May 1, 2022 |
Psalm 104 |
hymns
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In today’s sermon, we’re going to look at the hymn “How Great Thou Art.” This hymn has quite an involved history. It was written by Swedish poet, Carl Gustav Boberg, in 1885. He had the poem printed in a Swedish newspaper and an unknown man put it to music, using the melody is an old Swedish folk song. In 1949, it was translated into English by British missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own composition. It was popularized by George Beverly Shea during Billy Graham crusades in 1957.
Boberg is said to have written the words after a thunder storm suddenly appeared on a walk home. A severe wind began to blow, a driving rain and darkness fell. After Mr. Boberg arrived home, wet and chilled to the bone, the storm stopped as suddenly as it came. He looked out his window over the clear bay and heard church bells ringing in the distance. A sense of profound wonder and peace came over him as penned the words O Store God (Swedish for O Great God) — O LORD, my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made..
Today, we’re going to look at a psalm that expresses that same sense of awe. In Psalm 104, David wrote to encourage himself and others to praise the Lord for His greatness. We can be encouraged by praising the Lord for His greatness.
April 17, 2022 |
Matthew 28:1-10 |
easter
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Have you really looked at the implications of the empty tomb? Because the empty tomb means that the resurrected Jesus has overcome sin, death and the grave! Are overcome by shame and guilt because of some sin, or habit, or addiction? In Christ, you are forgiven and empowered to overcome it! Are you grieving the loss of a relationship or the death of a loved one? In Christ, we grieve, but not as those who have no hope. In Christ, the dead live again! Are you anxious and filled with fear? In Christ, we can overcome fear with faith in Him.
In the gospel according to Matthew, he recorded the instructions given to those who rightly beheld Christ’s empty tomb. When we rightly behold Christ’s empty tomb, we can obey these instructions.
April 10, 2022 |
Zechariah 14 |
exposition, Second Coming
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Do you believe this promise of Christ’s return? Do you have this hope that He will soon return to triumph over evil and establish His kingdom on earth? Or have you fallen into despair and doubt over the terrible condition of this old world?
In the final chapter of Zechariah, chapter 14, the prophet recorded God’s promise that a Day was coming when the Messiah would triumph over evil and establish His Kingdom over all the earth. We can look with hope for Christ’s triumphal return as King.
April 3, 2022 |
Zechariah 12-13 |
exposition
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Are you ready for Christ’s return? We’ve learned how to get ready for other things. We had to learn how to get ready for school…how to get ready for work…how to get ready for a long trip… how to get ready to buy our first house. Everything has prerequisites and requirements. You can’t just show up at the bank and hope they’ll give you a loan. You can’t just walk into a college classroom and call yourself a student. You have to get ready.
But how do you get ready for the coming of King Jesus? How do you get ready to face Judgment Day and eternity? Well, that’s the question that today’s message from Zechariah answers. It was written to prepare God’s people for Christ’s second coming. In Zechariah 12-13, the prophet received a second oracle from the LORD revealing the promises that Jesus the Messiah would fulfill for Israel in the last days at His second coming. Jesus has already made these promises available to us today.
March 27, 2022 |
Zechariah 10-11 |
exposition
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When the Bible talks about where we’re going and whom we’re following, it often uses the imagery of the shepherd and his flock. That’s what we’ll see in Zechariah today. For he warned Israel about following the wrong shepherds or leaders. Who you follow reveals a lot about who you are and what you believe. And who you follow has a lot to do with where you end up.
That’s what the prophet Zechariah wanted to address with the people of God. He wanted them to see how the leader, the shepherd you choose to follow will determine your destiny. In Zechariah 10-11, the prophet continued proclaiming the oracle of the Word of the LORD that began in chapter 9 concerning the coming Messiah. In this part of the oracle, he proclaimed the importance of God’s people following the coming Messiah as their true Shepherd. We can understand the importance of following Jesus as our only true Shepherd.
March 20, 2022 |
Zechariah 9 |
exposition
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Are you the kind of person that prepares for things? Here in Eastern NC, you quickly learn the importance of being prepared during hurricane season. People are encouraged to have adequate water, food, batteries, flash lights, candles, and other necessities on hand before a storm comes, because the coming of a hurricane often means no power nor water service for a time. If you wait until the storm comes, it’s too late.
Are you prepared for the second coming of King Jesus? For the Bible says, He is coming again. That’s what today’s Scripture is about. It’s about being prepared for the coming King.
In Zechariah 9, the prophet received an oracle of God to prepare His people for the coming of their Messiah, King Jesus. We can be prepared for the coming of King Jesus.
March 13, 2022 |
Zechariah 7-8 |
exposition
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God cares more about heart transformation than He does our traditions. If our religious traditions come from hearts that have been transformed by the love of Jesus, then they are pleasing to Him. But if we’re just going through the motions and doing what we’ve always done without any heart change, then they do not please Him. God is looking for transformed hearts.
In Zechariah 7-8, the Lord turned the Jewish exiles’ question about their tradition of fasting into an examination of the real spiritual issue, namely, that their religious traditions were worthless without transformation of the heart. What God was really looking for was heart change. God is still looking for people who will humble themselves in repentance and submit their hearts to His transforming power.
March 6, 2022 |
Zechariah 5:1-6:15 |
exposition
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Do you think things in the world have gotten better or worse over time? How about in our nation? Do you feel that we are becoming more godly and pleasing to God or are we straying further and further from God? Does it seem to you that God doesn’t really seem to care about the growing lack of shame and open immorality we see in our world today? The truth is, God does care about sin. And He is already responding to it and has a plan to overcome it.
In Zechariah Chapter 5 and 6, we encounter the last three of Zechariah’s eight night visions. In these last three visions, Zechariah saw God’s righteous response to humanity’s sin. We can understand God’s righteous response to our sin.
February 27, 2022 |
Zechariah 4:1-14 |
exposition
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Who among you here today would admit that you’re discouraged and grieving over a loss? You’re overwhelmed about an obstacle that you don’t know how to overcome? You’re feeling small and inadequate about situation you’re in? Maybe, you’re even a little angry at God about something today? Zechariah and the Israelites probably were feeling these same feelings. They had returned from 70 years of Babylonian captivity and had begun rebuilding the Temple, but now a decade without any work. They were small, overwhelmed, and discouraged. But…
In Zechariah chapter four, the prophet saw his 5th night vision. Similar to chapter three, which was a vision of a contemporary of Zechariah’s, the high priest Joshua, this vision was of another contemporary, namely the governor of Judea, Zerubbabel. Both visions seemed primarily aimed at encouraging both Joshua and Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple and reinstate worship. Both visions also have strong Messianic messages for the people of God. In this 5th vision, God told Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel that he would have to rely on God’s Spirit and not his own strength to accomplish his God-given calling.
February 20, 2022 |
Zechariah 3:1-10 |
exposition
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Have you ever really considered how the whole Bible points to Jesus? Sure, it tells us a lot about ourselves and about the world we live in, but it is primarily a book about God, especially His Son, Jesus.
The exiles returning to Israel are restless. They’ve returned to the land, but now they wonder, when will their Messiah finally come and deliver them? God doesn’t answer their “when” question, but He does give His prophet Zechariah a vision for “who” they should look for and how they can prepare themselves for His coming.
In Zechariah chapter three, the prophet saw his 4th night vision, this time of a real person, Joshua, the high priest. Yet, as the vision continued, Zechariah learned that the vision of Joshua was also a “sign” pointing to the coming Messiah and His work of salvation
