Revelation Sermon Series

To hear or download today's Sunday message by Pastor Moore click on title below:

"Wanted: Enduring Love" - Revelation 2:1-7 (Listen)
Revelation Sermon Series 03.pdf (Readable Copy)

Revelation Sermon Series

To hear or download last Sunday's message by Pastor Moore click on title below:

"A Vision of Christ" - Revelation 1:9-20 (Listen)

Revelation Sermon Series 02.pdf (Readable Copy)

Revelation Sermon Series

Started a series of sermons on the Book of Revelation today. There will be 27 sermons in all, ending with the Last Sunday of the Church Year, November 21st, 2010. I will try posting links to both the audio and PDF file versions each week. Comments are welcome, whether I respond or not. All praise to our Lord and King Jesus Christ. He is coming soon!



"The Time Is Near" - Revelation 1:1-8 (Listen)
Revelation Sermon Series 01.pdf (Readable Copy)

Easter Every Sunday?

"There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, 'Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.'" —Jeremiah 31:6

“Can’t we do something besides going to church every Sunday?” said little Johnny to his dad. Sure, son, what would you like to do this Sunday? “Oh, I just want to stay home and play video games and stuff,” said Johnny. “But what would God think?” replied his father.
“I’m sure God will be ok without us, Dad!”

Isn’t that close to what we adults even think, whenever we decide to do something else besides get up and get ourselves and others in our family ready so we can all go to church? You’ve heard the story about the mother who woke up her son one Sunday morning saying, “Come on now its time to get up and get ready for church.” “Aw, do I have too! I really want to stay in bed and sleep this morning,” he said. “No, you can’t stay home now,” his mom scolded, “after all you’re the pastor.”

Yes, even the pastor has to make an effort to get to church some times. And, you know what? God would be ok without us, too.

But will we be ok without God? That’s the real question. It’s not like we’re doing Him some favor by going out of our way to be in His House of worship on Sunday morning. Oh, He misses us when we’re not there, at least He misses us being there where He wants us to be: in fellowship with our neighbors and friends in Christ, in thanksgiving and praise which ultimately does us more good than it does Him and in the Bible study that helps us to grow in understanding the role of faith in our lives.

What happens when we’re not there is what happens to us. It’s what we’re missing that feeds our soul and nourishes our spirit. It’s what keeps us alive and renews our sense of purpose and our focus on God’s love for us, and how we can show his love to others.

An old English children’s poem, illustrated with hands clasped and fingers inside except the index fingers raised and touching each other, went like this:

Here's the church, and here's the steeple
Open the door and see all the people.
Here's the parson going upstairs,
And here he is saying his prayers.

The thumbs together were the doors and when opened the inside fingers represented the people. But the way I learned it as a child left out the parson and ended with all the fingers outside the clasped together hands:

Here’s the church and here’s the steeple
Open the door but where are all the people?

Sometimes after Easter and when school is out that later picture seems all too real. This year’s Easter service at Trinity was filled with people and it was a joy to share in the worship with all who were there. But from the time of the Apostles after Jesus rose from the tomb every Sunday became an Easter celebration of the new life we have been given in Christ.

If you were to ask someone who starved himself to death why he didn’t eat, first he couldn’t answer because he is dead, but if he could wouldn’t it be silly for him to say, “I’m sure the cook was ok without me!” No, we must eat for our bodies to live and we must worship that we may live with Christ in our lives. Just as you wouldn’t unnecessarily miss a good meal, why would you likewise miss going to church? Sounds like a “no-brainer” to me, what about you?

FROM DARKNESS TO DAWN

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." -Matthew 28:6-7

“How dark does it have to get before the night is over?” The question of a small child may seem without importance when one is struggling through a sleepless night. But with moral and spiritual darkness enveloping the night of our age we cannot help but speculate on the present course.

We would seem pointless to merely observe the many indications that such a night has fallen. Too often and too easily we decry what is happening to our nation with its loss of values and absence of leadership. We’re too negative; some will say while they can’t disagree with the prevailing circumstances that affects us all. Indeed, we quickly turn to more positive thoughts giving us hope that the night will soon pass. Are we any different than the unsure child seeking answers and confidence from a loving parent?

Enough with the bailouts and the president’s and congress’s health plan which many feel will lead us further into socialism and a national debt we can’t afford. Enough with questionable political practices behind closed doors of our government. Enough with alarm over encroaching gay rights activities, liberal bias in the media and a multitude of other disturbing trends in our society. “Enough!” we say. Enough! Let us look on the bright side. Let us think positive thoughts. Let us believe things will get better if we just do our job and don’t let our surroundings get us down. Isn’t this how we convince ourselves that the night is almost over—that dawn is almost here?

There are, unquestionably, many streaks of improvised light in this surrounding darkness. In our churches and Christian schools, in our homes and families, even in our jobs and neighborhoods, good people do good things and we enjoy many happy and encouraging moments that give us a degree of happiness and hope for a brighter tomorrow. There are certainly enough opportunities to concentrate our attention on flickering points of light in our lives instead of the outside blackness. And these are not inconsequential. They are not to be disregarded, especially where we see evidence of spiritual and moral influence and where Bible based Christianity still prevails in our hopes and in our dreams.

But there is still a better way to quiet the fear that gnaws against us—a better answer for the hope that lies within our hearts and gives us confidence of a new day. That is the guarantee of resurrection that our Lord Jesus Christ has given us. The hours and days immediately before the dawn of Easter morning were as dark as it can get on the earth. Jesus who brought new light into the world, a light that enlightens any soul from within, was extinguished on the cross. The forces of darkness had overtaken him in his cruel death. Gone was the One on whom anyone could look and be healed of all sickness and disease that inflicts darkness on our bodies, minds and souls. Gone was the life Who was the light of men. It seemed that darkness would prevail perpetually, that there would be no dawn, and that our greatest fear would be realized in the death and entombment of the Christ sent by God to help us.

We know that wasn’t the end, or we would not be here 2000 years later continuing our hope in the Creator’s purpose. The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection foretells the miracle awaiting us all. Our hope for a new tomorrow does not rest on the politicians, nor does it rest in our own feeble efforts at keeping the lights we depend on in our own worlds around us glowing. The dawn we truly await is one of enduring brightness which will remove all fear that night could ever again fall. This is not a desperate hallucination, as some would charge. It is not hope against hope, but it is based on concrete knowledge, concrete facts and concrete revelation which God has poured out into our hearts and minds.

Christ is Risen!!! We have cause for celebration of the Day to come prefigured for us by the Day the tomb was found empty and the risen Jesus appeared to his followers. This is the assurance we need to carry on through the night, no matter how dark it gets. For the reality is, it will most likely get darker before the dawn. But Jesus assures us, “Do not be afraid.” “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” “Go therefore and make disciples ...” The dawn is coming. Look up, for you know not when your redemption comes; but He is coming.
Amen.

LIFE AFTER DEATH!

“Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

– 1 Peter 3:15

March is an appropriate month for our Lenten observance as we long for winter’s end and the beginning of spring. Lent began in February at the heart of winter as the church renews its focus on repentance looking at the Cross and Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. And an unusual winter it has been. We’ve seen more than our share of cold days and nights and with greater than average snowfalls. Yet it seems to fit the season, and yes ours is mild compared to our friends in the north and northeast. But we are looking forward to spring, new growth in our lawns, gardens and forestations. The warmth of days and nights with longer light with which to enjoy them offer great appeal while temperatures are still dipping below freezing despite periods of sunshine amidst cloudy skies. Our longing reminds us that there is still life after death.
That of course is the message of Easter, now only a month away and by then spring should be in full bloom. But it is never too soon to be reassured of the Savior’s promise. And Holy Scripture gives us all we need for our faith to be kept alive even when the days of our lives are dark, whether due to season or circumstance. God’s Word brings us light and hope, encouragement and insight when we need it most. As Christians, the Bible is our surest source of knowledge and truth concerning this life and the next.

But there is other evidence in support of our confidence as believers in the Resurrection. A recent book by Dinesh D’Souza titled “Life After Death; The Evidence” examines our hope from reasoned, scientifically based analysis apart from the Bible. The author of “What’s So Great About Christianity,” another important apologetic review, D’Souza looks at the latest discoveries in physics and neuroscience, at convincing philosophical deductions and conclusions drawn from anthropology and biology which lend further credibility to the prospect of life after death.
Further, Dinesh shows how the view that death followed by an expectation of life beyond our present has benefited mankind in many important ways: “This means that life after death is not merely a rational and even probable belief; it is also a conviction that sustains and strengthens our civilization.” He is also not absent in urging consideration of the Bible’s claims as the most logical place for one to go to for reconciliation. Four historical facts are accounted for: The crucifixion and death of Jesus by his enemies, the empty tomb, the verifiable appearances to his followers and finally their astounding accomplishments in spreading the faith despite persecution and martyrdom. “These facts are affirmed by the mainstream of modern historical scholarship,” he writes. “In other words, the resurrection is believable because it makes sense of all the other facts listed above,” he concludes.

True, for the Bible-believing Christian (is there any other kind?) research like D’Souza’s offers little to our need for understanding. God has clearly made a more than adequate case in his own Book. But we live in a world of growing agnosticism against ever-stronger atheistic influences. That is reason enough to be armed, for the purpose that we are “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” For our hope, though it includes the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, ultimately rests on one essential fact: our life after death.

Winter is nearly over! Spring is coming!

HOPE FOR A NEW YEAR!

“Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel.” – Colossians 1:5

2010: Is it the beginning of a new decade or is it the last year of the old? Sounds like the argument heard when we entered the new millennium 10 years ago (or was it nine?). Well, anyway, dating things is kind of arbitrary despite the meaning we put into them. January 1st is just another day on the calendar. It happens to be on Friday this year, but that’s only because our measure for years isn’t divisible by 7. Yet we fill it with significance anyway – another New Year, time to take stock, make some resolutions, set some goals and hope this year will be better than last. The Lord knows, and so do we, that last year had its fill of problems seemingly everywhere and for everybody. And of course we always begin with a celebration – a celebration of hope.

But hope can be an elusive thing if there are no foundations for it. A quick search of the Bible on my computer lists 169 occurrences of the word “hope” in 161 verses. The first time it is used is even speculative; Ruth telling her two widowed daughters-in-law there wasn’t much hope for her having new sons for them to marry so they should leave her and be on their way. The Book of Job, with all the tragedies that afflicted this poor soul, lists the word “hope” 19 times. But mostly it is expressed in negative terms as in one verse where he mentions it twice: Chapter 17, verse15, “where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?”

This trend is quickly reversed, however, in the Psalms with 28 references. Here hope takes on new meaning, such as Psalm 33:18: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.” And Psalm 119:81: “My soul longs for your salvation, I hope in your word.” And Psalm 146:5: “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” However, as might be expected usage by the Prophets is a mixed bag, frequently pointing to the false hopes that Israel tended to make. Yet there are a supply of concrete promises, such as in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Needless to say, perhaps, when we get to the New Testament positive references to hope far outweigh the negative. Matthew begins in 12:21, quoting Isaiah regarding the Christ, “and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” Though few in the Gospels themselves, Luke breaks out the word 11 times in the Book of Acts, and for the Apostle Paul it is a major theme, as in Romans 5:2: “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” And 2 Corinthians 3:12: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” And Galatians 5:5: “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—.” And finally, Colossians 1:5: “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel.”

Therefore we have hope for a new year after all. The greatest is the hope we have in Jesus. That was what was missing in all the negative references and that is what gives us a positive outlook, regardless of all the reasons why 2010 may end with more disappointments than the year just past. Look up dear friends, our redemption is sure, God’s love is still sure, the grace of the Lord Jesus is always there and we have far more to be grateful for than we have not. May 2010 be one of increasing faith, love and commitment to Christ.

A CHRISTIAN DECLARATION

And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”
They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” – Matthew 22:20-21

The Season of Advent, a new year on the Christian calendar, has come. A time of preparation, consecration, devotion and praise! Our Savior first came to take on our human flesh and blood as an infant, a baby conceived in his mother’s womb by the Holy Spirit, and began an earthly journey that led to his death as a sacrifice on a Roman cross. It is a story that we contemplate every year while the days grow short and the night grows long. Then, in the darkest night of the Northern hemisphere, we celebrate the birth of our hope. Yes, we know that Jesus’ actual birth date was not established by the Church until the 5th century and many scholars place it more likely in the early fall of our year. Others hold fast to the 25th of December in spite of the Roman celebration of Saturnalia which it replaced. Either way, however, it remains symbolic of a turning from darkness to light in the Nativity of our Lord.

Many in our day and in our culture and around the world see again a darkness coming over the world in which we live. It is not a new darkness, but one that cycles throughout human history when morality becomes increasingly and universally more corrupt; when governments grow more intolerant of individual freedom and the free expression of religious faith; when economies decline and lives are lost in poverty and disease and war and terrorist acts. In times like these Christians look up, knowing that our redemption is near. But we must not use that wonderful assurance, we know to be true, as reason for passive resistance when we have been given the means for humanities sake to act responsibly. For as sure as God has given us the Gospel in His Son Jesus Christ, releasing us forever from the bondage and decay of the world; He has also through divine providence given us systems of governance rooted in his Law by which we have access in civil matters to voice our objections and concerns so that right and reasonable laws prevail.

Over the last several months a new Christian declaration has been formed and signed by Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life

2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife

3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Their website at ManhattanDeclaration.org says the following:

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

It seems to me that in the darkness, as we proclaim the Light who came into our world, the above referenced declaration gives honor and meaning to the Christian faith given to us in our baptism. May you have a blessed Advent and Christmas Season, and at the same time consider your declaration for the sake of our culture. Look up the Manhattan one, read it and if you agree, sign it on line. I did, what about you?

Merry Christmas,

Pastor PJ