Deuteronomy 6:10-15 and Matthew 4:8-11 tell us, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." This is a temptation with international and even cosmic consequences. And it is resumed in Matt 16:21-26. The temptation is to skip the cross for a crown. The question is whether we are seeking crowns like power and money or are we taking up our cross -- are we worshiping and serving God alone.

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Labels: cross, deuteronomy, Matthew, money, power, serve, temptation, worship

Acts 6:1-7 is the beginning of a division of labor in the leadership of the church. Later there would be an even further division of labor among elders between the ruling elders and the teaching elders. Elders provide servant leadership with respect to word gifts and deacons provide servant leadership with respect to deed gifts. And most members major in one or the other: word or deed. What we must all realize is that serving with your hands (deed) can be Spirit-filled service just as prayer and the service of the Word. And we should all appreciate that just as serving with your hands can be hard work, so too is prayer and the service of the Word. And when everyone is contributing their gifts, we have the right conditions for growth.


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Labels: elders, leadership, ministry, prayer, serve, spirit, Spiritual gifts, Sunday worship

Exodus 20:8-11 and Colossians 3:17, 22-25 govern this thematic sermon on calling to serve the Lord Christ. There are no part-time Christians, if you trust in Jesus then you are serving the Lord Christ in all your work. William Wilberforce, who led the effort to end the slave trade, is an ideal example. He thought about going into the ministry of the Word but then he would have missed his calling to serve the Lord Christ in the English parliament.

This sermon complements the next. It was delivered at a neutral pulpit for the Niagara pastor nominating committee.

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Labels: calling, ministry, serve, wilberforce

The Joshua 24:29-33 burial notices for Joshua, Joseph's bones, and Eleazar, mark the fulfillment of the reign of Ephraim and means the transition can begin to the reign of Judah. The prophet greater than Moses, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, was buried and is resurrected and has poured out His Spirit on His people as a down-payment on the inheritance of the whole earth. We saw the difference it makes if our final destination is heaven or the new creation for how we live today. We saw that our innermost being is already a part of the new creation and can bear visible "new creation" fruit. And we saw that everything we do to serve the Lord Christ (at home, school, work, in our hobbies, etc.) can demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is making all things new. May all of the glory go to God.

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Labels: burial, christ, death, eleazar, ephraim, heaven, inheritance, joseph, joshua, judah, new creation, resurrection, serve, spirit

The Joshua 24:29-33 burial notices for Joshua, Joseph's bones, and Eleazar, mark the fulfillment of the reign of Ephraim and means the transition can begin to the reign of Judah. The prophet greater than Moses, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, was buried and is resurrected and has poured out His Spirit on His people as a down-payment on the inheritance of the whole earth. We saw the difference it makes if our final destination is heaven or the new creation for how we live today. We saw that our innermost being is already a part of the new creation and can bear visible "new creation" fruit. And we saw that everything we do to serve the Lord Christ (at home, school, work, in our hobbies, etc.) can demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is making all things new. May all of the glory go to God.

Click here or the title to listen to this sermon.

Labels: burial, christ, death, eleazar, ephraim, heaven, inheritance, joseph, joshua, judah, new creation, resurrection, serve, spirit

Joshua 24:1-28 again challenges and encourages the people of God to follow the LORD God in wholeness (with all of your heart and soul, or in spirit, or in Spirit) and in truth. The most quoted passage in Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15) is not directed to people out there (evangelism) but to the people of God. The passage reminds us on this side of the cross of God's story that is our story in Christ and that we are able to serve the LORD wholeheartedly because we have the Holy Spirit He poured out on Pentecost. Able to choose not to sin because of the Spirit, Christians live a lifestyle of putting off idols of the heart. The challenge of the message is to identify and attack your idols one by one. May you grow in grace as you hear the proclamation of the word. Amen.

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Labels: christ, evangelism, heart, idolatry, idols, joshua, serve, soul, spirit, worship

Joshua 24:1-28 again challenges and encourages the people of God to follow the LORD God in wholeness (with all of your heart and soul, or in spirit, or in Spirit) and in truth. The most quoted passage in Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15) is not directed to people out there (evangelism) but to the people of God. The passage reminds us on this side of the cross of God's story that is our story in Christ and that we are able to serve the LORD wholeheartedly because we have the Holy Spirit He poured out on Pentecost. Able to choose not to sin because of the Spirit, Christians live a lifestyle of putting off idols of the heart. The challenge of the message is to identify and attack your idols one by one. May you grow in grace as you hear the proclamation of the word. Amen.

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Labels: christ, evangelism, heart, idolatry, idols, joshua, serve, soul, spirit, worship

Joshua 23 repeats the same lesson as the rest of the book with a twist: instead of stressing serving the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul it stresses NOT serving other gods. We approached the book looking to be encouraged to evangelize others, but the book tells us to start with our own hearts and souls and walk. Regarding that walk the emphasis of Joshua 23 is on not mixing with the nations so that you cannot tell them apart. This is a lesson that still very much applies to you through the cross. The reasons the text gives to encourage you to avoid getting caught up in the ways of the world are that the LORD fights for you and that not one word of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have failed.

Click the title or here to listen. Please pray for my bronchitis to go away.

Labels: cross, evangelism, heart, joshua, promises, serve, soul, walk, worship

Joshua 23 repeats the same lesson as the rest of the book with a twist: instead of stressing serving the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul it stresses NOT serving other gods. We approached the book looking to be encouraged to evangelize others, but the book tells us to start with our own hearts and souls and walk. Regarding that walk the emphasis of Joshua 23 is on not mixing with the nations so that you cannot tell them apart. This is a lesson that still very much applies to you through the cross. The reasons the text gives to encourage you to avoid getting caught up in the ways of the world are that the LORD fights for you and that not one word of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have failed.

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Labels: cross, evangelism, heart, joshua, promises, serve, soul, walk

See previous description.

Click here to listen to the sermon at Shepard Memorial.

Labels: burnt offerings, grain offerings, heart, joshua, peace offerings, sacrifices, serve, shema, soul, witness, worship

Joshua 22 reminds the people of Israel that no matter where they go they need to return to the place God has chosen and serve Him. How? First, they were to observe all that Moses commanded with all their heart and soul. Second, in particular this means they were to serve at Shiloh. Thus the theme is that they are to offer their burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings in loving service of the LORD their God with all their heart and soul at Shiloh. Applying this text to the generations after AD 70 (the destruction of Jerusalem prophesied by Jesus) takes some study. For Judaism this study is Torah and Talmud study, and especially reading the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4 especially). This application of the text is appropriate because of many points of contact between Deuteronomy 6:4ff and Joshua 22. But the verse has a different meaning for Christians. The difference is Jesus Christ. Jesus is LORD. And His work of death on the cross, resurrection to glory, and sending the Spirit on Pentecost changes the purpose of this text for us to observing all that the LORD Jesus Christ commanded and serving sacrifices of praise in the congregation, which is the tabernacle of God. May we all testify and witness to our faith in Him in the congregation. Amen.

Click here or title in order to listen to the sermon at Peter Creek.

Labels: burnt offerings, grain offerings, heart, joshua, peace offerings, sacrifices, serve, shema, soul, witness, worship