Sermons on Life with God (Page 8)
Creation and Embodied Sexuality
The series continues by looking at the first chapter: Creation. We are made in the image of God. Our bodies are part of our resemblance of God and they are good. Our sexuality reflects God in nature and is intended for God’s glory being seen upon earth, both in our being made for ‘the other’ (relational) and relating to others (intimacy). This leads us into an engagement with the very nature of God as relational and intimate within the Trinity.…
An Introduction to Embodied Sexuality
This message will introduce the entire series, engaging with cultural discussion, questions within the church, and the need for an overarching (not simplistic) biblical framework for love, sexuality, and the body. The starting point will be God’s Triune identity and the starting point of God’s definition of love, sexuality, and the body. The roadmap for the series will be shared, providing some insights into the ways in which this is an example of approaching any variety of issues biblically. Text:…
Worship in the Beauty of Holiness
The church exists to worship God “in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 96:9). The early church of Jerusalem gathered daily in the Temple courts for worship and prayer. They took it for granted that the church lives to bring praise to the Living God. The end of all human history reveals heavenly scenes of worship toward which we are moving. The church on earth lives to God’s glory and gathers as a community in worship to lift up the majesty…
A Crash Course in Christlike Living
In this longest section of the series, Paul walks through a depiction of Christlike living – “a life worthy of the calling you have received” (4:1) – framed as putting off the old self and putting on the new self (4:20-24). The old self was marked by darkened understanding and impure living. The new self is marked by renewal of the mind and holiness. Paul applies this to our internal desires, the words we speak toward others, our sexuality, and…
The Hunger to Leave a Legacy
We all hunger for success, in one form or another. A significant part of that is leaving an impact or legacy that will live beyond us. It is wonderful to leave a meaningful legacy in our lives. At the same time, that hunger for a legacy connects with our hunger for eternity. Key Passages: John 12:12-19; Psalm 78:4; Ecclesiastes 3:11 Sermon OutlinE “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in…
The Hunger for Peace
No one wants to live feeling depleted and empty. We all want to live out of a place of abundance, satisfaction and peace. We hunger to feel like our lives are on the right track and that everything is ‘right’. The biblical word for this is peace, which Scripture tells us is ultimately found in God through Jesus Christ. Key passages: John 14:25-31; 16:33; 20:19-20; Luke 1:68-79; Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15; 12:18; Matthew 5:9; James 3:18 Sermon OutlinE “Peace I leave…
The Hunger for Joy
Our culture is driven by pleasure-seeking and the pursuit of beauty. In many ways, there is nothing quite like the peaks of pleasure or the depths of awesome beauty. Yet, we often find our hunger goes unsatisfied, even when we taste pleasure and beauty. Why is that? What is it about this hunger that connects with the way God has made us and what we can find in Him? Key Texts: Genesis 1:27; Psalm 19:1; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Song of Songs…
Prince of Peace
This weekend we will explore what it means that Isaiah speaks about the Messiah as “the Prince of peace” and that Jesus says that He bestows peace upon His disciples after the resurrection. Passages: Isaiah 9:6; John 14:27; Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14-18 SERMON OUTLINE “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6b) Messiah as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus as the Messiah Who Brings Another Kind of Peace (Luke…
Faith at the End of All Things
The last chapter of Daniel looks toward the ultimate end of all things. The final words of Daniel speak of the ultimate end, peace, and one of the only glimpses on the Old Testament of the hope of the resurrection. Sermon OutlinE “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” (Daniel 12:13) Faith in Difficult Times (Daniel 12:5-7) Faith Until…
Faith in God Amidst the Beasts
The first step in Daniel’s apocalyptic vision (Daniel 7) takes him into the midst of four beasts and an encounter with the Ancient of Days and one like a Son of Man. How does our faith shape the way we relate to the raging of the nations and God’s sovereignty? Sermon Outline “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning…
Anticipatory Faith
This week takes a pause halfway through the book of Daniel, addressing the change of genres, language, and themes. The second half of Daniel exposes us to different aspects of the Bible and is an opportunity for a discipleship moment in this series. Sermon Outline Nature of Apocalyptic Literature Style of literature found in ancient Jewish and Christian literature Greek word apocalypsis means revelation Literature is not just found in the Bible Literature is filled with puzzling encounters Kinds of…
I Am Filled with God’s Power.
If we move forward with God the Father by faith in Jesus the Messiah, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. If this great power and presence of God is in us, then our identity with God is transformed tremendously. But how specifically does the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives shape our identity? Join us this week as we explore that reality. Key Passages: John 14:15-18; Acts 2:1-41; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 5:22-26 SERMON OUTLINE “Do you not know…