Tag: Bible

Still Waiting (10 Year Anniversary Response)

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Back when I first started this blog, I was in a very different space then I am right now. After 10 years of inconsistently writing on and off again here, I’m amazed that I actually kept this blog still going! Back then it wasn’t very cool to blog with the existence and ever expanding reach of online video content. Now over a decade later, it’s even less cool to be honest but I just prefer the pen over the camera lens.

At the beginning, this was a platform for me to share my thoughts on a variety of topics and to this day it’s still that same space for me. Has the audience grown since 2015? Yes barely, but that was never the point. My aim for this blog is that you would see the honest reflections of my life and how I am on the way with Jesus. Communing with him at his table. Walking into even greater relationship with him.

It’s in celebration of the 10 years of this blog that I would like to pause and reflect on my second ever post simply called Waiting. How with the wisdom I have gathered in the last decade I can respond to a younger man who didn’t know his way. Didn’t know the future or what God had in store down the road on the critical journey. But first, here’s what I originally wrote all those years ago:

“This season of my life has been an interesting one. It has not been like previous seasons such as the time of intense spiritual warfare that lasted the duration of my first two years of high school. That was when I led a Christian club called “First Priority” at Eaglecrest High School.

On the other hand, it is also different than the season filled with teaching opportunities where God gave me the ability to lecture on why the Bible can be trusted, as well as teach in my church’s high school youth group on Titus 2:11-15. There was also the occasional spiritual small talk at work or school last year which was amazing to take part in with those who wrestled with certain concepts. Things like the Ontological Argument, “Is Catholicism Christian and can Christians be Catholic?”, and the small discussions concerning the existence of God.

But this season is different. It is different because in my life there is usually something huge I have to overcome and can only do so with the help of God. But this season does not have a mountain to conquer. It has no valley to explore or dark cavern of tribulation to go through, but is simply a time of waiting.

This season is significant because I have not had this much time to breath and look back at what I have gone through in my life. I do not like it that much either because I love to do things and accomplish great things that have purpose, but instead I am sitting on the sidelines as everyone else gets a turn at bat. I have friends who are getting married, having children, moving out, traveling the world, going on missions trips, and so much more. Then here I am just waiting for the next unexpected journey that God has for me.

Probably the funniest part of this season is that I do not know what I am waiting for or what lies ahead in my life! Is it marriage? No, God has told me to wait. Is it a missions trip? No, God has told me that that is neither my calling nor my purpose in life for now. Is it a career? No, God has told me that I am not ready and must first go to college to receive my education.

So what is it that I am so desperate to start? I have no idea. All I can do for now is wait. As I wait on the LORD, this passage comes to mind as I wait for my turn to hit a home run for the LORD:

Luke 16:10 (NKJV)

“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is also unjust in much.”

Some other passages of scripture that come to mind are Acts 2:42 (NKJV), 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NASB), and Isaiah 40:29-31 (NKJV) during this season of preparing for my next adventure with the LORD my God. In the meantime, I have been keeping my mind, body, and most importantly, my spiritual state active. I have been studying and reading about the history of Christianity, working out to maintain my body which God has given me, and staying up to date on current events as the world gets closer to its dying day.

I have also spent a lot more time focused on the five basics of Christian living: reading the Bible, studying the Bible, memorizing portions of the Bible, praying, and sharing the gospel. So as I wait on the LORD during this time in my life, maybe this little blog-post can encourage you to stand strong and press on in your faith as maybe some of you wait on the LORD as well. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless!”

I laughed when I read that I experienced “intense spiritual warfare” as if the worst in life had already happened! If only I knew how unprepared I’d be for the intensity of the next decade. The highs and lows of living in this broken world. To think I needed more is both impressive and youthfully stupid.

For context, in mid-July of 2015 I would’ve just turned 18 in the previous month and was going to start classes at the Colorado Film School in the Fall. In other words, I thought I knew everything and had it all figured out. As I’m now 28, I in fact do not have life figured out. Life just got more difficult and will be even more difficult if I get to be 38 or 48 down the road.

I’m taking things one day at a time now that I’m a Dad and approaching the 3rd year anniversary of marriage to my wonderful bride. Keeping in mind that God could graciously give me many days beyond tomorrow or he could, in his right timing, call me home. I want God’s will, God’s way. All day, everyday.

In this season, I’m still learning the same lesson in new ways. Currently about 100 pages into a book I’ve hinted at for years that one day I hope to publish. Hopefully later this year if all goes to my plan, but then again I want it to be published when it’s done right. No need to rush the process. I can wait.

Falling more and more in love with my wife. Learning how to father my infant daughter. Studying to show myself approved every time I walk up to the pulpit when I’m called to do so. Always growing in God.

Absolutely beyond blessed with the life I have today and excited with where it’s going to go next. Grateful for all God has given me and for all of you that have followed this blog through the years. Here’s to another 10 if the Lord is willing. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Footnotes

  1. Waiting

Ecclesiastes: A Wise Life | 9-11-2022

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Updated: 12/2/2024

Sermon Prep

This week while writing my long-gestating book during my paternity leave, I stumbled on an old sermon I shared to the kids ministry over 2 years ago. I have no idea why I wrote it down in my ideas journal for my book, but I discovered it again and figured I’d throw it on the blog. One day I’ll add all of my sermons from when I first started preaching, but that’s a project for another day.

Either way, occasionally when I teach and lead kids ministry at church I will write up a sermon for that Sunday. To be fair, it’s a lot less prep and research then I normally would do if any at all. I usually just take current themes in the main service and distill them into a mini message they can understand better.

Looking back, that must be what I did here during Reunion Church‘s Ecclesiastes series we did in 2022. I was just a month into marriage and there was a lot going on, so I must’ve done this prep in a hurry on short notice. Also, don’t have many photos from this era in life so I’m just going to use a picture from the honeymoon archives.

Either way, it’s a cool gem and honestly I think a lot of my sermons have been scribbled down in random places that I may never recover again. So for me, this was awesome to find today. Here’s the notes:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • What is a wise life?
  • Ecclesiastes overview.

Intro

  • Girls: Brother’s girlfriends.
  • Gold: Grandad’s wealth.
  • Glory: Mountains are more remembered.

Life is a temporary paradox.

  • Everything is hevel.
    • Hevel = smoke, vapor.
  • Life like smoke seems solid, but vanishes before you can get a good grasp on it.

Transition To Main Point

  • Read Ecclesiastes 1:5-11.
  • All of life is out of your control.

Main Point

  • Read Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
  • A wise life is to fear and obey God.

Why It Matters

  • Read Ephesians 5:15-17.
  • Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
  • A wise life is made up of little moments.
    • Meaning is measured by these moments.

Transition Out

  • How is the meaning of your life measured?

Final Thoughts

I vaguely remember this message and that it kind of went over the kids heads. I tend to be incredibly interactive with my messages, especially with kids so my notes are all over the place here. I must have created this sermon within a short window because I couldn’t find any drafts outside of this one.

Looks like a one-and-done sermon outline I bet I made the day before church. Anyways, neat find as I continue to press on and Lord willing finish my book sometime in the new year. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Samuel: Bathsheba and Uriah | 10-13-2024

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Updated: 11/13/2024

Sermon Prep

I’ve never prepped for a sermon as much as I did for this latest message. Last one before taking a break and focusing on family bonding while on paternity leave. I really sunk my theological teeth into this final sermon of 2024. Not only did I prep over a month for this, but also studied so much that there were several key things left out. Here’s a few of the leftovers that didn’t make the cut, but not everything:

  • Could or did Bathsheba consent to sex?
    • Consent is a modern construct, so ANE people didn’t think that way.
    • What the king commanded was law (i.e. Nebuchadnezzar II in Daniel 1-4).
    • We need to be trauma-informed on tough topics for the needs of the neighborhood.
  • Does Uriah know that David slept with Bathsheba?
    • David’s guards who took Bathsheba could’ve known (2 Samuel 11:4, 9).
    • Uriah was by the gates where those very guards may have stood watch.
  • Is Uriah knowingly trying to shame David by not going home?
    • Uriah would’ve had to stone Bathsheba because of the Law.
    • Said no to king’s command and brings up sleeping with his wife, not David (2 Samuel 11:8-13).
  • After this worst episode, David named one of his sons in honor of Nathan (1 Chronicles 3:5).
    • This fact implies either friendship with or even respect for Nathan.

This was one of the few messages where I asked for a lot of feedback. A lot of deliberation on my part on what to include and what to shy away from. Given the sensitivity and the grey areas involved with this subject, we as a leadership team decided to just keep the main thing the main thing. David sinned and there’s a right way to repent.

Since we break off into small groups and sometimes with total strangers immediately after our messages, we’re very careful what we do teach about. Given that, it’d be unwise to let loose untrained leaders to guide groups focused on these sensitive subjects. There’s nothing worse then having someone unequipped address issues without the care and gentleness required to do so. Now here’s the notes I did use and the recorded message for this sermon.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Grew up watching whodunit detective dramas with my Mom (i.e Midsomer Murders).

Intro

  • Today we’re going to learn about a howcatchem → see crime, then solve the case.

Main Point

  • David’s worst episode is written as a minimal facts approach (i.e. the Corinthian Creed).
  • Sin has collateral consequences on others, but there’s a right way to correct the damage.

A King’s Crime

  • Read 2 Samuel 11:1-27a.
  • David should’ve been at war, but disobeyed and stayed home (2 Samuel 11:1, 12:26-32).
  • Bathsheba was either bathing at home or publicly at the Siloam Pool (2 Samuel 11:2).
    • Never told she’s naked or on the roof. Bathing at dusk/sunset was modest in ANE.
      • Too hot to bathe during the day; people walking by can’t see her.
  • Uriah was of the 30 mighty men and became an Israelite convert (2 Samuel 11:4, 23:39).
    • Eliam was also of the 30 mighty men; Uriah’s from Anatolia (Syria/Turkey).
  • He was loyal, so Uriah wouldn’t abandon Israel in their hour of need (2 Samuel 11:9-13).
    • Great display of covenant love for the king and the nation at large (2 Samuel 5:1).
  • Uriah unknowingly was the messenger of his own death sentence (2 Samuel 11:14-17).
    • He and a group of soldiers were unnecessarily slaughtered to cover up sin.

A King’s Correction

  • Read 2 Samuel 11:27b-12:23.
  • bat (בַּת) is daughter and also the beginning of Bathsheba’s name (2 Samuel 11:3, 12:3).
  • Nathan waited years for God’s timing before approaching David about his sin.
    • “Once we prayerfully determine the right thing to do, we must still contemplate the right way to do it (240).” – Zack Eswine, Sensing Jesus
    • Nathan’s story and Bathsheba’s lament shows she loved Uriah (2 Samuel 12:1-4).
  • Absalom’s coup in David’s latter reign is prophesied here (2 Samuel 12:10-12, 16:22).
  • David had true repentance as he pleaded for God’s grace (2 Samuel 12:16-18, Psalm 51).
    • Accepted God’s will, even when he didn’t get his way (2 Samuel 12:20-23).

Why It Matters

  • David’s sin had collateral consequences: a wife was taken, a husband murdered, soldiers slaughtered, and a newborn died. In all, God was dishonored by David’s disobedience.
  • “David was self-deceived. Your greatest flaws, the habits of the heart that are killing you the most by definition, are the ones you don’t see.” – Timothy Keller, The Sinner Sermon
  • When we don’t repent, we deceive ourselves into thinking everything is under control.

Power Text

  • Read Psalm 51:1-11, 16-17.
  • Repentance is the changing of your ways and your will (i.e. body + soul → Acts 26:20b).

Outro

  • Read 1 John 1:6-10.
  • It’s better to examine yourself and confess your sin, then to get caught and exposed.
  • Repentance is the first step to being redeemed, restored, and reunited to God.

Final Thoughts

This was not only one of my greatest messages, but also one of my more technical in the precision that I said things as well. For context, we know people who have similar things to David in our community and we also know people who’s stories are related to Bathsheba or Uriah’s situation too. It’s a brutal balancing act to acknowledge the depravity of sin and that there’s hope for those who repent.

There’s no easy way to do both simultaneously, especially to a large public audience. That’s where trusting the Holy Spirit to provide exactly what to say is so important. It’s his word and I’m just a vessel to communicate his message. In this case, I think the message was clear and resonated with our congregation. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Samuel: God Brings Victory | 9-15-2024

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Updated: 11/12/2024

Sermon Prep

We were 4 weeks out from the expected due date for our daughter Willow. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I had prepped these 3 sermons as an unofficial trilogy before I went out on paternity leave. Of the 3, this was the one where it was just a sermon.

I didn’t have any personal favoritism like with the story of Mephibosheth and didn’t have a heavy weight of responsibility on my shoulders like with the story of Bathsheba and Uriah. So if anything, the prep here was the easiest in that I relied a lot on the notes of our teaching pastor who always maps out the series we’re in at a high level and go from there. Speaking of notes, here’s those below and the recorded sermon as well.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Have you ever joined an organization only to now realize that you’re in deep conflict?

Intro

  • Explain dinosaurs in the Congo and work acquisition, along with church conflicts.

Main Point

  • You can trust in God’s guidance and strength in conflicting times.
  • Let’s see how David was at the center of a power vacuum and yet relied on God’s power.

A King’s Covenant

  • Read 2 Samuel 5 aloud.
  • David is crowned king over all of Israel, thus ending the civil war (2 Samuel 5:1-5).
    • Like the American Reconstruction era, it takes time to repair a divided nation.
  • “we are your bone and your flesh” alludes to Genesis 2:23 → Hosea 2:16 → Ephesians 5:28-32
    • Progressive revelation is the slow reveal of God’s plan as humans advance.
  • David is great because God is with him and David relies on God (2 Samuel 5:6-12, 8:15).
    • The Jebusites try to provoke David, so then David taunts back (2 Samuel 5:6-8).
  • For as great a leader he was, David shows his weakness with women (2 Samuel 5:13-16).
  • Trusting God and his guidance, David defeats the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25).

A King’s Victory

  • Read 2 Samuel 10 aloud.
  • Once again, David wants to show the lovingkindness of God (2 Samuel 10:1-2a).
    • Nahash (Serpent → Eden Test) was kind to David in the wilderness (1 Samuel 12).
  • Hanun is threatened by bad counsel and shames David’s servants (2 Samuel 10:2b-5).
  • The Ammonites lose this fight and Hadadezer’s men surrender (2 Samuel 10:6-19).

A King’s Pride

  • Read 2 Samuel 12:26-31 aloud.
  • Joab captures Rabbah, yet David isn’t at war because of his affair (2 Samuel 12:26-31).

Why This Matters

  • David relied on God’s power and guidance to deliver him through his battles.

Power Text

  • Read Psalm 144:1-2 aloud.
  • It’s God who resolves conflict and brings victory, not us and our own efforts. 

Outro

  • Trust in God’s power to overcome the battles and struggles that you face.

Final Thoughts

My wife Glory had her baby shower right after church, so my Mom and Sister were in town for that event. It was a special service since I got to preach and they got to be there for that as well. This was a fine message that got the job done. Nothing controversial or unique that made it stand out and that’s certainly okay sometimes.

What’s often the case is that most sermons are serviceable. They’re not all hall of fame messages, but rather simple and straightforward. In the day and age of outrage, simple sermons are a great antidote. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Samuel: David and Mephibosheth | 9-8-2024

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Updated: 11/11/2024

Sermon Prep

September of 2024 was our last month as just spouses and not parents. It was a fun month where we got to see our friends, Taylor and Emma, get married and go to their wedding in the mountains. Starting the journey we started back a few years ago of falling in love. That’s actually where this great photo of us comes from when one of their photographers snapped a picture of us during the ceremony prayer.

Given my time at church in leadership and work was coming to a close before my paternity leave, I began prepping these messages way ahead of time. In fact, this message I started working on in early August of this year. For one, early onset “baby brain” was taking effect where I just had a harder time thinking and staying motivated. As we were approaching the 36 week point, the reality of our daughter being born was fast approaching too so in the event she was born early I was prepared sermon-wise.

Since there was a big gap between the last 3 messages of 2024 and my sermon in June on David and Goliath, I treated it as an unofficial trilogy covering the first years of King David’s reign. Of the 3, I had the most personal interest in this one because for me it’s David at his absolute best. His most messianic if you will of what a foreshadow of Jesus looks like in a kingly figure.

I think that unbridled enthusiasm just enhanced all the extensive prep I did here. I also began adjusting my sermon format by introducing highlights to certain parts of my sermon notes. Blue is for quotes of other people, green is for Scripture sections, red is for Scripture citations, and yellow is for recurring themes.

For the sake of blogpost space, I left out the Scripture sections but the citations of what was read are still here. I’ve only just started that again, but that’s where the color shows up here. Below are the notes for this message and linked here is the sermon too.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • We all know someone that brings nothing to the table, yet we invite them anyway.

Intro

  • Explain Silence (2016) and how Kichijiro represents our relationship to Jesus.

Main Point

  • Jesus is merciful and kind, therefore he invites you to dine and reign with him.
  • David also invited someone to the table, but first here’s the historical context.

Historical Context

  • During the civil war, King Eshbaal was Israel’s 2nd king reigning for 2 years, while King David was Judah’s 1st king reigning for 7.5 years (2 Samuel 2:8-11).
    • Eshbaal (Baal exists) → Ish-bosheth (man of shame) “is an intentional scribal alteration” as noted by John Bright (i.e. Hosea 2:16).
    • Merib-Baal (Baal is advocate) → Mephibosheth (he scatters shame).
  • Abner was King Saul’s cousin, Ish-bosheth’s uncle, and their army commander.
    • Abner was assassinated by Joab as revenge for Abner killing Joab’s brother, but David didn’t know this plan. Abner was with David (2 Samuel 2:12-32, 3:8, 26-30).

Mephibosheth’s Suffering

  • Read 2 Samuel 4 aloud.
  • Baanah and Rechab as Gibeonites saw a way to impress David (2 Samuel 4:1-3).
  • Mephibosheth was crippled because of moral suffering as his nurse was fleeing from the Philistines fearing they would kill him (1 Samuel 31:1-6, 2 Samuel 4:4).
    • Types of suffering:
      • Moral suffering is humans hurting humans.
      • Natural suffering is creation hurting humans.
      • Universal suffering is the death of the body and soul.
  • They were secret, selfish, and swift to sin (2 Samuel 4:6-8). We act that way too.
  • David’s furious that they would defy God’s covenant with Saul (2 Samuel 4:9-12).

David’s Kindness

  • Read 2 Samuel 9 aloud.
  • David became king over all of Israel when Ish-bosheth died (2 Samuel 5:1-5).
  • Lo-debar means no thing, so a town in the middle of nowhere (2 Samuel 9:4-5).
    • Mephibosheth was hiding from King David because it was common for a new ruler to clean house and kill all survivors of the previous monarchy.
  • In complete humility, Mephibosheth falls on his face like a dog might “lay down” and entrusts himself to the service of King David as a slave (2 Samuel 9:6-8).
    • Saul had a tenth of Israel’s assets, so David gave back to Mephibosheth and his family what they lost from Israel’s civil war (1 Samuel 8:10-18).
  • Honoring his covenant to Jonathan, David invites Mephibosheth to his table.
    • This incredible gesture was culturally taboo and was a sign to everyone that Mephibosheth was grafted in with David’s reign (2 Samuel 9:11b-13).
  • David continued to care for Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 16:1-4, 19:24-30, 21:1-9).

Why This Matters

  • Mephibosheth goes from hiding far away in the outskirts of nowhere to now being dignified and esteemed as a regular member seated at the King’s table.
    • “We might say we find David at his best… What’s being expressed here is the covenant love of God.” – Alistair Begg

Power Text

  • Read Revelation 3:20-21 aloud.
  • Because Jesus loves you, he wants you to dine and reign with him forever.
    • “The most important thing that happens between God and the human soul is to love and to be loved.” – Kallistos Katafygiotis, The Philokalia

Outro

  • Read Luke 22:26b-30 aloud.
  • Life is about proximity with Jesus, whether you’re close to him or far away on your own.
  • Jesus invites you to a kingdom life, even when you bring nothing to the table and don’t deserve it.
  • It’s your choice: live in the middle of nowhere or take a seat at the table.

Final Thoughts

This is one of my personal favorite sermons to teach. There’s just so much I love here that speaks volumes both to the people involved and thematically as it points to what the messiah will be like when he arrives. How can you not get excited about God’s grace and his lovingkindness towards us. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Habakkuk: Choose Trust | 6-2-2024

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Updated: 11/8/2024

Sermon Prep

Life was so exciting in early June. My wife Glory was over 20 weeks pregnant with our daughter. I was flourishing at my new job I got back in December. Reunion Church was growing deeper roots via discipleship and fellowship with one another. It was a good time for us.

As one might expect when teaching through a book on wrestling and embracing lament, our congregation was ready to move onto our next series. It was going to be a character study on the life of King David, so pretty much everyone was excited about what was next. With that in mind, it was put on me to wrap up our series in Habakkuk so that we could move onto the new series.

But there was a lot of ground to cover and I wasn’t planning on combining what we at first planned to be 2 separate sermons in one. That being Habakkuk 2:2-20 and Habakkuk 3:1-19 respectively. Not the craziest amount of text to cover, but not the original plan during my prep either.

Then again, to teach requires one to be flexible like bamboo and not like glass. Most of the time, I’m as flexible as a pane of glass. Regardless, here’s the notes:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Do you trust me? Well, I don’t trust you.
    • I trust you with most things, yet not everything.

Intro

  • Andrew’s marriage and parenting advice vs his driving and movie taste.

Transition To Main Point

  • Likewise, we choose when we trust God too.

Main Point

  • God loves this world more than you do and knows what’s best for you, so choose to trust him.
  • Habakkuk 2:2-20 | God’s Response
    • Distrust leads to disorder.
      • Read Romans 1:16-25.
    • “God uses evil people to judge evil people.” – Clay Jones
      • See Genesis 50:20.
    • Every nation tailer-makes a god for itself.
      • Read Jeremiah 10:8-10.
  • Habakkuk 3:1-19 | Habakkuk’s Psalm
    • Shigionoth = a highly emotional poetic form.
    • After choosing to trust God, he sings a vow of praise.
    • “Even though I don’t know where God is, God knows where I am.” – Timothy Keller

Why This Matters

  • A promise is the assurance that someone will do something or that something will happen.
  • God promises to bring justice, defeat sin, and rescue the oppressed.

Power Text

  • Some of you don’t believe what I just said.
    • Your lament isn’t there yet and that’s ok.
  • Remember, lament is a prayer of pain that leads to trust. A spiritual journey can’t be rushed.
  • Stages of Lament:
    • Turn to God.
    • Brings complaints.
    • Ask boldly.
    • Choose trust.
    • Vow of praise.
  • Lament is dangerous because it tests all things.
  • Then again, a life guided by grace isn’t safe.
  • As C. S. Lewis puts it, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the king.”

Final Thoughts

This was a solid message and a good end to this short series. Even though I’m not the teaching pastor, but an associate pastor I will occasionally for one reason or another teach the majority of a series. This was one of those cases along with our 2023 series through Luke.

Life just happens and the teaching schedule we have internally will reflect that too. Didn’t bother me though since I thought this one turned out quite well. Also, fun fact: this was my last hand-written sermon before moving to digital. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Habakkuk: Authentic Prayer | 5-12-2024

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Updated: 11/8/2024

Sermon Prep

I don’t know how it happens, but I have repeatedly taught sermons on Mother’s Day throughout the years and this was one of those times. It’s sort of an odd coincidence, but I think its God’s timing in that my messages on those days feel sharper and standout more than the others. To commemorate my wife Glory’s first Mother’s Day, the Friday before this sermon her and I went to the mountains to have a day in God’s creation.

Anyways, this was a powerful message to prep. In our church, multiple marriages were on the rocks and for a church of roughly 60 people that’s a lot to deal with as a community. Glory and i had our miscarriage scare. Around this time, a couple in our church lost both of their moms within the same week. It was a rocky road we walked together as a team.

In light of the sensitivity of the season, I prepped this message. Knowing some but not all of the struggles of the church. Balancing wisdom and wit to deliver a message faithful to God’s word about human heartbreak and heartache.

I think the Holy Spirit gently guided me as I wrote this sermon as I cried throughout most of the prep. It was a hard message to deliver given all of the somber circumstances. I could go on about the heaviness going on, but words wouldn’t be enough. Here’s the notes for this message and the recording too:

Sermon Notes

  • Opening Line
    • Have you ever been in an argument and said something you didn’t expect?
      • It’s surprising to blurt out how we truly feel and think about someone.

Intro

  • Have you ever heard someone pray something you didn’t expect to hear?
    • Mom’s friend lamenting stillborn children.

Transition To Main Point

  • As Andrew put it, “lament is a prayer of pain that leads to trust.”

Main Point

  • Maturity in our relationship with Jesus is defined by authentic prayer during tough times.
  • Habakkuk 1:1-4 | Habakkuk’s Complaint
    • Complaining to God about Judah the southern kingdom and its evils.
    • Questioning God’s character.
      • Is God good or loving?
      • Does God know better?
      • Is God strong enough?
      • Where is God?
    • Habakkuk feels forced to see grossly evil and immoral behavior.
    • The law is unable to act or move because justice is corrupt.
  • Authentic prayer is the act of openly sharing everything in our hearts with Jesus.
    • Trusting him with the highs and lows.

Why This Matters

  • We can’t let our pain define our perspective. That’s bitterness.
  • We also can’t hide from or suppress our pain. That’s blindness.

Power Text

  • Read 1 Peter 5:6-7 (Individual Lament).
    • Authentically pray knowing God cares for you.
  • Read Romans 12:15 (Collective Lament).
    • Obey God and share in the suffering of others.
  • Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 (Universal Lament).
    • In whatever season, have authentic prayer.

Final Thoughts

There’s 2 types of sermons: one that preaches and one that teaches. A message that preaches appeals to the heart and is passionate, while a message that teaches appeals to the mind and is profound. This is one of my greatest preaching messages. I couldn’t help but preach from the heart and the Holy Spirit empowered me on the day to do so.

In fact, this was one of my shortest messages as far as notes go. I truly didn’t write down all that much but the message was all the better for it. Less is more and that truth is quite evident with this sermon. Honored and proud to have had the opportunity to share this message. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Timothy: Avoid Deception, Embrace Completion | 4-21-2024

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Updated: 11/8/2024

Sermon Prep

So unlike the majority of sermons I’ve uploaded onto the blog here, this one was never preached by me. In fact, the teaching pastor of our church shared this message last minute instead for me. God had other plans this Sunday.

On this Sunday morning, my wife Glory woke up and had a lot of blood like more than a period. When you’re pregnant 15 weeks that means one of two things: a miscarriage or a UTI. It could be other things certainly, but we’re not medical experts so for us that’s what we assumed in the moment.

Our urgent care opened at 8am that morning, so we rushed to go there and figure out what the hell was going on. We were both in a huge panic that day and I was emotionally distraught. I was so angry with God that we got our hopes up to be parents and then he ripped our child away before we could ever meet her.

Before we left to the hospital, I quickly typed up my handwritten notes so that Andrew the teaching pastor could preach using them to cover for me. I would’ve loved to preach this sermon since I had a large focus on my relationship with my Dad, but God’s will won out. Here’s the notes for the untaugt message:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • My Dad is built different.
    • Knows deception, yet fell in love with truth.

Intro

  • The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
    • Latter-Day Saint summers meeting with missionaries.
    • Ministry verse = 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

Transition To Main Point

  • Like my Dad with me, Paul encourages Timothy in the same way.

Main Point

  • Avoid deception, embrace completion.
    • Let’s read how Paul does just that.
  • 2 Timothy 3:10-13 | Persecution vs Deception
    • Paul alludes to the past to remind Timothy.
      • See Acts 11:19-16:13 (reference only).
    • Persecution is a reality, not a fantasy.
      • Definition: Hostility towards a type of people.
    • Deception is easy to allow and hard to avoid.
      • We would rather be deceived by comfortable lies than confronted by unpleasant truths.
  • 2 Timothy 3:14-17 | The Sacred Scriptures
    • Paul encourages Timothy to pursue completion.
      • See Philippians 1:6 and Colossians 2:9-10 (read 1 passage aloud).
    • God and his scripture guides us to completion.
    • We need to trust Jesus through the spiritual journey into completion and escape the deception that we know better than God.
  • 2 Timothy 4:1-5 | Timothy’s Great Commission
    • Paul demands Timothy to stay committed.
      • See 1 Corinthians 15:58 (read passage aloud).
    • We love self-deception more than finding completion in God. We like to be fooled.
    • We need to avoid deception, embrace completion.

Why This Matters

  • Everyone wants a purpose in life, yet no one wants the painful path to get there.
    • See Matthew 7:13-14 (read passage aloud).
  • Following Jesus on the spiritual journey and finding life’s purpose is difficult.
  • Are you on the narrow road or the wide road? Where are you on the spiritual journey?

Final Thoughts

When we got to the hospital we were scrambling to get someone to see us. Glory and I really thought this was it. She had a miscarriage and we lost our baby, but God was doing a work in my heart that morning.

As we were waiting for results from tests for hours and I mean hours, I was wrestling in my heart with God. Hating him for taking our daughter, yet God pressed me and made me consider if I had made our unborn daughter an idol above him. Was she my god? Did I value her above everything else and the answer was yes I did.

It was a revelation that I needed and I apologized to God for elevating someone above him. I recentered and had to humble myself before God for my idolatry. Trusting that God will make all things good and that he is good, whether or not our daughter is born. My faith matured in a big way that day.

After nearly 7 hours at the hospital we were discharged and everything worked out, even though we never found out what happened to Glory. Our daughter was okay and healthy, Glory was healthy as well, along with me having a newfound trust in God’s goodness. Through life’s highs and lows, God is good and is the constant we can all completely rely on through it all. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

1 Timothy: Sincere Faith | 1-14-2024

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Updated: 11/6/2024

Sermon Prep

2024 started with a bang. I was a month into the latest job and done hopping around. Finally found the company I was supposed to be at longterm and I couldn’t have been happier. What made it even better is that it aligned with my career goals of shifting into a new department down the road too. In the end, it’s as if God had it all under control and I should’ve trusted him from the start.

My wife and I also decided to buckle down to buy a house by moving in with her parents to save money. A year on now and ready to buy, that was the wise decision. But I was hesitant to do so on my end because I had known people who had terrible living experiences with their in-laws. For us, it was way better than expected.

With the new year came a new sermon series at church as well. That meant going through 1 and 2 Timothy with an emphasis on the life and doctrine theme that our teaching pastor uncovered. Before I get into my thoughts about this series, here’s the notes and recorded sermon:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Have you ever confronted someone before?
    • Ok, what about a mentor you admired?

Intro

  • Confronting former mentor in 2016.
    • Heard rumors about him that bothered me.
    • Never been the same since that day.

Transition To Main Point

  • Charismatic leaders have a fickle faith, while leaders with character have a sincere faith.

Main Point

  • A sincere faith is fully dependent on God’s grace, not your granular greatness.
    • Let’s see what these two faiths look like.
  • 1 Timothy 1:1-2 | To Timothy
    • Ephesus adopted Hellenism and Stoicism for money.
    • Timothy was assigned and oversaw multiple, small churches in the Ephesus area.
  • 1 Timothy 1:3-7 | Strange Doctrine
    • Timothy wanted to leave Ephesus.
    • Charismatic leaders caused confusion.
      • Against eating meat and getting married.
    • They had lots of zeal, but lacked wisdom.
      • Zeal unchecked causes extremism (i.e. Answers in Genesis, cults, etc).
  • 1 Timothy 1:8-11 | Sinners Law
    • The law isn’t a gavel, but a mirror.
      • Revealing our true self and its imperfections.
    • No human is good or just before God.
  • 1 Timothy 1:12-17 | Foremost Sinner
    • Paul’s sin list is different and worse.
    • Calls himself the highest ranked sinner.
    • His response is to lower himself and lift God up.
      • Differentiates God from other gods.
  • 1 Timothy 1:18-20 | Entrusted Commission
    • Keep your sincere faith and avoid fickle faith.
    • Hymenaeus and Alexander taught strange doctrine.

Why This Matters

Final Thoughts

For quite obvious reasons, it pained me a little to share the intro story about my former mentor. To look up to someone and then find out not just that they’ve failed, but worse they don’t think they did anything wrong. Not an ounce of remorse and became puffed up when confronted by a former student who admired them.

As far as the message goes, I really enjoyed this one. I’m always down for preaching on a call for unity. How we the people of God can unite under the one, true triune God. The whole series at large I liked a lot and this message was probably my best of the few I taught in this season. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Simple Grace: Humility and Faith | 12-17-2023

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Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 11/5/2024

Sermon Prep

As I’ve written throughout my last several posts, I made 2023 more difficult than it needed to be for my family. For the last time and hopefully for awhile, I made my latest job change which writing this almost a year later is going great! This is where God wanted us the whole time and I just rushed the whole process.

In other aspects of life near the end of 2023, things were good there too just in time for the holiday season. The Simple Grace series at large was at its best this time around and we got to see both sides of the family for differing holidays as well. By the end of the year, everything worked out and thanks be to God alone for that result.

Since I was emotionally and spiritually in an awesome spot, this sermon tremendously benefitted from it. I also was excited to preach about one of my mentors, Mr. Freddy, who changed my life. Now here’s the notes I had for this message and the recording too:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Alright, who is the strongest person?
    • Now who is the smartest person here?
    • Last one: who is the most humble?

Intro

  • Mr. Freddy is one of the most humble.
    • Taught 3rd and 4th graders, plus was the Eaglecrest High School janitor.
    • Only taught about God’s plan vs my plan.

Transition To Main Point

  • Grace isn’t accessed by human achievements, but rather by the heart’s attitude to God.

Main Point

  • Humility and faith are the relational realities of a heart saved by God’s grace.
  • Humility is the way to wisdom.
    • Proverbs 22:4
  • Faith is expectation and evidence.
    • Hebrews 11:1-2
  • God sees the heart.
    • 1 Samuel 16:6-7
  • Jesus is humility and faith perfected.
    • Philippians 2:1-11
      • Philippians 2:1-4 | Collective humility and faith
      • Philippians 2:6 | Not concerned about social status
      • Philippians 2:7 | Not concerned about self-will
      • Philippians 2:7 | Not concerned about self-importance
      • Philippians 2:8 | Not concerned about self-preservation
      • Philippians 2:9-11 | Because Jesus, God the Son, is gentle and lowly, he’s exalted and glorified by God the Father

Why This Matters

  • Humility and faith must be relational realities for you if you want God’s grace.
    • 1 Peter 5:5-7
  • True humility and real faith is seen in every relationship.
  • Empowered by the Holy Spirit himself, humble and faithful peopel lift up others towards God.
    • Galatians 2:20
  • What is your heart’s attitude to God?

Final Thoughts

Although love this sermon, I did make one glaring mistake. Near the end when I talked about Mr. Freddy’s whiteboard chart of God’s plan and your plan, I described it as a series of circles with an upward trajectory. He didn’t do that.

That’s actually what I believe a mapped out view of faith looks like in an upcoming book I’m (still) working on publishing one day and I misspoke. On the other hand, Mr. Freddy would just draw a bunch of jagged lines dramatically instead to show the adventure God has for us. Just wanted to clear that up off the top.

In my opinion, this is one of my best sermons. Everything just lined up perfectly here. Honestly immensely proud of how this one turned out. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Footnotes

  1. Reunion Church