When one pastor leaves and another one comes, we learn again that God’s work depends on God, not on God’s messengers. Build your life on God’s Word, not on the man who delivers it.
Text: I Thessalonians 2:1This is a sermon about a topic we rarely discuss in church. This is a sermon about doubt. As such, […]
Text: Mark 9:24The Holy Spirit brings us continually into a deeper, more profound experience of who God is. He brings more of God to us as we bring more of us to him.
Text: John 3:8We come this morning to the end of our series on I Peter. This is the 24th and final message. […]
Text: 1 Peter 5What is inner beauty that lasts and how do we get it? In today’s quest for physical beauty amidst a burgeoning population of aging Boomers who are finding it difficult to reconcile the ravages of time on their bodies, surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are seeing explosive growth in this country. This craze is not particular only to celebrities and socialites but now includes the rest of society who can afford the cost of the procedures. We all want to look good, but all external and applied adornments will fail sooner or later. The Bible puts forth a better goal of the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. There is power and value in this inner beauty that all women can acquire. Scripture gives us a solid example of such beauty in the Old Testament character of Sarah. She was a woman of recognized great beauty in her society but Scripture credits her with a greater inner beauty of character that was more commendable and precious to God, described in First Peter, chapter three. Here, all Christian women are called to be “daughters of Sarah,” to emulate her lasting beauty of character quality and attitude. Ultimately for women, the beauty of eternal value is like that which Jesus demonstrated in his submission to and hope in God, in doing what is right without giving way to fear. This is true beauty in God’s sight.
Text: 1 Peter 3:1-6Throughout history, God has grown and moved his church as his people scattered to diverse locations geographically. This pattern has not changed and believers are still called to grow and expand as a church today, whether we move across national boundaries, ethnic and cultural boundaries, or do church planting in our immediate communities. Beginning with the first generation of believers in the book of Acts, we hear of Phillip, who was emboldened and changed by the power of God as he moved out in obedience to spread the Gospel. Despite severe persecution, great joy descended on those who received the truth that came with power. In this present age, we have the account of the phenomenal growth of the church in China. In 1949 all Christian missionaries were evicted leaving less than one million indigenous believers behind. They faced relentless bloodbaths and eradication. Yet the church grew in the midst of that persecution when determined believers scattered and went underground. The challenge to believers today remains the same—to be willing to be moved out of our personal comfort zones, to walk in faith, to make personal sacrifices, and most importantly, to trust God for our personal well-being and needs.
Text: Acts 8:4-8(This particular sermon was a “tag team” effort where I preached the first part, and Pastor Bob Boerman preached the […]
Text: Various“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with […]
Text: 1 Peter 1:10-12“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us […]
Text: 1 Peter 1:3-5Sooner or later, we all have to commit ourselves regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Being a Christian means going “all in” that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
Text: I Corinthians 15:17-19