Sermons
Breaking Idols: “Hope”
What is the hope for the world? Most, if not all, would agree that we live in a world of turmoil. Some might go so far as to describe their experience of the world as evil—a pro...
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In Spirit & In Truth: “Mercy”
Worship of God is never separated from our relationships with people. Yet, within our sinfulness, human beings will often attempt to claim a love for God even as we exploit His ...
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In Spirit & In Truth: “In the Spirit”
Again, holistic worship involves our treatment of both God and his people. This is especially true within the body of Christ. Our confession of Christ cannot be simply lip servi...
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In Spirit & In Truth: “In the Spirit”
God’s original creative purpose for the world is for it to be His temple. As the gospel of Jesus moves out to the nations right to the ends of the earth, no longer is worship li...
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In Spirit & In Truth: “Living Sacrifice”
This is an essential connection between offering a sacrifice and the worship of God. Sacrifice is pictured in the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis and culminates in the book of...
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In Spirit & In Truth: “Hear”
Too often “worship” is viewed as a duty that must be carried out by us. At the same time, it is not very clear just what worship is or why we should do it. By examining Israel’s...
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Good News For The Poor: “Disrupted Discipleship”
It is always tempting to try to dictate the terms of our own discipleship. Of course, if we actually did this, what we would have wouldn’t be discipleship. No, true discipleship...
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Good News For The Poor: “Sent Home Filled”
Too often we make a separation between physical and spiritual hunger and fulfillment. Jesus doesn’t indulge our “either/or” dichotomy. Rather, he desires to fill all people with...
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Good News For The Poor: “Untrained Faith”
What does a faith (trusting, committed, belief that leads to action) that saves look like? Do we turn to a Mother Theresa or a Martin Luther King Jr.? Jesus and Luke turn to a p...
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Good News For The Poor: “Religiously Disturbed”
Who are the people that are automatically rejected in our thinking? In Jesus’s day these were the tax-collectors. Betrayers of their own people and collaborating with the foreig...
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Good News For The Poor: “An Unexpected Catch”
The medium is the the message. This well known axiom reminds us of the importance of how we communicate, not just what. So, it is no accident that Jesus, who has a message of go...
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Good News For The Poor: “Winning the Unpopular Vote”
God in his grace comes to the poor and the needy with salvation. But, are we prepared to view ourselves in these terms? Are we prepared to embrace The Suffering Servant of the L...
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Fish Tale: Gaining Perspective
Just as we can’t always predict the route, we can’t always predict the outcome. Disappointment with God is something we all will struggle with. However, God is willing to help u...
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Fish Tale: The Rocky Road of Repentance
Fact and fiction weave together as God’s people seek to come to him. Repentance is not done to a set formula but is crafted to individual need.
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Fish Tale: Unusual Return
Sometimes God’s plans and our human wills do not have a “point a to point b” format. God may need to get our attention in unusual ways. But, even if it smells like fish, God’s g...
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Fish Tale: You Can Run But You Can’t Hide
God is not always a comforting presence in our lives. Scripture is very clear that his ways are not our ways. The result of all this is that we will not always receive his call ...
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Prodigal God: The Reason, New Life
Everything belongs to us and can be ours if we wish it. But, it cannot be held hostage, to be used as a tool to keep others out. Life from the dead has occurred, we must celebra...
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Prodigal God: The Response, Grace = Judgement
Shouldn’t sonship only be for those w h o a r e deserving? Shouldn’t it only be for those who have put in the work a n d p r o v e n t h e i r reliability? No. God’s grace is fo...
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Prodigal God: The Restoration, Shameful Grace
At the moment we are ready to face justice, we are confronted with a grace so abundant we have no words for it. If we will only turn to God a little he will carry us the rest of...
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Prodigal God: The Return, Waking up
Death is not the final word. If we long for life we can have it. If we long for God we can have him. Somehow we know — even when things are darkest—that we can come home. If you...
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