Sermon Stuff

Family Meeting: Vision

Pastor John — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 23:53:18 +0000

We had a top-notch family meeting on the vision of the church, led by Gary Mitchell. There has been a flurry of good comments made about the discussion.

Paul Reese made the recording available (thanks, Paul). A pdf version of Gary’s powerpoint is available.

Don’t Quench; Do Test (Sermon 3/13/20100)

Pastor John — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:28:01 +0000

What about prophecy and tongues? Do we want them? If so, how should they be used?

This sermon is down-to-earth Biblical instruction on the use of these gifts. Watch a movie (give it a minute to load) of the presentation slides going along with the audio. (You can also download just the mp3 audio file.) The handout is also available.

Faith: A Way of Seeing (Sermon 2/6/2011)

Pastor John — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:52:53 +0000

This is an experiment with video. You may want to give some feedback for how the different video formats work for you. For an .mp4 video click here. For an .m4v video click this. Or try the .mov version of the video. Here is an audio-only version.

This is the first in a series of sermons on faith. It starts the process of sorting out the Biblical idea of faith from the smorgasbord of different ideas out there.

The handout can be downloaded here.

Preparation for His Coming: Mary (Sermon 11/28/2010, Luke 1:26-38)

Pastor John — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:29:16 +0000

Wow, she’s one for the faith hall of fame! A look at Mary to learn something that helps us prepare for the Lord’s presence. First week of Advent, 2010. Listen to the audio. Follow along with the on-screen presentation. The handout is also available.

Thanks Thoughts (Sermon 11/21/2010, 1Th 5:18 and others)

Pastor John — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:43:52 +0000

Just a few days until thanksgiving! Today’s sermon time consisted of people sharing something for which they were thankful. Listen to the audio. People brought a tangible item connected with their thankfulness. The thanksgiving quotes, only partly shown on Sunday Morning, are available as an online presentation. The outline of the unused “in-case-it-was-needed” sermon is available here. The sermon presentation (not used) is viewable here.

“Submit,” “Head,” “Love”: Fightin’ Words? (Part II) (Sermon 11/14/2010, Eph 5:21 ff.)

Pastor John — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:43:38 +0000

Attention was given this Sunday to the husband’s part: The husband is the head as Christ is head of the church, and the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. What does it mean to be “head”? What does Christ-as-the-model love look like?

Listen to or download the audio. Follow along with the visual presentation. The handout will be posted soon (nearly the same as the last half of last week’s handout). Sermon notes are available.

Update: The handout is here.

“Submit,” “Head,” “Love”: Fightin’ Words? (Sermon 11/07/2010, Eph 5:21 ff.)

Pastor John — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:05:21 +0000

This week and next deal with the two different ways God calls husbands and wives to lay down their lives for one another. While this sermon deals with a wife’s submission to her husband, it is relevant to everyone, since it takes a look at how Christians operate in the network of submitting relationships they find themselves in.

You can listen to or download the sermon audio. Follow along with the on-screen presentation. The outline handout is also downloadable. Preaching notes are also available should group leaders or anyone else be interested.

Watch Your Language! (Sermon 10/31/2010)

Pastor John — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 03:17:31 +0000

A plea to approach the subject of gender roles in Scripture with all the objectivity, humility and charity that we are able. A reminder that it is very difficult to identify the influence we feel from the “Zeitgeist”—the spirit of the age.

Resources available:

Click here to listen to (or right-click to download) the sermon audio.
The visual presentation is available in quicktime format in a low resolution or hi resolution (slower loading, better quality) version. You click in the movie window to make the first advance of the presentation, then either click, arrow-key or space-bar to advance each slide. Alternatively you can view the html version.
You can download the main handout for the sermon, containing the central Bible passages that relate to gender roles and notes hi-lighting the main interpretational issues.
There is also a list of all the non-literal uses of kephale (head) from the New Testament and all the uses of hypotasso (submit). These two lists will help give a feel for the meanings of these words.

Pray or Prey (Sermon 10/24/2010, Daniel 6)

Pastor John — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:43:02 +0000

Daniel, now an old man, remains faithful to the Lord in another demonstration of commitment to God, not commitment if God. Daniel has faith—he sees the picture with the big parts left in—and lives for God alone, in spite of the lions!

Listen to or download the audio and/or the sermon handout.

Dummies’ Guide to Fiery Furnaces (Sermon 10/17/2010, Daniel 3)

Pastor John — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:26:36 +0000

Do you sometimes feel like you are standing alone? Are there some pretty scary possibilities coming down the line? The familiar old story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego has powerful application in our own lives. Our commitment is to God, not if God.

The html visual presentation will be helpful to page through if you listen to the sermon audio.