Jeff Shelnutt Sermons

The closer Jesus gets to Jerusalem, the more specific His claims about discipleship become. Certain Pharisees approach Jesus, posing a question about divorce. They are not sincere, but testing Him. Jesus takes the opportunity to remind them of God's intention for marriage. Jesus' abbreviated teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage is set against the theological backdrop of the Old Testament and the historical context of First Century Judaism.

The new year is an excellent time to polish our spiritual lenses. Psalm 96 helps us to do just that. The whole world is called to worship. Therefore, the whole world is summoned to enter the church--to become a part of the people of God. Creation, along with Christians, are longing for the Judge to return. For only then will everything will be set right. In the meantime, we have a mission: to make God's glory known among the nations.

Israel faced an Assyrian threat that would eventually bring an end to the northern kingdom. King Ahaz of Judah was spiritually compromised by seeking help from the the Assyrians instead of trusting the LORD. Isaiah promises a child, a son, who will be born not just for Israel and Judah, but for us all. And this Messiah will meet our need for truth, security, belonging, and peace. The shalom sin has stolen, the baby born in Bethlehem will restore.

Joseph is called by Scripture a "righteous" man. His righteousness was demonstrated in the way he acted toward Mary and her pregnancy. Though we aren't told much about Joseph, his namesake, Joseph in Genesis, informs our understanding of this man chosen to be the earthly father of Jesus. Though both Josephs were righteous men, they still did not possess the righteousness of God. They, like us, must be gifted a righteousness outside of themselves that comes from God. This is why the Baby in the feeding trough was born, that this gift of God's righteousness might be available to all.

Closing out a conversation with His disciples in a private house in Galilee, Jesus warns of the severity of causing a fellow believer to stumble. He then proceeds to speak of the seriousness of sin, the pervasiveness of sin, the consequences of sin, and the sacrifice for sin. Every disciple is salted with fire. The sacrifice for sin has been made, therefore, we offer ourselves as living sacrifices.

John and the other disciples are troubled about a man who is casting out demons in the name of Jesus without Jesus' authorization. From Jesus' response, we see that there are two extremes to avoid when it comes to evaluating those on the "outside." They are elitism and religious relativism. Jesus offers three reasons to not prevent others from operating by faith in His name.

Jesus passes through Galilee for the last time before His final trip to Jerusalem with His disciples. On the road, Jesus tells the twelve once again what will happen to Him. But all they discuss is who is the greatest among them. In a house in Capernaum, Jesus proceeds to explain to the disciples the true path to greatness: servitude. The kingdom of God does not operate like the kingdoms of men. To receive the insignificant and overlooked in Jesus' name is to receive Him.

Descending from the mountain , Jesus finds a large crowd waiting for Him, His disciples arguing with some scribes, and a man whose demon-possessed son Jesus' disciples could not help. True faith is about quality, not quantity. The quality of faith is measured by faith's focus. The disciples could not cast out the evil spirit because they did not maintain a lifeline with God through prayer.

As three of Jesus' disciples descend from their high mountain experience with Him, they discuss what it means for Jesus to rise from the dead. In their inability to grasp the plain explanation, they digress into discussing Elijah, whom they just saw on the mountain top. We see in this passage three things that bring understanding: the resurrection, fulfilled prophecy, and suffering.

Jesus takes three of His disciples onto a high mountain and begins to shine with the brilliance of the glory of God. Moses and Elijah appear and converse with the transfigured Jesus. From this passage we learn about high mountain experiences with God, how they are misunderstood, and how to apply them to our everyday lives.