Melbourne Heights - Sermons

We all have an image of what the first Christmas must have looked like. But whatever we picture it does not do justice to the magnitude of this moments, because no matter how we picture Jesus' arrival in this world it is nothing compared to what his arrival means to our world.

We treat all of Christmas like we treat our presents. We can't wait to get it, but as soon as we have it we tear into it and rush on to the next thing. But it shouldn't be that way. So let's slow down and reflect on what the season of Christmas is all about.

Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot. But the Grinch, who lived just North of Who-ville, did not! In this week's sermon, we’ll see that whether we like Christmas (like the Whos) or not (like the Grinch) this is a season that shows us the true meaning of love.

George Bailey’s life wasn’t always very merry...but there’s a difference between being merry and being joyful. In this week's sermon, we talk about how our lives can always be filled with joy...even when they don’t seem so wonderful.

Do you ever feel like Charlie Brown this time of year? You may like giving and receiving gifts, and decorating your home...but you still feel like there’s something missing from your celebrations? In this week's sermon, we talk about what’s really missing at Christmas.

Christmas is a season of waiting. And no one knows that better than Ralphie Parker--who had to wait to see if he'd get his Red Ryder BB Gun. But what we're really waiting for at Christmas isn't presents...what we're really waiting for is Christ's presence in our lives and in our world.

Have you ever heard the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes? If you have, you've probably discovered it's easy to place yourself inside of the story. You can see the story unfold from the eyes of the disciples or even the crowd. But there's at least one other way to see this story that may change the way you think about yourself. And that's through the perspective of the bread and the fish.

In a world that is filled with brokenness and pain, it can be easy to wonder if God is still active in our world today. In this week's sermon we're reminded that God is our refuge and our strength, a ever present help in times of struggle. And that means that God is still working today.

Just about every kid looks forward to Christmas...but there are thousands of kids that may not have a single gift waiting for them on Christmas morning. At Melbourne Heights, we have helped bring Christmas to over 150 kids in the last two years. In this sermon, we talk about how we do it...and why we do it too.

As we read the Bible, we are invited to be a part of God's story...but we don't always want other people to be involved in this story. So we write people off based on their covers. In this episode, we'll see how one of the most important stories in the New Testament would not have happened if God judged us by our covers.

We live in a world that constantly tells us, "You can't!" You can't sing. You can't dance. You can't do that. You can't go there. But how does Jesus respond when his disciples seem to be struggling with those "You can't" feelings? Jesus tells them "You can!"

When we read the Bible, we're not just reading stories...we are also being invited to be a part of God's story today. But too often we think that God doesn't want us to be part of his story. We think that we're not good enough for God. But in this sermon you'll hear how God really feel about you.

The Bible doesn't look or feel like any other book we read, so it can feel a little intimidating. But these 3 tips can help anyone feel a little more comfortable and confident when you start reading the Bible.

We may use it every Sunday during our sermons and small groups, but we almost never talk about why we read the Bible. Do we read it because it's the best-selling book of all-time, or because it's an owner's manual for life, or because it's Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth? Or maybe there's more to what the Bible is that helps us understand why we read it today.

Life is filled with change...but nobody really likes change. So what can we do to shift our perspective on the changes we face? We can see the risk or we can see the opportunity.

Loneliness has a negative effect on our health, but what are the benefits of having close friendships?

Loneliness is a problem that half of all Americans struggle with, so what can we do to feel more connected? In this week's sermon, we discuss what our church is doing to address some of the reasons we don't do a better job of connecting.

Half of all Americans struggle with loneliness, and there are a million different reasons why. However, many of our reasons boil down to the same thing: we are self-centered. But it doesn't have to be this way. Jesus shows us another way that will help us form the close relationships we need in our lives.

Half of all Americans struggle with loneliness, and we seem too busy to find the time to make real connections. But are we really that busy? In this week's sermon, we explore what's really imperative and not just important.

Everyone knows what it feels like to be rejected or burned, and once you've been burned it's hard to open yourself up to anyone else. So what can you do to help other people open up to you? Treat them like Jesus did.

A recent study conducted by the Cigna shows that almost half of all Americans sometimes or always feel alone. 27% feel like no one understands them, and 20% feel like they have no one to talk to. So why do we feel alone?

It's been said that every good story needs a villain...and there is no greater villain than Judas. Judas betrayed Jesus, and we could never imagine doing that. But we do. We betray Jesus all the time. And we'll never grow closer to Jesus if we can't see ourselves as another Judas.

On the night of his last supper, Jesus gathered with his disciples to observe Passover. What is Passover about? How did Jesus and his disciples celebrate it? What does it mean for us today? It means that God keeps his promises.

We pick up a lot of dirt in our day to day life. We pick up the dirt of anger, jealousy, pride, selfishness; and before we know it this dirt gets caked onto our souls. And the only one who can clean our souls is Jesus.

Worship is what we do when we recognize that God is reaching out for us. But how good of a job do you do when it actually comes to worship? You can't just assume that you've got it covered...you have to examine yourself and make sure you are really worshiping God.