Media File
Hope and faith are different. Hope is what we use to set the goals in our lives. Faith enables the bringing of those goals to fruition. As we face a new administration, there is reason for hope.
2025-01-11 David's Hit List
Media File
As David lay on his death bed, he gave his son instructions to kill Joab, the commander of the army. The events that made that advisable were set in motion years earlier by the sin of David himself. When David committed adultery with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, he used Joab to cover up the crime by killing Uriah. That led to a sequence of events that almost cost David his throne and did result in the death of two of his sons. God forgave David, but He did not vacate the earthly consequences.
2025-01-18 Two Beasts
Media File
Comparing Matthew 24 with Revelation 13 and 14, it is obvious that there are still things to come from an eschatological perspective. The first beast represents human government and the second a human religion that gives a spiritual imprimatur to the bestial government. The Scriptural purpose for telling us these things is to provide perspective on how we should be living as the end times approach.
2025-01-25 While We Wait for His Return
Media File
The Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 and 25 describes what will happen at Christ's return. In that briefing, there are four parables describing what He expects His followers to be doing while He is away. These parables cover four different subjects. It is important to notice that everyone in each parable is a believer and that each parable describes the case where some of those believers are rejected.
2025-02-01 Talent Investment
Media File
In the Olivet Discourse, the master entrusts three of his servants with his resources and then goes on a long journey. Two of the servants double his money, the third simply holds and returns it to him upon his return. It would be an error to assume that God's standard is 'double my money' or you're going to be rejected.
2025-02-08 Burning the Bridge Behind You
Media File
When God took Israel out of Egypt, He did not take the short route to Canaan lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt. Instead, He took them into the wilderness beyond the point where they could return without dying of thirst or starvation. In this sense, He burned the bridge back to Egypt so they had no choice but to continue on to freedom. So too, many of us have bridges that need to be burned so we can move forward to be what God desires.
2025-02-15 Covetousness is Idolatry
Media File
In the Decalogue both the first and the tenth commandments forbid alien gods. The first commandment is obvious - thou shall have no other gods before me. The tenth - thou shall not covet - not quite so much. Why, then does Paul equate covetousness with idol worship?
Media File
After the ten commandments, God gives several chapters of detailed statutes. These laws are intended to implement God's view of how a good society should behave. Following those laws is for our own good and does not generate blessings. Rather blessings come from a relationship with God. We know from history that that relationship can be damaged to the point the He will withdraw those blessings. Similarly, there are two competing visions for the United States. Proponents of each vision are attempting to enact laws to shape society toward their vision.
2025-03-01 The Gift of Giving
Media File
In Exodus 25, God tells Moses to request contributions of materials to build the Tabernacle from everyone "whose heart moves him". In this, God gave Israel the gift of being able to contribute something instead of merely receiving. The act of giving allows one to participate in what God is doing in the world. As such, it is a great gift.
Media File
The Hebrew word 'beged' means both clothing and betrayal. This duality is important because we use clothing to communicate - status, sexuality, position, power, etc. Realizing that clothing can lie and betray is an important part of navigating in society. The High Priest's vestments are thus a statement that can either be true of the man or false. So too with others who wear the robes of authority.
2025-03-15 The Tent of Meeting
Media File
Between smashing the first set of tablets because of the Golden Calf and ascending the mountain again to get the second set, Moses spent 40 days in the tent of meeting outside the camp. What was the purpose of that time and what did Moses accomplish? (The song referred to is "The Family of God.")
2025-03-22 Human Creativity
Media File
Being made in the image of God, people have the ability to be creative. In building the Tabernacle in the wilderness, many things were specified by God because deviation would have compromised His message. Other things, however, were open for interpretation by the artisans who worked on the project. In allowing this, Israel became more than passive recipients of God's provision. They could now be active contributors to God's purposes.
2025-04-12 Birth Pains
Media File
Nations, like people have a life cycle - birth, growth, productivity and death. For Israel, Passover was its birth. Since then it has gone through several life cycles, always being reborn because God has had His hand on them. The United States, like Israel, was also explicitly formed on Biblical principles. We are now undergoing a civilizational crisis. Pray that the current turmoil represents birth pains.
Sermons given at Restoration Messianic Fellowship during 2025
