Sermons
Laity Sunday is a day when the lay members of the congregation fully plan and lead worship. This Laity Sunday, Kevin Bruce, an Asbury mission partner in Ecuador, shared the story of the ministry he and his wife, Kathy, share with the Awa people around the town of Palmira.
There is no video archived from this service.
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There’s something that rises up in each of us. It keeps us from apologizing, admitting we’re wrong, or showing weakness. It keeps us from forgiving. It causes us to lie about our pasts, to cheat instead of lose, and to feel happy when someone else fails. It stands in the way not only of our relationships with other people, but our relationship with God.
There is a sin that is so common to the human experience, it is the gateway to all other sins. It promises to make us bigger, better, and more important, but only makes us smaller and meaner. It strips us of our capacity to connect with others. It stands between us and our heavenly Father. So what it is? How can we get rid of it?
Pride crowds out other people. It crowds out God. Pride is a prison. Saying no to pride is saying yes to God. Root out the pride in your life. Kill it before it kills you. Why would you opt to follow something that is killing you when you’ve been invited to follow someone who died for you?
Maybe you’re a “Three P” person—you have power, prestige, and possessions. You have influence. You are envied. People take you seriously because of what you’ve accomplished, what you look like, or who you’re married to. There’s nothing wrong with being a “Three P” person. But when it comes to pride, “Three P” people face a unique challenge.
When you see someone with less—less sophistication, intelligence, education, money, or influence— you’re tempted to think more highly of yourself. Pause for a moment and tell your pride, “The Most High is sovereign over all the kingdoms.” Remind your pride that everything God has given you is a stewardship. It’s temporary. You are accountable for how you use it.
We all want to be friended, followed, linked, and mentioned. We all want to be recognized, admired, sought after, and envied. We hunger for approval. We want applause. We want to be known. But what do you do when there is no amount of “known” that will satisfy your appetite?
Work hard. Hone your craft. Broaden your influence. Build your career. Write great books. Move mountains. Change lives. But in the end, remember who it’s from and who it’s for. The applause of the One who knew you first, who knows you best, who gifted you and called you is the only applause that will matter. Your heavenly Father is the One you want to hear say, “Well done.”
Knowing your forever can shape your today. The questions we have about life after death—Is there a heaven? Am I good enough? What if I’m not?— can leave us wondering. But that doesn’t mean we have to live in fear. Discover why our ideas of life after death could change everything in One Minute After You Die, a three-part message series.
The questions we have about life after death—Is there a heaven? Am I good enough? What if I’m not?— can leave us wondering what happens one minute after we die?
This week we will take a look at three things that scripture says happen to us one minute after death. 1) Our physical bodies die. 2) Our soul separates from our bodies. 3) We will face judgement.
We all have questions about life after death and some of those questions revolve around Hell. Does Hell exist? Why would Hell exist? Is the Devil real? This week we will look at what Jesus taught about separation from God.
We all have questions about Heaven: What is it like? Who goes there? Will I see my loved ones? Will I see my pets? This week we will explore what Scripture says about heaven.
At The Movies is a fun summer series where we show movie clips from popular current films of this past year along with a message that connects the popular movies with scripture. You probably don’t usually look to movies for life lessons, but take our word for it—sit back, relax, and hear a different perspective on how popular films can point us toward the gospel.
Black Panther is a 2018 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The movie takes place in the fictional country of Wakanda. Wakanda is a rich nation whose technology surpasses all the other nations because they have a rare metal called Vibranium. A young man named T’Challa becomes king and the new Black Panther after the untimely death of his father. However, a family secret leads to his downfall and he must overthrow his cousin to reign again as the Black Panther. So where does this movie point us to the gospel?
Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 Romantic Comedy based on the 2013 novel of the same name. The film follows native New Yorker and Chinese American Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family. Rachel is shocked to find out that her boyfriend’s family are the biggest real estate developers in Singapore and extremely wealthy. The film deals with Rachel trying to be accepted by his family. So where does this film point us toward the Gospel?
In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael’s three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. So where does this story point us toward the Gospel?
Bohemian Rhapsody is a biographical drama about Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British rock band Queen. The band reached unparalleled success in the 1970’s but Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, eventually shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music.
Freddie Mercury was the least likely person to be a rock star and in scripture we see God use the least likely people to accomplish his will. Queen describes themselves as misfits welcoming other misfits and scripture tells us Jesus welcomed the outsiders. Freddie let success and fame destroy himself and his relationship with others. Scripture reminds us that pride goes before a fall. With the help of his friend Mary, Freddie gets his life together and reconciles with the band. Jesus tells us if we want to be right with God we need to be right with others first.
Six years after Wreck It Ralph, Ralph and Vanellope are now life-long best friends. Their lives couldn’t be more perfect, until Vanellope’s game, Sugar Rush is broken and unplugged. But luckily, thanks to the newly installed WI-FI router in the arcade, Ralph and Vanellope now embark on an adventure to find a Sugar Rush steering wheel and save Vanellope’s game. But on their journey, Vanellope discovers a new place she would like to call home and it causes some insecurity in Ralph which strains their relationship. In the end, there is only one thing he can do.
Have you ever had a great relationship go bad or a bad relationship that got even worse? What if there was a way to make all your relationships better in just a few simple steps? Join us as we learn how to improve our relationships with others.
Bad blood can infect any relationship. And the quality of our lives is only as good as the quality of our relationships. Lack of peace about a relationship robs you of peace in your own life. But you can have peace about a relationship even without peace in the relationship. Happiness comes from peace with God, peace with yourself, and peace with others.
When there’s bad blood in a relationship, the easiest thing to do is to let resentment and bitterness grow without addressing the issue. That’s the path of least resistance. It doesn’t make the conflict go away, but it avoids the relational mess of having to deal with the other person. Jesus calls his followers to a higher standard. He says that if we have a problem with another person, we should go and have a conversation with him or her. But why should you go, when should you go, and how should you go?
The first step to finding peace in a relationship is to repent if you’ve done wrong or to forgive if you’ve been wronged. But no matter how badly you want peace, there are some relationships that may never be fully restored. What do you do to find peace about a relationship when you can’t find peace in the relationship?
It’s tradition. The Christmas movies we watch every year bring us back to the joy and hope and laughter we long for. This sermon series is about remembering the greatest Story ever told through some great Christmas movie classics.
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