God-with-us - #5 - In the Temple

Where is Jesus to be found? Where can you go where you will most certainly find him?

The angels told the shepherds that they would find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The wise men followed the star that rose in the east and they followed it to the house where they were. Simeon and Anna followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit and found him in the temple where his parents had brought him. Jesus’ parents found him back in Jerusalem studying the Scriptures and learning from those who knew it best.

Where is Jesus to be found? He is precisely where God promises that he will be. He was found right where the angels told the Shepherds. He was right where the prophets had foretold. He was right where the Spirit had told them. He was right where God’s Word commanded him to be.

Where is Jesus to be found? He is right where God promises that he will be. He is exactly where God commanded him to be. We’ll be looking at Luke 2:41-52.

Through the Valley - #4 - Hope for Exiles

A Christmas Eve sermon from Pastor Nate Bourman on Psalm 23:5-6. We live our lives as exiles in this world and Jesus is our way out.

God-With-Us - #2 - Do you see what I see?

God wants his people to be sure of his promises, to be sure of his love, to be sure of his rule. He has repeatedly given them signs so that they might be sure. That has always been the case. He left Noah a sign of the covenant in the sky, a rainbow to assure him and all people after him that God would never again destroy the world with a flood. God left Abraham and his descendants a sign in their flesh, circumcision to assure them that they were God’s people, and they were set apart to him and for him. He gave his people a sign of his presence as they left Egypt, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God offered to give Ahaz a sign that his Word was true and that their enemies would not destroy his people. Ahaz refused, but God in mercy gave a sign for us, a son born to a virgin. Repeatedly God has given his people signs so that they might be sure of his promises, sure of his love, sure of his rule.

God still wants that for us. He wants us to be sure of his promises, sure of his love, sure of his rule. He has left signs for us too. He has left us a sign in the manger, a boy born to a virgin, Immanuel! He has left us other signs of his love. They are quite ordinary, yet they are signs nonetheless. He has left us water together with the word as a sign and a declaration of sure promises that belong to us, a sign and a declaration of sins forgiven and love given. He has left us bread and wine together with his body and blood as a sign over the doorframes of our bodies so that death will pass us over. He has left us this holy meal so that we might have a sign and a declaration from him of sins forgiven and love given. We are not without signs of his love. We are not without signs of sure promises.

We’re looking at Isaiah 7:1-17. Take a listen.

God-with-us - #1 - Then

There are certain words that hold a message of hope for all who hear them. One such word is the little word “then.” The little word “then” looks to the future with longing. The little word “then” looks beyond the “when” and sees what is coming next on the horizon. “Then” imagines a day in the future. “Then” longs for a day still to come. Such is the day that Isaiah describes for us in Isaiah 35. He describes for us a day when the Lord will come to save and come to rescue. He describes for us a day when the Lord will come down. And then…

We’re looking at Isaiah 35:1-10. It is both a description of the ministry of Jesus and a description of the eternity we will enjoy with him. When he comes, then… It will be a hopeful time in God’s Word as we look to what is yet to come.