Paul concludes 1 Thessalonians with a series of exhortations. Some of these might seem random or disconnected, so we will expand on them over the course of two or three sermons. This week's sermon will focus on the importance of sermons. Why do we devote so much of our worship service to sermons? Especially in our current context where any talk that goes longer than 10 minutes can be a struggle and where there is such a plurality of opinions, sermons might seem archaic and narrow-minded…

As we approach the final chapter of 1 Thessalonians, we will begin the sermon reflecting upon some of the key blessings from the letter: (1) the reality that not only is God incredibly gracious and loving by sending his one and only Son to die for us, but even our ability to respond and believe in this is by God's grace (1.2-10); (2) because we are in Christ, God's heart toward us is like a parent who longs for his children (2.7, 11); (3) God is the one who will guarantee that all those who are in Christ will abound in love and grow in holiness (3.11-4.12); and (4) because we are in Christ, we have hope that we will be glorified on the day of resurrection, which gives us assurance even as we experience our daily struggles (4.13-18)!

In this week's passage, Paul addresses one of the primary concerns of the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians were grieving because they were unsure of what happened to those who passed away. Will they somehow be neglected when Jesus returns?

Last week, one of you raised a wonderful question that we were unable to answer, but which is the topic of today's passage. How do we know if we are relying on ourselves or on God? How are we to maintain the balance of being responsible, and yet rely on God? These questions are supremely important not only for the Christian but even for the broader secular society. With the prevalence of evolutionary theory during this new scientific age, many are wondering if free will is a mere illusion…

Many times in our walks with Jesus, we wonder what we need to do in order to grow? How can we become more loving? How can we become more blameless and holy? There are certainly moments when these questions are helpful, but only insofar as we remember an answer to a far more important question? Who is the one ultimately responsible for our growth? God is!

I remember when my first-born, Jude, was dropped off at daycare for the first time. A part of me was overwhelmed with anxiety because I thought that Jude was going into daycare too early. Maybe his immune system wasn't strong enough? Maybe he is at the point of separation anxiety so he won't be able to adjust? As much as we tried to prepare him for the big transition, he could not stop wailing the moment that I tried to drop him off. He would not let go and I have never heard him cry so loudly or desperately. Yet I know that the right thing for me to do was for me to walk away…

Have you ever wondered if it is worth living your entire life based on the gospel of Jesus Christ? Or that the gospel is actually making an impact in your everyday life? Or that you are walking faithfully in light of what all Jesus has done for you in the gospel? Many of us, especially in 2020, might have had these questions…

As we have been repeatedly reminded throughout the past few years, all of life comes down to whether we sin (distort, suppress, or reject God's character and involvement) or we worship (recognize, submit to, and celebrate God's character and involvement). Left to ourselves, we are hopelessly enslaved to sinful tendencies. This, then, leads to other symptoms of sin: relational conflict, anger problems, gossip, lack of self-control, greed, etc…

As we have been learning throughout the summer, the pandemic life is similar in many ways with the exile life. The people of God found themselves in a foreign lifestyle where they no longer had access to things in life that provided them with a sense of security, normalcy, and familiarity. It must have been unthinkable for them to not have access to the temple and to be unable to worship God with animal sacrifices. Similarly, for us, the pandemic life has stripped us from many basic things that we have taken for granted…

All of us are living in a world where it is hostile against our faith. There are so many influences—both internal and external—that are trying to distract us from placing our trust in God. In this way, Daniel 3 is very instructive for us. During this time period, Daniel and his friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were living in an empire that was also hostile against their faith…

We often underestimate the gospel of Jesus Christ. We look at the gospel as mere tips for improving daily living or as reassurance for something into the distant future. We do this in part because we underestimate our utter hopelessness and how devastating our sin is. Thus, we fail to recognize how undeserving the grace, sacrifice, and love that Jesus Christ expressed through the cross…

Psalm 150

It is unbelievable that August is already coming to an end. For many of us, September will present many new and challenging changes to our lives. Despite the pending uncertainties, we are reminded in Psalm 138 that we can nevertheless place our hope in God. Our hope is not based on circumstances, but based on the fact that God is committed to exalting his name. Therefore, he will continue to show his steadfast love toward those who are humble and needy…

Here at Uptown, it's been uncanny how God has been moving in the lives of our community over the past few months during the pandemic. Not only has God been expressing his faithfulness toward us, but recently, there have been many of us experiencing surprising and unexpected breakthroughs and answered prayers. Praise God!

Many of us have experienced difficult seasons where we feel great need and lack. As I mentioned before, I am presently experiencing such a season and I know some of you are as well. Often times, we think that we have to be "strong" and "mature" during these seasons by reminding ourselves that God is trying to teach us something important. However, in Psalm 70, we see another perspective, which is equally important…

Like Psalm 46, many of us have experienced seasons where our confidence or assurance in life has been severely shaken. In fact, many of us might be experiencing such a season right now--whether it's the discouraging news in the world, difficulties at work, relational tension, personal discomfort, or struggles in our relationship with God. Psalm 46, however, reminds us that we can find assurance by looking to God…

One of the common feelings of the Christian is that God is distant from us. This is especially true in light of recent circumstances. Not only has the pandemic disrupted our lifestyle, but the recent injustices to the black community and even our own personal struggles have led many of us feeling like God has forsaken us…

It is a relief for some of us that the first half of 2020 has finally ended, as this year has been brutal for the entire world. Although many of us might feel discouraged, God is reminding us to place our confidence in the only thing that never disappoints: the gospel of Jesus Christ…

Have you ever felt like there is a lack of direction, foundation, or purpose in your life? Or that there are certain things that you know that you should do, but you ultimately feel powerless to accomplish them?…

This week's sermon is the second part of the "Overcoming Conflict" sermon from a couple of weeks ago. In this second part, we will focus on the topic of forgiveness…