The correct identification of an item or person is of utmost importance. I recall a moment of great embarrassment recently when a young man came through the line at church and thinking he was a student from our Bible School instead of the traditional handshake I gave him a big “man hug”. Imagine the look...
Have you ever found yourself in a situation in which you believe you were unfairly treated? I suspect all of us have at some point of our lives, and hence this teaching is good medicine for us. We will look at Matthew 20:1-16 and the Parable of the Vineyard Workers where a group of laborers...
In this message we will look at two parables that describe the kingdom of heaven, one as a treasure hidden in a field and the other as a precious pearl located by a merchant. In both scenarios, the great value of the object is clearly evidenced by the zealous and sacrificial action taken to obtain...
Over the course of time I have discovered that things I undertake out of a sense of guilt are things I do not do well nor find real enjoyment in accomplishing. Guilt might prove to be a capable motivator to get something going, but it cannot sustain that which it began. On the other hand,...
In this message we will be in the Gospel of Luke where we will visit the account of the “Good Samaritan” in chapter 10. This text is one you have likely reviewed before and one that has significant practical applications for our everyday lives, and in this message we will answer this primary question: “What...
As we read the gospel narratives, we encounter Jesus as the master teacher, and one of His primary methods of teaching was the use of parables. Most simply, a parable is a short story that uses everyday things or events to illustrate a spiritual principle or truth. In His ministry, Jesus uses parables to most...
You may be familiar with a Latin phrase, “Carpe diem”, which translated, means “seize the day.” It is commonly used to refer to an attitude justifying spontaneous and often unhealthy actions that put little stock or concern in the future. It is essentially living to today only, making the most of the present rather than...
Do you have a lot going on this week? Is your calendar and cup overflowing? Is the word “busy” one you most often use to describe your life or work? I will assure you that you are not alone in this, but I will also assure you that this is not a healthy nor desirable...
We are returning for our 3rd message on the “Lies We Believe” which will conclude our sermon series on Spiritual Warfare. The “Lies” we investigate this week will include “I must be perfect”, “I am too broken”, and “It is all about me” (which should hearken back to the previous weeks message, “It’s Not MY...
I confess that not every moment a pastor spends in sermon prep are spent necessarily in “spiritual thought”; In fact, this week I found my myself to begin replaying in my mind a classic song from 1977 written and performed by Jackson Browne titled “Running on Empty”. For some reason as I meditated upon the...
