Appleton Gospel Church

Redeeming Sexuality: In Paul's day, as in ours, the Christian ethic has differed widely from that of the culture at large. Throughout the Roman empire, confusion was widespread as to the real purpose and nature of sexuality, which was viewed differently within marriage and outside of it. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul shows us that God has specific designs for sexuality within marriage: as a reflection of joy and pleasure, the source of new life in the world, and a way to grow in intimate knowledge of one another. Sexual attraction or desire isn’t inherently sinful, but it must be expressed in the right context. Recorded on Nov 6, 2022, on 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, by Pastor David Parks.

Recorded on Nov 6, 2022, on 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “Redeeming Regular Life,” from the Epistles of the New Testament in the Bible. The Epistles are letters from the Apostles to the early Christian churches around the Roman Empire, helping them understand and apply the gospel to life. The way of Jesus changes everything, including marriage, sexuality, singleness, parenting, work, politics, and friends. In some ways, it’s easier to accept Jesus our Savior than it is to accept him as the Lord of our lives who wants to make some changes in our lives. In Christ, regular life is a gift. The way of Jesus is not easy, but it’s the way of redemption which leads to true and lasting freedom, joy, and peace.

Sermon Transcript

This year, our annual theme is, Learning the way of Jesus. And we’re working through a sermon series called Redeeming Regular Life. This series is from the epistles of the New Testament in the Bible. The epistles are letters from the Apostles to the early Christian churches around the Roman Empire, helping them understand and apply the gospel to life. “To what part of life?” you might wonder. And the answer is: to every part! The way of Jesus changes everything. Last week, we started this series with the teaching of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian church on marriage, that a healthy and godly relationship between a husband and wife can be a beautiful picture of the gospel and the relationship between Christ and the church. If you missed that, you can always go back and watch on YouTube or listen to the audio podcast. But today, we maybe naturally move from the topic of marriage to sexuality. And some of you might wonder if this is an appropriate topic to be talking about at church. And I would say two things. First, kids start learning about sexuality in school around 5th grade and probably earlier from their friends or TV or whatever. So if we fail to address this in church, they will only have a worldly perspective on a very powerful and important topic. Second, the Bible addresses it, so we should probably hear what the Lord has to say about it, too. I think you’ll find the biblical perspective to be both realistic and very relevant to us today. So with that, let’s consider redeeming sexuality. If you have a Bible/app, please open to 1Co 7:1. We’ll read this first and then unpack it together.

1 Corinthians 7:1-7 (NIV), “Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer.

Redeeming Marriage: The Bible's version of marriage differs significantly from the way cultures have viewed it over time. Paul's teaching on marriage is not based on men being superior to women, but as a picture of Christ's relationship to and love for the church. The path to change and growth in marriage is costly, but if you do the work, the result will be a life and marriage which is honoring to God, your spouse, and yourself. Recorded on Oct 30, 2022, on Ephesians 5:21-33, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “Redeeming Regular Life,” from the Epistles of the New Testament in the Bible. The Epistles are letters from the Apostles to the early Christian churches around the Roman Empire, helping them understand and apply the gospel to life. The way of Jesus changes everything, including marriage, sexuality, singleness, parenting, work, politics, and friends. In some ways, it’s easier to accept Jesus our Savior than it is to accept him as the Lord of our lives who wants to make some changes in our lives. In Christ, regular life is a gift. The way of Jesus is not easy, but it’s the way of redemption which leads to true and lasting freedom, joy, and peace.

Sermon Transcript:

So all year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus. And we just spent three months working through a very famous teaching of Jesus called the Sermon on the Mount. If you missed any of those sermons, you can always go back and watch them online or listen to the audio podcast if you’d like. But today, we get to start a new sermon series called Redeeming Regular Life. And this series is from the Epistles of the New Testament in the Bible. The Epistles are letters from the Apostles to the early Christian churches around the Roman Empire, helping them understand and apply the gospel to life. “To what part of life?” you might wonder. And the answer is: to every part! The way of Jesus changes everything, including marriage, which we’ll consider today, but also sexuality, singleness, parenting, work, politics, and friendship, which we’ll cover in the weeks ahead. All very easy topics to talk about, right? No, I know this series will be challenging for us, especially compared to what the world believes about these things. In some ways, it’s easier to accept Jesus our Savior than it is to accept him as the Lord of our lives who wants to make some changes in our lives. But my hope is that you’ll see that in Christ, regular life is a gift. The way of Jesus is not easy, but it’s the way of redemption which leads to true and lasting freedom, joy, and peace. So today, we’ll start our series with a message on redeeming marriage. If you have a Bible/app, please open to Eph 5:21. We’ll read this first and then unpack it together.

Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV), “21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

Faith and Works, Getting the Order Right (an epilogue to The Unexpected Way series): The way of salvation is all about faith in what Jesus has already done. However, after salvation, the Christian life is then all about grace-motivated, Spirit-empowered good works. The relationship between faith and works can be tricky, but we must get the order right. Recorded on Oct 23, 2022, on Ephesians 2:1-10, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

Sermon Transcript

All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year we’re trying to answer the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” And we’ve just finished working through a very famous teaching of Jesus called the Sermon on the Mount. We spent three full months going through what is honestly one of the most influential teachings of anyone, anywhere, in the history of the world. That’s the power of Jesus. But before we start our new sermon series called Redeeming Regular Life, which starts next week, I felt led to do a little epilogue here at the end of this series. And the reason is that there’s a fundamental danger in listening and trying to obey the teaching of Jesus. And it’s not only the temptation to ignore his teaching. Disobedience is the ditch on one side of the narrow path of following Jesus. And, of course, that is a problem. The way of Jesus is sometimes very hard and painful. And it’s tempting to ignore the bits we don’t like or are particularly difficult. But that’s not the only problem. There’s a ditch on the other side of the road. There’s a trap that many people fall into in trying to obey the teaching of Jesus or really in trying to do anything for God. The problem/trap is confusing the Christian life with the way of salvation, to forget that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our obedience/righteousness/works. So before we have another sermon on how to live in light of the gospel, we need to revisit faith and works and make sure we get the order right. Because, and here’s why this is so important, if we get this wrong, it’s possible we never understood or believed the gospel in the first place. Given what’s at stake, we must be clear. So if you have a Bible/app, please open to Eph 2:1. We’ll read this and then unpack it together.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV), “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh  and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works,

Building Your Life on the Rock: Life has its storms. Sometimes, the storm is a category four hurricane, but more often, it comes in the form of loss, conflict, illness, or a rough patch in an important relationship. So how are we to weather the storms of life? Jesus tackles this issue at the end of his Sermon on the Mount, promising that the storms will come. But Jesus also promises that we can endure the storms, not just through knowledge of his teachings, but through joyful, sometimes painful obedience to his way. Recorded on Oct 16, 2022, on Matthew 7:24-29, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

Transcript

All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year, we’ll basically be answering the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” And we’ve been working through a very famous teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount in a sermon series called, The Unexpected Way. The teaching of Jesus leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic, a cross-shaped way of life. And the way of Jesus is totally different than all the other religions and philosophies of the world. And at every turn, it seems as if the way of Jesus is the last thing we’d expect. But if it’s followed, it’s the only way that has the power to bring true and lasting love, joy, and peace to the journey and lead to abundant and everlasting life. Today, we’re coming to the end of the Sermon on the Mount. But next week, we’ll have a little epilogue on faith and works and the importance of getting the order right. But today, we’ll heed the call to build our lives upon the Rock and find true stability and security no matter what storms may come in life. Just a few weeks ago, Hurricane Ian, a category four hurricane, left devastation across southern Florida. I saw a time-lapse video of the storm in, I believe it was, Naples, FL. There were two buildings in the video, one a hotel made out of what looked like concrete and the other a smaller wooden house or shop. When the storm surge came in, the water almost covered the camera, maybe 8-10’ high. And when it receded, the hotel remained, but the house was completely gone. Not just knocked over, but gone. Sadly, everyone faces storms of various kinds in life. Sometimes literal storms like a hurricane, but more often, storms of long-term illness, unexpected loss, conflict, abuse, or abandonment. In many ways, this is just part of life in a broken world, a world marred by sin and death. But some people are able to remain standing through the storms, while others are crushed or just never seem to recover. So as we learn the way of Jesus, how can we remain standing, how can we endure the storms of life? If you have a Bible/app, please open to Mt 7:24. We’ll read this and then unpack it together.

Matthew 7:24-29 (NIV), “24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house,

False Prophets and False Disciples: Jesus never sugar-coated the dangers of following his way. One danger relates to false prophets or teachers who seek to deceive or mislead for selfish gain. Another danger relates to false disciples who trust religious works in the place of a relationship with God. Can we guard against false teaching? Can we have true assurance of faith? Absolutely. Recorded on Oct 9, 2022, on Matthew 7:15-23, by Kyle Wagner.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

New Identity, New Path: The Golden Rule — Everybody knows it, but why is it so difficult to treat others how we want to be treated? Why is this simple concept so difficult to put into practice? What about prayer? What about all the rest of the Christian life? The key is to realize that faith in Jesus results in a brand new identity as a child of God. Out of this new identity flows a whole new way of life, empowered and sustained by our good Father in heaven. Recorded on Oct 2, 2022, on Matthew 7:7-14, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

Sermon Transcript:

All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year, we’ll basically be answering the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” And we’ve been working through a very famous teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount in a sermon series called, The Unexpected Way. Last week, we considered Jesus’ teaching about being judgmental of others and his calling to first work on your issues/struggles before trying to fix other people. We had a great discussion about this at Youth Group, and hopefully, it was helpful for those of you in a community group, as well. If you missed any of the messages in this series, you can always go back and watch on the church app or on YouTube or listen to the audio podcast. Today, we’re reminded that we have a radically new identity by faith in Jesus. And this new identity leads us to a new path in life. We’ve been talking about this path; that’s what the way of Jesus is all about. But it’s critical to see how our new identity (who we are) leads to this new path (what we do). Our activity flows out of our identity. Some of us really struggle with following the way of Jesus in one area or another, and it’s tempting to focus on the behavior, to try and control it or correct it somehow. But it’s far more effective to focus on who we are and whose we are in Christ. If you have a Bible/app, please open to Mt 7:7. 

Matthew 7:7-14 (NIV), “7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” 

So in the Sermon on the Mount, let’s remember the context: Jesus is teaching his disciples/followers what it looks like to follow his way. And with all this focus on our behavior, it can start to feel like being a Christian is largely defined by what we say/do, in other words, by external behavior. But this is not the case. Of first importance is who God is and what the nature of our relationship is in Christ. And really, no one else in all of history has envisioned God a...

Judging Others: Christians are often perceived as being judgemental - sometimes with good reason. But how are we to apply the teachings of Jesus' way while being both loving and honest? First, you must work on your own struggles before trying to help others, as this provides clarity and compassion and also helps to build community with your church family. Recorded on Sept 25, 2022, on Matthew 7:1-6, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

Sermon Transcript

  All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year, we’ll basically be answering the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” And we’ve been working through a very famous teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount in a sermon series called, The Unexpected Way. The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew chapters 5-7 and today we’re starting chapter 7. For the last two weeks, we considered Jesus’ teaching on money, wealth, and possessions. He dealt with both the disordered love of money that is so tempting for us, but also the fears, anxiety, and worries that our money and our possessions tend to produce. If you missed any of the messages in this series, you can always go back and watch on the church app or on YouTube or listen to the audio podcast. Today, Jesus turns from dealing with worry to focus on the problem of being harshly critical or judgmental of others. Right or wrong, Christians often get the reputation of being judgmental or of having a holier-than-thou type of attitude. Have you ever experienced this? Or have you ever been accused of this? For being judgmental of a friend or family member or someone? I have. At the last wedding I officiated, I didn’t know most of the people at the reception other than the bride and groom. So, of course, at dinner, I was seated with people I didn’t know. With my level of extroversion, this isn’t usually a problem. I actually love those situations. But when the lady who was seated next to me saw that it was me, the pastor, who’d be sitting at their table and, in fact, sitting next to her, she literally said, “Oh no!” I said with a smile, “Oh no? What do you think I’m going to do to you?” And she said something like, “Well, now we need to be on our best behavior.” I laughed and said I’d try not to make things too weird or painful for the table, and we had a great evening. But what was she afraid of? I think she was afraid I would be judgmental of them. Or maybe that I’d look down my nose at them or make them feel guilty or something. Now that wasn’t fair, but as I said, right or wrong, Christians don’t have the best reputation with judgment. So what are we supposed to do? Should followers of Jesus never pass judgment on someone regardless of what decisions they make or what they do? Or is there a way to judge others without making them feel unloved or hopelessly condemned? There is much wisdom in our short passage today. If you have a Bible/app, please open to Mt 7:1. 

Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV), “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

What To Do With Worry: Fear, anxiety, and worry produce a constant and overwhelming struggle for many people today. Out of all the anxiety and worry you experience, how much of it is related to money? Jesus knows how much we tend to worry about our money or possessions. But the way of Jesus, of seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness, is the only way to find true freedom from fear. Recorded on Sept 18, 2022, on Matthew 6:25-34, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

Sermon Transcript

All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year, we’ll basically be answering the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” And we’ve been working through a very famous teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount in a sermon series called, The Unexpected Way. Jesus’ teaching has covered a lot of ground from thinking about the values of the kingdom of heaven, what it means to be a good person, the traps of religious works, and more. Last week, we started a little two-part series within the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus shifts his focus to our money, wealth, and possessions. And this is so helpful because, for whatever reason, issues relating to our wealth run deep within the human heart. Last week, we saw that one of the temptations/traps to avoid is thinking that making money or accumulating stuff is the highest value or the purpose of our lives. These things should not master us; Jesus clearly says we cannot serve both God and money. Today, in the second in our two-part series, we’ll move from love to fear — including the very real fears that start to well up when we think about our bills or debt, our financial security, or our future. Will we have enough? Will we be able to accomplish our goals? Should we be making/saving/investing more? What if the economy falls into a recession, or what if we can’t work for some reason? Out of all the anxiety and worry you experience, how much of it is related to money? If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Mt 6:25. 

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV), “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 

Treasures in Heaven: Money is one of those uncomfortable topics that some of us try hard to avoid. But Jesus has a lot to say about our money, wealth, and possessions. Why? Because financial issues seem to run deep in the human heart. How can we learn to be good stewards of the resources God has entrusted to our care while avoiding the trap of becoming mastered by our money? Watch here. Recorded on Sept 11, 2022, on Matthew 6:19-24, by Pastor David Parks.

This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way.

Sermon Transcript

All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year, we’ll basically be answering the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” For the past two months, we’ve been working through a very famous teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount in a sermon series called, The Unexpected Way. If you’d like to go back and catch up on any sermons you missed, you can always watch on the app or on YouTube or listen to the audio podcast. But we’ve said that the teaching of Jesus leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic, a cross-shaped way of life. And it’s a totally different way than the other philosophies or religions of the world. In so many ways, the way of Jesus is counterintuitive, it’s the unexpected way. Last week, our fam had a little Covid time-out, which was not very fun, but Ted did a great job of filling in last minute with a message from a previous sermon series. Today, we’re jumping back into the Sermon on the Mount and will start a two-part section of the teaching of Jesus on money, wealth, and possessions. Jesus actually has a lot to say about money, not because money is necessarily a bad thing. But for whatever reason, money affects us in a way that few other things in life do. The love of money affects our hearts, including the inner drive/desire to earn/consume more and more (today). But also, the many fears swirling around our money affect our hearts, including all the anxiety around getting/losing money (next week). Both love and anxiety run really deep through the human heart, and if we fail to understand these things, they can easily master us and control our lives. So, how should a disciple/follower of Jesus think about money? If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Mt 6:19.

Matthew 6:19-24 (NIV), “19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 

Remember the context of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus teaching his disciples or followers what it looks like to follow his way. In the last few weeks, we considered the teaching of Jesus on doing good works, religious works even,

From Injustice to Injustice: Sometimes life’s not fair. After the injustice of being sold into slavery, Joseph tried to live a God-honoring life only to be falsely accused and then thrown in prison. When you go from injustice to injustice it can be hard to see the good plan of God and easy to feel abandoned. But through Joseph’s story, it was clear that God was with him. Even today, in the gospel we see that we are not alone. We are not forsaken. Even in the moments of the deepest pain, in the trials of greatest injustice, we are still found safely within the love and care of a God who does not abandon us, a God who in the end will right all wrongs and have the victory.

This sermon is part of the Joseph series from the spring of 2018. Recorded on Sep. 4, 2022, by Ted Selker, from Genesis 39.