Jesus teaches and confronts the legalists in the Temple – John 7 bible study

Posted on June 20, 2013 by theoldadam

Jesus teaches in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles and confronts the legalists and hypocrites who are seeking to kill him.

Pastor Mark unpacks these verses in John 7 and explains why we also must not give in to the legalists of our time. _

https://theoldadam.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/jesus-teaches-in-the-temple-during-the-feast-of-the-tabernacles.mp3 _

Jesus teaches in the Temple and confronts those who seek to kill him.

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Thank you, Pastor Mark. _

And thanks to flickr and Klearchos Kapoutsis, for the photo.

Filed under: Bible Study, Gospel of John, Pastor Mark Anderson, The Bible | 2 Comments »

“Jesus spins me round, round…”?

Posted on June 19, 2013 by theoldadam

I made it to the 1:50 mark. Can you beat that?

There are lesser (we hope) versions of this going on in BIG “churches” all across America. “Lesser” doesn’t mean better.

But there are tons of smaller, traditional congregations that won’t go there. Thanks be to God.

Filed under: 'Cool Church' | 14 Comments »

Justification by Faith

Posted on June 17, 2013 by theoldadam

This same sermon could be preached in any Catholic church or Baptist church. Or any Reformed church, or Pentecostal church. It could even be preached in other Lutheran churches.

All that it would take is for a preacher to read and understand the Galatian letter and Paul’s intent to bring the Galatian churches back onto the rails of faith in Christ, alone, for our justification before a righteous God who demands from us nothing short of perfection.

Listen

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Thank you, Pastor Mark Anderson.

And thanks to flickr and Amsterdam Asp, for the photo.

Filed under: Galatians, Justification by Faith, Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon | 2 Comments »

The Biblical Christian Paradigm

Posted on June 10, 2013 by theoldadam

There are, basically, two ways to look at the Christian life.

One would be more accurately described as “Christianism”.

The other is…well…listen in and see for yourself:

Listen

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Thank you, Pastor Mark.

Photo: flickr and squirlaraptor

Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon, The Biblical Christian Paradigm | 4 Comments »

‘Feeding the Poor’

Posted on June 8, 2013 by theoldadam

_* WARNING

This sermon is NOT about feeding the poor:

click > Are you doing enough?

_( note – This sermon was delivered some years ago. The numbers cited may no longer be accurate, but were at the time the sermon was given)

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Thanks, Pastor Mark.

Thanks also to flickr and blcfcafe, for the photo.

Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, self-righteousness, Sermon | 1 Comment »

Jesus and the Centurion

Posted on June 3, 2013 by theoldadam

The power and authority of the Word of God to do what it will do…for sinners. That same power and authority and action is at work in Will’s Baptism…and in yours and mine.

Listen to Pastor Mark’s sermon on Jesus, the centurion, and the healed slave:

Listen

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Thank you, Pastor Mark.

And thanks to flickr and malcompymm, for the photo.

Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon, The power and authority of the Word of God | Leave a comment »

2 Corinthians 6

Posted on June 2, 2013 by theoldadam

“We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”

We live in a world that is uncertain and unstable and this critical situation can become defining of everything. But neither the challenging world or our broken lives are the last reality. We do not have to spend ourselves in endless efforts to remain in control. Jesus tried hard to impress this on His hearers. He still does.

When Jesus reduced all the commandments to the simple and concrete love of God and the neighbor, He pointed us to a Kingdom within the darkened world, the light of which addresses universally the true hopes and aspirations of all people. The Kingdom of God, therefore, most passionately proclaimed through the Cross of Jesus, appeals to us to live in the freedom which creates the capacity to live within the sobriety of God’s kingdom – the kingdom for others – a kingdom at odds with the world, superior to it and destined to prevail.

If you find the Christian life perplexing, unsatisfying or even boring, the solution may not be as difficult to come by as you think. For, the Christian life is not about self protectionism, lived primarily inwardly. The Christian life is lived outwardly (for the sake of others). This is the great freedom of the Christian: that we may live without any self-consciousness, trusting in God’s grace alone, expecting nothing, yet having everything.

“May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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From Pastor Mark Anderson’s Daily Devotional blog site

Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson's blog | Leave a comment »

“The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and on your heart…”

Posted on May 27, 2013 by theoldadam

Romans 10:8

“The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and on your heart…”

From Pastor Mark Anderson’s Daily Devotional blog site

Matthew’s gospel is arranged in five major sections. The data that Matthew uses from the life of Jesus is packed into these five sections. Each of the five sections has an A part and a B part. The A parts contains material setting forth things Jesus did while the B parts contain long discourses. This is Matthew’s way of ‘enfleshing’ the Word that is Jesus. Mark, Luke and John do not use this arrangement. The shape, order and sequence of the material in each of the four gospels reflect the fact that reports of the works and words of Jesus have come to us through the church differently, in varying contexts, meeting unique circumstances.

God has chosen to make Himself known in and through the messiness of history, of real events, becoming part of the story. The God of the Bible is no spiritualized ghost. How else could God come so near, be so close to us? For that, after all, is the great narrative of our faith. God is with us. This kind of retail, material sort of stuff puts off some people, even some Christian people. It’s not spiritual enough.

But God does not send us on an ethereal quest into the spiritual unknown in order to know Him. The Word of God is never disembodied. The Word of God was incarnate in the grace and grit of the man Jesus. That same Word comes, is embedded in paper and ink, gospel speech, church tradition, information, data, splashy baptismal water, the spongy bread and so-so wine of the Lord’s Supper. The Christian narrative is about the down-to-earth God keeping it real – for us.

“May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Thank you, Pastor Mark.

Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson's blog, The Word | 7 Comments »

What is the main result of The Holy Spirit’s coming?

Posted on May 20, 2013 by theoldadam

Pentecost is a good time to learn about what the Holy Spirit’s role is in all of this. And what is our role when it comes to the Spirit? What is the main result of the Holy Spirit’s coming? Where does the Spirit fit in with regard to your vocation?

Here’s Pastor Mark’s sermon for Pentecost Sunday, 2013:

Listen