Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners by His life, death, and resurrection. We often think of the importance of His substitutionary death, but why is it such a big deal that Jesus also rose from the dead? In this sermon Pastor David explains the significance of the resurrection of Christ and how it affects our faith, our forgiveness and our future.

1 Corinthians 15:12–23 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a Man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.

On this Palm Sunday, as on all of them, we see the great paradox of Christ's first Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. He entered as both a Conquering King who is praised, and a Humble Servant about to suffer. In Matthew 21:1-17 we see this humble servant and we look forward to His not so humble return at the end of the age.

9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” Jesus Cleanses the Temple 12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

What is the New Covenant and how is it different from the Old Covenant? The New Covenant that Christ brings is far superior to the Old Covenant. In this sermon, Pastor David examines, both the Old and the New to explain why the New Covenant is so much better. In the New Covenant, God promises to transforms sinners from the inside out, to bring them into a personal relationship with Him and to forgive all their sin. Hebrews 8:6–13 Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 For He finds fault with them when He says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in My covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a New Covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Jesus gave the ultimate investment advice. He taught us to use our money and resources to make an eternal impact. In this sermon Pastor David explains you can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead, so invest wholeheartedly in what lasts forever.

Matthew 6:19–21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Is fasting something that Christians should do? Should we intentionally deprive ourselves of food? Should we abstain from eating? If so, why? In this sermon Pastor David explains that Christians fast to focus on the Father. Fasting is more than saying “no” to what we want. It's saying no to a good thing, so that we can have something even better. We give up food to gain communion with God.

Matthew 6:16-18 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Further Study: 1 Tim 4:1-4; Col 2:18; 1 Cor 8:8; Matt 9:14-15; Luke 7:33-34; Acts 13:2-3; Joel 2:12; Isai 58:6-7; Psalm 73:25-26; Hab3:17-18; Matt 4:4; John 4:34

Recommended Books: A Hunger for God by John Piper.

Spiritual Disciplines for Christian Life by Donald Whitney.

Habits of Grace by David Mathis

What we normally call the Lord's prayer is actually a model prayer in which Jesus teaches us to pray to God our Father for His Glory and Our Good. In this sermon pastor David exams this pattern we should follow in prayer.

Matthew 6:9-15 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus doesn’t want His followers to miss the point of prayer, so He identifies mistakes to avoid in prayer. In the sermon, Pastor David examines these warnings not to pray hypocritically, repetitiously or arrogantly.

Matthew 6:5–8 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

It's possible to do the right things for the wrong reasons. Jesus warns against giving to the needy in a hypocritical way. He certainly wants us to help those in need, but not to do it to build our own reputation. In this sermon, Pastor David explains that true charity does not seek the approval of men, but it's glad to simply help without anyone noticing.

Matthew 6:1–4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."