Messenger, 7 December 2025
Messenger
Handel’s Messiah
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 7, 2025
Malachi 3:1-5
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The greatest way to love another is to introduce them to the Messiah.
Advent Theme: love
Song: But who may abide?
There’s a legend that in 490 BC Pheidippides, a Greek messenger, ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce victory over the Persians. The distance run was approximately 26.2 miles and defines the most famous race in the world, the marathon.
I’m training for a 10K which is not even a quarter of a marathon and I’m already exhausted! Imagine the passion required to run more than 26 miles not for a medal or any kind of prize, but to simply deliver a message. It better be good…and it was.
We have a message…the gospel which means “good news.” We have the greatest news in human history to share. The Messiah has come and he is returning soon!
Today we are continuing our Advent series following selections from what may be the greatest music ever written, Handel’s Messiah. The lyrics are supreme, taken directly from scripture. Our theme today is messenger, taken from the third chapter of the ancient writing by the prophet Malachi (or Malachi…the Italian prophet!). The name Malachi means messenger!
Prophets—then and now—are not about future-telling as much as forth-telling. They declare the truth. It’s not uncommon for prophets to make people uncomfortable, offering warnings rather than warm, fuzzy words of encouragement. Being a prophet is a difficult assignment, but God uses them to deliver important messages.
To understand today’s text, we need to backup one verse which, oddly, has been placed in the previous chapter by those who added chapter and verse markings generations after the writing of the scriptures.
You have wearied the LORD with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17)
The people have wandered away from God, a common practice then…and now. Their hypocrisy and sin have resulted in God issuing warnings to His people.
“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:1)
There are actually two messengers presented in this verse. The first is John the Baptist, mentioned last week (see Mark 1:2). He prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah. The second messenger, the messenger of the covenant, refers to Jesus the Messiah. Are they coming with good news? Are they announcing victory?
Malachi continues with sobering words that form the lyrics of today’s song(s).
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? (Malachi 3:2a)
Judgment Day is coming…for all of us. Are you ready? Who may abide or endure?
For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. (Malachi 3:2b-3a)
God’s people are compared to impure metal and dirty laundry! For thousands of years, precious metals like gold and silver have been refined by intense heat to remove impurities. It’s a powerful image of God purifying us, often through trials and suffering, removing the idols and sins in our lives. Silversmiths must pay careful attention to the metal. If it doesn’t receive enough heat, the impurities will remain. If the metal remains in the fire too long, it will be destroyed. I’m told silver is fully refined when the silversmith can see their image in it. That means they cannot stand at a distance but patiently watch as the dross is removed.
We are more familiar with the role of bleach, removing stains from clothing. Sin stains our souls, separates us from God, and ultimately leads to death and destruction. The good news is refining and purification are possible, but not pleasant.
Malachi says the first to be purified will the Levites, the religious leaders.
Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. (Malachi 3:3b-4)
Once refined, they can lead acceptable worship as was done before the people wandered away from God. Unfortunately, not everyone will repent, turn, and follow the LORD.
“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)
These are terrifying words for those who do not fear, respect, and follow the LORD. Malachi records a list of some of their many sins, including oppressing widows, orphans, and foreigners (a rather timely topic!).
So What?
Imagine the thrill experienced by Pheidippides as in his exhaustion he was able to announce good news to the people of Athens. War is over! Victory is ours!
Malachi’s news was not so pleasant, though it was necessary to warn people about their sin and its consequences.
More than 2500 years later, followers of the Messiah have been commissioned as messengers, God’s ambassadors to go and make disciples of all nations. The news is, at first, terrible. God’s standard is perfection, He doesn’t grade on a curve, and we’re all going to be judged some day.
The good news—the gospel—is that Jesus is LORD. He lived a perfect life, died in our place, rose from the dead, and will return soon to take his followers to be with him for eternity. Followers of Jesus are called to be hope dealers in a culture of brokenness as messengers of the gospel. And there’s no running required!
There are, of course, many ways to deliver this news. I want to offer you several.
First, share your story. Share HiStory. My favorite thing at College First is baptisms. What could be greater than hearing one’s story of going from death to life, from darkness to light, from worshipping self to glorifying God? Jesus said
…there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
We get to rejoice, too, when someone is born again, turns from their sin, and says yes to Jesus. Of course, baptism is not the only time to share your story. You can share it anytime, anywhere…in person or online.
One of my dreams is to create short “my story” videos to share on Sundays, on social media, and on a dedicated page on our website. In recent days we’ve heard stories of Ohio State football players, other athletes, and celebrities testifying to the power of God in their lives. It’s inspiring. It brings glory to God. It’s a way to be a messenger of good news.
Second, pray and invite. We gather each Sunday and at special events throughout the year to announce good news. We have new invite cards for both Sundays and Christmas Eve. Studies show 80% of people invited will respond positively to an invitation. I’m happy to be a messenger if you bring the people to hear the message!
Third, serve. Encounter on Wednesday nights is exploding with unchurched kids. We are making two trips in the new 12-passenger van to pick up children, and we may need to add a third! It may seem surprising, but many know nothing about Jesus, yet by teaching or even helping, you can serve as a messenger of the LORD. Whether it’s at College First or one of our partners like Christian Clearing House, the Women’s Resource Center, or Habitat for Humanity, you can engage in delivering God’s truth to others.
Finally, invest in future messengers. Someday we will be unable to share good news, which is why we’re intentionally discipling next gen leaders…our legacy. I’m grateful for the vision of our leaders who stated,
The vision of CF is to become a future-oriented church by 2028 that will see 33% of our congregation made up of kids, students, and young adults.
This is one of the things that made we want to come to College First last year. As many of you know, we have been consistently hitting that 33% number on Sunday mornings…three years early! Praise God! In addition, our ministry fellows, residents, and interns are being loved, equipped, and sent. We want that to continue!
With the new Reist Next Gen Leadership Development Quasi-endowment, we can all invest in our future leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, and trustees. Last week, one of our interns, Zack Britton, announced to our staff that after a long season of prayer and Our Christmas offering this year will help seed this endowment which will provide resources to love, equip, and send leaders in the name of Jesus for generations to come. The Reist family has made a generous gift to launch the fund, and the Elders have recommended moving some of our savings to the endowment. I’m praying the audacious prayer of raising $1 million. Will you join Heather and me in making a special gift to train messengers? This is not about what I want from you, but rather what I want for you…the privilege of investing in God’s Kingdom for generations to come!
We are all called to be messengers, and the news is even more important than the one delivered by Pheidippides in ancient Greece. We proclaim Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. As we celebrate love on this Advent Sunday, the greatest way to love another is to introduce them to the Messiah. He’s the reason for the season…and he’s returning soon. Let’s get ready!
Handel’s Messiah
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 7, 2025
Malachi 3:1-5
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The greatest way to love another is to introduce them to the Messiah.
Advent Theme: love
Song: But who may abide?
There’s a legend that in 490 BC Pheidippides, a Greek messenger, ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce victory over the Persians. The distance run was approximately 26.2 miles and defines the most famous race in the world, the marathon.
I’m training for a 10K which is not even a quarter of a marathon and I’m already exhausted! Imagine the passion required to run more than 26 miles not for a medal or any kind of prize, but to simply deliver a message. It better be good…and it was.
We have a message…the gospel which means “good news.” We have the greatest news in human history to share. The Messiah has come and he is returning soon!
Today we are continuing our Advent series following selections from what may be the greatest music ever written, Handel’s Messiah. The lyrics are supreme, taken directly from scripture. Our theme today is messenger, taken from the third chapter of the ancient writing by the prophet Malachi (or Malachi…the Italian prophet!). The name Malachi means messenger!
Prophets—then and now—are not about future-telling as much as forth-telling. They declare the truth. It’s not uncommon for prophets to make people uncomfortable, offering warnings rather than warm, fuzzy words of encouragement. Being a prophet is a difficult assignment, but God uses them to deliver important messages.
To understand today’s text, we need to backup one verse which, oddly, has been placed in the previous chapter by those who added chapter and verse markings generations after the writing of the scriptures.
You have wearied the LORD with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17)
The people have wandered away from God, a common practice then…and now. Their hypocrisy and sin have resulted in God issuing warnings to His people.
“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:1)
There are actually two messengers presented in this verse. The first is John the Baptist, mentioned last week (see Mark 1:2). He prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah. The second messenger, the messenger of the covenant, refers to Jesus the Messiah. Are they coming with good news? Are they announcing victory?
Malachi continues with sobering words that form the lyrics of today’s song(s).
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? (Malachi 3:2a)
Judgment Day is coming…for all of us. Are you ready? Who may abide or endure?
For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. (Malachi 3:2b-3a)
God’s people are compared to impure metal and dirty laundry! For thousands of years, precious metals like gold and silver have been refined by intense heat to remove impurities. It’s a powerful image of God purifying us, often through trials and suffering, removing the idols and sins in our lives. Silversmiths must pay careful attention to the metal. If it doesn’t receive enough heat, the impurities will remain. If the metal remains in the fire too long, it will be destroyed. I’m told silver is fully refined when the silversmith can see their image in it. That means they cannot stand at a distance but patiently watch as the dross is removed.
We are more familiar with the role of bleach, removing stains from clothing. Sin stains our souls, separates us from God, and ultimately leads to death and destruction. The good news is refining and purification are possible, but not pleasant.
Malachi says the first to be purified will the Levites, the religious leaders.
Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. (Malachi 3:3b-4)
Once refined, they can lead acceptable worship as was done before the people wandered away from God. Unfortunately, not everyone will repent, turn, and follow the LORD.
“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)
These are terrifying words for those who do not fear, respect, and follow the LORD. Malachi records a list of some of their many sins, including oppressing widows, orphans, and foreigners (a rather timely topic!).
So What?
Imagine the thrill experienced by Pheidippides as in his exhaustion he was able to announce good news to the people of Athens. War is over! Victory is ours!
Malachi’s news was not so pleasant, though it was necessary to warn people about their sin and its consequences.
More than 2500 years later, followers of the Messiah have been commissioned as messengers, God’s ambassadors to go and make disciples of all nations. The news is, at first, terrible. God’s standard is perfection, He doesn’t grade on a curve, and we’re all going to be judged some day.
The good news—the gospel—is that Jesus is LORD. He lived a perfect life, died in our place, rose from the dead, and will return soon to take his followers to be with him for eternity. Followers of Jesus are called to be hope dealers in a culture of brokenness as messengers of the gospel. And there’s no running required!
There are, of course, many ways to deliver this news. I want to offer you several.
First, share your story. Share HiStory. My favorite thing at College First is baptisms. What could be greater than hearing one’s story of going from death to life, from darkness to light, from worshipping self to glorifying God? Jesus said
…there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
We get to rejoice, too, when someone is born again, turns from their sin, and says yes to Jesus. Of course, baptism is not the only time to share your story. You can share it anytime, anywhere…in person or online.
One of my dreams is to create short “my story” videos to share on Sundays, on social media, and on a dedicated page on our website. In recent days we’ve heard stories of Ohio State football players, other athletes, and celebrities testifying to the power of God in their lives. It’s inspiring. It brings glory to God. It’s a way to be a messenger of good news.
Second, pray and invite. We gather each Sunday and at special events throughout the year to announce good news. We have new invite cards for both Sundays and Christmas Eve. Studies show 80% of people invited will respond positively to an invitation. I’m happy to be a messenger if you bring the people to hear the message!
Third, serve. Encounter on Wednesday nights is exploding with unchurched kids. We are making two trips in the new 12-passenger van to pick up children, and we may need to add a third! It may seem surprising, but many know nothing about Jesus, yet by teaching or even helping, you can serve as a messenger of the LORD. Whether it’s at College First or one of our partners like Christian Clearing House, the Women’s Resource Center, or Habitat for Humanity, you can engage in delivering God’s truth to others.
Finally, invest in future messengers. Someday we will be unable to share good news, which is why we’re intentionally discipling next gen leaders…our legacy. I’m grateful for the vision of our leaders who stated,
The vision of CF is to become a future-oriented church by 2028 that will see 33% of our congregation made up of kids, students, and young adults.
This is one of the things that made we want to come to College First last year. As many of you know, we have been consistently hitting that 33% number on Sunday mornings…three years early! Praise God! In addition, our ministry fellows, residents, and interns are being loved, equipped, and sent. We want that to continue!
With the new Reist Next Gen Leadership Development Quasi-endowment, we can all invest in our future leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, and trustees. Last week, one of our interns, Zack Britton, announced to our staff that after a long season of prayer and Our Christmas offering this year will help seed this endowment which will provide resources to love, equip, and send leaders in the name of Jesus for generations to come. The Reist family has made a generous gift to launch the fund, and the Elders have recommended moving some of our savings to the endowment. I’m praying the audacious prayer of raising $1 million. Will you join Heather and me in making a special gift to train messengers? This is not about what I want from you, but rather what I want for you…the privilege of investing in God’s Kingdom for generations to come!
We are all called to be messengers, and the news is even more important than the one delivered by Pheidippides in ancient Greece. We proclaim Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. As we celebrate love on this Advent Sunday, the greatest way to love another is to introduce them to the Messiah. He’s the reason for the season…and he’s returning soon. Let’s get ready!
Comforter, 30 November 2025
30 11 25 Filed in: Sermons | Handel's Messiah
Comforter
Handel’s Messiah
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 30, 2025
Isaiah 40:1-5
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is our comforter.
Advent Theme: Hope
The holidays are here again! Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror, December begins tomorrow, and the season of Advent has officially begun. Some say this is the most wonderful time of the year. For others, it’s a challenging season for any number of reasons. Though we usually use the word “Christmas” to describe the next several weeks, the word “Advent” is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps because of the proliferation of advent calendars.
Advent is all about arrival. For hundreds of years, prophets spoke of a coming Messiah, the promised deliverer of the Jews. This season celebrates His arrival about two thousand years ago while we anticipate the return of the King—his second arrival—any day now!
Jesus has been called many names—from profanity to royalty—and during this Advent season we are going to explore many titles and roles of the Messiah who is, who was, and who will return soon.
The date was Saturday, December 3, 2011. My wife, Heather, and I were seated in Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium, and it was there that we experienced Messiah for the first time. I knew the Hallelujah Chorus and was familiar with many of the other songs, but what struck me was the lyrics. They are all taken directly from the Bible.
Many years ago I had the idea of preaching through the songs of Messiah and we will start today! Handel’s Messiah has three parts, the first of which covers the themes of Christmastime, the arrival of Jesus to our planet. The second and third parts deal with Holy Week, the death and resurrection of Jesus which we’ll revisit when Easter approaches.
Messiah is likely the most heard, sung, and recorded piece of classical music on earth. Handel wrote the 260 pages of music in just 24 days, a work that spans three hours and includes nine-piece orchestra, choir, and soloists. The words were assembled by Handel’s friend Charles Jennens who used the 1662 Anglican Book of Common Prayer as a guide. There are eighty verses of scripture in the libretto, only ten from the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The majority of the text is ancient prophecy predicting details about the coming of Christ. There are over 100 Old Testament prophecies uniquely fulfilled by the Messiah!
Messiah premiered in Dublin, Ireland on April 13, 1742, and later was performed in London. It made its U.S. debut in 1818 at Boylston Hall in Boston.
Messiah begins with three songs from Isaiah 40:1-5. I want to share samples of them with you today. But first, a bit of context.
Isaiah is a prophet who wrote the book that bears his name around 700 BC. The people of Israel were struggling under the expansion of the Assyrian empire. Like much of the Jewish Bible—the Old Testament—themes of God’s salvation and judgment abound. God goes to extraordinary lengths to show his love for humanity, we turn away from Him, and things go south!
As Isaiah’s writing, God’s people are in bad shape.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (Isaiah 40:1, NIV)
Whenever you see something repeated in scripture, take notice. Ancient scrolls and languages did not have bold, italics, or different colors to get our attention. They had to literally spell it out! God tells His people they will be comforted amid their bondage. Deliverance is coming, and it came most profoundly about 700 years later in the first coming of the Messiah.
I realize some of you may not be fans of classical music…yet! In 1990, a group of Christian singers and musicians came together for an updated version of Messiah, simply called Handel’s Young Messiah.
Strangely, three years later, The New Young Messiah was released with a different group of artists.
My favorite recording of this music is 1992’s Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Quincy Jones brought together an all-star cast of gospel and R&B artists ranging from Take 6 and Dianne Reeves to Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau and the Richard Smallwood Singers.
Jesus brings comfort to our lives, whatever the circumstances. He is present through the Holy Spirit in every believer. Do you need comfort today? Call out to Jesus.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2, NIV)
Jerusalem had been held captive for seventy years. The trial was the result of their sin, but that is coming to an end. Now Isaiah speaks of John the Baptist, a New Testament figure who will come on the seen about 700 years later.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
This is a vivid description of John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus.
Verse 4…
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. (Isaiah 40:4, NIV)
Raising and lowering was a metaphor for preparing a road for a dignitary. We might call this today, “Rolling out the red carpet.” Get ready for the Messiah, people! Isaiah said it then about the first arrival. We can proclaim it today as the return of Christ is near.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:5, NIV)
I want God’s glory to be the bottom line of my life. During suffering, Isaiah declared God’s glory would be revealed. These days, it seems like nobody is paying attention to the LORD God Almighty…but just you wait!
So What?
Today, we wait for the return, the second arrival of Jesus.
He’s coming soon. He promised! Are you ready? Do you know him? He’s the reason we’re here!
Actually, God is with us…now! The Holy Spirit is here until Jesus returns. Sure, you can’t touch the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t diminish the power or reality of the One who is at work making us more like Christ, preparing us for the Messiah’s promised return, filling us with gifts and fruit, and bringing comfort to us in our dark days.
I want to encourage all of you to experience Handel’s Messiah, too. You can attend a live performance, stream the songs, watch video performances, visit websites about the musical masterpiece, or just show up next Sunday as we continue the series.
My prayer is that this season we would center ourselves on Jesus the Messiah. Rather than giving into fear, we can experience the Prince of Peace, the God of comfort. Instead of focusing on wish lists and credit cards, let’s remember what Christmas is all about, a King born in Bethlehem who will return soon and he shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah!
Handel’s Messiah
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 30, 2025
Isaiah 40:1-5
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is our comforter.
Advent Theme: Hope
The holidays are here again! Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror, December begins tomorrow, and the season of Advent has officially begun. Some say this is the most wonderful time of the year. For others, it’s a challenging season for any number of reasons. Though we usually use the word “Christmas” to describe the next several weeks, the word “Advent” is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps because of the proliferation of advent calendars.
Advent is all about arrival. For hundreds of years, prophets spoke of a coming Messiah, the promised deliverer of the Jews. This season celebrates His arrival about two thousand years ago while we anticipate the return of the King—his second arrival—any day now!
Jesus has been called many names—from profanity to royalty—and during this Advent season we are going to explore many titles and roles of the Messiah who is, who was, and who will return soon.
The date was Saturday, December 3, 2011. My wife, Heather, and I were seated in Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium, and it was there that we experienced Messiah for the first time. I knew the Hallelujah Chorus and was familiar with many of the other songs, but what struck me was the lyrics. They are all taken directly from the Bible.
Many years ago I had the idea of preaching through the songs of Messiah and we will start today! Handel’s Messiah has three parts, the first of which covers the themes of Christmastime, the arrival of Jesus to our planet. The second and third parts deal with Holy Week, the death and resurrection of Jesus which we’ll revisit when Easter approaches.
Messiah is likely the most heard, sung, and recorded piece of classical music on earth. Handel wrote the 260 pages of music in just 24 days, a work that spans three hours and includes nine-piece orchestra, choir, and soloists. The words were assembled by Handel’s friend Charles Jennens who used the 1662 Anglican Book of Common Prayer as a guide. There are eighty verses of scripture in the libretto, only ten from the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The majority of the text is ancient prophecy predicting details about the coming of Christ. There are over 100 Old Testament prophecies uniquely fulfilled by the Messiah!
Messiah premiered in Dublin, Ireland on April 13, 1742, and later was performed in London. It made its U.S. debut in 1818 at Boylston Hall in Boston.
Messiah begins with three songs from Isaiah 40:1-5. I want to share samples of them with you today. But first, a bit of context.
Isaiah is a prophet who wrote the book that bears his name around 700 BC. The people of Israel were struggling under the expansion of the Assyrian empire. Like much of the Jewish Bible—the Old Testament—themes of God’s salvation and judgment abound. God goes to extraordinary lengths to show his love for humanity, we turn away from Him, and things go south!
As Isaiah’s writing, God’s people are in bad shape.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (Isaiah 40:1, NIV)
Whenever you see something repeated in scripture, take notice. Ancient scrolls and languages did not have bold, italics, or different colors to get our attention. They had to literally spell it out! God tells His people they will be comforted amid their bondage. Deliverance is coming, and it came most profoundly about 700 years later in the first coming of the Messiah.
I realize some of you may not be fans of classical music…yet! In 1990, a group of Christian singers and musicians came together for an updated version of Messiah, simply called Handel’s Young Messiah.
Strangely, three years later, The New Young Messiah was released with a different group of artists.
My favorite recording of this music is 1992’s Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Quincy Jones brought together an all-star cast of gospel and R&B artists ranging from Take 6 and Dianne Reeves to Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau and the Richard Smallwood Singers.
Jesus brings comfort to our lives, whatever the circumstances. He is present through the Holy Spirit in every believer. Do you need comfort today? Call out to Jesus.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2, NIV)
Jerusalem had been held captive for seventy years. The trial was the result of their sin, but that is coming to an end. Now Isaiah speaks of John the Baptist, a New Testament figure who will come on the seen about 700 years later.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
This is a vivid description of John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus.
Verse 4…
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. (Isaiah 40:4, NIV)
Raising and lowering was a metaphor for preparing a road for a dignitary. We might call this today, “Rolling out the red carpet.” Get ready for the Messiah, people! Isaiah said it then about the first arrival. We can proclaim it today as the return of Christ is near.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:5, NIV)
I want God’s glory to be the bottom line of my life. During suffering, Isaiah declared God’s glory would be revealed. These days, it seems like nobody is paying attention to the LORD God Almighty…but just you wait!
So What?
Today, we wait for the return, the second arrival of Jesus.
He’s coming soon. He promised! Are you ready? Do you know him? He’s the reason we’re here!
Actually, God is with us…now! The Holy Spirit is here until Jesus returns. Sure, you can’t touch the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t diminish the power or reality of the One who is at work making us more like Christ, preparing us for the Messiah’s promised return, filling us with gifts and fruit, and bringing comfort to us in our dark days.
I want to encourage all of you to experience Handel’s Messiah, too. You can attend a live performance, stream the songs, watch video performances, visit websites about the musical masterpiece, or just show up next Sunday as we continue the series.
My prayer is that this season we would center ourselves on Jesus the Messiah. Rather than giving into fear, we can experience the Prince of Peace, the God of comfort. Instead of focusing on wish lists and credit cards, let’s remember what Christmas is all about, a King born in Bethlehem who will return soon and he shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah!
Hell is for Real, 16 November 2025
Hell is for Real
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
One Minute After You Die
November 16, 2025
Mark 9:43-48
Big Idea: Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
Scripture Reading: Mark 9:43-48
Several years ago my friend, Jim, died…for about fifteen minutes. Doctors were able to revive him and he lived another year or two before dying…and remaining so. Shortly after being revived, I asked him if he saw a bright light during those fifteen minutes. He thought for a moment and said, “No.” After a brief pause, I asked, “Did it get hot?!”
Last Sunday we began our two part series one minute after you die with a look at “the good place,” heaven. Today, we’re going to explore “that other place.”
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
The subject makes many uncomfortable, but the odds you will die someday are quite good! Are you ready? Do you have a will? Have you planned your funeral? Most importantly, are you ready to meet your Maker? Judgment Day is coming for all of us.
Heaven is for real. Hell is for real, too. C.S. Lewis wrote,
There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of Our Lord's own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason. If a game is played, it must be possible to lose it.
In a world full of gray, Jesus seemed to indicate we will all spend eternity in one of two places, destinations we commonly call heaven and hell. One of the most common objections to the Christian faith is, “Why would a loving God send someone to hell?” Lewis again,
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find to those who knock, it is opened.
God has granted each of us free will, the ability to make decisions. We make thousands of them each day, but the greatest decision is whether to follow God or violate the first two of the ten commandments and make ourselves god, to create an idol of the person in the mirror. To put it plainly, heaven is where God dwells, and, therefore, it’s for people who want to be with God. Hell is where God is distant and, therefore, it’s for people who don’t want to be with God. We all get to choose, and our decision will be honored for eternity.
Judgment Day is coming. Are you ready?
Our Churches of God, General Conference denomination describes it like this:
We believe in the judgment of God.
We believe those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation will stand before the judgment of Christ to give account for their works done for him (2 Corinthians 5:10). It is there they will receive crowns for lives pleasing to him (Hebrews 6:10). We believe the judgment of the believer’s sin was taken by Christ on Calvary and has been forgiven and purged from the memory of God (Hebrews 10:17).
We believe those who have rejected God’s offer of salvation and have not received Christ as their Savior will stand before the great white throne judgment. Their names will not be found in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They will suffer the eternal consequence of that rejection and their sin (Revelation 20:11, 15).
Just as Led Zeppelin sang about a stairway to heaven, AC/DC sang about being on a highway to hell. It’s not a pleasant destination. People have many ideas of hell, many shaped more by Dante’s Inferno or medieval imagery, like that in the Sistine Chapel, than the Bible. There are even jokes like this (that are funny, but hell is no laughing matter…and accordions get a bad rap!).
Let’s look at Jesus’ words:
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,
48 where
“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43-48)
Is Jesus speaking literally or metaphorically when he says, “The fire never goes out?” Does it really matter? Do you want to find out?
Here’s Jesus again:
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12-13)
Judgment Day is coming. Are you ready? We talked about heaven last week, but what exactly is hell?
Hell has been defined as “the state of utter and irrevocable damnation to which the unregenerate soul is condemned after death.” – Van A. Harvey
The subject of hell has been debated for thousands of years. There are four primary views on hell:
1. Purgatory is a Catholic belief involves a state between death and heaven for purification. Last Sunday I mentioned a state between death and heaven but it’s like a waiting area, not a place of preparation.
2. Universalism implies people will have a second chance after death to get right with God, where hell is not eternal punishment but merely a state for correction. It sounds great but seems to contradict Jesus’ teachings.
3. Annihilation or terminal punishment is where people are destroyed rather than suffering forever.
4. Eternal Conscious Torment, the traditional view where the wages of sin are punished for eternity.
Before speaking of the new heavens and the new earth, the text in Revelation says,
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)
Hell is for real.
So What?
I imagine many of you shrug your shoulders after a sermon about hell thinking, “I’ve got nothing to worry about. I prayed that magic prayer and have my ‘get out of hell free’ card.” I always find these words of Jesus sobering:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Are you doing the will of the Father? Are you obeying God and His word? It’s easy to say yes to Jesus on Sunday, but what about Monday? We are saved not by works, but by grace, by the blood of Jesus on the cross. But true faith is shown through our actions. Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder…faith without deeds is useless…dead. (James 2:19, 20b, 26b)
We get to choose where to spend eternity. God will honor our choice.
Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
Hell is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
Even if you are faithfully following Jesus, what about your friends, neighbors, and family? Do they know Jesus? If not, are you praying for them? Have you had spiritual conversations with them? Have you shared your story? Have you invited them to join us here on Sunday morning? Perhaps a great next step for you is to spend the next month praying for them each day and then invite them to one of our four Christmas Eve services (3, 5, 7, 9 PM).
We all deserve hell. We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, His perfect standard. He doesn’t grade on a curve. The real scandal is not that there’s anyone in hell, but that there’s anyone in heaven! This is why Jesus died…so we can know God, have our sins washed white as snow, and live an abundant life now and beyond the grave.
Perhaps some of you have had a wake-up call this morning. You know you’re not following Jesus, even though you’ve joined us today. I’m glad you’re here. It’s not an accident. Today is the day of salvation. I’m not merely trying to scare the hell out of you, I want to introduce you to Jesus. This isn’t about religion or rules or taking away your fun, but it’s all about freedom, hope, peace, joy, and purpose. Jesus went to great lengths to become one of us, to model what it means to be human, to die for us, to conquer sin and death, and to invite us to follow him. You can begin by saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If that’s you, please tell me. I want to give you some gifts and celebrate with you.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
That’s incredible news, but not everyone knows it…and not everyone accepts it. Say yes to Jesus. He said yes to you! Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
For further study:
· Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
· Erasing Hell by Francis Chan
· Stop Erasing Hell by Preston Sprinkle
· One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
One Minute After You Die
November 16, 2025
Mark 9:43-48
Big Idea: Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
Scripture Reading: Mark 9:43-48
Several years ago my friend, Jim, died…for about fifteen minutes. Doctors were able to revive him and he lived another year or two before dying…and remaining so. Shortly after being revived, I asked him if he saw a bright light during those fifteen minutes. He thought for a moment and said, “No.” After a brief pause, I asked, “Did it get hot?!”
Last Sunday we began our two part series one minute after you die with a look at “the good place,” heaven. Today, we’re going to explore “that other place.”
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
The subject makes many uncomfortable, but the odds you will die someday are quite good! Are you ready? Do you have a will? Have you planned your funeral? Most importantly, are you ready to meet your Maker? Judgment Day is coming for all of us.
Heaven is for real. Hell is for real, too. C.S. Lewis wrote,
There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of Our Lord's own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason. If a game is played, it must be possible to lose it.
In a world full of gray, Jesus seemed to indicate we will all spend eternity in one of two places, destinations we commonly call heaven and hell. One of the most common objections to the Christian faith is, “Why would a loving God send someone to hell?” Lewis again,
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find to those who knock, it is opened.
God has granted each of us free will, the ability to make decisions. We make thousands of them each day, but the greatest decision is whether to follow God or violate the first two of the ten commandments and make ourselves god, to create an idol of the person in the mirror. To put it plainly, heaven is where God dwells, and, therefore, it’s for people who want to be with God. Hell is where God is distant and, therefore, it’s for people who don’t want to be with God. We all get to choose, and our decision will be honored for eternity.
Judgment Day is coming. Are you ready?
Our Churches of God, General Conference denomination describes it like this:
We believe in the judgment of God.
We believe those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation will stand before the judgment of Christ to give account for their works done for him (2 Corinthians 5:10). It is there they will receive crowns for lives pleasing to him (Hebrews 6:10). We believe the judgment of the believer’s sin was taken by Christ on Calvary and has been forgiven and purged from the memory of God (Hebrews 10:17).
We believe those who have rejected God’s offer of salvation and have not received Christ as their Savior will stand before the great white throne judgment. Their names will not be found in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They will suffer the eternal consequence of that rejection and their sin (Revelation 20:11, 15).
Just as Led Zeppelin sang about a stairway to heaven, AC/DC sang about being on a highway to hell. It’s not a pleasant destination. People have many ideas of hell, many shaped more by Dante’s Inferno or medieval imagery, like that in the Sistine Chapel, than the Bible. There are even jokes like this (that are funny, but hell is no laughing matter…and accordions get a bad rap!).
Let’s look at Jesus’ words:
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,
48 where
“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43-48)
Is Jesus speaking literally or metaphorically when he says, “The fire never goes out?” Does it really matter? Do you want to find out?
Here’s Jesus again:
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12-13)
Judgment Day is coming. Are you ready? We talked about heaven last week, but what exactly is hell?
Hell has been defined as “the state of utter and irrevocable damnation to which the unregenerate soul is condemned after death.” – Van A. Harvey
The subject of hell has been debated for thousands of years. There are four primary views on hell:
1. Purgatory is a Catholic belief involves a state between death and heaven for purification. Last Sunday I mentioned a state between death and heaven but it’s like a waiting area, not a place of preparation.
2. Universalism implies people will have a second chance after death to get right with God, where hell is not eternal punishment but merely a state for correction. It sounds great but seems to contradict Jesus’ teachings.
3. Annihilation or terminal punishment is where people are destroyed rather than suffering forever.
4. Eternal Conscious Torment, the traditional view where the wages of sin are punished for eternity.
Before speaking of the new heavens and the new earth, the text in Revelation says,
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)
Hell is for real.
So What?
I imagine many of you shrug your shoulders after a sermon about hell thinking, “I’ve got nothing to worry about. I prayed that magic prayer and have my ‘get out of hell free’ card.” I always find these words of Jesus sobering:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Are you doing the will of the Father? Are you obeying God and His word? It’s easy to say yes to Jesus on Sunday, but what about Monday? We are saved not by works, but by grace, by the blood of Jesus on the cross. But true faith is shown through our actions. Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder…faith without deeds is useless…dead. (James 2:19, 20b, 26b)
We get to choose where to spend eternity. God will honor our choice.
Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
Hell is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
Even if you are faithfully following Jesus, what about your friends, neighbors, and family? Do they know Jesus? If not, are you praying for them? Have you had spiritual conversations with them? Have you shared your story? Have you invited them to join us here on Sunday morning? Perhaps a great next step for you is to spend the next month praying for them each day and then invite them to one of our four Christmas Eve services (3, 5, 7, 9 PM).
We all deserve hell. We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, His perfect standard. He doesn’t grade on a curve. The real scandal is not that there’s anyone in hell, but that there’s anyone in heaven! This is why Jesus died…so we can know God, have our sins washed white as snow, and live an abundant life now and beyond the grave.
Perhaps some of you have had a wake-up call this morning. You know you’re not following Jesus, even though you’ve joined us today. I’m glad you’re here. It’s not an accident. Today is the day of salvation. I’m not merely trying to scare the hell out of you, I want to introduce you to Jesus. This isn’t about religion or rules or taking away your fun, but it’s all about freedom, hope, peace, joy, and purpose. Jesus went to great lengths to become one of us, to model what it means to be human, to die for us, to conquer sin and death, and to invite us to follow him. You can begin by saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If that’s you, please tell me. I want to give you some gifts and celebrate with you.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
That’s incredible news, but not everyone knows it…and not everyone accepts it. Say yes to Jesus. He said yes to you! Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
For further study:
· Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
· Erasing Hell by Francis Chan
· Stop Erasing Hell by Preston Sprinkle
· One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer
Heaven is for Real, 9 November 2025
10 11 25 Filed in: Sermons | One Minute after You Die
Heaven is for Real
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
One Minute After You Die
November 9, 2025
Revelation 21:1-4
Big Idea: Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
This is true whether it’s your wealth, your health, or your soul. When is the last time you seriously pondered death? The odds are pretty good we will experience it! Many deny the reality of death while others simply procrastinate creating a will, a password cheat sheet for loved ones, an advance healthcare directive, or developing a relationship with God.
Today we begin a two-week, pre-holiday series entitled “one minute after you die.” There have been many books and even movies that tell stories of people who have died and returned and their experiences. In fact, one in 25 USAmericans have had a near-death experience. Have you? Unfortunately, the stories lack consistency with one another so while they are fascinating, they’re not authoritative. I have not died—yet—so I can’t tell you exactly what happens one minute after you die…but the Bible offers glimpses of what is to come.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
I’ve been to a lot of funerals. Many of them are filled with hope because of the faith of the deceased. Paul continues…
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
We typically call this place heaven, though technically there are at least three different biblical words that we translate heaven in English. To add to the complexity, the eternal home for followers of Jesus will not be heaven, exactly, but what is called the new heavens and the new earth. Genesis begins in a garden and Revelation ends in a city, the New Jerusalem. So, when we say “heaven,” we may be speaking of different places, times, or realities, but all beyond this life.
Author John Taylor notes,
Scripture consistently affirms that believers enter immediately into the presence of Jesus. Paul’s confidence was unflinching: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). He called it “better by far” to depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). These verses leave little room for delay or unconscious “soul sleep.” From the earliest centuries of Christian theology to modern scholarship, the consensus has held that the soul of a believer goes instantly to be with Christ.
Theologians call this the intermediate state — a conscious, peaceful existence in God’s presence between death and the future resurrection. It’s “intermediate” not because it’s incomplete, but because it’s not the end of the story. The body, still under the weight of mortality, remains in the ground. Yet the soul experiences rest, awareness and worship in a reality more vivid than the one left behind. Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross confirm that immediacy: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Not “someday.” Today.
What is heaven like? Let’s begin by shattering a few myths. Heaven is not…
- Floating on clouds forever
- People becoming angels
- Our final home (there will be a new earth and New Jerusalem)
- For everyone (only those who say “yes” to Jesus and make him Lord)
- Where memories or individuality are erased
- Boring
Actually, Christians will spend eternity not in heaven, but on a new earth. Our scripture reading today says,
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Words cannot express the beauty, the glory, the peace, the paradise. If you want a simple definition, heaven is where God dwells. Jesus taught his disciples to pray,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Heaven is where God dwells. There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s manifest presence is real, when you know the atmosphere has changed. Maybe you experienced that this morning as we were praising the LORD in song. Perhaps you witnessed justice served, the poor blessed, new life birthed, or were simply awed by the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. We often think of heaven as a place “up there” where we will go to escape “down here,” but that’s not exactly right as we’ll see in a moment. Let me say again heaven is where God dwells.
I love the question pastor John Piper posed several years ago:
“If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
The best thing about heaven is God’s presence. Jesus said.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (John 14:1-2)
The ancient Greek word for “rooms’ is “monai” which is not a final resting place but a temporary stop on a journey that will lead you somewhere else.
Jesus continues…
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:3-4)
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
It's important to note the thief on the cross beside Jesus at the crucifixion was not “saved” because he was a good person. He was given the death penalty, after all. What saved him, what gave him the right to enter paradise was his faith in Jesus Christ.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This past week I was given a simple tool to engage in spiritual conversations with people. Many struggle to share their faith, either feeling awkward, unprepared, or simply fearful of rejection. Here’s a question you can ask anyone that doesn’t mention God, Jesus, the Bible, or church:
Do you believe there is life after death?
Listen to their response and see if it doesn’t create opportunities to share the good news, the gospel. Usually, heaven and hell enter the discussion, with the inevitable question, “How does one get to heaven?” It’s not by being good or even religious. Heaven requires perfection. Only Jesus was perfect, and therefore one can only enter heaven through Jesus. Judgment Day is coming for us all. When we say yes to Jesus, we are adopted into his family, we join his team. We begin a relationship with him in this life which will continue for eternity.
So What?
Many people believe heaven is where good people die and bad people go to the other place. The reality is we’re all bad. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all missed the mark. I don’t deserve heaven. Mother Teresa and Billy Graham don’t deserve heaven. The pope doesn’t deserve heaven. We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins.
The good news—the gospel—is Jesus is LORD, he is good, he is perfect, and he died on the cross to pay the punishment we deserve. Hallelujah!
The goal of this life is not to go to heaven when we die, but rather to bring heaven to earth now, offering healing and hope to our broken world. Heaven is where God dwells, and we want Him to rule and reign here now in the renewal of all things. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the “launching of God’s new world” (N.T. Wright).
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
If you’re ready, are you preparing others? Do they know Jesus?
If not, you can begin by saying yes to Jesus. Simply say, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If that’s you today, would you please tell me or one of our leaders? We want to celebrate with you and help you get started on your journey.
Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
For further study:
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
One Minute After You Die
November 9, 2025
Revelation 21:1-4
Big Idea: Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
This is true whether it’s your wealth, your health, or your soul. When is the last time you seriously pondered death? The odds are pretty good we will experience it! Many deny the reality of death while others simply procrastinate creating a will, a password cheat sheet for loved ones, an advance healthcare directive, or developing a relationship with God.
Today we begin a two-week, pre-holiday series entitled “one minute after you die.” There have been many books and even movies that tell stories of people who have died and returned and their experiences. In fact, one in 25 USAmericans have had a near-death experience. Have you? Unfortunately, the stories lack consistency with one another so while they are fascinating, they’re not authoritative. I have not died—yet—so I can’t tell you exactly what happens one minute after you die…but the Bible offers glimpses of what is to come.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
I’ve been to a lot of funerals. Many of them are filled with hope because of the faith of the deceased. Paul continues…
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
We typically call this place heaven, though technically there are at least three different biblical words that we translate heaven in English. To add to the complexity, the eternal home for followers of Jesus will not be heaven, exactly, but what is called the new heavens and the new earth. Genesis begins in a garden and Revelation ends in a city, the New Jerusalem. So, when we say “heaven,” we may be speaking of different places, times, or realities, but all beyond this life.
Author John Taylor notes,
Scripture consistently affirms that believers enter immediately into the presence of Jesus. Paul’s confidence was unflinching: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). He called it “better by far” to depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). These verses leave little room for delay or unconscious “soul sleep.” From the earliest centuries of Christian theology to modern scholarship, the consensus has held that the soul of a believer goes instantly to be with Christ.
Theologians call this the intermediate state — a conscious, peaceful existence in God’s presence between death and the future resurrection. It’s “intermediate” not because it’s incomplete, but because it’s not the end of the story. The body, still under the weight of mortality, remains in the ground. Yet the soul experiences rest, awareness and worship in a reality more vivid than the one left behind. Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross confirm that immediacy: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Not “someday.” Today.
What is heaven like? Let’s begin by shattering a few myths. Heaven is not…
- Floating on clouds forever
- People becoming angels
- Our final home (there will be a new earth and New Jerusalem)
- For everyone (only those who say “yes” to Jesus and make him Lord)
- Where memories or individuality are erased
- Boring
Actually, Christians will spend eternity not in heaven, but on a new earth. Our scripture reading today says,
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Words cannot express the beauty, the glory, the peace, the paradise. If you want a simple definition, heaven is where God dwells. Jesus taught his disciples to pray,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Heaven is where God dwells. There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s manifest presence is real, when you know the atmosphere has changed. Maybe you experienced that this morning as we were praising the LORD in song. Perhaps you witnessed justice served, the poor blessed, new life birthed, or were simply awed by the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. We often think of heaven as a place “up there” where we will go to escape “down here,” but that’s not exactly right as we’ll see in a moment. Let me say again heaven is where God dwells.
I love the question pastor John Piper posed several years ago:
“If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
The best thing about heaven is God’s presence. Jesus said.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (John 14:1-2)
The ancient Greek word for “rooms’ is “monai” which is not a final resting place but a temporary stop on a journey that will lead you somewhere else.
Jesus continues…
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:3-4)
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
It's important to note the thief on the cross beside Jesus at the crucifixion was not “saved” because he was a good person. He was given the death penalty, after all. What saved him, what gave him the right to enter paradise was his faith in Jesus Christ.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This past week I was given a simple tool to engage in spiritual conversations with people. Many struggle to share their faith, either feeling awkward, unprepared, or simply fearful of rejection. Here’s a question you can ask anyone that doesn’t mention God, Jesus, the Bible, or church:
Do you believe there is life after death?
Listen to their response and see if it doesn’t create opportunities to share the good news, the gospel. Usually, heaven and hell enter the discussion, with the inevitable question, “How does one get to heaven?” It’s not by being good or even religious. Heaven requires perfection. Only Jesus was perfect, and therefore one can only enter heaven through Jesus. Judgment Day is coming for us all. When we say yes to Jesus, we are adopted into his family, we join his team. We begin a relationship with him in this life which will continue for eternity.
So What?
Many people believe heaven is where good people die and bad people go to the other place. The reality is we’re all bad. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all missed the mark. I don’t deserve heaven. Mother Teresa and Billy Graham don’t deserve heaven. The pope doesn’t deserve heaven. We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins.
The good news—the gospel—is Jesus is LORD, he is good, he is perfect, and he died on the cross to pay the punishment we deserve. Hallelujah!
The goal of this life is not to go to heaven when we die, but rather to bring heaven to earth now, offering healing and hope to our broken world. Heaven is where God dwells, and we want Him to rule and reign here now in the renewal of all things. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the “launching of God’s new world” (N.T. Wright).
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
If you’re ready, are you preparing others? Do they know Jesus?
If not, you can begin by saying yes to Jesus. Simply say, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If that’s you today, would you please tell me or one of our leaders? We want to celebrate with you and help you get started on your journey.
Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
For further study:
- Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
- Heaven by Randy Alcorn
- The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight
- One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer
- Remember Heaven by Matt McCullough
- Imagine Heaven by John Burke
Contentment, 2 November 2025
02 11 25 Filed in: Sermons | Philippians
Contentment
Kirk Schneemann
Joy: Book of Philippians
College First Church of God
November 2, 2025
Philippians 4:10-23
Series Big Idea: Philippians reminds us we can experience joy no matter the circumstances.
Big Idea: In a world of anxiety and chaos, we can find contentment in Christ.
How are you today? Is anyone tired? Anxious? Stressed? Chill?
If there’s one thing USAmericans lack, it’s contentment. We are busy, busy, busy…often with nothing to show for it. We buy stuff…tons of stuff, but much of it ends up in next year’s garage sale. We take our kids from game to lesson to practice in what seems like an Uber driver audition. We bet on sports and the lottery hoping for a shortcut to wealth. We play games, watch tv (or worse), scroll through social media, seemingly inspiring Bono to sing, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
In a world of anxiety and chaos, we can find contentment in Christ.
Today we’re finishing our series on this short book and Paul has a slight dilemma. He loves these people and he’s grateful for their gifts, yet he wants them to not send any more money. He never wants to be accused of preaching for money, instead saying the gospel is a free gift. Side note: if I was independently wealthy, I’d love to preach here for free, but I like to eat and live indoors—like many of you—so I am thankful for the opportunity to receive a paycheck…but I assure you I don’t do this “for” the money!
Writing from prison, he says,
I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. (Philippians 4:10)
These people have helped Paul while he was in prison, praying for him and ensuring he received food and care, something the government didn’t do back then. He never actually says “thanks” in this section, but he is grateful.
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Philippians 4:11)
There’s the word, content. It means “contained.” If you can be content in a Roman prison, you can be content anywhere…whatever the circumstances! He’s content. He is not in financial need. He’s more excited about how the giving will bless the giver than himself, the recipient.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:12)
Paul has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of life on earth. Many of us can relate. We’ve encountered the ups and downs of finances, health, relationships, and emotions. But have you been flogged, exposed to death, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked, gone without food, been cold and naked? This is Paul’s story, yet he talks about being content. So, what’s the secret, Paul?
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
Mic drop!
The culture says money, pleasure, and power will make you happy, and they will…for a moment. But true contentment is not dependent upon current conditions. As I say sometimes, “It is well with my soul, but not my circumstances.”
Athletes may use this verse as a motivational slogan, which is fine, but it applies to all of life, and in this context, he is actually saying he can do “all these things,” the ability to live through wealth or poverty or food or hunger, not his ability to achieve anything.
Paul said he has learned to be content in all circumstances, because he can do all things through Christ. Pastor Eugene Peterson notes,
Mature Christians are able to do all things because they don’t have to do everything. They acquire strength to live because they don’t have to be anxious and constantly attentive to trivia, and they don’t have to take responsibility for the whole world on their shoulders[1].
Control is usually an illusion, unless we’re talking about our attitude. God is in control…we’re not. Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do…nothing (John 15:5).”
Paul was God-sufficient instead of self-sufficient. Paul could face anything, because in every situation he had Christ. The same is true or can be true for us, but it begins with letting go, surrender, and being willing to sacrifice, obey, and pay the price. Paul certainly did. He not only had the LORD, he had friends praying and supporting him.
Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. (Philippians 4:14-16)
Paul’s in prison thanking these people for their aid. What selflessness. As I’ve said before, I’d be writing, “Please get me out of here!”
Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:17-18)
Paul is full…he has more than enough. Epaphroditus—who we looked at a few weeks ago—delivered money to Paul from the Philippians, perhaps 600 miles or more on foot! Why? Because the Church is a family that takes care of one another, that welcomes the stranger, that responds to the needs of others, even distributing money. This was evident from the very beginning of the Church in Acts 2:
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:44-45)
We don’t separate the spiritual and physical. We care about the whole person, because we are to love God with all of heart, soul, mind, and body.
Paul’s rejoicing at the gifts sent by the Philippians, yet he not only shows personal appreciation, he acknowledges how their generosity is actually worship to the LORD.
This is still true today. When you give to College First Church of God, it’s an act of worship. It’s a step of faith, declaring God owns it all and you can’t outgive Him. I’m grateful for your generosity, church, but beyond paying the bills, I know your sacrifice is pleasing to God and He will honor and bless you for it. I thank my God for you!
I might add it’s a joy to give to support God’s work here and beyond. When you and I give to College First, we are supporting evangelists, missionaries, Next Gen leaders, and the needy in Findlay and around the world. Our benevolence fund has helped countless people over the years and is available for all of you to give and receive. We have a simple form at the office you and submit on behalf of yourself or a friend. We are a family. We do life together. We help, love, and serve one another. It’s who we are.
By the way, we can’t outgive God. In fact, Paul tells these generous, sacrificial givers…
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
What needs will God meet? All of them! Every single one! How? Often through God’s people, the Church. The Philippians have met Paul’s needs (and then some).
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:20)
The glory of God is the bottom line of College First, of the Great Lakes Conference, of the Churches of God, General Conference, of life itself! For ever and ever. Amen! Then he concludes with a common conclusion…
Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. (Philippians 4:21-22)
And finally,
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:23)
Amen!
So What?
In a few moments, you will enter the real world, so to speak. Having been loved and equipped, you will be sent out to do the week ahead…work, play, rest, recreation, conversations, worship, etc. The culture will send you a barrage of messages seeking to make you discontent. That’s the purpose of most advertisements—you won’t be content until you buy this, look like this, drive this, experience this. It’s a lie!
Family, we must spend time with one another in community. Life’s too hard to go it alone. And we must spend time in God’s Word regularly, not to be religious, but to speak truth to our minds that are filled with lies every day. Start with 5 minutes a day. The American Dream is a lie and we’re swimming in it, drowning in it. Narcissism is a lie. It’s not all about you! Control is a lie. He’s God and you’re not! Sometimes I feel like the purpose of my preaching is to deprogram you—and me—from the lies of the world, which are often subtle yet destructive.
Look around. Are people happy? Are they experience peace, freedom, joy? Although it’s decades old, I feel like Mick Jagger’s song could be the hymn of America: I can’t get no satisfaction.
Contrast that with the timeless wisdom of a converted Jew writing from prison:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV)
In a world of anxiety and chaos, we can find contentment in Christ. He’s where the joy is. He’s where the abundant life is. He’s where contentment is. To God be the glory.
Amen.
Credits: some ideas from W. Jerry Murray
Kirk Schneemann
Joy: Book of Philippians
College First Church of God
November 2, 2025
Philippians 4:10-23
Series Big Idea: Philippians reminds us we can experience joy no matter the circumstances.
Big Idea: In a world of anxiety and chaos, we can find contentment in Christ.
How are you today? Is anyone tired? Anxious? Stressed? Chill?
If there’s one thing USAmericans lack, it’s contentment. We are busy, busy, busy…often with nothing to show for it. We buy stuff…tons of stuff, but much of it ends up in next year’s garage sale. We take our kids from game to lesson to practice in what seems like an Uber driver audition. We bet on sports and the lottery hoping for a shortcut to wealth. We play games, watch tv (or worse), scroll through social media, seemingly inspiring Bono to sing, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
In a world of anxiety and chaos, we can find contentment in Christ.
Today we’re finishing our series on this short book and Paul has a slight dilemma. He loves these people and he’s grateful for their gifts, yet he wants them to not send any more money. He never wants to be accused of preaching for money, instead saying the gospel is a free gift. Side note: if I was independently wealthy, I’d love to preach here for free, but I like to eat and live indoors—like many of you—so I am thankful for the opportunity to receive a paycheck…but I assure you I don’t do this “for” the money!
Writing from prison, he says,
I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. (Philippians 4:10)
These people have helped Paul while he was in prison, praying for him and ensuring he received food and care, something the government didn’t do back then. He never actually says “thanks” in this section, but he is grateful.
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Philippians 4:11)
There’s the word, content. It means “contained.” If you can be content in a Roman prison, you can be content anywhere…whatever the circumstances! He’s content. He is not in financial need. He’s more excited about how the giving will bless the giver than himself, the recipient.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:12)
Paul has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of life on earth. Many of us can relate. We’ve encountered the ups and downs of finances, health, relationships, and emotions. But have you been flogged, exposed to death, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked, gone without food, been cold and naked? This is Paul’s story, yet he talks about being content. So, what’s the secret, Paul?
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
Mic drop!
The culture says money, pleasure, and power will make you happy, and they will…for a moment. But true contentment is not dependent upon current conditions. As I say sometimes, “It is well with my soul, but not my circumstances.”
Athletes may use this verse as a motivational slogan, which is fine, but it applies to all of life, and in this context, he is actually saying he can do “all these things,” the ability to live through wealth or poverty or food or hunger, not his ability to achieve anything.
Paul said he has learned to be content in all circumstances, because he can do all things through Christ. Pastor Eugene Peterson notes,
Mature Christians are able to do all things because they don’t have to do everything. They acquire strength to live because they don’t have to be anxious and constantly attentive to trivia, and they don’t have to take responsibility for the whole world on their shoulders[1].
Control is usually an illusion, unless we’re talking about our attitude. God is in control…we’re not. Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do…nothing (John 15:5).”
Paul was God-sufficient instead of self-sufficient. Paul could face anything, because in every situation he had Christ. The same is true or can be true for us, but it begins with letting go, surrender, and being willing to sacrifice, obey, and pay the price. Paul certainly did. He not only had the LORD, he had friends praying and supporting him.
Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. (Philippians 4:14-16)
Paul’s in prison thanking these people for their aid. What selflessness. As I’ve said before, I’d be writing, “Please get me out of here!”
Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:17-18)
Paul is full…he has more than enough. Epaphroditus—who we looked at a few weeks ago—delivered money to Paul from the Philippians, perhaps 600 miles or more on foot! Why? Because the Church is a family that takes care of one another, that welcomes the stranger, that responds to the needs of others, even distributing money. This was evident from the very beginning of the Church in Acts 2:
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:44-45)
We don’t separate the spiritual and physical. We care about the whole person, because we are to love God with all of heart, soul, mind, and body.
Paul’s rejoicing at the gifts sent by the Philippians, yet he not only shows personal appreciation, he acknowledges how their generosity is actually worship to the LORD.
This is still true today. When you give to College First Church of God, it’s an act of worship. It’s a step of faith, declaring God owns it all and you can’t outgive Him. I’m grateful for your generosity, church, but beyond paying the bills, I know your sacrifice is pleasing to God and He will honor and bless you for it. I thank my God for you!
I might add it’s a joy to give to support God’s work here and beyond. When you and I give to College First, we are supporting evangelists, missionaries, Next Gen leaders, and the needy in Findlay and around the world. Our benevolence fund has helped countless people over the years and is available for all of you to give and receive. We have a simple form at the office you and submit on behalf of yourself or a friend. We are a family. We do life together. We help, love, and serve one another. It’s who we are.
By the way, we can’t outgive God. In fact, Paul tells these generous, sacrificial givers…
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
What needs will God meet? All of them! Every single one! How? Often through God’s people, the Church. The Philippians have met Paul’s needs (and then some).
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:20)
The glory of God is the bottom line of College First, of the Great Lakes Conference, of the Churches of God, General Conference, of life itself! For ever and ever. Amen! Then he concludes with a common conclusion…
Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. (Philippians 4:21-22)
And finally,
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:23)
Amen!
So What?
In a few moments, you will enter the real world, so to speak. Having been loved and equipped, you will be sent out to do the week ahead…work, play, rest, recreation, conversations, worship, etc. The culture will send you a barrage of messages seeking to make you discontent. That’s the purpose of most advertisements—you won’t be content until you buy this, look like this, drive this, experience this. It’s a lie!
Family, we must spend time with one another in community. Life’s too hard to go it alone. And we must spend time in God’s Word regularly, not to be religious, but to speak truth to our minds that are filled with lies every day. Start with 5 minutes a day. The American Dream is a lie and we’re swimming in it, drowning in it. Narcissism is a lie. It’s not all about you! Control is a lie. He’s God and you’re not! Sometimes I feel like the purpose of my preaching is to deprogram you—and me—from the lies of the world, which are often subtle yet destructive.
Look around. Are people happy? Are they experience peace, freedom, joy? Although it’s decades old, I feel like Mick Jagger’s song could be the hymn of America: I can’t get no satisfaction.
Contrast that with the timeless wisdom of a converted Jew writing from prison:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV)
In a world of anxiety and chaos, we can find contentment in Christ. He’s where the joy is. He’s where the abundant life is. He’s where contentment is. To God be the glory.
Amen.
Credits: some ideas from W. Jerry Murray