Real Peace. Real People.

What do you deserve? It’s a complicated question. What do you deserve from your spouse? What do you deserve from your employer? What do you deserve from your neighbor? In this sermon, we are going to explore this question: “What do you DESERVE from God?”

No one is confused: Jesus tells us to forgive those who repent. It isn’t so much that we don’t know if we should forgive our fellow brother or sister in the faith who wrongs us and asks for our forgiveness… it’s figuring out how to actually forgive when you’ve been hurt deeply. The solution: not a firm had telling you to forgive, but a compassionate Savior who has declared that you have been forgiven.

You can think of 1000 reasons not to talk about sin. Maybe the first reason on that list is that it’s just plain uncomfortable. So why would we do it? If there is a possibility of risking our relationship with a brother or sister in Christ, why would we bring a sin up? What is the benefit? We convince ourselves that the loving thing to do is keep our thoughts to ourselves and hope that the brother or sister can deal with it themselves. But Jesus gives us a different way, a better way of handling that situation. His way truly shows love.

The crosses of our lives can be shockingly heavy. There are times in which it feels as if they’ll nearly crush us. In those moments, we are called to look at the one who carried our cross first. And because he won the crown, your crown is waiting for you!

Getting to know God is maybe the simplest yet seemingly difficult task for the Christian. We find ourselves asking, “What does God want me to know about him?” “How am I supposed to understand the great I AM?” The reality is, understanding God and the things he wants us to know about him isn’t all that complex.

What barriers are tolerable in the Church of God? It would be insane to put up barriers based on what football team you support. No one would think to cause divisions in a church based on whether you drive an SUV or sedan. But what about worship style? What about politics? What about social status? Those barriers are a little more serious. But are they justified? In our sermon, we’ll answer the question: Do barriers belong in God’s Church?

Will you let the doubts overcome you? There is no shortage of things that will cause doubt throughout our lives. The question is: should they? Do we ever have a “good reason” to doubt Jesus’ love, providence, and power? And if we find ourselves in a place of doubt, what’s the only way out of it?

“What happens if…?” It’s a question that lurks in the back of most people’s minds. “What happens if I have to get a new car?” “What happens if I can’t pay for a new A/C unit?” The reality is, no one could predict the future and tell you exactly how that problem will be resolved. However, based on this narrative of Jesus feeding over 5000 people, it is clear that even when situations seem most dire, the God who is able to turn a snack into a feast is still in control.

King Solomon asked for wisdom when he could have asked for practically anything else from God. He asked for wisdom not to show off or to simply make his life easier. Instead, he asked for wisdom for the purpose of serving in the capacity to which he had been called. The question is: why could he ask for something so selfless?

Talking about the wrath of God might make us uncomfortable. Because of his great power, it might make us nervous to think of him as a God who has the capacity for wrath. But it shouldn’t. In fact, we should be thankful that God doesn’t cozy up to sin. Instead, he pours out his wrath on sin in Christ so that the sinner might go free.