Sermons

Bible Text: John 21:1-14 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels Though Jesus is pretty mysterious in some resurrection appearances, in this one, He’s not. Maybe it’s the disciples who are a bit of a riddle as they go back to fishing. What are they waiting for? Jesus is risen! It’s for real! Go out and tell the world! But they need a reminder to pull away from what has been normal into God’s new reality. So, often, do we.

Bible Text: Luke 24:13-35 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels For the month of April, we’ll be hearing the stories of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to the disciples. Some of the stories, though, have open-ended questions about why Jesus does what He does. Why stay unrecognized on The Big Day as your friends grieve? Why let them see you only after a seven mile walk and while breaking bread? But God is mysterious, and His ways are not our ways. Even when we’re confused and we think we don’t see Him, we are called to trust that He has been there all the time. (Luke 24:13-35)

Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels Sermon from NHC's Good Friday Service

Bible Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels Believe it or don’t, the resurrection of Jesus calls for your examination. Either it was the greatest hoax of all time or exposed the greatest hoax of all time. If the first, how will you get better information that the foolishness God keeps proclaiming to you? If the second, is your pride in human ability and insight ready to be exposed? To believe this resurrection of the crucified hero is foolish, in any case, and it is exactly what God asks of us. Happy Easter Fools’ Day!

Bible Text: Zechariah 9:9-7 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels In childhood, we build our little kingdoms of blocks, then legos, and then perhaps more complicated things. As we grow, we build a network of friends, perhaps a family or a business. And we have some ideal in our heads of what we want our kingdom to be. But there is only one Kingdom that will last, and only one King to serve if we want the wholeness of shalom.

Bible Text: Matthew 20:20-28 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels The disciples finally had life by the tail – they would be great in Jesus’ Kingdom! Thrones, fame, power, glory! And Jesus didn’t then rebuke James and John for seeking honored positions because Jesus wated to draw them toward the true greatness of servanthood. Not because it’s good, not because it makes us feel good, but because when we serve for Christ’s sake, we glorify Him. Only The Greatest can make you great.

Bible Text: Daniel 5 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels The story of Daniel 5 is clear enough: a proud ruler doesn’t take God seriously, but understands his own power and wealth as the source of greatness. God puts an end to it, and the writing is on the wall. But how did a ruler who actually knew better get that far gone? Sin and pride deceived him, even though God offered opportunities to change. That should keep even those of us who are not kings and queens wary, because sin and pride could deceive us, too, and the only way out is the grace of God.

Bible Text: 2 Kings 6:33-7:17 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels Cynicism is just realism for some of us, or, well, the cynics among us. Life is what it is, there is not much that will change, and probably even less you can do about it, so why not accept failure, loss, and make peace with thin hopes? Because God is a redeemer, and with Him, there is always hope for a rescue. In 2 Kings 7, we see how even despair doesn’t turn people to God, but he rescues a city anyway. It just takes time for the cynics to catch up to what God has already done.

Bible Text: 1 Kings 11:26-43 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels This is a second week in the Lenten series “Undividing Our Divided Hearts.” This week, we’ll read of a great, wise, and wealthy king, Solomon, who somehow departs from obedience to God. The result will be civil war. How could Solomon, wise as he was, fall so far so fast? He didn’t. He fell so far slowly, with years of compromise adding up to a divided heart and collapse. What lax obedience and what compromise should you beware of? Repent before it is too late, because you know God is merciful.

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 15:1-31 | Preacher: Pastor Daniel Roels Saul is Israel’s first king and he is God’s appointed guardian to keep the people in right relationship with God. The trouble is that Saul’s heart is divided about this. Following God might be unpopular! So Saul disobeys God to please the people, but loses the Kingdom. Is your heart undivided in obedience to God? Or do you prefer excuses, circumstances, and peer pressure? The “Lent” season has started, and it’s time for heart-examination and for God to undivide our divided hearts.