Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sermon by Rich Richardson on Luke 19:28-44

 

Palm Sunday

 

Riding in on a donkey = announcing himself as king

 

  1. How people respond to Jesus.
    Jesus is the Great Pilgrim from heaven to Jerusalem.
    Why all the donkey details? It was prophesied that the king would come on a donkey. (Zech. 9:9)
    The people took Psalm 118 and applied it to Him as king.
    How do we respond to Jesus? Do we follow this king?
    The Pharisees wanted Him to rebuke the people. But He would not and claimed authority over the stones.
    Anyone who misses Jesus has a heart of stone.
  2. How Jesus responds to people.
    He wept over the city.

 

How should we respond?

  • Weep in private for those who do not believe.
  • Rejoice in public that Jesus is reigning and saves.

Jesus washes stained sinners not with tears, but with His blood.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Sermon by Rich Richardson on Romans 8:34-39

 

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:34-39

 

Ernest Becker quote: "the rumble of panic beneath everything."

Two kinds of things that cause panic. Things inside us and things outside.

 

God loves you and nothing can change that.

 

1. Your remaining sin does NOT change God's love for you.

Jesus is sitting. No matter what we do. His work is done. There is no more sacrifice needed.

Jesus is praying. For us! That we would be protected and believe the truth, and be encouraged.

2. Your daily troubles do not prove that you can be separated from forever God's love.

He loves us no matter how bad our circumstances seem to be.

Why is it he "loved us" past tense? Because He loved us from eternity past.

 

God withdrew his love from Christ on the cross - he experienced tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and the sword FOR US.

 

Those whom God loves He forever loves.