Easter Fools (1 Corinthians 15:45)

The resurrection of Christ is a difficult doctrine for us to defend.  I mean the absurdity of this is when recognize that we are coming together on April Fools day to talk about the resurrection of some guy who clearly died on the cross.  How can this be possible?  More importantly is it really that important to talk about the Resurrection of Christ?

Friday Fools (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Christ assures us that the folly of Christ’s cross is salvation manifested by the power of God.  How can this be?  This sounds impossible because the cross is a method of execution.  Why would we want this symbol?  The tragedy is that we are tempted to sanitize this symbol, but why is that so tragic?  What could be the possible benefit of this cross?

Struggling with God's Injustice (Job 31:1-40)

Job is one who has suffered, but he is not someone that we would say is a champion.  He is a man who continually rests in his righteousness while wondering how God can make such a righteous man suffer.  We can chuckle and Job, judge Job, and point out Job’s problems.  However, we still have not asked the deeper question: why is this book in our canon?  What can Job’s suffering and self righteous speech teach us about our Christian walk, our bent, and our failure to see the gospel?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Self Examination (Matthew 7:13-29)

We conclude Christ’s sermon on the mount.  Christ is laying out an ethic that we are called to follow as a people set apart unto the Lord.  Do we just say that these laws are difficult so we can ignore them?  Do we more purposefully set out to obey these laws in our strength?  What are we to do with this challenging sermon that is set before us?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Cross Ethic (Matthew 7:1-12)

It is easy for fallen man to be judgmental.  If we are honest we would much rather fix someone else’s problem than our own because overall we are doing pretty well right?  This is not what Christ says, and Christ speaks in a parabolic way showing the absurdity of such a judgmental spirit.  So, what is the problem of being judgmental and what is the solution?

My Indictments (Job 30:1-31)

Job is not happy with how the Lord has treated him.  You would think that Job would be rather content considering that the Lord has blessed him, and allowed him to enjoy a great life.  However, now we hear why Job is so upset as he even uses the counselors own words to describe his suffering.  Why would Job be so upset if he is merely using the counselors own words to describe his suffering?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Cross Focused (Matthew 6:19-34)

The potential temptation we can have as Christians is to think that this kingdom is only spiritual and that there is nothing physical that our Lord provides.  However, Christ makes this strange promise that as we pursue the kingdom of God there is the assurance that the Lord will provide for us.  How does this work?  Why not worry about the physical things when the the Kingdom is Spiritual?

Let My Case Begin (Job 29:1-25)

The book of Job is moving to a conclusion.  Job has silences the counselors to the point where they will no longer argue or speak against him.  Job is now entering into his legal proceedings with the Lord.  Job wants all the understand why Job is shocked and appalled that such a thing has happened to him.  Why is Job so shocked?  What right does Job have to claim that the Lord should not bring such suffering and hardship against this man?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Humility (Matthew 6:1-18)

The Lord has called us to honor Him and to live a life exclusively for our God.  Christ makes this life a challenge when Christ is very explicit that the law is something that cuts to the heart rather than just being an outward superficial conforming.  It is impossible for us to conform to the Lord from our heart, and so how do we conform to the Lord?  How do we come before the Lord in light of such impossible exhortations?

Where is Wisdom? (Job 28:1-28)

We can interview numerous people, we can comb the Scriptures, we can dig into the earth, but where is wisdom?  This is a rather profound question that Job seeks to answer.  The answer to the question may not be as simple as just reading some Scriptures, or interviewing some people.  So, what is the answer?  Is Job ready to embrace the answer as he feels it being pressed upon him?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Magistrate (Matthew 5:33-48)

Christ tells us not to take an oath, we are not to get vengeance, and we are called to a radical love.  If those things are not hard enough we hear that we are supposed to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect.  How can we measure up to this standard?  Do we just ignore these commands because they are impossible?  Do we strive to keep them in the hopes that God will still accept us?  What do we do with these difficult commands?

Job's Righteousness and God's Judgment (Job 27)

Job is not done speaking and now he is one who affirms that God carries out His justice.  Job knows that God will judge the world, but Job carries a deep frustration within himself.  On the one hand Job knows the fate of the wicked, he knows that God judges the wicked, but Job’s punishment parallels the wicked’s life.  Job does not see how this can be reconciled.  So, how do we reconcile Job’s life with the Lord judging the wicked?

I Am Not Tired (Job 26:1-14)

Job is getting his case ready before the Lord and he will not back down no matter what the counselors say to him.  Job is one who feels the weight of this age, the pursuit of the Lord, and majesty of God.  He knows that God is majestic and Job breaks forth in a wonderful declaration of the Lord’s majesty.  So, why is Job so frustrated?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Marriage (Matthew 5:27-32)

Christ goes through the law and lays out the challenge of the seventh commandment.  This is another commandment that one might think is rather easy to keep, but is this really such an easy command to keep?  Is this one of the least commands or do we make it one of the least commands?  What are some of the implications regarding this commandment?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Murder (Matthew 5:21-26)

Christ continues to instruct the disciples on the mountain regarding life in this kingdom.  His presentation now is that the law of God has more meaning than just a few external commands that are easy to follow.  Christ goes through the command to murder which we might think is pretty easy to obey.  I mean there are a lot of people who have gone through this life without taking another human life.  Our temptation might be to skip over this command and to move onto a commandment that is probably a little more challenging.  So, what is the real challenge for us not to murder someone?

We are Tired (Job 25:1-6)

This is a very short speech in the book of Job.  The counselors are those who are very wordy, but now we find that they are starting to fade away.  Why are the counselors no longer talking?  Have the counselors run out of words or is something else happening?

What about Baptism?

This is the ripped audio from our membership class video.  I wanted to put this up on the web because many people who visit our church inquire about the doctrine of infant baptism.  I do not claim this lecture to be the definitive defense of the doctrine, but I see it as presenting some Biblical reasons for infant baptism.

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming (Matthew 5:17-20)

Christ stands on the mountain and tells us that in order for us to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven our righteousness has to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the pharisees.  That is pretty serious because they really understood the Lord’s Word and seemed to take it seriously.  So, how can one enter into the Kingdom of Heaven?

This is a Senseless Struggle (Job 23-24)

Job is frustrated that the counselors will not see things the way that Job sees things. Job is frustrated that God will not see things the way that Job sees them.  Job thinks that if God, the counselors, and wisdom would follow his lead than all would be well.  If we are honest there are times when we might have this struggle or thought as well, but is it in line with the Word of God?  What could be the issue in such thinking?

A Holy Household (Ephesians 6:1-4)

The Apostle Paul exhorts children to obey their parents for this is pleasing to the Lord.  It is not a surprise to us that Paul would exhort children to obey their parents, but what does this imply about their status in the church?  Why is the context of their exhortation so significant? Why is it important that this exhortation seems to echo the Old Testament?  What could this imply about children being in covenant with the Lord?