Sunday, June 28, 2026
Saturday, June 27, 2026
HANG IN THERE: God will take care of you - June 28, 2026
HANG IN THERE: God will take care of you - June 28, 2026
INTRODUCTION
- There is darkness, but the light dispels the darkness.
- Throw down your cloak.
- Freedom is coming.
- Christ is enough.
- Jesus gives peace and hope.
Chuck Swindoll wrote:
“We can live several weeks without food, days without water, and only minutes without oxygen, but without hope – forget it.”
1 Peter 5:5b-11 NIV
“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:5b-11 NIV
I. TURN ALL YOUR ANXIETY OVER TO GOD BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
An average person’s anxiety is focused on:
40% -- things that will never happen
30% -- things about the past that can’t be changed
12% -- things about criticism by others (mostly untrue)
10% -- about health which gets worse with stress
8% -- about real problems that will be faced
Sermon Illustrations .com
1 Peter 5:7 NIV
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7 NIV
A. All your anxiety
B. Turn it over to God
C. God cares for you.
II. KEEP YOUR MIND CLEAR, AND BE ALERT.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said:
We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world just beyond the horizon.
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them.
"Keep calm," the first explorer whispered. "Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run."
"Sure," replied and his companion. "You've read the book, and I've read the book. But has the lion read the book?"
Gordon Curley, Sermon Central, March 20, 2011.
A. The devil is prowling around.
B. Be firm and resist him
C. Know that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of suffering.
III. GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
1 Peter 5:10 NIV
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10 NIV
A. He will restore you.
B. He will strengthen you.
C. He will make you firm.
D. He will support you as you suffer for a little while.
John Brentz, a friend of Luther, and one of the stalwarts of the Reformation, incurred the hatred of Charles V who made many attempts to kill the minister. Hearing that a troop of Spanish cavalry was on the way to arrest him, he cast himself upon God in prayer. At once the guidance came: "Take a loaf of bread and go into the upper town and where thou findest a door open, enter and hide thyself under the roof."
He acted accordingly, found the only open door, and hid himself in the loft. For fourteen days he laid there while the search continued. The one loaf of bread would have been insufficient, but day by day, a hen came up to the garret, and laid an egg without cackling. The fifteenth day it did not come, but John Brentz heard the people in the street say, "They are gone at last," and he came out.
Rogelio Mallari, Sermon Central, November 14, 2010.
The same God that provided for John Brentz will provide for you.
CONCLUSION
1 Peter 5:11 NIV
“To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:11 NIV
Turn all your anxiety over to God because He cares for you. Keep your mind clear, and be alert. God will take care of you.
To echo the words I mentioned earlier that Chuck Swindoll wrote:
As Craig T. Kocher states, "Christian hope is fundamentally different from optimism. Christian hope locks its steely eyes on the devastation of the world around it, and readily acknowledges that things may not get better. Christian hope does not bury its heat in Yule-tide cheer and artificial lights, but like an Advent wreath glowing stronger and brighter each week, this hope pushes its way into the brokenness of the world clearing a path in the wilderness so the true light might burst into the darkness."
Kocher then goes on to cite a story told by Tom Long, about a rabbi Hugo Grynn, who was sent to Auschwitz as a little boy. In the midst of the concentration camp, in the midst of the death and horror all around them, many Jews held onto whatever shreds of their religious observances they could, without drawing the ire of the guards. One cold winter's evening, Hugo's father gathered the family in the barracks. It was the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish Feast of Lights.
The young child watched in horror as his father took the family's last pad of butter and made a makeshift candle, using a string from his ragged clothes. He then took a match and lit the candle. "Father, no!" Hugo cried. "That butter is our last bit of food! How will we survive?"
"We can live for many days without food," his father said. "We cannot live a single minute without faith and hope. This is the fire of hope. Never let it go out. Not here! Not anywhere!"
Pulpit Resource, Logos Productions, Inc, 2005.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Saturday, June 20, 2026
HANG IN THERE: Peace and Hope - June 21, 2026
HANG IN THERE: Peace and Hope - June 21, 2026
INTRODUCTION
- There is darkness, but the light dispels the darkness.
- Throw down your cloak.
- Freedom is coming.
- Christ is enough.
And yet . . .
The Society of International law in London states this incredible statistic: since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than 8% of the time. Over the last 4000 years of history, only 268 years saw peace.
Moreover in excess of 8000 peace treatises have been made and broken. In the last 3 centuries there have been 286 wars on the continent of Europe alone!
Romans 5:1-5 NIV
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:1-5 NIV
The opening line of "Peace, Perfect Peace," a beloved Christian hymn written by Bishop Edward H. Bickersteth in 1875.
"Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within."
I. PEACE THROUGH LORD JESUS CHRIST
There was a widow who had “Rest In Peace” put on her husband’s tombstone.
When she found out that he left her out of his will, she had added, “TILL I COME.”
Peace between humans takes divine intervention. Peace between humans and God took Jesus.
A. Justification through faith
B. Access by faith into this grace in which we now stand
Columnist Deborah Mathis wrote about the time when she was at Union Station in Washington D.C. on a particularly busy day. The first thing she remembers about that experience was the noisy hubbub of sounds. The public address announcer calling out arrivals and departures. Scores of pagers, walkie-talkies, and cell phones cried out for someone’s attention.
You could hear horns honking, machines clinking out change, and babies crying. A security guard yelled at a man who was about to enter a forbidden area. Three women stood up from their bench in order to argue with each other more loudly.
And a man in front of her was nervously pacing in a tight circle.
But then she heard someone singing:
"What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer."
Slowly a change came over the noisy crowd. The voice continued:
"O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer."
The quarreling women stopped their talking and quietly took their seats. People who’d been tense and hurried; seemed to slow and relax - and they strained to hear the voice singing the remaining verses that old hymn. And Ms. Mathis realized she was singing along. So were the three women who had been bickering. And a few others as well.
The man in front of her, who had been behaving nervously quietly said: "Nice, huh? I don’t even believe in Jesus, but that’s nice."
(From an article by Rubel Shelly. From a sermon by Jeff Strite, "i-Serve", Sermon Central, 1/11/2009.)
II. HOPE IN THE GLORY OF GOD
A. Boast in the hope
B. The hope of the glory of God
If you seek your own glory you will lose that, and His. But, if you seek His, you will get yours directly from Him. We are all tempted, like the youth Narcissus in the Greek fable, to bend over the brook and fall in love with ourselves, and we get changed into flowers, and fade in an hour. But he that does the will of God, and seeks the will of God, abides forever.
When men compliment you upon the excellence of your character, and tell you how spiritual you are, and how sweet is your influence, say, "Thine is the glory, O Christ; I have got it all from Thee."
If you write a book, place "Thine is the glory" on the cover.
If you paint a picture-- Put "Thine is the glory" as a scroll at the foot.
If you are a doctor or a surgeon, and are able to render some great service of deliverance, do not take thanks without in your heart saying, "Thine is the glory."
I like to think of those angels standing before God and praising Him day and night--angels excelling in strength, doing His commandments, hearkening to His voice; I like to think of them traveling through the realms of space, and making them the home of song; I like to think of them reaching the far distance where the ether breaks upon the rocks of eternity, and in that far distant land saying, "Glory to God! Glory to God in the highest."
Is not this, then, the motto that we want? Is it not something to live for? Thine is the kingdom over men, and over my life. Thine is the power and the glory. Will you all dare to say, "Forever, Amen"? Will you not at this very moment say in your heart, "Jesus, my King, rule over me"? He died for you. He loves you. He can bless you. Will you now put the crown of your life upon Him?
F. B. Meyer, “The Gift of Suffering”, Sermon Central, August 12, 2024.
III. GLORY IN SUFFERINGS
A. Perseverance
B. Character
C. Hope
Hope does not disappoint
Romans 5:6-11 NIV
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:6-11 NIV
Dave Dravecky (MLB pitcher): After he underwent surgery to remove his arm up to his collarbone. His cancerous left arm had been amputated. As he looked in the mirror he said "Okay God. This is what I have got to live with. Put this behind me; let’s go forward."
A couple of days later he was walking the hospital corridor pushing his IV, came to the visitors lounge where a whole family has gathered. The wife sitting there worried, her husband has cancer throughout his whole body and the prognosis is not good. Dave sat down near her, the son came to him and asked him "Where do you get your peace?" Dave told him that Jesus Christ was the source of his peace, the entire family listened as he shared his testimony and his faith. He heard the complaints of the family, my father was a good man and he is in there suffering with cancer, while bad people run around healthy. He told them, "It is hard to understand suffering in this life, but you can't blame God for it. Sooner or later this earth is going to burn up, the only thing that will matter is if we go to heaven or not. I believe in miracles, I believe that God can and does heal people, but more important than that, I believe in the eternal hope of heaven, when I die, that's where I'm going, because heaven is my home."
Richard White,"Peace That Surpasses", Sermon Central, December 28, 2008.
CONCLUSION
There is peace through the Lord Jesus Christ. There is hope in the glory of God. There is glory in the sufferings we face. Only through Jesus can we have anything of meaning.
Bruce Larson (pastor, author, and modern small group pioneer) tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:
"For many years I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. There he is, the most powerfully built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. ’Now that’s one way to live,’ I would point out to my companion, ’trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.’
On the other side of Fifth Avenue is Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically.
We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, ’I give up, Lord; here’s my life. I give you my world, the whole world.’"
Bruce Larson, “Believe and Belong”, Sermon Central, November 3, 2002.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
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