Sermon Central
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Lent
Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Mar 21, 2011 (message contributor)
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1. Facing Temptation
Contributed on Mar 21, 2011
Jesus' encounter with Satan helps us to understand the power of temptations and ways to overcome it.
Matthew 4:1-11 “Facing Temptation” INTRODUCTION Video: “Temptation—Deep Thoughts By a Shallow Christian This brief video seems to echo the thoughts and actions of many people in our modern society. It is commonly believed that sin has no consequence and the ...read more
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2. Fruitlessness
Contributed on Feb 27, 2013
In the middle of faithlessness and unrepentance, God moves graciously.
Luke 13:1-9, 31-35 “Fruitlessness” INTRODUCTION Two teenagers were driving along a mountain road near Flagstaff. As some of us have a tendency to do, they were going rather fast—about 75 miles per hour. The driver lost control of the truck. The truck crashed through ...read more
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3. Lost And Found
Contributed on Mar 21, 2013
God searches for us until he "finds" us, and welcomes us into his arms when we return to him.
Luke 15:1-32 "Lost and Found" INTRODUCTION There are times in our lives when we may doubt God's love for us. These times could range from receiving a traffic ticket to suffering from the flu, from losing your job to being told you have a serious illness, and everything in between. We ...read more
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4. Confrontation
Contributed on Mar 31, 2015
Jesus confronts the world's powers with the truth of God's Kingdom. As at his birth, the results are fear and violence.
Matthew 21:1-13 “Confrontation” INTRODUCTION We all have our fits of anger even the most mild mannered and calm among us. We may stomp out of the room and slam the door behind us, or yell and pound the table. Some of us may pout, or do the passive aggressive thing of saying ...read more
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5. Decreasing Dividends
Contributed on Mar 21, 2013
There is a limit to the benefits that this world can provide us.
Luke 16:19-31 “Decreasing Dividends” INTRODUCTION One of my favorite movies when I was growing up was a Disney movie entitled, “The Prince and the Pauper.” The movie was based on the book by Mark Twain, of the name. It is a story of two boys Edward Tudor, the ...read more
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6. Seeking Relationships
Contributed on Mar 21, 2013
Jesus has come to have a living, dynamic relationship with us. and to enable us to see God's movement in our lives and in the world.
Luke 18:31-19:10 “Seeking Relationships” INTRODUCTION Our God is a God of relationships. Though God is the God of creation, God is not satisfied with long distant relationships. God longs for intimate, hand-in-hand relationships. Most of us at one point or another, in ...read more
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7. Death And Life
Contributed on Mar 24, 2014
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We see this in his raising of Lazarus, in our everyday lives, and at the time when we face death.
John 11:1-44 “Death and Life” INTRODUCTION God’s ways are not our ways. We spend a great deal of time reminding ourselves of this truth, while at the same time attempting to figure out what God’s ways really are. In the gospel lesson today, we see this question ...read more
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8. The Call To Serve
Contributed on Feb 22, 2016
Jesus makes his third passion prediction, and tells his disciples that the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. Jesus also heals a blind man.
Mark 10:32-52 “Call to Serve” INTRODUCTION Our eyes can play tricks on us. Sometimes we can’t see what is in plain sight—we can’t see our glasses on top of our head, or the car keys on the table. There are times when we can only see what we want to ...read more
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9. Turning The Tables
Contributed on Mar 25, 2015
The path to meet Jesus may come as a surprise to some. Instead of being cloaked in robes of religion, Jesus is clothed in rags of need.
Matthew 25:31-46 “Turning the Tables” INTRODUCTION Whether in high school or college most of us have had the joy of taking a “final.” We studied hard for the final, because a large percentage of our grade was determined by this one test. More than a few ...read more
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10. Total Commitment
Contributed on Mar 7, 2016
Jesus summarizes the law in the Great Commandment, the scribes seek honor, and a poor widow gives all.
Mark 12:28-44 “Total Commitment INTRODUCTION It doesn’t take long, while reading the gospel of Mark, to realize that the kingdom of God is a very different from the nations and societies of the world. When reflecting on the kingdom of God and what it means to be a disciple ...read more
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11. Strenghth And Weakness
Contributed on Mar 24, 2014
Jesus boldly stands trial before the high priest Annas
John 18:12-27 “Strength and Weakness” INTRODUCTION The lives of heroic people inspire us and challenge us to be greater than we have been and more than we are. Recently a ceremony was held at the White House where twenty-four veterans of World War II, the Korean Conflict, ...read more
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12. Whese's The Kingdom
Contributed on Apr 19, 2014
Jesus stands before Pilate. Jesus’ kingdom is not from this world, but he is still King of kings and Lord of lords.
John 18:28-40 "Where's the Kingdom?" INTRODUCTION It has often been said that Jesus, "Lived so that he could die." Such comments stress the crucifixion, but down play Jesus' life. I think it might be more accurate to say that Jesus died because he lived. In other words, Jesus bringing ...read more
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13. Kingdom Preparedn Ess
Contributed on Mar 17, 2015
Jesus never seems to come as fast as we want him to. We must be prepared to wait
Matthew 25:1-13 “Kingdom Preparedness” INTRODUCTION “Get ready, we’re going to leave soon!” I suspect more than a few young people heard those words this morning as the family prepared to climb into the car and drive to morning worship. We hear the call to ...read more
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14. The Power Of Forgiveness
Contributed on Feb 24, 2015
There is great power in forgiveness both for the one who is forgiven and also for the one who forgives
Matthew 18: 15-35 “The Power of Forgiveness” INTRODUCTION Everyone has someone in their lives whom they have not forgiven. It could be someone in the distant past—a boyfriend or girlfriend who jilted us in high school. Someone who offended us unintentionally might be ...read more
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15. True Value
Contributed on Feb 15, 2016
A rich man is called to sell all he has and to follow Jesus
“Mark 10:17-31 “True Value” INTRODUCTION Mark continues to explain to us what Jesus meant when he said, “The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is here. Repent and believe.” Mark has helped us understand what Jesus meant by telling us stories and ...read more
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16. The Invitation
Contributed on Mar 11, 2015
The invitation to be guests at God's banquet in extended to all.
Matthew 22:1-14 “The Invitation” INTRODUCTION One of the most difficult concepts to grasp is Christianity is that God wants a relationship with us. The depth of faith is not determined by the number of religious activities in which we are involved every week. Faith is living ...read more
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17. When God Delays
Contributed on Apr 13, 2011
One of the hardest things for Christians to do is to wait on God. The story of the resuscitation of Lazarus tells us many important things as we wait on God in what we think is a hopeless situation.
John 11:1-45 “When God Delays” INTRODUCTION One of the most difficult situations in the Christian life is when God remains silent to our prayers. Faye and I have good friends who have two teenagers. Their son has been diagnosed with ADD, and he has been treated for this ...read more
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18. Robbing God
Contributed on Mar 1, 2016
Jesus shares the Parable of the wicked servant.
Mark 12:1-12 “Robbing God” INTRODUCTION The writer of Mark continues to expand upon the central message of his gospel that the time is fulfilled, the kingdom is here, repent and believe. To do this Mark recounts Jesus telling a story that has come to be known as “The ...read more