Sermon
Myopia and Mirrors
Matthew 7:1-6
July 23, 2023
Do not judge,
so that you may not be judged.
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You'd think that Christians would pay more attention to Jesus' very clear words. Instead, Christians have a reputation for being judgmental and condemning. We love to quote that "God demonstrates his love to us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us," but fail to see any need for us to likewise love others.
Sisters and brothers, let us listen to Jesus and remove the plank from our own eyes rather than getting caught up in the specks in the eyes of others.
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The Power of Action
Matthew 7:24
July 16, 2023
Pastor Ivan Castro Preaching
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine
and puts them into practice is like a wise man
who built his house on the rock.”
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What we build our lives on makes a difference. The foundation that underlies and shapes our directions and values can be lasting and strong or fleeting and weak. Jesus is clear that there is a difference. He calls for us to build our lives upon that which brings meaning, purpose, and joy, rather than grasping at shortlived and shortsighted objects of desire.
Jesus is also clear that it takes more than knowing what he teaches, the real power is found as we have the faith to put what he teaches into action.
Our good friend Pastor Ivan Castro shares God's word with us this Sunday.
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Think Small
1 Samuel 17:45-50, John 6:8-12
July 9, 2023
Jesus said, “Truly I tell you,
unless you change and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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God has a pattern of using people who might be the last we would choose. Why would God choose them? Why would God choose us?
Sometimes we need to "think small" to understand God's purposes for us. God multiplies the little we have to offer to be far more than enough.
Kamdon Harrison shares God's word with us this Sunday!
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What, Me Worry?
Matthew 6:24-34
July 2, 2023
Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
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"Do not worry about your life," Jesus says. Don't worry about what you will eat, or what you will drink, or about your body, or what you will wear.
Jesus doesn’t deny the need for these things, but he invites us to know the Father and his provision in the ordinary, not just the extraordinary. Jesus reveals life as far bigger and better than our immediate concerns. He shows us God who knows and is concerned about our needs.
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Rust-Proof Riches
Matthew 6:16-21
June 25, 2023
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust consumes
and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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Our choices reveal what is important to us. If someone watched you 24x7 for an entire week, what would they say guides your life based on the choices you made?
We are surrounded by voices that compete for our attention - each calling for us to go in different directions.
What do we say "no" to so we can say "yes" to things that are more important? If we say our health is important, do we say "no" to a TV show so we can get exercise instead? Do we say "no" to a super-sized order of french fries so we can say "yes" to a salad? This morning you said "no" to a number of other options so you can say "yes" to joining in worship.
Are the things that guide our choices of lasting value?
Jesus summarizes what he has been teaching in the Sermon on the Mount saying, "Store up for yourself treasures in heaven,"
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Starts with a Single Step
Matthew 6:5-16
June 18, 2023
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
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"The devil made me do it!" Flip Wilson as Geraldine Jones would explain about buying an expensive new dress. She blames the devil for leading her to the store, forcing her through the door, to the rack where she found the dress, and making her buy it.
We've all been there, facing the final line between resisting and succumbing to temptation. Momentum and impulse carry us toward that sin. We're standing at that line because we already took a lot of steps to get there.
Sin starts as we take the first step off the path God places before us - when we pay more attention to what we ought to avoid rather than what we truly need.
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The Gift of Forgiveness
Matthew 6:5-16
June 11, 2023
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
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Forgiveness is a great gift.
Forgiveness is not only a gift for the person forgiven; it is also a gift for the one who forgives.
Unforgiveness eats away at the heart and soul of the person who was wronged. It also disrupts our relationship with our God who loves us and is eager to forgive. To be unwilling to forgive is to be unwilling to be forgiven.
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Putting the Daily back in Daily Bread
Matthew 6:5-16
June 4, 2023
Give us this day our daily bread.
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God's deepest love is revealed as we live with and for him, trusting in his ability and faithfulness rather than our own ability and resources. God's provision and direction are experienced in our dependence upon God rather than our independence.
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Thy Will Be Done
Matthew 6:5-16
May 21, 2023
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
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As God’s will is done, whether it is in us, through us, around us, or even despite of us, we experience a taste of what we were created and intended for. As God's will is done, God’s blessing, presence, and power fill our hearts and lives. We become people who bear God's light and love into a world that can be dark and lonely.
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A Mother's Love
Romans 16:13-16
May 14, 2023
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother,
who has been a mother to me, too.
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Mothers are uniquely gifted and called to be living examples and sources of God's love. A mother's love is far more powerful than any sermon ever preached. Even when those who gave us birth let us down, we are surrounded by other mothers who are there for us, as examples of God's faithful and steadfast love.
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