Sermon Blog

If you’re like me, every week you get at least one, if not a flood of these in your mailbox.  They make you feel appreciated and special.  They suggest that someone really wants to have a relationship with you.  They tell you that you have been pre-approved—maybe for $1,000, $6,000, or even up to $35,000.  Then you notice…their loving approval of you is asterisked.  They reach out, claim to approve having a relationship with you, only to note that before y’all can really have a relationship you must meet certain criteria.  So you fill out their little form, seeing if they really want to begin a relationship.  Then, if you are among the many who have less than stellar credit, you get another message from them, “We’re sorry, but because of what one of our other friends (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) have told us about you, we can’t be have a relationship at this time.” The feeling of being rejected when you were expecting to be accepted is not a go...

How many of you would believe me if I told you that there was a ballgame a week ago yesterday in which a player scored with only his fingertips touching home plate?  What if, I told you that his fingertips were the only part of his body touching the ground when he came across home plate?  Some things have to be seen to be believed.  That was the deal for Thomas.  Easter evening, as ten of the disciples gathered together in hiding, for fear that they might be arrested for being a follower of Jesus, Jesus came and appeared to them.  He spoke words of peace to them.  He showed them His hands and His side.  Realizing their unexpected guest was the risen Messiah, the ten were amazed and excited.  Jesus commissioned the disciples to go out and breathed on them His Spirit. You notice I mentioned there were ten disciples there.  One was missing.  Thomas.  There had been twelve, Judas Iscariot hung himself out of remorse for having ...

They thought they had Him.  They had convinced one of His closest friends that they way to make Him the kind of leader the friend expected was to force His hand by betraying Him.  They got the religious leaders all worked up and even found someone that would falsely accuse Him of blasphemy.  They got the soldiers fired up to the point that when they began whipping them, they went into such a frenzy that bone was exposed and flesh hung loosely when they were done.  They got the crowd in such an uproar that the called for the release of a murderer rather than this nonviolent teacher.  They were joyous as He walked up that hill and the soldiers drove spikes into his wrists and ankles, and dropped the cross into the hole with a jarring thud.  They incited the crowd to mock Him and spit at Him.  They started their victory party when the stone was rolled in front of the tomb. And then He stripped them of their power and embarrassed them.  How did C...