Sermon originally delivered at Calvary Community Church, New Berlin, WI. Text: Isaiah 36:1-37:7 The Kingdom of Israel has fallen to the Assyrian war machine. The focus now turns more singularly to the kingdom of Judah. Now this is not a match of equals, Assyria is the superpower in the region and Israel and Judah areContinue reading “Fear or Hope?”
Author Archives: Matthew van Maastricht
The Ordinary Ones
Sermon originally preached at Calvary Community Church. Text: 2 Kings 5:1-14 Few things are more delightful to me in this passage, than the fact that this whole event happened, this story was recorded, this whole thing began with the words of a little foreign slave girl. This little slave girl, someone with no socialContinue reading “The Ordinary Ones”
A letter to Martin Luther on Reformation Day
Dear Martin, Here we are, October 31st almost five hundred years after you posted your concerns on the town bulletin board, and the church is more divided than it has ever been. For better or for worse, that date has gone down in the annals of history as the day we broke the church. ThatContinue reading “A letter to Martin Luther on Reformation Day”
Blessed are the Autumn Daisies
Long after the trees have dropped their leaves, and the canopy of green becomes a jagged collection of branches reaching upward toward the disappearing sun, long after the geese have ceased honking and the birds have stopped their morning songs, long after the bushes begin to blaze but are not yet consumed, long after theContinue reading “Blessed are the Autumn Daisies”
After God’s Own Heart
A sermon delivered to Calvary Community Church in New Berlin, WI 2 Samuel 12:1-9 We fast-forwarded quite a bit through the story of scripture. We moved through the book of Judges, which describes the early life of the Israelites in the land. Rather than a unified nation, at first they were a loose confederation ofContinue reading “After God’s Own Heart”
On Litmust Tests and a Fractured Witness
In my corner of the Bible Belt, nothing is discussed more than human sexuality. One’s views on human sexuality is the way that we have come to judge the sincerity of someone’s faith, the strength of their orthodoxy, and the commitment of their discipleship. This is what search committees ask potential pastors to separate theContinue reading “On Litmust Tests and a Fractured Witness”
From Beyond the River
Joshua 24:1-28 God comes to Abram with no apparent reason, makes a promise that God will bring forth from Abram a great nation which will be blessed so that they can be a blessing to all the world. So without any recorded hesitation, Abram goes, as God told him, to the land which God willContinue reading “From Beyond the River”
The Ten Words
Exodus 19:3-7; 20:1-17 In the beginning, when God created, there was nothing, and God brought into existence, something. But creation isn’t something that was, but something that is. Creation didn’t end with the explosion of light and life and existence, that was simply the beginning. In our story this morning, we are seeing anotherContinue reading “The Ten Words”
On the Death of a Church
It was the first time that I had walked into the doors and sat near the back for the duration of the worship service. Being a pastor, I am typically at the front. I usually have tasks to do, responsibilities to which to attend. But today was different. I was not there as their pastor,Continue reading “On the Death of a Church”
Future Glory
My sermon from this past Sunday. Text was Romans 8:12-25. Henry was a fellow that I knew on the South side of Milwaukee. Henry lived outside, underneath an overpass which went over the Menominee Valley. Henry was a good guy, he had a good heart. He, of course, had demons with which he fought. HeContinue reading “Future Glory”
