Parkside Church Westside Sermons

Jesus, Peter, James and John come down off the mountain where they’d been part of a glorious and transcendent experience and are confronted by a lonely father struggling for both the life of his son and the existence of his faith. The father is...

Jesus, Peter, James and John come down off the mountain where they'd been part of a glorious and transcendent experience and are confronted by a lonely father struggling for both the life of his son and the existence of his faith. The father is powerless to help his son and the disciples are powerless to help the father but when all human hopes are exhausted hope can be expected from Jesus. | Outline: [I] An Argument with the Scribes, vs. 14-18 [II] A Conversation with a Father, vs. 19-26 [III] A Question from the Disciples, vs. 27-28

One of the ways that we can understand this glorious scene on the mountain is that it’s a burst of encouragement to help the hearts of the disciples who were full of discouragement. Jesus has told them that he’s going to die and that realization...

One of the ways that we can understand this glorious scene on the mountain is that it's a burst of encouragement to help the hearts of the disciples who were full of discouragement. Jesus has told them that he's going to die and that realization weighed heavy upon them. Jesus pulls Peter, James and John aside to show them something that will lift their spirits. He pulls back the veil of his humanity for just a moment and shows them his divine glory as he's transfigured before them. | Outline: [I] The Transfiguration of Jesus, vs. 2-8 [II] The Confusion of the Disciples, vs. 9-13

Nate Vogel continued our Summertime Pulplit Swap series with a message from Psalms 42 & 43. The writer of these psalms felt deeply cast down—distanced from God and surrounded by people who only multiplied his problems. Even though his soul felt...

Nate Vogel continued our Summertime Pulplit Swap series with a message from Psalms 42 & 43. The writer of these psalms felt deeply cast down—distanced from God and surrounded by people who only multiplied his problems. Even though his soul felt parched he found comfort by turning his hope upward to the Living God, who was—even in the midst of suffering—his present salvation. | Outline: [I] The Causes of a Cast-Down Soul, (42:1-4, 6-10; 43:1-4) [II] The Cure for a Cast-Down Soul, (42:5, 11; 43:5)

“For what does it profit a man to gain the world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” These are sobering questions from Jesus about recognition, glory and prestige. In other words, we can strive to get a lot now that...

"For what does it profit a man to gain the world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?" These are sobering questions from Jesus about recognition, glory and prestige. In other words, we can strive to get a lot now that seems to be immensely valuable and important. However, one day soon we'll discover that, all that shimmers and shines only has the value of monopoly money. In contrast to that, Jesus offers something to us of lasting value that will never be taken from us. But it comes in a counter-intuitive way, as the value of it isn't ultimately recognized or fully realized until a future day. | Outline: [I] Jesus Must Suffer, vs. 31-33 [II] We Must Sacrifice-Our Lives-Our Pursuits-Our Reputations, vs. 34-38

This story of the man’s blindness being relieved is intentionally placed at this part of Mark’s gospel. His eyes being opened is an illustration of the way that the spiritual eyes of the disciples are being gradually opened. The spiritual insight that...

This story of the man's blindness being relieved is intentionally placed at this part of Mark's gospel. His eyes being opened is an illustration of the way that the spiritual eyes of the disciples are being gradually opened. The spiritual insight that they've been given about Jesus enables them to answer correctly his question, "Who do you say I am?" That same question, from Jesus, echoes down the hallways of history to us. It's a question that each of us must be prepared to answer with conviction. | Outline: [I] Jesus Restores the Sight of the Blind, vs. 22-26 [II] Jesus Gives Spiritual Insight to his Disciples, vs. 27-30 [III] The Sermon in One Sentence: In Order to See Clearly the Touch of Jesus is Needed