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Sermon – July 28, 2019

July 28, 2019 By Leave a Comment

“The Giver“, by Rev. Mike Holly

The Word

Luke 11:1-13

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

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Sermon – November 23, 2014

November 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

The Lord's Prayer Sermon Series - What Does It Mean To Pray Like Jesus“The Temptations We Face“, by Rev. Mike Holly

Sermon Series: The Lord’s Prayer

Our Scripture reading for today states that we are lured and enticed by our desires. These desires are usually leading us toward doing things that we are not supposed to do. It is not often that we hear about people being tempted to do good things, is it? No, we often hear about temptation being that which we ought not do. Paul wrote in one of his letters that he is lured and enticed to do the very things he should not do. We are in the same boat as Paul.
Dealing with temptation requires us to be honest about these very things that we are lured and enticed into doing. Take a moment to reflect on the temptation. If you were to give in, how would your life be affected? How would the lives of those you love be affected? Often, if we map out the possible consequences of our actions, these temptations become less and less enticing.
God desires good for each and every one of us. We pray “lead us not into temptation” and we infer “lead us toward good things.” Lead us to still waters. Lead us to healthier relationships. Lead us into blessing others. Ask yourself this: If you were to put your life into the hands of God, where would He lead you?

~Mike Holly

The Word

James 1:12-18

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved.

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

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Sermon – November 16, 2014

November 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

The Lord's Prayer Sermon Series - What Does It Mean To Pray Like Jesus“Pain Management“, by Rev. Tom Duley

Sermon Series: The Lord’s Prayer

To a great degree life is about pain management. There isn’t one person who has ever lived who hasn’t experienced pain. Pain is just a part of living. That means that managing pain is also a part of living. Of course, there’s physical pain. At some point along the way all of us will get hurt physically. There doesn’t seem to be a way to avoid it.

It would be nice if physical pain was all the pain we had to deal with. Yes, it hurts for a while but physical pain usually (but not always) subsides. However, there are other types of pain associated with living that do not subside so readily as physical pain often does. Spiritual and emotional pain is just as real as physical pain and is often more intense and longer lasting.
Spiritual and emotional pain arises when we become aware that we have disappointed God with our sin or when we hurt one another with our words or actions. We humans hurt God when we act sinfully. We hurt each other along a spectrum that ranges from slightly too profoundly. There seems no way to escape the pain we cause ourselves or the pain we must endure from others.

God has a way to manage the spiritual and emotional pain that so often confronts us. It is that pain management that we will discuss this morning.

~Tom Duley

The Word

Matthew 6:12

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

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Sermon – November 9, 2014

November 9, 2014 By 1 Comment

The Lord's Prayer Sermon Series - What Does It Mean To Pray Like Jesus“Kingdom Come“, by Rev. Mike Holly

Sermon Series: The Lord’s Prayer

In the passage for this morning, we are told that all of creation is waiting for God’s response. Things are not as they were created to be. We have problems — seemingly unsolvable problems. All of creation yearns to be woven together in peace, but no one seems to be taking the necessary steps to lead us in that direction.
This is where the Church comes in. Jesus said that his primary mission was to begin the process of bringing God’s kingdom to earth (“Thy kingdom come…”). Jesus then leaves the work of bringing the kingdom to earth in the hands of his disciples…and eventually with the church that the disciples and apostles created.
Today in worship, we will explore what the Kingdom of God is about and what is God’s will for the world.

~Mike Holly

The Word

Romans 8:18-28

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

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