Sermons on God (Page 6)
The God of Life
“Do not kill” is the sixth commandment, and everyone knows that it forbids murder–the intentional taking of an innocent human life. But the implications of this commandment are far-reaching and address more than most of might think. In fact, the emphasis on the sanctity of life touches so many aspects of our lives–the way we think about murder, of course, but also how we think about the lives of the vulnerable, including the unborn. It also touches ethical issues that…
Hope
Everyone has some sort of hope, I suppose . . . or at least almost everyone looks to something for security. For some it might be a job (i.e., “If I can accomplish this or that, then I’ll feel secure”). For others it might be money, or power, or relationships. When we hope in something, we turn to it for feelings of accomplishment, security, or identity. It gives us something to aim for, some reason to get up in the…
Jacob’s Ladder
Jesus Christ meets our most basic human needs. We need companionship (we don’t want to be alone), we crave security (we don’t want to feel vulnerable), and we want a home–somewhere to belong (we don’t want to be rootless). When God comes to Jacob, the patriarch is a fugitive who is alone and vulnerable. He’s been told by his parents to leave home–to leave the land of Canaan–and go about 450 miles to the northeast to find a wife. On…
It Cost Everything
This chapter is an odd and interesting conclusion to the book of Samuel. Chronologically, it almost certainly belongs to an earlier period in David’s life, so the author probably intended for it to be a kind of summary of David’s life. In a similar way to last week’s text (Psalm 51), David shows an attitude of remorse–probably the reason why God blessed him with a kingdom that would survive his death. But the focus here is on God, who does…
Have Mercy On Me, O God
Psalm 51 is one of the most famous of all the Psalms, perhaps because we’re drawn to the emotional rawness and vulnerability that it reflects. According to tradition, David wrote this psalm after Nathan had come to him and convicted him of the sins he had committed against Bathsheba and her husband, but especially against God. We’ll reflect Sunday morning on what this Psalm teaches us about the ugliness of sin and what it does to us. We’ll think about…
The Kindness and Severity of God
Is God kind or severe? Does he act out of love or justice? Is he patient or wrathful? Our congregational reading plan had us beginning with Deuteronomy on Thursday, and if we haven’t read the Old Testament in awhile, we’re probably a bit overwhelmed with how God presents himself to the Israelites. In fact, if I may say so, sometimes God seems a little harsh and demanding. We’re going to wrestle with this theme Sunday morning, considering how God is…
God’s Beautiful Story: Genesis 1-11
God’s beautiful story Act 1: God establishes his Kingdom: Creation Act 2: Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall Act 3: The King chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated Interlude: A Kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending Act 4: The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished Act 5: Spreading the News of the King: The Mission of the Church Act 6: The Return of the King: Redemption Completed Key themes in Genesis 1-11 Yahweh creates by bringing order and beauty out of chaos and…
