Series: Advent

Sermon Date: December 12, 2021

The darkness of evil which seems to grow among us is bad. But it also means the day of Christ’s return drawers nearer. The good news is that evil and Satan have already lost. The victory over sin, death and the devil are ours in Christ, now, today!

Promises of God:

Isaiah 42:16. “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”

Acts 26:17-18. “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

Sermon Date: December 5, 2021

Life blenders; what are we putting into them? What is coming out of the mix?

Galatians 5:19-26
¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

1. Stirred for Mission
2 Timothy 1:6-10, Living Bible
“I want to remind you to stir into flame the strength and boldness that is in you…For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.”

2. A Stirring of Repentance
Mark 1:15-16
“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

3. Stirred for Assurance
Hebrews 10:22-24
“… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works …”

Sermon Date: November 28, 2021

Jeremiah lived and brought God’s message to His people about 600 years before the birth of Christ. Because we remember the birth of Christ, I am including two prophecies of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 23:5-6
“The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”

Jeremiah 33:15-16
“In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”

We live between two Advents. We await the second when Jesus returns and His bride, the Church will dwell in heaven with Him eternally.

Sermon Date: December 20, 2020

God did something new in Mary and Joseph’s life with the announcement of the virgin birth of Jesus — Savior! God continues doing new gospel things in our lives everyday and provides opportunities to give a new gospel hope to others.

(See Luke 1:28-35, 38; Matthew 1:21-23; John 3:16-19; Psalm 63:1-8)

Sermon Date: December 13, 2020

Receiving the Gospel of Christ and dressing in His love we then can enter the lives of others who are afraid, anxious, angry and feel despair. This gift of God is for all. May we pass it on.

Sermon Date: December 6, 2020

The sermon is based upon Hebrews 4:12-16
This season of life we are experiencing is daunting, devastating and deadly. But in all this we have the Gospel of Jesus who brings comfort, peace, hope and love for all and the big picture of everlasting life with Jesus. May we be about the business of sharing with one another as the day of the second coming is promised.

Additional Bible passages to have on hand:

• John 6:63;
• Romans 6:8-11;
• John 1:1-4;
• Luke 8:11;
• Romans 1:16;
• 1 Peter 1:23;
• 1 Corinthians 1:18;
• Jeremiah 1:9-10;
• John 19:30;
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13;
• Psalm 139:1-3, 17, 23-24;
• Psalm 119:49-50; 57-59, 64;
• Jeremiah 17:9-10, 14;
• Ecclesiastes 3:10-11a.

Sermon Date: November 29, 2020

Being a cracked-pot for God, the Master Potter who sees value in what His hands can make or repair for the times we live in. I refer to a Japanese art work of taking broken pottery and making something new and useful from the pieces. It’s called “Kintsugi” which you may google or check on Youtube for visual description.