Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23: Too often the familiar becomes impotent. That is the danger for us when we hear passages and stories like this one. We think we understand it so we toss the message aside to move on to something bigger and better. But Jesus' message is for us, who know this most famous parable the best. And indeed, we are treading in dangerous waters when we toss it aside. Jesus teaches us about the Farmer of the Kingdom, the Field of the Kingdom and the Fruit of the Kingdom.

Matthew 13:1-3; 10-17; 34-35-Glory: we all want it, but most of the time we accept imitation glory. Jesus wants us to know real glory and so he tells us about his Kingdom. But he does so in Parables. In this sermon we learn three things: 1) What are Parables? 2) Why did Jesus Speak in Parable? 3) How should we understand the Parables?

1 Corinthians 15:50-58; In this, the Final Installment on the Creeds of the Church, we look at the importance of believing in our bodily resurrection and our eternal life. Paul concludes his argument by reminding us that Christians have Spiritual Compensation, a Definite Transformation, a Hopeful Realization, and Present Regulations.

Titus 3:3-7; What do we mean when we confess that we believe in "one Baptism for the Remission of Sins" from the Nicene Creed? We want to avoid two ditches: 1) that Baptism Saves and 2) that Baptism merely symbolized. We confess that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit once and for all washes us from our sins and makes us right with God. Today Paul teaches us about the Blemish of Sin, the Bath of Justification and the Benefit of Spiritual Washing.

Matthew 16:13-19; We believe in the Holy catholic Church. In this passage of Scripture Jesus teaches us that the Church is not an optional part of the Christian life and as the Westminster Confession of Faith teaches outside of the church there is no ordinary way to be saved. We have the church's Constitution in Peter's Confession; we hear about the church's contractor; and we receive the church's commission from Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-17; Christians confess that the Bible is the Word of God. The Apostle Paul command's Timothy to continue in the holy Scriptures because the Bible is God breathed and profitable and is his desired means to make us men and women of God. Furthermore, God has not given power to any other thing in the world to do this.

John 14:15-26; Jesus teaches us in this passage that the Holy Spirit is God. Christians believe in the the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit is our Advocate and our teacher. He reminds us that we are forgiven and illuminates the scriptures. He works to glorify the Father and the Son.

Acts 1:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:25-28; The Creeds teach us that after Jesus finished his work of redemption and was Resurrected from the dead that God the Father lifted him to his throne. After that he sat down at the right hand of the father to rule and reign over his kingdom. Finally we learn that Jesus will come again to judge all people. How will we be approved in the final judgment? Only through the finished work of Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:12-23; Christians believe in Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead. The apostle Paul said that everything about Christianity is wrapped up in the FACT that Christ rose. It is not a secondary doctrine but vital to who we are as Christians.

Isaiah 52:13-53:13; The message of Christianity is simple: Christ suffered for his people. Christians confess that Christ's suffering was ESSENTIAL to our salvation. Jesus suffered rejection, beatings, the painful and terrible torture of the cross but, most importantly, he took the stroke of justice our sins deserved.