Date: 8/26/2018 Title: The Woes-Part 1 Setting the Stage Speaker: Pastor George Gracie Scripture: Matthew 23:1-12
God has called us to a relationship to Him rather than to merely religion. This is something the Pharisees did not understand. In Matthew 23 Jesus confronts religiosity and those who elevate themselves due to their religious practices.
Date: 8/19/2018 Title: Why We Live It? Week 3-The Reality of Hell Speaker: Pastor George Gracie Scripture: Luke 16
In our world that emphasizes comfort it has become politically incorrect to teach about anything to stark or dark. Fire and brimstone preaching is frowned upon. Yet, this does not change the reality of hell for those who reject God, nor the reality of Christ’s pardon from it. If you had questions on hell the Bible has answers.
Date: 8/12/2018 Title: Why Live It? Week 2- Sharing Your Faith Speaker: Pastor George Gracie Scripture: Matthew 10, various
We are called to believe in Christ in order to share Him with others. Why we live our faith is to spread our faith. This is not an option, but at the very core at what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
Date: 8/5/2018 Title: Why Live It? Week 1-Heaven Speaker: Pastor George Gracie Scripture: Revelation 7 ; Various
Heaven. What will it be like? Will we know our loved ones? These are some of the many questions we all have. As we look at the Scriptures we discover that heaven is so much more than we can imagine. That reality should affect our lives now.
Date: 7/29/2018 Title: Who is the Christ? Speaker: Pastor Darryl J. Stalter Scripture: Matthew 22:41-46
In Matthew 22 Jesus confronts the Pharisees with one of the most important theological questions: Who is the Christ?. Jesus reveals that the Pharisees understanding of the Christ was limited by their own preconceptions, which in turn prevented them from seeing Him and the kingdom of God. If not careful, the same can happen to us.
Date: 7/22/2018 Title: The Greatest Commandment Speaker: Pastor Darryl J. Stalter Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40
The Bible includes many commands. too many if we are honest. So, we often seek a way to summarize it. If we are not careful, we often come to the Bible asking what the bare minimum is required of us and attempt to do that. In the back of our minds we think that we just did something great. However, the obedience that God calls us to is not one of performing certain minimal metrics, but one that follows him from a changed heart. In Matthew 22 Jesus summarizes God’s commands as a heart that loves God and others.
Date: 7/15/2018 Title: The Truth of the Resurrection Speaker: Pastor Darryl J. Stalter Scripture: Matthew 22:26-33
Death. This is something we all unfortunately must face. I am not just talking about the death of celebrities, or the death of our loved ones. I am talking about that day we must all face. No one is exempt. The question is how do we face it. Some face it in fear, others in desperate surrender. Yet others face it not with trepidation, but faith in a loving God. In Matthew 22 Jesus reminds us that for the believer death is not the end. He reminds us that resurrection life is at the core of the Bible and the very nature of God.
Date: 7/8/2018 Title: Government and the Follower of Christ Speaker: Pastor Darryl J. Stalter Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22
In our tense overly critical and sensitive culture it has become fashionable to dissolve friendships over political affiliation. It has become common place to excuse away violence and hate based upon one’s stance on a policy issue, or who they may support. Unfortunately, this has also crept into the church. Where we mistakenly elevate political divisions and political solutions to the level of doctrine and savior. In Matthew 22 Jesus reminds us that followers of Christ are to be cautious of political entanglements. While we are called to participate in and submit to government in a way that glorifies God, we must remember that we belong to a greater kingdom with the greatest king.
Date: 7/1/2018 Title: God’s Invitation Speaker: Pastor Darryl J. Stalter Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14
God invites us into a relationship with him. He says come. And many of us do not. He invites us to join him in his kingdom, to be both a part of it and a part of growing it and many of us do not. In Matthew 22 Jesus is compares God’s invitation to that of a wedding invitation of a king, the rejection of which has serious and eternal consequences.
Date: 6/24/2018 Title: Corner Stone Speaker: Pastor George Gracie Scripture: Matthew 21:23-32
The cornerstone is the most important part of any building project. It sets the line for the rest of the walls. In Matthew 21 Jesus declares that He is God’s cornerstone for His kingdom. This cornerstone was rejected by the chief priests and the pharisees. We need to be careful that we to do not reject this cornerstone.