17 Sermons Tagged "Church"

We look at the account of King Uzziah’s sinful pride and death to learn that even when people have good intentions, if they act against God's instructions and the true teaching of the Bible, God will warn and discipline them.

Like the disciples on the boat during the storm, we can often wonder if Jesus cares about the problems in our lives, with our friends, and even in our communities and countries. The truth is he cares so much that he lived and died for us, and as true God he is all knowing and all powerful, ruling over everything for our good.

Jesus used parables of scattering seeds, plants growing, and harvesting crops to describe the kingdom of God. From those parables we understand that Christ's kingdom, which is God's rule in our hearts, and the invisible church, which is made up of all believers, grow through people proclaiming the Word of God. When everyone has come to faith according to God's plan, Christ will return to "harvest" the souls of all believers. We also see that the entire world, including unbelievers, benefit from the works of the invisible church.

Jesus' words and actions from when he first cleansed the temple are often misunderstood. It may seem like he was being excessive, or that he was being elusive when answering those who questioned him. However, we should use this account to remind ourselves that God is serious about sin and will not have the church distracted from his saving purpose. We should also remember that the true temple is the invisible church of all believers.

Jesus is the cornerstone (the core piece of a building's foundation) upon which the Christian church -- composed of all believers -- is built. All believers within the Christian church are also priests, proclaiming the good news of salvation and doing good works (including making sacrifices and serving others) out of thanks.

The manipulative claims of the chief priests, which led Pilate to hand Jesus over to be crucified, show us one of the Ironies of the Passion: corrupt churches and corrupt governments submit to each other.

How can we say the visible church -- which is made up of believers -- will be triumphant, even though it faces so many challenges, both from within the church and from outside the church?

In marriage we see that just as the bride is adorned with beauty, receives a new name, is taken by the hand, is no longer single, and is pure and doted over, so too are we treated in His church (the church of all believers).