Upside-Down Savior - Pastor Nathan Nass

What words can you say to comfort a Christian in the face of death? The Bible says, “Therefore encourage each other with these words.” What words? “We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” What can we have? Hope! “The Lord himself will come down from heaven,… and the dead in Christ will rise first.” What can we have? Hope! “We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds.” What can we have? Hope! “And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18). What can we have? Hope! If you or someone you love is facing death, I hope you can listen this sermon: “Grieving with Hope.” Jesus loves you!

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). You are the children of God! The God who is bigger than the universe… The God who is so loving that he died for us… You are the children of God! Think of what that means: God loves you more than you love your children. God cares for you more than you care for your children. By faith in Jesus, you are an heir of all God’s blessings, including eternal life in heaven. When? Now! “And that is what we are!” Being a child of God is not a future hope. It is a present reality! I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Children of God.” God bless you!

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 8:28). We are saved by grace alone. Not by our works. By God’s grace! We are saved by faith alone. Not by our goodness. By faith in Jesus! We are saved by Scripture alone. Not by our great ideas. By the power of God’s Word! To God alone be the glory. Not to you. Not to me. To God alone be the glory! In Christ alone our hope is found. Why would we look anywhere else? In Christ alone our hope is found. I hope you can listen to this Reformation Day sermon about the central teaching of God’s Word: “Justified by Faith.” God bless you!

Look at what God has done! God has taken hearts that constantly felt guilty for the sins of your past, and he’s given you peace in Jesus and his blood that washed your sins away. Look at what God has done! God has taken minds that were convinced that there is no god, and he’s convinced you that God is true and real. Look at what God has done! God has taken marriages that were struggling and brought you closer together. God has seen your pains and given you strength to face them. God has created and strengthened friendships in Christ. And he’s not done: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Look at What God Has Done!” God bless you!

There is good news for you—for every single one of you: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5). Christ is our hope in life and in death. You might feel like you’re a lost cause, but that’s not true. Jesus died and rose to forgive you. You might feel you’re nothing, but that’s not true. By the grace of God you are what you are. Every day, your life has purpose and meaning until the day that God calls you home to heaven. I hope you can listen to this sermon: “The Gospel.” Jesus loves you!

“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). Your physical strength might be wasting away. But not your real strength: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). Your family might not encourage you, but they’re not your real strength. “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (Psalm 27:10). Your plan for your life and career might be getting crushed, but that’s not what your life depends on. “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9). I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Be Strong in the Lord.” Jesus loves you!

The “image of God…” Do you understand that phrase? It’s vitally important in the Bible. Adam and Eve were made in the “image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Yet, when they sinned, they–and all humanity–lost the image of God. Instead, each of us is born in the sinful image of man (see Genesis 5:3). This is why Jesus came! Jesus came to give us back the image of God through the forgiveness and righteousness he gives to us at his cross. Now it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to remake us each day in the image of God as we daily “put off our old self, ... and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22,24). I hope you can listen to this sermon: “The Image of God.” Jesus loves you!

"God is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:9). That is what you need to make it through today: God is faithful! That is what you need to make it through life: God is faithful! That is what you need to face the chaos of this world: God is faithful! That is what you need to face guilt: God is faithful! If life depended on our faithfulness, there would be no hope. But life depends on the faithfulness of our God, and God is faithful! I hope you can watch this sermon: “God Is Faithful!” Jesus loves you!

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). You and I, with our lives, get to show people what Christianity really is. It’s not, “I’m better than you.” It’s, “I’m a sinner whose only hope is Jesus Christ.” What does that produce? Humility. Not, “I’m perfect,” but “I’m broken and saved completely by the grace and forgiveness found at Jesus’ cross.” What does that produce? Humility. I hope you can listen to this sermon about how God’s grace is meant to change our lives: “Be Completely Humble.” Jesus loves you!

God wants to take the “can’ts” out of our months. “God can’t make my marriage better.” God is able! “God can’t bring my children back to faith.” God is able! “God can’t make my health better.” God is able! “God can’t work the world’s chaos out for good.” God is able! Even if he doesn’t do what we imagine, he’s already done immeasurably more. “God can’t forgive my sins.” Yes, he did at Jesus’ cross! “God can’t love me.” Yes, he does, more than you can possibly imagine. “God can’t save me.” Yes, he has, by his grace through faith in Jesus. God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). I hope you can listen to this sermon about God’s love and power for you through Jesus: “God Is Able.” Jesus loves you!