Sermons from 2021

Jesus, the Joy Bringer

Jesus brings joy and there is great joy in His birth and ministry. What is joy? How does Jesus really bring joy? How is this different from manufactured joy? How can we experience joy in Jesus? Sermon Outline “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for…

His Resurrection Brings Hope

Jesus’ second and third predictions of His death also point toward the resurrection that will come through the Messiah. This brings into focus the life that comes through Jesus to a world overcome with death. (Matthew 17:22-23;20:17-19) Sermon Outline “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” (Matthew 17:22-23) Jesus’ Three Predictions First prediction (Matthew 16:21) – in Caesarea…

His Healing by Faith

Jesus’ turn toward Jerusalem is framed by two stories of healing. This brings into focus the healing that comes through Jesus to a world turned upside-down with pain. (Matthew 17:14-20; 20:29-34) Sermon Outline “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) The Faith Problem (Matthew 17:14-20) The father and son: I want to believe The disciples: I thought I believed The teachers of the law: I won’t believe The…

His Glory Brings Joy

At the Transfiguration we receive a glimpse of the glory of Jesus that is seen nowhere else in the Gospels before the resurrection. This brings into focus the glory that comes through Jesus to a world turned inside-out with humiliation. (Matthew 17:1-13) Sermon Outline “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:5) A…

His Suffering Brings Peace

Jesus’ predicts His death the first time in an unsettling passage that makes clear redemption will come at a cost. The redemptive suffering of Jesus brings into focus how much a world needs meaning in what can often seem like meaningless suffering. (Matthew 16:21-28) Sermon Outline “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and that he must be killed and on the third day raised to life.”…

‘Naming’ Jesus

Peter boldly declares who Jesus is and this becomes the pivot of Jesus’ turn toward Jerusalem. Peter’s declaration calls us to respond to Jesus. Matthew 16:13-20 Sermon Outline “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’” (Matthew 16:13) Jesus’ First Question (Matthew 16:13-14) “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Who Have People Said Jesus Is? John the Baptist (Matthew 14:2) Elijah (11:14) Jeremiah…

Mixed-Up Priorities

Jesus is confronted by religious leaders, who again ask for a sign. He challenges their mixed-up priorities about God and life. Matthew 16:1-12 Sermon Outline “Why is it you don’t understand that when I told you, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, it wasn’t about bread? Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the leaven in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:11-12) Jesus tested by Pharisees…

Soul Food: Feeding the 4,000

Jesus feeds a crowd of over 4,000 people with near to nothing. What does that tell us about Jesus? Matthew 15:29-39 Sermon Outline “Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’” (Matthew 15:32) Jesus’ Amazing Healing (Matthew 15:29-31) Great crowds with great needs Great healings…

Jesus and the Canaanite Woman

Jesus heals an outsider, a Canaanite woman, and it shows us some very interesting things about the nature of Jesus’ mission. Matthew 15:21-28 Sermon Outline Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:28) The Request A Canaanite woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus is off duty, needing rest. Woman is a representative of Israel’s enemy; she is “other.” The Delay Jesus is…

Matters of the Heart

Jesus challenges the predictable understanding of what defiles someone and redirects attention to the heart and the interior life. Matthew 15:1-20 Sermon Outline “The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.” (Matthew 15:18) Conflict Between God’s Commands and Human Tradition (Matthew 15:1-9) The visit from Jerusalem “The tradition of the elders” Corban (qorban) Jesus the True Teacher (Matthew 15:10-20) Understanding the purpose of God’s commands Identifying what really defiles human life…

Seeking Transformation Through Jesus

This weekend wraps up MissionsFest 2021, a week-long deep dive into all things missions. Luke 4:14-21 SERMON OUTLINE Busyness vs. Transformation Losing sight of the end goal What is the end goal? Transformation in Jesus Luke 4:16-21 Integrated Transformation Our mission is to Proclaim & Embody It is a mission focused on the Spiritual and the Physical Mission lives in the tension of these two Jesus was fully man and fully God, a whole human and a whole spirit As…