What Matters

The Body

Our Children and Families Pastor, Chris Jordan, spoke this morning on 'The Body' - using 1 Corinthians 12 as his text.  We had a lot of fun as it was our Family Service with kids playing a key role in leading worship.  Listen in as Chris draws it all together... Download recording_30042006_083915.mp3

Plain Truth

'...We do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.  On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every person's conscience in the sight of God.' (2 Corinthian 3:2)

Plain truth - it is a difficult commodity to grasp.  In today's world there is so much confusion; so much knowledge - but so little wisdom; so much information - so little of value; so many smart people - so few who are wise.  What then is God's 'plain truth'?

The more we 'add' to it, the more likely we add our own biases, our own distortions.  For me Lord, at the heart of your universe the most fundamental of truths is this - that you love all of your creation passionately and completely, and the fullest expression - the total and complete sum of this love - is demonstrated in your son Jesus.  He is the one in whom all the fullness of God - the very truth of God - dwells.

This is the 'plain truth' of the gospel you call me to proclaim.

Prayer

Lord, may I be a passionate communicator of your 'plain truth' - that truth that sets people free.

Mature Audiences Only: Gideon (Part One)

I journalled my way through the amazing book of Judges recently.  Out of those reflections has come this message (from Judges 6) which I preached at our evening service on April 23.  Gideon can teach us a lot about how God can use even reluctant heroes...Download stu_sermon_gideon_23042006_183933.mp3

Enduring Love

Melissa Lipsett spoke on the extent of God's enduring love for us.  A great follow-up to Easter, Melissa speaks from Paul's wonderful, rich, rhetorical questions in Romans 8.  Listen and be encouraged...Download recording_23042006_083848.mp3

Easter Sunday: You can't tame this lion

What a great day we had.  Wonderful drama, great music, the opportunity to reaffirm our baptsim...all in all a great celebration of our great God.  The church was full to overflowing in our 10am service and almost chockers at 8am.  Listen in for the message that was just one part of the whole...Download recording_16042006_104509.mp3

Good Friday: So much for Love

What a special time we had this morning remembering the death of Jesus.  Picking up imagery from the CS Lewis book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe we were reminded of the cost of God's love for us.  For those not there, people entered our church through a wardrobe into a world in a perpetual state of winter.  Our time together was marked by wonderful music, clips from the film based on the book and a dramatic song performed by Chris Jordan and others that lead into communion.  Here is the message given as part of the service...Download good_friday_10am_2006.mp3

Gideon's Folly

'Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town.  All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.' Judges 8:27

God did great things through Gideon.  He routed an oppressive army in a miraculous way.  He turned the tables on those who mocked him.  He was a national hero - lauded from one corner of the nation to the other

People desperately wanted to install him as their king, but Gideon refused, saying 'The Lord will rule over you.'  The only thing he asked for was a small portion (ear-rings) from the plunder taken from the vanquished Midianites.  But it was this small tribute, this small acknowledgment of Gideon;s status that was made into an ephod.  The ephod became a symbol of Gideon's strength and power.  It became an idol that was a snare to Gideon and a focus of Israel's worship.

How easy it seemed whole-hearted devotion to God could be subverted by a seemingly inconsequential thing.

Prayer

Lord, there are many paths by which pride and idolatry can enter a leader's life.  Guard me I pray from Gideon's folly.

Palm Sunday - Evening

I preached in our evening service, taking up the story of Mary annointing Jesus' feet in Bethany the week before Passover.  Mary gives us a model of discipleship worth following...Download recording_09042006_183158.mp3

Palm Sunday - Morning

Russell preached in services marked by celebration, kids and palm fronds, baptisms and a keen sense of anticipation for the week ahead.  Listen in as Russell rolls out the red carpet...Download recording_09042006_104843.mp3

Remembering Christ in Community

This is the last message in our series on Community.  A celebration of the previous five weeks, the text I used is 1 Peter 2:9-10.  If not memorable for any other reason, this message describes in favorable terms the church as a 'Crash of Rhino'.  Listen to find out what the heck I am talking about! Download recording_02042006_01.mp3