Guerrilla Christianity

Sermon #217

Psalm 110 is a truly remarkable song among the Jewish book of songs, in particular because from it is quoted passages in the New Testament more often than any other passage of scripture in the Old Testament. It is a song of praise for a king, but specifically points to the coming Messiah which will deliver his people Israel. Jesus himself pointed to this Psalm, written by King David, as evidence that he, the Christ, was greater than David because he came before him. What else can we learn about the nature of Jesus the Christ from this prophetic and messianic Psalm?

Psalm 110

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 2, 2017 (originally published April 1, 2020)

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

S.D.G.

March 26, 2023

Old Testament: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Psalter: Psalm 130

Epistle Lesson: Romans 8:6-11

Gospel Lesson: John 11:1-45

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 #384

The Shepherd's Psalm is one of the best-known and most-memorized passages of scripture apart from the Lord's Prayer, and like the Lord's Prayer, we mostly know it from the King James Version. We also primarily know it as a prayer from funerals, and for when we are in imminent ang grave danger. The risk in expositing such a well-known passage of scripture is the potential to miss something. Today as we examine the 23rd Psalm, we find that the nature of God and His relationship with us is revealed inthe picture of a shepherd watching over his flock. David, the shepherd King of Israel, knew more about being a shepherd than most of us, and the picture he paints of God as our shepherd is one where God provides for us, guides us, and protects us from eternal dangers. In this crisis of the coronavirus outbreak, it is well worsh our time to give this Psalm a second look.

Psalm 23

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 22, 2020 (Originally published March 23, 2020)

S.D.G.

Sermon #48

Why do good things happen to bad people? Why do bad things happen to good people? These are some of the questions that confound people, believers and non-believers alike. What we see in the account of Jesus' healing of a man born blind is that God can use both good situations and bad for the benefit of those who love him, and for his own glory. Every healing Jesus performed resulted in the glorification of God the Father, and this blindness, we are told, is so that God would be glorified. Trouble is, the religious people of the day were themselves so blind that they couldn't see the glory of God in this miracle. Could we fall into that same trap today?

This message was preached originally during Lent of 2014, but its message is pertinent to us today, when there are so many people asking if we are being punished for our sin by COVID-19. What does God's word tell us about the nature of suffering, and what is God's response to it?

John 9:1-41

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 30, 2014 (Originally published March 27, 2020)

S.D.G.

Sermon #542

As Christians, we are called to be light in a world of darkness.  In Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus, he encourages the believers there to be light, so that those in darkness will come to the light of God in Christ.  Now, we can't perfectly be light all the time, but with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, increasingly we become more and more Christlike.  And that is what it means to be Christian - the word means "little Christ," and from the beginning it has been understood by believers and pagans alike that we are to live our lives as Christ's representation in the world. 

Ephesians 5:8-14

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 19, 2023

S.D.G.

Sermon #541

As we come to Romans chapter 5 we are faced with a harsh reality, that before we came to Christ we were at war with God.  Jesus said those who are not for me are against me.  There are no passive spectators in the war between God and the world of darkness and sin.  Yet what is demonstrated in His grace is the infinite height, depth, and breadth of God's love - that while we were still sinners, while we were actively opposed to God and warring with Him, Christ died for us, for the ungodly.  That is a remarkable statement, and it is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture (Romans 5:8).  It fully encapsulates the reality of the good news, that we are sinners in need of God's grace, and that He supplies all that we need.

Romans 5:1-11

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 12, 2023

S.D.G.

Sermon #216

We as a society are infatuated with celebrity, to the point that when we see someone famous we tend to get... well, giddy. But when is the last time we were giddy over being in the presence of God? Psalm 98 is a song of praise - one of the "royal" psalms that exalts God in his kingship, and the words of the psalm are positively giddy. How can we get back to that place where our giddiness over God causes us to gush in worship? By remembering God for the deliverance he gave us in the past, by acknowledging his present reign, and by looking to the future judgment he will bring.

Psalm 98

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 26, 2017 (Originally published March 25, 2020)

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

S.D.G.

March 19, 2023

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Psalter: Psalm 23

Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 5:8-14

Gospel Lesson: John 9:1-41

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 #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.

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.