Who Is This God of Ours?
God’s Life-Transforming Holiness
What would you tell them if a friend asked you to describe God? Many of us who consider ourselves “seasoned” Christians take our understanding of who God is for granted. Today is the first in a 4-part series entitled “Who Is This God of Ours?” which is designed to help us identify some of the important attributes of God so that we can talk with others about it.Today’s focus is God’s HOLINESS. Scriptures: Revelation 4:1-11; 1 Peter 1:13-19 From time…
God’s Resolute Faithfulness
What would you tell them if a friend asked you to describe God? Many of us who consider ourselves “seasoned” Christians take our understanding of who God is for granted. Today is the first in a 4-part series entitled “Who Is This God of Ours?” which is designed to help us identify some of the important attributes of God so that we can talk with others about it.Today’s focus is God’s FAITHFULNESS. Scripture: Psalm 57:1-11 30 years ago this past…
God’s Scandalous Grace
What would you tell them if a friend asked you to describe God? Many of us who consider ourselves “seasoned” Christians take our understanding of who God is for granted. Today is the first in a 4-part series entitled “Who Is This God of Ours?” which is designed to help us identify some of the important attributes of God so that we can talk with others about it.Today’s focus is God’s GRACE and MERCY. Scripture: Luke 15:11-32 Last week I…
The Foundation of God’s Nature
What would you tell them if a friend asked you to describe God? Many of us who consider ourselves “seasoned” Christians take our understanding of who God is for granted. Today is the first in a 4-part series entitled “Who Is This God of Ours?” which is designed to help us identify some of the important attributes of God so that we can talk with others about it.Today’s focus is God’s LOVE. Scripture: Luke 15:1-10 Friends, I’m about to embark…
The Way of Poverty (Saint: Francis of Assisi)
This message is part of our fall stewardship campaign, during which we are encouraged to prayerfully consider the ways God is calling each of us to support the ministries of First United Methodist Church in the coming year. Our stewardship sermon series is entitled “The ‘Saintly Ways’ of Stewardship,” during which we are looking at Christian stewardship through the lens of various saints of the church. Today’s message utilizes the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Sermon #1: “The Way…
Lose the Battle But Win the War
Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 In the movies, there’s a particular scene that always makes me uncomfortable. In the scene, someone who’s about to die turns to the person who’s with them and says, “I need you to promise me something.” And without fail, the one being asked responds, “Sure, anything. What is it?” What makes me so uncomfortable is that they’re promising to do something before they even know what they’re being asked to do. I’m still waiting for the second…
A King of a Different Crown
Palm Sunday Reading: Mark 11:1-11 My first appointment was to a 1000-member church as the Associate Pastor. The Senior Pastor and I were appointed there at the same time. I was coming out of seminary and just beginning my pastoral ministry. He was 4 years from retirement and nearing the end of his pastoral ministry. In our second or third year there, the Sr. Pastor experienced an acute anxiety attack one Sunday morning which resulted in him not being able…
Because of Bethlehem, Hope is Here!
Our worship themes during the 4-week season of Advent are HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. Sermon #2: Because of Bethlehem, Peace Is Real Sermon #3: Because of Bethlehem, Joy Is Within Us Sermon #4: Because of Bethlehem, Love Is Born Christmas Eve: Because of Bethlehem, God Is a Friend Scripture Readings (hover over for the Scripture text to appear): Isaiah 2:1-5; Mark 13:24-37 The difficulty lies in the fact that according to our popular culture, we’re supposed to feel a…