A Famine Not of Bread

"The Appearance of Christ at the Cenacle" by James Tissot Click here to listen to this sermon. "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.’ “Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my...

"Jeremiah Preaching to His Followers" by Gustave Dore Click here to listen to this sermon. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness’” (Jeremiah 33:14-16). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Recent data collected from Barna’s pastor poll indicate that U.S. pastors are currently in crisis and at risk for burnout. Notably, in 2021 alone, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of pastors who are thinking about quitting the ministry entirely. [i] Thirty-eight percent indicate they have considered quitting full-time ministry within the past year. Eve...

"Amos" by James Tissot Click here to listen to this sermon. “Seek the Lord and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel, O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!... “They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time” (Amos 5:6–7, 10-15). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! A few weeks ago, we focused on the importance of holding your tongue and wat...

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Click here to listen to this sermon. “Hear what the Lord says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the Lord has an indictment against His people, and He will contend with Israel” (Micah 6:1-2). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Hear ye, hear ye. Court is now in session. Calling the case of the Lord God versus the People. The Honorable Hills and Mountains presiding. Your Honor and ladies and gentlemen of the jury: the defendants have been charged with the breach of covenant. The evidence presented will prove the defendants are guilty of apostasy and countless acts of unfaithfulness. Through His prophet Micah, the Lord challenges His people to a public hearing before the mountains and the hills of the Promised Land. The high places serve as the witnesses, judge, and jury because for centuries they have...

"The Workers in the Vineyard" by Rembrandt Click here to listen to this sermon. Or here. “Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (Matthew 20:14-15). Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! It’s just not fair what the lord of the vineyard does! Consider it from the perspective of the workers who are hired at the start of the day—you’ll sympathize with them pretty quickly. They’re the early birds who get the worm. The lord of the vineyard comes along and offers them the standard deal for a twelve-hour shift. They’ll work in his vineyard for a day, and receive a day’s pay at the end. So, off they go. As they labor and toil, the lord of the vineyard keeps going back to the marketplace. Each time, he finds more who are idle and he calls them into his vineyard. He even goes back when there’s o...