Restoration Church

The theme of the Gospel of Matthew is that Jesus is King. Through His signs and teachings, He proves Himself to be the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Lord of the Sabbath, and God. Matthew 12 continues that theme with a focus on Jesus’ role as Lord of the Sabbath. As the Pharisees reject Jesus in spite of the fact that the Holy Spirit is upon Him, Jesus warns them of the unpardonable sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and tells them that the sign they will receive is the “Sign of Jonah.” Pastor Dan walks us through Matthew 12 in this sermon preparing us for Resurrection Sunday.

The theme of the Gospel of Matthew is that Jesus is King. Through His signs and teachings, He proves Himself to be the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Lord of the Sabbath, and God. Jesus proves His authority in Matthew 9 through healing, teaching, and restoring a girl to life.

Remember that the Gospel of Matthew is structured around five of Jesus’ sermons/discourses, much like the Book of Deuteronomy is structured as sermons. Jesus seems to be showing that He is the prophet greater than Moses. However, more than that, Matthew continually refers to Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfills, proving that He is the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, and (most importantly) God.

Hosea is categorized as a “Minor Prophet,” which is another word for “The Book of the Twelve.” Hosea is only minor in the sense of its length. It is no less important than any other book of Scripture. The theme of the book is Israel’s unfaithfulness and God’s faithfulness. The theme is seen in God’s appeal to Israel in Hosea 6:6 when He says that He desires “mercy and not sacrifice,” meaning “steadfast love and not mere ceremony.” Chapters 13-14 close the prophecy and remind us that God always has a redemptive plan at work.

The relationship between the Church and Israel is important in Scripture. Sadly, many are confused between covenantal and dispensational interpretations. Genesis 3:7-29, along with a few other key passages, offers clarity. Join us as Pastor Daniel provides some clarity on the issue from Scripture.

The theme of the Gospel of Matthew is that Jesus is King. Through His signs and teachings, He proves Himself to be the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Lord of the Sabbath, and God. Jesus teaches with authority in Matthew 7 about the Kingdom of God.

Remember that the Gospel of Matthew is structured around five of Jesus’ sermons/discourses, much like the Book of Deuteronomy is structured as sermons. Jesus seems to be showing that He is the prophet greater than Moses. However, more than that, Matthew continually refers to Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfills, proving that He is the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, and (most importantly) God.

Success in evangelism is simply proclaiming the Gospel. There is no need to fear when God is the Author of salvation. Additionally, Christianity is on the rise! The number of Christians in the world has nearly quadrupled in the last 100 years! Pastor Daniel takes us through Romans 1 and Acts 17 to learn from Paul’s evangelism method to the pagans in Athens.

As Muslims swarm into the West, destroying what is good and true and beautiful, it does us good to remember that Christ’s coming brings the destruction of oppression. He is not waiting to be King. He is king now. Isaiah 9:1-12 begins its fulfillment in Matthew 4:12-17 as Jesus begins His ministry. He is King now (Mathew 28:18), and thus, we are to conquer the nations through the proclamation of His gospel and the baptism of His people (Matthew 28:18-20). Pastor Daniel Samms teaches through Isaiah 9:1-12 and reminds us how Christ has miraculously conquered and will continue to do so.

Boniface and the Destruction of Thor’s Oak by God

Boniface was a Benedictine minister commissioned as a missionary to what is now modern-day Germany. This region was known for its fierce warriors and pagan rituals, including human sacrifice in worship of Thor, Odin, and other norse gods.  These wild people had not been conquered by Rome, despite centuries of attempts.  

Presbyterian pastor, Henry Van Dyke provides a dramatic, though historically grounded, description of Boniface in "The First Christmas Tree" (1897):

“What a man he was! Fair and slight, but straight as a spear and strong as an oaken staff. His face was still young; the smooth skin was bronzed by wind and sun. His gray eyes, clean and kind, flashed like fire when he spoke of his adventures, and of the evil deeds of the false priests with whom he contended.”

Around 723, Boniface was traveling in the region of Lower Hesse as he was aware of a group of pageants near Geismar who would sacrifice a child to Thor in the middle of winter under their sacred tree, known as “Thunder Oak” (Donar’s Oak, Thor’s Oak). 

Did Boniface say, “Oh, well….Jesus hasn’t returned yet and things like this are going to keep happening until he does.”?  No!  

Boniface and his crew arrived at Thor’s Oak on Christmas Eve, interrupted the ceremony, and said, “Here is the Thunder Oak, and here the cross of Christ shall break the hammer of the false god, Thor.”

Having halted the pagan ritual before the sacrifice, Boniface said, 

“Hearken, sons of the forest! No blood shall flow this night save that which pity has drawn from a mother’s breast. For this is the birth-night of the Christ, the son of the Almighty, the Savior of mankind. Fairer is He than Baldur the Beautiful, greater than Odin the Wise, kinder than Freya the Good. Since He has come sacrifice is ended. The dark, Thor, on whom you have vainly called, is dead. Deep in the shades of Niffelheim he is lost forever. And now on this Christ-night you shall begin to live. This blood-tree shall darken your land no more. In the name of the Lord, I will destroy it.”

Boniface picked up an ax and took one swing at it as a great gust of wind blew and felled the tree by God’s mighty hand.  Boniface milled the carcass of that tree and built a church where it once stood.

Boniface looked beyond where the oak lay, pointing to a small, unassuming fir tree, saying:

“This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ conquered the Norse pagans of Germany once before. The Islamist hordes now overtaking Germany stand no chance against the gospel faithfully taught. Christ is Lord! Preach the gospel boldly.

Many Christians treat individual doctrines as stand-alone theological units. They forget that God has revealed truths about Himself, His creation, and the gospel that are interconnected in His divine design. Marriage is not merely a blessing from God, it is a picture of Christ’s relationship with His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Understanding this helps us see the eternal significance of marriage and encourages us to delight in God’s gift of marriage. Romance, sex, and the roles of husband and wife are not mere functions, they teach eternal realities.

Hosea is categorized as a “Minor Prophet,” which is another word for “The Book of the Twelve.” Hosea is only minor in the sense of its length. It is no less important than any other book of Scripture. The theme of the book is Israel’s unfaithfulness and God’s faithfulness. The theme is seen in God’s appeal to Israel in Hosea 6:6 when He says that He desires “mercy and not sacrifice,” meaning “steadfast love and not mere ceremony.” Chapter 8 explains how Israel has sown the wind and will reap the whirlwind.

Voting is a significant topic in our present era. Notably, there is tension among Christians as political candidates seldom perfectly reflect biblical values. The Democrat Party platform explicitly supports that which God calls hates (homosexuality, transgenderism, abortion, entitlement programs, etc.). However, the Republican Party regularly puts forth candidates with questionable morals and has recently removed the pro-life plank from its platform. How should Christians vote? Should Christians vote? This sermon addresses several critical passages of Scripture related to Christ’s Kingship over all the nations, the call to not ally ourselves with wicked rulers, and the command to rescue the innocent being led away to death. While voting was not a part of biblical cultures, the command to rescue the innocent is clear. The choice is between a party/candidate that actively wishes to increase abortions and a party/candidate that does not. Faithful Christians must vote to stop abortion.