Upcoming Message Topics

Feb 19

James: “Consistent Talk” – James 3:1-12 (the power of spoken words; careless speaking does great damage; with the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.)

Feb 26

James: “How to Test Your Wisdom” – James 3:13-18 (examining the motives of our hearts; contrasting wisdom from an earthly perspective and wisdom from heaven; envy and selfish ambition drive our actions; seeking to have our needs met through “respectable” sins that use a cover of religion; true wisdom found in loving others; losing our lives and then gaining them)

Mar 4

James: “Why Am I So Frustrated with My Life?” – James 4:1-17 (humility; pride; submission and surrender to God; finding contentment in God’s love and provision rather than seeking to obtain it for ourselves; tearing people down with words as a symptom of pride; seeking control and power as a sign of pride)

Mar 11

James: “The Dangers and Limits of Wealth” – James 5:1-12 (corruption and oppression by those who treasure wealth above all else; the fleeting pleasures of wealth; patience in suffering; overcoming anger and revenge by trusting God’s actions to bring about justice; Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!)

Mar 18

James: “Believe God Answers Prayer” – James 5:13-20 (prayer; faith; trust; the grace and sovereignty of God that invites our participation through prayer; Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.)

Mar 25

Isaiah 53: How do you recognize God’s saving actions? – Isaiah 53:1-12 (focus on verses 1-3; belief and disbelief; God’s powerful actions revealed through the humbleness of Christ; God’s strength revealed through apparent weakness; “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”)

April 1

Isaiah 53: Why did Jesus have to die? – Isaiah 53:1-12 (focus on verses 4-9; the justice of God to punish sins, even sins transferred onto Christ; the mercy, grace, and love of God to willingly take on the punishment for our sins, the pain of our sins, and the suffering our sins create; “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed”)

April 8 (Easter Sunday)

Isaiah 53: Did Jesus’ death change anything? – Isaiah 53:1-12 (focus on verses 10-12; Easter; victory of Jesus’ resurrection; God gives life through Jesus to those who trust in him; justification by grace through faith; Jesus intercedes on our behalf; “After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”)

April 15

Why Church? “Getting to Know the Answers to Your Prayers” – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (connectedness of the different members of the Church whose giftedness complements our needs; Holy Spirit; unity; how God meets our needs by working his gifts through relationships; feeling the needs of others as a prompting for ministry, not just empathy; “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”) 

April 22 (Compassion Sunday)

Why Church? “Rescue and Restoration” – Matthew 18:10-20 (those who care enough to seek after us when we wander away from the truth; the mercy of having our faults pointed out in love, in respectful, healthy, and affirming ways; the need for correction in our lives; how God uses pain to heal us; accountability and repentance; the power of true fellowship to shape us for God’s purposes; speaking the truth in love; “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”) 

April 29 (Mission Fundraising Dinner)

Why Church? “Unity with Diversity” – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (Jesus prayerfully and purposively chooses 12 apostles with different backgrounds…see Luke 6:12-16; family & business connections; city and rural backgrounds; religious and secular; believers and doubters; political liberals and conservatives; growing in grace and love by building relationships with people we would not otherwise choose to; beyond common interests and backgrounds to unconditional love; “God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.”)

May 6

Why Church? “Joy from Commitment to Common Purpose” – Acts 2:42-47 (unity; fellowship; joy in being part of something bigger than ourselves; emphasis on membership, devotion to being together as an expression of God’s Kingdom; see also Ephesians 3:2-13; loving God and loving people; the Great Commission and the Great Commandment; “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship…everyday they continued to meet together”)

May 13 (Mother's Day)

Ruth: “Love that won’t let go” – Ruth 1:1-22 (how God loves us even when it seems He is against us; blessing in the midst of pain; committed love; bitterness and anger at God; God’s love that sticks with us even when we are angry and turn away from God; Ruth a living expression of God’s love for us; “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay…May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”)

May 20

Ruth: “Blessing integrity when you see it” – Ruth 2:1-23 (God’s love moves us to love others; integrity to do the right thing when no one is watching; encouraging others when they live in love and kindness; the snowball effect of kindness and goodness; “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”)

May 27 (Memorial Day Weekend)

Ruth: “Relationship with the Redeemer” – Ruth 3:1-18 (kinsman/guardian-redeemer; receiving benefits from the life of another; Jesus as our Redeemer; redemption; the love, protection, and care of God for all who come to him in humbleness; “I am your servant Ruth…Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”)

June 3

Ruth: “Renewed out of emptiness” – Ruth 4:1-22 (kinsman/guardian-redeemer pays the price required to give life and hope; Naomi and Ruth go from empty loss to full renewal because of the grace, mercy, and love of God through Boaz; Christ pays the price of our redemption through his life; redemption; renewal; joy; “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer…He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.”)