College Wesleyan Church Sermons

Dr. Dave Smith - Job 1:1, 6-12; Revelation 12:1-12. Why does our language on earth, both inside the church and without, sound more like the accusations of the evil one than the grace-filled whispers of Jesus into the ears of the Father? (Have you watched any news program recently; we yell at one another and try to destroy one another) The words we share with one another, both in content and in for...

rev. Steve DeNeff - Matthew 1:18-23; Romans 12:1-2.  The first and most obvious implication of the incarnation is what it means for human flesh. Contrary to the idea that to “err is human,” the incarnation declares it is not, for even in his humanity, he did not sin. Indeed, the more we sin, the less human we become. It is not normal to sin, and it never was. This message will call us to a new nor...

REv. Steve DeNeff = Luke 1:26-35; 1 Timothy 3:16. In this opening message, we’ll introduce the concept and the language of the incarnation, then show how important it is, and what potential it opens to all humanity, especially those who believe. We’ll distill the meaning of the incarnation into a handful (4-5) of axioms that summarize its mystery (i.e. that it not only happened; it is happening) s...

Rev. Alex Sicilia - Exodus 16:11-17, 31-36.  Through this message I intend to present the idea that blessings have a specific purpose from God, that is to help us become more like Jesus and to accomplish our part in His mission in the world. Because of our human nature, blessings can be misunderstood and even misused because, we tend to lose sight of that purpose and make blessings an end rather t...

Rev. Lenny Luchetti, Isaiah 53.  The idea is that the more beauty we take in, the more beauty we pour out. The beauty that pours out of us is the peacefulness and faithfulness of Jesus explored in Isaiah 53.

Rev. Steve DeNeff, Proverbs 4:18-19; 10:7; 16:31. By the time most people think of their legacy, it’s too late to worry about it, for legacy is not the way we posture ourselves in front of others but the way that others speak of us after we have left the room. A good name is the reward of the wise; a bad name is the ruin of a fool. One of these is already happening. We are becoming the end of our...

Rev. Emily Vermilya - Proverbs 6:20-23; 14:1; 20:7. With the demise of traditional institutions, where do you go to learn wisdom? Of all places designed to teach it (schools, public forums, etc), the most powerful might also be the most overlooked today. Nearly everything that wisdom – or folly – has to teach us is first learned in the home.  Indeed, the family is the habitat of both. “The wise pe...

Rev Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 10:15-16; 11:24-28. "Prosperity and ruin are two of the most obvious consequences of the wise and foolish.  But we should be careful here, for neither prosperity nor ruin mean what our culture believes. Many who seek prosperity are ruined by the very thing they seek. In Proverbs, the rich can be poor and the poor can be rich, depending on the relation that either has wi...

Rev. Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 3:3-6; 10:9; 11:16-2.  "As the speed of a river changes we are pulled into one of two directions and it is here where our destiny is most evident, yet still unseen. From here, “a prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the fool keeps going and suffers for it,” (22:3; 27:12). In one direction go the wise who are honest and kind, and in the other go the fools, who...

Rev. Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 10:11-14; 18-21.  "Even though words have gone wild, they still matter. In fact, words shape our destiny. James says that the tongue is like a tiny rudder that is used to steer a ship. They take us in one direction or another. Yet how often we get careless with our words. In Proverbs, the wise and the foolish talk differently. The words of the wise are powerful and bri...

Rev Steve DeNeff. Proverbs 3:1-2;12:11-12.  Another of the subtle currents that carry us is the current of ambition, and Proverbs has much to say about it.  Opportunity comes to everyone, it says, though not in the same degree and the wise are those who seize that opportunity.  Fools wait for the perfect opportunity and, ignoring all others, complain that no opportunity has come. But how does one...

Rev Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 4:20-23; 23:19-21. "There is a pattern that emerges early in the life of the wise: they know to navigate desire. They do not let their impulses carry them away. Using discipline and restraint, like oars to steer a raft, wise people keep themselves out of currents that would carry them away. The fool pursues them recklessly (note the metaphor for temptation in 7:6-27). H...

Rev. Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 1:20-31;2:1-8.  "Everyone is talking, but who is really listening? Proverbs says that Wisdom is always calling out, yet who is seeking it? Wisdom falls like rain on the continental divide, and from there it flows toward those who listen and away from those who don’t. Most people would rather give advice than take it. Most, who are good at assessing others, are not as g...

Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 9:1-5; 10-12; 4:5-9,18-19 There are two storylines in our day – one of unprecedented accomplishments and prosperity, and another of disorder and fear – and what is most needed is a remnant of genuine people who are wise. But what is wisdom? Where does it begin and how does the pursuit of it make all other things easier? This sermon will introduce wisdom and folly as current...

Steve DeNeff - Micah 6:6-8; Luke 9:1-2, 6, 12-17.   "Beyond the miracle what God does for us is the miracle of what God does through us . . . for others. This sermon will discuss the importance of service in the normal Christian life and show how this service must be balanced (righteousness, mercy and justice) to do the most good for others. Sadly, the most popular movements for service in our day...

Rev. Steve DeNeff - 1 Peter 4:7-11.  "In a culture divided by politics and special interests, where even the closest of “friends” are alone together, the way of Christ is a new community in which we are “members of one another,” (Eph. 4:25). In fact, throughout the New Testament are almost sixty “one another” references that describe our life together.  In fact, the people around us have tremendou...