Sun, May 07, 2023
Duration: 30 mins 23 secs
God's Spirit sets us free. We are free from the Old Testament Law, slavery to sin, and ourselves. This is good news. Our freedom allows us to live as peacemakers with others. This message reflects on Galatians 5:1.
Sun, Apr 16, 2023
Duration: 46 mins 41 secs
To make peace with others we have to take peace from Jesus. He offered his prevailing peace to disciples. When Christ is central, the troubles of this world become less threatening. They lose their ability to unravel us. We can face our anxious age with confidence. This sermon will consider three ways polarization causes peace to fail in our age, and four ways we can keep Jesus central.
Sun, Apr 09, 2023
Duration: 41 mins 19 secs
Grace gets the last word as Paul ends his friendly letter to the Thessalonians. This is as it should be: grace is the central reality of life with Jesus. We are saved by grace, live by grace, and grow in grace. And we need God's grace because we are woefully incomplete without it. Hence, Paul's prayer that believers be made whole in Jesus. Wholeness does not come from more money or children, better work or fitness, good friends or growing influence. Wholeness is found in Christ alone.
Sun, Apr 02, 2023
Duration: 46 mins 47 secs
The letter to the Thessalonians ends with a recital of house rules. He fires off the instructions to conclude this friendly letter to ensure the church remains healthy. These words address leadership, community, perspective, and discernment. These principles are still relevant for healthy churches.
Sun, Mar 26, 2023
Duration: 41 mins 10 secs
Jesus will return. He will come suddenly, but this should not surprise us. He predicted it. Paul wrote about it. In the meantime, our job is to be ready and stay steady. This includes putting on God's armor, living as a child of light, and avoiding the traps and distractions all around us.
Sun, Mar 19, 2023
Duration: 43 mins 25 secs
Loss is inevitable in this life. The longer we live the more we lose. Grief is the natural response to these losses. It is especially good to grieve when a loved one dies. However, grief must not last forever. Christians have hope in everlasting life, resurrection, and reunion with our loved ones in Christ. This sermon will encourage us to grieve well and hope better.
Sun, Mar 12, 2023
Duration: 48 mins 13 secs
If Simple Living sounds like a magazine title, it's because it is. If it sounds too easier said than done, it's because it is. Living simply is counter cultural. We live in a busy, noisy, greedy age. We want more and do more to get it. We do more and want more as a result. This is not good for Christian witness. Thus, Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians remains relevant: keep striving to live simply. We can do less, buy less, and speak less to excel more for Jesus.
Sun, Feb 05, 2023
Change is challenging. We like our routines. We get stuck in our ways. Predictable is comfortable. However, God invites us to change. The living and true God wants our full allegiance, which means rooting out idols and serving his purposes. This opening sermon in the new series will provide background to Thessalonians, Paul's gratitude for good work, good news, and good examples. And it will inspire a call to change that could turn the world upside down!
Sun, Jan 22, 2023
Duration: 36 mins 19 secs
All who are in Christ are incorporated in the church. To illustrate this, Paul loved using the body as an organic metaphor. The human body is fearfully and wonderfully made. It is comprised of many parts, working together to help us labor, play, grow, and live with others. The church should be a picture of unity in diversity. Different gifted people share a goal and an ethic in helping others know Jesus better and give Jesus their best.
Sun, Jan 15, 2023
Duration: 47 mins 36 secs
"You be you. Express yourself. Find your inner shine." These are common exhortations in our age where the individual reigns supreme. They are also at odds with life "in Christ," where our real ID comes from our relationship to God. Jesus made a way for us to join God's family. To be "in Christ" is to be a beloved child of God. Our real ID is eternal; it will outlast any earthly status. We'll talk about it today and hear from a panel on the subject.
