Sermons by Pastor Matt Erickson (Page 4)

Jesus, the Holy Obedient One

Significant portions of Leviticus are devoted to what it means to live holy before God. To live holy is a description of a life well-lived with a God who is totally present and totally pure. The pinnacle of this way of living is described in Jesus’ summary of God’s instruction: love God with all of who we are and love our neighbor as ourselves (which is drawn from Leviticus 19:18). The problem is that we often fall short of this…

Jesus, the Perfect High Priest

Leviticus in many ways is an instruction book for the priests in how to maintain right relationship between God and God’s. There are instructions about how they should administer their priesthood and how they should be ordained. Jesus is not just a great teacher but, as the writer of Hebrews instructs, “has become a high priest forever” (Hebrews 6:20). Even now, Paul tells us, Jesus “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).…

Jesus, Holy God With Us

One of the central themes of Leviticus is the presence of God with God’s people. God is the One who delivered His people from enslavement in Egypt and now stands at the center of their identity and direction. God is with them. So, too, in Jesus, God is with us. In fact, one of Jesus’ most memorable titles is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.”. (Leviticus 1:1; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; 1 Corinthians 3:16) Sermon Outline “The LORD called to…

The Hidden Power of Patience and Prayer

James’ final exhortations call the believers to deeper patience in suffering and persevering prayer amidst sickness. Why might these be the final words he wants to offer to them? (James 5:7-20) Sermon Outline “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.” (James 5:13) Persevering with Patience (James 5:7-11) Patience with long-term perspective (5:7) Patience with the end in sight (5:8-9) Patience with good examples (5:10-11a) Patience with God’s character (5:11b)…

Living Well in God’s Wisdom

There are many forms of so-called wisdom out there, but not all of them help us live well. What does it look like to find God’s true wisdom and how does it shape our everyday living? (James 3:13-18) Sermon Outline “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13) Let the Wise Step Forward (James 3:13a) Who is wise? Who thinks they’re…

Faith That Doesn’t Play Favorites

The way we treat others, especially those who might be considered “lower” or “outcasts,” says a lot about our faith. As we mark MLK Day, it is a good time to consider whether our faith is healing our prejudices and shaping our love for others. (James 2:1-13) Sermon Outline “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” (James 2:1) Faith That is Consistent with Jesus’ Way (James 2:1) Faith “in” Jesus that looks…

When Trouble Comes

This week we will set up the book of James, offering helpful background, and plunging into James’ exploration of how to respond to trials and temptations. (James 1:1-18) Sermon Outline “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) Introducing James (James 1:1) Who is…

The One Who Restores

Jesus the Messiah is the One who can truly restore. “To restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:1-7) Sermon Outline “To restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach…

The One Who Brings Justice

Jesus the Messiah is the One who brings justice to the nations. “Here is my servant…I will put my Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 42:1-9) Sermon Outline “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 42:1) The Servant of the LORD (Isaiah 42:1) The chosen people as a servant who falters…

The One Who Comforts

Jesus is the Messiah sent to bring comfort to a world that is hurting. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” (ISAIAH 40:1-5, MATTHEW 3:1-3, MARK 1:1-3, LUKE 3:4-6) Sermon Outline “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” (Isaiah 40:1) God’s Comfort Spoken (Isaiah 40:1-2a) The God who speaks The God who speaks tenderly to His people in exile God’s Comfort in Difficulty’s Resolution and Restoration (Isaiah 40:2) The difficulty of the exile will reach conclusion The future hope brought…

Resurrection Matters, Part 1

Chapter 15 explores the resurrection of Jesus. This first part of that chapter focuses on the Jesus’ resurrection and the possibility of resurrection from death. (1 Corinthians 15:1-34) Sermon Outline “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins accord- ing to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) The Gospel of the Resurrection (1 Corinthians…