There are plenty of opinions and one problem is that opinions can be true and not true at the same time.  Someone tries something and it works for them, so they assume that it will work for the rest of the world and then they try to force it on everyone they know.  What works for one may not for another.  This leads to false spirituality.  Paul deals with this in Colossians when he takes on those who like to tell others “no.”  “Don’t touch, don’t taste, don’t handle.”  Even in the church there are those who like to take away others freedom in the name of being more spiritual.  Paul fought it then and we still have to today.  The rest of the sermon is below.

1-13-12 False Spirituality

Sunday’s Bulletin  1-13-13

The new year has started and I am back from my time off.  Because of being gone I will post yesterday’s sermon and the one from December 23.  Daniel Cook filled in for me on December 30 and I appreciate him preaching in my place.  I am also glad that he and his wife Jamie and daughter Leia will be joining us to work with our families.

December 23 my subject was His Present is His Presence.  Immanuel means God with us and what a blessing it has been that Jesus came and is still with us today.

Yesterday we resumed our series on Colossians.  The focus yesterday was on God’s forgiveness.  We have been forgiven and made alive in Christ.  The trash in our lives is gone.  Now we should live like it.

12-23-12 His Present is His Presence

1-6-13 Taking out the Trash

Bulletins

12-23-12

12-30-12

1-6-13

Sometimes we just need to take time to mourn with those who mourn.  There was mourning because of Jesus birth.  The slaughter of the innocents by Herod saw to that.  Before we rush to say “Joy to the World,” we need to stop and for at least one Sunday take time to just hurt with those who hurt.  The sermon yesterday was a reflection on that.

Sermon 12-16-12 Time to Mourn

Sunday’s Bulletin  12-16-12

Sunday we continued in Colossians and explored what it means that in Jesus all fullness dwells.  To be in Jesus means to be in relationship with him.  Ephesians 5 describes Jesus relationship to the church as that of a husband to a wife.  A husband will give his wife anything he has.  Whatever “fullness” he has will be given to his wife and family.  You will never find anyone or anything that can offer what Jesus does.  So don’t get caught up in the frustrations of life thinking that Jesus is not enough.  He is.  You can hear the rest of the sermon below.

12-9-12 You Have What Jesus Has

Sunday’s Bulletin  12-09-12

Thanks to Roger McCowen for filling in for me last Sunday.  My family took some time off to get away and do some camping.  If you ever get a chance to go to the Davis Mountains in West Texas, do it.  What a great place.  Roger continued my series in Colossians so I picked up Sunday where he left off.  I especially wanted to focus on the part where Paul tells us not to be captured by a hollow philosophy.  Lots of things sound good and may have the ring of truth to them, but Paul wants Christians to realize that it is by putting Jesus first is where we will find real truth and meaning.  There is so much to distract and attract us that can ultimately ruin us that we have to keep our focus on Jesus and nothing else.  Through him and in him are how we see to live.  You can hear the rest of the sermon below.

Sunday’s Sermon

12-02-12

Yesterday the sermon focused on being thankful.  Each week we gather around the communion table to remember Jesus.  It is common for communion tables to have the words “Do This In Remembrance Of Me” carved into them.  What is the content of that memory though?  Is there anything to be thankful for?  I am thankful that he died for us, but I know that I don’t want the memory that my children have of me being just about my death.  What other scriptures might be appropriate to be carved into the communion table?  You can hear my suggestions below.

Sermon 11-18-12 Thanksgiving What would you put on the Communion Table

Sunday’s Bulletin   11-18-12

In Colossians, Paul writes about Jesus as creator.  Everything was created by him, for him, through him etc.  The point is that in all things Jesus is Lord and most importantly he has the last word on everything.  Life is found in Jesus because he is the creator, but also because he is the redeemer (or fixer) of creation.  Creation is flawed and broken.  Many see death as the last word on things.  Paul is telling us that death does not have the last word.  The rest of yesterday’s sermon is below.

Sermon 11-11-12 Jesus as Creator and Redeemer

Sunday’s Bulletin  11-11-12

Distracted driving is an important topic today.  More laws are being passed to try and deal with texting and talking while we drive.  This is in addition to the other things that we let distract us while we drive.  It’s dangerous to us and to others.  Distracted living is also dangerous to us and to others.  We must live lives that are deliberate, not distracted.  We started a series on Colossians Sunday and the focus is going to be on living deliberate lives.  We first establish the one priority in our life.  Then we can put all the other things into their proper place.  When you are driving, drive.  When you are living, live.  The rest can be heard below.

Sunday’s sermon  11-4-12 Distracted Living

Sunday’s Bulletin  11-04-12

The best way to live is the way that honors God.  Maturity comes when we are no longer worried about the rules and our focus is on how to honor God with our lives.  So the question for us this week is how do I honor God in my marriage, in my job, in the church, as a neighbor and as a friend etc.  You can hear the rest below.

Sunday’s sermon  10-28-12 Honoring God

Sunday’s Bulletin  10-28-12

In our lives the ordinary comes before the extraordinary.  How we live in the ordinary parts of our lives impacts how we will behave in the times when extraordinary behavior is needed.  Peter asks us to live our lives in such a way that though others may say bad things about us, the quality of our lives show that the evil we are accused of will be shown as the lie it is.  A life lived as God wants, in the end, becomes extraordinary.

Sunday’s Sermon 10-21-12 Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

Bulletin  10-21-12