Sermon:           “Amazed by the View”

Theme:            God gives us moments which put our pilgrimage into perspective so that we may be better prepared for hardships and expectations which are to come.

Purpose:          The congregation will put spiritual high experiences in perspective rather than constantly gauging their faith by experience.

Scriptures:       2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Paul speaks about his powerful spiritual experience coupled with his unanswered prayer.

Mark 9:1-10    Disciples encounter Jesus transfigured before them.

Questions:

Should we rejoice and take joy in those moments when we recognize how far we have come in our growth in faith? Is it false pride or giving praise to God when we appreciate the growth and maturity that has developed in our lives? How do we balance appreciation of the spiritual highs that we have known, with dedication to faithfulness regardless of how we may feel at the time? How do we respond to our “mountain top” experiences? Who can we talk to about the wonderful moments when we have felt God’s presence? What difference does it make to our life in Christ as we recognize and appreciate those joyful and uplifting experiences?

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Sermon:           “Wrong Turns – Part of the Journey”

Theme:            God works through us along the way so that we may be transformed, instructed, and renewed as we follow God’s leading.

Purpose:          The congregation will understand that we are changed by God’s call to open our hearts and listen.

Scriptures:

Jonah 1:1-17   Jonah called to go to Nineveh, and he chooses to disobey God.

Matthew 3:1-12          John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptism.

Questions:

What does it mean to be obedient to God? Is God looking for people who are perfect at following all of the laws and rules that have been given to us? Or is God looking for people who are wanting to use their own intelligence and creativity to follow God? What difference did it make to God that Jonah chose not to go where God was sending him? Why did God continue to work with Jonah and his obedience rather than simply get a different prophet who would be less stubborn? What does it mean to us that God calls us to repentance and to aligning our hearts with our actions?

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Sermon:           Hungry Hearts and Thirsty Souls

Theme:            Our hunger and thirst for what will have meaning and purpose forces us to move from stagnancy to taking risks.

Purpose:          The congregation will be aware of their hunger for God and open to new direction to reach it.

Scriptures:       1 Peter 2:1-12 Longing for the spiritual milk, the stone that was rejected

John 6:26-35   Jesus the bread of life that satisfies hunger

Questions:

What is not fitting in our lives at this time? What are we hungry and thirsting for? What spiritual needs have been going unfilled? What needs to change so that we may be able to put our health in relationships with God, and the people we love ahead of the meaningless things that dominate our lives? What are the stones we have rejected that we should have made central? What are the ways in which we have allowed our identity and purpose to be lost to less important distractions?

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Sermon:           Running Away from Ourselves

Theme:            We struggle with wanting to be free of those things that close in around us that call us to growth but it is in opening ourselves to God that we begin to wrestle with what needs to change.

Purpose:          The congregation will begin to open themselves to risks and change of growth.

Scriptures:       Mark 8:34-37  What does it profit a person to gain the world and lose his life.   Those who lose will find it.

Genesis 32:22-32        Jacob wrestles with the angel as he anticipates meeting his brother and his past.

Questions:

What are the issues and challenges that you wrestle with at night? What are you going to have to face at some time about yourself? What parts of your life do we need to loose so that we may find our lives? What are the places where we are resistant to change? What keeps us from being willing to risk growing and being transformed by God’s work? What do we need to release in order to be able to really live?

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Sermon:           Tourist or Pilgrim

Theme:            A pilgrimage is about living as children of God, and experiencing the healing and transforming power of God.

Purpose:          The congregation will begin the process of making commitments to be changed.

Scriptures:       Genesis 12:1-4    God calls Abram to go to a distant land.

Luke 10:1-7     Jesus sends out the 70.

Questions:

What is the difference between being a tourist and being a pilgrim? What causes someone to want to become a pilgrim? What changes does one need to anticipate when one is going on a pilgrimage? What are we searching for? What are we wanting to get away from? How do we choose to live by faith like Abram? What control will we have to give up when Jesus sends us out as pilgrims? What will we get in return?

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Sermon:           The Fellowship Of God

Theme:            We are in fellowship with God who is a fellowship of diversity, and love.

Purpose:          The congregation will increase in appreciation for relationships and the complexities that take place in our fellowship with other as well as with God.

Scriptures:        Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Wisdom sings of its creation

Romans 5:1-5  Since we are justified by faith we grow in Character and hope.

John 16:12-15 The Spirit of Truth will glorify Jesus.

Questions:

What difference does the Trinity make to us as Christians? How do we understand God as being with diversity and fellowship? How does that influence our seeking to be the image of God together? What does it mean for us to have wisdom from God? What role does humility play in understanding and receiving the Trinity? What role does wisdom play in being in fellowship and relationship with God and with others? What difference does the health of our relationship with other people have to do with our relationship with God?

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Sermon:           “The Moving Spirit of God”

Theme:            The Holy Spirit moves us to reach out to all of the world in love and appreciation as we share Christ’s love without fear.

Purpose:          The congregation will reconsider fears and discomforts with strangers.

Scriptures:       Romans 8:14-17          We are confident as the spirit makes us heirs of God and join heirs with Christ.

Acts 2:1-21      The Holy Spirit transforms the disciples and gives them a message for all nations.

Questions:

What does Pentecost mean to us today? What languages do we need to be speaking today in order that people can hear and respond to God’s love for the world? What fears keep our faith locked up and hidden? What kind of fire is needed in order to move us out to the places where people are longing to know God in new ways? What did it mean to have so many languages spoken among so many who were interested in knowing God’s love and blessing? How do we open ourselves to the same experience of being empowered and sent out today?

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Sermon:           “The Water of Life”

Theme:            We receive the love of Christ praying for us and over us as we walk through the challenges and trials that we face together and as the Body of Christ.

Purpose:          The congregation will be refreshed and encouraged by the knowledge of Christ’s Jesus’ love and prayers for them.

Scriptures:       Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21     Jesus promises the healing of the Tree of Life and the water of life to refresh them.

John 17:20-26 Jesus prays for the unity and strength of the disciples and all who come after them.

Questions:

What does it mean to us that Jesus is praying for us? How do we experience that love of Jesus in everyday life? Do we think of Jesus as caring for us and advocating for us? What does the “Water of life” mean? What do we think of as being invited to come, and to respond to God’s love with gratitude? Are we aware of all that Jesus has done on our behalf to heal us and quench our thirst? What do we need to do in order to feel the love and comfort that God is seeking to offer us through Jesus?

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Sermon:           “God’s Desire to Care for Us”

Theme:            The intention of God’s relationship with us is to free us from sorrow and fear, and to establish our hearts in healthy relationships.

Purpose:          The congregation will take on an appreciation of God’s intention for us that we be in a loving, healthy relationship.

Scriptures:       Revelation 21:22-22:5 The gift of God’s fellowship will be the light and peace of God’s people.

John 14:23-29 The Advocate will teach and bring to remembrance what is needed.

Questions:

What does Jesus mean when he promises the “Advocate” will make known to us what we need to know? How far does that promise extend to us? What do we have to do in order to experience that type of knowledge and wisdom? What is Revelation telling us about the relationship between ourselves and God? What does it mean that God will be our light? In what ways can God be our light today? What does it mean to discern direction from God? Does God function like some sort of “Ouija board” or is God’s direction for us something different? How does our free will and God’s direction work together?

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