Vaughn Park Church of Christ (Sermons)

On a scale of 1 to 10, how’s your faith? As we continue in the gospel of Mark, Tim draws our attention to Chapter 9, Verse 24. Here, a father cries out to Jesus for help with unbelief. It’s a lesson that encourages us to come before God with our honesty, concerns, and desires as we seek to grow in faith. 

Do we see Jesus and the cost of our discipleship clearly, or is our sight obscured like one who sees walking trees? As we follow Jesus through Mark, Tim draws our attention to a pivotal passage — Mark 8:22-26. Jesus uses this miracle as an allegory for spiritual blindness. We are challenged to ask whether we need a second touch from Jesus?

Do you ever feel you’re on the outside looking in? Have you ever kept others from gaining access? Jesus’ encounter with the Gentile woman in Mark 7:24-30 can, at first, seem harsh. In today’s sermon, Tim helps us see how the woman recognized Jesus’ acceptance and elimination of barriers. It’s a lesson the disciples needed then and one we still need today.

Facing the impossible? Quit looking at yourself! As Vaughn Park Church concludes 40 Days of Prayer, Tim challenges us to see Jesus’ miracle of the loaves in Mark 6 with new eyes. Is God allowing us to face the impossible in order to stretch our faith, strengthen our hope and show His love? Maybe it’s time to “go and find out” what God can do when we put our trust in Him.

“Don’t you care?”  — When we’re in the storm, it can feel like God is asleep on the job. Tim reminds us Jesus’ response to us may often be like it was for His disciples in Mark 4:35-41. “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” As we contemplate answers to these questions, we may find ourselves, like those in the boat, marveling at the power of a God who can command the winds and waves.

As we begin our study of Mark, Tim encourages us to find the good news of the Gospel; eliminate excuses for not following; adjust our plans to spend more time with Him; and commit to God’s purpose.

As Vaughn Park Church prepares for 40 days of prayer and fasting, Tim gets on his S.O.A.P. box — encouraging us to focus on Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. Using the story of the man with leprosy in Mark 1, he demonstrates one approach to Bible study that can change our lives and the lives of others.

When Jesus drove out the money-changers in Mark 11, he not only corrected misuse of the temple courts, but he also addressed how their behavior misrepresented God’s people. In today’s lesson, Tim asks us to consider what we need to cleanse from our temple, if we are to be a “house of prayer for all the nations.”

As we wait for God to move, it’s easy to ask “Why,” “When” or even “God, What are You Doing?” In today’s lesson, Tim takes us from the first chapters of Acts to Ephesians 3 as we explore how the Holy Spirit empowers Christians and the church to do exceedingly more than we can ask or think.