2017 April

The Other Doubter

The Other Doubter

After the resurrection when Jesus reinstates Peter, we encounter the way in which Peter doubts (John 21:15-19), which is different from that of Thomas. Peter doubts that he is worthy of being forgiven because he had denied Jesus. Seeing Jesus' grace and mercy toward Peter encourages our faith in powerful ways. Let's take a quiz. Pick one. Doubt is (a) the worst sin imaginable, (b) a terrible weakness that derails people's faith, (c) a great benefit and encouragement to our faith, or (d) an essential and necessary part of our faith. Here's my advice: if you want to start an argument in a church, ask a question like that. If I had to guess, most of us would argue that doubt is a bad thing, a really bad thing. Want some proof? Would any of us want our kids to have serious doubts about their faith? I didn't think so.

The Unlikely Doubter

The Unlikely Doubter

Let's take a quiz. Pick one. Doubt is (a) the worst sin imaginable, (b) a terrible weakness that derails people's faith, (c) a great benefit and encouragement to our faith, or (d) an essential and necessary part of our faith. Here's my advice: if you want to start an argument in a church, ask a question like that. If I had to guess, most of us would argue that doubt is a bad thing, a really bad thing. Want some proof? Would any of us want our kids to have serious doubts about their faith? I didn't think so. Some of us, on the other hand, believe that doubt, when applied properly, can actually strengthen our faith. Want some proof? Look at the faith of Doubting Thomas! So, what is the correct answer to the quiz? That's what we will be trying to resolve in our new series, "Doubting Thomas'

Resurrection Sunday: Christ Alone

Resurrection Sunday: Christ Alone

What makes the resurrection such a good day? In addition to all the blessings we enjoy in Christ, more importantly, the resurrection fulfills the story of the Bible. Rejoice and celebrate that Jesus is King based on Luke 24:1-8.

For the Glory of God Alone

For the Glory of God Alone

On this Palm Sunday, our sermon examines the fifth of the Five Solas: For the Glory of God Alone (based on John 17:1-5). In Jesus' prayer, He asks that God's glory be revealed in His death and resurrection: "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

What is Lent?

What is Lent?

Over the past few years, we have intentionally devoted more attention to the church calendar and especially to Lent. Since that time, we have had several people ask, “What is lent?” Here are some thoughts! Lent is the period of 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter where Christ followers invest themselves in prayer, repentance, fasting and other spiritual disciplines. The thought is that just as Christ sacrificed his life for us, so we, through these disciplines, are encouraged to sacrifice ourselves during this time so that we may grow in grace. And while Lent is neither mentioned nor commanded in the Bible, we believe it is a beneficial tool that, when approached by faith, can spur us on to greater worship and understanding. And who knows, we may even learn to love our Lenten celebration. After all, Advent is not mentioned in the Bible, but we all love our

Christ Alone

Christ Alone

This sermon examines the fourth of the Five Solas: Christ Alone (based on Acts 4:8-12). Here, we rejoice that "salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."