Stonebrook Church, Ames, Iowa, Sermons

https://www.stonebrook.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/180916_sermon.mp3

Jesus was a polarizing figure. In some, He inspired passionate, extravagant love; in others intense and even violent hatred. Because of the hatred, there was a cost to following Jesus. The multitudes, once wildly excited, turned and abandoned Him when the going got rough. But one disciple gave her best and blessed Jesus, perhaps more than we ever imagined. How will you respond to Jesus? Will you see Him as a threat to be pushed away and rejected? Will you […]

https://www.stonebrook.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/180909_sermon.mp3

Death is our greatest enemy. And we spend countless dollars, energy, and even worry to hold it off as long as we can. But God not only has the answer, he is the answer.

https://www.stonebrook.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/180902_sermon.mp3

Download sermon notes and discussion questions: (PDF, DOC) Today we continue our study of John in chapter 10. Jesus gives some of the most reassuring words in all the gospels. Jesus is the good shepherd. He calls to his people, his sheep, who know his voice, will follow him, and will never be cast out. If we are his sheep, if we believe he is the messiah, we can be sure he will never cast us away, even when the world […]

The word “enlightenment” has been popular since the 18th century in Europe, but mankind has always been hungry for enlightenment. To be in light and not in darkness. To know and follow truth, not lies. But how do we know what is light and true? Jesus, claiming to be the light of the world, encountered a man blind from birth and miraculously gave him sight. But even more than physical sight, this man found spiritual sight. In contrast, the religious community was confronted with their own spiritual blindness. In calling us to true light, Jesus calls us to himself. How will we respond?

Freedom. Such a beautiful word. The pursuit of freedom might be one of our life goals, or it might feel hopelessly out of reach. But first we must ask, from what do we want to be free? For the word freedom implies there is some type of imprisonment, enslavement, or severe restriction. In the Gospel of John, Jesus points us to freedom, but we will find two surprises: what we are enslaved to, and what—actually who—is our only source of freedom.

Stonebrook’s whole ministry is designed around this task: helping one another abide in Jesus love, and live with it in full view, every day of our lives.

(Download: SERMON SLIDES.PDF, sermon notes and discussion questions: .PDF, .DOCX) Last week, this week, and next, we are taking a short break from our walk-through study of John’s Gospel. This week and next we wanted to spend some time here before we begin the ministry year, to take a step back and talk through the foundation of who we are as a church, and talk about our theme for this ministry year: Reigniting a commitment to Stonebrook’s core mission and […]