Sunday Sermons

Here we come to one of the most well-known stories about Jesus: his simple healing of a blind man followed by that simple profession of faith: I once was blind, but now I see. But if we’re not careful, we might miss the big idea. Jesus is not simply performing a simple miracle but is redefining the true nature of what it means to see. And the question we are left with to answer for ourselves is this: are our eyes open?

For some—if not many—the thought of asking for help seems like a declaration of defeat. Further, there is a sense in which we now feel indebted to the one who gave us help. We would much rather be self-reliant and independent rather than beholden to another. Yet, when confronted with the truth—namely the truth of Jesus’ word—we are confronted with our genuine need for him. Though we think we are most free when dependent on nobody, Christ confronts us with the reality that the only true way to experience freedom is in him.

“I am the light of the world,” Jesus proclaims in John 8:12. What significance does this have? If he is the true light, what is the right response from us? When we ponder his statement through God's bringing light into the world at creation to the promise of a coming Messiah to bring his people out of darkness, one would think they wanted the true light to come. And yet, once he arrived, many weren’t ready to receive him. Instead of stepping into the light, they remained in the dark. How will we respond? Will we choose light or darkness?

Where do we turn when we’re seeking satisfaction? For many people, satisfaction seems impossible to find let alone attain for the long haul. Most would say that true satisfaction is elusive—difficult to find or achieve. However, John’s Gospel teaches something very different; not only is satisfaction not elusive… it is exclusive. And it exclusively comes from the Word that John has been directing us toward.

We are returning the Gospel of John this week after having worked through the first six chapters in the spring. In the first section of our study, John the Evangelist forced his readers to wrestle with the question, “Who is this Jesus?” As we work through chapters 7-12, we will continue wrestling through this question, yet will also be faced to answer the question, “Why is it so hard to believe?” Next week: John 7:32-52

We see God’s heart for multiplication from creation to the Great Commision. We also want to see God’s heart for multiplication at every level of the life of our church, from multiplying growing disciples, to multiplying healthy leaders, and multiplying local churches. (Gen 1:28; Matt 28:18-20; Acts 11-21; 2 Tim 2:2)

We were created for community. Because God has reconciled us to one another, we want to put a priority on personal relationships, from membership, where we commit to one another as family, brothers and sisters in Christ, to group settings, where we have fellowship with one another, to one-to-one, where we can really know each other. Even as we reach out to the community around us, personal relationships are powerful vehicles for communicating the gospel. Yes, when people are involved things can get messy, but as it has been said, relationships are a mess worth making.

Paul’s short letter to the Philippians addresses a church that shared in Paul’s ministry through a committed partnership in the gospel. Their commitment, though tangibly demonstrated through their support of Paul, was ultimately to Christ. They knew the joy that Christ brought. They knew the hope that he brought. They knew that regardless of their circumstances, their lives were wholly committed to Christ—in life or in death. They could share in Paul’s declaration, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” May this not only be the cry of their heart, but may it also be true in our lives as well.

The Psalms play a unique role within Scripture. Each psalm reflects the heart and emotions of its author as a prayer to the LORD. And the LORD has graciously given us these words by his inspiration to know how we can bare our own hearts to him. The prayers of those who have gone before us now exist within our Bibles to teach us how to pray. This summer we will explore several psalms in an effort to expose you to the wide emotional range of the Psalms. Within this book lies various songs that will comfort you wherever life has you.

The Psalms play a unique role within Scripture. Each psalm reflects the heart and emotions of its author as a prayer to the LORD. And the LORD has graciously given us these words by his inspiration to know how we can bare our own hearts to him. The prayers of those who have gone before us now exist within our Bibles to teach us how to pray. This summer we will explore several psalms in an effort to expose you to the wide emotional range of the Psalms. Within this book lies various songs that will comfort you wherever life has you. Next week: Psalm 136