Orchard Community Church Sermon Audio: Recent Episodes
Pastor Dave Daye
Orchard Community Church is in Rochester, New York. Pastor Dave Daye emphasizes going deep in our understanding and application of God's Word to our lives. Sermons are biblically based and relevant to life.
Pastor Dave Daye - Oct. 5, 2025
Part of the Gospel of Luke sermon series
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Pastor Dave Daye - Sept. 28, 2025
Part of the Gospel of Luke sermon series
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Pastor Dave Daye
Part of Gospel of Luke sermon series
Sept. 21, 2025
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Pastor Dave Daye - Sunday, September 14, 2025
Dave is the Senior Pastor at Orchard Community Church
Part of the Gospel of Luke Sermon Series
Orchard Community Church is located in Rochester, NY. For more info visit http://www.orchardcommunitychurch.com/
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Preacher: Pastor Dave Daye
Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Dave is the Senior Pastor at Orchard Community Church
Part of the Gospel of Luke sermon series
Orchard Community Church is located in Rochester, NY. For more info visit http://www.orchardcommunitychurch.com/
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Preacher: Pastor Collin Westfall
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Collin is the Youth Pastor at Orchard Community Church
Orchard Community Church is located in Rochester, NY. For more info visit http://www.orchardcommunitychurch.com/
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Preacher: Steve Matson
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Orchard Community Church is located in Rochester, NY. For more info visit http://www.orchardcommunitychurch.com/
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Preacher: Bill Rutan - Sunday, August 10, 2025
Bill is an elder at Orchard Community Church
Orchard Community Church is located in Rochester, NY. For more info visit http://www.orchardcommunitychurch.com/
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Have you ever had to save up for something? Maybe it was a new house, or a car, or just some big purchase that was important to you. The discipline to save money is difficult. Every purchase becomes a decision about what is most important. When we are saving up to buy something we are aware of these constant priority decisions, but the truth is that we are making these decisions all the time without even realizing it. How we spend our time, our money, or even our emotional or mental energy speaks volumes about what we consider to be most important. This sermon looks at Luke chapter 14 where Jesus challenges the people of his day about the way they determine what is most important. He also emphasizes the invitation that God gives to us to be his children and citizens of his kingdom. Like the people of Jesus' day, we often let other things get in the way or take a higher priority than trusting and following Jesus. Jesus challenges them, and us, to truly count the cost of following Jesus and to always consider that being a follower of Jesus is of greater importance than anything else in this world.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
I think we can all identify with the feeling of having lost something. It can be inconvenient, frustrating, sometimes even scary depending on what was lost. If the thing that was lost is important then we will spend time looking for it and we will be so excited and relieved when we find it. This sermon looks at Luke chapter 15 where Jesus tells three parables about things that are lost. In each we see the heart of Jesus for those who are lost, the effort God has put into finding those who are lost, and the joy the Lord feels when those who are lost become found. Through these parables there is a question and an invitation for those who are lost. God has provided a way to be found, but we must realize that being found by God is better than wherever we might be in our lostness.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
There was a shop my wife and I went to when we were dating that had a "going out of business" sign in front. We went in and looked around. We even bought some things for a great price since they had reduced their prices because they were going out of business. There was a sense of urgency, like we had to take the offer now because soon it would no longer be available. I was a little suspicious when I saw that shop a year later and they were still "going out of business." I grew even more suspicious as that going out of business sale lasted for several more years! Businesses understand that people feel a sense of urgency when there is a limited time. This sermon looks at Luke chapter 13 as we continue our sermon series on the Gospel of Luke. In this chapter we see how Jesus taught a sense of urgency because of the fact that God's kingdom was coming. We have an opportunity now to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation, but this time is limited because the kingdom is coming soon.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
How clean is your garage and does everything in it have a purpose? Often our garages are just filled with things that have no purpose or maybe had a purpose at some point but no longer does. As things sit in the garage that have no purpose, they collect dust, slowly rust, and get covered in spider webs. Purpose is important, not just for things in our garages, but for us as well. It gives us direction and meaning. This sermon looks at Titus 2 in which Paul shows us how we can find our purpose in the Gospel, no matter the season of life we find ourselves in. The purpose Paul talks about in his letter to Titus gives encouragement to Christians of all ages how to live our lives with a Gospel Purpose that drives our spiritual growth and importantly helps spread the Good News.
This sermon is preached by Chris Vincent, one of the elders at OCC.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation where someone shouted "watch out!" This phrase is a warning that you are going in the wrong direction or something dangerous is heading your way. It is a call for action - something needs to change or something bad is going to happen. But what if the thing we need to watch out for is us? What if it is our actions or attitudes that is the danger? Not many of us like to hear that we may be wrong. So if we get a warning about something we are doing we tend to blow it off and justify why what we do is right or at least not that big of a deal. In Luke 11:37-54 Jesus tells people to "Watch Out!" He uses the word "woe" which is a warning that judgment is coming because of what someone is doing. It is Jesus saying "Watch out! Something needs to change!" I hope that by looking at what needed to change in Jesus' listeners, we see how we need to still hear this warning today.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
One of the hardest parts of being a lifeguard is staying alert. It is easy to let your mind wander after sitting for several hours in the hot sun watching others have fun in the water. But a good lifeguard must always be aware and alert to anyone in distress. Our lives are similar. We get lulled into complacency by our routines or the constant distractions in our lives. This sermon looks at Luke 12:1-12 where Jesus warns his disciples that there is something important that they must always be aware of and be guarded against. I pray we will hear how we still need to be on our guard against this issue today.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Expectations are tricky things. We put our expectations on other people, on situations in our lives, even on ourselves. Something that happens might be good, but if it doesn't meet our expectations then we might not see the goodness in it. This sermon looks at Luke 12:13-59. In this passage, someone comes to Jesus with an expectation that Jesus will do what he wants. He expects Jesus to make his life better by solving a dispute with someone else. The problem is that this person's expectations are defined by this world and by expectations of what is needed in this world or what will make him happy in this world. Jesus uses this as an opportunity to teach all who are listening that there is a "Great Divide" between the expectations of this world and the perspective of what God is doing in eternity. Followers of Jesus need to understand this great divide and the great difference between the priorities of this world and the priorities of the kingdom of God.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
This sermon is given by Ethan Hunt. Ethan and his wife Grace and their three little children are a new missionary family that Orchard is supporting. Ethan talks a little about their plans for their missionary work and then preaches on Psalm 78.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Have you ever been caught up in the movement of a crowd? Sometimes this is literal, physical movement that pushes you in a direction. But crowds can move us in other types of directions as well. We can be swayed to change our beliefs, our morals, or the way we treat people. This sermon looks at Luke 11:14-36. In this passage Jesus interacts with a crowd of people made up of different groups. Some are amazed at the spectacle of what he does. Others are skeptical of his teaching. Others are even slanderous and say things against Jesus. We see how he interacts with these groups and are challenged to think about whether we are just following the crowd or if we are willing to break out of the crowd and follow Christ.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
There is a famous saying that states, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." It is important in life to keep the most important things in the place of utmost importance in our priorities. But how do we determine what is most important and, if we can make that determination, how do we keep that thing our highest priority? This sermon looks at Luke 10:25 - 11:13. In this passage we see Jesus interacting with an expert on the Old Testament Law, a pair of sisters, and his disciples. In each of these three encounters there is an emphasis on what is most important. I pray that this passage challenges us to make sure that we keep God as the main thing in our lives.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
The Christian faith can be a roller coaster ride of spiritual states. From the excitement and fire of the newly converted to struggling with the day to day or feeling overwhelmed at the sin and lostness of the world. As we look at Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:3-14 let us be encouraged and strengthened to guard the deposit of the Gospel that God has entrusted to every Christian throughout the ages.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Some jobs are harder than others and some bring more joy than others. This sermon, called "A Difficult but Joyous Mission," looks at Luke 10:1-24. In this passage Jesus sends some of his followers on a mission. It is a difficult mission and he warns them that they might struggle along the way. But ultimately he reminds them that God is the one in charge of their mission. As they step out in faith to spread the gospel, they experience great joy! We look at how we still face the difficulties of this mission and how we need to be reminded of the joy to be found for those willing to serve and the comfort of knowing God is sovereignly in control of the outcome of this difficult, but joyous mission.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
May 11, 2025 - Mother's Day
Moms (and everyone) can often struggle with comparisons. We compare ourselves to people who seem better than us and we feel miserable. We compare ourselves with those we think we are better than to make ourselves feel good. We compare ourselves with our own distorted ideas of how life should go and can wrongfully think we are great or terrible based on these false comparisons. We get caught in a trap of defining ourselves and our worth in comparisons. This sermon looks at Luke 9:46-62 where we see some comparison traps that Jesus' followers were struggling with and how Jesus lovingly corrects them. The challenging and encouraging truth of this passage applies to mothers and to all of us.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
In this passage we see Jesus perform several more miracles that prove his power as the Son of God. We also see some new themes in the book of Luke. Jesus begins to challenge his disciples with the question of who they believe he is. He compels them to decide if they truly believe in him or if they are going to go along with the whims of the crowds. Then, in one of the most remarkable accounts in the life of Jesus, three of his disciples will see him "transfigured" before them so that they see his divinity and hear a voice from heaven declaring that he, Jesus, is the Son of God. The question for them, and for us, is how we will respond to the greatness of Jesus Christ.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Pastor Dave Daye - April 27, 2025
Part of "Gospel of Luke" sermon series
Good questions cause us to really think about something. Some questions are easy - like "what is your favorite food?" Other questions are tough - like "what is your greatest fear?" or "what causes you the most shame and guilt?" This sermon looks at Luke 8:22-56 which starts with Jesus silencing a storm and his disciples asking the question "Who is this?" The rest of this passage answers this question in several ways that will challenge us to consider who we believe Jesus to be.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Good Friday and Easter are the celebration of most important act throughout all of history. This is a bold claim, but nothing in history is more significant than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The far-reaching, eternal implications of what Jesus did for us have ripples in the past leading up to Christ's coming through the prophecies of the Old Testament. The historical event of the cross and the resurrection have ripples into the future, even into eternity!, as we look forward to the restoration of God's perfect creation where His people will be with him in a perfect relationship forever. And all of this is accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is an eternal hope that is securely guaranteed through the life-changing, history-making, act of Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave! This sermon celebrates the resurrection of Jesus by looking at "The Hope of Easter."
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
This Sunday we had a potential Assistant / Youth Pastor candidate visiting with his fiancée. Pastor Dave took this opportunity to preach a sermon on the mission statement of Orchard Community Church which is "to make and become fully devoted followers of Christ through the renewing and transforming power of the gospel for the glory of God."
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Have you ever had someone say to you, "now, listen carefully"? You know that what will follow is going to be important. It will be something you need to remember. It might be something that changes your life. In Luke 8:1-21, there is a repeated idea of listening carefully to the Word of God. God's Word is powerful and changes lives. But we must take seriously our need to listen carefully to what God says because when we are willing to listen, really and truly listen, we hear the incredible truth that God has given us a way to be saved from our sins, for our lives to be transformed, and for us to be part of something so much bigger than we could have ever imagined!
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Many times I hear people say that God could never forgive them. They think that they are too much of a sinner to be forgiven. That somehow their sins are greater than Jesus' ability to save. This sermon looks at a very poignant picture of forgiveness in Luke 7:36-50. In this gripping passage we see a woman who has a bad reputation for being a sinner come to Jesus. Through this interaction we learn the depths of the forgiveness of Jesus toward sinners and we learn the effect that this forgiveness has on our love for Jesus. I hope that we all see ourselves in this account and are challenged to look at the great forgiveness Jesus offers to us.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
When I was a Youth Pastor, I had a mom say to me that her teenage son was doubting his faith. I think my answer might have surprised her because I said "good"! It is good to know the truth about Jesus. It is good to learn bible stories and theological truths. But at some point each person has to answer the question of whether or not that person believes Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the World. This sermon looks at Luke 7:1-35 and is called "Dealing with Doubts." John the Baptist sends a message to Jesus with an important question. He asks if Jesus really is the Savior. This is an honest doubt, and John takes his doubt straight to the source and seeks truth. We see from the rest of this passage how the truth of who Jesus is helps us to deal with our doubts.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
I once worked as a laborer for a construction company. One day someone gave me instructions to nail some boards together in a certain way. I followed the instructions as I understood them. A while later the same person came and saw what I had done and said "this is all wrong!" I had done it the way that made sense to me, but I didn't understand the big picture of what he was telling me to do. He then took all of my work apart and did it the right way. This was hard, but the job had to be done right. We often work hard to build our lives the way we think makes sense. Then we come to Scripture and are challenged in ways we don't want to hear. We don't want to change. We don't want to be confronted with the truth that we are living out of line with God's Words. This sermon looks at Luke 6:27-49. In this passage, Jesus challenges us to understand that if we truly believe in him and truly accept what he says, then our lives will be changed and the way we treat others will reflect the way that God has loved us.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
What if you found a treasure? What an amazing experience that would be. To know that you were set for life and that all your greatest financial needs would be taken care of. In Luke 6:12-26, Jesus chooses the twelve apostles and then begins teaching his followers about the cost of following him. This sermon, titled "The Treasure of Discipleship," looks at this powerful passage where we see both the cost and the incredible treasure and reward of being a follower of Jesus.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
There were people during Jesus' earthly ministry that were always looking to trap him. They watched every little thing he did to try to find a mistake or something that they could judge. They were so busy looking for ways that Jesus wasn't doing what they wanted, that they were completely missing the point of who Jesus is and what he came to do. This sermon is titled "Missing the Point" and looks at Luke 5:33 - 6:11. I pray we are challenged to make sure we are looking to Jesus rather than missing the point because we are so busy with our own ideas.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
There are some encounters that change your life. Some experiences teach us meaningful things about our lives or the world around us. Tragedy or near-death experiences can shape our perspectives. Sometimes we are changed by our encounters with other people. This sermon looks at Luke 5:1-32. In this passage we see four people who had a powerful encounter with the Son of God. These encounters changed the lives of these people forever. Through their encounters with Jesus we learn more about who Jesus is. In fact, when we read Jesus in Scripture, we are encountering him for ourselves. These encounters, if we are willing, change us forever as well.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Have you ever looked at a very bright light and then only seen spots for a while? Even looking at oncoming headlights of cars at night can have this effect. It can be scary to feel like you can't see what is going on for a little while. Yet sometimes we have ideas or expectations that can blind us to truth. This sermon looks at a time in Jesus' life when people were blinded by their expectations of him and failed to see who he really was.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Speaker Chris Vincent - Sunday, February 9, 2025
From Chris:
In the neighborhood I grew up in, there was a house that backed up to mine that was very ominous. It was fenced off, had signs that said "No Trespassing" and a dog that would bark at any and everything that approached the property. It was not inviting and in the mind of us kids, it was almost scary to approach it. Many of our baseballs, kickballs, and frisbees found their way into the fenced area...never to be seen again.
This image of a closed off and unapproachable place is an idea that Hebrews 12 picks up on when trying to explain the Old Covenant when compared to the New Covenant we enter into with Jesus. The language is powerful and helps us deepen our understanding of who God is and why this New Covenant is so powerful. Here, Hebrews 12 uses the image of two mountains to explain our covenant with God. How does a mountain filled with darkness and gloom explain God to us better? Is one mountain supposed to be better than the other? How do these two mountains explain the Gospel on a deeper level? In this sermon we explore Hebrews 12 and see how our experience of approaching Jesus can be explained using Two Mountains.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Some people don't believe that Jesus ever existed. Some people say he existed but was just a man, maybe even a good man, but still just human. But what does Scripture say? This sermon looks at Luke 3:21 - 4:13. In this passage we have three scenes - Jesus' baptism, his genealogy, and then his testing in the wilderness. In each of these three scenes there is the repeated phrase "The Son of God." If Jesus is truly the Son of God then he is more than just a man. He is our King, our Savior, and our God.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Are you someone who prepares in advance for things or who just shows up and sees what happens? We see in Scripture that God carefully prepares. Throughout the Old Testament he was preparing the world for the coming of Jesus. After Jesus is born, but right before Jesus starts his public ministry, God has one more step of preparation to do. He gives a message to a man named John and has him travel around telling others to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. The core part of John's message is that people must repent. This sermon looks at Luke 3:1-20 and how repentance prepares us to understand and accept who Jesus is and for the salvation that he gives through his death, burial and resurrection.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
There's language thrown around in the church that describes sin in financial terms. Sin is something that puts us in debt and it is a debt we can never pay off. Redemption by our own efforts is impossible. But then, in comes Christ and our debt is paid, our ledger is wiped clean, and we can live out our lives with that burden removed. But now that we are debt free, do we have any obligations? Are we just living out our days debt free or is there something more? Do I owe anyone anything?
Paul in the Book of Romans shows us that there is a debt that still remains. A debt that helps focus a follower of Christ and to give you purpose. This sermon looks at what that debt is and why living a life trying to pay off this debt can glorify God in incredible ways.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
Who should Jesus be and what should Jesus do? We have expectations all the time of what God should do in our lives or in our world. At the end Luke chapter 2 we read of a situation where a 12-year-old Jesus did not do what his parents expected. In the middle of this account we learn something important about Jesus. This sermon is called "A Higher Commitment" and will looks at Luke 2:41-52 where Jesus makes it clear that his highest commitment is to God's highest priorities. The more we understand this important truth the more we will understand God's will for our life and his incredible grace in sending Christ to save us.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
This sermon is an annual tradition of using the first Sunday of the new year to look at an overview of the entire bible. In Scripture, God gives us one big picture of who He is, who we are, the relationship God has created us for, and His plan and work to make that relationship possible. Join us as we look at the big picture of the bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Orchard Community Church
www.orchardcommunitychurch.com
Listening to sermons online can be a great way to keep up with a sermon series if you are unable to attend church but should never be a substitute for regular attendance of a gospel-centered and bible teaching church.
We continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke as we look at Luke 2:22-41 in a sermon called "Waiting." Here we meet two people, Simeon and Anna, who were eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come. While they waited, they faithfully lived in such a way that they relied on God and pointed to His sovereign glory in their lives. They are great examples of what waiting should look like in the Christian life. There are times we don't know what God will do or when he will act, but we can live faithfully and be ready for that moment. Because Simeon and Anna lived faithful lives waiting for the Messiah, they are able to see Jesus shortly after he is born and tell Joseph and Mary truths about their son, Jesus. Their words are recorded by Luke for us and teach us great things about our savior still today!
Sometimes Christmas morning doesn't quite go to plan. Maybe as a kid you expected that one perfect gift that you asked for and anticipated and it just didn't happen. Maybe as an adult you had plans for a perfect celebration that were altered at the last minute. For generations God's people had ideas about how their glorious savior and king would come, but God had other, better plans for the birth of Jesus. As we look at the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:1-21 in a sermon called "The Glory and Humility of the Birth of Jesus," we see that Jesus came with the glory of God yet in a way that was unexpectedly humble. These themes of glory and humility continue throughout the life of Christ and are central to the gospel as well. In fact the idea of glory that is seen through humility becomes something that every follower of Jesus is to display in our lives as we reflect the glory and humility of our savior.
We are looking at Luke 1:26-56 where Mary learns that she is to have a baby who will be the Son of God and the savior of the world. The sermon is called "Rejoice in God our Savior" because God tells Mary that the baby she will bear will be "the Son of the Most High" and that she is to name him Jesus (which means "He Saves"). Mary puts all of this together in a song of praise where she exclaims, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." What a joy and honor it must have been for Mary to be chosen to bear the Son of God and the Savior of the world. But also, what a difficult burden to bear! In this passage we learn about the incredible truth of who Jesus is, the fulfillment of God's promises to his people, and the great and sovereign will of God. But we also learn that God cares about these women and the struggles they are going through as he shows them the tender grace of confirming through each other that God is with them.
Preparations are underway for Christmas! Christmas trees are being set up and decorated, lights are decorating yards, even some gifts are being purchased. There is a lot that goes into getting ready for Christmas. But are we truly prepared in the right way? God knew that people needed to be prepared for the birth of Jesus. This earth-changing, history-making, and life-saving radical event needed some preparatory work to be done first. Luke starts his gospel not with the birth of Jesus, but with the birth of another child named John. This baby will grow to be the one who prepares the way for Jesus. In a sermon called "Prepare the Way," we look at Luke 1:5-25 and 57-80. As we look at the announcement of John's birth and the response of his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, I hope we can ask ourselves if we are prepared to truly marvel and rejoice at the gift of Jesus.
How can we know that what we believe is true? Is Christianity just some made up religion? Is the birth of Jesus just another story we tell to children along with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny? We are starting a new sermon series on the Gospel of Luke. Right at the beginning of his book, Luke tells us why he is writing by saying, "so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." Throughout his gospel, Luke is meticulous in providing proof for the authenticity of what is being recorded. I pray that as we walk through this incredible account of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we will be encouraged and challenged to be certain of who Jesus is and the salvation he has purchased for us through his death, burial and resurrection. This sermon is titled "That You May Know" and looks at Luke 1:1-4 and a quick overview of the entire book of Luke.
We conclude our sermon series on "Fear and Hope" by looking back at what we have learned from Scripture about living in the fear of the Lord and how this ties into having hope in the Lord. I pray that we will take away from this series a greater understanding of the majesty, power, and awesomeness of our God as well as a deeper appreciation of the love, grace and mercy He has shown to us through the gift of His Son, Jesus.
So many things clamor for our attention. We jump from one fear to another and from one hope to another. For about 10 weeks we have looked at the relationship between the Fear of the Lord and having Hope in the Lord. This does not happen by accident nor can we be passive about it. This sermon is called "Growing in Fear and Hope in the Lord" and looks at how Scripture instructs us to grow in both the fear of God and having hope in God. We also look at practical ways we can build this process into our daily lives.
This sermon is called "Fear, Hope, and Faithfulness" and looks at how our fear of the Lord and our hope in the Lord are seen in our obedience to God.
In a world filled with conflict, the desire of every person is to live a life filled with peace. In John 14, Jesus declares that he wants to give us peace in this world. But the Peace of God is a kind of peace that is unique and only given by Jesus. What is this Peace that God gives and how can we experience it? In a sermon titled "Peace Beyond All Understanding" we explore John 14 to discover this peace.
Did you know that we become like what we worship? The bible tells us that we were created in God's image and created to worship God. When we do this, we reflect God's character in our lives. But when we turn away from God and give priority to something else we begin to reflect the values of that person or thing in our lives. Worshipping something other than God is called idolatry. We might be tempted to think that idolatry is only an ancient problem that involved worshipping statues, but idolatry is still a big problem today. This sermon is called "Fear, Hope, and Idolatry" and looks at how our greatest fears and hopes not only shape what we worship (which is what we looked at last week), but also that placing our ultimate fear or hope in the wrong thing is idolatry...and the bible has a lot to say about the dangers of idolatry. I pray that this sermon will challenge us to evaluate the idols in our own lives.
What is the purpose of our lives? This question has consumed philosophers through the ages. The biblical answer is actually fairly simple. We exist to worship God. Worship is more than just an hour long activity for Sunday morning. It is more than singing songs, praying or reading the Bible. It is certainly more than just a spiritual feeling that we get when we feel close to God. Worship is about the direction of our lives, our hearts, our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Worship is about our highest priority and the reason behind everything we do. This week we will be looking at how our Fear of the Lord and our Hope in the Lord lead us to lives lived in true worship. This sermon is called "Fear, Hope, and Worship" and continues our sermon series on "Fear and Hope" in the Bible.
We have spent the last five weeks in our sermon series looking at the relationship between the fear of the Lord and our hope in the Lord in Scripture. In this sermon we see how these important concepts impact our day to day lives as we seek to see everything in our lives and in our world through the lens of who God is. In Scripture, this perspective is known as wisdom. This sermon is called "Fear, Hope, and Wisdom" and looks at how living in the proper fear of the Lord and the secure hope in the Lord lead us to live wisely.
The beating heart of the Christian faith is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the good news that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and then rose from the grave conquering sin and death and offering eternal life to all who believe in Jesus as their savior. Without this truth, Christianity becomes a self-help movement and the church becomes a civic organization. But with the gospel we become an outpost of hope in this world. In the gospel we see the perfect union of the fear of the Lord and the hope in the Lord. God's fearful and just punishment of sin is poured out on his Son so that we are given the secure hope of salvation. This sermon is called "Fear, Hope, and the Gospel" as we continue our sermon series called "Fear and Hope."
Hope is a powerful thing. In moments of dark despair hope can be a shining beacon. But we must be careful where we place our hope because the source of our hope must be stronger than our struggles. Greater despair comes when we realize that the thing in which we have put our hope is weak and ineffective. We continue our sermon series on "Fear and Hope" where we are looking at the relationship in Scripture between our fear of God and our hope in God. This sermon is simply called "Hope" and examines how the same understanding of God that leads us to a proper fear of God also gives us an incredible hope in God.
Fear is usually thought of as a negative thing (unless you are one of those strange people who enjoy horror movies). We try to avoid or overcome fear. We want to feel safe, certain, and secure rather than fearful. We often cry out to God because we are afraid of situations in our life so we ask for God's help. Yet when we dig into God's Word we learn that there is an important emphasis on fearing God! How does this make any sense? How can God be both loving and gracious and yet someone whom we should fear? Our understanding of the idea of the fear of the Lord has a profound impact on our relationship with God and our perspective on the world around us. We continue our "Fear and Hope" sermon series with a sermon called "The Fear of the Lord" in which we examine what God's Word has to say about this important concept and how this should impact our daily lives.
We use the word great with casual frequency. A movie is great. That new ice cream flavor is great. Our favorite pro athlete is great. What do we really mean by saying something is great? Great compared to what? In Isaiah 40, God's people are struggling and God is sending them a message to comfort them. He does this by giving them an immense perspective of his greatness. This sermon is called "The Unfathomable Greatness of God" and is part of our "Fear and Hope" sermon series. I pray that we will open our eyes to the incredible, unmeasurable, and incomparable greatness of our sovereign God.
What are you afraid of? Fear is rampant in our society today. We are barraged by images and ideas that stir up a sense of lostness, hopelessness, and fear. We grab onto those things that we think will fix our fear. We put our hope in things that promise an answer to, or at least some sense of relief from, our fears. Where we put our hope reveals our fears and what we fear will determine where we will seek to find our hope.
We are starting a new sermon series called "Fear and Hope." The concept of having hope in God is all over Scripture. This seems obvious because we are told that God loves us, protects us, saves us, and shows us grace and mercy. These are all reasons for great hope. It would seem, then, that a Christian understanding of hope in God would drive out all fear. Yet there is another equally strong teaching in Scripture which instructs us to fear the Lord. It seems that in Scripture our fear of the Lord and our hope in the Lord are actually related. When we allow lesser things to consume our fears we will allow lesser things to satisfy our hope. But if we truly understand and live with an ultimate fear of the Lord then we can also live with an ultimate hope in the Lord.
This sermon is simply called "Fear and Hope" and looks at these themes in Psalm 34 as we begin to dig into these important concepts in the Word of God.
Worry, anxiety, fear, and cruelty seem to be the prevailing spirit of our culture and all too often within the church. The media, advertisements, internet personalities and politicians prey upon these emotions and are constantly fueling the fire in our hearts. It is easy for us to fall into the trap and get swept along. In a sermon titled "Guarding Your Heart", we look at Philippians 4: 4-7 and Paul’s instructions to the Philippians on how these truths cause us to live radically different lives than the world around us to the glory of God.
Someone humorously lamented, 'I've always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.' How do you want people to view you? How do you identify yourself when asked? How do you portray yourself on social media? Often people’s identity is wrapped up in their job, their hobbies, their kids or grandkids, their ministry or volunteering. But a believer, a follower of Christ should have an overriding identity. As believers, we need to understand our identify in Christ, the doctrine behind our identity, and the life purpose that identification in Christ brings." In a sermon titled "Who am I?" we look at Titus 1:1-3.
First impressions are always tough to navigate. You want to leave the people you are meeting with a good representation of you. But what can make those first impressions difficult is when the people you are meeting come in with preconceived notions of who you are. They might assume things, misunderstand you, and even attribute actions to you incorrectly.
In this sermon, we look at a very similar story in the Gospel of Luke, where the disciples carried assumptions about who Jesus is and what he came to do. With these assumptions it even led them to become blind to Jesus Himself. How can we avoid the same blindness? How can we humble ourselves to live in the new reality Jesus calls us to? We'll explore the Gospel of Luke for answers.
We conclude our sermon series on 2 Peter with a sermon simply called "Growing in Grace." We look back on the main themes of this letter and explore how we can and should continue to grow in grace today.
How do we grow in grace? This would seem an impossible task since grace is something that is given to us. As we look at the final passage in our 2 Peter Sermon series called "Growing in Grace," we will see that Peter gives us several ways that we can grow in grace. We need to nurture a focus in our lives on what Christ has done for us through his death and resurrection. While we cannot save ourselves or make ourselves worthy of salvation, we can continue to grow in the grace that God has given to us through Jesus Christ. This sermon looks at 2 Peter 3:14-18 and is called "How to Grow in Grace."
I've called this sermon on 2 Peter 3:8-14 "Preparing for the End of the World." (How's that for an attention-grabbing, click-baity title?) I have found that there are basically two types of Christians: those who get obsessed with studying the end times and those that want to avoid anything to do with it (largely because they want to avoid talking about it with the first group of people!). Unfortunately, neither of these extremes are helpful nor are they biblical. In this passage, Peter briefly writes about some things that will happen when Christ returns, but his emphasis is not on a sequence of events nor on trying to figure out a date. Peter wants us to understand that everything we see in this world and are tempted to get caught up in or make a priority will pass away. He wants us to live our lives with the priorities of eternity in view. My goal is not to convince us to stock up on emergency food or to draw fancy end-times charts. My goal is for us to understand what Peter means in 2 Peter 3:11 where, based on what he says will happen to the world, he asks "what kind of people ought you to be?"
Some people struggle with feeling like God just doesn't care or that he really isn't involved in the affairs of this world. Just over 2000 years ago Jesus ascended into heaven and said he would come back to take us to be with him. But where is he? As time goes by, it is easy to give up hope. In a sermon called "The Power of God's Word" we look at 2 Peter 3:1-9. In this passage, Peter mentions that people will doubt the return of Jesus because so much time has passed and it seems like things aren't getting better. If the people he wrote to were experiencing this back then, how much more so do we struggle with this today!? Peter's answer is to remind us to go back to the Word of God. God has a track record of fulfilling his promises!
In all of the political turmoil going on right now, never once have I heard someone say, "You know what we need? We really need to go back to being a British colony!" Can you imagine going through the Revolutionary War, fighting for freedom, winning, gaining our independence... and then just going back?
In a sermon called "Trading Treasure for Trash" we look at 2 Peter 2:13-22. In chapter 2 of 2 Peter, Peter calls out false teachers who are taking people who have been set free by Jesus and tempting them back into a life of slavery to sin. I pray that we will not allow ourselves or any false teachers to cause us to trade the treasure of joy and hope in Christ for the empty and hopeless promises of sin.
In a sermon called "A Problem with Authority," we look at 2 Peter 2:1-12 as part of our sermon series on 2 Peter called "Growing in Grace." In chapter two of this letter, Peter highlights some false teachings that have infiltrated the church. He warns the people against these teachings and these teachers. We look at the first aspect of their false teaching, which is that they did not accept the authority of God! This is still an ongoing issue that we struggle with today so I hope we will prayerfully prepare to dig into this challenging chapter.
We continue our sermon series called "Growing in Grace" on 2 Peter by looking at 2 Peter 1:12-21 in a sermon called "Reminded of Truth." We all need to remember important things. In his letter of 2 Peter, Peter says again and again that he is writing to remind his readers of important things. We look at why we need reminders and why it is important to be sure that we are reminding ourselves of truth and not just something we, or someone else, has made up.
Sin is rampant. There is war, disease, and natural disasters. In addition to this, the world is against God and his church. At best Christians are seen as foolish, naive or backwards. At worst, the church is hated and persecuted. Within the church, there is corruption, abuse and false teachers. As we look around it seems overwhelming and we wonder how can the church continue in this dark world?
As we look to Phillipians 2:1-18, we will see how God’s people are to continue on, in the face of overwhelming circumstances, to faithfully carry forth the Great Commission to the glory of God.
As we continue our "Growing in Grace" sermon series on 2 Peter, we will look at 2 Peter 1:5-11 in a sermon called "Faith in Action." Grace is not something we can know but remain unchanged. If we believe in what Jesus has done in our lives then we cannot remain who we were when we were saved. Peter challenges us to "make every effort" to live out our faith. We seek distraction in our world today but the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ challenges us to focus and to put forth effort to live by faith in the incredible salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. Take some time to read and pray through 2 Peter 1:5-11 and ask the Lord to help you accept the challenge that he is giving us in these powerful verses.
Have you ever packed for a trip and then had that feeling like you were forgetting something? I feel this way every time I pack! I can't imagine leaving the house for a trip and being absolutely sure that I had everything I needed. In our "Growing in Grace" sermon series on 2 Peter, we are looking at 2 Peter 1:1-4 in a sermon called "Everything We Need." In 2 Peter 1:3, Peter tells us that God has given us everything we need to live for him. This incredible promise changes our entire relationship with God and with the world around us. No longer do we have to live in fear hoping we measure up to God's standard - He's given us everything we need in Christ! No longer do we have to seek our happiness or fulfillment in the fleeting things of this world - He has given us everything we need in Christ. I pray we are amazed at the powerful truth with which Peter starts this brief letter.
We are starting a new sermon series called "Growing in Grace" which will cover the New Testament book of 2 Peter. In this short letter, Peter, knowing his life would soon be over, gives some final reminders to people he cares about. Most importantly, he wants them to know the grace given to them through Christ and for them to be diligent to live lives changed by this grace. He warns them not to get taken in by those who teach something different than this incredible grace that saves them. We still need these reminders today. We need to remember the power of the grace of Jesus Christ that saved us and is at work in us. We need to be diligent in living in such a way that we are depending on Christ's grace and living grace-changed lives. And we are still confronted with ideas from both inside and outside the church that would undermine or even destroy this grace. This sermon is simply called "Growing in Grace" and will be an overview of 2 Peter and the sermon series we will be in for the next month or so.
When we became followers of Christ, we began to look at the world differently. Almost as if we were given brand new eyes to see with. The way we view our culture and the world changes when Christ comes into our lives. But in a sermon titled "Spiritual Blindness" we look at an encounter between a physically blind man and Jesus that shines a light on how even the believer can become blind to how God is moving in our world. How can we avoid becoming blind? How can we remain sensitive to how God is moving? The Gospel of John shows us how we can keep our eyes open.
We conclude our sermon series on the local church called "A Peculiar Unity" by looking at Ephesians 3:20-21 in a sermon titled "The Power and the Glory." There are times throughout history when having faith in Jesus has not been popular. Followers of Jesus face persecution and ridicule. It is easy to get discouraged and feel like being a Christian and being part of the church just isn't worth it. We wonder how much longer the church will exist in this crazy and messed up world. We see the secure confidence we have in God's power at work in the church for the glory of God. We are reminded that the church belongs to God and that nothing can stand against God's power and nothing can undercut the promises that God has made. I pray we will be emboldened to live out our "peculiar unity" through the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter what is going on in the world around us!
We continue our sermon series called "A Peculiar Unity" where we are looking at the importance of the local church in God's plans. In a sermon called "Guardrails," we look at how our unity must be shaped by a common mission and shared values as we look at the mission statement and core values of Orchard. I hope we are all be challenged to make sure our own lives are in line with these important principles as well as working together to keep the focus of our church on track as well.
I remember as a kid watching reruns of the show called "The Lone Ranger." Just the title gives away the basic idea which is that there is one person, who is all by himself, taking on the world. Of course, he wasn't actually all by himself as he had help along the way. But our culture today values the idea of a person who does not need anyone and is able to take on the world all by themselves. Yet we all feel the need for help along the way. No one can truly be a Lone Ranger. In fact, in our relationship with Christ we are commanded NOT to be Lone Rangers! We are to gather with and join together with other believers. We need each other as we follow Christ together. We continue our sermon series on the local church called "A Peculiar Unity" by looking at 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 in a sermon called "One Body." Here we see the importance of sharing a common commitment to Christ in the local church and how finding our place in a local church not only makes us stronger but builds up those around us as well.
If we want a cup of coffee, we have a lot of different places to go. We can go to Tim Hortons one day, McDonalds on another day, and then Starbucks on another day. There is nothing wrong with this. But what if we have this attitude toward the church? There should be a difference between our attitude toward our place for coffee and our local church. The key difference is commitment. This sermon is called "Committed to One Another" and looks at what it means to be committed to each other in the local church.
There are many ways to be united with other people. You can find others who are just like you. You can find others who like the same things you like. You can find people who hate the same things you hate. But at some point something can change. Maybe you don't like or hate the same things anymore. What happens to the unity then? If our unity is dependent on our sameness with other people then the unity falls apart when we realize we are not completely alike. The church is supposed to have unity - you can look that up in Scripture, it's kind of a big deal! But we are not all the same. The Church is made up of young and old, different cultures, different languages, even different economic situations. Yet we can gather with a Christian who is very different than us from another part of the world and still have unity. How is this possible? In a sermon called "A Particular Unity", and is part 2 of our sermon series "A Peculiar Unity", we look at the importance of the local church. We look at the importance of the gospel being the focal point for our unity and the only thing powerful enough to keep us unified.
"When God wanted to bring the incredible message about new life through His Son’s death and resurrection to the world, He didn’t create a program, build a structure, or start a country. He used a group of people. Though these people were different from each other and were each flawed, what joined them together was that they had been changed by Jesus." I wrote these words when I first came to Orchard in order to have something to put on our website to explain to people what Orchard is all about. Almost 13 years later I stand by these words. We are starting a new sermon series looking at the importance of the local church in God's plan of salvation. We see what the church is, what we are to do, how we are to do it, and how local church membership fits into this mission. We start a new sermon series called "A Peculiar Unity: The Local Church in God's Great Plan" and the first sermon in this series is titled "The Bride of Christ."
We celebrate the most important, history-changing, life-altering event in the history of humanity. It is impossible to overstate the magnitude of the impact of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. We look at the greatest problem of humanity, the greatest act of love ever committed, the most profound act of both justice and mercy, the most life changing truth, the most agonizing death, and the greatest hope ever offered. No, it is simply not possible to make too much of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe it is the fact that we make too little of Christ's death and resurrection that so many people are living with so little hope. I pray that you will carve out time this weekend to truly think about and praise God for the crucifixion and the resurrection of His Son, Jesus, for you and to join together in worship with other believers in Christ. Whether you come to Orchard, or any of the other gospel focused churches in the area, I implore you to get to church this Sunday. Attend in person. Interact with other people whose lives have been changed by Jesus. Lift your voice in praise with others who understand that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are our only and our greatest hope. Let us come together on Easter morning to loudly proclaim, "He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!"
There comes a point in a journey when you are almost to your destination. When the journey is long, that time when you are almost there is both exciting and agonizing. You long to be where you are going, but you still have a little ways to go before you get there. We conclude our sermon series called "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers" by looking at Numbers 33-36 in a sermon called "Almost Home." We see that God promises his people that they are almost at their new home, the Promised Land, and He emphasizes that this land is an incredible gift - an inheritance - that He is giving to them. Believers in Christ today also live in a time when we are "almost home." We know that Christ is coming back soon, and that we will be with Him forever, but we are not quite there yet. The things God tells His people at the end of Numbers helps us better understand the amazing inheritance we have in Jesus Christ as we find ourselves almost, but not quite yet, home.
There was a phrase I would often use with my kids as we pulled into whatever place we were going. It was the phrase, "Now, remember..." and then I would proceed to remind them about their manners, things they were allowed to do or not allowed to do, that they needed to stay where we could see them, or just anything that they needed to remember wherever we were. In Numbers chapter 33, God has Moses record all the places the Israelites camped between Egypt and the Promised Land. It is a list to help them remember just how far God has brought them. There are also other important things God wants them to remember as they enter the promised land. One thing he reminds them of is to not participate in the worship or ways of thinking of the people already living in the land. Today, God's people are not to be taking land or setting up a nation, but we must still listen to the idea that we are to remember just how far God has brought us and that we must also remember to think, act, and certainly worship differently than the world around us. This sermon titled "Now Remember" looks at Numbers 33 as we continue our sermon series, "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace, and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers."
We look at a very difficult passage in the book of Numbers. In Numbers chapters 31 and 32 God's people are faced with several very difficult choices. Understanding these chapters for us is very difficult as well, since the issues facing God's people are very foreign to us. But by looking at the choices they made - some good, some not so good - we can better understand how we should approach difficult choices in our lives. In a sermon called "Difficult Choices" we look at at Numbers chapters 31 and 32 as we continue our sermon series called "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace, and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers."
The day I was leaving for college was a very memorable day because of the words my dad gave me. The conversation was direct and void of any waste. My dad wanted to give me some final advice before he dropped me off for college with the hope that I would remember some critical things to help me survive till I would see him again in November. What words would you give someone if time was short? Today, we look at a very similar situation where Paul, nearing the end of his life, gives his final encouragement to a young Timothy. What are the critical things that Paul wants Timothy to know? And how can those words help us to stand firm in our faith? In a sermon titled "Standing Tall" we look at one of Paul's final letters and discover how we can find encouragement in our walk with Christ.
We are forgetful people. This is why so often in the Old Testament God teaches His people to be intentional about remembering what He has done for them. In a sermon called "Intentional Remembering," we look at Numbers chapters 28-30 where God gives His people specific things to help them remember Him when they come into the Promised Land. We learn how we can build intentional remembering into our lives today.
Sometimes starting over is hard. You get to the end of a project and realize you made a mistake and you have to start over again. That can be frustrating. But sometimes starting over is exciting. You get a new beginning to avoid the mistakes you made the first time. In a sermon called "New Beginnings", we look at Numbers chapters 26 and 27 as part of our sermon series called "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers." In these two chapters we see a shift in the book of numbers from the failures the people went through as they traveled in the wilderness to the new beginning God gives them as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. We see them be reminded of lessons they need to learn, as well as reminders of the grace God has shown to them. We also see that God is still faithful to them in providing for them every step of the way.
It is an amusing sight at a kids sporting event when someone takes the ball in the wrong direction and scores for the opposing team, but it would not be so funny if that happened this weekend in the Super Bowl! There comes a point when people understand what is at stake and should know better. In a sermon called "Helping the Enemy" we look at Numbers chapter 25. Here we see that while God fought for his people against those that wanted to cause them harm, the people end up inviting these enemies into their camp, joining with them in things they knew were wrong, and then end up paying dearly for it. They thought they were just pursuing their own happiness but they ended up helping their enemy. We see how we must be careful today not to get entangled by the ways of this world. We also see that even though many of them sinned and deserved judgement, the righteousness of one man saved many others.
In this sermon we look at a classic story from the book of Numbers - the story of Balaam and his talking donkey. It reminds me of Sunday School stories as a kid or illustrated children's books. But the book of Numbers is no children's book and the account of Balaam is much more complicated and sinister than what we might typically teach to kids. In a sermon called "Wise Donkey, Foolish Prophet," we look at Numbers chapters 22 to 24 as we continue our sermon series called "Are We There Yet: Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers." We see how this so-called prophet serves as a warning to each of us that God cannot be manipulated for our own benefit and that God's promises are secure.
Where do we go when we need help? Where do we turn when things seem like they are falling apart? This sermon on Numbers 20:14 - 21:45 is titled "Look Up and Live" and looks at a time when the Israelites, once again, got themselves into trouble in the book of Numbers. God had done so much for them, yet again they grumble and complain against him. As we look at this convicting account of their sin, God's discipline and then God's amazing grace in saving his people yet again, we see glimpses of the power of Jesus who is our salvation.
We struggle with wanting to be first. Or maybe just wanting to be right. Or just wanting others to think that we are right. Every aspect of our culture feeds the flame within us that says we are right and we should get what we want. This sermon looks at a very difficult passage in Numbers 20:1-13. We need to look carefully at these 13 verses because there is something here we need to take to heart. It is a warning that says be careful not to make it all about you! In this passage Moses makes a big mistake that will have serious consequences for him and for Aaron. In a sermon called "Failure to Yield" we look at this passage as part of our sermon series called "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace, and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers." We see that Moses made a crucial moment be about his importance rather than God's importance. I believe we also see that we face daily struggles where we are tempted to do the exact same thing.
We return to our sermon series "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace, and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers." We are stepping back into the wilderness between Egypt and Israel where God's people struggled to accept God's grace at work in their lives. In a sermon called "Life in a World of Death" we look at Numbers chapter 19.
We follow our annual tradition of using the first Sunday of the new year to look at an overview of the entire bible. This sermon iis called "The Big Picture" and we see that in Scripture God gives us one big picture of who He is, who we are, the relationship that God has created us for, as well as His plan and work to make that relationship possible. Join us as we look at the big picture of the bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Exploring Paul's letter to the Galatians where he reminds us that the Gospel was not a one time event but rather the thing that shapes our lives forever. As Christ followers, we should look at every aspect of our lives through the lens of the Gospel. Paul encourages us to remember that what we started in the Spirit, we finish in the Spirit, as the Gospel redeems every part of our lives.
What does peace mean? Is it a feeling when everything is calm and quiet? Is it a ceasefire between two enemies? As we continue our Christmas Sermon Series "Unto Us a Child is Born," we look at the last title used for the coming Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 which is "Prince of Peace." We need peace in our lives and peace in this world, but we must truly understand what peace is and be sure that we are not settling for or seeking a false peace. Then, we can fully trust Christ as our Prince of Peace.
This sermon is called "Everlasting Father" as we continue to look at the titles for the coming Messiah given in Isaiah 9:6. It is interesting to think of the baby born in the manger on Christmas Day as being an "everlasting father". We see how we all need a true father to watch over us, teach us, and protect us. Sometimes we have great examples of this in our earthly fathers, but sometimes we don't. Jesus is, for us, the fulfillment of what all our earthly fathers should be, and he is "everlasting" meaning he never gives up on us, never leaves us or forsakes us.
We continue our Christmas sermon series called "A Child is Born" as we look at the descriptions of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 9:6. This sermon is called "Mighty God" and see that the baby born in the manger is actually the mighty God who created and sustains all things.
Over the next month, people will gather in places all around the world to sing the famous "Handel's Messiah." In grand style they will declare "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." These are the words of Isaiah 9:6. As we walk toward Christmas over the next several weeks, in a sermon series called "Unto Us a Child is Born," we will be looking at the incredible titles from Isaiah 9:6 which help us to better understand Jesus Christ, the Messiah. This sermon is called "Wonderful Counselor" and we look at the powerful truth that in the darkness and lostness of this world Christ was born to bring the wisdom of God so that we might know who God is and know God's incredible plan to save us.
We are taking a break from our sermon series on the book of Numbers until after the New Year so that we can focus on Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Giving thanks is an important biblical theme. In a sermon called "How To Be Thankful," we look at the powerful words of Psalm 100 where we are instructed to give thanks and given important ideas on how we should do this. I hope that we can be more intentional in giving thanks not just on a holiday, but on every day of our lives.
In this sermon we see the devastating effect of pride among God's people. Pride is a destructive problem in our lives and in our society. Pride looks at what we have and says we deserve more. Pride looks at God's authority and says we could do better. Pride looks at God's Word and says we know better. In a sermon called "The Problem of Pride" we will look at Numbers chapters 16-18 as we continue our sermon series "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers." We see how a group of people thought that their leaders were claiming too much authority and they wanted to be equal to them. But it was God who set up who was in charge and so they were ultimately rejecting God. I suggest you read through Numbers chapters 16-18 because there is a lot going on!
We are looking at Numbers chapter 15 in a sermon called "Grace and Worship." Here we see that even though God's people rebelled against him, He has not given up on them. In this chapter we also see that when God gives us grace we are to respond in worship. Worship is our purposeful response to who God is and what God has done. It becomes part of our daily attitude and actions as we live in recognition of the grace that God gives us. I pray that we will be made more aware of the greatness of God's grace and more purposeful in living lives of worship.
Fear is a powerful force. It can grow inside of us and cause us to turn away from what is right. It can spread from us to others. It can wear us down and lead us astray. This sermon looks at Numbers chapters 13 and 14 where God's people face a difficult choice. They must choose whether to respond out of fear or out of faith. Most of them respond in fear and ultimately rebel against God. We face choices daily and must decide if we will respond out of fear or out of faith. This sermon is called "Fear and Faith" and part of the " Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers" sermon series. Take some time to read Numbers chapters 13 and 14 and ask God to challenge you in ways that you are living in fear instead of faith.
We are all prone to complaining at times. Maybe something didn't go the way we thought it should. Maybe someone lets us down. The book of Numbers is full of times that God's people complained. In a sermon called "Grumbling and Complaining," we be look at Numbers chapters 11 and 12. These chapters are the beginning of the 2nd main section in the book of Numbers. The Israelites begin to walk through the wilderness again to the promised land. At the end of chapter 10 it looks like things are going great, but right away in chapter 11 they start complaining. We see why they complain and we are challenged to look at our own bad attitudes. At the heart of all complaining is dissatisfaction with God and his goodness. But the greatest way to fight an attitude of grumbling and complaining is to realize the incredible goodness that we have in Jesus Christ. I encourage you to read Numbers chapters 11 and 12 in preparation for this sermon.
Sometimes, along the journey of our lives we grow weary. Sorrows might pile up. Situations can become difficult. Disappointment seems all too constant. What do we do when we lack motivation to get out of bed and face the day? As we continue our "Are We There Yet" sermon series on the book of Numbers, we look at Numbers chapters 9 and 10. In these two chapters we finish the first section of this book where we see God preparing His people for the rest of their journey to the Promised Land. In these last two chapters of this first section of the book, God gives them guidance on how to continue their journey. In a sermon called "Help for Weary Travelers," we look at four important ways where we see God helping His weary people keep going on their long journey. I encourage you to read Numbers chapters 9 and 10.
We all have preferences. For many things this is no problem as it is good for different people to like different things. We can learn from each other and be stretched in our own preferences. But what happens when we bring our preferences to worship? Is one style of worship better than another? Are there aspects of worship we can have preferences about and others that should be present no matter how people feel about it? In a sermon called "God's Way of Worship", we look at Numbers chapters 7 and 8. Here we see that God gave meticulous instructions to the Israelites about how they were to worship Him. We look at some key themes that help us weigh our preferences against God's instructions for worship.
This sermon looks at two very difficult chapters in the book of Numbers, chapters 5 and 6, which contain some very difficult to understand laws. Chapter 6 ends with an amazing blessing God commanded the priests to proclaim over His people. In a sermon called "The Way of Blessing," we see that God was explaining to His people that their personal choices impacted those around them and were a reflection of their relationship with Him. Living in God's blessing means living according to God's glory and God's holiness. I encourage you to read Numbers chapters 5 and 6. You will probably have a lot of questions and that's OK. Take those to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to help you understand how this relates to our relationship with Him today. Lord willing, we will see how this fits in the big picture of what God is doing in the book of Numbers and what God is still doing today.
The Old Testament is full of rich examples that teach us about ourselves and about God. The Levites are a group of God's people with a unique role and by looking at them we can understand what it means that we belong to God. We also see that the Levites served an important role in guarding the things of God. This sermon called "Guarding and Belonging" looks at Numbers chapters 3 and 4, as we continue our sermon series, "Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the book of Numbers." Take some time to read these chapters.
In our "Are We There Yet?" sermon series on the book of Numbers we are looking at chapter 2. It is another very simple chapter with a very profound meaning. In chapter 2 God gives the Israelites instructions on how to arrange their camp in the wilderness so that each tribe knows exactly where to set up their tents. What is most important about this chapter is that the entire camp is arranged around a center point and at that center is the Tabernacle - the dwelling place of God among His people at that time. God was teaching His people a profound truth in these simple instructions about how to arrange their camp - He was to be at the very center of everything they did. This sermon is called "God at the Center" and looks at why this was so important for the Israelites in the Old Testament and why this is still so important for us today.
I remember sitting in Sunday School as a child and watching the teacher move flannel graph characters on a flannel board to tell the stories of people like Abraham, Moses, or David. These cartoon-like figures seemed to be part of cartoon-like stories that we were supposed to learn as good Christian children. As I grew older I learned that these stories had great importance and deep theological meaning. But they still seemed like stories - or at least they seemed to be about people who were larger than life... people who were not like me at all. The more I've studied Scripture, though, the more I've realized an important truth - the people in Scripture are just people. They faced daily fears and doubts. They made mistakes and lived through the consequences. The first chapter of the book of Numbers is mostly a list of names and numbers, but, in a sermon called "Living a Life that Counts" we look at what some of these people went through and how they were involved in God's amazing plans and what we can learn about living lives of faith in God's amazing plans.
“Are we there yet?” – This question usually comes about half way through a long road trip in the family car. Often it comes from the kids in the backseat, but everyone in the car is thinking it. Long journeys are difficult. It is hard in the middle of the journey to keep sight of the destination, especially when mile after mile just keeps on looking the same. It is easy to grumble and complain.
The book of Numbers is about a long and very difficult journey as God’s people walk through the wilderness for many years hoping to get to the land God promised them. Along the way they struggle, grumble and complain. They doubt God’s goodness and often want to go back to where they were before, no matter how awful it was. Through their times of grumbling, God shows them grace. He continues to lead them and to provide for them. Their grumbling has consequences, but God remains faithful to them. And through it all, God’s glorious presence is with them as he fulfills his promise to lead them to the land he will provide for them.
In our new sermon series “Are We There Yet? Glory, Grace and Grumbling in the Book of Numbers" we walk through this great Old Testament book and see ourselves in this story. We are also on a journey from our old life, to being with God forever. We have also been saved by God and have His presence with us. But we are also prone to grumbling and need God’s constant grace. I pray we will learn about the greatness of God’s glory, as well as his grace toward grumbling people like us.
What's the point? Have you ever asked that question about anything? What's the point of our lives? What's the point of our families? What's the point of going to work? What's the point of being involved in church? Sometimes thinking about these questions leads to despair. It seems like for all our efforts there is little return. But what if the point of all these things was bigger? What if the point of everything was so great that our standards of evaluating our lives, families, jobs, churches, etc., are just too small? We are taking a look at the powerful truth from Scripture that we have a mission in this world. We are looking at the mission statement of Orchard Community Church and how this mission applies to each of us. The mission statement of Orchard is that we exist "to make and become fully devoted followers of Christ through the renewing and transforming power of the gospel for the glory of God." In a sermon called "Get to the Point" we are looking at this powerful idea that we exist for God's glory and that we accomplish this through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What's the point? Have you ever asked that question about anything? What's the point of our lives? What's the point of our families? What's the point of going to work? What's the point of being involved in church? Sometimes thinking about these questions leads to despair. It seems like for all our efforts there is little return. But what if the point of all these things was bigger? What if the point of everything was so great that our standards of evaluating our lives, families, jobs, churches, etc., are just too small? We are taking a look at the powerful truth from Scripture that we have a mission in this world. We are looking at the mission statement of Orchard Community Church and how this mission applies to each of us. The mission statement of Orchard is that we exist "to make and become fully devoted followers of Christ through the renewing and transforming power of the gospel for the glory of God." In a sermon called "Get to the Point" we are looking at this powerful idea that we exist for God's glory and that we accomplish this through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Why will your faith last to the end? What is needed to sustain the faith of a Christian? How can you be sure that you will not make a total shipwreck of your faith? In sermon titled "Keep", we look at Jude 24-25. We are presented with amazing promises, and we are presented with the glorious foundation that these promises rest on. We examine what God has done and is doing to keep us, and we look at what we are called to do in order to keep ourselves.
We live in a time of great confusion and emotional turmoil. This is certainly true in our country, and it is also true in our churches. We certainly should be concerned with the state of our country, but we should be even more concerned about the state of the church. Errors concerning the gospel have crept in, and getting this right is of supreme importance. Jude is incredibly relevant in this pursuit, as we look at the first 4 verses in a sermon called "Contending for the Faith."
We often come to passages in scripture that make us uncomfortable. More often than not these are passages that point out the idols in our heart. We like to hold these passages at arms length and move past them. In a sermon titled "Trust Worthy Handling of Worldly Wealth", we look at Luke 16: 1-13 - The Parable of the Dishonest/Shrewd Manager and how Jesus uses the parable to deal with one of the greatest idols of our hearts, the wealth of this world, and how to use it properly.
In Proverbs, there are constant warnings on the dangers of pride and teachings about how "Pride goes before destruction." Although we may condemn more visible sins, pride can be the most deadly. In this sermon we look at the story of Naaman and how pride could have prevented him from receiving something important from God.
This story teaches us about pride, but it also shines a light on God's grace to meet us where we are and extend mercy so that we can receive what we do not deserve. An amazing story with a surprise ending that involves a request to export a lot of dirt out of Israel. Let's explore this story and learn more in a sermon on 2 Kings 5:1-19 called "Pride and Dirt".
We take one last look at 1 Thessalonians as we will conclude our "Faith Out Loud" sermon series. We are looking at 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28, as well as several important themes through this New Testament book. In a sermon called "Living Faith Out Loud," we will look at how Paul wrote to equip the Thessalonians to live out their faith in difficult times and how we can learn to do the same today.
We continue our set of sermons looking at the language of prayer that we find in the Book of Psalms. The Psalms give us practical ways of praying through the different situations we find ourselves in life.
In Psalm 88, we find a unique Psalm in which there is only one other. A Psalm that begins with despair but does not conclude with hope but instead...more despair. Why would God include a Psalm that offers no hope in all of its 18 verses? What can we learn from this Psalm about ourselves and about God? Let's explore this Psalm and how we can learn how important it is that in our prayer life, we hold nothing back with God.
We are starting a set of sermons that look at the language of prayer that we find in the Book of Psalms. The Psalms give us practical ways of praying through the different situations we find ourselves in life.
In Psalm 32, we read a Psalm by David where he prays through a confession. In our culture confession is almost completely absent, but this includes church culture where on Sundays we put on our best face and want others to view us in specific ways. David shows why confession is so important and how it can actually lead to a "Rejoicing in the Lord." Let's explore this Psalm and how we can adopt confession as part of our prayer life.
Dependable. That is a word that seems to have fallen out of use. Whether it's because the stuff we buy is purposely designed to only last a short time or because people in our lives (including ourselves) often let us down. In 1 Thessalonians 5:24 we read, "The One who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." We are told that God is faithful...completely dependable. In this sermon we look at the amazing thing that we are told that our faithful God will do and we see that understanding this important biblical truth transforms our understanding of what it means to be a Christian. This sermon is called "God Never Fails" and looks at 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.
I hate driving at night in the rain. It's hard to see through the water on the windshield. The wipers are distracting as they flick back and forth. Headlights seem less helpful than normal as they bounce off the glossy wet surface making the road lines almost invisible. As I drive in the rainy darkness, my brain has to work overtime trying to decipher what my eyes are seeing and my ears are hearing. It is tough to sort through all the chaos.
This sermon is called "Seeing Clearly Through Chaos" and looks at 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22. In this passage, Paul gives us some very important information to help us sort through the chaos that comes at us everyday. He ends the passage by saying we must hold on to the good and reject every kind of evil...but how do we know which is which? We look at the importance of having a God-given, inspired standard for seeing clearly through the chaos of the world we live in.
As I write this, I am looking out at a beautiful lake in the Adirondack mountains with mountains reflecting on the surface of the lake which shimmers in the morning sun. It is the final morning of our annual family vacation here and this picture is what comes to my mind when I think of the word "peace." But we will be leaving in a few hours and heading home. Peace looks very different then. This sermon looks at 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 and is called "The Peaceful Church." In this sermon we will look at God's plan for a church that demonstrates the peace of the gospel in this sinful world.
Have you ever had a bad boss before? Nothing in life can be as painful as working for someone that is bad at making decisions and leading through difficult times. When you need leadership from someone but don't receive it, it can really make your job tough. In Scripture, we find one of the best examples of what a "bad boss" looks like in Samson. Someone that was called to lead, but failed to live up to that calling. In a sermon called "Failure to Lead", we look at Judges 14-16 and examine Samson's shortcomings, but also God's faithfulness to His people.
Are you ready for the end of the world? Things felt very surreal this week as we looked out at orange skies because of the smoke from the wildfires in Canada. While strange, not exactly the end of the world? For some, being prepared for the "end times" means gathering survival food and equipment. For others, it means meticulously studying Scripture to find signs and to calculate dates. But this all misses the most important part! This sermon is called "Be Prepared for the Day of the Lord" and looks at 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, as we continue our "Faith Out Loud" sermon series on 1 Thessalonians. We see that preparedness is about trusting in and living out what Christ has already done!
We take a short break from our "Faith out Loud" series to remind ourselves of the purpose of the church by taking a look at Acts 1 and 2. It describes the early practices and activities of the early Christian community shortly after the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and many people were converted to Christianity. Let us look at these passages in a sermon called "Life of Learning" and reflect on how we align to God's Word.
Sometimes it is hard to hold on to hope in difficult times. It is during those times that we must see our difficulties through the lens of the gospel. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul helps us to see what it means to have hope because of the gospel - the truth that Jesus died and rose again. He specifically applies this to how we deal with death. In a sermon called "Resurrection Hope" we look at how the gospel helps us face death and the hope that we have in the promise that everyone who trusts in Christ will be raised to new life.
What is our purpose in life? The changing answers to this question have shaped human history. We often don't realize how we are answering this question or what it means for our lives and our world, but we are answering the question. It is as simple as being in a situation and doing what we want rather than what we should do. Even the notion of something that should be done instead of what we want to do is so foreign to us today because of how we answer the question - "what is my purpose in life?" In a sermon called "A Higher Purpose", we look at 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12. Paul challenged the Thessalonians that they needed to live with the higher purpose of living to please God rather than just doing whatever they wanted. We still need to hear this challenge today and as we accept and embrace the higher calling that God has given us, our lives will be transformed in amazing ways and we will live so that others see the work of Christ in us!
Love is an active thing. It does not remain in our hearts or thoughts, but spills over into our actions. We are to love others through how we think of them, how we speak of them, and how we treat them. This sermon is called "Love in Action" and looks at 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13. We spend most of our time on the last 3 verses of this passage where Paul prays that the Thessalonians' love would "increase and overflow" both for other Christians and for everyone else. Paul links our love for others to our being "blameless and holy" when we stand before Christ. We also see why Paul sees the importance of praying that the Thessalonians would put their love into action.
How do you care for your soul and should we have any responsibility to care for the souls of others? As we continue our Faith Out Loud sermon series on 1 Thessalonians, we look at 1 Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:5 in a sermon called "Soul Care." Here we see how Paul was intensely concerned for the condition of the faith of the Thessalonians. In this passage we see things that we need to make sure we are doing to care for our own souls. We also see that we have a responsibility to do these same things to care for the souls of our fellow Christians.
Faith must have direction. For some, their faith is more directed toward themselves. They want to experience happiness, success, or some other kind of fulfillment. For others, they have a faith that is directed toward other people. They want to serve and to help others. But Scripture gives us the proper direction of our faith which is toward God. Paul says in 1 Thess. 2:4, "We are not trying to please people, but God." As we continue our "Faith Out Loud" sermon series on the book of 1 Thessalonians, in a sermon called "The Direction of Faith," we will look at 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 where Paul shows us the dangers of having our faith focused in the wrong direction. We also see that as we focus our faith on God, we are not alone. God has given us the family of the church to nurture and challenge us along the way because faith, even faith in the right direction, is still difficult.
Have you ever heard a thunderclap that seemed to go on and on for several minutes? It is amazing to think of the power that echoes out through that sound. Wave after wave of sound hits your ears as you feel the deep rumbles in buildings or even through your body. This sermon is called "The Thunderous Gospel" and looks at 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 as part of our "Faith Out Loud" sermon series on 1 Thessalonians. We see the gospel ring out from God to the Thessalonians and how God used Paul to be an echo of this gospel through his life and ministry. We also see that the Thessalonians then become echoes of the gospel as their lives and their witness rings out in their surrounding area. I pray that we will understand the thunderous power of the gospel and that this power will ring out in our lives as well.
We are starting a new sermon series titled "Faith Out Loud" on the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians. In this short letter, Paul writes to a church that he had planted and then had to leave suddenly because of persecution. He knew they were in a difficult city with many people that wanted to stop the gospel from spreading. Paul prayed for them and waited to hear news about how this new church was doing in their difficult situation. Then he gets a report and finds out they are strong in their faith and showing a gospel centered love for each other. In fact, in verse eight of chapter one he says that "the Lord's message rang out from" them and that their "faith in God has become known everywhere." Paul writes the book of 1 Thessalonians to encourage them to stay strong in their faith and to hold on to the hope they have in Jesus Christ.
I love the idea of a church whose faith in Jesus, love for each other, and hope in difficult circumstances "rings out" in their world. My prayer is that as we look at this incredible book, we will be challenged to live our faith out loud so that our faith and our lives ring out and point others to Jesus Christ. This sermon is simply called "Faith Out Loud". We get to know what was going on in the city of Thessalonica during this time, Paul's ministry there, and look 1 Thess. 1:1-3 as an introduction to this book which will challenge us to live our "Faith Out Loud."
On Easter morning we greet each other with the words "He is Risen!" to which you should reply "He is Risen Indeed!" This greeting has been used by Christians throughout the centuries to remind us that we have a Savior who has conquered sin and death and has risen from the grave promising eternal life to all who believe! In this sermon we look at the question "What Was Started at the Empty Tomb?" This question will help us to better understand the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. On the cross he finished something by paying the price for our salvation and on Easter Morning he started something new by raising from the dead and he invites us to be a part of it.
As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection, we turn to Hebrews 3 and 4. The text focuses on how great Christ is and the work accomplished on the Cross. But Hebrews turns a corner and also gives us warnings to not be like the Israelites in the wilderness. While Moses was leading them, they constantly rebelled against God, and rejected His invitation to enter his rest in the Promised Land. Hebrews helps connect us to that idea that God's offer of a Sabbath rest still stands and warns us to not miss out. In this sermon titled "Invitation to Rest", we explore what that Sabbath Rest looks like for followers of Christ and what it means to enter that rest.
We are concluding our "Focal Point" sermon series on the whole bible with a sermon called "All Things New." We are looking at the amazing last two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21 and 22) where we see many themes brought together from the rest of Scripture. In making "everything new" (Rev. 21:5), God is bringing about the plan that was started all the way back in Genesis chapters one and two, and what has been continued throughout all of Scripture. God has always had a plan to be with us in a perfect, sinless relationship, where we will live in the eternal joy of His glory and experience the never-ending satisfaction of His unending gift of life.
We are blessed to have one of our missionaries, Mark B., coming to preach and to give us an update on his missions work. Mark oversees the translation of resources so that pastors and church leaders in difficult circumstances can receive training to help them persevere in their work of proclaiming the gospel. Mark is also be preaching the sermon. His title is "God Ordained Roles in the Family" and looks at what Scripture says about healthy, God-honoring relationships in our families.
There is an old saying which was quoted by Charles Spurgeon which states, "Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength." As we near the end of our sermon series called "Focal Point" which looks at all of Scripture, we look at the book of Revelation in a sermon called "Jesus is Lord of the Past, Present, and Future." In the book of Revelation, Jesus shows believers that he is sovereign over all time, all history, and all world events. He who was prophesied about throughout the Old Testament, who gave his life for his people on the cross, and who conquered death through the resurrection was also reigning over their present messed up world and difficult, often dangerous, circumstances. In order to encourage these struggling believers, Christ also gives them a picture of the future to show that he already has a plan which is unshakeable. We need this courage still today. We need to have faith that Jesus holds our past, present, and future so that we are not being emptied of our strength to trust and follow him today.
When you enter some banks you might see a security guard. The bank has valuable things in it which must be protected. This sermon is called "Guarding the Church" and looks at what the New Testament letters have to say about the important topic of guarding the church against things that would undermine or distract from the gospel. This is part of our "Focal Point" sermon series looking at the entire Bible through the lens of Christ.
We continue our "Focal Point" sermon series on the whole Bible by looking at another key theme in the New Testament letters. In a sermon called "The Church and the World" we look at the difficult mission of being Christians who are called to be different from the world yet sent into the world for the cause of the gospel. At the core of this topic is the question "What should the church look like in the world today?" Bad answers to this question have led Christians throughout history to lose what it means to be the church in their desire to be relatable and understandable to their culture. Yet we certainly want the world to see and know Jesus. We want to be able to communicate the truth of the gospel to our culture today. So what does it mean to be the church in the world today? In this sermon we wrestle with this important question as we seek God's wisdom from the letters of the New Testament.
We often have an identity crisis as Christians. We still feel the pull to live the way the world does, yet we have been given new life in Christ. We struggle to live out this new identity. The letters in the New Testament talk about this struggle a lot. This sermon is called "New Identity" and looks at the amazing truth of who we are in Christ and the difference this should make in our lives.
What makes a church a church? What is the purpose and focus of a church? What is the mission of the church? These are important questions because if we get this wrong then we are no longer serving the purpose that God has for the church in the world today. As we continue our overview of the Bible sermon series called "Focal Point," we look at the letters written to the church in the New Testament. These letters show us what was most important to them and what should still be most important to us today. We will be taking a few weeks on this subject. In this sermon we focus on "The Gospel and the Church" as we look at the foundation of the gospel for the identity and mission of the church.
As we continue our sermon series called "Focal Point" where we look at all of the Bible, we look at the spread of the early church in the book of Acts. We see what formed the beginning of the church and what was essential to the church as it spread. Throughout the book of Acts there is an emphasis on the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. So, in a sermon called "The Holy Spirit and the Church" we try to understand who the Holy Spirit is and why the Holy Spirit is so important to the church by looking at the book of Acts, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the beginnings and spread of the early church.
So far in our "Focal Point" sermon series we have looked at some big themes from the Old Testament as well as important aspects of who Christ is and what he did to save us. Soon we will be moving on to look at the rest of the New Testament, but there is one more truth about Christ that we must look at before we can understand the rest of Scripture. After Jesus died and rose again, he appeared to over 500 people at various times over a period of 40 days. Then, as his disciples watched, he ascended into heaven. As he ascended, he gave instructions to his disciples that shape the rest of the New Testament and what it means to be a Christian - both then and now. In a sermon called "Look Up" we look at the ascension of Jesus and the last instructions he gave to us which is the Great Commission.
In this sermon we are dealing with the most important subject in all of Scripture. All of the Old Testament sets up this topic and all of the New Testament is based on this topic. In fact, it would not be an overstatement to say that the topic for this sermon is the most significant topic in the history of the world, and indeed in all of eternity. This is a bold claim, but we are looking at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in a sermon called "The Victory of Jesus." We see how the cross and the resurrection are the focal point of Scripture.
Certain teachers have a great effect on their students. I remember some of the teachers in my life because of what they taught, while others I remember because of their attitude and how they lived their life. This sermon is called "The Teachings of Jesus" and looks at the incredible ways Jesus taught, as well as the important things he taught. This sermon is part of our "Focal Point" sermon series looking at an overview of Scripture. What Jesus teaches ties into the themes of Scripture that we have been studying throughout this series. If we say that Jesus is our Lord and savior, we should want to listen to and learn from what he taught.
Who is Jesus? This is one of the most important questions you will ever answer in your life. Too often when answering this question we start with "I think" or "I feel." The only way to answer the question "who is Jesus?" is by looking at what God's Word tells us about Jesus. In this sermon called "Who is Jesus?" we look at an overview of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ so that we can have a good answer to this important question. This is part of our "Focal Point" sermon series looking at an overview of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. We see that our answer to the question of who Jesus is ties into everything God has been doing throughout the Old Testament. I said earlier that the question "who is Jesus?" is ONE of the most important questions you will ever answer because I believe there is another question that is of equal importance. It is the question "Do you trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" Jesus doesn't just call us to think correctly about who he is, he calls us to trust him and follow him.
In this sermon, in our "Focal Point" sermon series on the whole bible, we are looking at the birth of Jesus. Jesus is the focal point of all of Scripture. The Old Testament looks forward to and prepares the way for Jesus' coming. Everything after the gospels in the New Testament is based on who Jesus is and what he has done. So this sermon is called "Focus on the Coming King" and looks at the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ.
As we continue our "Focal Point" sermon series on the whole Bible, we are finishing up the Old Testament. Toward the end of the time of the Old Testament, God's people were in a desperate situation. They were living in exile away from their homes. It seemed like God's promises had failed. But then there was a glimmer of hope as they were allowed to return to their homeland and worship the Lord again. It seemed like everything would get better... except it didn't. What do we do when our hope is unfulfilled? In a sermon called "Hope Out of Focus" we look at the somewhat disappointing climax of the Old Testament History and the difficult times for God's people during the many years between the Old and New Testaments. We are challenged to see if our hope is properly focused on something that truly matters. In their disappointment, God's people were unknowingly waiting for something even better than they had hoped. Their hope would be fulfilled greater than what they thought possible by a baby born in a manger... but that part of the story will have to wait just a bit more.
I watched a blacksmith shape metal once. I was amazed as he heated it until it glowed. I was in awe as he struck with a hammer over and over again to shape it. It seemed so harsh and unsophisticated, yet he knew his tools, knew the metal, and every motion was done with precision and purpose. We are continuing the sermon series "Focal Point" which looks at the message of the entire Bible. This sermon is called "God's Refining Purpose" and examines the message of the prophets in Scripture and God's purpose in sending his people in the Old Testament into captivity and exile. We learn about God's purpose and process for refining us and we are pointed to our great need for God's work in us through Jesus' death and resurrection.
It is a time of political and religious upheaval. Things are changing fast and not getting better. People are struggling. There is poverty, hatred, war and strife. I'm not actually talking about our time and culture right now! What I'm describing is the time of the Kings in the Old Testament. As we continue our sermon series on the whole BIble called "Focal Point," we are looking at the dramatic time in the Old Testament when Israel split into two kingdoms and a series of kings ruled over God's divided people. This sermon is called "Cracking Foundations" and we see struggles and conflicts that we can still relate to today. We also see how God, in His mercy and grace, continued to reach out to his people through the prophets to call them to repentance. Through all of this, we learn more about what it means to trust God in times of upheaval and especially what it means to focus on Christ as our ultimate king.
Thanksgiving always brings us to a season where we remember what we are thankful for in our lives. Our thoughts go towards the blessings we have received from God and the people that are present in our lives. Those are wonderful things to be grateful for! But what if we are in a season of our lives where people are missing from our lives and the blessings from God seem to be few? What if, upon reflecting on what to be grateful for, we come up with a very short list? In this sermon we look at Jonah and his story where he loses everything and sinks down, down, down to the very bottom. But even at that lowest point he finds someone to be grateful for. No matter the season we are in, let us consider the story of Jonah and how we should be grateful for God.
What does it mean to be wise? Does it mean being able to quote obscure sayings? Does it mean being savvy in dealing with people? Or does it mean just knowing how to survive in our changing world? So far, in our "Focal Point" sermon series looking at an overview of the Bible, we have followed the history of God's people in the Old Testament up until King David. Now we must take a break from history for a bit because there is a large section of Scripture often called the Wisdom Literature that, as you might guess, has a lot to say about wisdom. In a sermon called "The Wisdom of God" we look at an overview of the wisdom literature in the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Here we see that true wisdom begins with a proper attitude toward God, is lived out in a proper understanding of who God is, and is about how we live in relationship with God day to day.
Have you ever heard the phrase "be careful what you wish for"? In this sermon we look at two of the most famous kings in the Old Testament - King Saul and King David. The people wanted a king. They wanted a king like the nations around them: someone impressive who would bring them together. God gave them what they wanted in King Saul. He was a tall man and a mighty warrior. He led the people in battle. There was just one problem... Saul lived in fear. He feared losing the people's approval and he feared losing his position of importance. His heart was pulled in a certain direction because he lived in fear. After Saul came King David. God calls David "a man after my own heart" (Acts 13:22). We see that David's heart was driven by faith in God. He trusted God to do what God had promised. This sermon is called "The Direction of a Heart" and we look at the importance of whether our heart is directed by fear or faith.
What will we do when we face difficult situations? Will we seek an easy way out? Will we just do what makes us feel best? Or will we seek to trust the Lord and follow him? This sermon, called "Strong and Courageous" looks at the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth where we see people responding to difficulty in different ways. Some show great courage while others show selfishness and faithlessness. I pray we will learn how to face our situations with true courage and strength.
What will we do when we face difficult situations? Will we seek an easy way out? Will we just do what makes us feel best? Or will we seek to trust the Lord and follow him? This sermon, called "Strong and Courageous" looks at the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth where we see people responding to difficulty in different ways. Some show great courage while others show selfishness and faithlessness. I pray we will learn how to face our situations with true courage and strength.
From Pastor Dave:
Law and grace are two words that often seem like opposites to Christians. But, in a sermon called "God's Gracious Law" we look at the incredible grace of God in the law he gives his people in the Old Testament. We see that God is gracious in telling his people about his holy nature and what it means to be his holy people. We look at the aspects of this ancient law that still apply to us today and how a better understanding of the law points us to the necessity of Jesus' death on the cross.
You can learn a lot about someone by looking around their house. In this sermon, we are going to be looking around a very special house. After God saves his people out of Egypt (which we looked at last week), He gives them instructions on building a particular structure, called the Tabernacle. This special structure will be the place God dwells among his people and where they will worship him. The tabernacle shows us what is important to God and what it takes for us to have a relationship with Him. As we continue our "Focal Point" sermon series, that looks at all of the Bible, we look at what we can learn from the Old Testament Tabernacle in a sermon called, "The House of God."
Have you ever needed to be rescued? We are continuing our sermon series called "Focal Point" where we are looking at the grand story of what God is doing throughout Scripture. We are looking at Exodus chapters 1 to 18 where God powerfully rescues his people from their slavery in Egypt. In a sermon called "Our God is Mighty to Save" we see how God's powerful work in rescuing his people from Egypt is a foretaste of the greater rescue he powerfully works through Jesus Christ.
Have you ever had a trip that didn't go quite as planned? Missed flights, lost baggage, cars that break down, extreme weather, or wrong turns can all add up to a very difficult journey. Yet these sometimes make for the best stories to tell later. We talk about how we got through the tough times and what we learned along the way. As we continue our "Focal Point" sermon series looking at the big story of Scripture, we look at Abraham and some of his descendants (often called the patriarchs) in Genesis chapters 12-50. Here we see generation after generation face great difficulty along the journey of following God's plans. Faith is not easy and we often face difficulties even as we trust God. In a sermon called "The Difficult Journey of Faith," we look at how Abraham and his first few descendants struggled to trust God in difficult situations.
Have you ever had a trip that didn't go quite as planned? Missed flights, lost baggage, cars that break down, extreme weather, or wrong turns can all add up to a very difficult journey. Yet these sometimes make for the best stories to tell later. We talk about how we got through the tough times and what we learned along the way. As we continue our "Focal Point" sermon series looking at the big story of Scripture, we look at Abraham and some of his descendants (often called the patriarchs) in Genesis chapters 12-50. Here we see generation after generation face great difficulty along the journey of following God's plans. Faith is not easy and we often face difficulties even as we trust God. In a sermon called "The Difficult Journey of Faith," we look at how Abraham and his first few descendants struggled to trust God in difficult situations.
Do you ever feel like nothing is certain and secure anymore? We often feel let down by things we hoped for or people we trust. Previously we looked at sin entering the world through Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God. This act of disobedience cut humanity off from the certainties of God's blessings. But God never gives up! He had a plan and we begin to see the first major step in that plan in Genesis chapters 12 and 15 where God reaches out to a man named Abram (later called Abraham). God promises Abram that God will bless Abram and will bless the entire world through Abram. This promise is an important thread that ties together the rest of the Old Testament and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. In this sermon, called "God Keeps His Promises", we look at God's important promise to Abraham, as we continue our sermon series called "Focal Point" which looks at an overview of the entire Bible.
It is a scary thing to know you are having a health problem but you don't know what it is. The time of waiting to correctly diagnose the issue is excruciating. But when the problem is identified, there is a sense of relief. It is good to know what the problem is and what is causing it. It is even better to know that there is a solution. But the waiting and the not knowing is very, very difficult. We have a problem in our lives. All of us, every person ever born, has a problem. We spend our lives trying to avoid dealing with it, to find ways to ignore it, or to make up ways to distract ourselves from seeing and dealing with it. Yet there is a great relief that comes from correctly identifying the problem and, even better, knowing that there is a solution. We continue in our "Focal Point" sermon series, where we are looking at an overview of the big picture of the Bible. This sermon is called "Our Greatest Problem" and looks at Genesis chapters 3 through 11. You may be tempted to think that you don't want to hear this, or to look at a problem in your life, but I promise you that there will be great relief in correctly identifying the problem and joy in knowing that God has provided a solution.
What is the purpose of life? Why does everything exist? These are big questions and our answers to them change how and why we do what we do. We continue our sermon series through the whole Bible called "Focal Point" by looking at Genesis chapters 1 and 2 in a sermon called "Created for Worship." In these first two chapters of the Bible we learn a lot about why God created the world we learn about our purpose in this world.
When I was younger, I thought the Bible was just a collection of loosely connected stories that taught us how to be good people. The truth is that the Bible is one story, a true story of God's plan for all creation. This true story has a central theme, a focal point, and everything in Scripture points to this one focal point. As we start a new sermon series called "Focal Point" we will look at all of Scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ. We will trace the main events and themes through Scripture to see how everything in the Bible before Christ points ahead to Christ and how everything in the Bible after Christ points back to Christ. This sermon will kick off this new series and is called "Jesus is the Focal Point of Scripture."
Have you ever been invited to a really important dinner? Maybe it's an important occasion or maybe the person who is inviting you is really important to you. An invitation to dinner signifies a relationship between the person inviting and the one who is invited. Did you know that God has invited us to dinner? Throughout Scripture we see significant moments when God shares a meal with his people! Then, just before Jesus gives his life for us on the cross, he tells his disciples, and all who come after them, to share a meal in remembrance of Jesus. Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is a meal prepared by God, to be shared in God's presence in celebration and remembrance of God's saving work through Jesus Christ. This sermon called "Come to the Table" takes look at communion in Scripture.
Lazy gluttons, evil beasts, and liars. This is how the people of Crete during the first century are known. How are Christians to act in such a culture? What lessons can we learn for today? As we look at Paul's instructions to Titus for the issues of their day we see the necessary connection between the Gospel and how we are to live in a fallen world.
"God's grace is big. Eternal. A work of all three Persons of the Trinity. It is solid and unbreakable. The book of 1 Peter dives deeply into the doctrine of grace and challenges us to expand our understanding of it and to stand firmly in it. Using a couple passages in 1 Peter, we examine the vastness of God's eternal grace and what it means for our Christian life in the local church."
"Maybe one of the hardest words to really nail down is the definition of the word "Glory" in the Bible. A quick google search shows that, for many, the word has a long definition and seems to describe numerous things connected to God. But what do the Biblical Writers mean when they use the phrase "The Glory of God"? Does it describe creation or maybe Jesus or something else completely? If you had to describe it to a new believer, what would you tell them? In this sermon, titled "Exploring Glory", let's explore how Scripture defines the word Glory and the Glory of God."
There are many words we use in our faith that we hear on Sundays at church, but never any other day of the week. Maybe you heard some of these words when a fellow Christian was praying or used in a casual conversation during fellowship. Because of that, sometimes those words lose their meaning. In this sermon we explore one of those words, the word Holy. How is that word used in the Bible and does it match with how we would define it? Are we missing pieces or are we adding more to it? Let's explore the word Holiness together.
This sermon is the final sermon in our "Watershed" sermon series on the book of Colossians. We look at Colossians 4:2-18 and review the key themes from this amazing letter from Paul to the church at Colossae. We see how Jesus must be the Watershed in our lives just as He was to be their Watershed.
How does the gospel change our human relationships? This is the question Paul turns to in our passage, Colossians 3:18 - 4:1. This is a difficult passage because it deals with relationships as they were in Roman Society about 2000 years ago. We have to enter into their world and see how they think, to truly understand what Paul is saying. Only after we have carefully done this can we apply these things to us today. In a sermon called "Serving Jesus by Serving Others" we look at the way the gospel should change how we relate to other people.
How do we live as Christians? This is a question that every sincere follower of Jesus Christ must ask. In a sermon called "Living the Gospel" we look at Colossians 3:5-17 where we are challenged to live differently because we trust in the gospel. There are things in our life that we must get rid of and other things we must put on like a new set of clothes. We don't do these things in the hopes that our life will change, but in the firm belief that the gospel of Jesus Christ has changed our lives. We live differently in faith in what Jesus has already done.
Winston Churchill famously once said, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Where we choose to focus our thoughts and desires changes us. It changes our perspective, our will and our emotions. Many modern secular and even religious philosophies focus on having a positive mental attitude. The problem is that our positive mental attitude is only as strong as the truth it is rooted in. In a sermon called "Mindset" we look at Colossians 3:1-4 where Paul tells us to set our hearts and minds on the unchanging truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is amazing what you can find shopping online. A search for potato peelers on Amazon brings up about 500 results! With this incredible access to so many different products, you quickly realize that not all of them are created equal. Some are quality items that will work and last for a long time. Others are cheaply made and won't actually work at all. If you shop online, hopefully you are able to do a bit of research to find the things that are worth buying. But what about when it comes to faith or religion? In Colossians 2:16-23, Paul warns the Colossians about accepting cheap substitutes for real faith because these substitutes are worthless. In a sermon called "The Worthlessness of Cheap Alternatives," we look at the challenge Paul gives in this text that we still need to hear today.
Summertime brings warm days and vacations. For my family, we look forward to a trip we take to the beach at the end of August. Thinking about how we will get to spend together on the ocean fills us with excitement and brings a real sense of joy. Having hope in what our vacation brings us helps us get through tough days. We read in 1 Peter 1 how the Apostle Peter wanted to give the church a Living Hope. Something that would sustain them even in a world that inflicts suffering on them. A hope that gives us something exciting to look forward to continually. In this sermon we explore these verses in 1 Peter and how they give us a hope that transforms us and brings us joy.
I have worn glasses since I was about 13 years old. I see everything through two lenses that I wear at all times and I would not be able to see anything correctly without these lenses. We all interpret our world through a lens. Our understanding of right and wrong, good and evil, normal and absurd all are part of this lens. We are constantly developing our lens as we experience and learn new things. Things outside of us, such as world events, technology, and culture, change how we see the world as well. Should we all be left to come up with our own way of interpreting the world? Is one way better than another and, if so, what is the standard? This sermon looks at Colossians 2:8-15 and is called "Seeing Through the Lens of Christ." In this passage, Paul challenges us to weigh every truth through the lens of who Christ is and what he has done. I pray we will take this to heart and be challenged to see our lives and our world through the lens of the truth of Jesus Christ.
I remember teaching my kids to walk. My wife and I would sit on the floor a few feet apart. One of us would steady our child while the other would wait with outstretched arms. As our child took his or her first steps, we would encourage them, saying, "Keep going, you can do it!" They would take one tentative step, and then maybe another. But they would teeter, wobble, and then go down into their more familiar crawling position to go the rest of the way. Each try would lead to more steps taken until finally they walked into the arms of the waiting parent. In a sermon called "Continue in Christ" we look at Colossians 2:6-8. In these verses, which are the heart of Paul's message in Colossians, Paul tells the Colossians to keep going in their faith in Christ. They started well by trusting in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and now Paul is telling them to keep on trusting him. We all need to hear that message still today.
The gospel is an amazing truth. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took our place on the cross. He died so that we can live. He paid the price that was ours to pay. This truth is powerful and powerfully changes us. But at the end of chapter 1 of Colossians, Paul points out that something is "lacking" in this gospel. We are looking at Colossians 1:24 - 2:5 in a sermon called "The Gospel Proclaimed" and we see what Paul thought was "lacking" in the gospel of Jesus Christ and what our role is in this.
A river overflowing its banks can be a catastrophic event. This dangerous situation often begins by a small trickle running outside the natural boundaries of the river. This trickle creates another channel. The water flows, the channel widens and allows more water to flow. Soon a torrent of water is gushing outside the normal riverbanks. In a sermon called "Stay the Course", we look at Colossians 1:21-23 where we will see Paul remind the Colossians of the amazing truth of how they are reconciled to God through what Jesus did for them on the cross. But then he warns them to keep going in the gospel, to not deviate in any other direction, to stay the course. We need to hear this truth today as, just like them, we are often tempted to wander from the gospel in big and little ways. We, too, need to "Stay the Course."
Is Jesus enough? If we think Jesus is not enough for our problems and the situations we face today then we will always be looking for something more. Something that will help us make sense of our changing world. If our understanding of Jesus is that He is greater than all things, the creator and sustainer of all things, and is the purpose for which all things exist, then we must conclude that Jesus is enough for us no matter what we are facing. This sermon looks at Colossians 1:15-20 and is called "Is Jesus Enough?".
When I was younger I was fascinated, and somewhat terrified, by the idea of amnesia. I cannot imagine not knowing who you are, where you have come from, or how you got where you are. This sermon looks at Colossians 1:9-14 and is called "Remember" because in it Paul prays that Colossian Christians would know who they are in Jesus Christ. They are not without a past. God has an eternal plan that is carried out through His Son, Jesus, and they are part of this plan. They need to know this. They need to remember. We are tempted to run after so many things to give our lives meaning and purpose and often we run after the wrong things because we forget what we have through Jesus Christ. I pray we will be challenged to remember who we are in Christ.
A watershed is a topographical feature of the land that determines which direction water flows. For instance, on one side of a watershed the water may flow to the Great Lakes while on the other side it might make its way through many streams and rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. The watershed is the determining factor that determines the course the water will take. We also use the idea of a "watershed moment" to describe something that changes or determines the course of human history.
As Christians, Jesus is the watershed that changes and determines the course of our lives. Paul writes the letter of Colossians to confront the church about some ways their culture and allowing these things to determine what they believed and how they acted. They needed to stay focused on Christ because who Christ is and what he has done for us through his death and resurrection is what changes us, shapes us, and gives us our identity as Christians. Jesus is the watershed that makes all the difference in our lives. Christians need this reminder today to understand that Jesus changes everything. No matter what our world is doing or where our culture is going, we must keep our focus on and our faith in Jesus Christ and allow him to set the course of our lives.
We are starting a new sermon series called "Watershed" where we will study the New Testament book of Colossians to understand how Jesus is our watershed that makes the difference in our lives.
There are times in life when we feel uncertain that God cares. We can feel that God is disconnected from us and the world we live in. Fears and doubts come into our minds and hearts. As we look at Daniel Chapter 2, God grounds us in who He is, what He is doing and where lasting hope lies. As we look at this passage together, it is my prayer we are grounded individually and as a church.
The phrase "Hitting Rock Bottom" usually refers to someone that can't get any lower in their life. People arrive there for different reasons but it's often a slow process that is the result of numerous decisions. In this sermon we read through the example of Israel and their slow march towards rock bottom. What are the warning signs? What are the warnings we get from God? And if you hit rock bottom, what hope can we cling to?
In this sermon we look at the "Hope of Easter". We remember and proclaim the truth that Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, rose from the grave and conquered sin and death! These truths form an anchor of hope. A hope that is greater than our sin, greater than death, greater than the pain and sorrow of this world. This hope was accomplished through the death and resurrection of our savior.
Is God at work in the world? Does he care? Why do bad things keep happening? How can we have hope? These are serious and important questions. As we conclude our sermon series called "God at Work" on the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we see that these are questions that people have faced for a long, long time. This sermon is called "God is Still At Work" and looks at Nehemiah chapter 13. I think each of us will see the people of Nehemiah's day struggling with things we can identify with. We wrap up this study with the great reminder that God is still at work and God's work never fails.
This sermon is called "Our Faith in God's Work" and looks at Nehemiah chapters 11 and 12. Here we see the people in Jerusalem make some difficult but important decisions out of their trust in what God is doing. God has worked to bring them back to the promised land and to help them rebuild. Now the people are taking some difficult steps because of their faith in God's work. We look at how we must also trust in what God has done and put our faith into action in our lives and our world today.
This sermon is called "A Committed People" and looks at Nehemiah 9:38 - 10:39 where we see the people of God making a public commitment to remain faithful to the Lord. We look at the things they commit to and how they still apply to us today. Commitment is something that has fallen out of fashion in today's culture and has instead been replaced by personal satisfaction. Commitment is lasting and does not depend on the situation. Personal satisfaction is fleeting and changes with our circumstances and our feelings. Commitment means we obligate ourselves to someone or something else whereas personal satisfaction is only focused on ourselves and our desires. We see how the Israelites came together to proclaim their commitment to be faithful to God.
Do you ever get tired of the same old thing? The same dishes to wash. The same laundry to fold. The same problems with the same people. Sometimes the thing that is the same is us. The same bad habits. The same bad attitude. The same repeated mistakes. Have you ever wondered if God feels this way about us? He is faithful time and time again, yet we sin and rebel repeatedly. The Old Testament is filled with times God's people turned away from him. It is also filled with the record of his mercy. In a sermon called "The Same Old Story: God’s Mercy and Our Sin" we look at Nehemiah 9:1-37. In this passage we see the Israelites repent of their repeated sins throughout their long relationship with God. They confess that God has been merciful to them over and over again. This is the old story of Scripture: we are sinful, God is merciful, and it happens again and again. It is an old story, but it is a story of God's love toward us and the hope we have in his great mercy.
God's Word declares that God's people are to be different. We are to be unique. We are not to act the same as the rest of the world. We are not to think the same or to value the same things as the rest of the world. But how do we do this and why does it even matter? Answering these questions gets to the heart of our understanding about what it means to be God's people. Who determines who are the people of God? Is it simply acting a certain way? Attending certain events and rituals? We are in a sermon series called "God at Work" where we are looking at the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Throughout these books we see that God is at work. As we look at Nehemiah Chapters 7 and 8 in a sermon called "A Peculiar People," we see that God's work shapes God's people. It is God's work, and only God's work, that makes us the people of God. We see that God's people are called by Him, shaped by Him through His Word, and are people who celebrate the amazing things God has done.
Do you ever feel like trusting in God is an uphill battle? Sometimes it seems like everything is against you and you can feel overwhelmed and discouraged. Faith is not easy. The choice to trust in God is an anchor of hope for our souls, but the waves still crash against us. In a sermon called "The Burden of Faith" we look at Nehemiah chapters 4 - 6. In this passage we see God's people trusting God, working together, and being faithful to God, yet so many things threaten to overwhelm them. We see what they faced and how we face similar issues. We also look at their responses and how they trusted God through these difficulties.
Sometimes the problems seem greater than we can manage. There is a heaviness in the world right now as we watch Russia invade Ukraine and see the suffering being broadcast live over the internet. What should we do? In this sermon called "God's People at Work", we look at Nehemiah 2:11 - 3:32. In this chapter Nehemiah looks at a problem they were facing and gets the people together to work on the solution. Sometimes the solution is obvious. In their case there was a wall that needed to be built. Sometimes the solution is less obvious, yet the principle of God's people being at work faithfully serving the Lord in any way possible is always applicable. Are we stepping out in faith that God is at work and seeking to be used by him for his purposes? We will learn a lot about what this looks like from studying Nehemiah and how God worked through him.
There is an old saying, "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." We do not determine when or how God will work, but we can be ready. We can know who God is and how He works so that we recognize when He is working. Through the power of Christ in us and the Word of God at work in our lives we can be ready to be used by God for His work. We continue our sermon series called "God at Work" looking at the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. We are looking at Nehemiah 1:1 - 2:10 in a sermon called "Prepared for God's Work." In this first section of the book of Nehemiah we see how Nehemiah was prepared to be used by God in the important work that is carried on in the rest of this book. We see how we too can be prepared to be used by God for His work in our world.
What happens when God works? One pattern that emerges as we study Scripture is that when God works, people repent. Repentance is a natural and important response to what God is doing. It is us admitting we have gone our own way instead of God's way. It is us turning from our own way and committing to trust him and follow where He leads. In a sermon called "God's Work Brings Repentance", we look at Ezra chapters 9 and 10. We see that Ezra gives us a great model of repentance that we can follow in our own lives.
We all want to see God at work in our lives and in our world, but how does this happen? How can we be used by God for the work he is doing in this world? As we continue our sermon series on Ezra and Nehemiah called, "God at Work," we look at Ezra chapters 7 and 8 in a sermon called "God's Word at Work". Here we are introduced to the author of this book, Ezra. The number one thing that is emphasized about him is that he is a man who knows the Word of God. The amazing things God will accomplish through Ezra are made possible by the fact that God's Word has been powerfully at work in Ezra's life and now God's Word is going to be powerfully at work through Ezra's life. If we want to be used by God in the work he is doing in this world, then the Word of God needs to be at work in us!
Have you ever had a feeling that something important is missing? In a sermon called "Something's Missing" we look at Ezra 6:13-22. This is part 3 of our "God at Work" sermon series on Ezra and Nehemiah. At this point in the book of Ezra, the project of rebuilding the temple is finished and the people have a huge party to celebrate and to dedicate the temple to God. But something important is missing. It is this missing thing that helps us to see what might be missing in our own lives and points us to the lifegiving hope and joy found in Jesus Christ.
Do you ever feel like other people look down on you because of your faith in Christ? This sermon looks at Ezra 4:1 - 6:15, where people who were trying to be faithful to what God wanted them to do, faced opposition from people who didn't want them to succeed. These other people tried everything to stop God's people from obeying God - and sometimes their opposition worked. So how can we trust God's work when it seems like the attacks are overwhelming? This sermon, called "God's Work Under Attack", will challenge us to think about our response when people oppose our faith and will help us to see that God's work never fails, even under the most difficult of circumstances.
How do you fight fear? When faced with a situation that causes fear, how do you respond? Do you shut down? Do you seek to control everything around you? Do you blame others? In a sermon called "Fight Fear With Worship" we look at Ezra chapter 3. In this chapter we see that a group of Israelites have returned to their homeland to rebuild, but some other people in the area are threatening them. These Israelites are in no position to defend themselves. So what do they do? They make a choice to trust God and worship him. We see what this looked like for them and how we should fight fear by responding in worship in our lives.
Have you ever wondered what God is doing? What is he doing when things are going wrong in our lives? What is he doing when the world seems to be turning upside down? What is he doing when it seems he is silent? The answer is that God is at work. He is working to carry out his perfect plan in this sinful, messed up world through sinful, messed up people. God is always at work and God's work is amazing. This sermon series looks at the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old Testament. In these books we see God working in very difficult circumstances. We see patterns of how God works and how we can join him in that work by trusting what he is doing and by following him in our lives.
At the beginning of each new year, I like to take a Sunday to look at the big picture of Scripture. We always need a proper perspective when entering a New Year. God's truth from Genesis to Revelation gives us that proper perspective. This sermon is called "The Big Picture" and looks at the entire message of the Bible.
This sermon looks at our church's mission statement in a sermon called "Fully Devoted Followers." I am excited to take this moment before we start the new year to look at who we are as a church and what it means to "make and become fully devoted followers of Christ."
This sermon, called "The Light of the World", looks at John 1:1-14 where Jesus is presented by John as the "true light that gives light to everyone". We are also told "...the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him." Sometimes we are glad when we have light so we can see where we are going. At other times we recoil when we have been in the dark of a movie theater or waking up in the morning and someone turns on a bright light in the room. People responded to Jesus in the same way when he came and still respond in mixed ways today. We look at what it means that Jesus is the light of the world and why we desperately need this light today.
Happy holidays--Seasons greetings--what?? Its CHRISTmas-- The birth of the Savior and we celebrate. However, that is not all there is. How about the rest of the story--From the cradle in the hay to the cross on the hill--The truth and glory of the Christmas story.
As a dad during this season, I have heard these words over the years, “Dad! This is what I want. Just this one thing.” A deep desire for this one thing. Have you ever said this? ”I may not know much, but this one thing I do know.” How about this? “No matter what else is going on, this one thing I will do.” In this sermon we look to God’s word for “One Thing” in Psalm 27, John 9, and Philippians 3.
The story of Ezra and Nehemiah is an incredible narrative that highlights the rebuilding of the temple, the priesthood, and the walls of Jerusalem. But when we turn to Nehemiah 8, we see the most important work happen when the entire community comes together around God’s Word. This gathering around the Word that we read in chapter 8 may remind you of many of the traditions we follow to this day during our church services. In this sermon titled "A Word From God", we explore this passage and learn how Ezra led others through Scripture and why those listening to God’s Word that day started to cry tears.
All of scripture is designed to prepare and strengthen the follower of Jesus to live out a life of faith. Some passages focus in on specific topics and issues. We desperately need such passages as we navigate a life of faith. But there are also passages of scripture that are shot with a wide angle lens. These passages provide us with perspective on a broader scale. In this sermon we look at I Thessalonians 5:23-24. These verse are shot with that wide angle lens. As such, they provide us with a panoramic view of a life of faith. My hope is that as we examine these verses, they will be of great encouragement to you as they have been for me.
There are some aspects of our walk with Jesus that speak significantly to the reality and depth of that relationship. There is perhaps no aspect of our walk with Jesus that speaks louder than how we live together in the local church with one another. As we look at Psalm 133, let it speak into our lives concerning the nature and blessings of unity within a body of believers.
We all need hope in this world. We finish our sermon series "The Cross Changes Everything" by looking at what it means to have "Cross Shaped Hope." There is no hope stronger than the hope of the cross. I pray that as we conclude this sermon series we will be in awe and wonder at the incredible hope that we have through the cross of Jesus Christ.
So far in our "The Cross Changes Everything" sermon series we have looked at the importance of the cross and how it changes us as people and as a church. This sermon is called "Cross Shaped Mission" and we see that the cross gives us a new mission in this world. God has a plan to use people saved by the cross, who are also changed by the cross, to carry the message of the cross into this world. As we do this, we must not forget that it is the cross that shapes us and our message because the greatest need of our family, friends, neighbors, and even those on the other side of the world, is the cross of Jesus Christ.
What is the purpose of the church? Why should we be part of the church? Is the church still important and relevant today? Why should we even care about the church? These are important questions. As a church we gather at least once per week. We ask people to give their time, their abilities, and even their resources to help support the church. But to what end? What is the point? This sermon is called "Cross Shaped Church" and looks at the purpose of the church which is to proclaim and demonstrate the truth of the cross of Jesus Christ through which we are saved. Being a cross shaped church means that the gospel is the foundation, the motivation, the purpose, and the means through which we do everything we do as the church.
We have spent the last few weeks looking at the powerful truth that "The Cross Changes Everything." We have been looking at ideas such as sin, atonement, forgiveness and justification. These important ideas from Scripture must shape our understanding of what Jesus did on the cross. At some point, though, we must move from looking at ideas to examining our lives. The cross is not just an idea we accept, it is a truth that changes everything about how we see ourselves, how we understand our purpose in life, and how we live. This sermon is called "Cross Shaped Living" and looks at how the cross changes who we are and how we live.
In this sermon we look at three different pictures that Scripture uses to explore the incredible gift of salvation that Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. We look at the marketplace and how Jesus has bought us back from our sin. We look at the courtroom and how Jesus declares us not guilty. Finally we look at a family gathering and the powerful truth that because of the cross we are brought into God's family. This sermon is called "The Gift of the Cross" and looks at the beautiful and multifaceted gift of the salvation through the cross.
Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? This is the question we look at in a sermon called "He Took Our Place" as we examine the pattern God set up throughout Scripture to show us that we are sinners and deserve punishment but that God always provided a way for something or someone else to take that punishment. This incredible truth - that he took our place on the cross - is the key point in understanding Christianity and the salvation we have through Jesus Christ.
When you walk into a classroom you can usually tell by the decorations or supplies what kind of a classroom it is. The chemistry classroom has lab tables, Bunsen burners, and many different glass containers. The literature classroom has pictures of authors and poets as well as quotes from famous works. We continue our series called "The Cross Changes Everything" with a sermon called "In the Classroom of the Cross." We see that the cross teaches us a lot about ourselves and about God. We must humbly enter the classroom of the cross and sit, look, and listen to the Word of God to see the important truths that we can learn in the classroom of the cross.
I am convinced that the cross of Jesus changes everything. The cross changes our lives, our world, and our churches. The cross is the defining factor in what it means to be a Christian. It means there is a God and that He loves us. It means that sin is real, but so is salvation. It means that death is real, but so is new life in Christ. It means that though we and everything in this world is lost and without hope, the Son of God has sought us out and done what is necessary for us to have new hope, the hope of salvation, the hope of real and lasting change. The cross of Christ truly changes everything! We are starting a new, eight week, sermon series called "The Cross Changes Everything". We will look at why the cross is so important and the ways the cross changes us and changes our world.
We conclude our sermon series on the Gospel of Matthew with a sermon called "The King Has Come - Now What?" as we look at Matthew 28:11-20 and review what we have learned in Matthew. The truth that our King, Jesus, has come to save us, showed us the way to the Father, taught us what it means to live in a loving relationship with God, died in our place to save us from our sins, and has risen to life promising eternal life to all who trust in him is the most important truth in the entire world and throughout all of history. It is a truth that changes us from the inside out. It changes how we view who we are and changes what we do and why we do it. It is one thing to say this, it is quite another to live it. As we conclude our sermon series on Matthew, we look at what it means to live in the truth that our King has come.
The cross and the resurrection are the focal points of Christianity. The cross shows us that our King, Jesus, took the punishment for our sins by suffering and dying in our place. The resurrection proves that our King, Jesus, is not just another religious leader but is indeed the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the savior of the world. In a sermon called "Our King Who Saves," we look at Matthew 27:27 – 28:10 where we see Jesus suffering and dying on the cross and being raised to life in victory over sin and death!
As we look the trial of Jesus, leading up to the crucifixion, it is amazing to think that Jesus, the Son of God, the king and judge of all creation, allows sinful people to make false charges against him in a trial that mocks justice. Yet he did this because his mission was to save us from our sins and he knew this meant going to the cross. In a sermon called "Jesus on Trial" we will look at Matthew 26:31 - 27:26.
As we near the end of the Gospel of Matthew in our "The King Has Come" sermon series, we see the cross coming into focus. The truth is that all of Scripture is focused on the cross. The view of the cross is what gives proper perspective to every bible story, every psalm, every prophecy and every section of teaching. In a sermon called "The Cross in View" we look at Matthew 26:1-30 where, just days away from going to the cross, Jesus shares an important meal with his disciples that tells us a lot about what it means to live with the cross in view.
Have you ever had a "surprise trip" where someone says they are taking you somewhere for vacation but won't tell you where? How do you pack? What do you bring? How would you ever get ready for this? In this sermon we look at Matthew 25: 1-46 where Jesus continues talking about how his followers should be ready for his return. He emphasizes that we must be ready, be faithful, and that we must care for those around us as we wait. This sermon is called "Living with the End in Sight: Part 2."
It is easy to get caught up in thinking certain things will last forever. We might look at our culture, our political system, or our economy and think surely these things will endure. Sometimes, especially when we are younger, we look at our own success and believe things can only continue to get better for us. Yet things that we trust in are often not as certain or permanent as we think. At the beginning of Matthew chapter 24, Jesus' disciples make a comment about the impressive temple building in Jerusalem. Then Jesus gives them a healthy dose of reality by telling them that the entire structure will soon be demolished. Instead, Jesus says that they should live with the end in sight, trusting that God's plans are greater than any human plans and that we must understand that the things of this life will pass away. In a sermon called "Living with the End in Sight: Part 1," we look at Matthew 24:1-51.
In a sermon I'm calling "Hit the Brakes" we look at Matthew chapter 23. Sometimes when we are driving we need to hit the brakes before we get into a dangerous situation. In this chapter we see Jesus warning the people not to follow the hypocritical religious leaders. Sometimes we need to be aware that following certain people can lead to dangerous situations and we need to hit the brakes. But we also need to take to heart that sometimes we act like the hypocritical leaders in this chapter and we need to hit the brakes in our life to check the condition of our heart. Jesus has some harsh words for some people in this chapter but he ends by saying he longs to show grace and mercy.
"Pastor, I've got a question for you..." I hear this phrase a lot because people have lots of questions about God that they hope I can answer. Sometimes we have questions because we want to learn more. Sometimes our questions come from our doubts. In a sermon called "I've Got Questions," we look at Matthew 22:15-46. In this passage we see that sometimes the questions we are asking are not the real issue but may reveal something in our hearts we are struggling with.
I will often ask my kids "which one of us is the parent?" when they are trying to act like they have authority over each other or even over me and my wife. It is a not-so-subtle reminder that God didn't put them in charge. We need this reminder in our relationship with Jesus as well. In this sermon, titled "By What Authority?", we look at Matthew 21:23 - 22:14 where the religious leaders ask where Jesus' authority comes from. Jesus' answer tells us a lot about his authority being from God and the importance of us living in submission to that authority.
In Matthew chapter 21, Jesus enters Jerusalem like a king. Many in Jerusalem ask an important question by saying, "Who is this?" This is a great question! Everyone should ask the question "who is Jesus" and by that I mean who is he really? Not just our own ideas about him or our expectations, but who he really is. In a sermon called "Who is this?", we look at Matthew 20:29 - 21:22 where we see that Jesus is our Savior, our King, and our God.
As we continue in our sermon series on the Gospel of Matthew, called "The King Has Come", we look at Matthew 20:17-28 in a sermon called "The Way of the Cross". In this passage, Jesus and his disciples, along with a large crowd, are on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to be crucified in Jerusalem and then, on the third day, will be raised to life. Matthew then tells us that two of the disciples decided this is a good time to ask (through their mom!) if they can have places of honor in Christ's kingdom. Jesus' reply shows us that importance and status in his kingdom is very different from the way our world works. He emphasizes that he came to serve, rather than to be served, and that he came to "give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28). We are spending a lot of time on this last verse to see what it means that Christ served us by giving his life for us and what this means for our lives as we follow his example in living our lives according to the "way of the cross."
In our previous sermon we looked at the rich young man who went away sad because Jesus told him he had to give away his riches and follow Jesus. But Jesus doesn't just tell him to give everything up for no reason, he says "and you will have treasure in heaven" (Mt. 19:21). In this sermon, we look at this idea of treasure in heaven and why we can trust that the treasure we are given by God's grace, through Jesus Christ, is so much greater than anything we are called to give up. This sermon, called "Treasures in Heaven", looks at Matthew 19:25 - 20:16.
Try harder...do better...be perfect. We hear this from the world and we put this pressure on ourselves. We think that if we can just find that perfect next step or that perfect fix to our problems, then we'll be good. But there's a problem with this. What if our idea of perfection is wrong? What if our way of being perfect is wrong? What if we can never actually fulfill this standard we think is so important? The guilt and anxiety that comes from this can be overwhelming. In a sermon called "The Problem with Perfect", we look at Matthew 19:13-26 where we see Jesus deal gently with little children, yet turns away a rich man. In these encounters we see that there is a huge problem with our understanding of perfection and our efforts to attain it.
What is the point of marriage? What does that word even mean any more? Who gets to decide what marriage is? In a sermon called "What God Has Joined" we look at Matthew 19:1-12 where Jesus is tested with a very difficult question to see who he agrees with regarding ideas about marriage and divorce. Although this happened two thousand years ago, followers of Christ often find themselves in similar situations today. What do we believe about marriage? Will we follow the popular opinion or will we agree with those who hold a more restrictive view of marriage? Whose side are we on? We will see from what Jesus says that the important question is not which human idea we agree with but rather whether or not we will accept what God says about this important topic.
Previously, we began looking at the idea of "Extreme Forgiveness" in Matthew 18:21-35, but we didn't get past the first two verses! This sermon concludes this important passage in a sermon called "Extreme Forgiveness Part 2."
We are revisiting Matthew 18:21-35 in a sermon called "Extreme Forgiveness". Previously we had looked in depth at Matthew 18:15-20 and then quickly looked at Matthew 18:21-35. In this sermon we look briefly at the first section and spend the majority of our time in the second as we examine what Jesus means by telling Peter to forgive someone "seventy-seven" times and then Jesus further explains this idea through a powerful story about forgiveness. In this passage we are presented with the difficult challenge of understanding true forgiveness and giving that forgiveness to those who have hurt us. Undergirding all of this is an incredible picture of how God has forgiven us through Christ.
In the passage for this sermon, Jesus talks about two types of people who cause problems in the church. The first is the person who refuses to repent when rebuked for their sin. The second is the person who refuses to forgive someone who sins against them. This important passage talks about the process of personal reconciliation, church discipline, the importance of repentance, the necessity of forgiveness, and how all of these relate to each other. In a sermon called "I Refuse!", we look at Matthew 18:15-35.
Jesus tells his disciples that they must become like children, but what does he mean by that? In a sermon called "Like a Child", we look at Matthew 18:1-14 where we will see Jesus use a child to help us understand how we should see ourselves and other believers.
Have you ever been cooking and found that you were missing a key ingredient in a recipe? When this happens to me, I go on the internet and look up a substitute for that ingredient, thinking there must be something that has the same taste. Often the finished product doesn't taste like it should because I used a substitute ingredient instead of what the recipe called for. This is usually not a big deal when cooking, but what about in our faith? In a sermon called "Faith's Poor Substitutes", we look at Matthew 17:14-27, where we see three things that we are often tempted to accept as substitutes for faith in Christ.
What would you do if you were face to face with God? Scripture has a lot to say about what it is like to be in God's presence. In a sermon called "In God's Presence", we look at Matthew 17:1-13. In this passage, some of the disciples get to see who Jesus truly is in an amazing experience known as the transfiguration. The impact on them was profound and the truth of what they witnessed is still important for us today.
We like things simplified to just a few easy steps. In this sermon we look at three steps to being a Christian from Matthew 16:21-28. Step one - deny self; Step two - take up your cross; and Step three - follow Jesus. Sounds easy, right?! Seriously, though, the challenge Jesus gives to his disciples, and all of us who would follow Jesus, is something we need to take to heart today. This sermon is titled "Deny Self, Take up Cross, Follow Jesus".
In a sermon called "The Unshakeable Church", we look at Matthew 16:13-20. This passage has caused a lot of debates, especially between Catholics and Protestants. We will focus on what this passage is saying about the importance of the church being based on the truth about who Christ is and the mission this gives us in this world.
Who is Jesus Christ? This is the most important question we will ever answer. On this Easter Sunday, in a sermon titled "Who Do You Say I Am?", we look at Matthew 16:15 where Jesus asks his disciples this important question. If you're struggling, looking for meaning and purpose, looking to be healed from past hurts, or looking to overcome guilt and shame in your life, know that hope begins and healing comes from truly answering the question, "Who is Jesus?"
We have heard the phrase "stop the spread" a lot over the past year or so as we have endured this worldwide pandemic. We have become educated on how easily viruses spread and what we can do to try to stop them. In this sermon called "Stop the Spread", we look at Matthew 16:1-12 where some religious teachers come to Jesus with a demand that shows us that their faith is infected and their teaching has become toxic. After this encounter, Jesus warns his disciples against letting this toxic teaching spread to them. We must still be diligent today to check our own hearts to be sure we do not have an infected faith and to stop the spread of this toxic teaching to others.
Hatred between people groups is not a new problem and was present during the time of Jesus. Jewish people and non-Jewish people (called Gentiles) did not like each other very much. This sermon looks at Matthew 15:21-39 and is called "Come to the Table." In this passage we see an interesting, and somewhat perplexing, interaction between Jesus and a Gentile woman. Then we see a miracle where Jesus feeds over 4000 people who were also Gentiles. Through all of this, Jesus shows us that the deep hatred that exists between people groups can only be solved through all groups looking to Jesus.
Are you a hypocrite? In a sermon called "The Heart of Worship", we look at Matthew 15:1-20 where Jesus confronts the religious leaders of his day and tells them that they are hypocrites, blind guides, and that all of their worship of God is in vain. Ouch. I pray that as we look at this challenging passage we will ask ourselves if we are living with hearts that truly worship Jesus.
Sometimes we are put in impossible situations. In this sermon on Matthew 14:13-36 called "Facing the Impossible", we look at a time when the disciples faced two impossible situations. The great difficulty of these two situations is that Jesus put the disciples there. Sometimes Jesus sends us into difficult situations so that we can understand our weakness and learn to trust in his strength.
It is a horrible feeling to meet someone and feel like they just dismiss you as being unimportant. You feel judged and belittled. You wonder how this person who doesn't even know you can just write you off as meaningless. Yet we do this so often with Jesus. In a sermon called "Dismissing Jesus", we look at Matthew 13:53 - 14:12. In this passage we see the people of Jesus' hometown decide they know better than Jesus and they just dismiss everything else they have learned about him because they have decided he is not that important. We also see a powerful Roman official called Herod dismiss Jesus out of fear and guilt. There are lots of reasons we dismiss Jesus, but they all involve the sin of thinking we know better than Jesus! I pray we are truly challenged to accept Jesus rather than dismiss him.
What is your greatest treasure? What could you not live without? What do you have that is absolutely irreplaceable? Maybe you have things of great sentimental value such as family heirlooms. Maybe you have things of great monetary value. Whatever it is that you might think is your greatest treasure, I guarantee that being saved by Jesus Christ and brought into His kingdom is greater. In a sermon called "The Greatest Treasure", we look at Matthew 13:44-52. Here we see Jesus tell a few more parables about the infinite value and worth of salvation and the eternal significance of this incomparable treasure.
Why does God allow bad things to happen? Why doesn't He fix the world now? In a sermon called "Why God Waits", we look at Matthew 13:24-43 where Jesus tells several parables that help us to understand God's purpose in waiting before He brings His justice to the world. I pray we will be taught to be patient in our hope as well as to be urgent in our mission to spread the gospel to others during the time before the Lord's judgement comes.
Why do some people accept the gospel and others don't? In this sermon, called "The Parable of the Soils", we will look at Matthew 13:1-23 where Jesus talks about this difficult issue. Jesus talks about God's amazing grace in spreading the truth of the gospel to all different people and the difficult reality that not all accept the gospel. He also talks about God's sovereignty and people's choice to respond to the gospel without any hint of contradiction between these two ideas. We are confronted with the need to test our own hearts, the call to take the gospel to others, and the importance of trusting God in all of this.
In this sermon we look at Matthew 12:22-50 where Jesus talks about the unforgivable sin. We look very carefully at this important issue to see exactly what Jesus is talking about. In a sermon called "Worst Decision Ever," we see that the Pharisees decide that there is no way Jesus is the Messiah.
When one of my kids tries to boss one of my other kids, I point out that I'm right there and then I ask them, "Who is the father here? Who has the authority?" They begrudgingly say, "you are and you do..." They want to exercise authority over each other, but as their father I have a greater authority than they do. In a sermon called "A Greater Authority", we look at Matthew 12:1-21. Here we see the religious leaders trying to tell Jesus (who is God) that what Jesus is doing is wrong. Jesus makes it clear to them that he has a greater authority. We still struggle with authority today. We want to think we are right and tell everyone else they are wrong. We set ourselves and our ideas up as the perfect standard of right and wrong. As we see in this challenging passage, Jesus is the only true judge and we must submit to his authority.
Imagine giving your whole life for something and then wondering if it was all for nothing. I think we all have expectations in our life that have been disappointing. In Matthew 11, we see John the Baptist, who has given his life to prepare the way for Jesus and is now in jail because of this, send messengers to Jesus with a difficult question. John's question to Jesus is basically, "Was it all for nothing?" This sermon, which looks at Matthew 11:1-30, is called "Great Expectations" and we see that we must accept how Jesus shapes our expectations rather than allow our expectations to shape our acceptance of Jesus.
Being a Christian is not easy. In our current culture we see disturbing trends, difficult events, and growing resentment against Christians. We are also bombarded with causes, movements, and social philosophies that demand immediate reaction and complete support. We are pushed to seek our own happiness at all cost, yet are forced to step carefully around the happiness of others. In this difficult context we have a mission to live for and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We resume our sermon series on Matthew called "The King Has Come" with a sermon called "This Difficult Mission" which looks at Matthew 10:16-42.
At the beginning of each new year, I like to take a Sunday to look at the big picture of Scripture. We always need a proper perspective when entering a New Year. God's truth from Genesis to Revelation gives us that proper perspective. This sermon is called "The Big Picture" and looks at the entire message of the Bible.
For the last sermon of 2020, we will be stepping out of our sermon series on Matthew for a sermon I'm calling "Look Both Ways." As we close out 2020 and look forward to 2021, it is appropriate to look back and look forward. We look back to see God's faithfulness and look forward in faith as we seek to follow where he leads. This has been a very difficult year, but God has been faithful and will continue to lead us forward as we trust him and seek to live out the gospel in our lives.
We often think about Jesus being the greatest gift of Christmas. Christmas also reminds us that Jesus is our joy, peace, hope, and love. I wonder, though, if we ever think about the mission of Christmas? Jesus came because he was on a mission to save us from our sins and restore us to a right relationship with God. When we celebrate Christ's birth on Christmas, we are celebrating that he came to us on a mission. In this sermon we look at how that mission continued throughout Jesus' earthly life and how that mission applied to his Twelve Apostles and to all of us. This sermon is called "The Mission of Christmas" and looks at Matthew 9:35 - 10:15.
I remember sending out invitations for our wedding. At the end of the invitation were four letters - "RSVP". These four letters represent a French Phrase that I will not attempt to spell out here, but basically it means please send a response. We needed to know how many people were coming to our wedding so we needed people to send their response to the invitation to let us know if they were coming or not. I think we should have those four letters in mind whenever we read Scripture - RSVP - respond. This sermon is called "RSVP" and looks at Matthew 9:1-34 where we see that Jesus responds to our greatest need. We also see that we must respond to Jesus. Some, like Matthew, respond in faith. Others respond in a negative way. Through it all, Jesus keeps on showing us who he is and calling us to respond.
We think of the birth of Jesus as something sweet and beautiful. As we learn more about his life from the gospels, I wonder if we should think about his birth more like the Allies storming the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in World War II. The incarnation is more than a sweet gesture of love. The incarnation is an invasion of our world by the kingdom of God! In a sermon called "Confronted by Jesus", we look at Matthew 8:18-34, where we see that people often felt confronted by the truth of Jesus. The call to be a follower of Jesus is not a call to a comfortable, easy life, but rather a call to have our comfortable, easy life be confronted by Christ!
After they heard Jesus preach the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds declared that Jesus taught with authority that they had never heard before. In a sermon called "The Powerful Authority of Jesus", we look at Matthew 8:1-17. Matthew continues this theme by giving us three incredible examples of Christ's powerful authority at work. His authority continues today as well!
Choices can be difficult. Sometimes choices are tough because there are too many good things to choose from. Other times choices are tough because there are very few options, but the consequence of the choice is very serious. So which of these applies to our choice of what to believe in? This sermon is called "Choose" and we will be looking at Matthew 7:13-29. As Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount, he confronts us with an important choice. It is a choice with eternal consequences. Will we follow him or just keep doing what makes sense to us?
Ever feel like the world is just completely messed up? Ever wonder what to do and how to live? This is what Jesus is talking about in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. In a sermon called "Kingdom Living Part 8: How to Live in a Messed Up World", we look at Matthew 7:1-12. I think we all need a biblical perspective on this very important topic right now! This sermon is part 15 of our sermon series on the book of Matthew called "The King Has Come."
There is something called the "overview effect", which is experienced by some astronauts when they see the earth from a distance. The astronauts see the earth as a whole and as something very small seemingly hanging in the vastness of space. They describe a sense of perspective that diminishes the many divisions of humanity. This unique perspective changes how they think about life. In a sermon called "Kingdom Living Part 7: Kingdom Perspective", we look at Matthew 6:19-34. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to think about what is most important to us and about our greatest needs. What he teaches could be called a "Kingdom Perspective" where we see these things through the perspective of God's Kingdom. As followers of Christ, this "Kingdom Perspective" must change how we view our needs and our priorities.
We tend to make prayer very complicated. We try for the right words or the right emotion so that God will hear our prayer or, if we're honest, sometimes just to impress those who are listening to us pray. In a sermon called "Kingdom Living Part 6: How to Pray", we look at the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:7-15 This is part 6 on the Sermon on the Mount and is part 13 of our sermon series "The King Has Come" on the Gospel of Matthew. In this passage, Jesus seems to take a break from talking about hypocrisy to teach us to pray. As we see, however, his teaching on prayer and warnings against hypocrisy go hand in hand.
Have you ever had someone tell you that all Christians are hypocrites? Have you ever wondered if you were a hypocrite? In Matthew 6:1-18 Jesus preaches about hypocrisy. We continue our sermon series called "The King Has Come" on the Gospel of Matthew with a sermon called "Kingdom Living Part 5: How Not To Be A Hypocrite".
We have a guest speaker for this sermon. Orchard began supporting Dan Doyle and his family when they were in Nicaragua. The Doyles then moved to Ecuador where they have been serving until the COVID shutdown forced them to return to the states. The focus of Dan's message is You Can't Have The Great Commission Without The Great Commandment.
Minor cuts and scrapes, bruises, or sore muscles don't warrant a trip to the hospital. But what if we are having chest pains and heart trouble? Anyone with any sense would tell us to get to the doctor right away because we could have something wrong with our heart! I think we often get this backwards in our relationship with Christ. We look at outward things and treat them as most important but allow sinful attitudes and thoughts to consume us. In part 11 of our sermon series on Matthew called "The King Has Come" we are looking at Matthew 5:21-48 in a sermon called "Kingdom Living Part 4: Heart Conditions." Here we see Jesus saying we must take seriously what consumes our innermost thoughts. We see that true gospel change affects more than just our actions so that even our attitudes and motivations are transformed.
Do you ever feel like you're not good enough for God? What if I told you this was good? Those who know they are not good enough are ready to accept the gift of grace that God has given us in His Son, Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about what it means to be righteous, but the whole point to what he is saying is that we will never be enough. Our response to Jesus' message is to trust that He is enough! As we continue our sermon series on the Gospel of Matthew called " The King Has Come,'' this sermon will look at Matthew 5:17-20 and is called "Kingdom Living Part 3 - Jesus is Enough."
Our guest preacher is one of the missionaries we support as a church. He has asked that his name not be used due to the difficulties on the mission field where he serves. He will be preaching from Psalm 51 in a sermon titled "Marks of Genuine Repentance".
A Newspaper once reached out to famous authors asking them to write an answer to the question, "What is wrong with the world." G.K. Chesterton famously sent in his article for publication which read, simply, "Dear sir, I am". Chesterton understood that when we look at problems in the world we need to start by looking at ourselves. In this sermon called "Salt and Light", we will look at Matthew 5:13-16. In this passage Jesus calls us to be salt and light in this world, but he warns that salt can become worthless and light can get hidden. If this happens then the salt and light are no longer helpful in the world. We need to be challenged to be salt and light in the world today.
I am doing something a bit unusual, for this sermon. I am preaching a sermon that was preached by someone else. I hope you will bear with me, though, as that someone else was Jesus Christ and the sermon is the Sermon on the Mount. We are looking at the first part of this amazing sermon, as we look at Matthew 5:1-12, in a sermon called "Kingdom Living Part 1 – The Blessed Life".
What does it mean to follow Jesus? I think we have lost a sense of the importance of this question. We talk about believing in Jesus, trusting Jesus, and even receiving Jesus. All these are helpful in some ways, but I believe Jesus summed up what it means to be a Christian when he invited people to follow him. In this sermon, called "Follow Me", we look at Matthew 4:18-25. We will look at why Jesus calls us to follow him and what this means.
The world is facing a difficult time right now. What should our attitude be? Should we seek to avoid the difficulty? Should we try easy ways out? Should we just do what we want? In Matthew 4:1-17 we see Jesus tempted in ways that we struggle with. We see how he responds and endures as an example for us and to prove that he is qualified to be our savior. This sermon is called "Difficult Trials" and is part 6 of the sermon series, "The King Has Come" on the Gospel of Matthew.
When I was in college in downtown Chicago, it was easy to get lost walking around the city. Fortunately, just about anywhere you are in downtown Chicago you can see either the Willis Tower (which was the Sears Tower when I was there) or the John Hancock Building. These landmarks gave me reference points to know where I was and where I should go. In part 5 of our sermon series on the Gospel of Matthew called "The King Has Come", we are looking at Matthew 4:13-17 in a sermon called "The Way of Righteousness." Jesus is baptized by John and shows that everyone who is looking for the way of righteousness should look to him.
I always get the feeling when I'm packing for a long trip that I'm forgetting something. I have learned to trust this feeling because often when I get to my destination I realize I did leave something important behind. This sermon is called "Be Prepared" and looks at Matthew 3:1-12 where we are introduced to John the Baptist as he prepares the way for the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry. This is part 4 of our sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew called "The King Has Come."
We continue our sermon series on the Gospel of Matthew called "The King Has Come". This sermon is called "Threatened by Jesus" and looks at Matthew chapter 2. In this chapter we see the Magi who came to worship Jesus and we also see King Herod who wanted to kill Jesus. Herod's way of life was threatened by the birth of Jesus. I think we all struggle with feeling threatened by Jesus. He threatens what we consider normal. He threatens what we want to do and what we think will make us happy or comfortable. We also look at some of the difficult things Joseph and Mary had to go through as they followed God's will for their family and how we face the threat of difficult things today in our lives as we trust in Christ.
When an important person arrives at an important event, we expect a grand entrance. Matthew begins his gospel by showing us the coming of Jesus into this world and Jesus' entrance is indeed grand, but not in the way we would expect. We see several unexpected things from the genealogy and birth of Jesus. This sermon looks at Matthew Chapter 1 and is called "A Grand Entrance". This is the second sermon in our series "The King Has Come" on the gospel of Matthew.
We are starting a new sermon series called "The King Has Come: the Gospel of Matthew". It is exciting to be studying the gospel of Matthew because of the way Matthew presents Jesus as our Messiah, King, who has come to fulfill all of God's plans which are declared in the Old Testament. Throughout the series we will look at what it means that Jesus is our King, what it means to live in His kingdom and how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. We will also be challenged by the ways people respond to Jesus in Matthew. We will likely see ourselves in each of the different responses, as sometimes we doubt and question and other times we respond with great faith. Finally, we will see what it means to be a disciple, or a follower of Christ. This sermon is simply called "The King Has Come" and will serve as an overview and introduction to this new sermon series on the gospel of Matthew.
We conclude our brief, three part sermon series called "The Gospel" with a sermon called "The Gospel is God's Great Power". Paul says in Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." Paul knew that the gospel was the great hope of the world. The gospel is the power of God to change lives, to change churches, and to change the world. In this sermon we will look at the power of the gospel.
The word "gospel" means good news. The phrase, good news, is almost too small to contain all that the gospel truly is. Last week we looked at the idea that the gospel is God's great news for us. This sermon looks at the truth that the Gospel is God's Great Plan. God had a plan before he created anything. This plan was for us to live in his presence, displaying and enjoying his glory. While we can look at Jesus' death and resurrection as the core of the gospel, we can also look at all of Scripture as the gospel which shows us God's plan for our lives. It is an incredible plan for our good and his glory and the better we understand this plan the better we will understand that the gospel is truly great news!
We all love to receive good news. The better the news, the more joy it brings. So what if we could receive the best news ever? This sermon begins a three week sermon series called "The Gospel" which is the great news that God has given us salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. This sermon is called" The Gospel is God's Great News."
We conclude our sermon series called "Joy in Christ" with a sermon called "Eternal Joy". We look at the joy that awaits us for all eternity in the presence of our Lord and Savior and how this brings us joy in our lives right now.
We look at "Joy in Service" as we continue our sermon series called "Joy in Christ." Serving Christ is difficult, but there is great joy to be found in knowing who and why we serve.
This sermon is titled "Joy in Suffering" and will look at the difficult but hopeful idea that even when we are suffering we can have Joy in Christ as we keep our eyes set firmly on the gospel.
This sermon looks at the incredibly rich topic of the Kingdom of Christ. This sermon was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic when the church could not meet.
Part 7 of Joy in Christ sermon series from Orchard Community Church. Recorded during COVID-19 pandemic when church could not gather.
There is so much joy when a baby is born. It is the joy of new life and the joy of getting to know the child as he or she grows. One of the most used phrases by Christians about becoming a Christian is the term "born again." This phrase came from Jesus in John chapter 3 and helps us to understand what being a Christian means. When we become Christians we don't just add Jesus into our lives, we are "born again" and have a new life in him. This understanding of new life in Christ is part of our joy rooted in Christ.
In Luke 2:10 an angel appears to shepherds and says "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." We could use a heavenly messenger proclaiming some good news that will cause great joy for all the people today! What's amazing, though, is that the news announced by that angel so long ago and the event the angel spoke about - the birth of Jesus - is still good news that causes great joy! This sermon was preached in May, on Mother's Day, but is a continuation of the "Joy in Christ" sermon series and looks at what this angel said and why this news causes great joy for us still today.
This sermon looks at God's plan for joy throughout the Old Testament. Christ was always God's plan for our greatest joy. He had this plan from ages past and prepared all throughout the Old Testament to teach his people about their great joy that was to be found in God's great plan of salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ.
This sermon looks at the connection between God's purpose in creating us and our greatest joy. This sermon was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 when the church could not gather and was preached as part of a recorded worship service distributed through an online video.
This sermon was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 when the church could not gather together:
The bible has a lot to say about joy! This sermon begins a new sermon series called "Joy in Christ" which looks at this incredible topic that runs throughout all of Scripture.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us incredible and unshakable hope. This sermon was recorded as part of a Live Streamed service in 2020 during the COVID-19 virus outbreak when the church was unable to gather.
This sermon concludes our sermon series on 1 Peter called "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World." Who could have imagined that when we started this sermon series we would actually be experiencing being physically scattered and separated? Yet God knew and His power, love, mercy, and grace are at work now in our lives just as He was at work in the lives of Peter's recipients. Like them, we need to keep our focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like them, we need to live faithfully in whatever situation we are in. Like them, we need to remember that suffering is not unusual in the Christian life but is an opportunity for the gospel to be demonstrated through our lives
Are you feeling a bit alone? Maybe a bit discouraged? This week's sermon looks at 1 Peter 5:12-14 and is called "Stand in True Grace." In this passage Peter ends his letter with reminders to his recipients that they are not alone and by encouraging them to stand firm in the "true grace of God." This sermon was recorded during a time of struggle with the Coronavirus pandemic, but no matter when it is, we also need the encouragement that comes from the true grace of God and we need to remember that we are not alone.
Part 22 of the "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World" sermon series on 1 Peter.
This sermon was recorded on 3/21/2020 for the use of Orchard Community Church since we cannot gather right now as a church due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This sermon looks 1 Peter 5:10-11 and the hope that comes from living with an eternal perspective as we face difficulty.
This sermon was supposed to be preached on Sunday, March 15, 2020, but due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus the church had to cancel worship services. This sermon was recorded by Pastor Dave in his office on 3/18/2020.
In 1 Peter 3:5-8 we see that there is a spiritual component behind any suffering we face from this world. Peter cautions his readers to be ready and aware of the dangers and to stand firm in our faith with our brothers and sisters around the world who are also suffering. This passage is especially relevant to the roaring lion at work in our world at this moment with the spread of this disease and the fear it causes. We need to hear the reminder to stand strong in our faith.
In this sermon titled "Clothed with Humility", we look at 1 Peter 5:5-7. Here Peter continues to challenge and encourage Christians who are struggling by pointing them to extreme trust in God. Humility does not come from weakness but rather from a strong faith in a God who is greater than all of our circumstances. This kind of humility is freeing and relieves us of the constant anxiety of trying to control every situation.
Going through difficult times is stressful. Helping others who are going through difficult times is not easy. Helping others who are going through difficult times while you are also going through a difficult time is especially difficult. In a sermon called "Shepherding in Suffering" we look at 1 Peter 5:1-5 where Peter talks to leaders in the church who are experiencing the difficulties of suffering for their faith and are also called to lead and shepherd the people of the church who are going through the same difficulties. While what Peter says has particular application to elders who lead the church, it also applies to anyone who is mature in their faith and should help care for others as they struggle to follow Christ. This loving shepherding woven into the relationships of the church is part of the encouragement Peter gives for helping those who are suffering as they follow Christ.
Some people really don't like surprises. Some surprises are great - like getting a gift that you really wanted. Other surprises are not so great - like finding out the direction you've been driving for five hours was incorrect. In a sermon called "Don't Be Surprised", we look at 1 Peter 4:12-19 where Peter tells us not to be surprised at the difficulties we face as we follow Christ. In fact, he says that these difficulties actually help us to see that we are actually trusting in God and following his will.
In this sermon, titled "Living with the End in Sight", we look at 1 Peter 4:7-11. In this passage, Peter reminds us that what we are going through now is only temporary. God has a great plan for all things and, through Christ, he is bringing all things to their appropriate conclusion. As followers of Christ, we must live with this end in sight. Peter gives us several helpful, yet challenging ideas about what this must look like in our lives and concludes by saying we must do all of this for the glory of God.
In part 16 of our sermon series on 1 Peter, we are looking at 1 Peter 4:1-6 in a sermon called "Gospel Difference." Christians are called to be different. Our attitudes and our actions must be shaped by the gospel. But this will never be a reality unless we accept that the gospel is a completely different standard than the way this world looks at things.
In this sermon called "Hope for the Journey", we look at 1 Peter 3:18-22. This passage contains incredible hope for us in those moments when we are weary. Peter turns our thoughts to certainty of hope we have in Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension to reign eternally at the right hand of the Father. When we go through difficult times, we must look to the certainty of the gospel and know that whatever we are going through is not the end of our journey. This is a very difficult passage of Scripture and has been much debated throughout the history of Christianity. I pray that I can help us to focus on the big picture of what Peter is saying as well as give some guidance on the difficult details.
In this sermon called "Highest Priority", on 1 Peter 3:13-17, Peter makes it clear that when we are in fear filled, frustrating, or even dangerous situations because of our faith in Christ, we still must hold on to our highest priority which is to display and proclaim the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In this sermon called "New House Rules", we look at 1 Peter 3:8-12. Here, Peter instructs Christians in a way that shows that he sees the church as a sort of new household. The relationships between Christians form a new basic unit of society. Peter tells us how we should relate to each other and how we should relate to the world around us.
We are returning to our sermon series called "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World" by looking at 1 Peter 2:18 - 3:7. This sermon is called "Gospel Submission - Part 2" because Peter is continuing a theme of how the gospel shapes our submission to the authorities in our lives. We looked at 1 Peter 2:13-17 back in late November and now we will look at the rest of what Peter says on this important subject.
Happy New Year! I am excited to see what God has planned for Orchard Community Church during this new year. This sermon is called "The Big Picture from Genesis to Revelation". I like to start each new year as a church looking at an overview of God's plan from all of Scripture. The more we can understand the big picture of God's plan in Scripture, the more we will be able to have a proper perspective on whatever this year brings.
Merry Christmas! I hope you and your family had a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! In a sermon called "Looking Back: Seeing God's Past Faithfulness" we take a moment to reflect on this past year and challenge ourselves to see these things through eyes of faith. We look at two particular Psalms (Psalm 77 and Psalm 18) and see that when we look back we see great pain and great joy. Scripture helps us to see how both of these point us to God's gracious and powerful work in our lives.
In this sermon: The Perfect Son of Man (1 Timothy 1:15), we look at the amazing gospel-laced revelation of why God the Son came to earth in the flesh. We will look into the Scriptures to see that Jesus has two complete natures: one fully human and one fully divine. This is known, in theological circles, as the hypostatic union of Christ and teaches that these two natures are united in one person; the God-man. Jesus is not two persons. He is one person. The hypostatic union is the joining (mysterious though it be) of the divine and the human in the one person of Jesus. Why are we to bother with this fancy term? At the end of the day, the term itself it not essential, but the concept behind the term is infinitely precious and worshipfully mind-blowing. Let us exalt His name together as we behold this wondrous mystery.
"They will call him Immanuel (which means 'God with us')." These words written about Jesus in Matthew 1:23 (which are a quote from Isaiah 7:14) are such an important part of Christmas. This is one of those concepts I believe we could explore for years and years and never quite reach the depths of the meaning of this important idea. The baby Jesus, born on Christmas morning, is God with us. We will look at this incredible idea that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. We see how this ties the birth of Jesus into all of Scripture and into God's eternal plan.
Ever had the experience of walking in a dark room and not being able to turn on the light. After awhile your eyes adjust a bit and maybe you can see some faint outlines of the furniture so you don't hurt yourself as you move around. Maybe, if it is too dark, you just have to feel around with our hands. What if at that moment someone turned on a very bright light. We might think that our first reaction would be "thanks! That's so much better!" But the truth is that our first reaction would probably be to shut our eyes and turn away from the light because eyes that are used to the dark can be hurt when the light shines.
We begin a three week Christmas series called "Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery". This sermon is called "Light of the World" and we look at John 1:1-14 where Jesus comes as the light into a very dark world. Will we have eyes to see or close our eyes and turn away?
Death and Taxes, those are said to be the certainties of life. But there is one more certainty. One day, each one of us will stand before his Creator to testify, to give an account of a life lived. How do we know if we are prepared for that moment? Is there a way to examine our lives now and have confidence that we will be able to present back to God a fruitful and productive life? Is there a simple test to assure us that in that moment, we will not have the heart sinking realization that we have wasted our lives? In a sermon titled "Rejoicing in a Fruitful life", we look at Peter’s second letter for inspired answers to each of these questions.
Submission is an ugly word today. Instead, we value strength, ambition, and authority. Our culture sees submission as being something for the weak. Yet Peter tells Christians who are struggling under persecution that they are to submit. In a sermon called "Gospel Submission Part 1" we look at 1 Peter 2:13-17. Here, we face the important, but uncomfortable idea that as Christians who want to communicate and display the gospel in this world, we are to submit to earthly authorities. We look at what this means, as well as what it doesn't mean. When we are set free by Jesus Christ, the way we live out this freedom in humble submission to others will display the gospel to this world.
What does it mean to live with purpose? Many of our actions and decisions are simply responses to other things going on in our lives. Our schedule is determined by our jobs, family obligations, or other obligations. These situations can then shape our mood and our goals. Our moment by moment decisions are shaped by these things as well. After a while we can feel like life is something that is happening to us rather than something we are actively, and purposeful doing. Then we hear the gospel. We see ourselves as being brought from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ. We are born again, new creations, and have been set free. Yet we can be stuck in the same pattern having life drive us rather than us living life with purpose. In part 10 of our sermon series on 1 Peter called "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World", we look at 1 Peter 2:11-12 in a sermon called "Living with Purpose." This passage challenges us to live lives with a gospel shaped purpose.
Ancient Roman temples were built using mammoth blocks of stone from nearby quarries. These stones would be cut in the quarry to the exact shaped necessary for a particular location in the temple structure. The stones were numbered or marked in some way to designate where they should be placed once they arrived at the construction site. In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter says that Christians are "living stones" being built into a "spiritual house." We have been saved by God for a purpose, shaped by God's grace and are being built together to show this world the glory of God. In part 9 of the sermon series "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World," we look at 1 Peter 2:4-10 in a sermon called "Built by the Gospel" to see how the gospel shapes us and builds us together for the glory of God.
The church should be a visible demonstration of the gospel at work in our lives so that we love each other in a way the world cannot explain. In a sermon called "Loving as the People of God" we look at 1 Peter 1:22 - 2:3 where we will see that Peter links our understanding and commitment to the truth of the gospel with our commitment to loving each other.
Do you ever wonder, "what do I do now?" I think we face this question a lot in our relationship with God. Maybe when we accept Christ as our savior we then wonder what we are supposed to do. We learn more about God and his plan for us and we wonder how to respond. In a sermon called "Living as the People of God" we look at 1 Peter 1:13-21. This passage answers the question "what do I do now" regarding our salvation. If we are saved by Christ, then we are to live as the people of God. Peter gives us encouraging and challenging ideas to help us understand what this means.
The Bible Project video shown during this sermon can be viewed HERE.
Ever get in a tough situation and wonder "Why me?" When we face struggles we can feel like God has turned against us. I wonder, though, if we ever give enough consideration to the incredible blessings God has given us in his grace. In a sermon called "Why Me?", we look at 1 Peter 1:10-12. We see that we have the amazing privilege of living in a time when Jesus Christ has already come and provided salvation through his death and resurrection. For generations, the prophets of old longed to understand and to see the fulfillment of their messages. Peter says that even the angels long to understand what has been given to us in Christ. In times of struggle, having a big view of the privilege we have in Christ gives us the strength to hold fast to our faith.
Have you ever been in so much sorrow or stress that you felt your world was ripping apart? Have you struggled to put that sorrow into words or even struggled with whether or not it was right to be feeling that way at all? 1 Peter 1:5 says that the recipients of Peter's letter "may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials". The book of 1 Peter deals with Christians going through great difficulty. As we continue our sermon series on 1 Peter, called "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World", we are going to step away from the book of 1 Peter and look at the Old Testament book of Lamentations which deals with a period of great pain, sorrow, and loss in the history of God's people. In a sermon called "Learning to Lament" we look at this powerful and difficult book as we learn lessons from those who cried out in lament and, I pray, we will also learn the proper place of lament in our lives today.
The purpose of Realign Rochester is to equip Christians in the Rochester area to be better prepared to live out their faith in the midst of a challenging cultural context.This conference is an effort to gather like-minded, gospel-centered, Christians who believe in the supremacy of God's Word so that we can be encouraged and challenged to be salt and light for Christ in this area. Our speaker for the 2019 conference was Jared C. Wilson who is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, General Editor of For The Church (and host of the FTC Podcast), and Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. For more info on Jared, check out his website at jaredcwilson.com.
The purpose of Realign Rochester is to equip Christians in the Rochester area to be better prepared to live out their faith in the midst of a challenging cultural context.This conference is an effort to gather like-minded, gospel-centered, Christians who believe in the supremacy of God's Word so that we can be encouraged and challenged to be salt and light for Christ in this area. Our speaker for the 2019 conference was Jared C. Wilson who is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, General Editor of For The Church (and host of the FTC Podcast), and Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. For more info on Jared, check out his website at jaredcwilson.com.
The purpose of Realign Rochester is to equip Christians in the Rochester area to be better prepared to live out their faith in the midst of a challenging cultural context.This conference is an effort to gather like-minded, gospel-centered, Christians who believe in the supremacy of God's Word so that we can be encouraged and challenged to be salt and light for Christ in this area. Our speaker for the 2019 conference was Jared C. Wilson who is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, General Editor of For The Church (and host of the FTC Podcast), and Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. For more info on Jared, check out his website at jaredcwilson.com.
The purpose of Realign Rochester is to equip Christians in the Rochester area to be better prepared to live out their faith in the midst of a challenging cultural context.This conference is an effort to gather like-minded, gospel-centered, Christians who believe in the supremacy of God's Word so that we can be encouraged and challenged to be salt and light for Christ in this area. Our speaker for the 2019 conference was Jared C. Wilson who is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, General Editor of For The Church (and host of the FTC Podcast), and Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. For more info on Jared, check out his website at jaredcwilson.com.
The purpose of Realign Rochester is to equip Christians in the Rochester area to be better prepared to live out their faith in the midst of a challenging cultural context.This conference is an effort to gather like-minded, gospel-centered, Christians who believe in the supremacy of God's Word so that we can be encouraged and challenged to be salt and light for Christ in this area. Our speaker for the 2019 conference was Jared C. Wilson who is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, General Editor of For The Church (and host of the FTC Podcast), and Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. For more info on Jared, check out his website at jaredcwilson.com.
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though for now you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials" (1 Peter 1:6). What a statement this is by Peter. Here we have an acknowledgement of suffering, a strong faith, and a great and enduring joy. In this sermon called "The Perspective of Praise – Part 2," we look at 1 Peter 1:6-9 where Peter shows us that real faith will always face times of suffering in this world. The hope given to us by Peter is that this suffering has an end date and a purpose. Through it all, our faith is strengthened as we look to the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Perspective matters. The way we look at the world and our lives makes a difference in how we think and act. In 1 Peter, Peter is writing to Christians going through difficult times. Right at the beginning of the letter he is going to focus their attention on their perspective. In a sermon called " The Perspective of Praise: Part 1" we look at 1 Peter 1:3-6 where Peter turns our attention to the incredible reasons we have to give praise to God. This perspective allows us to face great difficulty with praise and even joy.
Identity theft is a big issue today. Criminals steal personal information and use that information to assume people's identity for criminal purposes. There is a different, but just as dangerous, form of identity theft. In a sermon called "Avoiding Identity Theft" we look at 1 Peter 1:1-2 to see how Peter starts this important letter to Christians living scattered in a culture that did not support what they believed. They, like us today, were in danger of allowing their identity in Christ to be stolen by the culture around them. Peter challenges them to base their identity on something so immovable and unshakable that they will be strong no matter what happens in this world. I pray we are encouraged by this powerful truth, but also challenged to examine the source of our identity.
We start our new sermon series on 1 Peter called "Scattered: The Hope of the Gospel in a Changing World." Many Christians are struggling to hold onto the timeless gospel as the world changes around us faster and faster. We might be feeling a bit flustered, a bit overwhelmed, a bit scattered. The letter of 1 Peter is written to Christians during a time when the Roman world was realizing that Christianity and the Roman culture were not in agreement on many things. Peter wrote to Christians scattered around the Roman empire who were struggling to live with this growing tension. Christians face a similar tension today. Will we respond by trying to go back to some golden age of the church in America (that never actually existed!)? Will we rant and complain about how bad things are? Or, like Scripture instructs us through the book of 1 Peter, will we cling to the gospel of Jesus Christ that is our hope as we live scattered in this world and demonstrate this hope through how we live our lives? Being scattered is difficult, but it is an opportunity for us to grow in our understanding of Christ's work in us and, like a farmer scattering seed, it is an opportunity for us to display the gospel to a world in desperate need of hope.
Two fundamental questions that everyone who has ever lived, is living, or will ever live, needs to have answered or answer are: Who is Jesus Christ? Do you know Him? You cannot be wrong about these two questions and be right with God! There is no middle ground! Not one of us on this planet can afford to be wrong about Christ. It is a matter of life and death. In this sermon titled The Glorious Christ, we see how the Bible answers the first question, and be challenged with our answer to the second.
We conclude our summer sermon series called "One Choice, One Step" by looking at one final "character" from Scripture. This is not one person, but rather a group of people. This group of people lived during Bible times but also continues on today. This group of people is called to live in the choice of trusting God through Jesus Christ and daily stepping out in that trust as we demonstrate and proclaim the gospel. We close this summer sermon series by looking at the Church. We see our calling to trust in God through Christ, to demonstrate the gospel in everything we do and to faithfully proclaim the gospel by whatever means possible.
In this sermon we look at "The Choice of Jesus" in part 12 of our sermon series called "One Choice, One Step." We see that Jesus, the Son of God and the savior of the world, made a choice to step into our greatest need. I pray that we are amazed at the love and mercy of Jesus as we look at this amazing choice.
This sermon is called "God Directs: Lessons from Paul", as we continue in part 11 of the sermon series "One Choice, One Step." Paul is a fascinating person in Scripture. He wrote about a quarter of all the New Testament Scriptures. He traveled the Roman Empire spreading the gospel and starting churches. He wrote to those churches and his letters show us the essentials of what it means to be a church. We look at his life and how God directed Paul's step all along the way.
Ever think that someone is hardheaded? Maybe you've even been accused of being hardheaded: stubborn, immovable, fixed on your own ideas. Sure these traits can look wonderful in certain circumstances where the hard headed person acts courageous, bold and unwavering. But in other situations hardheadedness shows itself as being unwilling to change, even when we are wrong. In a sermon called "Jesus Forgives: Lessons from Peter" we look at this hardheaded man in Scripture, Peter, who is steadily shaped by the hammer and chisel of Christ's grace.
When things don't go according to our plans we can start to lose hope. Sometimes we question God about why things are not going the way we think they should. This sermon is called "God is Greater than Our Hopes and Dreams: Lessons from Mary". We look at the amazing woman who gave birth to Jesus. Who trusted in God's plan, yet struggled throughout Jesus' life to truly accept that Jesus was different than her expectations and that his life was not going to go the way she had planned. Through her struggle and beautiful acceptance of Jesus as her savior we learn a lot about the truth that God is greater than all of our hopes and dreams as well.
In this sermon called "Kingdoms in Collision", we take a look at Daniel who lived during a messed up time. He was pressured to give in to the ways of the culture and he was persecuted for not conforming. Daniel understood that there were always two kingdoms in constant collision - the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. He chose to trust in God's kingdom and it could have cost him his life. We also examine how we too must make the choice to trust God as we also live in a time of kingdoms in collision.
This sermon is called "The Choice of Worship: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego." We look at Daniel chapter 3 where these three men faced a very difficult choice. They could give in to powerful pressure or they could stay true to what they believed. For them it was not a choice of survival, but rather a choice of worship. They had to decide who they would worship - the one true God or a powerful man who was threatening them. Their choice led to a fiery trial and a powerful demonstration of the glory of God.
There are so many passages in Scripture where God's power is on display in incredible ways. It is easy to miss how the people in those passages still struggle with doubt, bitterness and depression even while God is putting his power on display. In a sermon called "God is Powerful: Lessons from Elijah" we look at the amazing account of God's incredible work through the prophet Elijah. Elijah was powerfully used by God but Elijah also struggled greatly with doubt and bitterness. Yet God's power shines through this doubt in incredible ways.
"Who's in charge here?" This classic line from just about every law enforcement movie or TV show is also a crucial question for our lives. Are we in charge of our own life or is God? This question and the corresponding struggle for control is seen so clearly by comparing the first two Kings of ancient Israel: Saul and David. In a sermon called "God is King: A Look at Saul and David" we see how Scripture shows the stark contrast between these two men. One sought power and authority for his own sake and often lived in fear of losing that power. The other submitted to God's authority over his own life and over all things and lived for God's glory and not his own. By looking at these two fascinating men we see the importance of recognizing that no matter how important we think we are, God is always King!
This sermon is titled "God's Faithfulness in the Book of Ruth". As we continue our "One Choice, One Step" sermon series, we look at this amazing and beautiful account of three people, Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, who showed great faithfulness to each other. Their faithfulness is an example of and was dependent on God's faithfulness. Through their story we learn about the great faithfulness of God even in what seem to be insignificant moments in our lives.
In a sermon called "Lovingly Sovereign" we look at the important relationship between God and the people of Israel throughout the Old Testament. As we consider "famous" people in Scripture, it is easy to overlook the Israelites as a whole, but God's relationship with these people throughout the Old Testament is important for understanding who God is and why we should trust Him. Through this relationship we see that God lovingly and sovereignly deals with his people and that these two important characteristics of God are not at odds with each other.
Father Abraham...had many sons...many sons had Father Abraham... Come on, you know the song! Sing along! It's a very catchy children's song about the way in which God worked out his plan through Abraham. Have you ever really stopped to think about what it meant for Abraham to go from being childless to being the father of many nations and used by God to carry out God's eternal plan? He had to leave everything that gave him security and comfort and trust in God's promise. He went through danger, turmoil, and faced a heart-wrenching decision of whether or not to trust his own way or to trust God. I wonder how many times along the way Abraham wondered if God's plan was really going to work out. In a sermon called "God is Able to Carry Out His Plan", we look at what we learn about God through the life, choices, steps, and missteps of Abraham.
This sermon starts a new series called "One Choice, One Step". When we read the stories in Scripture of people like Abraham, David, or Ruth, it is easy to think that there is no way we can be like them. God doesn't call us to be like them, though! God calls us to trust in Him! These true stories in Scripture are simply stories of people who made a choice to trust God and then to take a step of faith based on that choice. This is what it means to follow God's will for our life. It isn't complicated. It is simply a choice to trust God and then to step out in that choice.
This new series will look at some of the famous people of the Bible and how they made a choice to trust God and then step out in faith. Some of them did this well. Some, not so well. As we look at their stories, we learn about why we can, and must, make our own choice to trust God and then look at how we can take a step of faith as we trust in Him.
We love superheroes. We want the Avengers to be real. We are looking for the perfect politician to solve our country’s woes. Why? Because we see problems all around us that we know will take a superhuman effort to fix. The Galatian church had the same unsolvable problem we do today. The needed to be rescued from their sin. They made the same mistake we often do in looking to man’s ways and man’s wisdom to save themselves, instead of looking to the world’s only savior. In this sermon, titled "The Rescuer", we look at our Rescuer, the god-man Jesus Christ, and how he is uniquely qualified to save us to the uttermost because He is God’s ultimate prophet, priest, and king.
In this sermon, we look at Galatians 6:11-18 and conclude our series called "The Rescue: The Gospel of Grace in Galatians". I'm calling this last sermon "Rescued through the Cross." In this final passage at the end of the letter to the Galatians, Paul summarizes and highlights some important things he has said throughout this letter. Mostly, as always, he focuses on the cross of Jesus Christ because nothing else can rescue us.
It is a beautiful and freeing truth to know that when we receive Christ our sins are put on him and his righteousness is counted to us. But we still face the nagging question, now what? What does it mean to live knowing we are saved by Christ? Paul says in Galatians 5:25 that we are to "keep in step with the Spirit." In this sermon we see what he means by that in Galatians 6:1-10 in sermon called "Keep in Step."
We all want to be free, but free to do what? It's easy to talk about what we want to be free from, but trying to decide how we should use that freedom is a difficult thing. We all want different things. Who gets to decide what's right and what's wrong? In a sermon called "Live Free", we look at Galatians 5:13-26, where we see what it means to live in the freedom that Christ gives us by saving us from our sins. We are not to use that freedom to do whatever we want, we are to use that freedom to follow God and to love one another.
Most people do not like to be told they are doing something wrong. We tend to justify ourselves and come up with excuses why we are right. In this sermon, called "Stand Firm", we look at Galatians 5:1-12 where the apostle Paul again challenges the Galatians that they are veering off course in their faith by trusting in what they can do rather than in the gospel. He has strong words for the Galatians and we need to listen carefully because we struggle with the same things today.
Our world seems like a leaky tire, except instead of leaking air we are leaking hope. We try to ignore the leak of hope with distractions, but still we feel the loss. We try to replace hope with lesser substitutes, but they fail us under difficult circumstances. We need a real and lasting hope. In this sermon we look at "The Hope of Easter". The hope accomplished and assured through the cross and the resurrection by our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the only answer to our greatest need.
In this sermon called "Our Way and God's Way", we look at Galatians 4:21-31. Here we see Paul dig into the Old Testament to show that God has always accepted people based on his promise, not based on our actions. This is so comforting because our actions are feeble and inconsistent, but God's promises never fail.
Sometimes if we talk about getting healthy we often use the phrase "getting in shape." It's an interesting idea - as if we are literally wanting to change the shape of our bodies (and maybe we do!). The Bible talks about the importance of us getting in shape as Christians. In Galatians 4:12-20, Paul makes it clear that the "shape" that is the goal for all Christians is that we become more and more like Christ. He pleads with the Galatians to stop listening to those that are trying to get them to take an easy route and instead challenges them, and us, to follow the difficult but good road of trusting in the gospel. This sermon is called "Getting in Shape" and looks at this powerful passage.
In this sermon we look at the amazing truth that in Christ we are a Child of God. In Galatians 4:1-11 Paul talks about what it means to be a "Child of God" (which is the title for this week's sermon!). We see that before we know Christ as our savior we are enslaved to the ways of this world, but then we are saved and adopted into God's family. Why, Paul asks, would we ever want to go back?
Who am I? This is a question that has probably run through your mind more than once. We all wonder who we are? why we are here? what is the purpose of life? In a sermon called "Our Identity in Christ" we look at Galatians 3:23-29 where Paul leads us through several stages of understanding who we are. All these stages lead to us seeing that we have a new identity in Jesus Christ.
When my brother and I were little, my mom would sometimes tell us as we were out running errands with her that we would stop for ice cream on the way home. Then, on the way home we would ask about stopping for ice cream and she would say that there wasn't time. In my mind my mom had made a promise and I would get so mad because it seemed liked she had lied to us! Why would you lie about something as important as ice cream? (I have since forgiven my mother and I love her very much!)
In part 9 of the sermon series "The Rescue: The Gospel of Grace in Galatians", we look at Galatians 3:15-22 in a sermon called "The Promise". Here we see that when God makes a promise, nothing can ever change that promise!
In this sermon, called “A Fork in the Road”, we look at Galatians 3:9-14. Robert Frost wrote in his poem “The Road Not Taken”, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." We face diverging roads often in our lives. Some choices make a big difference while others seem insignificant. We look at the choice we must make to trust our own efforts, or to trust in Jesus and what a big difference this makes.
Imagine driving from Los Angeles to New York City. You drive for several days, putting a lot of mileage on your car, going through several tanks of gas. Then, as you approach the city limits of New York City, you pull over to the side of the road, get out of your car, and start jogging. You cross into New York City and declare, "I have run from Los Angeles to New York City!" That's not exactly accurate, is it? In a sermon called "Faith from Start to Finish", we look at Galatians 3:1-9. In this passage Paul shows that the start of our relationship with God is through faith, so it is absurd to think that we would then continue in this relationship through our own works. Our relationship with God is from faith, from start to finish and this has always been God's plan.
Imagine falling into a hole and needing to be rescued. For hours you wait until finally someone finds you and is able to get you out. Would you then, after being rescued, climb right back into the hole? This is the situation so many people face when we are saved by Jesus. We know he sets us free. We know he has done everything necessary for our salvation. Yet so often we return to old ways of thinking. We try to fix our own lives. We try to make ourselves righteous when only Christ can do that. We live with guilt and artificial laws when Christ has set us free! We are brought out of the hole of trying to save ourselves and make ourselves righteous, but then we try to climb right back into that same hole! In this sermon, called "Rescued by Christ", we look at Galatians 2:15-21 and we see how Paul instructs the Galatians about this same problem.
We are doing a lot of measuring during the renovations. Everything has to be measured to be sure that what we do is in line with the plans. Here we look at Galatians 2:11-14 in a sermon called "In Line with the Gospel" as we continue our look at "The Rescue: The Gospel of Grace in Galatians"
Eating natural foods with no artificial preservatives seems to be a growing concern. People want to be sure that what they are putting into their bodies is real, authentic, and healthy. In this sermon, we see that we should have the same attitude toward the gospel. In a sermon called, "Avoid Artificial Preservatives" we look at Galatians 2:1-10 where Paul talks about the danger of other people teaching that there were things other than trusting in Jesus that people needed to do in order to truly be saved. They were adding artificial preservatives to the gospel of Jesus Christ! We look at how Paul handled this and how we still need to take this seriously, today.
Why do we believe what we believe? Did someone just make this up? Do we just believe in Jesus because of how we were raised? Is being a Christian just about working hard to change ourselves? Who decides what real Christianity is all about?
We all have questions about the gospel. In Galatians 1:11-24 we see that Paul faced many of the same questions we still have today. In this passage he looks at how he came to know and trust the good news about Jesus and shows that the gospel was not made up by him or anyone else. It is from Jesus Christ.
Have you ever been baking and missing one ingredient? Sometimes you can just substitute another ingredient. For instance, if you are baking a cake and you don't have sugar, you can just use salt instead, right? They look and feel about the same so what's the big deal? If you know even a little bit about baking you should be shocked that I would even suggest this because the taste is definitely not the same! You can't substitute salt for sugar this will change everything about the cake. In this sermon called "Accept No Substitutes" we look at Galatians 1:6-10 where Paul is shocked about how people have substituted other things for the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We see why we can't accept a substitute gospel, what to do with those who teach a substitute gospel, and why we still need to be careful about this today.
We start our new sermon series called "Rescue: The Gospel of Grace in Galatians." In the book of Galatians, Paul writes to a group of people who were being pressured to change what they believed. He writes this letter to warn them that changing the gospel to give in to these pressures is a much greater issue than the people realize. By doing what they are doing they are actually getting rid of the gospel completely! We still face pressure today to change the gospel in order to accommodate what others think. If we change the gospel then we are trusting in something to rescue us that is no rescue at all. Instead, we need to hold on to the true gospel of grace!
Does God have a plan or is he making it up as he goes? Is the Bible a collection of good stories or is it one story from beginning to end? This sermon looks at God's Great Plan throughout all of Scripture.
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. In the beginning, He dispelled darkness in the universe by saying, “Let there be light.” In the end, there will be no more darkness as His glory will give light to all things. This time of year we hang lights on buildings, houses, and trees to commemorate the Light of the World that came to us in human form over 2000 years ago. This light, the true light that gives light to everyone, reveals God’s glory, brings peace, and compels worship. In this sermon, we see how this can be true in our lives and how it should shape our New Year’s resolutions.
Christmas poses a yearly challenge to those of us who have heard the story since we were children. After you have attended 20 or 30 or 40 Christmas plays, and after you have listened to at least that many Christmas sermons, and heard, and sung every Christmas carol a few hundred times, what more is left to be said that hasn’t been said before?
If you know about Christmas at all, you know about Mary and the angel Gabriel, about the dangerous journey to Bethlehem, about Caesar’s decree, about Herod’s insane jealousy, about the inn with a “No Vacancy” sign, about the angels and the shepherds, and about the mysterious Wise Men from the east, and the last-second flight into Egypt. All of these stories are so well known that when we hear them again, we don’t really hear them at all because we’ve heard them all before. We hear, but we don’t hear.
I don’t want us to be like the Innkeeper who missed the Messiah, or the Bethlehem townsfolk who went about their business with the Messiah right around the corner. In this sermon we look at Luke 2, at the first Christmas, to help us remember its significance.
Tis the season of sending. We send Christmas cards. We send Christmas packages. We send Christmas emails, texts and tweets. All of them including our love and wishes of peace and joy at Christmas. These are all delivered to express the true and real meaning of Christmas. God sent His son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world, through Him, might be saved.
We are happy to have a missionary family visiting us at OCC. Mark B. shares with us a message about true contentment.
The Mathematician Blaise Pascal said, “There once was in man, a true happiness of which now remain to him only the mark and empty trace, which he in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent, the help he does not obtain, in things present. But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself.”
We often apply this quote to unbelievers, but how about us as believers? Are our lives characterized by a genuine peace, joy and hope that is distinct from those around us that do not know Christ? Or is contentment still eluding us and we find ourselves looking for it in the same places that the world is looking? As we look at Psalms 42-43, we see four remedies that take the Psalmist from the depths of despair and a discontent heart in his present circumstances, to hoping in God and finding the source of exceeding joy.
Several years ago at Disney World my wife and daughter stood in line for two hours in the June heat of Florida to see one of the "Disney Princesses". I don't understand that kind of commitment and sacrifice to see someone dressed in a costume. You know what else I struggle to understand? God loves us so much and wants to be with us! Matthew 1:22-23 says that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. With this sermon we kick off the Christmas season by looking at the amazing truth that in Jesus, God became human to be with us.
We conclude our sermon series called "Guardrails: 9 Biblical Core Values" by looking at the final two core values: "Intentional Outreach" and "Authentic and Passionate Worship". I'm calling this sermon "The Purpose" because these two core values define the purpose in our journey in life. When we understand that we have a mission to provide the greatest help imaginable to this world by sharing the gospel with those lost in sin and we understand that this - and everything we do - is to be done worship for the glory of God, we will see that our lives are not first about us, but rather about God's glory and about the good of others.
As we continue our sermon series called "Guardrails: 9 Biblical Core Values", we look at core values 6 and 7, "Committed to One Another" and "Actively Serving". There is such an emphasis on social networks yet so many people feel profoundly lonely. Having a relationship with Christ means so many wonderful things - one of which is that we are never alone. Not only do we have the promise of Jesus, that he is with us always (Matthew 28:20), but we also have relationships with others who are following Christ. We travel together, not alone. In this sermon called "Traveling Together", we see how we are to relate to each other as we follow Christ together.
We continue looking at 9 Biblical Core Values in our "Guardrails" sermon series. The two guardrails we look at in this sermon are "Grace-Driven Transformation" and "Becoming Fully Devoted Followers of Christ". I'm calling this sermon "The Journey". These two core values help us to understand the journey of our life. We sometimes realize that change must take place, but how? We also know we should have a goal, but what? Understanding Grace-Driven Transformation and what it means to be Becoming Fully Devoted Followers of Christ keeps us on track along the journey of life.
We begin a new sermon series called "Guardrails - 9 Biblical Core Values". Guardrails are put on the side of the road to keep you from driving off the edge. We need guardrails in our life to keep us from going astray. This four week sermon series looks at the 9 core values of Orchard Community Church and will also look at why these core values are important in our individual lives as well.
This sermon is called "Focus: Core Values 1-3" and looks at the first three core values which are: Passionately God-Centered, Dependent on God, and Rooted in the Word of God.
We conclude our sermon series called "Don't Miss This - The Gospel of John". After 38 weeks, we look at the last two verses and review this incredible book which is John's testimony about who Jesus is. He wrote this book so that people would not miss the incredible truth of about Jesus. As we finish the series we review the amazing truths in this gospel and look at how we are part of the ongoing mission to present the gospel to others and say to them, "Don't Miss This."
What do you do when someone betrays you and the relationship is broken? What do you do when you are the one who did the breaking? This is our situation in our relationship with God - the relationship is broken and it is our fault. We see a picture of this brokenness and how Jesus handles it in John 21:1-23 as Jesus interacts with Peter. We look at this passage in a sermon called "Restored" where we see Jesus lovingly restoring Peter.
Doubts are natural, but sometimes they can keep us from accepting something wonderful just because we aren't sure about it. In a sermon called "From Doubt to Decision", we look at John 20:24-31. In this passage we see Thomas struggle with doubt, but then make a bold declaration of faith. We see what made the difference for him and we are challenged to make a decision for ourselves.
Peace. We all want it. We all search for it. We struggle to get it. We grow anxious without it and often we blame others when we don't have it. But what is peace? Where does it really come from? In this sermon simply called "Peace", we will look at John 20:19-23 Here we will see that Jesus tells his followers "Peace be with you" and this peace is based on the unshakable truth that Jesus has risen from the dead and is with them.
What do you hold on to when everything falls apart? So often we hold on to the wrong things. We run after and grasp onto what we think will give us hope or what seemed to help us in the past. In this sermon, called "Hold On", we look at John 20:1-18. In this powerful passage we see three people struggling to come to terms with their despair over losing Jesus and some new information that things may not be quite what they seem.
A king's throne and throne room will tell you a lot about the king. The lavishness of the decor will tell you of the king's wealth. The size of the throne and throne room will tell you about the king's power and greatness of his empire. The decorations on the throne and in the room might tell you something about things that are unique to that king's kingdom.
In this sermon called "Behold Your King," we will look at John 19:16-42, where we see King Jesus displayed in his glory. But it is the glory of the cross, and the display of greatness is seen in his suffering, and his power is seen in how much he loves us as he suffers and dies in our place.
Imagine two kings claiming one land. Battle lines are drawn, armies assemble, and the fighting begins. In John 18:28 - 19:16 we see a similar conflict that results in a very different battle. Jesus, the Son of God and King of the World stands before earthly authorities who believe they have complete power over him, but they are deceived. In a sermon called "Opposing Kingdoms" we look at this dramatic passage and see how we need to decide which kingdom we are living for - ours, or God's.
In this sermon, called "Through Perilous Waters", we look at John 18:12-27. In this passage we see Peter and Jesus respond differently to a very difficult situation. We see our savior continue in his plan to go to the cross in our place, but he does so with integrity and conviction. We see Peter fear for his own protection and use any means necessary to avoid persecution. Not only do we learn about Jesus' character and commitment to our salvation, but we can learn from their example about how to go through perilous waters in our own lives.
Does it seem like the world is constantly in crisis mode? Do you feel overwhelmed by all its evil and troubles? Have you ever questioned what God is doing, as confusion and discord seem to rule our politics, media, schools, workplaces, churches, and country? Are your personal struggles and fears beginning to overtake you? If so, you have a lot in common with Jesus’s first century disciples. Knowing their hearts and concerns, Jesus taught them the parable of the wheat and weeds as recorded in Matthew 13 to comfort their souls, give them hope, and refocus their lives. His words are just as true and appropriate for us today and can help us not only survive these times, but to thrive in them.
As I type this, the church is filled with the sound of a jack hammer, while the plumber prepares for our new, handicap accessible, bathroom. The walls are torn open and the ceiling is a mess of pipes and wires . There are tools, lumber and metal lying all over the work site. Everything is coated in dust. It appears as complete chaos. But through the chaos there is a plan. Work is being done and the chaos is being conquered. What appears like it is out of control is actually all part of the process.
In this sermon, called "In Control" (part 30 of the sermon series "Don't Miss This" on the Gospel of John), we look at John 18:1-11. In this passage we see a time when everything seemed against Jesus as a group of soldiers come to arrest him. It looks like the situation is completely out of his control. As I read this passage, I imagine John having a smile on his face as he writes this and thinks about how much Christ was in complete control over the entire situation. Christ was in control then and he is still in control now.
Have you ever thought that if the world could just see some amazing miracle, then more people would believe? There is such a miracle. It is a miracle that has been going on for over two thousand years. It is a miracle that takes place when messed up people are saved and transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ and then come together to live for, and display, that gospel in everything we do. In John 17:20-26 Jesus, right before he is arrested, prays for everyone who will ever believe the gospel. The main thing he prays for, which he believes is an essential display of the power and effectiveness of the gospel and an important proof of his identity as the Son of God, is the unity of those who believe. In this sermon, called "The Miraculous Proof of the Gospel”, we will look at John 17:20-26 and see why our unity in Christ is so important.
This sermon looks at John 17:6-19 and is called "True Disciples." In this passage we see Jesus praying for his disciples. What he prays for them tells us a lot about what it means to be a true disciple.
Every kid needs to know the joy of using a magnifying glass on a sunny day. The sunbeams strike the ground all around us allowing us to see, but when a magnifying glass is held just right, the beams of the sun's light are focused into a brilliant, intense point of light. In this sermon called "The Intense Focus of Glory" we look at John 17:1-4 where Jesus prays that the Father would glorify the Son. The focal point of this glory, the intense point of light that is focused through the work of Christ, is the salvation of all who believe.
A soldier stands ready at his post. The world is dark around him, as the sun is yet to rise. He knows enemies might be waiting in the darkness, just beyond the light of the torches on the city walls. He has been waiting and watching for hours. Rumors have been passed among the guards that an attack may be imminent. One thought gives hope to the soldier, the sun will rise soon." This is the sentiment of Psalm 130:6 which says, "I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning." I think the disciples understood the tension of this waiting as they faced the coming arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.
As we continue our series called "Don't Miss This", we look at John 15:26 - 16:33 in a sermon called "The Light Shines." In a moment of great darkness, Jesus gives comfort and hope to his disciples that continues to give comfort and hope to us today.
As we continue work on the Renovation Project, I am constantly reminded about the importance of proper preparation. Every step must be thoughtfully considered. The main point of the project must be kept firmly in sight. We constantly have to know who to talk to in order to get help about key aspects of the project. In this sermon called "Be Ready", we look at John 15:18-27 which contains some of Jesus' final words to his disciples to prepare them for difficult times that are coming. I pray that we too will "Be Ready" as we live out the gospel in this world.
Have you ever asked a flower about its relationship with the stalk? How about talking to a leaf about its relationship with the trunk? These are odd ideas, yet Jesus uses a very similar picture to help us better understand our relationship with Him. In this sermon called "The Vine and the Branches", we look at John 15:1-17 where we see Jesus use this powerful illustration to teach us the absolute necessity of remaining in close relationship with Him.
In this sermon we return to John chapter 14 as we continue to look at Jesus' last words to his disciples before going to the cross. We look at John 14:15-31 in a sermon called "Peace in a Troubled World". Here we see Jesus emphasize some important truths for us to hold onto as we follow him in this troubled world.
We are easily troubled people living in a troubling world. It is no wonder that anxiety is one of the most pervasive struggles among people today. This sermon is called "Dealing with a Troubled Heart" and will look at John 14:1-14 where we see Jesus comforting his disciples. In this passage we see some incredible and powerful truths about Jesus and we see how these truths offer hope for troubled hearts.
In this sermon called "A Path Through the Dark", we look at John 13:18-38 where we see what happens when someone chooses their own way of navigating the darkness of this world and then we see God's plan through Christ. We also hear the resounding words of Christ, "Love one another".
Jesus is amazing. He is God. He has total control over all creation. His authority extends even over death and life. In part 20 of the "Don't Miss This" sermon series on the Gospel of John, we look at John 12:37 - 13:17 in a sermon called "Our Sovereign Savior". The Sovereignty of Christ is a concept that is greater than we can possibly comprehend, yet John gives us glimpses of this Sovereignty. In this sermon we will look at two in particular - the sovereignty of Christ foretold in the Old Testament and the sovereignty of Christ on display in his love for us.
It is interesting to watch people at a museum. Some people look at an exhibit by stopping to read the information and really take the time to appreciate what the exhibit is about. Others glance quickly and then move on. Some don't want to look at all because they just want to get the visit over with. In this sermon called "Glory on Display" on John 12:12-36, we look at how Jesus displayed his glory and how people responded.
People respond in many different ways to the truth about Jesus. Some see Jesus as a threat to their security, so they reject him. Some feel Jesus isn't who they want him to be, so they reject him. Some gratefully accept the salvation Jesus brings and humbly submit to his authority in their lives. In this sermon called "Three Views of Jesus" on John 11:45 - 12:11, we examine three different ways of looking at Jesus and how these views brought about a particular response.
There are certain life-defining, life-changing moments in our lives that we never forget. I imagine if we could ask Lazarus about such a time in his life, he would point us to what we see in John 11:1-44. In this sermon called "Come Alive" we look at this powerful passage. Here we see Jesus' perspective on difficulty, his presence with us during our struggles, and the power of his voice calling to us to "come alive."
For some people, seeing is believing and for others believing is seeing. In the second half of John chapter 10, Jesus challenges his audience to believe in him because of the works he has done (seeing is believing). He claims his works prove he is not just the Messiah, the Son of God, but God Himself! Some believe and see him for who he is (believing is seeing), but the spiritually blind are not convinced by Christ’s miracles and respond to his words by trying to kill him.
John 10:1-21 is a beautiful picture of Jesus lovingly caring for his people. As the Good Shepherd he knows his sheep, his sheep know his voice and he protects his sheep - even to the point of giving his life for them. We may feel pressured to follow so many different ideas and priorities, but in the middle of this confusion the voice of the Good Shepherd is calling.
Walking around in the dark can be dangerous. You move slowly, with arms outstretched, so that you can feel things before you bump into them. But what if you didn't? What if you walked as if the lights were on and you could see perfectly? You would have some bad bruises and possibly some broken furniture! This sermon looks at John 9:1-41 and is called "Open Your Eyes." In this passage we see a man who was born blind, be healed by Jesus. We also see people who think they can see, but are actually stumbling around in the dark. We are challenged to open our eyes to the powerful truth about Jesus Christ.
Like today, the people of Jesus' day had questions about who he is. This sermon on John 8:13-59, called "Who Do You Think You Are," looks at some of these questions, but also looks at how Jesus turns the questions around to cause us to evaluate ourselves.
Why can we and why should we trust that what we have is actually what the original author wrote? This question comes up occasionally and this sermon looks at this question by looking at a difficult passage. Then, we look at the beautiful and powerful idea that Jesus is the Light of the World from John 8:12.
Sometimes we make bad assumptions. When we assume something is true or false we will often ignore any information that might help us to see the real picture. In this sermon, called "Dangerous Assumptions", we look at John 7:1-52 where we see several groups of people who make assumptions about Jesus. They cannot see who Jesus truly is because they have already made up their mind. We still do the same thing today and need to come to Scripture to have our assumptions challenged and brought in line with the truth of God's Word.
History is full of events that changed the world. Some of these events are great and triumphant, some are sad and tragic. Each leaves a mark on human history and the effects of those changes, for better or worse, echo into the future. But there is one event that has had a greater impact than any other. One event has forever altered the course of this world. The greatest moment that changed everything was when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead after dying on the cross. This moment is the hope of the world! In this sermon, titled "The Moment that Changed the World Forever", we look at the world-changing event of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever been really offended by someone? How did you respond? Maybe you argued with that person. Maybe you just walked away. But what if what they said that offended you, was true? What if it was something you needed to hear? In this sermon called "Offended by Truth", we look at John 6:1-71. It is part 10 of the series "Don't Miss This" on the Gospel of John. In it we see Jesus saying some things that the people didn't want to hear. But the context in which he says it and the language that he uses, points us to amazing truth about how God works to give life to those who will believe. I pray that we aren't so offended that we miss this amazing, life-giving truth.
We are a world of skeptics. We weigh options, opinions, and information. We decide what is right and wrong, what is true and untrue. We don't want to be scammed or duped so we remain skeptical. But what happens when we are confronted with a truth that is greater than we can imagine or accept? Our skepticism is attacked and undermined. This sermon is called "Jesus on Trial" and is part 9 of the "Don't Miss This" sermon series on the Gospel of John. In John 5:16-47 we look at a time when the skeptical leaders of Jesus' day tried to judge whether Jesus was who he said he was or not. As we examine how Jesus confronted their skepticism, we will be challenged to look at our own skepticism and preconceptions. I pray we don't miss the incredible truth about Jesus in this passage.
In this sermon we look at two "Unexpected Miracles" in John 4:43 - 5:15 in part 8 of the sermon series "Don't Miss This", on the Gospel of John. As we look at each of these miracles we will see that Jesus doesn't often do things the way we expect.
When you have been working hard in the hot, hot sun all day, nothing is better than a cool drink of water. (Sure, it's February and there's a snow storm on the way as I write this, but use your imagination!) Thirst points to a basic human need which is drinking water. We have an even more important need for the gift of life that comes through Jesus, but it is not always easy to see this need. In part 7 of our sermon series called "Don't Miss This", on the Gospel of John, we look at John 4:1-42 in a sermon called "Living Water", as Jesus has an amazing conversation that leads to numerous people having their deepest need met.
We are challenged constantly to think highly of ourselves. We train our children to know their own greatness. So why do we still struggle with feeling insignificant and insecure? As we look at John 3:22-36 in a sermon called "He is Greater Than Me" (and yes, I am aware this is bad grammar and should be "He is Greater than I" but that's not as catchy), we look at the powerful testimony of John the Baptist as he declares about Jesus "He must become greater; I must become less."
Recently we celebrated Valentine's Day. It is a day when we celebrate and express love. Gifts are given to a special someone to declare our love. In part 5 of our sermon series on the Gospel of John called "Don't Miss This" we look at John 3:16-21 in a sermon called "The Most Loving Gift."
In this world, the most common phrase used to refer to a Christian is “Born Again Believer”. In this sermon we look at Jesus’ night time encounter with Nicodemus in John chapter 3 in a sermon entitled, “You must be Born Again.”
It's hard to be trusting sometimes. People lie, cheat, and steal. We try to trust but then get deceived and/or hurt. The Savior, Jesus, came into this world. People saw him, listened to him, and yet still struggled to believe and trust him. I think God understands this. I believe that, because the gospels are filled with times that Jesus gives us proof of who he really is so that we may believe in him. Yet people still struggle because we don't want to accept the proof. In this sermon called "Proof" we look at John 2:1-25 as we continue in part three of the sermon series "Don't Miss This" on the gospel of John.
What does it take to change a life? Money? Secret formulas? Changed culture? In the gospel of John we see many people whose lives are changed for eternity by three simple ideas. They LISTENED to the truth about Jesus. They LOOKED at who Jesus was and considered the truth about him. Then they FOLLOWED Christ. This sermon is called "Look, Listen, Follow" and looks at John 1:19-51.
This week we look at 2 Timothy 2:2, as well as various other scriptures, as we examine what it means to follow God's Teaching, follow Godly people and follow God's design.
We are starting a new sermon series on the Gospel of John called "Don't Miss This." Throughout John's gospel there is a strong theme of Jesus showing who He is and yet so many people completely missing it. I think we still struggle with this today. Throughout this sermon series will confront us with the glory and power of Christ in John's gospel and we must ask ourselves how we will respond. John tells us in John 20:31 that he writes these things so that we may believe in Christ and have eternal life. I pray we see who Jesus is and don't miss it.
Each of us has a story. Our stories are knit together through our relationship with each other. But there is a larger and grander story of which we are all a part. Here, at the beginning of 2018, I want us to look at that story. It is the story told from Genesis to Revelation and encompasses all of our stories today because it is God's plan for all creation. This sermon is called "The Big Picture: An Overview of the Bible" as we take this first Sunday of 2018 to remind ourselves of the big picture of God's plan in Scripture.
We say goodbye to 2017 and look ahead to 2018 by taking a look at the mission statement of Orchard Community Church which is: "We exist to make and become fully devoted followers of Christ through the renewing and transforming power of the gospel for the glory of God." We look at how this not only shapes what we do together as a church but individually as followers of Christ.
If the wealthy help the poor, the world says that is noble. If the poor help those who are poorer, that is seen as more noble. But what if the wealthy became poor so that the poor could become rich, that would be insane in worldly terms. We all know those “Rags to Riches” stories and movies, but as we celebrate Christmas we see the absolute magnitude of the birth of Christ in the sermon titled, “The Unexpected Gift”.
We continue our Christmas Series called "Unwrapping the Unexpected" by looking at Mary in Luke 1:26-56. Mary hears unexpected news that would changer her life and the lives of countless people throughout history. As God carries out his eternal plan to save the world, He gives Mary confirmation that what is happening to her is real and is from him. Then we get to see Mary's response as she sings praise to the Lord. I pray that we will be impacted by the unexpected nature of Christ's coming as we look at Mary.
While not all Christians identify as ‘pro-life’ most ‘pro-lifers’ are Christians. What is it about the Gospel that causes Christians to so closely identify with the plight of preborn children and their mothers when it comes to abortion? We explore these questions in light of two powerful situations recorded in the Gospels where Jesus becomes angry with all 12 disciples in Mark and where Jesus is tested by a lawyer in Luke.
We begin our Christmas sermon series called "Unwrapping the Unexpected" by looking at Zechariah in Luke chapter 1. We look at how God gave Zechariah a powerful and unexpected interruption in his everyday life. We see how Zechariah responded to this interruption and look at what we can learn about ourselves and about the birth of Jesus through the unexpected story of Zechariah.
We are concluding our 12 part sermon series called "Reclaim: The Essential Truths of the Protestant Reformation." We review these important principles, as well as look at the lessons we learn from the period after the Reformation. Many good things came from this important time 500 years ago, but there were many mistakes made as well. We also look at how we need to continue to reclaim these important truths in our lives and our churches today.
There is a Greek myth about a man who saw his reflection in water and fell in love with himself. Today that man would be famous. Our world is obsessed with itself. The problem is that the more obsessed with ourselves we are, the less content we seem to be. As C.S. Lewis once said, the problem is not that our desires are too great, it is that they are too small. We settle for our own reflections and try to improve them as much as possible when we could be focusing on reflecting the radiant glory of God. As we look at the final of the five principles from the Reformation known as "To the Glory of God Alone", we will look at what Scripture has to say about this important topic and what it means to live for the Glory of God Alone today.
We have finished looking at the first four of the five "solas" or "alones" of the Protestant Reformation - Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone and in Christ Alone. Each of these tells us that our salvation was not done by us but only by God. This leaves us with a final question. Why? Why does God save anyone? Which leads us to the final of the five Reformation Principles which is the answer to this question. God saves us for His glory Alone.
In this sermon we look at part two of the key principle from the Reformation known as "Christ Alone." We dig into Scripture to see what God's Word teaches us about Salvation through Christ alone and look at areas where we need to reclaim this important concept today.
I am currently remodeling my basement. I have a desk in the basement which I am using as a temporary storage spot for my tools and supplies. When I get an important item for the basement, like the smoke detector that must be installed, I'll stick it on the desk. As I work I end up putting other things on the desk like rolls of tape, my hammer, boxes of screws, my drill, my circular saw, several pencils, etc. The important items tend to get pushed to the back of the desk and fall off.
This sermon is called "Christ Alone Part 1" and is part eight in the sermon series "Reclaim." In this sermon we look at an important truth that became buried under lesser things and was almost lost. The truth that it is only in Christ alone that we can be saved.
In today’s world, there is much said about faith. We have saving faith and blind faith, we walk by faith, and we have faith healers on TV. We are even asked, “What faith are you?”. All of these phrases each contained the same word, “faith”. Words can mean many things. The same word can mean different things, for example: a rock could be a stone, or something you do in a certain chair, or even a type of music. My back is sore because the back of the chair at the back of the hall was broken so now I will have to go back to the doctor. Alternatively, different words can have the same meaning. The Englishman says that he wants to play football this afternoon and the American says no, he wants to play soccer, and all they end up doing that afternoon is argue.
In this sermon we continue on into part 2 of Faith Alone in our Re-Claim series, as we search Scripture to see what true living faith is.
Christians are called "people of faith". We tell each other we just have to "have faith" or "keep the faith." In this sermon, called "Faith Alone: The Foundation of the Reformation" we look at the 3rd of the Solas or "alones" from the Protestant Reformation. Everything changed for Martin Luther when he understood from Scripture what is stated in Romans 1:17, "The righteous will live by faith." What had once caused him agony and slavery as he tried to live a faithful life so that he could earn righteousness became a glorious gift when he realized the righteousness of Christ was simply accepted through faith.
Light is an amazing thing. We see colors because all of those colors are in the light. Every hue and every shade is seen because they are all present in the light. This sermon looks at "The Radiance of God's Grace" as we look at Ephesians 2:1-10. We take a second look at the principle known as "Grace Alone" from the Protestant Reformation. Grace, like light, is in one sense very simple, yet the more we look intently into God's grace, the more we see just how amazingly beautiful and powerful grace is. We look at what it means to be saved by Grace Alone as well as how we need to reclaim the idea of Grace Alone today.
Small problems require small solutions, but big problems require big solutions. How we see the problem of sin will directly affect how we see the greatness of God's grace. This sermon looks at the concept of being saved by grace alone as we continue our sermon series on the five key reformation principles.
Authority is a bad word today. Freedom is considered the opposite of being under authority and is always considered a good thing. So what happens when we are confronted by the authority of the Word of God? This sermon is part two of a look at the idea of "Scripture Alone" and considers the truth that there is greater freedom under the authority of Scripture than when we impose our authority on Scripture by ignoring or changing what God has said in an effort to make ourselves feel free.
In 1521, a young man named Martin Luther was challenged by the religious authorities to say that what he believed and had written was wrong. Luther responded by saying that if someone would use Scripture to convince him he is wrong he would give in, but he would not accept any other authority. He said, "I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God." This sermon, called "Scripture Alone: the Principle that Changed Everything" looks at the first of the 5 key principles of the Protestant Reformation to see why it was such a crucial issue for Luther and why we should still believe this key principle today.
October 31, 2017 marks 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints church in Wittenberg, This pivotal moment is often considered the beginning of the Protestant Reformation as Luther was questioning core ideas of the Roman Catholic Church. This sermon is the first in a series series which looks at five key ideas coming out of the Reformation: Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, and to the Glory of God Alone. The sermon series examines why these five ideas were so important and radical in Luther's day and why we must continue to reclaim these truths today.
Paul is kind of a super hero Christian. As we look at his life and ministry we are in awe of what Christ did through him. But Paul rarely worked on his own. He surrounded himself with others whom he taught and trained in ministry. Paul's ministry extended beyond what Paul could do alone because of Paul's concept of servant leadership.
This sermon concludes our Hebrews sermon series with a review and summary of the incredible book of Hebrews. Hebrews confronts us with the greatness of Christ and the call to persevere in our faith because of His greatness. As we conclude this study we consider some ways that we need to be challenged today with the greatness of Christ.
With Siri on our phones, and Google, Echo and Alexa in our homes, we are not short of answers to questions we have at the sound of our voice. We are inundated with answers to a plethora of questions, some random and others more important.
It has been said by some, that if you could only have 1 chapter in the Bible, then Romans chapter 8 should be that chapter. Paul is not short of questions in the verses we look at in this sermon, but he himself, under the guidance of God’s Spirit gives us answers. Answers that must penetrate the very heart of every believer with assurance, and convict the heart of every unbeliever with an enormous gravity.
What does it mean to be equipped in the Christian life? This sermon looks at Hebrews 13:20-25 where we learn that God has equipped us with everything we need to follow Him. We look at God who equips us, the ways he has equipped us and why, and we look at how we learn about how he has equipped us.
When a match is struck and tossed into kindling we expect something to happen. The flame should grow. The charcoal or wood should burn and change. Hebrews 13:1-6 builds on chapter 12 which ended with the idea of understanding who we are as God's people saved by Jesus Christ, part of God's kingdom and brought into the presence of a Holy God. Our lives are changed by this reality. We are touched by God's saving grace which makes us holy and our lives, like kindling ignited by a burning match, are forever changed.
Have you ever been in an earthquake? It is scary to have things that seem so solid suddenly begin to shake. This sermon looks at Hebrews 12:18-29. Here we are presented with two scenes of the awesomeness of God so that we can understand that trusting in God through Christ is the only solid, unshakeable foundation for our lives.
A theme that comes up again and again when looking at successful athletes is discipline. Training, muscle and skill development all take a lot of discipline. Biblical discipline is not primarily about what happens when we do something wrong, it is about the long, focused effort to follow Christ. This sermon looks at Hebrews 12:3-17 where we see God's purpose in using difficulties in our lives to lovingly help us grow in holiness.
A silver bullet! This is a term used by people in many situations when they want that special something that will fix the particular problem. We want these silver bullets particularly when it comes to our own selves, other people, and especially people we love. This sermon kicks off our Youth and Adult Summer Sunday School series in Romans with a sermon looking at the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.
Since the Garden of Eden Satan has used a limited bag of tricks to damage our relationships with God and each other. Over the centuries his methods haven’t changed much. Fortunately, God has given us everything we need to fight off our enemy’s attacks and keep our relationships strong.
The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. A marathon requires extended focus and discipline. This sermon looks at Hebrews 12:1-2 where we are told to "run with perseverance" and we are given several instructions on how to do this. These instructions are challenging but they are also greatly encouraging as we look to Christ, the "author and perfecter of our faith"!
This Sunday, given on Father's Day, continues the study of the great "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews chapter 11. We see an incredible list of heroes of the faith that challenge us to consider how we are being a hero of the faith to others - especially our own kids. Do we have faith that trusts in God's power to bring victory but also trusts in God's sovereign plan through great difficulty? This sermon is called "Learning from Heroes of the Faith" and looks at Hebrews 11:32-40.
Enduring faith must have firm foundation. This sermon looks at two great examples of faith and several others who were impacted by their faith. We see these examples in Hebrews 11:17-31 where we read about the faith of Abraham and his offspring and then the faith of Moses and several key aspects of the Exodus.
Scripture doesn't tell us to suspend all reason in order to have faith. In fact it is just the opposite. Throughout the book of Hebrews the author has given a reasonable explanation of why Christ is the only way of salvation. Chapter 11 of Hebrews is the great "Hall of Faith" chapter where we see example after example of people who lived trusting God. Faith is looking beyond what we see and trusting that God has a plan and a purpose which he has been carrying out through history.
Being a Christian is not easy. Anyone who tells you different does not know Scripture. This sermon looks at Hebrews 10:26-39 where we are encouraged, challenged, and even warned to persevere in our faith. We will face many difficulties in this world but the promises of God to us through Christ will never fail and because of this amazing truth we can persevere.
This important passage is a key turning point in the book of Hebrews where the author takes everything that has been said so far and shifts to the difference these important truths make for our lives.
Have you ever thought, "Why do we do what we do on Sundays? Most Sundays contain the same “components”, but why? XYZ Bible Church down the road do things differently. Are we right? This sermon looks at the theology of our worship at Orchard.
Some people tie a little string around their finger to remind them of things. As long as they look at this string on their finger they will remember that they have to do something. When that thing is accomplished the string is removed. We can live our lives constantly reminded of our sins or we can turn to Christ and understand how he has removed the guilt and stain of sin so that in him our sins are "remembered no more" (Hebrews 10:17).
This sermon looks at Hebrews chapter 9 where we see that only Christ can solve the real issues that exist between us and God. His death on the cross cleanses us from the effects of sin and saves us from the guilt of sin and does so once for all time.
There are times that new really is better. In Hebrews chapter 8 we see the new and better promise that we have through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament law was good but was always limited. Christ was the new and better way to have a relationship with God. Yet this new and better way was actually planned from the very beginning!
Critics have always liked to find problems in the biblical resurrection accounts of Jesus. This sermon looks at some aspects of the resurrection that are problems for those who say they don't believe it happened.
In this chapter of Hebrews the author shows that Christ is a different and better High Priest than what the old law had prescribed. We also see that he is a better hope than anything we may be drawn to during our times of great need.
We often experience broken promises and sometimes we are the ones who break them. We can't know or control every situation. Yet God does know all things and can control all things so when God makes a promise it is absolutely certain. This sermon looks at Hebrews 6:13-20 which explains that God makes promises, provides proof of His promises, and keeps those promises. Because of this, our hope is secure not in the feelings of our faith, but in the certainty of His promises.
We all face times of crossroads in our lives where we have to make decisions. In those moments the maturity of our faith in Christ has a big impact on our choices. Some crossroads are of greater importance than others. This sermon looks at Hebrews 5:11 - 6:12 in part 9 of the sermon series "Greater Than: Unwavering Hope in the Incomparable Savior."
Going to the Source means cutting through lies and rumors and going right to someone who actually knows what they are talking about. In Hebrews 5:1-10 Jesus is called the source of eternal salvation.
This sermon looks at how Jesus helps us in our weaknesses. When we are struggling to grab onto something, anything, for hope, the gospel of Jesus Christ is a lifeline that rescues all who grab hold.
How many times have you heard the questions asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people? or “If God is so good and loving, why does He allow His people to suffer?”. This sermon looks at how God views pain and suffering by taking a quick survey of what the author of Hebrews has to say about the topic.
We have all celebrated an occasion in which we have received a gift or many gifts. Occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries or even Valentine’s Day. When we receive these gifts, how much time do we spend thinking only of the gift or ourselves, and not the giver and our relationship with that person? This sermon takes a closer look at what James teaches in chapter 1:17-20 and our response to the greatest Giver of our greatest gift.
We all need rest, but we live in a world that never slows down. We enter into this frantic action believing that it will eventually lead us to rest, but it seems to never come. In Hebrews 4:1-13 we learn about God's offer of true rest through Christ.
Which is most important, our hearts or our minds? We live in a world where feelings define truth rather than the other way around. Even among Christians we often talk about the importance of doing things "from the heart" and we consider "head knowledge" as less important. Yet in the Bible our hearts and our minds are always connected. In Hebrews 3:1-19 we see the importance of having our thoughts firmly fixed on Christ and deeply rooted in the knowledge of who He is. This mindset creates soft hearts that are willing to follow Him wherever He leads.
When we look at Christ we see something so opposite from what we would expect. The one with authority and honor came to us who did not deserve his presence or his service. He came to us in our suffering and served us by dying in our place. This sermon looks at this amazing truth from Hebrews 2:5-18 in part four of our sermon series on the book of Hebrews called “Greater Than: Unwavering Hope in the Incomparable Savior.”
Sometimes we treat the method that God uses to bring us His message as more important than the message itself. God works through our history, our culture, our denominational tradition, a particular worship style, or a certain way of spreading the gospel and we treat that method as if it is the greatest thing in the world and cling to it so tightly that we forget that it was just a carrier for the great news about Jesus Christ.
This sermon, called "Jesus is the Greatest Message," looks at Hebrews 1:5 - 2:4 where the author of Hebrews shows that Christ is greater than God's previous messengers. He is greater because he is more than just a messenger, he is the message and the means of salvation. Because of this we are presented with strong warning that we must pay attention to Christ and not drift away from this message that is greater than anything else.
Why should we trust Christ? If our answer to this question is weak then our trust will be weak as well. This sermon looks at Hebrews 1:1-4.
This sermon is the first in a new series on the book of Hebrews. In this incredible book we are presented with the powerful truth that Jesus is greater than anything else. Because of this truth, we are encouraged and challenged to keep going. We are to hold fast to the hope we have in Christ. We are to cling to the truth of the gospel because there is no greater hope in anything else.
On the first day of 2017 we looked at an overview of all of Scripture in a sermon called "The Mission"
Sermon from Christmas morning looking at how several people in the account of Jesus' birth responded to him and the news of his birth.
Jesus is the ultimate answer to the question of "Did God really say...?" He is the ultimate message from God to us because not only does he provide the clearest communication of God's will, but through his death and resurrection he accomplishes that will by saving those who believe.
Jesus was a great teacher. When he taught even the smartest people of his time were amazed at his teaching. Even though he taught 2000 years ago, his teaching is still applicable today and even non-Christians often recognize the value of Jesus' teachings in many areas.
But was Jesus just a great teacher? The key to understanding the teachings of Jesus must start with WHO is teaching, not just WHAT he taught. Understanding who Jesus is changes everything about how we understand his teachings.
Living in Biblical Wisdom changes us over time. When we allow God's wisdom to shape our thinking we will not remain the same. This is not an easy process as most of us don't like to admit that we need to change, but as we continue to live according to God's wisdom and to grow in our understanding of God's wisdom, that wisdom will change us over time. Our thinking and our actions are changed and refined by God's wisdom.
It is no surprise that God does all things according to His great wisdom, but sometimes I think it is easy to overlook just how His wisdom applies to certain aspects of His plan. In wisdom God created the Church (all those saved by Christ) and as we understand why God chooses to work in this way we will better appreciate what it means to be the Church.
The subject of trials is a tough one to embrace yet, everyone in the world encounters them. Because we are sinful beings who live in a fallen world, we experience trials on a regular basis whether we are Christians or not. Even when we succeed in getting our own little worlds under control, something inevitably messes that up. We do everything we can to attain peace and comfort by protecting ourselves from trials, but trials arise nonetheless.
This sermon, by Pastor Al Schuster, looks at Wisdom in Trials.
Money is a big subject in Scripture because it is a big issue in our lives. Money can be both a blessing and a curse. It can be an avenue for bringing glory to God or a distraction from following God.
Wisdom, according to Scripture, is more than just thinking rightly. It is also living rightly. This sermon looks at six lenses Biblical Wisdom gives us through which we should see our relationships. These lenses take the foundation of biblical wisdom and apply it to how we interact with the people in our lives.
Correct priorities are important in life. We need to know what is most important and then arrange our other priorities accordingly. The problem is that our standards are constantly shifting. This sermon looks at Psalm 37:1-9 in a sermon called "Wisdom and Priorities" where we see how Biblical wisdom applies to our priorities.
Laziness is easy. You just do nothing and hope good things will happen. This, by the way, is a really bad way to live. To pursue wisdom is to make wisdom a priority and to put effort into getting it. It is also to put effort into living wisely. Wise living doesn't just happen. It takes sustained effort. It is a lifelong pursuit, but is absolutely worth it.
In his poem, "The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost famously wrote "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." This sermon looks the biblical concept that wisdom is more than just making good, momentary decisions. It is the choice to walk the path of accepting, following and trusting God while rejecting all other paths, no matter how tempting they may look. This, as Frost says, makes all the difference.
It is important to see the Big Picture when you are working on something. It is easy to get caught up in the moment and working on your little aspect of something and forget that what you are doing is part of something larger. Each day of our lives is part of the overall course of our life. Each choice we make influences us and the those around us. Living wisely means knowing and trusting God's overall plan for creation and for our lives. This shapes our day to day activities and choices.
Have you ever watched an infomercial? The spokesperson makes bold, amazing claims about the product and demonstrates the amazing things the product can do. Yet many of these products utterly fail in real life away from the hype and controlled environment of the infomercial. It gets to the point where the greater the claim, the more skeptical we should be. But what about the greatness of God? Is it just hype and false claims that don't hold up in real life? This Sunday we will look at Isaiah chapter 40 in a sermon called "God's Great Wisdom." God is not a winking salesperson saying "trust me." He has proved the greatness of his wisdom over and over.
This sermon begins the sermon series called "On Track - Biblical Wisdom for Today." The Bible has a lot to say about living wisely and with all that is going on in our world we need to know what it means to live according to God's wisdom. Wisdom is so much more than being smart or even making right choices. It is about knowing who God is and what He is doing and living accordingly. This sermon looks at what it means to fear the Lord and why all Biblical wisdom begins with this important truth.
Visiting missionary, Dan Doyle, preached two sermons when he visited.This one is from the second worship service (Pastor Dave made a joke in the first service that we have different sermons in the different worship services. Dan decided to take that challenge!) Dan is a missionary in Nicaragua working with church planters. We were privileged to have him, his wife, and his six girls visiting with us this weekend.
Visiting missionary, Dan Doyle, spoke in the first worship service from Ephesians chapter 4 on the Unity of the Church. Dan is a missionary in Nicaragua working with church planters. We were privileged to have him, his wife, and his six girls visiting with us this weekend.
About 7000 rivers come together over time to form the mighty Mississippi River. Some are big, many are small, but as they meet together and flow in the same direction they become one of the largest rivers in North America. This sermon concludes our series on the Psalms of Ascent called "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" as we look at Psalms 133 and 134 where we see the relationship between God's blessing and our unity.
Throughout this sermon series on the Psalms of Ascent we have emphasized the importance, and the joy, of our long obedience as we follow Christ together. Our obedience is made possible by God's faithfulness. He has been faithful to His plan, His purposes, His promises for a very, very long time. When we struggle we can be reminded that we have a God who is faithful.
We live in a culture that values freedom yet we so often have circumstances in our lives or even our own personal issues that enslave us. This sermon looks at Psalms 129, 130, and 131. In these Psalms we see that God sets us free from our circumstances and our own sin. In our freedom we can have real hope in Him.
No one wants to look into the mirror later on in life only to wonder to themselves, “What was my life all about?” Solomon, the wisest man on earth, had these same thoughts when he was older. This sermon looks at Psalms 127 and 128 which teach us how not to have a pointless, restless, and fruitless life, but to have a fearful one.
Trails have markers along the way so that you know you are on the right path. In our Christian life we look to God's past work, our present security in Him, and the future hope we have in Christ. This sermon looks at Psalms 124, 125, and 126 in part 5 of the sermon series "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: The Psalms of Ascent".
Where do we look when we get into trouble? Do we look at ourselves to fix things? Do we look around us for something we can grab onto? Or do we lift our eyes up and look to the One who created us, sustains us, and saves us? This sermon is part four of our series "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: The Psalms of Ascent" and looks at Psalm 123. In this psalm we see the author crying out for mercy. I wonder if we really understand how desperate we need mercy from God, how generously He gives it, and how much it cost Him to do so.
Worship is the heartbeat of every action and every step along the way in the journey of our lives. This sermon looks at "Walking in Worship" in Psalm 122
The Journey of following Christ is long and the experience is often difficult, but the Lord of heaven and earth is guarding us along with way!
This sermon begins a new sermon series on the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) called "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction." A journey starts before one step is ever taken. It starts with realizing the journey is necessary. This sermon looks at Psalm 120. In order to walk the journey of worship, we must first acknowledge a deep sense of dissatisfaction with the world and with our own lives.
This sermon concludes our sermon series called "A New Belonging: The Message of Ephesians for a Lonely World" by looking at Ephesians 6:21-24 and using this passage to review everything Paul has said in this amazing letter. In his final greeting, Paul mentions three foundational truths: Peace, Love, and Grace. These are the backbone of God's plan, our salvation, and the purpose of the church.
At the end of the book of Ephesians, Paul tells the Christians to "be strong in the Lord." The Christian life is not lived in sunshine, cool breezes, and warm fuzzies. It is lived in gale force winds, shaking ground, and pounding waves. If we do not have a strong faith in who Christ is and what He has done for us then we will be knocked off our feet when struggles come. And they will come...guaranteed. So we must stand strong, but not in our own strength or our own ideas. In Ephesians 6:10-20 Paul describes "the armor of God." These are the attributes and works of God for us through Jesus Christ that equip us to stand strong no matter what difficulties we may face
The gospel changes everything. Those lost in the darkness, death, and slavery of sin are brought into the light, life, and freedom of Christ! Yet we wake up in the morning and go about our day in a world that seems like nothing has changed at all. The early church faced this as well. How were people who were made new by Christ supposed to still interact in society? In the previous sermon we looked at the relationship of husbands and wives. This sermon looks at Ephesians 6:1-9 and the relationships between children and parents as well as employees and employers.
"Watch where you are walking!" My mom must have said this phrase to me a million times. One time I was walking backwards and then turned around and hit my head on a pole. I almost knocked myself out! The more dangerous the surroundings, the more important it is to be careful how you are walking and to make sure you keep your focus in the right place. This sermon looks at Ephesians 5:15-33, where Paul tells us to walk carefully and then applies this to the relationship between wives and husbands.
This sermon looks at Ephesians 5:3-14 where Paul tells the Ephesians to live as "children of the light." As we get to know God and the new life we have in Christ, our actions change. Our life becomes a brilliant display of the light of Christ.
In Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2 Paul gives some instructions for those who have been saved by Christ and brought into the new community of the church. He gives several specific things that they should stop doing, things they should do instead, and reasons for doing these things. For Paul (and hopefully for us!) these aren't just helpful, moral, teachings, they are the expression of the people's belief that they have been saved by Christ and are part of a new community that demonstrates the gospel in everything they do.
Suppose you are working out in the yard, wearing old clothes which are now all muddy and sweaty. Suddenly you have to leave because boss has asked you to meet a new client as a representative of your company. Would you hop in the car and go just as you are? No way! You would change your clothes (and hopefully take a shower!). In Ephesians we have been learning about who Christ is and what he has done for us through his death and resurrection. In Him we have new life - we are not who we were! We can't go on living as if nothing has changed. In Ephesians 4:17-24 Paul tells the church that they can't live or think like the world around them.
Have you ever been out with a large group and tried to agree upon a place to eat? With two or three people this is difficult enough, but with 10 or more it is almost impossible! Everyone has their own preferences and favorite places. But what if everyone wanted the same thing and were willing to work together to get it? In Ephesians 4:1-16 Paul begins a new section of this incredible letter. He begins to really emphasize the way we live. He begins by saying we must work for unity, then that we must understand the diversity within the church, and finally that it is together that we grow to maturity in Christ.
Life is messy. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, every life has some mess to it and operates in a messy environment. This sermon examines the messiness of the early church and how God's design, strength, and glory was displayed through that beautiful yet messy group of people. This passage is a prayer that teaches us a lot about our need for God's design, strength and glory in our own messes. This sermon was given on Mother's Day and looks at how this applies to mothers as well as to all of us.
The gospel is amazing. It is the good news that through Christ we can be restored to a wonderful relationship with God. But Paul understood that the work of the gospel in our lives doesn't stop there. To accept the gospel of salvation by God's grace is to also accept a call to share that message with others. In this sermon we look at Paul's understanding of his own ministry in Ephesians 3:1-13.
Have you ever been a stranger somewhere? In Ephesians 2:19-22 Paul writes to the church to tell them that they are not strangers to each other. He emphasizes that what joins us together in Christ is greater than anything that can join us together in this world. Our new belonging in Christ means that we have a new citizenship in God's kingdom, a new family, and a new purpose. This sermon looks at Ephesians 2:19-22 and is called "Brought Together Part 2." I hope that through this sermon we will be overjoyed at the new belonging we have in Christ with God and also with each other. This new belonging brings us together in a profound way for an amazing purpose.
This Sermon is by guest preacher Marc Vellake: Have you ever wondered why Israel has had a history of worshiping God in humble sincerity in one chapter, but you flip the page and find they are suddenly worshiping pagan idols? How could they fall so far, so fast? What about you? If you are like me focusing on Christ is natural and intentional when the pressure is on, but when the struggle is over that singular focus on Christ is divided up in a hundred different places and He slowly gets more forgotten until the next catastrophe. Why is that? What if you are going through some intense struggles—how do you specifically apply your faith when waiting for God’s answer? All these questions have a single answer which this sermon explores in Deuteronomy and Psalms.
The apostle Paul loves to talk about who Jesus is and how we are saved through him. This topic often leads right into another one that is very important to him which is that the unity believers have in Christ. If we are saved by Christ and brought into a new relationship with God then we are also brought together in a new relationship with other Christians.
There are times we feel so distant from God, or see others who are distant from God, and we struggle to have hope that this distance can be overcome. This sermon looks at Ephesians 2:11-13 where Paul tells us that in Christ we are brought near to God. The distance that is insurmountable to us was conquered by Christ! This shapes who we are as we remember where we were and what Christ has done for us.
He is risen! Those words have echoed throughout history as people realize that the resurrection of Christ changes everything for our world and for us as individuals. There is hope in those words as we understand that in the darkness of our lives and of our world a light has dawned. Jesus Christ, the risen Son of God has, once and for all, conquered sin and death. The morning that we celebrate on Easter is not like any other! This sermon is from Easter morning 2016 and looks at Ephesians 2:1-10.
Imagine being in Jerusalem and hearing that the Messiah, the great promised king of your nation, was entering the city! You run to outskirts of the city, push through the crowds to catch a glimpse of this incredibly important person. When you finally see him, though, you wonder, "What's the big deal?" This sermon is from Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus' entry into Jerusalem a week before he is arrested and crucified. Many people today still have the same question people in the crowd would have had - what is the big deal? This sermon looks at Ephesians 1:20-23 to answer this important question in part 6 of our "A New Belonging" sermon series on Ephesians.
It is a tragedy when the disease of alzheimer's causes someone to lose the ability to remember the close relationships they have with others. We are in danger of a spiritual alzheimer's in our relationship with God. We all too easily forget who God is, what He has done for us through Christ, and the hope that we have in belonging to God through Christ. In Ephesians 1:15-23 Paul prays that the Ephesians would, through God's divine strength, constantly be able to overcome this tragic effect of sin.
Relationships can be fickle. The things that hold our relationships together are often based on changing circumstances or attitudes and can be all too quickly broken. These experiences then color how we see our relationship with God. We wonder if he loves us when we let him down or when it appears the world is against us. But what if we could see our relationship with God as unbreakable? Ephesians 1:11-14 is a passage of incredible comfort as we see that in Christ our relationship with God is based on three things - each of which are unbreakable.
"Come on in!" You know you are at the home of a friend when you ring the doorbell and hear that phrase. It is a phrase that means you are welcome and possibly that they were expecting you. This sermon looks at just two verses, Ephesians 1:9-10, but in these two short verses Paul makes a bold statement. He says that God's plan is to bring unity to everything in heaven and earth in Christ. This Sunday we will look at this great plan of God's from eternity past to eternity future which is focused on Christ and achieved by Christ. By understanding this plan we will better understand our place in this world and our unity with others in Christ. God has a plan for His kingdom and through Christ He says to us, "Come on in!"
We often feel a sense of connection to those whose life experiences or personality characteristics are similar to ours. The greater the overlap, the greater the sense of connection. Ephesians 1:1-10 presents us with a list of blessings we have through Jesus Christ. These blessings shape a new identity that is defined by the past, present, and future work of Christ in our lives and the world around us. This gives us a new (or renewed) connection with God, our creator, and with others who are saved by Christ. The more we understand the depth of our new identity in Christ the more we will understand the profound truth that we belong to God and that we have a new belonging to each other in Christ.
This sermon is the first in a series on the New Testament book of Ephesians. Everyone wants to belong and to have meaning in our lives. We seek relationships in this world and define ourselves, intentionally or unintentionally, by cultural boundaries. This gives a sense of identity and belonging, but it is never enough. The ever-increasing strife and tension in our world testify that our ways of seeking belonging only result in greater fragmentation and, ultimately, a greater sense of loneliness. But what if there was another way, a way created by God and planned by Him from the very beginning for us to truly belong and have meaning? This is what the book of Ephesians is all about. In Christ we are brought into a new belonging that is beyond anything we chase after in this world!
This sermon is a bit different. The previous Sunday at our annual meeting the church approved three men to serve with the Senior Pastor as the first elders of Orchard. This sermon is directed to these new elders as we commissioned them as a church to shepherd the people of Orchard. After the sermon, the elders stood before the church to make a commitment to the church and then the members of the church made a commitment to the new elders. Not included in this recording is the time of prayer for the elders and then the elders, as their first act of service to the congregation, serving communion. It was a special and momentous Sunday for us as a church.
This Sunday was a historic day for Orchard Community Church. At the annual meeting after the second worship service we voted to approve our first group of men to be elders. Every sermon this month was planned to help prepare the congregation to be able to make this choice prayerfully and according to scripture. This sermon, preached on the day of the vote, looks at the biblical qualifications for elders. One of the important aspects of elders is that they are not some sort of superheroes that are better than everyone else. Instead, they are models of maturity worth following. The traits that are important for elders are traits we should seek to develop in our own relationship with Christ.
In a dance one person leads and the other follows, but each dancer must know his or her steps in order for the dance to be successful. This Sunday we are looking at an important component of healthy church leadership which is the responsibility of the follower. This applies to more than just church leadership, however, as we all need to take responsibility for those things that are our "steps" in life rather than acting as if we have no control or always seeking to blame someone else. This sermon is called "Own Your Steps" and looks at things the Bible says we are each responsible for in the church and in our own lives.
At any given moment we are all both leaders and followers. We are looking to someone for guidance and leadership. Meanwhile, others are looking to us. Sometimes, possibly even most of the time, this happens without us really thinking about it and this can be dangerous. We may not even know what criteria are we using to judge whether or not someone is worth following or whether or not we are being good examples to others.
This sermon is part 3 of our brief series called "Keeping LIfe on Track in 2016" and looks at the two ideas of "Serving and Shepherding." Servants and shepherds are both used often in Scripture as illustrations of leadership.
This sermon continues our brief sermon series called "Keeping Life on Track in 2016" as we look at a few more "Guardrails" in our life. The previous sermon looked at guardrails that had to do with loving God. This sermon looks at guardrails that have to do with loving others.
It is important in life to know what is most important. This is true for individuals and for churches. This sermon looks at the importance of understanding our mission in this world and the core values that function like guardrails to keep us on track. We are going to look at the mission statement and core values of Orchard Community Church over the next two weeks so that we can be sure that we focus on these important things in the new year. We will also look at how these things are important for us as individuals as well.
This sermon looks at "The Big Picture: God's Plan from Genesis to Revelation." The Bible is not just a collection of random stories with good ideas about how we should live our lives. It is the big picture of who God is and what He is doing throughout all of history and in our lives as well. When we can see God's big picture we will be able to trust Him in the day to day things we face in our lives because we will know Him and know His great plan.
This Sunday, the last Sunday before Christmas, we will be looking at the final Advent theme of "Love." Scripture gives us a standard of God's love that is incredible. We see throughout God's Word a definition and example of love that cannot be found in our culture today. This love shines forth in the Christmas story when our Savior is born.
The angels told the shepherds news that was great joy for all the people. This sermon looks at whether joy is simply the optional wrapping on the Christmas message or if it is actually an essential part of the gift.
Guest speaker and inner-city church planter, Chris Holdridge shares on "True Compassion".
This sermon is for the first Sunday of the Advent Season. Advent means "coming" or "arriving" and is usually used to refer to the coming of someone particularly important. The four weeks of advent prepare us to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that first Christmas so long ago. This sermon looks at the theme of hope in 1 Peter 1:3-5 and is called "Living Hope." Hope is much more than a wish or a prediction, it is the knowledge of and response to something that is absolutely certain to happen. We are called to live in the certainty of the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.
This sermon concludes our series on the early chapters of Genesis called, "The Plan from the Beginning." It looks briefly at Genesis chapters 18-21 and then more closely at Genesis 22:1-19 where Abraham must make a difficult choice. Is he going to trust how he thinks God's plan should work, or is he going to trust God to carry out His plan His own way? We are all faced with this choice. We must decide if we will trust God only when we agree with Him or if we will trust Him no matter what because He is God and we are not.
Faith is our response to God's plan for all of history and for our individual lives as well. But what does faith look like? Scripture uses the idea of "walking by faith" to describe a life that is lived trusting God and His promises. This sermon looks at Genesis 12:10 - 17:27 as we continue studying the life of Abraham who is a great example of walking in faith. He is a great example for us because he has times of great faith, but also because he has times where he struggles in his faith. We get to see both the good and the bad, to which I think we can all relate.
Faith is more than simply saying something is true, it is making that truth the foundation of your life. This sermon looks at Genesis 11:10 - 12:9, spending most of the time in Genesis 12:1-9 where God calls Abraham (his name is still Abram in this passage) to take a radical step of faith. In taking that step, Abraham embarks on a journey of being blessed by God and being used by God to be a blessing to others. We are also called to faith in our lives. We can trust the things around us, maybe even the things we have accomplished, or we can listen to and follow God's call to have faith in Him and in His perfect plan.
We were created to glorify God by trusting Him and living in the blessings He provides, but it is easy for us to start trusting in ourselves or in the world around us. We look for things that will give us protection, joy, satisfaction, or a sense of control. This sermon looks primarily at Genesis 11:1-9 where we learn about the Tower of Babel. Here we see God's loving, but difficult, response to our efforts to substitute anything for Him. God doesn't want us to settle for something else because His plan for us is absolutely amazing.
Noah's Ark is a favorite children's story and pictures of the boat on the waves with the animals are often used to decorate children's rooms. It is an amazing story of God's grace and salvation, but it is also a challenging story of God's judgment on sin. This part of the story is often left out. This sermon looks at Genesis chapters 5 through 9 where we see several key themes of God's plan that continue throughout the pages of Scripture. These themes are more than a cute children's story, they are themes of God's grace and salvation that find their fulfillment in Christ.
This sermon looks at Genesis chapter four and the events that take place soon after Adam and Eve are exiled from the Garden of Eden because of their sin. Their sons, Cain and Abel, have a bit of trouble. In this trouble we see several key aspects of what life is like outside the garden of God's perfect presence and in world infected by sin in which we live. As we have already seen in Genesis, these troubling passages also contain a thread of hope of the plan of God at work in spite of our sin.
When we think of God's grace we think of wonderful things. It is God's grace that forgives, God's grace that declares us righteous, and God's grace that adopts us as his children. Grace is a wonderful thing. But sometimes God's grace is difficult. In Genesis 3:8-24 we see a difficult side of God's grace. It is still grace, but it is also very difficult. This sermon is called "Agonizing Grace" and it looks at the effects of Adam and Eve's sin on the entire world and God's difficult yet gracious response.
We often think of sin in terms of disobedience or simply breaking a rule, but the way the original sin is described in Scripture shows us that it is much more than that. Sin is rebellion against God. It is telling God to get off of his throne so that we can sit there and rule over the world and over our lives. In this passage we see several key stages in the original sin which will help us to watch out for how we still do these things in our lives today.
The picture of the world God created in Genesis 1 and 2 is a world of abundant blessing. He created us for life in a world where our deepest needs and our greatest joys are all provided. This sermon looks at Genesis 2:4-25 where we see that God's plan for us is for a life of blessing beyond what we could ever possibly imagine, but it is a way with a purpose and with boundaries. The standard of this purpose and the setting of these boundaries is God's job, not ours. While God has provided for our joy, we do not determine them based on what makes us happy.
Sorry, but due to a technical problem there is no sermon recording for Sept. 20, 2015. The sermon was on Genesis 1:2-31 and was titled, "Forming and Filling".
This sermon is the beginning of a new sermon series called "The Plan from the Beginning" in which we will look at roughly the first half of Genesis (chapter 1-22). Often we approach the book of Genesis with questions about how everything was made. Certainly the book of Genesis has a lot of information about how God made everything, but what if it is seeking to answer an even more important question? I believe the question we should have when we read Genesis is "why did God make everything?". This is a question about God's purpose and plan in creation. A purpose and plan we can see from Genesis all the way through to Revelation. It is a plan that involves us today learning to live for the same purposes for which God created the world.
This sermon begins the series by looking at just one very important verse, Genesis 1:1, and in this verse we begin to see the plan God had from the beginning.
This sermon concludes our "Praying with Paul" sermon series by looking at some of the important themes that permeate Paul's prayers. I hope this sermon series has challenged us to go deeper and be more persistent in our prayers for each other.
Serving the Lord is not easy. As followers of Christ we are all serving in ministry in some way because ministry is not just limited to those on staff at a church. Yet in our desire and efforts to serve Christ, we will meet with difficulties. The apostle Paul knew this because of the many, many difficult situations he went through. In Romans 15:30-33 Paul asks the Roman Christians to pray for him as he seeks to serve the Lord in a specific situation. In this prayer we see how to pray for each other in ministry and we learn that God does not always answer prayer the way we think He will.
This sermon looks at Ephesians 3:14-21 where Paul prays for strength for other believers. He prays that they would be strong enough to truly trust and understand the love of Christ. Paul prays that people would have a God empowered strength to go deeper in their relationship with Christ, further in their understanding of Christ's love, and then greater in their demonstration of God's glory in their life.
If God is truly sovereign, why bother praying at all? This seems like just an interesting theological question, but it is really much more than that. For Paul, God's sovereignty is what drove him to pray. It was his trust in God's plan and power that made prayer worthwhile. And, because of Paul's love for others, he prayed that they would know God and His perfect power and plan because Paul knew that was what was best for them. This sermon called "Praying to a Sovereign God" looks at Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23.
Do you ever feel spiritually dry, joyless, anxious, or discontent? Are there times when you find it difficult to pray? Does decision making often paralyze you? We are constantly faced with challenges in our Christian lives, and many of these struggles stunt our spiritual vibrancy and maturing faith. Paul knew the Philippian church was facing similar difficulties, so he prayed God would bring them revival in the form of love, knowledge, and insight.
This sermon looks at how Paul prays for the will of God. While at times it may be difficult for us to understand where to go, what to do, how to speak, or what to think, Paul assures us this a normal part of being a Christian. Yet, he does not believe it is normal for a Christian to stay perplexed, or become increasingly confused about what God’s will is. To the contrary, his prayer for the Colossian church shows us how to better pray for, understand, and live out God’s will.
The Apostle Paul loved the people he served. His love is found in the lines of every letter he wrote to encourage, challenge, instruct, and even chastise, but it was all in love. In love he travelled far to bring the great news of Christ's death and resurrection to people lost in their sins. In love he kept in contact with them to help them mature in their faith in Christ. And because of his love for these people, Paul spent a lot of time in prayer for them. This sermon looks at 1 Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:8 and is called "Loving Others Enough to Pray." I pray that we are challenged to consider how our prayer for others is connected to our love for them and then learn how this should prompt us to pray for them.
This sermon is the introduction of a new sermon series called "Praying with Paul" where we will look at the prayers of Paul. His prayers recorded in Scripture will challenge us to pray bigger, bolder, and more Christ centered prayers. This week’s sermon is called "Foundation of Prayer" and looks at 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12.
Golgotha, the site of great expectations. The Jewish conspirators and Christ Himself had vastly different expectations bound up in the cross. Speaking of which, why the cross? What was so important about crucifixion that both conspirators and Christ specifically ensured that method of execution was used? What reality is John portraying behind apparent shame of the cross? This sermon explores these questions as we let Scripture inform our expectations of who Christ is on the cross and how it necessarily changes us. The cross is more than a fashionable symbol, it is the power and glory of the One who hung on it...and it is both power and blessing for those who have great expectations for it.
This sermon concludes our "Saturated" sermon series on 1 Corinthians by looking briefly at chapter 16 and then reviewing some of the key themes from the entire book. I have been personally challenged by this study and I hope you have found it challenging, informative, and encouraging. I pray that any time we open God's Word we get a better sense of the powerful sovereignty of God, the incredible grace of Christ, and the great responsibility and privilege of being the Church. - Pastor Dave Daye
When you are sitting at a picnic and you see dark clouds begin to form and feel the temperature drop you know to gather up your things and seek shelter because the weather is changing. The change in weather brings about a response in action. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 Paul teaches about the truth that those in Christ will be changed by being raised from the dead to new and eternal life. The fact that this change is coming should cause us to respond in how we live our lives today.
Have you ever wanted a do over? Maybe you made a slight mistake, or a bad choice. Or maybe you made one of those life altering decisions you wish you could take back. God had a plan for this world when He created it, yet when we look at the world we see hurt, loss, and death which were are the effects of humanity's decision to rebel against God. This sermon looks at 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 which is about the resurrection of Christ and looks at how Christ's death and resurrection restores us to the purpose for which God has made us.
We must hold on to the gospel - the good news that Jesus, the Son of God, died in our place for our sins and rose from the dead, promising eternal life to all who believe. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Paul challenges the Corinthians to hold on to the gospel and then spends the rest of the chapter talking about the importance of trusting in the resurrection. If we are following Christ just to make our lives better then Paul says we are missing the point. As Christians, we must hold on to the truth that this world will pass away and one day we will be raised to new life and be with Christ forever. In Part 22 of our "Saturated" sermon series on 1 Corinthians we look at 1 Corinthians 15:1-19 and 29-34.
The church is always a construction zone as Christ builds up His people to display the incredible truth of the gospel to the world. The construction happens as Christ's truth is applied to Christ's people and declared to the world so that they may turn to Christ. This sermon is called "Under Construction" and looks at 1 Corinthians chapter 14 where we are challenged to allow Christ's truth to work in our own lives rather than settling for flashy, but meaningless, religious experience.
Have you ever worked hard for something only to find you were working on the wrong thing and going in the wrong direction? There are so many things that can cause us to veer off course even as we seek to follow Christ together. In the church in Corinth there were a lot of things that they were focusing on and taking pride in, but they were losing their way. Paul tells the Christians in Corinth, "I will show you the most excellent way," and then moves into 1 Corinthians chapter 13 where he emphasizes the absolute importance of love. This sermon is part 20 in the "Saturated" sermon series on 1 Corinthians and looks at chapter 13.
Every member of an orchestra must watch their conductor in order for the symphony to sound good. If each musician were to simply play at their own speed or change the notes to their liking then the music would sound awful. It is the same way in the church. This sermon looks 1 Corinthians chapter 12. The people in the church in Corinth were focusing on themselves and their displays of spiritual greatness. This was leading to many in the church feeling and being treated as if they were not important. Paul calls them to lift their gaze off of each other and instead calls them to look at Christ because they are His church. Only by keeping our eyes on Christ will we find greater purpose and importance than this world has to offer. Ultimately it is only together under Christ's great salvation and leadership that we demonstrate the beautiful symphony of God's loving grace for the world to see.
We are easily distracted. Sometimes it is on accident, sometimes it is the result of our own poor choices. In 1 Corinthians 11:2-34 Paul challenges the Corinthians about two specific issues that were threatening to distract them from truly worshipping Christ in their church. These were not just distractions that would mean they weren't worshipping well, they were distractions that could mean that they weren't actually worshipping Christ! This sermon looks at this difficult and somewhat confusing passage where we see that we also get easily distracted and need to think about how we prepare our own hearts to worship Christ.
"It is important to keep the main thing the main thing." I wonder if the person who came up with this phrase understood the challenges of being a mom. How do you focus on one main thing when you have several kids tugging on you, chores to do, mouths to feed, friends to see, and hopefully somewhere in there find time for yourself? What is the "main thing" for moms (or anyone else for that matter)? This Mother's Day Sermon looks at 1 Corinthians 11:1 where Paul says, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."
In this sermon, Marc Vellake preaches on 1 Corinthians chapter 10 in part 16 of the "Saturated" sermon series on 1 Corinthians. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 come to a grand conclusion at the end of chapter 10 where Paul challenges us to consider our greatest priority. Idolatry is placing something other than God and His glory as the greatest priority in our lives. Because of this, it is a danger not just in cultures that make statues to worship, but even in our lives today. Our freedom can either become a stumbling block to us and others and lead to idolatry, or it can be a tool to keep our focus on God's glory and to point others to His salvation.
At the beginning of the sermon Marc has some pictures on the screen that he uses to share some exciting personal news.
Freedom and rights are things we like to talk about as Americans, but they were important to the people of Corinth as well. In 1 Corinthians chapter 9, Paul talks about the freedom and rights he has as an apostle and follower of Christ, but for Paul these things were not of ultimate importance. Instead, they were, like everything else in his life, things that could be used or even set aside in order to serve the purpose of demonstrating and declaring the gospel to others. This sermon looks at 1 Corinthians chapter 9 in part 15 of the "Saturated" sermon series on 1 Corinthians.
We like to be right and for others to see that we are right. Sometimes, though, winning an argument is actually losing a battle. In 1 Corinthians chapters 8-10 Paul deals with the issue we are calling "Lovingly Limiting Freedom." In these chapters Paul challenges us to consider which is more important, exercising our own rights and freedoms, or lovingly pointing others toward Jesus Christ. This week's sermon is called "Lovingly Limiting Freedom - Part 1" where we look at 1 Corinthians chapter 8 in which Paul introduces this topic and emphasizes the importance of applying truth in love.
Refraction is what happens when light passes through something and is redirected. We face situations where we must take the light of the gospel and apply it to that situation. Then, the light of the gospel is refracted in our situation and through us to a watching world. In this way, every situation - both good and bad - becomes an opportunity to display the truth of the gospel. In 1 Corinthians chapter 7 Paul is addressing some specific situations being faced by the Corinthian Christians regarding marriage. He takes the gospel and applies it to these situations and shows how these situations can become an opportunity for the gospel to be displayed to the world.
Parents:This passage contains teaching on God's plans for sex in marriage so you may want to listen to the sermon on your own or at least read 1 Corinthians chapter 7 before deciding to have your kids listen to this message with you.
"He is risen! He is risen indeed!" This traditional Easter greeting has been used by Christians for centuries. It is a proclamation that we believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior, rose from the dead conquering sin and death. But the resurrection is more than just something we believe about Jesus. Romans 6:4 states, "...just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Do you see that? We too may live a new life! What a promise! What a hope we have in Christ! This Easter sermon is called "Living the Resurrection" and looks at the new life we have because of Christ's resurrection.
How many times do we look back on something we've done and say that we would have done it different if we only knew then what we know now? Knowledge drives action. Six time in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 Paul asks the Corinthians "Do you not know?" He does this because if they really knew who they were and what Christ had done for them they would be able to avoid many of the mistakes they were making. This sermon looks at 1 Corinthians chapter 6 where Paul deals with two specific issues that the Corinthians were struggling with. Whether or not we struggle with these issues, we can learn a lot from the way Paul applies the truth of the gospel to their situation and we can learn to do this with the situations we face.
Please be aware that this passage of Scripture deals issues of sexual immorality. I strongly suggest parents read 1 Corinthians chapter 6 before listening to this sermon with your children.
Often the call to purity in the Christian life becomes a sort of guilt driven, oppressive legalism. People are understandably sensitive to this. We want to love people, not beat them up! Yet there is still a clear call in Scripture that if we are saved then we must life like it. This text looks at a very sensitive subject of someone in the church in Corinth who was persisting in blatant and unrepentant sin. Paul reminds the Christians of who they are in Christ and tells them to take loving but firm action. Not only is this passage challenging to us as a church, but to us as individual Christians as well. Do we treat sin in our own lives with seriousness?
In the late 1800's, English poet Francis Thompson wrote the 182 line poem called "The Hound of Heaven." This autobiographical poem describes God pursuing Thompson like a hunting dog pursues his quarry. God pursued Thompson through drug addiction, homelessness, and sickness, even as Thompson did his best to run away. Yet God, in his love, pursued him.
This sermon is called "Pursuing Love" and looks at 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 where Paul tells the Corinthians that he loves them too much to simply let them go down the wrong paths. He pursues them the way he knows Christ pursued him.
In the classic story of Snow White, the evil queen daily asks her mirror a particular question - "who is the fairest one of all?" and make no mistake, the queen is looking for a particular answer. How often do we look at who we are yet instead of seeing what is truly there we only see what we want to see? This sermon is called "The Mirror of the Gospel" and we looked at 1 Corinthians 3:18 - 4:13 where Paul causes the Corinthians to take a good hard look at themselves not through the mirror that gives them the answers they want, but in the mirror of the gospel that saves and defines us.
"You can't do that in church!" Have you ever heard that before? Why do we think certain actions are not appropriate in a church building but might be OK somewhere else. Maybe it's because we think the church is somehow holy and special? In that case, we are right - the church is holy and is special and because of this there are actions that are out of place in the church because God is there. The problem is that we are confused about what we call "the church." The church is not a building - it is people who are saved by Christ and in whom God dwells. In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Paul tells the church in Corinth that they are God's dwelling place and this is what should change their attitude and actions. I hope you will join us this Sunday as we look at "The Dwelling Place of God" in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
In 1 Corinthians 3:5-15 Paul turns popular ideas about leadership and service on their head. He writes about how we should serve God with a proper view of ourselves, of the work God has called us to do, and of the goal for which God is leading us toward. This challenges our ideas of leadership, but also informs all of our motivation for serving God in our day to day lives.
It is cute when a toddler sucks her thumb, falls asleep at the dinner table, or puts her slimy hand on your cheek (gross, but still cute). But what if adults did these things? We would say that person is not acting their age. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 Paul challenges the Christians in Corinth that they are not acting their age. They should be more mature in their relationship with Christ and their lives should be showing Christ's work in them. Instead, their lives look just like the rest of the world. When we come into a relationship with Christ we are expected to grow and mature and our lives should show this as we learn to "act our age" in our maturity with Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Paul makes clear that God's ways are indeed wise, but we must be careful to understand how we receive this wisdom and how we accept this wisdom. We do not come up with God's wisdom on our own, we must receive it from Him.
This sermon looks at 1 Corinthians 1:18 - 2:5 where Paul contrasts God's Wisdom with the World's Wisdom. The two are so incompatible with each other that each looks like foolishness to the other. As Christians we cannot travel down both paths. We must either trust in God's wisdom, which may at times seem like foolishness to the world, or we will follow the world's wisdom which will ultimately be proven to be foolish.
In 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Paul challenges the Corinthian Christians because their arguments and divisions were draining the power of the gospel out of the church and replacing it with human selfishness. His solution is powerful: focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In part 2 of the "Saturated" sermon series on 1 Corinthians we look at what it means to be "Soaked in Grace" as we study 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. In this passage we will see a flow of grace from God to us through salvation in Christ and then the impact this grace has in our lives as we respond with being thankful, being changed by the riches of God's grace, and living out this grace in our lives as we serve God using the gifts he gives to us.
An introduction to the sermon series called "Saturated" on the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians. In this sermon we look at an overview of the sermon series and the book of 1 Corinthians using verses 1-3 of chapter one as a guide.
In the 2nd half of this two part New Year's sermon series we look at what it means to trust in God's Future Faithfulness. We may not know all that the new year or any part of our future may hold for us, but we can know certain things about what God is doing and will continue to do in our lives.
During our last Sunday of the year we look back through the lens of God's faithfulness. This sermon looks at how we should see both joy and sorrow through the lens of God's faithfulness demonstrated on the cross.
This Sunday we ended the "So Great a Salvation" sermon series with part 10: "So Great a Savior." When we understand the greatness of the problem of our sin we will begin to better understand the greatness of the savior God sent to us and the greatness of the salvation he alone can bring. This week's sermon looks at why Jesus alone is qualified to be our great savior.
What is the Church? Our answer to this question will greatly impact our understanding and commitment to the gathering of Christians that Scripture calls the Church. In part 9 of the "So Great a Salvation" sermon series we look at the role of the Church in this great salvation God has given us in Christ. We see that the church is not something extra to salvation or to the Christian life but is instead absolutely necessary in understanding and living out this great salvation.
The Bible has many promises for those who are saved by Christ. We are promised that God is at work in us, that nothing can separate us from God's love and that God's plan will continue and will be successful. Yet at the same time we see a lot of warnings against falling way or sliding into sin. How do we hold on to the promises that God preserves us while at the same time heeding the warnings that we must persevere? This sermon, which is part 8 of the "So Great a Salvation" sermon series, is called "Held and Holding On" where we will look at these important questions. We also look at how focusing on our eternal future with Christ helps to bring these two difficult topics together.
Holiness is not for the super-Christian, it is for the normal Christian. Not only are we called to be holy, we are told that God is making us holy! This sermon looks at this "Call to Holiness" in what is known as the process of sanctification. This is not some guilt trip that is put upon us, but rather an understanding of the amazing plan of God that is at work in the followers of Christ to make us holy and our response of faith to live out the holiness that God accomplishes in our lives.
Adoption is an amazing act of love. In adoption, a child who is not part of a family is brought into that family with the full benefits and experiences of being part of that family. But adoption is only as good as the family into which the child is adopted. This Sunday in part six of the "So Great a Salvation" sermon series we look at the incredible truth that because of who Christ is and what He has done, we can be adopted in the family of God.
Justification is the amazing truth of salvation that Jesus takes all of the punishment for our sin so that we are completely innocent and he also gives us all of his righteousness so that we stand in perfect relationship with God. This sermon looks at Romans 3:21-26.
Every minute of our life has been shaped by the fact that we are born. This event in our life is so fundamental to everything that comes after that Jesus uses this idea to explain what it means to be saved. It is no less than being born again! This sermon looks at the amazing conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3:1-16
This is a re-recording of the sermon from Nov. 2, 2014. Understanding that our salvation is in Christ changes our way of looking at our old life of sin and our new life in Christ. This sermon looks at Romans 6:1-10 and the incredible truth about being "in Christ."
In Part 2 of "So Great a Salvation" we look at God's plan of salvation that stretches from Genesis to Revelation.
What exactly is salvation and why is it, as Hebrews 2:3 says, so great? This sermon is the start for a new sermon series called "So Great a Salvation" where we will look at both the simplicity and depth of the salvation that is ours in Christ.
This sermon is by a young man in our congregation who has shown a gift and ability to teach and preach.
We are constantly following somebody. Often we either don't realize it or give it little thought. But who you follow determines where you end up and what your experiences are along the way. In this sermon we will walk through Hebrews 4:14-16 and examine the leader there along with one of the greatest leaders in history. Both leaders called and enabled their followers to get where they needed to go...but only one is worthy to be followed.