LifeSpring Sermon Blog

Divine Training

This sermon comes from 1 Timothy 1:1-7 and Paul's direction to Timothy to stay in Ephesus and teach that church healthy doctrine that will save them from the false teaching and dangerous currents of the culture.

Written for Our Instruction

This sermon takes its inspiration from Paul's statement that "what was written beforehand (the Old Testament) was written for our instruction," Romans 15:4.  The sermon examines how Christians can approach the rapid change we are experiencing in the religious world:  knowing about our times, recognizing what is important and what is not, and being able to spot counterfeit teachings.

No Chirpy Ending

This Easter sermon comes from the short ending of Mark 16 (verses 1-8) and it takes a look at the fear of the disciples and how the cross often leads through fear and difficulty.  The ending of Mark is so abrupt there is a tendency to want to "fix" it, and this may be the explanation for the longer ending of Mark which was added by some later scribe who thought that the ending needed to be rescued.

Napa Valley Viticulture

This sermon comes from Mark 12 in Jesus' story about the people who rented a vineyard and at harvest time killed or savagely beat the messengers sent out by the landowner to collect the rent.  The worst event of all was the killing of the landowner's son.  Jesus told the parable as a commentary on his coming crucifixion.

Patches on My Blue Jeans

This sermon comes from Jesus' teaching about the impossibility of taking new wine and putting it in an old wineskin.  His point is that sometimes we can become so brittle and unyielding in our traditions that the vitality and life of the Spirit are destructive and cause tears in the fabric of discipleship.

Why does he eat with sinners?

This sermon is taken from Mark 2:13-17.  It is about the way in which Jesus deliberately sought out people who were sinful, hungry, rejected, and curious rather than the satisfied members of the religious elite.  This sermon is about including the unincluded.

Which is Easier?

This sermon examines the miracle story in which Jesus tells a paralyzed man "your sins are forgiven" rather than "you are healed."  The twin issues of sin and authority (of Jesus) are important elements of the sermon.

Mark's Big Secret

In Mark's gospel Jesus won't allow the demons to reveal his identity.  It's an odd expectation, especially so when one realizes that the whole point of Jesus' coming was to reveal God and himself.  This sermon takes a look at what purpose the divine secret served.

Come Out of Him

This sermon looks at the authority of Jesus especially as it is revealed in the reaction of the crowds to Jesus at his teaching and the way in which demons could not resist his authority.  The sermon asks how the authority of Jesus does nor does not function in our lives.

The Importance of the Church to Christians

This is the second in a two-part series on the church and is built on the foundation laid last week, namely, that Jesus built the church and died for her.  This sermon looks at Hebrews 10 as it exhorts Christians to not overlook the importance of the relationships that are only built in the church.