In 700 B.C. it was announced, “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” If Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy, where is the increase of His influence? Where is unending peace? Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. to sing, pray, light Advent candles and consider what the promised gift of Christ’s governance looked like in the 1st century, what it looks like today and what it will look like in the days to come.
"kingdom" Tagged Sermons
For many Christianity, is a religion of rules. Endless lists of dos and don’ts that prove to us that we don’t measure up cause us to despair. In fact, if we’re honest it often causes us to draw back from God and Jesus. Some may participate because it is “the right thing to do,” but this is only duty and it actually causes many people to steer as far away as possible from church, religion and anything that has to do with faith. However, in Mark 1, we read about two sets of sons who were working in their respective family businesses. One day these sons encountered Jesus during the course of their work day and the result was that they resigned from their Father’s businesses and became students of this up and coming Rabbi. What did Jesus teach that caused them to leave their life’s work so quickly and easily. It was very powerful, but it wasn’t a list of religious rules. Jesus was relevant to those men for the rest of their lives and He is completely relevant to us today because of the power of His Teachings.
Join us on Sunday as we continue to learn how the Greek work “metanoia” (translated in the English Bible as “repentance”) means so much more than making a change and feeling bad about how we have been living. This cardinal word in the gospel announcement from John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles is forward looking and filled with hope! In this message we will learn what happens when the people of God come to grasp the true meaning of “metanoia.”
When Bible translators come across ancient words, like “and” or “hand,” they are easy to translate. Other Greek words, like metanoia, are so filled with meaning that they are difficult to embody with a single English word. Join us on Sunday as we consider a reality that was alluded to in a message a few weeks back. What if this word (translated as “repentance”) means so much more than making a change and feeling bad about how we have been living? And what happens when we get this paramount word in Jesus’ gospel announcement wrong?
If and when we share the gospel message, what exactly do we share? What posture do we take? We do have good news to share, don’t we? This sermon addresses how we can start from a place of commonality with our neighbors and friends, no matter what their beliefs, to engage in a lively, heartfelt discussion and presentation of the Christian narrative and worldview – pointing to the One Hope for humanity.
When Jesus came to earth, he proclaimed, prayed about and demonstrated that there is another reality which he called the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven. His central message about the kingdom is that children, women, and men can experience the presence and power of God in everyday life through faith in himself, the kingdom’s King. Join us on Sunday at 9 a.m. to discover and experience more of the presence and power of God in all of life.
We pray “Thy kingdom come” and we are instructed to participate in the answer to our prayer by showing others what life with King Jesus looks like on earth as it is in heaven. Did you know that we also get to participate in the answer to this prayer by talking about God’s kingdom in our everyday conversations? In this message we consider reasons why it is not only faithful but fun to have conversations in line with David’s forecast in Psalm 145:11, “They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom.”
Just as a current can pull a swimmer off course so there are forces that can distract those who are accompanying Jesus in our walk with Him. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warns His followers about impressive and persuasive people who will enter our lives and, if we are not prepared, will pull us from our pure, simple, child-like walk with Christ our King.
In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus reveals a crucial reality. As those with good eyes can observe the world beyond the capacity of those with impaired vision, so everyone with God has the privilege to see Him and His ways more clearly than those apart from Him. Beyond this revelation, Jesus also provides hope for those of us who long to know God and His ways more clearly in the form of activities we can do that enable us to do things that we can not do by our own direct effort (i.e. spiritual disciplines).
As we continue to study Christ’s Kingdom Manifesto in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continues to challenge His hearers with the challenge to do things for God Himself, not for the reward of man. He using the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting to show that a heavenly reward is much better than an earthly reward given my people.