"From the Christian point of view there is no special about Christmas in a prison cell.  For many people in this building it will probably be more sincere and genuine occasion than in places where nothing but a name is kept. That misery, suffering, poverty, loneliness, helplessness, and guilt mean something quite different in they eyes of God from what they mean in the judgment of humans, that God will approach where men and women turn away, that Christ was born in a stable because there was no room for him in the inn--these are things that a prisoner can understand better than other people; for him they really are glad tidings, and that faith gives him a part in the communion of saints, a Christian fellowship breaking the bounds of time and space and reducing the months of confinement here to insignificance." - D.Bonhoeffer from  Letters and Papers from [...]

In last week’s passage, 1John 2.12-17, John addresses three different kinds of Christians that make up the church audience he is writing to.   By different kinds, I mean, different stages of spiritual maturity in the Christian life—new believers (children), maturing believers (young men) and seasoned believers (fathers).  Every church, our church, must have all of these present all the time.  Without new believers, the gospel is either not being preached or new people are not being reached.  The church is growing old and will soon die.  Without maturing believers, the gospel is not going deeper and fans, not followers, of Jesus are being made.  The church is energetic but shallow.  And, without old more seasoned believers, the church lacks mentors to help shepherd the new and young believers with the wisdom that comes from years of faith.  The church is in danger of becoming prideful and making reckless "youthful" decisions. [...]

This is part 2 of the redo I probably shouldn't do.  I write for myself because it is cathartic, I write for you because I hope to be clarifying, and I write for God to glorify him that much more through the one sermon.  The reason for saying anything about the second half of this passage is not to retract everything I said, but simply to ensure that the right emphasis is made. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1John 2.10-11 Every sermon has an emphasis.  Sometimes the depravity, or the problem, is emphasized more than the grace, or the solution.  Sometimes it is the opposite.  The hope [...]

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1John 2.3-6 Pastors wrongly believe that it is possible to preach a perfect sermon.  This false belief leads many pastors (at least this one) to replay the sermon in their minds Sunday afternoons, imagining how they might preach it "better" given another chance.  This is stupid, at least if you believe in the Holy Spirit.  The truth is, the Spirit God says what he wants when he wants to [...]