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The Gospel Erases All Doubt :: Mark 16:14-20

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[Introduction] If only I had been there. That’s what we tell ourselves. If only I had seen the empty tomb. If only I had heard the angel’s announcement. If only I heard the voice of Jesus call me by name in the garden. If only I had been with the disciples in the upper room on the Sundays of Easter when Jesus appeared in their midst. If only Jesus had opened my mind to the Scriptures during the walk to Emmaus. If only I had recognized that he was with me in the breaking of the bread. If only I had been Thomas eight days later and was afforded the opportunity to put my hand in the mark of the nails. If only I had gone fishing with Peter and the boys so that I could eat breakfast on the beach with the Lord. If only I saw him ascend into heaven.  Yes ... if only ... Because then it would be so much easier to believe ... that Hallelujah! He is Risen! ... and that ... THE GOSPEL ERASES ALL DOUBT I. But wouldn’t you know it, for the first 40 days of Easter, the disciples had their doub...
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Remember, First of All, to Pray for All :: 1 Timothy 2:1-6

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[Introduction] Saint Paul begins our text with a word that should give us pause. It’s a huge word, an all-encompassing word, and it’s all over our reading. I’m talking about the word “all” ... as in all people and all times and all places ... for everyone and in everything. Six times in three sentences, Paul gives priority to God with the word “all.”  Paul writes, I encourage, first of ALL, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made for ALL people, on behalf of kings and ALL who are in authority, that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in ALL piety and dignity. This is beautiful and pleasing before God our Savior, who wills ALL people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For [there is] ONE God and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of ALL, the witness for the proper time (vv 1-6). 1. Prayer, therefore, is one of the most primary things all Christians are called to do. But we’re mo...
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Now We Can Live in the Truth :: John 16:5-15

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What is truth? I’ve been asking various people this question all week. And everyone I asked gave me the same quizzical look. What is truth? (Jn 18:38) Pontius Pilate’s famous rhetorical question of our Lord Jesus moments before he ordered his crucifixion is still being asked by the world today. They question what is truth. But I am confident you actually do know what is truth because, as Jesus said in our Gospel reading today from John 16 ... THE SPIRIT OF THE TRUTH WILL GUIDE US IN ALL THE TRUTH 1. Before we tackle this theologically, let’s answer the question with the world’s definition.  Webster’s dictionary says truth is a conformity to fact ... a state of being ... the alignment between a belief or a thought and the way things really are.  Philosophically, our world says, there are at least four kinds of truth: 1) Objective, 2) Subjective, 3) Normative, and 4) Theological. Objective truth comes from facts that remain true regardless of personal belief or emotion. 1 + 1...
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Even in the Midst of Despair, I Will Have Hope :: Lamentations 3:22-33

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[Introduction] If you have ever felt like YOUR world is falling apart, you know that honest lament, the passionate expression of deep sorrow or regret, is often the only prayer we have left.  We live in a world where we desperately try to build stable lives, but then it all crumbles around us ... torn down by sin, iniquity, and transgression. This leads to lament. We look at the brokenness of our bodies, our relationships, and our world, and we lament the crushing weight of it all. In our darkest moments, we might even feel that God has forgotten us ... that God has abandoned us ... that God doesn’t care about us ... or worse, that God is against us (Lam 5:20). 4. That was the reality for the prophet Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations. The Weeping Prophet, as he is known, had warned the people for forty years that they would lament the Day of the Lord. But they didn’t listen. They ignored God’s Word of judgment, condemnation, and curses. They ignored their own sin.  Sometime...
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Our Good Shepherd Provides All We Need Here :: Psalm 23

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Hallelujah! He is Risen! ... ... In Jesus’ name. Amen 1. The LORD is my shepherd. I shall not want . I cannot imagine that there are more famous words in Scripture than these. Psalm 23 is read at gravesides. It is spoken in hospital rooms. It is embroidered on pillows. It provides deep comfort and intimacy. It assures us of YHWH’s constant care. It resonates across all generations. It addresses our need for security and provision. It reminds us that we don’t have a distant, abstract God. ... We have a personal God ... a God who is with us constantly. He provides all we need ... all the time ... preserving this body and soul even when we are confronted with death. The LORD is my shepherd. I will not lack [anything].   Sadly, in our modern, busy lives ... all too often ... we treat this psalm only in sentimental terms. The green pastures and still waters become a metaphor for vacation. However, to sheep, these are not a state of mind. They are a physical necessity. Green pastures a...
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