Upside-Down Savior - Pastor Nathan Nass

Christians can be the best citizens. Know why? You’re able to respect the government without worshipping it. To obey the government without trusting in it. To make this country a better place without putting your hope in it. How? You know the real King! So show respect, even for those who don’t deserve it. Pay your taxes. But trust in God. Put your hope in heaven. Thank God for the 250 years he’s...

Happy Father’s Day! Here’s what I think dads really need: Encouragement. Life deflates us. We need to be filled up. Fathers need to be filled up. To be encouraged. Today, instead of telling you what you need to do, I want you to hear what God your Father has done for you. Your Father, right now, is working out all things for your good. Your Father, from before the beginning of time, has chosen you...

God loves you sincerely! Do you believe that? It’s true! Jesus died for you. Jesus washed away your sins in baptism. Jesus makes you holy and blameless. Jesus loves you sincerely. That love from Jesus is what leads Christians to love others–even our enemies. Jesus’ love empowers Christians to overcome evil with good. When it’s hard to fit in… Overcome evil with good. When criticism comes… Overcome...

Our God is the God of the broken. The God of the crushed. The God who called darkness into light. The God who formed man from dust. The God who sent his own Son. The God of unfailing love. How can we broken, sinful creatures, make it through today? Only by the unfailing love of God. How can we make it through tomorrow? Only by the unfailing love of God. The Christian prays to the Lord, “Satisfy us...

You are a Spirit-filled Christian. Do you think about that? God wants you to! As we watch God pour out his Holy Spirit on his people on Pentecost, we learn three amazing things that God the Holy Spirit does for God’s people. First, the Holy Spirit takes cowards and makes them courageous. He turned Peter from a denier of Jesus into a bold proclaimer of the Gospel. Second, the Holy Spirit gives diff...

Solomon was a young man who had just reached a big milestone in his life. For Solomon, it wasn’t Confirmation Day. He had just become the king of Israel! The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (1 Kings 3:5). What would you have asked for? Money? A pickup truck? Success? Young Solomon asked for something totally different: “Give your servant a d...

It’s a blessing to be a mother. The Bible wants to convince us of that. It was just announced this spring that the birthrate in the United States is the lowest it has ever been. For some reason, being a mother doesn’t sound as good as it used to. The story of Hannah in the Bible shows us a totally different attitude. Hannah prayed fervently to the Lord for a son, and when she was finally blessed w...

“Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Nothing good comes from inside us. All good comes from outside us–“from the Father of the heavenly lights.” The more you believe that, the more that trust in God fills your heart, the more peace will fill your life. Forgiveness and eternal life. That’s God’s gift to you from above! Peace with God. That’s God’s gift to you from above! If God...

There are aliens on earth. There are living beings on earth from out-of-this world. Do you know whom I’m talking about? You! You are an alien! I hope that doesn’t sound mean. If you’re a Christian, the Bible calls you “foreigners and exiles.” When Jesus talked about Christians, he said, “They are not of this world, even as I am not of it” (John 17:16). If we are not of this world, what are we? Ali...

When your heart feels restless, return to your Shepherd. He’s the only One who can truly calm it. When your heart is guilty, return to your Shepherd. It might feel like you’re 20,000 miles away from God, but you’re not. He is right here with you. He already bore your sins in his body on the cross. Jesus has forgiven you! When you feel overwhelmed with everything, like you have to carry the burdens...

“He descended into hell.” We say that every time we confess the words of the Apostles Creed. Have you ever wondered what those words mean? Whenever we say, “He descended into hell,” think, “Jesus won!” After he rose from the dead, Jesus descended into hell to proclaim his victory over his enemies. The devil is defeated. The enemies of God can’t win. There is vindication for God’s people. It might...

How often in your heart is there a longing for more? More of everything. More time. More friends. More meaning. More purpose. More life. Life isn’t very fulfilling, is it? There is ingrained in our hearts a desire for more. There’s got to be more than this. There is! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Death is not the end. Because Jesus rose, we will also rise. What you see isn’t all there is. N...

Do you know where the word “excruciating” comes from? The little word “ex” is the Latin word for “from.” The next part is the key: What’s the “cruc” in “excruciating”? That’s the Latin word for “cross.” The word “excruciating” means “from the cross.” Have you ever made that connection? Every time you say or think the word “excruciating,” you’re referring to a cross. That’s what Jesus endured on Go...

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Your mindset matters. That’s what everybody says, right? If you change your mindset, you change your life. At least, that’s what we’re told. What if Christ were to change your mindset? What if you lived your life with your mind on the cross? You would be humble. It took the death of God’s own Son to...

The old saying goes, “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Of course, that’s completely false. Words, especially someone else’s false words that accuse you or attack your reputation, can destroy your career and your marriage and your family. God knows. That’s why he gave the 8th Commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). N...

Sin is like sand at the beach. There’s a lot of it. It’s everywhere. And it sticks to you. Not to your body. Sin sticks to your conscience. You can look clean, but you still feel so dirty. You can try to leave that sin behind, but guilt rubs between your toes and grits between your teeth. You can’t get rid of it. Sin sticks to our consciences like sand sticks to your body. How can we get a clean c...

God’s Word and promises are food for your soul. How long can you go without food for your stomach? A little while. As in, a couple hours. Then you get cranky. Hangry, right? So how long can you go without food for your soul? A little while, but not long. Soon your heart gets anxious and discouraged and guilty and tired. You’re hungry. So come and eat! Every church service. Every Bible study. Every...

One of the first things Jesus preached was, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). Repentance is at the heart of Christianity. What does it mean to repent? Here’s a Bible verse that explains: “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 5...

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32). If God was willing to give us his own Son… If Jesus was willing to give up his life for us on the cross… What do we need to worry about? Nothing. What do we need to covet? Nothing. Every time you want to curl up in a ball and cry about what you don’t hav...

Is it worth it to be a Christian? Following Jesus can be hard. Some days, the devil makes it seem like it isn’t worth it. Is it? Yes! You have what everybody else is looking for. Do you realize that? You have forgiveness for every sin. You have peace with God. You have hope. You have a future. You have life—life here on earth and forever in heaven. You have what everybody else is looking for! You...

No commandment makes you and me feel more dirty than the 6th Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Lust, adultery, pornography… Do you struggle with any of those sins? Then no commandment better helps us picture the depths of Jesus’ forgiveness. There is forgiveness for lust. Jesus gave himself to make you clean! There is forgiveness for adultery. Jesus washed you with water...

Who was the thief on the cross? You’re probably used to seeing three crosses, with Jesus in the middle. Two criminals were crucified with Jesus, and one of them even had a conversation with Jesus. Who was that thief on the cross? He probably wasn’t a thief. It’s more likely that he was a violent rebel, which makes Jesus’ words to him that much more amazing: “Truly I tell you, today you will be wit...

God calls on Christians to have a different perspective on sex than the rest of the world. “ It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality ” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). How you control your body reflects on the faith in Jesus that’s in your heart. I hope you can listen to this sermon about God’s will for sex and the grace and forgiveness that he offers for all...

At first, the 5th Commandment might seem like the easiest: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). But it’s not so simple. Jesus says that anger in God’s eyes is equal to murder (Matthew 5:22). After hearing Jesus’ words, the 5th Commandment might seem like the hardest! Here’s what it really is: The heart of the gospel message. God loves all people. He shouldn’t. We don’t deserve it! But God loves...

Why doesn’t God speak to me? Concerned people ask that. “I wait and I wait to hear God’s voice, but it never comes. Why doesn’t God speak to me?” Have you ever wondered that? Long ago, God told his people, “Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” (Jeremiah 23:28).I hope you can listen to this short d...