Village Church Sermons

Daniel Chapter 4

Resolved

Christmas at the Commons

Worship Like Simeon

As we take a step back to look at the story of Christmas, the story that we are called to tell, we see a God that loves to do big things with small people. We see a God who works and wills some of the most difficult situations for His glory. The King of the universe stepped down from heaven, with the heavenly host watching, to save the souls of man. He used ordinary people in His extraordinary story...the story of salvation.

Pondering Advent

As Christians, Christmas is our story to tell. It's the story of salvation and hope. It's the story of Jesus Christ, the King who deserves all the worship and glory. So often during Christmas we get caught up in consumerism, but it is time that the church rise up and worship Him fully and share the story of fulfilled promises with a world in need.

Worship Fully

Character Counts

After visiting Wanblee, South Dakota last weekend, there is a renewed sense of urgency to talk about. We live in a world where things are dark and difficult and people desperately need Jesus and it begs the question "what are you living for?" Jesus left us with very clear marching orders, and if we really believe that what we believe is really real, we must give our entire lives for the Gospel.

What I Learned in South Dakota

Speaking about this passage, Martin Luther commented that 1 Peter 3:18-22 is a strange text and certainly more obscure than any other in the New Testament and one he did not know for sure what the apostle meant. However, we come to an understanding through this text that Christ died for the unrighteous and has called us to be made alive in the spirit and proclaim it through baptism in submission to our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A Strange Text

After summing up our calling as Christians in various circumstances and reminding us that the Lord will look with favor on the righteous, Peter now calls us to fear God and not man. He calls us to make the name of Jesus hallowed in our every moment rather than worrying about the opinions of man. We should not fear the persecution, rather rejoice in the opportunity to suffer alongside Jesus for the sake of the Gospel. We should not worry about the approval of man, but solely seek the approval of our Lord. We need to hope in the promises of God.

Hallowed Be Thy Name

After specific instruction to many different sections of the church, Peter now turns to address us all, as one, in order that we may help one another to become what the previous verses describe. He calls us to humbly love each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, to be united around the main thing, namely Jesus.

Finally, All of You

Men, where are you? This is the fundamental question that needs to be asked in the church today. Just as God called out to Adam in the garden, "Adam, where are you?" as he was hiding in his cowardice, the vast majority of men in the church are currently hiding from God and from their responsibilities, just like their father Adam. Men have been given the responsibility to be the head of their home, the head of their marriage and the head of their family. Many men abuse this responsibility by going in one of two directions. They either become a coward like Adam, who make excuses and avoid their responsibilities like he did, or, they sin in another way by taking Scripture out of context and becoming chauvinists. These guys don't cower from responsibility necessarily, but they are often abusive, neglectful, over-bearing, cruel, mean, and emotionally absent individuals. Whether cowards or chauvinists, if you are one of these men, you are in sin. You are not leading your family well and you are not loving and honoring your wife properly as Peter describes in verse 7. And if this is the case, it is a critically serious situation. So, serious Peter says, that God will no longer listen to your prayers! In other words, if men don't "Man up" and live the lives God has called us to live, God will effectively stop listening to us. While we have a flawed and sinful example of manhood and masculinity in our father Adam, we also have a perfect and sinless example of what it means to be a man in our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. The Gospel message gives us the blueprint of what it means to be a man. Jesus didn't make excuses. Jesus didn't cower in the face of difficult times. Jesus didn't "lord over" others. Instead, He was a servant who took responsibility for things that were not His fault. He was out front as a bold leader who set an example for others to follow. It's time to stop playing games men. It's time to become the man that God intended you to be. Lead. Serve. Love. Honor. Look at Jesus. Look to Jesus. Look like Jesus.

Men, Where Are You?

In our society, the idea of submission to authority is an often distorted and misunderstood concept. This is especially true within the context of marriage. However, God has established authorities, structures, and systems for all human institutions. Be it government, the workplace, the church, or the home, God tells us to how Christians are to live in a way that will honor Him within these contexts. It is clear from Scripture that God is to be the ultimate authority within the home. Under God, the husband is to sacrificially, selflessly, and lovingly lead his wife and family. In other words, He is to lead the way Jesus would lead. In addition, the wife is to respect and honor her husband as he attempts to lead in a way that honors Jesus. When husbands and wives live within the structure that God has created, it is a beautiful thing and it works wonderfully. Submission is not an ugly thing, it is a beautiful thing. As a matter of fact, we see submission modeled best by Jesus as we see Him submit to God the Father time and time again in the Bible.

Submission as a Wife

Continuing on with the theme of submission, Peter now deals with how Christians are to respond to ungodly or corrupt authorities in our lives. If, in everything we do, we are to point people to Jesus, what do we do when the odds are stacked against us and we are being treated unfairly? Peter makes clear in these verses that there will be times in our lives when every fiber in our being wants to rise up and rebel or lash out against those that we are serving under. However, he tell us that during those times we must look to Jesus' example on the cross and remember how He responded when He was treated unfairly. This is ultimately how we show God to this world and point people to Jesus during times of suffering.

Submission to Corrupt Authority

God has established all human institutions for our good and for His glory. Therefore, when we choose to submit to and honor those institutions we actually worship God. However, if we choose to rebel against, disobey, or disrespect those institutions, we are actually in rebellions against God.

Submission As Worship

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