A Christmas Day sermon on Matthew 1:18-25
The One - #3 - The One Light Shines
A Christmas Eve sermon on 1 John 1:1-9.
The One #2 - The One Worthy of Worship
Many things will get in the way of your worship. For the Magi, it was an insecure and murderous king. For us, it might be ignorance, busyness, or empty religion. But follow the light of God’s Word and you will get to Jesus. In the face of the One you will see all that you need to give the best treasures that you have to offer. Matthew 2:1-12.
The One - #1 - The Power of the One Name
You might think a list of dozens of Jewish names is worth skimming or skipping. But don’t! Jesus’ family tree reminds us that the One came from a long line of sinners, and he came for a long line of sinners. So, if you stand in that line, look to the One! Matthew 1:1-17
Tomorrowland #5: My Big Brother Jesus
Jesus has one more end-times teaching for us and it’s important. It is a word to his church about their lives together until he comes. It is a word to his church about their judgment when he comes. It is a word to his church about who we are to him now and into all eternity. We’re his family and he will vindicate us in the end.
We’re looking at Matthew 25:31-46. It is Jesus’ great teaching about Judgment Day. It is a word from Jesus of tremendous worth and great comfort to us.
Tomorrowland #4: The Good Master
They couldn’t wait. Ever since the Master had entrusted them with their bags of gold, their talents, they had been investing it As soon as their master left on his journey, they got to work. They couldn’t wait to do something with that which had been entrusted to them. They had been working hard. They had been working wisely. They had been working diligently. And so those two servants couldn’t wait. They had something to show their Master. They had done something and they couldn’t wait to show him. They were waiting on pins and needles, excited for his return, so that they could run up to him and say, “Look! Look at what we did with what you gave us!” They couldn’t wait for his return so they could bring their prizes to him.
Is that how you feel as you wait for Jesus? He has entrusted much to you. As you wait for him are you doing something with what he has entrusted to you? Are you excited, perhaps like a pre-schooler is, to show him what you’ve done while he was gone? “Look! Look what I’ve done!” Are you excited for his return to show him what you’ve done?
This weekend we’re looking at Matthew 25:14-30. It is traditionally called the parable of the talents. And I can’t wait to open up this parable to you. I can’t wait to show you the good Master so that you are excited to greet him so that you can’t wait to bring the fruits of your labors to show him. “Look! Look what I’ve done!”
Tomorrowland #3: The Coming Groom
It reads like a horror story. It really does. Hands are banging on the door, and no one opens. Voices cry out for someone to open and someone to answer, but no one does. On the inside, there is dancing and singing and eating and drinking and laughter and joy. Outside there is terror and fear and separation and sadness. Through the wooden door, the virgins hear a muffled voice, “I don’t know you.” And they slink away into the darkness. It reads like a horror story.
This is one of the parables that Jesus tells. He tells us a parable about ten virgins. Five who were wise and five who were foolish. See, heaven is a party, an eternal party. And Jesus doesn’t want us to miss out. He has prepared this party for us to enjoy with him and with all God’s people forever. He wants us to be ready when he comes so that we will go with him into the wedding banquet. He tells us the parable of the ten virgins so that we will be ready when he comes. This Sunday, we learn from Jesus how to be wise as we wait for the Groom. We will be looking at Matthew 25:1-13.
Tomorrowland #2: Faithful and Wise
Jesus is coming. This is abundantly clear. The signs of his imminent return are all around us.
Jesus is coming. He will come suddenly like a thief in the night, at a time when no one expects it. Life will go on as normal and then suddenly he will arrive.
Jesus is coming. But how should we prepare? What should we be doing as we wait for his coming? How should we be living? What should be believing? What should we do to watch?
This weekend, as we walk through some of Jesus’ most important teachings. he will give us answers to these questions and more through four parables. This weekend, we’ll be looking at the parable of the two servants, one wise and the other wicked. Read Matthew 24:36-51.
Tomorrowland #1: The Fig Tree
In a world filled with death, war, and evil, how will we face what feels like an unknowable future? What do we do with our anxiety regarding the days ahead? Jesus has clear words for his disciples and us in Matthew 24 and 25. Here he provides a warning and comfort, and reassurance to us who are living in uncertain times. He teaches us about what we should do while awaiting his return. He encourages us to be prepared, cling to the truth of what they have been taught, and living responsibly in light of the future. How can we take these words to heart and face the future without fear?
A sermon on Matthew 24:1-14, 30-35.
NEW SERIES - Tomorrowland.
NEW SERIES begins this Sunday.
In a world filled with death, war, and evil, how will we face what feels like an unknowable future? What do we do with our anxiety regarding the days ahead? What should we expect in the days to come? Jesus has clear words for his disciples and us in Matthew 24 and 25. There he provides a warning and comfort, and reassurance to us who are living in uncertain times. He teaches us about what we should do while awaiting his return. He encourages us to be prepared, cling to the truth of what we have been taught, and living responsibly in light of the future. How can we take these words to heart and face tomorrow without fear? Jesus has something to say. Let’s listen.
Who do you say I am? #4 - Taking back his World
This sermon is going to be of a different kind. Rather than preach on one specific text, I’m going to try to pull together all kinds of texts. Rather than trying to preach one specific narrative, I want to try to preach on the big narrative, the metanarrative. Rather than try to show what Jesus is doing in this specific text, I want to try to show you what Jesus is doing in all the texts. It’s going to be a different sort of sermon and I’m praying that it will be a blessing to you.
We’re looking at the account in Matthew 15:29-39 together with all of the other accounts, we’re going to ask one big question and get one big answer: What is Jesus doing in all of these miracle accounts? See, we’re going to read about another massive feeding of people. This time Jesus feeds 4000 with seven loaves and a few small fish. Last time Jesus fed 5000 with 5 loaves and two fish. There are some differences, but there are some major similarities. So, we have to ask the question: What is Jesus doing in all of these miracle accounts? What is Jesus doing?
Who do you say I am? #3 - Crumbs from Jesus
What makes Jesus’ jaw drop? What amazes Jesus? What makes him stand back and say, “Wow”? There can’t be much. Is there even anything? He is, after all, the one who made the heavens and the earth and everything in them. He is, after all, the great poet of the sky who created all creativity. He is the one about whom the angels say, “You are worthy of all glory and praise.”
What makes Jesus’ jaw drop? There is something. It is the faith of a Canaanite woman who came to him about her demon-possessed daughter. It is the faith of a Canaanite who persistently pursued the ear and attention of Jesus until he finally heard and answered her. It is her faith. About her faith, he said, “This woman has great (i.e. mega) faith.”
We’re going to be studying Matthew 15:21-28, and we’ll discuss this woman’s faith. At the same time, we’ll learn to find joy in “crumbs from Jesus.” For more on that, listen in.
Who do you say I am? #2 - Selfless and Mighty
The disciples were growing in the understanding of who Jesus was. It was happening in them by Jesus’ teaching and the Spirit’s work from the moment he called them. Even after he rose from the dead, they had learning to do. Jesus looked at two them and said, “How slow of heart and how foolish you are…” (Luke 24:25). You can be sure of this: they are growing. You can see it in their response to those moments when Jesus saves them from the storm. The first time they were amazed and asked: “What kind of man is this?” (Matthew 8:27). The second time they knew exactly who he was, they weren’t confused anymore. This second time they worshipped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God!”
We’re growing too! Our understanding of who Jesus is and what Jesus did and is doing in our lives is still limited and weak. But Jesus is patient to show us and to teach us who he is. He is relentless in his work to help us grow up in our understanding of who he is. He is gracious to show us who he is so that we fall in humble worship of him.
Jesus will continue to show us who he is this weekend as we continue in our series: Who do you say I am? We’ll be looking at the account of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22-36. We worship him, who is the Son of God.
For more audio or video content check out our website: TheMountMKE.com
Who do you say I am? - #1 - He Satisfies.
After the series of parables in Matthew chapter 13, Matthew begins to narrate for us a major emphasis in Jesus’ earthly ministry. More and more he clarifies for us, the identity of Jesus, both for his disciples’ sake and for ours. All of this reaches a high point when Jesus asks Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter answers with crystal clarity (cf. Matthew 16:15-16). God grant us the same clarity of confession and of faith as we learn of Jesus.
Who do you say that he is? He is ... We’ll learn how to answer that question with clear confidence as we continue on in the book of Matthew.
You can read the parable in Matthew 14:13-21
Short Stories #3: The mustard seed formula
There is a principle that you see working itself out on every page of the Bible. There is a truth that you see being played out in every account of God’s Word. There is a formula that you see carried out as God works out salvation for us and for the world. I like to call it the “mustard seed formula.” No, I’m not talking about faith the size of a mustard seed. That’s another truth for another time. I’m talking about the way that God works in this world, the way it appears and the way it really is. It seems small. It seems insignificant. It seems weak. It seems foolish. But it is hardly that. It is the mustard seed formula. God takes something small, insignificant, weak and foolish and accomplishes some big, glorious and majestic. We’re looking at the Parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13:31-33.
See Life Better - #6 - Fridge Privileges
With all the trouble in this world and all the trial in our own lives, it’s hard not to be concerned. It’s hard not to worry. It’s hard to be full of faith when what you see shows difficulty and trouble. That’s why Jesus takes our eyes off our finances and off of our lives. That’s why Jesus takes our eyes off of what we see and turns them to the God whom we cannot see. He is God who cares for the most passing and insignificant things in this world. He is the God who can and will do so much more for us who believe in him. We can hardly imagine what God has in store for us. Jesus wants us to see our God better and put our trust in him. See that instead of the trouble and the trial and the difficulty. See Life Better: Be full of faith in your Father who cares for you more than you know.
See Life Better - #5 - Different
Jesus turns conventional wisdom on its head and directs our lives by his perfect wisdom. We are truly different and are to live truly different lives as his wisdom shows us. This is a sermon by Pastor Paul Krueger from Mount Lebanon on Matthew Matthew 5:20-30.
See Life Better - #4 - #Blessed
This is big. This is really big. You can tell it is big when Jesus sits down, when his disciples come to him, and then he opens his mouth. I think that’s a really big deal. Matthew seems to think so too. The translation doesn’t quite catch it. The translation simply says, “He began to teach.” But what Matthew says in the Greek is this: “And Jesus opened his mouth and taught them.” This is not some casual conversation that Jesus is having. This is life changing, destiny altering, light shining stuff that Jesus is about to say. That’s what happens whenever God opens his mouth. God opened his mouth in the beginning and light came. Jesus opened his mouth and people were healed. Jesus opened his mouth and the dead were raised. Whenever Jesus opens his mouth, something amazing happens. See, Matthew is signaling to us that Jesus is about to teach and say something really important. And Jesus will. In these first 12 verses alone, Jesus is going to change our lives, alter our destiny, and shine light into our hearts. This is big. This is really big. See Life Better: You have a blessed life and eternity from our Savior.
This is a sermon by Pastor Nate Bourman from Mount Lebanon on Matthew Matthew 5:1-12.
See Life Better - #3 - Called to Drop the Nets
Are you seeing this? Are you seeing how God was moving in the heart and life of Jesus? It started with his baptism, when the Spirit came down on him fully and anointed him for his work. Immediately he was led by that Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus won! And now, now it was time! It was time for Jesus to do what God had called him to do: Preach! Teach! Tell! Bring light to the dark places. Are you seeing this? Are you seeing now how God is moving in your heart and in your life? It started with your baptism. It started when the Holy Spirit entered your heart and made his home there. It started when the Holy Spirit made you a conqueror in Christ. Because Jesus won, you win! And now, now it is time. It is time for you to get up and follow Jesus just as the disciples did. Don’t worry. He will teach you. He will train you. He will disciple you for this work. See Life Better: You are called to follow and to fish for people.
This is a sermon by Pastor Nate Bourman from Mount Lebanon on Matthew 4:12-25.
See Life Better - #2 - More than Conquerors
Each day brings temptations. Each day the Tempter comes to speak lies into our ears and to bring death into our hearts. He wants nothing more to kill us and drive us from God. That’s what we see when we look into the desert where Jesus was tempted by the Devil for 40 days and nights. The Tempter wanted to nothing more than to destroy Jesus, his mission and his work. But Jesus conquered. At the end of the 40 days, Jesus sent the devil away and bowed in worship. But be careful what you see as you watch. This is not a lesson for us about how to beat temptation. This is a story about how our Savior Jesus beat temptation. It is a story about his victory on our behalf. See that! See how he threw the devil down and made him harmless to us. See how he took away his sting. See how he sent the devil packing. See Life Better: You are conquerors through the One who conquered.
This is a sermon by Pastor Nate Bourman from Mount Lebanon on Matthew 4:1-11. For more information about Mount Lebanon or to listen to more audio or video content, check out our website: TheMountMKE.org