Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called True Discipleship, taken from Mark 8:31-9:1. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. What did Jesus have to do to fulfill his mission? (8:31-33)
    A. Jesus had to suffer and die. (31)
    B. Jesus’ confrontation with Peter. (32-33)

II. What must you do to follow Jesus? (8:34-9:1)
    A. The demands of discipleship (34)
        1) Deny yourself.
        2) Take up your cross.
        3) Keep following Christ.
    B. Reasons for discipleship
        1) Your life depends on it. (35)
        2) What is more valuable than your life? (36-37)
        3) Christ will return in power and glory. (8:38-9:1)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called The Kingdom That Grows, taken from the parables of the growing seed and the mustard seed in Mark 4:26-34. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. The Parable of the Growing Seed (verses 26-29)
    A. We plant the seeds.
    B. God makes his kingdom grow.

II. The Parable of the Mustard Seed (verses 30-32)
    A. God’s kingdom starts small.
    B. God’s kingdom will grow surprisingly large.

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called Show and Tell, taken from the parables of the lamp and the measure in Mark 4:21-25. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. The Parable of the Lamp (verses 21-23)
    A. The purpose of parables: to conceal and reveal
    B. That which is hidden will be revealed

II. The Parable of the Measure (verses 24-25)
    A. Consider carefully what you hear.
    B. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
        1) Whoever has will be given more
        2) Whoever has not will lose it all

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called The Seed That Grows, taken from the parable of the sower in Mark 4:1-20. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. Jesus tells the parable of the sower (verses 1-9)
    A. Jesus teaches in parables (1-2)
    B. Jesus describes the four places where the seed fell
        1) “along the path” (3-4)
        2) “on rocky places” (5-6)
        3) “among thorns” (7)
        4) “on good soil” (8)
    C. Jesus exhorts the crowd to hear (9)

II. The disciples ask him about the parables (verses 10-12)

III. Jesus explains the parable of the sower (verses 13-20)
    A. The farmer sows the word (13-14)
    B. Three hindrances to the gospel
        1) Satan (15)
        2) False profession of faith (16-17)
        3) Worldly focus (18-19)
    C. The seed that grows (20)

Application points:
    1) Be careful how you hear.
    2) Sow God’s word wisely.
    3) Be assured of the harvest.

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called Choosing Sides, taken from Mark 3:20-35. The main idea of the message was that you must choose to stand with or against Jesus Christ. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. Jesus’ family comes to take him away (verses 20-21)
    A. They say he is out of his mind.
    B. They come to take charge of him.

II. Jesus confronts the teachers of the law (verses 22-30)
    A. The teachers of the law accuse Jesus (22)
        1) of being possessed by Beelzebub.
        2) of driving out demons by the prince of demons.

    B. Jesus responds in parables (23-27)
        1) A house divided against itself cannot stand.
        2) You must tie up the strong man before you can rob him.

    C. Jesus warns about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (28-30)
        1) All types of sins and blasphemies can be forgiven.
        2) Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.

III. Jesus identifies his true family (verses 31-35)
    A. Jesus’ mother and brothers try to call him outside.
    B. Jesus says those who do God’s will are his true family.

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called Ordinary People; Extraordinary God, taken from Mark 3:7-19. The main idea of the message was that God is an extraordinary God who uses ordinary people to accomplish his work in this world. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. Jesus draws great crowds (verses 7-12)
    A. The people came from everywhere.
    B. There were so many they pushed forward to touch him.
    C. Jesus ordered the demons not to tell who he was.

II. Jesus calls the twelve apostles (verses 13-19)
    A. He called those he wanted.
    B. He appointed twelve as apostles.
        1) That they might be with him, and
        2) That he might send them out
            – to preach, and
            – to have authority to drive out demons
    C. “These are the twelve he appointed.”
        1) They were twelve ordinary men.
        2) They came from a variety of backgrounds.
        3) They would change the world forever.

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message was called Letter to Mom, taken from 2 John 1-13. Here is a brief outline of the message:

Three responsibilities of a Christian mother:
    1) Know the truth (verses 1-3)
    2) Practice the truth (verses 4-6)
    3) Guard the truth in your home (7-11)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called Lord of the Sabbath, taken from Mark 2:23-3:6. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. God’s laws are made for our benefit (2:23-28)
    A. The Pharisees accuse Jesus’ disciples (23-24)
    B. Jesus responds to the Pharisees (25-28)
        1) David and his friends ate the consecrated bread.
        2) The Sabbath was made for man.
        3) Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

II. It is always lawful to do good (3:1-5)
    A. The Pharisees look for a reason to accuse Jesus (1-2)
    B. Jesus confronts the Pharisees (3-5)
        1) “Which is lawful: to do good or to do evil?”
        2) Jesus heals on the Sabbath.

III. Legalism is the enemy of grace (6)
    A. The Pharisees team up with the Herodians.
    B. Together they plot to kill Jesus.

Application:
    1) Think good thoughts of God.
    2) Receive the Sabbath as a gift from God.
    3) Be people of grace.

Related: Remember the Sabbath (from the Ten Commandments series)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was called Everything Changes, taken from Mark 2:18-22. The main idea of the message was that when Jesus comes, everything changes. Here is a brief outline of the message:

    1) Everything changed when Jesus came (verses 18-20)
    2) The old is incompatible with the new (verses 21-22a)
    3) Your life must change to accommodate Christ (verse 22b)
        – the change that only God can bring
        – the changes you make in cooperation with God

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s message in the Gospel of Mark series was titled Calling All Sinners, taken from Mark 2:13-17. The main idea of the message was that Jesus calls sinners like you and me. Here is a brief outline of the message:

    I. Jesus calls sinners to follow him (verses 13-14)
    II. Jesus calls sinners to fellowship with him (verses 15-16)
    III. Jesus calls sinners to repentance (verse 17)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s Easter message was called Nothing Else Matters, taken from 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. The main idea of the message was: “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen — nothing else matters.” (quote from Jaroslav Pelikan) Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. If Christ is not risen …
    A. Your faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14,17)
    B. Your hope is hopeless (1 Corinthians 15:18-19)
    C. Your life lacks purpose (1 Corinthians 15:30-32)

II. If Christ is risen …
    A. Material gain does not mater (Matthew 6:19-21)
    B. Your trials do not compare to eternity (2 Corinthians 4:8-18)
    C. To die in Christ is gain (Philippians 1:20-21)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.

Yesterday’s service was a combination Palm Sunday/Baptism theme. We celebrated Palm Sunday with the children marching in with palm branches and laying them at the front of the church. And we also had a celebration of baptism with three of our young people professing their faith in Christ through baptism. Congratulations to Daigan, Nathaniel and Nate!

Instead of a full sermon, I gave a brief introduction to baptism, explaining how and why we baptize at our church. Each person who was baptized also shared Scripture and a brief testimony. You can read my remarks on baptism at the Sermons page under the heading, Baptism Service.