Sermons from 2016

Sermons from 2016

Christmas Rescue in Exodus | Exodus 2:1-10

Have you ever had something stolen? When I was a kid, I always went to bed on Christmas Eve wondering if robbers would steal all of my Christmas gifts during the night. They never did, but whenever I heard a story on the news that something like that had happened, I was convinced our house was next. I just heard a story out of St. George Utah about three teenagers who tried to steal a a laser light show out…

Hope in a Hostile Story | Exodus 1:1-22

I love stories. I don’t consider myself a natural story teller, but I wish I were. Do you ever have a friend who tells a story and it’s just spell binding, your so drawn in, it’s so interesting, and by the end, you realize it’s the story of your friend tying her shoelaces? I’m not that kind of storyteller, but I do love good stories. Today we’re inundated with stories. When you hear a radio ad or watch a tv…

The God-Man Foretold | Isaiah 7:14

In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet Isaiah tells King Ahaz to trust in God even as he is surrounded by enemies that wan’t to destroy Judah and his kingdom. Isaiah tells King Aha to ask God for a sign, but Ahaz refuses. Instead, Isaiah gives him a different sign, the sign of the Messiah, of long-term hope. The sign of the Messiah comes in two parts, a miraculous virgin birth, and in his name, Immanuel, which means “God with us.” The…

The King Foretold | Numbers 24:17

In Numbers 24:17, Balam prophecies to the king of Moab that “in the latter days” (v. 14), a king will come who will fight against the enemies of God. Balam gives two signs, that of the star, and that of the scepter. In his third oracle, in Numbers 24:9, Balam links the scepter with the sign of the lion. These two signs, that of the star and the lion, tell us Jesus is a king who both brings hope and…

The Journey On | 2 Kings 6:8-23

2 Kings 6:8-23 is the story of God’s deliverance of the people of northern Israel, not through a smart king or powerful military force, but by God sending his heavenly army to protect his people. The mission God gave the people of Israel was to trust him in the face of impossible odds. That’s our mission too, to trust God as we step out on our frontlines. As we focus on verses 15 through 17 and our sermon series, Fruitfulness…

M6: Messenger of the Gospel | 1 Peter 3:15,18

In 1 Peter 3:15, 18, the Apostle Peter explains to early believers what to do when someone who is not a Christian asks them about the hope they have. They are to give an answer for why they live and act differently than those around them. Listen to the sermon to learn more. This sermon series is based on material taken from Fruitfulness on the Frontline published by Inter-Varsity Press, Nottingham, 2014. Used by Permission.

M5: Mouthpiece for Truth and Justice | Ezekiel 2:1-3:15

In Ezekiel 2:1-3:15, an Old Testament prophet named Ezekiel shows us what it means to speak truth and justice on our frontlines. Listen to the sermon by Tom Taylor. This sermon series is based on material taken from Fruitfulness on the Frontline published by Inter-Varsity Press, Nottingham, 2014. Used by Permission.

M4: Molding Culture | Colossians 3:1-14

In Colossians 3:1-14, the Apostle Paul challenges us to form a new Christ-centered culture. In light of the resurrection, we form this new culture through a new mindset, realizing all we have in Jesus. A change in mindset is like a one-degree shift. It might not seem big now, but it can lead to a radically different destination over the course of a thousand miles. Sometimes Christians are called to live counter-culturally, countering sexual expression with sacrificial love, offering forgiveness…

M3: Ministering Grace and Love | Luke 10:25-37

In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus teaches us not just who our neighbor is, but how to love our neighbor. Our neighbor isn’t just limited to geography, or those we like, but those we don’t think like us, or would never expect us to do anything kind for them. Jesus turns our pre-conceived notions of who we believe our neighbor to be on their head. Listen to the sermon learn more and apply it to your everyday life. This sermon series is…

M2: Making Good Work | Colossians 3:22-4:1

In Colossians 3:22-4:1, the Apostle Paul instructs slaves and masters on how they should perform their work. The Bible makes clear that work matters to God, because He uses it to bless the world, and He is ultimately everyone’s master. This reality changes our perspective. God should matter to our work, since when we do it well, we are actually helping to fulfill the commandment to love our neighbor. But how can we do this, especially if we feel like slaves…