Sermons on Lent (Page 2)
The Woes of the Religiously Misguided
We explore the seven woes that Jesus speaks against the religious establishment and Jerusalem itself. (Matthew 23:1-38) Sermon Outline “So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:3) Three Critiques of Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees (23:1-6) They are inconsistent (23:3) They burden people (23:4) They are concerned with appearances and reputation (23:5-6) A Contrast for Jesus’ Disciples (23:8-12)…
Questioning Jesus
The religious leaders ask Jesus three forceful questions, based on their own religious perspective. Jesus answers their questions and responds with another question. (Matthew 22:15-46) Sermon Outline “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’” (Matthew 22:35-36) Questions and Jesus The context of the questions: “the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words” (Matthew 22:15) Question 1: Pharisees – “should we…
Pictures of the Kingdom
Jesus tells three parables that explain who He is and what He has come to do. In response, the religious leaders begin their focused effort to arrest and eliminate Jesus. (Matthew 21:28-22:14) Sermon Outline “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you….I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (Matthew 21:31, 43) Introduction…
The Withering of the Old Ways
Jesus cleanses the temple and causes a fig tree to wither. Jesus’ authority is questioned by the religious leaders and he responds by stonewalling them. What does it mean that Jesus has come with authority? (Matthew 21:12-27) Sermon Outline “Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered.” (Matthew 21:19) Jesus Overturning Tables (21:12-17) Jesus…
Unlikely King
Jesus predicts his death and then enters into Jerusalem with great acclamation. (Matthew 20:17-19; 21:1-11) Sermon Outline “Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death.’” (Matthew 20:17-18) Jesus’ Shocking Predictions of Messianic Suffering First prediction (Matthew 16:21) –…
The Hunger to Leave a Legacy
We all hunger for success, in one form or another. A significant part of that is leaving an impact or legacy that will live beyond us. It is wonderful to leave a meaningful legacy in our lives. At the same time, that hunger for a legacy connects with our hunger for eternity. Key Passages: John 12:12-19; Psalm 78:4; Ecclesiastes 3:11 Sermon OutlinE “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in…
The Hunger for Peace
No one wants to live feeling depleted and empty. We all want to live out of a place of abundance, satisfaction and peace. We hunger to feel like our lives are on the right track and that everything is ‘right’. The biblical word for this is peace, which Scripture tells us is ultimately found in God through Jesus Christ. Key passages: John 14:25-31; 16:33; 20:19-20; Luke 1:68-79; Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15; 12:18; Matthew 5:9; James 3:18 Sermon OutlinE “Peace I leave…
The Hunger to Know
There is an insatiable desire built within humanity to understand what’s going on in the world and in our lives. We scramble to be “in the know” or “on the inside track,” and we hate feeling “out of the loop.” This hunger for understanding is built into us by God and leads us toward an encounter with that which is beyond us. Key passage: Exodus 33:7-34:9 Sermon OutlinE “He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one…
The Hunger for Joy
Our culture is driven by pleasure-seeking and the pursuit of beauty. In many ways, there is nothing quite like the peaks of pleasure or the depths of awesome beauty. Yet, we often find our hunger goes unsatisfied, even when we taste pleasure and beauty. Why is that? What is it about this hunger that connects with the way God has made us and what we can find in Him? Key Texts: Genesis 1:27; Psalm 19:1; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Song of Songs…
The Hunger for Greatness
Someone once told me that what they wanted most in life was to be seen and acknowledged for who they were. Some describe that as a hunger for greatness or, at least, a desire to be necessary. We want someone to see who we are and what we can offer. That desire connects with the way that God has made us, views, and relates to us. Key Texts: Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 18:1-5; 20:25-28; 1 Peter 5:7 Sermon OutlinE “You know that…
The Hunger for Love
All of us want to feel loved, and like we belong somewhere with someone. We want this within intimate relationships and within a sense of finding community. We will explore this hunger for love as it relates to human love and divine love. Key Passage: John 4:1-43 Sermon OutlinE “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep…
The Final Move
The triumphal entry actually speaks to the end of all things that is to come. We are drawn into the end game with Jesus as Pastor Matt brings the message from Luke 12:54-59; 21:5-38. SERMON OUTLINE “Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” (Luke 21:31) The Time and the End (Luke 21:5-11) The time of destruction The end of all things Persecution and Perseverance (Luke 21:12-19) Persecution Testimony Perseverance Two…