"sin" Tagged Sermons
The Pruned Life
This week explores the pruning work of God necessary for fruitfulness in our lives. (John 15:2, 6; Psalm 1:4) Sermon Outline “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2) Pruning as Cleansing for Fruitfulness The word means cut “clean” and implies healing Jesus’ word is the pruning tool that cuts clean What about the branches that don’t bear…
The Fall, Part 2
This week will explore the series of “curses” placed upon humanity and creation as a result of the Fall into sin. The nature of sin, separation from God, judgment, and death are vital here. This message should also explore the Christological implications of the curse and the future looking nature of this portion of Genesis. (Genesis 3:14-24) Sermon Outline “So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.”…
The Fall, Part 1
This week will turn the corner into chapter 3 with attention to the story of the Fall, original innocence and the entrance of sin, the nature of evil and where it came from, shame and guilt, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Connect with the discussion of the two trees of Genesis 2 and verse 25 about shame and vulnerability before God. (Genesis 3:1-13) Sermon Outline “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the…
Jesus on Sin and Forgiveness
Jesus addresses how we deal with sin and conflict in the church, pairing it with a parable on forgiveness and showing mercy to others. (Matthew 18:15-35) Sermon Outline “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” (Matthew 18:15) Sin, Confrontation, and Community Life (Matthew 18:15-17) Sin and pointing it out A pathway for pointing sin out The goal of pointing…
Soft Hearted
Disobedience hardens us to God, so we are called to obedience, turning from sin, and keeping our hearts soft toward God. SERMON OUTLINE “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:12) Hearing God’s Word Today (Hebrews 3:7a) “as the Holy Spirit says” An Example Not to be Imitated (Hebrews 3:7b-11) Background: Psalm 95; Exodus 17; Numbers 14 Hardening of the heart An aside about…
Fall and Embodied Sexuality
This message explores the ways in which all of creation has been impacted by the Fall into sin, including our bodies, love, the chance for a more-thoughtful engagement with the questions of singleness and what it means to live for God’s glory in the body as a single Christian. This message will address topics such as: do you need to be married to be fulfilled or ‘complete’?, how do you deal with singleness after divorce or the death of a…
Prayer of Repentance: David
David’s adultery with Bathsheba leads to a rebuke from the prophet Nathan. David, this ‘man after God’s own heart,’suddenly finds his life crashing down because of his sin. We can learn from David’s prayer of repentance how we also might turn to God in prayer when we sin. Key Passages: 2 Samuel 12:15-23; Psalm 51 Sermon OutlinE “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my…
Lead with the Left: Ehud
The story of Ehud in Judges 3:12-30, “a left-handed man,” captures our imagination, but is striking culturally because left-handedness was a sign of weakness, possibly even physical defect. He does what is unexpected to win the day for God’s people under their oppression by Eglon, king of Moab. What does it look like to lead out of what is seen as weakness for unexpected victory? SERMON OUTLINE “Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a…
Overcome
Jesus’ trials threaten to overcome Him, but they actually become a way of life and victory as Jesus overcomes death and sin. Jesus tells His followers that they will suffer like He suffered, but that He will turn their grief to joy and fill their trials with peace. What does it all mean? What are we to do with these particularly unpleasant – even painful – portions of Scripture? (John 15:18-25; 16:16-33) SERMON OUTLINE “In this world you will have…