All Sermons > Sermons tagged "Living the Psalms"

Advent 4: Word of Hope

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Text:  John 1:12-13

Sermon:  Word of Hope

Date:  December 23, 2012

 Listen to audio: December 23, 2012 AM Sermon

If you want to read the story of Jesus’ birth, you will probably look to the gospels of Matthew or Luke.  There you find the stories of angels, shepherds, wise men, and a stable.  You wouldn’t read Mark, because that gospel begins with Jesus’ ministry, and skips the story of His birth altogether.  You probably would not read John, even though his gospel does contain a unique telling of the story of Christmas.  This year, during the season of Advent, we will consider John’s unique telling of the Christmas narrative.

On December 23, our sermon focus on the hope that is found in Christ.

Advent 3: Word in the World

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Text:  John 1:1-10

Sermon:  Word in the World

Date:  December 16, 2012

Listen to audio: December 16, 2012 AM Sermon 

If you want to read the story of Jesus’ birth, you will probably look to the gospels of Matthew or Luke.  There you find the stories of angels, shepherds, wise men, and a stable.  You wouldn’t read Mark, because that gospel begins with Jesus’ ministry, and skips the story of His birth altogether.  You probably would not read John, even though his gospel does contain a unique telling of the story of Christmas.  This year, during the season of Advent, we will consider John’s unique telling of the Christmas narrative.

On December 16, our Sunday School Children will remind us of the story of Jesus’ birth, as they present the play, “The Good News Flash.”

Our sermon this morning will focus on Christ’s ongoing work through His people in the world.

Advent 2: Word and Creation

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Text:  John 1:3-5

Sermon:  Word and Creation

Date:  December 9, 2012

Listen to audio: December 9, 2012 AM Sermon 

If you want to read the story of Jesus’ birth, you will probably look to the gospels of Matthew or Luke.  There you find the stories of angels, shepherds, wise men, and a stable.  You wouldn’t read Mark, because that gospel begins with Jesus’ ministry, and skips the story of His birth altogether.  You probably would not read John, even though his gospel does contain a unique telling of the story of Christmas.  This year, during the season of Advent, we will consider John’s unique telling of the Christmas narrative.

 

Advent 1: Word with God

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Text:  John 1:1-2

Sermon:  Word with God

Date:  December 2, 2012

Listen to audio: December 2, 2012 AM Sermon

If you want to read the story of Jesus’ birth, you will probably look to the gospels of Matthew or Luke.  There you find the stories of angels, shepherds, wise men, and a stable.  You wouldn’t read Mark, because that gospel begins with Jesus’ ministry, and skips the story of His birth altogether.  You probably would not read John, even though his gospel does contain a unique telling of the story of Christmas.  This year, during the season of Advent, we will consider John’s unique telling of the Christmas narrative.

December 2 is the first Sunday of Advent, and our message focuses on John’s words that tell us Jesus was with God from the beginning of time.

Rev. Rick Williams

Sermon:

Text:  Ruth 1

Sermon:  A Cling of Godly Love

Listen to audio: November 25 AM Sermon

 

On Sunday, November 25, Rev. Rick William led our morning worship service and preached from the book of Ruth.

Contemporary Idols: Exalt Myself

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Text:  Daniel 4

Sermon:  Exalt Myself

Listen to audio: November 18, AM Sermon 

Nebuchadnezzar was king of the Babylonian Empire almost 600 years before Christ was born.  During his lifetime, he was arguably the most powerful and influential ruler who had ever lived.  Most of the known world was under his political power.  During his reign, he accomplished wonderful building projects and was able to glean wisdom and insights from the nations of the known world.

In Daniel 4, we read a unique story, which seems to be written by Nebuchadnezzar, that chronicles his descent from what appeared to be the ultimate position to power, to a man who struggled to maintain his sanity.  At the center of this struggle was a desire to be exalted and a refusal to acknowledge God.

Perhaps one of the most difficult idols to defeat is the idolatry of self.  When we live to satisfy ourselves and see our name exalted, we can run into the problem of ignoring God.  In this last sermon in our series on contemporary idols, we will consider Nebuchadnezzar’s fall from power as a warning to acknowledge God’s power in our lives.

Contemporary Idols: The Pursuit of Happiness

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Text:  Ephesians 6:16-20

Sermon:  The Pursuit of Happiness

 Listen to Audio: November 11, 2012 AM Sermon

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

-The Declaration of Independence

 

Happiness is an ideal that we wish for others, and pursue for ourselves.  But is it a worthwhile pursuit?

In light of the words of The Declaration of Independence, many people have taken the pursuit of happiness as something that is almost considered sacred.  But happiness is elusive.  We might be happy for a moment, but sooner or later something changes, and our happiness fades.

If the elusive and fleeting feeling of happiness becomes the primary pursuit of our lives, we are chasing something that will not satisfy.  In Ephesians 6, the Bible gives us a vision for a pursuit that is a more fulfilling and lasting focus that stands in sharp contrast to the temporary nature of feeling happy.

Contemporary Idols: Love and Romance

Sermon:

Text:  Genesis 29:16-20

Date:  November 4, 2012

 Listen to Audio: November 4, 2012 AM Sermon

Many people believe that falling in love is the ultimate pursuit.

Even though love, romance, and marriage are wonderful gifts from God, it is easy to exalt the status of love and marriage, so that our expectations of love and marriage can never really be satisfied by our expereinces

Rev. Scott Hoezee

Sermon: “JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE”

Text: John 11:1-42

Date:  October 28, 2012

 Listen to audio: October 28, 2012 AM Sermon

On Sunday, October 28, Rev. Scott Hoezee led our morning worship service.  Rev. Hoezee is the Director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary.

David TenClay

Sermon: “The Gospel in the Old Testament”

Text: Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Date:  October 21, 2012

Listen to audio:October 21, 2012 AM Sermon

 

On Sunday, October 21, David TenClay led our morning and evening worship services.