peace that Jesus offers. When we are united under the teaching of Jesus, we are united for peace. The peace that Jesus taught. The peace that Jesus offered. The peace that Jesus lived by.
• When it seems that the world is in chaos, we are called to live in peace and truth. We are called to bring peace and truth to all. The same peace and truth that Jesus lived by.
• When the world was in chaos, Jesus remained at peace. During his trials and his punishment, Jesus remained at peace. Throughout his time on cross, Jesus remained at peace.
• Jesus was mocked, beaten and crucified for bringing truth and peace to the people. Jesus was put to death for loving his neighbor and taking for those that needed it and throughout his ministry, he remained at peace.
• This is what we are called to do: be at peace. When the world is in chaos, we are to be at peace. We are called to live in love and help bring peace to the chaotic world that we are living in. We are called to build relationships and heal hearts in this chaotic world. That is what Jesus Demonstrated in his ministry. That is the exclamation point of his crucifixion; be at peace and bring peace and truth to a chaotic world.  

Text: Luke 19:28-40
Service Date: 4.13.25
Sermon:

• As we continue in the Lenten season, we are here to reflect on the importance of Jesus’ grand entrance into Jerusalem. First, let us paint the scene:
• Jerusalem is the geographical and hermeneutical center of Luke’s Gospel.
• People lined the road, praising God, waving palm branches, and throwing their cloaks in front of the colt as it passed before them.
• As the Pharisees watch the parade made up by people putting down cloaks along the road on which Jesus will ride his colt, they are afraid of what this will bring.
• This acclamation makes the Pharisees very nervous. Some Pharisees had warned Jesus in Luke 13:31 that Herod wanted to kill him and had advised Jesus to lay low. Now again some Pharisees implore Jesus to order his disciples to stop their subversive chant.
• The donkey, a symbol of humility and peace, contrasts with the typical image of a conquering king on a warhorse, further emphasizing Jesus's unique kingship.
• By this time, Jesus was extremely well-known. Everyone coming to Jerusalem for the Passover festival had heard of him, and for a time, the popular mood was favorable toward him.
• Jesus’ “going up” to Jerusalem is a public event, interpreted by Luke as a royal entry. Declaring yourself a king while you’re under Roman occupation is a dangerous threat to the quasi-peace and authority that the pharisaical regime has established with the Empire.
• This is to announce that he was indeed the Messiah, Jesus chooses a time when all Isreal would be gathered at Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds could see him, and a way of proclaiming his mission that was unmistakable.  
• The people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. It seems that they expected him to be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory; thus, they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus’ real mission.  When the people began to realize that Jesus was not going to fulfill the hopes they’d held, some turned against him.
• Palm/Passion Sunday places preachers in a bit of a dilemma in terms of how to focus our preaching. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is royal, triumphant, but we know how the people will turn against Jesus, even if the whole passion story is not read this Sunday. We know that many in the crowds who hail Jesus as king on this Sunday will be crying out for his crucifixion by Friday. Perhaps they expected a mighty warrior-king who would drive out the Romans. Seeing Jesus held by Roman soldiers, weak and vulnerable, they will decide that he is not the king they want after all. In fact, supporting him could be downright dangerous.
• The question is: how do we see Jesus in this moment? Is he a national leader who would restore our nation to its former glory? Or is he caring, loving and compassion leader who loves all and restores our world to God and to ourselves? Is he a mighty king who would drive out the Romans? Or is he the man who was willing to be weak and vulnerable to expose the corruption in the political and religious world and bring in the outcasts to a place where they are accepted and where they belong?    

 
Conclusion: Let us be people who see and live out Jesus’ true mission. 

Text: Isaiah 43:16-21
Service Date: 4.06.25
Sermon:

As we continue in the Lenten season, we are here to reflect on the Salvation that we receive
from God. The salvation that we receive in our most difficult and dark times, whether we are
facing difficult times individually or difficulties in our society.

Looking at this passage, we see the exodus imagery is clear in this passage, with its
references to the God who makes a way in the sea, who quenches the enemy chariots and
warriors like a wick–the God whom Israel had remembered ever after at the annual Feast of
the Passover.

This passage makes references to some of God’s ways of saving his chosen people,
especially from a societal point of view. Throughout scripture, we see whole societies facing
famine, economic disparity, and captivity.

In the events when Isreal was captured by Babylon, the Israelites were captured and
struggling to survive. Physically, economically, culturally, and religiously, the people felt the
might of Babylon, and it seems that one of the tasks of the prophet was to rebuild the
people’s understanding of themselves as God’s own people and to reassure them that their
god was fully capable of taking on the Babylonian superpower to save them.

We are currently in a time where men, women and children are living in fear. They fear for
their friends, family and loved ones as we see people being abused by those in charge of our
government. We are also figuring out how to live in nationwide economic struggles. It is in
this time that we kneel on God’s salvation.

In 41:22, the “former things” and the “things to come” seem to refer to doing anything and
everything–which God can and does do, while the idols cannot. Because of that, we lean on
God to deal with the struggles that we are facing societally.

Apparently, part of God’s new thing is a new kind of deliverance. In the old exodus, the horse
and rider were thrown into the sea (Exodus 15:1). The Egyptians were quenched like a wick
(Isaiah 43:17). But that is precisely what God’s gentle servant will not do (42:2-3). Now God
will bring Torah and justice to the nations in a new way.

What was the new thing God would be doing? Isaiah delivered a message of new life and a
new hope for Isreal. The promise of God would be fulfilled in the coming of Jesus and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

God is love, therefore, there is always a way to God’s restoration and salvation. When we
live out the love of God, there is a healing that echoes through time. The love that we show
to the world brings healing in a way that transforms the way that we see the world in the
world’s most difficult time. God is love; therefore, it is through love that we heal the world
for the benefit of those that need healing.

​ We can experience a new life in him by following his new path and drinking his refreshing
new water.

Conclusion: Let us be people who love God and bring healing to the world.

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Service Date: 3.30.25
Sermon:

As we continue in the Lenten season, we are going to take some time to reflect on Jesus’
ministry that led to Jesus taking up his cross. In this passage, we are focusing on the
reconciliation, and the new life, that Jesus provides through the work of the cross.

In most sermons and messages that I’ve heard, this new life that we receive is an exchange. It
is commonly believed that God brings us back to himself (reconciles us) by blotting out our
sins and making us righteous. When we trust in Christ, we are no longer strangers or
foreigners to God. We have been reconciled to God, and we have the privilege to encourage
others to do the same.

When we trust in God, we make a wonderful exchange, our sin for his righteousness.
According to Romans 3:25, Christ bore the punishment for our sins on our behalf. It is
believed thar God poured all our sin on Christ at his crucifixion, and he poured all of Christ’s
righteousness into us at our conversion.

While I believe there is plenty written in the Bible to hold this believe, I don’t believe that
there is any evidence outside of the Bible to consider this 100 percent true. But here’s what I
believe can be taken away from this scripture:

Jesus was facing an extremely harsh punishment based on the cries of the fanatic crowd.
Many of the accusation against Jesus seemed to be word of mouth. There was no evidence to
prove that Jesus had done anything wrong. Yet he faced the cross.

Even in the midst of that punishment, Jesus remained calm and showed love to those that
accused him of crime worthy of death.

I have heard it taught that Jesus’ work on the cross not only breaks us sin and frees us
spiritually, but the work of the cross is also Christ’s way of displaying the love that we are
called to show the world. The fact that Jesus, an innocent man who lived poor was sent to the
cross uncovered the corruption of the society of the time.

Yet, Christ was willing forgive and express love towards those that hung him on the cross
shows the love that we are asked to show. The work of the cross shows us the corruption of
the world and Christ’s willingness to forgive shows us the love that Jesus is asking us to
display.

So, what do we do with this? Most likely we are going to face the death penalty for a crime
we did not do, but we might have our character questioned and our reputation under review.
If we are following the example that Jesus gives, we will remain calm, show love and offer
forgiveness. I believe that is how we will bring reconciliation to our broken relationships.

​ What I believe is happening here on a spiritual level is: The Holy Spirit gives us a new life,
and we are not the same person anymore. We are reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated-we
are recreated, new creations living in vital union with Christ.

Conclusion: Let us be people who reconcile ourselves with God and encourage others to do
the same.

Text: Isaiah 55:1-9
Service Date: 3.23.25
Sermon:
As we continue in the Lenten season, we often reflect on our relationship with God. We take
time to fast and prayer, allowing God to speak to us and open our hearts to God’s love. We
can come to God freely when we need this. God offers salvation freely, but to nourish our
souls we must eagerly receive it. We will starve spiritually without this food as surely as we
starve physically without our daily bread.

Before we take the time to reflect on today’s scripture, we need to discuss the book of Isaiah.
The first half of the book (chapter 1-39) was probably written during Isaiah’s ministry,
around 700 BCE. The second half of the book (40-66) may have been written near the end of
Isaiah’s life, around 681 BCE.

According to www.britannica.com, there are a few ideas of who wrote this book, “First
Isaiah contains the words and prophecies of Isaiah, a most important 8th-century BCE
prophet of Judah, written either by himself or his contemporary followers in Jerusalem (from
c. 740 to 700 BCE), along with some later additions, such as chapters 24–27 and 33–39. The
first of these two additions was probably written by a later disciple or disciples of Isaiah
about 500 BCE; the second addition is divided into two sections—chapters 33–35, written
during or after the exile to Babylon in 586 BCE, and chapters 36–39, which drew from the
source used by the Deuteronomic historian in II Kings, chapters 18–19.”

www.britannica.com adds that the book of Isaiah was “Compiled over a period of about two
centuries (the latter half of the 8th to the latter half of the 6th century BCE), the Book of
Isaiah is generally divided by scholars into two (sometimes three) major sections, which are
called First Isaiah (chapters 1–39), Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 40–55 or 40–66), and—if the
second section is subdivided—Trito-Isaiah (chapters 56–66).”

According to zondervanacademic.com, there may have been at least three authors of the book
of Isaiah, they add, “Presumably, Isaiah (“proto-Isaiah”) wrote chapters 1–39, an anonymous
author living during the exile (“deutero-Isaiah”) wrote 40–55, and another anonymous author

living after the exile (“trito-Isaiah”) wrote 56–66. These authors are also referred to as First
Isaiah, Second Isaiah, and Third Isaiah.”

The theme of coming to the Lord if you are thirsty runs through the Bible. The Lord gave
water to the Israelites when they were walking through the desert to Mount Sinai (Exodus
17:1-6). The same offer is part of Jesus’ discussion with the Samaritan woman at the well
(John 4:13-14). Jesus repeats the offer to the crowds in Jerusalem (John 17:37-38). God
wants us to come to him so his Spirit can satisfy us.

Isaiah tells us to call on the Lord while he is near. God will never move away from us, but we
often move far away from God and create barriers of sin between ourselves and God. We are
encouraged to accept God’s forgiveness now, while you can, before it is too late.

I often struggle with this phrasing in verse 6, which states, “Seek the lord while he may be
found” I believe that this creates fear tactics that is used by many pastors use to manipulate
their congregation. While I believe that scripture tells a different story.

As I read this passage, I realized that all my notes indicate that it is our responsibility to seek
the Lord in our times of need. But what I have noticed God often opens the doors. Many
resources put a lot of pressure on the people to find refuge in the Lord. Yet, God calls us to
him. God offers us free grace. Our relationship with God is not transactional. Everything that
God gives us is simply out of love and a desire to see us receive the best.

While we are asked to respond to God’s invitation, I believe that the scripture is clear that
God is patient with us and continues to keep the invitation open throughout our lives. The
scripture is clear that God’s kindness and love is acceptable for all. God loves all of us and
therefore God provides for all of us the same, regardless of our status.

​ In this time, let us reflect on this invitation. An invitation of love; an invitation for God’s
provision; an invitation of acceptance; an invitation for the thirsty.

Conclusion: Let us be people who accepts God’s invitation into his love, grace and
acceptance.