Upside-Down Savior - Pastor Nathan Nass

When you realize who Jesus is, you always have a reason to praise the Lord. I bet some of the people praising Jesus on Palm Sunday were poor. I bet some of them were sick. I bet some were depressed. Some were lonely. If they had waited until every aspect of their lives was perfect before they praised the Lord, they would have been sitting home that day. So why were they praising Jesus? For who he...

It’s almost time to celebrate Holy Week. Next Friday, we’ll remember how Jesus was crucified to save us from our sins. There’s a psalm for that. Did you know there’s a psalm in the Old Testament that’s all about Jesus’ crucifixion? It’s Psalm 22. In it, King David describes the agony of facing death. But as we read it, we realize that David isn’t just talking about himself. He’s prophesying about...

Can you see? The easy answer is, “Yes, of course I can see! All I have to do is open my eyes…” That’s great. Physical sight is a tremendous blessing from God. But can you see spiritually? Can you see right and wrong? Good and evil? Can you discern between the truth from God and the lies of this world? That’s harder than it sounds. Spiritual blindness is a lot more common than we think. I hope you...

On March 24, 2023, I preached for the funeral of a dear Christian man from our congregation. I hope you can listen to the funeral sermon: “Chief of Sinners though I Be, Jesus Shed His Blood for Me.” No matter what your life has been like, you can have hope today, because “here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15)....

Does life frustrate you? Do you feel you have some pretty valid complaints against God? You’re not alone. There’s a song for that in the Bible: Psalm 73. In Psalm 73, a believer in God named Asaph presents all his complaints to God, just like you and I so often do. But in the middle of his frustrations, Asaph remembered the Lord and his promises. He reaches this powerful conclusion: “Yet I am alwa...

Life so often doesn’t go the way we think it’s supposed to go. God allows little children to die. God allows people to recover from a stroke, only to get another stroke and die. Nothing hits us as hard as an unexpected death. But Jesus brings life from death. He proved it again and again in the Bible, and he makes us this promise, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me wil...

Accusations hurt. When you’ve been accused of something you didn’t do, those accusations cut right to your heart. Reputations are ruined. Lives are changed. Do you know what it’s like to be accused? There’s a song for that in the Bible: Psalm 17. Whatever you are accused of—false or true—Jesus took it to the cross. Jesus paid it all. So here’s what the Bible encourages an accused heart to do: Call...

The LORD provides for us. From our daily bread to eternal salvation, from our physical need for food and water to our spiritual need for forgiveness, it all comes from our gracious God. The LORD provides! Sometimes he uses ravens. Other times, he uses widows. Usually, he uses jobs or parents. Can you see God’s hand behind it all? I hope you can listen to this sermon about how God provided for Elij...

It seems like there’s one thing that just about everyone can actually agree on: Americans are struggling with despair. Are you? You are not alone. So many of us struggle with despair, depression, and anxiety. I hope you don’t think you can’t talk about the struggles you face inside. Because you can. Because you matter. Because people in the Bible do. If you have a downcast heart, there is hope for...

“ I have had enough, Lord. Take my life ” (1 Kings 19:4). Can you imagine hearing your pastor pray that? The prophet Elijah did: “ I have had enough, Lord. Take my life. ” He was that discouraged. That hopeless. Do you ever feel that way? Like you’re the only one? Like your life isn’t worth living? If you do, I hope you can listen to this sermon: “When You’re the Only One…” In his lowest moment, G...

Have you ever been betrayed? It’s one of the worst feelings in the world. Betrayal crushes you. Betrayal in one relationship changes all your relationships. Suddenly, you look at every person differently. You look at every person waiting for them to let you down. What do you do when your heart is betrayed? There’s a psalm for that. In Psalm 55, King David poured out his anguished heart to God afte...

The devil wants to divide your heart, so that it’s not all with Jesus. He wants you to ride the fence. To play both sides. God wants all of you. He wants all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. Long ago, the prophet Elijah asked God’s people: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). How would you ans...

When you confess your sins to Jesus, your sins are forgiven. Your sins are covered by Jesus’ blood. Your sins are so far gone that God will never count them against you. The Bible sings a song to every guilty heart: “ Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them ” (Psalm 32:1-2). Our God is not someo...

You can’t understand God’s purpose for your life, unless you understand that the goal of your life is heaven. You can’t understand God’s love for you, unless you believe what’s waiting for you in heaven. You can’t face death with hope, unless you know that heaven is for real. Life only makes sense if heaven is for real. God wants to use his Word to convince you that heaven is for real, and it’s fo...

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Those are hard words from Jesus. Know why? I don’t love my enemies. In fact, I don’t like them at all. I bet you don’t either. But Jesus does. Remember what he did on the cross? He prayed for his enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Then, Jesus died for them and for you and m...

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to watch out for something. For a terrible disease that easily inflicts the hearts of people who claim to follow Jesus: Self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is looking good in your own eyes. Sadly, we Christians can be very good at that. “We’re better than…” “At least we’re not like…” In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached powerfully against self-righte...

Jesus gives Christians a unique purpose: To be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. To share law and gospel. To point out sin and point to Jesus. Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden…. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14,16). I hope you can listen to this...

Jesus takes our normal perspective on life and turns it upside-down. Listen: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Blessed are the poor? Really? Yes! Being poor in spirit means to be fall completely on God’s grace. If you are forced to depend on God for everything, do you know what you are? Blessed. Because that is the essence of faith. God’s kingdom...

When you get anxious, stop trying to rule the world. God’s got this. God’s got you. You’re God’s chosen one! How can you be sure? Your baptism proves it. When water was put on your head in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, God put his Spirit into your heart. God claimed you as his child. God committed to be your Father. “ A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick...

How far would you go to see Jesus? The Wise Men traveled for months, while King Herod and the people of Jerusalem refused to go even a couple miles to Bethlehem. How far would you go to see Jesus? Before you answer, remember how far Jesus came for you. He left heaven. He became a human being. He died on a cross. All to save us! In this new year, have the same goal as the Wise Men had: Worship Jesu...

That Baby in the manger is true God and true Man, the perfect Savior for you and me! In all the superficiality of Christmas, don’t miss the profound truths of Jesus’ birth. Jesus is true God and has existed from eternity. But in a remarkable miracle, Jesus took on flesh at Christmas. He is true Man to live a perfect life in our place. He went through every temptation and struggle we face, and he d...

On Christmas, God gave us two great gifts: The gift of Jesus Christ our Savior and the gift of faith in him. It’s not enough to know the facts of Jesus’ birth. I hope you believe that Jesus’ birth changes our lives. In your life, there will be dark nights and lonely days. Times when all you have is this: “A Savior has been born to you.” That’s God’s gift! One day, you will stare the deepest darkne...

Christmas night certainly wasn’t silent, but it was filled with Jesus’ peace, just like our lives.

The Bible calls Jesus the “Prince of Peace.” How can that be true, with all the division and bitterness we see in our world? Jesus himself explained: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). If you’re looking for peace this Christmas season, I hope you can listen to this Advent dev...

No matter what your family history is like, Jesus came to save all of us from our sins!