The Meaningful Life: A Life Overflowing with Gratitude

This sermon is based on Psalm 107:1-9, 42-43 and concludes our series, "CHOOSE." You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: A sermon series on the meaning of life? That sounds awfully philosophical. Who wants weeks and weeks of Sartre saying, “Existence precedes essence”? It also seems extremely impractical because if Woody Allen is right, then “The meaning of life is that nobody knows the meaning of life.” And wouldn’t any answer that we give, be rather simplistic? What was it that Paul Scofield said: “Sixty-four thousand dollars for a question? I hope they are asking you the meaning of life!” And on top of all that, it sounds depressing. Kurt Vonnegut was right: “Plato says that the unexamined life is not worth living. But what if the examined life turns out to be a clunker, as well?” In short, it sounds like

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On the Trail of Gratitude and Generosity, Part 2

There’s nothing like a good hike, except when you get lost. One of my favorite memories from when I was a kid was going to Camp Cedar Lake (not really, but lies aren’t lies if they are in a blog).  Camp Cedar Lake was a Christian camp with all the normal camp things—shooting rifles, making cheap crafts, swimming, canoeing (which often turned into swimming) and a hike up a mountain. Thinking about it now, I doubt it was much of a hike or a mountain; but as a 9-year-old, both were epic. Our guide up the mountain was our cabin counselor. Now generally, one would not entrust one’s life to a 17-year old who couldn’t find any better paying summer job than at a church camp, but entrust ourselves we did. And so, up the mountain we went; and before we knew it, we arrived at the top. As advertised,

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On the Trail of Gratitude and Generosity

Please forgive me, but I am going a little crazy. There are two trails in Patapsco State Park near our house. Let’s start at the Thru Trail. You turn left, go between the roots of two gigantic fallen trees, go left at the intersection, take the ridge path overseeing the river, walk over this rocky area, wander a bit in the woods and then turn left at the marked tree. Easy. I’ve done it many, many times. Now, let’s do it backwards. Start off at the same marked tree, follow the trail, take the rock steps (which, yes, is different from the rocky area), go up the hill to the right, zig zag a bit, get a little lost, turn right, and bingo, bango you’re walking between the two huge roots.  Same starting points. Same ending points. But for the life of me, I don’t know where they connect. Somehow,

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A Community of Gratitude

This sermon is based on Colossians 3:12-17. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about what

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The Peace of Gratitude

This sermon is based on Colossians 3:15-17. Series Overview: Stanley Beamish didn’t have anything going for him. He was weak, afraid and rather pathetic. But all that changed when he took the “power pill” and he became, “Mr. Terrific,” a superhero with the strength of a thousand men (if you don’t remember this show, there may be good reason: it wasn’t so terrific). The Greatest American Hero was basically a nobody until he put on the suit; and then he became, well, the Greatest American Hero (and a great answering machine message). The “Limitless” guy was just plain and ordinary until he gained access to his brain’s full capacity (and semi-superhero status). How? By taking a secret pill. Here’s my question: what could we do to be transformed into something rather extraordinary? The answer is rather startling: It’s gratitude. See, gratitude changes us. It not only gives us a “super” perspective on life, but it also gives us a

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The Gratitude Initiative

This sermon is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Series Overview: Stanley Beamish didn’t have anything going for him. He was weak, afraid and rather pathetic. But all that changed when he took the “power pill” and he became, “Mr. Terrific,” a superhero with the strength of a thousand men (if you don’t remember this show, there may be good reason: it wasn’t so terrific). The Greatest American Hero was basically a nobody until he put on the suit; and then he became, well, the Greatest American Hero (and a great answering machine message). The “Limitless” guy was just plain and ordinary until he gained access to his brain’s full capacity (and semi-superhero status). How? By taking a secret pill. Here’s my question: what could we do to be transformed into something rather extraordinary? The answer is rather startling: It’s gratitude. See, gratitude changes us. It not only gives us a “super” perspective on life, but it also gives us

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State of the Ministry Message 2017

As we celebrate our church's 15th anniversary, it is a good time to reflect on all that God has done in our midst as well as consider the challenge from God's Word for the year ahead. This sermon is our annual "State of the Ministry Message 2017" based on 1 Corinthians 15:58. Series Overview: Stanley Beamish didn’t have anything going for him. He was weak, afraid and rather pathetic. But all that changed when he took the “power pill” and he became, “Mr. Terrific,” a superhero with the strength of a thousand men (if you don’t remember this show, there may be good reason: it wasn’t so terrific). The Greatest American Hero was basically a nobody until he put on the suit; and then he became, well, the Greatest American Hero (and a great answering machine message). The “Limitless” guy was just plain and ordinary until he gained access to his brain’s full

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Gratitude and Peace Together

  This introductory sermon sets the stage for seeing the connection between gratitude and peace based on Philippians 4:6-7. Series Overview: Stanley Beamish didn’t have anything going for him. He was weak, afraid and rather pathetic. But all that changed when he took the “power pill” and he became, “Mr. Terrific,” a superhero with the strength of a thousand men (if you don’t remember this show, there may be good reason: it wasn’t so terrific). The Greatest American Hero was basically a nobody until he put on the suit; and then he became, well, the Greatest American Hero (and a great answering machine message). The “Limitless” guy was just plain and ordinary until he gained access to his brain’s full capacity (and semi-superhero status). How? By taking a secret pill. Here’s my question: what could we do to be transformed into something rather extraordinary? The answer is rather startling: It’s gratitude. See, gratitude changes us. It not only gives us

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The Last Blog I’m Giving on Giving

Giving advice is all around us. Some good.  Some bad.  Some terrible.  Consider: “The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. He also accepteth gifts from a grouch.”  --Catherine Hall “You should give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.” --unknown “Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.” --Elizabeth Bibesco “Do yer givin’ while you’re livin’, so you’ll be knowing’ where its goin’.” --unknown “There is no grace in a gift that sticks to the fingers.” --Seneca “You’ll never be as lazy as the guy who named the fireplace.” –unknown Okay, the last quote wasn’t about giving, but I found it encouraging.  And when you talk about giving, you want to be encouraging.  Today, I want to encourage you by answering the question, “What does giving do for us?”  As it turns out, it does all sorts of things. First, giving,

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