2019 Sermons

12/29 - Sermon - "Go Lower: Proper Assessment" - Romans 12

Humility is not a beating up of one's self. It is recognizing how one has been gifted by God and using those gifts wholeheartedly. It is also recognizing the gifts of others.

12/22 - Sermon - "Go Lower: How Low Can You Go?" - Philippians 2

In imitation of Jesus' lowering himself, we must lower ourselves in our relationships with one another, looking to the interests of others before our own.

12/15 - "Go Lower: Where Do These Stairs Go? They Go Up." - James 4

In order to be raised up by God, one must repent in humility. God responds to a repentant heart.

12/8 - "Go Lower: The Spirit of Humility" - Galatians 5:13-26

Living by the Spirit means living humbly with one another, as opposed to living by the sinful nature which produces selfish ambition, envy, and fighting.

11/24 - Sermon - "Go Lower: Child-ish" - Matthew 18, Mark 10

In contrast to the disciples' desire to be the greatest, Jesus challenges them to become like children.

11/17 - Sermon - "Go Lower: The Invitation" - Matthew 11

We are asked to humble ourselves in order to approach God, but the approach is only possible if God humbles Himself first. We praise God for being so gentle.

11/10 - Sermon - "Go Lower: Signs of Royalty" - Matthew 2, Luke 2

Although Caesar is in Rome and Herod in Jerusalem, the real King is born in Bethlehem. We know him by a manger, birds, foreigners, and shepherds.

11/3 - Sermon - "Go Lower: Upside Down" - Luke 1, 6

Because God is at work, the stratification of society by economics, power, racism, and religion is not eliminated but completely upended. With whom will you be aligned?

10/27 - Sermon - "Go Lower: The Few. The Humble." - Zephaniah 2

The whole world is given over to arrogance and will receive God's judgment. Only a small amount of people will humbly seek the Lord.

10/20 - Sermon - "Go Lower: Before the Lord" - Daniel 10

The Word of the Lord is the most powerful thing we will ever experience. To receive it requires strength that only the Lord can give.

10/13 - Sermon - "Go Lower: The Essence" - Micah 6

In our wealth, we like to do things to impress God and others, but God would trade all of it for people who were merciful and just and humble.

10/6 - Sermon - "Make Me a Servant" - Isaiah 53

Our hope does not come from military might, but from sacrifice. Our mission is not through power, but through humiliation.

9/22 - Sermon - "Go Lower: False Humility" - Isaiah 58

Our religion offers us many ways to look humble in appearance, but the Lord is looking for humility of action where we serve those who are in the lowly positions of need in our world.

9/15 - Sermon - "Go Lower: As Best You Can" - 2 Chronicles 30

God responds to a humble heart, even when what has been done is not right. No matter what you have done, or not done, submit yourself to the Lord, and He promises to be gracious.

9/8 - Sermon - "Go Lower: The Impact of Hunger" - Deuteronomy 8

Pride comes when people forget the wilderness and how God got them through it. We must remember the desert with thanksgiving.

9/1 - Sermon - "SRP: Change of Heart--Philemon" (also a change of title from what I had last week)

Paul uses his relationship with Philemon to ask something extraordinary from him. The greatest changes that need to happen in the world will begin in the heart.

8/25 - Sermon - "SRP: Boldness--2 Corinthians 8-13"

Although Paul would rather act gently, the Corinthians need bold instruction and correction. Sometimes we need to act boldly with one another.

8/18 - Sermon - "SRP: The Transitive Property--2 Corinthians 1-7"

Paul takes what the Lord has given him and passes it on to the Corinthians, so they might have the same blessings from the Lord as he has. That is also our sharing ministry with others.

8/11 - Sermon - "SRP: Excellent--1 Corinthians 9-16"

The Corinthians had developed a competitive spirit to determine who was wisest and most gifted. If you want to be the best, you must love.

8/4 - Sermon - "SRP: Foolish Saints--1 Corinthians 1-8"

The Corinthians arrogantly think they are wise, but they act foolishly. It would be better if they realized they were foolish; then they might be truly wise.

7/28 - Sermon - "SRP: Not So Fast--2 Thessalonians"

Some people believe "the day of the Lord" has already happened, which perverts how a disciple ought to continue living in this world. We must hope and persevere until the Lord works in His own time.

7/14 - Sermon - "A Teaching Context--1 Thessalonians"

Paul has to teach the young Thessalonian converts on matters of sex, work, and doctrine. In order to tackle such heavy topics, he establishes relationships of passion and trust.

7/7 - Sermon - "What's on Your Mind?" - Earl Fultz

6/30 - Sermon - "Afflicted for My Sake" - Anson Wallace

Anson is from the Eastside congregation in downtown Lee's Summit.

6/23 - Sermon - "I've Heard that One Before" - Philippians

Paul takes what the Philippian church already knows about Jesus through teaching and worship and asks them to make it real. They should look out for one another's needs like Jesus did for ours.

6/16 - Sermon - "Living Sacrifices" - Romans 9-16

After Paul eliminates all boasting in the earlier chapters of Romans, he calls on the disciples to live sacrificially for others. Do what you have been called to do, and act graciously toward others.

6/9 - Sermon - "The Exodus from Sin" - Romans 1-8

We enslaved ourselves to sin, but Christ came and brought us out. Now we are slaves of righteousness, free for eternal life.

6/2 - Sermon - "Summer Reading Program: Long Distance Learning"

Today we suffer from the same disadvantage of the first readers of the biblical literature: we are separated from the events and witnesses by distance, time, and culture. Yet, we have found the words of Scripture to be both personal and powerful. It is good to recommit to God's Word.

5/26 - Sermon - "The Mystery of God's Resurrection"

The resurrection of the dead is indeed mysterious, but, even without full understanding and detail, the Christian trusts what God will do and lives in confidence.

5/19 - Sermon - "The Mystery of God's Marriage"

In Ephesians 5, while giving instructions about marriage, Paul connects it to the great mystery of Christ's relationship to the church. For Christians, even the most common of relationships is caught up in who Christ is.

5/12 - Mother's Day - Sermon - "The Woman Who Watches"

The gospel of Jesus is filled with women who watch how God works. They give praise, they humbly welcome God's kingdom, and they testify to others.

5/5 - Sermon - "The Mystery of God's Plan"

Paul has an intricate understanding of God's plan for bringing salvation through disobedience, not in spite of disobedience. God shows His power and love not by cancelling out disobedience, but by using it.

4/21 - Easter - Sermon - "The Mystery of Christ"

The person of Christ is the essence of all knowledge. What is unbelievable is the intimate connection he has made with all of us.

4/7 - Sermon - "The Mystery of God's Grace"

When God reveals Himself to Moses, He reveals Himself as one who is compassionate and forgives.

3/31 - Sermon - Roger DeLoach - "Two Kinds of Worship"

The preacher from East Independence has come to bless us.

3/24 - Sermon - Jason Owen - "Go Into the World"

The church must consider how to be helpful to the community and to tell about Jesus.

3/17 - Sermon - "Growing Wider: Inside Out"

While we are called to reach outside of the body, our life together within the community empowers that mission. What kind of community life breeds mission?

3/10 - Sermon - "Growing Wider: What Is the Gospel?"

In several places in the New Testament, we get a clear summary of the gospel. That Jesus died to forgive sinners and rose on the third day is the essence of our message.

3/3 - Sermon - "Growing Stronger: One Body, Many Gifts"

The greatest witness to God's grace is not the use of gifts, but unity in the use of a great diversity of gifts. We should encourage diversity and cheer one another on.

2/24 - Sermon - "Growing Stronger: Gift Development"

While God is generous in His gifts to the church, we have a responsibility to respond, mature, and practice.

2/17 - Sermon - "Growing Stronger: What Are Spiritual Gifts?"

Spiritual gifts are God's working through a person for His kingdom. They range from God using what a person is good at to what is required in the moment of need.

2/3 - Sermon - "Growing Deeper: Space, Time, and Words"

We can talk about principles of relationships, but, in the end, one must make practical, intentional decisions about one's relationships and their spiritual effectiveness.

1/27 - Sermon - "Growing Deeper: What Are Relationships Supposed to Look Like?"

We are challenged by the early church to have passion for one another and for that passion to produce Christ-likeness.

1/20 - The elders present on our Focus Statement for 2019 and beyond: Deepen Our Relationships, Develop Our Gifts, Declare the Gospel.