Elements: Intro

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Our spiritual walks are meant to be such that we abide with God, day in and day out. In order to be healthy, maturing disciples, there are basic components that must be a regular part of our lives. Pastor Josh introduces this new sermon series, "Elements", by discussing how our reliance on the Holy Spirit and pursuit of Jesus must be a 7 day a week adventure. 

Now What?

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When the disciples discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty, they weren't really sure what to do next - so they just went home or went on with their normal routines. In this sermon, Administrative Pastor Leah Pavel shares from the story of the disciples on the Emmaus road to show that Jesus was revealing himself to his disciples and teaching them to recognize Him. Likewise, we must look for Jesus in unexpected places and ways and learn to pay attention when He is "burning in our hearts" so that we learn to hear and discern the voice of the Lord. 

Palm Sunday

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As Jesus entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, the crowds gathered to worship Him, shouting 'Hosanna' and laying down palm branches and their coats on the road in front of Him to make a way for their Messiah. This crowd knew they weren't here to watch a show, but a real demonstration of authority and power. Jesus will still be a king without our worship, but He won't be our king. In worship, we declare to Jesus and to others that He is indeed in our king, and in worship, we are participants in the coming of the Kingdom of God. 

Journey to the Cross: Revealed in the Prophets

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Jesus sacrifice on the cross is foretold all throughout scripture, beginning all the way back in Genesis. It's clear that God knew His rescue plan all along. Many of the prophets point to a savior that will take the punishment for our sin. In this sermon, Pastor Josh focuses on one prophet in particular, Jonah, and how the story of Jonah is a foreshadowing of the life of Jesus. What Jonah struggled to do by obeying God and preaching forgiveness, Jesus faithfully completed in a strikingly similar story, except without flaw. 

Journey to the Cross: Genesis

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This sermon is the first in the Journey to the Cross series that will take us through to Good Friday. The long time evangelist, Rev. Billy Graham, passed away this week, and if there was one thing that Rev. Graham's life was all about, it was pointing people to the cross and bringing the cross in view of those who had not yet experienced it's power. In this teaching, we look at the foreshadowing of the crucifixion that begins all the way back in Genesis and are called to ask ourselves if we are living our lives in view of the cross. 

The Wisdom of God: Jesus

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The last in this Wisdom of God series, this sermon looks at the wisdom that is found and demonstrated in the life and teachings of Jesus himself. This sermon came the Sunday following the tragic shooting at a high school in Florida, and thus Pastor Josh spends some time reflecting on how the wisdom we find in Jesus impacts the broken and hurting world we find ourselves in, specifically in such horrific events as this. 

The Tragedy of Wisdom

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Having wisdom does not guarantee obedience, blessing, or God's favor. Solomon was given wisdom, discernment and wealth but in the end found it all to be meaningless when his heart turned away from the Lord and he stopped following God's ways. Late in his life, he looks back and realizes that his best chance for a happy and fulfilled life was to follow God's commands. The tragedy of Solomon is the tragedy of what could have been. But his writings give us direction to avoid the same folly. 

The Wisdom of God - Ecclesiastes

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The lesson of Ecclesiastes is not that we should be depressed all the time because everything is meaningless, the lesson is that God has provided a way that we can enjoy life by putting things in their proper perspective. We must make the right choices and value the right things. King Solomon had spent time, money and energy on all the wrong things that do not satisfy and he writes to offer wisdom to avoid his error. 

The Wisdom of God in the Book of Job

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The wisdom of Job is the mystery of suffering in light of the sovereignty of God. God is sovereign over both the trouble and the blessings. If you've ever judged yourself and thought that you were experiencing trouble because you failed, if you've ever given counsel to someone in error like Job's friends did, or if you've received counsel that was errant and that left you dismayed and wondering where to turn, then we hope this lesson from Job's life will help you heal, forgive, and see your circumstances in light of God's sovereignty. 

The Wisdom of God - Intro

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Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Wisdom is more than just knowledge - it is the application of knowledge combined with obedience to God. Wisdom must by sought and cultivated not in the times of crisis and distress but in the day to day of life so that when we encounter the unexpected and difficult times, wisdom is at the ready. But we must start from a place of revering and respecting the Lord, or we will learn the wrong lessons and grow in fear or cynicism instead of wisdom. 

Advent Week 1: The Prophets

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In the first week of Advent, we celebrate hope, and specifically the hope that we've been given through prophecy and the prophets. Jesus himself fulfilled hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah. John the Baptist is the prophet of Advent who came to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus as the prophets have by embracing a message of hope and being confident in what the Lord has said He will do.