Recent Sermons

Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount with a series of parables and illustrations leading his hearers to the point of decision. He describes two gate and two roads (Matt. 7:13-14), two trees and two fruits (Matt. 7:15-20), and two foundations. As he concludes with an emphasis on the two foundations and the two builders, wise and foolish, Jesus is leading his hearers to the point of decision. Will they follow Jesus and his words or will they continue to follow the teaching of the scribes and pharisees? Their decision will determine whether the house of their lives will stand or fall.

In contrast to the bad shepherding that God's people had received in the past, Jesus proclaims that he is the good shepherd. Not only does he promise to be the good shepherd for the sheep but he also promised life and life more abundant to those who enter the sheepfold by him, the door. The good shepherd proclaims that he will lay down his life for his sheep and then take it up again.

During the Tribulation Period, there will be all kinds of signs that will indicate the soon return of Jesus Christ to the earth. For believers today, there are no signs that will signal His return. The disciples were looking for signs for the end of the present age (Mark 13:4). Jesus relates to them the Parable of the Alert Servants. Alertness was necessary for both the porter and the servants in the parable and for every believer since that day. Jesus said, “I SAY UNTO ALL, WATCH.” The Lord’s coming is imminent which reveals that He could return at any moment. Until that moment, as His servants, we all have a work to do (13:34). We are to keep busy serving Him until He returns and while serving, we must be ALERT - WATCHING. Jesus will return to the earth personally and gloriously. We need to be ready with great anticipation.

Sometimes God allows suffering in lives in order to manifest His glory. The story of the healing of the blind man is just such an occasion. Immediately following the miracle, people had to decide what to think and do about Jesus. Coming face to face with the truth always requires us to make a decision.

The fig tree is not Israel, nor does it refer to the church. This passage was not fulfilled in Jesus’ generation; so what does it mean by “this generation”?

Following the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus proclaims that he is not only the light of the world but the great I AM. Those who would believe his message are challenged to follow him.

Christ continues His parables preparing for the New Covenant, enraging the religious rulers.

While much of John's gospel relates to the signs that Jesus did and the teaching that emerges from those signs, John 7 and 8 do not mention any of the signs that Jesus did. Instead they occur during the occasion of the Feast of Booths. Jesus uses this festival of the Jews to demonstrate that not only is he the fulfillment of the festivals but he came to replace them.

The mustard seed symbolizes something very small and insignificant that experiences enormous growth. The parable is all about KINGDOM GROWTH. The mustard seed produces a large plant, not actually a tree, and yet large enough for birds to sit in its branches. The elements of the parable include a man who sows the seed and in this case, it is Jesus Christ sowing the seed of the Gospel. The field is the world, though the Kingdom includes the universe and Heaven. The seed is the Word of God, the message of the King. The growth speaks of the advancement of the kingdom and is witnessed today in terms of the growth of the church. The birds represent the presence of evil, satanic interference in the Kingdom.

Although the feeding of the 5,000 was an incredible miracle, its purpose was much deeper than just demonstrating the power of Jesus. Jesus performed this miracle to teach a much truth regarding Himself. Jesus performed this miracle leading up to a lengthy discourse to confront the multitude with the truth that He is God and that He would give himself to provide eternal life. Confronted with the truth, the multitude was forced to make a decision regarding their response to the truth.

This parable has been referred to by some as the parable of parables. It is the key to understanding the rest of the Kingdom parables. Jesus gives us a detailed interpretation of the parable as He explains it to his disciples. In Mark 4, Jesus even asked his disciples how they would understand the rest of the parables if they did not understand this one. The parable of the sower describes how the kingdom begins.