Sermons

The life of a Christian is definitively not for the faint of heart. It requires overcoming obstacles, dealing with difficult circumstances, and resisting temptations every single day. To be Christian is to become comfortable doing hard things. Through the examples in the Bible we will learn about those who have gone before us, having faced difficulty, and overcome. We will also learn why it is so important to actively choose to do the difficult things that God directs us to do, because the reward that comes from doing them is great.

In this sermon, we are looking at how the Church of God was persecuted throughout its history and emphasize the importance of enduring to the end by remaining close to God.

Gentleness or kindness is an important part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is mentioned a number of times in the epistles of the apostle Paul and elsewhere, and shows us one aspect of character that we need to apply in our relationships with both Church members and others we come across in our daily lives.

What major event brings nations from all over the world together, especially through the inspiring underdog story of a particular nation, showing how the world can briefly rally around courage, pride, and shared joy? This unity is short-lived, as conflict, division, and war will persist after the tournament ends. Only the return of Jesus Christ will bring true and permanent peace, when all nations will be unified under one divine rule with no more war, suffering, deception, or sorrow.

What parallels and similarities might exist between America’s independence 250 years ago and the history of the founding of the Church of the Eternal God in the USA? Does God have a very specific timeline involving nations, individuals, and momentous events? Can this plan be altered? And what warnings does the Bible contain for God’s Church?

The world is accelerating and nobody knows how to stop it. God told us this was coming. Underneath all the technology, capability, and noise, the same ancient problem is surfacing that has always surfaced when humanity gains more power, we want to be like God, on our own terms, without going through Him. 

While Jesus told His disciples to make peace and oppose war, America is doing the exact opposite. On the international scene, the Iran war is ongoing, and even “attempts” to end the fighting virtually guarantee their continuance. In the process, America’s “allies” are running away. True faith in God and His power are basically nonexistent in the USA. Domestically and internally, recent US Supreme Court decisions help destroy America from the inside.  

What makes us unique and sets us apart from those in the world who have not yet been called? What is required of us to remain clean—both physically and spiritually—in an unclean world, and what help do we have? How do we bear the fruits of righteousness?

This sermonette explores the tension between living in the present, learning from the past, and trusting God with the future. Through several scriptures we are reminded that God calls us to be intentional about the moments we are given. The challenge is to embrace each day with gratitude and purpose.

In this world, we are flooded with messages, ads, and human-centered holidays. With the “Hallmark Father’s Day” holiday observed on Sunday, June 21^st, it is a good time to present a refresher for a subject we should know well as true Christians: How we are to honor our Creator, our Father in heaven. We will consider several Scriptures and key points in this sermonette that can get us back on or keep us on track to demonstrate our love for the Father and Jesus Christ.

So much of the world is confused about what Christianity is. Biases, assumptions, and fallacies hide the simple Truth that Jesus Christ brought to the world through His ministry. We will reveal the magnificent and beautiful plan of God contained in the Bible to break down the confusion that gets in the way of understanding Christ. 

We truly observe wars and hear about rumors of wars with incredible speed—including the war between Israel and Lebanon/Hezbollah; the war between the USA and Iran; the war between Russia and Ukraine with drone attacks on Romania and the St. Petersburg area; and American intentions to invade Cuba, Greenland, and perhaps other countries. We hear of conflicts between Congress and President Trump regarding the continuation of the Iran war; frictions between the USA and Israel; alleged intentions to cancel America’s missile deal with Germany, which would make Germany extremely vulnerable; and forgotten lessons from Dachau. We also address demonic UFO and alien activities.

Is it even possible for God to travel through time into the past or the future? The concepts of predestination, God’s plan, His nature, and His Will stand in the way of this idea. Nevertheless, God naturally knows the past. And He can also look into the future. But how and when does this happen—and when does it not?

The sermon discusses how God is pure in every way, and it addresses our challenge to be pure. We can accomplish this with the help of God’s and Christ’s Spirit within us.

Three examples are mentioned, two of them suffering from pride with the corresponding consequences. The third avoiding pride and the reasoning why he avoided it.

In this Offertory message we will consider the importance of the Sermon on the Mount in Jesus’s ministry, and how it must convict true followers of Christ. We do not prepare an offering to God on the Feast of Pentecost simply because we are commanded to do so. We do this because we believe each word of the Sermon that Jesus preached, and we know that we glorify God with our obedience and our thirst for righteousness. 

What is the Holy Spirit? How does one receive it? Do we allow ourselves to be guided by God’s Spirit, and do we trust in its power and help? What is the sin against the Holy Spirit, and when—and only when—is one a child of God?

What does it mean to be ignorant, and how dangerous can it be for us personally? How do we deal with it? How do we respond to God’s instructions and prophecies? Do we often act ignorantly? God warns all of humanity against letting ignorance take hold of us.

God has given us a responsibility to fulfill. What does He expect of us, and what reward does He promise those who zealously commit themselves to this task?