The kings of this world have fame, power, and wealth. This is the temptation that mankind has faced since the serpent lied to our first parents saying, “You can be like God.” Though men know who is truly King, because of sin men reject the rightful king and build our own kingdoms. When Jesus comes, he does not offer a better political platform to live by, he comes to destroy our kingdoms built on the foundation of sin and re-establish God’s rightful rule on the foundation of the cross. Apart from grace, men will fight for their own kingdoms. Irrational, hostile, and violent toward God’s rule, men will fight to the death before they give up various parts of their kingdom to Jesus Lordship.

This sermon will focus on what restoring what was “torn” would require. The miracle of Easter begins at the manger and ends with the tomb. And though the relationship between Jesus and God remained preserved, in a very real way, he chose to be torn from glory to suffer as a man. Relationship was destroyed for all men through one man, Adam. In the same way, restored relationship would require a death for sin, it would require a perfect sacrifice be offered. It was not only on the cross that Jesus suffered; Jesus experienced a lifetime of suffering as all men experience (and more) including false accusations, betrayal, abuse, loss, etc.

The conquest of Jericho is one of the strangest and well known stories in the Bible. The narrative begins with a brief encounter with what appears to be a warrior. Joshua asks whether the warrior is on his or his enemy’s side. The warrior answers “No”, explaining that He is the Commander of the Lord’s Army and He is on God’s side. At that, Joshua wisely falls on his face and worships Him, echoing the same experience Moses had with a burning shrubbery.

Parable of the Rich Fool

The church is a family, with relationships and responsibilities governed by the gospel.

Baptism is the 2nd of two ordinances given by Jesus. It is one of the marks of a biblical church AND the symbol of the individual believer's identity with Jesus and the church .

A study of Psalm 46

Introduction to the Songs of Summer series.Introduction to the Songs of Summer series.

We are not wise enough to make our plans apart from God.