Our Risen Lord

Jesus told them that He was the Son of God and would bring salvation to the world

and rule over an eternal kingdom.

Yet, a few days later many of His followers watched Him die a horrible death on a Roman cross. Others saw His body anointed with spices, wrapped in linen, and sealed in a tomb. 

It was over. He was dead. And all their hopes were buried with Him. 

But, thank God, Jesus isn’t dead! The message the angel spoke to the women at the tomb still reverberates in mid July 2019. 

Matthew 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Because He lives, there is hope for tomorrow, there’s a Friend that “sticketh closer than a brother” and there is grace to live for God, to face whatever comes our way. 

Because He lives, life for the believer is not in vain, but it will end in glory in His exalted presence. 

Because He lives, there is hope for the lost sinner.  He can run to Jesus and find a willing Savior, a forgiver of sins. 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission. 

Peace, Peace Be Still

Things can be fine one minute and the next a rush of anxiety as you find yourself on a life-flight trip to the hospital with your precious baby. Or It might be a heartsick phone call or a hundred other things slamming you into a storm. 

Master, don’t you care? The apostles asked that question in the fury of their storm. 

Mark 4:37-38  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

These seasoned fishermen are frightened. The ship, rocking and reeling, is full of water, it’s night time, they can’t see where they’re going, and Jesus is asleep in the ship. 

Can’t you hear them screaming, “Wake up! Wake up, Master! Don’t you care?” He did. 

This old hymn we used to sing always brought this story alive, calming my spirit. 

“Master, the tempest is raging the billows are tossing high. —- The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness, no shelter or help is nigh; —- Carest Thou not that we perish? How canst Thou lie asleep, —- When each moment so madly is threat’ning a grave in the angry deep?

“The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will, Peace, be still. —- Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea —- or demons or men or whatever it be, —- No waters can swallow the ship where lies —- The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;

“They all shall sweetly obey Thy will. —- Peace, be still.  Peace, be still.  They all shall sweetly obey Thy will. —- Peace, peace, be still.”

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission. 

Never Alone

The fact that the Lord is ever with His children is a blessing that towers above anything enjoyed by the wicked. 

It means we are never alone. 

It means that in every valley, every dark night of the soul, every illness, every situation in life, we have the blessed presence of the Lord to comfort us.  

He is always there.  Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5. 

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

“The world’s fierce winds are blowing, temptation sharp and keen.
I have a peace in knowing my Savior stands between—
He stands to shield me from danger when my friends are all gone.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone!” — Anonymous 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

The King’s Highway

The road the Redeemed travel leads to glory. 

Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; . . . . .

Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Those who walk the King’s Highway know His peace  (Phil. 4:7)  —-  His joy, (1 Pet. 1:8)   —-  His presence (Heb. 13:5)  —-  and His blessings along the way (Phil. 4:19, Matt. 6:25-34)

The way may grow hard and our strength may fade, but there’s no better path through the wilderness of this world than the King’s Highway.  

“My way gets brighter —. My load gets lighter. —  Walking up the King’s Highway. —  There’s Joy in knowing with Him I’m going. —  Walking up the King’s Highway.“

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission. 

A Troubled Heart

Often the most painful wounds are hidden deep in the heart. Being hidden, they can be the most dangerous.

Setbacks and trials can take the joy out of living. Our faith is weakened and if we collect enough hurts, it will stop us from wanting to press forward. 

Don’t let the hurts hurt you. The best plan of escaping them is to run to the safe arms of Jesus. Tell Him about them. 

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

If you can ever learn to trust God completely — without reservation — you have the tool to loosen fear’s grip on your life.  

As soon as you come to the place where you know God will do as He promised and you leave life up to Him  — your painful wounds — then you are free from the struggle.  

You can trust the Lord. Give Him your troubles. 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission. 

Redeemed

Moses preached to the Israelites, born during the wilderness wanderings, as they prepare to enter Canaan. They need to know that God delivered them from Egyptian bondage and He will be with them now.  

Deuteronomy 7:8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God redeemed Israel when the Passover Lamb was slaughtered and its blood (the blood of an innocent substitute) was placed on the door post of their houses (Ex. 12). 

Through a series of miracles, God delivered them from their Egyptian captivity.

Through the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus, God redeemed us as we trusted Him for salvation (Rev. 5:9; Gal. 4:5; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). 

He deliverer us from the bondage of sin, forgiving our sins when we gave Him our hearts. 

Oh happy day!

Colossians 1:13-14 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission. 

Have Faith

I know that Jesus is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present. 

He knows what you and I are going through — everything there is to know about it — and He wants us to have faith in Him. 

“The just shall life by faith,” Rom. 1:17; 

“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” Rom 14:23; 

“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith,” Matt. 8:26.

Just a reminder that Jesus is Lord and is greater than any problem we can have so have faith in Him.  

Simply learn to take Him at His Word and trust Him, remembering that what the Lord has promised He will do. 

Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission.