Ccc Sermons

There are conflicting reports about how the captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith, handled himself when it became clear that the ship was sinking that fateful night in April of 1912. The director of the now-famous movie version of the story apparently believed the accounts that said Smith froze under the enormity of the tragedy that was unfolding in front of him–failing to give proper directions, share much-needed information, or organize his crew. The effectiveness of a leader is shown in how he prepares for, and leads through, immense challenges such as these. As we continue in the gospel of John, looking at 13:21-38, we’ll see that our Lord did not freeze or isolate himself as the darkness grew thicker and the cross drew nearer. No, He loved His disciples to the end and prepared them for what was about to take place that awful Passover weekend.

John 13 starts the second “book” in the gospel of John – what some have called the “book of glory.” This section will culminate in Jesus being crucified and then being gloriously resurrected, but it starts on quite a different note. In John 13:1-20, we’ll see Jesus humbling himself by taking a basin of water and washing His disciples’ feet. It’s hard to think of a cultural equivalent in today’s world, but this act of our Lord stooping down to wash filthy feet was intended to both a) be a picture of the spiritual cleansing He provides, and b) to set an example for His disciples to follow. Join us as we look at this powerful passage!

This week’s text (John 12:36-50) is one of the most difficult passages from the entire book around which to wrap our modern western minds. In this passage, we’ll see that even after Jesus had performed so many signs, His fellow Jews “still did not believe in Him” (v. 37). But what seems confounding to us is that John says they “could not believe” in Him, because God had blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts (v. 39-40). Not Satan blinding them, but God! Why would He do such a thing, and would he still hold them accountable for their unbelief? Join us to find out, and to see what God may teach us through this challenging but important text.

Join us in John 12:20-36, where we’ll see how the glory of Jesus was seen most clearly in His death upon the cross.

The “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem is probably one of the best know incidents in the life of Christ, maybe superseded only by his birth, death, and resurrection. People across Christendom love celebrating Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter when we recall and even re-enact that day when thousands upon thousands of people greeted Jesus by waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem looks and sounds so festive on the surface, and that’s how we often portray this event in our churches. Yet Luke 19:41 says that Jesus was weeping as he entered Jerusalem. What was going on? Join Pastor Larry McCall as we learn about this well-known, yet often-misunderstood event in the ministry of Jesus from John 12:12-19.

How much is Jesus worth to you? Wait. Don’t answer that question too quickly. Maybe we should think about that for awhile before answering. We’re resuming our journey in the Gospel of John, focusing on John 12:1-11. In this passage you’ll notice the stark contrast between how Mary valued Jesus and how Judas valued Jesus. Why would there be such a disparity between these two people – each of whom had spent time with Jesus? Join Pastor Larry McCall as we look for answers in God’s Word.

Last Sunday, on Labor Day weekend, we opened the Word of God, cover to cover, and learned together about work–God’s design of it, how it’s been complicated by sin, and how God redeems it. This Sunday, as a follow-up, we are going to see what God has to say about rest. Tucked away in the Psalms are two short verses (Psalm 127:1-2) which we’ll unpack together. And those verses have an immense amount to teach us about sleep, our need for it, and our aversion to it.

Though most of us spend a majority of our waking hours at work (or school), interestingly, only a small percentage of Christians report ever being taught a biblical understanding of work. Well, let’s do something about that! This Sunday, Labor Day weekend, we’ll examine what God’s Word says about work. We’ll go from Genesis 1 (work in the Paradise Lost) to Revelation 22 (work in the Paradise Regained) with special application to work here in this era between the gardens.

Many of the stories that we tell children in our culture tend to end with the same phrase: “And they all lived happily ever after.” As we’ve gone through the first twelve chapters of Nehemiah this summer, the story has followed that typical narrative arc, bending toward a “happily ever after.” At the end of chapter 12, we saw God’s people celebrating all that God had led them to accomplish; and the scene is ripe with hope and optimism! But as we open the final chapter, Nehemiah 13, we’ll see that they most certainly did not live happily ever after. And we’ll be reminded of how important it is for us to constantly be pursuing holiness, never resting on the faith and obedience of yesteryear.

God does extraordinary things with ordinary people, doesn’t he? In Nehemiah’s day, Jerusalem would not have been a glamorous place to live. Moving there would have been like moving to a bombed-out city. Yet many of the returnees to Judea did just that. Ordinary people moved to Jerusalem because that was the city of God. It was the “holy city” (Nehemiah 11:1) where God met with his people. You know what? Sometimes the church might not seem glamorous, especially in comparison to what we see the world offering to us. Yet, we are a “holy people belonging to God.” God is working in his church and through his church to advance his glorious kingdom. And, we get to be part of that!

Many of us struggle to make commitments, whether it’s commitment to an employer, a diet, or a significant other. We may feel tempted to think of commitment in negative terms, as if we’re “closing doors,” “boxing ourselves in,” or “eliminating options.” But, as we will see in Nehemiah 10, when it comes to our spiritual lives, it is of vital importance if we are going to remain faithful to Christ, that we make commitments to the Lord and to the fellow believers in our spiritual community.

Everyone loves a good story. We read stories to children before bedtime. When we meet new people we get to know them by telling stories about where we’re from and what we do. When we spend time with family or friends we regularly tell stories, and we often retell old stories. At our very core, we are storied beings. Join us in Nehemiah 9, where God’s people gather to retell God’s story and how they are a part of it. We’ll see why we should regularly retell this same story and how it helps us live the Christian life.

What are you hungry for? Your favorite dessert? A juice steak? Fresh fruit? How about The Word of God? The Holy Spirit was clearly moving in an amazing way among the people of Judah in Nehemiah’s day. Thousands of people of all ages had crowded into the open square near the recently rebuilt Water Gate in Jerusalem. Soon, a cry went up, maybe gaining volume as more and more voices joined in. “Bring the Book!” The people of Jerusalem were hungry. They were hungry for the Word of God. So, Ezra the priest brought the book of God’s Law and began to read. As he read, the Spirit moved among the people in powerful ways. Let’s explore that story together as we look at Nehemiah 7 and 8.

What’s your favorite Olympic sport to watch? Any votes for the steeple chase? That’s probably one of the lesser-known events. The steeple chase is a nearly-two-mile race over various obstacles, including water-filled pits. In some ways, the steeple chase reminds me of life itself. Hebrews 12:1-2 picture the Christian life as a race that we are to run with our eyes fixed on Jesus. But, it’s not always an easy race. There are obstacles and pitfalls along the way. How are we to navigate the steeple chase of the Christian life without getting sidetracked or waylaid? In Nehemiah 6, we see that God’s chosen leader in Jerusalem had to get over several pitfalls. There’s so much to learn from this chapter, especially as we reflect on Jesus Christ who successfully completed his difficult race on our behalf.

When it comes to warfare, the largest and most intimidating threats typically are external ones – nations or groups of people from the outside who seek to harm or conquer. But threats from within can be just as serious, as those who’ve been bound together in their war efforts can be tempted to start seeing each other as the enemy and begin fighting against their brothers in arms. This is precisely what takes place in Nehemiah 5. Nehemiah had led a strong resistance effort against the enemies outside Jerusalem, but now we’ll see him having to put out relational fires inside the city to keep his people from devouring each other. What caused this breaking of ranks, and how might we be vulnerable to similar temptations today as God’s people? Join us to find out!

In a poem called “Cromwell’s Advice,” poet William Blackner attempted to put into verse a phrase that Oliver Cromwell was alleged to have said to his English troops as prepared to cross a river as part of their invasion of Ireland. The last line of each stanza reads something like this: “Trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry.” The sentiment is a simple one: even as Cromwell wanted his men to trust in the Lord for victory, he also wanted them to be vigilant and take responsibility for their own actions as part of the battle. As we work our way through the fourth chapter of Nehemiah, we’re going to see opposition reach a fever pitch against Nehemiah and all those who were seeking to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. And we’ll see how Nehemiah led his people to press on in their work, refusing to let opposition side track or scare them into inactivity. I hope you can join us as we learn together, through this ancient story, about how to face spiritual opposition in our own lives today–seeking to trust th

Are there parts of the Bible that you sometimes find boring? We’re hesitant to admit it – it sounds sacrilegious – but there are parts of the Bible that we would just as soon skip over, aren’t there? Is Nehemiah 3 like that for you? It seems like a bunch of names that sure look hard to pronounce. Yet, 2 Timothy 3:16 says that God breathed out every word of the Bible, and it’s all useful. So, what “usefulness” does Nehemiah 3 have in our lives? It’s packed with reminders of how our gracious God works through his people to accomplish his plan. And, that includes you and me!

The Apostle Paul knew he was soon to be executed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had one last letter to write – to his “son-in-the-faith,” Timothy. We know this last letter as 2 Timothy. In that letter, Paul called on his “son” to live a life “useful to the Master” (2 Timothy 2:21). Captivating thought, isn’t it? To live a life “useful to the Master.” Are you feeling that way about your own life? What would have to happen for that to happen? I’m struck by Nehemiah’s desire to live a life useful to the Master, even though doing so brought great risk. This coming Sunday we’ll focus on Nehemiah 2:9-20, exploring how this part of the book fits into God’s plan of redemption and how Nehemiah’s commitment to God’s plan moved him to live a life useful to the Master.

It’s a stretching question, isn’t it? And, not just intellectually, but emotionally, too. “If God is sovereign, then what’s the point of praying?” While we’re at it, we could also ask, “If God is sovereign, what’s the point of planning?” It’s fascinating to read the narrative of Nehemiah 2:1-10 with those questions in mind. How might our understanding of these important questions get some clarity as we thoughtfully look at this portion of Nehemiah’s story?

What are you passionate about? What would the people who know you best say that you are passionate about? What would they say makes you really happy? What would they say makes you really sad? In Nehemiah 1:4-11, we see a man who was passionate. He really cared. What did he care so much about? About the plan and people of God. How did Nehemiah get that way? How did he develop such a passion for the plan and people of God? It’s so easy to slide into a lifestyle of focusing on our own pain, pleasure, and pursuits. How might our hearts be lifted higher? How might we develop a passion for God’s plan and people? Let’s explore those questions this Sunday as we study Nehemiah 1 together.