Tag: Sunday

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday November 09TH 2025, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

I’ve been asked what kind of a preacher I am. I’m mostly an expository preacher – more so nowadays than during my earlier years of preaching. I like to start with a chapter (or a portion of a chapter) of Scripture, and then write my sermon based on it – verse-by-verse. My favorite sermons that I’ve preached have been part of my message series on the letters of 1 Timothy, Titus, James, 1 Peter, 2 John, and Jude.

My first Pastor (2007-2015) was an occasional expository preacher, but mostly a topical preacher. I preferred his expository messages. As a baby Christian – I was learning the Bible verse-by-verse.

My second Pastor (2015-2024) was (and still is) only a topical preacher, and some of his topics were borderline controversial – especially those that incorporated views on politics and COVID. He’s mostly an Old Testament preacher. But – I learned a lot from him. Also – he gave me the opportunity to preach 60+ sermons during my tenure there – allowing me to preach in my own unique style on whatever I wanted to preach on. I am forever grateful for that.

My fourth (and current) Pastor is an expository preacher through and through, and his preaching style is as close to mine as I’ve ever seen and experienced during my 19 years of being part of a church family. I started watching his sermons on YouTube a few months before I ever set foot in his church, and I instantly related to him.

A couple of weeks ago I began transcribing my expository sermon titled “Apostle & Elder”. I preached it to my second church family on Sunday October 18TH 2020.

Here’s Part 3:

You know John mentions the word “truth” 4 times in those first 3 verses of his 2ND letter. He writes “whom I love in the truth”, and “who knows the truth”, and “the truth lives in us”, and “who live in truth”.

You see John wanted to get his point across. The truth was very important to him. If we truly believe and follow our risen Christ – then the truth must be important to us as well. There is only one Truth – and it comes from God the Father and from Jesus Christ – the Son of the Father. No truth comes from the deceivers who don’t believe in the human form of Christ.

And in these last days no truth comes from the modern-day pharisees who believe in a religion over Christ. No truth comes from cable or network TV news or social media. No truth comes from Hollywood or Washington. The Truth comes from the Bible. The Truth comes only from God.

John the Elder continues with his letter to the church:

How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth – just as the Father commanded. I am writing to remind you – dear friends – that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. (2 John 1:4-5)

John personally met some of his brothers and sisters at that church, and he was happy with what he saw. He saw them living according to the truth. He saw them loving one another – and loving others. He saw fellowship amongst the children of the lady – the brothers and sisters of the church. He wants it to continue, so he reminded them again of God’s commandment to love. And then he writes this in Verse 6:

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and He has commanded us to love one another – just as you heard from the beginning. (2 John 1:6)

I love that ! I love that love means doing what God has commanded us to do, and He commanded us to love one another. Love – is love. If you love God – then you must love all of His children – whether or not they love you back – whether or not they did you wrong – whether or not they believe and follow God like you do. Love one another. No conditions.

[TO BE CONTINUED – NEXT WEEK]

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday November 02ND 2025, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

It’s “Time-Change Sunday” here in the U.S.A., as my favorite time of the year – Standard Time – returns. I know that it’s an unpopular opinion with many who want their daylight into the evening. I like my daylight in the morning. I don’t like darkness at 7:30 AM. I’m an “early to bed early to rise” guy.

November’s “Time-Change Sunday” is one of the better-attended Sunday mornings at churches with the extra hour of sleep leading-in to it. It’s also the Sunday morning where more people unintentionally arrive at church early – because they forgot to move their clocks back an hour. If you’re in the Hospitality business at your church – then it’s a great opportunity to invite new people to an area of service. Some people are simply waiting to be invited to serve God and His church. That was me almost 19 years ago.

This morning at my home church I’ll be leading Communion on the 1-year anniversary of when I first started doing so at Highlands Community Church. I’m honored and blessed to lead my church family every first Sunday of the month with this important observance.

Last week I began transcribing my “Apostle & Elder” sermon that I preached to my previous church family on Sunday October 18TH 2020.

Here’s Part 2:

Remember – this is the John that wrote in his Gospel (and we all know this verse – 3:16, and maybe even the one that comes after it – 3:17): “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. (3:16-17)

There’s a popular song on the radio right now – from a band by the name of We The Kingdom. (I love that name – We The Kingdom – for we – you and I – are part of God’s Kingdom.) So the name of the song – from We The Kingdom – is “For God So Loved”. You’ve probably heard it on the radio – if you listen to K-LOVE or LIFE-FM Miami. I won’t sing it, but check-out these lyrics:

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
The power of hell forever defeated
Now it is well. I’m walking in freedom
For God so loved. God so loved the world

AMEN !

You know I love singing along to great music on the radio. But I really love to listen to the words being sung to our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Whether we’re singing here during Praise & Worship, or singing along to the music on the radio, or singing His praises at home – we sing for Him. We sing – for what He did for us.

He lived with us. He died for us. And He rose on the third day. He was the bridegroom. He gave up His life for the bride He loved – and loves – and will forever love. The church is His bride. We the Kingdom. We are the bride of Christ. When Christ returns – He will celebrate with His bride. We will be united forever. That will be a Glorious day !

[TO BE CONTINUED – NEXT WEEK]

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday October 26TH 2025, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

A couple of weeks ago on a Tuesday evening I was inspired by The Holy Spirit to begin writing a new standalone sermon. I completed it less than 24 hours later. It’s titled “Rescued & Saved”, and it’s essentially a follow-up to our recent “This Is My Story” message series at my home church. It’s my 68TH sermon overall, but it’ll very likely be the next one that I preach, so it will become my 64TH sermon. My 1 Timothy sermon series will slide down to # 65 to # 68. (And I’ll continue progressing forth with it.)

This week I begin transcribing my “Apostle & Elder” sermon that I preached to my previous church family on Sunday October 18TH 2020.

Here’s Part 1:

Today I want to preach from the shortest book in the Bible – almost. It’s the 2ND Letter of John. It has 13 verses in it. No multiple chapters. Just 13 verses. As far as verses – no other book in the Bible has less than that. As far as words – there’s actually one other book in the Bible that has less than the 2ND Letter of John – and that – is the 3RD Letter of John.

So back to 2ND John – and its 13 verses. I think I can preach on this entire book over the next 1 hour and 45 minutes. Just kidding. I’ll do it in the next 30 minutes. (Julie doesn’t like it when I’m long-winded.)

So 2ND John was written by the Apostle John – one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. He probably wrote it when he was very old. He was probably in his 80s. (That was “very old” – at the time.) He lived to be an old man. He was about 95 when he passed on peacefully of natural causes. He was not murdered like many in his day were.

John was the youngest of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was still in his mid-20s when Christ died and rose again. He outlived the other 11 Apostles. He was truly an elder some 60 years later when he wrote what we now know as the Gospel of John, and the 3 letters of John. Oh – he also wrote the Book of Revelation; although, some will dispute that it was not the same John. Some believe that it was another John of the time. But most believe that it was this John.

In his 2ND letter John the Elder warned his fellow believers and followers of Christ that there are some in the region – the region being Asia Minor – present-day Turkey – there are some in the region – preaching that Jesus – did not have a physical human body. They believed that His human form was a mere illusion. Some members of the young church in the region believed these deceivers, and they ended up leaving the church and following them.

So here’s how 2ND John begins:

This letter is from John – the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children – whom I love in the truth – as does everyone else who knows the truth – because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace – which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ – the Son of the Father – will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. (1-3)

So you may be thinking – which lady and her children – is John writing to in his letter ? I believe that the “chosen lady” is probably a local church in the region that John is responsible for. “Her children” are probably the brothers and sisters that make up the church body. John is their Elder. John is caring for God’s children.

[TO BE CONTINUED – NEXT WEEK]

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday October 19TH 2025, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

This past week I was trying to figure out what I wanted to write about for this edition. I’m in a great chapter of my life right now 20 months into retirement – with great things happening at my church, at my museum, and in my neighborhood.

I looked back in time for inspiration. I looked at my church “wrap-up” blog posts from this weekend in 2008 and 2009, and they were both a bit cringeworthy. Notably I began my public speaking ministry on stage 16 years ago this month when I began hosting Sunday morning services.

I looked back at my sermons that I’ve preached on this weekend over the years, and I stumbled across one that I preached to my second church family (in Homestead) exactly 5 years ago this weekend. It was titled “Apostle & Elder”, and it was based on the 13 verses of John’s second letter. It inspired me – even 5 years later. I thought about using an excerpt from the sermon for this edition, but I couldn’t figure out which excerpt to use. What I really want to do is transcribe the entire sermon in here.

What I remember behind the scenes of that sermon is that it was from October 18TH 2020 – 7 months after the start of the COVID pandemic, and less than 5 months after we reopened as a church. (We shut down for 10 Sundays because of COVID.) Everyone had their temperature taken at our front hallway, social distancing was in effect all throughout our sanctuary, and the wearing of face masks was required. (I got to take mine off while I preached from the pulpit.) We actually lost a few members of our small church family who were anti-face mask and refused to wear them. Our Pastor was (and still is) pro-COVID vaccine, and that turned them off as well. They never returned.

I just looked at the calendar. After today there are 10 Sundays remaining in 2025. I should be able to fill-up the next 9 weeks of #SundayScripture posts with that sermon – led with a little bit of commentary each week. So that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll get that started next week.

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp