East Berlin Community Church

03/31/2026

Why did Jesus have to die? Why was it necessary for the Son of God to be crucified? That a good question to ask in preparation for Good Friday. Jesus had to die because it was God's plan from eternity. He had to die to procure for us eternal redemption, and to cleanse our consciences from guilt. He had to die to complete Old Testament saint's salvation which they had only on credit. The credit bill had to be paid. As we will see in this message, Jesus Christ had to die because a testament or will demands death. The New Covenant is not in force until the death of the testator. He had to die because the heavenly sanctuary needed to be purified. The presence of Satan in heaven pollutes the heavenly sanctuary. The presence of Jesus Christ with His once-for-all sacrifice purifies it. And Jesus needed to die because judgment demands a substitute. Every man will one day face death and after that the judgment. When judged, either we pay for our own sin or else a substitute pays for them. Jesus Christ in his own body bore our sins at Calvary. He died for you and I, paying in full for our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. He was condemned for us so that we do not need to fear condemnation when we stand before God. And His resurrection from the dead and second coming confirms that God the Father was satisfied with the sacrifice Jesus made for us! Jesus had to die because you and I need a savior! He died for you...and for me!

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

03/24/2026

We are always looking for the best deals in life! The Jews thought that they had God's best deal in the Law and the Levitical sacrificial system. But the preacher to the Hebrews has been claiming that God offers a better deal in Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 9:1-15, the preacher is comparing the two: the Sanctuary, the Services, and the Significance. This sermon considers God's Best Deal Ever! The New Sanctuary is heavenly, not made with man's hands. The New Service Jesus offers differs from the old in that He offers His own blood as payment for our sin. It is offered only once for all and it results in permanent, eternal redemption. What all this means for us is that today we can have full access into God's presence. We have today permanent forgiveness of sins. Our conscience is cleansed by the blood of Christ so there is no guilt in life nor fear of death. And an added bonus is that the Old Testament saints who believed in God for their salvation have also been redeemed by the blood of Christ! They have received the 'promise of eternal inheritance'. The death of Jesus Christ has been and always will be the only source of eternal salvation! This is the Best Deal Ever!

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

03/17/2026

'Is it right to do good on the Sabbath?' This was the questioned Jesus posed to the nit-picking Pharisees. Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man. And to prove His point, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. The healing of the shriveled hand, though, revealed the hardness of the Pharisee's hearts. What are the characteristics of a hardened heart, a closed mind? A hard-hearted person is not interested in discovering the truth, but rather in gathering ammunition to be used against another. A hard-hearted person is more concerned about being 'right' than they are about the welfare of others. They refuse to admit that they are wrong even when soundly rebuked. A hard-hearted individual fails to see the 'good' even when it is done right in front of their eyes. And a hard-hearted person, driven by mindless rage, is capable of doing anything, even murder. God desires for us to have soft hearts towards Him, and towards others.

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

03/13/2026

03/09/2026

The preacher to the Hebrews makes many comparison. He has compared the prophets, angels, Moses, Joshua, and Aaron to Christ to point out and prove the superiority of Christ over all. But in doing so, he never depreciates the person or the thing he compares to Christ. He does not elevate Christ by putting others down, but instead he elevates them. In doing so, he elevates Jesus Christ even more. In Hebrews 9, the preacher compares the sanctuary and services of the old covenant with the sanctuary and services of the new. He begins in Hebrews 9:1-10 with a description of the tabernacle with its furnishings, and then the services performed by the priests, especially the high priest on the day of atonement. He ends this section with three things that the Spirit of God seeks to teach us from the old covenant. First, worship of God was limited under the Old Covenant. Secondly, the cleansing accomplished through the old sacrifices was insufficient. They did not cleanse the conscience. And thirdly, the Old Covenant was temporary. It lasted until the "time of reformation" which God makes everything right in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

03/03/2026

While here on earth, Jesus Christ lived under the old Mosaic Covenant with its rules and regulations. He however came in conflict with the religious leadership over their interpretation and application of the rules, especially when it involved the interpretation of the fourth commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." One such conflict came on the day that Jesus and His disciples decided to "eat out" on the Sabbath as recorded in Luke 6. Jesus and His disciples are accused of breaking the Sabbath as interpreted by the Pharisees. But Jesus defends His actions by properly interpreting the law. There was "wiggle room". Survival takes precedence over strict compliance. Serving God over Sabbath rest. And the spirit of the Law over the "letter" of the Law. Jesus declares Himself to be the Sovereign Lord over the Sabbath. The "yoke" that Jesus places on His followers is not like the heavy one of the Pharisees. But His "yoke" is easy, and His burden is light! Following Jesus leads to abundant, joyful living and service to God.

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

02/24/2026

t is "Hard to teach on old dog new tricks", but not impossible. Change is difficult for most! We need reasons to give up the old to embrace the new. Jesus Christ came not to maintain the status quo but to introduce change. He and his disciples did not fast as the Pharisees did, and He uses this to introduce to them change they can believe in. Believable change does not violate Scripture, is appropriate for the times, and does not compromise. One cannot put new wine into old wineskins without ruining both. The old covenant and the new cannot be combined. You either have to accept the one and reject the other. But to accept the New covenant results in change. Now Jesus is a realist for He understands how hard it is for people to change. He understands that many tend to hold on to their traditions rather than embrace the new gospel of Jesus Christ! But for those who do, they find that today is a time for celebration! Believable Change!

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

02/17/2026

Many today work in businesses and shops under a contract with management . Some contracts are better than others, but none are perfect. Since the beginning of time, God has always had a contract with the human race whereby He detailed His rules of relationship and governing. At Sinai, God entered into a contract with Israel that provided the means for the covering of man's sins through the sacrificial system. But it did not go far enough for it did not provide the means to fully forgive and cleanse man's conscience. So God makes a new covenant, a new contract with man! An unconditional grace contract resting on the "I will" of God, made with the Jewish people but radically different from the old conditional contract. This new contract promises the impartation of a renewed mind and heart, known today as regeneration. It includes the power to obey through the indwelling of God's Spirit, and not merely the covering but the full forgiveness of our sins. It promises a clear comprehension of God and His will, plus an intimate, personal, life-transforming relationship with the living God! Contracts always need to be signed to be in force. And the New Contract was signed with the blood of Jesus Christ, so that today, we who put our faith and trust in the LORD experience regeneration, the forgiveness of our sins, the indwelling of the Spirit, and personal relationship with God. The New Contract is the last for it is the perfect, superior contract between God and man.

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

02/10/2026

The quality of customer service is what sets apart one business from one another. The Levitical priests were into "customer service" as they represented God to the people, and the people before God! They were responsible for not only teaching God's Word, but also offering the sacrifices and leading in worship. But by the time Jesus came, the religious leadership in Israel were no longer into customer service, but rather servicing themselves. Jesus Christ came as the ultimate customer servant! He faithfully represented God to the people, and to the people to God, ultimately giving His life as a ransom for many. But now that He is exalted to glory, does this mean that His "customer service" has ended? NOT IN THE LEAST! For from heaven, Jesus provides superior service for you and I by virtue of His prominent seat, sitting at the Father's right hand, the place of mercy. He provides for us superior service by virtue of His superior sanctuary in which He ministers-- the true sanctuary, not made with human hands, but by God. There our Superior Priest offered a superior sacrifice for our sins. From there, He administers a Superior Contract, the New Covenant, that is build on Superior Promises-- a contract that provides for us the forgiveness of our sins, reconciliation with God, and the indwelling of the Spirit. A contract based on superior promises of spiritual blessings in the Heavenlies! And so we today can come boldly to the throne of grace, to the "help desk" for receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need!

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

02/03/2026

In my teenage years, I developed a list of the qualities I was looking for in my future wife! And God graciously provided! She is not perfect (and neither am I), but we are perfect for each other! The Jews considered their religious system to be perfect. But the Levitical priesthood was not perfect, for the priests were sinners in need of a sin sacrifice to cover their sins. But God the Father appointed His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the perfect priest! He is perfect in that He is the surety of a better covenant-- the New Covenant which assures us of a personal relationship with God. He is perfect, in that He is the source of eternal salvation! He is able to "save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them!" He is also the perfect priest in that He suits us! He is exactly what we needed. We needed a priest who was absolutely sinless-- and Jesus fits the bill. We needed a priest who could Himself be the sacrifice for our sins. Because He was sinless, He did not need to offer a sacrifice for Himself. He offered one sacrifice-- Himself-- once and for all! A perfect sacrifice by a perfect priest, completely done for all times! Jesus Christ, the perfect Priest, is perfect for us!

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church

01/26/2026

If perfection was possible through the Levitical priesthood, why was it prophesied that another priest would rise according to order of Melchizedek? That is the question raised by the preacher in Hebrews 7. But what is meant by "perfection"? In Hebrews, "perfection" is not spiritual maturity, but rather access to God's presence. It is the ability for you and I to "draw near to God." This is the perfection that Adam and Eve experienced prior to sinning. They lived in the presence of God, communing daily with Him. Only the Levitical High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement with a blood sacrifice and thus experience the presence of God. He could not linger there but offered a quick sacrifice for sin, and then he left. For the common man, a veil separated them from God. They were forbidden to approach God. But Jesus Christ, by His death at Calvary, tore down the veil that separated man from God. He has made it possible for sinful human beings to have our sins forgiven and conscience cleansed, so that we can boldly approach the throne of grace in order to experience perfection, the very presence of God in life. Jesus Christ was not a descendant of Levi, but Judah of which there are no priests mentioned. He had to be a priest from different order, the order of Melchizedek. And a priest, not based on the Old Mosaic Law, but based on a New Covenant or Law-- a priest according to the power of an endless life. Jesus Christ thus replaces Aaron, for only He provides us access into the very presence of God.

Keith Mosebrook | East Berlin Community Church