February 23, 2020 |
1 Samuel 4:1-7:2 |
exposition
Full Transcript Available
Since the beginning, humanity has continually struggled against God in a kind of game of thrones. Yet, when we reject the Lord as King and put ourselves on the throne, we experience much sorrow and defeat in life. But this sorrow can be God’s grace to lead us to follow Him and to give Him the glory that is due Him. That’s what happens to Israel in our sermon today. Both the priests and the people don’t give God the glory due Him, so that they are defeated by Philistine raiders, and the Ark, which represents the throne of God, is lost!
In the book of 1 Samuel 4:1-7:2, the LORD deposed the house of Eli and disciplined Israel so that they might learn to give God the glory that was due Him. We can learn to give God the glory that is due Him.
February 16, 2020 |
1 Samuel 2:12-4:1 |
exposition
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Did you know that God wants to reveal Himself to you? He wants you to know Him. God isn’t hiding. That’s what we tend to do. Since the time of Adam and Eve, who hid from God when they sinned, humanity has had a tendency to hide. Are you hiding from God? He wants to reveal Himself to you, but you must come out of hiding to hear and know Him.
In our reading today, the name LORD or Yahweh appears 34 times. As we’ve said before, the Bible is primarily a book about God. God desires to reveal Himself to us through His Word.
In the book of 1 Samuel, the LORD called young Samuel to be His prophet, revealing Himself by His Word. We can recognize the LORD’s desire to reveal Himself to us by His Word.
February 9, 2020 |
1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:11 |
exposition
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When we try to take the throne of our own lives, trying to be in control, it always ends with a feeling of barrenness. We feel empty, fruitless, depleted, or broken. Perhaps, you feel this today. The things you do at work feel fruitless or unimportant. You feel depleted at home like you are losing the battle for your marriage or the battle for your children. Maybe you feel stuck, like you have no purpose. Maybe you feel abandoned or like you are fighting through life alone. And as you look to others for help and leadership, whether it’s politicians, priests, or preachers, you have often been disappointed. When we feel this pain it is hard to imagine that turning our lives over to God could make a difference.
February 2, 2020 |
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 |
Full Transcript Available
In the apostle Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he taught them that the Lord abundantly blesses those who are generous with their treasure. We can believe that the Lord abundantly blesses us when we are generous with our treasure.
January 27, 2020 |
Matthew 25:14-30 |
generosity, talents
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Some might say, “I don’t have any talent.” Yet, God has given all of us different kinds and amounts of talent. Every one of you here this morning has a God-given talent or ability. Are you using it for His glory?
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus told his disciples a parable in order to teach them about the blessing of being generous with the talents that the Lord had entrusted to them. We can experience the blessing of being generous with the talents that the Lord had entrusted to us.
January 19, 2020 |
Colossians 4:2-6 |
generosity
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We can’t create more time in a day. We all have 24 hours. But we can decide how we’re going to spend those 24 hours each day. We can waste time. We can spend it doing good things. Or we can spend it doing the very best things. Learn how to make the best use of your time, so that you experience the joy and contentment of the blessed life. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he instructed them how to make the best use of the time that God had given them. As Christ-followers, we can make the best use of the time that God had given us.
January 12, 2020 |
Acts 20:32-35 |
generosity
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How many of you are experiencing this life of being more blessed like Jesus described? Do you realize how much more happiness is in store for you when you learn to be a giver?
In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul reminded the elders of the church of Ephesus of Christ’s words that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We can understand why Jesus said that it is more blessed to live generously. Why it is more blessed to live generously?
December 22, 2019 |
Luke 2:1-20 |
christmas
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God invited total strangers (the shepherds) to his son’s first birthday party. But did you know you were on the guest list too? The Christ was born for all of us, “unto you” is for me and you. Have you accepted His invitation? You’re on the guest list.
In the gospel of Luke, he recorded the story of Jesus’ birth which an angel of the Lord announced to the shepherds, inviting them to come and see the promised Savior, who is Christ the Lord. We too are on God’s guest list. We are invited to come to the Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
December 15, 2019 |
John 3:16-21 |
christmas
Full Transcript Available
Parents have been using the lines from this song ever since to help make their children behave. “You better be good. You better go to bed. You don’t want to be on Santa’s “naughty list. You won’t get any presents…” So, every American child born since 1934 has been taught about this so-called “Naughty or Nice List.”
And that might sound innocent enough until we realize that many of those same children have grown up to believe that God is keeping such a list, and that the way to please God and receive the gift of eternal life in heaven, is to be good enough to be on His “Nice List” and work hard to stay off of His “Naughty List.”
In the Gospel of John, Jesus told a Pharisee named Nicodemus that the only way to receive God’s greatest gift of salvation is through believing in His Son. We can receive God’s greatest gift.
December 8, 2019 |
Matthew 2:1-12 |
christmas
Full Transcript Available
Our wishes, our longings, are really a kind of worship. Because that’s what worship is. Worship is seeing something or someone that we count worthy of our affection and longing, our love, and then, recognizing that worthiness, we seek to give them what they’re worth.
In the book of Matthew the story of the birth of Jesus was told within the political backdrop of the times. Jesus was the one prophesied to be King, but He came in the most unexpected way. And from the beginning there was a battle between His Kingdom and the false king that usurped His Throne. The challenge for us is to remove our worship from the false king and to put our worship on the true King, Jesus Christ. After all, it’s His birthday we’re celebrating. Not ours.
