Joel Gilbert

John, while in prison, sent representatives to Jesus to ascertain whether or not he is the one - Jesus provided proof and then affirmed John's ministry, sinners repented, Pharisees rejected/scoffed, Jesus confronted the finicky faith of the generation

It's not uncommon for people to ask the question, “why do bad things happen to good people?” Or to state it another way, “if God is good, why do bad things happen?” It can sometimes feel like the worst things in life happen to some of the best people. At times it can feel like God is out to get us. We…

Today is a day that has become known as Palm Sunday, celebrating the day of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Here, near the end of his earthly ministry, people had watched in wonder at 2-3 years of authoritative teaching, profound miracles, and even resurrections. They had become enamored with…

Sermon Passage: 1 Timothy 3:1-7 One's calling matters (v. 1) One's qualifications matter (v. 2-3) One's character matters (v. 4-5) One's spiritual maturity and approval matters (v. 6-7) Discussion Questions: What does the world look for in a leader? How is that different from what God says in the Bible?…

Mountain Top Experiences Throughout the Bible we find a motif or a theme of mountain experiences. Mountains in the ancient world were seen as places where the things of heaven and things of earth intersected. In Scripture we find mountains as a places where surrender happens, where communion with God…

Religious groups and churches have patterns or rhythms weekly worship monthly communion Liturgies Annual festivals or meals Muslims have the month of Ramadan where they fast during the day, give alms, and feast at night Hindus have Diwali and specific celebrations tied to their deities Jews have several…

Introduction: Is Jesus “woke”? In other words, is He someone who is sensitive to or aware of the injustices experienced by the marginalized? If Jesus were walking on earth today, gathering disciples, would He do so along DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) ethical standards? Would he try to choose people…

A few years ago, there was a series release on streaming services called “Stranger Things.” The series took place in a small town where strange events were happening - supernatural encounters, weird creatures, fissures into things that seemed like a mirror image of our world. It was truly filled with…

When you and I come to faith in Jesus Christ, we do so from a variety of different circumstances. Some are younger (I was 5). Some are older - I know a woman who was in her late 80s when she came to faith. Some have lived simple lives, others have lived rather rambunctiously. Some have come with some…

People make judgments about us all of the time. It's not so much that they are judgmental, but that they get to meet us or get to know us based on certain associations. I know, by virtue of the fact that I'm a pastor, when I introduce myself to people, they make an immediate judgment. If they had a bad…

Before we dive into the message today, I'd like to give you a brief update on my trip. Nepal slides Teaching team - 3 from TN, 1 from MD, Translators and coordinators from India (Trevor) - 8 days of teaching (Joel/Isaac) - Old Testament and Bible Study Methods students from Nepal, India and Bhutan got…

In recent years, ancestry and genealogy has been a growing trend. One of the largest and most popular ancestry companies was sold 4 years ago for $4.7b. There is something in us that wants to understand more about where we are from and from whom we descend. Unfortunately, for many of us, the detailed…

There have been several times over the last few months that I have been reminded about the importance of even small parts on teams or in performances. back up quarterback who comes in for one play because his speed or gift could help move the ball down the field Ballerina who comes in for a single scene…

Today, as we continue our study in the book of Luke, we come to a rather peculiar passage that provides a rare glimpse into Jesus' childhood. The other gospels vary in how much they share about Jesus before his public ministry begins. Matthew devotes about 48 verses to Jesus' early years (some of which…

New Year new goals financial physical academic social medical Spiritual New Hopes changes in relationships friends and family members coming to faith baptisms greater connection with God One of the challenges that we face in entering into a new year with new goals and hopes, is that we can be tempted…

In 1991, Bonnie Rait released a song entitled “Somethin' to Talk About.” It became her highest ranking song on the billboard lists - topping out at #5. This song also became instrumental in helping her win a grammy. The song addresses rumors that had been going around about two people being secret lovers.…

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled…

Do you believe in chance encounters? Two people meet on a bus ride and end up getting married, remaining so for over 70 years. A random introduction leads two men to become the best of friends and end up establishing Apple computers. A random encounter between a 9 year old girl and a Theology graduate…

Have you ever noticed that some studies seem to be contradictory? One study will note that coffee is good for you as it is made of up of mostly water while another will state that it dehydrates you because of the caffeine. One study states that eating eggs will give you high cholesterol while another…

Declare the Gospel (7-9) Display the Gospel (10-11) Benefits of the Gospel (12-13)

Open your Bibles or the Pew Bible to Psalm 66 . As we have over the last couple of weeks, I'd love for you to be able to look at that while we are walking through these last several verses. Throughout this Psalm we have seen an example of worship and witness acting as a sort of call and response. This…

In the year 715 BC, Shalmanezer, the King of Assyria besieged the Northern Kingdom of Israel. For three years, his army starved the nation of Israel until finally they surrendered. In 712 BC, the northern Kingdom crumbled, Israelite citizens were marched off to a foreign land, and Assyria began to rule…

Introduction Last week, we began considering the relationship between praise and thanks and how we are called in this Psalm to verbalize or express our gratitude. That expression should include some discussion of God's attributes and the affect that he has on us, on creation, and even on his enemies.…

Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Over the next…

Paul Confronts Peter approx. AD 40 Peter was eating with a group of Gentile believers - maybe a church picnic. He had shared the gospel with Gentiles and had received confirmation from the Holy Spirit that salvation is for them too. Some guys from James came to the same picnic - these guys where part…

Introduction In his profound book on the importance of prayer in the life of a congregation, John Onwuchekwa shares this quote - which is attributed to several different people including Martin Luther: To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther…

In the run up to the 1988 Presidential Election, Vice President George H.W. Bush famously said “Read my lips: no new taxes.” He was running on a platform of consistency. He sought to take the policies and success of the Reagan years into a new term. He, in essence, swore an oath, made a promise to American…

On the night before Jesus was crucified, He told his disciples And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Jesus went to the cross, leaving them hope beyond the cross, hinting at the resurrection and eternal life in the Kingdom…

Mistakes along the way? In February of 1995, nearly 30 years ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to me in a clear way that has impacted the course of my life - and yet it has not been without mistakes and missteps. He urged me to go to the church the Danielle grew up at and help out with the youth ministry. The…

One of my favorite bands is the group “Switchfoot.” While I like their sound (it is unique and often very easily identifiable), what I like most is their lyrics. Switchfoot is a band that is made up of Christians. Their lyrics and songs have made their way onto both Christian and secular charts and into…

There are decisions that all of us make on a daily basis. Some of those are minor and relatively inconsequential, others are major and potentially life altering. Some impact only us (or so we think), where others reap ramifications on our families, church, workplaces, school, community, and more. How…

Our tongues have a way of getting us into trouble. Jeff L Lamont S my children Before we dive into the main content of the message today, I want to point out something rather obvious - there are no notes in your bulletins. There is a sense in which this sermon is set up fairly similarly to others - a…

As we've been studying the book of James - we have observed how he calls us to have a “spiritual wholeness” - a faith that runs throughout all that we are. A faith that is revealed in our character, exhibited in conflicts, and heard in our conversations. He calls us to… persevere amidst trials, pursue…

Mean Girls and Bullies Are a common theme in the movies and entertainment in part because… It is a part of human nature - to be accepted and to be close to people who can help us get ahead. In school that might look like working your way into the crowd of cool kids - even if that means compromising values.…

critical situation, easy to take offense, respond defensively because adrenaline is pumping The second person always gets in trouble (football fights, police brutality) the refs or the cameras often only get part of the picture and can tend to make a hasty judgment based on that brief bit of information.…

in 2016, Rosario Butterfield was speaking at university. After her talk, she met a young woman who was struggling. To Rosario and this lady went to visit the campus Chaplin, who was also a counselor over the course of their conversation they found out that this young woman had been listening to a certain…

How do you respond when your rights as a citizen or resident of the United States collides with the life that God has called you to live as a follower of Christ? Can there be a conflict? This week, one of the the guys who came through for training was a man named Stephen. Story: malfunctioning washing…

Title: The Servant that brings Light to the world (Show Slide 1) Sermon Text: Isaiah 49:1-7 Introduction Story: The Obstacle course at Fuge Camp (Show Slide 2-4) A few weeks ago, we took a team to M-Fuge camp at Regent University and for me one of the highlights of camp was participating with all the…

Some people seem to make an indelible mark on history. Their impact brings enough of a splash on the sea of time that the ripple effects are felt for generations. Arguable, Jesus is probably the single most significant person. Our calendars are dated by his life. Our eternal state is wrapped up into…

The birth of a child filled with hope and optimism wonder Lately people have reverted to gender reveal parties and posts to celebrate the coming child baby shower we celebrate birthdays as a marker of age and celebration of another year of life. For Naomi and Ruth, the birth of a child meant the realization…

Title: The Servant who brings Justice Text: Isaiah 42:1-9 Date: Sunday, June 2nd, 2024 Intro: (Show Slide 1) I recently attended a preschool graduation at Sunita's school. During the program the kids shared with everyone in attendance what they wanted to be. The answers were very encouraging and very…

Alwyn C. Cashe “Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe distinguished himself by acts of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Platoon Sergeant with Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq, on October 17th,…

A big month for anniversaries This month has been big for anniversaries around here - 9 couples have anniversaries in May! the Brills - 29th the Ringlings - 24th Mugos - 27th Pete and Jackie - 2nd James and Amy - 8th Zoerners will celebrate their 13th this week Bormans will celebrate their 19th this…

Love is.. the theme of countless songs and poems the mantra of numerous social agencies and movements. the motto of Hosanna Community Church - “where love ALWAYS comes first” the message of devotion between spouses - hopefully regularly and not only on the wedding day marks how parents care for and provide…

Escape room interesting and fun lots of math themes limited time i have done them a few times and even did one twice with groups of people. I didn't escape either time. you keep doing problems and solving puzzles without knowing where the next clue will lead or how many more will be needed to escape.…

The illusion of control In Good News Club, we recently finished looking at the book of Esther with the students. During our club time, we often begin with a snack and a time of ice-breaker discussions. This is also a time when the kids can recite memory verses to Zoe and record doing the devotional material.…

How do you respond to a crisis? freak out panic calmly assess the situation? pray ask for help grin and bear it Different challenges or crises will require different responses, depending on the urgency of the situation. Last week we began our study in the book of Ruth. If you remember, Naomi, her husband…

Running on Empty In 1977, Jackson Browne, a German-born, American musician, released what may be his best known song - “Running on Empty.” The lyrics seem to auto-biographically talk about Browne and his frenzied journey toward adult-hood. Rather than being full of life and fuel for the future- he's…

I've had the privilege of going to many different cemeteries and grave sites in the course of ministering to families in funeral and memorial services. I've even been to the graves of several of my own family members. On those occasions at cemeteries, I've taken some time to look at the markers and reflect…