Sermons on Aram:

A Broader Vision

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

Our lives can get so cluttered with good things that we miss the best.

Our text for this morning is Luke 4:38-44. “After leaving the synagogue Jesus entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:38-44

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

Jesus And The Crowds

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 16, 2022

Are we content to just see the same people in church week after week or do we really want to welcome many more?

We are working our way through the life and ministry of Jesus, as told in the Gospel of Luke. We’re still very early in his ministry. And in today’s text a problem starts to emerge that will come to be a difficulty for Jesus on many days. It’s the problem of too many people wanting to come and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-3

Now You Do It

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 16, 2022

What will you do when Jesus calls you to take a step of faith that is outside of your comfort zone?

We all have memories that are indelibly impressed upon our minds. Do you remember where you were when you first heard the news of Pearl Harbor, or the assassination of President Kennedy? Can you remember the scene of a certain wedding or a funeral, or any number of things? For me, one of those ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Followers Of Jesus

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

It's nice to stand on the fringes of what Jesus is doing and watch good things. But remember that he just might call you to jump in to some form of service.

For the last several weeks we’ve followed the course of just 24 hours in Jesus’ life. It was an amazing time. It started on the Sabbath day. He preached in the synagogue at Capernaum, cast a demon out of a heckler there, went home to Peter’s house and healed Peter’s mother-in-law in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Jesus Touched A Leper

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

Nobody touched lepers in Jesus' day. Their disease was disgusting. People were afraid to catch it. Lepers were totally ostracized. When Jesus touched a leper, heads would turn. That just wasn't done. Who are the 'lepers' of our culture who need a loving touch from us?

A few weeks ago I heard a report on National Public Radio about a medical team that went to Kenya to meet the medical needs of those who had the least receive medical care available to them. They started out with a survey to see where the people were and where the doctors were. And in that survey ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-16, Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45

Jesus Heals The Whole Person

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

Jesus is here for us to heal the invisible, deepest pains in our hearts.

Our text for this morning is a really nice story about Jesus, a story that shows a number of things. It shows some beautiful things about his character. It starts to explain to us why such an amazing man was persecuted and even put to death. It shows some deep insight into us human beings. I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:17-26, Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12

Bringing People To Jesus

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

There are people who need Jesus, but just aren't going to come to church on their own. Here's how you can help them come to Jesus.

Our text for this morning is another one of those stories of an amazing day that stuck vividly in the memories of his disciples. When you follow Jesus you never know what is going to happen. . Our text for this morning is Luke 5:17-26. 17 One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:17-26, Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12

Follow Me

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 19, 2022

Jesus calls all of us to follow him. And if he could use a hated tax collector named Levi, he can use us.

Where do you turn to find wisdom today? We now have access to incredible amounts of information, but how do you sort out what is important? We have the technology to do so many things, but how do we decide which of those things are worth doing? We can travel very fast, but as we race through ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-32, Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17

Showcase For Saints Or Hospital For Sinners?

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 19, 2022

There is a temptation for us to put on our best front in church, a false front, and to especially welcome those who looked really good. But Jesus saw the church as especially for those who don't have it together and we will be wise to follow him.

When I was a boy, my mother used to tell us to be careful about the friends we picked. If you pick a study partner at school who doesn’t want to do school work, you won’t get much done. If you start going out at night and roving the town with kids who like to make trouble, it won’t be long before ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-32, Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17

Hidden Gold

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 19, 2022

This sermon follows a short skit describing the reality TV show, American Pickers. They scanned junk and found value in it. Jesus did the same when he found Matthew, the hated tax collector.

Jesus was a picker. He travelled the back roads of Israel looking for rusty gold. He saw amazing things buried in people's hearts. What most people saw as junk, he saw as disciples who could change the world. Each person had a history all his or her own. There was no such thing as a nobody ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-31, Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17

They Left Everything

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 19, 2022

We may have strong attachments to the normal routines of life, but God may call us to break out of the mold and give us a life of excitement and purpose that we had never dreamed of.

You may have heard news reports recently about a young man with the name of Douglas McAuthur McCain. He was the first American that we know of who died in Syria fighting for ISIS, the Islamic State. And you wonder, “How in the world did an American end up dying as a jihadi in Syria?” The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Please Use The Servant Entrance

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 23, 2020

We naturally want to be in control of our lives and focus on taking care of ourselves first. But Jesus set the example of being a servant.

If you were to ask me what my favorite TV show is right now, I think I would have to answer “West Wing.” I’m really enjoying the opportunity to see something of the inner workings of the white house and how policies come together. Today’s text, the story of the birth of Jesus, leaves me thinking ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Philippians 2:7, Matthew 20:26, Matthew 23:11

A Tale Of Two Kings

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 24, 2020

There would have appeared to be no contest in a contest between the great King Herod and the little baby Jesus. But Jesus' power of humility and holiness and obedience to God, displayed at Christmas was greater then and continues today.

Our text for this morning is Luke 2:1-7, the story of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. You’ve probably heard it many, many times before. Can there be anything new in it, any way that this ancient text relates to our world today? Let’s see. I encourage you to open your Bible to it as Linda ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

The Journey From Bethlehem To Nazareth

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 24, 2020

We have our dreams for a perfect Christmas, but don't feel God has failed you if your dreams aren't met. Imagine how Mary's dreams for having a perfect birth for her baby were disrupted.

If we made a list of what it would take to make a perfect Christmas, it would be quite a list. Of course all the family needs to be together, all at the same time. Just that can be really complicated. For us, as near as we can tell, we’ll have one son coming in on the afternoon of the 25th and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7