"I Thirst!" - Didn't Make the Final Cut, or “Bonus Sermon Material From Sunday":

Here was a chunk that got cut from “I Thirst”:

Isaiah 53:7 says that Jesus was led like a lamb to slaughter. This points out something else about Jesus being the “Lamb” that is often overlooked: Lambs aren't herded and prodded like cattle – lambs are led. Willingly following. I read that most people who are being led to be crucified have a major meltdown. The thought of what is coming makes them completely freak out, to the point they need dragged. I totally get that! But Jesus was willing to walk Himself, even carrying His cross part of the way – without resisting. No meltdowns. No freak outs. Willingly being led. Not by the Romans. But by His Father.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Jeff

Didn't make the cut, or "Bonus Sermon Material from Sunday".

Didn't Make the Final Cut:

The hard part of preaching isn't coming up with content.

The hard part of preaching isn't “what am I going to say?”. It's actually “what am I going to cut?”. That's why some sermons seem like pastors get paid by the word.

So I've decided to take some material that got cut and put it on the blog. If Murphy comes up with the technology, maybe someday we can put this material on the sermon podcast and feature “Director's Cut” editions of sermons.

Here was a chunk that got cut from “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”:

"We can lose the impact of hell when we teach on it, because in our day: hell has no fury, because we have trivialized it.

We tell jokes about it, it is depicted in cartoons, it's just a word that makes it into our casual conversations! My knee hurts like hell, that was a hell of a game, he is one hell of a hard worker.

Hell has no fury because we have trivialized it, and people don't know what the Bible actually says about it. People are blissfully ignorant! I have heard many people say regarding hell I know I'm going there, and that's okay – all of my friends will be there.

Such a foolish and tragic statement! You have no idea how horrible hell is! The Bible says it is a place of darkness, weeping, gnashing of teeth, and eternal torment."

I believe all of this is true, but for the sermon Sunday, it didn't fit with the rest of it the way I hoped it would. So it got cut.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Jeff

A New Chapter is About to Begin

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you-- Titus 1:5

Can I overemphasize how important this season of our church is?

No, I cannot.

We are entering a new chapter at Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North. Up to this point, leadership has come from me and Rick Donald, who serves Harvest Bible Fellowship so faithfully and has served HBCPN faithfully since Day 1. 

But the goal from the beginning of the church plant has been to identify, select, interview, approve, train, and install men in our own church to shepherd this flock.

It has been a long process, but we have indeed identified, selected, interviewed, approved, and trained 3 men. And officially installing them will happen in service on September 14. These three men are Darren Keller, Jay Knauer, and Mark Ort. (Check out our “staff“ page on this site for pics and bios!)

What does it mean?

Simply put, it means HBCPN is now a self-governing and autonomous church (wait, is that simple?). With our own leaders in place, we are “independent” as a church body. We are not part of a denomination, we are a part of a fellowship. So while we have great relationships and influences in the Harvest Bible Fellowship Family, we strive to function as a local self-governing NT church as is the goal of all other HBC plants.

It is a milestone. It is a transition. And it is an exciting new chapter in the life of our church. Do not miss Installation Sunday on September 14!

Please keep Darren, Jay, and Mark in your prayers as they step into their new roles.

p.s. - thankful to God for these men

free

Last Sunday, Taylor Brown brought the Word to us regarding the freedom from sin we have in Christ. Powerful message from a great preacher! I have been thinking a lot about it this week. And here is the thought that keeps resonating…

Something I have found profoundly interesting is that, when you look at the way the world thinks / operates, it is almost always the exact opposite of the way God and His kingdom think / operate.

For example, your neighbor’s dog tears up your garden. What worldly advice would you get from your worldly friends? Tear up his garden, right? Get even!

But what is the opposite of that? Opposite of destroying your neighbor’s garden: help him build his own garden up. That sounds crazy!

And it sounds like the kind of thing Jesus would do.

Here is another opposite for you when it comes to the world’s way / God’s way:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31-36)

When worldly people think about Christians, they often think of us as people who have to live according to a strict list of rules. Oh you poor Christians. So restricted in the way you live.

First of all, we were not meant to live by a list of rules. Jesus saw to that. (Galatians 2:21)

But even more fascinating about this: take a look at what is really happening. We are thought of as being restricted, while worldly people view themselves as being free. They define freedom as “the ability to do whatever you want”. But such a mindset never leads to freedom - it always leads to bondage!

Sin is enslaving. And immersing yourself in sin in the name of freedom always leads to bondage. Name a sin that doesn’t trap someone in addiction. Name a sin that doesn’t hold people in bondage when they make it a practice. What sin does not lend itself to being "hard to shake" once it is started?

Pornography, alcoholism (or other drugs), lust, gossip, envy, greed, stealing, hatred, illicit sexual activity - the list goes on and on. All sin carries a hard reality of enslavement.

Jesus brings real freedom. Not merely “freedom to do whatever the heck I want to do”. But freedom to be who God created you to be. Not freedom to sin. Freedom from sin. Free indeed.

Have you been freed?

p.s. - needs to apologize to his neighbor for his dog’s behavior…