Christmas is the season for giving gifts, but as people of faith we often ask, “what gift could I bring to Jesus?” What are acceptable gifts in God’s eyes, anyway? And how should we understand our role as gift-givers to God between the first and second comings of Jesus? Click below to hear Pastor David’s message on Malachi 2:17-3:5, and take note of the kinds of offerings that the Lord accepts!
A Party for Jesus: Who is Invited?
Advent is a birthday party for Jesus – and an anticipation of a greater party at the end of the age! The prophet Jeremiah spoke about eternal hope for the people of God in Jeremiah 33:14-16; then Jesus himself spoke about hope for a future return of the Son of Man in Luke 21:25-28,34-36. How do these passages answer the question about who is invited to the party? Click below to hear Pastor David’s message on this subject.
What’s it all about?
Our annual “Hanging of the Greens” service took place last night. The theme this year dealt with the meaning of the various decorations and traditions surrounding the Christmas season. In this brief sermonette, Pastor David explains more about what the season is all about, based on a reading from Revelation 1:1-8.
Are you a real king?
Yesterday was “Christ the King Sunday,” the final Sunday of the church year. Next week begins the season of Advent, in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Why does it matter that we remember Jesus Christ as king? What does his conversation with Pilate in John 18:33-38a have to do with our lives today? Click below to hear Pastor David’s message on this passage.
The End!
In Mark 13:1-13, Jesus says some rather dramatic things: the Temple will be destroyed, wars will come, and his followers will be persecuted. In doing so, he uses language similar to that used by the Old Testament prophets Daniel and Isaiah (among others). What in the world was he talking about? And what does this have to do with Thanksgiving? Listen to Pastor David’s message on this passage:
The Widow’s Gift
Jesus applauded a widow who gave all she had in the temple – an event which brings back memories of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:1-16. What can these widows’ stories teach us about discipleship and outreach in service of our Lord Jesus today? Click below to hear Pastor David’s sermon on this passage from 1 Kings:
The Prime Directive
What are our marching orders as the church? What is the best summary of what God expects from us? Jesus answered this clearly in a conversation with a law expert in Mark 12:28-34. Click below to hear Pastor David’s sermon on this subject – framed in the language of Star Trek:
An Eye-Opening Experience
In Mark 10:46-52, Jesus heals a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. It’s a nice story, to be sure, but your perspective on the story – like your perspective on present-day life – makes a big difference. Walk with Pastor David through four different perspectives on this short Bible story, which is the text for this week’s sermon:
How to be Great
Have you ever asked for something truly ridiculous? Have you ever struggled for power and influence among other people? You’re not alone: James and John did the same thing in Mark 10:35-45. How should we live as grateful, thankful people in the kingdom of God, especially in light of how Jesus lived and died and rose again? Click below to hear Pastor David’s message on this passage.
Doing the Impossible
What’s the craziest impossible thing you can imagine? James Bond skydiving into a falling airplane? The Cleveland Indians winning the World Series? Jesus used the illustration of a camel going through the eye of a needle in Mark 10:17-31 – and he used that to describe a specific truth about the kingdom of God. What does his teaching say to us in our current situation? Click below to hear Pastor David’s sermon on this passage.