Saints Peter And Paul Sermons

When Jesus said, "It is finished" he was not speaking of his death. He was declaring victory over the fact that he had fully accomplished the Father's purpose for sending him: to save the world from its sin.

Who is Jesus? What is he doing? The best way to find out is to listen to Jesus and watch what he does.

During Holy Week, we will focus on the Greek Word "Tetelestai" which is what Jesus spoke on the cross and is translated in English, "It is finished." On this Palm Sunday, will will focus on the first word "It." This Sunday is also our Confirmation Sunday in which 16 young adults publicly confirm their Christian faith.

It's easy to give up in this life. But we don't need to give up. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. God never gives up ON us. God always gives up FOR us.

We are people who love to be in control. We want things our way, when we want them and how we want them. Yet, ultimately we are not in control. God is. Are you living life out of control? Or, are you allowing God to be in control?

Blood (Heb. dām). The essential fluid of human, animal, and even plant life (cf. Gen. 49:11–12; Deut. 32:14). In addition to its literal meaning, blood can be interpreted figuratively as the equivalent of life itself. Thus, the “voice” of Abel’s shed blood cries from the ground for vengeance (Gen. 4:10). At Gen. 9:4–6 Noah is forbidden to eat flesh with “its life, that is, its blood,” either of animals or of human beings. The prohibition against eating animal flesh from which the blood had not been drained may have been to oppose a cruel, barbaric custom of eating live animals or those whose blood was still warm. Perhaps it implies the future importance of blood for sacrificial purposes. Human bloodshed was forbidden because human beings are created in the image of God (v. 6). When God demanded a reckoning for the blood of a human being, he took human life into his protection and established an intimate connection between blood and life. In this way God hoped to arrest the prevalence of murder spawned when

Not many people will voluntarily give up power. It is something we cling to and a desire we crave. Yet, in life, we are often forced to acknowledge that we are ultimately powerless when faced with life's afflictions. During these times, where will we find power? In ourselves, or in our God?

Hebrew mizbēaḥ, from zbḥ “to slaughter” (and subsequently “to sacrifice”), designates a place where various types of sacrifices and offerings (e.g., animal, grain, incense) were presented. (Originally the term may have indicated that animals were placed on the altar and then slaughtered, but in general practice the killing took place in front of the altar [Lev. 1–7; cf. Gen. 22:9].) The altar was the focus of the Israelite sanctuary, hence the phrase “to build an altar” connotes “to establish a sanctuary” (cf. Gen. 12:7–8; 26:25). The earliest altars mentioned in the Old Testament were erected in commemoration of a divine theophany (e.g., Gen. 8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:19). Others were set up as a witness to God and frequently were given a commemorative name (e.g., Exod. 17:15 [RSV “Yahweh is my banner”]; Josh. 22:9–10, 26–27). Such “lay” altars were common even after the centralized cult had been established at Jerusalem under David and Solomon and despite the later reforms of Hezekiah and Josiah (cf. Josh. 8

During Lent we will focus on giving up certain things that can inhibit us from experiencing the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. Today, the theme is "I Give Up: Comfort."

Our hearts should break when we see how great our sin is. We cannot escape the effects of our sin. And we cannot escape the effects of God's grace for us in Jesus Christ. From dust we are and to dust we shall return.

In chapter 4, we finally hear the heart of the prophet Jonah. He lets us in on how he's feeling, and why he acted certain ways. As he does this, he turns more and more in on himself. His selfishness is evident. Yet, God remains consistent in being who he is: gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

Jonah gets a second chance to respond to God's call in chapter 3. Believe it or not, he does what God commands. God gives us new life each day through His grace. And He has a plan and a call for you as well. Will you go?

In Chapter 1, Jonah had fled from God. Yet, God rescued him by delivering a great fish to swallow him up. Chapter 2 is a song/Psalm of Thanksgiving from the lips of Jonah as he is in the belly of the fish. What does Jonah have to say for himself? How does he understand what God is actually doing? Take a listen to this sermon to find out!

In Chapter 1, the Word of God comes to Jonah with a clear command. What does Jonah do? The opposite. Hear how it unfolds in this sermon.

A sermon introducing the book of Jonah. This is a well-known story, but how much do people know about it? Is this story true? Did it actually happen? These and other questions are answered in this introductory sermon.

Simeon recognized that Jesus was the Messiah. Taking him up in his arms he said, "Now I can die in peace." Jesus is holding you.

This final Sabbath on Christmas Eve morning is like the calm before the storm. The calm before the storm of Christmas celebrations. But also the calm before the storm of Christ's return.

We live noisy lives in the midst of a noisy world. Where is God in all this noise? He is with us. And He most often speaks to us in a still small voice. He can speak to us in a whisper because He is near to us. He is with us always.

When we remember the Sabbath, there is a kind of death. We die to ourselves and we rise to new life in Jesus Christ. We rest, and then we rise. This sermon also takes us to the fact that death itself is a form of Sabbath. Pastor Aaron reads prayers from the graveside burial service that point towards the hope we have in rising from the dead.