Sermon Reflections from Jesus is Alive| John Klobuchar | April 21, 2024
It was a pleasure to have John with us this Sunday giving the message and telling us more about the Bay Area Chaplin’s ministry. John oversees this ministry and works directly with inmates on a daily basis. His goal is “To Make Christ Known.” Working with the segment of society that is incarcerated is a calling and requires understanding, insight and wisdom as he seeks to make Christ relevant and meaningful to those in hard circumstances. Regardless of where we are in life, Christ is the answer. Showing the inmates the pathway to life and true freedom holds a spiritual challenge for the one who is delivering the message. Knowing that God is impartial and His Holy Spirit can cut across any boundary or barrier is essential. John knows this and walks this pathway each day. John encouraged us from the book of Colossians as he read 3:1-17. As John does with the inmates, he sought to show us that the things we have in Christ are already there, accomplished, finished. We have these things by faith and are now hidden within Christ ourselves. We are secure in Christ. Knowing this we are instructed by Paul to put aside our old self, our old nature and put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We are to leave that old life and those sins that came so easily to us and take up a new course with Christ. Even though we may not be in jail for crimes, we too have committed crimes against God. We are all sinners as we are reminded in Romans 3:23 “ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Thankfully, in Christ we are all new creations 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” All of us, regardless of who we are or where we live or what we’ve done need Jesus. He is the answer, John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Jesus is the answer. Whether John is at the prison, at home with family or with us, he is striving to make Christ known as he knows that Jesus is the answer! 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 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 Jesus is Grace | Alex Hardt | April 7, 2024
As Pastor Alex preached from Luke 15 this Sunday, I caught a vision of the many facets of Jesus’ character. Our God has many attributes to who He is. Some are ones that are for him alone like- sovereign, creator, Savior, glory, Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient and others are ones that He has in perfection but desires that we emulate like love, mercy, justice, goodness, kindness, compassion, patience, etc. From the parables in Luke 15 and Jesus’ actions we can learn much about our Lord. As Pastor Alex noted, Jesus began by confronting the narrow minded thinking of the religious leaders. Luke 15:1-2 “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” The religious leaders were criticizing Jesus for associating with known sinners. Their idea was that their sins were small in comparison and they were more worthy. However, Jesus showed by his actions and words that He is impartial. He loves all sinners and desires that all would come to repentance and faith. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The first parable Jesus told the crowd was of the lost sheep. The shepherd loses one sheep and leaves the 99 in search of the lost. His conclusion in verse 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” This attitude shows Jesus’ incomprehensible love. It is a love beyond our understanding. Alex put it this way, the pursuit of the lost.. is a reflection of the Father’s love for His children. We do not understand that kind of full love that would lead Him to send his only son to die on our behalf. John 3:16 says it this way, “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God’s love is complete and beyond our understanding. Thanks be to God for His great love for us! The second illustration Jesus told the crowd was of the woman who had 10 silver coins and had lost one. She went in search of this lost coin and like the lost sheep she rejoiced when she found it. Luke 15:10 “ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This speaks of God’s great joy when someone turns to Him and accepts Jesus as their Savior and Lord by his infinite grace. His joy at our turning to him shows His kindness that we do not deserve. His grace is favor that is undeserved. He gives it freely, feels His joy freely and we did nothing to earn it. The joy of redemption is the restoration of the lost by the GRACE of God! Thanks be to God for His marvelous grace towards us! The last parable in this series is the story of the prodigal son. The son who takes his inheritance and squanders it recklessly. When he comes to his senses in the depth of despair, he realizes at that the servants in his father’s house are better off than he is. He returns home and his father unexpectedly welcomes him home and prepares a feast of celebration. Jesus was trying to explain the concept of mercy and forgiveness. The father is merciful and forgiving towards anyone who repents and turns to Him. Without Him, they were lost and now they are found. They have moved from death to life which is what we do in Christ through our faith in Him. Alex’s statement is so true, only the compassion of the Father can turn sinners into repentant citizens of heaven! The other son who had worked diligently all those years was upset over the father’s welcome feast. However, the father shows understanding and wisdom when he tells the other son in Luke 15:31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” The son who stayed has had the benefit of the father’s love and care all those years and has a full inheritance plus time with the father. The father desires that the other son understand the love, joy and compassion towards the lost when they come home. They were dead and now are alive. Ephesians 2:4-5 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Thanks be to Jesus for His amazing Grace towards us! 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 Embracing Peace | Alex Hardt | December 10, 2023
I love the Advent season and marvel each year at the symbolism in the candles on the simple Advent Wreath. This Sunday’s candle is the Bethlehem Candle and is known as the candle representing the peace that is to be found through the coming Christ child. Pastor Alex points us to Isaiah 40:1-5. The peace that Christ brings into the world is promised to us in the Old Testament. We are promised in verse 5 “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed.” Christ came and brought peace, love, restoration, forgiveness and hope. The questions are: Are you prepared to access this peace and if you find it what will you do with it? How can you access the peace of God? Jesus tells us in John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Here specifically we are told that the source of peace is Jesus. He generates the peace we feel in our lives. No Jesus=No peace. Paul adds to this in Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Philippians 4:7 “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” The peace we receive in Jesus is available through faith in Jesus because of what Christ did for us on the cross. Jesus told us in John 14:27 that His peace is a gift to us for our peace of mind and heart! “I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. What a wonderful gift. The peace Jesus give though faith is limitless. It can be accessed at any time and in in any place. Since He is always with you, you can tap into this peace whenever you need it. Are you to busy or preoccupied with life to worry about His peace? Do you then let the stresses and worries of your daily life and interactions get the best of you and overwhelm you? Remember you can access God’s peace anyplace or time. Don’t let the world overcome you and drag you down. Take heart in Jesus’ peace and ask Him for it. What will you do with God’s peace given as a gift through faith? Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:7 above that . His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” We are to use His peace to keep our minds and hearts guarded from the world’s pressures so we can live for Jesus. Jesus added in John 14:27 “So don’t be troubled or afraid.” His peace is to keep our fears and worries away from our lives so we can focus on Him and be about doing His work in the world. Paul says in Romans 12:18 “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” God’s peace should be used to help us live rightly with others reflecting God in our lives. Hebrews 12:14 puts it this way “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” Being a Christian involves living at peace within ourselves and in community with others. His peace can be accessed 24/7 so it can and does help us live, cope, rejoice and flourish in the world in which we live. No Peace=worry, frustration, hopelessness, restlessness, just plain unhappiness. Peace with Jesus = hope, ability to cope with frustration, worries, restlessness, and unhappiness Jesus is the answer as in Him alone can Peace be found. Claim it in your life through faith in Jesus and then use it liberally throughout the day! Linda 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. |
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