Sermons & Worship (Page 2)
Mending Relationships
Deuteronomy 30:14-20; Psalm 119:1-8; Matthew 5:21-24 The crowd had perhaps sat most of the day on the grassy slope of the mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It was a picturesque scene where one could look across a glass-like sea when it was calm and see the mountains that rose on the other side. They often sought out this teacher, Jesus, to hear what He would have to say. When He spoke it was with the voice of authority. He…
Come on Down
Scripture: Leviticus 25:35-4; Psalm 9:1-2; Luke 19:1-10 Zacchaeus was a wee little man; and a wee little man was he.He climbed up in a sycamore tree; the Lord he wanted to see.And as the Savior passed that way, He looked up in the tree,and said, “Zacchaeus, you come down. I’m going to your house today.I’m going to your house today.” Remember that song that we learned in Sunday School? Jesus was passing through the new city of Jericho which Herod…
Out of Evil Comes Good
Scripture: Genesis 50:15-26; Psalm 32:1-7; Matthew 14:13-21 The Apostle Paul would write to the Christians who were living in Rome, telling them, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people.If possible, so far, as it depends upon you, be at peace with all people.Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay says the Lord.’But…
An Awesome God
Scripture: Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 99:6-9; 2 Peter 1:16-21 Mountain top experiences are mentioned throughout scripture. The term itself has come to be contrasted with experiences that happen within the valleys of our lives. Something there is about a mountain that is majestic. Something there is about a mountain that removes us from the everydayness of life. Something there is about a mountain that emotionally draws us nearer to God within our souls. It was on the top of Mount Sinai…
Acts of Courage
Scripture: Daniel 6:10-23; Psalm 143:10-12; Acts 4:1-4, 15-20 Acts of courage come in many forms. We routinely see the media reports of The people that we will follow in today’s stories knew the danger that they faced to their very lives and, even in the possibility of losing their lives, acted with tremendous courage. First, a brief history of Daniel: Daniel was a Hebrew from Judah. Sometime between 609 and 598 BC Judah had been conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, King of…
Lightshine
Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-6; Psalm 86:1-10; Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus had just been teaching the multitude of people gathered on the mountainside by the Sea of Galilee. It is traditionally known as the Sermon on the Mount, and it was the most extensive teaching session that is recorded in the Gospels. Some of the best known content of the teaching is the Beatitudes. After the crowd has dispersed and the disciples remain with Jesus, He turns to them and continues his teaching.…
Stand Tall
Scripture: Exodus 20:8-10; Psalm 119:97-104; Luke 13:10-17 She had come to the Temple on the Sabbath as was her custom to worship God. The walk to the Temple was difficult because of her physical condition. It had happened gradually over the years, something in her back that caused great pain. She had sought treatment, but the physicians had been unable to help her, and over time, her condition had grown far worse. Now, she wondered how much longer she would…
Decisions Matter
Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:1-3, 6:16-17, 6:13; Psalm 40:1-8; Matthew 4:1-11 Have you ever walked in the wilderness? Sometimes we have an opportunity to actually visit a desert situation; sometimes we find ourselves walking, not in an actual wilderness, but in a wilderness feeling in our lives. Today we journey with Jesus into the wilderness. Jesus has just experienced perhaps the highest spiritual moment in his life so far. After his baptism by John, there came the voice of his Father God…
Dreams, Visions, and Realities
Scriptures: Joel 2:28-29; Psalm 95:1-6; Matthew 4:17-22 The prophet Joel lived where all of us live – in the past, in the present, and in the not yet. Reading the words of the prophet Joel is as current as reading today’s newspaper or listening to World News Tonight. The world in which Joel lived and spoke for God could be the world in which we live today. The reports and the pictures that fill our television screens from around the…
To Fulfill All Righteousness – the Baptism of Jesus
Scripture: Psalm 29; Isaiah 42:1-9; Matthew 3:13-17 I think it’s safe to say that most everyone participating in this service today has been baptized. Baptism is probably the earliest of Christian rituals. Depending on denomination, or tradition, baptism is performed by either aspersion, affusion or immersion. I just learned two of those words this week. They are another way of saying an individual is baptized with water by sprinkling, pouring, or dunking. Being a multi-denominational community church, we of course,…