Keep the Main Thing

Pastor Lee’s message titled “Lifetime Guarantee” was first given on February 11, 1990. Pastor Lee uses the Old Testament lesson from that Sunday, which was found in Deuteronomy 30. It was Moses’s last message to the Israelites, as they were about to enter the promised land. Pastor Lee reminds us that life presents us with one simple choice. Life or death. It seems like the simplest choice, yet it is the most complicated choice we will make.

On “Christ the King Sunday” on November 26, 1989, Pastor Lee delivered a sermon titled, “Avoiding Customized Religion”. Pastor Lee begins by quoting a columnist from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, who, after the October 1989 earthquake in the Bay Area, wrote in his column that we are not in charge of this world. Believing we are in charge of this planet is more concerning than many other threats or crises we encounter. Pastor Lee suggests that putting ourselves in charge and customizing our religion is not only a bad idea, but also an impossible way to live. The sermon is based on the Epistle lesson from that Sunday, Colossians 1:15-20.

Pastor Lee has a get-rich-quick scheme he wants to offer all of us. No, not a risky investment. No, not a special stock pick. And certainly not a gambling tip. It’s a secret he knows. The secret to being rich is to be grateful. That the way to true riches is through a grateful heart.

“A Climate of Growing Faith”. October 1, 1989. Pastor Lee takes us into a discussion about faith. Pastor Lee points out that Jesus suggested faith, which can be as small as a mustard seed, is enough to “move mountains”. Pastor Lee brings home that a small faith is a mighty faith. Although a small faith is substantial enough to make a difference in this world, Pastor Lee encourages us to work at increasing our faith to rest more comfortably in it. We need to build up our courage and take risks if we want to walk out our faith every day. He emphasizes that growing our faith is not easy, because it runs counter to our nature and puts us in situations that might be uncomfortable and inconvenient for us. Yet with Christ’s help, the rewards can be tremendous.

Pastor Evenson brings us a sermon titled “Exclusive Rights”. It was first given on September 3, 1989. This is a great message on what it looks like to give Jesus exclusive rights to our lives, and a few of the fruits of that relationship, that we will enjoy by giving our whole selves to Christ. Pastor Lee tells us by allowing Jesus to have exclusive rights over our lives, He can transform us. In which case we have peace and purpose in our lives. We become more joyful and more useful to Jesus and to those around us.

The title of this message speaks for itself. It is called “Regrets Only”. Coming out of the Gospel Lesson found in Luke 13:22-30, Pastor Lee plays off of the often-used term we see on formal invitations, and reminds us that beyond all of the regrets we might have in life, none will compare to the regret we will have by turning down God’s invitation to be part of his family for eternity.

In podcast #56, Pastor Lee preaches from the Epistle Lesson found in Hebrews 12:1-13. He also references Hebrews 11 in what he calls the “Hall of Fame of believers”. Pastor Lee effectively uses ‘running’ as a metaphor throughout this message as he exhorts his parishioners to have the endurance to walk out their Christian faith every day, all day, until they are called home by the creator. This is a very inspirational sermon. The Message is titled “Hang Tough”.