Central Community Church | Sermon Audio

Ephesians 4:28 The gospel transforms every part of our lives, and that includes how we handle our money.  When we come to faith in Christ, it does not simply transform us from thieves to honest workers, but transforms us to generous, intentional givers.  Our call is to reflect the kind of lavish generosity that God has shown to us for the glory of God.

Matthew 18:21-25 Unlimited Forgiveness. The enormity of our debt, the transformation of forgiveness and the consequences of unforgiveness.

Forgiveness is a hard idea to live out. It is hard to understand and put into practice in our broken world, with our broken hearts, throughout our broken relationships, and despite our broken selves. Yet Jesus does not shy away from understanding the importance of living as forgiving people in light of the forgiveness we have received.

Matthew 18:21-35 Three questions when it comes to the call to forgiveness. How often should I forgive? Why should I forgive? Am I supposed to ignore sin?

Jesus gives us a template for how to address sin in one another’s lives in the church. Contrary to popular opinion, this is a loving process that seeks to restore a fellow believer to right relationship with Christ and His church.

Matthew 18:15-20 A direct and redemptive approach to dealing with sin within the church is very important. “Church discipline”, when done well, is a loving act of restoring a brother or sister in Christ to full fellowship with God, with the people against whom they sinned, and with God’s family, the church.

Matthew 18:15-20 We often think of discipline as a bad thing. It is something that we are scared of, and we tend to want nothing to do with it. Our text this morning shows us that when discipline is done in the way that Jesus teaches us, it is actually one of the most loving things that can take place. When the focus is shifted from seeking rejection first, and it is instead placed on God and the...

Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus. 

Believers are not merely followers of Christ, we are united to Him and called to care, protect, and guard our brothers and sisters, especially those weak in the faith or otherwise marginalized. One of the ways we do that is by being radical against our sin and making sure we do not cause anyone to stumble and sin. The Lord challenges our individualistic culture and call us to a more excellent way!

Matthew 18:6-9 Jesus gives his disciples a clear warning when it comes to sin in the church.  As he is discussing how believers are to get along in the church, he gives them a clear warning to stay far away from sin.  Not to cause others to fall into sin, and to stay far away from it themselves, and instead seek eternal life.

Matthew 18:6-9 In this text, Jesus warns us in no uncertain terms that sin is a serious matter. As we seek to enter eternal life, we are called to earnestly resist sin personally and ensure we don’t lead others to sin.

Matthew 18:7-9 Benjamin Franklin once said “Nothing can be certain except death and taxes.” Which, while true, is an incomplete list. Because, as Christians we know that sin and temptation are also inevitable certainties of the human experience. Jesus knew this! Which is why, in this week’s passage, He commands such intense instruction to destroy our personal sin: “Kill you...

Matthew 18:1-6, 10-14 Jesus disciples had a conversation about who would be the greatest in God’s kingdom. Jesus responded by calling a child to stand before his disciples. Jesus loves the little children and has called all would be followers to embrace childlikeness to become part of his kingdom.  

Matthew 18:1-6, 10-14 As followers of Jesus, it is easy to get caught in the trap of thinking that we are better than others. But it’s exactly that – a trap … one that leads to our own downfall, and the downfall of others. How can we become more childlike in our faith, acting in gracious humility toward God and others?

Matthew 18:1-6, 10-14 Greatness is a pursuit that is universally applauded, but Jesus warns his disciples that an attitude like that could prevent them from entering the kingdom of heaven! Followers of Christ are called to become like children and look out for the interests of the lowly.

Matthew 18:1-6, 10-14 We usually equate greatness with high status.  But as Jesus begins to teach his disciples about what it looks like in the church, it is not those of high status who are praised, but the lowly.  Jesus calls his disciples to follow him like children, because God cares for the humble. 

In studying God’s attributes, we gain a deeper understanding of who God is and how He relates to the world. It also strengthens our faith, shapes our worldview, and gives us a solid stirrup to ride life’s challenges in peace and hope. Join us and be amazed by the beauty of our God.

The story of Jonah teaches us a lot about what it means to be sent on mission. Most of all, it teaches us about God’s heart for the lost and the mission He calls us to engage with Him in.

Jonah 3 God is on a mission to redeem the lost. In turn he commissions us to be sent on mission. We do well to recognize that we were once far from him, and we have been tasked with sharing His Word with those who do not know him. When we are faithful to our mission we can anticipate extraordinary responses to the grace and mercy of God.

Jonah 3 We live in a world with a multitude of religions and world views.  The Christian Gospel is the only true hope for people.  Jonah brought the message of God to his enemies; they believed and repented.  It is the role of every Christian to share the gospel, entrusting the transformation of hearts to God.

Jonah 3 shows us that God is a God of second chances, judgment and mercy.

Like a football team running a play, everyone in the church has a role to play. Paul entrusted the gospel to Timothy and instructed him to teach it to others who would then also teach it to others. When we recognize that Jesus established the church in such a way that everyone is a minister with a ministry, we grow as disciples, the church is strengthened, and the Great Commission gets fulfilled.

2 Timothy 2:1-4 When Jesus ascended into heaven he called his disciples to make more disciples.  This foundational call on the church means we are always called to pass along our faith to others.  For this we must be equipped in our faith and seek to equip others so that they can pass it along as well.

2 Timothy 2:1-2 When the mission of the church is to make disciples of all nations, adding disciples one at a time will not cut it. It’s absolutely critical to multiply. As we take a look at our fifth value we discover that Scripture gives us foundational instruction for how we are called to equip others for ministry.

2 Timothy 2:1-2 If the gospel is to be preached to all nations before Jesus returns, we have work to do! And the task at hand is impossible for any one person – or even many people. It requires “all hands on deck”! And so, the charge to church leaders is to equip and prepare God’s people for works of service, all pointing to the finished work of Christ.