Paxton Church of Christ Sermons: Recent Episodes
Tom Anders
It was on Mother’s Day almost nine years ago that Tom and Cristie began their ministry with the Paxton Church of Christ. In his first message he shared ten Biblical beliefs that have been the foundation for his life and ministry. In today's study he wants to remind us of those ten beliefs in hopes that these beliefs will continue to be the foundation for this congregation, our lives, and our ministries.
In this study we conclude our journey through the Gospel of Mark as we consider its closing verses, Mark 16:1-8. These verses tell the story of a group of women who went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus only to discover that His body is not there, and He had risen from the dead. From the Christian perspective, this is the most important event in all history; and yet there are many today who question the reliability of this event. That’s why we want to examine in-depth some of the Biblical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.
In this study we will consider Mark 15:40-47, where Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross and buried by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who were both members of the Jewish Sanhedrin. These two men were also secret followers of Jesus, but they risked their lives and their reputation to care for His body after His death. Are you also a secret follower of Jesus? Do you hide your faith in Jesus from others?
In this study we will consider two things that happened in Mark 15:38-39 following the death of Jesus on the cross — the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and a Roman centurion believed Jesus to be the Son of God. There is an important lesson that we each can learn from these happenings, a lesson that can change our lives and our eternities.
This study will focus on Mark 15:33-37, which tells us of Jesus’ final hours on the cross. It was during that dark time that Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In this question He is expressing the hurtful rejection that He felt from His Father God as He took on Himself the sins of the whole world. This is by far the greatest pain that Jesus experienced that day on the cross, and again He suffered through that pain for us.
This study will focus on Mark 15:32 and Luke 23:39-43. These two scriptures focus on the two criminals who were crucified alongside of Jesus. At first both of them mocked and insulted Jesus, but later one of them turned to Him for forgiveness. In response, Jesus told him that that day he would be with Him in paradise. Which of us would not want to hear that same assurance from Jesus whenever we die?
This study will focus on Mark 15:22-32, where Jesus is crucified. These verses emphasize the physical and emotional pain that He endured on the cross. Here the Son of God is suffering what is likely the most cruel and painful death ever devised by mankind. And, as we reflect on the pain of the cross, we must remember that Jesus was doing it all for us, our forgiveness, and our salvation.
This study will focus on the different perspectives of Jesus’ crucifixion from three men: the Roman governor Pilate who finally sentenced Him to be crucified, the criminal Barabbas who was freed instead of Him, and the bystander Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry His cross. Their three perspectives of the cross will help us to clarify our own perspective of Jesus’ suffering and death and what it should mean to our lives.
This study will focus on Mark 15:1-20, where Jesus was put on trial before the Roman governor Pilate. The Sanhedrin accused Jesus of claiming to be a king and causing an uprising against Rome. As a result, Pilate needed to investigate these accusations to determine if they were true or not. We, too, should want to investigate Jesus and His claim to be a king. We will learn from this morning’s story that there are several ways that we can respond to His kingly claims.
Today’s study will focus on Mark 14:66-73, where the disciple Peter disowned Jesus three times. Earlier on the way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus had told Peter that he would disown Him three times that very night. And, though Peter had said that he would never disown Jesus, he did just as He had predicted. This should make all of us think about the commitments that we make to Jesus and our faithfulness in living out those commitments. And, whether we like it or not, Peter’s story is our story.
This study will focus on Mark 14:53-65, where Jesus was on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin made up of the high priest, other chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law. These Jewish leaders were looking for some evidence against Jesus so that they might put Him to death. In the process of the trial, they made two mistakes in their case against Him. These are the same two mistakes that people can also make in their examination of Jesus and His life. These mistakes, if not corrected, can affects one’s eternity.
This study will focus on Mark 14:43-52, where Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples. It was a dark night of betrayal by Judas Iscariot, arrest by the Roman soldiers and the Temple guards, defense by Peter, and desertion by the rest of the disciples. These events have something to teach us about our Savior who was committed to fulfilling His life mission no matter the cost as well as something to teach us about ourselves and our human condition.
This study will focus on Mark 14:27-42, where Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him, and where Jesus agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, with three of His disciples beside Him, about His upcoming death. There was one more lesson that Jesus wanted to teach His disciples, especially Peter. It was a lesson that He was learning Himself. It is also a lesson that we need to learn if we are to accomplish God’s will and not our own.
Today's study will focus on Mark 14:12-26, where Jesus shared the Passover supper with His disciples on the evening before His death. However, there is much more to the story than just this special meal remembering what God did to free the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. There were other happenings and other lessons that Jesus wanted His disciples to learn. These are lessons that He wants us to learn also.
This study will focus on Mark 14:1-11, where Mary, Lazarus’ sister, anointed Jesus with a very expensive perfume. However, this story is sandwiched in the middle of the chief priests and the teachers of the law who were looking for a way to arrest and kill Jesus and Judas Iscariot who was agreeing to betray Him. In our study we will concentrate on two people — Mary and Judas Iscariot. We will consider both of their hearts and both of their endings.
This study will focus on Mark 13:24-37, where Jesus continued to teach His disciples about future events; however, His focus in these verses was upon His return. He wanted them and us to know that, while the timing of His second coming may be uncertain, we can be sure that it is going to happen. The important thing that Jesus emphasized is that we need to watch out and be ready, whenever He returns.
This study will focus on Mark 13:1-23, where Jesus began to teach some of His disciple to teach about future events. When He told them that the Temple would one day be destroyed, His disciples asked Him, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?" (Mark 13:4) In response to their questions, Jesus taught them and us three lessons about the future. He, obviously, wanted all of us to be ready whenever these future events would occur.
Today we pause in our journey through the Gospel of Mark to consider a special gift that Jesus came to bring us when He was born in Bethlehem that first Christmas. In a world that has known plenty of conflict and war, He came to bring us peace. But His peace is no ordinary peace. It is a special peace that can affect our relationship with God, our relationship with others, and our relationship within ourselves.
This study will focus on Mark 12:38-44, where Jesus drew two pictures for us — a picture of selfish ambition in the teachers of the law and a picture of humble sacrifice in a poor widow. We each need to decide which of these two pictures best describes us, because according to Jesus’ teachings, which picture we choose will determine if we will be condemned or commended by God.
Today’s study will focus on Mark 12:28-37, where a teacher of the law asked Jesus a question about the most important commandment, and where Jesus asked the teachers of the law a couple of questions about the Messiah. We will learn from this story that there is a difference between knowing about love and showing love as well as a difference between knowing about Christ and putting our faith in Him. These are critical differences that will determine whether or not we will enter into the kingdom of God.
This study will focus on Mark 12:13-27, where Jesus was asked two questions — one about paying taxes to Rome, and the other about marriage and the resurrection. In answering these two questions, He gave us some insights into what our lives should look like now as we live for Him as well as what our lives will look like after our resurrection.
This study will focus on Mark 11:27-12:12, where some Jewish leaders asked Jesus about what authority He had cleansed the Temple. In response, Jesus asked His own question of these leaders and told them a story about some wicked tenants. The question and the story were both intended to confront them about their rejection of Him and His authority. We, too, must decide if we will accept Jesus and submit to His authority in our lives or reject Him and have our own way.
This study will focus on Mark 11:12-25, where Jesus returned to the city of Jerusalem to cleanse the Temple. However, in route to the city that morning, He cursed a fig tree for its lack of fruit. That is the same reason that He cleansed the Temple, because of the lack of spiritual fruit among the Jews and their leaders.
In contrast with that, Jesus expected spiritual fruitfulness from His disciples (John 15:5,7). Today we will learn from Him three key ingredients to bearing fruit in our lives and in our church.
Gary Milton considers from 1 Peter those things that are precious to God and should be precious to us.
This study will focus on Mark 11:1-11, where Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem triumphantly as a King. However, as we will learn, He is no ordinary king, and His kingdom is no ordinary kingdom. He is far, far greater as the King of kings and Lord of lords. The question for each of us is: Do you know Him as Your Lord and King?
We can wonder, amidst the trials of life, if God has abandoned us. David expressed such doubt several times in the book of Psalm (Psalm 42:1-3; 63:1). But he learned in his life that the Lord was always with him (Psalm 139:7-12). This is a lesson that is taught repeatedly in the Scriptures (Genesis 28:15; Isaiah 43:2-3; Matthew 18:20; 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). And this is the very lesson that we want to learn today's study, using another Old Testament character—Joseph—as our example.
Gary Milton shares a message from Second Peter 1:1-11 on making your calling and election sure as a believer.
Ever since the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve's sin, God had a plan for renewing His relationship with people through His Son Jesus.
In this Homecoming message Roger encourages us to be "donkey givers," like the man who gave up his donkey colt to Jesus that He might ride it into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. As this man gave graciously, we are to give graciously.
This study will focus on Mark 10:32-52, where Jesus twice asked the question — “What do you want me to do for you?”— first of two of His disciples, James and John, and then of a blind man named Bartimaeus. However, even before He asked anyone that question, He predicted for a third time His upcoming suffering and death in Jerusalem (Mark 10:32-34). The lessons that Jesus taught in today’s scripture about prayer and service must be seen through the lens of His own sacrifice.
This study will focus on Mark 10:13-31, where a rich young man asked Jesus a question that all of us would like answered — “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” However, before the man had a chance to even ask that question, Jesus answered the question using little children as His example (Mark 10:13-16). And the answer that He gave surprised this young man as well as His disciples; and it might also surprise us.
This study will focus on Mark 10:1-12, where Jesus answered the Pharisees’ question, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Divorce was a controversial topic back in Bible times, and it is still a controversial topic today. In Jesus’ answer to that question, He taught His disciples and us some important lessons about both marriage and divorce. These are lessons that we, as disciples of Jesus, need to apply to our relationships.
Today's study will focus on Mark 9:42-50, where Jesus taught His disciples about setting a godly life example before others. In Mark 9:42 He warns them and us against causing a little child to stumble and be led away from God. In contrast, it is important that our life example uplifts Jesus and leads everyone toward God.
This study will focus on Mark 9:30-41, where Jesus taught His disciples two in-depth lessons about pride and humility. However, before He taught those lessons, He reminded the disciples of His upcoming betrayal, death, and resurrection (Mark 9:30-32). It is clear from Jesus’ sacrifice (Philippians 2:5-8) as well as from these two lessons that He expects all of His disciples, both then and today, to imitate His humility in their lives.
Today’s study will focus on Mark 9:14-29, where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, who His disciples were unable to heal. Back in Mark 6:13, the disciples had the power on their mission trip to drive out such demons, but they could not do it with this boy. Jesus wants to use this experience to teach His disciples, the boy’s father, and us an important lesson about developing a greater trust in Him and His power in prayer.
Today’s study will focus on Mark 9:2-13, where Jesus is transfigured before three of His disciples — Peter, James, and John. It is an amazing story as Jesus appears before them in all of His heavenly glory, along with Moses and Elijah, and God speaks from heaven about His Son. The happenings of that day forever changed these three disciples, and these happenings can forever change us.
Today's study will focus on Mark 8:31-9:1, where Jesus shares His life mission as the Messiah with His disciples as well as what He expects from those who choose to follow Him. He was committed to fulfilling God’s mission for His life, regardless of the cost. And Jesus desires that same kind of commitment from us, as His disciples, as we strive to fulfill His mission in our lives.
Today's study will focus on Mark 8:22-30, where Jesus gives physical sight to a man who couldn’t see and where He also gives spiritual sight to His disciples who couldn’t see who Jesus is, in spite of all that He was doing and teaching. As He uniquely restores sight to the blind man and to His disciples, He desires to uniquely restore spiritual sight to us that we might see Jesus and His true identity. Then, we can join with the Apostle Peter in declaring Jesus to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This study will focus on Mark 8:1-21, where Jesus miraculously feeds 4,000 people with seven loaves and a few small fish. However, His disciples didn’t seem to be understanding the lessons that He was trying to teach them through His miracles. These miracles were intended to build their faith and our faith in Jesus.
Today’s study will focus on Mark 7:24-37 where Jesus performs two miracles — casting the demon out of a young Syrophoenician girl and healing a deaf and mute man. Both of these miracles were done among the Gentiles who were considered unclean by most of the Jews. But Jesus didn’t treat them as unclean; instead, He demonstrated a heart-felt compassion for them. In so doing, He was teaching His disciples, including us, to have the same heart-felt compassion for all people.
Jesus wants us to make a priority of loving God with all that we have and loving our neighbor as ourselves. That is exactly what He told an expert in the law to do in Luke 10:25-37. In response, the expert asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Who was he responsible to love? And who are we responsible to love? Who is our neighbor? Jesus will answer these questions for us as we consider the story of the Good Samaritan.
This study will focus on Mark 7:14-23, where Jesus responds a second time to the accusation of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law that His disciples were spiritually “unclean” because they ate food with dirty hands (Mark 7:5). These religious leaders thought that it was their unclean hands that caused the disciples to have an unclean life. But Jesus teaches that it is something else that causes them and us to be spiritually “unclean.”
This study will focus on Mark 7:1-13, where Jesus confronts the Pharisees and some teachers of the law. These Jewish leaders were upset that His disciples were eating with “unclean hands,” according to their traditions. The truth is, as we will learn, that they placed a greater emphasis upon such traditions than upon the teaching of the Scriptures when it needs to be the exact opposite. This is equally true for us — Bible teachings must have priority over any man-made traditions.
This study will focus on Mark 6:45-56, where we find the story of Jesus walking on the water. The first miracle that Jesus did on the Sea of Galilee was the calming of a furious squall (Mark 4:35-41). If you remember, during that storm the disciples were fearful and not faithful. Would it be any different now when they are in another storm? Would they be fearful or faithful? And what about when storms come into our lives — will we be fearful or faithful?
This study will focus on Mark 6:30-44, where we find the story of Jesus feeding a crowd of more than 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. In doing this miracle, He had more in mind than just feeding a hungry crowd; He wants to teach His disciples and us about having compassion for people in need. Jesus’ example first shows them and us what true compassion looks like, and then He expects His disciples to follow His example and show the same compassion themselves.
Today’s study will focus on Mark 6:14-30, where we find the tragic story of John the Baptist’s death. Sadly, he was brutally murdered by King Herod, though he had been a faithful servant for God who shared His truths with others. We, as Jesus’ disciples, are also to faithfully share God’s truths with others. What can we learn from John’s story that can help us fulfill this same mission in our lives?
This study will focus on Mark 6:1-13, where Jesus is rejected by the people in His hometown of Nazareth, and where He sends out His disciples to multiply His ministry throughout Israel. There is a lesson that He wants His disciples to learn about rejection before going out on their own. This is a lesson that we also need to learn as we live for Jesus and face rejection in our lives as His disciples today.
This study will focus on Mark 5:21-43, where the Lord Jesus heals a woman with a bleeding problem and raises a young girl from the dead. These miracles demonstrate that He has power over both illness and death. This means that He can help us when we suffer with sickness and death in our lives or in our family.
This study will focus on Mark 5:1-20, where Jesus is confronted by a demon-possessed man. However, this demon-possessed man is more dangerous, more powerful, and more destructive than the others who He has encountered thus far in His ministry. But, just as Jesus had power over the fierce squall in the last chapter, Jesus has power over Satan and his evil demons as well. In this story we will learn about the devil’s power, Jesus’ power, and our response to Jesus’ power.
This study will focus on Mark 4:35-41, where Jesus and His disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee during a fierce storm. This storm would test the disciples’ faith. Would they trust God or be afraid? The storms of life have a way of testing our faith as well. Will we trust God or be afraid? The most important lesson we will learn is that the Lord can be trusted in the midst of our storms.
This study will focus on Mark 4:26-34, where Jesus tells two more stories — the Parable of the Growing Seed and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. The emphasis in both of these parables is upon spiritual growth. Jesus wants us to understand what we need to do and what God will do to produce a spiritual harvest in and through us.
This study will focus on Mark 4:21-25, where Jesus continues His teaching. It is His desire for God’s message to be made known to all people. Last week in the Parable of the Sower we learned that Jesus is sowing the seeds of His Word in you that He might multiply the seeds of His Word through you to others. As we will learn this morning, the Parable of the Lamp in Mark 4:21-22 has a similar lesson for us. However, instead of checking the condition of your spiritual hearts, we will check the condition of your spiritual hearing. We will ask the question that Jesus asks, “How’s your hearing?”
This study will focus on Mark 4:1-20, where Jesus tells a story about four kinds of soil. These different soils represent four kinds of hearts, and how each heart responds to God’s message. Since it is Easter Sunday, we will focus specifically on how we each can respond to the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
This study will focus on Mark 3:20-21, 31-35. This is where Jesus’ mother and brothers come to visit Him in Capernaum because they are concerned about Him and His physical and emotional state. But, when they arrive, He does not receive them immediately. Instead, Jesus continues His teaching and shares some priorities that He had in His life. These are the same priorities that He desires His disciples to have in their lives as part of His family.
This study will focus on Matthew 3:22-30, where Jesus is accused by the teachers of the law of using Satan’s power to do His miracles. In answering that accusation, Jesus teaches about an unforgivable sin. However, the central point of this passage is not this terrible sin, but the person of Jesus and by what power we believe that He did His miracles. What we believe about Jesus and His power has eternal consequences for our lives.
This morning’s study will focus on Mark 3:7-19, which tells us about both the crowds that followed Jesus to see Him do His miracles as well the twelve apostles that followed Him to be with Him and serve Him. The crowds were only fans of Jesus, but the apostles were His true followers. Which are we? Fans who admire Jesus and what He’s done or followers who will commit their lives to Him and His service?
This study will focus on Mark 2:23-3:6, and still another confrontation that Jesus had with some religious teachers. They were upset that Jesus’ disciples were picking heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath. They were even more upset that Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand on another Sabbath. These religious leaders believed that it was wrong to do such things on the Sabbath. However, Jesus tried to show them and us that the Sabbath, really every day, is the right time to do good.
This study will focus on Mark 2:18-22, and another confrontation that Jesus has with some religious leaders. These leaders were wondering why the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees were fasting, but His disciples were not fasting. In response, Jesus told them that He was doing something new and different from what had been done in the past (Mark 2:21-22). In fact, He was offering them and us a whole new way of worshipping God.
This study will focus on a story about a despised tax collector named Levi (also known as Matthew) found in Mark 2:13-17. Surprisingly, Jesus calls Levi to be one of His disciples, and, even more surprisingly, He goes to Levi’s house and shares an evening with other tax collectors and “sinners.” This really upsets some of the religious teachers. But, whether they liked it or not, Jesus was and is a friend of sinners, and He desires His disciples to be friends of sinners also.
This study will focus on a story found in Mark 2:1-12. It tells of four men who brought a paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. But this paralytic receives more than just healing from Jesus that day; He receives the Lord’s forgiveness. That was this man’s greatest need, and that is our greatest need. And, thankfully, Jesus has the power to forgive.
This study will focus on Mark 1:40-45, and the story of a man with leprosy who comes to Jesus for cleansing. A leper in that day was considered unclean physically and spiritually. According to Leviticus 13, they had to live separate lives — separated from their families, separated from society, and separated from worship. However, with compassion, Jesus touched this leper, told him to be clean, and he was cleansed at that very moment.
This study will focus on the priority that Jesus gave to prayer in His life and ministry. In Mark 1:35-39 He got up early and found a solitary place where He could pray alone. Even as the Son of God, He needed to stay connected with His Father if He was going to accomplish His will. It is equally true that we need to stay connected with God in prayer if we are going to accomplish His will in our lives
This study will focus on the great authority that Jesus expressed during His ministry. In Mark 1:21-34 He demonstrated such great authority in His teaching as well as in His healing of the sick and demon-possessed. We will see how the people reacted to His authority back then and learn how we should react to His authority today. There is no one who ever lived that had greater authority than Jesus!
This study will focus on Mark 1:14-20, where Jesus begins His ministry by proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom and by inviting four fishermen to be His disciples. The message of God’s kingdom that He proclaimed is still good news for you today. And the invitation to discipleship that He made still applies to you and your life. The question is: What will you do with Jesus’ message? And what will you do with His invitation?
In this study we turn our attention from John the Baptist’s ministry to Jesus and His preparation for ministry. Mark 1:9-13 records two monumental events in His life — His baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and His temptations by Satan in the desert. As we will learn, both of these events prepared Him to fulfil His life’s mission of seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10). In essence, God was preparing His Son for His ministry to us.
In the study we are beginning a year-long journey through the Gospel of Mark. Our goal in this study is to learn from Jesus what it truly means to be one of His disciples. So, we will go verse-by-verse and section-by-section through this book, starting today with Mark 1:1-8. We will be challenged in these opening verses by John the Baptist to get ready for Jesus and His working in our lives.
In this study we will consider the end of the Christmas story. The story of Jesus may begin with His birth in Bethlehem, but it doesn’t end until He returns, and He is declared by all people to be “the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.” In light of this future event, how does the Apostle Paul tell us in 1 Timothy 6:11-16 that we should live our lives for Him today?
In this study we are focusing on the part of the Christmas story where an angel appears to shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8-20). He shares with them good news of great joy for all people, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” The Jewish people had waited for centuries for their promised Messiah to come. And, finally, their Messiah had come in Christ our Savior. This is as much good news for us as it was for these shepherds!
In this study we will focus on the beginning verses of John’s gospel (John 1:1-18). While the Apostle John doesn’t record any of the events surrounding Jesus’ birth, he does describe Him in a unique way — calling Him “the Word.” So, in our study we will learn the significance of that name, and its significance to us.
In today's study we will consider the part of the Christmas story where an angel appears to Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, assuring him that she had done nothing wrong and telling him that it was all right for him to marry her (Matthew 1:18-25). The angel also told Joseph that he was to name this special Son, “Jesus,” and that He would also be called, “Immanuel.” Our study will focus on the meaning of these two special names, and what these names means to our lives today.
In today's study we will consider the part of the Christmas story where the angel Gabriel tells the virgin Mary that she will miraculously give birth to a son who she is to name “Jesus.” (Luke 1:26-38). However, there are two other important names used in this passage to describe Him: “the Son of the Most High” and “the Son of God.” These are the names that we will focus on today as we consider the evidence in support of Jesus being the true Son of God.
Today, as we begin a new Christmas study entitled, “The Name Above All Names,” we will consider one of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah. Isaiah 9:6-7 foretells that the Messiah was coming to set up a kingdom with Him as king. And the four names given to Him in these verses — Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace — describe the kind of king He would be. This is the kind of king Jesus is for us as citizens of His Kingdom.
Today’s study will focus on the Apostle Paul and the loneliness that he experienced during the final years of his life. Sadly, he spent those last years alone in a Roman prison, awaiting his death. But in his loneliness, he wrote his younger friend Timothy to come and visit him (2 Timothy 4:9-18). From Paul’s story of loneliness, we can learn both the causes and the cures for our own loneliness.
This study will focus on Timothy, a young co-worker of the Apostle Paul. Timothy’s problem was that he had a timid spirit, daily struggling with fear. Paul addressed this problem in 2 Timothy 1:3-12 and assured Timothy that he had no reason to be afraid. In this scripture we find four reasons that can help us to overcome our fears.
Today's study will focus on the story of Mary and Martha found in Luke 10:38-42. These sisters were having Jesus and His disciples in their home, and Martha was all worried about getting everything just right for these special house guests. Many of us can be just like Martha, and be, as Jesus said to her, “worried and upset about many things.” However, wise Solomon offers us some valuable advice in Proverbs 3:5-6 that will help us to win over such worry.
Today's study will focus on the story of Nehemiah and his rebuilding of the wall around the city of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:1-11). This rebuilding project at first seemed impossible to him as a cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes, but step-by-step and stone-by-stone he got it done with God’s help. The steps that Nehemiah took in completing this impossible task are the same steps that we should take in dealing with the impossible problems in our lives.
In today's study we will consider a story from the life of the Old Testament prophet Elisha. It is a story that is told about him and a lost ax head from 2 Kings 6:1-7. Though it is a simple Bible story, it teaches us some important principles about failing forward. These are principles that we all need to learn because all of us experience times of failure in our lives.
in this message Gary Milton, Director of Prairie States Christian Service Camp, shares his personal journey from where he was spiritually to where God wanted him to be. The lessons that he learned in his journey are lessons that we can learn to help us in our own spiritual journey.
In today's study we will consider Naomi’s story of grief from the Old Testament book of Ruth. The sorrow that she experienced in Ruth 1:1-14 was overwhelming to her, having lost her husband and her two sons. And certainly, there are times when our sorrow is overwhelming to us. However, as God helped Naomi through her sorrow and grief (Ruth 1:20; 4:14-17), He will help us through our sorrow and grief.
Today we are beginning a new study entitled, “Real People, Real Problems.” Sometimes we forget that the people in the Bible were real people who had real problems. How they handled their problems can help us to handle the same problems in our lives. In this lesson we will consider the story of the Prophet Jeremiah and the depression that he experienced in his life (Jeremiah 20). We can discover some insights from his experience that can help us overcome our own depression.
In this message Mark Hoff, our missionary to Honduras, encourages us to share Jesus with others. He used the example of some unlikely evangelists in the Bible to challenge us to tell others about Jesus and what He has done for us.
In this study we will focus on our last dangerous prayer — “Lord, Send Me.” In Jesus’ prayer in John 17, He prayed that we, as His disciples, would be sent out into world. God had sent Him into the world, and He was sending us into the world (John 17:18, 20; 20:21). So, whether we realize it or not, Jesus has given us a spiritual mission to go out and share His love and message with others. The question is, how will we respond to His mission for us? Will we join the Prophet Isaiah and pray, “Lord, send me”?
In this study we will focus on a fourth dangerous prayer — “Lord, Make Me Bold.” The Bible is full of examples of people with a bold, unwavering faith in God — people like Daniel in the Old Testament (Daniel 6) and like the Apostles Peter and John in the New Testament (Acts 4-5). Their stories will challenge us, as disciples of Jesus, to have our own bold, unwavering faith in God. The bold life choices that Daniel, Peter, and John made in their lives are the same bold life choices that we should make in our lives.
Today's study will focus on a second dangerous prayer, “Lord, Break Me.” This will be an uncomfortable prayer for most of us. We would rather pray a prayer of blessing and comfort, like the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10. But this dangerous prayer is not that kind of a prayer. It is, instead, a prayer of brokenness and surrender — to ask God to break you and break your heart with the things that break His heart. The examples of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 8:18, 21) and Jesus (Matthew 9:36) will challenge us to pray this dangerous prayer.
This study will focus on a third dangerous prayer — “Lord, Stretch Me.” In Luke 17:5 the apostles asked Jesus to “increase our faith” after He taught them about forgiving others repeatedly. We, too, will need the Lord to stretch us and increase our faith as we strive to put into practice some of the Bible’s most challenging lessons. Of course, this will require God growing our faith (Philippians 1:6) and each of us learning through discipline and training (1 Corinthians 9:25, 27). Paul details for us in Philippians 3:10-14 three essential keys to this disciplined training, three keys to spiritual stretching
In this study we will focus on the dangerous prayer — “Lord, Search Me.” This is the very prayer that King David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” In this dangerous prayer, David asked the Lord to do a thorough examination of his heart, mind and life to determine what was wrong that he might correct it. If God did this same kind of spiritual exam of your heart, mind and life, what wrongs would He discover that needed to be corrected?
Today we are beginning a new study entitled, “Dangerous Prayers.” Unfortunately, our tendency can be to pray safe prayers that make little impact upon our lives and others’ lives. The challenge in this study will be to pray dangerous prayers that forever change us and change others. In this first message we will look at a story that both Mark and Matthew tell us about Jesus healing a demon-possessed boy after His disciples were unable to heal him (Mark 9:14-29; Matthew 17:14-21). The lessons that Jesus taught the disciples that day about effective praying are lessons that we must learn if we are to be effective in our own praying (James 5:16).
In this message we conclude our "Back to the Basics" study as we consider what the Bible teaches about the Church. It is our desire, as a congregation, to become like the Church pictured in the New Testament. As it was organized in Biblical times, we want to be organized in our congregation.
Over the past two lessons we have been emphasizing Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20, to “to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” According to Jesus in these verses, a key part of becoming one of His disciples is being baptized. That’s why this morning we want to learn some of the New Testament’s basic teachings about baptism.
There is no more important spiritual question than the question, “What must I do to be saved?” That’s why in this message we will review five basic truths in God’s plan of salvation.
This message will focus on the purpose that God has for our congregation of being a Connecting Place — to be disciples of Jesus who lovingly connect others with Him (Matthew 22:37-39; 28:18-20). As we will learn, each part of this purpose statement comes with an expectation that Jesus has for us as His disciples.
In this message we begin a new teaching series entitled, “Back to the Basics.” IIn the first lesson we will look back to our church's past heritage and the spiritual foundation that our church was built upon (Ephesians 2:19-20). As we will learn, it is a solid foundation for us as we venture into an uncertain future.
We have all been troubled by the recent police shootings in both Minneapolis and Atlanta. We are also troubled when some peaceful protests to these deaths have turned violent and destructive. All of this makes us painfully aware of the racial divide that exists in our nation. This should cause each of us, as a disciple of Jesus, to wonder what we should be doing to bring peace and reconciliation between the races. So, in this message we will ask God that very question, “What should I do about racism and prejudice?” We recognize that this may itself be a divisive question, but we need to hear from the Lord on this important topic.
Over the past few months, death has become more real for us. Literally, millions more have died worldwide during this Coronavirus pandemic. That leaves us asking questions about death and life after death. So, in this message we ask God the troubling question, “Is there really life after death?” And it might surprise you what we can learn from the Scriptures about death and eternity.
If there is one thing that has become obvious during this pandemic and the recent unrest, it is that there is a disparity between people. There are some people who have so much, and some people who have so little. That is why this morning we are going to ask the Lord that very question, “God, why do some have so much and some so little?” And, as we always do, we turn to His Word for the answers to this troubling question.
There are many Christians today wondering how this Coronavirus fits into the God’s plans and Bible prophecy. So, this morning we ask another troubling question of God, “God, how does this crisis fit into Your plans? Your plans for our lives, and Your plans for our world?” We turn to the 24th chapter of Matthew for some answers to this question.
In this message we ask another troubling question of God, “Why don’t You answer some of my prayers?” Especially with this Coronavirus pandemic, we wonder why some of our prayers go unanswered. Thankfully the Lord provides us some answers in His Word.
In this message we ask another troubling question of God, “Why don’t You answer some of my prayers?” Especially with this Coronavirus pandemic, we wonder why some of our prayers go unanswered. Thankfully, the Lord provides us some answers in His Word.
After this pandemic is over, we should want to be better people and better disciples. So, we ask this troubling question is this week's message: "God, what do you want me to learn from this crisis?"
In this message we ask another troubling question that many people, inside and outside the church, are asking. — “God, how can you allow such a terrible evil?” And there is no better place to go for answers to such questions than God Himself and what He teaches us in His Word.