Tag Archives: Andrew Kikkert

Sunday – September 1, 2013 “The Armor of Righteousness”

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September 1, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of Righteousness from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Satan is the great hypocrite. He is the advocate of unrighteousness incarnate and when we have failed to live the righteous standard for which we have been called is the first to accuse us before God. Day and night he accuses men before God, but not just any men- the saints themselves. How is it that the prince of unrighteousness can accuse the righteous before God, day and night? The Scriptures make clear the assault of Satan is not only against the righteous (saints) but attacking righteousness. That is why the breastplate of righteousness is so essential to the Christians armor.
Join us as we continue our study of spiritual warfare and the armor God has given to every believer. This week we examine “Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of Righteousness”.

Word On Worship – September 1, 2013 Download / Print

Ephesians 6:13-41
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS …”

Satan is the great hypocrite. He is the advocate of unrighteousness incarnate and when we have failed to live up to the righteous standard for which we have been called, Satan is the first to accuse us before God. Day and night he accuses men before God, but not just any men – the saints themselves. How is it that the prince of unrighteousness can accuse the righteous before God, day and night? The Scriptures make clear the assault of Satan is not only against the righteous (saints) but is also attacking righteousness. That is why the breastplate of righteousness is so essential to the Christian’s armor.

When we sin, Satan is quick to accuse us because that is his nature. Our defense against such accusation is found in the breastplate of righteousness. It is in Christ’s righteousness that we stand. In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, little Christian meets Satan shortly after receiving his armor. In the enemy’s attack on Christian, Satan hurls his accusations reminding Christian of his failures to live up to his name. He reminds him of his wickedness, how he fell into the Slough of Despond and how he left his roll behind him when he rested too long. Bunyan understood how well Satan attacks the Christian. It is our sins that condemn us and it is Christ’s righteousness that saves us. Even when the evil one accuses us, it is only the imputed righteousness we have in Jesus Christ that allows us to stand.

Satan looks for points of weakness where he can capitalize. The devil recognized the attitude of Peter regarding suffering and prompted him to rebuke the Lord Jesus and try to turn Him from the way of the cross. Satan recognized David’s pride and led him to count the number of the Israelites that were his to command. He took advantage of Judas’s greed and frustration to gain power to control his life as an unbeliever. And the adversary recognized the tainted motivation of Ananias and Sapphira that filled their hearts so as to lie to the Holy Spirit. From the most righteous to the wicked, we all are attacked at our weakest point.

Our enemy watches for any sign of weakness and then capitalizes on it. To give into sin through the weaknesses of the flesh is to give Satan an inroad into our spiritual lives. While sin causes a gap in our armor, Righteousness provides no openings for Satan, no handles for him to get a grip on our lives to pull us back. Righteousness is a part of our defense because the best defense is a good offense. By the filling of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to press forward in righteousness against the unrighteous charges of the evil one.

Sunday – August 25, 2013 “Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of Truth”

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August 25, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of Truth from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Jesus Christ is the truth. When we turn away from the truth we are turning away from Him. As important as the other garments are, the foundation of all of them is truth because that is who Jesus Christ is. He is the way, the truth and the life. Being rooted in Him is what prevents us from being taken captive by philosophy or empty deception. He is also what we are to grow into, with Christ being head over all. The world is constantly changing, declaring new fads and fictions to be the truth because someone wrote a book or spoke at a conference. We do not live in such a shifting landscape as so many do in this generation. We live completely secure in the bedrock foundation of Christ’s truth. Join us this week as we continue our series on Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God as we look at “Girding Our Loins with Truth”.

Word On Worship – August 25, 2013 Download / Print

Ephesians 6:14
“Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH…”

We all dress in a certain order. We begin with our ‘foundation garments” because other garment will be layered over them. Usually we finish with putting on our shoes, because putting our pants on after our shoes proves to be very difficult. The armor of God is to be put on in a certain order as well, and the first step is to gird our loins as we prepare for spiritual battle. In the Bible, the girding of the loins is the first step but it also prepares us for further action. As Peter wrote, we are to “gird our minds for action” as we act like the One who called us (1 Peter1:13-16).

Truth is the grid through which all information can be filtered. It gathers up the loose ends of information and processes and conforms it all to legitimacy and goodness. James reinforces the importance of truth in our salvation when he wrote in James 1:18 “He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.” It is by the truth that we are sanctified and brought to maturity in Christ. The question we must be able to answer then is how do we arrive at truth? Is it based upon our experience, the rules of society or even the laws of government? Or does truth come from a different source altogether? The line we use to measure truth is the question that must be answered before we can rightly chart a course for our decision-making.

Christ prayed for His disciples in the upper room in John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” Any decision we make on what is good or right for a situation or response must be seen through the grid of Scripture. The human response is to measure good or bad by how it benefits us. But the Word of God calls for us to die to ourselves and our interests, to subject ourselves to the government and to love others as we have been loved by God. The truth is the basis for Christian unity that builds up and edifies the church. This is completely opposite to the world’s way of thinking and is only learned through the truth of Scripture.

Jesus Christ is the truth. When we turn away from the truth we are turning away from Him. As important as the other garments are, the foundation of all of them is truth because that is who Jesus Christ is. He is the way, the truth and the life. Being rooted in Him is what prevents us from being taken captive by philosophy or empty deception.  He is also what we are to grow into, with Christ being head over all. The world is constantly changing, declaring new fads and fictions to be the truth because someone wrote a book or spoke at a conference. We do not live in such a shifting landscape as so many do in this generation. We live completely secure in the bedrock foundation of Christ’s truth.

Sunday – August 18, 2013 “Why Christians Must Fight (Part 2)”

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August 18, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Why Christians Must Fight (Part 2) from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Word On Worship – August 18, 2013 Download / Print

Ephesians 6:13
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

Misconceptions in warfare can have devastating effects. Each person in a military unit is trained for specific tasks and functions; many seemingly unrelated to the task at hand, but when put together, they operate with precision and effectiveness. The Lord has designed His Church to operate in such a manner. Just as “He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12) and has also gifted each in the Church to function seamlessly together for a unique purpose; we have also been equipped with the full armor of God to stand firm.

When we hear the term “spiritual warfare,” we assume it is about going on the offensive, not standing firm in defense. Those who want to take the attack to the enemy do not understand Satan’s power or God’s plan. It is not we who will defeat Satan, but our Lord Jesus Christ. Our duty is to resist Satan in this evil day, not remove him. I know in many churches songs are sung about running Satan out of town on rail, but the Bible does not speak of spiritual warfare in these terms. However, the Scriptures have much to say about our standing fast in face of the schemes and attacks of our enemy until our Lord returns.

We are to stand — in essence remain still — because God is the One who wins the battle. In the Book of Revelation the saints who are the “overcomers” do defeat Satan’s plan by our spiritual might. In fact, the many of them will lose their lives at his hands. Satan’s final defeat will not come from the hands of the saints, but from the hand of the Lord as we are told in Revelation 20:9-10 “And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” In spiritual warfare the battle is the Lord’s and the command of our Father is to stand still and watch Him win the victory.

The Christian’s defenses are directly tied to the gospel. They are truth, righteousness, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the word of God. Our deliverance from Satan’s power and our defense from his attacks are found in Jesus Christ and Him alone. In the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord we will find the power for our defense and the reality of our deliverance.

Sunday – August 11, 2013 “Why Christians Must Fight (Part 1)”

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August 11, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Why Christians Must Fight (Part 1) from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Paul concludes the Book of Ephesians with the clearest definition of the spiritual war that we find in Scripture. Most assuredly there is a spiritual battle to be fought and without utilizing the weapons God has provided, we will find we are hopelessly underpowered. Our study into this topic over the next few weeks will inform us on what those weapons are and why they are so essential to the battle we fight. These are weapons designed by our Heavenly Father which best repel the attacks of Satan. Join us this week as we begin a new series on Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God.

Word On Worship – August 11, 2013 Download / Print

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Paul concludes the Book of Ephesians with the clearest definition of spiritual war that we find in Scripture. Most assuredly there is a spiritual battle to be fought and without using the weapons God has provided, we will find we are hopelessly under-powered. Our study into this topic over the next few weeks will inform us on what those weapons are and why they are so essential to the battle we fight. These are weapons designed by our Heavenly Father which best repel the attacks of Satan.

Many come to faith in Christ without ever realizing they have now stepped into a battlefield. We are told of entering into every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) but we hear very little about the commencement of a great struggle against Satan and his forces. With few exceptions, our enemies are invisible to the human eye, but are very real indeed. They take on many names: rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. I doubt we can fully understand the variety and number of forces which oppose us and if we did, many might lose heart. But the armor we have been given has been designed to prevent us from being devoured and for our stand against these assaults.

It is true that the days we live in are evil and we must be careful how we walk in this world if are to make the most of the days God has given to us. But we know from Scripture that for as bad as things seem today, they will get worse. Man continually hopes that things will get better, and that is reflected by many in the Church who falsely assume that Christ will return when we have prepared the world for Him by our good deeds. The Bible is very clear in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and Revelation Chapters 12 and 20 that satanic opposition will only increase until the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the final destruction of Satan and his hosts. This will require the Christian to be a vigilant warrior, prepared for the schemes of the enemy in order to stand in these, the final days of confrontation.

I am excited you are here to join us in this new study of spiritual warfare and the armor of God. This will not be a study about taking the war to enemy, for that is Christ’s job. Our task is defensive, not offensive. It is our duty to resist the devil, not remove him. From the Scripture, my prayer for us in this study is that we will stand because God is the One who wins the battle. Satan’s ultimate defeat is not at the hand of the saints, but from the hand of God. May we learn the victory is the Lord’s and our part is to put on the full armor of God and stand!

Sunday – August 4, 2013 “All’s Well That Ends…Well?”

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August 4, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

All’s Well That Ends…Well? from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

The ending of Mark’s gospel often raises more questions than it answers. In terms of Easter passages, it is the road less traveled. We want the details of the resurrection seen in the other gospels, to experience the emotion of Mary meeting her Lord or the satisfaction of Jesus reunion with the disciples. Was Mark being clumsy or just deeply unsatisfying with his ending? Mark’s gospel has been incredible in its power and its subtlety, but does that mean there are no lessons to be learned from Mark’s unique stopping place?

Word On Worship – August 4, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 16:7-8
 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.” They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

The ending of Mark’s gospel often raises more questions than it answers. In terms of Easter passages, it is the road less traveled. We want the details of the resurrection seen in the other gospels, to experience the emotion of Mary meeting her Lord or the satisfaction of the reunion of Jesus with the disciples. Was Mark being clumsy or just deeply unsatisfying with his ending? Mark’s gospel has been incredible in its power and its subtlety, but does that mean there are no lessons to be learned from Mark’s unique stopping place?

There is no narration in any of the gospels about the resurrection, only the aftermath. Whether it is the response of the religious leaders to the report of the Roman garrison about the body disappearing or Jesus meeting up with the disciples and the restoration of Peter, none of the gospels tell us what happened at the resurrection other than the tomb was empty. The prophets said death could not hold Him, Jesus promised that God would raise Him and the angels proclaimed that God has done exactly this. But for those at the tomb this Sunday morning, the only evidence they have is an empty grave with the command to go to Galilee to see Him. The question that must be answered is a question of faith: How can we find Him?

The angels do not tell the woman: “Surprise! He is here.” Instead their message is go and tell. Tell Peter and the others He has gone on ahead of them to Galilee. Yet, Mark does not write of any reunion with the earthly form of Jesus, no tears of joy or hugs of comfort. We are only told of the fear of the women and their fleeing from the empty tomb. But people respond to the Lord in fear throughout the gospel of Mark. The disciples were afraid when Jesus calmed the storm. The people of Gerasenes feared Jesus power to cast out demons and restore a man to his right mind. Not to mention the eleven at the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. Humans have been deaf, dumb and afraid to know God’s glory throughout the story.

How do we treat the empty tomb? Is it our Wailing Wall that we visit every year at Easter? Have we become like the women? — leaving the sanctuary in haste and afraid to speak to anyone about the resurrection evidence? Consider what Mark teaches us and consider how the words of the angels should cause us to move forward, not retreat in fear. All we have is the news that Jesus has been raised. If any want to see Jesus for themselves, they must go to where He leads. For the disciples, that was Galilee. If today we ask where is Jesus, Mark tells us the answer. Jesus is always ahead of us, leading us on to new lands. Jesus is to be found when we are obedient to His commands.

Sunday – July 28, 2013 “The Reversal of the Reversal”

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July 28, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

The Reversal of the Reversal from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

The world is continually looking for a sign or demonstration that meets their worldly criteria but that is the opposite of faith. Their attitude is show us and then we will believe but they will never see enough for them to believe. Faith is trusting to the point of death, not seeing enough to believe. The centurion stands in stark contrast to those who shouted to Jesus for a sign to prove He was the Son of God. God demonstrated power over Rome, the religious leaders, the fickle crowds and the demonic hosts by the humiliation of the cross and reverses the reversal which occurred when man was forced the Garden of Eden.
Join us this week as we examine the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ from Mark 15 verses 22 to 47 in Pastor Kikkert’s sermon, “The Reversal of the Reversal”

Word On Worship – July 28, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 15:37-39
“And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

In his excellent book The Six Pillars of Biblical Power, John Rankin wrote about the reversal of the reversal. In God’s infinite power, He gave glorious gifts such as life, the created world and the ability to love. Yet when His creation soiled themselves by their sin (the reversal) to take what was not theirs, God’s love gave even more to redeem and restore His creation (the reversal of the reversal). I can think of no better picture of this than the centurion at the foot of the cross. Christ’s faithful obedience to His Father, even in death — not wondrous works of power or majesty — converted the executioner.

In a single moment, the centurion’s world view that governed his life changed. He had sworn allegiance to Caesar and was the physical representation of Roman power in Israel. To the Romans, power was the defining characteristic of deity and the title “Son of God” could only belong to Caesar, the embodiment of Rome’s power and majesty. This centurion never saw any of the prior miracles of Jesus or heard any of His teachings. Yet in Christ’s death, this soldier saw who Jesus Christ was and what it meant to be the Son of God. Divinity was no longer associated with the might of a leader to impose his will, but with humble obedience that transforms lives.

There was one thing the centurion saw in the crucifixion of our Lord that likely reversed his view of Jesus. As a soldier, he understood the necessity of absolute obedience. As another centurion told Jesus in Matthew 8, he understood what authority was and what that meant when orders were given. In the final hours of Jesus this centurion witnessed the Son of God carrying out His mission from the Father in absolute obedience. As bystanders ourselves, we need to reverse our false view of the true nature of divinity and power to see that at its core is obedience.

The world is continually looking for a sign or demonstration that meets worldly criteria. But that is the opposite of faith. The world’s attitude is show us and then we will believe – but they will never see enough for them to believe. Faith is trusting to the point of death, not seeing enough to believe. The centurion stands in stark contrast to those who shouted to Jesus for a sign to prove He was the Son of God. God demonstrated power over Rome, the religious leaders, the fickle crowds and the demonic hosts by the humiliation of the cross and reversed the reversal which occurred when man was forced out of the Garden of Eden.

Sunday – July 21, 2013 “How to Confound a Cynic”

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July 21, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

How to Confound a Cynic from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

How many times do we ask ourselves, “What am I to do?” The answer is often to answer the crowds- our friends, family and those whose opinion we value. Usually our decisions are to cede responsibility for our actions to popular opinion and cultural standards. It is often easier to keep our finger on the pulse of society as long as it costs us nothing. We want to satisfy the expectations of our friends; even we know their desire to be less than honorable. How often do we sit in the seat of Pilate? We ask the right question- “What shall I do then with Jesus?” But we get the answer wrong.
Join us this Sunday as we look at Jesus before Pilate as recorded in the Gospel of Mark. “How Do You Shock a Cynic?” Join us tomorrow and find out.

Word On Worship – July 21, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 15:9-13
“Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

How many times do we ask ourselves, “What am I to do?” The answer is often. To answer the crowds – our friends, family and those whose opinion we value – we usually cede responsibility for our actions to popular opinion and cultural standards. It is often easier to keep our finger on the pulse of society as long as it costs us nothing. We want to satisfy the expectations of our friends; even when we know their desire is to be less than honorable. How often do we sit in the seat of Pilate? We ask the right question – “What shall I do then with Jesus?” But we get the answer wrong.

In the quiet of our own mind and souls we prefer Jesus to the envious and manipulating religious leaders and the rebellious Barabbas, but in the noise of real life we never move further.  It is easier to risk nothing than it is to stand next to Jesus in the noise. The difference is whether Jesus is king of the Jews or He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A king of some other people can be deferred to when it is convenient, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords requires our utmost devotion and loyalty. In Pilate’s mind, this crucial moment in God’s dealing with mankind’s sinful nature was just another day in his long tenure of dealing with the squabbles of the troublesome Jews.

Jesus took the place of a condemned man. He did not volunteer to die in the place of Barabbas, but was chosen by God to die for all sinful mankind. Jesus took up the bitter cup and took the place of a murderer and all humanity on the cross. To be the victim of leaders who have no moral compass would be difficult for anyone to abide. But it would be particularly difficult for one who brought about so much good in the lives of people. And still every day we turn our eyes away so we can pretend not to see what is taking place. And on this dark day, no one stands up to say stop.

How much have we learned since the day the crowds shouted for the release of Barabbas and for the crucifixion of Jesus? We still prefer the one who represents our narrow personal hopes. Barabbas appeals to our personal interest, with violence if necessary. Jesus holds out a kingdom that will require personal sacrifice and perseverance in this life. One path allows us to defer to the blowing wind of public perception. And when others use tools we do not agree with, that is just the cost of doing business. The other path requires we trust God at a personal cost. We gladly trust God for the afterlife, but do we trust God enough with the here and now if we have to suffer? Do we fear not only the physical pain, but also the blast of disapproval from friends, family and culture when we answer the question of what we will do with Jesus Christ?

Sunday – July 14, 2013 “Mission Impossible”

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July 14, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Mission Impossible from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

It is easy to conclude Jesus is the victim of great injustice, false evidence and a rigged jury. But nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus was the Son of Man and was in complete control of everything that took place. Jesus was under no compulsion to testify against Himself, and the false witnesses were doing just fine shooting themselves in the foot. If Jesus chose too, He could have shredded the charges against Him just as He dismantled the traps set to trip Him up while He was teaching in the temple. Jesus is not going to argue over trivia or petty charges. Jesus would testify when it came to the critical issue of who is Jesus Christ. Is He the divine Messiah? Is He truly the Son of God?
Join us this Sunday as we continue in our study of the Gospel of Mark chapter 14 verses 53 to 72 on “Mission Impossible” and see why this text was written for us.

Word On Worship – July 14, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 14:61-64
Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.”

A common name for Jesus in the Gospel of Mark is the Son of Man. The term comes from the Book of Daniel and is associated with great power, glory and forth coming judgment. Judaism in the time of Christ saw the Son of Man as someone who would be a supernatural man who would transcend the suffering of the Jewish community because He would possess the power and exaltation they lacked. And yet when Jesus claims the title, it is the testimony which seals His fate before the High Priest.

In Mark, we see the Son of Man associated with power that is blended with suffering and weakness.  Jesus openly declares He is the Messiah only when there is no possibility the crowds will rise up and crown Him king. His admission is the only evidence the Sanhedrin has to convict Jesus of blasphemy and secure a sentence of death.  This was not the Messiah they wanted. Jesus as Messiah is far less than they hoped because He never raised a finger against Roman authority and passively submits to the beating of the religious elite and a sentence of death.

It is easy to conclude Jesus is the victim of great injustice, false evidence and a rigged jury. But nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus was the Son of Man and was in complete control of everything that took place. Jesus was under no compulsion to testify against Himself, and the false witnesses were doing just fine shooting themselves in the foot. If Jesus chose too, He could have shredded the charges against Him just as He dismantled the traps set to trip Him up while He was teaching in the temple. Jesus is not going to argue over trivia or petty charges. Jesus would testify when it came to the critical issue of who is Jesus Christ. Is He the divine Messiah? Is He truly the Son of God?

As Messiah, Jesus was far more than anyone hoped. In the most devastating and chaotic time in all human history, Jesus is in charge. God’s power is seen in weakness and Jesus demonstrates the power of God. He is bringing about His death, in His time and in His way. Anyone looking for mighty displays of power, miraculous feats or startling prophecies will see nothing. But those who connect the dots see the Son of Man, orchestrating the events of this kangaroo court to accomplish the will of God. And the will of God will be completed when the Son of Man returns with the clouds of heaven to judge those rejected Him and the His calling to be the Lamb of God.

Sunday – June 30, 2013 “Slavery, Shrimp & the Supreme Court: Did God Get It Wrong?”

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June 30, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Slavery, Shrimp & the Supreme Court: Did God Get It Wrong? from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Idolatry and unbelief are evil bed fellows. While there is a relationship between unbelief and idolatry, we would not be correct in thinking idolatry is only practiced with images of stone or clay. Idolatry, at its heart, is fashioning God in our own image. Idolatry is sinful because it fails to do justice to God’s perfection. Idolatry misrepresents God, often distorting His character as a cartoonist characterizes the features of a prominent personality. But we distort God with wrong concepts and wrong theology just as much as we do with physical likenesses which have no resemblance. Theology is simply a word-picture of God.
Man is continually editing that word picture of God to make Him less than He truly is. We think if God got eating shrimp wrong, how can we trust what He has to say about something as complex as human sexuality right? After all, now even the Supreme Court agrees with us.
Join us this Sunday for a thoughtful response to the events of this week as Pastor Andy returns to the pulpit for his message “Slavery, Shrimp and the Supreme Court- Did God Get it Wrong?”

Word On Worship – June 30, 2013 Download / Print

Romans 1:20-22
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Idolatry and unbelief are evil bed fellows. While there is a relationship between unbelief and idolatry, we would not be correct in thinking idolatry is only practiced with images of stone or clay. Idolatry, at its heart, is fashioning God in our own image. Idolatry is sinful because it fails to do justice to God’s perfection. Idolatry misrepresents God, often distorting His character as a cartoonist caricatures the features of a prominent personality. But we distort God with wrong concepts and wrong theology just as much as we do with physical likenesses which have no resemblance. Theology is simply a word-picture of God. If we are wrong here, we are idolaters.

Knowledge of God is given to everyone. This knowledge is attainable by observing the handiwork of God in creation around us. Just as we can learn much of a writer by studying his work, or of a painter by his paintings, so, also, we can learn of God from His handiwork, His creation. We may learn, Paul says in verse 20, of God’s eternal power and of His divine nature. Who can look at the raging power of the Niagara Falls and not be struck with the power of the One Who created them? Who can study the power of the atom and not be impressed with the infinite power of the Creator? And who can ponder creation without concluding that someone far greater than mortal man was the originator of it all?

But many men have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and exchanged the blessings of God in His provision for sexual fulfillment for that which is unnatural and disgusting. “… for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire towards one another …” (Verse 26). This is a deadly sequence of events. Rejection of God’s revelation leads to idolatry, and idolatry leads to immorality and man at last plummets into the grossest perversions imaginable.

To a great extent, the judgment of God is getting exactly what we want. Men reject God’s revelation of Himself and God gives men over to idolatry. Men reject God and His purposes for men and God gives man over to practice the unnatural. Not only is this so in the present; it will be so in the future. What an awesome thought. Hell is getting exactly what we want. And on the reverse side of the coin, how grateful we Christians should be to our heavenly Father Who has and will withhold much of what we ask for, for our own good.

Sunday – June 16, 2013 “His Name is YAHWEH”

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June 16, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

His Name is Yahweh from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Secular humanism is attempting to banish all thought of God from the minds of people. They have assumed modern science has relegated the God of the Bible to the tales of Hans Christian Anderson and so God, merely being the elderly gentleman in the sky, has no more power or authority to control the affairs of men than the Greek gods of antiquity. Who do we think God is? Is He merely the “old man” who started up time only to become bored and disinterested with His creation? Is He an attempt to explain unknown forces by an ignorant people? Or is He the One who spoke the universe into existence and controls all things for His plan and purpose?
Join us this Sunday as we seek to understand who is God as a special Father’s Day message entitled “His Name is Yahweh” from Isaiah 42.

Word On Worship – June 16, 2013 Download / Print

Isaiah 42:8
“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”

Secular humanism is attempting to banish all thought of God from the minds of people. They have assumed modern science has relegated the God of the Bible to the tales of Hans Christian Anderson and so God, merely being the elderly gentleman in the sky, has no more power or authority to control the affairs of men than the Greek gods of antiquity. Who do we think God is? Is He merely the “old man” who started up time only to become bored and disinterested with His creation? Is He an attempt to explain unknown forces by an ignorant people? Or is He the One who spoke the universe into existence and controls all things for His plan and purpose?

The Bible does not make an argument for the existence of God and it does not need to because it is the record of the way God has revealed Himself to mankind. It begins with the positive conclusion there is a God in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth“and those that come to Him must believe He exists (Hebrews 11:6). The Bible begins with the statement God is the Almighty Creator and implicitly refutes all other attempts by man that deviate from the truth about who God is. It refutes atheism which states there is no God. It refutes polytheism which states there are many gods. And it refutes humanism which worships man as the creator of his own world and destiny.

By the time of Moses, some 400 years after Abraham, the human race had begun to worship so many false gods and idols that God clearly distinguished Himself from all other gods of the pagan world. That is why God, through Moses, revealed His name as YAHWEH in Exodus 3:14-15 “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.” God chose the people of Israel as His divine channel for revelation about Himself to maintain this truth. They were the people of Yahweh, literally people of the Name or Semites.

Through the people of His Name, Yahweh revealed He is the God of redemption as well as Almighty Creator and Master. He is the God of love and grace who offers us not only to know of Him, but that we may come to know Him personally. As the Self Revealing God, He demonstrated He is a God of redeeming grace and has provided for the rescue and redemption of sinful men in order that they may know Him and fellowship with Him. And that begins with our coming to YAHWEH, through the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross of Calvary.