Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church Sermon Podcast

Good Friday - 2010

Palm Sunday, Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the victorious king. Is He King in your life?

God provides direction and purpose through Jesus

God provides healing from sin through Jesus

God provides our needs through Jesus

The Bible is the story of Jesus Christ from cover to cover and through every page. In the beginning of this mini-series called It Speaks of Me, we will be introduced to the idea that every story in the Bible points us to Jesus. Every Old Testament story foreshadows the coming Messiah, Jesus.

People tend to address behavior. Stop doing wrong! But Jesus confronts the root problem of our behavior: He goes for the heart. Our true problem as humans is our sinful nature. Our heart is a idol factory. Jesus can bring real healing to the heart, not just patch the negative symptoms.

We are really good at judging and labeling each other. Jesus calls us to task and invites us to address our own problems before we begin trying to help others overcome their sins.

All the religions of the world promise to bring someone closer to God and to make the person like God. Where many promise, Jesus delivers. Jesus here promises to train us to be like Him. So where are you on your journey with Jesus? Are you being made like Him?

Are you spiritually blind? Jesus warns us about being so close to God that we don't actually have God. The religious leaders of Jesus' day fell into this subtle problem. They in fact had all the frills of religion and no real friendship with God. We, though we may be in a saving friendship with Jesus, may still fall victim to the subtlety of spiritual blindess.

Are you judgemental or critical of others? Jesus continues His message of calling people out of their natural inclinations and into a life of peace, hope, and significance. He invites us to have hope that God can change the people we have lost hope in.

God wants us to not hold back but to give it to 'em. When our enemies hate us, we love them. When they hurt us, we pray for them. When they steal, we do not demand it back. We are then most like our Father in heaven.

The way people look at life, its all about accumulation and acclamation... its all about me. But Jesus begins His teaching ministry by inviting us to look at life backwards of the status quo. You're blessed if you're poor, if you're hungry, if you're sad, if you're hated. Let's join Jesus in looking at the world backwards.

There wasn't much time for Jesus in His birth or in His teaching ministry. Before we judge the people of His day, how much time do we make for Him in our lives?

What do Christians have in common with each other? We are brothers and sisters, adopted into God's family. So what practices should we have to communicate our unity?

God has lifted the requirements of observing the Law from Christians having sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin. If the Son has set us free, we are free indeed. Now how do we live in this freedom?

The point of human history, the central figure of Scripture, the one rescue from sin, the one friend thru life, and the Head of the Church and its affairs is Jesus, the Lord of the Universe.

There truly is power in prayer. Prayer doesn't change God's mind, but it does declare our dependent need of Him. What is your prayer life like?

An important essential of a healthy Biblical church is the leadership by multiple elders. Elders teach, secure the doctrine, shepherd the souls of the congregation, and lead the function of the body.

We are required by God to help this world in the name of Jesus. It communicates God's compassion for hurting people but it also points people towards the Savior. Let us be busy about meeting physical needs.