Messages

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, a mysterious wardrobe grants or prevents entrance into Narnia. In The Lord of the Rings, the Doors of Durin bar entrance into Moria under the Misty Mountains. A key feature of these stories is a barrier between you and where you need to be.

There used to be a barrier—a curtain—that kept us from God. But in His death, Jesus tore the veil in two. Through faith, we now can enter the very presence of God with confidence. That is amazing grace! Tomorrow we’ll discover just how much the Lord loves it when we draw near to Him.

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” Everyone loves a good action movie. But in the middle, we find ourselves asking how in the world will this resolve? How will they rescue that person? How will they get out of this impossible situation? It’s not until you get to the end of the movie that you understand how all of the confusing details in the middle fit together. We won’t be watching any movies tomorrow, but as we continue in our study of Hebrews, we’ll find that the fullness of the gospel story can only be understood by starting with Christ and looking backward. Join us as we deepen our understanding of the gospel and grow in our appreciation of God’s master plan and its implications for our lives.

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” The lyrics to this old hymn summarize the life-changing message of Hebrews 9. The blood of Christ is precious and powerful. In shedding His blood, Jesus has transfused His life into ours. He has revived us, forgiven us, and cleansed us from the inside out! Join us tomorrow as we discover Jesus’s greatest gift.

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow.
Oh, no other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” How much weight can you lift?
Wanting to increase his strength, a guy joined a local gym. He tried one of those machines where you pull down a set of handlebars attached to a stack of weights. The weight he wanted to lift wouldn’t budge. So, he tried harder. Nothing. He redoubled his efforts, but nothing happened. Just as he was about to give up, a muscle-bound guy pointed out that the pin was mistakenly set at 500 pounds!
Tomorrow, we’ll learn the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was about obeying the Ten Commandments and keeping the Old Testament sacrificial system.
But the Old Covenant was like that weight machine. We think we can lift the weight of obeying God—that we can be good enough for God. But when the time comes for the sustained, heavy lifting of daily obedience, we can’t budge the burden.
The New Covenant is all about the weight Jesus lifted for us. As our Great High Priest, Jesus did for us what we could have never done for ourselves.

A sermon from the series “Happy Mother\’s Day.” Happy Mother’s Day! This Sunday, we’ll step away from our study in the book of Hebrews and meet a woman in Scripture unknown to many. Though obscure, Hannah’s story is one that just about every woman can relate to and learn from in one way or another. Join us as we get to know a woman of God who will teach much about what it means to walk with God through discouragement, mistreatment, and unanswered prayers. We can’t wait to worship together.

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” Many early Christians were buried in the catacombs in Rome, those tunnels under the ancient city. Three common symbols of faith appear on their tombs: the dove, the fish, and the anchor. The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The letters of the Greek word for “fish,” ichthus, stand for the words “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.” The anchor came from the idea that as Christians were going through difficult, insecure times, their hope anchored their souls. Where did they get that idea? From Hebrews 6:13-20—one of the passages we’ll study tomorrow. Jesus was, is, and will forever be the Anchor of our souls!

A sermon from the series “Vision Sunday.” Just one life. That’s the gift God has given each of us. What are you doing with yours? Are you enjoying life and living it to the glory of God? Are you experiencing the joy of using your God-given gifts in the service of God and others? Jesus will challenge us to make our lives count for Him and His Kingdom. On this Vision Sunday, the Elders will share a number of kingdom priorities that will require commitment and involvement from each of us. Join us as we examine our own lives and consider how to use the gifts God’s entrusted to us for His glory!

A sermon from the series “Missions Sunday.” God is on the move in our world today! He’s drawing people to Himself from every tribe and nation. And we, as a church family, are joining God in that good work. Several of our global partners (missionaries) will be joining us in person. We’ll have an opportunity to commit ourselves to pray for them on a regular basis. And, we’ll be challenged to do the mission work Jesus is calling each of us to do right here in the Lakes Region.

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” A reality TV show featured a man who proudly lives his life as an “adult baby.” At age 30, he sleeps in a crib and eats his dinner from a personalized high chair while wearing a baby bib and pajamas. He said he first got the urge to act like a baby at age 14 when he bought himself a pacifier and a baby bottle. Everyone would agree there’s something very wrong with an adult choosing to live like an infant. But what about Christians, who, instead of maturing in their faith, decide to keep living as spiritual infants? Hebrews will call out those stuck in spiritual infancy. He’ll tell them to grow up! Truth be told, we all have some growing up to do in our faith. Join us tomorrow for a challenging yet encouraging study of Hebrews.

A sermon from the series “Hebrews: JESUS IS GREATER.” He is risen! Easter Sunday morning proved once and for all that Jesus is greater than death. As the perfect sacrifice for our sins, Jesus is the source of eternal salvation. And He gives us the confidence to approach God’s throne of grace where we will receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Join us as we celebrate the resurrection with songs of praise, testimonies, baptisms, and a life-giving message from God’s Word.