Grace From Redeemer

What God wants at Christmas is for us to have joy: real and lasting joy. A Sermon for Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m. 

The hymn, "O, Come, O Come, Emmanuel", describes our life as lonely exile. the Biblical echoes from Israel to Joseph fit us perfectly. The chorus calls us to joy, however, the joy of a God who comes into our exile to bring us home. 

John the Baptist wondered if Jesus was the one. Was it worth it, all John had gone through? We might wonder the same thing. Jesus answers. 

Sometimes it is hard to have hope. But Isaiah points to a time coming when strange wonderful things will happen. He points to Christ and invites us to hope. (Isaiah 11)

No one wants to be forgotten. We call out to God, "Don't forget about us!" Jesus answers us from the cross. Luke 23: 34-43.

When things end, what do you trust in, turn to? When the world ends, what will there be? We need things that really last.  

The story in Exodus 3 of the Lord coming to Moses in a burning bush teaches us about how God acts, a God who comes down, who comes to save us in Christ and in the places he appears to us now. 

God calls us his children. But we don't act like children of God and our lives don't feel like that is true. There in that distance between God's promise and our reality is where His love shines the greatest. Text: 1 John 3:1-3.

This is the question of the Reformation. Who is the star of your Christian life? You or Jesus? 

It is easy when God does answers our prayers. But what about when he doesn't? Latest sermon.

What did leprosy feel like? Not the itchiness but the distance, the isolation, the being apart. A sermon on Luke 17: 1-10.

The newest thing seems to be CBD stores. We always chase fads. What about the church? Does the church chase fads? 

We can't. Jesus can. We are sheep. He is the great shepherd. We won't. Jesus does. He promises "I will."

We think we build monuments and achieve our success. Congratulations, self! But none of us has life in himself. We do not construct our lives we receive them.

Jesus had great crowds following him. Very popular. Then he started saying things like "hate your family" and "get crucified". Luke 14:25-35.

Chick-fil-A restaurants can teach the church and pastors a thing or two. 

What I think about when I think about the flood. 

A guy wants to know how many will be saved. Jesus doesn't answer. He tells the guy (and us) to worry about our own salvation and the narrow door. 

What's so great about the Lord's Supper? It's a supper and it is the Lord's. 

We don't want to hear about sin. We want to ignore the dirty dishes in the sink. Some will help us and tell us only happy things. Not Jesus. He comes to bring fire to deal with our sin.