Jordan Rimmer Sermons

So many people only know the first half of the Jonah story, and most people don't understand it. While I want to do a series on this story some day, it was fun to try to tell the story in one shot.

This wee little man becomes a big hinge for the Gospel of Luke, the star of a cherished children's song, and now, hopefully, and example for you and I.

The good Samaritan is not the simple parable you might expect. This is a radical story that will mess with your thinking.

Here is the story of Daniel and the lion's den. I pay special attention to the exile and the circumstances that led to this encounter.

I have always wanted to preach about Benaiah. I am so thankful for Mark Batterson's book In a Pit in a Lion on a Snowy Day.

Here I look at the real story of David and Goliath. Thanks to Malcolm Gladwell for his insights into this story.

Here is the story of Gideon.

We need to Sabbath. Here is why.

Sermon about Moses, his early life, and what it meant that he was a prophet.

Sermon about Joseph and how what his brothers meant for harm God meant for good.

This begin my sermon series on stories of the Bible. We look at Jacob, his wives, his wrestling, and the struggle he had to trust God.

In this short homily, I look at why we praise God with music. Does God need our music, or is it for our benefit? I then look at the impact of music on cheese, and what that means for us.

In this audio, Dr. Steven Tuell teaches a Sunday School class titled "Reading from the Left Hand Side of Your Bible." He goes over common objections to reading the Old Testament and why he thinks Christians should be in that side of the Book.

Dr. Steven Tuell came to my church and preached from Isa 65:17-25 and Revelation 21:1-6.

For Mothers Day, I take a look at one of the most important mothers of all time--Mary the Mother of Jesus. I take a look at her life, her interactions with Jesus, and how she is an example to us.

We look at the story of Balaam, the prophet for profit. Why does God get mad when Balaam goes to Balak even though God tells him to go? Why does Balaam get so mad at his ass?

Here I talk about the Cross as a recapitulation. According to Romans 5, Jesus retells the story of Adam. He is doing that in our lives, too.

This sermon unpacks the way the Bible uses legal imagery including judgement, righteousness, the Day of the Lord, the Bema, and the Final Judgement. I use these ideas to talk about what Jesus accomplishes on the cross, which is more than just a legal act, but also an act of reconciliation.

I take a look at the images of ransom and redemption, looking at Old Testament law, the Book of Ruth, images of God as redeemer in the Old Testament, then finally Jesus Christ as redeemer and giving his life as a ransom. I end considering what it means that our lives and the lives of others are so valuable to Christ that he would pay the price of his life for us.

This sermon begins my 2019 Lent sermon series. I am taking a look at the meaning of Christ's Crucifixion by looking at the metaphors or symbols that the Bible uses to describe what Christ accomplishes on the cross. This sermon introduces the series and looks at the meaning of the term Atonement.

THIS SERMON:
There is a day coming when all things will be restored. That does not mean that things will just be put back together, but that all the wrongs of the world will be made beautiful. Darkness turns into light. We long for that day, and cling to the hope of that ending until that day comes.

THIS SERIES:
In life, we are sometimes forced to walk through shadowlands. We can get scared, lost, and angry as pain, suffering, and grief surround us. We must learn to understand, navigate, and journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we must remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us and we are with each other.
Pastor Jordan Rimmer will preach the series simultaneous to his friend Pastor Chris Thomas from First Presbyterian Church of Dearborn, MI.
Sunday School curriculum will also be available for the series that was filmed by Pastors Chris and Jordan. You can watch them at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwS2NaLexncln9qUJ4wJhsg.

THIS SERMON:

After Elijah defeats the prophets of Baal in amazing fashion, his life is threatened. He runs for his life when he should have been most confident. But aren't anxiety and depression just like that? In his weakness, God cares for him and reveals himself in the whisper or still small voice.

THIS SERIES:
In life, we are sometimes forced to walk through shadowlands. We can get scared, lost, and angry as pain, suffering, and grief surround us. We must learn to understand, navigate, and journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we must remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us and we are with each other.
Pastor Jordan Rimmer will preach the series simultaneous to his friend Pastor Chris Thomas from First Presbyterian Church of Dearborn, MI.
Sunday School curriculum will also be available for the series that was filmed by Pastors Chris and Jordan. You can watch them at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwS2NaLexncln9qUJ4wJhsg.

THIS SERMON:
I begin this sermon talking about Zebras and the impact of stress on the brain. I then turn to the impact of stress on the soul. But God does not take away our stress. He even prays that we would be left in the world. So we have to learn to deal. We have to trust that God can redeem bad situations, trust him to guide our steps, and give ourselves some grace along the way.

THIS SERIES:
In life, we are sometimes forced to walk through shadowlands. We can get scared, lost, and angry as pain, suffering, and grief surround us. We must learn to understand, navigate, and journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we must remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us and we are with each other.
Pastor Jordan Rimmer will preach the series simultaneous to his friend Pastor Chris Thomas from First Presbyterian Church of Dearborn, MI.
Sunday School curriculum will also be available for the series that was filmed by Pastors Chris and Jordan. You can watch them at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwS2NaLexncln9qUJ4wJhsg.

THIS SERMON:

Jesus was fully human and understands what we go through, not in an abstract way, but because he feels those things. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he sweat drops of blood from the pain he was anticipating.   A part of the sermon, I refer often to a PowerPoint. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SLIDES.

THIS SERIES:

In life, we are sometimes forced to walk through shadowlands. We can get scared, lost, and angry as pain, suffering, and grief surround us. We must learn to understand, navigate, and journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we must remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us and we are with each other.
Pastor Jordan Rimmer will preach the series simultaneous to his friend Pastor Chris Thomas from First Presbyterian Church of Dearborn, MI.
Sunday School curriculum will also be available for the series that was filmed by Pastors Chris and Jordan. You can watch them at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwS2NaLexncln9qUJ4wJhsg.

THIS SERMON:

When Jesus comes to see Lazarus, he is late by Martha’s standards. She lets him know so. Is this a lack of faith, or does it show that she has faith Jesus could have healed Lazarus? Maybe our honest laments are more an act of faith than of doubt.

THIS SERIES:

In life, we are sometimes forced to walk through shadowlands. We can get scared, lost, and angry as pain, suffering, and grief surround us. We must learn to understand, navigate, and journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we must remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us and we are with each other.
Pastor Jordan Rimmer will preach the series simultaneous to his friend Pastor Chris Thomas from First Presbyterian Church of Dearborn, MI.
Sunday School curriculum will also be available for the series that was filmed by Pastors Chris and Jordan. You can watch them at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwS2NaLexncln9qUJ4wJhsg.

THIS SERMON:

Part of the scariest parts of the darkness is the unknown. But God never promised we would understand. He only promised that he will be with us. Maybe we are asking the wrong questions. Job is a book of his friends trying to explain the pain that job goes through, but at the end God rants about how is Job to know. All along, the real answer to why suffering is happening is that God and the devil had a bet. The point is that the answers are unknowable.

THIS SERIES:

In life, we are sometimes forced to walk through shadowlands. We can get scared, lost, and angry as pain, suffering, and grief surround us. We must learn to understand, navigate, and journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we must remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us and we are with each other.
Pastor Jordan Rimmer will preach the series simultaneous to his friend Pastor Chris Thomas from First Presbyterian Church of Dearborn, MI.
Sunday School curriculum will also be available for the series that was filmed by Pastors Chris and Jordan. You can watch them at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwS2NaLexncln9qUJ4wJhsg.

It is a new year, and with the new year comes new year's resolutions. In this sermon, I take a look at why I think Christians should embrace new year's resolutions, how the principles of succeeding at resolutions are biblical, and how for Christians self-help and success literature get's the process wrong.

In this short sermon on the Sunday after Christmas, I talk about the let down after Christmas, and living an Advent faith when all the bows are put away.

In this sermon, I look at the struggles we have experiencing Christmas because we are so busy and consumed by DOING Christmas. I then use Galatians 4 to talk about the importance of the holiday. I conclude with the poem below.

 

The Nightmare Before New Years by Jordan Rimmer

Twas the Nightmare before New Years, and all through the land
Everyone was stirring, as fast as they can.
The decorations were hung, but were they enough?
Paying off all this credit card debt will be tuff.

The children were tucked in and dreaming upstairs
Of expensive toys that they’ll break and they’ll lose and won’t share.
Mom and I were exhausted, and fell fast asleep
For this was a pace that we just could not keep.

It was snowing outside and starting to pile
In the morning I would have to shovel a while.
Man, was the winter always rough on my back.
And we are travelling this week and didn’t yet pack.

The kids would wake up before the crack of dawn
To open their toys, and all day they will yawn.
Then we’d dash to see family throughout the day
And we’ll eat and we’ll talk while all the kids play.

As the day moves along a smile turns to a frown
Somebody’s bound to have a melt-down.
It might be a kid who didn’t get enough sleep
Or an adult with too many secrets to keep.  

Is this really what Christmas is all about?
That we run and we spend and we stress and we shout?
We hustle and bustle and wear ourselves thin.
Is there something more happening that we just won’t let in?

Then we realize with a great amount of fear:
We are going to have do this all again next year?
But bigger, and better, and nicer, and more
More shopping, more cookies, of everything—more.

Or we could choose differently here, you and I.
We could hold on to love and give up the lie
That Christmas is all about presents and stuff
We could look at it differently, but it will be tuff.

Maybe it’s not about presents at all
Or decorations or cookies or sales at the mall.
Maybe the holiday is all about love.
That started with Christ who came from above.

The love that was laid in the manger of hay
Changes the way we love others today.
Maybe this Christmas we can more than get through.
Merry Christmas, I say, and God’s blessings to you.

One of the challenges of life is that joy and suffering often go together. Love involves risk. The wonderful part of life are not offset by the painful parts, but they go together. I take a look at the testimonies of Simeon and Anna, what this all must have been like for Mary, and what we can learn from them.