Gospel of Gratitude

Luke 17:11-19

Lewis Smedes, who was my ethics professor at Fuller Seminary, described it this way: “Ingratitude decays the spirit, spoils the soul, decomposes life itself.”

In this sermon Amy looks at the story of the lepers that Jesus heale from leprosy. Nine went on their way and only one returned to thank Jesus. What made this man return to Jesus? What did he see and experience when Jesus responded to his cries for mercy with healing grace? And how can we live in gratitude everyday, seeing our lives as gifts from God?

Broken Humanity in the Absence of God

Romans 1:18-32

Looking into the Darkness of the Human Mind
Paul is unfolding God's announcement of Good News of what he has done in Jesus, Messiah of Israel and Lord of the world. That event / proclamation is his power to save everyone who trusts it, thus showing his faithful righteousness in keeping his ancient promises.
But the event corresponds to the need. The death of the Messiah, who is God, and his resurrection fit the profound darkness of the human plight. Paul looks at that plight in vv 28-32: humanity's unfit mind' produces destructive relationships, alienation from each other, violence, injustice, broken families, worthless promises, finding new ways to hurt. We not only do destructive things, we come to believe that that is normal and good.
This deep brokenness is why God has intervened in Jesus. God's wrath, ultimately seen in judgment, now is the basis for his intervention in Jesus to forgive, heal, reconcile.

Key Ingredients

Matthew 12:43-45 and John 7:37-39

This sermon explores the implications of Jesus' brief parable in Matthew 12:43-45 in which a soul that is left empty after an evil spirit's departure is subject to an even worse state when the spirit returns with 7 others.  Following God is not simply about abstaining from evil, but also replacing that evil with all the good that Jesus has promised us, and with the promised Holy Spirit in particular.  The sermon includes an illustrative demonstration of jars (representing souls) being filled with dried beans of different colors to represent the forces of darkness, the world, and the Holy Spirit.

Love Heals Marriage Seminar - Session 1

Scripture tells us that we can learn to live in the new self in Christ and be patient, kind and gentle with those around us. However, sometimes in marriage we find ourselves impatient, often critical and certainly not gentle with the people that we are closest to in life. This marriage workshop is designed to help couples understand how the marriage itself can be a powerful tool to help transform us into a new person in Christ, not only changing who we are in marriage but also who we are to others around us. Backed by good psychological principles and sound Biblical teachings, Terry and Sharon Hargrave will help incorporate recent research about the brain and how people change into an informative and entertaining presentation.

In this first session Sharon and Terry introduce the heart of their approach to marriage.  The building of Love and Trustworthiness.

Love Heals Marriage Seminar - Session 2

Scripture tells us that we can learn to live in the new self in Christ and be patient, kind and gentle with those around us. However, sometimes in marriage we find ourselves impatient, often critical and certainly not gentle with the people that we are closest to in life. This marriage workshop is designed to help couples understand how the marriage itself can be a powerful tool to help transform us into a new person in Christ, not only changing who we are in marriage but also who we are to others around us. Backed by good psychological principles and sound Biblical teachings, Terry and Sharon Hargrave will help incorporate recent research about the brain and how people change into an informative and entertaining presentation.

In this second session Sharon and Terry continue to answer questions from the couples in the audience.

Love Heals Marriage Seminar - Session 3

Scripture tells us that we can learn to live in the new self in Christ and be patient, kind and gentle with those around us. However, sometimes in marriage we find ourselves impatient, often critical and certainly not gentle with the people that we are closest to in life. This marriage workshop is designed to help couples understand how the marriage itself can be a powerful tool to help transform us into a new person in Christ, not only changing who we are in marriage but also who we are to others around us. Backed by good psychological principles and sound Biblical teachings, Terry and Sharon Hargrave will help incorporate recent research about the brain and how people change into an informative and entertaining presentation.

In this third session Sharon and Terry continue to answer questions from the couples in the audience.

Fallen is Babylon the Great!

Revelation 18:1-24

Patriotism, Love, and Allegiance
July 4th Weekend. Time for reflection on the relation of our faith to nation, power, politics, justice, cultural values, etc. Important ongoing discussion for U.S. Next Week some are traveling to Washington – “Worship in a spirit of Justice.” 
How does our faith relate to political power in a pluralistic society of private faith? Two pictures from the early church in the midst of the Roman empire. Not the same as ancient Israel (covenant with God), nor as participatory America with sovereign people and separation of secular state from religion.