Divine Savior Church-santa Rita Ranch Sermons

Would you do anything for love? “Falling in love” with another person often keeps us from thinking straight. It takes a high place of importance. It isn’t hard for that kind of infatuation to take a place higher in our hearts than it should. We spend lots of time at the “altar of love” worshiping gods of romance, family, and our own ego. These things are actually good gifts and blessings from God, but can step out of order in our hearts and become more important to us than the love we have for the God who made and redeemed us. It’s good to love our spouse and family, and even have a healthy esteem of ourselves. But God needs first place in our hearts. Even over family. Let’s love our spouses, but love God more. 

It is easy in this world to think that the “best life” or “life to the full” means binging on all the things that bring us temporary pleasure. Didn’t the year of shut-down show us how powerfully addicting binging on Netflix, snack foods, and alcohol can be? We were made to worship God, but we often end up spending lots of time at the “altar of pleasure” worshiping gods of food, sex, and entertainment. These false gods, which wield a very powerful mental, physical, and emotional lure, keep us from the real relationship with Jesus that we need when they become more important to us than Him. We will look at God’s Word today to see how it can defeat these idols from taking God’s place in our hearts.

We live in a world where everyone wants to be “King of the hill,” right? Climb the ladder. Be on top. Be the highest paid whatever we are. We were made to worship God, but we often end up spending lots of time at the “altar of power” worshiping gods of success, money, and achievement. These false gods, which are so attractive to our world, keep us from the real relationship with Jesus that we need. We will look at God’s Word today to see how it can defeat these idols from getting God’s place in our hearts.

There are false gods battling for the place of honor in our lives. We can’t live the life God wants us to live when we are pursuing something else. Behind the sins we struggle with, the discouragement we deal with, and the lack of purpose we live with, are false gods that are winning the battle for our hearts. We were made to worship God, but we often end up valuing and honoring the idols of success, money, achievement, food, sex, entertainment, romance, family, our own ego, and many more things. These false gods keep us from the real relationship with Jesus that we need. This week, we begin looking at God’s Word to see how it can help us defeat the idols that want God’s place in our hearts. It’s a battle for our hearts!

We believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of all God's promises. Through Him, we utter our Amen to God. The creed summarizes the many promises God has made to us. It's appropriate we conclude with our "Amen." In the end, we are still and know that our Lord is God. In the end, we have confidence in his promises because of Christ. 

We believe there will be a future physical resurrection of the dead for those who turn from sin and to Jesus. Those who believe will be raised to eternal reward.We hope for many things, yet there must be some ultimate hope that provides the drive to propel us forward each and every day. For those who confess the words of the creed, that hope is the resurrection and the life everlasting.

We believe only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy.The beauty of God's grace allows us to openly admit our failings and weaknesses, relying on a God who is full of compassion and grace. 

We believe the universal Church contains all Christian believers, spanning the time of the early church to today. The creed reminds us that the life of a Christian is one that desires community with other believers. 

We believe the Holy Spirit is living and working in the heart of every believer. No one can know Jesus Christ except by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes known an optimism that transcends our experience as he brings Christ's peace and Christ's presence. 

We believe Jesus will return and judge the sin of each person. Believers should prepare for and eagerly await this second coming.While our confession is of truth, it is belief in the truth God has revealed. We don't insist on all the details, but rely on the wisdom of God in his plan. 

We believe Jesus went to heaven after His resurrection. He rules and reigns over all things with the Father and the Holy Spirit.Are we there yet? As Christians we certainly have a longing for heaven. We long for the complete removal of sin from our life and the lives of those around us - its consequences and its nature. Perhaps because we long and trust, we also grow impatient with God's timetable. The creed gives us the symmetry we need to both long for heaven, and accept God's work and wisdom in our present circumstances. 

We believe Christ experienced death with us and for us. He descended into the grave but He defeated death and was resurrected.The creed reminds us that the war is over. Victory is complete. Let's remember to live in such victory, and carry ourselves with the triumph of Christ - his triumph over sin, death, hell, and Satan. 

We believe Jesus died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin. He truly suffered and died on the cross for us and was buried in a tomb.The historical, spiritual, and biblical truths of the cross assault our intellect and reason. Through our confession of faith, we reject the intellectualism that has become the god of our age. 

We believe Jesus was born of a virgin, Mary, and His birth came about through the workings of the Holy Spirit.We have the opportunity to look at a familiar narrative, but apart from all the trappings of modern, worldly Christmas. While those celebrations and embellishments of the season are enjoyable and serve a good purpose, as we look at the miracle of Christ's birth apart from them we are better able to witness the wonder and awe of Jesus' incarnation. 

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, and He is both fully God and fully human. This confession of the person of Jesus Christ is so important because it wages war on hell itself. It is the assault against Satan, his temptations, the accusations he hurls at us, and the very prison to which he would enslave us. All because Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. So we combat the notions of materialism - I don't need stuff, I need Jesus. We combat the notions of individualism, because Jesus has bought me with his blood. 

We believe there is only one God, who has been and will always be. He exists in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and He created everything. This truth gives us incredible comfort and promises on which we can rely. It also calls us to worship and honor him alone as the God of all creation. God is both infinitely powerful and intensely personal. 

When you realize how Jesus has saved you, you can't help but want to serve. When God fills you up, you can't help but overflow. It's no wonder that Christians love to be encouraged to live like no one else. We truly believe it is more blessed to give than to receive. 

Do you love someone enough to hurt them? Sometimes the truth hurts, and yet the people we love we need to hear that truth. Sometimes we need to hear the truth, even when the truth hurts. That leads to godly sorrow, which leads to repentance, which leads to salvation. It is that message that leads our attack on sin in our lives. 

Everyone is worried about good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. For our heart’s sake we want more of the good and less of the bad. That’s true for our spiritual heart as well. To be effective in your service to Christ, open your heart to the truth and do all that you can to block out the false.

Are you a Christian fanatic? We probably don’t want that label. But Paul was willing to be called “crazy” for Jesus’ sake. He saw himself and everyone else from a new perspective. That new perspective gives our lives purpose: to be Christ’s ambassadors.