Guerrilla Christianity

S7E27: Worship and Bow Down (Selah - Life in a Minor Key pt. 4)

Sermon #383

It's easy to praise God in the good times. But how many of us truly do? Do we praise God and worship Him when we are enjoing the bounty of His provision? And what about in times of leanness, when it seems like God has departed from us. In Psalm 95, the psalmist gives us an example to avoid - the example of the people of Israel who grumbled and complained that God was not taking care of them, even after he had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. During the present coronavirus outbreak, it is easy to forget to worship God, but now more than ever we need to worship and bow down before God our maker.

Psalm 95

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 15, 2020 (Originally published March 16, 2020)

S.D.G.

S7E29: Go Make Disciples (Missionary Scott Rambo)

Guest Sermon

The Great Commission in Matthew's gospel records the final marching orders of Jesus to his followers. He calls us all to go make disciples. Today, our guest speaker, missionary Scott Rambo, looks at not only Jesus' final words, but his first words to his disciples. Scott reminds us that the same disciples who heard "Follow me" were with Jesus at the end when Jesus said "Now therefore go." And Scott talks about how God makes a way even when we think there is no way, so that we can see God's Kingdom even in places where we think God's Kingdom is absent. As a missionary to the Congo, Scott speaks from the heart on how God is moving and building his kingdom.

This message was first preached in 2014 but never published on the podcast. Since 2014, Scott and Meg Rambo and their family have finished their mission to the Congo and relocated to South Jersey, where Scott is now an associate pastor at Trinity UMC in Mullica Hill.

Maybe after hearing Scott's story you will feel led to pray for and financially assist missionaries around the world for the furtherance of the Gospel. If this is so, you can help by going to World Gospel Missions and clicking on the link that says "Give."

Matthew 28:16-20

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 23, 2014 (Originally published March 20, 2020)

S.D.G.

S10E38: The Righteousness of Faith (Reconciled to God pt. 3)

Sermon #540

What separates the Catholic church from protestant churches is the doctrine of justification.  Catholics believe that they are justified by faith and works, while protestants believe that we are justified by faith alone, and not by works.  As we continue to examine what it means to be reconciled to God, we take a deeper dive into this critical doctrine from Paul's perspective.  After having just argued that justification is by faith alone, he then uses the example of Abraham to show that he was counted righteous by his faith before the institution of the sign of circumcision, and long before the law was given to Moses.  This doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone builds upon the doctrine of Salvation by Grace Alone, and sets a sure foundation for the Reformation principles that would be erected upon them.

Romans 4:1-17

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 5, 2023

S.D.G.

S7E28: Prayer of Rest (A Journey Through Lent pt. 4)

Sermon #215

In Psalm 91 we see a beautiful picture of God's protection over us, in the image of a mother bird who spreads her wings over her chicks to keep them from harm. We see strength coupled with tenderness - the strength of the mother bird against danger, and the tenderness under her wings. We think of God's protection for us in the same way. But thinking that God will never let anything bad happen to those who trust him completely comes with inherent danger. First, when trouble does come, we think either that God does not keep his promises, or we think that somehow we did not have enough faith. But what Psalm 91 promises is not temporal safety in this life, but eternal protection for our very souls in God's abundant love.

This sermon was prepared and never preached in 2017. Because its message is so pertinent to what is going on today amid the news of coronavirus spreading [written in 2020], I thought it would be good to record the message and release it as part of the sermon series "A Journey Through Lent" from 2017.

Psalm 91 (Listen to Psalm 91 performed by Mark Swayze Band)

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 17, 2020 (originally published March 18, 2020)

Buy the companion DVD and other resources for A Journey Through Lent

S.D.G.

Lectionary Readings for Third Sunday in Lent, Year A

March 12, 2023

Old Testament: Exodus 17:1-7

Psalter: Psalm 95

Epistle Lesson: Romans 5:1-11

Gospel Lesson: John 4:5-42

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.

S7E25: Going Out and Coming In (Selah - Life in a Minor Key pt. 3)

Sermon #382

A song of ascents, or a song of degrees - these are common in the book of Psalms, but what are they? Just as we would have the radio on as we took a road trip to a faraway place, the Jewish pilgrims would sing these songs as they would journey upward toward Jerusalem, situated on Mount Moriah. These songs were meant to give them encouragement as they made the arduous journey, and to help them focus on the destination - the temple of God. During this season of Lent, sometimes we can lose focus, lose sight of the destination - the cross, and the empty tomb. Psalm 121 helps assure us that God is always with us, helping us along the way.

Psalm 121

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 8, 2020 (Originally published March 9, 2020)

S.D.G.

S1E17: Be Born Again (Lent 2014)

Sermon #47

Over the years there has been a great deal of confusion over what it means to be "Born Again," and it started with the first person to hear it. This Pharisee named Nicodemus didn't get it at first, but as we look at his life we see how God has worked in him to bring about a radical transformation. So grab your Bible, turn it to John chapter 3, and join us as we look at what it means to "Be Born Again."

John 3:1-17

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 16, 2014 (First published March 13, 2020)

S.D.G.

S7E26: Prayer for Thirst (A Journey Through Lent pt. 3)

Sermon #214

Lent is a time when we reflect upon our own sin which separated us from God. But why did Jesus have to go to the cross? Why was it necessary for the Son of God to be our perfect sacrifice in order to reconcile us to God? We look at Psalms 42 and 43 today for our answer. Our soul thirsts for the living God as a deer pants for streams of fresh water. There is a yearning within us for God that cannot be satisfied until we find our satisfaction in a relationship with God, and for that to happen we need to have our debt paid. It was not the nails that held Jesus to the cross, but God's love. These Psalms collectively describe our condition, they diagnose the causes, and then they prescribe a cure - and the cure is the cross.

Another note about the audio - during the recording of this sermon at Ebenezer UMC, my then-3 year-old son (Isaac) was running around the sanctuary doing what 3 year-old children do. So when you hear odd noises in the recording, it was probably Isaac playing with something. I have always believed in kids expressing themselves in the worship space. "Suffer the little children to come to me," Christ said, "For to such is the kingdom of God." If you have children in your worship that you think are "disruptive," try looking at them as God does.

Psalms 42-43

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 12, 2017 (First published March 11, 2020)

S.D.G.

Lectionary Readings for Second Sunday in Lent, Year A

March 5, 2023

Old Testament: Genesis 12:1-4a

Psalter: Psalm 121

Epistle Lesson: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

Gospel Lesson: John 3:1-17

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.

S7E22: Happy Are Those (Selah - Life in a Minor Key pt. 2)

Sermon #381

During the season of Lent we humble ourselves, confess any unrepented sin, and turn back to God. It is a season of renewal. What we find is that the forgiveness we find in God's grace offers us blessing or happiness that is not offered to others who do not confess and repent. David learned this lesson the hard way when he committed the sins of adultery and murder, but confession and repentance is like dropping a burden that is weighing us down - a burden of our own making.

Psalm 32

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 1, 2020 (Originally published March 2, 2020)

S.D.G.