Sermons

This morning we observed Palm Sunday by considering the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus, where He entered Jerusalem surrounded by excited onlookers, hailing Him as King. It was a sort of royal coronation as, in that moment, the people recognized His right to the throne of Israel. They shouted out with great enthusiams, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” (21:9). One of the remarkable things about this event was its display of divine gentleness. In unique and stunning fashion, and in fulfillment of prophecy (cf. Zech 9:9), Jesus rode into town on that day “gentle, and mounted on a donkey” (21:5). The same Christ who created all things and who sustains all things and who had recently demonstrated His divine power through many miracles, even raising one man from the dead (cf. John 11), chose the most lowly and humble way to show Himself that day. In a world full of people impressed with feats of strength, Jesus demonstrated astounding gentleness. Surrounded by people naturally obsessed with making themselves a big deal, Jesus made Himself a small deal. And, in a moment of divinely granted clarity, some people in the crowd recognized that humility as glorious and as a sign of true royalty. Thus, they hailed Him as their King. Meanwhile, the Pharisees who were outraged by the whole thing, implored Jesus, “Rebuke your disciples.” To which He responded, “If these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (Luke 19:39-40).

In a world filled with conflict, there is no shortage of blame. Each person is convinced of their own righteousness, yet only God is perfectly righteous and pure in His motives. While God may use human agents to accomplish His purposes, wherever people are involved, sin, selfishness, and brokenness are present. In such a world, the book of Jeremiah offers a wise approach to life: live life freely where God has placed you, seek the good of your community, and remember that true hope and restoration come from God alone (Jeremiah 29:4–14). The book of James further reveals that external conflicts are not merely circumstantial, but flow from deeper internal struggles within the human heart (James 4:1–3). Nowhere is this inner conflict more evident than in those who experience war. Even when a service member fights in a just cause under proper authority, the tension between duty and conscience can leave lasting wounds. These unseen struggles—often described as moral injury—reflect a deeper conflict within the soul. At times, obedience to authority requires actions that carry lifelong weight. Yet these wounds are not beyond healing. The God who makes all things new cares deeply for those whose souls are in turmoil and brings true restoration. If we long to see peace in the world around us, we must first recognize the war within us. Lasting peace begins not on the battlefield, but in the human heart—through the transforming work of the Prince of Peace.

We live with a form of dual citizenship. Our ultimate reality is found in the eternal Kingdom of God, where Christ reigns and where righteousness, peace, and joy characterize life with Him. At the same time, we live in earthly societies that are broken, conflict-filled, and governed by imperfect human authorities. Scripture teaches that God sovereignly establishes governing authorities to restrain evil, maintain order, and promote the general good of society—even when those authorities are flawed. While earthly governments may wield the sword to execute justice and protect the vulnerable, the character of God's Kingdom is revealed most clearly in Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself and gave His life as the Lamb of God. Christians must therefore learn to live in this tension: submitting to governing authorities, seeking justice and peace in society, and valuing the humility, love, and righteousness of Christ in a world marked by conflict.

We are living in a society that seems more divisive and fractured than ever before...at least in our lifetime. All it takes is one scroll down our Facebook feed and we are reminded how polarized our culture has become, especially when it comes to politics. We scan our screens and we are barraged with political opinions and protests, as our friends on the left blast our friends on the right and vice versa. You can feel the tension and hostility through your phone. Sometimes you keep moving, you stay above the fray, and you make it out relatively unscathed. Other times, you take the bait. Your mind races and your emotions surge as you fill the comments section with your disapproval and counter-arguments. "I'm right. They're wrong. And they are going to hear about it," you think to yourself. Why can political debates be so emotionally charged and relationally destructive? Why are we so divided today? Is it because of Covid? Is it social media? Is the divisive rhetoric of this or that politician to blame? The Bible reveals that there is something deeper beneath these non-stop battles, something in the heart that only God can address. In today's message, we take some time to think through God's truth on why we fight, quarrel, and divide in these ways and how the love of God for us through Jesus is our only real help and our only real hope.

As the author of Hebrews brings his letter of exhortation to a close, he ends with a wishful yet confident plea, like a prayer, that God will equip His people for the challenges before them. Contrary to what his readers may have been tempted to think, trusting in the simple realities of the Gospel—which he has unfolded for them throughout the book—provided their greatest security in an insecure world. There was no true help to be found in returning to Judaism or any of its traditions or associations. They were instead fully supplied through the finished work of Christ alone. While singular trust in Him may have seemed too simple, or worse yet, too passive, it was actually the key to a life of fruitfulness, well-pleasing to God. Likewise today, the all-sufficiency of Who Jesus is for us and what He has done for us does not render us lazy, fruitless, or ill-equipped for life's challenges, but renders us productive, fruitful, and fully equipped for them. It is a guarantee, settled within the everlasting covenant God has established with His people through the blood of Christ. It is Jesus' sacrifice for us, not our sacrifices for Him, that ultimately secures us in this world. More than anything else, learning of this security is what God uses to produce fruitfulness that brings good to us and glory to Him. Like the author of Hebrews, we can trust God to “equip [us] in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever” (v. 21).

In this message on Hebrews 13:15–19, Pastor Robert Clark emphasizes the call of Hebrews to place our full trust in Christ alone, without hedging our loyalties or diversifying our hope. The writer of Hebrews is utterly persuaded of the superiority, sufficiency, and singularity of Jesus—our once-for-all sacrifice, unchanging Savior, and secure hope in an unshakable kingdom—and urges believers to be persuaded (πείθω) and to yield (ὑπείκω) to the faithful proclamation of this same Christ. Safety is found only in union with Him, outside the camp, where confidence replaces fear and faith preserves the soul. This persuasion expresses itself in “lips that confess His name” and “lives that reflect His generosity,” as the Word of Christ creates faith that clings to Him and overflows in love toward others. The central question remains: if Jesus alone is our eternal security, are we fully persuaded to entrust ourselves—without contingency plans—to Him?

Tucked within his closing thoughts for the Hebrews, the author includes another brilliant Gospel gem that highlights the uniqueness and value of fellowship with Jesus. Referencing Old Testament imagery of things like the tabernacle, the altar, the animal sacrifices, the priests, etc., he once again demonstrates how Jesus is the fulfillment of all those historic icons and practices. Specifically, he zeroes in on the tradition of sacrificial animal carcasses being taken "outside the camp" due to their uncleanness and cursed status. In God's redemptive plan, this ritual is a divinely prescribed foreshadowing of Jesus being despised, rejected, and expelled from the religious community as He bears the sins of His people on the cross. The author invites His readers to realize the value of Jesus, to accept their cursed nature and status as sinners, and to find the best kind of fellowship with Him "outside the camp." That is where we come to know Him and to experience His love and forgiveness. Nowhere other than with Him--with our sovereign Creator and loving Savior--do we find the true belonging and true inclusion our souls long for.

As the author closes his letter of exhortation, he gives practical instruction to his recipients regarding their treatment of one another, including their leaders. These rare and valuable messengers had preached the Gospel to them and led them away from lies into the truth. Their voices proclaimed the clear, unadulterated, life-giving message of God's grace--the only stengthening message (v. 9)--and their lives exemplified faith and its fruits. They upheld "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever" (v. 8). They invited their hearers to join them outside the camp, where fellowship with Christ occurs, and to look forward to the lasting city to come (vv. 10-14). The author urges his hearers to "remember" these leaders (v. 7) and to hold them in high esteem as generous gifts of a gracious God.