"Are You Really Listening?"
Pastor Jon combines several texts of scripture to illustrate the words of James 1:22 (Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself, do what it says.) From the Israelites in the wilderness to the disciples' treatment of children, we explore the human propensity to look like we're listening--without really being transformed by what we have heard.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
To the Other Side of the Tracks - October 25, 2009
"To the Other Side of the Tracks"
Text: Mark 6-8
Pastor Jon retells Mark 6-8 in broad sweeping strokes, paying particular attention to the geographical movement that Jesus makes. Based on some material by Ray Vanderlaan, this sermon explores the message that Jesus lived out--that the Highway of Holiness was to take the Gospel to the margins and fringes, that because of Jesus, the outsiders were to become insiders, and welcome to the table.
Text: Mark 6-8
Pastor Jon retells Mark 6-8 in broad sweeping strokes, paying particular attention to the geographical movement that Jesus makes. Based on some material by Ray Vanderlaan, this sermon explores the message that Jesus lived out--that the Highway of Holiness was to take the Gospel to the margins and fringes, that because of Jesus, the outsiders were to become insiders, and welcome to the table.
Made Clean from the Inside Out - October 11, 2009
"Made Clean from the Inside Out"
Text: Mark 7:1-23
Pastor Jon looks at some of the traditions of the Pharisees to help us better understand Jesus' call in Mark 7. As we seek being cleaned from the inside out, we also recognize that it's not about changing people on the outside--but introducing them to the God who can change them on the inside.
Text: Mark 7:1-23
Pastor Jon looks at some of the traditions of the Pharisees to help us better understand Jesus' call in Mark 7. As we seek being cleaned from the inside out, we also recognize that it's not about changing people on the outside--but introducing them to the God who can change them on the inside.
Recognizing Jesus - October 4, 2009
"Recognizing Jesus"
Text: Mark 6:30-56
Our text from Mark 6 shows sequences of events where people either recognized, or failed to recognize, Jesus. We are reminded that Jesus is Jesus--both when things are going well and there's plenty of food, and when the storms are raging. Our inability to recognize Jesus doesn't change His ability to see us and recognize us. Pastor Jon concludes with a challenge that we are to be the representation of Christ to the world around us... that we might be so wrapped up in Him, that people confuse our identity with His.
Text: Mark 6:30-56
Our text from Mark 6 shows sequences of events where people either recognized, or failed to recognize, Jesus. We are reminded that Jesus is Jesus--both when things are going well and there's plenty of food, and when the storms are raging. Our inability to recognize Jesus doesn't change His ability to see us and recognize us. Pastor Jon concludes with a challenge that we are to be the representation of Christ to the world around us... that we might be so wrapped up in Him, that people confuse our identity with His.
Buffet Christianity - September 27, 2009
"Buffet Christianity"
Texts: Mark 6, Amos 7
Pastor Jon takes a look at the question of "Who is Jesus?" By looking at the stories of King Herod & John the Baptist, and Amaziah & Amos, we see the great dangers of elevating ourselves above the Word of God or the Prophet of God. These stories bring us to this conclusion: If God is not Lord of our life all the time, then He's really not Lord of our life at all.
Texts: Mark 6, Amos 7
Pastor Jon takes a look at the question of "Who is Jesus?" By looking at the stories of King Herod & John the Baptist, and Amaziah & Amos, we see the great dangers of elevating ourselves above the Word of God or the Prophet of God. These stories bring us to this conclusion: If God is not Lord of our life all the time, then He's really not Lord of our life at all.
Laodicea: Learning to Rely on God - September 20, 2009
"Laodicea: Learning to Rely on God"
Text: Revelation 3:14-22
On this special "Homecoming" Sunday, Pastor Jon takes another look at the familiar passage from Revelation chapter 3. Instead of looking at each sentence as a mini-sermon, as we are prone to do, we looked at the letter as a whole unit, inside the context of Laodicean culture, geography, and history.
Text: Revelation 3:14-22
On this special "Homecoming" Sunday, Pastor Jon takes another look at the familiar passage from Revelation chapter 3. Instead of looking at each sentence as a mini-sermon, as we are prone to do, we looked at the letter as a whole unit, inside the context of Laodicean culture, geography, and history.
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