Introduction : Veteran’s Day Tribute — we need men and women to step up and serve and sacrifice in our military. Why? We live in a hostile world. We are at war. The same is true for us as God’s people. We are at war. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,…

Surpassing Story Part Four Text: 1 John 3 Illustration: Harry Potter—“Harry don’t you know it? You’re a wizard and famous one at that.” — Not “Just Harry” — Harry’s story had drastically changed.We are in a new story, a new reality. It’s not just new facts. It’s a new transforming reality and and transforming…

Introduction : We’ve been talking about stories. We are story-formed creatures. There’s a battle for which stories control our hearts. There are nemesis narratives that seek to snuff out the gospel. But there is a surpassing story! This letter starts with John asserting … we have a better story! Illustration…

Introduction Illustration: Batman Begins — to know someone you must know where they come from We all have a back story as it were Illustration: losing it on Paul Pepin—there was more to the story In fact, there was more to my story Last Week : Story is powerful, there is a battle raging over which story…

Introduction: What if I told you that there is one thing that shapes everything about you? What you desire. What you hope for. The decisions that you make. The people you choose to be around. The person you married. How you relate to you children. The career path you took. The things that drive you.…

Introduction: Illustration: Series of commercials “Want to get away?” (Fart after a date; throws controller into a tv, guy loses control of spray hose, Review : We are offered God’s amazing mercy and forgiveness. 2. If we are willing to come clean and genuinely own our mess. 3. Then God’s grace forgives,…

Introduction: Refresh: to restore strength and animation to. To renovate, revive, restore. Review: David made a colossal mess but somehow came out victorious and even singing. How? We need refreshing, it is freely offered in Jesus. In our passage today we see the heart of the gospel, of God’s grace.…

Introduction Illustration : girl who over permed her hair. Teacher, “You should just shave that and start over.” Refresh: to restore strength and animation to. To renovate, revive, restore. Last week: David made a colossal mess but somehow came out victorious and even singing. How? We need refreshing,…

Introduction Illustration : We’ve all experienced it. Phone is lagging. Computer is stuck. Call tech support… “Turn off device to refresh the system”. Reboot. Why? Do any of us realize what that is really doing? (like most of us when our car doesn’t start. Open the hood to look under) Refresh: to restore…