Nov 3, 2019
Where You Are Free To Be Yourself
Series: Welcome Home
One of the joys of being home is you need not put on airs.  Out in the world, we do all we can to hide our faults and failings.  You might be afraid if your boss knew your secrets, he'd give you your walking papers.  You might be afraid that if neighbors knew your personal issues, they might consider moving.  But we know that in a healthy family, people will love us in spite of our faults.  As a young man, Martin Luther thought of himself as God's slave.  Thus he was terrified of God.  Luther believed God was a terrifying taskmaster, looking for every possible reason to punish him. But as Martin Luther studied God's Word, he realized that was not he case at all.  God is loving Father. He does not pretend we have no brokenness sin, but he paid for it all by the death and resurrection of Christ. Scripture says that through faith in Christ, we are completely forgiven.  we are part of God's own family-a family where we are loved in spite of our faults.  God's grace not only frees us from the fear of condemnation and punishment, it frees us to live a better, more grace-filled life.  We want to live as God's children.  We want to love and bear with one another-our brothers and sisters-just as out Father loves and bears with us.
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  • Nov 3, 2019Where You Are Free To Be Yourself
    Nov 3, 2019
    Where You Are Free To Be Yourself
    Series: Welcome Home
    One of the joys of being home is you need not put on airs.  Out in the world, we do all we can to hide our faults and failings.  You might be afraid if your boss knew your secrets, he'd give you your walking papers.  You might be afraid that if neighbors knew your personal issues, they might consider moving.  But we know that in a healthy family, people will love us in spite of our faults.  As a young man, Martin Luther thought of himself as God's slave.  Thus he was terrified of God.  Luther believed God was a terrifying taskmaster, looking for every possible reason to punish him. But as Martin Luther studied God's Word, he realized that was not he case at all.  God is loving Father. He does not pretend we have no brokenness sin, but he paid for it all by the death and resurrection of Christ. Scripture says that through faith in Christ, we are completely forgiven.  we are part of God's own family-a family where we are loved in spite of our faults.  God's grace not only frees us from the fear of condemnation and punishment, it frees us to live a better, more grace-filled life.  We want to live as God's children.  We want to love and bear with one another-our brothers and sisters-just as out Father loves and bears with us.
  • Oct 27, 2019Week 1: Our Need for Christian Community
    Oct 27, 2019
    Week 1: Our Need for Christian Community
    Series: Welcome Home
    "Army of One" was the shortest lived recruiting slogan in US Military history. It was meant to stress the strength of the individual. The Army dropped the slogan relatively quickly because they realized it was contrary to the reality that, in the army, you are completely reliant upon your team. In a stressful situation, the individual (Adam) was isolated. "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). Humans are hardwired by God to need fellowship, not just with him, but with one another. So, God is determined to bring believers into a loving, nurturing community-the Church. Perhaps you have been a part of this Christian family for a long time. Perhaps you once belonged to a church, but for whatever reason drifted away. Perhaps you have never belonged to a church. Whatever may be the case for you, may God bless you as you listen to his Word today. May he help us all to realize that this Christian community-this spiritual home-is something we badly need. Welcome home!
     
    Text: Hebrews 2:9-18
     
    https://youtu.be/B9ySk9_k7es
  • Oct 20, 2019Failing Forward
    Oct 20, 2019
    Failing Forward
    Judges 16:23-31
     
    Many people's, greatest fear is failure, and the greatest pain of many is regret.  When we fail, (and we all do fail to serve God perfectly!) all too often we choose remorse, and take steps backwards deeper into failure or despair. Yet, what we really need is repentance. because even in our failures of God can still accomplish his purposes! The Bible is full of them-Peter, Paul, an our focus for this series-Samson.  As we see  god call Samson back to him after his failures, its a reminder for us that God gently restores us when we fail, and uses us, flawed, broken, failing people that we are, to accomplish his purposes! In the end, its not about Samson's strength or his weakness.  Its about God's strength, and his mercy!
  • Oct 13, 2019Week 2: Small Steps Towards Big Destruction
    Oct 13, 2019
    Week 2: Small Steps Towards Big Destruction
    Samson didn't ruin his life all at once. He did it one step at a time. All the little compromises Samson made added up to spiritual destruction. All the little compromises in our lives add up, too, leading us on a path to spiritual destruction. Being in the Word opens our eyes to this deadly downward spiral and empowers us to step onto a different path. 
     
    Text: Judges 16:1-22
    Video: https://youtu.be/1qgEkbP9O7U
  • Oct 6, 2019Week 1: When the Strong are Weak
    Oct 6, 2019
    Week 1: When the Strong are Weak
    Lust, entitlement and pride are the attitudes that made Samson (incredibly strong) hopelessly weak. We're strong when we acknowledge what we truly deserve from God, as well as our inability to truly help ourselves. 
     
    Text: Judges 14:1-20
    Video: https://youtu.be/xqqKAnKPXkk
  • Sep 29, 2019Dont be Afraid!
    Sep 29, 2019
    Dont be Afraid!
    The Church is guarded by angels. We know one of them is named Michael.  Michael is one of two angels that the Bible names for us.  (The other is the great messenger of God's grace, Gabriel.) Michael is called the archangel, that is, the leader of the angels.  The Bible says that he is in charge of the great army of angels that God uses to protect and care for us,  This is the day we remember God's great love in giving us these amazing protectors, the angels.
     
    For 1500 years the Christian Church has celebrated The Festival of St Michael & All Angels near the autumnal equinox, the day of the 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness. As Christians watched the autumn nights grow longer and the days grow shorter, they were reminded of the struggle between good and evil-between the forces of light and the forces of Satan.  And so, every year, as autumn darkened into winter, the church celebrated the Feast of the Archangel, and remembered that Michael and All the Angels fought on their side. 
  • Sep 22, 2019Week 4 – Destiny: Where are we going to go when we die?
    Sep 22, 2019
    Week 4 – Destiny: Where are we going to go when we die?
    Series: Worldview
    Is there life after death? If there is, what will that be like? From a completely human perspective it would appear as though this life is all there is. When you die, you're dead. The end. In the Scriptures, however, we discover that death was not a part of God's original plan for the world, that death is God's judgment against sin. That makes death frightening and ugly, but God found a way to destroy death forever. We now look forward to Paradise restored!
     
    Text: Genesis 3: 16-24
  • Sep 15, 2019Morality:What is good?
    Sep 15, 2019
    Morality:What is good?
    Series: Worldview
    Who determines what’s right and wrong? Shouldn’t each individual have the right to determine that for himself or herself? That sounds good to me. That seems to be the most fair system. But as good as that might sound, how does that worldview actually work out in the real world? Is morality subjective or objective? A scriptural worldview makes no bones about it. The Creator calls the shots. And as we’ll see today, that’s a much better thing for us!  
  • Sep 8, 2019Meaning: Why are we here?
    Sep 8, 2019
    Meaning: Why are we here?
    Series: Worldview
    Am I here to have fun? Am I here to somehow make the world a better place? Is there no way for me to know why I'm really here? The answers we com up with seems so, well. meaningless. But when the Bible talks about why we're here, it makes sense.  I begin to see that I have meaning and purpose that reaches far beyond myself and this broken world.
  • Sep 1, 2019Origin: Where did we come from?
    Sep 1, 2019
    Origin: Where did we come from?
    Series: Worldview
    Am I here by chance? A random lucky draw of the straw? Is there nothing special about me other than the fact the genetic mutations of my ancestors produced the "me" I am today?  Is mankind nothing more than the most highly developed animal? God says, "No." God says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  That changes everything, doesn't it? "Where did I come from?" is on of the four questions that every worldview needs to be able to answer.  In our service, we'll see how to build our worldview about our origins from God's Word.