LRPC Sermon Archives

The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.

As we begin the Advent season we look at the story of Joseph in Matthew chapter 2. 

Joseph reminds us that we are given a call to protect our families.  Joseph has a supernatural encounter in a dream with an angel to have confidence that the Holy Spirit is workin in the life of he and his fiance'.  We hear from Dan Black some of the thoughts the eartly father of Jesus was pondering.

We will learn too that it is more than a call to protect that goes beyond safety, security, and provision for your family.  It also goes to the depths of helping give an accurate view of what a healthy and authentic relationship with God looks like.

So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King. Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.

The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.

As we begin the Advent season we look at the story of Mary in Luke 1, who reminds us that we are given a call to provide. Its a call to provide all that we are to all of who God is.  

So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King. 

Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.

The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.

As we begin the Advent season we look at the story of Zechariah in Luke 1, who reminds us that we are given a call to prepare.  

So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King. 

Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.

Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.  

Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.

 

In our final week we are time together we focused on a simple truth: as Christ Followers  who are united with Jesus Christ we are blessed to show His love.  

 

We are invited into living out what many have called The Golden Rule:“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.Scripture: Matthew 7:12.

 

The key takeaway is this:  We should be people who give themselves to loving everyone God puts in our path.

 

 The challenge question for the week and the wrapup of the message series:  

What concrete steps can you make towards more fully entering into the joy of Christian love and unity?

Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.  

Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.

 

In week 4 we are confronted with the truth that we as followers are "called out" by Jesus to make a difference in the world...and sometimes that may cost us.  Centering on the truth of John 15:18-19 Jesus reminds his followers that the choices they make to llive for him may not be accepted by our neighbors.

 

Yet we also wrestle through a hard question this week:  If our church would to disappear would anyone notice?  

 

The truth of the cost of loving others is made clearly through our ficitional friends, Frank and Cassie Donovan as the recieve much criticism from their neighbors as they open their home to those in need.  

 

The challenge question for the week:  What kind of resistance would you receive from others for expressing Jesus Christ's love in the world?

Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.  

Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.

In Proverbs 19:17 God says we are lending to him when we help the poor.  In week three we are reminded that  there are walls or barriers that separate us from those whom God is calling us to love and serve.  

We are reminded too that because of these barriers not every person has the ability to call someone to help in life's difficult circumstances.

The challenge question for the week:  What walls might be in place to certain relationships?

Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.  

Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.

In week two we look at the story of the Rich Young Ruler and his conversation with Jesus in Matthew 19:16-22.  The reality is that as we give ourselves to God, we give our selves to one another.  

The challenge question for the week:  What do you own and what owns you?

Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.  

Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.

In this first week, looking at the story from Luke 14:13-14 on the guests that were invited to the Banquet, we realize that Jesus tore up the barriers that kept people away.  

The challenge question for this week:  Who are your inviting into your life?

No we didn't find the fountain of life.  But we do have some thoughts about how our faith community can invite others into an amazing opportunity.  Looking at results of a foundational 4 year study from Fuller Youth Institute in its recently recently book: Growing Young.

In this second week we learn that young people—and all of us—need a church that is a warm, welcoming, and authentic home. Jesus found such a community as a 12-year-old boy temporarily separated from his parents.  Looking at the story the only story in scripture about Jesus' youth in Luke 2:41-52.

No we didn't find the fountain of life.  But we do have some thoughts about how our faith community can invite others into an amazing opportunity.  Looking at results of a foundational 4 year study from Fuller Youth Institute in its recently recently book: Growing Young.

In this first week we learn that when we entrust leadership opportunities to others—in particular to young people—we are handing them a deeper sense of belonging and contribution to the Kingdom of God.

Looking at the invitation that Jesus gives to Peter in John 21:15-19 we learn that in the midst of brokenness and failure, we are given the keys of leadership to continue the work of building the Kingdom in a new generation.