Month: October 2018

Blog

What difference does having Jesus in your life make in your relationships?

Posted on

“You Christians think you’re better than the rest of us, but I can’t tell any difference in the way you live and the way the rest of the world lives. In fact, I think you Christians treat each other and other people worse than the rest of the world does. All you do is judge!” Ouch. But if you’re like me, you’ve heard these words, or something very similar, at least once before. In many ways we’re guilty as charged. There are many that treat others poorly “in the name of Jesus,” and even in Paul’s day this was going […]

Sermon-en

20181028-Putting on your new identity

Posted on

2018-10-28 Can I see some ID? 10 – Putting on your new identity Colossians 3:12-17 A. The “Issuing agent,” the source for your new ID: God’s chosen ones (12) Holy and beloved (12) B. What your new ID looks like: Compassionate hearts (12) Kindness (12) Humility (12) Meekness (12) Patience (12) Bearing with one another (13) Forgiving each other (13) Thankful (15) C. The Key to putting on and owning your new ID (16) Let His word dwell in us richly (16) Mutual accountability (16) Worship (16) God focused prayers of thanksgiving (16) Doing everything for God’s glory (17) D. […]

Podcast: Download (28.3MB)

Blog

Getting all dressed up

Posted on

Getting all dressed up I like old, comfortable clothes. Y’all know this. I don’t think I could survive in an office environment wearing a suit and tie every day. I’m just much more comfortable in “everyday clothes.” In fact, even though we’ve dropped into highs in the lower 80’s and some locals are already wearing jackets, I still have shorts and a t-shirt on today. One pastor in town calls this, “desert casual,” and I have taken this idea and run with it! Old, comfortable clothes feel good, but they’re not always appropriate. I couldn’t get away with shorts and […]

Sermon-en

20181021-Dying to your old Identity through Christ

Posted on

2018-10-21 Can I see some ID? 9 – Dying to your old identity through Christ Colossians 3:1-11 “___ to death” A. Your old identity: Broken desires (5) Broken responses (8) Broken practices (9) B. Your new identity: Raised (1) Above (1) Hidden (3) United with others in Christ (11) C. What has to happen: Death You have died (3) Put to death/put away (5) Put on the new self (10) D. Application When you look at your life what do you see? Where do you seek/set your mind and life? Have you died and been raised?

Podcast: Download (24.4MB)

Blog

Broken

Posted on

Broken In April 2014 I was sitting in an airport in China on my way to another organizational meeting. My flight was delayed (surprise!), and I was passing the time by taking stock of life and work in preparation for the upcoming meeting. Some of y’all know that I tend to process through writing. Especially writing poetry. Some of it is good. Some of it is bad. Some of it is too raw to share publicly. On this particular day at the airport, the idea of “brokenness” was obviously on my mind, and a poem was born. No matter where […]

Sermon-en

20181014-You can’t “Fake it ‘til you make it!”

Posted on

2018-10-14 Can I see some ID? 8 – You can’t “Fake it ‘til you make it!” Colossians 2:16-23 Review You are in Christ Christ is in you Life is hard You draw closer You walk in Him A.  What religious self-effort looks like: Legalism (16) “Spiritual extremes” (18) Asceticism (17, 21) B.  The results of this kind of life (17, 23): They are shadows, and they have no value. C.  The Alternative Substance, reality found in and belongs to Christ (17) Connection to Christ and His Body (19) Growth (19) D. Application Let no one pass judgement (16) Stay out […]

Podcast: Download (20.2MB)

Blog

Reality

Posted on

A now almost 20 year old science fiction movie tells a story that could be helpful for us today. Bear with me. In the story, the hero is saved out of a computerized fictional reality and brought into a harsh world where humans battle machines for survival. It turns out that the machines use humans as “batteries” to power their world, and the machines created an imaginary place for the humans to unknowingly live while serving their electrical purpose. The hero is rescued out of this digitized dream world because his rescuers believe that he is the one that can […]