forgiveness

August 31, 2026

The Book of the Twelve – Malachi

Malachi 1–4 (Hebrew 1–3)

Malachi writes a bit later than Haggai and Zechariah. The temple has been rebuilt, and folks have settled in. But there’s a problem. Although the people have returned to the land, they are not experiencing the restoration that Deuteronomy 30:1–10 promised. The land they are currently occupying is a small province within the Persian Empire. The promises of this glorious future made by Haggai and Zachariah have not been realized. The LORD had yet to visit the temple (3:1) as He had done in the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–38) and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:10–11), where “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle/house of the LORD.” And so, the people question the LORD’s covenant love for them (1:2) and His justice (2:17; 3:14–15). Malachi (“My messenger”), then, writes to Israel, and especially to the priests, using disputation, repetition, and vivid imagery in order to challenge and correct their charge against the LORD and make them aware that they are not experiencing restoration/blessing in the land due to their profaning of the altar with improper sacrifices, the false teaching of the priests, marrying daughters of foreign gods, divorcing their Jewish wives, withholding the tithe, and acting arrogantly against the LORD, so that they will fear the LORD and repent and so avoid further judgment and experience the promised blessing as they await the coming day of the LORD heralded by Elijah.

We’ve seen it throughout the prophets: the LORD’s desire for Israel’s repentance, and their seeming determination to run in the opposite direction. The LORD’s warning of judgment to come, and their refusal to listen. And yet, even then, the LORD promises to one day restore them. But it will require them to return to Him. He still has big plans for them, but they need to return to the LORD. Maybe you do too.

I hope this series has been profitable for you. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s not been easy, but it’s been worthwhile. And if you’ve gotten nothing else out of it, I hope you’ve seen that the LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness, relenting of evil, forgiving of iniquity, transgression, and sin, mighty to save, but who will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. The LORD is a good, good God, but He does take sin seriously. And so should we. If you’ve strayed, don’t wait to come back. Do it today.

If you don’t know the LORD, you can come to know Him today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Book of the Twelve series. Download the podcast from the Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, or Threads at @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

August 3, 2026

The Book of the Twelve – Nahum & Habakkuk

Nahum 1–3, Habakkuk 1–3

Both Nahum and Habakkuk write their prophecies to the folks in Judah; Nahum’s prophecy is against Nineveh and her soon and sure fall because her wickedness and cruelty against Judah and the nations, in order to comfort the folks in Judah, reminding them of the LORD’s covenant faithfulness and that His righteous and just kingdom will stand while the kingdoms of the world fall, encouraging them to covenant faithfulness and to take refuge in Him.

Habakkuk’s prophecy, on the other hand, confronts Judah’s pride, using his conversation with the LORD and struggle to understand the LORD’s justice to show them that it is by faith that the prophet, and thus the nation, must live, submitting to the righteous ways of the LORD despite outward appearances, so that they will live by faith in the LORD and not by sight.

And like most of the prophets we’ve seen so far, there is both warning and promise. Warning of the judgment to come because of sin, whether that sin pertains to Nineveh or Judah or Babylon; it’s clear that the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. Sin carries a steep price. For Nineveh and Babylon that meant total destruction. For Judah, exile. The wages of sin are death.

Yet there’s also the promise of restoration for the LORD’s people. He will judge, but He will also restore because He is faithful to His covenant promises even when His people are not.

Two things that are important for us: 1) the kingdoms of this world will fall. Only the LORD’s righteous and just kingdom will stand, and so we need to take refuge in Him. 2) It’s by faith that the righteous should live, meaning whatever our circumstances, we trust the LORD to be working things out for our good and His glory no matter what things look like on the outside. Not always easy to do, but the LORD is faithful. And He will never leave us or forsake us.

If you don’t know the LORD, you can come to know Him today. It’s as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Book of the Twelve series. Download the podcast from the Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, or Threads at @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

July 27, 2026

The Book of the Twelve – Micah

Micah 1–7

Micah writes a series of three poetic/prophetic oracles of indictment against Israel and Judah to expose their rebellion, idolatry, and tolerance of injustice, warning them of impending judgment while also expressing confidence in their restoration, grounded in the LORD’s character and promise to Abraham. A King will come to shepherd His people, defeat the nations, and establish the kingdom.

And yet Israel and Judah refuse to repent. Instead, idolatry, violence, greed, and injustice prevail. They hate the good and love the evil. In fact, they are schemers of iniquity and workers of evil, and so the LORD will bring evil on them.

But the LORD will save a remnant of the people. Those who do justice, love lovingkindness, and walk humbly with their God. All evidence of their faith. And Israel will one day fulfill her role as the priest to the nations. Folks will come to Jerusalem to learn about the LORD, and His people will take His word out among the nations. He will raise up a Ruler for His people, to shepherd them and lead them to victory over those who oppose them. Not because Israel deserves it. But because of who He is and His covenant with Abraham.

The salvation that the LORD has promised has already gone out to the nations. Because the King has come and laid down His life for the sins of the people and was raised to life again, so that all who believe in Him…not just the folks from Israel, but those from all the nations…can be saved, not because of anything that they have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Book of the Twelve series. Download the podcast from the Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, or Threads at @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

June 15, 2026

The Book of the Twelve – Hosea Part 2

Hosea 4:1–14:9

Hosea writes his prophecy to the northern kingdom of Israel, pronouncing judgment against her for her covenant unfaithfulness, committing spiritual adultery through her idolatry, which she refuses to repent of, yet because of the LORD’s love for her and His covenant faithfulness, He will redeem and restore her.

One thing is extremely clear. Israel has been unfaithful to the LORD. Chief among her sins is her idolatry. They’ve broken the first and greatest commandment. You shall have no other gods before Me. Israel was to be the LORD’s seghola. His treasured possession. They were to be His people, and He was to be their God. He had so much that He wanted to do for them. He wanted to bless them. To give them life, if they would only obey Him. If they would keep His covenant. If they would trust Him. And yet they failed. Miserably.

We said this last week, but it bears repeating. In fact, we will be reminded of this throughout this series.

Though Israel is unfaithful, the LORD is always faithful to His covenant promises to both Abraham and David. So, although He will bring judgment on Israel for their rebellion against Him, He will also restore them. Because He is the LORD. “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

This should serve as both a warning and a comfort to us. The LORD takes sin seriously. And so should we. Sin always carries consequences. Yet the LORD’s lovingkindnesses never cease. He will discipline His children, but He does so as a loving Father who is conforming us to the image of His Son. A painful process, but one that’s for our good. Of course, that’s if you know the LORD. If you don’t, your sin carries very different consequences.

The good news is you can come to know the LORD today. It’s as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Book of the Twelve series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

June 1, 2026

The Building of the Tabernacle

Exodus 35–40

The tabernacle is built with all its trappings, including the ark of the covenant (the lid of the ark is the mercy seat where the LORD will meet with Moses), the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, the bronze altar, the garments for the priests, the sacrifices, and the altar of incense according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, according to the pattern given to him on the mountain. A shadow of the heavenly tabernacle. And a foreshadowing of what’s to come when the Word becomes flesh and tabernacles among us. It’s no accident that John uses the same language in John 1.

But the tabernacle is not complete until the “glory of the LORD” fills the tabernacle. You see, that’s when the tabernacle becomes more than a bunch of stuff thrown together. It becomes the dwelling place for the LORD among His people.

The book of Exodus is driving toward this one goal: the LORD’s presence with His people, bringing them out of captivity and leading them to the land He promised. They will be His seghola, His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, representing Him to the world.

Sounds somewhat familiar, doesn’t it? For those of us who have trusted in Him, the LORD has brought us out of captivity to sin and is leading us to the kingdom, while His presence goes with us as we trek down Torah Road together. Just like with Israel, it’s not a me-thing, but a we-thing. The Church as the Body of Christ, the Tabernacle of His Spirit.

The Church isn’t one of us. It’s all of us. Generously bringing the full weight of the resources the LORD has entrusted to us to bear in serving the body, where the LORD dwells among us in a special way.

That’s, of course, if you are a part of the body, the Church. And that’s only true of you if you have trusted in Jesus. You can do that today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

May 30, 2026

The Golden Calf and Moses’s Intercession

Exodus 32–34

When Moses is slow to come down the mountain, the people once again complain and convince Aaron to make an idol for them. It doesn’t take the people long to violate the first and most important commandment. Pretty shocking how quickly they’ve turned away after all that they’ve experienced through the plagues and the Red Sea, water and manna and quails in the wilderness, the defeat of the Amalekites, not to mention the LORD’s appearance on the mountain in smoke and fire.

The LORD is ready to judge, but Moses intercedes for the people, and the LORD relents. But when Moses sees the people’s idolatry and becomes angry, his response is like the LORD’s. He shares the same zeal as the LORD. He is jealous for His God.

The LORD tells Moses to go up to the land, but He will not go with the people lest He destroy them on the way because they are a stiff-necked folk. But once again, Moses intercedes with the LORD, praying that His presence will accompany them into the land. If not, then they won’t go. Super important. Without the LORD’s presence, the land is just a piece of real estate. The LORD’s presence gives purpose to that piece of property and to that group of people.

I think there’s something similar there for us. There are lots of things in this life we could pursue, things that the world would tell us give us some kind of purpose or meaning (fame, fortune, family, friends, etc.). And many of those things are not bad in and of themselves, but without the LORD, those pursuits are in vain. Treasures on earth of no lasting value. But when we pursue the LORD in this life, it pays eternal rewards. A treasure in heaven of inestimable value. 

I love the way the LORD reveals Himself to Moses. “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Do you know the LORD? You can today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

March 30, 2026

Who Is This?

Matthew 21:1–17

Jesus enters Jerusalem, and His final week of ministry is underway. Some gladly accept Him as their King, while others complain and reject Him as an Imposter.

None of the events of this final week will catch Jesus by surprise. Not one. He is in control of His destiny. He will lay down His life as a willing sacrifice. He’s not a victim. He’s not a bystander. He’s not “along for the ride.” He is the King. And He is in control. That hasn’t changed.

Everything that Jesus did was on purpose, including dying for our sins and being raised to life again so that we could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him. That’s what we celebrate at Easter…our passing from death to life through the finished work of our Resurrected King. Let me encourage you to spend some intentional time this week reflecting on what that means for you.

And if you haven’t yet trusted in Jesus, you can do that today. It’s as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death for you. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, you can be saved—not because of anything that you have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on our Palm Sunday sermon. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

August 9, 2025

The Truth vs. the Lie

1 John 2:15-29

The Truth vs. the lie. Confessing Jesus as the Christ vs. denying Him. To confess is to believe, and only those who believe in Jesus have the promise of eternal life. Only they are children of God who do righteousness. Only they have the Spirit.

Jesus is coming back. No question about that. The only question is: will you be ready when He comes? Will you be prepared to welcome the King at His return, or will you shrink back in shame?

John makes it pretty clear in this letter…there are only two sides. Confessing vs. denying. Light vs. darkness. Truth vs. lie. Child of God vs. child of the devil. Which side are you on?

The good news is…you can be on the right side today. It’s as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised. He lived a perfect life…He Himself walked in the light…He died a sacrificial death to pay the penalty for sin, and He was raised to life on the third day, conquering death so that your sins would be forgiven, that you would have eternal life, and that you would become a child of God. Then you, too, can walk in the light and have fellowship with the Father and the Son.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our 1 John series, “Unshakeable.” Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

July 21, 2025

Walk in the Light

1 John 2:1-14

John challenges his readers to walk in the light together, which includes loving one another…a we-thing, not just a me-thing…and is only possible when we have fellowship with the Father through faith in Jesus.

Jesus has made atonement for the sins of all those who have believed. Our slate is wiped clean. We are forgiven. We have both peace and fellowship with the Father. We are not who we used to be, but are now children of God. That’s good news.

More good news? If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, He has made that same atonement available to you. All can be saved, although not all will be. Only those who have trusted in Jesus. You can do that today. It’s as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised. He lived a perfect life…He Himself walked in the light…He died a sacrificial death to pay the penalty for sin, and He was raised to life on the third day, conquering death so that your sins can be forgiven, that you can have eternal life, and that you can become a child of God. Then you, too, can walk in the light and have fellowship with the Father and the Son.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our 1 John series, “Unshakeable.” Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

February 3, 2025

Everyday Disciple: The Golden Rule

Matthew 7.1-12

The way we judge others is a revealing measure of our progress in kingdom living. It is a good indication of whether or not we are treating others the way we want to be treated. Let’s be honest…how many of us have attempted the Golden Rule, only to find it frustratingly impossible? Maybe it’s because we’re too busy treating ourselves the way we want to be treated that we don’t have the time or the inclination to do the same for others.

But it is possible for those of us who have trusted in Jesus…kingdom citizens/everyday disciples…to treat others the way we want to be treated. It starts with simply recognizing that they are in need of the same mercy that we are. Just as the Father has been merciful to us, it’s extending that same mercy toward them. Just as the Father has loved us, so we too are to love others. Whether we think they deserve it or not. They probably don’t, but…neither do we. And the Father still loves us…He still shows us mercy. We’re to do the same.

But it is impossible to treat others the way we want to be treated without Jesus. He’s the one who gives us a new heart and true righteousness that allows us to love others the way that He loves. If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, it starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior…being poor in Spirit. Believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day conquering sin and death, so that by faith in Jesus you could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The kingdom of heaven…yours.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Everyday Disciple series: Songs of the Season. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.