Sermons

“I found the perfect church.” Anyone who has said that has soon learned they were mistaken. No church is perfect, since no Christian is perfect. But there is coming a day when all things will be made new… and perfect. Israel may have had thoughts of perfection when they left their Egyptian slavery, but they would have to wait. Not even the Promised Land would yield what they longed for. We all await a New Creation where peace, righteousness and love reign forever. Until that day, it is life under the sun. Carrying our burdens and trials until that Great Day. May it come quickly!

There are many stories in the Bible of people moving from unbelief in God, to belief. Some are quite shocking. The story of Jethro, the Midian priest and father-in-law to Moses, is one of those shocking accounts. It is also a great lesson in how a Christian might speak the truth of the Gospel to someone who is not yet trusting in Christ. Moses is a great example of patience, love, truthfulness and hope and should inspire us all to believe ever more strongly that God will save even the most unlikely among us.

God has radically transformed our lives through the power of the gospel. This gospel power is what ultimately fuels gospel living. What does that life look like? Walking in the same love that we've been shown in the cross of Jesus Christ.

If God the Father elected and predestinated us, and the Son did all that we needed for salvation on His cross, but we are dead in our sins, then how does anyone actually get saved? We are not spiritually capable of responding to the work the Father and Son have done. Enter the Holy Spirit. If the Father is the Architect of our salvation, and the Son is the Accomplisher of our salvation, it is fair to say that the third member of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, is the Applier of that salvation. He regenerates us, that is, He brings us to life and in so doing enables us to respond to the Gospel. Then He stays with us until the day we take possession of the inheritance that is ours.

If God our Father is the architect of our great salvation, it is safe to say that Christ our Lord is the Accomplisher of it. It took really coming and really living and really dying and really being raised from the dead to gain our redemption and forgiveness. And in saving us, God blesses us with understanding into His perfect plan for the ages. We are made heirs of God. What an amazing God. What a great salvation.

Nothing strengthens our confidence in evangelism like considering the evangel - the Gospel. In his letter to the Christians in Ephesus, Paul starts out with a long sentence of praise to the Tri-une God for all He has done in saving His people. It is a remarkable sentence intended to lift our hearts in praise, wonder and adoration. That 202 word string breaks down thematically into three movements highlighting each member of the Trinity and the particular emphasis of their work in saving us. Reading Ephesians 1:3-6 ought to lead us all to worship God the Father “to the praise of His glorious grace!”