Bittersweet that is.

Hence the title of my sermon on Sunday.

Bittersweet.

The sermon in a sentence?

The pleasure, price, and pattern of sin.

Comes from 1 Corinthians 5.

Turns out Paul is just as ticked at the church that tolerates the guy sleeping with his step-mom, as he is the immoral guy.

Why?

Their tolerance of his sin is reflective of their own sin.

Crazy thought hey?

A sermon on sin.

See you Sunday or on the Podcast.

I got a call on Friday from a man in tears.

He was a complete stranger.

He wanted to talk to a pastor.

His only question was:

Does God love me?

He doubted whether or not he was saved.

It all centered on his addiction to pornography.

Because of his disobedience, he couldn’t understand how the Father could still love him as his child.

I reflected upon my own son and even though he disobeys me, I still love him.

He doesn’t lose his position as “son” based on his perfomance.

This morning I will give this message to my church.

The audio (podcast) should be up around 2 PM ET.

May you rest as your realize that – HE DOES LOVE YOU.

I am / am not patient.

I am / am not kind.

I am / am not jealous.

I do/ do not brag.

I am/ am not arrogant.

I am / am not rude.

I do / do not seek its own.

I am  / am not easily angered.

I do / do not keep a record of wrongs.

I do / do not rejoice in unrighteousness.

I do / do not rejoice in truth.

Did you pass the test?

(Taken from my sermon outline for Sunday. Title = He loves me? He loves me not?)

Are you a “bad” lover?

Discover Your Secret Name.

Someone recently asked me:

In the movie THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, do you remember what Jesus does the first time he encountered the cross?

I had to answer “NO.”

I didn’t remember.

So I watched it again.

Now I will never forget it.

The first time he encountered the cross he embraces it. So much so that one of the thieves says to him:

Why do you embrace your cross you fool?

The answer?

• Because it was the Father’s will.
• Because it was the only way He’d ever spend forever with you and I.
• Because it was His course.

Jesus knew His course; do you know yours?

Here’s my related talk from Sunday when expounded on this idea. Download the mp3 (episode 48) via iTunes or my Podcast.

I asked the Lord to help me bring it loud and clear.

You be the judge.

Jesus had a death wish.

Do you have one too?

Weird post…I know.

For those of us who follow Jesus, I think certain birthdays are milestones (12, 30, 33).

As history teaches, Jesus began his ministry at 30 and died on the cross 3 years later.

I turn 33 on Sunday so I am bit introspective about my life and the life of Jesus. As a result I am preaching about Jesus on Sunday.

Here’s my question:

Since Jesus died at 33 and appeared to the disciples days later, showing them his nail-pierced wrists and the hole in his side, does this mean that (John 20:27):

• Jesus has a glorified 33-year-old body for all eternity?
• The “best age” of a body is a 33-year-old one (if so I am in trouble)?

My friend Dr. Chris Houts has been telling me for a year now that I need to read an amazing book: Heaven by Randy Alcorn. He told me it has changed his life.

I bet you Randy answers the 33-year-old dilemma in his book.

So my questions are:

• Would you want to have a 33 year-old body for all eternity?
• If not, what “body age” is your preference?

Preaching on December 6 and 13 in a series called FIRSTBORN:

Title:Deathwish

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Jesus knew his course; do you know yours?

12.06.09 :: Grace Church :: Kary Oberbrunner :: Colossians 1:13-15

A video I will be using. My dad tipped me off about it. I’ll warn you…it may cause tears.

Gearing up for the talk on Sunday at church.

The title is: You are the Story

The concept is from 2 Corinthians 3:2-3:

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 

This verse is probably review for you.  What probably isn’t review = Simchat Torah.

Simchat Torah—meaning “Joy of the Torah” is celebrated on 22nd Tishrei, the day after the end of Tabernacles, and marks the reading of the last portion of Torah and the reading of the first portion in the next year. 

On Simchat Torah, all the Jews congregate in the Synagogue, and rejoice over the fact that they have the Torah to study from and lead them in their lives. Traditionally, seven Hakafot (circuits) are danced around the Bimah (the raised platform in the middle upon which the Torah is read).

What happens when there was no Torah to dance with in the concentration camps? Listen to this story from Rabbi Lawrence Goldmark in his article JUST HOW PRECIOUS OUR CHILDREN ARE

The first story takes place in a nameless concentration camp sometime during the Holocaust.  Inmates in one barrack began to celebrate the holiday, though they did not have a Torah scroll with which to dance. Yet they wanted to dance with a Torah scroll.  One of the inmates asked the only teenage boy that lived with the older  men how much he knew of the Torah.  The boy answered that he already was  preparing himself for his Bar Mitzvah before being deported to the camp.  “There’s  enough Torah in you” said the man.  “You will be our Torah scroll” and he lifted up the boy and held him tenderly over his shoulders as though he was a precious Torah  scroll.

The truth is that every follower of Jesus is a living Torah.

Points to Ponder:

1. You are the only Bible some people will ever read.
2. How did others read you this last week? (past)
3. How do you want to be read this next week? (future)

In our series, here are numbers 2 and 1.

#2 -  Do not grumble

Psalm 106:25a …They grumbled in their tents.

#1 -Obey the Lord 

Psalm 106:25b …They did not listen to the voice of the  LORD.

Hope you liked the series.

May you find peace in your desert experience.

In our series, here are numbers 4 and 3.

#4 -  Do not turn to familiar idols

Psalm 106:19 …At Horeb they made a calf and worshipped  an idol cast from metal.

#3 – Do not despise the place God has me in

Psalm106:24a …Then they despised the pleasant land.

Resonses 2 and 1 are coming very soon.

In our series, here are numbers 6 and 5.

#6 – Do not give in to sinful desires

 Psalm 106:14 …But craved intensely in the wilderness, And  tempted God in the desert.

#5 – Do not envy others

Psalm 106:16 …When they became envious of Moses in  the camp, And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.

More coming soon.