Category: sermons

When the Crowds Leave

Let’s face it. When it comes to church, we often feel validated by how well our services are attended. If attendance is increasing, we must be doing something right.

Conversely, if attendance is dwindling, we must be doing something wrong.

However, neither attitude is correct. Often, doing the right thing means fewer people are willing to walk with you, which means attendance will be lower.

Jesus saw this in John 6, when He told the multitudes that He would not be feeding them miraculously every day, and that they must fully trust in Him to enter the Kingdom. Scripture says the multitude departed and would not walk with him anymore.

John the Baptist saw this in John 3, when Jesus launched His earthly ministry, and people began following Jesus rather than John.

The idea of being validated by attendance, and by how many people walked with you is not new. The Pharisees often validated themselves and respected each other based on how many disciples each one had.

So, when the Pharisees observed John’s following dissipating while the Lord’s following skyrocketed, they asked him about it. John’s response?

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John’s confession was not one of resignation or defeat, but rather of victory.

The entire ministry of John the Baptist centered on the idea of preparing the people to meet Christ. Once Christ arrived, it only made sense for the people to follow the Lord instead of the prophet that heralded the Lord.

So, when John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” in essence, he was saying, “mission accomplished.” He then compared his feelings to that of a best man at a wedding, who rejoiced to see the groom with his bride.

One major struggle of the Christian life is the ongoing battle with the temptation to make everything about us. We want the Lord to validate us in this life, to show us victory in this life, and to bless our dreams and ambitions in this life.

In reality, this life is about glorifying the Lord and leading people to salvation. In order to do that, we have to make our lives about the Lord, not about ourselves. The struggle is that this goes against the natural impulses of the flesh, which seeks to glorify itself.

If you live in the South Plains of Texas, join us Sunday morning at First Baptist Church in Hermleigh, TX, as we explore this concept further, in a message I’ve entitled, “The Shrinking Baptist.” Sunday worship is at 10:50 a.m., with Sunday School beforehand at 10 a.m.

If you are not located near Hermleigh, the message will be posted on this blog the following day. May God continue to bless you as you look to Him.

Born Again!

The Pharisees were certain that when the Christ came, He would congratulate them on their piety and would validate their traditions and practices. However, when Jesus came, He dined with sinners and publicans, and disrupted their operations in the Temple court.

To Nicodemus, it was obvious that Jesus came from God, and was likely the Christ. But, His actions contradicted Nicodemus’ preconceived notions. So, instead of rejecting or opposing Christ like many of the other Pharisees, Nicodemus went to Jesus for answers.

And He got them.

When Nicodemus began the conversation with Jesus, the Lord told Him, “Except you be born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

The reason for the confusion was that Nicodemus was not born again. He hadn’t been redeemed, saved. His faith wasn’t quite there.

The idea of being born again was a new concept to Nicodemus, who asked what and how the new birth worked. In the conversation that followed, Jesus demonstrated how those who are born again, those who are in the faith, can see the Kingdom move, and will be welcomed into the Kingdom when it comes to earth.

He then taught Nicodemus how to be born again. In essence, Jesus told Nicodemus to look to Him for redemption the same way the Israelites looked to the brazen serpent to be healed of snakebites in the book of Numbers.

Throughout this conversation, we see the need to be born again, what it’s like being born again, and how to be born again. Click the video above for the full message.

Why the Gospel is Key

What is the point to Christianity? What is the central belief of the Christian faith?

I fear that for the most part, we’ve gotten so involved in preaching the Christian lifestyle and participation in faith communities that we have forgotten what it is truly all about.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul defines the Gospel as how Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the scripture, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

The Gospel, the central message and belief of our faith, is that the Lord Jesus Christ became man, lived a sinless human existence, before going to the cross to bear the wrath of God for the sins of all mankind. Then, He rose again to defeat death and to give us all eternal life.

This is not only key to our faith and belief system, but it is absolutely necessary for us to have hope for life beyond this life, because faith in the Gospel is absolutely necessary to have our sins forgiven and to be given salvation and eternal life.

In the above posted message, we discuss the universal need for the Gospel.

What Water and Wine Teach Us about God’s Power

The account of Jesus turning the water into wine is a popular passage of scripture for many reasons. For some, it shows how Jesus is concerned for the things in our life, even if those things won’t matter much to everyone else.

Others celebrate Jesus’ reverence for His mother, Mary.

And, of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the effect that this passage has on wine enthusiasts. And for that reason, it’s often referenced in pop-culture, like in the scene from Percy Jackson posted below. Dionysus makes a reference to this miracle as he suffers his punishment from Zeus.

However, to truly understand this miracle, we have to understand the Apostle John’s purpose in writing his Gospel. Only then can we interpret what we are to learn from the wedding in Cana.

The Apostle John wrote the Gospel of John in response to various theories, doctrines and ideas that had arises from Hellenistic thinking about our Lord Jesus Christ. His aim was to settle the debate as to the identity of Christ, demonstrate Who He is, so that we may believe and be saved.

With that in mind, we can only conclude that the purpose of recording the miracle of the water into wine is to demonstrate the divine power of Jesus Christ.

In fact, if you read the entire chapter, John 2 demonstrates the miraculous power of Jesus, the authoritative power of Jesus, and the resurrection power of Jesus.

The miraculous power of Jesus is demonstrated in that Jesus simply willed the water into wine. Had you not been a servant who witnessed the miracle first-hand, you would have no clue that it was divinely-created wine (except for the taste, as the master of the feast complimented the groom later).

Jesus didn’t need special ingredients, magic words, or convulsive motions. All He needed were pots of water and the will to turn the water into wine, and the transformation happened immediately.

This is the same miraculous power the Lord used to create the universe, and to perform the miracles He has done in this world. It is because of this power, plus the knowledge that He is good, that we know we can completely trust Him, even when everything around us falls.

The authoritative power of Jesus is recorded later in John 2 as Jesus cleanses the temple of merchants and money changers. The Temple was built according to the specs of the Tabernacle, in which every measurement and implement foreshadowed Christ in one way or another.

Since the design and construction were ordered by God, then it was Christ Who had authority over how the Temple should be kept.

God’s will was for it to be a place of prayer and reconciliation between God and man, but the merchants and money-changers turned it into a chaotic market place where little prayer or meditation would be possible. Their presence may have also created a financial barrier to entering the Temple.

So, by His authority, He cleared the Temple and restored it to its original intent.

Seeing the authority of Christ, we would do well to remember His will and instructions, and to do what He called us to do. It is important that we keep the church on the mission He commissioned, and to not re-brand or re-create the church into something we think is more relevant.

Churches are institutions of teaching, discipleship, fellowship, and evangelism.

Furthermore, we need to remember the Lord’s authority in our own lives, and follow His will for our lives, as opposed to determining our own will and demanding He bless it.

And finally, we see the resurrection power of Christ, as He tells the Pharisees, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” John notes that Jesus was referring to the temple of His body, which He did resurrect three days after they crucified Him.

The resurrection proves the power of God, the authority of Christ, provides us with eternal life, and secures our salvation.