Jonah 1:3b-4 ~ Storms of Life

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Text: Jonah 1:3b-4
Title: Storms of Life
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower

An angry prophet. A fearsome and hated enemy. An overwhelming storm. And a surprising message of a merciful God to his people. The story of Jonah is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Many people, even those who are not religious, are familiar with Jonah: a rebellious prophet who defies God and is swallowed by a whale. But there’s much more to Jonah’s story than most of us realize. As we continue our study of Jonah, we find our prophet in the midst of a ferocious storm, but even in the storms of life, God is still there with him and with us.

Jonah 1:1-3a ~ Running from God

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Text: Jonah 1:1-3a
Title: Running from God
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower

An angry prophet. A fearsome and hated enemy. An overwhelming storm. And a surprising message of a merciful God to his people. The story of Jonah is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Many people, even those who are not religious, are familiar with Jonah: a rebellious prophet who defies God and is swallowed by a whale. But there’s much more to Jonah’s story than most of us realize. As we begin our study of Jonah, we encounter a prophet, like many of us, running away from a God he doesn’t fully understand.

1 John 5 – Real Life: We Have Overcome

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Text: 1 John 5
Title: Real Life: We have Overcome
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
At a time when the first-century church had been invaded by false teachers, John knew Christians who are not sure of God’s truth could wander away, never to return. He wrote 1 John to help these early believers not only to know the real truth, but to be confident of it, and to rest upon it. If then, why not today? We all urgently need to hear and obey God’s loving message in 1 John and let God’s love shape how we live in this world as light in the darkness bringing hope to the hopeless. In the final chapter of 1 John, we remember that in Christ we have the power to overcome the sin that so easily entangles and entraps us and instead we are enabled to live as truly free and live people of God.

1 John 4 ~ Real Life: God Moves First

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Text: 1 John 4
Title: Real Life: God Moves First
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
At a time when the first-century church had been invaded by false teachers, John knew Christians who are not sure of God’s truth could wander away, never to return. He wrote 1 John to help these early believers not only to know the real truth, but to be confident of it, and to rest upon it. If then, why not today? We all urgently need to hear and obey God’s loving message in 1 John and let God’s love shape how we live in this world as light in the darkness bringing hope to the hopeless. In the fourth chapter of 1 John, we remember that God moves toward us first and as believers our love for others flows out of gratitude for what God has done in Jesus and not out of any anxiety, worry or need to earn God’s favor.

1 John 3 – Real Life: Love as God Sees It

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Text: 1 John 3
Title: Real Life: Love as God Sees It
Preacher: Rev. Rick VanderWall
People use the word love in so many different ways that after a while it just seems to be another word. God has a different view of what actual love is. As we search through the book of First John, Chapter 3 gives us a better understanding of how God intended for us to grasp the true meaning of the word love. This morning we look at love as God sees it.

Acts 2 – Great Things

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Text: Acts 2
Title: Great Things
Preacher: Rev. Rick VanderWall
After Jesus ascended into Heaven, 10 days later the Holy Spirit came just as Jesus promised. On this Pentecost Sunday we are reminded that the power of the Holy Spirit is still significant for each one of us today. This power enables us to do things for Christ that we just cannot do on our own. This morning we look at some of those things that make a difference in our lives.

1 John 2:3-29 ~ Love Like Jesus

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Text: 1 John 2:3-29
Title: Real Life: Love Like Jesus
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
At a time when the first-century church had been invaded by false teachers, John knew Christians who are not sure of God’s truth could wander away, never to return. He wrote 1 John to help these early believers not only to know the real truth, but to be confident of it, and to rest upon it. If then, why not today? We all urgently need to hear and obey God’s loving message in 1 John and let God’s love shape how we live in this world as light in the darkness bringing hope to the hopeless. In the second chapter of 1 John, we consider the call to love like Jesus even in the midst of conflict and tension.

John 21 ~ An Easter People: Restored

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Text: John 21
Title: Easter People: Restored
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
On Thursday, Jesus was a famous teacher. On Saturday he was dead in the grave and the movement he had started was as good as dead. But when he burst forth from the tomb, Christianity came to life as well. We are and always will be an Easter shaped people. Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at the last few stories from the Gospel of John to catch some glimpses of the kinds fo people God has called us to be as we follow our risen Savior. This Sunday, as we reflect on John 21, we remember all of us are broken wandering people graciously restored to God and sent in mission by Jesus.

John 20:24-31 ~ An Easter People: Doubt

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Text: John 20:24-31
Title: Easter People: Doubt
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
On Thursday, Jesus was a famous teacher. On Saturday he was dead in the grave and the movement he had started was as good as dead. But when he burst forth from the tomb, Christianity came to life as well. We are and always will be an Easter shaped people. Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at the last few stories from the Gospel of John to catch some glimpses of the kinds fo people God has called us to be as we follow our risen Savior. This Sunday, as we reflect on John 20:24-31, we acknowledge the reality of our doubts, the questions that always accompany faith, and the God who accepts us in our doubts and offers us life in his son.

Acts 1:1-11 ~ Are We There Yet?

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Text: Acts 1:1-11
Title: Are We There Yet?
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus prepares to leave his disciples so the Holy Spirit can be sent on Pentecost. As he gives them his final teaching, the disciples ask if Jesus is finally going to establish his earthly kingdom. They have visions of sitting in power at Jesus’ side. Instead of establishing an earthly kingdom, Jesus gives them a vision. He does not give them a plan, but a vision that they will go and proclaim Jesus as Lord in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. God still prefers giving visions over plans. He puts in people and churches visions of what could be rather than detailed step by step plans. Today, we talk about the vision of Zion to raise up leaders and saturate our community with gospel conversations that many might come to know our Lord.