Grace Dover Messages

As Christians, we are taught to live each day by the faith and righteousness that have been given to us by God. The Hebrew author gives insight into what this looks like through the life and example of Abraham.

There is something frustrating about a bent. If it is a piece of wood that is warped you have to manipulate the wood to make it usable. If it is a metal rod you have to do something to remove the bend by heating it or pounding it out with a hammer. The Lord says about his people, "My people are bent on turning away from me..." How does God fix the bent of his people? That is the focus of this message. If you are bent, no matter how severe the bend, God, through the gospel, has a way to remove the bent without ruining you as his child.

Sermon by Rev. Doug Perkins, guest speaker, Gospel Church For All Nations, from Galatians 1:1-2; 6:14a and Mark 9:2-8, 33-35, 14:61b-68

Scripture teaches us that all things were created through Christ and for Him. It is only through Christ that all things are held together. This means that our very lives are held together only through the grace that we have received from God through Jesus Christ. Though our lives may seem to be in chaos, we can rest in the reconciliation of God making peace with himself and with each other.

Many people are familiar with what is perhaps Jesus' best known short story, "The Good Samaritan". However, few are acquainted with the context in which the story is told. Moreover, even less have considered the far reaching implications of the story! This is a story that begins with a man's self-justification, leading to the community's devastation, and ending with the man's self-condemnation. This sermon will show us how self-justification does more harm than good and brings no relief to the suffering. But thankfully that is not where the story ends, it doesn't leave us broken! The story teaches us that the relief and healing the community needs comes through mercy. The best example of said mercy is Jesus, the true and better Good Samaritan.

There are many things in our lives that cause us to rejoice. Yet, we are reminded by our Lord that what we must be most joyful over is that we have been chosen to understand the gospel, know the Son, and have our names written in heaven.

Christians are people who should know what it means to be free. Paul says it is "For freedom Christ has set us free." Later in the same chapter he says "You were called to freedom." But we have to ask if the freedom that Paul writes about the same freedom we think of as Americans? If it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, does he have in mind a particular use for the freedom he has given?  This sermon will seek to help us think through what is the best use of the freedom that we have been given.

Through these passages, we are reminded that without Christ, we are all united in that we are all sinful and rebellious towards God. Although we had the law, it could not save us and revealed our sinfulness and kept us imprisoned and captive. Though we deserved death, God preserved a remnant of Abraham’s offspring, who are now all those who have put on Christ.

The Christian life is not a life of foolishness even though some regard it as foolish, and some who claim to be Christians can act foolish. The Bible tells us that there are two kinds of wisdom; the world's wisdom and God's wisdom. Which wisdom is right? To answer this question you have to examine the wisdom of God. Certainly, everyone sees the need for wisdom, but can you be wise without God? Wisdom's call is similar to the call of the gospel. Wisdom teaches you how to find salvation in a broken and fallen world. The gospel tells us that this salvation is found in Jesus Christ, who is for us, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. Examining the wisdom of God will feed your soul the informational, and spiritual food you need to devote yourself to a life of hearing and responding to wisdom's and the gospel's call.