Romans 1:1-7 and Psalm 110:1-2
Normally we think of Jesus' resurrection as a useful fact of faith when we are confronted with death. And that aspect of this truth is a great source of comfort. But the scripture presents Christ’s resurrection as the key to everything. 

The centerpiece of the gospel, the thing that makes the gospel good news, is that Jesus Christ died and was raised to life. 

But why is Jesus raised from the dead? Why is it good news for all people that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead? Why is his rising from the dead the key to everything?  In the Bible there were others who died and were raised from the dead, and while Jesus was on the earth, he raised Lazarus from the dead. So, why isn’t their coming back to life considered good news? What makes Jesus resurrection different? 

Jesus was raised to reign. Jesus' life and death was unlike any other person’s. He was raised from the dead, according to Romans 1, because of his ancestry, his divinity, and these culminate in his ascendency. He is the Son of God. Right now, because is the firstborn from among the dead, he is The Ruler of the kings of the earth. (Rev. 1:5)

For this reason the resurrection of Jesus is more than a handy truth in the tool belt of faith when confronting death. It is powerful good news for everyday living. It is good news with powerful political implications. It’s good news as the King dispenses grace and peace that calls for the obedience that comes from faith from among all the ethnicities. It is good news as he brings to us the love of God and calls us to be saints. It is good news as he commands us and places us in his service. Jesus Christ being resurrected to reign, brings honor to humility, conquest in the guise of defeat, purity from the putrid, and life out of death. 

Therefore, since Christ is resurrected to reign, we rejoice! The day of resurrection earth tell it all abroad!

Luke 19:28-44 & Psalm 118:22-27
This message will focus on what's really happening on "Palm Sunday.” In spite of the normal celebratory nature of Palm Sunday Worship services, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is, primarily, a funeral procession rather than a victory march. The disciples/Jews of the day saw the procession as a celebration of a "savior" who would bring back the glory days of the earthly Davidic Kingdom. We can fall prey to the same notion, that following Jesus will result in present "blessings" - the false promises of the Health & Wealth Gospel. But this "victory" procession has nothing to do with this kind of victory; this false "victorious living." This is a victory procession "in-the-face-of-present-suffering-and-death." This is a victory procession of a dying King, willingly going to his executioners so as to bring about a victory that will be "not yet;” that awaits his return in glory to restore all things. Palm Sunday is often, in many ways, the wishful thinking of those who want God's kingdom now (happy people, happy church, happy little children waving little palm leaves).  But the eyes of faith understand what this "Palm Sunday" march to Jerusalem really is: it is a march to the cross where our King will die. Yes, He will rise, but first He must die. We'll get to celebrate the hope of Easter, but that's next Sunday. Today is Palm Sunday, and we are reminded that though we have hope, this hope is ultimately a future hope - a hope that gives us courage to walk, not in a victory march through life where all is well, but a victory march through life, even in the darkness, looking to the day of resurrection when our hopes and dreams will be realized beyond our wildest expectations! So, can we celebrate on Palm Sunday?  Can we sing the praises of our King with joy in our hearts? Yes indeed! In fact, we celebrate because Palm Sunday is a celebration of a victory procession, precisely because it is a funeral procession that Jesus leads to where he will die to take our sin upon himself and give us the hope of eternal life.

John 12:20-33 and Isaiah 55:1-4

On this the fifth Sunday of Lent, we come to John’s account of the events surrounding what is traditionally known as Palm Sunday, taken from day 34 of the devotional readings. However, it is during this time that Jesus announces that "the hour has come.”

The hour he is referring to is the time for him to be glorified. But what tipped him off that it was time? It was the Greeks who were desiring to see him. 

This is the summons that the Lord issued in Isaiah 55, calling "nations you know not" because the Lord God has endowed the Messiah with splendor. 

Oddly enough though, this glory is not in a military conquest, but in his death. His death that is seed to bear more fruit than would have been possible through a military uprising. 

This hour is the reason for his coming. His glory is bound to the glory of the Father. And it is to his glory that he would draw some of all types of peoples to himself. 

The hour has come for the followers of Jesus to lift high the cross among the nations, and thus bring glory to Son and the Father. For this reason he came.

Acts 2:22-23 and Zechariah 12:10-14

Continuing in our sermon series, "Dust to Dust: Preparing Our Hearts for Easter”, we are looking forward to the text for the 28th day of Lent from the Book of Zechariah. The text tells us that they will mourn for him whom they have pierced. Who is this? It is God speaking about himself. How can God be pierced? Should his piercing be mourned? By whom should it be mourned? What does this mourning mean? How does God respond to this piercing?

The answer to these questions all come together when we see Jesus Christ pierced for our transgressions and nailed to the cross for our sins. 

But, how amazing is God’s response to our piercing of him? Instead of anger and vengeance, we get, poured out on us, a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy. 

This unexpected response from a holy God is why we can both mourn and celebrate at the Table of the Lord. For there we see at once what our sin did to God, and how much God loves us. 

Looking upon Christ, giving Him this type of consideration, mourning, then, becomes an appropriate celebration of the memorial of our redemption. 

Matthew 28:16-20 and Psalm 72:12-19
On this Third Sunday in Lent we anticipate our devotional reading tomorrow, the Seventeenth Day of Lent, when we will read from Psalm 72. In this Messianic Psalm we are given confidence in the reign of Christ who is now enthroned as the Royal King anticipated in this Psalm. In a day when so many have lost faith in their leaders and distrust them all; while others spend their lives and money promoting this name or that name as the one who will finally save us, we find confidence in Christ who has asserted, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” We find confidence in the words of Peter who, on the Day of Pentecost asserts, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” It is Christ who, as Psalm 72 says, “… will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”  And so we pray with the Psalmist, “Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.” Or, as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Matthew 27:45-50 and Psalm 22:1-11; 29-

On this second Sunday in Lent we anticipate our devotional reading this coming Friday, the Fifteenth Day of Lent, when we will read from Psalm 22.  The first line of this Psalm is very familiar to most of us because Jesus cried out these exact words when he was crucified. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  These are the heart-wrenching words of our Savior who was forsaken by the Father in our place, so that we might never be forsaken.  Unlike Jesus who knew all too well the utter darkness and pain of being abandon by his own Father in the hour of death, we His children, through faith in Jesus, can say, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”  Jesus our Good Shepherd has promised, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  He will never leave us nor forsake us!

Matthew 25:31-40 and Genesis 18:1-8

Galatians 3:10-13 and Genesis 3:14-19

Today we begin a new sermon series during the season of Lent. The series is called Dust to Dust. We will be using a devotional book produced from Redeemer Church in New York City. This first sermon of the series is taken from Day 1, where we find God cursing the man, woman, serpent and the ground. Why? Because of sin. 

Sin has brought about the curse. The effect of the curse is evident in everything, everywhere, and by everyone. The destiny of those who are cursed is “the dust”. The Lord says to the human, “…for dust you are and to dust you will return.” What a fragile framework that comprises the state of humanity! 

Is there anyone who is able to break the curse? Can the curse be reversed? Can the effects of sin and its power be removed? 

This sermon will answer these question as it points to the work of Jesus Christ, who upon entering this framework, as one of us, he ends the curse. He becomes a curse so that we, and all of creation, will be blessed. Through Jesus Christ the dust settles. Hallelujah! 

 

Luke 6:27-38 and Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

Luke 6:17-26 and Jeremiah 17:5-10
Leaving a legacy of faith is certainly something to be desired. Legacies are not merely personal and familial, but they are cultural and communal as well. But how these legacies are built and left is determined by God, through faith in him and his message. The Lord determines the value of that legacy by measuring the treatment of his messengers. Jesus ends the sections on blessings and woes with a statement about how the fathers treated the prophets, whether they were true or false. 

Those wishing to leave legacies of truth recognize their lack, are heartbroken, and hungry, harshly treated, yet hopeful. While those who like the status quo, feel satisfied, are hardhearted, whimsical, and well spoken of. Consequently, they are presently rewarded and without hope. Faith in a false message rejects present suffering. While faith in the Lord endures hardships for the sake of the Lord.  

So, the strength of a legacy is determined by where faith rests. Is it in God or men? Is it driven by hope or by present pleasure? Where one's faith is placed is evident in how you treat the messenger of God. The revelation of God is outside of us and God has to bring it to us. He does this through Jesus Christ. 

This means if you want to leave a lasting legacy you can’t trust your heart! (Jer. 17:9) Instead trust the Lord who examines the heart and mind and rewards accordingly. (Jer. 17:10) Jesus urges his disciples to fill their hearts with Him, to be satisfied in him alone. And then in him, the riches and hungers and joys of the heart will be supplied. Individuals, families, and cultures find what they really need in Him.

On this sixth Sunday of Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ is not in displays of power to relieve present suffering, (Which is why Jesus turns from the crowds and talks to his disciples.), but in his power to preserve his people while they are rejected, hungry, impoverished and heartbroken, filling them with the hope of giving them a lasting and glorious legacy in Him.