Sermons

Love can be risky. At least between humans. Not only are we experts at violating love, we often have all the wrong ideas about it to start with. We think it has everything to do with how others make us feel, as opposed to how we serve them. We should delight in the fact that God is love. He never gets it wrong. And the proof of that love (as if we needed that!) is the death of His Son for His people.

Love can be risky. At least between humans. Not only are we experts at violating love, we often have all the wrong ideas about it to start with. We think it has everything to do with how others make us feel, as opposed to how we serve them. We should delight in the fact that God is love. He never gets it wrong. And the proof of that love (as if we needed that!) is the death of His Son for His people.

Trials and difficulties are a key component of the Christian life. As much as they may be uncomfortable and unfortunate in the moment, they cannot be avoided, and there's a good reason why this is so: God purposes hardships for the spiritual good of Christians. Like a bitter, but effective medicine, sufferings, though painful, are good for the Believer's soul.

God is who he says he is. He does what he says he’ll do. In this Psalm we see a contrast between two people. One trusts in God and one does not; and their futures couldn’t be more different. One is glorious. One is not. Do you trust in God? And, if so, will you continue to trust in him no matter what?

There are times we get things backwards in the Christian life. Sometimes we think the worst thing that could happen to us is another trouble or trial. In reality, that difficulty or resistance may be a gift from God to grow our faith and experience more of His love. Wise Christians learn to stop resisting His providence and start increasing their hope.

Having finished making his case that the only people who will spend eternity with God are those who have been justified by His grace, Paul now turns to revealing more of the blessings or benefits that come to every single person who has faith in Jesus. It is one thing to know about these benefits, and an altogether greater thing to live like they are true. If we lack spiritual confidence in this world, it is likely because we have forgotten or ignored all that Christ purchased for us on His cross.

"Love" is a concept that is often misunderstood. We can get our definition of love from many places, but the only final and definitive definition of love comes from God Himself. By learning about God's love for His people, we will better understand what it means to love, and how we should go about loving one another.

We are easily deceived by appearances. What might look to us to be an unmitigated disaster, might actually be a remarkable success. Not just in the sense of making something good happen out of a mistake, but more in the sense of the thing itself being truly good. All we need are eyes to see it.