Return to the Lord Because You Know Him

 The sermon from March 26, 2025. The text is Hosea 6:1-6:

“Come, let us return to the Lord;

    for he has torn us, that he may heal us;

    he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days he will revive us;

    on the third day he will raise us up,

    that we may live before him.

3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;

    his going out is sure as the dawn;

he will come to us as the showers,

    as the spring rains that water the earth.”

4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?

    What shall I do with you, O Judah?

Your love is like a morning cloud,

    like the dew that goes early away.

5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;

    I have slain them by the words of my mouth,

    and my judgment goes forth as the light.

6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Will There Be Fruit?

 The sermon from March 23, 2025. The text is Luke 13:1-9:

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Return to the Lord, Who Will Restore You

 The sermon from March 19, 2025. The text is Jeremiah 15:19-21:

Therefore thus says the Lord:
“If you return, I will restore you,
    and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
    you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
    but you shall not turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
    but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
    to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
    and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

Heaven Bound

 The sermon from March 16, 2025. The text is Philippians 3:17-4:1:

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Return to the Lord, Who Has Redeemed You

 The sermon from March 12, 2025. The text is Isaiah 44:21-28:

Remember these things, O Jacob,

    and Israel, for you are my servant;

I formed you; you are my servant;

    O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud

    and your sins like mist;

return to me, for I have redeemed you.

23 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;

    shout, O depths of the earth;

break forth into singing, O mountains,

    O forest, and every tree in it!

For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,

    and will be glorified in Israel.

24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,

    who formed you from the womb:

“I am the Lord, who made all things,

    who alone stretched out the heavens,

    who spread out the earth by myself,

25 who frustrates the signs of liars

    and makes fools of diviners,

who turns wise men back

    and makes their knowledge foolish,

26 who confirms the word of his servant

    and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’

    and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,

    and I will raise up their ruins’;

27 who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;

    I will dry up your rivers’;

28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,

    and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;

saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’

    and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”

The Exclamation Point of Faith

 The sermon from March 9, 2025. The text is Romans 10:8b-13:

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Return to the Lord, For He is Gracious

 The sermon from March 5, 2025. The text is Joel 2:13 (I have provided Joel 2:12-19 for context):

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,

    “return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

13     and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Return to the Lord your God,

    for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;

    and he relents over disaster.

14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,

    and leave a blessing behind him,

a grain offering and a drink offering

    for the Lord your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;

    consecrate a fast;

call a solemn assembly;

16     gather the people.

Consecrate the congregation;

    assemble the elders;

gather the children,

    even nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom leave his room,

    and the bride her chamber.

17 Between the vestibule and the altar

    let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep

and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,

    and make not your heritage a reproach,

    a byword among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,

    ‘Where is their God?’”

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land

    and had pity on his people.

19 The Lord answered and said to his people,

“Behold, I am sending to you

    grain, wine, and oil,

    and you will be satisfied;

and I will no more make you

    a reproach among the nations.

Consider Jesus

 The sermon from March 2, 2025. The text is Hebrews 3:1-6:

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.