Sermons from 2022 (Page 4)
Things We (Should) Know
Sermon text: 1 John 5:18-20 At the very end of his first epistle, the aged apostle John lists some basic truths. He prefaces each with the phrase “we know.” These facts relate to how sin affects believers, the difference between those how follow Christ and those who don’t, and how we have been given spiritual understanding. Internalizing these can help us to better deal with the world around us and put our reliance on Jesus.
Confidence
Sermon text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 People put their confidence in all sort of things. But so often, that confidence is misplaced. People can fail you. Processes can come up short. Markets are as likely to go down as go up. But you will never be disappointed if you put your confidence in the Lord. You can be certain that trusting in Jesus will save you. You can be sure that God’s plan will come out as He intends it to.…
Laser Focused
Sermon text: Luke 9:51 Jesus was not caught by surprise when He was arrested in Jerusalem the week after He entered the city so triumphantly. He knew why He was arrested and what the punishment would be. He had told His disciples repeatedly that He would be killed in Jerusalem. He also told them He’d rise again. But for all that He knew He would go through, He was totally focused on completing His mission.
Rock Always Wins
Sermon text: Matthew 7:21-27 One of the first songs kids learn in church is “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.” They discover that building a house on the rock is wise, while a house built on sand will not withstand the storms. This fun song is based the final section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He explains as He completes His sermon that a life built on a relationship with Him will weather the storms of life.
Get Your Praise On
Sermon text: 2 Samuel 6:12-23 David wrote many of the psalms we have in our Bible. He was without a doubt a great worship leader. That didn’t change when he became the king of Israel. The high water mark of David’s life of worship was when the ark of the covenant made its way into Jerusalem. After years of obscurity, this most venerated of all worship articles finally was back in a place of prominence. And David let everyone know…
Portrait of an Encourager
Sermon text: Acts 4:36, Acts 9:27, Acts 11:22-30, Acts 15:36-41 Barnabas played a major role in the first years of the Christian church. He was respected and trusted by the apostles. They were the ones who gave him the name Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.” The life and ministry of this man can teach us a lot about what it means to be an encourager.
Expect Correction
Sermon text: Proverbs 3:11-12 If you have trusted as your Savior and your Lord, you belong to God. And if you belong to God, He is going to correct you. It could a be a minor course adjustment or a major redirection, depending on the dynamics of your relationship with Him. And He will use whatever He needs to make the correction. Often God instructs through circumstances. But He also uses prayer, His word, and other people to get the…
Which Soil are You?
Sermon text: Mark 4:1-20 The message of the parable of the sower is that we must be faithful in telling others about Jesus, regardless of how they receive it. Jesus presents four different hearers in this parable. While not the central purpose of the parable, one cannot help but ask, “Which soil am I?” This takes introspection and honesty, which can be difficult for many of us. But the reward of unflinching self-assessment can be a closer walk with the…
More Effective Sowing
Sermon text: Galatians 6:7-9 The law of sowing and reaping is universal and God ordained. But it’s easy to miss the finer points of this important principle. First, if you plan to have a worthwhile harvest you need to sow with intention. A willy-nilly approach to sowing won’t yield very much of worth. Second, we must be careful to not limit our sowing opportunities. There are many occasions in our everyday life when we can sow seeds which honor God.
High-Octane Grace
God gives His grace to everyone. Whether someone worships God or curses Him, they benefit from God’s grace in their life. This is known as God’s common grace. We all receive this from God innumerable times a day. The air we breathe, the sunshine, what we eat, our families, our jobs, and everything else good is a product of God’s common grace. But there is another aspect of God’s grace known as special grace. This is reserved for those who…