Sermons About Atonement
The Pharisee, the Tax Collector and You
Acceptance with God is not the result of our goodness- in fact, God hates self-righteousness and pride. Those who look for God's provision of an atoning sacrifice are accepted.
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The Last 'Scapegoat'
The word "scapegoat" has come to mean a person, often innocent, who is blamed and punished for the sins, crimes, or sufferings of others, generally as a way of distracting attention from the real causes. Generally, no one wants to be a scapegoat, just to have one. In Leviticus 16, we come to understand that the Day of Atonement celebrates God cleansing his people from sin through the scapegoat. Jesus is the willing, and final scapegoat & our high priest. We’ve been set free from blaming, compensating, or denying to love as He loved us.
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Genesis (Part 23) - Obedience
Abraham displays true obedience to God's commands. His fear of God is exemplified in this passage and God redeems the situation to bless Abraham as the father of nations.
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Learning to Lean
Learning to lean means understanding that world leaders and policies are under God's control, dealing with past mistakes (sins) that created our mess, and trusting and obeying God's instructions.
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The Mission
As Jesus enters Jerusalem there are some Greeks who come to meet Him. He uses this as an opportunity to tell the people plainly what His mission is, what He is about to accomplish as the time has come for Him to be glorified. That mission is not to help them achieve a better life in the here and now. It is not to deal with the ruler of Rome and his claim on them as a nation. It is much more profound than any of that. He has come to remove the ruler of this world. To deal with the problem of sin once and for all and to bring many with Him into the true Kingdom of God, His Church.
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Outside the Camp
Sorry - the recorder was forgotten this week. Only the text version is posted. This morning is resurrection Sunday. Like every other week we gather here to celebrate that the Lord is risen indeed. But this morning we have the opportunity to remember the Lord’s death and what His death accomplished. And that is my purpose. I want us all to be like Paul and have our boast only in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want us all to be very specific about what the Gospel is, what it means, and all the implications that flow from the Lord’s death.
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An Acceptable Sacrifice, Pt. 2 (Matthew 3:16-17)
(1) Your view of Jesus Christ is the most important thing about you. It defines who you are: 2 Cor. 5:16 “from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh … if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature: the old things have passed away; behold new things have come” - (2) That Jesus is who He said He is, is the most important reality in life. That He is the Son of God, God in human flesh, is essential. John 8:24 “Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins” That He rose from the dead, is crucial to believe. 1 Cor. 15:17 “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still dead in your sins.” That you are a sinner; Jesus Christ alone is the acceptable sacrifice that can reconcile you to God, that you need to repent and believe is non-negotiable: Heb. 10:26-31 “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Any who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the SOn of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (3) There are a host of religious options in the world. Each traveling on a broad path to destruction. Only one lead to life and that is Jesus Christ and God has borne overwhelming testimony to Him. In Jewish culture it took 2-3 witnesses to confirm a matter; here God provides more than necessary and ones with infinitely greater reliability! 4 Testimonies to Christ as the acceptable sacrifice so that all would believe in Him. (Really five, could have added Scripture). (1) John testifies to Jesus’ sinless humanity (2) Baptism testifies to Jesus’ absolute submission (3) Holy Spirit testifies to Jesus’ supernatural power (4) Father testifies to Jesus’ divine perfection
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Good Friday - Looking on the one they have pierced
A Good Friday view from the foot of the cross, illuminating a text that predicted Jesus' life 500 years earlier.
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