Lakeside United Methodist Church

Sermon Title: Blessed to be a Blessing Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3 As we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, we take a look at examples from Scripture about the role of nations and what it looks like to love your country in a meaningful way. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Salt of the Earth Scripture: Matthew 5:13 Guest Preacher: Rob Lewis In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls His followers the "salt of the earth." Salt preserves, influences, and brings out the best in what it touches. This Sunday, we'll explore what it means to live as people who make a difference in a world that desperately needs the hope and truth of Christ. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: What Were You Expecting? Scripture: Matthew 11:2-19 John the Baptist finds himself sitting in prison, and his famous cousin (Jesus) seems to be doing nothing about it. In fact, he doesn't seem to be doing much of what John thought the Messiah would do. Which leads us to wrestle with the question: what are we expecting of Jesus? LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Help Wanted Scripture: Matthew 9:35-10:8 When Jesus looked around at the world and the people he met, one of his central responses was, "We're going to need some help!" It is easy to be nervous about sharing our faith or to get pessimistic about the state of the world, but Jesus invites us to just jump in. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Ask the Pastor Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16a Pastor Dan responds to questions from the congregation! LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: We Need Each Other Scripture: Luke 1:13-17, 39-45 It may be the start of summer, but the Christmas story has begun, as the newly pregnant Mary rushes off to the safety and welcome of her relative Elizabeth's home. When she finds a similarly miraculous pregnancy, the two women realize that their relationship is a blessing that will span generations. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: The Church is the People Scripture: Acts 2:1-6 When you talk about "the Church," what—or who—do you mean? When Jesus envisioned his Church, what do you think he saw? LakesideUMC.net/connect

Sermon Title: Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30 Faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are fruits that express themselves through our character. They also give us a window into how God wants us to love ourselves. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Patience, Kindness, and Goodness Scripture: Ephesians 2:3-7 The fruits of love, joy, and peace gave us a window into our connection with God. Patience, kindness, and goodness give us a chance to see how God is growing us in our relationship with each other. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Love, Joy, and Peace Scripture: 1 John 4:7-16 It is no mistake that love finds itself at the front of the line in the Fruit of the Spirit, as this is repeatedly the facet of God and sign of a faithful life that Paul elevates. Joy and peace are also ones that are deeply rooted in our connection to and focus on God. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Bearing Fruit Scripture: Galatians 5:22-25 We began the year exploring spiritual practices that help us better recognize the presence and activity of God in our lives. But how do we know if we're growing? How do we know if we're fulfilling our original calling to be fruitful. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Touching Jesus Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40 Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Mark Abbott Jesus has been raised from the dead! He appears unexpectedly to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Later he shows up behind locked doors, to the surprise and delight of the disciples. These appearances continue for 50 days, and then Jesus ascends to the Father just before Pentecost. Is Jesus still aroun...

Sermon Title: Christ the Lord is Risen Today Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 By Friday evening, it looked like the forces of evil had won and God had lost. Sin and death had done their worst, and as a result, the Son of God was dead and buried. But on Sunday morning, it became clear that the power of life and love were stronger. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: What Wondrous Love Is This Scriptures: John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8 The answer to the question, "Why did Jesus have to die?" is incomplete if we only seek to understand the mechanics. The crucifixion is infused with the most important message of all time: God loves you. LakesideUMC.net

Guest Preacher: Rev. Caitlin White Swann Sermon Title:  The Coming Generation Scripture: Psalm 78:1-24; 32-39 (NRSVUE) Psalm 78 reminds us that faith has always been meant to be shared from one generation to the next. But the story we pass on isn't one of perfect people—it's the story of God's enduring grace and faithfulness, even when we fall short. In this message, we'll reflect on how the churc...

Sermon Title: Were You There Scripture: Matthew 16:24, Galatians 2:20 When the angel Gabriel told Joseph his soon-to-be step son Jesus would save people from their sins, he was talking about more than just the individual mistakes we make. Through the selfless example of Jesus, we are to be transformed. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Agnus Dei Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Luke 22:19-20 It is no coincidence that Jesus brought his conflict with the earthly authorities to a head at Passover. Jesus intentionally ties what he will do on the cross to the events of the Exodus in which God brought both freedom and covenant. Passover video courtesy of BibleProject: https://bibleproject.com/videos/what-is-passover/ Lakesi...

Sermon Title: O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done Scripture: Hebrews 10:10-12 One of the most common understandings of why Jesus had to die is that Jesus needed to pay the penalty for our sin. Another atonement theory that focuses on solving the problem of our sin involves seeing Jesus' death as a sacrificial offering. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Lift High the Cross Scripture: John 1-5, 14; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 Christians agree that the death and resurrection of Jesus put us right with God, but there is not universal agreement on how. Before we dig deeply into the question of how, we begin by first asking what God is saying to us through the crucifixion. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Awakened Through Service Scripture: Psalm 112:4-9 What if our awakening to grace is visible first not to us, but to those who observe our lives? What if it isn't a sudden epiphany or a booming voice, but rather a slow realization that God has been with us the whole time? LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Awakened Through Sabbath Scripture: Genesis 1:27-2:3 Sabbath is so much more than just taking a break. In fact, the better we understand Sabbath, the better we understand our purpose, our relationship to our work, and the One who calls us to that work. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Awakened Through Fasting Scripture: Luke 9:23-25 What in your life has pull over you? Fasting is the practice of recognizing the things that compete for control and intentionally setting them aside so Jesus can have a greater place in our lives. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Awakened Through Scripture Scripture: Philippians 3:5-11 Because we often call our engagement with the Scriptures "Bible study," we get the idea that it's a reference book to consult when we have questions, needs, or challenges. And while there is much to learn, the real power of reading the Scripture is in the way it awakens us to God's presence and grace. LakesideUMC.net

Sermon Title: Awakened Through Scripture Scripture: Philippians 3:5-11 Guest Preacher: Pat Oxley Because we often call our engagement with the Scriptures "Bible study," we get the idea that it's a reference book to consult when we have questions, needs, or challenges. And while there is much to learn, the real power of reading the Scripture is in the way it awakens us to God's presence and grace.

Sermon Title: Awakened Through Prayer Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Prayer can sometimes feel like both the easiest spiritual discipline and the most challenging. If we desire to become more aware of God's presence in our lives, prayer is a solid way to start. LakesideUMC.net