19
Jan 2025
Baptism of Jesus 2025 Rev. Dr. Chris Hensley January 19th, 2025 Luke 3:15-17, 20-22 Baptism has been an important sacrament, ordinance, rite, or whatever word you would like to attach to it, since before Christianity even existed. Baptism, which means to immerse or dip or wash, is an act of individual worship, a ritual which was done solo and was done so that the individual in question might be made ceremonially clean once again after having been through an event which made them unclean. John the Baptist, though was baptizing people in......
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05
Jan 2025
Milestones of Jesus’ Life Rev. Dr. Chris Hensley January 5th, 2025 Luke 2:41-52 This morning brings the conclusion of the overall birth narrative for Luke’s account. As I mentioned previously, Luke moves more slowly than the other accounts and the author provides a lot of information that is unique to Luke in the first two chapters. We see that Luke, specifically in the birth narrative, provides us with a visit between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth as they are both pregnant, two births, the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, the encounters......
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15
Dec 2024
Joy at the Coming of the Christ Rev. Dr. Chris Hensley December 15th, 2024 Luke 3:7-18 Last week we explored how the ministry of John the Baptist announced the coming of the Christ of God, first through connections to the Hebrew Bible prophetic book of Isaiah and then through the call on the part of the Baptizer to those listening to repent of their sins. We spoke of the reality that all of us have fallen short in some capacity and the repentance of which John speaks is the restoration of the......
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08
Dec 2024
The Peace of Christ Announced Rev. Dr. Chris Hensley December 8th, 2024 Luke 3:1-6 We begin this morning with our Gospel text found in Luke’s account. As a brief aside, Luke’s account is my favorite as it is the most in-your-face when it comes to the reversal of societal norms and as it points to the reality that we are the beloved children of God no matter our circumstances or choices in life as revealed in parables unique to Luke such as the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee. We......
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01
Dec 2024
How Will Emmanuel Arrive? Rev. Dr. Chris Hensley December 1st, 2024 Luke 21:25-36 There is often great uncertainty when it comes to reading the Bible. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, though. Uncertainty, as those doing the book study with Tillie are learning and being reminded of, is not a bad thing, even when it comes to matters of faith. As we begin this season of Advent, this season of waiting, preparation, and arrival, it is fitting to reflect on what it is that we are waiting for within Christianity, and......
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27
Mar 2016
Grace in a Flash — Luke 15.11-33 3.6.2016 large print Tending to the Gospel Luke 24_1-12 3.27.2016 R1 LARGE PRINT Tending to the Gospel A Sermon for Sardis Baptist Church Luke 24:1-12 March 27, 2016 It had been a long Friday. A nightmare, really. The unspeakable had happened. Jesus, their teacher, their friend, their inspiration had been crucified. In one moment, they had shared a meal with Jesus. And the next thing they knew, they were standing on Golgotha. Twelve hours felt like twelve seconds. And then his death. The hours......
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27
Dec 2015
12-27-2015 The Awkward Teenage Years Luke 2 42-51 The Awkward Teenage Years A Sermon for Sardis Baptist Church 12-27-2015 Luke 2:42-51 As a teenager, the gymnasium at First Baptist Church in Winston-Salem was a safe harbor. My brothers and other friends and I would spend hours playing pick-up basketball. We played after youth group on Sunday evenings, and too often, five o’clock became six o’clock, and six, seven, and seven, eight and so on. “Just one more game,” we’d say, “And then we’ll go home,” every boy oblivious to time. One Sunday......
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