Tag Archives: Sermon

2/2/2020 “What Does God Want from Us?”

Posted by Kris Bartelt on February 6, 2020

                 

Sermon:                What Does God Want from Us?

Theme:                  God calls us to a relationship of wholeness and humility through following Christ’s teachings and direction for our lives.

Purpose: The congregation will seek to practice humility and kindness.

Scriptures: Micah 6:1-8 God has shown you, do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes.

Questions:

What kind of person does God want us to become? How are The Beatitudes a reflection of what it means to be spiritually mature? What does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness? What is the real meaning of humility and how is it a part of a healthy Christian life? How does a life lived focused on ones own needs less a life than a life that is in joyful relationship with the world around us? How do we come to be people who live the beatitudes naturally?

To Listen please click HERE

Sept. 29 Worship Sermon

Posted by Kris Bartelt on September 30, 2019

Guest Preacher: Chaplain Darren Beachy

Sermon title: The Pearl of Great Price

First Reading: Matthew 6:19-21

Second: Matthew 13:45-46

Abstract: Jesus cared about prioritizing. In light of the in- breaking kingdom, which is already here, we are forced to act. We are forced to determine what we must do to prepare for this new reality. What do we keep and what do we divest? Once we know that material goods will only collect rust or dust, and once we know that the only thing that counts is treasure in heaven, surely we must find a new way to live.

To listen please click here.

5/29/16 Guest Chaplain Darren Beachy

Posted by Kris Bartelt on May 29, 2016

Guest Preacher: Chaplain Darren E. Beachy, M.T.S., PACC

Scripture for the sermon: Jeremiah 38:4-13

Title: Lessons from the Lesser knowns: Ebed-Melek

Scripture from New Testament: Matthew 25:31-40

 

Abstract: In Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Richard Carlson writes, “Choose to be kind over being right and you’ll be right every time.” Holy Scripture is full of examples of “little things” of compassion and kindness. Jesus tells us by giving just a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty we are actually giving it to Jesus himself.

Think of people who have done little things of compassion and kindness to you. There is a good chance they did not remember but you certainly did. Ebed-Melek challenges us to pad the ropesfor others and in doing so we fulfill the greatest command.

To listen click here 160529_001

Sunday, March 30, 2014 4th Sunday of Lent Emotional Courage

Posted by First Presbyterian Church Office on March 31, 2014

Sermon: “The Courage to Be Ourselves”
Theme: We grow in emotional courage as we learn to be shaped and molded by God’s Holy Spirit and Christ’s love.
Purpose: The congregation will explore the difference between holding fast to their own relationship with God and accepting others, as they are.
Scriptures: Ephesians 4:22-32 do not let the sun go down on your anger. be kind to one another.
John 14:18-27 I will not leave you orphaned, those who keep my commandments will show their love.

 

Click HERE to listen to message.

 

June 30, 2013 “This Wasn’t In the Brochure!”

Posted by First Presbyterian Church Office on June 23, 2013

Sacrificial Parenting

Sermon: “This Wasn’t in the Brochure”
Theme: We parent as servants to God, entrusted with a responsibility to share Christ, to instruct, and to impart wisdom.
Examples from church: parents and children
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 20-25 Teach our children the laws and the reason why we have the statutes.
Ephesians 5:21; 6:1-4 Submit yourself to one another in love, parents, teach and discipline with love.
Questions: What is our role as parents when children are difficult? How does a parent find strength and support to be consistent and compassionate? How come there are so many children in our culture who are not well disciplined? Is it neglectful for a parent not to discipline children well? How do we support parents who encounter particularly difficult parenting situations?
Symbol: Baby Wipes
Accompaniment: Praise Band and Songs.

Conversation Starters:

Are we only responsible to our own children? What is God’s expectation for us in terms of nurturing the faith of other people’s children? What can we do to impart wisdom to other people’s children?

Recent research (http://www.search-institute.org/research/family-well-being) shows that a very significant number of families do not have regular routines or well defined boundaries (such as bed times, curfews, monitoring of school work, etc.). What is the church’s Good News” to these families? What is our role as individual Christians among young people for whom this is a way of life?

In Deuteronomy adults are instructed to tell the story of God’s salvation to the children as a regular part of daily activities.
• What is our story of God’s mighty works? What is the story we should be telling our children?
• What are the activities today that would be “while you are at home and while you are away? What the times we should be telling our children about how God has acted in our lives?
• Why do we find ourselves reluctant to tell these stories?

Does “sacrificial parenting” mean we allow the children to run the house? In what ways do we need to teach discipline to children? How do we go about doing that in a way that shows “mutual submission?”

With each baptism of a child we take a vow to help that individual grow to know and follow Christ? How should we assist and instruct parents whose children are part of the church? What do we need to do in order to be sure that every child grows up to be a faithful disciple? Does this just mean setting up programming or is there something we should be doing in terms of relationships?

Have you ever been aware of a parent who was harsh or abusive of their child? How should we respond? What is our usual response? Are helping by being judgmental? What alternatives do we have?

What should we expect of parents who are members of the church? What should our responsibility be to parents? How should we seek to assist parents in raising healthy children who grow in the love of discipline of Christ?

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