Sermon Audio: The Sacrifice We Make

Empty the Jar at Christmas

I’ve done a study on the nativity stories in Matthew and Luke, and I found that Joseph never said anything, anywhere in the Gospels.

Joseph was kind of like the “silent partner” in the story. He never speaks up, never complains. He just does what he’s told.

God knew Joseph could be trusted to do what God wanted done.

Now, here’s the deal–you and I–our lives have a plan!

They didn’t view the time and the money and effort as being a sacrifice–they saw them as gifts of love.

If you love me, do whatever you’ve gotta do to take care of my church–my people…if you love me.

Sermon Audio: The Gifts We Bring

Empty the Jar at Christmas

I suspect that each of those gifts was more like wrapping paper. Beautiful on the outside, but inside–there was something valuable hidden!

So hidden within that gift of Gold, was a proclamation: Jesus is King.

So, Frankincense was an offering (or a gift) to God. And hidden within that gift (to Jesus)…was this message: Jesus was God in the flesh.

So, the gift Myrrh the Wise-men brought declared Jesus had come to be our Priest.

The question today is this: What can I bring to Jesus? What kind of gifts can I bring to a God–a King–a Savior…who has everything?

Sermon Audio: The Opportunities We Miss

Empty the Jar at Christmas

It was a star of wonder, a star of night, a star with royal beauty bright–and when the Wise-men saw that star from the East they went…and they stopped at Jerusalem to ask for directions.

And the reaction from the King–and everyone else was–they were disturbed.

Why didn’t somebody just go to Bethlehem after the angels appeared to the Shepherds?

They got to the point where they weren’t looking for Jesus anymore.

They didn’t think the Messiah was coming–so they didn’t go looking for Him. So they missed their opportunity.

The point is, nobody seemed to want this child to upset their lives so they missed their opportunity to find Jesus along with all He promised.

God wanted to put this great city on notice that a mighty prophecy was about to be fulfilled, because the promised Messiah had come.

Sermon Audio: Ready for the Journey

Empty the Jar at Christmas

I believe he did this to bring the point home that Jesus is for all of mankind.

The Persian wise men of their time likely learned about prophecies like Numbers 24:17.

Many had heard the shepherds declare that they had seen the messiah and were filled with wonder.

Again, I believe God had a greater purpose in sending the wise men and having Matthew include them in his gospel message.

And that is what some of you were. But…that’s the part that matters–who you are now.

Empty the jar–it’s about holding nothing back from God as we worship Him.

Sermon Audio: The Nine Guys Who Missed Thanksgiving

The Nine Guys Who Missed Thanksgiving

Sermon Audio: I’ve Got Too Much Dirt

Lies People Believe

Now, if someone with as much dirt as Barabbas could become a follower of Jesus, do you really think you have too much dirt for God to handle it?

Jesus, however, gave His life even though none of us deserve His sacrifice.

Exhibit A, Paul’s life before knowing Jesus.

Exhibit B, the life accomplishments of Paul as a Christian.

Exhibit C, what motivated him to go through it all.

We’ve taken the plunge and accepted the gift of grace that God offered through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Sermon Audio: I Am What I Am

Lies People Believe

The phrase simply means–I have no choice–that’s just the way it is.

But that doesn’t stop people from continually protesting: “I can’t help myself”, “I can’t change who I am”. “It’s not my fault!”

To people who engaged in sin who said, “I was born that way” Jesus said “You must be born again.”

Jesus came to transform people…to remake them.

Now the problem is this: the people who buy into that mindset often face hopelessness and despair.

The first step to being healed of your sin. Recognize that you’ve messed up and want to change–REPENT!

The Christian is never trapped by their past. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Sermon Audio: I Did It My Way

Lies People Believe

But, when it comes to the more serious decisions of life, if we insist on doing things our way, it can get real dangerous…real quick.

It’s an impressive song about facing life’s difficulties…and triumphing over the challenges — I Did It My Way!

It’s no longer going to be your will that guides you…but God’s.

But when churchgoers do this (when they insist on doing things their way), they don’t think of it defying God.

If Jesus is not the Lord of your life — somebody’s got to be.

Nothing he had done compared to what Jesus had done…for him.

Sermon Audio: God Doesn’t Understand Me

Lies People Believe

They don’t feel they can get close to Him. God seems distant and uncaring.

We wish God would…just do something! But when we can’t see Him do that something, many people struggle in their faith.

So, Joseph was still a slave, but at least God blessed him while he was there. I mean…it could be worse.

In the midst of his suffering, Joseph decided to focus on that “Truth.”

And the first lie is that God doesn’t care. That He’s not there. And that He just doesn’t understand us.

We live in a fallen world where the things we cling to fail us. And that’s why Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble.”

She got to the point where she knew God was always near her and that He would never leave her or forsake her.

Sermon Audio: Pray Receptively

Prayer That Works

We need to understand that prayer isn’t just us talking to God.

They were worshiping and fasting when the Holy Spirit gave them instructions, and then they fasted and prayed some more.

Fasting is the discipline of going without something, usually food, although people talk about fasting from TV or social media, or something else, in order to focus on spiritual things.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if the Holy Spirit spoke to us in an audible voice?

Hide God’s Word in your heart.

Are you willing to open your hands to God in prayer, and receive what He so wants to give you?

It’s all good because the Holy Spirit, who knows you perfectly, who knows the mind of God perfectly, is praying for you according to the perfect will of God.

If we limit our prayers to only what we ask for, what we think we need, and how we think things need to be accomplished, how much are you limiting God?

When we pray with open hands, it gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to go above and beyond what we pray.