Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
If only they knew. If only these men knew Jesus is actually the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Maybe they would have treated him differently. Maybe they would have come to accept him as Lord and Savior. We see, here, a glimpse of what our life would be like if we did not have Jesus. Would we all be killers? Perhaps not. But our lives would be filled with anger and hate, rather than peace and love. This passage makes me more grateful because when I see this unfold I see what we all may have become had Jesus not come into the world. Thank Jesus for our salvation, but thank him, too, for making us better people; people whose lives are filled with peace and love, and not anger and hate. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Matthew 27: 11-26; Jesus Before Pilate
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus could have taken this opportunity to get away, to escape the horrible fate that awaits him. Jesus, in his conversation with Pilate could have talked his way out of the charges. Before the Jews he could have recanted his ministry and apologized for everything. At any time Jesus could have gotten away. In the end, though, he does not do that. In the end, even though he has every opportunity to get away, Jesus goes to the cross. And he goes to the cross because he loves us. Jesus could not see anything except us on the outside of heaven looking in. Seeing that Jesus went to the cross that we might be able to enter those gates. It is Jesus' love that sends him to the cross: Jesus' love for us, that we may be with him where he is. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Jesus could have taken this opportunity to get away, to escape the horrible fate that awaits him. Jesus, in his conversation with Pilate could have talked his way out of the charges. Before the Jews he could have recanted his ministry and apologized for everything. At any time Jesus could have gotten away. In the end, though, he does not do that. In the end, even though he has every opportunity to get away, Jesus goes to the cross. And he goes to the cross because he loves us. Jesus could not see anything except us on the outside of heaven looking in. Seeing that Jesus went to the cross that we might be able to enter those gates. It is Jesus' love that sends him to the cross: Jesus' love for us, that we may be with him where he is. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for November 1, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Genesis 1: 14-19, in which God makes the sun, moon, and stars. The sermon is titled "The Fourth Day' and will focus on the blessings of the sun, moon, and stars. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Genesis 1: 14-19, in which God makes the sun, moon, and stars. The sermon is titled "The Fourth Day' and will focus on the blessings of the sun, moon, and stars. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Matthew 27: 1-10; Judas Hangs Himelf
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Judas we see the opposite of Peter. Peter genuinely wanted to repent. Peter did repent and was accepted back into fellowship with Jesus. Judas, on the other hand, did not want to repent. Part of repentance means coming to the Lord. Judas did not go to the Lord. He went to the Jewish priests and elders. When that failed he killed himself. In times of struggle, or repentance, going to the Lord should always be our first step. The other steps we may take, in trying to make up for something we may have done, may lead us down the wrong path. I have no doubt that when Peter was weeping bitterly he was praying. His first step was to the Lord. Judas' was not. To whom are you going to take your first step? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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In Judas we see the opposite of Peter. Peter genuinely wanted to repent. Peter did repent and was accepted back into fellowship with Jesus. Judas, on the other hand, did not want to repent. Part of repentance means coming to the Lord. Judas did not go to the Lord. He went to the Jewish priests and elders. When that failed he killed himself. In times of struggle, or repentance, going to the Lord should always be our first step. The other steps we may take, in trying to make up for something we may have done, may lead us down the wrong path. I have no doubt that when Peter was weeping bitterly he was praying. His first step was to the Lord. Judas' was not. To whom are you going to take your first step? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Matthew 26: 69-75; Peter Disowns Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter does one of the worst things he could possible do in this passage: he denies ever having been associated with Jesus. However, there is always an opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness. Peter, we are told, weeps bitterly when he realizes what he has done. That is his repentance. He recognizes the sin, feels guilt because of it, and wants to atone for that in some way. When Jesus is resurrected he restores Peter to his role as disciple. That is his forgiveness. Peter does a horrible thing, but there is still an opportunity for him to receive salvation. No matter how bad you think you have sinned there is still salvation. No matter what we do, if we truly repent and ask God to forgive us, we will be granted that salvation. So it was with Peter, so it is with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Peter does one of the worst things he could possible do in this passage: he denies ever having been associated with Jesus. However, there is always an opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness. Peter, we are told, weeps bitterly when he realizes what he has done. That is his repentance. He recognizes the sin, feels guilt because of it, and wants to atone for that in some way. When Jesus is resurrected he restores Peter to his role as disciple. That is his forgiveness. Peter does a horrible thing, but there is still an opportunity for him to receive salvation. No matter how bad you think you have sinned there is still salvation. No matter what we do, if we truly repent and ask God to forgive us, we will be granted that salvation. So it was with Peter, so it is with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Matthew 26: 57-68; Before The Sanhedrin
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the midst of this terrible ordeal it is hard for us to find any good news. As people lie against Jesus, as they strike him and spit on him, it is hard for us to read this passage and be filled with hope. But there is hope in this passage. Jesus gives us the promise, here, that he will someday return and take us to the place he has prepared for us. Someday we will look up and see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. That will be a glorious day for us, for that is the day when we will be taken home. Even though Jesus is going through the unspeakable here, it is still possible for us to read this passage and be given a little bit of hope. Our hope is this: someday Jesus will return and take us to the place he has prepared for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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In the midst of this terrible ordeal it is hard for us to find any good news. As people lie against Jesus, as they strike him and spit on him, it is hard for us to read this passage and be filled with hope. But there is hope in this passage. Jesus gives us the promise, here, that he will someday return and take us to the place he has prepared for us. Someday we will look up and see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. That will be a glorious day for us, for that is the day when we will be taken home. Even though Jesus is going through the unspeakable here, it is still possible for us to read this passage and be given a little bit of hope. Our hope is this: someday Jesus will return and take us to the place he has prepared for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, October 26, 2009
Matthew 26: 47-56; Jesus Arrested
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus practices what he preaches. Jesus tells his disciples that is someone strikes them they are to turn the other cheek. These are not just empty words from Jesus. He really means this when he tells us to do this. What's more, Jesus does this. As Judas comes to betray him, and his enemies come to arrest him, Jesus could act out of anger or fear. He could do something to Judas, or his captors. He could allow his disciples to do this for him. Instead, though, Jesus goes with those who have come to arrest him. He turns the other cheek. He does this, in part, to fulfill the scriptures. But Jesus also does this to show the importance of not acting violently. We should listen to Jesus when he tells us to turn the other cheek because Jesus does that himself. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Jesus practices what he preaches. Jesus tells his disciples that is someone strikes them they are to turn the other cheek. These are not just empty words from Jesus. He really means this when he tells us to do this. What's more, Jesus does this. As Judas comes to betray him, and his enemies come to arrest him, Jesus could act out of anger or fear. He could do something to Judas, or his captors. He could allow his disciples to do this for him. Instead, though, Jesus goes with those who have come to arrest him. He turns the other cheek. He does this, in part, to fulfill the scriptures. But Jesus also does this to show the importance of not acting violently. We should listen to Jesus when he tells us to turn the other cheek because Jesus does that himself. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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