Sermons

Jesus declared that his disciples would be his witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” Early Christians lived out this proclamation in powerful and palpable ways. Today we struggle to witness to those close to us, let alone to those at the ends of the earth. This series offers a glimpse into ways early Christians witnessed.

This sermon was part of the Sunday service in which we celebrated what God did in VBS during the prior week (great stuff). This year’s VBS invited kids to dive into an adventure like no other, scouring the mysterious fathoms of the deep sea through skit, stories, crafts, games, and snacks. Thrilling discoveries awaited just beyond the portholes of their submarines. Things look very different once you get below the surface – and that’s true for life above the surface, too. As kids submerged themselves in God’s Word, they discovered that Jesus saw people differently. He didn’t just see what’s on the outside; He saw who people were down deep.

We live in world that is full of evil and can be downright ugly. At the same time we desire to live good lives that make a positive impact. For Christians this desire is also a calling. However, in our fight for survival we often forget our purpose and accept for ourselves something less than extraordinary; our goal becomes being less ugly than that which surrounds us. This series calls people to something better; it calls all to live beautiful lives.

Sharing one’s Christian faith has never been easy, but in a country that feels increasingly hostile to Christian values, it seems more difficult than ever. Old evangelism principles seem…old, and outdated. What are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to do it? This series of sermons on evangelism offers insight into how we are to proclaim our faith.

This is the Holy Week sermons (Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter) from 2016.

For some it follows tragedy, for others it is seasonal, and still for others it is a daily struggle. Depression is like walking in the dark while not knowing where the light is or if it will come back on. This series of sermons will not make the darkness go away, but will illuminate with the glow of God’s comforting assurances.

Long before Jesus was born the world knew much about what he would do and who he would be. Many of this knowledge came from a prophet named Isaiah. In his book he offers important insights into the magnificence of Jesus. These sermons expound Jesus in Isaiah and declare him to be, Immanuel.

“She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger…” With these simple words the Bible announced the birth of Jesus. Surrounding this announcement are incredible scenes with beautiful messages that transcend time and place. 2,000 years later the true value of these messages is sometimes lost. It is covered and cluttered by tradition and addition. This series is about returning to the primary purposes of Jesus’ birth narrative. It’s about reaching back in time to remember the true importance of the birth of him who we celebrate. It’s simply Christmas.

The sin of envy has become an afterthought. The word evoking images of massage therapy, cologne, or the color green more than any spiritual realities. Perhaps this is because it seems such a minor offense compared to other evils. But what if that evil is rooted in envy? And furthermore, what if envy is what stands between you and happiness? This series of sermons on envy will define it, teach why we ought to avoid it and offers a solution to get rid of it.

Have you ever wondered where God went? Perhaps in a moment of crisis it seemed that God had left you to fend for your self. Did he forget about you? Did he not care? Was he too weak? This series of sermons asserts that even when you don’t see magical marvels, inexplicable to human intuition, God may still be doing supernatural work. God maybe doing miracles – big and small.