Sunday Sermons | Evergreen Church

This week we hear from guest preacher and Evergreen Church member, Bob Yandian. He brings us a message on the two thieves who were crucified with Christ. We pray God speaks to you as you listen.

With only serious followers remaining, Jesus begins a private time of instruction unparalleled by any other teacher in history. Immediately, He takes us from the heights of His glory to the depth of our inconsistencies. But we don’t despair…ultimately His life is our life.

Peter betrays Jesus and finds forgiveness and restoration. Judas betrays Jesus and then commits suicide. What was the difference? The difference is found in each man’s relationship to Christ. A disciple betrays the Master when he chooses to stay on the fringe of the Kingdom.

In the closing hours of His life, Jesus stressed that His followers do not merely know God, but they live out the practical implications of that relationship. In truth, few people care that we know; they need to know that we care.

Because we are a people of another land, our actions in this world must always be driven by our citizenship in and loyalty to another place. Christian giving makes no earthly sense until it is understood as a practice with eternal impact. As such, our new construction says something about us and about God far beyond the dollars and cents involved.

Jesus often used light and darkness imagery to illustrate His relationship to men and to describe their relationship to the world. We live today in a spiritual “murky time” and Jesus has a word of gospel warning for our generation.

People today seem to be searching for a roadmap to lead them through these days of global crisis and uncertainty. They turn to political pundits, social media influencers, cultural prognosticators, and medical “experts.” The Bible, however, gives life direction to believers in very simple terms: lift up Christ and let Him draw others into the Kingdom.

The word king actually means “one who is able.” Reluctant to accept the title before now, Jesus arrives at Jerusalem and finally receives this accolade in its fullest sense—He is the Eternal King, the promised Messiah, the One Who comes in the name of the Lord. This Sunday morning entry is recognized as “triumphal,” even today, only with eyes of faith.

Readers often assume that the events of Holy Week leading to Easter begin with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. In fact, the week’s highlights begin with an odd gift to Jesus made by a woman the day before. She gave an extraordinary gift of value because she saw the hidden significance of the moment. Giving is always about the invisible.

Lazarus is alive! Celebration certainly ensues…among some. However, others are only hardened in their hatred and opposition toward Jesus. These two responses have always been side by side. The supernatural activity of Jesus confronts every person with a crisis of decision.

Now Jesus meets the sisters in their grief and misunderstanding. His patience is on display, but His power even more so. Doubt is generally not fatal, but faith must finally win the day. Death is no ultimate challenge to The One Who is Life Himself!

“When days are weary, The long nights dreary, I know my Saviour cares.” These words reflect the simple faith of the hymn writer. Does Jesus really care? John 11 presents the seventh and greatest sign-miracle of Jesus, the resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus displays His care by showing us a glimpse of divine timing and revealing the glory of God.

Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) and finds Himself once again assaulted by skeptics, miracle seekers, and opponents. He lays out a review of the overwhelming evidence for His identity. Yet it’s only outside the city among the rural folk that He gets a fair evaluation and a following from those who believe.

Jesus now transitions His emphasis from one’s ability to see spiritually to the necessity to hear spiritually. These images are best understood against the backdrop of Ezekiel 34 and Zechariah 11:17. The relationship shared between Jesus and His people stands unparalleled in human experience.

Life experiences, both good and bad, set the stage for the unique story of grace in every believer. To understand the meaning behind the events of our lives, it is necessary to grow in comprehension of Jesus and His grace toward us. Telling your story means sharing life.

The Christian life is dangerous and hard. It should not surprise us that God’s children are growing more uncomfortable as the return of Jesus comes closer. But how do we thrive in the midst of these challenges? Paul’s letter to the Romans teaches us that there is a divine plan for us and God longs to share it with us. As we face the growing reality that this world is not our home, it is important...

Ezekiel 40-48 present details of the millennial temple (40-42), priesthood/sacrifices (43-46), and land divisions (47-48) during the millennium anticipating eternity. The temple of these chapters is the fourth and final temple planned in the economy of God. It portrays a glad vision of a day when justice and righteousness will be on display to the whole world.

Ezekiel 38-39 are composed as a series of seven oracles against Gog, the enemy of Israel. They speak of an invasion during a period when Israel is living in peace and security in the Promised Land. Like Egypt of old, Magog is an evil army overwhelmed by God for His Glory.

Are we, as believers, actively honoring the Lord’s Name by obeying His Word, or are we following in the steps of Israel—using religious activity to take the place of obedient holiness? God’s intention for Kingdom people is global impact. Disobedience short-circuits that plan. Discipline follows. Repentance produces revival. Kingdom living can change a generation.

Ezekiel now depicts the tragic and total disintegration of every area of leadership that should have provided moral and spiritual guidance to Judah. The failure of the leaders made judgment inevitable. Five specific segments of society are examined and charged with delinquency. These verses apply to every nation as it stands accountable to Almighty God.

Tucked neatly into a series of judgment messages is an invitation to choose life rather than death. Portions of this chapter are often misunderstood to teach an impermanent salvation. Context shows this idea is not the lesson at hand; but rather, the opportunity to avoid coming judgment is in the hands of individuals each responsible for their own standing before God.

After an extended vision about the pollution of the Temple, Ezekiel now receives a glimpse into the greatest disaster an Israelite could imagine—God’s departure from His people! From Eden forward, the Bible’s consistent message is that God and human sin are incompatible. Precisely for this reason, the gospel of Jesus Christ inspires awe and amazement!

After receiving a vision of the Lord’s majesty, Ezekiel is commissioned as a prophet to the people of Judah in exile in Babylon. The task is extraordinarily difficult; but the available resources of God are always enough to accomplish the mission. The prophet’s timeless motivations call out to Evergreen in the present generation.

We process everything based on our fallen and broken world perspective. We constantly evaluate it from a myopic viewpoint. As we seek to transition into an eternal kingdom that is foreign to our present existence, we struggle to grasp our limitations and many times fail to remember that proper focus only comes from one place.

The first wave of exiles have been transplanted from Judah to Babylon. Jerusalem and the Temple are about to be destroyed. Where is God? How could He allow pagans to occupy the land of promise? Is He absent? How can people of faith survive in a pagan culture dominated by unbelievers? This question, even today, remains uncomfortably relevant.