Revealing Christ

Jesus goes back to His hometown of Nazareth.  They know Him there as the 'Carpenter'.  He gives His first sermon that's recorded in the Bible, less than a minute long and  He was rejected immediately by His own people!

Why would Jesus help this guy out?  Why would one of Herod's elite seek Jesus?  Because he has bigger problems than politics, his child is dying.

She's a lesser race and a lesser gender!  Why's Jesus talking to her?  She's about to win the prize of salvation though, and the apostles are about to get schooled.

The religious world considered her worthless because she was a foreigner and she'd been married 5 times.  

Luke 2:35 “…a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The second time John exclaimed "Behold the Lamb Of God"! The First Disciples Were Andrew and ???  Jesus asked them "why are you following Me?"  Why did I come to Christ?  Why do you follow Him?  

Most people don't know that John the Baptist said this two days in a row.  John states "I did not know Him".  Even later on John struggled with who Jesus was.  How many of us struggle to 'know' Him?

Greedy church leaders turning church into money!  That's a good way to make God mad.  This is the first time Jesus Cleanses the temple, at the beginning of His ministry.  This was prophesied in the book of Malachi, ironically a book that money-loving preachers twist to collect money to this day.

What's the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven? Why are people so confused about what the ‘Kingdom' is?  Is there such a thing as ‘Kingdom money'?  Are we called to take dominion over the kingdoms of this world?

Is your church better than others? Jesus is just getting started in His 3-year ministry, and there are already problems among believers who see each other as 'competition'.   John The Baptist has the cure "He must increase, but I must decrease".

If anyone didn't need to partake in the baptism of repentance, it's Jesus.  John tried to stop Him.

The cross Jesus was crucified on... it belonged to Barabbas.  That cross should have been ours.  It should have been written over it "Murderer".   What would be written over your cross as your crime?   Instead, that sin was erased and replaced with this inscription: Jesus Christ, The King of the Jews.  Pilate took credit for it, "What I have written, I have written".  For once he was correct.  Written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 

Two sisters married to the same guy?  What a mess.  Rachel was hot. Leah was not... is that true?  Did Leah have the face of a horse?  No.  Study it with me and you may be surprised to see how God worked this out for Leah to be greatly loved by Jacob.

As Jesus stumbled through the streets carrying His cross, He said something very terrifying!  Luke 23:27-29 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'

My favorite text in all four gospels.  The greatest worship service the earth had ever seen, and not a word was spoken!  No longwinded prayers, no music, no flag-wavers, no drums, no fog machines.  Just Jesus and one woman who knew Him and knew who He really was!  In a room full of men and not one of them joined in, all they did was judge.  

The slavery of kidnapping someone and forcing them into chains is an abomination and condemned by God.  Becoming a bond servant -as the bible mentions- has nothing to do with the crime of slavery this country was guilty of almost 200 years ago.  Give this short teaching a chance to show you some of what the bible actually says about this sensitive subject.  You'll be glad you did!

Genesis 24:67 ...and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her.  This is the first mention of a woman being loved in the bible.  This marriage is a beautiful picture of Christ's love for His Bride, the church.  The imagery in this text reveals multiple infallible typologies that testify of Jesus' perfect love and what it requires to have a relationship with Him.

This world is made a mess by people claiming to follow God's plan.  My own family included.  None of this mess with Abraham was Hagar's idea.  She was abused, used, and rejected... Yet she was dearly loved by God and blessed by Him.  It makes me sick when some preachers disparage her and also her son because of the symbolism applied to them thousands of years later.  How many times did God appear to her?  How many times did God appear to you?  Don't be a jack wagon.  Get over yourself.

The first to be with Christ at His birth... a woman.  The last to be with Christ at His death... a woman.  The first to be with Him at His ressurection... a woman.  The first to declare a risen Christ... A woman!

Deep Dark depression.  Darkness that hurts so much you'd just assume die.  I can't feel God anymore!  Ever feel like you're getting the silent treatment from God?  Jesus can relate.  Psalms 88:14 My soul cast off, Your face is hidden from Me.  Why does God allow it?  For what purpose?

Do you ever feel like God is far from you?  Christ experienced the same thing… but did the Father really forsake Him?  Did Jesus need to be 'perfected'?  Did Jesus have a lesson He needed to learn?  Here we take an honest look at some of the most disturbing texts in the bible.

Family troubles... wanting a child, wanting godly spouses for your children.  Was Jacob a pansy?  Did God really hate Esau like we define hatred today?  

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil”.  Do you ever feel in life like you are just along for the ride?  If God is driving, what's up with all the bumpy roads?  How can we pray 'lead us not into temptation' when we lead ourselves there on purpose? 

John said you must 'receive Christ'.  There is a BIG difference between 'believing' and 'receiving'.  Accepting a truth does not mean you 'receive' it.  I believe Joe Biden is President, I don't necessarily 'receive' it!  The Greek word 'receive' lambanō means "to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, to be amazed by, to attain, catch, to take by the hand, to take up a thing to be carried!"  IF that is your commitment to Christ, THEN you're are a child of God.

If I force you to give money or coats or food, it's not called ‘giving' anymore.  It's called THEFT!  But what should I do?  Jesus and John both shared similar requests... give.  How does Jesus say He is going to know who are His?

John the Baptist refused to baptize some people.  Not until he saw some fruit of repentance.  No wonder Baptist Preachers aren't very popular!  Just because your daddy is a preacher, or your momma is the best Christian woman since Mother Mary herself, is no guarantee that you are a Christian yourself.

The gift of God… the natural overflow of His personality, is to bestow love upon us… and His desire is for us to love Him back by extending that gift to others.

Why doesn't the book of Luke mention the ugly side of Christmas?  Why is Rachel weeping in Ramah?  Who are the meek that inherit the earth?  Let's put all this together!

The Magi traveled for two years to see the Christ child. The locals couldn't make it 6 miles down the road, even though the Bible makes it clear His birth was widely known . Why was no one interested? It's because Jesus was poor. Herod ‘the Great' wasn't concerned until he saw men of ‘stature' and cash gifts involved.

Being a Parent isn't easy. Mary had her hands full. This short sermon hardly touches the magnitude of a mother's heartbreak, but it explains that a mothers love is to be respected and admired. Luke 2:35 “yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”I believe all mothers, and good fathers, can relate to this truth.

Matthew 16:4, where did Jesus immediately go after He died? To Paradise? Or to the belly of the earth? The answer is clear in the Bible and it may surprise you! One of my favorite studies! Hell, Sheol, Gehenna, Hades, and Paradise.

Christmas Sermon #2, Peace On Earth? If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, where is my peace then? Christ's birth reveals what that peace is and who it's for. The poor, the broken-hearted, those who know they need a Savior.

Matthew begins the New Testament by introducing us to the lineage of Christ. If you ponder these names a bit, you'll see that God demonstrates His love and provision among some really messed up people. So if you think your family is a mess, you will find encouragement knowing you're not alone.

Do you ever feel like you're being put to the fire? Trials and failures happen to everyone. Let's see how God has reveals His patience and mercy during a few fireside get togethers He had in the Bible. One with Isaac, and two with Peter.

Cast all your anxiety upon Christ.   Peter wrote that.  When did Peter learn to do that? Was Jesus ever anxious?  Is anxiety a sin?

Does God allow for divorce?  Is it a sin?  Can you remarry?  What does the Bible actually say?  In this 4 part series you will be set free from misogynist teaching that is used wrongly to support the abuser over the abused.

Does God allow for divorce?  Is it a sin?  Can you remarry?  What does the Bible actually say?  In this 4 part series you will be set free from misogynist teaching that is used wrongly to support the abuser over the abused.

Does God allow for divorce?  Is it a sin?  Can you remarry?  What does the Bible actually say?  In this 4 part series you will be set free from misogynist teaching that is used wrongly to support the abuser over the abused.

Does God allow for divorce?  Is it a sin?  Can you remarry?  What does the Bible actually say?  In this 4 part series you will be set free from misogynist teaching that is used wrongly to support the abuser over the abused.

8/10/20 Does Jesus make you feel like a worthless nothing? Is that who God is to you? A bundle of bad feelings that lasts all day and all night? We are unworthy, but are we worthless?  No! I personally don’t get any pleasure from my wife or kids always confessing what a worthless nothing bag of depravity they are. They aren’t!  I love them dearly! They are made in the image of God.

8/7/20 What an amazing text!  These few verses are a perfect example of how scripture points to Jesus Christ and His attributes.  One of my favorite studies I've ever done!

8/3/19 Doves have a tenderness, a grace, and a devotion to one another so beautiful, that God uses them to describe His relationship with you.  “Your eyes ARE doves.” What have we done to qualify for such a term of endearment from God Himself?

1/29/20 Duet. 15:11 says "For the poor will always be with you"  Jesus even quoted this.  Are there any poor among us? YES, they are all around us... and most don't even know it. How many lessons do we need to hear in God's word before we understand.  Has He given enough? Yes. Who has He given it to? Us.  Are we good stewards?

3/15/2020 Greatest worship service the earth had ever seen! NO words.  No long-winded prayers.  No music even! No flag-wavers, no drums, no fog machines, One woman who knew who He really was in a room full of men who offered nothing but scorn.

Seems pretty popular to say there is no rapture of the church lately, but Paul warned of it, John warned, Peter warned, JESUS warned.  What's the purpose of warning us without giving us exact understanding?  When, where, who and how?  Let's talk about that.

Matthew 17 at the Transfiguration of Christ, God said "This is My beloved Son... Hear Him!”  Some say His words aren't for today, but His words fit now more than ever!  Have you heard what Jesus says?  Hard things.  What and where is His kingdom?  Does it function in you according to His Words?  Are you being transformed into His likeness?  Let's talk about that!

The Poor you have with you always.  26,500 children every day by poverty related deaths.  Doesn’t Jesus care?  Stewardship.  1 John 3:17 "whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"

Many people have had prayers met by God, but never returned to say 'Thanks'.  They knew Gods mercy but didn't honor him as God.  Millions of people say grace, but far too many prove they never were thankful for it.

Text is Luke 17:1-6  "Lord, Increase our faith!".  What's the context?  Forgiveness.  What were the last 5 parables about?  Repentance and Forgiveness. No wonder they asked for help.  If the Apostles themselves felt need to pray about this, how much more should we!

Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son, Lost Job.   What are the "True Riches"? These parables are not about money.  It's about forgiveness.  Nothing cost more than that. 

"whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and DOES them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock".  These SAYINGS of Mine… What are they? He just spent three chapters telling us, but men don't like what He just said.  They would rather be blind, angry, confused and full of fear, because they refuse to trust His ways.