Grace Dover Messages

Sermon by Kenny Foster, Senior Pastor, from Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 & I Thessalonians 5:1-11

The Scripture reading for this Sunday's message commands us to encourage and build each other up. The believers at Thessalonica had concerns about the nature, time and date of Christ's coming. Paul sought to encourage them as to what to expect and how to live while they wait for the Day of the Lord. But why should the Christian be encouraged about the Day of the Lord? The Day of the Lord is an often forgotten part of the gospel, yet it is vital to understanding the richness of God's plan, consecration and appointment for those whom he has loved. Believers today, like the Thessalonians, have concerns about our times too and how we are to relate to the coming of the Lord. Our reading shows us how to live today in preparation for the Day of the Lord. As Christians who seek to be wise and understand the times in which we live, this sermon will teach us why, what, and how to encourage and build each other up with the gospel.

Sermon by Kenny Foster, Senior Pastor, from Amos 5:18-24 & I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Sermon Title: "But Let Justice Roll On"

Text: Amos 5:18-24 & I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Sermon Summary:

Our lectionary reading for this Sunday comes to us in the aftermath of a tumultuous, revealing, divisive, election season.

The prophet Amos is speaking to geopolitical Israel about the coming of the Lord, but it is not a positive message. The nation had become enamored with its religious practices and their understanding of what it meant to be blessed by God. But Amos intends to wake them up from their religion induced self delusion. So how does he awaken them? Furthermore, how does a nation awaken from self delusion? What role do the people of God have in rousing a nation from its self-deceit? Can we relate to the experience of Israel? As a nation are we deceiving ourselves? The Bible helps us to keep it real.

Keep it real about the Lord's coming. (vs18-20) Keep it real about the worship of the Lord. (vs21-23) Keep it real about repentance and justice. (vs24) Keep it real about the meaning of the resurrection. (1 Thess. 4:13-18) Jesus died and rose again to keep justice rolling on like a river. Because of the hope we have in him, that takes us beyond the separation of death, righteousness is, in Christ, demonstrably, a never-failing stream. (I Thess. 4:13-18)

Why is this important to know as we suffer through a painful political season? Because we grieve but not without hope. Because justice rolls on. And Scripture shows us that religion without righteousness is repugnant: justification without justice is unjust.

This sermon will help us to be free from the bond of religious self-deceit and open us up to the justice that the gospel of Christ brings to us, a justice that rolls on like a river.

Romans 3:20-31. Joshua Suh. Associate Pastor candidate.

One of the greatest issues during the Great Reformation revolved around the doctrine of "Sola Fide" or "by faith alone." Scripture reveals to us that we are justified before God as righteous by faith alone. This is a gift of God and requires no effort on our part.

Sermon by Kenny Foster, Senior Pastor, from Psalm 1 & Matthew 22:34-46

Sermon Summary:

Our Scripture readings for this week remind us that like boats docked in the harbor, life needs moorings. In whatever time you are living, there are waves that come to rock your boat. An unmoored boat will become damaged and will damage others around it.

To what or whom is your life moored? Can it/they provide a ballast for the ship of your hopes and dreams? Can they/it steady you when the waves of the guilt of your sin and its punishment come crashing in?

The question that Christ puts to the Pharisees, "What do you think about the Christ?”, is one by which they could discern the Supreme Anchor for life. He is the Lord to whom the greatest commandment points. (vs36-38) The Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the second command (vs39-40). Jesus is both David’s royal son and David’s Lord. (vs43-44). He is the blessed man of Psalm 1 whose delight in the law of the Lord led him to the cross, where he died for his brothers and sisters.

Our thoughts about the Christ begin with these truths about who he is and what’s he’s done on our behalf.

The question, "What do you think about the Christ?”, is answered in the way you treat your neighbor, love your husband, raise your children, perform your job, vote on Election Day; everything you do is shaped by what you think about the Christ.

Our thoughts about the Christ are shaped each time we come to the Lord’s Table where we are reminded that Jesus’ delight in the law of the Lord, became our salvation as he took on our death in order to give us his life.

Sermon by Kenny Foster, Senior Pastor, "Whose Portrait… And Whose Inscription?” from Exodus 33:12-33 & Matt. 22:15-22

This Sunday’s message should come with a warning. The warning is needed because the Scripture reading brings us into the realm of politics. Politics and religion, it is often said, don’t mix. But in Matthew 22 Jesus mixes it up when he answers a question with a question. He is asked a question about paying taxes. He answers with a question, saying, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” (Matt 22:20) The response to the question put the Pharisees and Herodians, two political parties, on the horns of a dilemma. They have to give to Caesar and God. The trap setters are trapped! How they respond to Jesus' directive exposes where their true loyalties are.

This is a sermon that addresses politics, but not as something evil. But like everything in our world, politics can be used for evil or good. They are broken, but worth redemption. For the Christian in our times, instead of being polarized according to a political position or party’s platform, we are to remember whose image we bear and whose title is on us.

An image and title is about glory. Christians bear the image of Christ. Christians are most concerned about God’s glory. God alone determines how his glory is seen and to whom it is shown.

If that is true, every follower of Christ is most concerned with seeing the face of the Lord, having his presence with them, and beholding his glory, regardless of your political affiliation. God’s glory is what the Christian in America should be most passionate about.

For this to happen, you have to escape the trap of those who would use politics to control others. In order to escape you have to answer the questions; “Whose portrait do you bear? And whose inscription is on you?” The only way out is to hear these words from the One whose image you bear; “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17) How do you know that God is pleased with you? The child of God has this assurance because Jesus Christ allowed the trap of the then political powers to ensnare him on the cross. The brokenness of our world is seen in the treatment of Christ. But that he stayed on the cross shows us that our world is worth redeeming. In the gospel, politics and religion are perfectly mixed, as love and justice kiss each other, in Christ, on the cross.

Sermon by David Kim, Assistant Pastor, “A Model to All the Believers” “모든 믿는 자의 본” from 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 데살로니가전서 1:2-10

Sermon Summary:

Which church is God's desire?

Which church is right for God's heart?

Which church is beautiful?

The answers to these questions can be found in the Bible.

By following and looking at the words and actions Jesus has shown us, we can build the church God wants. However, we usually think like this, "How can we keep everything Jesus said? Isn't it impossible to live up to the word of Jesus?"

In response, the Bible shows us another model. This is the early church.

The Bible contains numerous ancestors of faith and the churches who tried to obey Jesus' words and commands.

In particular, by looking at the Thessalonian Church, Grace Church will become the model of all believers in Dover, Delaware, in America and in the world.

Sermon by Kenny Foster, Senior Pastor, from Isaiah 5:1-7 and Philippians 3:5-14.

It is a hard thing to keep your head when others around you are losing theirs. Those who do the most good in the world are those who focus on one thing.

The readings for this Sunday’s message place before us the Apostle Paul’s spiritual ambition. The Apostle says that there is one thing he does in pursuit of that ambition; he presses on. However, pressing on calls for him to hold on because he is held (vs12), forget what is behind (vs13), and stretch to what’s ahead (vs14). This sermon’s focus is on the spiritual discipline of keeping the main thing the main thing. Like Paul, we don’t want present circumstances to distract us from our future goal; the perfection of Christ likeness.

That is what happened with the house of Israel and the men of Judah in our Old Testament reading. (Isa.5:7) God had been at work in them, but they didn’t work out what God had worked in. The result was that they were removed from the land where God had planted them. As God’s people we have been given a heavenly, upward calling. I shudder to think of what happens if we lose sight of this call!

How do we keep from becoming distracted? Like the Apostle, we turn to the gospel. In the gospel we remember that righteousness is not our own, but comes through faith in Christ. It’s a righteousness from God and is by faith. The one thing that we help one another do is to keep the gospel before us when present troubles would have us look elsewhere. Press on.

"God Works in You”

Psalm 25:1-9 &Philippians 2:1-13

Our Scripture reading this week reminds us that God is at work in us to accomplish his good purpose. Both the Psalm and Paul’s letter to the Philippians remind us that the good God works to do good in us and in the world. What is God’s goodness? How is this goodness shown? What does his goodness produce? 

The goodness of God is his ability to act towards us, not according to our sins, but according to his love. (Psalm 25:6-7) The goodness of God is shown in the example of Christ. This goodness produces in us a mind like Christ’s. His mind pursues unity through humble service for the glory of God. So as his church, unity, and humble service for the glory of God, demonstrates that God is at work in us. 

If you struggle to know that God is good, and we all do, you need only to turn to Christ to see how good God really is. Christ didn’t pursue his own rights, but gave up equality with God to become a slave. As a slave he was obedient even to an unjust death on a cross. He died in our place, becoming our salvation, so that we could enjoy the love of God. God's goodness united us to Christ. We work out this salvation, that the goodness of God provides, as we pursue unity in humble service towards God and one another. Since his purpose is to make us like Christ, God remembers us according to his love, instructs us in his ways, and guides us in what is right. The power to live the lives of love flows from the goodness of God at work in us.  

Psalm 145:1-8 & Philippians 1:21-30

The impetus of the gospel message is to build a community that reflects the nature of the kingdom of Christ. The people of the kingdom are to be like their king. However, in the American context the personal is pitted against the communal. Our culture tells us that the rights of the one are equally important to the rights of the many. We are taught to pursue our own progress and happiness, not in serving the community, but in serving yourself. How is the Christian expected to live in this context?

Paul’s quandary in our Scripture reading is one that calls for fruitful labor on behalf of others that results in their progress of joy in the faith. In this week’s message we want to know what it takes to progress in joy in the faith. Paul shows us that in order to progress in joy in the faith we need a conviction that calls for conduct worthy of the gospel, while contending in unity, as it considers its privilege. This can easily be misunderstood in the Christian life, since some present faith in Christ as a formula for personal success. Paul says not so! “…I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” (Phil. 1:25-26) Our joy in Christ Jesus is bound up in a serving community.

Are you feeling alone in your pursuit of joy in the faith? Progress and joy in the faith can’t be made on a purely individual basis. It has to be made in community where gospel value is expressed in the loving labor of people serving the Lord as they serve each other.

I Thessalonians 5:12-24, I Thessalonians 2:2-6. This Sunday’s message is a special challenge from Randy Nabors of the New City Network to the newly installed Senior Pastor, and to the Grace Session and Congregation. As you listen, think about the relationship you have with your pastor and pray for him and your church.