Pentecost Festival
May 20, 2018

Acts 2:1-21
“Happy Birthday to Christ’s Church!”

1) On Pentecost the Holy Spirit gave birth to the Church.
2) Throughout history the Holy Spirit has blessed the Church.
3) The Holy Spirit blesses us as members of the Church.

The 7th Sunday of Easter
May 13, 2018

1 John 4:13-21
Love hurts! Love heals!

1) Love hurts.
a. It hurts when we fail to love.
b. It hurts when it sacrifices for the unloving.
c. God’s love hurt – when unbelievers rejected His Son…when Jesus died for our sins.

2) Love heals.
a. God’s love heals by giving us eternal life.
b. God’s love heals by removing our fear.
c. God’s love flows through us to bring His healing to the world.
* God loved us before we could ever love Him back. We love because He first loved us. Let others see Christs’ love in you. His love heals!

Ascension Festival
May 9, 2018

Ephesians 4:7-16
“Christ our Ascended Lord Still Gives Gifts to His Church”

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 6, 2018

1 John 4:1-11
Blest Be the Tie that Binds Our Hearts in Christian Love.

1) Love for Christ leads us to test the spirits.
a. False teachers were denying Jesus.
b. False teaching undermines salvation by grace through faith.
* Test the spirits! Beware of deceivers! Love Jesus and His Word!

2) Love for Christ binds us to His true teaching.
a. The Spirit of truth works through true teaching.
b. Listen to Gods truth through His inspired apostles.
* Gladly hear and learn God’s truth at church and at home.

3) Love for Christ binds us to one another.
a. God sent His Son in love to save us.
b. Since God so loved us, love one another.

The Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 29, 2018

1 John 3:18-24
Christian, Be Confident of God's Love and Blessing!

1) Be confident in Christ, who brings you God's saving love.
2) Be confident in Christ, who blesses your life of love.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 22, 2018

1 John 3:1-3
Remember Whose Child You Are!

1) A child of God, knowing His love.
a. We were children of the devil (Ephesians 2:4).
b. God's One and Only Son freed us from the devil.
c. In His great love God adopted us into His family.
d. The unbelieving world doesn't understand us.
* Remember whose child you are! What we will be has not yet been made known, but we shall be like Jesus in heaven!

2) A child of God, living in His love.
a. Our hope in Christ purifies us.
b. We live in His love through His Church's ministry.
* As children of God, we live for our heavenly Father.

The 3rd Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2018

1 John 1:1-2:2
I am wrong. Please forgive me!

1) Jesus came to bring us God's forgiveness.
a. We want fellowship (spiritual bond) with God.
b. We can trust John's eye-witness testimony of Jesus.
* The Word of Life works faith in our hearts. We are no longer alone. Our joy is complete!

2) Confession and absolution restores God's forgiveness.
a. Sin separates us from God.
b. Refusing to confess accuses God of lying.
c. By confessing and trusting in Jesus, we are forgiven.
* We struggle daily with sin. We confess daily in the Lord's Prayer. We may confess to our pastor. The Lord assures us he has forgiven all our sin, even our hidden faults!

Second Sunday of Easter
April 8, 2018

1 John 5:1-6
Faith Overcomes the World

Good Friday Meditation and The Seven Words.
March 30, 2018

Palm Sunday
March 25, 2018

John 12:1-19
Whom do you love? How do you show it?

1) Some love Money, and they show it!
a. Judas objected to Mary's extravagant display.
b. He loved money, and he showed it with theft and betrayal.
c. Jesus loved Judas, but Judas' love of money destroyed him.
* Are we tempted by love of money? Jesus taught we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 7:24; 1 Timothy 6:9-10)

2) Some love power, and they show it.
a. The priests and Pharisees love power and pride.
b. They showed it by rejecting Jesus and plotting to kill Him.
* Are we tempted by power and self-righteousness? Jesus teaches the greatest in His sight are those who serve; the justified are those who trust in His mercy (Luke 22:26; Luke 18:14)

3) Love Jesus, and show it!
a. Mary loved Jesus.
b. She listened, believed, and served in love.
* Listen to Jesus. Believe and love Him. How will you show it?

The 5th Sunday in Lent
March 18, 2018

Hebrews 5:7-9
Picture Jesus – a Man of Sorrows and Familiar with Suffering.

1) He “perfected” His ministry by suffering and death.
a. Jesus prayed – with loud cries and tears.
b. The Father answered by giving Him Strength to do His will.
* He was made perfect (reached His goal) by His suffering and death. Who else but God's Son could satisfy God's justice.

2) His perfect ministry gained eternal life for us.
a. He is the only Savior.
b. Only by the “obedience” of faith do we have eternal life.
* Jesus' ministry is finished, perfect, completed. Because He loves you, He saved you eternally.

3) His perfect ministry helps us when we suffer.
a. Jesus submitted to the Father's will that He suffer for us.
b. The Hebrew Christians were tempted to abandon Jesus because they were suffering for their faith.
* How will we respond to suffering for the gospel? Whatever we suffer, when we endure in faith we know the Father will bring us to glory.

The 4th Sunday in Lent
March 11, 2018

Ephesians 2:4-10
Marvel at God's Amazing Grace!

1) Grace – by which we're saved.
a. We were dead in transgressions.
b. God's undeserved love made us alive with Christ.
* Life will hold its share of sorrow, but by grace we're alive with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly realms.

2) Grace – by which we believe.
a. By grace you have been saved.
b. The faith by which we are saved is God's gift too.
* When sin or guild weigh you down; when you doubt Jesus has saved you, turn to God's promises. By them the Spirit works faith in us.

3) Grace – by which we serve.
a. We are God's workmanship, created to do good works.
b. As God's masterpieces, we bring Him glory.
* What are the good works God has prepared in advance for you to do? How can you show His love in your life?

The Third Sunday in Lent
March 4, 2018

“Why Preach Christ Crucified Today?”
1 Corinthians 1:22-25

1) Because it is God's wisdom.
a. Jews demand signs; Greeks sought wisdom.
b. “We preach Christ crucified” - God's wisdom to save!
* “Christ crucified” is foolishness to the world. Will we forsake “Christ crucified” like so many do? How can we? He is our only hope!

2) Because it is God's power.
a. The world worships its “power.”
b. “We preach Christ crucified” - God's power to save.
* We're living proof of the power of “Christ crucified”. We preach it. Let's share it!

The Second Sunday in Lent
February 25, 2018

Romans 5:1-11
Lent Reveals the Joy of Being Justified!

1) Being justified by faith we have peace with God.
a. Jesus established this peace.
b. By faith in Jesus we are at peace.
c. By faith in Jesus we stand in God's grace.
* We're not clients of a heavenly bookkeeper, but children of our heavenly Father. As long as we are justified by faith and standing in God's grace, our slate is always clean!

2) Being justified by faith we have the sure hope of glory.
a. Since God has declared us “not guilty,” we are sure of heaven.
b. We rejoice in the hope of God's glory (John 17:24).
c. We rejoice in whatever the Lord allows us to suffer since God has poured His love into our hearts.
* Though some things in life are far beyond our understanding, the Lord who loves us promises to produce even greater hope in our hearts. The hope of glory won't disappoint us!

The First Sunday in Lent
February 18, 2018

Romans 8:31-39
“Who Shall Separate Us from the Love of Christ?”

1) No accusation can!
a. We need and want Christ's love.
b. Accusations about sin would separate us from it.
c. Who will bring any charge against those God has chosen?
* Christ pleads for us. God pronounces us “not guilty!” No accusation can separate us from Christ's love!

2) No affliction can!
a. This world's hardships threaten to separate us form Christ.
b. To whom shall we go? Only Jesus has the words of life!
c. If God is for us, who can be against us?
* Christ and His love turn hardships into blessings. Nothing and no one can separate us from His love!

Transfiguration Sunday
February 11, 2018

2 Corinthians 3:7-4:6
Let Christ's Glory Shine through Your Faithful Witness!

1) We see Christ's glory clearly.
a. Sin plunged the world into darkness.
b. God revealed His glory through the Ten Commandments.
c. A veil covers the hearts of those who don't see the Savior.
d. By God's grace we see Jesus, the Light of the world.
* The gospel is our “mount of transfiguration.” By it the Holy Spirit shines into our hearts and transforms our lives.

2) We bring His glory to the world.
a. Jesus called Paul to bring His light to the world.
b. We too have the duty to bring His glory to the world today.
* You are the light of the world. Let your light shine!

5th Sunday after Epiphany
February 4, 2018

1 Corinthians 9:16-23
“How is the Preaching?”

1) The Apostle Paul was compelled to preach the gospel.
a. The Lord's call compelled him.
b. The Lord's love compelled him.
* Paul wasn't concerned about himself or his reputation, but about Jesus and His desire to save all. There's no length he didn't go to for the sake of the gospel.

2) We are compelled to “Preach” the gospel.
a. We're tempted to be complacent about the gospel.
b. Our risen Lord has commissioned us to make disciples of all nations.
c. We like Paul are compelled to “preach” the good news of Jesus.
* Use every opportunity to learn of Jesus and to connect others with Jesus' gospel. We can dispel the misconceptions others have about Christ and His Church when we make Jesus' love known as part of the on-going “Epiphany” of our Lord.

The 4th Sunday after Epiphany
January 28, 2018

1 Corinthians 8:1-13
“What Do You Know?”

1) You know that God knows you.
a. The Corinthians were letting their “knowledge” go to their heads.
b. God's love would lead them to use their knowledge properly.
c. Better than know about God is being known by God!
* When you know you cannot save yourself and Jesus has saved you, God knows you (John 10:26-27; Matthew 7:21-23; John 4:9-11).

2) You know how to love as God loves you.
a. The Corinthians forgot how to love in the matter of food.
b. The love of the triune God would lead them to love one another.
c. In love the “strong” would not harm the faith of the “weak.”
* For the sake of others we will set aside our liberty in matters not commanded or forbidden in the Bible.

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 21, 2018

1 Corinthians 7:29-31
How Will You Use Your Time in this World?

1) This present world is passing away.
a. The godless culture of Corinth lived only for this world.
b. The godless culture affected the Christians in Corinth.
c. But the time is short!
* Its easy to get absorbed by the things we need and want in this world. But it's perishing. Seek Christ's kingdom first!

2) Live by faith in Jesus, and you'll enjoy the world that lasts forever.
a. By faith we're members of Christ's eternal kingdom.
b. He strengthens and keeps us in faith by His Gospel.
c. By faith we use our earthly time for heavenly purposes.
* If you can't see the “why” of your life, you cannot live for the “what.” Through Jesus, you know the “why” and everything else in life falls into place.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany
January 14, 2018

1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Are you Meant for Immorality – or Immortality?

1) If everything is permissible, we're meant for immorality.
a. The Corinthians worshipped through immorality.
b. Our culture worships immorality.
* When everything is permissible, is it any wonder people are unfulfilled or use other people?

2) Since Holy Spirit dwells in us we're meant for immortality
a. Our body will be raised in glory.
b. Our body is a member of Christ Himself.
c. Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
* We are not our own. We are bought at the price of Christ's holy life and suffering and death. Honour God with your body!