Guerrilla Christianity

Sermon #405

When we run a race, we don't focus on where we've been but on where we are going.  By staying focused on the finish line, we can run the race with stamina and press on to the end.  This is the image that Paul is using today when talking about the Christian life in his letter to the church in Philippi, and he ought to know.  Imprisoned in Rome, if Paul were to focus on his present circumstances he would surely lose hope.  Instead he keeps his focus on his goal - attaining the resurrection of the dead through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 16, 2020 (Originally published August 17, 2020)

S.D.G.

August 20, 2023

Old Testament: Genesis 45:1-15

Psalter: Psalm 133

Epistle Lesson: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 15:10-28

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

Sermon #238

If all we have to do to be saved is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead, then why don't more people do it?  In fact, if it's that simple, then why isn't the entire world saved already?

Romans 10:5-15

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 13, 2017 (Originally published September 5, 2017)

S.D.G.

Sermon #70

Jesus told the woman at the well that "Salvation is of the Jews."  Of course, that was before he gave his own life for the sins of the world.  In today's message, the apostle Paul tells us that salvation is available to anyone who wants it, and that God has made it very simple for us, according to his abundant grace.  But what does it mean to confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead?  It is a simple thing God requires of us, but it is not easy.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Romans chapter 10, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at The Place of Israel, part 2.  

Romans 10:5-15

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 10, 2014 (Originally published August 16, 2014)

S.D.G.

Sermon #565

We come to another well-known and well-documented miracle, Jesus walking on the water.  All throughout this passage we see that Jesus is modelling for us how to get alone with God and to call out to him in times of trouble.  Yet the disciples, and especially Peter, miss the point.  Peter challenges Jesus, telling him to command Peter to come to him on the water, which he does.  And Peter gets out of the boat!  But as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the wind and the waves, he began to sink, and so he cried out the only prayer he could in that moment: "Lord, save me!"  How often do we attempt to fix things ourselves and never even consider calling out to the Lord?  Yet he answers each and every time and does what we cannot do.

Matthew 14:22-33

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 13, 2023

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S.D.G.

Sermon #404

We all carry documentation that demonstrates who we are.  But when it comes to a life in Christ, the only documentation we need is the word of God.  In it we see what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, to rescue us from sin and death.  What Paul tells us is that even though he has the most impressive resume in his religious life, he considers it all rubbish for the sake of what Jesus did for him.  We rely not on our own merits, but on the righteousness of Christ, who gave his own life to save us and reconcile us to God.

Philippians 3:1-11

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 9, 2020 (Originally published August 10, 2020)

S.D.G.

Sermon #237

Paul agonized over the salvation of his fellow Jews.  How could he see that Christ was the Messiah and others could not?  He begins to set up the urgent need for proclaiming the gospel to a people in need of salvation.

Romans 9:1-18

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 6, 2017 (Originally published August 14, 2017)

S.D.G.

Sermon #69

In chapter nine of his letter to the Romans, Paul takes a departure from speaking on God's grace and our salvation, and turns his attention to the people of Israel.  The apostle Paul was born a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin.  So it would stand to reason that he would have great concern over his people and their salvation.  This week we begin a two-part subseries to our Theology for Ministry series called The Place of Israel, and we will look at how the Jews receive God's grace, even today.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Romans chapter nine, and join us as we look at the place of Israel.

Romans 9:1-5

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 3, 2014 (Originally published August 13, 2014)

S.D.G.

Sermon #564

The feeding of the 5,000 is a miracle so remarkable that it is recorded in all four gospel accounts.  In fact, it is the only such miracle recorded in all four gospels, apart from the resurrection itself.  So if it was so important that all four gospel writers needed to include it in their good news, we ought to take notice of what's going on.  And what we see is a picture of how Jesus uses what we have to accomplish the work that he assigns to us, even when what we have is insufficient to the task.  It's easy as human beings to look at things pragmatically or practically, but when we are answering the call of God we must act in faith to know that God will take our meager offerings and multiply them until they are more than enough.

Matthew 14:13-21

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 6, 2023

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S.D.G.

Sermon #403

To be a living sacrifice means to live sacrificially, to spend yourself for the sake of Christ, who died for you.  Very few people in the Bible exemplify this idea of being a living sacrifice as well as the two men we meet in today's reading from Paul's letter to the church in Philippi.  Timothy and Epaphroditus, though from very different backgrounds, were united by faith in Jesus Christ to work alongside Paul in his imprisonment, even if it meant giving their lives for the furtherance of the Gospel. 

Philippians 2:19-30

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 2, 2020 (Originally published August 3, 2020)

S.D.G.