The Transfiguration of Jesus

I don’t know if it’s a brave new world but the world certainly has changed in just the past week or two. I preached this sermon to an empty house and was successful in making not only this digital recording WAV file but also making an old fashioned cassette tape that our seniors without internet access can listen to.

Here is the essay I referred to, We Need Something to Push Against, on my blog. Click below to hear The Transfiguration of Jesus, today’s sermon as we continue our series on the ministry of Jesus in preparation for Easter. The text is from Luke 9. Peace to you and God bless.

Thank You for Visiting

Due to the latest concerns regarding coronavirus, the Unity Baptist congregation will not be meeting at the church at this time. Sermon audio will be posted here and we will be working on keeping in touch with our seniors who are not connected online. The state of emergency will expire on May 13th. We will consider at that time whether or not it is safe and wise to gather together for worship.

Peace to you, and God bless.

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Click here to read the previous Pastor’s Welcome letter. 

 

God’s Plans Are Sure

God has a plan, he knows what’s doing, his plans always work out. His Word given through Isaiah was encouraging to his people at that time. By studying it now, we better understand that God is always at work accomplishing his will. As we work our way toward Easter, Isaiah 52 and 53 give us a clear picture of the crucifixion and hint at something even greater.

God’s Plan for Messiah

This will be the first sermon in a series of Christ’s ministry leading up to Easter.

We use passages from Isaiah during Advent that describe the birth of the Messiah. We sometimes to to Isaiah 53 during the week of Christ’s Passion. But Isaiah (as well as other Old Testaments prophets) describes more than these events at the beginning and end of the Messiah’s life. We are given details of his character and nature of his ministry.

 

All Things to All People

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that he had become all things to all people. He was limited in the scope of his ability to really become all things. All of us fall short in being perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. Jesus, however, can be all things to all people. He is a friend that stays closer than a brother, a comforter, friend, savior, provider, protector; the Lord is a strong and mighty tower we run into. He is the Rock of Ages, the Lily of the Valley, and we could go on and on. Paul’s desire was to share this good news with people that need to hear it.

What’s the Difference?

Elijah and Elisha were Old Testament prophets that are often confused for one another. Their names and their ministries were similar and they lived in the same time period; Elisha was actually a student of Elijah. Two stories from 1st and 2nd Kings involved widows miraculously blessed by these two prophets. The details are different and we might wonder why God worked differently in each case. The thing is, it’s the same God. That same God, who knows and understands each heart and each need, is working in our lives today.

Greater than the Sum

Adam may have been dust but sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Adam was made by God in his own image, then God breathed into him the breath of life. In the New Covenant we posses a great treasure (the indwelling Holy Spirit) in jars of clay. I wish had explained the sermon title this well on Sunday morning.

 

Some Things Never Change

The Genesis 6 flood story and the New Testament plan of salvation probably have more things in common than you realize. Noah’s ark, the exodus from Egypt, the tabernacle in the wilderness, a dozen other things and the bride of Christ waiting for the marriage supper – all examples of God working to accomplish God’s plan. We are invited to participate but it was not Noah’s flood just like it’s not our church. God makes it possible for us to know him. We are the benefactors of his grace. Some things never change.

What Prayer is Like

I once thought I had a brilliant analogy of what prayer is like. I worked it out, it was very clever and beautiful, but it failed to express the theology of prayer correctly. Prayer is not like raindrops. Click the play button and join us as we discover what prayer is really like. It’s not about the one who prayers as much as the one we pray to.

Why Preach the Gospel?

After an awkward introduction – the illustration was great I just couldn’t remember for a moment how it related to the sermon – this really turned around. The lost need to hear the Gospel, Christians need to be reminded of it, and ultimately it is why Jesus came to this world. He feed the hungry, healed the sick, raised the dead and taught scripture but above all else “the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”