City Light Church Sermons

Sermon notes April 5, 2026 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:11-31 In most any documentary, the filmmaker will pull in many different people to have many different perspectives so that we get a better story. That is what is happening in our text with the story of the resurrection of Jesus. Each encounter with Jesus tells us something about living the Christian life. In the first story, Mary has an encounter with the resurrected savior as she is weeping over someone seemingly having taken the body of her Lord. Mary had been delivered and discipled throughout Jesus’s ministry. In a culture where women were second class citizens, Jesus raises their dignity and honor. Jesus calls her name, “Mary” and she recognizes His voice. And from that moment, everything immediately changes. Her posture shifts from a woman grieving to a woman who is given a message! And He tells her to give the message to “His brothers.” The resurrection of Jesus makes us all family. This is the only time that Jesus uses the word “brother” to talk about His disciples. Note that even when we, like Mary, lose sight of his plan, He still knows our name. The disciples encounter Jesus as well. Afraid for their lives, they had locked themselves inside a room. There are only ten people there. But then ten people become eleven. Jesus appears and says “peace be with you.” And Jesus shows them His wounds. Note the interesting different aspects of Jesus's resurrected body. He remains recognizable and retains His wounds, eventually he will eat with them, but he’s also moving into and out of rooms without opening the door! The emotion in the room shifts immediately! From sadness and fear to peace. And again, we see Jesus's audience transition from followers to apostles and missionaries, as He gives them a mission. Last, we have Thomas’s encounter. Thomas makes a bold statement. He is doubtful of the disciples' claim that Jesus is back alive. Thomas was grieving not only his master, but the hopes of his future. His hopes have been so damaged, that he doesn't believe the 10 men he’d spent the last 3 years of his life with when they say “Jesus is alive!” And with one incredible gesture, Jesus shows up right in the middle of His doubt, and shows Thomas mercy. Jesus doesn’t abandon the doubting. He comes after them! And Thomas calls Jesus “My Master and my Creator!” His posture moves from doubt to awe! And that’s why John closes the way He closes. “I wrote this book so that you might read and believe.” Like any good documentary, John pulls together several points of view, so we get a full picture of the story!

Sermon Notes 3/31/26 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” Matthew 21:1-11 “Who is this?” Is the question before us in the text today. The response from the crowd is very different depending on the identity they perceive. Prophecy shows us who this is - This is the first time that Jesus presents Himself as king. He fulfills the prophecy regarding the coming king of Jerusalem. Jesus enters Jerusalem, not as a random man, but a king that was centuries in the making. He knows everything about this moment! It demonstrates that he is not just a man. He is making his announcement as “the ancient of days.” If he knows everything at this moment, then it means he knows everything that is about to happen to Him. And it highlights that His love for us is not accidental. He is the King of Promise. Matthew even gives us the genealogy of Jesus, showing that he is in the line of succession of David and of Abraham. But note how He comes - not as a conquering king like Rome or Caesar. He comes on a colt, and he doesn’t even have a saddle. The cloaks on the donkey is a mark of disgraceful poverty. The kingdom of God is different than the kingdoms of this world. It is not diminished by humility. Before the city even gets to ask “who is this” prophecy has already answered. Praise shows us who this is - They laid out cloaks on the ground for Him to enter and Palm branches and are shouting “Hosana.” This is a royal welcome! A welcome for a king. Hosanna is a Hebrew plea “I beg you to save (us deliver) us.” The crowd is even singing scripture aloud in reaction to what they are seeing. Yet even upon entering, he is prepared to be the “stone rejected by the builders” and in response to this, the lord tells us “if we were to keep silent, creation itself, the stones, would cry out to praise.” For all the shouting and all the branches and cloaks, the question is still asked - “who is this.” The answer that comes is "the prophet Jesus". They’re not wrong. But they’re not right either. The tragedy of this moment is that you can be near all the praise and worship, and still miss the point of it. Jesus is the king. He is worthy of praise. Lastly, Jesus shows us who He is through propitiation. The truth of his actions are loaded with meaning. The crowd crying Hosanna (which means save us) is answered by Jesus’s action. Scripture affirms itself over and over, Jesus’s mission was to save the world from sin. The king comes, but he comes to die. The triumphal entry is triumphant, but it also comes through sacrifice. Jesus is the sacrifice, the propitiation, for our sins. So the crowds cry “save us” and the Gospel answers, “I will.” If Jesus is only a prophet, we still have no peace with God. If Jesus is King and Lord and God, and sacrifices Himself as a perfect blood sacrifice for all sin - the world’s cry “Hosanna” - save us. Your answer of “who is this” changes everything. If he is king, submit to Him, and If he is Savior, trust Him.

Sermon Notes: Luke 16:14-18 "The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 'The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.'" Sermon Notes: 3/22/26 God never confronts without the intent to comfort. At first glance, this passage can feel like Jesus is just offering a handful of sayings without much cohesion, but there is a thread running thoughout. He’s exposing the unrighteousness of those who bend the Word of God to their own desires. These are a unified rebuke to the Pharisees. But this text is not just about them… it can be about us. This rebuke is to people who look the part, but their hearts cling to unrighteousness. Jesus isn’t just addressing pagans: he’s addressing those who consider themselves righteous. The text doesn’t allow us to hide. It exposes us, and allows us to openly run to Jesus as the comforter. There’s nothing wrong with having stuff.... but God weighs the heart. The righteousness of man collides with the kingdom of God. The things that are exalted before men are an abomination before God. The text, with its rebuke of the Pharisees as "lovers of money," offers a moment for us to take inventory of how we are living in our private lives. We must remember we are justified only by our reliance on Christ. And our standing before God isn’t related to our own strength, or ability, or possessions, but just Christ alone. Remember the Pharisees thought Jesus wasn’t the one that was prophesied by the law. Jesus isn’t anti-law; he is the obedient son the law required. God’s law remains the same. But that law was not just for the Pharisees, it was for us too. We often want holiness without change in who we are. The word of God stands forever. The last verse about marriage seems random and abrupt. In that day, many treated divorce with scandalous indifference. The Pharisees wanted a religious appearance without the focus required. They wanted a loophole to God's law. How close can I get to sin without calling it sin? If we have to ask these questions, we have already sinned. Kingdom righteousness says “Lord, search me.” This verse was not meant to be used as a way to harm the people of God. This verse is to confront those who treat God’s laws lightly, or those who would reshape God’s word to protect our idols. We’re doing the same thing for which God confronts the hard-hearted Pharisees. God does not let the covenant breakers hide behind technicalities. And that’s why this text is mercy - as it is better to be exposed and offer our hearts to God, than to be exposed later, never having offered Him what He’s owed.

Luke 16: 1-13 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Sermon Notes: 3/15/2026 This is one of Jesus's more complicated parables, but it is ultimately about stewardship. In Jesus's time, it was normal for a slave to act as a household manager for his master. In this parable, the manager is removed from office, but on his way out the door he becomes very productive. We can tell from the large amounts that the debtors in this story are businessmen operating at a large scale. The manager makes deals with these businessmen and thus gains favor in the community even as his favor with his mater deteriorates. So even as he is kicked out, he is making arrangements to be welcomed into a new home. So regardless of his reasons, we must note that the manager is crafty and shrewd. In the end even the master tells the manager he is done well. So what are we to take from the parable? The manager, a sinner, has his eyes set on his destiny. He is operating with more shrewdness regarding temporal circumstances than Christians often operate regarding eternal circumstances. We must be more committed to making investments in the next life than the world is in making investments in this life. If we believe eternity is real, it should change our urgency and change how we operate with our resources--time, talent, and treasure! This is a diagnostic of our character. After the parable, Jesus moves from a story about stewardship to a diagnostic about how we handle money. Jesus's point is that money just unmasks who we really are. What we do with what we have reveals the state of our heart. Jesus explains that what we have in our possession is not even really ours. Even we ourselves belong to God. Jesus paid a heavy price for us. If we truly understand what we have received in Christ, it frees us to give of what we have. We realize that we are already infinitely wealthy, and thus can give generously of our time, talent, and treasure.

Sermon notes: 3/8/26 Luke 15: 1-10 'Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” ' . Two questions: 1) Who does God seek after? 2) How does he pursue those He seeks after? . Through the previous verses, we see Jesus bouncing back and forth over people who God doesn’t seek after. And He ends those parables, saying “Those who have ears, let them hear.” And this chapter starts with “the tax collectors and sinners (habitualy crooked people - rule benders, and rule abandoners) have decided to follow Christ - to “hear.” But pharisees and scribes who were in the crowd who heard Jesus’ jarring message about discipleship, and were not happy about this message. They saw the sinners and tax collectors as reprehensible, but also viewed themselves above. They don’t see themselves as equals in sin as the sinners. Jesus seeks after everyone, but those who can’t see their own lost-ness and aren’t humble about their condition will miss the glory of God. Jesus invites everyone to be restored at His table. . God goes after us “diligently” and “relentlessly,” and God is not content to let us stay lost. The lost often find themselves in many situations - lostness is equated with darkness. We’re not just IN the darkness. We WERE the darkness. If Jesus doesn’t come for us, our situation is hopeless. A lost sheep’s situation is hopeless without the shepherd coming for them. Thank God we serve a God who is a good shepherd! And when He finds us, He is joyful! This parable says that He carries the sheep back to the herd on His shoulders. This is the image of a sheep that is too weak, injured, or empty. Our lord carries the burden that we are too weak to carry ourselves. . The Pharisees and Scribes in this verse think that they are strong enough to carry their own burdens. None of us can carry the burdens of our sin. When God brings us home, there is a celebration in heaven over the return of a soul. And thank God that the Lord spends more on the party than the cost of the sheep or coin that is returned. . The joy of the Lord carries no price tag. Now look at the other souls the way God looks at us. We are all precious in his sight. Let this joy inform the way we look at those around us!

Sermon Notes 3/1/26 Luke 14:25-35 . Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This story has a lot in common with the parable before it. As the parable, the story involves a lot of people who are presumptuous and prideful. Jesus tells them that if they are not careful, and if they remain so presumptuous that they will always be accepted, that they might miss the biggest party ever. The story reveals that, while everyone is invited to Jesus's party, we don't necessarily have the right to do whatever we want there. Crowds form around Jesus for a great number of reasons, but disciples are only formed when we believe what Jesus says and believe he deserves our life which he desires. Why does Jesus tell people to hate our mother and father in this passage? Elsewhere, Jesus tells us to love our friends and family. The hatred he speaks of is not a venomous hatred: it is about priority: family should be put at such a distant second to the things of God that the difference could feel like hatred. A disciple of Jesus will live their life based on the words and ways of Jesus regardless of what friends and family say is best. The crowd may follow Jesus up to the point where people are inconvenienced, but true disciples know that when Jesus asks us to do something we must obey even if it literally strips us of everything. Crowds run from discomfort, but true disciples follow Jesus through discomfort. "Pick up your cross and follow me" is an instruction Christians cannot ignore. To get to the resurrected life, Jesus doesn't avoid suffering: he goes through it. And if we are following him, we should follow him through that suffering all the way to death itself. We are instructed to rejoice in our sufferings, as they create character and strengthen us for the life ahead of us. The Bible never promises prosperity in this life, but in fact promises suffering. We are required to carry a cross. A disciple will pick it up and carry it. But we know that Jesus will never abandon us in suffering. Crowds don't count cost; disciples do. Crowds are more interested in spectacle and energy. They never ask what it means to follow Jesus all their days. They tell themselves if it gets too hard, they can always bail out. Disciples realize that following Christ will cost everything up to and including their lives. And they still follow. Crowd's can't bring the change the world needs. Disciples are empowered by God to do just that. We can only be useful if we follow Jesus's instructions. We may stumble and recover, but those that are only half hearted are not useful. Jesus has given an invitation to his house to everyone, but we aren't able to act however we want to act and be allowed to stay there.

"On a Sabbath day, Jesus went to the home of a leading Pharisee to eat with him. The people there were all watching him very closely. A man with a bad disease was there in front of him. Jesus said to the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it right or wrong to heal on the Sabbath day?” But they would not answer his question. So he took the man and healed him. Then he sent the man away. Jesus said to the Pharisees and teachers of the law, “If your son or work animal falls into a well on the Sabbath day, you know you would pull him out immediately.” The Pharisees and teachers of the law could say nothing against what he said. Then Jesus noticed that some of the guests were choosing the best places to sit. So he told this story: “When someone invites you to a wedding, don’t sit in the most important seat. They may have invited someone more important than you. And if you are sitting in the most important seat, they will come to you and say, ‘Give this man your seat!’ Then you will have to move down to the last place and be embarrassed. “So when someone invites you, go sit in the seat that is not important. Then they will come to you and say, ‘Friend, move up here to this better place!’ What an honor this will be for you in front of all the other guests. Everyone who makes themselves important will be made humble. But everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.” Then Jesus said to the Pharisee who had invited him, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, don’t invite only your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. At another time they will pay you back by inviting you to eat with them. Instead, when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, and the blind. Then you will have great blessings, because these people cannot pay you back. They have nothing. But God will reward you at the time when all godly people rise from death.” One of the men sitting at the table with Jesus heard these things. The man said to him, “It will be a great blessing for anyone to eat a meal in God’s kingdom!” Jesus said to him, “A man gave a big dinner. He invited many people. When it was time to eat, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come. The food is ready.’ But all the guests said they could not come. Each one made an excuse. The first one said, ‘I have just bought a field, so I must go look at it. Please excuse me.’ Another man said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of work animals; I must go and try them out. Please excuse me.’ A third man said, ‘I just got married; I can’t come.’ “So the servant returned and told his master what happened. The master was angry. He said, ‘Hurry! Go into the streets and alleys of the town. Bring me the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ “Later, the servant said to him, ‘Master, I did what you told me to do, but we still have places for more people.’ The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads. Tell the people there to come. I want my house to be full! I tell you, not one of those people I invited first will eat any of this food I prepared." Luke 14: 1-24 In these verses, we see Jesus at a party, but the point of the event is not just to have dinner. Rabbis and preachers were invited to this meal. What’s important to know is that invitations to a party like this would be selected very specifically. Usually, care would be taken to make sure none of those invited would be unclean or risk making other guests unclean. Given that the man with dropsy was present, it’s likely the religious elite has cooked up this scene to see if Jesus would heal the man in defiance of the religious elite’s ideas of law and order. And Jesus is about to turn the tables upside down. Jesus disregards their “passivity toward the broken.” Contrary to what they perceive, Jesus knows why he was invited. So when he heals that man, he asks them a question: “What is the point of God’s law.” The lack of response to Jesus's question shows their lack of understanding, and it uncovers that they are violating the spirit of God’s law by weaponizing the letter of God’s law. We should beware of any desire to use God’s law to justify harming the broken. Jesus disregards the Pharisees' emphasis on pride. Most dinner events like this would have utilized a U-shaped table. The host would be at the center, and the least important people would have been at the tips of the U. In healing this man Jesus shows the Pharisees that they are wrong for believing they are the most important people at this dinner. It's so telling that the Pharisees were fighting for position still EVEN AFTER seeing a miracle! This miracle did not change their hearts. Jesus's parable tells us that we should remain humble in all scenarios, because we will overestimate our importance, and God will show us how lowly we are. Pride doesn’t always look like arrogance; sometimes it’s insecurity. But the most important person in the world already sees us in full. Jesus disregards misdefined priority as he turns his attention from the guests to the host. The host set up this party so that those around Him would be able to show favor toward the host. But Jesus tells the host that when we give honor by inviting guests to a party we should invite the poor, because the poor cannot repay and instead we will be repaid by heaven. The real return of any investment will be the returns we receive in heaven. Finally, Jesus disregards their “presumption.” It seems like this last person is completely oblivious that the sermon is about him directly. So Jesus tells another story - another parable - telling him, “I’m talking to you!” At this dinner party in the parable, the religious elite believe that they can reject the invitation because they’ll always be invited. And to that, the master rejects them, and invites the others, the poor the lame and sick. And tells the religious elite, that their presumption that they deserve to be at the party, is completely wrong. No one deserves to be before the Lord. It is at His mercy that we are invited, and should all consider ourselves to be the poor and sick and lame. May we all approach the Lord’s throne with humility and delight and ask Him where we should be seated!

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'" Luke 13:31-35 . Sermon notes: Feb 15, 2026 Luke 13: 31-35 . The tone and tenor of this passage conveys that Jesus is relentless in his efforts to pursue those who are unwilling to come to Him. Pay particular attention to three things: 1) Jesus's determination, 2) Jesus's devotion, 3)Jesus's declaration . In the passage, the Pharisees were trying to deter or discourage Jesus from going to Jerusalem. They tell him that Herod wants to kill Him, but Jesus knows that God is sovereign over the life and death of his people. God is in control and Jesus knows there are some things that He still has to accomplish before His death, and thus he would not be deterred. Jesus has insight into the way God enacts His plans. Jesus's path is through a narrow way. He expects us to be willing to go through a narrow way as well. Jesus endured the cross intentionally holding on to and trusting the Father. . Jesus displays a relentless devotion to His people. People in Jerusalem have gotten so caught up in their own self righteousness, that they had no clue that their hearts had become cold and callous. But we serve a God who is married to the weak, and who still who pursues us relentlessly despite our failure. It is a divine obligation that Jesus goes forward to Jerusalem, to die for us sinners. To illustrate this Jesus uses an image of a hen using her wings to cover her chicks. This is the divine protection that Jesus offers us from the dangers of sin. . Jesus also declares divine justice in the passage. There’s both curse and blessing in this utterance. Jerusalem sought to operate by its own rules, thus the curse. But the blessing is that there is a divine promise of restoration. Jesus will come back! How do we receive His divine restoration? By repenting of the sins we have done and turning to Jesus. God is calling to us right now. . Jesus is relentless in His pursuit of you and me. He’s willing to give up His life to see ours saved.

He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13: 18-30 Sermon Notes: 2/8/26 . Just prior to this passage, we saw that Jesus had no problem bucking standards and traditions when he healed on the sabbath. As he healed a woman, Christ brought forward two parables as rebuke to the religious elites: the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of leaven. In the parable of the mustard seed, a small seed grows into a large plant. The seed perseveres and grows into a huge tree. The tiny amount of leaven spreads throughout the large amount of flour. Jesus explains that the hypocrites cannot see the small, wonderful, impactful thing happening right before their eyes: His kingdom is not like what the world expects. His kingdom is anti-self. Because of the fall, all men carry self centeredness. And if we are to access the kingdom of God, it is through an act of denial of self. The kingdom of God is small to the eye, even though it is great in its effects. Jesus is moving from town to town teaching about the kingdom of God. Someone brings a question to Jesus: “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” and the answer he gives is difficult to hear. . It's not a direct answer. Instead, it's an admonition that we should concern ourselves with self examination. Instead of answering the question “will those who enter be few?” Jesus answers, “will of those who enter be YOU?” He implores people to "strive," which implies a fight and struggle. As it relates to salvation, he says the way in is narrow. It is hard to achieve the kingdom. You must struggle and fight and kill your flesh. Die to self! Make yourself the right shape and size to fit through that narrow doorway. This does not contradict other texts where it is made clear that salvation is not based on our own efforts. It is an anti-self message. . These words from Christ tell us that there will be a time when the narrow doorway is closed! Many of those who knew Christ who didn’t fit through the doorway will be turned away from the door. This is purposefully uncomfortable. The Church, and the teaching of Christ is anti-self. If it makes us comfortable, and it seems easy… then it is most likely the wide door, rather than the narrow. . If you lose everything for Jesus, you will win. But if you win much for self, you will lose. Our way must be denied, and His way, we must strive and struggle and fight for access through the narrow doorway!

Sermon notes: Feb 2, 2026. Luke 13: 10-17 "Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people,'There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?' As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him." Many of us suffer through pain that never goes away. Chronic suffering can completely change the way you’re thinking. This text shows us someone with chronic suffering. But your condition does not speak to your value, and Jesus sees your value despite your suffering. The text takes place in a synagogue on the sabbath. This is an ordinary woman who has suffered through this illness for 18 years, to the point her condition feels like her normal life. But Luke calls us to see her as someone deserving of attention, telling us to "behold" her. She isn't given a name, but rather she is known as a list of her conditions. Keep in mind that 18 years is long enough for people to stop asking how she is doing, because she would always be the same. She, of course, would have suffered isolation from this as well, as a condition would become seen as inability, and inability eventually becomes invisibility. But Jesus saw her, so we should see her. Jesus calls her over and heals her. He sees her, points her out, and in this moment, Jesus doesn’t just heal her, but he restores her. In that one moment, Jesus frees her in both body and mind and in society. We have a real enemy in this world, but God is sovereign and can restore everything within our suffering. Jesus restored her from a nameless, faceless list of infirmities, to a “daughter of Abraham,” which is covenant language. This name signifies her belonging to God as one of His chosen people. For 18 years she probably didn’t feel like she was a part of that. But now, she is restored in full - not just in body! The ruler of the synagogue gets mad because he feels his control and social power threatened by Jesus. So, he confronts the people rather than Jesus directly and complains that his order and control are falling apart. His indignation reveals that he prefers order over mercy and tradition over tenderness. Jesus confronts him, and everyone else like him, as hypocrites. He speaks about those who say they follow God while being empty of mercy. Mercy is meant to be a regular rhythm of our lives! So when Jesus healed this woman, He wasn’t breaking the sabbath, but rather fulfilling it, as the Sabbath is a day of reminder of man’s freedom from oppression. These hypocrites would loosen the bonds of their own livestock on the sabbath, but wouldn’t loosen the bonds of the people around them. Jesus doesn’t name us by our diagnosis, but calls us by love. Remember that Jesus didn’t shun the woman with the disabling spirit, but called her a daughter of Abraham and freed her.

Sermon Notes: Jan 18, 2026 "There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” Luke 13:1-9 With our repentance, our lives should change in a way that iimpacts the world around us. Repentance is required to follow Christ. At the very beginning of Jesus's ministry the Bible records Jesus saying “Repent!” This is not something that is up for negotiation in the life of a Christian. God calls every man and every woman to repent. Jesus’s entrance into our life brings division - it should be a shift in our allegiance away from the things we hold dear, with our topmost allegiance given to Jesus. And that will cause disruption. Repentance means “radical change of heart and mind.” The Greek word translated as repentence, "metanoia," denotes a fundamental change within the self: of mind and heart. There is no entrance into the kingdom of Jesus without a change of heart and mind. In this text, Jesus sets conditions for repentance. There is urgency in all of Jesus’s commands to repent. In the height of theological thinking of Jesus's day wasthe belief that sin can bring about your demise; that God strikes people down for their errors. We, too, are prone to this type of thinking. It helps us make sense of the world that doesn’t always make a lot of sense. But truthfully some suffering won't be neatly understood on this side of the grave. So all we can say is “His grace is sufficient.” We can’t make sense of all the suffering in the world. Nevertheless, Jesus calls us to change. He shows us that ultimately ALL suffering is because of ALL sin. And greater suffering awaits those who don’t turn from their own sinful ways. Jesus forces us away from thinking that the outcomes people encounter are equivalent to their sin. Everyone suffers. And all sin leads to all death. Without repentance, we all will face death. Without Christ, we are all 1 minute away from the worst possible eternal outcome. It is the sin in the world that ensures there will be suffering in this life. But it is sin in your life that ensures your suffering in the next life. It is with urgency that we must turn to Christ and away from our sin. Believe and repent. Unless shift away from the gods of this world towards the savior Jesus Christ, we will actually truly suffer. All of us begin life by rejecting the savior - by being a fruitless fig tree. But true repentance always comes with fruit. Repentance without fruit is self deception. Your life cannot express metanoia on the inside, without showing metanoia on the outside. The way we live our lives with those around us changes. What does it look like: Selfish people becoming more generous. Scheming people becoming more genuine. Savage people become more gentle. When our heart and mind have changed, it doesn’t just happen on the inside. It happens on the outside. In the last parable, Jesus offers us a comfort and a caution. If we lay claim to a lord, but bear no fruit as though we are not connected to that lord, then one day we will be cut off. We can say “I’ve been in church all my life” but if our life doesn’t reflect that, then one day we shall be removed. But the comfort is that we have the chance to reorient ourselves and point our lives toward Christ. He is still giving us grace through His grace, His time and His nurturing. If you do not know Christ, this is an invitation. He is so merciful and so caring. Come to know Him. Turn from your sin and repent.

Sermon Notes Jan 11 'I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.' He also said to the crowds,'When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.'” Luke 12:49-59 In this text, what does Jesus mean when he says he came to cast fire on the earth and what does he mean when he says “He has a baptism that He must be baptized with?” Jesus is heading to the cross, and the whole world is heading toward the dividing line of the cross: The gospel message is a fire that will purify some and consume others. The cross must be embraced and the one who hung on the cross must be embraced to avoid being consumed by that fire. Jesus will be fully immersed in the act of absorbing all the sins of the world. This is the baptism he speaks of. He carried an amazing weight for me and for you and for the world. This act on the cross will always lead to division: father against son, mother against daughter, families against family. . Now, typically, we hear of Jesus bringing peace! The best way for us to understand this challenging passage is to see Matthew chapter 10, verse 34-37, where Jesus says He has not come to bring peace, but a sword, and that whoever loves father and mother more than Him, is not worthy of Him. That’s the kind of division Christ is bringing - a shift in our allegiance. By declaring that nothing in life comes before Him, He creates division.. Christ has called us to total allegiance. He has called us to accept the lowly and the poor, to reject sexual immorality and lies. And these divisions occur when we reject the gods of cruelty and hypocrisy who are posing as Jesus Himself. . We don’t come to know God by knowing people who seem smart and socially acceptable. We come to know Jesus by looking past those playing roles the world ranks highly. The only way to come to know God is by fixing our eyes upon Him. Don’t wait until you are before the judge to accept the reality of Jesus’ work. It is urgent that you respond to the cross.

Sermon Notes Jan 4th, 2026 Luke: 12: 35-48 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Luke: 12: 35-48 The people of God are the Family of God. The word to focus on in this passage is “Awake.” The enemy is active in our lives in many ways that can cause us to be lulled to sleep, believing that he is not there. The enemy has devices and schemes he applies to God’s people. We are to stay awake for the eventual return of Christ. “Stay dressed for action” or “Gird up your loins” is the phrase used here - meaning there is action to be completed. Jesus describes the people who are in this parable as eagerly preparing for His return. They are so ready that when there is a knock on the door, they immediately open the door because they’ve been waiting. The knock on our door doesn’t wait for our old age. We cannot afford to be unprepared. Jesus called those who are awake “Blessed.” Those who are awaiting the knock and are in an alert posture for the master's return are actually served by the master! He will return that blessing of service back to those who are ready. We serve a God who delights to attend to us! The caution here is that we should be following Christ because we love Him. Not just when it’s convenient, or because everyone else is. Lastly, we should stay awake in our “assigned lane.” Peter has to ask: “Jesus, is this parable for the crowd or for us?” And Jesus answers “whatever lane you are in, just be ready!” Whatever task or lane He has appointed us to walk, we are to do our job and be ready. For those who misuse their authority or who don’t do what they’re supposed to do, there will be consequences. There are two ways this plays out. 1) Debauchery - the master isn’t here and he ain’t coming back, so I have to get my own comfort. And 2) injustice - the master isn’t here to protect you, so give me what you have. But here is what this posture forgets - the master is coming back! And there will be accountability!

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

Romans 1:1-7 This passage highlights the significance of Advent. Greetings can be glimpses into the souls of who is both the greeter and the receiver. . The word “Apostle” means the “one who was sent.” Paul was specifically assigned to the Gentiles by God: not randomly. God can use our successes AND failures to set us up right where he has called us to be. Paul describes himself as a servant - which is a glimpse into the Christian life. We accept Christ by laying claim to Christ, BUT also allowing Christ to lay claim to us! We cannot be brought as servants to Christ’s family and still do whatever we want. What part of your life are you still holding onto for yourself and not handing over to God? . Paul tells us that the Gospel/Good News, was promised before the beginning of the world. God promised us provision from the beginning of our fallen state all the way until the end of time. When Jesus came he was not only spiritual offspring but the physical offspring of David as well. We need someone.who not only loves us deeply but has deep power as well. Jesus possessed that: he canceled our debt through his death, but also showed that he can take that cancellation all the way to the Throne of God by resurrecting on the third day. . This greeting is filled with words of confidence: If God is powerful enough to do what He has done in the person of Jesus through the stretches of time, and bring Jesus out of the tomb, then he can navigate your life for the next 24 hours and beyond. . Christ has given an assignment to us. We have not received redemption just to watch. We have received redemption to share the word of that redemption. In light of Jesus’s life death burial and resurrection, anything that Christ assigns to us, ANYTHING, is grace to us! Do you know the kind of nerve you have to have to complain about the assignment you’ve been given by an almighty amazing Holy God - To be assigned work in the kingdom, and then complain about it? Anything the Lord assigns us should be taken as Grace! . We are called to belong in Christ. Just as Paul opens the text here describing how he belongs as a servant of Christ.

Romans 1:1-7 This passage highlights the significance of Advent. Greetings can be glimpses into the souls of who is both the greeter and the receiver. . The word “Apostle” means the “one who was sent.” Paul was specifically assigned to the Gentiles by God: not randomly. God can use our successes AND failures to set us up right where he has called us to be. Paul describes himself as a servant - which is a glimpse into the Christian life. We accept Christ by laying claim to Christ, BUT also allowing Christ to lay claim to us! We cannot be brought as servants to Christ’s family and still do whatever we want. What part of your life are you still holding onto for yourself and not handing over to God? . Paul tells us that the Gospel/Good News, was promised before the beginning of the world. God promised us provision from the beginning of our fallen state all the way until the end of time. When Jesus came he was not only spiritual offspring but the physical offspring of David as well. We need someone.who not only loves us deeply but has deep power as well. Jesus possessed that: he canceled our debt through his death, but also showed that he can take that cancellation all the way to the Throne of God by resurrecting on the third day. . This greeting is filled with words of confidence: If God is powerful enough to do what He has done in the person of Jesus through the stretches of time, and bring Jesus out of the tomb, then he can navigate your life for the next 24 hours and beyond. . Christ has given an assignment to us. We have not received redemption just to watch. We have received redemption to share the word of that redemption. In light of Jesus’s life death burial and resurrection, anything that Christ assigns to us, ANYTHING, is grace to us! Do you know the kind of nerve you have to have to complain about the assignment you’ve been given by an almighty amazing Holy God - To be assigned work in the kingdom, and then complain about it? Anything the Lord assigns us should be taken as Grace! . We are called to belong in Christ. Just as Paul opens the text here describing how he belongs as a servant of Christ.

"Be patient therefore, Brothers, until the coming for the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives early and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, Brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold the judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful." James 5:7-11 In this passage, Biblical patience is illustrated via the picture of a farmer. Note that a farmer is patient, but he is not idle. He is always weeding, repairing tools, buildling walls, etc. A farmer cares for what has been entrusted to him. Likewise, while we wait on God, and his perfect timing, we also must work. When we reap the benefit, the wait-time will seem short. We wait with hope and joy, anticipating the coming relief. How we wait is important: we must establish and strengthen our heart to have spiritual resolve and not waiver. Discouragement can make you want to give up, but in the passage, James gives us motivation. He tells us to "be patient, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." Our fulfillment isn't far off! Each moment brings us closer to Jesus's return! And how should we shore up our resolve? By preaching the gospel to ourselves! Impatience can tempt us to grumble and complain, and can be a joy killer that spreads to others in the community. When Jesus comes back, would we want him to find us being miserable and causing one another to be miserable? Of course not. A heart filled with negativity will displease our father in heaven. Remember that the end of the story is blessing, and those who are patient will be blessed.

"Be patient therefore, Brothers, until the coming for the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives early and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, Brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold the judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful." James 5:7-11 In this passage, Biblical patience is illustrated via the picture of a farmer. Note that a farmer is patient, but he is not idle. He is always weeding, repairing tools, buildling walls, etc. A farmer cares for what has been entrusted to him. Likewise, while we wait on God, and his perfect timing, we also must work. When we reap the benefit, the wait-time will seem short. We wait with hope and joy, anticipating the coming relief. How we wait is important: we must establish and strengthen our heart to have spiritual resolve and not waiver. Discouragement can make you want to give up, but in the passage, James gives us motivation. He tells us to "be patient, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." Our fulfillment isn't far off! Each moment brings us closer to Jesus's return! And how should we shore up our resolve? By preaching the gospel to ourselves! Impatience can tempt us to grumble and complain, and can be a joy killer that spreads to others in the community. When Jesus comes back, would we want him to find us being miserable and causing one another to be miserable? Of course not. A heart filled with negativity will displease our father in heaven. Remember that the end of the story is blessing, and those who are patient will be blessed.

Sermon notes - 12/7/25 Romans 15 4-13 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Crhst has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, 'Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.' And again it says 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.' And again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.' And again Isaiah says, 'The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.' May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15: 4-13 This text serves as Paul’s last official instructional moment for the people of God at Rome. It is a text that is calling us to remain bound to Christ, but also bound to one another. When we think about biblical peace, it’s more than the absence of conflict. Biblical peace represents wholeness and completeness. The arrival of Jesus means the arrival of “Shalom” wholeness of peace between God and His people. Jesus arrived with peace, but when he ascended, he left peace behind with us! We’ve been given this peace with God because the Holy Spirit and salvation has been left with us and his word has been left with us. Because of this, peace may exist among all the faithful. This peace is one aspect of our testimony to the world as we wait for Jesus's Second Coming. So we must ask ourselves: What does it mean to be the kind of people who profess a God who came with peace, left peace and is coming with peace? The groups that Paul is writing to here are a people disrupted by class, ethnicity, etc. but Paul is showing us that there is hope for peace within all that division. Paul argues that strong gospel minded Christians have an obligation to bear with and carry their weak Gospel minded Christian siblings. We are to lovingly bear with our brothers and sisters who may be too tied up with laws and restrictions of conscience.With intentionality, we are to uplift our Christian siblings who we could easily be divided from over these matters of conscience. You and I need help to do this, so we should pray! It’s going to take endurance to live this life, but it takes God to give that endurance and encouragement. It is to God we must appeal over and over in order to live in harmony with our fellow Christians. If your life is empty of seeking endurance from the one who holds it, is it surprising that you are lacking the endurance you need? We are to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. Accept one another as Christ has accepted us: in our differences. Why should we accept all these differences? Because Christ accepts us. Who are we to erect higher standards for kinship than Christ? We might disagree on matters of politics or culture, but we have the same Savior by faith. So we accept those who are different than us, because Christ has accepted us and them as well! And why should we do this? Because God is glorified when Christians are able to disregard our partisanship and accept our fellow brothers and sisters. We have been given the power to live lives that are filled with gospel peace/shalom. The joy in our peace comes through our dependence on Christ's actions on the cross. You and I have no excuse to live on as division makers. We have been given holy power to live peacefully despite our differences, which will make others outside of the faith say “there’s something different and awesome about those people! I want that too!”

Sermon notes - 12/7/25 Romans 15 4-13 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Crhst has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, 'Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.' And again it says 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.' And again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.' And again Isaiah says, 'The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.' May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15: 4-13 This text serves as Paul’s last official instructional moment for the people of God at Rome. It is a text that is calling us to remain bound to Christ, but also bound to one another. When we think about biblical peace, it’s more than the absence of conflict. Biblical peace represents wholeness and completeness. The arrival of Jesus means the arrival of “Shalom” wholeness of peace between God and His people. Jesus arrived with peace, but when he ascended, he left peace behind with us! We’ve been given this peace with God because the Holy Spirit and salvation has been left with us and his word has been left with us. Because of this, peace may exist among all the faithful. This peace is one aspect of our testimony to the world as we wait for Jesus's Second Coming. So we must ask ourselves: What does it mean to be the kind of people who profess a God who came with peace, left peace and is coming with peace? The groups that Paul is writing to here are a people disrupted by class, ethnicity, etc. but Paul is showing us that there is hope for peace within all that division. Paul argues that strong gospel minded Christians have an obligation to bear with and carry their weak Gospel minded Christian siblings. We are to lovingly bear with our brothers and sisters who may be too tied up with laws and restrictions of conscience.With intentionality, we are to uplift our Christian siblings who we could easily be divided from over these matters of conscience. You and I need help to do this, so we should pray! It’s going to take endurance to live this life, but it takes God to give that endurance and encouragement. It is to God we must appeal over and over in order to live in harmony with our fellow Christians. If your life is empty of seeking endurance from the one who holds it, is it surprising that you are lacking the endurance you need? We are to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. Accept one another as Christ has accepted us: in our differences. Why should we accept all these differences? Because Christ accepts us. Who are we to erect higher standards for kinship than Christ? We might disagree on matters of politics or culture, but we have the same Savior by faith. So we accept those who are different than us, because Christ has accepted us and them as well! And why should we do this? Because God is glorified when Christians are able to disregard our partisanship and accept our fellow brothers and sisters. We have been given the power to live lives that are filled with gospel peace/shalom. The joy in our peace comes through our dependence on Christ's actions on the cross. You and I have no excuse to live on as division makers. We have been given holy power to live peacefully despite our differences, which will make others outside of the faith say “there’s something different and awesome about those people! I want that too!”

Sermon notes - 11/30/25 Romans 13: 11-14 . "Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Romans 13: 11-14 . What is advent about? Advent signifies the arrival of someone or something significant. For the Christian, Advent is about the arrival of the person of Jesus Christ. And in that context, advent has a double meaning: we remember Jesus's first arrival, but we also look forward with anticipation and awe for His second coming. So, what should we do since we live between two significant seasons like this? We wait. And we prepare. And that is what advent is about for us - waiting. By nature, we are not good waiters. We get antsy if we have to wait in traffic for just a single red light. If we don’t receive something “now” we begin to lose our focus and our eyes start to drift toward something more easily attainable. But waiting is incredibly important for the Church. In this passage from Romans, Paul gives us reminders to wait. He reminds us that when we stop waiting well, we revert back to our old ways. We forget why we left the darkness, and the enemies of our soul can lull us to sleep. . So waiting simply means to stay awake. In our exhaustion from waiting, we can begin to lose our heart for the Lord because we’re tired, despite knowing the danger. The Enemy tells us “The way you’re living your life is not working.” We must plead for a supernatural ability to stay awake. When we first came to Christ, we came to Him because of His promises. We are now closer to their fulfillment than we have ever been! Christ is close. Christ is coming! And we must stay awake by walking in the love He has given to us. Waiting on advent should be a constant shedding of the garments of darkness. We have a savior who is coming back to right every wrong. With that knowledge, we should walk as in the daytime. . Paul gives us examples of things to take off. At first the focus is on carnal sins like sexual immorality and drunkeness.Then Paul pivots to what seems more acceptable behavior in this world, but the passage reminds us this behavior is still walking in darkness! Discord and jealousy and strife are behaviors we should avoid. We are to cast that off too! We are to put on Jesus Christ and cast of flesh. That's what it is to live in the light.

Sermon notes - 11/30/25 Romans 13: 11-14 . "Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Romans 13: 11-14 . What is advent about? Advent signifies the arrival of someone or something significant. For the Christian, Advent is about the arrival of the person of Jesus Christ. And in that context, advent has a double meaning: we remember Jesus's first arrival, but we also look forward with anticipation and awe for His second coming. So, what should we do since we live between two significant seasons like this? We wait. And we prepare. And that is what advent is about for us - waiting. By nature, we are not good waiters. We get antsy if we have to wait in traffic for just a single red light. If we don’t receive something “now” we begin to lose our focus and our eyes start to drift toward something more easily attainable. But waiting is incredibly important for the Church. In this passage from Romans, Paul gives us reminders to wait. He reminds us that when we stop waiting well, we revert back to our old ways. We forget why we left the darkness, and the enemies of our soul can lull us to sleep. . So waiting simply means to stay awake. In our exhaustion from waiting, we can begin to lose our heart for the Lord because we’re tired, despite knowing the danger. The Enemy tells us “The way you’re living your life is not working.” We must plead for a supernatural ability to stay awake. When we first came to Christ, we came to Him because of His promises. We are now closer to their fulfillment than we have ever been! Christ is close. Christ is coming! And we must stay awake by walking in the love He has given to us. Waiting on advent should be a constant shedding of the garments of darkness. We have a savior who is coming back to right every wrong. With that knowledge, we should walk as in the daytime. . Paul gives us examples of things to take off. At first the focus is on carnal sins like sexual immorality and drunkeness.Then Paul pivots to what seems more acceptable behavior in this world, but the passage reminds us this behavior is still walking in darkness! Discord and jealousy and strife are behaviors we should avoid. We are to cast that off too! We are to put on Jesus Christ and cast of flesh. That's what it is to live in the light.

Sermon Notes 11/23/25 Luke 12:13-21. . Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he though to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? And he said 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'" But God said to him 'Foo! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." We live in the midst of a culture where we have more than we’ve ever had before, but we have less satisfaction in the things we own than ever before. Immediately prior to this text, Jesus is talking about the power of the Holy Spirit to lead people. In this verse, there's a telling interruption of that: a man asks Jesus to tell his brother to share his inheritance with him. We should not be surprised that money causes disruption. The man probably has the expectation that, as a rabbi, Jesus would sort out this superficial matter. But Jesus, as usual, strikes at the heart of the matter - the man’s insatiable drive for more. In the moment, Jesus uncovers the main problem - that craving for more has disrupted the man's relationships with others. We are to watch out for this in our hearts. And not just against money, against ALL forms of greediness. Jesus gives us this reminder - one’s life does not consist of the abundance of stuff. Which is why you can find the stuff and still feel empty. True abundance is the ability to step into another day satisfied with what God has given you. We’re quick to call out things like sexual sin, but according to scripture we should be just as quick to condemn covetousness in ourselves. The Apostle Paul names greed as idolatry. . It is foolish to work yourself to the bone for stuff that will not mean anything the night your soul is required of you.

Sermon Notes 11/23/25 Luke 12:13-21. . Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he though to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? And he said 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'" But God said to him 'Foo! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." We live in the midst of a culture where we have more than we’ve ever had before, but we have less satisfaction in the things we own than ever before. Immediately prior to this text, Jesus is talking about the power of the Holy Spirit to lead people. In this verse, there's a telling interruption of that: a man asks Jesus to tell his brother to share his inheritance with him. We should not be surprised that money causes disruption. The man probably has the expectation that, as a rabbi, Jesus would sort out this superficial matter. But Jesus, as usual, strikes at the heart of the matter - the man’s insatiable drive for more. In the moment, Jesus uncovers the main problem - that craving for more has disrupted the man's relationships with others. We are to watch out for this in our hearts. And not just against money, against ALL forms of greediness. Jesus gives us this reminder - one’s life does not consist of the abundance of stuff. Which is why you can find the stuff and still feel empty. True abundance is the ability to step into another day satisfied with what God has given you. We’re quick to call out things like sexual sin, but according to scripture we should be just as quick to condemn covetousness in ourselves. The Apostle Paul names greed as idolatry. . It is foolish to work yourself to the bone for stuff that will not mean anything the night your soul is required of you.

Sermon notes: 11/16/25 Luke 12: 1-12 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, 'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:1-12 Appearances mean a lot to us today. Likewise, in Jesus's day, the Pharisees looked to outward appearances as a way to determine inner appearance. In this text, Jesus tells us to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Jesus concerns himself not with the huge crowds and the danger of being trampled, but hypocrisy. Jesus’s first words to the disciples in the passage are to call them to watch themselves for hypocrisy. The way leaven works is to spread slowly and quietly, the same way that sin spreads through one's life, such that one's outward appearance doesn’t match what is on the inside. When your life doesn’t match your heart, that is hypocrisy. What Jesus is warning us about is using the mask of religion to mask the pride and enthronement of self on the inside. God hears everything, and we should be aware that our hearts are His to see. There are no secrets that He does not have exposed to Him. Jesus calls we who would follow Him to drop our mask and stand boldly before Him. Be the same person in private that we are in the public. The Pharisees clung to their masks, and missed the freedom that Jesus was offering them. Jesus is inviting us to freedom. Jesus tells us not to fear those that can kill us. For those following Jesus when he was on earth, this was a real danger. And fear can be a great motivator for masking. Fear of bodily harm, or lesser things such as rejection can cause us to mask up. But Jesus tells us whom to actually fear - not man, but God, the Ultimate Judge. He is the one who can cast your soul into Hell. God knows everything about you, even to the strands of hair on your head. And what He knows about you, He loves. The one who holds your eternity in His hands holds you as precious in His heart. So you are free, when you know that the one who sees you fully also loves you fully. We can be set free from the slavery of public opinion. We can unmask. There is more mercy in Christ than there is mess in you. The only sin we can’t be forgiven of is the one where we mask up our entire lives and never allow our hearts to soften to Hear the Spirit’s testimony about Him, and we run out of time in this life to live openly and truthfully before God. Knowing that we are fully loved, we can be willing to fully follow Him.

Sermon notes: 11/16/25 Luke 12: 1-12 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, 'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:1-12 Appearances mean a lot to us today. Likewise, in Jesus's day, the Pharisees looked to outward appearances as a way to determine inner appearance. In this text, Jesus tells us to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Jesus concerns himself not with the huge crowds and the danger of being trampled, but hypocrisy. Jesus’s first words to the disciples in the passage are to call them to watch themselves for hypocrisy. The way leaven works is to spread slowly and quietly, the same way that sin spreads through one's life, such that one's outward appearance doesn’t match what is on the inside. When your life doesn’t match your heart, that is hypocrisy. What Jesus is warning us about is using the mask of religion to mask the pride and enthronement of self on the inside. God hears everything, and we should be aware that our hearts are His to see. There are no secrets that He does not have exposed to Him. Jesus calls we who would follow Him to drop our mask and stand boldly before Him. Be the same person in private that we are in the public. The Pharisees clung to their masks, and missed the freedom that Jesus was offering them. Jesus is inviting us to freedom. Jesus tells us not to fear those that can kill us. For those following Jesus when he was on earth, this was a real danger. And fear can be a great motivator for masking. Fear of bodily harm, or lesser things such as rejection can cause us to mask up. But Jesus tells us whom to actually fear - not man, but God, the Ultimate Judge. He is the one who can cast your soul into Hell. God knows everything about you, even to the strands of hair on your head. And what He knows about you, He loves. The one who holds your eternity in His hands holds you as precious in His heart. So you are free, when you know that the one who sees you fully also loves you fully. We can be set free from the slavery of public opinion. We can unmask. There is more mercy in Christ than there is mess in you. The only sin we can’t be forgiven of is the one where we mask up our entire lives and never allow our hearts to soften to Hear the Spirit’s testimony about Him, and we run out of time in this life to live openly and truthfully before God. Knowing that we are fully loved, we can be willing to fully follow Him.

Sermon Notes 11/9/25 Galatians 6: 1-10 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Andlet us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:1-10 In these verses, God is describing spiritual community for us. He is teaching us how to act in community: (1) A spiritual community should restore sin gently.We must willing to be vulnerable with one another, and lay aside the "church masks" we sometimes wear: we need to each own our own individual sin, which makes it easier for us to help others and to be helped. We need to remember that we all live imperfect lives and all have failures. This enables a gentle restoration of sin, full of love and understanding rather than pride. . (2) People in spiritual communities carry each other's burdens. This is only possible if we are all willing to let others help us. When we allow others into the messy, dark parts of our lives, we create a space for others to help. We are not designed to do life on our own. We are intended to be part of a church family that can walk through the darkest, scariest parts of our lives with us. . (3) People in spiritual communities should confess their sins openly. Any lie we tell is told to ourselves first, and a lie we believe will affect us as though it is true. The devil is a master manipulator. Confession shouldn’t just be a list of wrongs we tell God, but should also consist of us coming into agreement with what God says about us. When we come into complete confession before God, we realize that our successes are not in us, but in Him and the community He has given us. . (4) Spiritual communities share and give freely with each other and those outside the community. We should share all things in common. We do this for investing in eternity. Your investment of your life in God, the Word of God, and the souls of men are the only investments that will last into eternity. God places people in our hearts and in our path because He is doing something with eternal significance. People in spiritual communities should point one another towards eternity.

Sermon Notes 11/9/25 Galatians 6: 1-10 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Andlet us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:1-10 In these verses, God is describing spiritual community for us. He is teaching us how to act in community: (1) A spiritual community should restore sin gently.We must willing to be vulnerable with one another, and lay aside the "church masks" we sometimes wear: we need to each own our own individual sin, which makes it easier for us to help others and to be helped. We need to remember that we all live imperfect lives and all have failures. This enables a gentle restoration of sin, full of love and understanding rather than pride. . (2) People in spiritual communities carry each other's burdens. This is only possible if we are all willing to let others help us. When we allow others into the messy, dark parts of our lives, we create a space for others to help. We are not designed to do life on our own. We are intended to be part of a church family that can walk through the darkest, scariest parts of our lives with us. . (3) People in spiritual communities should confess their sins openly. Any lie we tell is told to ourselves first, and a lie we believe will affect us as though it is true. The devil is a master manipulator. Confession shouldn’t just be a list of wrongs we tell God, but should also consist of us coming into agreement with what God says about us. When we come into complete confession before God, we realize that our successes are not in us, but in Him and the community He has given us. . (4) Spiritual communities share and give freely with each other and those outside the community. We should share all things in common. We do this for investing in eternity. Your investment of your life in God, the Word of God, and the souls of men are the only investments that will last into eternity. God places people in our hearts and in our path because He is doing something with eternal significance. People in spiritual communities should point one another towards eternity.

Sermon Notes: 10/26/25 Luke 11:29-36 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.” One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering. As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say." Luke 11:37-54 In the Christian life, we need more than a public facing cleanliness. We need a clean internal form to have a true relationship with the Lord. In these verses, Jesus explains what external cleanliness and internal dirtiness are. In the passage, Jesus does not wash His hands while eating a meal. Note that this wasn't about hygiene. Handwashing was all about ceremonial cleanliness in the Jewish community. But this wasn't a requirement; it was a Pharisaical tradition. To be “seen” as clean via things like this ritual, was to be “declared” as actually being clean. That’s what Jesus is calling out here. His point is that cleanliness flows from the heart. Those clean hands of the Pharisees won’t bless those outside of the temple. The surprise of this moment is that Jesus won’t participate in this ceremonial cleanliness. He, the One who made the handwashing, is the same One who sees the filth of the inside of a person's heart. Only the fool thinks he can dress up and fool his Creator like everyone else. God sees all, despite how much cleaning we do externally. . What does it look like to be concerned about the outside rather than the inside? A lack of love of neighbor, and lack of love for God. The Pharisees take the laws given by God to encourage love of neighbor above and beyond their requirements because they wanted to show how great they themselves were. This kind of person looks good on the outside, but fails to be an honest, loving person. Do we give in substance without a giving heart? Do we do a charitable act, but remain resentful of the objects of our giving? Do we mock or ridicule those who we help ,focusing on their shortcomings, rather than noticing the glimmer of light within them? If so, we care more about the outside than the inside A surplus of love of self and platform is an indicator of our internal filthliness. The desire for elevation is a quick way to become cold to those that are standing in your way for elevation. A religion mired in the external is a religion that is lacking a love of God. The next set of woes go to the lawyers in the room. Jesus points out that the lawyers create burdens rather than helping people work through those burdens. If you take more joy in showing how people are missing the mark rather than celebrating the wins of your fellow human, your religion is lacking a love of God. Cleaning the outside of the cup and NOT the inside, is to be given the tools to lift people up but not doing so. Cleaning the outside of the cup AND the inside is to see the humanity in those beside you, and walk through their burdens with them. The text shows two possible responses to this revelation - the Pharisees respond by getting angry. When Jesus uncovers their manipulation they don’t want their hearts addressed, but rather they just want to look good in front of others. However, Jesus invites us to have a second response - mercy. Jesus says we can give as alms what is in us. Instead of external cleanliness, we can offer our heart to God and change when God shows us how we’re failing Him. . When you invite God to search your heart, expect some pain. But that pain is mercy. He delights in healing the wounds within you.

Sermon Notes: 10/26/25 Luke 11:29-36 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . "While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.” One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering. As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say." Luke 11:37-54 In the Christian life, we need more than a public facing cleanliness. We need a clean internal form to have a true relationship with the Lord. In these verses, Jesus explains what external cleanliness and internal dirtiness are. In the passage, Jesus does not wash His hands while eating a meal. Note that this wasn't about hygiene. Handwashing was all about ceremonial cleanliness in the Jewish community. But this wasn't a requirement; it was a Pharisaical tradition. To be “seen” as clean via things like this ritual, was to be “declared” as actually being clean. That’s what Jesus is calling out here. His point is that cleanliness flows from the heart. Those clean hands of the Pharisees won’t bless those outside of the temple. The surprise of this moment is that Jesus won’t participate in this ceremonial cleanliness. He, the One who made the handwashing, is the same One who sees the filth of the inside of a person's heart. Only the fool thinks he can dress up and fool his Creator like everyone else. God sees all, despite how much cleaning we do externally. . What does it look like to be concerned about the outside rather than the inside? A lack of love of neighbor, and lack of love for God. The Pharisees take the laws given by God to encourage love of neighbor above and beyond their requirements because they wanted to show how great they themselves were. This kind of person looks good on the outside, but fails to be an honest, loving person. Do we give in substance without a giving heart? Do we do a charitable act, but remain resentful of the objects of our giving? Do we mock or ridicule those who we help ,focusing on their shortcomings, rather than noticing the glimmer of light within them? If so, we care more about the outside than the inside A surplus of love of self and platform is an indicator of our internal filthliness. The desire for elevation is a quick way to become cold to those that are standing in your way for elevation. A religion mired in the external is a religion that is lacking a love of God. The next set of woes go to the lawyers in the room. Jesus points out that the lawyers create burdens rather than helping people work through those burdens. If you take more joy in showing how people are missing the mark rather than celebrating the wins of your fellow human, your religion is lacking a love of God. Cleaning the outside of the cup and NOT the inside, is to be given the tools to lift people up but not doing so. Cleaning the outside of the cup AND the inside is to see the humanity in those beside you, and walk through their burdens with them. The text shows two possible responses to this revelation - the Pharisees respond by getting angry. When Jesus uncovers their manipulation they don’t want their hearts addressed, but rather they just want to look good in front of others. However, Jesus invites us to have a second response - mercy. Jesus says we can give as alms what is in us. Instead of external cleanliness, we can offer our heart to God and change when God shows us how we’re failing Him. . When you invite God to search your heart, expect some pain. But that pain is mercy. He delights in healing the wounds within you.

Sermon Notes 10/26/25 Luke 11:29-36 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light. Taking the Lord at his Word is more important than any proof he could provide us--you won't see a sign if you are blind. It’s not a lack of evidence, but a posture of heart - the evil of the heart - that keeps asking for evidence despite all the evidence that God has already shown. The everyday phenomenon of confirmation bias reveals much about the human heart: When we already have the answer we want in our minds, we go looking for proof that supports what we already believe. The people in today's text want more evidence because they don’t want to listen or believe what Jesus is saying. . Jesus turns our attention to two individuals who stopped needing signs. The Queen of the South. In 1st Kings, the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon to test him with questions when it was rumored that Solomon had great wisdom. When she saw Solomon’s wisdom, she stopped asking for more proof, and instead she worshiped the Lord. The men of Nineveh. Jonah preached against the men of Nineveh, and when Nineveh heard the preaching of Jonah, and when the king heard the truth, they started worshiping God. . Christ is the Wisdom of the Lord. He is greater than Solomon. And Christ is a more powerful prophet and preacher than Jonah. Note that these two examples, the Queen of the South and the men of Nineveh, are both Gentiles, and Jesus uses them figuratively as judges against a group of Jews--God's own people--who are missing God's calling through Jesus. The "sign of Jonah" Jesus mentions speaks of two things- 1) Jonah preached a message of repentance, as Jesus preaches a message of repentance, and 2) Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, as Jesus would be resurrected after 3 days in the tomb. Today, we have all the evidence we need via the empty tomb--Jesus is alive! A crucified messiah, logically, should be the end of a movement, but Jesus's death (and resurrection) instead emboldened a movement. This only makes sense if his resurrection is real and literal! .We can keep looking for signs, but the only thing that will change our destiny is bowing and worshiping the Lord our God. . So, how do we stop asking for signs? Jesus tells us to follow His words and let our light shine to the world. Ask God to give you eyes to see what He has already shown us.

Sermon Notes 10/26/25 Luke 11:29-36 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light. Taking the Lord at his Word is more important than any proof he could provide us--you won't see a sign if you are blind. It’s not a lack of evidence, but a posture of heart - the evil of the heart - that keeps asking for evidence despite all the evidence that God has already shown. The everyday phenomenon of confirmation bias reveals much about the human heart: When we already have the answer we want in our minds, we go looking for proof that supports what we already believe. The people in today's text want more evidence because they don’t want to listen or believe what Jesus is saying. . Jesus turns our attention to two individuals who stopped needing signs. The Queen of the South. In 1st Kings, the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon to test him with questions when it was rumored that Solomon had great wisdom. When she saw Solomon’s wisdom, she stopped asking for more proof, and instead she worshiped the Lord. The men of Nineveh. Jonah preached against the men of Nineveh, and when Nineveh heard the preaching of Jonah, and when the king heard the truth, they started worshiping God. . Christ is the Wisdom of the Lord. He is greater than Solomon. And Christ is a more powerful prophet and preacher than Jonah. Note that these two examples, the Queen of the South and the men of Nineveh, are both Gentiles, and Jesus uses them figuratively as judges against a group of Jews--God's own people--who are missing God's calling through Jesus. The "sign of Jonah" Jesus mentions speaks of two things- 1) Jonah preached a message of repentance, as Jesus preaches a message of repentance, and 2) Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, as Jesus would be resurrected after 3 days in the tomb. Today, we have all the evidence we need via the empty tomb--Jesus is alive! A crucified messiah, logically, should be the end of a movement, but Jesus's death (and resurrection) instead emboldened a movement. This only makes sense if his resurrection is real and literal! .We can keep looking for signs, but the only thing that will change our destiny is bowing and worshiping the Lord our God. . So, how do we stop asking for signs? Jesus tells us to follow His words and let our light shine to the world. Ask God to give you eyes to see what He has already shown us.

Sermon notes - 10/19/25 Luke: 11: 14-28 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . 14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Jesus teaches that every house divided falls. We often experience this conflict within our own hearts. The text opens with a miraculous display of power. No one is disputing the authenticity of the miracle. A mute demon was thought to be immune to exorcism. So, this exorcism was of unparalleled power. The one with ultimate authority doesn’t need the name of the demon (as it was mute) to cast it out. Immediately the crowd splintered into groups based on their responses: One group had a positive response, marveling at the miracle. Another group was skeptical, and thought to slander the source of the miracle. In that slander, they claimed that Jesus was in league with demons. Yet another group wanted to test Jesus, seeking a sign from Heaven. This third group was treating Jesus like a man on trial, even after he already performed an amazing miracle. Jesus later says that persistent skepticism is from an evil heart, and we know that even a redeemed people sometimes feel the pull to wander and question or test the God we love. Faced with a divided crowd, Jesus answers simply and logically: How dumb would Satan have to be to work against himself? Jesus exposes that evil is many things, but it is not stupid. Satan does not undo his own work. In this moment, the Jewish leaders have revealed to them that their lack of faith was not about skepticism, but rather the hardness of their own hearts and the love of their own power. They were accusing Jesus of being in league with Satan, but in reality, Jesus was waging an assault on Satan’s territory by casting out the demon. Satan is armed and strongly guarding his treasures and territory. The devil is not a feeble enemy. The kingdom of god - the image we’ve seen in Luke - is a kingdom on the offensive, attacking the strongholds of Satan. When Jesus says whoever is not with me is against me, he’s calling you to Him. He’s showing that there’s no safe middle ground when it comes to Him. You must surrender your allegiance to anything else. Remember that being against Him doesn’t mean hating Him. It means withholding your devotion. Refusing to follow Him is being against Him. As a warning, Jesus gives the parable of the empty house. After the spirit is cast out, seven spirits return. The empty space must be filled with Jesus and not left empty to prevent the enemies from returning.

Sermon notes - 10/19/25 Luke: 11: 14-28 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . 14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Jesus teaches that every house divided falls. We often experience this conflict within our own hearts. The text opens with a miraculous display of power. No one is disputing the authenticity of the miracle. A mute demon was thought to be immune to exorcism. So, this exorcism was of unparalleled power. The one with ultimate authority doesn’t need the name of the demon (as it was mute) to cast it out. Immediately the crowd splintered into groups based on their responses: One group had a positive response, marveling at the miracle. Another group was skeptical, and thought to slander the source of the miracle. In that slander, they claimed that Jesus was in league with demons. Yet another group wanted to test Jesus, seeking a sign from Heaven. This third group was treating Jesus like a man on trial, even after he already performed an amazing miracle. Jesus later says that persistent skepticism is from an evil heart, and we know that even a redeemed people sometimes feel the pull to wander and question or test the God we love. Faced with a divided crowd, Jesus answers simply and logically: How dumb would Satan have to be to work against himself? Jesus exposes that evil is many things, but it is not stupid. Satan does not undo his own work. In this moment, the Jewish leaders have revealed to them that their lack of faith was not about skepticism, but rather the hardness of their own hearts and the love of their own power. They were accusing Jesus of being in league with Satan, but in reality, Jesus was waging an assault on Satan’s territory by casting out the demon. Satan is armed and strongly guarding his treasures and territory. The devil is not a feeble enemy. The kingdom of god - the image we’ve seen in Luke - is a kingdom on the offensive, attacking the strongholds of Satan. When Jesus says whoever is not with me is against me, he’s calling you to Him. He’s showing that there’s no safe middle ground when it comes to Him. You must surrender your allegiance to anything else. Remember that being against Him doesn’t mean hating Him. It means withholding your devotion. Refusing to follow Him is being against Him. As a warning, Jesus gives the parable of the empty house. After the spirit is cast out, seven spirits return. The empty space must be filled with Jesus and not left empty to prevent the enemies from returning.

Sermon notes - 10/12/25 Luke: 11: 5-13 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Prayer is more than words. Prayer is more than content. Prayer is heart and soul. Last week we spent time walking through Jesus’ formula of prayer. In that lesson, we demonstrate our desires to see God's kingdom and glory. Our prayers should not just seek to change our conditions, but to change us. Jesus uses a parable to illustrate the fulness of prayer. . Jewish hospitality was taken very seriously, so this parable of a friend showing up at midnight and the homeowner having to deal with an unexpected visitor would have struck a chord with the audience.The homeowner in the story doesn’t have the food to give to his traveling friend, so he goes to his next door neighbor. This homeowner must plead, because the neighbor is unwilling at first. But the heart and attitude of the homeowner is shameless. . Impudence is shameless audacity. It is a willingness to keep knocking. Jesus teaches us that this persistence and audacity is necessary in our prayer life. Do you pray with that kind of persistence or audacity? By continuing to "knock" via our prayers, we show our desperation and need, and ultimately our reliance on God. We must show persistence in our prayers. If we do not want something enough to be persistent in our prayers, then we must not want it enough. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us what to pray, but this parable teaches us how to pray. It is a continuous process. . But we should pray with an understanding of God's love. We know that the Heavenly Father loves us. Even the best parents are imperfect. And God rises to a better standard, which He holds Himself to. So, if even evil parents can give good gifts, how much better can God give?

Sermon notes - 10/12/25 Luke: 11: 5-13 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Prayer is more than words. Prayer is more than content. Prayer is heart and soul. Last week we spent time walking through Jesus’ formula of prayer. In that lesson, we demonstrate our desires to see God's kingdom and glory. Our prayers should not just seek to change our conditions, but to change us. Jesus uses a parable to illustrate the fulness of prayer. . Jewish hospitality was taken very seriously, so this parable of a friend showing up at midnight and the homeowner having to deal with an unexpected visitor would have struck a chord with the audience.The homeowner in the story doesn’t have the food to give to his traveling friend, so he goes to his next door neighbor. This homeowner must plead, because the neighbor is unwilling at first. But the heart and attitude of the homeowner is shameless. . Impudence is shameless audacity. It is a willingness to keep knocking. Jesus teaches us that this persistence and audacity is necessary in our prayer life. Do you pray with that kind of persistence or audacity? By continuing to "knock" via our prayers, we show our desperation and need, and ultimately our reliance on God. We must show persistence in our prayers. If we do not want something enough to be persistent in our prayers, then we must not want it enough. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us what to pray, but this parable teaches us how to pray. It is a continuous process. . But we should pray with an understanding of God's love. We know that the Heavenly Father loves us. Even the best parents are imperfect. And God rises to a better standard, which He holds Himself to. So, if even evil parents can give good gifts, how much better can God give?

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org

Romans 12: 9-21 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. . Many people are carrying heavy hearts because of the violence going on in our country and the world right now. Christ says that we will be in conflict, so we should not be surprised that the world is in chaos As Christians, we are to look to Jesus and push back the darkness. But many times we bring the wrong tools to the fight! Have you ever done hard work only to find out that there are better tools for that task? That captures the sentiment of American Christianity right now. . When Peter cut off the ear of the high priest, Jesus told him to “put your sword up.” Jesus doesn’t want us to fight using the sword. In order to push back against the darkness, we don’t use tools borne out of the darkness, but rather the light. . From the Bible, we know we are not fighting against just people: our fight is against the devil and the flesh and the systems of the world. And these cosmic powers of darkness are hoping that our gaze is turned from them and locked onto our neighbor. Those enemies are working in concert to keep our weapons turned against our neighbors, rather than the gates of hell. . So if we're not supposed to attack our neighbor, what are we supposed to do? What weapon am I to go into the battle with? . Love.Love is our primary weapon. Love is our tool. We have only one way to push back against a world drowning in hate and despair and death and bitterness and nihilism. It’s not by reflecting that back, but rather it’s about driving that out with light and love. . We are one body made up of many members. Love is the glue that holds the body together. All Christians, without exception, are called to love. And we are told to Love our enemies using the tools that God has given us. God's love has poured into us. We have the power in us to love sacrificially and unconditionally when love gets hard. If Christians are seen as only able to love when we are agreed with, then we aren’t being the example that Christ called us to be. Christ loved us despite all our flaws. We should be motivated to be able to love others despite their flaws. . We should love inside and outside the house of God. Love is genuine only if it exists when it is not publicly expedient. Reject evil and love what is Good, but remember to love your enemies. Reject the evil deeds of others rather than the people. And start with the evil in yourself. We are to hold fast to what is Good. Don’t ever let someone tell you your only option is cruelty. That is a lie. We are to also reject the notion of competitiveness within our family. Instead out-honor each other! Over encourage people in your life - that is literal warfare against the darkness! We are also to bless those who curse us. We are to learn to react to hate with blessing and love and growth in God. And we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep - even when we don’t understand the pain/joy they are experiencing. Lastly, do not be haughty, but rather humanizing and dignifying and connecting with the lowly. . There is only one way to make war. Remember what Satan is trying to do - turn our gaze against and demonize our neighbors. To the contrary we are to remember, even when it’s hard, to see the fellow image bearer of God in our fellow human. We make war against the darkness not by returning hate for hate, but rather light and love and kindness for darkness. . The more you rehearse the love you have received within yourself, the more you’re able to love even when it’s hard.

Romans 12: 9-21 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. . Many people are carrying heavy hearts because of the violence going on in our country and the world right now. Christ says that we will be in conflict, so we should not be surprised that the world is in chaos As Christians, we are to look to Jesus and push back the darkness. But many times we bring the wrong tools to the fight! Have you ever done hard work only to find out that there are better tools for that task? That captures the sentiment of American Christianity right now. . When Peter cut off the ear of the high priest, Jesus told him to “put your sword up.” Jesus doesn’t want us to fight using the sword. In order to push back against the darkness, we don’t use tools borne out of the darkness, but rather the light. . From the Bible, we know we are not fighting against just people: our fight is against the devil and the flesh and the systems of the world. And these cosmic powers of darkness are hoping that our gaze is turned from them and locked onto our neighbor. Those enemies are working in concert to keep our weapons turned against our neighbors, rather than the gates of hell. . So if we're not supposed to attack our neighbor, what are we supposed to do? What weapon am I to go into the battle with? . Love.Love is our primary weapon. Love is our tool. We have only one way to push back against a world drowning in hate and despair and death and bitterness and nihilism. It’s not by reflecting that back, but rather it’s about driving that out with light and love. . We are one body made up of many members. Love is the glue that holds the body together. All Christians, without exception, are called to love. And we are told to Love our enemies using the tools that God has given us. God's love has poured into us. We have the power in us to love sacrificially and unconditionally when love gets hard. If Christians are seen as only able to love when we are agreed with, then we aren’t being the example that Christ called us to be. Christ loved us despite all our flaws. We should be motivated to be able to love others despite their flaws. . We should love inside and outside the house of God. Love is genuine only if it exists when it is not publicly expedient. Reject evil and love what is Good, but remember to love your enemies. Reject the evil deeds of others rather than the people. And start with the evil in yourself. We are to hold fast to what is Good. Don’t ever let someone tell you your only option is cruelty. That is a lie. We are to also reject the notion of competitiveness within our family. Instead out-honor each other! Over encourage people in your life - that is literal warfare against the darkness! We are also to bless those who curse us. We are to learn to react to hate with blessing and love and growth in God. And we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep - even when we don’t understand the pain/joy they are experiencing. Lastly, do not be haughty, but rather humanizing and dignifying and connecting with the lowly. . There is only one way to make war. Remember what Satan is trying to do - turn our gaze against and demonize our neighbors. To the contrary we are to remember, even when it’s hard, to see the fellow image bearer of God in our fellow human. We make war against the darkness not by returning hate for hate, but rather light and love and kindness for darkness. . The more you rehearse the love you have received within yourself, the more you’re able to love even when it’s hard.

Sermon Notes Luke 10: 1-16 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . There’s probably a good reason why scribes wind up 70 or 72 additional laborers in this text. This harkens back to Moses, gathering 70 elders for a mission. And Jesus is the greater Moses, so this passage could be pointing this to us. OR, Jesus is point us to the reality of the future and the sharing of the Gospel - as in Genesis there is 70 (or 72) nations listed. That the Gospel is not for just the Jews, but for ALL THE NATIONS. But either of these both point to a single truth - we are ALL called to go on Mission. . But this text is also about how they are to live about people who age sent on a mission. As everyone is called to go on mission, we are to live a life sent. As Spurgeon says, ”All Christians are either missionaries, or impostors.” There is church because there is mission, there is not a mission just because the church exists. . We are supposed to participate in our daily life in an opportunity to spread the gospel. That is who we are. Every day, at work, in school, we should see it as an opportunity to open our mouth. . Are we praying for God to send laborers? We should pray confidently and participatoraly, that God send those laborers out to meet His mission. It is only God who gives increase, so our success or failure is not of consequence. He just wants our obedience and participation. You don’t have to live a frozen life. You can go out with confidence in Him. . As you pray for laborers, you should BE a laborer. Be a part of your own prayer. You become a part of that prayer when you proclaim Jesus with your words, life and deeds. . Lean on God as you go. When you are sent you pray, and you rely on God to provide for you. The forces of darkness will throw anything at you to make you quit, stumble, and fail. To be right with God, is to be in opposition with men. . In this text, Jesus is training the 70/72 for the hard times by telling them to carry no money bags, and to not converse with people on the road. Instead of faltering in our goal, we should lean on God as we continue. . What’s keeping you from going? Are you more focused on the danger in front of you? Or are you focused on the God who sent us? . And when you go, do no harm as you go. You bring your whole self and person as we go. When you bring the message, you should engage the world with our lives. Because that is our authentication! People see our lives, and if our lives are incongruous with our message, then no one will accept the message. . We are to be emotionally good and not harm emotionally, either! We are to receive what is given with gratitude and graciousness. We are to lighten the burden and elevate the joy of those in the house we visit. The Greek word used in this text is service and therapy. We are to serve the week, and bring physical benefit when we go. . For those who reject the news, we have the responsibility to tell them the danger of rejecting the message. There is eternal suffering at stake.

Sermon Notes Luke 10: 1-16 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . There’s probably a good reason why scribes wind up 70 or 72 additional laborers in this text. This harkens back to Moses, gathering 70 elders for a mission. And Jesus is the greater Moses, so this passage could be pointing this to us. OR, Jesus is point us to the reality of the future and the sharing of the Gospel - as in Genesis there is 70 (or 72) nations listed. That the Gospel is not for just the Jews, but for ALL THE NATIONS. But either of these both point to a single truth - we are ALL called to go on Mission. . But this text is also about how they are to live about people who age sent on a mission. As everyone is called to go on mission, we are to live a life sent. As Spurgeon says, ”All Christians are either missionaries, or impostors.” There is church because there is mission, there is not a mission just because the church exists. . We are supposed to participate in our daily life in an opportunity to spread the gospel. That is who we are. Every day, at work, in school, we should see it as an opportunity to open our mouth. . Are we praying for God to send laborers? We should pray confidently and participatoraly, that God send those laborers out to meet His mission. It is only God who gives increase, so our success or failure is not of consequence. He just wants our obedience and participation. You don’t have to live a frozen life. You can go out with confidence in Him. . As you pray for laborers, you should BE a laborer. Be a part of your own prayer. You become a part of that prayer when you proclaim Jesus with your words, life and deeds. . Lean on God as you go. When you are sent you pray, and you rely on God to provide for you. The forces of darkness will throw anything at you to make you quit, stumble, and fail. To be right with God, is to be in opposition with men. . In this text, Jesus is training the 70/72 for the hard times by telling them to carry no money bags, and to not converse with people on the road. Instead of faltering in our goal, we should lean on God as we continue. . What’s keeping you from going? Are you more focused on the danger in front of you? Or are you focused on the God who sent us? . And when you go, do no harm as you go. You bring your whole self and person as we go. When you bring the message, you should engage the world with our lives. Because that is our authentication! People see our lives, and if our lives are incongruous with our message, then no one will accept the message. . We are to be emotionally good and not harm emotionally, either! We are to receive what is given with gratitude and graciousness. We are to lighten the burden and elevate the joy of those in the house we visit. The Greek word used in this text is service and therapy. We are to serve the week, and bring physical benefit when we go. . For those who reject the news, we have the responsibility to tell them the danger of rejecting the message. There is eternal suffering at stake.

Sermon Notes Matthew 12: 34 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . Question: is cursing or using curse words wrong? And what about substitutes? Answer: When we use our words carelessly and flippantly, they lose their value and power. Words matter deeply in our faith, and go much further than just “cursing.” It’s more complicated - the Bible doesn’t define communication by vocabulary, but rather our intention. . We misuse words when we use them to weaponize our anger. There are 4 and 5 letter words that dehumanize others, or turn our anger to hurt someone else. “Whoever says ‘you fool’ you are liable to the fires of hell.” This text begins with a caution against murder, but there are three parallels that Christ makes - “anger with brother leaves you liable to your brother. Insults leave you liable to the Sanhedrin/council. Words leave you liable to Hell.” The anger involved in all these things shows a weaponized word. We cannot take ‘you fool’ here, as a direct phrase that will send you to hell, because the word is used throughout the Bible. But rather this progression is highlighted here, showing us how a pattern of life, of tearing down fellow brothers and image bearers of Christ, shows a distance from God. What words are you using in your anger? What are your words laced with? Do the intentions behind those words, reflect the grace of Jesus? God could have looked at us as said “worthless,” or "fools" but instead he loves us and gave us His Son. Instead of giving us words of contempt, he gives us ‘THE’ Word. Himself. . We also misuse words when we use them without their proper weight. On the day of judgement we will give an account of every careless word spoken. We don’t profane Gods name flippantly, but rather to ask of Him, or praise Him. His name is holy. The Jewish people even did not speak his Name, but rather called Him “Adonai” - Lord, in an effort to protect it from common speech. . What about "Hell"? We are making light of an incredibly weighty place. Just like the boy who called wolf, the more we use a word flippantly, the lighter the reality of thAT word becomes to us. And when we use heavy words against a fellow image bearers, we are casting condemnation in a way that does not match up with the word's meanings. When we chuckle and make a joke about hell, it reveals that I put too small of a weight on such a heavy matter. . Christ, the holiness of God, paid a heavy price for eternity. The eternity he offers us requires a heavy sacrifice. So my words must reflect the price that was paid for me by a holy God. . We also misuse words when we use them to color our crudeness. There are some words that paint a picture of us and our bodies incorrectly before God. In light of the calling Jesus gives us, we should not objectify the body and nor even allow the pictures to be painted with our words. Using language in a way that can paint unhealthy sexual pictures in our mind must be rejected. Instead “let there be Thanksgiving” instead of crude talk. The use of our negative words is a reflection of our lack of positive words. If we are continually flowing with contempt, what are we filled with? What are we filling our own heart-tank with? Thoughts of God’s mercy and goodness? Or are we filled with anger, dirtiness or filth. . That brings us back to our central text today. How we use language shows what is growing inside of us! Am I using my words in a way to give grace to the hearers.

Sermon Notes Matthew 12: 34 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . Question: is cursing or using curse words wrong? And what about substitutes? Answer: When we use our words carelessly and flippantly, they lose their value and power. Words matter deeply in our faith, and go much further than just “cursing.” It’s more complicated - the Bible doesn’t define communication by vocabulary, but rather our intention. . We misuse words when we use them to weaponize our anger. There are 4 and 5 letter words that dehumanize others, or turn our anger to hurt someone else. “Whoever says ‘you fool’ you are liable to the fires of hell.” This text begins with a caution against murder, but there are three parallels that Christ makes - “anger with brother leaves you liable to your brother. Insults leave you liable to the Sanhedrin/council. Words leave you liable to Hell.” The anger involved in all these things shows a weaponized word. We cannot take ‘you fool’ here, as a direct phrase that will send you to hell, because the word is used throughout the Bible. But rather this progression is highlighted here, showing us how a pattern of life, of tearing down fellow brothers and image bearers of Christ, shows a distance from God. What words are you using in your anger? What are your words laced with? Do the intentions behind those words, reflect the grace of Jesus? God could have looked at us as said “worthless,” or "fools" but instead he loves us and gave us His Son. Instead of giving us words of contempt, he gives us ‘THE’ Word. Himself. . We also misuse words when we use them without their proper weight. On the day of judgement we will give an account of every careless word spoken. We don’t profane Gods name flippantly, but rather to ask of Him, or praise Him. His name is holy. The Jewish people even did not speak his Name, but rather called Him “Adonai” - Lord, in an effort to protect it from common speech. . What about "Hell"? We are making light of an incredibly weighty place. Just like the boy who called wolf, the more we use a word flippantly, the lighter the reality of thAT word becomes to us. And when we use heavy words against a fellow image bearers, we are casting condemnation in a way that does not match up with the word's meanings. When we chuckle and make a joke about hell, it reveals that I put too small of a weight on such a heavy matter. . Christ, the holiness of God, paid a heavy price for eternity. The eternity he offers us requires a heavy sacrifice. So my words must reflect the price that was paid for me by a holy God. . We also misuse words when we use them to color our crudeness. There are some words that paint a picture of us and our bodies incorrectly before God. In light of the calling Jesus gives us, we should not objectify the body and nor even allow the pictures to be painted with our words. Using language in a way that can paint unhealthy sexual pictures in our mind must be rejected. Instead “let there be Thanksgiving” instead of crude talk. The use of our negative words is a reflection of our lack of positive words. If we are continually flowing with contempt, what are we filled with? What are we filling our own heart-tank with? Thoughts of God’s mercy and goodness? Or are we filled with anger, dirtiness or filth. . That brings us back to our central text today. How we use language shows what is growing inside of us! Am I using my words in a way to give grace to the hearers.

This is the full collection of sermons preached at City Light Church in Vicksburg, MS. For more information on the church and its ministries, please visit citylightvicksburg.org