LifeSpring Sermon Blog

God At War

This sermon is part of a two-sermon series.  It explores the hatred that God has for evil and how God has set about from the Fall to defeat evil and set aright the Creation.  The sermon examines the oft quoted idea that "everything happens for a reason."  The sermon is pertinent to any discussion of the Resurrection because of the role that the Cross plays in the defeat of evil and the victory of God.

Why did they die?

In Luke 13, the writer Luke tells the story of when some people asked Jesus what he thought about the murder of some worshipers in Galilee.  The question was not innocent, so Jesus' reply to them was to ask if they thought that the murdered victims were for some reason worse sinners than other Galileans.  This incident is set within a text where Jesus said it is best not to attempt to interpret the cause of random occasions of violence and suffering but rather to be at all times prepared for whatever may happen.  This sermon is about the importance of repentance.

A Smoking Pot and God's Promise

This sermon shows the link between Abraham as seen in a covenant ceremony (Genesis 15:1-21) and Mary's assertion that God will do what he promises and did so with the coming of Jesus (Luke 1:45).  The sermon shows how the Bible is unified in the story it tells from Genesis through Revelation.

First Things First

This sermon is a mashup of Deuteronomy 26:1-11 and Luke 11:24-26.  It has the theme of putting things in the right order in our lives.  Jesus told a parable of a man that swept his house clean, driving out a single demon.  But the man did not fill his now clean house with good things so the demon returned with 7 more demons more wicked than he was.  Similarly, Moses told the Israelites to make sure that they put God first in ordering their lives else they would fall away from him and forgetting how they got their prosperity.It's the same message.  Put first things first or suffer terrible consequences.

Out of the Heart

In the text for this sermon, Jesus talks about the impact of the human heart on all behavior.  Jesus said that it is impossible to act contrary to what we dwell on and value.  This sermon from Luke 6:37-45 discusses judging others, the importance of self-awareness and self-criticism, and the congruity of the content of one's heart and one's behavior.

He Stood Up to Read

Luke
4:14-21 tells the story of the time that Jesus read the scripture in the Nazareth synagogue and the violent reaction he got from the listeners.  The sermon takes a look at whether we are willing to receive the teaching that Jesus has for us.

For the Good of Everyone

The text for this sermon comes from 1
Corinthians 12:1-11.  In this text, Paul tells the Corinthian church that the gifts the Spirit gave to her were meant to be used for the benefit of the members of that community.

He's More Powerful Than I Am

This sermon comes from Luke
3:15-17, 21-22.  It takes its direction from John the Baptist's characterization of Jesus to the effect that Jesus was more powerful than he was and that Jesus would baptize his followers with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Wanna Join the Family?

This sermon comes from John 1:10-18 and takes a look at John's preoccupation with Jesus' participation in the Creation of the world.  John also talks about the implications of Jesus' incarnation and says that those who receive Jesus have the power to become God's children.  The sermon talks about the difference between a birth-centered understanding of Jesus and John's "in-the-beginning" view of Jesus.

What Difference Does It Make?

This sermon is the last sermon in the Advent cycle, and it concerns itself with the kind of life which comes from being clothed with Christ (Colossians 3:12).  The sermon is built on Paul's theology (Colossians 1:15-20) in which he describes the being and character of Christ.