Taken from Mystery of the Mind of Christ Your fight against sin begins with believing there is a fight to be had. Sin will either tempt you to not fight, to fight the wrong things, or to fight the wrong way. I've heard it said, 'Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent. You can get very good at fighting the wrong thing the wrong way. Here is the right way: 1. Fight honorably – the fight for the glory of God (Right motivation) 2. Fight intentionally- the fight is strategic (Right battle plan) 3. Fight ruthlessly – the fight is painful. (Right and Radical Sacrifice) 4. Fight relentlessly – the fight is never over (Right disposition) 5. Fight skillfully – the fight is biblical (Right weapon) 6. Fight communally- the fight is together (Right Community) 7. Fight faithfully – the fight is Christ-centered (Right means) Our fight is not just [...]

The first time I preach a sermon, I always wish I could preach it second time.  The second time I preach a sermon, I always wish I could preach a third time.  I always feel there is more or less to be said, or much to be changed.  Such is the case with my last sermon titled JESUS IS SCARY  GENEROUS from Matthew 7.15-23.  "Scary" is probably not the most popular adjective to describe Jesus.  The truth is, Jesus said some scary things. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; [...]

Below are excerpts taken from sermon Jesus is Narrow (Text but not recording available).  In essence, the following 10 statements encapsulate all that I hoped to say in twitter-sized chunks.The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best description of a Christian. Sadly, because none of us live this description perfectly, few of us take it seriously.Jesus is not calling people to consider or admire Him; He is calling people to follow Him. There is no standing still, you will either walk the way of Jesus or walk away from Jesus. There is a third way to live that is neither self-indulgent or self-righteous.  The third way comes through belief in the gospel; it is the way of self-denial.  This is what Jesus calls the narrow way—it is the way of Jesus.  And, if Jesus life is any example, the way of Jesus is different, hard, but ultimately life-giving. Faith in Christ is [...]

Jesus’s resurrection ensures our substitution |THE SACRIFICE IS MADEThe resurrection of Jesus proves that Jesus was received an acceptable substitutionary sacrifice.  Jesus was the sinless priest who offered the Himself. His sacrifice perfectly represented man and satisfied God.  The resurrection proves that Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of God’s law on our behalf.Jesus’ resurrection ensures our propitiation | THE DEBT IS PAIDThe resurrection is God’s receipt that our accounts have been “paid in full”.  The ransom price was not paid to God’s enemy.  The debt was owed to God.  Jesus saves us from God’s wrath by absorbing all of the divine punishment man deserved.  The resurrection proves God’s wrath is forever appeased.Jesus’ Resurrections ensures our regeneration| THE CURSE IS LIFTEDThe resurrection reveals what it looks like to go from death to life.  As a result of man’s sin, God cursed creation.  As a result of God’s curse, everything died.  The resurrection [...]

Faith in the resurrection means I serve a living God who wants me to believe, trust, and live without fear. The cross shows that our relationship with the Lord begins with FEAR, but the resurrection shows it ends in love with casts out all fear:1John 4.15-18 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected [...]

Taken from Sermon titled: Jesus on Fear | Matthew 6.25-34 Fear is a nasty thing.  Fear doesn’t lead us to God; it leads us away from Him and others.  Fear does not build trust in God, it creates doubt.  Fear does not generate intimacy with God, it fosters mistrust.  Ultimately, fear leads us to sin.  Fear destroys relationships because fear makes unfaithful and unloving.  All of our faith, all of our love, all of our time, all of our money, all of our energy is given to that savior NOT named Jesus. Fear takes us inward until all we think about is ourselves, robbing us of joy, and our family (or friends) of us. Fear of the future enslaves us to self-preoccupation Fear of failure enslaves us to self-reliance Fear of unhappiness enslaves us to self-indulgence Fear of disapproval enslaves us to self-promotion Fear of rejection by men enslaves us [...]

Jesus’s resurrection ensures our substitution | THE SACRIFICE IS MADE The resurrection of Jesus proves that Jesus was received an acceptable substitutionary sacrifice.  Jesus was the sinless priest who offered the Himself. His sacrifice perfectly represented man and satisfied God.  The resurrection proves that Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of God’s law on our behalf. Jesus’ resurrection ensures our propitiation | THE DEBT IS PAID The resurrection is God’s receipt that our accounts have been “paid in full”.  The ransom price was not paid to God’s enemy.  The debt was owed to God.  Jesus saves us from God’s wrath by absorbing all of the divine punishment man deserved.  The resurrection proves God’s wrath is forever appeased. Jesus’ Resurrections ensures our regeneration| THE CURSE IS LIFTED The resurrection reveals what it looks like to go from death to life.  As a result of man’s sin, God cursed creation.  As a result of God’s [...]

The following is taken from the sermon on Matthew 6.5-14:  Jesus on God-glorifying PrayerJesus teaches us that prayer is not a means to manipulate our good God into doing the good things we want.  Prayer is not our chance to vent to God, argue with God, or beg from God.  Prayer is not even about fixing problems, fulfilling needs, or even changing circumstances.  We don’t pray to impress God and be admired.  We don’t pray to control God and be blessed.  Both rob Him of glory. We pray to remember God, forget self, and be a changed in order to give Him more glory.  Consider the following "revision" of the Lord's prayer to reflect the heart oriented away from self and toward God:Father, help me know your GloryHelp me adore your gloryHelp me seek your gloryHelp me desire your gloryHelp me to depend on your gloryHelp me to confess my self-gloryHelp [...]