First Church Williamsport

Life Reflection:  How is God challenging me to live out my faith and be different in our increasingly secular world?  Do I feel the need to always defend myself and my position? Am I prone to rants?  What is one situation in my life that I need to release to God’s control and say “I trust in your power, and believe you will fix this, BUT IF NOT, I will still serve you because you are my God.”

Life Reflection: In following Jesus in this world, is my tendency to separate from the culture to follow Jesus (and thereby separate myself from people that Jesus seeks to love)?  Or to assimilate to the culture and look no different than folks who do not follow Jesus?  How can I love the people of this world and Jesus at the same time?  When was the last time I asked myself, “How does the Gospel...

Life Reflection: Do I believe that God wants to use First Church in the rest of God’s story?  Do I believe that God wants to use me in the rest of God’s story?  Do I believe that God could use us in a holy movement?  What part of living into God’s idea of a hero is hardest for me:  Repentance?  Focusing on character over appearance?  Commitment to something greater than myself?  My willingness to...

Life Reflections: What brings more “shaking” in my life—the circumstances of this world or Christ within me?  What needs to happen in my life so that I am so anchored in Christ that the circumstances of my life no longer dictate my happiness or satisfaction?  Am I willing to pray like the early disciples to speak God’s Word with great boldness?  How bold am I for Christ?  How “sold out?”  Do I bel...

Luke 16:13-15 Pastor Janet Durrwachter July 20, 2014

Life Reflection: How do I experience the true power of the Holy Spirit in my life?  What types of persecutions or hardships or fears do I face because I am a Christian? What would help me to understand that as a Christ follower I am tapping into power source greater than any power source of this world?  What would allow me to live with absolute certainty in the reality and love of Christ?  How doe...

Life Reflection: What is the final word in my life?  Is it God’s truth as found in scripture?  Am I seeing and receiving God’s truth in my life or am I missing it?  What is causing me to miss it?  How can God’s truth bring healing in my life and the lives of others?  How can God’s truth carry us through times of difficulty?  How can God’s truth foster a holy movement where lives are being transfor...

Life Reflection: What role does the Holy Spirit play in my life?  Do I view the Holy Spirit as an optional part of God that I can take or leave as I wish?  Or do I see and understand the Holy Spirit as part of the Triune God?  What would it look like in my life to live into the power of the Holy Spirit?  How can we as a church live out the type of community described in Acts 2:42-47 through the Ho...

Life Reflection: Where do I need to THINK more in regards to my faith?  What would it take to melt my heart to the reality of Jesus’ life AND death for me?  When was the last time I asked God, “Lord, what shall I do for you?”  Do I believe that God through the Holy Spirit can still add daily to our numbers in Christ?  What will it take for me to be cut to the heart in Christ?  Am I willing to pray...

Luke 16:19-31 Reverend Matthew Lake April 6, 2014

Life Reflection: Am I disciplined in my walk with Christ? In what area to do I need to work to become more disciplined?  Do I join with other Christians constantly in prayer?  Am I continually praising God in the house of God? What is perplexing or amazing me? Do I ask, “what does this mean?” or do I assume that I know how the Spirit of God is at work in my life, my church, and my world today?

Life Reflection: Do I personally know the power and truth of Jesus Christ?  Or does Jesus remain a set of principles in my life to follow?  Do I expect God to move in significant ways in my life and the life of our church?  If so, how so?  If not, why not?  Do I believe that God could begin a holy movement that could help transform our lives and our city—and that God wants to use me/us?  Am I will...

Life Reflection: How real is the Resurrection of Jesus in my life?  Do I view the Resurrection as “hard” news or “soft” news?  Why?  What difference would it make in every part of my life and how I viewed the world if I realized the Resurrection as truth?  Do I live my life trying to follow the principles of Christianity OR in a loving relationship with Jesus Himself?  How can I be a herald, a “go...

Life Reflection: In my life am I practicing “Me” first, or “God” first?  Why?  What would help me to more fully grasp the reality of sin and that Jesus offered His life for mine?  How would such an understanding impact me?  What new light does this shed on the final days and events of Jesus?

Life Reflection:  Is my anger “sinful anger” (like the coffee guy) or “holy anger” (like God’s anger)?   How is God calling me to respond to my holy anger over injustice and join in God’s transformational work?  Do I need to lament?  If yes, can I be honest with God during my prayer time this week?

Life Reflections: Am I living into God’s design for me?  Where am I?  Where am I not?  Where in my life am I experiencing disintegration?  Am I placing my complete trust in Christ who has defeated sin?  How can I live into God’s concept of Jubilee so that I can be part of what is right with God’s creation rather than what is wrong?  What does it mean for me to see Jesus as “the warrior nurse?”  Wh...

Life Reflection: In my heart of hearts, what is it that I have to have, especially in times of trouble, in order to be ok and feel good about myself?  This is what I am addicted to.  Do I view sin as simply breaking the law, or as something that breaks the heart of God?  How can I better personalize my understanding of sin?  What actions steps can I take today to remember God’s grace in my life? ...

Life Reflection: To who or what is my soul most attracted?  Where do I find my worth and value?  Right now does my soul feel free or enslaved?  Am I selling myself out for something?  For what does my soul truly long for?  What have I been afraid to admit that my soul depends on besides God?  To whose arms does my soul run?  What will help us to realize the full extent of how much Christ loves us?...

Life Reflection: What sin is happening in my life right now?  How is sin sabotaging my relationship with God?  What idols have I placed in my life that are making God seem much smaller?  How would my life be less boring without the influence of sin?  Am I able to see the cure for sin in my life in the image of Jesus Christ?  What will help me experience Christ in this way? Ponder this quote by C.S...

Jesus came as a light into the darkness of our world so that we can come to see him as our Savior. Life Reflection: How am I progressing on my spiritual journey in relationship with Jesus? In what ways am I allowing darkness to remain in my life? How will I verbalize my witness?

Life Reflection: Where have I seen Jesus pursuing me in my life?  Where might Jesus be pursuing me that I have not noticed or seen before?  Where do I need healing in my life?  For what healing in my life have I asked Jesus?    Is my desire for healing only?  Or for the Christ of the healing? Pray: Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see you as the healer and Lord of my life.

Life Reflection: Do I see Jesus as the bread of life?  Have I come to believe in Him in such a way that He is my strength and life?  What would allow me to rely more on Christ for strength and life?  Am I experiencing eternal life now?  What would allow me to truly live and not just exist?  What does it mean that the “I AM” of the universe died for my sake?

See the person of Jesus, not just the power of Jesus. Life Reflection: Do I see the person of Jesus or am I just seeking the power of Jesus? Do I take Jesus at his word? Am I willing to prioritize reading Scripture for 10 minutes a day for the remainder of this sermon series so that I can see the person of Jesus more clearly? Do the people in my household see Jesus through me?

Reflection Where is my life empty and in need of something better? What would help me to stop and both see and taste the richness of the wine of the Jesus? John 2:1-11 Reverend Matt Lake January 22, 2017

Reflection Do I see Jesus in my life? What would allow me to see Him more clearly? How can I, like John, be a voice for Jesus? Do I know what it is like to be both completely humble and great at the same time? John 1:19-34 Reverend Matt Lake January 15, 2017