Posts by Matt Morgan

When we have a need it is of no help to us to go to a person (or thing) that is either unwilling or unable (or both) to help us. For example, if I need some help with my taxes I'm not going to go to Starbucks and ask one of the baristas if he can help me with my taxes. There are two reasons for this: First, he is probably going to be busy making drinks for other customer...

Chapter 2 of Ruth seemed to end on a very positive note - Boaz had graciously provided for Ruth and Naomi and it seemed that the time of barley and wheat harvest was going to be very productive time for these widowed women. So what more could this story have for us? That's a good observation, but it's also an incomplete one. The problem at the end of chapter 1 wasn't th...

How do you identify someone you don't know? That's a weird question! In our world the most popular answer would probably be, "Goggle them!" But there was a time not so long ago when you couldn't just "google" someone. And so if you needed to identify someone that you didn't know, you needed clues. "Blind dates" were a great example. Two individuals might have been se...

This week we start a new sermon series through the Old Testament book of Ruth. It is story that is highly regarded by many as one of the best in the Bible. The story begins the way that many stories often do - by defining the problem and the need of the main characters. And that will be the emphasis our our study this week - because unless we rightly understand the prob...

While Christianity is supposed to be a faith centered on a relationship with the Person of Jesus and built upon the story of the Bible (which from start to finish is a story about God's redemptive work in human history through the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus), there has developed in America a "cultural Christianity." Christianity has become mo...

How do you end an examination of a NT letter? What do you do when you see bold faced headings in a final chapter that read things like "Plans for Travel," or "Greetings." Do you mentally check out and just go through the motions of reading the words? Do you make the assumption that there won't be anything of great significance which God can use in your own life to challen...

"Powerless" means that one is without any power. It doesn't mean that some of his power is removed or that most of his power is removed, it means that all of his power is removed. Paul had earlier written that death would be the last enemy put under Jesus' feet. But what will that look like? What will it look like when death is rendered completely powerless? Paul answ...

Have you ever gotten really excited about a new version of something? Most of us have probably heard of individuals lining up outside of stores to get a newer version of some product which they have enjoyed in the past. For some it's the latest version of the iPhone or the iPad; for some it's the latest version of a gaming system like the XBox or Playstation; and for som...

In the first eleven verses of chapter 15 we were challenged to remember and reflect on the gospel each day. We made the case that we can't allow the good news of the gospel to only become one bullet on a list of spiritual things to believe which we check off and move on from. The gospel is something that we should be reflecting on each day and allowing to shape our lives...

We titled this series through the NT letter of 1 Corinthians "Confused?" The reason for this title is because the church at Corinth seemed to be confused about the ways in which God, Jesus, and the gospel were to impact their everyday lives. One of the reasons this may have been the case was because the believers in Corinth were not remembering and reflecting on the gosp...

Have you ever attended a church worship service? Most of you who will read this post have. For some of you it is something you do every week. For others of you it is something you have only done once before. But what I really want you to consider this week is what you were thinking about in the hours the preceded your attendance. Many of you were probably thinking lik...

If you have ever seen one of the episodes of American Idol that shows individuals auditioning to be contestants on the show then you have probably heard the judges ask the individuals the question, "What makes you the next American Idol?" If you think about it, there is really only one acceptable response to that question, "I have the ability to sing extraordinarily well....

There is a good chance that if you are considering reading this post that you have participated in the Lord's Supper before. (It may not be true for all of you, but probably true for most.) And there is also a good chance that you've heard the warning not to participate in the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner. But what does that mean? Many of you probably have an id...

Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians contains one of the most recognizable illustrations in the New Testament. And yet it continues to be one that many believers in Christ refuse to live out. So what's the deal? What is chapter 12 all about? Has the church misunderstood Paul's point in 1 Corinthians 12? Or is our problem one of obedience and faithfulness? This week we'll exam...

This week we take on perhaps the most difficult portion of this letter to the church at Corinth. It addresses a very specific problem in a very specific context and gives almost no supporting details. Yet in the midst of some uncertainty come some profound principles that can certainly be applied to the Church today. Both women AND men need to spend some time giving som...

Living in America - "the land of the free" - really causes us to value our rights and our freedoms. As a nation it seems like we are always working to protect our rights and freedoms. So the idea of laying our freedoms aside doesn't seem very appealing to most of us. I think many of us would be willing to lay aside our rights and freedoms, IF in the end it worked out fo...

Many of us have heard Edmond Burke's (1729-1797) famous quote, "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." I'm not sure what inspired him to say/write this - if it was an original thought or a concept/idea he picked up on while reading something else. But while the quote (and variations of this quote) seem to go back to Edmond Burke, 1 Corinthians 10 sounds...

Races make sense when the runners in the race are all running towards the same finish line. But that takes great self-discipline. The runners have to train hard; they have to know where the finish line is; and they have to stain within their lanes. When runners practice self-discipline then one is able to watch a race and understand what the runners are running after. ...

I'm going to make a big assumption! I'm going to guess that none of you have eaten a meal at the temple of an idol in the last 6 months. So you're probably thinking that you can find something much more productive to do with your time than to work through 1 Corinthians 8, in which Paul addresses some in the church at Corinth who were regularly involved in the practice of...

Those who are engaged to be married will sometimes get anxious or nervous about their engagement. Usually it's because there is a lot of uncertainty about what the future will look like and what life will be like when one's relationship status changes from 'single' to 'married.' However, for many of the single and engaged believers in Corinth, they were anxious and nervo...

Do you ever get the feeling that everyone around you is trying to be the exception, or that people in our culture have presumed that the rules are for everyone else and that they can do as they would like to? That mindset is rampant in America today. But this isn't just a modern day problem. In fact there is evidence that people were struggling with this mindset long be...

The title "Confused?" really is an appropriate one for this sermon series. The believers who made up the church at Corinth were really working hard to understand exactly how God, Jesus, and the Gospel impacted different aspects of our everyday lives. Throw into the confusion a culture that emphasized things like worldly wisdom and people's proneness to wander into sin an...

Worldly wisdom wasn't the only thing that confused the believers who made up the Corinthian church. Many of these individuals also wrestled with issues regarding personal freedom and authority. Their limited scope of what Jesus accomplished in His death, burial, and resurrection combined with popular slogans of the time had led many believers to pursue what they consider...

Have you ever heard someone say, "Just live for the moment?" My guess is that you probably have. In fact some of you may actually try to live your lives by that motto. But have you ever given any consideration to the mindset behind that way of thinking and living? One who thinks that way and lives that way has placed an incredibly high value on the present. And it's a...

On October 1st, 1932 one of the greatest predictions in sports history was made and came true. It is still to this day, perhaps the single greatest moment in the history of baseball. It is a moment well known by many who don't even consider themselves fans of sports. But why is it so well known? Is it because the prediction itself, at the time it was made, was rather u...

In a Nike commercial several years ago, then star NBA player, Charles Barkley responded to criticism that he had started receiving from NBA front office executives and other concerned citizens. In the commercial Charles stated that he was not a role model and that he was not paid to be a role model. He stated that he was a basketball player paid to play basketball. Char...

Can you remember the last test that you took? (For some it hasn't been very long. For other's we have to think back quite a ways.) Do you remember how you felt before the test? Perhaps you experienced an anxiousness that made you wonder if you were really ready for the test. But while most of us probably didn't like taking tests, they were good ways of measuring how mu...

I think that there is evidence to suggest that our perspective towards building things changes over time. When we are young we find enjoyment and satisfaction in the building process. We are eager to build and have little to no care for titles and positions. But as we become adults our perspective towards building changes. Titles and positions are significant; we have ...

In the last passage we noted that Paul de-emphasized worldly wisdom because it isn't something that helps us to understand the Gospel better. Instead it actual hinders us from accepting and believing the good news of salvation that comes through faith in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. As we continue in our examination of Paul's letter to the church at Corinth thi...

Last week we noted that those who had heard the good news of Jesus and believed in Him as Savior and Lord had been "sanctified" (i.e. their identity had changed - they went from evil, sinful individuals living for their own purposes to cleansed and forgiven individuals set apart for God's purposes). But in a culture that placed great value on 'wisdom' some began to be con...

The apostle Paul had proclaimed the good news of Jesus during his second missionary journey in the influential city of Corinth. Initially there were people who responded to the good news by placing their faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, so Paul planted a church there to continue the work of proclaiming the message of salvation through Jesus. But after Paul left it appe...

Most of the time we like to determine our own, personal goals. But there are times when others set personal goals for us. A doctor may tell his patient that his cholesterol is too high and that over the course of the next year, through diet and exercise, he needs to get his cholesterol down. A professor may begin a semester by handing out a syllabus to her students and ...

Like many individuals, most organizations have goals which they are working towards and striving to accomplish. Those goals aren't usually just made up out of thin air though. Most of the time those goals are a result of organizations taking an honest look at themselves, making honest assessments of their weaknesses and/or places that they need to grow, and then putting ...

God did some amazing things for and through Escalate Church in 2012. Last week we talked about the appropriate response to God's goodness, saying that it was both right and appropriate to celebrate Him and what He has done. But we also emphasized the fact that we can't allow our celebration of Him to take us off of the mission that He has called us to. So we strive to c...

Celebrating God's goodness to and through us is a right and appropriate response! And in 2012 God did some really great things for and through Escalate Church - things that we ought to look back on and praise God for! But celebrating God's victories and accomplishments must be done in the right context! God doesn't want us to forsake the mission that He has given to cel...

Over the course of the last three weeks we have attempted to prepare our hearts for Christmas by remembering why the gift of Jesus was so incredibly significant. During that time we have been reminded of some important realities. The first week we remembered that Jesus was the fulfillment of the greatest promise ever made. The second week we remembered that Jesus was th...

Tragedy struck our nation earlier this week - just days before we celebrate Christmas. Now many are wrestling with questions in what is normally a very joyful season. "How could someone do something like this days before Christmas?" "How could someone kill so many innocent little children?" "How can we have hope and joy this Christmas in the shadow of such a great trag...

Those in advertising and marketing often seem to have a finger on the pulse of our culture. They make observations about the way we think and live and then use those observations to try to sell us new things. Recently I've noticed an increase in advertisements in which they are focusing on people standing in line, waiting for the next 'big' thing. But while they stand i...

What are you doing to prepare yourself for Christmas? And how will you know when you are prepared? What are thinking about as Christmas day gets closer? When you'll get your decorating done; who to send Christmas cards to; what gifts you need to purchase; how to arrange your schedule to make the Christmas parties you really want to attend? If we can successfully juggle...

Judges 17 begins and Judges 21 ends with the same statement - "There was no king in Israel." And because there was no one to rule or reign the author and narrator tells us that that resulted in the people ruling and reigning over their own lives and choices. Everyone was doing was right in his or her own eyes. And when everyone did what was right in his own eyes it lead...

There is something different about the Samson narrative that causes it to stand out as unique from the narratives of the preceding judges - it's the author and narrator's recounting of Samson's death. In chapter 16 we see in some detail what led up to and what transpired at Samson's death. In the previous narratives of the judges that preceded Samson the author and narra...

Many believers in Christ love the "picture" of God ruling and reigning. But sometimes they're not so excited about the personal functionality of God's rule and reign - especially when God's rule and reign gets in the way of their own plans and their own glory. Samson should be a poster-child for one who was constantly guilty of putting his own plans before God's. But an...

Have you ever been frustrated by news of someone who had taken a certain oath or been given a certain calling who did not follow through with it? The thing that I often get frustrated with is news of 'dirty cops' - police officers who seem to show no regard for their calling to "serve and protect" and who partner with mob bosses, drug lords, or gangs who are making our co...

What does it mean when you don't recognize someone? It probably means that they haven't played a significant part in your life, right? We don't fail to recognize our spouses or our children. We don't fail to recognize our close friends or our co-workers? The people we tend not to recognize are people we have only met once or twice or people that we have lost contact wi...

Would you be willing to sacrifice someone else's good name, someone else's career, or someone else's life in order to promote or maintain your own good name, your own career, or your own life? Most of us would probably respond very quickly with the answer, 'no.' But we can look all around us in our culture and find numerous examples in politics, in pop culture, and in sp...

Most people don't enjoy seasons of distress or trouble in their lives. And while it is difficult to discern or understand the reasons for some of the seasons of distress and trouble we sometimes experience, sometimes those seasons of distress and trouble are directly related to bad decisions we make. Often times when we find ourselves in those difficult seasons we do our...

"Challenging" may be an understatement in regards to the text of Judges 9. What do we do with a text in which the narrative doesn't fit into the pattern of the 'deliverer' narratives that we have seen thus far, and where both God and the Israelites are almost entirely absent from the text? What do we do with a chapter dedicated to one who was not a God-appointed delivere...

Have you ever known someone who had a tendency to let position or power go to their head? The kind of person who, when given a certain position or authority, would go beyond the position and authority they had been given by assuming even more authority and responsibility? It's not a commendable character trait is it? It's an even greater problem when it is an individual...

Have you ever second guessed someone else's plans or promises? If you're honest with yourself the answer is probably, 'yes.' Most of us are probably very logical thinkers who think through plans that are proposed to us or promises that are made to us. Sometimes the plans that are presented to us or the promises that are made just don't seem all that realistic. And on t...

You may disagree with me on this, but my guess is that most news stations don't look forward to interrupting regularly scheduled programs to bring special reports. I can only imagine the kind of complaints that the news stations get from viewers upset that they missed a portion of their favorite television series or reality show. But news stations will interrupt shows to...

My guess is that far too many of us have experienced a broken promise. But while that is probably a sad reality, I know a few things for certain. (1) The broken promises we have experienced have all been promises made to us by other people. (2) None of us has ever experienced a time when God broke one of His promises. I'm certain of that because all of God's promises a...

Can one who possesses great abilities be a great deliverer if he doesn't follow God's plan? If he saves God's people in remarkable fashion isn't that enough to qualify him as a great deliverer? If he was raised up to deliver God's people from their oppressors and, in the end, that is what he accomplishes, that's enough right? Is following God's plan for deliverance real...

Sometimes distinctions aren't all that important. Some people spend several hours of their week debating distinctions between different football players to try to discern which player will get them the most points for their fantasy football team. Others spend hours reading blogs trying to discover which grocery store has the best deals for that particular week and where ...

Have you ever experienced a time when you knew that something was wrong but you couldn't resolve the problem because you didn't know what the problem was. The unfortunate reality is that this happens a lot in our daily lives. Babies cry and we have difficulty helping them because we don't know why they are crying. People die from cancer but we can't prevent it or cure i...

Often times when we think about those who need to be rescued or delivered from someone or something we think of them as victims. We think that a tragic accident or someone else's bad choices have left innocent people in need of great rescue. And the reality is, that does happen sometimes. But sometimes those who need to be rescued or delivered from someone or something ...

Many people would profess that they believe in God. And of those who profess to believe in God, many would say that they believe that God is mighty and powerful. But of the many who profess that they believe in a mighty and powerful God, very few of those individuals seem to live their lives as if they believe God is mighty and powerful. Far too often we are guilty of l...

We've spent the last twelve weeks working our way through Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. During those twelve weeks we broke apart the letter into different segments and concentrated on the emphasis of each of those individual segments. This week our goal is to connect those segments and to look at Paul's letter in its entirety - to see how those segments connec...

One of the central elements of the Gospel is the concept of 'giving.' It's one of the things which makes the Gospel such incredible news - that although we are sinners undeserving of anything but the full measure of God's wrath, we are given so many incredible things. But while God initiated the act of generous and gracious giving in the Gospel, those of us who are belie...

Have you ever been asked to do something incredibly hard - perhaps even something you thought was impossible for you to do? What was your response? I know that I've been there before and my response was to simply write off the request. I quit before I even gave it a shot. I believe there are times when God asks those who are followers of Christ to do really difficult (...

Think back on the last wedding reception that you went to. First question, "Did the DJ at the reception play a line-dance song?" I'm betting he did. Second question, "Did you join in and participate?" I don't know the answer to that question. But I have been to my fair share of wedding receptions and it seems like at every one the DJ plays at least one line-dance song...

What's the greatest prize worth chasing after? The answer probably depends on who you ask. Some may say something like a Super Bowl ring, a World Series title, or a green jacket from the Masters. Others might say something like great material wealth or personal health. But for the Apostle Paul the answer was something entirely different. In his mind there was only one...

There are so many people in our communities today that believe that in order to be in right standing with God their 'good' has to outweigh their 'bad.' Their belief is that God is standing in heaven with a set of scales and that he is constantly placing their 'good' thoughts, words, and actions on one side of the scale and their 'bad' thoughts, words, and actions on the o...

Twenty years ago Gatorade released a commercial that (in my opinion) had a greater impact than any other commercial I have ever seen. The crazy thing about it though was that the impact the commercial had went far beyond getting people to purchase and drink Gatorade. It inspired an entire generation of boys to aspire to be the best they could be on the basketball court e...

Many individuals like having a daily 'to-do' list. For some it helps to prioritize all that they need to get accomplished and to work more efficiently. Others are motivated by the sense of satisfaction they receive when they complete a task and get to "check it off" from their list. What becomes dangerous is when followers of Christ begin to treat their faith as a 'to-d...

I don't watch a lot of dance performances. But on the occasions when I do get to see dances performed I love to see well performed group dances. I think that they are visually stimulating and amazing to watch. The way the individuals move in unison and harmony, not to put themselves on display, but to put the dance itself on display is fascinating. The shapes they crea...

We live in a culture that constantly calls us self-centeredness. We're supposed to live our lives in pursuit of our own wants, desires, and aspirations and give all of ourselves to that pursuit. We can on occasion do something for someone else's sake, but only as long as it's convenient and doesn't take us too far from our own pursuits. But life as a follower of Christ ...

It's not hard for "bad news" to over-shadow "good news." Especially when the "bad news" appears to be really bad. In this week's passage Paul provides the church at Philippi with an update regarding some of the challenges that he is facing - challenges that would appear to most readers as incredibly bad news. But in the midst of sharing his challenges Paul also lets the...

It seems to me that most people in American society today place a great deal of value on their personal independence. A select few may place some value on lasting partnerships, but I would guess that an overwhelming majority of individuals would still say that partnerships in life aren't essential. And while that may be a popularly held belief the truth we discover in Sc...

Most of us are incredibly guilty of quickly reading over the introduction of NT letters. We think to ourselves, "This is just the author identifying himself and identifying who it is that he's writing to. It's not all that important." The problem is the authors of the NT were under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and often had far more to say in their introductions t...

Following the extraordinary story of John 19 is the extraordinary story of John 20. It's the story of the King who was crucified and put to death, leaving death behind - not for a time or a season, but permanently! It's the story of His resurrection. It seems hard to believe. But the evidence that He leaves, leaves no other explanation. And if the King really has rise...

The story of John 19 has to be considered one of the most gruesome stories in the Bible. It's the story of a horrific and brutal beating and a torturous death. It's a story of a death that many in our generation won't ever really be able to grasp or understand. But what makes this story really extraordinary is that the victim in this story isn't just a man - He's the Ki...

The story of 1 Samuel 17 is one of the most unbelievable stories in the Bible. It's the story of a battle of champions. One of the champions is the most mighty, powerful, and skilled soldiers of an entire nation. The other champion is a young shepherd. And the outcome of the battle is one that no one would expect. But what is the story of 1 Samuel 17 all about? And ho...

The story of Genesis 22 is one of the most gut-wrenching stories in the Bible. The request God makes and the obedience of the one to whom God makes it make us wonder what in the world is going on. So what is the story of Genesis 22 all about? And how does this story really fit into the greater context of the Bible? These are some the questions we'll be exploring in thi...

We conclude our 'Burning Out?' series this week by examining the last section of Paul's second letter to Timothy. ...

In a relay race different runners run different legs of the same race. In order to compete well each runner must give his all to the leg of the race that has been determined for him to run. At the end of his leg each runner wants to be able to say, "I gave my all while running my leg. I didn't hold anything back. I poured myself out completely running the leg of the ra...

While following after Christ and living for the glory of God is the most fulfilling thing we could ever be a part of and what we were created to do, the reality is, it is often a very exhausting and difficult task. Paul had become aware of Timothy's exhaustion and also knew that there were false teachers preying on those who were worn down and might be swayed by the promi...

Too often we buy into the marketing and sales pitches in our culture that tell us that fulfillment, joy, and satisfaction can be found in things. As a result we find ourselves purchasing new and different things to try to find that fulfillment, joy, and satisfaction those products promise. The scary thing is those false promises and clever salesmen aren't isolated to the...

Feeling burnt out in one's faith can be a difficult thing to cope with. It doesn't get any easier when we find ourselves in the midst of trials or difficulties that can sometimes accompany our service for Christ. Add to that the discouragement that can come when we encounter false teachers who make compelling arguments which cause us to doubt the genuineness of our faith...

When we are feeling burnt out in our faith and find ourselves in the midst of the hardships and trials that come as believers in Christ, Satan will often try to deceive us into believing that there is no bright side – that being a follower of Christ is all suffering and misery. But that, like all of Satan’s other whisperings, isn’t the whole truth. S...

When we find ourselves exhausted and worn out in our faith, knowing that we have power to continue and press on would be a great encouragement. And that's exactly what Paul reminds Timothy of in this passage. Paul knew that the proclamation of the gospel wasn't an easy task and that there were difficulties involved. But Paul was also certain of the power that he possess...

I became an owner of a charcoal grill during the summer and thoroughly enjoined using it to cook out. But I learned an important lesson a few weeks ago when I attempted to cook out on a particularly cold winter night. The cold temperatures caused the hot charcoal to die out incredibly quickly and left me with a bunch of half-cooked burgers. There I sat with no way of re...

Ever feel like you're getting 'burned out' in life? How about in faith? We begin a new series this week that we're calling "Burning Out.?" We'll be examining the New Testament book of 2 Timothy and looking to discover the biblical answer for 'burn out." We hope you'll join us along the way!...

We end our series, Great Leader, Exceptional Follower, this week studying the final chapter of the Old Testament book of Joshua (chapter 24). It's a compelling chapter which (1) encourages us to reflect on the unique form of God's graciousness and faithfulness in our lives and then (2) challenges us to respond in the appropriate way. Joshua's charge to the Israelites in ...

During the Christmas season it isn't uncommon to see pictures and images of the 'Nativity' scene. Many people know that Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable and that after His birth she placed Him in a manger. But is there any significance in the manger? Or was the manger just a convenient place to lay the newborn baby to rest? A quick reading of Jesus' birth narrative...

What is it that inspires someone to be exceptional in the way they follow after another? For several weeks now we have been in a series in which we have argued that the OT leader of the Israelite nation, Joshua, was more than just a great leader - he was an exceptional follower of God. And as the OT book of Joshua draws to a conclusion, we find Joshua exhorting the Israe...

Throughout our study of Joshua so far we have noted that Joshua was a great leader. We have noted even more importantly that Joshua was an exceptional follower of God. But would we ever consider Joshua a 'superhero?' In chapter 11 of the book of Joshua the author of the text certainly paints a picture of Joshua that resembles a superhero. But for what purpose? That's ...

What would you do if on your way out the door this morning you discovered a rough and tough biker gang gathered in your driveway waiting to beat you up? What would you do? Would you just pretend they weren't there and head out the door? Of course you wouldn't! You wouldn't go out and face that kind of enemy without some kind of help! In our passage this week we find J...

Have you ever re-connected with a person from your past that you had been separated from for a long time? To past generations that was always a big deal. For our generation it's something we are starting to take lightly because it's becoming far more common through means of social media, like Facebook. For future generations it's something that they may never even exper...

Have you ever suffered consequences as a result of someone else's disobedience? How serious were those consequences? While they may have been serious consequences, I'm guessing it probably wasn't as bad as having the "burning anger of God" directed at you. Now what if I told you that because of someone else's disobedience the reality for both you and I is that God's ang...

The Old Testament story of the fall of the city of Jericho is one of many amazing stories in the Old Testament. A lot of times I hear people refer to the story as the "Battle of Jericho." But 'battle' seems to be a little bit of a misnomer - at least in the way the story is recounted in the Old Testament book of Joshua. This week we are going to examine the text of Josh...

Maintaining a right perspective all of the time can be a very difficult thing to do. There are many different things that can cause us to loose a right perspective. Excitement, fear, and stress are just a few things among many that can cause us to think and behave differently. But maintaining a right perspective is important in life. It's important that we see things a...

The generation of Israelites that came out of the wilderness and into the Promise Land was (at least for a time) an extraordinary generation. While we often think of the Israelites in the OT as a disobedient and idolatrous people, this generation, as we have seen over the last few weeks and will continue to see this week was exceptional in the way they believed and follow...

Have you ever watched one of those big award ceremonies on television like the Oscars or the Grammys? Do you ever get the feeling that the individuals who win the awards are just thanking others out of a sense of obligation? Do you think that they spend time throughout the course of a regular day thinking about those individuals and the difference that they have made in ...

Have you ever had someone around you whose very presence created a new reality for you? Perhaps you knew someone who was able to get you backstage at a concert or on the playing field of an NFL football game. Most of us will never have an opportunity to do something cool like that because most of us don't know someone who works for an NFL team or who is a member of a ver...

Over the last two weeks we emphasized the importance of the God-appointed shepherd over the Israelites in the OT. We spent time talking about what the God-appointed shepherd was to do and be for God's people. We also talked about how Jesus fulfilled those same things as the 'Good' Shepherd for God's people today. This week we will see what exactly a God-appointed shephe...

Joshua 1:1-9 is one of the most well known passages in the OT. Verse 9 is one of those verses many of us memorize and do our best to apply to our lives. But I wonder sometimes if we miss some of the bigger points of the text? While Joshua 1:1-9 has some encouraging exhortations, God's plan and God's call in the text have HUGE gospel implications. While we often read th...

It's not hard to look around our community and find jobs that are incredibly important. But on some occasions we encounter jobs that make us wonder, "Is that job really necessary?" One job position that comes into existence with Moses is the role of 'shepherd' for God's people. It was a position that God-appointed Moses to and a position that God has continued to appoin...

We all know that bad habits are hard to break. And the earlier we can make good habits a regular part of our daily living, the more likely we are to continue in those healthy habits. On of the things many of us begin to practice early on is the habit of following our own hearts and our own desires. Unfortunately, those are bad habits that often lead us away from followi...

Does God call Christians to be pacifists? Certainly the Bible says that we are to love others (including our enemies), to forgive, and to show compassion and mercy. But I would also argue that the Bible teaches that there is a time to fight. The question is, when are we to fight and what are we to fight for? Jude takes on that question and in his letter and helps us to...

One of the knocks on church and religion are the experiences that some individuals have had (and which others have heard about) with a specific church, pastor, or religious leader who has made very legalistic demands on the lives of the people. Throughout history some churches and leaders have at times abused their authority and demanded of their people things that the Bib...

Have you every heard the statement, "I don't need organized religion or the church." Perhaps that's the stance that you, yourself, have taken. It's an incredibly popular position in our culture today. But here's the thing, it might very well be the answer to a bad question formed with a faulty presupposition. What exactly does that mean? Check out this week's post for...

One of the knocks on church and religion are the experiences that some individuals have had (and which others have heard about) with a specific church, pastor, or religious leader who has made very legalistic demands on the lives of the people. Throughout history some churches and leaders have at times abused their authority and demanded of their people things that the Bib...

One of the knocks on church and religion are the experiences that some individuals have had (and which others have heard about) with a specific church, pastor, or religious leader who has made very legalistic demands on the lives of the people. Throughout history some churches and leaders have at times abused their authority and demanded of their people things that the Bi...

How would you answer the question, "Does the news of the Gospel deserve a response?" Some of you might answer 'yes' but you have never given any real consideration to the news of the Gospel or thought about what kind of response should be given. Some of you might answer 'no.' But I would argue there have been other far less important events in your life which have compe...

When it comes to building our faith, there are several different foundations upon which we can build. But not all foundations are equal! In this portion of Mark's gospel we will see that there is only one foundation which we can build our faith upon that will produce a strong and courageous faith. The sad reality though is that most of us aren't really building our fait...

The death of Jesus on the cross was one of the most revealing acts of God in all of history. In the death of Jesus on the cross we can learn a lot about God and a lot about His plan for salvation. We can also learn a lot about the role that Jesus played in all that. But unfortunately, most people will read about it or listen to the story of it and fail to spend any time...

Most of us are familiar with the idea of "getting what you deserve." And most of us are okay with that concept (at least when it doesn't involve us). But most of us get a bad taste in our mouths when we think about an innocent person getting what a guilty person deserves. We have a hard time swallowing that. But what if I said that each of us actually needs an innocent...

Have you ever found yourself in a difficult or uncomfortable situation in which you had an opportunity to bear witness for Jesus? What did you do? Did you represent Jesus well, or did you seek to protect and preserve yourself? Jesus once found Himself in one of those positions. At the same time Peter, one of His closest disciples, found himself in a very similar positi...

Do you ever find your heart desiring something outside of God's will? If so, which usually wins out in those circumstances, your desire or God's will. Most believers in Christ would probably want to say that in those circumstances God's will wins out. But if we answered honestly we would have to say that there are times when we choose our own selfish desires. When we c...

In our culture today it's not uncommon to find people who feel like they have to earn the favor of God and Jesus. They work hard to live good moral lives and to do things that they believe will cause God to be happy with them. They believe that the faithfulness of God and Jesus is dependent on their self-righteousness (i.e. "If I am God then God will remain faithful to m...

Who do we look at as genuine followers of Jesus? Pastors? Seminary professors? Certain Christians that you know? Perhaps even yourself? What do we base that on? Their title? Their position? Their church attendance? Is it possible that some of those who we would expect to be the most devoted followers of Jesus, aren't? Is it possible that some of those that we wou...

Many of us probably wouldn't use the word "complacency" to describe our discipleship. In fact many of us would probably be offended if someone else told us that we were complacent in regards to our discipleship. But Jesus saw the danger of complacency overtaking His followers and in this portion of Mark's gospel we see Him calling His disciples to be vigilant in their di...

According to one individual, Harold Camping, Jesus is returning in just a few days. He believes, based on some unique math and personal theories, that Jesus is going to return on Saturday, May 21, 2011 to rapture believers in Jesus and take them to Heaven. When you hear his explanation you realize that this man has probably spent months and years trying to assign numbers...

This passage of Scripture is a very unique one. Not often do you find passages in which Jesus summarizes both the most important teaching of the OT and all that His life and ministry communicated to us. But that's what Mark conveys to us in these few verses of his gospel. In terms of understanding what we are called to as disciples of Christ, this has to be one of the m...

When you compare yourself to others and the way they live are you content? When you consider your own personal wisdom and understanding of the Bible are you content? Is it possible that we have presumed that our way of living and our knowledge of the Bible is sufficient and that we don't have any need for further instruction? Have we become prideful in our wisdom? In t...

Most of us have probably crossed paths with someone who was opposed to God and Jesus. We've probably all heard of someone who challenged the idea that Jesus was God's Son and that salvation is only possible through Him. Jesus, Himself, even faced outright opposition to His authority. Do you know how He responded? You probably should. Because I would argue that while f...

Two thousand years of separation, a remarkably different culture, and our own presuppositions can make understanding some Biblical texts really challenging. Even texts that we have heard many times and which we think we have a handle on can have very different meanings. I believe that's the case with this week's text. Mark records narratives that have been popularly lab...

What's the difference between 'hope' and 'confidence?' Sometimes it's just having someone to explain things to you and provide a model to follow. We can take on a task without any explanation of what we are to do and how we are to do it. But in those instances all we can do is 'hope' that we are doing the right thing the right way. But if we have someone explain to us ...

Is there any context in which 'bad' news delivered to us could actually be 'good' news? No, not just 'good' news but 'really good' news? Perhaps it's all in how we look at it. In Jesus' encounter with a rich young ruler and the dialogue that He has with His disciples afterwards we find what might appear at first glance to be some bad news. But upon a deeper examination...

Have you ever considered the question above, "Whose team is Jesus really on?" Some of you reading this might honestly answer 'yes' because you have wondered that question. Many of you would probably answer 'no' because you have some beliefs about Christ that you hold firmly. But I would guess that in a very practical sense, most, if not all of us, have posed this questi...

In last week's text we saw the difference that Jesus' power made - when He showed up on the scene demonic forces were rendered helpless and Jesus took ownership of and granted new life to a boy who was left for dead. What must it have been like for these 12 disciples? Can you imagine what it must have felt like to have the privilege of spending so much time with Jesus, o...

Have you ever desired to do something extraordinary for God? Here's a little bad news - if you're striving to do that in your own strength and by your own abilities, you're never going to accomplish it. In this week's text Mark makes it very clear that the only way we can accomplish anything of Kingdom value is if we are calling on the power and presence of Jesus. Mark ...

Jesus came to suffer! It sounds crazy - we know. The idea that the Son of God's mission here on earth was to suffer for us sounds anything but normal. The idea that God would send His Son to earth for the purpose of journeying towards and hanging on a cross doesn't seem like the plan of a good and loving God. But while it may not sound normal there is good explanation. ...

In our physical bodies the organs in the middle (e.g. our heart and lungs) are essential for life. In other words our central organs are central for physical life. Mark does something very similar in his gospel. Right in the very middle of Mark's gospel he includes some things that are essential to our spiritual and eternal life. Here we find both a question and an exp...

Have you ever tried to teach little kids to swim? Let's just say it's not the easiest thing in the world to do. There are a handful of unique challenges you face when you try to teach a young child who has no idea how to swim some of the basics. What's interesting in our passage this week is that some of the challenges Jesus faces with His disciples and with us are some...

Typically when we hear the word 'abundant' our minds are drawn to something that, in our own personal contexts, there is a lot of. Maybe we think that there is an abundance of sand at the beach or an abundance of water in the oceans. But there are still limitations involved with those things. As Mark lays out for his readers through three different narratives the abunda...

In Mark chapter 7 the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem show back up on the scene. Opposition, we know, is imminent. The question is simply, "what will trigger it?" Verse 2 tells us that this time it's Jesus' disciples eating a meal with unclean hands. Jesus spends no time getting past this though and challenging the Pharisees and the scribes on the real issue at ha...

The amount of misunderstanding surrounding Jesus is amazing sometimes, especially when both Jesus' actions and words point so clearly to His true identity. Yet people, from the time that Jesus was living and ministering on earth through the present, have continued to fail to see and realize just who He is. People both then and today have misunderstood or failed to recogn...

Last week's text ended with verse 30 which said, "The apostles returned to Jesus and told Him all that they had done and taught." They had counted the cost and answered the call to serve Him and returned excited about all that had taken place. But is that what it's all about? Serving and performing well? Jesus' response in verse 31 will answer that question. And in th...

Ask most American Christians if they really treasure Christ and most of them would probably answer 'yes.' But why are so few actively serving and why are so few willing to deny themselves some of the things that make them comfortable in order to better spread the good news of the gospel? In this passage of Scripture we'll see that Jesus presents His followers with a call...

In this week's text we see a surprising response from the people of Jesus' hometown of Nazareth when He returns and they begin to hear His teaching and news of His extraordinary miracles. It's not the same kind of response that we are used to in our culture. While we love to celebrate our hometown heroes the people of Nazareth don't celebrate Jesus at all. We'll consider...

Since our Sunday morning service was cancelled as a result of the weather conditions and since 2011 is just a few days away I thought that we would use our small group time to ask a few questions to help us prepare ourselves for a new calendar year. ...

Merriam-Webster defines the word 'despair' as "to lose all hope or confidence." That's a pretty serious condition! In this week's text Jesus encounters two individuals who can't be characterized in any other way. Despair has set in and these individuals need someone to run to. And in these verses from chapter 5 of Mark's gospel we find more good news about Jesus - that...

Last week we examined Jesus' provocative power and the response it demands when we looked at the account of Jesus calming a raging storm on the sea. This week we will continue to look at Jesus' provocative power and the response it demands when we see Jesus calm a raging storm within an individual. The story ends with what I believe is one of the scariest and saddest ver...

In typical Mark style, Mark spares us the details and gives us a very short account (only seven verses) of one of, if not THE most incredible miracles of Jesus' ministry. But while the account is short Mark 4:35-41 still does an incredible job of putting Jesus' provocative power on display. And just as Jesus and this great miracle demanded a response from His disciples a...

In Mark 4:21-34 Mark presents his readers with three short parables that Jesus taught. In each of the parables we see some great things taking place. But one of the remarkably noticeable characteristics of each of the parables is the lack of action on the part of any people present in the parables. Instead we see Jesus and the gospel message at work. And what becomes v...

Mark's gospel changes briefly in format beginning in chapter 4. Rather than being made up almost exclusively of narrative about Jesus, chapter 4 is largely a direct recounting of some of Jesus' teachings. In this sermon we looked at Jesus' parable of the sower (vs. 1-20). Throughout this account Jesus paints a picture of Himself as the gracious Giver of the gospel. Unf...

In the text of Mark 3:7-19 Mark articulates Jesus' definition of discipleship. But knowing what Jesus calls us to as disciples isn't all we need to know. In this passage of Scripture, Mark 3:20-35, Mark articulates for the reader two important traits of Jesus that we must know and be convinced of if we are really going to be His disciples. Mark presents to us a picture ...

There are so many today ("Christians" and non-Christians alike) who are confused about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. In Mark 3:7-19 Mark illustrates for his readers what being a disciple of Jesus is not and what Jesus, Himself, says that it is. What is shocking is that there are so many today who claim to be disciples of Jesus but look so much like those in th...

This is the second part of a two part sermon that will cover Mark 2:1-3:6. As we move on into the second chapter of Mark's gospel we will begin to see a theme that Mark develops throughout his entire gospel account - the theme of Jesus being at odds with the religious leaders. And as I have examined the text is seems that one point Mark emphasizes is that Jesus chose to be...

This is the first part of a two part sermon that will cover Mark 2:1-3:6. As we move on into the second chapter of Mark's gospel we will begin to see a theme that Mark develops throughout his entire gospel account - the theme of Jesus being at odds with the religious leaders. And as I have examined the text is seems that one point Mark emphasizes is that Jesus chose to b...

The gospel of Jesus Christ isn't good news unless the readers have hope that this Savior is a compassionate Savior. In Mark 1:29-45 Mark details for his readers two specifications of Christ's Compassion: the scope of Jesus' compassion and the depth of Jesus' compassion. The accounts Mark uses to proclaim these truths are shocking accounts, but articulate well that Jesus'...

Having just introduced us to Jesus in verses 1-13, Mark now sets out to show his readers Jesus' ministry plan. By understanding His message, His partnership, and His authority, believers in Christ can have great confidence as they partner with Him in ministry....

In the first few verses of the gospel of Mark, Mark provides his readers with an introduction to Jesus. In that introduction he tears down some wrongly help presuppositions and emphasizes important truths. Readers of the gospel of Mark need to be rightly introduced to Jesus so that they will consider His life, teachings, and ministry and respond to those....