ARCC Sermons

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November 18th

The bible reading today is in Acts 7,8.

The church in Jerusalem was growing by leaps and bounds. The apostles could not have imagined that the numbers of converts would multiply so rapidly. So how would the apostles handle it?

They did two things...They recommitted themselves to the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, as well as to prayer. Then they asked the church in Jerusalem to choose, from among them, seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, to tackle a very pressing matter in the infant church...someone needed to stir up service to the many and diverse widows in the church. The seven men were chosen and on purpose service to church members began big time.

And one of those serving heroes was Stephen...not only one of the first official deacons in the church, but also the church’s first martyr for the faith...and before he was stoned to death, he refused to recant...Jesus is Lord...and he asked the Father to forgive the ones who were putting him to death...just like Jesus did from the cross.

And Stephen, full of grace and power?...Well, he died.

He did not have a long ministry...but it was fruitful...because he yielded the sail of his life and faith to the wind of the Spirit and was excited about going in the direction of the Spirit’s blowing...which turned out to be loving on widows one day and standing his ground, even unto death, the next.

“Thanks, Stephen..”

And Lord, make us excited servants...servants of You, Jesus Christ...servants to our church...servants who will be willing to give our lives away for the sake of the gospel...a Jesus way of life that can be ours even as it was for Stephen.

And guess who authorized the execution of Stephen. Then Saul, who after his own conversion to Christ, became the great Apostle Paul. More grace and power...

Have a great day

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November 17th

The bible reading today is in Acts 4-6.

On the day of Pentecost, fifty days after the Ascension of Christ, close to a million Judeans (probably) gathered on the Temple Mount to worship the God who brought forth the fruit of the harvest for them.

Peter, by the Holy Spirit, stood and preached the gospel of Christ to the crowd. The Holy Spirit came upon 120 disciples of Jesus in that great crowd. They were given the spiritual gift of languages by the Holy Spirit in order to translate Peter’s message to the many different people groups, from all over the world, surrounding Solomon’s porch that day.

Three thousand men, women, and children repented and believed Jesus that day. Oh, what joyful baptismal services they must have had in the days and weeks that followed.

In those days and weeks, Peter and the followers of Jesus preached and testified of the good news of God’s salvation in the resurrected Christ. And hundreds of people every day were coming to faith in the Lord Jesus.

One day, as Peter and John were going to Temple at the hour of prayer, they met a lame beggar at the gate called Beautiful. He asked for money, but instead, he received a complete healing from Jesus at the hands of Peter and John.

You and I would have been amazed at that miracle. But the religious leaders who had Jesus killed were not amazed, they were enraged. So much so that they had Peter and John arrested.

In just a few weeks, the Holy Spirit moved upon Jerusalem. And the numbers of Christ-followers increased from 3,000 to 5,000 men...probably tripling those numbers if family members were counted.

The city council, led by Sanhedrin and Pharisee members ramped up their threats and intimidation strategy. But the new believers stood courageously for Christ and the salvation he bought for all who believed Him.

Peter and John set the tone. Instead of being filled with fear for their lives, they boldly preached Jesus to their captors.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:12‬

Preach Jesus my friends...his life and death and resurrection and coming again. He will empower us to fearlessness as we identify with Him who said and proved that He was the only way of eternal salvation.

And we too will wave our sheaves of spiritual fruit in the lives saved by Jesus through us and our churches.

One more thing

“So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:18-20‬ ‭

Thanks, Peter...thanks John for setting the example of courage and faithfulness for us.

Have a great day

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November 16th

The bible reading today is in the first three chapters of Acts.

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1:1-2‬

Dr. Luke was the author of his own account of Jesus’ life and work. He was not one of the 12.

Perhaps he was among the 70 that followed Jesus and that Jesus sent to Judea and Perea during the last year of his earthly ministry.

He was a Gentile. And Luke spent at least 10-12 years with Paul on his missionary journeys...as he recorded in his book of Acts.

Luke addressed this Acts account to a man of influence in Rome, named Theophilus. Perhaps Luke won him to Christ when he was in Rome ministering to the imprisoned Paul.

He starts by attesting to the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus. There nothing in history that is better evidenced than the resurrection of Jesus.

It was attested to by people who lived 50 and 60 years after the fact and they were willing to go to “their deaths” testifying to seeing him...touching him...eating with him...speaking to him...listening to him...and watching him eat fish and honeycomb and then watched him ascend into the heavens from which angels would say...” the same way that you have seen him leave he will come back one day in lime manner.”

Fact is I agree with Charles Spurgeon...“Jesus rose from the grave alive, never to die again. That is one of the great cornerstones of our faith. Let us fall back on that well-evidenced truth every time we begin to doubt and fear.”

Luke started his record of the 30 years following the death burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus left? Yes!

What happened next? The answer is found in the book of the “acts of the Holy Spirit”.

D Martyn Lloyd Jones said of Acts...to his church...“Live in that book...I exhort you...it is a tonic...the greatest tonic that I know of in the realm of the Spirit.”

The book of Acts teaches us that the ministry of Christ lived on...after his ascension...in and through the birth and growth of the Church...the body...the community...of Christ in the world.

And you know what? Chapter 28 is not the final chapter. Christ’s ministry is alive and well through his church today...through you and me and our church families being filled with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit each day...we truly are Acts 29...Jesus is still working and saving lives today...here and around the world.

One last thought today...“And when they had entered Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying...Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1:13-14‬

Jesus had told them to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the promised Spirit. They all did. They walked in obedience to Jesus. And they lived in one accord for 50 days in Jerusalem before Pentecost.

This was notable. Many times we read in the gospels of jealousies and resentments and arguments and accusations and anger among the twelve followers of Jesus. Now they experienced unity.

What made the difference? The resurrected Christ in their lives...in their faith...was greater than any difference.

Did we catch it? The disciples were walking in fresh obedience...renewed fellowship...and a longing to pray like their Master taught them...and right after that they chose Matthias to take Judas Iscariot's place as a witness to the resurrection of Jesus going forward.

Lord help us to walk in obedience to you. Help us to live in unity with one another for the sake of the gospel. And help us to pray with new faith. Because we too have kingdom decisions to make this day.

Have a great day

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November 15th

The bible reading today is in Luke 24, and John 20 and 21.

Jesus had died on a cross just as he said. Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb just as it was prophesied. And Jesus rose from the dead on the third day just as Christ told his disciples. And over the next 40 days, Jesus showed himself alive to his disciples...to his disciples “only”.

In the last chapter of John, the Spirit used the apostle to tell the story of one of those post-resurrection appearances of Christ. One of my favorites.

Peter takes the lead again.

“Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”

‭‭John‬ ‭21:2-3‬

Jesus had promised his friends that after his death and resurrection that they would be receiving the Holy Spirit. And they were waiting.

These young fishermen were trained to wait. Their very livelihood depended upon their “being able” to wait for the next catch of fish.

Peter thought of a way to wait.

“Let’s go fishing.” And Thomas and Nathaniel and James and John and two others of the original bunch followed Peter to the boats on the sea of Galilee. They fished all night and caught nothing. And they began to make their way back to shore.

The resurrected Jesus was standing on the shore beside a fire and breakfast for the fisherman. But none of the 7 disciples recognized Jesus.

Jesus was their closest friend. They spent three years walking with him, eating with him, laughing with him, serving the Father with him. And yet they didn't recognize him.

Was it unbelief? I don't think so. I believe that his glorified presence, even in the flesh, was just different enough to make them do a double-take on his voice and his face and his mannerisms as he communicated with them from shore.

So what did the resurrected Jesus do? A miracle is what he did. Saying...“Throw your nets on the other side of the boat”... as they got close to shore. So what was the miracle?

First, it was daylight. Any fisherman worth his profession knew that the kind of fishing they did happened at dusk and during the night season...not early in the morning. But they did it. Maybe they did it out of respect for an older fisherman...or maybe there was something about the stranger that tugged on their heart to believe.

Fishermen knew that only bait was caught in those shallows. But The disciples threw their nets anyway...one more time...and immediately great fish, not minnows, great fish-filled their nets...so much so, that they needed help getting the catch to the shore.

By then a few of the disciples said to Peter and the rest, “Isn't that Jesus?”

I've wondered what it was about Jesus that opened their eyes to his presence onshore? Was it the catch? It most certainly could have played a part. Was it the voice? Could have been.

But I want to say that it was the way that Jesus called them “children”. “Children...Come and dine with me.”

Then, Peter recognized Jesus and did what impetuous Peter did. He jumped out of the boat first and made his way as fast as he could to his living Lord.

Perhaps Peter heard Jesus praying on the cross...”Father, forgive them...”

I have to think that even though Jesus was referring primarily to his Jewish kindred, quite possibly Peter applied those words of forgiveness to himself for his denial of Christ on the night that Jesus was arrested.

And if he did, that love and mercy from Jesus would have been extra motivation for Peter to run toward his Savior, Jesus.

Have a great day

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November 14th

The bible reading is in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 today.

“And Jesus came and said to his disciples (before his ascension to heaven...) All power is given unto me both in heaven and on earth.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18‬ ‭

ALL POWER....we will get to that shortly.

We have all wondered what it would be like to see the glorified Jesus...now...in our present...right here on earth. I believe that it would be exactly like sharing the Transfiguration moments with Jesus, Moses and Elijah and the three close friends of the Lord, Peter, James, and John. I believe that it would be exactly like being in Jerusalem those forty days when Jesus showed himself alive to his disciples those ten different times.

By the way, do you remember the meeting of the resurrected Jesus and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? They talked and listened for miles, and the disciples didn't recognize Jesus until they broke bread together that evening.

Jesus was flesh and blood, wearing the same simple seamless robe that he wore for three years. He had crucifixion nail scars on his hands and feet. But there was something about the raised Jesus...something about his “God-glory” that was no longer masked by his humanity that threw them off.

His disciples saw him last bleeding and hanging on a cross. They watched him struggle against the pain of the torture. They watched him and heard him gurgle and groan for one more breath. And then they watched and heard him breathe his last breath. He was dead. He was gone. And the Romans stuck a spear in his side to puncture the heart to make sure. And the disciples watched that.

Now glorified in heaven, Jesus in his real manhood sits. I agree with Charles Spurgeon when he said, “Had we seen Jesus, back then, in his agony, we would be able to appreciate more his glory today.

May we learn to delight, friends, that Jesus is not here...He is not here, but He is risen from the dead.

He is not here for he has ascended to heaven.

He is not here, for he is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven...making intercession for us. Isn't that wonderful?

May we keep thinking on that friends until we are indeed overwhelmingly glad he is there and not here. Our souls must see and take our dawn of hope in Jesus of the cross...in Jesus of his death. But our souls would do well to take their full assurance of hope in his risen life!

And that brings us to his risen testimony...All power is given unto Me...all the power in heaven and all the power in earth.

And He gives us all that power as we give ourselves to making disciples. Awesome...Let’s see...

Have a great day

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November 13th

The bible reading today is in Luke 23, and John 18 and 19.

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.”

‭‭John‬ ‭18:1‬

On the eastern side of Italy, there is a beautiful little stream called the Rubicon...falling into the Adriatic Sea. This insignificant river acquired a name in history and the proverbs of men.

When Caesar led his army to the bank of the Rubicon he stopped and spoke to his officers, “We can yet turn back. But if we cross this stream, all must be decided by the sword...everything will be changed.”

The night was passed in anxious deliberation. Then at daybreak, as the legend goes, an angel took a trumpet to his lips and blew the signal for advance. Immediately, Caesar plunged into the river and his army followed.

The die was cast...the decision was made...to cross the Rubicon ...to victory...or death!”

Years before this, there lived a king named David. He crossed his own Rubicon...the stream just down the mountain from Jerusalem named, Kidron.

David was in a dark place of his life...2 Sam 15. His son, Absolom, was leading a rebellion against him and his kingdom. Knowing that the city and its inhabitants were in grave danger, David chose to leave the capital. He lead his people, with great distress, to cross over the brook of Kidron.

He knew that the present crisis would mark him forever...either the loss of his kingdom or the loss of a son forever.

After this crossing, David went to his grave a sorrow-stricken man. But his inner man was changed for the better...with a revived love for his kids and a more beautiful faith vision of God to pass on to Solomon.

And what happened to David happened to David’s son, Jesus a thousand years later?

The die was cast...the decision was made...the moment was life-changing...for so many...when Jesus crossed the Chedron valley and the stream that ran through it.

He had proven himself a great rabbi and a miraculous healer among his people for the last three years. But that evening, crossing to the other side of the brook kidron, Jesus became the Great Sacrifice for sinners...for you and me.

Did he think about it? His own death for sinners?

Did Jesus see riverlets of blood flowing in the stream? Where did it come from?

65,000 sacrificial lambs had been slain on the golden altars that week of Passover...and blood “ran red” down the mountain into the stream.

Did he think about it? His own impending death? I believe so.

“Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him...” most certainly was thinking about the cross and his own blood that would soon run red in that stream for those who believed him.

‭‭John‬ ‭18:4‬

O Lord, thank you for crossing the Kidron that Thursday evening...you would sweat droplets of blood as you prayed in the garden. You came for your own and your own received you not. That rejection had to hurt in and of itself...not to mention the denial of your friends to come.

Thank you for your promise to be with us as we face our own death valley. We believe that you will lead us across even as the Spirit led You.

Have a great day

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November 12th

The Bible reading today is in Matthew 27 and Mark 15.

Jesus had been arrested by Temple guards on Thursday night of the Passover Festival. Jesus and his disciples had retreated to the Garden of Gethsemene right after they participated in The Last Supper.

When the guards asked who the leader was, Jesus said “I am!” ... God Almighty. And immediately the hundreds of Temple guards that had been dispatched to take him into custody fell down on their backsides.

The angels must have smirked from nearby. “So you came to take God the Son into custody, did you? And you have lived, on the ground, by the power of his words. Wake up fools. You do the bidding of the God who just prayed, “Not my will but Yours be done, Father.”

Jesus submitted to the puppet guards. He was led away to Caiphas’ High Priest’s quarters. There Jesus was tried by self-righteous priests who were out to save their own religious positions. And they would lie and murder Jesus in order to safeguard their high positions...and they were doing all of that in the name of God...talk about “taking the Lord’s name in vain...”

By sun-up on Friday, Jesus was standing in front of the merciless Roman Governor of Judea, Pilate. Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. Jesus answered, “You have said so...” And Jesus answered him no more. As prophesied, Jesus was silently going to his death as a lamb to the slaughter.

Pilate gave the order to crucify Him...but before he did, Pilate said to the thousand bloodthirsty opposers of Jesus, “I find no fault in Him.”

So Jesus was flogged with a cat of nine tails by 2 Roman guards who were proficient at their job of tearing flesh and doling out suffering just short of death. Then the cross was laid on Jesus’ shoulders and he began his “walk of blood” through the people lined streets of Jerusalem. This was apart of his time of glory...to Golgatha’s hill...where he was nailed to that cross and hung between two thieves.

Many of the people of Jerusalem mocked the savior...threw things at him...spat upon him...and cursed him. Little did they know that he was going through this for them, for those who would believe him later with tears.

Six hours later, Jesus hollered out saying “Tetelastai”...it is finished. And he breathed his last.

“It was finished”. His glory was to pay for our sins and to purchase us a place in heaven. That payment and that purchase took place in his death on the cross. He paid with his life’s blood and purchased our home in heaven with his perfect sacrificial death for our sins.

Now, what happened?

“And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭15:42-43‬ ‭

“We can't just let them throw the Master’s body in a common grave of criminals. We have to do something, but what?

A man named Joseph, of the town of Arimathea, not far from Jerusalem, must have either heard the conversation or this peripheral disciple of Jesus had s thought. He had some influence on the Jerusalem city council. He would appeal to the powers that be for the body of his savior and bury him in the tomb hewn out of rock for his family.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Lesson to me?.... Jesus will always have his courageous witness for just the right time. He will always have a generous disciple who uses his stuff for kingdom purposes.

O Lord, make us Your brave witness and generous disciple that You can use at just the right time!

Have a great day

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November 11th

The bible reading today is in John chapters 14-17.

“Let not your hearts be troubled.”

The hearts of Jesus’ friends were troubled. Jesus had just added some troublesome words to his message about his impending death.

“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭13:13, 16, 21‬

Jesus told them something to think about when he quoted an old adage...” the servant is not greater than his master”...meaning, “whatever is done to your master will come upon you as well”. ”If your master is rabbi and Lord and he is struck down, don't think you will not be next”...that had to be troubling to the young followers.

And then Jesus dropped another bomb. “One among you will betray me...”

That was also very troubling to the friends...” who is it, Lord? Tell us so we can keep that from happening.” “Is it me? Tell me, Lord, and I will be alert to that temptation and resist it.”

Jesus could tell that his friends were burdened, confused, and anxious. His own spirit was troubled. One of his own was about to betray him into the hands of evil, murderous men. Jesus himself pushed his own burden down and picked up his friends...”

“Let not your hearts be troubled”...And those words, which told his followers that he was “aware” of their heart’s worry and despair, were followed by the prescription “for” their troubled hearts...“Believe in God; believe also in me.”

This was “One more” bold and confident declaration by the rabbi that he was God in the flesh...that “He” was the Messiah.

“Trust me”, Jesus was saying to his downcast disciples. “Trust Me!” I’m everything you need.

“I know that your spirit is pressed...almost crushed. You need comforting and I send to you the Holy Spirit, “The Comforter” from heaven.

Trust Me...and give your sorrowful spirit into the divine hands of God the Spirit who will get you through the dark nights ahead and lift you up for the challenges to come for the sake of the kingdom...for the sake of the gospel.

“O troubled brother...O troubled sister...let not our hearts remain troubled without hope. Let us bow to Jesus our Savior too. And believe that He sees and knows our depression and our desperate need for consolation and renewed vision and faith...just like He knew and ministered grace to relieve the troubled friends...Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and James, Thomas, Simon the zealot, Judah son of James.

Let us believe Him and trust the Holy Spirit he has sent us...the Comforter and Strengthener...to be just who and what we need for the dark nights of our souls.

And Jesus continues to encourage his friends by talking about heaven. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14:1-6‬

How will we get through this? One disciple asks another.

He taught us to trust Him no matter what...and why not? He is the way, the truth, and the life we want!

Have a great day

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November 10th

The bible reading today is in Luke 22 and John 13.

“Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end”.”

‭‭John‬ ‭13:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus knew that the hour of his departure from this world had come. He knew that his death by crucifixion was near and that he was about to go back to the Father in heaven. He also knew that it was time for him to depart from his friends who believed him and left all to follow him.

And O how he “loved” them, with God’s “unconditional” love...committed to meeting the needs of his friends “ without expecting anything in return”.

Yes... "how he loved them, all the way to the end”.

Jesus “always loved” his disciples. There was never a single action or word toward them that was not in harmony with the Godly character of love.

Yes, Jesus corrected and reproved his friends for “their good” and for the Father’s glory. But it was all in love...always.

Jesus proved that love by his continuous companionship with his friends. “He stayed with them” until the days of his earthly ministry was over. And even when he left them he sent them the Holy Spirit to comfort them, guide them, and empower them for life and work.

Jesus stayed with them, even after Peter rebuked him upon hearing the Master speak of his coming death. Most rabbis would have sent Peter packing for his impertinence. But not Jesus! Jesus instructed Peter, but the Master stayed with him.

James and John had watched Jesus humbly give himself away for the sake of so many in need for over two years. Jesus would describe the kingdom of heaven in terms of humility and service...and. the greatest in the kingdom would be last, not first in recognition.

And then the brothers proved their total cluelessness of Christ’s life message by asking Him for positions of great recognition in his kingdom.

After three years of teaching and discipling, the Master could have sent the selfish “sons of thunder” home. But he didn't. He stayed with them. He loved them by staying with them...never leaving them, nor forsaking them...believing in them.

Yes, the fishermen of Galilee were his companions to the end...because he loved them...even when they thought, spoke, and behaved poorly as his disciples.

Also, Jesus proved his love by his patient teaching and his readiness to help his friends in jeopardy.

How did he teach them? Simply and Repeatedly...with Patience!

Jesus was wisdom and knowledge incarnate. But instead of trying to impress his young colleagues with divine verbiage, Jesus used common stories to get his message from their heads to their hearts.

Jesus’ instructions were given simply and repeatedly. And many a scholar would probably count Jesus’ going over and over the first principles of the gospel with such slow learners as being tedious, taxing and perhaps even boring...and not worth the effort.

But Jesus chose and loved these “slow learners” for a great mission. He loved them to the very end.

And where was Jesus when his friends were in trouble? Right, where they needed. That’s how Jesus loved. In the middle of a storm that even made seasoned fishermen afraid...Jesus was there to calm the wind and waves, not to mention young men’s fears.

And remember Peter’s wife’s mother? On her death bed there in Capernaum? With Peter’s wife broken and afraid?

Jesus was there to intercede and the dangerous fever left her body and she immediately rose from bed to serve her family and her deliverer.

O fellow followers of Jesus...just as he loved the first disciples...he loves us ...whom he has chosen...even us...slow learners...so needy...even to the end. Thanks, Lord

Have a great day