"gospel" Tagged Sermons

"gospel" Tagged Sermons

Lord of the Storm | Mark 4:35-41

This Rembrandt painting is called “Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee.” It depicts Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. While most of the painting is black and dark grays and blues, you can see golden-light and light blue skies in the distance. Two thieves disguised as police officers broke into the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum in Boston and stole it in 1990. If you know where it is, let the FBI know. Jesus has…

Gospel Courage | Acts 24:1-27 (Paul before Felix)

I remember the first time I jumped off the high-diving board in my hometown pool. This wasn’t an Olympic high-diving board, nor was it a diving board at pool level. You had to climb up four or five rungs. I was young enough to be wearing a life vest, and I was scared. And I went out to the end of the diving board. I looked down at the water. And then I turned around, and I climbed down. As…

When Facing Resistance | Acts 21:1-26 (Agabus & Paul’s Nazarite Vow)

Jamie is a Senior in college. That summer, she works at a Christian camp as a camp counselor. She leads hikes, runs workshops, and leaders her cabin time small group. She even gives some of the devotionals in the large group setting. Over the course of the summer, she begins to sense, not with audible words, but deep in her soul that the Holy Spirit might be calling her into Christian ministry. Jamie doesn’t know what that means, so she…

Something Better | Matthew 28:1-10

Do you ever go to the store to buy one thing, but come home with something else? Back during the start of Covid my wife Monica was seven months pregnant and I went grocery shopping. This was new for me. I’m not usually the one to go to Market Basket. It was kinda fun. You learn where things are, the dairy section, the cereals, the meats, the frozen vegetables. I got the hang of it, but as I was walking…

Power Part 1. Religious Power | Acts 19:11-22 (The Sons of Sceva)

Anglican theologian N. T. Wright tells the story of one of Britain’s most promising political leaders in the 1960s, George Brown. When he was a young man, [George Brown] said, he knew that things had to be changed. British society was in a mess; someone needed to get to the levers of power and make things happen, make things different. So he went into politics. But in local politics, even once he’d been elected to council office, he discovered that…

A Gracious Counterculture | Acts 15:22-35

I wrote this sermon last week on Thursday, the day after the clash at the capitol. You probably watched the news and saw the pictures of journalists and politicians taking cover. I think the image I was most startled by was of the barricaded door into the House Chamber with the five agents with their guns drawn. The glass was broken and in another picture you could see another’s man’s face on the other side of the doorway. These images…

The Battle of the Believers | Acts 15:1-21 (Jerusalem Council)

We’re going back to Acts! We actually started our series in Acts, Outward Church, a year ago. I want to take a moment to look back, because it helps us look forward. When Jesus left his disciples and ascended into heaven he gave believers a special mission, which becomes a roadmap for Acts. Acts 1:8 (ESV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all…

The Two-Handed Gospel Mission | Luke 4:16-20

Gordon Chinamasa’s biography: I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and accepted God’s free gift of salvation in my early teens. Married to Bronwyn for 14 years and we have two daughters, Charis (10 years) and Channa (6 years). I hold a Bachelor of Theology degree from Cape Town Baptist Seminary and was ordained as a Baptist Minister in 2007. I have also received graduate seminary training at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX.…

Outward Courage | Acts 4:1-22

John and David are out back working on the AC Unit. John is a believer and begins to ask David, “Do you go to church?” David explains that he used to go to mass but hasn’t been in years. They talk a little bit about the differences between Catholicism and John’s church, but the details stay high-level. Catholics have priests. Protestants have pastors. Catholics baptize babies. John’s church doesn’t. They don’t talk about any real theological differences. They don’t speak…

A Gospel Witness | Acts 2:14-41

We talk a lot about sharing our faith with others here at Cornerstone. But have you ever gotten into a situation where you had the chance to share the gospel and you froze because you felt like you didn’t know what to do? Can you think back to the last time a friend or family member brought up something about Christianity or the Bible and you thought, “What a great opportunity!” as it sailed right past you? Today, I want…

The Great Exchange | Luke 22:63-23:25

We live in a culture based on exchange and trade. We all do it from a young age till we’re elderly. You learn this system when you’re just starting out.  As an infant your parents reward good behavior with a smile or maybe a treat or your favorite toy. A few years in you learn that you can trade your toys for other kids toys. Like I’ll give you this cool-shaped rock if you’ll give me your Nintendo. Sometimes it…