Recent Sermons
Men, Women, and Worship (1 Cor. 11:1-16)
Paul addresses the very thorny (and relevant) topic of gender roles in the church and how we as believers glorify our spiritual head by aligning with God's design for men and women.
Learn The Easy Way (1 Cor. 10:1-13)
Christians can be hard-headed, can't we? Rather than learn the easy way, by the mistakes of those who've gone before us, we insist on repeating those mistakes and learning the same difficult lessons our ancestors learned. Today, Paul tries his best to prevent us from learning hard lessons the hard way by describing the four main ways believers go off the rails.
Liberty in Love (1 Cor. 8:1-13)
Is it okay for a Christian to drink? Is it okay for a Christian to get a tattoo? Is it okay for a Christian to dance, or go to a movie theater, or to smoke? In Paul's day, the big question was, "Is it okay for a Christian to eat meat offered to idols?" From Paul's answer to this cultural question of his day, we can find the answer to the cultural issues of our day.
Don’t Go Changing to Try to Please…Them (1 Cor. 7:17-40)
Conformity is one of those unnecessary cancers that can affect a church. Women and men feel intense peer pressure to alter their outward appearance so as to conform to the church's expectations. Paul says that it is not necessary to change the outside; it is necessary to change the inside. You be you, so long as you are keeping the commandments of God.
Teachings on Marriage (1 Cor. 7:1-16)
Paul answers questions from the church at Corinth about marriage, singleness, widowhood, and divorce. The short answer is: your choices must be in harmony with the Word of God and the teachings of Jesus, but other than that, you have freedom to choose whether or not to marry.
Lawful vs Profitable (1 Cor. 6:12-20)
As we pick back up on our series through First Corinthians, we come to a passage that challenges us to remain pure in a culture that is anything but.
Rise Above the Discouragement (Psalm 77)
Our guest speaker, Pastor Bob Butler, walks us through this powerful psalm which reminds us to let the victories of the past help us overcome the discouragement of the present.
The Perfect Christmas Gift (Matt. 1)
I'm not great at giving gifts, but God is excellent at it. He gave us what we needed the most. The question is: have you accepted His free Christmas gift?
My Favorite Things (John 10)
What are some of your favorite things at Christmastime? You're welcome to have a long list of "favorite things," but the number one favorite at the top of your list had better be Jesus Christ.
Such Were Some of You (1 Cor. 6:1-11)
In this passage, the Apostle Paul rebukes the carnal Christians of Corinth for taking each other to court over the most trivial matters. Their inability to settle petty disputes within the church is another indication of their carnality and immaturity.
Is Acceptance of Sin a Sign of Christian Maturity? (1 Cor. 5)
Many liberal mainline churches today not only tolerate but extol the virtues of sexual sins that are clearly forbidden by God. Is this a sign of their advanced Christian maturity? Or is it a sign of their immaturity and carnality? Paul has the answer.
Shine – Don’t Whine (Isaiah 9)
Pastor Bob Butler of Boston is our guest speaker today with a reminder that when we look at the darkness all around us, we can whine about it, or we can shine through it. The darker it is, the brighter even the smallest candle can glow.
Liked or Light? (1 Cor. 4:8-21)
Just like in American Christianity today, the carnal Christians of Corinth are struggling with pride, the desire to be liked instead of light, and in-fighting and back-biting over preferred worship styles. Paul offers some stern words for these self-appointed church-growth experts who are willing to split the church get their way.
Let the Judge Do the Judging (1 Cor. 4:1-7)
Paul speaks to those who are critical of him and others over non-biblical preferences and opinions. Whenever carnal Christians elevate their opinions to the same level of authority as scripture, and then make demands of the church leadership to abide by their opinions, they have "exceeded what is written." This message is extremely applicable to Christians today who insist on the Bible and... [fill in the blank].
Be a Fool for Christ (1 Cor. 3:18-23)
The Bible is clear that there is worldly wisdom (which is an oxymoron) and there is godly wisdom, which is found in the Bible. Worldly people may have intellectual expertise in their field of endeavor, but from their own human efforts, they can never discern spiritual things. Spiritual wisdom and a biblical worldview come only through humility and Bible study. Those who proclaim godly wisdom are often considered fools (literally, "morons") by the unsaved world. Paul warns the church at Corinth that must not seek worldly approval nor exemplify the world's wisdom within the church of God.
Read God’s Plan “Won by One” (John 1)
Our Guest Speaker, Pastor Bob Butler from Boston, shares some thoughts from the Gospel of John on how we can see people won to Christ, one-by-one.
Milk or Meat? (1 Cor. 3:1-9)
Jack Nicholson uttered the famous line in a 1992 movie that has become part of our cultural lexicon, "You can't handle the truth!" In today's passage, Paul basically tells the Corinthian church the same thing. How could a church planted by Paul, full of saved people, be unable to handle the truth? And what are the evidences of a church that can't handle the church? They are all around us in the typical American Christian culture.
Who’s Wisdom Are You Following? (1 Cor. 2)
Paul is writing to a church that was off to a great start, but is faltering. They are breaking into factions, and they are finding more value in human leaders than in their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Have you ever known Christians who were more loyal to their pastor or to a TV evangelist than they were to the Lord? Paul says this happens when we trust in the world's wisdom rather than in God's. Who's wisdom are you following?
The Foolishness of Preaching (1 Cor. 1:13-31)
The church at Corinth is splitting into factions, and Paul offers words of instruction to remind them of the basis and importance of their unity as a body. He also takes this opportunity to remind us that the gospel does not need our help. It does not need to be partnered with baptism, nor does it need sugar-coating, focus group evaluation, or marketing schemes. As a matter of fact, adding those things to the gospel presentation reduces the power of the cross and reveals that the speaker lacks faith in the simple, confrontational gospel message to do its work.
Has Christ Been Divided? (1 Cor. 1:1-13)
This is the start of a new series on First Corinthians. The church at Corinth was plagued by the values and conduct of the sinful city culture infiltrating and contaminating their ministry (sound familiar?). What is Paul's advice for a church that is struggling with the encroaching rot of a selfish and sinful culture?