Games We Play: Jenga

Games We Play: Jenga

Luke 6:47-49; Eph. 2:13-22

We are in a sermon series looking at games we play and how they relate to our faith. We began with Monopoly, the bestselling board game of all time, and then last week talked about the popular card – and computer – game, Solitaire. Today, we are focusing on Jenga. According to its official website, Jenga was cr...

Games We Play: Solitaire

Games We Play: Solitaire

Heb, 10:23-24; Rom. 12:1-8; Acts 1:1-5, 12-14, 2:44-47

This Sunday, we continue exploring our faith, looking at games we play. Last week we looked at Monopoly; today’s game is Solitaire. It can be played with a deck of cards, on a computer, or even on most of our phones. The game of Solitaire first appeared in 1765 in Great Britain, where ...

Games We Play: Monopoly

Games We Play: Monopoly

Luke 12:13-21; Micah 6:6-8

Today we begin a new series on the games people play. We begin with the popular board game, Monopoly. Monopoly was introduced in 1934 during the height of the Great Depression, and was a wild success. In its history, over 275 million copies have been sold worldwide, making it the best-selling game in the world - sold in...

Encountering Jesus: In Life and Death

Encountering Jesus in Life and Death

Ezek. 37:1-14; John 11:1-3, 32-44

During Lent, for the last few weeks, we’ve been on the road watching as Jesus encounters people in his ministry. People like Nicodemus who would only come to meet Jesus on his terms in the darkness of night because he was afraid that being seen with Jesus would hurt his reputation. We listened ...

Encountering Jesus: When We Need Healing

Encountering Jesus in Healing

Isa. 35:4-7a, 10; John 9:1-9

During this season of Lent, we are following Jesus as he moves around in his ministry encountering people in their times of need. He met with Nicodemus – a respected Jewish scholar – in the darkness of night, allowing Nicodemus to chose the time and the place. He met with an unnamed Samaritan woman &...

Encountering Jesus in the Wilderness

Encountering Jesus in the Wilderness

Exodus 17:1-7; John 4:1-14

We are in a new Lenten sermon series called “Encountering Jesus.” There are times and circumstances in all our lives when we wonder whether Jesus is with us. Times we ask, “How can we know?” The gospels give us a picture of Jesus always on t...

Does the Bible Say That?

To Thine Own Self be True

This is the final message in our series, “Is That Really in the Bible?” So far, we’ve considered several statements often attributed to the Bible: God helps those who help themselves, God will never give you more than you can handle, God works in mysterious ways, and cleanliness is next to godliness. If this series, and our weekly Bible quizzes, have taught us anything, it&rsq...

Does the Bible Say That?

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15; Ps. 24:3-5; James 4:7-10

 Every preacher is bound to have an “off” sermon every now and then. That’s true whether you’ve preached 50 sermons or whether you’ve preached over 5,000 sermons. It’s estimated that John Wesley preached over 40,000 sermons over his lifetime, so I would ...

Does the Bible Say That?

God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle

James 1:12-17; 2 Cor. 1:8-10; John 17:6-15

This morning we continue our sermon series, Is that Really in the Bible. Two weeks ago, we looked at the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves” and discovered that the opposite is really the truth; God helps those who cannot help themselves and Jesus called us...

Does the Bible Say That?

God Moves in Mysterious Ways 

Isaiah 55:3-9; Jeremiah 9:23-24; Prov. 8:17; Rev. 3:20

We’ve begun a sermon series looking at popular sayings people assume can be found in the Bible. We began last week with “God helps those who help themselves” and this morning we focus on the saying, “God moves (or works) in mysterious ways.” These words are actually fr...

Does the Bible Say That?

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

Matthew 25:34-46; Ps. 94:17-19

This is the first message in a new series “Is That Really in the Bible?” We’ll be examining some popular statements people think are in the Bible, which aren’t found in Scripture or don’t exactly read as many believe. There are millions of Bibles in America, yet there is an ...

New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Judges 6:11-18; Rom. 12:1-2

The beginning of every new year seems to be filled with a mix of emotions: hope, determination to improve, unrest, dissatisfaction, a sense of uncertainty. Every year seems to bring something – economic issues, unemployment, war or violence, civil unrest, injustice. In 2020, we experienced all of that, and COVID as well. ...

Returning Home From Our Advent Journey

Treasuring Words … Pondering Meanings

Matthew 16:13-15; Luke 2:19

 Our Advent journey is over. For the past four weeks, we have visited the houses of the four Gospel authors, where we’ve experienced what Christmas means from that Gospel writer’s perspective and how Christmas is celebrated there. We’ve learned about the...

Christmas at John's House

Christmas at John’s House

Isa. 43:1-7; John 1:1-5, 14

For the past three weeks we have been on a journey visiting the homes of each of the Gospel writers. The purpose of our journey is to experience what Christmas means from that Gospel writer’s perspective and how Christmas is celebrated there. This week we have been invited to John’s house for Christ...

Christmas at Luke's House

Christmas at Luke’s House

Isa. 9:6-12; Luke 1:67-79; Luke 1:1-4; Luke 2:1-14

This Advent season we are looking at Christmas through each of the four Gospels. For each of the 4 weeks of Advent, we are on a journey to the four Gospel homes – Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John. The purpose of our journey is to experience what Christmas means from that Gospel writer&...