Tag Archives: repentance

Forgiveness: Doing What Cannot Be Done

Posted on May 21, 2023 by salooper57

Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the … Continue reading →

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Wide Angle: Turning over a New Leaf or Turning into a New Person?

Posted on January 6, 2022 by salooper57

ied on a cross, was raised on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return one day. Those are facts, and without them faith in Jesus is illusory. They form the foundation of the faith. But—and this is crucial—they are not the entire building. Continue reading →

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Absalom, Absalom: The Temptation of Power

Posted on October 5, 2021 by salooper57

In this sermon we dig into the story of King David’s son Absalom. We see how people can be lured away from the good life God has planned for them by the temptation to attain power illegitimately. We also see … Continue reading →

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You Are the Man – But God Is Still God

Posted on September 28, 2021 by salooper57

But now David ends the cover-up, confesses his sin, and the prophet tells him that God has forgiven him. How could God do that? David didn’t even have a media consultant to craft a public apology. There was no teary mea culpa, no woke gift to the Survivors of Sexual Exploitation Fund. I ask again: How could God forgive? Continue reading →

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What Does God Think of You: The Parable of the Prodigal (part 2)

Posted on September 2, 2021 by salooper57

The turning point of the story of the prodigal son comes in verse 17 when the son has a repentance moment. He comes to his senses (literally, “to himself,” to who he really is – the son of a kind … Continue reading →

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“I Have Sinned”: A Study in Repentance

Posted on June 29, 2021 by salooper57

I used to think of repentance as a thing to be avoided. I thought it was all about feeling so bad about what I had done that I would never do it again. Now I think of repentance as a gift and a blessing.

What changed my mind? The Bible.

St. Paul regards repentance as something that God “gives” – it is a gift and it is priceless! That gift impacts the whole person: emotions, mind, and body—or you could say, feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Continue reading →

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ADVENTure: A Time to Rethink Your Life

Posted on December 16, 2020 by salooper57

Research shows most people don’t respond when a fire alarm rings. Instead of leaving a building immediately, they stand around and wait for more information. In 1985, a fire broke out in the stands of a soccer match in England. When the television footage was examined, it showed fans took a long time to react. They didn’t move towards the exits until it was too late. 56 people died.

Research also shows that when we do move, we tend to follow old habits. For example, most people try to exit through the same door they entered, even when a nearer exit is available. A fire in the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Kentucky left 177 people dead. Forensic experts believed that many of the victims tried to go out the way they came in, even though there were fire exits. They got caught in a bottleneck and couldn’t get out it time.

What is there for us today in this strange prophet’s ancient message? I’ll mention three things. First, there is a fire coming, a fire of judgment and a time of change, and John sounds the alarm. That warning is at the heart of the Christian gospel and our hearts tell us it is true. Don’t try to escape it by going back the way you came. There is a nearer door, the only one that works: Jesus. Go through him. He once said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…” (John 10:9). Go to him. Join him. Ask him to take you in. Continue reading →

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