The believers of Northern Turkey have stuggled under various trials that God has allowed to afflict his Church. Peter writes to encourage them to look the blessed hope of Jesus Christ in their struggle. Peter described process of salvation in 1 Peter 1:1-2. Peter described the greater riches of our salvation in 1 Peter 1:3-5. Peter gave us the purpose of trials in 1 Peter 1:6-9. In 1 Peter 1:10-12 he reminds them that they are a privilaged generation to know the Christ. Likewise, we are privilaged because through the Gospels we know Christ.

Jesus is our perfect substitute who suffered as a man to save us from Satan, death, and Sin.

Paul provides another application to the death and resurrection of Christ and our call to a new life. This passage teaches us that the Law dominated us legally (3:20-21) and practically through sin. However, this bondage to the Law was finished with the death and burial of Jesus Christ. We now celebrate freedom and a new life from the Law through our Lord and Savior.

Pastor Johnold J. Strey Sermon on Matthew 27: (50), 51 Midweek Lent Services, 2011 Gloria Dei Lutheran Church; Belmont, CA; March 9, 2011 Apostles Lutheran Church; San Jose, CA; March 16, 2011 THE MIRACULOUS TEARING OF THE TEMPLE CURTAIN Sermon Series: THE MIRACLES OF LENT Introduction In the summer…

Introduction For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;…

INTRODUCTION Please turn your Bibles to … For our lesson today, we are continuing our 5th Sunday series titled “The Best Possible News”… In our first lesson in this series, we talked about the life of Jesus. sums up a lot of what we talked about in our first lesson: “You yourselves know what happened…

Question for Everyone Sum up in one word, what does the cross mean to you? It could mean hope, grace, love, salvation, forgiveness etc. These things are all true, they are our experiences The Roman Cross was devised by the government of Rome to be the most excruciating form of human execution. it was…

Welcome Welcome, and thanks for being a part of our Good Friday worship service today. Lunch will be available immediately following the service in the FLC (Gym), or if you need to head back to work quickly today, we have some lunches prepared and bagged and on the cart in the foyer with bottles of water…

Fullness of Joy—1:4 1. Joy Is God’s Will For the Believer. a) Joy is the second quality listed as “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22). (1) Chara (joy) is used some 70 times in the New Testament, always to signify a feeling of happiness that is based on spiritual realities. (2) It is not an experience…

The death of Jesus Christ fulfils OT predictions and was clearly anticipated in his teaching.

John's account of Jesus death focuses not so much on Jesus' suffering, but on his fulfilment of God's great plan of salvation. Finally, on our journey through Scripture, we get to see God's great plan to restore humanity into relationship with him--a relationship dashed by the first humans--accomplished by the Son of God himself.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ promises us many truths. Since the cross is the decisive victory over sin, death, and Satan we get to enjoy wonderful riches in Christ. However, in many ways we wait until the day when he returns and the final judgement to fully be able to appreciate those wonderful riches. Until then, the natural effect of waiting is doubt whether those riches will ever come. Paul anticipates this doubt and teaches us how we can be confident that we are saved from the final judgement.

Have you ever been treated unfairly? Paul addresses the persecution of slaves submitting to masters (v. 18) and Christians generally suffering because of their good deeds (v. 19). We are challenged to walk in the footsteps of Jesus in these circumstances. When faced with wickedness he returned sacrificial, unconditional, love. If we are truly to live the Christian life - then we must learn to treat others as Jesus treated his enemies.

INTRODUCTION: There are times when life throws us a curve ball. Times of uncertainty. Times of trouble. Perhaps that is a person whom we find ourselves embroiled in conflict with. Or that unexpected trial we face. Or a period when we have to wait for God’s answer to prayer. This year, many of us have…

INTRODUCTION: Have you ever considered how your Bible is put together? Is it a topical index on life issues? That is – you have your book on parenting, you have your book on worship, you have your book on anger, you have your book on success. I think when we ask it that way, we realize our Bibles are…

Holy Tuesday

Pastor Johnold J. Strey Sermon on Matthew 27:50 Midweek Lent Services, 2011 Gloria Dei Lutheran Church; Belmont, CA; March 23, 2011 Apostles Lutheran Church; San Jose, CA; March 30, 2011 THE MIRACULOUS DEATH OF GOD Sermon Series: THE MIRACLES OF LENT Introduction Example #1: You just sang the hymn, "O…

God invites us to "play catch" with him! What is that all about? David pictures himself in his relationship with the Lord as a weaned child against his mother. All of this has to do with hope, the kind of hope that says, "I KNOW so." How so? Come with the Grace United crew as we receive from the Lord some vital ways to show our hope in Him.

TEXT: Matthew 27:27-46 TOPIC: Confronted By The Cross Pastor Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church, Center Point Sunday morning, April 9, 2006 27/Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on…

"I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth . . ." is how one introduces his or her testimony in a court of law. It is his or witness to the truth as they saw it. When a testimony is given, what comes out sometimes costs the witness his or her life. What was the testimony of Jesus. He said, "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world." What was this purpose? What was his testimony? And what did it cost him to declare it? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover the testimony of Jesus--the very reason he was born.

What's so good about Good Friday?

Every year about this time, the Grace United youth and young adults serve in corporate worship, to include the preaching. This year, Aidan and Liam tag teamed to deliver a powerful 2 part message concerning what worship is from their perspective. In this day and age there seems to be a premium placed on "nones". However, there are still some youth who hold fast to the truth. What are Aidan's and Liam's take on worship? Tune in to find out. You just might be surprised. My prayer as their pastor is that you would be challenged by these young men, teenagers, regarding the worship of the King.

The significance of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ

Jesus' trial was nothing more than a sham perpetuated by Pilot bending to the peer pressure of the Jews. In typical politician fashion he bent toward what caused him the least politial damage instead of doing what was right.

I. The King Dies (44-54) 44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. 45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ Eli , Eli , lama sabachthani ?” that…