Rivercrest Presbyterian Church - Sermons

Jesus graciously addresses the issue of covetousness and anxiety by reminding us that we are deeply loved and therefore cared for by our loving Heavenly Father. The Lord Himself is our treasure, He is our provider, our Good Shepherd. What then should we fear?

Jesus teaches on the severity of the gospel. It is true good news for all, yet it will not be received kindly by everyone. Followers of Christ are to stand firm on what is true and everlasting, able to withstand anxiety and fear because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Deeply cared for by God, Christians carry the good news wherever they go, and the Lord is with them always.

Jesus responds to a lawyer trying to test him with a parable. His teaching continues to marvel and astonish the crowds. In the parable, the Good Samaritan helps the hurt man out of compassion. For us, we are certainly called to show mercy to others, but must remember that Jesus showed mercy to us first. He is the true and better Good Samaritan who meets us in our brokenness, and at great cost to Himself, restores us back. 

Jesus sends, He promises, and He glorifies. To be a disciple is to follow Christ in complete dependence, knowing that He is equipping us to go into the plentiful harvest. Therefore we are to be prayerful and obedient to both being disciples and making them for the kingdom of God.

The day after the Transfiguration, Jesus is met by an unbelieving crowd. Even the other nine disciples were lacking in their dependence upon the Lord. Jesus still heals a demon possessed by and points His disciples towards His death. To be great is the way of God, of the cross, of humility.

The Transfiguration is a powerful moment in the ministry life of Jesus. Peter, James, and John join Jesus on Mount Herman where Jesus' appearance is radiant, they are joined by Moses and Elijah, and they are overshadowed in a cloud with a voice who says, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”. Divine presence, divine authority, and divine glory are on display. Will we listen to Christ?

A woman is healed and a young girl is raised to life. Jesus is the only one who can do such miracles. There is no physician, no medicine, no cure to death and the pangs of this life except in Christ. He is gracious and willing to heal, intent on having a personal relationship with those He saves. It's by faith these women are made well; the same is true for us today.

Jesus calms a storm. In this miraculous event, Jesus is with His disciples, understands their feelings, and quickly rebukes the storm so it ceases. Then He asks them, "Where is your faith?". The same question is for us today. Who do we trust in? Where is our hope? Where is our faith? May it be in the One who is powerful enough to calm powerful storms, to heal and restore, and to rise again from the grave.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus is explaining the importance of receiving the gospel message. The sower, who is Christ, and the seed, which is the gospel, are constant and true. It's the soils the seed lands on that are different; the hearts of everyone who hears. 

Jesus is a friend of sinners, drawing close to us and extending grace. Though the woman is known to be sinful, she approaches Jesus with humility and faith, while Simon the Pharisee treated Jesus as if he doesn't need Him. There is no one too sinful for God's grace, and no one too far from the feet of Jesus.

Over and above the shine of worldly trinkets, our Heavenly Father, our kind and loving Father has the good gifts of restoration, and life, and eternity for us. We can't get blinded by the counterfeit gods of the world like money, and comfort, and security. These are fleeting. But we must remember that our Savior is here with us. May we be found here with Him!

To be a disciple of Christ we must know Jesus, become like Jesus, and act as Jesus did. He prays, He unifies, He helps, He gives hope. The apostles and the great crowds all go to Him because there is no other person in which they can live. Christians today are to live in the same manner, showing their faith to a watching world.