Bible Text: Hebrews 1:5-9 | Preacher: Pastor Arnold | Series: Hebrews | Hebrews 1:5-9 Jesus is Superior to Angels (Part 1)
Bible Text: Hebrews 1:3-4 | Preacher: Pastor Arnold | Series: Hebrews | Hebrews 1:3-4 The Supremacy of Christ (Part 2)
Bible Text: Hebrews 1:1-3 | Preacher: Pastor Arnold | Series: Hebrews | Hebrews 1:1-3 The Supremacy of Christ (Part 1)
This week, Lord willing and if He tarries in returning, we will be saying goodbye to 2020, some might say good riddance, and hello to 2021. With that in mind, I pursued this particular text knowing this is the time of year when folks naturally look back and reflect on the past and looking to the future make plans. And potentially this can be a frightening proposition. Some have been close to the death, are amazed that God would spare us to continue living on this earth. Others have had changes in health, changes in work life, been furloughed or shutdown, and even changes in how students attended school in person or virtually. Looking back on this year, we’ve faced a lot of change. Whether that meant not being able to eat at your favorite restaurants for a while, not going to baseball games or enjoying the Little league WS, wearing face masks everywhere, or enduring the scorn of sneezing in public (once upon a time someone called out “God bless you!”, now it’s like ewwww, stay away you germ infested parasite!) Things changed, and not always for the best. No shame for inciting violence or rioting, no shame for walking in a pride parades nude or with vulgur hats, no shame in claiming your woman when you know you are a man, no shame to redefine marriage, redefine gender, redefine whatever else. No shame for any of that, but SHAME on you for believing in the Bible. Shame on you if you don’t shut down your church. Shame on you if you don’t do everything the elites of society demand. Is it any wonder then that when we look back on how crazy this year has been, that anxiety is ridden across society at large when we consider the future? And would we not then suspect that this anxiety is present among the church? Yes, pastor, but the Bible says not to be anxious. Indeed, Jesus said “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt. 6:34) So there you have it, sermon over right? Jesus said so, now obey it. But the obvious question that follows is how. How? How am I, are you suppose to not be anxious? Is there a switch we can flip on or off? Well that’s the aim of this morning’s sermon, God teach us how not to be anxious.
Bible Text: Matthew 2:11 | Preacher: Pastor Arnold | Series: Christmas | Matthew 2:11
Bible Text: Jonah 4 | Preacher: Pastor Arnold | Series: Jonah | Jonah 4 God Teaches Jonah a Lesson
Repentance and fasting. Are these somehow linked? And if so, how? Many have wondered if fasting is a practice we Christians ought to be doing in our time as well. To be abundantly clear, we are going to be considering this practice in light of Scripture, as religious orthopraxy, not as a diet plan to drop some lbs you might have picked up over the holidays. Fasting means something. It is intentional or purposeful. The purposes are many and varied. And yet the practice is linked quite often with prayer. There is an appeal, there is a desired connection, spiritual connection to God. It is a demonstration of commitment, a demonstration of the heart, a demonstration of change. In our text this morning we will see that this practice was an appeal and gave evidence of change in the hearts of the people of Nineveh. And we may find the impetus, the encouragement for incorporating this practice into our lives as well.
What happens when you are told something you really don’t like? Making it more personal, how do you react when someone tells you something about yourself that you don’t like? Setting aside for a moment whether what was said is true or not, what is your natural tendency? Is the first thing to instinctually reject? Is the first word of response out of your mouth, “no?” Or do you wait long enough to listen to what is being said? Are you patient enough to evaluate the statement? Maybe there is some truth in what was said. You may not like it, but maybe that’s the reality of the situation.
What if the news was a life threatening situation? Would we heed the news? Or would we disbelieve it, rejecting it to our detriment? Many of us have lived long enough to deal with life threatening diseases, or have known those who have gone through such ordeals. Would you receive such news and make changes and follow medical advice, or would you put your head in the sand and go about it on your own terms?
What about your behavior? How do we respond to being told that we aren’t acting right or doing what we ought? Does it rub us wrong? Sir, you ought to be more loving to your wife. Madam, you ought to be more submissive to your husband. Young man, you ought not be lazy and ought to be self-controlled. Young lady, you ought to guard your heart and avoid being a gossip and busybody. All that I have mentioned is not a personal attack, it is biblical, it is Scripturally mandated. Now, would you seek to behave and live in a more godly manner, or do you dig in your heels and say “well that’s just the way I am, so there?” Today we will see how the great city of Nineveh responded to such a message. And it may hit closer to home than we might admit at first. But don’t resist. Listen and hear the word of God and then choose wisely in response.
Bible Text: Jonah 2 | Preacher: Pastor Arnold | Series: Jonah | Jonah 2 Jonah’s Prayer
What did we do before GPS? Remember those paper maps, that were impossible to refold once you opened it up. You had to watch for the signs. This many miles to this town, or this many miles to this highway. What mile marker was that? And if you missed your exit, then you had to navigate on the fly. No computer voice to tell you “recalibrating.” And then when you figured out you’re truly lost, then it was time to pull over at a gas station and ask for help. Signs, they give us directions, they tell us important information. If we choose to ignore them, we do so at our own peril. If the sign ahead says bridge out, and you keep on going, you’re gonna be in trouble. Just as we have road signs or GPS, Scripture has been given us and there are signs, heavenly signs, that point to Christ. Signs we must pay attention to. Maybe we too like Jonah have found ourselves off course, running away, going in the opposite direction, and yet God still gives us signs to woo us back, to correct our trajectory and get us back on course.