Bethesda Christian Church Sermon of the Week

I am speaking toward the idea that we have Promises today, promises that the Word of God has for each of us. But I think it is important for us to understand that not all the promises of scripture are for everyone. God’s promises are for his people, His children, His followers.

Jesus promised his disciples this about the Holy Spirit: “He lives with you and will be in you.” Jesus repeated that promise before he was crucified and after he was resurrected. He told his followers to remain in Jerusalem until they received the promise, and they were obedient to wait. When the day came and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter declared the promise of the Holy Spirit extends to all who come to Christ. The Holy Spirit gives comfort, counsel, help and in these uncertain times something we all need: Hope. He is the Spirit of Hope. Trust in Jesus and you can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The closest followers of Jesus quibbled and argued about who was the greatest, even on the night of the Last Supper. A pharisee named Saul considered Jews who turned to Christianity as worthy of imprisonment and death. Those who weren’t Jewish he considered beneath him. Yet these men changed and put aside their animosity and hate. How? The Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of Christ. On this Pentecost Sunday as our nation's cities convulse with violence, let’s look to Jesus and power to conquer hate with love by the Spirit of God.

You call me great? He has made me great. God stooped down and made me great. Could any of us say the same? How could it be? After all, David was special, a king. For the rest of us, the average person, it can’t be so? Or could it?

We can make the choice to rejoice.

Do we recognize grace, are we grateful? And what is our will? Is it to acknowledge all of God’s grace in our lives? Recognizing needs met, ways made, prayers answered? This is the will of God for us… give thanks in all circumstances.

Our expectations and preconceived notions put Jesus in a box. It constrains him to behave and carry out his mission according to our expectations. Jesus is God and he is not constrained by us.

Yet our faith might be challenged, we might doubt, the essentials that form our foundation might come under attack. Don’t give the enemy a foothold.

There can be something new and positive for every single one of us, when we trust him, and turn our worry and fear to joy.

Jesus uses difficult situations to reveal His glory. His ways aren’t our ways. Jesus didn’t stay on that cross, He resurrected, and His glory was revealed. Believe that His glory will be revealed in all that’s going on in the world around us. He is our risen Savior. He is not dead. His spirit is alive today.