Beware of the Scribes - And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers.
Here is a fascinating teaching that critiques both the methods and message of preaching that is common in many evangelical churches. It's almost an hour long, but definitely worth it. When you click on the link, you'll have the option of listening to audio or watching the video!
The Light of the Gospel - Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
This speaker is sometimes hard to understand and will require some concentration but this sermon blows my mind every time I listen to it. It begins with a poem and ends with a song. The audio isn't great, especially for the song, but the sermon is definitely worth the effort. I suggest listening to the poem again after the message.
This is a follow up on the previous sermon. These quotes focus on two words: law and gospel. Lutheran theologians read the entire Bible through the lens of these two words. I think it is a very helpful way of hearing God's Word. A word that kills and makes alive!
BY BRANDON HANSON Try not to let your head explode. Here's a little "devotional" for you; some thoughts on Law and Gospel from Gerhard Forde. Drink deep, drink full. These are rich streams of thought. 1. The Gospel does not tell me what to do to be saved.
For a more in-depth study of Law and Gospel, continue reading here!
This is a fascinating sermon to consider regarding the sufficiency of Jesus to save us. The reason I consider "only" so important in our understanding of the Gospel is that the message of salvation "by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone," is what puts to death our old nature and raises up a new person. (If you didn't read this post, I recommend you read it before listening to this sermon.) Either my will is necessary for salvation or it's the very thing that most needs to be saved. And by saved I mean KILLED! Put to death, so a new person can be raised from the dead who believes and therefore bears the fruit of repentance and faith. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Can you see it? Can you see that the death of Jesus Christ is your death? He has died in your place! He has done it. He is God happening to you. It is all over, finished, between you and God! He died in your place that death which you must die; he has done it in such a way as to save you. He has borne the whole thing! The fact that there is nothing left for you to do is the death of self and new birth of the new creature. He died to make a new creature of you...to raise you up to trust God alone. Gerhard O Forde
BY GERHARD FORDE The radical gospel of justification by faith alone simply does not fit, cannot be accepted by, and will not work with an anthropology which sees the human being as a continuously existing subject possessing ''free choice of will''...
One of my favorite parables is the The Pharisee and the Tax Collector. I enjoy listening to sermons on this parable and I found another good one. (The first sermon on this blog was also on this same text and can be found HERE!)
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
BY ED ELLINGSTON This is a word to those with a troubled conscience. Those tormented by their failure to conquer that secret sin, or those who have screwed up so horrifically and publicly that they are in danger of losing all hope.
Our pastor is preaching a series of sermons on the Sermon on the Mount and this is the third sermon in the series. I'm excited to share this sermon with you. Enjoy!
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL-Newly discovered manuscripts of the prophet Jeremiah's writings have confirmed that the prophet's original words were likely confined to just the eleventh verse of Chapter 29 found in modern Bible translations, with all other parts of the book being forgeries, Bible experts announced Wednesday.
Below is a link to a great sermon about the Beatitudes. Unlike the other sermons on my blog, we didn't find it online, we heard it preached live and in person on a Sunday morning! (And it sounded pretty good because I just finished tweaking the sound system.) The church is Saint Matthias Anglican Church in Oakdale, California and the pastor is John Roberts. If you enjoy the sermon and want to visit, let me know and we'll save you a seat right next to us! You can find more sermons on the church website.
Are there any avid readers following my blog? If you like what you are listening to and want a good book to read about the central massage of the Bible, I recommend this book. I found it to be interesting, thoughtful, and well written. Used copies are available for less than $3.00! Happy reading!
This is a wonderful sermon on the unpopular subjects of suffering and lamenting. The lexionary text is Lamentations 3:19-26, but Jamie Howison gives us a broader look at the entire book.
I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately. Maybe it's because I need it more than I'd like to admit or that I struggle with giving it as freely as I have received it, but I also see so many hurting relationships around me that desperately cry out for forgiveness. I am reminded of this quote:
In Christianity the blood on the floor is Jesus' blood, and after we receive His forgiveness for our sin, He says take up your cross and follow me. Apparently forgiving others is going to cost us something too. But any dying we do in forgiving others, serves to crucifies our flesh and reminds us we are already dead and Jesus is our life. The act of forgiving others is no less God's gift to us than the forgiveness He shows to us. Both are drawing us closer to Him and to each other.
Below is a link to a video interview with Brene' Brown that includes the above quote as part of her personal testimony. I think it's worth the time to listen to.
Here is a good sermon appropriate for the season. It was preached in the fall of 2008 by William Cwirla. Below the audio player is a link to the Biblical text and a manuscript of the sermon.
Below is a blog post about the purpose of the law. It will give you an interesting perspective on those new year's resolutions you made and what can actually change your life...the Gospel! This isn't a one-off. Grunewald has a great blog and some other resources. Here is a link with some recommended reading from his blog. Happy New Years!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I wrote a short Christmas sermon and decided to post it here for your consideration. I enjoyed writing it and hope you find it a good read.
Christmas Sermon 2016.pdf
Does it matter what we believe? Is the message of the Bible clear? Are we like the believers Luke commends in Acts: "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11 Below is a good sermon that discusses these issues. I'd enjoy hearing what you think!
Enjoy this short podcast that encourages us to keep our focus on Jesus's return during the Advent season. Following that is a short, interesting, and entertaining Advent sermon that shares a complementary message. Below that is the biblical text for the sermon. As always, I appreciate your comments. Enjoy!
Below is the list of self-diagnostic questions discussed in the video. I find them to be a good tool for evaluating my love for God and neighbor and a reminder to daily repent of my sin.
1. What am I afraid of?
2. How are my prayers?
3. What is my attitude toward worship?
4. What is my attitude toward authority?
5. Am I angry?
6. Am I chaste/content with my spouse?
7. Am I greedy/lazy?
8. Am I bitter?
9 & 10. Am I content/happy?
If you like this video, you can find more here. There are videos on each commandment and many other Biblical texts. Grappling with the Text Videos Enjoy!
It's time for an Advent season sermon. Advent is the beginning of the church calendar/year and is the season we reflect on what it means to be the people of God as we wait for Christ's return. Here is an article that explains the Advent season.
If you grew up like me, attending an evangelical church, you might not know anything about the season of Advent. Advent begins four weeks before Christmas, which means this year it begins on Sunday, November 27, 2016. Advent is a time of preparation and expectation leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth. It also has themes that look forward with hope and anticipation to Christ's second coming. For churches that follow the liturgical calendar, Christmas season doesn't begin until Christmas Eve and continues for 12 days until Epiphany.
I have enjoyed learning about Advent and other seasons/celebrations of the liturgical church calendar. It reminds me that the Church isn't something we invented yesterday. The seasons and celebrations (feasts) of the Church are rich in theology, worship, and practical application.
This blog post includes links to two podcasts. The first is a short (5 minute) podcast that highlights a song written for Advent season. It is a beautiful song that focuses on the themes of promise, waiting, and hope. There are five more of these short podcasts, and I will post them over the next few weeks. The second link is a fourteen minute Christmas Eve message that does a good job of introducing the season of Advent and is a heart warming story as well. Both podcasts are from St. Benedict's Table in Manitoba, Canada.
Over the next four weeks, I will be posting sermons that fit into the Advent theme. Thank you to those of you who are listening. I would appreciate hearing from you in the form of a blog comment or an email if you are enjoying this blog. Have a wonderful Advent season as we anticipate the coming of our Lord Jesus the Christ!
Is everyone ready for another good sermon? This sermon was preached by Timothy Keller in 2005, and is part of series on the book of Hebrews. The text from Hebrews is read aloud by an unnamed reader before the sermon and is worth the price of the entire sermon. If I ever write a book, I want him to read the audio version.
It's time for another sermon. I love this church because on their website "About Us" page, it says: "It's not about us. It's about Christ crucified for our sin. But if you really want to know about us, we're a bunch of sinners and we'd love to tell you about Christ's forgiveness." This is the first sermon I've ever heard on the theme of death except at a funeral. If you can survive the first 5 minutes and 20 seconds you are in for a big surprise!
A Great Multitude from Every Nation - After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Here is an excellent sermon that highlights a game Martin Luther suggested parents and teachers play with children to teach the great themes of the Bible. Here is what Luther said about the game:
And let no man think himself too wise for such child’s play. Christ, to train men, had to become man himself. If we wish to train children, we must become children with them. Would to God such child’s play were widely practiced. In a short time we would have a wealth of Christian people whose souls would be so enriched in Scripture and in the knowledge of God that of their own accord they would add more pockets.
Enjoy the sermon and listen for the game! I have become fond of playing the game in my head when reading scripture and listening to sermons. Here is the text: 1 Peter 4:12-19
These videos are published by Lutheran Hour Ministries. The first five were produced in 2015, and focus on Martin Luther. The details of Luther's life including his childhood, education, decision to become a monk, protest of Catholic practices, his voluminous writings, his life in hiding, and his roles as husband and father are all considered in these videos.
The final three videos were produced in 2016, and focus on teachings of the late Medieval Church including purgatory, penance, celibacy, prayers for the dead, transubstantiation, the treasury of merits of Christ, devotion to Mary and the rosary, the institution of the papacy, and the one most often linked to the Reformation: the sale of indulgences.
Happy Reformation Day! Monday, October 31 is the 499th year of reformation, and to celebrate I'm sharing a link to a sermon preached in 2013, by Pastor William Cwirla. The text is Romans 3:17-28. Next year is the 500th year of the reformation, so I've got a whole year to plan! :)
Later this week, I'll be posting a link to a six part series of short videos on Martin Luther and the Reformation. Three cheers for Youtube! If you are enjoying the blog and want to share it with someone else, please share a link. Some of the sermons are being listened to over 100 times!
Below is a link to something I found helpful in thinking about justification, sanctification and what it means to die to self. It's not an easy read, but I recommend it for your consideration. Happy reading!
It's time for another great sermon! What I appreciate about this message is the quality of his exegesis, how he explains the meaning of the texts in the broader context of scripture, and the focus on the Bible as God's Word to us. I am impressed with Pastor Wolfmueller's ability to preach an articulate, engaging, and thoughtful sermon while staying close to the text. What do you hear? I'd love for you to share your thoughts. Here are the texts for the sermon: Matthew 17:1-13 and 2 Peter 1:16-21.
This post is late, but since the message is about grace, I guess you'll just have to forgive me. This is not a sermon, but a podcast interview from Christ Hold Fast Cast. The podcast hosts are two pastors and this episode is an interview with author and conference speaker Eylse Fitpatrick. This isn't my favorite podcast, but this particular episode is interesting and helpful because we hear the testimony of someone discovering the Gospel and the impact it has on her life. This episode is long: one hour and sixteen minutes, but it is worth the time and is generally light enough to listen to while multitasking. I would enjoy hearing your comments on this podcast episode. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed!
This is the first sermon I heard by William Cwirla. After listening to it several times, Eva and I came up with this phrase: "We've been Cwirla'd!" I will post additional sermons by Cwirla, but this one is an excellent introduction to his preaching. Lutherans divide scripture into two broad categories: law and gospel. You will hear the distinction between law and gospel in this sermon and how this distinction is helpful in understanding the Bible. I also keep these categories in mind when I listen to other sermons. Here is the text for the sermon: John 2:1-11. As always, I suggest you read the text and take a minute to reflect on it before listening to the sermon. Enjoy!
I would love to hear your feedback on the sermon. What did you hear? What did you like or dislike? What is missing? For anyone interested in learning more about law and gospel, here is an excellent book. I have read it and found it very helpful! If you read the book, let me know what you think.
Thank you to everyone who subscribed to the blog or visited from Facebook or Twitter. This week I'm excited to share another great sermon. In a few weeks, I plan to share more about what makes a sermon "great." But first I want to have a few examples for us to consider. Using the metaphor of cooking: before we study the recipe, lets simply enjoy some great food together. I pray these sermons create faith and love in your hearts.
This sermon is preached by an Anglican minister in Canada. I listened to many of his sermons as I hiked this summer and found this one to be especially thoughtful and passionate. He has a great Christmas message I can't wait to share! The text for this sermon is: John 12:1-8. I encourage you to read the text before listening to the sermon.
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me. John 5:39
If we are going to understand how to read the Bible, a crucial question that we must answer is: Who is the Bible about? Jesus says the scriptures are about him. In the passage below, Jesus teaches us how to read the Bible.
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:13-27
We miss the point of the Bible if we read the Bible as if it is about us.
Here is a short video to consider:
Here are two brief articles that also makes the case that the Bible is about Jesus:
This is an excellent sermon on the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. Here is a link to the Biblical text. Enjoy the sermon and let me know what you think by leaving a comment! (I won't tell anyone if you listen to it more than once...it will be our little secret.)
The purpose of Beggars Sharing Bread is to promote a Christ centered conversation about the Bible. I am learning to read, study, and hear the Bible from the prospective that it is about Jesus and not about me. I am also learning to distinguish between God's two words in scripture: law and gospel. I invite you to join me on this journey. I will be posting various resources that I have found helpful, as well as some of my own thoughts. Please join the conversation by posting questions and comments.
“The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.” Martin Luther
