Sweden Church
  • Home
  • Listen
    • Sunday Services
    • Real Time >
      • But God...
      • Incompatible With Life
      • Heroes of Faith
      • Matthew 9 Series
      • Where We Find Jesus Series
      • Temptations of Christ Series
      • Sermon on the Mount Series
      • Prodigal Son Series
    • Revival 2022
    • Sweden Celebration 2020
    • Revival 2019
  • Sermon Series
    • Revelation Series
    • One Thing Series
    • Deuteronomy Series
    • 1 & 2 Kings Series
    • Titus Series
    • Jonah Series
    • What Kind of Man Series
    • Advent 2019
    • Ten Commandments Series
    • "No More" Sermon Series
  • Pictures
  • Our Blogs
    • The Pastor's Pen
    • The Layman's Pen
  • Upcoming Events
  • Contact Us

The Doubter

1/24/2020

0 Comments

 
​     "What kind of man would die for the guilty?  What kind of man would die for the doubting?"  Questions asked at the opening of a sermon about Thomas, one of the disciples.  Pastor Josh references John 20:24-29 which is the story of Thomas who meets with the other disciples after Jesus is raised from the dead.
     Thomas is one of the original twelve disciples. (Matthew 10:3)  The first time anything is actually known about him is in John 11:16.  Lazarus has died and Jesus is getting ready to go to him.  This is in Judea.  Yes, that Judea, where the Jewish leaders are out to get Jesus.  Thomas's hearty reply to the others' hesitancy is, "Let's go.  If  Jesus dies, we'll die with him."  Sounds like a pretty salty guy.  
     The next encounter is John 14:5.  The preceding verses are the famous "Let not your heart be troubled...and where I go you know the way" speech.  Thomas appears to have drawn a blank here because he looks at Jesus and says, "How do we know where you're going or how to get there?"  Clearly Thomas has a good grasp on the down-to-earth things.  He understands the danger in Judea.  He gets lost when it comes to spiritual things--can't feel it, can't touch it kind of guy.
     This really jumps out in the verses John 20:24-29.  Jesus has been crucified.  He's gone, out of sight.  When Jesus appeared to the disciples the first time, Thomas wasn't there.  It's curious that he was a no-show.  He must have thought that Jesus really was dead.  But, when he's with the disciples the next time, they try to tell him that Jesus is alive.  Boy, does he bow up.  He stands his ground and says, "You can't convince me that's true.  The only thing that will convince me is if Jesus shows up and I can poke my fingers in the nail holes and my hand in his side."  What do 'ya know? Jesus appears and Thomas is instantly humbled.  The man who has to have everything in "black and white" is persuaded.  Thomas is living proof that hard-headed, stubborn people can be brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord.  It just takes some doing.
0 Comments

Jesus Died for You

1/15/2020

0 Comments

 
​     It's a sad story.  A man has been found guilty of a crime that will result in his death.  But he's innocent.  What must it be like to be innocent and all are crying for your blood?  Or, what about the man who is guilty and walks away scot-free?
     Just such a story happened in the Bible.  It's recorded in all four gospels.  The one that Pastor Josh uses is found in Mark 15:6-15.  A big holiday is coming up.  And, as the custom is at the time, Pilate can free a prisoner.  He has two.  Prisoner #1 is Jesus.  As far as he, Pilate, can tell Jesus had not committed any crime.  Verse 10 even states that Pilate knew that the only crime was one of envy that the chief priests had against Jesus.  Prisoner #2 is Barabbas.  He's a known terrorist who is both a murderer and a thief.
     Apparently it's also the custom that the people get to choose which one to put to death and which one to save.  Now, the priests have done their homework.  Obviously, they have placed people in the crowd and may have even bribed them to shout that they want Jesus condemned to die.  So, when Pilate asks them which one to condemn, the crowd yells "Jesus, crucify him!"  In fact, Pilate asks them a second time just to be sure that he heard them right.  "Jesus, crucify him!" a second time.
     Barabbas walks free.  Jesus is crucified.  Physically speaking, Jesus died in Barabbas's place.  The Light of the World died for a man who came from a very dark place.  But, that's the way that it goes.  The Light of the World died for everyone whether from a very dark place or not.  It's just that Barabbas was the first.  Neither history nor the Bible tells us what became of Barabbas.  Whether he continued on as a terrorist or took advantage of his second chance and might have been one of the hundred and twenty in the upper room in Acts 1:13-15.  No one knows.  We just know that Jesus died for him.
       He died for you, too.


0 Comments

Be Better Than the Rocks

1/6/2020

0 Comments

 
    "I don't want a rock to do my part."  Josh retorted.  This, of course, refers back to Luke 19:40, "And he answered and said unto them, "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."  The disciples were praising Jesus and the Pharisees wanted him to rebuke them.  Jesus responded by saying that if the disciples refrained from praising him, the stones would cry out.  
     Missouri has plenty of rocks.  Just think of the noise they would make it they all cried out praising Jesus.  Douglas County by itself could really set up a clamor should all the rocks tune up at the same time.  The last count of the population in this county is around 13,000.  Could 13,000 voices set up such a chorus?  Thirteen thousand people lifting their voices in praise to Jesus the Christ would surely be heard.
     Anyone who has some acquaintance with the Bible knows that names referring to Jesus are "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)  Knowing and believing just this alone should make everyone want to shout.  The God of our Lord Jesus Christ has "put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." (Ephesians 1:22) If nothing else, praise him because he came here to give all who would believe on him everlasting life. (John 3:16)
    Excuses for this present-day world are diminishing.  There's been over 2,000 years pass.  The story has been told and retold.  It's available for those who want to hear it and those who don't.  The story of Christmas is not hidden under a bush.  All the world knows it.  Very few there are who might not know of Jesus and why he came to this world.
     We aren't like the disciples in Matthew 8:23-27 who cast out into the water on a boat.  Jesus was asleep when the tempest tossed the boat so much so that waves came over the top of it.  Scared to their core, they woke Jesus up thinking they were going to die.  Begging to be saved, Jesus was surprised to find them so fearful.  "O ye of little faith..." (Matthew 8:26) is what he said to them.  Then he rebuked the waves and wind and it stopped.  All was again calm.
     The good thing is they turned to Jesus.  The bad thing is they should have known they were safe when Jesus was with them.  How many times do today's believers have to learn this lesson?  Many, probably.  But it shouldn't be so.  Grow in your faith.  Trust and obey Jesus each day.  Renew your faith daily.  Maybe then, mankind will be able to shout louder than the rocks.  Amen.   ​
0 Comments
    Picture

    Linda Johnson

    Linda Johnson moved to Douglas County with her husband Tom 12 years ago after retiring from teaching. Following Tom's death in 2016, Linda began facilitating a grief support group called GriefShare through Sweden Church.​ She serves as the Sunday School teacher for our High School class. Her "Layman's Pen" articles are also published in the local paper, The Douglas County Herald. 

    Andrea Strong

    Andrea is Pastor Joshua Strong's wife. She also serves Sweden Church as Church Secretary, website administrator, and Sunday School teacher to the Intermediate Class.

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    February 2015
    November 2013
    October 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012