Topic: Jesus

Is fasting something a Christian should do? Is it ever mandated or just assumed in the New Testament? If we do fast for biblical reasons, what should we fast from? Will fasting assist us in becoming spiritually mature, or is it just to get God’s attention to show Him how serious you are about some issue or problem you are facing? These are just some of the questions we will consider in this sermon sub-titled, “Fasting in a Fast-Food World.”

Have you ever wondered if Jesus really did walk the streets of Jerusalem, preached on a large hill overlooking the north shore of Galilee, or even if the resurrection really happened as the Bible claims? These common thoughts and questions are highlighted in the sermon today as Gary gives us five reasons that you can have deep confidence that the resurrection really did take place just as God’s Word affirms and prophecy promised long before He was even born much less returned from the dead.

The Lord has given us seven “sayings” that Jesus uttered while He was on the cross. Some are very understandable, such as, “I thirst.” And some are beyond our finite minds to fully comprehend especially when he cried out to His Father, “why have You forsaken Me?” As Martin Luther said, “God forsakes God! How can it be?” Join us for our Good Friday service and find out more about these seven sayings and how they can powerfully enhance your worship as you consider the last words of our Savior before committing His spirit into the Father’s hands.

Every true Christian intuitively knows that he/she is in a spiritual battle. God’s Word tells us that and in Ephesians 6, Paul tells us about the “armor” of protection that the Lord has provided. But in the Pattern Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” That’s a rather enigmatic statement. What did Jesus mean by that? Does God lead us to do evil? Absolutely not (James 1:13-14) If so, then what is our Savior teaching us in this portion of the Pattern Prayer. Well, listen in as Pastor Gary instructs us on this very issue.

The world is doing a great job of following the adage of “an eye for an eye.” If you blind me, then I will blind you, and then we will both be blind and stumble in the darkness.” The suggestion that the first person forgive instead of retaliate seldom seems to enter the picture. But Jesus clearly taught us to forgive even as He did when He said on the Cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” More relationships have been destroyed by an unforgiving heart than we could ever count. Join Pastor Gary as he develops for us the issue of “Forgiveness & All that Goes with It” in today’s ministry of God’s Word.

When we pray “give us this day our daily bread,” we are really asking God to provide what we need, not necessarily what we want beyond our needs, although often He gives us that as well. The prayer assumes our own understanding of how dependent we are upon the Lord for everything in this life. Pastor Gary will flesh this out from God’s Word in this sermon sub-titled, “A Request for All Things Necessary.”

In the Pattern Prayer, often mistitled as the “Lord’s Prayer,” we say, “…Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Do we mean that in reference to the world, or do we understand that the answer begins with our own life? And when God’s will is at cross-purposes with our will, where does that leave us? Do we really believe that God’s will is God’s best for us, whether or not it feels that way? Pastor Gary will dig into these difficult questions to see what God’s Word reveals in today’s message, sub-titled, “An All-Consuming Passion for God’s Reign” in our lives.

We’re all on a mission to make Jesus known, but what do we need to help us? Paul prioritises Christian Encouragement saying that we are to be ‘Parakaleo People’. Along the way I’ll share some reflections from our ministry ‘across the pond’ in Scotland, where you as a congregation are supporting our MTW workers, Biran and Sheryl Roby. This passage includes a man falling asleep in a sermon (but I’m sure you won’t!)