Sermons on Aram Bakshian Jr:

The Christ In A Manger

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 24, 2020

We have heard the story so often that it seems obvious that Christ was born in a manger. But that would have been shocking to the world of that day.

I always enjoy the chance to meet people from different cultures and learn how 2 people from 2 different cultures can look at the same event and see it differently. Years ago, we lived in New Delhi India. Kathy and I had to take a bus to a shop in the old city, so I brought my Bible along to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:11-12

Peace On Earth

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 24, 2020

We might read a Christmas card that says "Peace on Earth" and not think anything of it. But the hope of God's peace is revolutionary.

In years past at Christmas time you would see the phrase, “Peace on Earth,” quite a bit. It might be on a banner in a store window or on Christmas cards or decorations in someone’s front yard. We did get one Christmas card with the phrase, but not as many as in years past. As the years go by we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:14

Dedicating Our Children To The Lord

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 24, 2020

We share in Mary and Joseph's desire to give our kids the best possible spiritual foundations

I want all of us who are parents to think back to a time when you presented one of your children for baptism. What was it that you were asking God to do when you brought your child for baptism? Grandparents, if it’s fresher to think about your feelings at the birth of a grandchild, do that. What ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:21-40

The Price Of Peace

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 26, 2020

At Christmas time we may dare to dream about peace on earth, but it doesn't last long. In Jesus, God showed us the way to true peace and it is not cheap.

“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-18

Jesus Grew

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 26, 2020

Have you been saved? Great. But that's only the beginning. Jesus had to learn obedience and effective ministry. Are you on the path to becoming a useful disciple for God?

Last week we looked at a touching moment in Jesus’ infancy. His parents brought their infant son to the temple to be dedicated to God. They wanted nothing but God’s best for their special son. And in the temple God brought them across the path of one of his true saints, Simeon, who loved their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:40

His Father's Business

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 26, 2020

Even for Mary, Joseph and Jesus there were some messy family days. But that may be a necessary, healthy part of letting our teens grow up.

Have you ever found yourself in the situation where someone really impresses you, and you ask yourself, “I wonder what that person was like as a child?” You might be impressed with them for good things, or bad things. But you wonder about their childhood. For centuries Jesus has impressed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-52

Are You Ready For Christmas?

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

John the Baptist told people to make preparations to meet Jesus that were very different from our preparations for Christmas.

I hope we are all making some progress towards being ready for Christmas. We know the drill, decorations, shopping, Christmas cards, wrapping presents, cooking, and so on. Today we meet John the Baptist, who gives us a very different list of things we need to do to be ready to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-14

John The Baptist: Challenge For A Deeper Life

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

John the Baptist didn't follow in his father's footsteps as a priest in the temple. He challenged people to break out of normality and live radically new lives.

(John, entering from the back, in costume, down the center aisle.) Wake up, everybody! God’s Messiah is coming! That’s really good news! Get ready! Things have got to change around here! God’s blessings are coming for you! But you have to be ready! Clean it up, folks! (John standing in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-18

Point Them To Jesus

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

Churches easily get struck in a rut and decline. John the Baptist serves as a model for vital ministry: focus on Jesus above all else.

Last week we started looking at the ministry of John the Baptist. He was a prophet. He cared for the spiritual health of his nation with all of his heart. He saw clearly what needed to be done and he spoke out what people needed to hear, boldly, without any sugar coating. His boldness was what ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:15-18

It' Not About Us

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

We love our church traditions and are proud of the good things we do. But our calling is to honor Jesus above ourselves and change any tradition to better point people to Jesus, like John the Baptist.

One of the fun parts of the Christmas season is getting letters from old friends and learning how their kids are turning out. Erik, whom I confirmed years ago, is in the Air Force now. Annie is a commercial artist. Allen, who used to get bullied, is a police officer now. Tim is married, with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-17

A Family Like Ours

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

We may be tempted to skip over the account of Jesus' ancestry, but it is an important part of the good news of Jesus.

If you had the job of writing up the story of the life of Jesus, one of the decisions you would make would be what to do with the opening paragraph. You know how important the opening is. You want something to grab people’s attention and pull them into reading the whole thing. What would you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:23-37

Ruth: Refugee With A Human Face

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Jun 21, 2021

The Book of Ruth doesn't get much attention, but it can remind us that God sees refugees and can use them in his purposes.

I imagine we probably all have a favorite book of the Bible. The gospels should be high on everyone’s list because they tell us the story of Jesus. And when the church’s heart and mind are fixed on Jesus, everything comes together. When we lose sight of Jesus things go wrong. Luke is my ...read more

The Battle Within

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

If we want to be useful for God, we will need to learn to say "no" when our body calls for food or rest in ways that hold us back. When the devil tried to deter Jesus from his mission by tempting him to turn stones to bread when he was supposed to fast, Jesus stood strong.

Perhaps once or twice in a century a truly titanic battle occurs in which the history of earth hangs in the balance. The D-Day invasion might be one. Both armies had invested many thousands of their men, millions of dollars worth of equipment and their very best modern strategies. It was a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

On Putting God To The Test Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

If we want to be useful for God, it is essential to learn that God is God. God determines the conditions of our service and we are to obey. It is too easy to descend into a pit of one demand upon another for God to serve us before we step out in obedience

If you read newspaper advice columns, like Dear Abbey, very often, you will recognize a scenario that comes up again and again. It is usually a woman who writes in about the man she loves. She insists they really love each other, but there’s this problem. She just can’t keep him happy. She ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Temptations Of The Flesh Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

Every day we are-forming our brain by the decisions we make. Jesus was solid in choosing the way of obedience and we need to practice the spiritual disciplines to train ourselves as well.

Last week we started looking at an episode in the life of Jesus, one of many episodes that sound really strange it you stop and look at what is really happening. Jesus presented himself to John to be baptized, as his public statement that he was standing up and accepting God’s calling on his life ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13, Galatians 5:13-26