Sermons on Spiritual Disciplines (Page 8)
Community
In Psalm 122, we see the need to be joyful in gathering with God’s people, because this is God’s calling to us in community. We shouldn’t look to the church to see what it can offer us, but rather we should rejoice in simply drawing near to the house of the Lord. We must resist individualism and cynicism; instead, our concern should be to worship the Lord in the place we belong. SERMON OUTLINE Joyful Arrival in Jerusalem (vss 1-2)…
Bread for the Journey
Jesus ate with His disciples in the upper room, offering a new Passover meal reflective of His sacrifice in His body and blood. The early Christian community continued to celebrate that meal, remembering the gift of Christ, encountering the Risen Lord in the meal, celebrating the new community formed, and looking forward to the final day. Key passages: Matthew 26:17-30; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 11:23-32 SERMON OUTLINE “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never…
Washed with Water
Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, His cousin, as a sign of obedience and purification before God. His disciples repeated that, both during His ministry and after His ascension. Baptism initiates us into the new community as we step forward by faith in response to God’s gracious gift of new life and forgiveness in Christ. Key passages: Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 6:1-14; 1 Peter 3:20-21 SERMON OUTLINE “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death…
Proper Confidence
Pastor Matt returns from a 3-month sabbatical to bring a message from Luke 18:9-14 on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.Maurice Ross brings a message from Luke 16:1-15 as we continue our “Stories Worth Living” sermon series on the parables of Luke’s Gospel. SERMON OUTLINE “All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14) The Situation (Luke 18:9-10) The real-life situation for Jesus’ teaching The story’s situation for…
Rewriting Debts
Maurice Ross brings a message from Luke 16:1-15 as we continue our “Stories Worth Living” sermon series on the parables of Luke’s Gospel. SERMON OUTLINE Key Question: How will you manage your resources? I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. (Luke 16:9) I. The telling of the story… many times, the lesson is just for us (Luke 14 – The Great Banquet, The…
Ready for Dinner
SERMON OUTLINE “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.’” (Luke 14:23) Dinner with Jesus (Luke 14:12-15) Jesus Invited to Dinner Jesus Challenged the Status Quo Response of Pharisee (Luke 14:15, Isaiah 25:6) Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:16-24) Invitations Sent Excuses Made Invitations: Round 2 The Banquet is a Picture of Heaven God is _______________________________ God longs to be…
Hidden Power
Visiting Pastor Stuart Briscoe brings a message on the Kingdom of God from Luke 13:18-21. After Jesus healed a woman who was “bound by Satan” a debate erupted that left the people deeply divided. Jesus took the opportunity to raise the question, “What is the kingdom of God like” and answered it himself by way of analogy. The kingdom of God is “like a mustard seed” and can be compared to “yeast…worked through dough”. Clearly some interpretation is needed! SERMON…
Empty Accounts
Key Passage: Luke 12:13-21 SERMON OUTLINE Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Dispute Brought To Jesus (Luke 12:13-15) Jesus Interrupted Living the Wrong Story Jesus and Money The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-20) Being Rich in God (Luke 12:21) The Empty Life Heart focused on Possessions Life Chasing Bigger Barns False Sense of Security A Rich Life…
The New Moses
Building from Jesus’ great Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-49) we begin to understand that Jesus comes in the tradition of the great teachers of Israel, even becoming a new Moses. He answers the questions of the religious leaders and pushes them into territory they do not understand from Luke 20. SERMON OUTLINE He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:25) Pharisees vs. Jesus Showdown (Luke 20:20-26) Pharisees…
Lord of the Sabbath
Why is it significant that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and what does that tell us about His crossroads journey? Pastor Matt brings the message from the Gospel of Luke as we start a new series, “Crossroads.” Together, we look at two significant episodes on this: Luke 6:1-11 (Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath) and Luke 13:10-17 (Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath). SERMON OUTLINE Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Luke…
Jubilee
In His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus launches His public ministry in Luke 4:14-30 by quoting from the Messianic passage of Isaiah 61. His words excite everyone, but in two different ways. Some are thrilled with the possibility of God’s favor coming to them, while others are confused to the point of anger. SERMON OUTLINE “He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” (Luke 4:21) Three Implications of Jesus and Jubilee The Polarizing Potential of…
Wilderness
Entering into the story of Israel, the Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness in Luke 4:1-13, where He is tested by the devil. His testing shows us what His way is really all about. His testing shows us how to endure the tests of the wilderness. SERMON OUTLINE “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” (Luke 4:1-2) From…