"listening" Tagged Sermons
What We Hear, Say, and Do
James cautions believers to be good listeners and also to be slow to speak. There is a relationship between what we hear and receive in our lives, and how that translates into the way we speak and act. Sometimes our mouths can get ahead of us. (James 1:19-25) Sermon Outline “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” (James 1:19) Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19-21) Human-ness and…
Praying Outward
This week we will explore the third movement of prayer: praying outward. We will investigate what it means to connect with others and God in prayer. We will develop what it means to pray “out” in terms of praying for others on our own, praying for others in person, and praying with others for others. (John 17:1-15) Sermon Outline “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”…
Praying Inward
This week we will explore the second movement of prayer: praying inward. We will search out what it means to connect with ourselves and God. We will develop what it means to pray “in” in terms of praying from our need (“help!”), praying about our sin (“I’m sorry!”), and praying out of gratitude (“thank You!”). (1 Kings 19:1-15a) Sermon Outline “There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What…
Praying Upward
This week will seek to provide a definition of prayer as conversation with God. Then we will explore the first movement of prayer: praying upward. We will explore praying “up” as praying praise, praying God’s character, and praying God’s promises. Silence before the greatness of God may also factor in. (Matthew 16:13-19) Sermon Outline “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15) Conversation with God: Prayer is talking and listening to God about the…
“Praise Be to the Lord” (Benedictus)
Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, finds release from his punishment of muteness with a splendid song of praise to God. Within this beautiful song of praise, Zechariah unfolds the story of salvation, reflecting John the Baptist’s unique role within it. (Luke 1:67-79) SERMON OUTLINE “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” (Luke 1:68) The Gift of Appropriate Humbling (Luke 1:5-22) The gift of discipline and silence…
Help
In Psalm 121, the psalmist is looking to the hills, and asking where his help comes from? His help comes not from the hills themselves, but from the hill that is God Himself. God helps those that say they need help, this psalm is a form of conversation convincing the reader that looking to God is possible. SERMON OUTLINE “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,…
Hearing God in the Darkness: Job’s Encounter with the Living God
Many times in the midst of suffering we ask God to reveal Himself or His truth into our lives. When God does speak to Job in Job 38:1-42:6, He reminds Job of how small he is in comparison to the greatness of God. How do we learn from Job about appropriate listening to God in the times of suffering? (Job 38-42:6) Sermon Outline “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5) Job’s longing to…
Still God
Life is noisy—metaphorically, in our busyness, if not literally. It can be hard to stop; it can feel impossible to stop, tough to deal with silence. Like Elijah, we keep running, motivated by fear and anxiety. But God says to stop and listen; God will show up not in the noise, but in the quiet. His quiet leads us into a response of faithful mission and apprenticing others. We will look at God’s questions, hearing God, having appropriate community, moving…
God Calling
Abram and his family step away from their homeland and in the midst of their everyday nomadic existence, God appears and calls Abram to a particular role in God’s grand story. This message will provide an overview of the story of God, exploration of God’s calling, and the response of faith. (Genesis 11:27-12:9) Sermon Outline “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and you father’s house- hold to the land I will show you.’” (Genesis…