About halfway through the book of Revelation, John has a vision not about the future but about the past and present: a war story between a woman, her child-king, and a dragon that explains Old Testament history, human history, and even some of the uncanny events in our lives.

Matthew 1:21 | Jesus Came to Save His People From Their Sins by Calvary Baptist Church, Greenwood, IN

John 6:37–40 | Jesus Came to bring Life and Resurrection by Calvary Baptist Church, Greenwood, IN

Two pictures in Revelation 1 help us understand why it was so difficult to be apart during COVID and how Jesus helped us make it through without gathering.

Advent is designed to help us prepare for the coming of Jesus. Today we prepare ourselves for the day when he comes again.

Jesus came to offer good news to everyone. Yet there are many in the advent stories who treat his coming as if it were bad news. What is the difference between those who are blessed by Jesus coming and those who will one day wish he never came? A short statement by Jesus in Luke 8 gives the answer.

To prepare for our church Thanksgiving Dinner, we warmed our hearts with many reasons God is worthy of our praise and thanks, found in Psalm 147.

Can you think of a way that your life would be better today if it weren't for one wrong or foolish thing you did in the past? When Christians suffer today because of sins we committed long ago, it can feel like God has abandoned us or is against us. But the Bible gives an encouraging word to us from Israel's darkest hours.

The story of King Josiah shows us what it looks like to love the Lord with all our heart, and how God teaches that kind of holy love to his people.

When times grow dark and faithless for God's people, the power of holy, prayerful people stands out even more. Through the example of holy men like Elijah and Elisha, this sermon calls Christians to be that holy, prayerful source of power for the church if we indeed slip into a dark and faithless age.