Sunday Sermons | Evergreen Church

Part of the Psalms of Ascent, these verses were sung by ancient pilgrims on their way to worship in Jerusalem. This section centers on the life of a husband and father within his family and as a responsible participant in the public life of the nation. Father’s Day calls men to more than grilled meats and televised ballgames. God Himself calls men to holy leadership.

Any organization, institution, or business justifies its continued existence only when it carries out the purpose for which it was founded. The church is a collection of redeemed saints who are meant to help every other person in the world become more like Jesus. But we do not attempt the impossible alone!

A common question today is, “If God knows everything, what’s the point of praying?” Prayer does so much more than offer the details of our lives to God as requests. It is intimately and powerfully related to maintaining the Faith in difficult generations. Remember, the model prayer prays about Kingdom matters before it ever addresses daily needs.

Fellowship is a word often relegated to social events and Sunday School parties. Biblically, however, fellowship means the life we share with other believers by our common bond in Jesus. This aspect of Christianity appeals powerfully to an isolated and fractured culture.

Finances tend to be a private matter for many people. Sadly, even among Christians, the subject of money often causes offense. Refusing to ignore the topic, Paul provides a rationale for giving based on the straightforward reality that God instructs His people to be givers. Simply put, Christian giving is the grace-filled use of material resources to share life.

These days, “religion” is a bad word. It has been used as a rallying cry for war and discrimination. It’s associated with ignorance and legalistic hypocrisy. Even Christians are suspicious of the very concept. But it’s right here in the book of James…what can it mean?

Mother’s Day is an annual celebration set apart to esteem Mom with funny memories, maybe breakfast in bed, and gifts purchased by kids with Dad’s money. This tribute emphasizes the sweetness of mothering, but seldom acknowledges the difficulties of this heaven-assigned task. To strengthen appreciation for Mom, consider some models of motherhood in God’s Word.

C.S. Lewis once commented to an American friend, “How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing…it is irresistible. If even 10% of the world’s population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before a year’s end?”

Light was the first thing God created (Genesis 1:3, 4); but more importantly, light is a characteristic of God Himself (1 John 1:5). Resuming again His debate with the religious authorities, Jesus now makes another breathtaking claim…He is not merely a reflection of the light of God. He is the divine luminary providing light to the whole world!

Easter is regularly understood as a day of remembering; but it is also meant to be a day of anticipation. The first Easter was a taste, a sampling, of what waits in store for authentic followers of Jesus. Today, let Evergreen recall the emotions of that first Easter; and let us also imagine the emotions of the coming day of His return!

The story of the woman caught in adultery is a magnificent example of Jesus contending with His critics while also dealing graciously with someone in need. It is a story in which anyone burdened by sin and guilt can find consolation and yet recognize that moral standards are not diminished in the touch of mercy.

Six months have passed since chapter six. Jesus continues to teach and do miracles throughout Galilee and in Syrophoenicia (Caesarea-Philippi/Mt. Hermon). The next confrontation in Jerusalem looms on the horizon as His journey to the cross gains intensity. Like our own day, there are many opinions across the land…but just one Truth.

From its beginning, a critical part of Christianity has been the gathering of people worshipping together. This vital source of shared life originally occurred “house to house.” However, the term “house church” often produces misunderstanding today. The closest equivalent to an ancient house church is a contemporary church like Evergreen.

The invitation to spiritual life has been offered, explained, and now rejected. The multitude misunderstood; the religious authorities were actively hostile. But the worst result was desertion by many who were already attached to Jesus at some level. For the first time, He distinguishes between superficial believers and true followers… a distinction still evident .

The day before, the crowds had been ready to proclaim Jesus as political Messiah, a King out from among them. Now, they turn the familiar facts of His home against Him. In their fickleness and murmuring, John sees the mark of their forefathers grumbling in the wilderness against Moses. Determined unbelief is satisfied with any objection.

Despite eating until they were full the day before, the crowd wakes up hungry the next morning and seeks out Jesus to provide another meal. This search produces not a meal, but a pointed explanation by Jesus of everything they missed in the earlier “sign.” With great patience, Jesus offers them one more chance to consider the true Bread of Life.

Both publicly among the crowds and privately with the disciples, Jesus’ presence made everything better. Whatever the challenge, He focuses our attention, teaches us to trust, demonstrates practical compassion, and offers peace in especially stressful moments. His instruction to us to abide (rest) in Him is, really, the sweetest invitation of life.

A testimonial to oneself is no testimonial at all. No one can witness his own signature. So Jesus now extends His defense by summoning witnesses to testify that He is equal to God and the promised Messiah—witnesses His Jewish critics should have accepted as trustworthy. Even today, the rejection of Jesus is not based on lack of “proof,” but rejection of truth.

Just like our physical body, the church body must be fully functioning to work properly and to avoid serious consequences. Paul has spent the first three chapters of Ephesians setting forth the honors, blessings, and privileges of being a child of God. In Chapter 4, Paul now describes the responsibilities of such a title. To be a child of God is to recognize your place in the Body of Christ, His C...

Listen in as Pastor Philip Jackson walks us through what the Bible says to parents and those affected by friends and family members who have walked away from the faith.

The heart of Christianity is the affirmation that Jesus is both divine and human, both Son of God and Son of Man. In the argument that ensues in John 5, Jesus makes exactly such claims. The Pharisees accurately understand and consider these claims to be blasphemy. Jesus offers a powerful defense, impossible to refute. Nevertheless, He had to die…

Book V opens with a series of poems that affirms that God hears the cries of His people and will respond to their needs by establishing a Kingdom of justice. The King will defeat all enemies. The days of evil are numbered already. This hope is expressed in the Hallel songs (Pss. 113-118) and the Songs of Ascent (Pss. 120-136). Between these collections is Psalm 119, a Hebrew alphabet mnemonic song...

Book II opens with two poems united in the hope of God’s close presence, a return to the atmosphere of the Temple. This is the language of anticipation for the messianic Kingdom. This division closes with a description of the future reign of the messianic King over the entire world. Echoes can be found of the prophets—Isaiah 11, 45, 60; Zechariah 9. This is the fulfillment of the promise so long a...

The twin themes of Psalms 1-2 emerge now with intentional clarity. Primarily consisting of songs attributed to David, Book I outlines the rise of David from shepherd boy to king and then points to the greater Son of David promised to Israel in the future. The declaration of these truths can be seen in nature, but seldom are recognized; so God has given a more personal revelation in His Law. (Book...

Psalms is a collection of songs and poetry reflecting the experiences of men grappling with both a good and gracious God and the struggles and evils of human life. The book can be broadly divided into praises and laments. More than any other biblical book, Psalms articulates our own struggles of faith. It voices the highs and lows of our own soul when we are unable to find words to express our hea...