St Andrew's Messages

Which is more important, the letter of the law or the spirit of the law? Is separating them ever legitimate? Jesus had something to say about that and more important things in Matthew 12.

We might go to our friends for support or fun, but when it comes to truth, we rely on what God reveals in his Word. Some of Jesus' words in Matthew 11:20-30 are not easy or pleasant, but they are true. And God is good, so Jesus doesn't leave it there; he tells us where we can find rest—in him alone.

How would you describe your life? While many answers could be offered, "chaos" is one that people use over and over again. That's not a new thing. Matthew 11 brings us into a chaotic time early in Christ's ministry, as John the Baptist and his followers look for clarification on who exactly this Jesus of Nazareth really was. As always, though, Christ brings "clarity amidst chaos." That's a promise...

In the second half of Matthew 10, Jesus states that several actions or inactions make one unworthy of him. Are you in these categories? How do we become worthy of Jesus? He has a lot to say about our fear, our confession, and whom we receive, so we learn from Jesus to be his disciples.

Jesus does not send us out the exact same way he sent out his twelve apostles, but he does send us out, so we can learn a lot from his words in Matthew 9 and 10, including, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

Jesus' miracles keep coming in Matthew 9. This time the Son of David gives sight and speech. He also gives these gifts to us, enabling us to see who he is and praise him for it.

Bad stuff happens in life.  That's true for everyone, though the struggles and hardships and issues may vary. And yet Jesus Christ reigns supreme. God's people gather around God's Word knowing that we have a Savior who rules in both life AND death. That gives us hope for today. It also gives us assurance for eternity. We're glad you're here to worship with us today.

Jesus issues a simple invitation to a tax collector. He issues the same invitation to all of us. In the tax collector's case, some objected that he was a sinner, but if Jesus had come to call the righteous, he would not have called anyone. By God's grace, we follow Jesus too.

Perhaps in ignorance or in youth, you have made a bold claim and declared yourself the best at something. Bold claims are easy to disprove if they are wrong, but in Matthew 9, Jesus made bold claims with his words and actions. Unlike us, Jesus can always back up his claims. All rights reserved. Music used by permission under CCLI #1600166, OneLicense #A-709447, and Worshipflow.com. Pre-service mus...

Matthew 8:28-34 is a disturbing account, but as Jesus continues to show who he is with his actions, we can find comfort in his power and in his priority. God's Word before us touches on demon possession, rejecting Jesus, and even the role of creatures with whom we share the planet.

Jesus' miracles in Matthew's Gospel continue, but what we especially notice today is Jesus' authority. In some ways, it is like the authority we see and would expect, but in some ways it is very different. It is unquestionably an authority to follow.

Are you worthy? At times we all think we are worthy of this or that, but God's Word is clear we are not. Today Jesus teaches about the only one who is worthy and what he has done for you. We're glad you're here.

What do you think of when you hear "untouchable"? John Stockton's record number of career assists in the NBA? The Bill of Rights? The skill level of a favorite musician? As we leave the Sermon on the Mount behind, Matthew 8 introduces us to an untouchable leper, but with God, all things are possible. We're glad you're here to marvel at how Jesus has touched our world and believe in his salvation.

Truth is better than untruth. As we pursue truth in God's Word, we notice that not everything we find is immediately appealing to us, but the truth being unlikeable does not make it untrue. Let's shape our hearts to embrace God's truth because God is good.

"Don't judge me!" has become a societal mantra, but we must not believe that all judging is bad because of phrases like "use good judgment." As we resume our study of Matthew, you will notice Jesus himself said "stop judging." Today we explore what he meant and what good judgment is.

Someone so admires you, he or she is watching you, learning from you and wants to imitate you. Maybe it's a friend or a coworker, or, if you're a parent, for better or for worse, it's your child. In a way, that makes him or her your disciple. You're watching someone and want to imitate someone, too. That makes you a disciple. In a much bigger and different way, Jesus makes us his disciples. We're...

What do you worry about? At the risk of being simplistic, doesn't it seem that our worries are either about not getting what we want, getting what we want and then losing it, or getting what we don't want? Worry isn't always sinful, but some of it can be. Ancient Christians used the Latin, "deo volente" (God-willing) to temper their expectations and, thus, their worry about the future. That might...

If you could ask Jesus for anything at all, what would you ask him? His disciples once asked him, "Lord, teach us to pray." They must have noticed something about how he prayed and wanted to know more. So Jesus taught them what we call "The Lord's Prayer." St. Andrew is currently in a worship series on the Gospel of Matthew. Today we find ourselves in chapter 6 (page 45 in the study booklet) where...

A Grow in Grace presentation by Aaron Wakeman

Commitment is an interesting concept. Although it means thorough dedication, we often speak of different levels of commitment. For example, you might be less committed to your exercise plan than to watching your favorite team on TV. When we think of commitment, we should first think of God. His commitment is not dependent or half-hearted. Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 on how our commitment comes from...

Normally, it's not such a compliment to be called a sheep. Sheep aren't fierce, dominant, or self-sufficient. Sheep need help, protection, and guidance. But now you know why Jesus calls us sheep! More than that, the shepherd is the one who helps, feeds, protects, and guides the sheep. But now you   know why Jesus calls himself our Good Shepherd! Welcome to the sheep pen where we gather under the b...

The five-year-old squirrels away buttons, bows, shells and rocks in a box under his bed. It's his treasure. What's your treasure? We all treasure something, even if we can no longer fit it into a box under the bed. One of the most famous things Jesus said was, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We're glad you're with us today. May Jesus open our eyes to our real treasure.

Do you remember intertwining the fingers of your hands and saying, "Here's the church. Here's the steeple. Open the doors, and see all the people!" It's a neat little reminder that in the Bible, the church is never a building, but it's always people—people Jesus lived and died for and brought to trust and love him. But maybe it's a little misleading, too, because where are all the people? Sure, th...

What would you say has been a crucial time in your life? Was it a time when you made a decision about a career, a move, or marriage? Was it a time when someone else made a decision to reduce staff, offer you a job, or cause an accident? Those were crucial times. But think bigger. What would you say has been the most crucial hour in the history of the world? That distinction belongs to what took pl...