SUNDAY SERMON
“Our Enemies”
Matthew 10:32-42
April 21, 2024
Jesus is the Prince of Peace but His coming into the world created conflict, not peace.
The side of the conflict that we belong to determines our eternal future.
People who acknowledge Jesus speak in complete agreement with Him.
People who disown Jesus speak words that disagree with Him.
People who acknowledge Jesus lose their lives for His sake.
People who acknowledge Jesus receive and do good to the people that He sends to us.
Who are your enemies?
SUNDAY SERMON
“Sheep Among Wolves”
Matthew 10:16-31
April 14, 2024
Jesus sent His disciples out as sheep among wolves.
Jesus instructed his disciples to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Being shrewd and innocent doesn’t prevent people from hating Jesus’ disciples.
The correct response to being hated is to stand firm.
The way that we finish is just as important as the way that we start.
Jesus’ promised that everyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Everything that is concealed will be revealed and everything that is hidden will be made known.
God is the One to fear, not people.
Those who are being saved live as sheep among wolves.
SUNDAY SERMON
“The Sign of Jonah”
Matthew 12:38-45
April 7, 2024
Jesus lived among people who could not be trusted.
They rejected the preaching and the wisdom that God sent to them.
They asked for miraculous signs at the same time that they are rejecting the message and the wisdom of God.
The parable about the evil spirits describes people who reject the message and the wisdom of God.
Our mistake is to believe that the first act of evil is inconsequential because it is very small.
God warns us to avoid small acts of evil because they invite greater acts of evil into our house.
Obedience to God’s message is our only defense against evil.
We recognize obedience to the message of God by the fruit it bears.
God saves people who hear His message, believe it and repent.
Do you believe “the sign of Jonah”?
SUNDAY SERMON
“I Will Rise Again”
Matthew 27:62-28:10
March 31, 2024
Many religious leaders believed that Jesus was a liar.
They had heard Jesus say, ‘After three days I will rise again’ and they did not believe Him.
Those who did not believe could have displayed Jesus’ crucified body and proved that He and His followers were all deceivers but they didn’t.
If the religious leaders were right then the news of Jesus’ resurrection has made this world a worse place.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples that prove just how deceptive some Christians are.
Fortunately, there are some believers who have made this world a much better place.
Was Jesus telling the truth when He said, “I Will Rise Again”?
SUNDAY SERMON
“The Road to Life”
Matthew 7:13-27
March 24, 2024
Many people want to begin the journey toward heaven but they make a wrong turn.
Only a few people find “The Road to Life.”
Some of the people who are on the wrong road are wolves who wear sheep’s clothing.
When we see someone bearing the fruit of a wolf then that person is a wolf.
When we see someone bearing the fruit of a sheep then that person is a sheep.
Prophesying in Jesus name, driving out demons in His name and performing miracles in His name are not proof that we are on “The Road to Life.”
Everyone who does evil is on the broad road that leads to destruction.
We do good when we put Jesus’ words into practice.
We find “The Road to Life” when we put Jesus’ words into practice.
SUNDAY SERMON
“Done in Secret”
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-19
March 17, 2024
God is pleased when we hunger and thirst for righteousness, not when we hunger and thirst to impress people.
God rewards people who give to the needy, pray and fast without anyone else knowing what they have done.
Secrecy is the proof that I am doing the right thing for the right reasons.
I am doing my “acts of righteousness” perfectly when people can’t tell the difference between me and the people who have not done anything at all.
God rewards those who do their good deeds in secret.
SUNDAY SERMON
“Being Perfect”
Matthew 5:38-48
March 10, 2024
I am doing evil whenever I cause someone to toil more as a result of what I have done.
Vengeance belongs to God, not to us.
When I repay evil for evil I risk rejecting God’s mercy toward me.
When I repay evil for evil I am at risk of losing the inheritance He has promised to the meek.
When I repay evil for evil I lose the privilege of being called a child of God.
Jesus called us to be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect.
We become perfect by not resisting evil people.
We become perfect by doing extra for people who make us toil longer and harder.
We become perfect by loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us.
We become perfect by doing good to everyone whether they do evil or good, whether they are righteous or unrighteous.
When we do what Jesus taught we become more and more perfect with each passing day.
Community Lenten Lunch Series Message
“The Good Shepherd”
John 10:11-17 NIV
March 6, 2024
The characters of this parable are the wolf, the sheep, the hired hand and the Good Shepherd.
Wolves attack and scatter the sheep.
The sheep rely upon the care and protection of others.
Hired hands run away.
The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
If Jesus calls me one of His sheep it doesn’t matter what the wolves say about me or what they do to me.
We follow Jesus because He laid down His life and took it up again to save sinners like us.
SUNDAY SERMON
“The Minimum Standard”
Matthew 5:17-32
March 3, 2024
It is the way of this world to lower standards in order to get what we want, but God has a minimum standard that has not changed.
How we respond to the Law and the Prophets reveals whether or not we hunger and thirst for righteousness.
We are in danger of failing at righteousness when we are angry with someone, we call someone a fool, we refuse to act to resolve disputes, we commit adultery in our hearts or we marry someone who has been divorced.
People who are satisfied with failure teach others to fail.
The number one source of corruption that destroys both righteousness and the purity of heart is believing what we have heard.
There is corruption in my heart because of the things I have heard and believed since I was a child.
People who hunger and thirst for righteousness repent when they see their own disobedience in the mirror.
The good news is that there will be people who have disobeyed who are in the kingdom of heaven.
The minimum standard for entering the kingdom of heaven is that our righteousness must surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.
People who hunger and thirst for righteousness won’t have any trouble surpassing the minimum standard.
Are you meeting the minimum standard?
SUNDAY SERMON
“The Salt of the Earth”
Matthew 5:1-16
February 25, 2024
The salt of the earth people are poor in spirit.
The salt of the earth people grieve (mourn).
The salt of the earth people are gentle (meek).
The salt of the earth people hunger and thirst for righteousness.
The salt of the earth people are merciful.
The salt of the earth people are pure in heart.
The salt of the earth people are peacemakers.
The salt of the earth people are insulted, persecuted and have evil things said about them because they agree with Jesus.
Insults, persecution and evil things said about us are painful at the time but Jesus reminds us that they are a reason to rejoice and be glad.
Salt of the light people continue to do honorable (good) deeds regardless of how badly they are treated.
SUNDAY SERMON
“A Life of Love”
Ephesians 5:1-10
February 18, 2024
Paul encouraged the Ephesians to be imitators of God by living a life of love.
Jesus showed us what a life of love is like.
Jesus lived a life of love by being a light in the darkness.
Jesus lived a life of love by avoiding being partners with children of the darkness.
Jesus lived a life of love by avoiding conversations that are out of place.
Jesus lived a life of love by speaking God’s words.
Jesus lived a life of love by bearing the fruit of goodness, righteousness and truth.
Jesus lived a life of love by doing what pleased God.
Jesus lived a life of love by dying on the cross for us.
Are you doing what Jesus did?
SUNDAY SERMON
“Who Has Believed?”
John 12:37-43
February 11, 2024
The miraculous signs that Jesus did were not sufficient to overcome unbelief.
Their refusal to believe was a fulfillment of the word of God.
God blinds the eyes and deadens the hearts of people who reject the truth.
People who see, hear and understand but do not confess their faith in Jesus perish with those who reject the truth.
Everyone who loves the praise of men more than they love the praise of God refuses to confess their faith.
I know that I am confessing my faith when people who love the praise of men treat me the same way they treated Jesus.
Do you believe God’s message?
SUNDAY SERMON
“Saved or Condemned”
John 12:44-50
February 4, 2024
Jesus brought light into the world so we can leave the darkness.
People who walk in the light see God in Jesus.
The words that Jesus spoke are the judge that will issue the verdict about our eternal future.
I am saved when the words of Jesus live in and through me.
I know that the words of Jesus live in me when I say the things that Jesus said.
Are the words of God living in you?
SUNDAY SERMON
“The Lord’s Longing”
Isaiah 30:12-15,18
January 28, 2024
The pastor of an online church was arrested and charged with fraud in Colorado for stealing over $1 million.
Both people and spirits use that truth to deceive us.
God saves people who repent.
God saves people who rest.
God saves people who are quiet.
God saves people who trust.
The goal of trust is that God can count upon me just as much as I can count upon Him.
People who bear the fruit of repentance, rest, quietness and trust receive God’s grace and compassion.
Are you receiving His grace and compassion?
SUNDAY SERMON
“Forever Without Fail”
Isaiah 51:4-8
January 21, 2024
We want to live in a safe, stable, secure world surrounded by safe, stable, secure people.
God has told us that our current problems are just the birth pains of worse things that are going to happen.
The good news is that God is coming to save us.
People who have God’s law in their hearts are the only ones who know what is right.
People who know what is right are the targets of reproach and insults just as Jesus was.
God saves those who follow Jesus in keeping His law even though they feel the fear of reproach and insults.
Will you be one of the people who drops like a fly or will you be one of those who is saved forever?
Worship was cancelled on January 14 because of severe winter weather.
SUNDAY SERMON
“Waiting Quietly”
Lamentations 3:22-33
January 7, 2024
Jeremiah lived in a time of affliction and grief that is much like our own.
Jeremiah knew that God was the solution to their dilemma.
God’s love, compassion and faithfulness are the only reason why we have not been utterly destroyed.
The Lord is good to people who do three things:
1. They hope in the Lord,
2. They seek the Lord
3. And they wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
We receive good from the Lord when we do all three even though we are bearing the yoke of affliction.
The Lord removes affliction, grief and disgrace from those who bear their yoke quietly.