Guerrilla Christianity

Sermon #544

On this Palm Sunday we consider the hymn of Christ from Paul's letter to the church in Philippi.  Paul, writing this letter from a Roman prison, exhorts the Philippian church to put aside their pride-filled disputes and be of one mind - and then demonstrates what kind of mind they should have by showing them the mind of Christ.  In a Chiastic structure, Paul walks us through the descent of Christ from Heaven to earth to the cross, and then the ascension of Christ to exaltation and praise, all to the glory of God the Father.  It is a structure that is echoed both in the Christology of the Apostles Creed and the timeline of Holy Week - beginning with Jesus' triumphal entry in to Jerusalem, leading to his betrayal and death, then his resurrection and ascension into heaven, and finally his giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Philippians 2:5-11

Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 2, 2023

S.D.G.

April 5, 2023

Old Testament: Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalter: Psalm 70

Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 12:1-3

Gospel Lesson: John 13:21-32

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 #50

When we get to Palm Sunday we are tempted to go straight from the celebration of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the ecstacy of the empty tomb and the promise of the resurrected Christ. But first we must go through the cross. It's easy to forget that the cross on which they nailed our Lord was meant for the murderous Barabbas. Easier still to forget that Christ took our place on the cross as well. As Max Lucado once said, it was not the nails that held Jesus to the cross, but the love of God. And so we invite you to lean in to the passion narrative as we raise our Palms of Praise.

Matthew 27:11-54

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 13, 2014 (Originally published April 8, 2020)

S.D.G.

April 4, 2023

Old Testament: Isaiah 49:1-7

Psalter: Psalm 71:1-14

Epistle Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Gospel Lesson: John 12:20-36

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 #543

One question I am often asked as a pastor is this: Am I truly saved, if I am still struggling with sin?  The answer to that question may surprise you, especially if you ask this question yourself.  Today we are talking about assurance, and how we can know we are saved, and saved to the uttermost.  The simple fact of the matter is, those who are not born again, those who are unregenerate, do not ask that question, because the thought of their salvation never crosses their mind.  In Paul's letter to the Romans he makes a strong case for this.  Those in the flesh cannot submit to God, but those in the Spirit can and do.  If we are asking this question it means we are saved, but also that we are focused more on our own efforts and not on the one who saves.

Romans 8:6-11

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 26, 2023

S.D.G.

April 3, 2023

Old Testament: Isaiah 42:1-9

Psalter: Psalm 36:5-11

Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 9:11-15

Gospel Lesson: John 12:1-11

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 #218

Our journey through Lent and the Psalms brings us to this prophetic Psalm that looks forward to the coming of the Messiah who would deliver God's people. In the center of the Christian Bible, and s andwiched between the shortest and the longest chapters in the entire Bible is this beautiful song of praise, a prayer for deliverance from trouble. When we come to Palm Sunday we find that the people used these words - "Save us now!" (Hosanna), and that is what Jesus came to do, but it wasn't to save the Jews from Roman oppression, it was to save the world from slavery to sin and death.

Psalm 118

Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 9, 2017 (Originally published April 7, 2020)

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

S.D.G.

April 2, 2023

Palm Readings
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 21:1-11

Psalter: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Passion Readings:
Old Testament: Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalter: Psalm 31:9-16

Epistle Lesson: Philippians 2:5-11

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 26:14-27:66

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 #385

Psalm 130 is a song of ascents, which means the Jewish pilgrims would sing it to themselves and to each other as they went up the mountain to the temple in Jerusalem. It is a song that is meant to keep our eyes fixed upon God, and what is it that this song tells us about God and His relationship with us? We are sinners, and our state is hopeless without the forgiveness of God. But we have hope in God's word, the promise that he has redeemed and he will redeem again. And we have this assurance in God's steadfast nature. It is a psalm of hope and assurance, and a reminder of the greatness of God's grace.

Psalm 130

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 29, 2020  (Originally published on March 30, 2020)

S.D.G.

Sermon #49

The account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is a familiar story, and like all such stories it may be easy to miss the important details. Once again we see that Jesus performs a miracle for the purpose of demonstrating who he is and so that God would be glorified. But there is something promising in his "I am" statement: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) Though spoken to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, this promise is for us as well. Everyone, Jesus said, everyone who believes in him, though they die, yet shall they live. Our life in Christ is like this. We are dead in our sins, yet an encounter with Jesus raises us to newness of life. It's what we call being born again. And with it is the promise of eternal life as promised in John 3:16.

John 11:1-45

Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 6, 2014 (Originally published April 3, 2020)

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S.D.G.