Upside-down, Backwards, and Inside-Out Texts: II Samuel 5:1-10; II Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13 The Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly counter-cultural….upside-down, backwards, and inside-out. In this sermon, Pastor Jon Twitchell challenges us to examine our lives and our churches to see if we are simply following the conventional wisdom of this world, or if we…

A Matter of Life and Death Texts: II Samuel 1:1-27; Matthew 5:43-48 The story of the end of Saul’s life forces us to confront questions about the Sanctity of Life. However, it would be good for us to remember that Sanctity of Life is not only about when life begins or when life ends, but…

We Need a Hero? Text: I Samuel 17:1-49 The story of David and Goliath is interpreted against the backdrop of superhero stories like Superman, Spiderman, or Zorro. David challenges us to not simply wait around for a “superhero” to step in and do amazing things, but to use the gifts that God has given us…

A Citizen of the Kingdom of God Text: I Samuel 8:1-20 We consider the nature of citizenships and kingdoms as we look at the Israelites’ request for a king to rule over them. As we consider the systems of human government, we are challenged to orient our lives around the spiritual realities of the Kingdom…

I Serve at the Pleasure of God Almighty Texts: I Samuel 3:1-20; II Corinthians 4:5-12 Have you ever wondered what it must be like for a Presidential appointee to receive a phone call asking them to serve “at the Pleasure of the President of the United States.” This sermon explores the call that the young…

Pentecost – Crash Helmets & Life Jackets Text: Acts 2:1-41 Pentecost Sunday provides an opportunity to consider the great power of the Holy Spirit available to the Church. Unfortunately, we are often ill-equipped to tap into God’s power, and would be surprised if we encountered the sort of transformational worship that took place on that…

A Faithful and True Witness Texts: Acts 1:1-11; I John 5:9-13 With present-day discussion about “The DaVinci Code” and the “Gospel of Judas,” the Church is challenged to consider why it places its faith in the message revealed through the current scriptural Canon. As we consider the witness of those early Apostles, our faith is…

Faith is the Victory Texts: John 15:9-17; I John 5:1-5 The mission of the church is not to be a safe place for the saved and the sanctified, but to take the message of hope and holiness to the world around us. We’re not the church primarily when we’re gathered within these four walls, we’re…

Abiding in Him Text: John 15:1-8; I John 4:7-21 On Mother’s Day, we are reminded that the most basic and fundamental characteristic of God’s nature is love. Not only does “love” describe who God is, but we also realize that God defines our understanding of “love.” The call of Scripture is for us to abide…

The Reality of Present Risenness Text: I John 3:1-8 What difference does Easter really make? Does the reality of the resurrection affect the way in which we live our lives? Easter is not simply an historical event, but has very real ramifications for our lives today. Not only did Jesus walk from an empty tomb,…