Sermon Archive

Jesus is constantly telling his disciples how much it will cost them to follow Him. He tells them it will cost them everything, even their lives. Yet there is one thing he asks of his followers that may even be more costly than that- forgiveness. Exactly what do we mean when we talk about forgiveness? What does it entail? Is forgiveness even fair? What about that relationship? What if I don’t want to? What if they don’t deserve it? All these questions are complex and have a profound impact on the way we live our day-to-day lives. More than that, forgiveness gives us a chance to know God in ways we couldn’t without that experience. It may be costly, but it is God’s heart for his people.

What stops you from believing? Jesus calls out the Pharisees for their love of money and misuse of the law- two things meant to glorify God and point them to his grace. Instead, the Pharisees had made those things an end to themselves and missed God altogether. What about you? What have you misused, misunderstood, and misapplied to use it for your own means and missed God?

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” -or- “Good enough, moderately devoted church-goer.” We all say we want the first one, but most of us would probably be content with the second, especially if it means we get to live a more comfortable life here. In a parable that goes in a way you probably wouldn’t expect, Jesus teaches us how to pay attention to the things that matter the most and move on from the things that just aren’t that important.

Jesus never failed to draw a crowd. His teaching and his miracles attracted people far and wide. Yet every time his popularity seems to grow, he makes statements that thin the crowd and challenge their interest. He goes out of his way to say that following him isn’t easy- it has its cost. Of course, the opposite is true too- their is a cost to not following Jesus. You must decide which is greater.

When you have the right ticket, invitation, or all-access pass, you can find yourself in some places where you feel like you just don’t belong. As Jesus continues teaching on his way to Jerusalem, one of the things he makes clear is that there is an open invitation to anyone who would accept his offer. That invitation, though, often goes dismissed and ignored. Why is it that some respond to the invitation, while others have to go check on their oxen? Why is it that many are invited when so few were invited at the beginning? All of these things are why Jesus came and why we have an invitation to a party where we undoubtedly do not belong.

Once Jesus had set his course toward Jerusalem, He had plenty of chances to quit. A death threat from a conniving, dangerous ruler would deter most people, but Jesus doesn’t flinch. In fact, His resolve to move forward on his journey only seems to deepen. What is it that motivated Him to walk a path that He knew would likely end in His death? It’s the same thing that motivated Him to lament those who would not hear His voice and come to Him to sit under His wing of protection- His love.

What happens when our expectations don’t follow along with God’s plans? Can we adjust to the truth that God is teaching us when we’ve always believed something else? This was the situation some questioners of Jesus found themselves in as Jesus taught about the nature of the Kingdom of God. For all that the Jews believed about the Kingdom of God, yeast and a mustard seed would’ve been one of the last things they’d use to teach about the nature of the kingdom. Yet Jesus tells them that the kingdom, and those that will be in it, are likely very different than you might imagine.

Our culture rewards hustle. Hard work is seen as an essential quality in the people we want leading us and working for us. Busyness is the default mode for most. Yet the Bible teaches us of the need to slow down, stop, and rest. It’s even built into the structure of our weeks. So why do we find it so hard? And why do we do it so infrequently? The Jews had so misunderstood the purpose of the sabbath that they had turned the keeping of the sabbath into a job to do- exactly the opposite of it’s purpose. So what about us? Have we missed out on the sabbath? Do we still need it? Is it still commanded? Understanding the role of the sabbath teaches us much greater truths about the law, ourselves, and Jesus.

There are countless ways that we feel the brokenness of this world. Personal and heartbreaking, widespread and tragic- sin will always bring suffering and pain with it. So what do we do when we feel the effects of that sin- when the brokenness just keeps showing up? When Jesus is asked a question about this reality, his response is not one of consolation, but one of warning. What does his warning teach us about our own hearts and the eternity that stands before us?