FRCP Sunday Morning Sermons

In Matthew 26:1-16, a beautiful thing happens in the midst of an ugly situation. We begin hearing about the decision by the religious leaders to assasinate Jesus and the passage ends with Judas being paid to hand him over. Jesus is not naive, so he must be under a lot of stress, knowing that the cross is imminent. Then, in the middle of those two ugly happennings, is something good. While Jesus is reclining at the table, an unnamed woman enters the house and annoints him with a very expensive alabaster jar of perfume. The disciples criticize her, saying the jar should have been sold and the money given the poor, but Jesus defends her, saying she has done a beautiful thing for him. This sermon digs into that statement, asking what is beauty in the eyes of God, and how can we also do beautiful things for Jesus?

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus culminates his final large section of teaching with a description of the final judgment. This is the end of our all our lives, as all nations stand before the throne of the King. Who will get in and who won't? Jesus answers this with a simile using goats and sheep. In our culture, we call people who are the best "The GOAT" or The Greatest of All Time. But here, being a goat is not good. Goats are those who did not serve the king while living. They didn't help him, heal him, care for him. And as a consequence, they will "Go Out for All Time". Instead, we want to be a sheep or those who did serve the King when he needed help. The question everyone has is, "But when did we actually see you in need, Jesus?" Listen to be reminded of the opportunity we have to serve Jesus by serving those in need.

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus shares about a Master who goes away and gives several of his servants bags of gold. One gets five, another two and a third gets one. The assumption is that they will get to work investing and growing the resources for the master. The master returns and the first two get "Well done!" and invited into the Master's joy. The third guy, though, brings back the same amount he was given, explaining he buried it because he was worried about getting in trouble if he lost it. The Master calls him out, saying he could have at least put it in the bank. In reality, the servant is wicked and lazy; he never intended to do the work. What has God given you to work with? Are you investing it? Growing it? Producing for the Kingdom? If so, you'll enter into the Master's joy someday.

In Matthew 24:45-25:13, Jesus follows his warnings about his return and the judgement to come with several stories describing people unprepared to meet their Maker. He talks of a household manager whose pride and penchant for evil swells the longer his Master is away. But the Master eventually returns and due to his mismanagement and cruelty, he's cut to pieces. Then he tells of virgins participating in a wedding ceremony. Again they are waiting, but only half made preparations for the wait. When the bridegroom finally shows up in the middle of the night, the one's without oil for their lamps are caught off guard and in the time it takes to search for oil, miss the party and are locked outside. Even when they call to the bridegroom, he says he doesn't know them. They were lazy at best, disrespectful at worst, so he rejects them. Are we preparing for Jesus' return? Are we busy with his work and working in a way that will please him?

In Matthew 24:1-44, Jesus takes a comment from his disciples about the glory of the Temple to explain to them the signs that will accompany the end of the world. Many crazy things will take place, but those are not the end. They are the birth pains leading up to the real end, which is the Day of the Lord and the Messiah's return. Part of this is corrective. They can't imagine the world continuing if the Temple is destroyed. But Jesus says that will just be a part of the process. Now some two-thousand years later, we're still waiting. Will it really happen? Should we "modern" people believe that the end is nigh or pay attention to such warnings? Taking Jesus' teaching seriously means acknowlding that history will indeed have a baby, which should encourage us to live intentionally, even if we should also live with patience and joy.

In Matthew 28:1-10, we read Matthew's account of Resurrection Morning. Two women go the tomb early. They experience an earthquake, an angel and eventually Jesus, alive. When they meet him, the fall down and grasp his feet in worship. This sermon explores this brief observation. What does it this account say about who these women were, but more importantly, who Jesus is? And do we love Jesus in the same way? Are we feet graspers?

In Matthew 26:1-56, we examine the several times in Matthew’s gospel, where Jesus informed the disciples that he would be going to Jerusalem to suffer and be crucified. However, the information apparently did not resonate in their minds, probably because they had preconceived ideas of how the ministry of Jesus would usher in an earthly kingdom. Not until after the resurrection did they understand that the cross was necessary for Jesus to bring about redemption from sin and to bring the gift of eternal life to all who will be believe.

In this message from select scriptures from the book of Acts, Pastor Steve Johnson reminds us of the way God uses challenges to accomplish his purposes.

In Matthew 23:1-39, Jesus wraps up his string of run-ins with the religioius leaders with a sermon about them. He's talking to the crowds and his disciples but they were probably within ear shot. It's a diatrible against hypocrisy as Jesus points out the ways that these religious leaders try to look righteous but instead are greedy, self-serving, and corrupt. They have exchanged their calling to serve the people for power and control. He then says Woe! to them seven times, describing actions that put them at risk of great suffering and judgement. There's lots of name calling, too. This passage serves as a warning to all of us in ministry or leadership, but it also reminds everyone who falls under the banner of Christianity that Jesus will not tolerate hypocrisy. His grace makes it so that we don't have to worry about our failures: we can serve with authenticity and humility. But if we miss the plot, and are prideful and abusive, woe is us.

In Matthew 22:34-46, Jesus finishes a brutal round of debate and conflict with the religious leaders. The final question comes from a lawyer who asks him to declare which commandment is the greatest. Jesus goes back to Deuteronomy 6:5 and says it's to love God completely. He then adds the second which is to love our neighbor as ourselves from Leviticus 19:18. Nothing new here, but Jesus' combination of these things as the summation of the entire law is. Like a great teacher, he makes something hard and complex simple. He then goes on to ask the pharisees about who the Messiah would be and they corrently answer "David's son". But Jesus presses the point that he would more than a man, more than just a descendant of David. He would be David's Lord, which could only be the Son of God. Today's message is about whether we can see Jesus for the Messiah he is, or whether like the Pharisees, we will continue ot tell him "you're not my boss."

In this "podcast-like" sermon, Kyle chats with his friend Brian, a former pastor. At one of their coffee meet-ups recently, they reminded themselves of what they already knew, that their sins are forgiven and their eternity is secure in Jesus. This is a great antidote to stress and our tendency to take too much responsibility. Instead, we trust God. This is also a reminder that we need godly friendships (and coffee).

In a continuation of last week's message, we establish that Truth is grounded in God (the Great "I AM"). He is the Most Real, on which all of Creation depends for its existence. So when we know the Truth, what we really mean is that we know God and speak and act in ways that align with his nature and character. Thus, the Truth of the kind we talk about being used by humans is a combination of facts, love and faith. How can we know and live in this Truth? By knowing and obeying Jesus. He is the embodiment of the Reality of the Father. Many man-made tools and technologies in our world try to separate us from Reality, both in a spiritual sense and practical sense. We must be aware, therefore, of things that confuse us about what is true. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We also look at Ephesians 5, which talks about Light and Darkness, and how our life as a disciple of Jesus is one that pursues the truth in both words and actions. At the end of the message, Kyle offers some practical suggestions for how we can resist deception and live as people of Light.

Pilate and Jesus have a little chat in John 18. "So you're a king?" Loaded question. "You say I'm a king," says Jesus, but then he explains that what he really came to do was testify to the truth. "What is truth?" retorts Pilate. What IS truth? Why does it matter? Is Pilate right, that even if big T Truth exists, that it's all but useless in a broken sinful world? And what are the consequences of not defending truth or simply not caring about it? Ai is a technology that is presenting some significant challenges to telling the truth. It gives humans, who already have lying in their DNA, some pretty fancy tools to use in distorting reality. But beyond the tool itself, there are economic and social systems that are willing to subjugate truth in service of profit or power. This message begins our look at how Ai interacts with truth from a Biblical perspective. In it, we remind ourselves of how important truth is to God and why it's essential that we resist anything, be it Ai or our own sinful heart, that twists it.

"God in the Box: Part 1, Summoning the Demon" - The Ai revolution is here. This has been a long time coming (starting with the first mechanical counting machine), but only relatively recently has hit the common person. And it has done so with a swiftness unparalleled by any other innovation humans have come up with. Software that thinks, talks, creates, plans, works...thousands if not millions of times faster than humans. The promises are great, but so are the dangers and there are many voices who are involved in Ai development warning us of these dangers. Not just dangers inherent to the technology itself, but dangers in how people will use it and be used by it. Is suspicion of Ai just a Luddite stereotype? Is this just a technology that old fashioned people resist because they don't like change or is there something to the concern, especially as a Christian? Is the pursuit of Ai an attempt to use a "god in a box" to become gods ourselves? Are we helping humanity transcend or are we summoning the demon? This sermon is an introduction to Ai and Kyle's request that we try to filter the Ai phenomenon through a uniquely Christian perspective: the mind of Christ. Will Ai help us look more like Jesus, or more like the world?

In Matthew 22:15-46, we see Jesus interacting with religious leaders. Right away we're told they are trying to trap him, but you couldn't tell based on how they address him. In fact, they are quite complimentary. Jesus sees through the flattery. He calls them out on it, gives them truth without falling into their traps and gains respect as an authority. Watching Jesus in these passages should increase our respect for him, and also teach us the value of deeply studying and believing God's word. It's the best way to avoid getting burned.

In Matthew 21:28-46, we find Jesus teaching about the Kingdom of God using two parables: the first about two rascally sons, the second about evil renters. Both hit on a common theme: your life matters. What you do, how you behave, matters. Your words matter, too, but if your words don't match your lifestyle, your lifestyle will "win" or be the thing you are judged by. So Jesus tells us better to be a prostitute who listens to Jesus and repents, then a person says he knows God but doesn't produce any fruit (the kind that comes from love and true righteousness). The second parable is about the Jewish religious leaders, entrusted to lead God's people and produce good fruit, but instead try to steal God's authority and glory. It doesn't go well for them when the Owner returns. So what about your life? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe enough to do his work?

In anticipation of the new year, Kyle shares a church-wide challenge to grow in prayer this next year. Why? Yes, because it's part of the privilege we have being children of God (we can talk to our Creator?!??), but also because it's essential to grow in holiness and effectiveness by keeping God's voice as the primary influence in our lives. It's also how we receive direction and empowerment to do what God calls us to do. A thriving prayer life is the difference between living a vanilla life as an ok person who says they are a Christ-follower and a person in a real relationship with God and fulfilling his will. The "First, Pray" monthly prayer guide is introduced.

As we consider Peace on this advent Sunday, we go back to the most basic meaning of the Hebrew term for peace, which is "shalom". Shalom means wholeness or completeness. From there, we get other uses of the word, ideas like calmness or lack of conflict. If we are complete or whole (and don't have any more needs or insecurities), we experience what we typically mean by peace. Where is your peace coming from this Christmas? And when you hear Jesus say, "blessed are the peace makers", what does that mean for you? How do you become one of those people? Thinking about the meaning of shalom, we understand that when we try to make people or situations "whole" or "unbroken", we bring peace. May we give the gift of peace to our world this Christmas.

In Ruth 1, we see a woman with every reason to be unhappy. And no doubt, she was to some degree, dealing with the grief of loss and cultural upheaval. And yet, she didn't succumb to her pain, but became an example of extreme loyalty and love. Student Ministry Director Hayden explores how people can use thankfulness to foster joy and not be enslaved to our circumstances for our happiness.

In John 3:16, we are reminded that God loves us and that's why He sent Jesus. And towards the end of the chapter, we are reminded that the Father loves Jesus, too, and has given all things into his hands. So the one the Father loves enough to give everything to...has been given to us. Kyle dives in to some of the words used in scripture to describe to us God's love and we land on Communion as a reminder that we take in God's gift, which gives us life.

In Deuteronomy 8:10, we look at Moses’ sermon on the verge of the Promised Land. He won’t be continuing the journey, so he’s reminding his people of their history, of God’s law, and where their hope lies. In the middle of chapter 8 is quick reminder of how essential giving thanks is to their future. Giving thanks looks back on what God has done, both blessing and discipline, and fosters the kind of humility that embraces who we are without getting too prideful. After considering these things, we open the mic to the congregation to praise God by giving thanks.

In Matthew 21:1-27, we see Jesus doing a funny thing. Good jokes rely on context and cultural references to setup the punchline. In this passage, Jesus tells a very serious joke, not so much full of humor but full of joy and controversy. “A poor rabbi rides into a capital city on a donkey…” Those who knew the scriptures and the cultural context got the joke: Jesus was saying he is King of the Kingdom! What’s funny about it is he didn’t look like any kings most people know of; in fact, he was almost an anti-king. So what did Jesus do that declared him to be King? And what might it look like to let him rule your life?

In Matthew 20:29-34, Jesus and his group are on the move, and two blind men are bothering everyone with their calling out to Jesus. The crowd tells them to be quiet, but they disobey, and keep calling out to Jesus. Jesus’ attention is captured and he yells back to them, not to finally shut them up, but to give them permission to approach. When they tell him they hope for sight, it says he had compassion and touched their eyes and healed them. So are you a yeller or a shusher? How badly do you want Jesus’ compassion? How annoying are you willing to get to receive his touch? Or do you care more about people’s opinions than an opportunity to be near Jesus? Today we are encouraged to pray until we pray and receive Christ’s healing.

In Matthew 20:17-28, Jesus predicts his death. He knows what is ahead, and as a good leader, he’s preparing his disciples for the reality of his ministry. This is contrasted with the next story of a mom trying to get some special treatment for her sons. Is Jesus annoyed? Humored? His response gives us a lot of information about his relationship with the Father, about the cost of being a disciple and the true nature of leadership, which is sacrifice. Giving your all for Jesus may take your life. But there’s no better way to live.

In Ephesians 1:1-14, Paul lays out one of the most joyful descriptions of the benefits the Trinity has provided for us in the working out of the Gospel. Yet, this passage pulls the curtains back on a window that peeks into the outside-of-time mechanics of God's plan of salvation. In a couple of sentences, Paul touches on some concepts that will take an eternity to understand and unpack, namely predestination and our faith. Today, Pastor Steve helps us unpack these two tensions and lands where good theology often does: both/and. God has chosen us AND we choose to believe.

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells us a story that is ultimately about the generosity of God. It’s provocative, though, because from our small, selfish perspective, God’s generosity to someone can seem like shortchanging others. God is a God of justice, but he will make exceptions to show mercy or grace. In our backwards thinking, we can see mercy or grace as unfair or unjust. So who should change? Should God become more fair? Would that be better for everyone? Or should we change, and try to be the kind of people who are happy for those whom God blesses, rather than resentful? And can we be content with the grace God gives to us?

In Matthew 19:13-16, we are reminded that Jesus loves kids, and that kids are an example for adults. Then in verses 17-30, a young man approaches Jesus with a big question, and in his reply, Jesus uncovers a deeper issue that is holding the young man back. Jesus tells him that if he “wants to be perfect”, go and sell everything you have and give to the poor, then come follow me. In the game “trading up”, a person offers to trade what they have for something more valuable and see how far they can go with it. For example, a person may trade up a paper clip for a dime, then a dime for a pen, then a pen for a dollar, etc., until…? A car? A house? Jesus is playing a game of trading up with this young man, but Jesus is saying that a life of discipleship offers more joy and freedom than great wealth. The man goes away sad, because he doesn’t agree. Do you?

In Matthew 19:1-12, we see that those looking for a way to make divorce easier completely miss the heart of God. Marriage is an incredibly valuable, costly, and powerful gift from God. It’s a carry-over from the Good Garden and the solution to the one imperfection: the loneliness of man. Therefore, we should regard it highly, work at it intensely, and guard it from anything that would diminish or end it. Jesus is not unaware of the difficulty of staying married, but he refuses to approve of divorce. While the technical, legal handling of this issue (especially in our current culture) is challenging, if we start and end with God’s heart in the matter, we will find ourselves empowered to keep both the spirit and letter of the law.

In Matthew 18:21-35, we have another provocative teaching where Jesus pushes our limits by explaining to Peter that his view of forgiveness was way too small. In Jesus’ view, it essentially has no end. "But I won’t be a door mat!" we think to ourselves (maybe out loud). So what does it mean to be willing to forgive someone 77 times (or 490 if you go the 70x7 route)? Are there any caveats or boundaries? And what might happen if we let ourselves become the kind of people who will forgive indefinitely? Let's find out.

In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus tells us to get in each others' biz. Wait, aren’t Christians supposed to let sins go unnoticed and unaddressed? Isn’t that being nonjudgmental and forgiving? Actually, no. Jesus doesn’t want us ignoring sins in ourselves or in others, but there is a right way to handle the process, so that the desired outcomes (righteousness, unity, growth, love, etc.) can be achieved. But this is more than an “HR” process; it’s really about our hearts. Are we the kind of people who can be approached by someone about an issue? Are we humble and coachable? Do we love enough to speak up? If we are, the Kingdom will thrive in our midst.

In Matthew 18:1-14, we see that Jesus loved kids. He valued them, gave them time, and saw in them a critical metaphor for all of us spiritually. So much so that he hinged heaven on us becoming like children. So what does it mean to have “childlike faith”? But beyond that, he also raised the stakes for the protection and spiritual direction of our kids. He describes some heinous consequences for those who would harm them or lead them astray. Let's pursue the joy of being a child of our Father in Heaven, and the joy of raising kids in the faith.

“Today was Fall Kick-off at FRCP. To launch us into the next few months of discipleship, we look at Ephesians 4:1-16 and how it helps us understand our church's SBS strategy. Sunday, Bible Studies, and Serving Somewhere. Kyle talks about how one of his chainsaws starting cutting crooked, and just sharpening the teeth was correcting the issue. Like our faith walk, chainsaw chains are systems that have several components that all need to be present and functioning well: the cutters, rakers, and bar. For the Christian, a very simplified system includes corporate worship, studying the Word in community, and serving others. As Ephesians reminds us, as we participate in these and help others do the same, we all grow to maturity, and that's the mission of First Reformed!”

In Matthew 17:24-29, Peter is confronted about paying the “Temple Tax”, and Jesus uses it as an opportunity to teach about God’s true family as well as His provision. Jesus also demonstrates wisdom in not causing offense: there are times when we go along with other people’s rules, not because they matter, but precisely because they don’t really matter. In our imperfect world, t's okay to just get along sometimes.

In Matthew 17:14-23, we have another example of the “hard side” of Jesus, who is fed up with little faith of the disciples. Is that all that he’s tired of? Or is he tired of the sickness and oppression of a fallen world? A world where demons can throw little boys into the fire. But Jesus solution is both easy and severe. Just have faith! Even small faith! Why don’t we have more faith? What are we missing? What if we really started to believe? Who could we help? What could we do?

In Matthew 17:1-13, Jesus is transfigured on the mountain. Peter, James and John get to witness this and it’s so astounding, Peter doesn’t know what to do. This was a moment where what is truly real was able to be seen. The curtain hiding heaven was pulled back for a second, and we were given a glimpse into something magnificent. But why was Moses there? Elijah? And what does Peter's foible tell us about our ability to handle intense intimacy with God?

In Mark 14, there is another episode of human failure with Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial. Why are there so many recordings of human failure in the Bible? Is that really a selling point for Christianity? Maybe not from a human perspective, but God in his wisdom is doing more than just marketing a religion. Instead, he's a truthful God that is promoting his grace and plan of salvation. That is where our confidence should fully lie.

In Matthew 16:13-28, Jesus is now starting to get more direct with helping his disciples understand who He really is, and what that identity entails. Peter is the point person for Jesus’ questions, and he’s taught a hard lesson. He gets it but he doesn’t and Jesus pulls no punches to make the truth stick. One moment confessing Jesus as the Son of God, he then tries to prevent the necessary suffering that must take place to fulfill God’s plan. As kindhearted as this may seem at first, it is a totally human perspective that lines up more with Satan’s thinking than God’s. And not only will our Savior suffer, if we are his disciples we will, too.

In Matthew 16:1-12, Jesus is tested by the religious leaders. They ask for a “sign”. Where have these guys been? He then points out that they are able to predict the weather to a reasonable degree by looking at the “signs”, but they are playing dumb with what Jesus has been doing in his ministry. He then says that a “wicked and adulterous generation” looks for a sign. Only one sign will be give to them: the sign of Jonah. Does God want us to know him? Is he trying to hide himself or is the problem on our end? This message explores how we stay open to see what God is doing in our lives.

In Matthew 15:29-39, Jesus again goes up a mountain and people come to him for healing: the blind, lame, crippled, mute. He heals them and teaches them and by the end of three days there are more than 4,000. The text says Jesus has compassion on them, because they would be hungry going home. This sermon explores some of the details of this story that highlight Jesus' power and glory, the compassion of friends, and the compassion of our Savior who cares about our problems both big and small. And we are challenged to bring to Jesus what we have, and watch him do some miraculous math and feed multitudes.

Matthew 15:21-28 “Dogs are People, Too” A Canaanite woman pesters Jesus and his disciples. Everyone wants her to go away. Even Jesus seems to ignore her and says that his purpose does not include her people group. Is this true? Didn’t Jesus come for all people? Is He testing her? In the end, her sincerity and perseverance win out and Jesus compliments her faith. This is an important story about who is in and who is not, and how all of us are to pursue Jesus.

In Matthew 15:1-20, Jesus is questioned by an envoy of religious leaders from Jerusalem. They have an issue with him not following the tradition of handwashing before meals and become poster boys for promoting religion without God. Jesus points out to them that if they loved God, they wouldn't invalidate His commands for their tradition. Jesus continues to instruct us about purity of heart and how to get life into our religion.

Kyle shares about his twelve day motorcycle trip to Montana, closing with Psalm 148 and glorifying God for the experience of riding through God's epic creation and connecting with his Dad and brother.

Student Ministries Intern Hayden Axe shares that pursuing God's peace is better than chasing comfort. Even in discomfort, God's peace can be found.

This week, Pastor Steve teaches us some Latin.

In Matthew 14:22-36, we have a miraculous prank (or flex??). Jesus had sent the disciples ahead of him in a boat, probably so he could get some time alone in prayer. As he begins walking along the shore to meet up with them, he can see they are struggling due to the wind. So he walks out to them. On the water. On. The. Water. The disciples sometimes get a bad rap for being dumb, obtuse, simple. But here, would we not all think what they thought: there’s a ghost out there?! After Jesus identifies himself, Peter tries the walking on water thing and through it all, we learn about Jesus’ power and what true faith looks like.

In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus is broken hearted from both a personal rejection and personal loss. Understandably, he just wants to get away and cry and pray and recharge. But people get wind of the location of his retreat and chase him on foot to be near him. And here we see one of the clearest windows into the heart of our Messiah. In a moment of deep grief and exhaustion, he’s asked for more. Rather than resentment, Jesus swells with compassion, and invites the people to stay, where he teaches and heals them. Then, because they are in a remote location without food, he feeds them. 5,000+ mouths! This is the Son of God, the Servant King, worthy of all praise.

In Matthew 13:47-14:44, we have three distinct episodes that have a common thread: they were each a ministry challenge. The first is a parable that once again warns of a coming judgment. Like today, people weren't excited about "bad" news so they might easily ignore it or be offended by it. Jesus teaches the hard stuff. Then he goes home and rather than receive a hero's welcome, is cut down by those who knew him growing up. "Does he think he's better than us?" they ask. Then, Jesus get's word of John the Baptist's execution. The story reiterates the theme: ministry is hard, but also shows how Jesus was affected by losing a cousin and brother in ministry. Yet, Jesus remains faithful. So should we.

In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus shares two short, simple, but profound stories about the Kingdom. First, the value of the Kingdom is extravagant, life-changing, joy producing. Notice the grace in the finding. The discovers didn’t earn it or work for it but it’s worth all they have. And God has made it affordable: it costs all you have, but you have all you need to pay for it. Does this seem too much? Too risky to give all in exchange for citizenship in the Kingdom? It will only seem that way if you have undervalued the treasure!

In Matthew 13:31-35, Jesus describes the Kingdom with two short parables about things that start small but get big. The Kingdom of God is growing in quantity and quality and while the Kingdom will be a social political entity, it’s also about Jesus’ reign in our hearts. So what does it look like for the seed of the Gospel to get planted into our hearts, or the leaven to work through the dough of our life? Let’s explore that in this message.

In Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-52, Jesus teaches us again about the reality of the Kingdom and of the world around it using an agricultural story about a man and his wheat field and an enemy that sows weeds. Because most of us are quite removed from this lifestyle and culture, we may not understand the unique nature of these “weeds”, which really are a poisonous mimicking plant called darnel. Darnel looks identical to wheat until it fruits, making it difficult to remove. But if not separated from the good crop, is poisonous to the point of lethal. Jesus uses these two plants to explain the existence of evil people in the world, but assures us in the end that they will be removed. Are you a weed? There is still time to die and be replanted as wheat.