Posts with the category “sermon-blog”

This Easter sermon emphasizes moving beyond religious tradition to experiencing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Bill stresses that Easter represents more than just cultural celebrations - it commemorates Jesus' death and resurrection as historical events that enable people today to know God personally, receive healing, and find purpose. He uses both scriptural evidence and contem...  Read More

When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, it was a powerful statement about the type of king and leader He came to be. This seemingly simple choice carried deep prophetic and symbolic meaning that continues to teach us important lessons today. The choice of a donkey over a war horse was intentional and meaningful:A king riding a stallion signified coming for war and conquestRiding a donkey ...  Read More

This week Pastor Lisa discusses Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, focusing on his choice to ride a donkey rather than a war horse - symbolizing his humility and peaceful intentions. The sermon emphasizes how God often chooses humble, ordinary vessels (like the donkey) to carry out His purposes, drawing parallels to how Christians today are called to carry Christ's presence int...  Read More

Jesus calls us to be both salt and light in the world - distinctive influences that preserve goodness and illuminate darkness while maintaining our unique Christian identity. This powerful teaching from the Sermon on the Mount challenges us to live differently than the culture around us. Salt in biblical times served as both a preservative and symbol of covenant relationships. As Christians, we ar...  Read More

"How to Change Your World" This week's sermon focuses on Jesus's teaching from the Sermon on the Mount where He calls His followers to be 'salt and light' in the world. Pastor Bill emphasizes that Christians are called to be in the world but not of it - maintaining their distinct identity while positively influencing those around them. Through various examples including Dwight L. Moody, Billy Grah...  Read More

The Sermon on the Mount contains Jesus' first public discourse and is considered the most well-known sermon of all time. These teachings, known as the Beatitudes, provide insights into living a blessed and abundant life - one without shame or guilt, walking in partnership with God. The Beatitudes (from Latin meaning "beautiful attitudes" or "be happy attitudes") are found in Matthew 5:1-12. They o...  Read More

This week's sermon focuses on the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. Dr. Shuler explains how these teachings provide insights into living a blessed and abundant life, describing them as 'beautiful attitudes' or 'be happy attitudes.' He emphasizes that true happiness comes from God and is deeper than temporary pleasures, contrasting with declining happiness rates in modern soc...  Read More

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego provides powerful lessons about standing firm in faith during times of pressure and persecution. These three young Jewish men faced an impossible choice - bow to a pagan idol or face death in a fiery furnace. Their response demonstrates unwavering faith and trust in God regardless of the outcome. These events took place during the Babylonian exile, when...  Read More

The sermon focuses on Daniel chapter 3, specifically the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego facing the fiery furnace. Pastor Julie draws parallels between their experience as exiles in Babylon and modern Christians navigating challenging circumstances while maintaining their our. She emphasizes how these men refused to compromise their beliefs even when faced with death, choosing to trust Go...  Read More

When Jesus encountered fishermen washing their nets after a fruitless night of work, He turned their ordinary day into an extraordinary demonstration of His power and purpose. This powerful story teaches us about faith, obedience, and God's ability to work in seemingly hopeless situations. The fishermen were washing their nets - a clear sign they had released all expectation of catching anything t...  Read More

This week's sermon discusses the biblical story of Jesus calling Peter and other fishermen to be his disciples, found in Luke 5:1-11. Pastor Bill uses this narrative to encourage believers not to give up on their spiritual aspirations and dreams, even when they feel they've exhausted all possibilities. He emphasizes how Jesus met the fishermen in their everyday work environment and transformed the...  Read More

Life often presents unexpected challenges that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and questioning God's presence. Through the story of Elisha and a widow facing dire circumstances, we discover powerful truths about how God works in our lives. The story begins with a widow whose husband, a faithful servant of God, had died. She faced losing her sons to slavery due to debt. Despite her family's faithf...  Read More

This week's sermon focuses on the story of Elisha and the widow's oil from 2 Kings 4. Through this narrative, Pastor Bill emphasizes how God uses what we already have to create miracles in our lives, rather than requiring something new. The message highlights the importance of not limiting God's blessings and being obedient to His calling, while also addressing how God can use our past experiences...  Read More

In a world seeking solid foundations, understanding how to live counter-culturally as Christians has never been more important. The concept of operating in the "opposite spirit" provides powerful insights into how we can reflect Christ's character and transform challenging situations. Operating in the opposite spirit means responding to negative situations or treatment with an intentionally contra...  Read More

This week's sermon discusses the concept of 'ministering in the opposite spirit' - responding to negative situations with positive, counterintuitive responses that reflect God's character. Using the example of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and their acquisition of the Pacific Empress Hotel through generosity, Dave Buehring illustrates how operating in the opposite spirit can transform situations and...  Read More

Living a life of faith requires understanding what truly motivates us and how God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Our motivations shape our actions, priorities, and ultimately our relationship with God. Horizontal Motivators (worldly):Fear of lossGuiltPrideHope of physical gainReputationPrestigePleasureVertical Motivators (spiritual):Having no other options but GodReverential fear of the Lor...  Read More

This week's sermon focuses on spiritual motivation and rewards in our Christian faith. Pastor Bill discusses both horizontal (earthly) and vertical (divine) motivators, emphasizing that true spiritual passion comes from a genuine relationship with God rather than external performance. He explores various enemies of spiritual passion, such as complacency and erosion of spiritual disciplines, while ...  Read More

In today's challenging world, encouragement is more vital than ever. While we often receive encouragement as children from our parents, that steady stream of support can diminish as we enter adulthood. However, both receiving and giving encouragement remains crucial for our spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Life inevitably brings moments of self-doubt, anxiety, and discouragement. During these ti...  Read More

This week's sermon focuses on the importance of encouragement in today's world and our dual role as both recipients and givers of encouragement. Pastor Bill emphasizes that while we all face moments of discouragement and self-doubt, our hope should be placed in God rather than worldly things. He uses various biblical examples and historical references to illustrate how encouragement can transform ...  Read More

Most people spend 60% of their lives working, yet many feel their jobs are too small for their spirit. There's a deeper truth we must understand - before we're called to do something, we're called to someone. Your calling isn't defined by your job title or description. These may be tools to fulfill your calling, but your true calling is eternal. As stated in Jeremiah 29:11, God has specific plans ...  Read More

This week's sermon focuses on discovering and living out God's calling in our lives. Before we're called to do something, we're first called to someone - God. Using the story from 2 Kings 6:1-7 about a lost axe head that miraculously floated, Pastor Bill draws parallels between losing one's 'cutting edge' in faith and the importance of reclaiming our effectiveness for God's kingdom. The message en...  Read More

Pastor Bill began this week emphasizing the power of faith and community in times of tragedy and loss. He briefly recounted the story of a family in our church who experienced the loss of their unborn child and how their faith and the support of their community helped them through this difficult time. This week's sermon highlighted the importance of serving others and using our unique gifts and ex...  Read More

In today's fast-paced world, particularly in busy metropolitan areas, isolation has become increasingly common. Yet, experts agree that our greatest need as humans is to love and be loved - to share life together in meaningful ways. The Bible makes it clear that isolation is unwise and that we're created for community. Proverbs 18:1 warns that whoever isolates themselves "seeks their own desire" a...  Read More

This week Pastor Bill emphasized the importance of community and relationships within the church, highlighting that we are 'better together.' He draws on biblical examples of meaningful relationships, such as Ruth and Naomi, Jonathan and David, and Paul and Barnabas, to illustrate how God uses connections to fulfill His purposes. The message encourages believers to be intentional about forming dee...  Read More

Being filled with faith means more than just believing - it requires intentional action and commitment to living like Jesus in every aspect of life. True discipleship goes beyond casual church attendance to becoming fully immersed in God's Word and ways. A disciple is more than just a follower - it means being a worshiper and servant of Jesus Christ. The word appears 269 times in Scripture, emphas...  Read More

The sermon emphasizes the importance of living a year filled with faith in 2025, aiming to become more like Jesus by the year's end. It challenges believers to be steadfast in their faith, immersed in the Word of God, and effective ambassadors for Christ. The message highlights the need for intentional discipleship, urging believers to go beyond admiration of God's work to active participation. Ke...  Read More

Spiritual and emotional maturity doesn't come automatically with age or church attendance - it requires intentional effort and discipline. Just as physical fitness demands consistent exercise, spiritual growth needs regular dedication and practice. Leaders who try to compartmentalize their spiritual life from their professional life often struggle with consistency and authenticity. True spiritual ...  Read More

This week Pastor Lisa emphasizes the importance of spiritual and emotional maturity as we enter a new year. Her sermon encourages believers to be intentional in their daily devotion to God, recognizing that spiritual growth requires discipline and consistency. Maturity does not come with age but through intentional actions and a genuine faith. Let us prayerfully consider how we might integrate our...  Read More

As we begin a new year, we have fresh opportunities to build a solid foundation of faith. Faith shapes our everyday lives and influences how we navigate each calendar year. While everyone places their faith in something - whether it's money, education, or relationships - true transformative faith comes from placing our trust in God. Hebrews 11:1 provides the clearest definition: "Faith is confiden...  Read More

In this first sermon of 2025, Pastor Bill emphasizes the importance of starting a new year with faith, viewing each year as a building block in God's larger narrative. He encourages believers to place their faith in God rather than in worldly things, using biblical examples like Abraham, Noah, and Esther to illustrate faith in action. The sermon highlights that faith is not just belief but involve...  Read More

In a world filled with distractions and challenges, understanding and fulfilling God's purpose for our lives can seem daunting. This week's sermon, delivered by seasoned missionary Mark Six, delves into the importance of discovering and completing the divine course set before us. Drawing from personal experiences and biblical teachings, Mark emphasizes the necessity of faith, focus, and perseveran...  Read More

This week's sermon reflects on the journey of faith and the importance of staying focused on God's will. Special guest Mark Six shares his personal experiences from mission trips and church planting, emphasizing the significance of being in the will of God. The message highlights the necessity of faith in overcoming life's challenges and fulfilling our divine purpose. We consider Jesus' commitment...  Read More

Christmas is often described as the most epic story of all time. From the promise given in Genesis to the fulfillment of over 300 messianic prophecies, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and His ultimate sacrifice on the cross for our sins is a narrative that transcends time. This story is not just a historical event but a personal message to each of us, inviting us to embrace a relationship with God...  Read More

This week Pastor Bill emphasizes the epic nature of the Christmas story, highlighting the fulfillment of 332 messianic prophecies about Jesus Christ. The sermon explores the struggle between good and evil, the silence of God between the Old and New Testaments, and the personal nature of God's plan for salvation through Jesus. The message encourages believers to see their lives as part of God's lar...  Read More

As we approach the end of 2024 and prepare to celebrate Christmas, it's essential to revisit the Christmas story with fresh eyes. This narrative, often rushed through, holds profound lessons that can impact our lives and the lives of those around us. Today, we focus on two key figures in the Christmas story: Joseph and Mary. Their experiences and responses to God's call offer timeless insights int...  Read More

This week our sermon reflects on the Christmas story, focusing on the key figures of Joseph and Mary. It highlights the importance of their roles in the birth of Jesus and how their obedience and faithfulness to God's plan were crucial. The narrative emphasizes that God uses ordinary people to fulfill His extraordinary purposes, and it challenges us to be open to God's calling in our lives, just a...  Read More

In our fast-paced lives, it's easy to get caught up in the mundane and miss the divine opportunities God places before us. This week's sermon delved into the story of David and Goliath, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and seizing these moments. By understanding the difference between Kronos (chronological time) and Kairos (opportune time), we can better align our actions with God's will....  Read More

This week Pastor Bill's sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities, or 'Kairos moments,' in our lives. Drawing from biblical stories, particularly the story of David and Goliath, the message highlights how God presents us with moments that require wisdom and courage to act upon. These moments are contrasted with 'Kronos time,' which is the regular passage of time. Th...  Read More

Gratitude is more than just a fleeting feeling; it's a lifestyle that can transform our hearts and minds. This week, we delve into the practical steps of living a life filled with gratitude, inspired by the teachings of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Let's explore how we can close the "gratitude gap" and truly embody a thankful spirit in all circumstances. What is the Gratitude Gap?The "gratitude gap" r...  Read More

This week's sermon focused on the theme of gratitude, emphasizing the importance of cultivating a lifestyle of thankfulness. Pastor Julie shared personal experiences and biblical stories, such as the ten lepers and King David, to illustrate the significance of gratitude. The message encourages us to close the 'gratitude gap' by practicing gratitude in practical ways, such as remembering God's past...  Read More