Jeremy Hoover

 
 
This sermon was supposed to be about Hebrews 5:1-9 and Jesus, our perfect high priest. But the Holy Spirit was working with me all week, planting a different message in my heart that took root and bloomed on Sunday.

Taking my cue from Hebrews 5:11-6:8, I discussed where I see our church.

I considered whether to put this sermon online because it's disjointed, candid, and raw, but because it's honest, sincere, and from my heart, I decided to put it up. I offer it to you in a spirit of genuineness and pray we can learn from scripture how to mature both individually and as a church.

Sermon: Where We Are As a Church
 
 
For Sunday, October 18, 2009.
 
 
Click the play button to listen to this audio devotional (approx. 2.5 minutes long).
 
 
Click the play button to listen to this devotional (approx. 2.5 minutes long).
 
 
I'm having trouble with the audio player today. Today's devotional is recorded and available at this link.
 
 
Topic: Elders.

In this study, we looked at passages in Acts 20, Acts 6, and 1 Timothy 3:1.
 
 
In Mark 10:17-31, a man comes to Jesus wanting to know how to inherit eternal life. The man is sincere and honest: he recognizes Jesus as a great teacher and faithfully adheres to the Ten Commandments.

But Jesus didn't commend him. Instead, Jesus probed further and challenged him on a deeper level to sell his possession, give the money to the poor, and then follow him. Why did he do this?

Jesus is more concerned with things that distract us and tie us up than he is with our religious practices. He cut straight to the experience of this man, his possessions, and challenged him to leave those behind to follow him. Later, he challenged his listeners to leave behind whatever distracted them--houses, family, businesses--in order to follow him.

For many of us, our religion is more important to us than Jesus himself is. We would rather fill pews, passively attend bible studies, and expect others to do all the work, all the while claiming to be "faithful followers" of Jesus.

Jesus calls us to come out of that. To give up that empty practice of religion. To love him more than we love our religion. What will you leave behind to follow him?

Sermon: What Will You Leave Behind?
 
 
These are the sermon slides for Sunday, October 11, 2009.

Text: Mark 10:17-31
Theme: To follow Jesus, you must leave behind whatever distracts you.
 
 
Fear and Trust
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A very touching moment in the gospels occurs during Jesus' crucifixion when he cries out from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" At that moment, Jesus felt abandoned by God as he suffered and endured this trial.

But when he cried these words, citing Psalm 22:1, he also spoke prophetically about the promises that God had made concerning salvation and the role of the Messiah.

Psalm 22 begins on a note of despair with these words: "My God, my God, why have your forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?" In his experience, the writer feels abandoned by God. But not completely. He alternates between lamenting over his experience and trying to live by trust in God. For example, after asking why God has forsaken him, he next says, "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One." He has no doubt that God is over him and he needs to live his life under God.

This psalm represents the times in our lives that we are shaken. We all experience ups and downs in our life, even in our faith, and this psalm gives us permission to speak directly to God about our deepest fears and hurts. But it also reminds us to remember God, and that even when we feel abandoned by God, that God is still over us, watching us, and able to save us. We need to rest in him.

Today, if you encounter trouble, pray openly and honestly to God about it. Do not be afraid to tell God exactly how you feel. But stay connected to him in trust.
 
 
A Tale of Two Trees
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We have two trees in our backyard. One is beautiful to look at. Sitting in the back corner of our yard, it reaches high to the sky and creates a canopy of shade that covers nearly a quarter of our yard. It's a healthy tree, and its leaves are fully bloomed. In the fall, as colors change, this tree provides the full range of color--from bright yellow to deep red.

But to see this tree we have to look through and past another tree. This tree is struggling. It is a type of evergreen tree but is clearly dying. Many of the needles fell out of the tree in our first windstorm in September. Compared to the first tree, which is a joy to look at, this one is ugly, a dying eyesore.

This is what Psalm 1 refers to when it compares righteous and unrighteous living to strong and dying trees. Psalm 1:3-4 says, "[The righteous] are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.... [But the wicked] are like chaff that the wind blows away."

Which type of tree are you? The lush, strong, beautiful, growing tree? Or the dying tree that sheds its leaves early because it's roots are dead because they're not grounded in good soil?

Jesus reminds us in Mark 4 that the seed of God's word is scattered abroad, but it only takes root in good soil where it produces great things for God. We create that soil and become the strong tree of Psalm 1 through prayer, bible reading, and worship and fellowship with each other.

Today, resolve to plant yourself firmly in the river of God's grace and let yourself grow in the knowledge of him.