Pastor Smith’s sermon this week is based on Revelation 21:1-8; 22-27 and the concept of the new heavens and new earth. We have a wonderful eternity in store for us. This keeps us going as we work our way through life in this broken, sinful world. This sermon uses the concept of a “vision board”--people have pictures of dream houses, vacations, promotions at work, children/grandchildren, etc. that they post and it helps keep them moving toward their goals when things get difficult. Similarly, Jesus keeps going toward the cross for the joy that was set before him. Like Paul in Romans 8, we consider the sufferings of this present time not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us eventually. This vision of new heavens and new earth at the end of Revelation is what the entire Scriptural story has been building toward, so this is a good way to wrap up Growing Through the Bible emphasis we have used this year at St. Paul!
Jesus takes sin very seriously. How seriously? He says to cut off your hand if it causes you to sin. But as Pastor Josh digs into the text, you will discover that: it’s not your hand that causes you to sin, it’s something else. And you can’t pass off the blame of what your hand does.
This sermon focuses on Jesus’ conversation with his disciples. He asks “Who do people say that I am?” Several answers are given, all of them kinda sorta close, but definitely wrong. The most dangerous false versions of Jesus are the ones that are kinda sorta close…but definitely wrong. We will explore some of these false Christs, and look for the real Jesus as revealed in the Scriptures.
In the reading, there are 2 people very desperate for healing. God provides healing according to his timing, not theirs. Through this, he strengthens their faiths. And the same is true for us.
This week we take a look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Again and again Jesus reveals the original intent of God’s Law. Over the centuries, it’s been weakened repeatedly by sinful human beings looking for loopholes. Today we also love a good loophole, especially when it allows us to avoid a difficult aspect of God’s Law. This love for loopholes reveals a heart condition. We may go through the motions of obedience, but is our heart into the act of truly following God’s will? We will examine our own heart condition, as well as rejoice in the fact that God Himself has a heart condition that leads Him to fulfill the Law Himself and save us.
Faithful saints have gone before us and serve as examples of faith. While marred by sin just like us, through the Gospel, they were redeemed and accomplished great things in Christ. Better, Christ in the saints has done great things! Pastor Pastor Buegler takes us on a study of Acts 6:1-6 and John 10:27-30 as we see the faithfulness of those who have gone before us in Christ.
