Sermons by Book: Matthew
Emotional Healing
Somewhere, someone shared this thought with me -- some people heal in leaps, but others heal in layers. Listening to Heather's amazing story last week (if you haven't listened, I hope you'll take time to do so), we are beginning to build a case for just that. Some people heal in leaps, but others heal in layers. This Sunday, we'll hear another story of God's amazing grace poured out over a life and over time. And then we'll listen together to a "healing in layers" story from the life of Jesus. I hope you'll find comfort and confidence in discovering that even Jesus took time in healing others. I'll see you Sunday as we continue the journey toward learning how to be a healing community! ~ Carolyn
Topics: Emotional Healing, healing, Spiritual Healing
Freedom From, Freedom To
We know the invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation into freedom, but too often we put the emphasis on things we are free FROM. We are free FROM guilt, sin, shame ... all the bad things. Of course, it's good to let go of things that have not worked for us, but we do the greatest disservice to Christianity when we make it only a list of things we have to stop doing in order to go with God when the Christian walk offers so much more than just "freedom from." Our faith is very much a freedom TO enterprise. We do the greatest disservice to Christianity when we make it a list of things we have to stop doing in order to go with God. Paul tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. That's an invitation to explore possibilities.
So let's do that this month! Let's take a few weeks to talk about the things we are free from and how that frees us up to creatively explore all we have been set free TO. Let's look together at what freedom looks like for us especially in this season, and just imagine what God can do! Can't wait to get started!
Be Made Perfect In Love
Unfortunately, due to technical issues the April 23 sermon audio and video is not available for publication. We sincerely apologize for the gap in providing the service, and for any disappointment and frustration this has caused. Thank you for your grace as we work thorough learning new applications and equipment attached to our technical upgrades. We deeply appreciate your faithfulness in following our series of messages so closely. We appreciate you so much!
Topics: Christian Perfection
Think Missionally
This week, we begin a new series that explores the depths of our call to be a mission church. Because the Kingdom of God is missional in nature, so goes God's church. We'll begin our series with Matthew's call to follow Jesus and be his disciple. In that story, we'll discover the nature and character of the Kingdom and those Jesus chose to call his own.
Topics: Invitation, Missional Church, Missional Life
The Card Is Our Culture
Our new message series begins, and it's all about what it means to follow Jesus. This week, we'll hear the charge from Jesus himself. And you'll get to see what our ministry leaders have been working on all summer. We will introduce a discipleship tool for every age -- a card we hope will become so useful to your devotional practice and small group life that it becomes our culture.
Topics: Community, Discipleship, Doubting, Mountaintop
Are You The One?
John's death (John, as in "the Baptist") should have been the subject of a soap opera. It is the ultimate good vs. evil storyline, complete with romance and vengeance. And all because John wouldn't stay quiet about Herod's affair. But here's the thing (spoiler alert for Sunday's message): discipleship is costly, but holiness has benefits.
Topics: Confirmation, Discipleship
(Not Your) Ordinary Christmas Teaser
God's ability to orchestrate circumstances and accomplish his purposes is amazing, isn't it? Well, this Sunday's message represents one of those moments of amazement. Ten months ago, we planned this week's message with a stressful season in mind. At the time, we thought the season would simply be the upcoming holidays and all the extra that requires. Little did we know that the season we'd be in on November 1 would be THIS season. My goodness! Friends, let's talk about a better way to enter the holidays, so we can say with the saints, "Best of all, God is with us."
Topics: Joy
