Sermon
Sermon August 1, 2021
Standup and Walk
it has become the cornerstone.
Sermon August 1, 2021
Acts 4:1-22
The man healed in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth needed to do something he had never done before, to stand up and walk. The formerly lame man leaping and praising God created a problem for the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They had ancient traditions and accumulated power. They recently pressured the Roman governor to crucify Jesus. Not only were people now talking about Jesus' resurrection, they themselves were witness to a man that had been lame for over 40 years being healed in Jesus' name.
Jesus disrupted the Jerusalem religious establishment by proclaiming the kingdom of God, acts of healing and compassion, and decrying the abuses of the religious leaders. Now Jesus followers were doing the same thing.
The formerly lame man could have returned to his stretcher and begging, but he didn't. If we have been set free of sin and death, we too must enter into the new life this makes possible.
Sermon July 25, 2021
Now I See It!
whom you see and know; and the faith that is through
Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
Sermon July 25, 2021
In faith, as in life, we not only need accurate information, but must also know what it means.
The people in Jerusalem who watched Peter and John heal the lame man in Jesus' name came to a number of faulty conclusions. Seeing this healing, they thought Peter and John had healed them, something Peter quickly credited to Jesus. Prior to this, the crowds in Jerusalem had cried for Jesus to be crucified, not comprehending who Jesus truly was. The crowds were used to the ordinary, not the extraordinary power of God.
Peter calls for them to repent, to have a change of heart and faith, their sins to be wiped out, and enter into a time of refreshment that comes from the presence of Jesus.
Scripture: Acts 3:11-21, 26
Sermon July 18, 2021
Expecting too Little
in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”
Sermon July 18, 2021
As Peter and John were heading to the Temple to pray, a man lame from birth asked them for alms. Peter explains that he doesn't have any cash, but he will give him something far better - healing of his life-long infirmity.
We are often tempted to settle for far less than God offers. Rather than going through the motions, what would happen if we take the steps God is already leading us toward?
God's plan is to make us "new" people, not just better people.
Scripture: Acts 3:1-10
Sermon July 11, 2021
Boundless Love
they would sell their possessions and goods
and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Sermon July 11, 2021
Sermon July 4, 2021
The Gift that Keeps Giving
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
so that your sins may be forgiven;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Sermon July 4, 2021
It is a shame that the Christian faith is often considered predictable and boring. Instead, it is a great adventure as the Holy Spirit works in us and through us, not just for our own sake, but for God's purposes and presence in the world.
Worship June 20, 2021
Father's Day
and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice,
because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life;
he was lost and has been found.’”
Father's Day June 20, 2021
We often mistake Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son as being about the wayward son returning home. Instead, Jesus' parable is about the father who celebrates the return of his son, who had insulted and rejected him and his values. It is a parable of the great hope we have in God's faithful love and grace, that we can return home to our Heavenly Father who welcomes us.
The preacher this Sunday is Rev. Richard Black.
Pastor Black is no stranger to our congregation. In years past, Pastor Black preached at our church a number of times, and Pastor Paul has preached for him at Westminster Towers. It is wonderful to welcome him and his wife Midge (Margret) to share God's word with us on Father's Day.
Pastor Black served as a chaplain with the Marines in Vietnam, and later retired as a Navy Captain. This iconic photo was taken of him at Con Thien in September 1967. He later served as the Chaplain at Westminster Towers.
Worship June 13, 2021
Fresh Start
in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 2:38
A fresh start is a great gift that we all need. Being human, we all make mistakes, and need the opportunity to start fresh. Peter preaches to a crowd of devote Jews that were gathered in Jerusalem, revealing that Jesus' crucifixion was the end, but only a new beginning in His resurrection. They were cut to the heart and cried out, "What must we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and you will receive the Holy Spirit."
Repentance is more and better than a fresh start, it is a fresh start in the right direction rather than repeating the same mistakes hoping for a different outcome.
Worship June 6, 2021
I See it Now!
that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,
this Jesus whom you crucified.
We often assume that God agrees with us, instead of our seeking God's will. As a result, we often miss God's greatest purposes and blessings.
Those who called for Jesus to be crucified thought that they were serving God by getting rid of Jesus, who was interrupting many of the things they thought were so important. The great news is that God gets his way, and not only was Jesus raised from the dead, but God made him both Lord and Messiah.
May we discover new and abundant life as we seek God’s will, rather than our own, not that we get our way, but that God get’s his.
Worship May 23, 2021
I See it Now!
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God,
and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
he has poured out this that you both see and hear.
Sometimes the thing we need most is right in front of us. Unfortunately, what we think we know often obscures what we most need to know.
When Peter preached after receiving the Holy Spirit, he had the difficult task of helping people to see something that was right in front of them - Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Peter uses the Prophet Joel and the Psalms to show how Jesus, including his death and resurrection, was the fulfillment of Scripture.
What would it take to reveal to us something amazing about Jesus?
Worship May 23, 2021
Who? Me?
and began to speak in other languages,
as the Spirit gave them ability.
Jump to Scripture and Sermon: https://youtu.be/zBs5t3U7idM?t=323
Pentecost is often referred to as the birth of the church. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus instructed his disciples to remain in Jerusalem where they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. But Jerusalem was just the starting point. From there Jesus said that they will be his witnesses spreading into Judea and Samaria, and from there to the ends of the earth.
This is a big step for a group of previously fairly ordinary fishermen, tax collectors, and other common people. They had followed Jesus for three years as his disciples, but having received the Holy Spirit, Jesus sends them out to continue his work of the kingdom of God.
Our knowing about Jesus is a testimony to the Holy Spirit empowering ordinary people over the centuries to do God's extraordinary work.
God's purpose for each of us is to live and speak the message of Jesus, not to sit in a pew. There are no Christians on the sidelines.
