Sermons - Lander Evangelical Free Church

Take heart.  Even in dark times, God is sovereign - He has overcome the world.  

We begin a new sermon series in First Samuel, an Old Testament narrative featuring the lives of Samuel, Saul, and David.  Read chapter one and learn about the character of Hannah during a spiritual low point of Israel.  Thanks for listening!

We wrap up Hebrews with one more chapter, putting further detail on how to run the race set before us. Read Hebrews 13 and thanks for listening. 

In our penultimate sermon in Hebrews we address the final warning passage and a multifaceted description of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Read Hebrews 12:14-29 and thanks for listening.  

The Hall of Faith ultimately points to Jesus, the opening of chapter 12, where we get an extended athletic metaphor for the spiritual life and several very famous phrases. Read Hebrews 12:1-13 and thanks for watching. 

Part II of the Hall of Faith, we look at several more figures as well as the rapid fire list at the end and seek the encouragement this list provides. Read Hebrews 11:17-40 and thanks for watching! 

Hebrews 11 is famous for being a Hall of Faith, so let's see what a closer inspection of these examples shows us and how it fits with the author's larger encouragement. Read Hebrews 11:1-16 and thanks for listening!  Happy Mother's Day! 

Hebrews turns to exhortations and its fourth warning passage as the author continues to encourage his readers to go forward. Read Hebrews 10:19-39 and thanks for watching.  

We resume where we left off in Hebrews, with some further insights into the Resurrection as we contemplate the work of Jesus. Read Hebrews 10:1-18 and thanks for listening. 

He is Risen! Having finished our Lenten time in Job, we turn to the Gospel of John for his account of the Resurrection, both an end and a beginning. Read John 20 and thanks for listening! 

The book of Job culminates in God's speeches to Job, which are beautiful and awe inspiring, yet not the answers we might have expected. Read Job 38 and 42 and thanks for listening!

One more interruption occurs before we get to God's reply, as Elihu comes out of nowhere and rebukes both Job and his friends. But is he right? Read Job 32 and 37 and thanks for listening! 

Job now replies to his friends' accusations and we continue to ponder what his friends said wrong and what Job gets right. Read Job 13 and 19 and thanks for listening.  

Job's poetry continues with the speeches of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who did so well in silence and now do so badly when they speak. Read Job 4 and 5 and thanks for listening! 

We turn from the narrative of Job to the poetry, beginning with Job's response to his suffering. Read Job chapter 3 and 7 and see you Sunday.

We begin the season of Lent with the prologue of Job, in which all the events happen, setting up the three rounds of speeches that take up most of the book. Read Job 1 and 2 and thanks for listening. 

Hebrews 9 continues the discussion of the better sacrifice, sanctuary, and covenant that Jesus brings, all of which points to this great salvation that he provides. Read Hebrews 9 and thanks for listening. 

Having laid a strong foundation in the priesthood of Jesus, Hebrews now progresses to some of the ramifications of that priesthood in a better covenant, better sacrifice, and better sanctuary. Read Hebrews 8 and thanks for listening. 

We finally get to talk about Melchizedek in one of my favorite texts that subtly but clearly and beautifully teaches the divinity of Jesus and his superiority to Abraham and the Levitical priesthood. Read Hebrews 7 and thanks for listening. 

Hebrews now challenges us with one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament, but which may in fact lead to peace and joy. Read Hebrews 6 and thanks for listening! 

The author of Hebrews moves from the superiority of Jesus over Moses and Joshua to Aaron the High Priest, introducing the mysterious figure of Melchizedek, and also beginning the third, and hotly debated, warning. Read Hebrews 5:1-6:3 and thanks for listening! 

Hebrews continues with one of its most grammatically complicated passages, and some equally puzzling statements about work and rest, fear and confidence. Read Hebrews 4 and thanks for listening. 

Hebrews continues with the second warning and another exposition of a psalm. Read Hebrews 3 and thanks for listening.

Having begun theologically, Hebrews now turns to the first of five much disputed warning passages. Read Hebrews 2 and see you Sunday.    

With a new year we start a new series on Hebrews, a letter that hopefully will gain new clarity in light of our time in Exodus. Read Hebrews 1 and thanks for listening.

We have read the accounts, and heard the recorded testimonies.   Through songs and prayer we experienced the thrill of the Christmas story and birth of Jesus.  But now that the day we celebrate is past,  what is next for Jesus?  What is next for us?  Thanks for listening as we close out the Advent Season as we move into the new year of 2025.

The next edition of Matthew's Christmas story focuses on the fulfillment of three prophecies.  Read Matthew 2:13-23 and thanks for listening. 

Matthew turns to a story unique to his gospel, the coming of the Magi, and we must sadly ruin a few carols and many nativity scenes when we discover what Matthew actually wrote about this event. Read Matthew 2:1-12 and thanks for listening! 

Matthew continues his focus on Joseph with the annunciation in a short passage that beautifully highlights Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Read Matthew 1:18-25 and thanks for listening!

The Season of Advent begins and we turn to Matthew's account of the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity, starting with.... a genealogy. Read Matthew 1:1-17 and see you Sunday.

Our final sermon in Exodus, we see the conclusion of this story as well as hinting at the next as we ponder the Gospel in the Old Testament. Read Exodus 40 and thanks for listening. 

Our largest chunk yet, we take 5 chapters all at once, primarily because there is so much repetition here from earlier. But why such repetition? Read Exodus 35-39 and thanks for listening. 

God restores the Mosaic Covenant after the Golden Calf because of who he is, and there is also a slightly humorous mistranslation. Read Exodus 34 and thanks for listening.

While the Golden Calf is very well known, some of the aftermath is less discussed, particularly the importance of the presence of God. Read Exodus 33 and thanks for listening!

Right there with the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, the Golden Calf is one of the most iconic moments in Exodus, but it is less often seen in the full context of the story of redemption up to this point. Read Exodus 32 and thanks for listening! 

Another large section, we look at the instructions for the priesthood in the Mosaic covenant and again contemplate what this tells us about Jesus and who we are meant to be. Read Exodus 28-31 and see you Sunday. 

Three chapters this week, we look at the blueprints for the tabernacle and ponder God's instructions for his dwelling place among his people. Read Exodus 25-27 and see you Sunday.

Having looked at the Covenant and Law, we now arrive at its ratification, and hopefully see some New Testament parallels. Read Exodus 24 and thanks for listening! 

We speed up again and take the whole Book of the Covenant in one go, trying to understand the forest even if we miss a few trees along the way. Read Exodus 21-23 and thanks for listening!

We finish the Decalogue this week with the horizontal commandments and seek to understand what they reveal about humanity. Read Exodus 20:12-26 and thanks for listening. 

We take one command and one command only this week, the much disputed Sabbath command and try to understand the different Christian applications and why they disagree. Read Exodus 20:8-11 and thanks for listening!

We slow down as we discuss the first three of the Ten Commandments and explore how they reveal who God is and who we should be. Read Exodus 20:1-7 and thanks for listening. 

God shows himself at Mt. Sinai and the covenant relationship with Israel changes before the Law begins in earnest. Read Exodus 19 and thanks for listening.

Israel's journey continues in the wilderness as they approach Sinai and face additional challenges. Read Exodus 17:8-18:27 and thanks for listening!

We continue the journey in the wilderness, as well as the murmuring and God's faithfulness. Read Exodus 16-17:7 and thanks for asking. 

We turn back to the Old Testament and the Exodus story, but pick up where we left off, after most of the famous stuff has already happened. So what are the rest of these chapters for? Read Exodus 15 and thanks for listening. 

Luke 24: 13-35 

Hebrews 11

Paul concludes this letter to the Corinthian church with a theme of community landcare.  Read I Corinthians 16:1-24 and thanks for listening. 

Paul concludes his final topic of the resurrection with beautiful imagery about the power of God and last exhortation to live life in light of the Gospel. Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 and thanks for listening! 

Paul turns to his final subject, the resurrection of Jesus that forms the central message of the gospel which he is calling the Corinthians to live in light of. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-34 and thanks for listening!