Sermons on Church (Page 3)

Confusion Among the Nations: The Tower of Babel

This message will focus primarily on the story of the Tower of Babel and how it sets the stage for the confusion of the nations and separation of peoples based in the vain pride of humanity. The message will point toward God’s intervention in Abraham and through that toward the need for Christ. (Genesis 11:1-32) Sermon Outline “Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (Genesis 11:7) The God-displacing Efforts of Disordered…

Living Hope

Along with some final greetings, Paul’s last segment of this letter gives us some basic exhortations to living our hope out in everyday life as God’s new community, the church. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28) SERMON OUTLINE “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Living as the Good Community of God (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15) Acknowledge those who serve Warn those who are idle Encourage those who are…

A Reset in Light of the Future

This week we want to talk about the importance of encouraging one another until Christ returns. This is a long haul and keeps us looking forward together as a community. We have so many examples of this in the ‘hall of faith’ of Hebrews 11. SERMON OUTLINE “Let us consider how we may spur one another on… and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) The Challenge of Time in Our Day The challenge of coming…

A Reset on Gathering

During a time when it has been difficult to meet together, we want to encourage people to meet together in person again for weekly worship. SERMON OUTLINE Gathering Together to Worship In the Old Testament God’s idea, God’s command Festivals at temple in Jerusalem Psalm 100, the reset psalm Synagogues In the New Testament Jesus’ insistence on it “Wherever 2 or 3 of you are gathered…” (Matthew 18:20) “I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18b) Institution of the Lord’s Supper…

A Reset on Service

We are called toward love and good deeds. We are a body and a team. We want to help everyone find avenues for serving within the church and beyond the church. SERMON OUTLINE “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…” (Hebrews 10:24) A Reset on Our Concept of the Church The church as an event or a consumer activity Last week: the church as a family who loves one another This week…

A Reset on Love

We are called to “spur one another one to love.” That means we are a family, a community, and we need to learn to live in that way together. SERMON OUTLINE “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) A Reset on Our Image…

“I believe in the holy Christian church, the communion of saints.”

This series walks through the Apostles Creed as a basic summary of our faith but also as a way to live our faith out with God in the world. Each weekend of this series will explore the biblical and theological roots of the Apostles Creed, while also providing specific spiritual practices and approaches to living out what we know as we ‘proclaim and embody’ the Creed in our daily lives. This week focuses on the phrase, “I believe in the…

The Woes of the Religiously Misguided

We explore the seven woes that Jesus speaks against the religious establishment and Jerusalem itself. (Matthew 23:1-38) Sermon Outline “So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:3) Three Critiques of Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees (23:1-6) They are inconsistent (23:3) They burden people (23:4) They are concerned with appearances and reputation (23:5-6) A Contrast for Jesus’ Disciples (23:8-12)…

Questioning Jesus

The religious leaders ask Jesus three forceful questions, based on their own religious perspective. Jesus answers their questions and responds with another question. (Matthew 22:15-46) Sermon Outline “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’” (Matthew 22:35-36) Questions and Jesus The context of the questions: “the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words” (Matthew 22:15) Question 1: Pharisees – “should we…

The Withering of the Old Ways

Jesus cleanses the temple and causes a fig tree to wither. Jesus’ authority is questioned by the religious leaders and he responds by stonewalling them. What does it mean that Jesus has come with authority? (Matthew 21:12-27) Sermon Outline “Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered.” (Matthew 21:19) Jesus Overturning Tables (21:12-17) Jesus…

To Live as One for the Sake of the World

The church is called to live as one for the sake of the world. As Archbishop William Temple once said, “The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its non-members.” (Hebrews 10:19-25) Sermon Outline “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest…