bpchurch Sermons

The prophets have a way of getting into your face and into your stuff. Often we can see parallels between sin they are confronting in Israel and sin in our own life. But sometimes an important application is not identifying similar sin, but in doing what the book demonstrates. This Sunday, we want to participate together in doing what the book of Joel demonstrates, but don't worry, there will not be any locusts involved.

Imagine being suddenly awakened in the middle of the night by the piercing sound of a smoke alarm. Disoriented and half-asleep, you stumble through the darkness, trying to identify the danger before it is too late. The book of Joel is God's urgent alarm to a people who had drifted from Him and could no longer recognize their true spiritual condition. Yet His warning is also an expression of patience, mercy, and love, because God pursues us and calls us to return before destruction comes. This Sunday, we will ask whether we are hearing the alarm and how we should respond when God calls, "Return to Me with all your heart."

I once heard how terrifying it could be for a husband to hear the words, "Honey, we need to talk." Uh oh, what's this about. He'd rather not know... Let's face it, sometimes guys just don't listen well. So, she puts his face in her hands, turns him away from the TV and says, "You really need to hear this..." That's what God does with His people in the book of Amos. The prophet works extra hard because they need to hear this. But this is not just a message to Israel back then, we really need to hear this today. Let's hear what God says through Amos.

Micah's message is one of impending judgment because God is just and He cannot ignore the rampant corruption, oppression, and violence happening in Israel. Yet, the God of Israel delights in mercy and steadfast love. He is readily willing to forgive and have compassion on His people. The summation of what God wants is found in Micah 6:8. He wants us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. These requirements reflect His character and who He is. He is a God of Justice, He is a God of Mercy, and He is a God who wants to have relationship with us. This is the righteous, gracious, loving God we serve and who Micah proclaims.

Hosea uses a compelling marriage in the first three chapters to call Israel back to faith in God. Faith in their Lord will mean forsaking false confidences they have turned to for security and fulfillment. We also turn aside to things that can't satisfy, leading us to try harder and wander further... This Sunday, may God open our hearts, confront our idols and return our trust to Him alone.

We are starting a new series in the Minor Prophets. We will have one or two messages from each of "The Twelve." This week we begin with the Book of Hosea. As you read chapters 1-3 you would likely ask, would God really do this? Why would God put His prophet through such a miserable marriage? Hosea reveals to us precious truth about the steadfast and determined love of God for His people, which compels us toward a greater faithfulness "on earth as it is in Heaven."

We have one more Sunday in the Book of Acts, where we will look again at the bigger picture Acts provides of God's character, His purposes and the hope we have in the Gospel. This Sunday we also will begin a new adult class for the summer. Doctrines that Divide will consider various doctrines that differ from one church to another. Some of these are essentials we should divide over, others are important differences that we should understand in order to know how to relate to others and why we believe what we believe.

The book of Acts begins by referring to what Jesus began to do and teach, Acts 1:1. It's fitting that the book closes with what Jesus continues to do. In this last act of Acts, Jesus continues to do what He has been doing through Paul. He continues to do so for 2 more years in Rome. And it's this same thing that Jesus continues to do through us today. This Sunday, may God challenge us to faithfully continue in what Jesus continues to do.

We are almost to the end of our journey through the book of Acts, and Paul is almost to Rome. As the hymn says, "Faith has brought me safe thus far..." yet to finish well requires us to continue trusting our God and Savior. In Acts 28:1-16, God shows us three specific ways in which we can continue to trust Him. Join us to hear from our Lord in His Word.

Acts 27 is a dramatic chapter that drew me into the world of 1st century shipping and the suddenly arising Mediterranean storms called "medicanes." In the midst of this stormy sea voyage, God tells us what we need to do when we find ourselves in the eye of a storm.

Do you believe the Scriptures? I know that you believe. In our passage this Sunday, Paul asks King Agrippa this simple but very pointed question. And yet, there is more going on beneath the surface. The real question Paul is asking is: "will you believe in Jesus?" What if someone asked you that question? You would probably say "Yes, I have already believed in Jesus!" But like Paul, I would like to press a little deeper with that question, do you believe in Jesus, and what difference has that made in your life?

Acts 25 seems to read a lot like Acts 24. The same story seems to repeat, a couple more times, as if it's a loop on repeat. It feels a little frustrating as we read it, it must have felt all the more frustrating to Paul to live it. There's a world to reach with the Gospel, yet Paul is stuck in a cell in Caesarea. There's a new governor, but the same false accusations, failed plots and political paralysis. But Paul doesn't stay stuck, and God has something to say to us from how Paul takes the next step in God's calling, according to God's Word and by the means God has given.

Peter tells us to always be ready to give an answer to others concerning the hope that we have in Jesus (1Pet 3:15). But it can be hard to give an answer when everyone is shouting... In Acts 24, Paul is accused before the governor, in ways that parallel Jesus on trial before Pilate. In Paul's answer, our Lord shows us how to give an answer that might be heard beyond the shouting. There's an answer here for Felix to hear, and there's also a word here for each of us who know someone who needs to hear.

In Acts 23:1-11 Paul could seem to be acting somewhat randomly before the council. He claims to live in all good conscience, then blasts the High Priest, for which he then humbly apologizes. He seems to align himself with the Pharisees of all groups, and is once again at the center of a riotous commotion. I can imagine the evening news reporting on the latest chaos Paul has caused. But that would not be an accurate report. Actually, Paul is the one person staying steady in the midst of this storm. From his experience, the Lord speaks to us about how we too can stay steady in the midst of storms and opposition to our testimony of Jesus and His Gospel.

This simple question changes the course of history. It has in the past. It could change your future. In Acts 22, Paul tells his story to an antagonistic crowd. In that story he tells how one man was sent to him by Jesus, to ask that very question. "You have seen the truth; you have heard God's Word. Why do you wait?" I think it's a question that we need to be asked now and again. I also think it's a question which, in one direction or another, God will ask you this from His Word.

What is the right way to worship? If you asked ten people from ten different churches you would probably get ten different answers. We all have traditions, and practices, and preferences when it comes to worship, and this has been true all the way back to the start of the Church. In Acts 21, as Paul arrives in Jerusalem, some rumors have gone ahead of him and people are concerned that Paul wants to disrupt the way that they worship the Lord according to their faith in Christ. But what we find out along the way is that WHO we worship is far more important that HOW we worship.

Have you ever had a friend tell you what they planned to do because their counselor said to, but the plan didn't quite ring true? We all benefit from sound advice, as Proverbs 11:14 says, "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." But how can you know if the advice you're given (or are giving) is godly or worldly? How can you know if your plans are true spiritual wisdom or just common sense? In Acts 21:1-16, Paul is given well-intended but faulty advice. God has recorded this incident for us, to help us recognize the true standard by which we can direct our steps.

We talked about the young man who fell asleep and out the window last week. What if that story is not just about a person? What if it's about a church, or the church leaders? I think Paul still had the Eutychus incident on his mind when he gave his farewell exhortation to the Elders from Ephesus. In Acts 20:17-38, we'll see what God says we must focus on to stay awake and fruitful and effective as a church.

The story of Eutychus falling asleep and out of the windows in Acts 20:1-16 is an odd incident with an important warning. In the midst of a significant moment of great opportunity we still might find ourselves asleep. But there's more to the story than a warning to stay awake and alert, there's also a pattern being laid, a bar set of what is normal for us in new life in Christ. This Sunday we will see God's grace for those who may fall asleep and the glory of waking to a new kind of life.

This weekend, on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the foundational truths of the gospel: that Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead. On Good Friday we will remember Jesus’s faithfulness in his death for us. On Resurrection Sunday we will look at how a core invitation to believe, Romans 10:9,10, is rooted in the implications of Jesus the risen Lord. Both of these services are a great opportunity to invite a friend to come with you. They will hear God’s invitation to receive his salvation by trusting in Jesus, in a way they may not have heard it before.

This weekend, on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the foundational truths of the gospel: that Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead. On Good Friday we will remember Jesus’s faithfulness in his death for us. On Resurrection Sunday we will look at how a core invitation to believe, Romans 10:9,10, is rooted in the implications of Jesus the risen Lord. Both of these services are a great opportunity to invite a friend to come with you. They will hear God’s invitation to receive his salvation by trusting in Jesus, in a way they may not have heard it before.

The riot in the theater in Ephesus is not only a culture clash and an economic and political storm. It is also a spiritual clash. The silversmiths are right about something; they are just wrong about what. They are afraid that if people believe Paul’s message everything will change. That is true, but that is not the danger. The danger is not if the Gospel changes things for them, the real danger is if the gospel changes nothing for them. And that is still the danger today. The gospel is true, the gospel is powerful, the gospel changes everything. But will it change anything for you? That’s what we will hear about from God’s word.

Acts 19:1-20 contains four intriguingly unusual stories: the Baptist's disciples are baptized again, Christians repurpose the Tyrant's hall, an unsuccessful exorcism and a book-burning party. Together, these seemingly random stories reveal some important things about where people might be in relation to Jesus. The question, "Who are you?" may come from a surprising source, but the answer to that question is important for eternity and for today.

Who have you been discipled by, or who has helped you to know and follow Jesus? That is the essence of discipleship, and it is the way that Christianity has been passed down generation to generation ever since Jesus stood on that mountain and told his disciples to go and make more disciples. We can easily loose sight of the importance of making disciples, either in our personal life, or even in the midst of good Church activity. And yet, without discipleship, if we stop making disciples, the Church will die. This must be the focus of our lives and the focus of our Church, which is why we will continue to repeat week after week "know and follow Jesus by helping others to know and follow Jesus." Join us as we learn from Paul and others how to do this very thing.

A common admonition from the Lord to His people is, "Do not be afraid." It suggests that we are at times afraid when we don't need to be. Even Paul at times was afraid or cautious, tempted to hold back. He even asked for prayer to have boldness to speak as he should speak (Eph 6:19-20). Do you need those same prayers at times? I do. When Paul comes to Corinth, as happened in other cities, soon there is opposition and reason to fear what might happen. But the Lord speaks to Paul, and through him to us. The Lord's word makes a difference and Paul continues there for 18 months! Jesus's promise to Paul is still true, for me and for you, so it will be our focus this Sunday.

In Acts 17:16-34, Paul starts a conversation about idols. He does this to gently and tactfully confront the cultural lies people easily believe and then point instead to the truth of God in Jesus. Our setting is not so different from Acts 17. We too live in a city full of idols, and I believe God calls us to learn from Paul's example how we might have idol conversations which lead to faith in Jesus. We'll talk about it this Sunday and then celebrate the Lord's table together.

Psalm 2 is my favorite psalm; I call it the psalm that answers everything. It describes the nations' raging and the world's rebellious tantrum, "You are not the boss of me!" It exposes our vain schemes and declares God's exalted sovereignty. It assures us that God's king, Jesus, will reign and warns that God's judgement is coming. In the context, I think that the final verse is the best of all, an invitation to receive as King the Son of God and receive blessing and refuge in Him. We who believe in Jesus are His ambassadors to a world lost in rebellion and rage. We go with confidence of God's sovereign working, bringing God's gracious invitation of forgiveness and reconciliation to those around us. What will that take? What response can we expect? Come hear from God's Word in Acts 17:1-15.

When was the last time things didn't go according to plan? It probably happens all the time. Have you ever planned to have people over and then they got sick and you had to cancel? Or maybe you had a trip planned and then your car broke down? Or even worse, maybe your career plans or future marriage fell through. Making plans isn't a bad thing, but ultimately, it's God's plans that really matter. We see this in Acts 16:11-40. I am convinced that Paul did not plan for these things to happen, and yet all along the way he and Silas respond by trusting God, following the leading of the Spirit, and putting others' needs before their own. Join us as we consider how we can do the same.

Have you ever wondered, "God, what do you want me to do?" Or, maybe, "God what are you doing?!" Either question relates to knowing God's will and then trusting God's working. This Sunday we will follow Paul and his team to Philippi. This was not where they expected to go, and it could seem likely that the people of this city would not be interested in the Gospel. We are also sent places which seem uninterested in the gospel and seem unlikely to believe. What does God want us to do? Will God really do anything here, or is it time to move on? In Acts 16:6-15 we will learn some principles about knowing God's will and trusting His Word.

Sometimes we can get disillusioned or discouraged when our experience in the church or with other Christians is not what we know it should be. God's ways are perfect, but Christians are not...yet. Even in the New Testament, those whom God greatly uses in the church also have conflicts with one another or are in "sharp disagreement." This Sunday we'll hear from God's word that in the midst of conflicts and challenges in serving, God's grace abounds even more than we expect.

A week or so ago we were warned about email or phone scams pretending to be from one of the church Pastors. Avoiding being cheated by these scams includes knowing the true Pastor and paying attention to the details in the text or email that show it to be a fraud.  These same principles will help us to recognize gospel scams. In gospel scams the enemy uses subtle changes that may sound good, but which will cheat you of your full inheritance in Christ. Lets see what God says in Acts 15 about recognizing and responding to gospel scams.

In Acts 14 this week, we will see Paul and Barnabas go from town to town sharing the wonderful message of the gospel. And yet, we will also see adversaries who oppose the gospel following them around, seeking to poison the minds of the people and turn them against the apostles. In many cases, it works, and Paul and Barnabas are run out of town. We don’t often see this level of persecution in our culture right now, and yet there are still those who oppose the gospel. We ran into one of those realities this week. As many of you know, there was an email phishing scam targeting the church office that resulted in people’s email addresses being shared with a scammer. As a result, many of you have received emails impersonating the pastors. It grieves my heart that there are people who target churches in order to gain information and steal money from others. This kind of thing is an unfortunate distraction from the gospel, and it plays right into the enemy’s hands. And yet, all we can do (besides being vigilant about scam emails) is remain faithful to God’s calling on our lives each day. In the midst of difficulty, we must remember that God is faithful, and that He is at work in people’s hearts—even when we don’t see it.

God gives us openings for the gospel in various ways. Sometimes a question is asked, which opens the door to sharing your testimony of what God has done. Sometimes relational connections give us an opening with someone we wouldn’t normally have the chance to talk to. Sometimes circumstances have created a new willingness for a person to hear God’s truth. In Acts 13 we see God’s faithfulness in advancing the gospel of Jesus in each of these ways. This chapter is an encouraging reminder of our privilege to be “workers together with God” (1 Cor 3:9) in his good news. It reminds us that God is at work as we step forward in Jesus’ name.

This Sunday we are returning to our journey through the book of Acts. We will pick up where we left off, in Acts 13:1-12. This is a fitting place to begin in a new year, anticipating new opportunities for ministry to people around us. Acts 13 begins a transition for the gospel from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, to the gospel’s extension to the ends of the earth. The only way this can happen is if God does it through us, and these verses have much to say to us about following the Lord by his Spirit. We’ll look at how to know the Holy Spirit’s leading, the filling of the Spirit for unexpected opportunities, and the power of the Spirit for answering spiritual opposition. Let’s start the new year being better equipped to share new life in Christ with new people around us.

The Exodus is a foundational event in the life and story of Israel. The Passover commemorates it and the prophets recall it as the basis for how Israel should now live. How God’s people live for him is always based on how God has given them life. Yet, as foundational as it is, the Old Testament Exodus falls short. What is needed is a new Exodus, a better Exodus. This new Exodus is described by the Prophet Hosea, especially in Hosea 11, and from there it becomes a part of the Nativity story. This Sunday we’ll connect Hosea 11 with Matthew 2:13-15 to press a little deeper into the depths of God’s loving faithfulness revealed in Jesus.

This Sunday is Christmas Sunday. As we think about what child is this whom we celebrate, I thought it would be fun to have God’s purpose in Christmas told to us by someone who was there. So, we’ll have a guest speaker this Sunday describing three Christmas revelations. He’ll tell us how the Holy Spirit revealed it first to him, about how our Lord would reveal himself to the world, and what this would also reveal about each one of us. I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we worship God our savior.

This Sunday, God's Glory Gang (our Children's Choir) will be sharing the gospel with us! They will be performing their annual Christmas play, and this year the story is told through the eyes of Mary the mother of Jesus. Although Scripture doesn't give us many details about Mary's early life, the kids will be using their imaginations to help us consider what Mary's upbringing might have been like, and what she might have been thinking and feeling about becoming the mother of our Savior. What we do see very clearly in Scripture is Mary's response to this responsibility that God gave her, and it is remarkable. After the kids play we will be taking a few minutes to reflect on her response and what that tells us about God, and what it teaches us about our own response to Him

Last week we understood the impact of God’s sign, “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son…Emmanuel” in the context of a king who trusted in horses and chariots rather than trusting the Lord our God.  This week we’ll consider the fulfillment of that sign, in the little town of Bethlehem.  Bethlehem has already been exalted by what God has done, but there is even greater glory to come. And God has something say to us today from the little town of Bethlehem.

Advent season is a time to remember Christ’s first coming as we await his return. This year we will look at some of the familiar prophecies around Christ’s birth, with specific attention to the setting and circumstances in which these promises were given.  For instance, the prophecy of the virgin birth in Isaiah 7:14 comes at a time of serious political upheaval and personal danger.  This Sunday come and hear how our God, the midst of real and pressing fears, urges us to trust him.  Is there someone you know, for whom God might use this story to invite them from fear to faith.

Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 and then the 4000 (Mark 8:1-10) should have been the greatest thanksgiving celebrations ever!  And yet, we are not surprised that the Pharisees somehow missed the point (8:11-12).  The surprise for us is that his disciples at that time also missed the point and probably all to often his disciples today can miss it as well.  God has shown us as a church how abundantly he can multiply and provide. The danger is that we could still miss the point.  This Sunday we will hear from God’s word how his multiplying grace calls us to take a next step.

Psalm 23 tells us a lot about the Lord our good shepherd. In the Psalm, one of the flock is boasting about their shepherd. There is a lot to learn of our Lord for any who want to lead in God's flock. There also are some things to learn from the trust of the sheep in their Shepherd. The Apostle Peter picks this idea up in 1 Peter 5:1-7. He has instructions to the church, both in leading and following. He gives instructions both for shepherds and for the flock of God. Today we will look at some things God has to say to us about both leading and following well.

When was the last time you couldn't wait to tell someone about something that happened to you? Maybe it was something funny that happened at work that day, or maybe it was a big event like an engagement or pregnancy. What we are excited to talk about says a lot about what is most important to us. At the beginning of 1 John, the apostle John writes with that kind of excitement. He has seen, heard, and even touched something so real and life-changing that he must share it. Join us as we discover what John was so eager to proclaim, and why it should shape what we talk about today.

The letters from Jesus to each of the seven churches in Revelation concluded with promises to those who overcome. These are not promises to a select few, they are promises meant for the whole church. But, with our own tendencies toward temptation and sin, and our preference for comfort over sacrifice, can we really overcome and experience victory? What would that take? How would I take the next step? This Sunday come and hear a refreshing word God has for us on how those who trust Him will over come even in the worst of times.

Among the seven churches of Revelation, just as everyone wants to be the faithful and protected church in Philadelphia, no one wants to be the church Laodicea. But, if the situation in Laodicea is closer to our context than the other cities, we have more to learn from Laodicea than we might think. This Sunday come and hear what our Lord has to say to a church in the midst of the dangerously prosperous age.

A Faithful Church When considering the seven churches in Revelation, everyone wants to be the church in Philadelphia. It's one of only two that there is no fault mentioned. The other church similarly praised is Smyrna, but they are called to suffering (Revelation 2:10), while Philadelphia will be kept from "the hour of trial" (3:10). We'd really rather be Philadelphia. But what does it mean to be like this church? What will that take? This Sunday we will see what God says about a Philadelphian level of faithfulness.

Julie and I have had the privilege of serving here at bpChurch for 20 years. Along the way, I've asked myself, "Bob, what in the world are you doing?!" As you think about serving the Lord in the church, do you ever wonder, "What is it that we're trying to do?" Or maybe the what is clear, but the direction or goal seems fuzzy. Sometimes in spiritual matters or when building a building, we may understand the what and the why, but the pressing question is "How can we ever do it?" This Sunday, from Colossians 1:24-29, let's look at what God says about the who, what, why, and how of the ministry He has given us.

When we visited the site of ancient Sardis this summer, I wish we had more time, there was more I wanted to see. The same was true last Sunday. The message that surfaces in the letter to Sardis to walk worthy is worth more time and attention. There's more to see there. I believe that several questions which emerge from the Biblical commands to "walk worthy..." will help you and I to know and follow the Lord's will in the bigger and smaller choices we face.

The church in Smyrna is not the only time God's people are urged to wake up. This was also the call of the prophets to Israel, Jesus' word to His disciples, and God's word to at least five churches in the New Testament. We don't realize how important this warning is to us, possibly because we too are a little drowsy, already drifting off. Wake up early this Sunday and come hear what God has to say to a sleepy church.

Revelation 2:18-29 reveals how people can shockingly make what is obviously evil sound good. It shows that even in the church we can be deceived that wrong is now right. The worst tragedies often began with irrational rationalizations. We see that in the public arena and I hear it in private counseling. Twisting the truth can ruin lives and it will also ruin good churches. This Sunday, while our men's retreat will be focusing on "Being Men of God's Word," we will also see that faithfulness to God's truth is essential if we are going to live for God's kingdom in the midst of an evil age.

This week has been filled by news of senseless, out of control violence. The capstone for many was the senseless assassination of a devout Christian young man, Charlie Kirk, who was loved by millions for brilliantly and insightfully debating ideas without stooping to insults, challenging perspectives without personal attacks. He believed talking and debating was the way to avoid violent confrontation. He will be deeply missed. Alongside that tragedy is the terrible death of a young Ukrainian refugee in a senseless murder on a subway. She had come to this country for safety but was brutally killed. I was also grieved by the story of  a retired professor murdered walking her dog, another school shooting and murder/suicide in Portland. Internationally people continue to die in the Middle East and Europe as wars threaten to spiral further out of control and drag other countries into the killing. What do we do with all the bad news? It sounds so cliche that I almost don't want to say it, but the only answer we have for the bad news is the good news. There is no other answer to the depravity of humanity except redemption in Jesus. In the words of Jeremiah 8:11, we dare not pretend to "heal this wound lightly, saying 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace." If you have been grieved by the news this week, like I have, or you are weighed down by the personal tragedies you have been enduring, you need peace, God's peace. We need to see Him who is our peace. This Sunday, we will look again to Jesus and remember that He is our peace.