A Famine Not of Bread

Click here to listen to this sermon. "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, ...

"Jeremiah Preaching to His Followers" by Gustave Dor e Click here to listen to this sermon. The Lord made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more” (Jeremiah 11:18-19). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s the cry of Jeremiah, surrounded by those who plot to take his life. But it’s worse than that. Reading through the rest of chapter 11, you find that it’s the villagers of Anathoth who plot against him. Anathoth was set aside by God for the Levites—for the priests of Israel; therefore, as the prophet of God declares God’s Word, it is the priests of the land who are plotting his death. It’s even worse than that. Read chapter 1, and you find out that Anathoth is Jeremiah’s h...

"Weeping of Jeremiah" by Marc Chagall Click here to listen to this sermon. “O Lord , you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed” (Jeremiah 20:7). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the L ORD Jesus Christ! The direction of our text is from complaint (vv. 7-10) to praise (vv. 11-13). But context is crucial. In the verses immediately following this text, Jeremiah returns to bitter complaint, even cursing the day of his birth. So, what’s up with Jeremiah? Is he unstable? Flighty? Moody? No, his story just reflects the ebb and flow of Christian experience. Our relationship with God does not always proceed in a straight line, from weak to strong. Often it vacillates, becoming under God’s grace ever stronger, but seldom becoming so in a smooth, unbroken, upward path. The verses before our text clearly show that Jeremiah had cause for complaint (at least, humanly speaking). The L ORD called Jeremiah to proclaim...

Click here to listen to this sermon. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! I don’t know of anyone who enjoys suffering. I think that would be considered a psychological disorder. But there is some suffering that results in our good. There’s the suffering of the athlete who trains hard for the Olympics. There’s the marathon runner who runs miles each day just to compete. Christian suffering, like the suffering of an athlete in training, also results in good, only more so. For a Christian never suffers alone, but shares Christ’s sufferings. Christian suffering will come. It comes in the form of “fiery” trials (4:12). These fires test the confession of faith professed by the b...

"Dispute before Sanhedrin" by Fra Angelica Click here to listen to this sermon. Then [the apostles] left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus” (Acts 5:40–42). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Baronelle Stutzman, Kim Davis, Ruth Neely, Aaron and Melissa Klein: Are you familiar with these men and women and their stories? You should be. Each of them are Christians who recently have been bullied for failing to bow down at the altar of political correctness. Each of them have suffered severe damage to their reputation and livelihood for refusing to violate their consciences. Each one of them has remained faithful despite religious persecution, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. Baronelle Stutzman is a 7...