Sermons from 2022 (Page 5)
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the day that begins the season of Lent, a time of repentance and reflection. When we take time to worship on this day, we realize our sin and our deep need for a Savior. Sermon Text: Mark 10:17-31
Honor God
The Second and Third Commandments guide us to honor God with our words and our time: You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God and Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Although we’re made new through Jesus, our words and actions don’t always show honor and respect to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God teaches us through these Commandments how to use His name in love and respect and honor Him through setting aside…
Worship the One True God
The First Commandment God gives us is this: You shall have no other gods. God knows our hearts tend to stray away from Him. Because of sin, we find ourselves elevating things like money, careers, and talents to the position that only God can hold in our lives. Through this Commandment, God teaches us that we should fear, love, and trust Him above all other things. Scripture: Matthew 22:37, Luke 1:15-21 Sermon Text: Exodus 20:3-6
Foolproof Hope
Our culture tells us that this life is all there is. Living things are just matter, and nobody really knows what kind of spiritual life there is beyond the grave (if any). The First Century Christians in Corinth had been influenced by their Greek culture to believe something similar. They believed that when a person died their soul might float up to heaven, but that was about it. Paul said, “That is not Christianity!” He goes on to speak in…
Foolproof Gifts
Some people seem more gifted than others. They might excel in music, sports, academics, or business. Some might even some more “spiritually gifted” than others, with greater knowledge of the Bible or the ability to do greater works of service than others. The danger with all these talents is that we can forget they are gifts of grace from God. In our arrogance, we can get puffed up because of our special talents. That was happening in the Corinthians church…
Foolproof Supper
Everyone loves a good party. We love good food, games, and having fun with friends. But there is also a time to gather with others reverently to worship and participate in the Lord’s Supper. That might seem foolish to the world. It certainly seemed foolish to the early Christians in the First Century. They turned the Lord’s Supper into a drunken toga party. So, Paul used their foolishness as an opportunity to teach the proper way to celebrate Holy Communion,…
Foolproof Choices
How do you make decisions about what you will eat or drink or about what you will wear? Our culture tells us, “If it feels good do it! It’s your right! It’s your freedom!” But making decisions based only on our personal happiness can harm others. And that would be foolish. Paul sees the Corinthian Christians living like that. They were eating at pagan festivals in front of new Christians who were trying to separate from their old, pagan way…
Foolproof Marriage
One of the most important decisions we make is who, when, or if we are going to marry. Our culture teaches that marriage is about our own personal happiness. Therefore, we should choose to marry someone only insofar as that person makes us happy. The new Christians in the Corinthian church inherited that same mindset from their culture. So, Paul teaches them to look at marriage as an opportunity to sacrificially commit to another person in Christ. (Paul does talk…
Foolproof Morals
Our culture tells us that happiness comes from having the freedom to choose your own morality. To be open-minded and accepting of every lifestyle is considered a virtue. First Century Corinthian culture was the same. They were proud to say, “Everything is permissible!” But Paul shared a message with them that seemed foolish. He said that all people could “come as they are” to the Christian church, but Jesus didn’t want them to stay as they are. Christians have been…
Foolproof Followers
We are all tempted to scroll through YouTube, Facebook, or the latest podcast to find the sage who will unlock the secret to true happiness. We look to leaders who have charisma and success. We can even look at our favorite spiritual leaders in the same way. But often, we find out that those leaders are broken people with flaws just like all of us. The Corinthians fell into the same trap. They put their faith in leaders who had…