Marriage Vows

Ok, I am playing catch up with getting these audio sermons online. I have had many people comment about how much they appreciated this series, and several have asked why the last couple are not online yet. So here you go.

I might mention that this 4th sermon in the Marriage series focuses on the covenant of the marriage vows. In it we look at the famous Love chapter I Corinthians 13. Those who have been married for a few years can look back and see how things are different than what they were when they stood before the altar and made their vows. What does it mean to keep those vows even when you simply don't feel like it. How do we define Love?

Silent Stranger

This sermon series takes a look at the life of Jonah, the run-away prophet. Are we trying to run the opposite direction that God wants us to go in life? Are we living in fear of some of the obstacles in front of us? How can we learn to face those situations with faith rather than fear.

Harry Emerson Fosdick said it very well, "Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable - and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God."

Intentional Faith Development

This sermon takes a serious look at out understanding and commitment to growing our faith. Faith is more than just believing in an invisible God. Faith gives us purpose and empowers us to understand why God created us. While this sermon focuses on faith development it reverberates with a feeling of purpose. By growing in faith we find our God given purpose.

In all honesty we must admit that there is not such thing as a graduation certificate in faith. Even with a Masters or Doctorate in religion we can never know and understand everything about God.
With that understanding we can look at our faith as a set of stairs leading toward a closer relationship with God. Each step is different, longer, higher, shorter, wider. Sometimes it is difficult and sometimes it comes easy. The whole key to growing in faith is just to keep on climbing, never be content with where we are.

Armed and Dangerous

This sermon draws the lines of connection between the spiritual world and our our daily lives. Each of us face days when trials overwhelm us. Each of us encounter trouble in relationships or situations. What is it that is really coming against us, and how can we have the strength to overcome those difficult times? How well dressed are we for the Spiritual battle that we face in this world on a daily basis?

The Day of Salvation

This sermon is an exciting venture as we compare our Christian lives to the Titanic. We like our luxury liner, but find out the only way to make it to the other port is to abandon our life and get on the life boat called "faith in Christ." This analogy is powerful and exciting as I draw in the responsibility of fathers to their children like unto Paul's sacrificial giving of himself to the early church.

Grasping for Straws

In this sermon we look at the roots of faith that hold us firm in the face of life's challenges. Specifically I address graduates and challenge them to remain grounded in their faith. The analogy of the plant continues in this message to look at our spiritual health and ability to produce the harvest of faith. I pray we all take a moment to look at the foundation of faith in our own life. Does it need a little tending?

Loves that Lives

This second sermon in the series looks at the need for a newly planted seed to be watered. Water is what nurtures the seed to germinate, grow and produce fruit. Without water the seed would die.
The same is true for our spiritual lives. Not only are we called to grow and bear fruit, but we are also called to water the lives of those around us with the love of God so that they can grow up in the faith.
As we look as this sermon on Mothers day it is appropriate to compare the love of a mother and the way it helps a child grow and mature, with the love of God that we experience in those around us.
Let us go forth and share the living water of Christ with the world.

Good Soil

This sermon is the first in the Thrive Series. We begin by looking honestly at the soil of our heart and recognizing our need to be a soft fertile soil in order for the word of God to bring forth the fruit that God desires for us. The seed itself does not change, but the condition of our hearts must change.
Then finally we must accept the challenge to participate in preparing the soil (hearts) of our community. The harvest is bountiful.

What to do?

In this message we encounter Jesus as he reassures the disciples that he is risen. They were wondering what they were supposed to do now that Jesus had been crucified. I believe Jesus gave them the answer and that it is the same answer he would give us today. "Be a Witness."

Confessions of a Doubter

Doubt is an implicit lack of hope or faith. Doubt runs many lives and drowns us in absolute despair. Thomas doubted Jesus and found that his doubt turned into seeds of new faith.
This last week there were a lot of people who initially doubted Susan Boyle, and in the same way their doubt turned into amazement. There is nothing wrong with doubt itself unless we allow it to become our deathbed of despair. Instead our goal is to make it our hope for the future and the seeds of new faith in our life.

Only One Conclusion to Make

This Easter message focuses on the original ending of the Gospel of Mark. Why did Mark end his message of hope without seeing a risen Christ? What was his intent and who was he writing to? Does his message still apply to us?
The last sentence ends with the women being afraid and not telling anyone. Are we those women; afraid to tell others about the good news?

The Religious Bailout

In our current economic situation this message connects the dots to help us understand that we are in an even greater spiritual crisis. The good news is that God has paid a great price to provide a bailout package that will cover all the cost of sin.
The central message in this sermon is that we need to take advantage of God's offer in Jesus Christ.
Although this message is presented in a fun parody on recent government press conferences, it is very serious in the need of all people to claim their personal and spiritual bailout package from God. If you have never made Jesus your personal lord and savior, at the end of the message there is a short prayer that you can pray that will begin your personal faith journey in accepting the great measure of God's love and grace for yourself.

Infinite Love

This sermon continues our study into understanding how God calls us to be his people, his church, and his community of faith. It challenges us in our understanding of "reaching out" with Gods love. It reminds us to love the stranger and treat them as if they were one of us.

The message has a special appearance from Buzz and Woody (Video clip) and reminds us that our first reaction to the stranger is not always what it should be. We need to step back and remind ourselves to love others as God loves us.

Beyond Doubt

This is a creative message shared by two of the main characters in the movie Toy Story. Woody and Buzz meet for the first time and discuss change, faith, doubt, and whether or not Buzz can fly. The summary is that no one can fly if they never try. So as Christians we are called, like Peter in Matthew 14, to step out of the boat, out of our comfort zone, and follow Christ.
Change and growth can be scary, but they can also promise the greatest form of spiritual growth and gratification.