Sermon Reflections from Palm Sunday- The Triumphal Entry | Sara Wade | March 24,2024
It was nice to have Sara Wade back to speak this Sunday. She is passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others, and it certainly comes through as she speaks. This being Palm Sunday, she wanted to see the events of Palm Sunday through the lens of 1 John. The Palm Sunday events reveal a willing Christ who humbly entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. This showed humility as He was the Son of Almighty God and deserved a chariot and crown if not more! Yet, he did not demand recognition or the things that go along with being a king. The people willingly praised Him and shouted Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! The city was teeming with those coming for Passover and many in the crowds had heard of the great miracles Jesus had performed and took control of the scene. They waved palm branches and sang praises to God. The proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. His disciples were confused at by all the happenings and did not fully understand them until after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Sara spoke about John’s words of love, proclaiming God is love from 1 John. The people who praised Jesus were doing so to show their love and devotion foe who He was and who they thought He was. John knew later in his ministry that this love, selfless praise, can only come from God. Love originates with God. The mission to come to earth and be the sacrificial Lamb of God to die for our sins was accomplished by Jesus on the cross. He knew where he was headed that day as he went down the steep road into Jerusalem. I’m sure the human part of Jesus soaked in those brief moments of praise and love the crowd provided. Jesus knew their ‘love’ was going to be fleeting and He would end up at the cross. Sara questioned each one of us to think about our commitment to God’s love. 1 John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” The love we have for one another comes from God himself. He brought love into the world and showed us the ultimate in love by sending Jesus. To be able to truly love one another and be unified in faith we must love God. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, He fills us with the power to love others in a way we cannot humanly love. How can you love strangers? How can you love those who would do you wrong? It is only possible with God because God is love and He will give us the love we need for one another. She gave a powerful challenge that forced us to realize a new that love must be done in community. We have to be united in love to give out the gospel message of love and hope. A church divided will not move forward. I am reminded that Jesus prayed for the unity of all believers in John 17:22-23 “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” Jesus wanted us to know and feel the love He has for the Father so that we will feel 1 with Him. He even shares some of His glory with us so that we can know we belong to Him. This is the love Sarah is talking about that we need to access and apply to our Christian walk. May your feet feel lighter as you walked the Palm Sunday road today with Jesus. Knowing his feelings of love and devotion for you can uplift and move us forward to love one another in a more profound and genuine way. He deliberately went down that Palm Sunday pathway for you and me! (PHOTOS BELOW) Palm Sunday & Eastern Gate The road ends at the eastern gate through which Jesus entered the city. It is now closed. In later times the gate was blocked to keep Messiah from entering, not realizing that Jesus had already come that Palm Sunday so long ago. Linda MESSAGE LINK Click Here to View the Message on Youtube Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass Sermon Reflections from The Bible is A Guide | Alex Hardt | May 14, 2023
Pastor Alex started us out with Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Why is it important to be reminded that God’s Word is eternal and unchanging? First, I think it goes to the lastingness of the Bible’s Words of truth. Second, it reminds us that God does not change, He is immutable, and so is His Word. Why would we want to base our lives on truth that was not lasting and solid? God’s Word is just like God, the same yesterday, today and forever. We can count on it as we seek to build our life on something solid. If it changed from generation to generation, it would be like building our lives on sand which can shift or even be blown away. I am thankful that God’s Word is constant and that the ancient words have truth and meaning for my life today just as it did for those who came before me. In addition to God’s Word being immutable, it is also alive. Pastor Alex pointed us to 1 Peter 1:23 in addition to Hebrews 4:12 that speaks of the dynamic living Word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 “ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” Something that is alive has the ability to interact with the living and effect change. That is what the Word of God does in our lives. God’s Words are alive. His Word changes us from the inside out. Praise God for His Word that works within us! God’s Words are sharp and may have to cut deep to expose our sins. They desire to bring into the light that which is dark and causing us grief or distress. These are things that grieve God that we are allowing to have a place in our lives. He desires to see us rid of them. Hebrews 4:12-13 in the Message translation explains how piercing God’s Word can be “God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.” God wants to get our attention and often uses His Word to do just that! He desires that we have a new heart and character that is responsive to Him. Ezekiel spoke of this transformation in Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” God’s Words are sharp and pierce the deepest most secret parts of our heart. We cannot hide our true nature from God. He know our heart and desires to give us a new heart and a new spirit! Lastly, Pastor Alex reminded us that God’s Word will be used to judge our actions, attitudes and thoughts. Have you considered how you might be willfully going against God’s Word? Do you tell small ‘harmless’ lies? Do you treat others with callousness when you are having a bad day? Do you think unwholesome thought towards your family, friends or enemies? Hebrews 4:13 in the Message came with a warning, “. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.” I like the analogy God used for Amos to show the people His standards. Amos 7:7-8 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. The plumb line that God gave to Israel was his Word. That was their guiding line to measure all things against to see if they were true, uplifting and honoring to God. We have that same plumb line today in the Bible. It is God’s truth to which we can compare anything and everything. I love our memory verse for this week from Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Thank goodness we have God’s Word to light our pathway so that we will not stumble and fall into darkness. God’s Word will hold us accountable, but also will give us direction and guidance through the power of the Holy Spirit. Have a great week as you consider the power of God’s Word and what place you will give Him and His Word in your life. Linda SERMON LINK Click Here to View the Sermon Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass. |
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