In this sermon we will discover how to make an impact on the world. In Deuteronomy 6: 6-9, we learn the way we make an impact on the world is by being obedient to the commands of God. It is through this obedience that the nations take notice and contemplate who God is. It is through this obedience that our family will begin to question who God is. Our obedience will give opportunity to make an impact on the world. Obedience is an outward work of an inner working. It is our tendency to try to impact the world by telling people about the outward work rather than the inner working. The greatest impact we can make is not through our outward works but through God’s inner working. This sermon will help us discover practical ways to heighten the inner workings of God.
reThink: Religion
Religion is a system of beliefs. Often, religion is formed around “rules” of how to be religious. Throughout our history, religion that is formed on how to be religious has disastrous results (i.e. the Crusades). This sermon will focus on the why of religion. From Deuteronomy 6:4 , we learn that we are religious because: We can trust God to be God because He loves us.
reThink: Values
Every human being values something. One value we have in common is a desire for a better future. We all want a better future for ourselves and for those we love. There is nothing wrong with this desire. There is however competition for it. Often, the problems of today keep us from a better tomorrow. The most important is exchanged for what is most urgent. In Matthew 19: 16-26, we discover a young rich ruler who was faced with this exact dilemma. We are reminded once again that the only thing that will matter 100 years from now is a person’s relationship with God. This sermon will help us rediscover our greatest value in life, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
Never Saw It Coming
Wisdom Works
Wisdom still works. Wisdom is more than possessing knowledge. Wisdom is known by what is produced by it. In Matthew 11, Jesus flips our idea of wisdom on its head. Instead, Jesus invites us into a wisdom that works. Wisdom that works is living according to what we know to be true about Jesus. Wisdom lives according to that knowledge even when what we know about Jesus is not what we see, hear, feel, or think in that moment.
Returning the Future
With the God we serve, the future is available for return. What God is calling us to do in the present has the power to change the trajectory of the future. Sometimes it is our future God wants to change. Other times, it is someone else’s future He is working to change. God knows when the direction we are headed in is destined for destruction. He will step into our present, calls us to return it to Him, and ultimately it changes the direction of the future. With God, our future is available to be returned and exchanged for a better one.
The Fate of Fatherhood
Earthly fathers will fail but our heavenly Father never will. Our earthly fathers will fail us because they are not who only God can be for us – a perfect heavenly Father. If you your earthly father has failed you remember to look to your perfect heavenly Father. If you are an earthly father give yourself the same grace God gives you. You are not called to be a perfect father. You are called to point your children to the only one who is perfect.
Vision Sunday
There is difference between finding Jesus and being filled with Jesus. In this first part of the message we explore what this means for the individual person. In the second part of the message we discuss what this might look like for us as a church to be filled with Christ.