John

February 28, 2022

The Beast from the Sea

Revelation 13.1-10

A terrifying beast with all the power, dominion and authority of the dragon behind him wages war with the saints and overcomes them. And he causes all the earth-dwellers, all those who have not trusted in Jesus, to worship him. Who is like the beast and who can make war with him? The King of kings and Lord of lords aka a Guy named Jesus. That’s who.

As we are going through Revelation, there are two different lenses through which we see the world: one earthly and one heavenly. On earth…seemingly total chaos with the enemy apparently winning. Waging war and overcoming. And if you are a Jesus-follower…not looking too good for you. Sure looks like you picked the wrong side.

In heaven…God is in complete control. His sovereignty is unquestioned. The enemy and his minions may roam the earth, but they are subject to God. And there’s coming a time when heaven and earth will once again be reunited…the kingdom will come and God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Then all the kingdoms of this world will be judged… In the end, the saints’ victory will be manifest. Good triumphs over evil. Jesus wins.

With that in mind, what are we to do? Simple. We are to live our lives as a citizens of the eternal kingdom right now, today. To influence others by our uncompromising faith. And come what may…to faithfully persevere. Remember that suffering comes before glory. So don’t give up. Don’t give in. Jesus wins.

pro rege

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

February 21, 2022

War in Heaven, Persecution on Earth

Revelation 12.7-17

We said this last week, but in the cosmic conflict…the heavenly war that is raging…there are only two sides. You are either for the King or against Him. There is no middle ground. And there’s only One/one to whom you can fall on your knees. Either the true King or the pretender. The tricky thing is…the pretender is good at what he does. Pretending. He’s a deceiver, so often while it might look like he’s winning…our world in chaos…the truth is, he’s a defeated foe. He’s already lost.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. We, as believers, overcome because Jesus overcame. He has already done the heavy lifting. He defeated Satan at the cross…the basis for accusation was taken away. And now our job is to share our story…the word of our testimony…about how Jesus rescued us and brought us from death to life.

The final piece of that overcoming is not loving our lives even when faced with death. Sounds a lot like Jesus’ words to His disciples in Matthew 16.24-26, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?” It means that we love God more. We love Him more than anyone or anything. He has our greatest devotion, and He is our highest good.

It means that we live a life worthy of the calling with which we have been called. That’s not always easy to do. And when we do, get ready…opposition won’t be far behind.

And when the world persecutes us, it sure doesn’t look or feel like we are on the winning side. The pressure to conform to this world is everywhere present, and the fear of persecution is real. But that’s when we have to remember that we are no more like Jesus than when we are being persecuted for His sake. That’s when we truly overcome.

So we don’t give up, and we don’t give in…why? Because we know that Jesus wins.

pro rege

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

February 14, 2022

The Celestial Woman and the Great Red Dragon

Revelation 12.1-6

What does a celestial woman with child and a great red dragon have to do with the Story? Everything. While a pregnant mom giving birth to her Son surely reminds us of Christmas when Jesus came as a Baby to a young couple in Bethlehem, our hope as believers is that He will come again…this time as King. But His coming will not be without opposition. The enemy is not ready to give up that easily.

In the cosmic conflict…the heavenly war that is raging…there are only two sides. You are either for the King or against Him. There is no middle ground. And there’s only One/one to whom you can fall on your knees. Either the true King or the pretender. The tricky thing is…the pretender is good at what he does. Pretending. He’s a deceiver, so often while it might look like he’s winning…our world in chaos…he’s already lost.

As believers, it often feels like we are on the losing side. The pressure to conform to this world…already so pervasive in the church…is everywhere present. Hollywood. Social media. Politics. Materialism… The fear of persecution, whatever form that might take…being passed over for promotion or losing a job, ridiculed at school, belittled by your family or friends…is real. So what do we do? Don’t give up, don’t give in…don’t give up because of persecution, don’t give in to compromise…why? Because we know that Jesus wins!

pro rege

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

February 7, 2022

The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 11.15-19

Jesus is coming back. And when He does, He will come back as King. And He will reign upon the earth. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. That’s 100%.

For those who have trusted in Him…His bondservants…there will be great reward. The “well done good and faithful slave” of a gracious and magnanimous Master. He will be their King, and they will reign with Him forever.

For those who have rejected Him…there will only be judgement and destruction. He will be their Judge, and they will spend an eternity apart from Him forever.

That’s why sharing our story is so important. All can be saved. There is only one way…Jesus…but everyone can enter through Him.

All can be saved. And if you have not yet trusted in Jesus, that all includes you. It’s as simple as admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Believing that Jesus came to save you from your sin. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day, so that you might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life and that you might reign with Him forever.

pro rege

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

January 31, 2022

The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11.1-14

The two witnesses prophesy in the streets of Jerusalem to the nation of Israel, calling them to repentance like the great prophets of old. When their testimony is complete, they are overcome and killed by the beast, and their dead bodies are left in the street for all to see. After three and a half days they are resurrected and called up to heaven. Afterwards, the city is rocked by a great earthquake, and Israel is saved.

God is faithful to His promises. He promised Abraham that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed. And while the people failed at every turn, still God was determined to save the people He had chosen and through them to bring salvation to all peoples.

When it comes to following Jesus, winning often looks like losing. It looks like suffering and persecution and giving up my good for the good of another, but suffering comes before glory. And though the world may see us losing, the joy, the peace and the hope that we have in the midst of it all leads to an abundance of life that the world will never know. “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

pro rege

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

December 25, 2021

Jesus, the Light of the World

John 1.1-18

In these opening verses, John presents Jesus as more than a Man…He was with God and He was God. But not only does John present Jesus as more than a Man…He is also a Man. The Word became flesh. He didn’t give up His God-ness to become a Man, but somehow clothed His divinity in humanity.

John wants us to know Jesus…fully God because only God can forgive sins. Fully Man because only a Man could die for sin. The perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…if you have not yet trusted in Jesus, today would be a great time to do that.

It’s as simple as admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Believing that Jesus came to save you from your sin. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day, so that you might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him.

Merry Christmas!

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

November 9, 2021

The Angel and the Little Scroll

Revelation 10.1-11

And so we run into another pause in the action while a big angel gives John a little scroll, and he is instructed to prophesy again the unfolding events of the tribulation.

The Bible is one Story. From Genesis to Revelation. The Story of God’s plan to save a people, and through that people to provide a way of salvation for all peoples. If you have trusted in Jesus, you are a part of that Story. You have been saved, reconciled, adopted, gifted and empowered to live a life worthy of your calling. To share your story with others. To point them to Jesus so that they too might be saved. To inherit a kingdom.

If you have not trusted in Jesus, you too are a part of the Story. But your future is not so bright. It’s the bitterness that John felt in his stomach. The judgment that awaits. I don’t want that for you. God doesn’t want that for you. That’s why He’s provided a way that you might saved through His Son, Jesus. All can be saved. You can be saved. It’s as simple as admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Believing that Jesus came to save you from your sin. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day, so that you might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him.

pro rege

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

September 20, 2021

The Fifth Trumpet – The Abyss

Revelation 9.1-12

But even as we see these horrifying judgments playing out, God’s mercy is still evident. Even until the end, He’s giving folks time to repent. And as we saw several weeks ago, a great multitude which no one can count from all nations and every tribe and people and tongue will do just that. They will repent and respond in faith. They will trust in Jesus.

What does that mean for us? For those of us who have trusted in Jesus, we need not fear the coming judgments. We are already on the winning side. Ours is just not to give up or give in. It’s to share our story with others…to share the hope that we have found in Jesus…with a sense of urgency.

No one wants to think about judgment day. We like to hear about heaven, but hell…no. But hell is a real place, and unfortunately, many of the folks you know are headed that direction. Some of them knowingly. But most without a clue. The great multitude gathered before the throne are there because someone told them about Jesus. They heard, and they believed. Who are you telling about Him? Who are you sharing your story with?

If you have not trusted in Jesus yet, I might sound like a broken record…but I feel compelled week after week to remind you that the time is short. Your time is short. Please don’t put off the most important decision of your life. The one that impacts your eternal destiny. 

What does it mean to trust Jesus? It’s as simple as admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus came to save you from your sin. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day, so that you might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him. And when we believe that, the Bible says we pass from death to life. Jesus is no longer our Judge, but our King. And we get to live and reign with Him forever.

pro rege

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

September 13, 2021

The First Four Trumpets

Revelation 8.6-13

The first four trumpets are sounded and a third of the created order feels the effects. God’s judgment is sure, but His mercy is still present.

Many these days go about their lives unaware or indifferent about the choices they are making that have eternal consequences. Like Pharaoh, many see God’s patience…His mercy…as an indication that if their actions have no immediate consequences, then they must not have any consequences. But they are wrong. God will deal with sin. It may not be today. Or tomorrow. Or the next. But eventually the day will come. And in the day of God’s wrath, who is able to stand?

The answer is simple…those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Those of us who have done that…those of us who have trusted in Jesus need not fear the coming judgment. We are on the winning side. Jesus is our Resurrected King who has conquered death and satisfied God’s wrath on sin.

We live in uncertain times. The world is shaking all around us. The trumpets haven’t sounded yet, and yet we see our world fractured and coming apart at the seems. Almost daily we are reminded of how fleeting life is. But the fact that you’re still here means that you still have work to do. If you’ve trusted in Jesus, your job is to keep sharing your story with those around you who don’t know Him. Your job is kingdom impact. It’s to point others to Jesus.

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus, the fact that you’re still here is God’s mercy. Hang with me. With each trumpet blast a third of the earth is impacted in some way. But that gives two thirds of the earth time to repent. When you see how fleeting life is, how fragile life is…the fact that you are still here is God’s mercy. You still have time. But that time is running out. So don’t wait. Jesus is either your King or He will be your Judge.

pro rege

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

September 6, 2021

Preparation for the Trumpets

Revelation 8.1-5

The Lamb breaks the seventh seal, and there is silence as both heaven and earth await the coming of the trumpet judgments.

As the events of the tribulation unfold, persecution becomes more and more severe. The number of martyrs continues to increase at a staggering rate. From an earthly perspective it appears that those who have chosen to follow Jesus have chosen the loosing side. But they are wrong. You see, death is not the end. All will die, but not all will truly live. Only those who have trusted in Jesus. Only they will escape the wrath of God soon to be poured out.

And it’s the prayers of the saints that are continually going up before the throne. God hears when you call out to Him, and He cares about what happens to you, and He is working out His purposes for your good and His glory. He will deal with sin. And He will make all things right. Ours is just to trust Him.

The time to trust in Jesus is now. God’s wrath on sin is sure. And the only way we can stand in the day of His wrath is by trusting in Jesus. You see, Jesus suffered the wrath of God for sin when He died on the cross. The penalty has already been taken care of. We simply have to believe in Him. But if we don’t, then we are left to suffer the wrath of God for ourselves. Please don’t make that choice. Choose Jesus today.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Revelation series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the app store or google play.