Recent Sermon Notes
July 18 and 25, 2010 - The Great Commandments
Which
kind of life do we want? A life of getting by day to day, dragging yourself through each day, going to work, to school, to
church? Or a life of adventure, knowing we're in the middle of God's plan for the universe, knowing that our lives are truly
making a difference? Jesus offers us true life, "life abundant",
if we will walk with him. But it's a huge commitment to walk with Jesus. He tells us that to walk with him each day, we must
love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourself. These are the two "keys" to the door of true life.
Loving God committing ourselves to him first of all, more than anything else in our life. Through conversation and "being
with" God (prayer, Bible study) we maintain that love relationship with him. Then out of that love relationship, we can
love our neighbor. Love for our neighbor is a commitment to do what's best for the other person. Our "neighbor" may be a family member, class mate, coworker, or anyone else whose life touches ours. Our
mission each day is the bless the people around us, as Christ's representatives. In future weeks we will continue to
expand on how to maintain love for God, and practice loving our neighbors.
June 13, 2010 - God's Justice
When horrible things happen
to us, to those we love, or to innocent people around the world, our hearts cry out to God, "Where is justice?"
God is truly just, whether we see it or not. Scripture teaches us some things to do in the face of injustice or hurt.
First, confess the hurt aloud, feel it truly, face it square in the face. But then, don't retaliate; leave the vengeance
in God's hands. Then determine to go out and do good. (Psalm 37:1-4). Bless others' lives, be God's hands,
feet, and voice to bless the people around you. If someone is hurting, you help them. Don't just pray for God to help
them; God wants to use YOU to help and bless those around you. Finally, forgive the one who's hurt you. Let it
go, determine to let God deal with the person who's done wrong, and release the person from any obligation to you. In
this way, we experience God's healing and strength to move on with our lives, and we become agents of God's justice, instruments
of God's peace.
June 6, 2010 - Baptism and Holy Communion
Baptism and Holy Communion are two sacraments God has given as gifts to his Church.
Sacraments are natural things which God uses in supernatural ways. In baptism we are united with Christ, formally adopted
into God's family. The power of the sinful part of our nature is cut off; and we "put on" Christ, as a new set of
clothes, so that Christ is now visible (spiritually) to those around us. Baptism protects us from Satan's attacks, because
we are now God's children and God is our defender. Holy Communion is also a source of spiritual strength for us. In
Communion, our body becomes one with Christ's body, and Christ's blood flows through our veins with ours. From a child's
viewpoint, Communion is our spiritual "vitamins" to give us strength and health. In Communion we take the
very life of Christ within us.
May 23, 2010
- The Holy Spirit's Armor
On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit
came to live inside believers. No longer is the Spirit of God with us; he is in us. His presence in us brings gifts and strength
from God far greater than what anyone in Old Testament times had available to them. One of the blessings the Spirit gives
us is spiritual armor. St. Paul instructs us to "put on" this armor; just as we put on our clothes each morning
to prepare for the day, we need to put on our spiritual armor, consciously and deliberately. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians gives us great word pictures for arming
ourselves, but in short, we need call to mind the Scriptural truths God has been teaching us. We need to remember our right
standing with God, because of Christ, unaffected by our own failings and shortcomings. We need to walk in peace, which is
our most effective testimony to the world. We need to remember God's promises and recommit ourselves to them in faith. If
we will do these things, we will walk strong in the Lord each day.
May 16, 2010 - Our Enemy the Devil
We've been talking
this season about living courageously because Jesus has been raised from the dead, and because by that same power we are being
raised to new life too. We need this courage because we are in battle; we are in the middle of spiritual combat every day
of our lives. Our enemy the devil, Satan, tries to shoot us down by making us believe lies; by leading other people to say
or do hurtful things to us; by tearing down our hope and faith; by causing the wrong thing to happen at the worst time possible.
St. Paul confronted the devil in a young girl in Philippi, who was ruining his ministry there. Like Paul, we need to be angry
at the devil, not the people the devil is using. And we need to take authority over the devil, by knowing and speaking the
truth of the Bible, by coming to church and strengthening our faith, by never letting our guard down against the temptations
and attacks that we know will come. We should be courageous, because Jesus has overcome the world; the victory is his, and
ours.
May 9, 2010 - What's Your Dream?
Many times we have a dream for our life, but we abandon it when the going gets hard, or when
others are not supportive. St. Paul had a dream to bring the message of Jesus to the world, and see lives transformed
by God's love and the courage that comes from Jesus' Resurrection. He lived his dream for awhile, but then a time came
when no one responded to his message at all. It seemed like his dream was at an end. Then God gave him a new dream: Go to
Macedonia. Macedonia was a complete change for Paul, a different culture, a different part of the world. But Paul
took the chance and went to Macedonia. The result? Over time, the entire country of Greece became Christian! God was
faithful to bless Paul's life and ministry, when Paul was faithful to his calling and his dream from God. What dreams
do we have for our lives? Are these dreams based on God's calling in our lives? Let's be faithful and courageous, moving ahead
toward our dreams with confidence in God, not letting people or circumstances discourage us.
April 25, 2010 - Recognizing God's Voice
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me." Back in Jesus' day, shepherds
would often feed their flocks of sheep together. At the end of the day each shepherd would call his sheep to put them in the
pen, and the sheep came to their own shepherd because they recognized their shepherd's distinctive voice and call. Jesus
says if sheep can learn to recognize their shepherd's voice, we can learn to recognize God's voice. There are many voices
in our heads. The "child" voice, or the "flesh", says "Me, me, me, my way, my wants, take care
of me." The "parent" voice says "Bad you, you're shameful, you'd better not try anything new, never
risk failure." Our own voice cries out, "I don't know what to do!" But God's voice speaks to us too.
God's voice is still, and small, and assuring: "Go this way. Be strong and courageous. Love fearlessly. Set your
worry aside. All will be well." We must learn to recognize God's voice, the voice of the Holy Spirit in our minds
and hearts. God's voice will calm our hearts, heal our hurts, and set us on the right path. It may take some trial
and error, but we can learn to recognize God's voice.
April 18, 2010 -Do You Love Me?
Jesus,
after being raised from death, confronts Peter three times with the question, "Do you love me?" Jesus and Peter
had been best friends, blood-brothers; yet Peter had denied knowing Jesus when his friendship was needed the most. Now
Peter has the chance to renew his relationship with Jesus. Jesus also has the same question for each of us: "Do
you love me?" Do we put God first in our lives? Do we seek to honor God by the way we live? Do we take time
to be with him in Bible reading and prayer? Do will follow his command and example by loving our husband/wife?
Our neighbor? Our enemy? "Love" doesn't mean romantic feelings, it means doing what's best for the other
person, treating him with respect as if he truly matters and has value.
April 11, 2010 - The Resurrection Changes Everything
In appearing to his disciples after being raised from the dead, Jesus showed his disciples
that death is no longer to be feared. We can be courageous in fulfilling our destinies. What is our destiny?
Jesus told the disciples, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Our destiny is Jesus' destiny: to bless
the world. Jesus came to fulfill God's promise to Abraham that "through your seed (descendant) all the peoples
of the world will be blessed." Jesus' purpose was the bless the world, by bringing hope, joy, healing, courage,
purpose to people's lives. We have that same mission, to courageously reach out and bless our family, friends, coworkers,
school mates, bringing them strength, truth, courage, hope -- with no fear of what will happen to us, because Jesus lives!
April 4, 2010 -
When a Terrible Friday became the Best Friday
The most
terrible Friday in history was the day Jesus, God-in-the-flesh, was betrayed and abandoned by his friends, and was killed
cruelly on the cross. Yet we call this day "Good Friday." Why? Because Friday, the day of crucifixion, isn't
the end of the story. We too experience times of being crucified, either because of our own sin, or suffering at the
hands of a cruel world even when we've done the right thing. It feels like friends, family, and God have abandoned us.
Then comes Saturday, the middle time, the time of waiting, of continuing to die. This is the hardest time to hold on
to faith and hope. But if we hold on, Sunday comes. On Sunday the Father raised Jesus to life again, transforming
that terrible Friday into something good. The Friday of Jesus' death becomes the occasion for destroying death, for
breaking the prison walls of death. Death no longer holds us captive. What men meant for evil, God meant for good. St.
Paul promises us "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord." Easter Sunday is the prime
example of this promise at work. And the promise holds true for us as well. Our personal crucifixions will turn
out for good because God is good.
