Rev. Paul J. Miller

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 5, 2024 Found in the Bible…(well, sort of…) Isaiah 40:31-41 “God said it, I believe it, that settles it” It’s just not that simple…. Mark 9:40 & Matthew 12:30 John 1:12-13 & 1 John 4:7 “The Lord works in mysterious ways” Creation is mysterious, but knowable. So too is Christ. “mystery” in the NT is about who Jesus is and what He has done for us 1...

"God helps those who help themselves." Did that come from the Bible? This sermon looks at four commonly used phrases that might sound like they come from the scriptures, but don't. Are they still true though?

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Scriptures – 4/21/24 “Do you love me more than these?” Conflicted – Peter by the fire in the high priest’s courtyard – John 18:15-27 The miracle of the fish catch – Luke 5:1-11 Jesus walks on water – Matthew 14:22-33 Who is Jesus? – Mark 8:22-33 The Transfiguration – Mark 9:2-13 Jesus predicts Peter’s denial – Matthew 26:31-35 Jesus rebukes Peter for using a sword in G...

The resurrection of Jesus is more than the rational mind can accept. Even as he stood among his disciples in the evening after He arose, they were "troubled" and had "doubts". The rational mind can only take us so far. Faith is not irrational either; it is "trans-rational".  (NOTE: I apologize for the audio quality. I've had trouble in recent weeks with my recording device, which is why I haven't...

Jesus began a life-transforming conversation with a simple, everyday kind of question. Having a spiritual conversation doesn't need to be frightening or intimidating. Everyone is thirsty for truth. 

What led to Jesus first telling the Good Samaritan parable? It was a law "expert" who needed to be reminded that knowing the rules in the mind is not the same as living them out from the heart. Love for the "other" is not a side point to the law, it is the point. 

Do we really "see" people, or just see people as a problem? A Pharisee invited Jesus over for dinner and an unwanted guest showed up. The host saw her as a problem to be avoided, Jesus saw her as a person who was both loved and forgiven. 

Our fears can block our faith and hamper our ability to see that God is ready to help quiet the storms in our lives. Two stormy adventures on the Sea of Galilee reveal how the faith of The 12 was growing, though quickly lost when they focused on the storm instead of the One who can calm the storm. 

Who is Jesus? Who do you say that He is? Even though Peter boldly answered that very question on behalf of the 12, their idea of what the Messiah's purpose would be was not what Jesus had in mind. It's not about gaining power, but about denying self. It's about winning, but about losing life to find it. 

Sometimes we have to clean up from our own failures, and sometimes we have clean up the mess created by others. A young king named Josiah had to lead his nation to reform after the deep damage done by his own father and grandfather, who reigned before him. Like Hezekiah, he acted acted decisively, humbly, prayerfully, and led his people back to their God. 

With the very survival of his nation and his people at risk, Hezekiah turned first to God. He restored worship, he welcomed the lost, he put the heart ahead of the rules, he instilled courage, and he prayed for and with others when it mattered most. 

Godly leaders believe in educating people, but are also ready to listen & learn more; they pray when trouble comes, but they don't wait for trouble to start praying; they delegate responsibilities, but still personally carry out what's most important in a responsible manner; they use their authority to encourage worship, but humble themselves before the greatest authority. This is all true of...

Keeping the peace is one of the main tasks of a king, a teacher, a boss, a parent, and anyone else who holds a position of leadership. In 2 Chronicles there is a king named Asa who gave us a good example of how to manage and keep the peace. 

Contentment can be allusive and hard to maintain. What gets in the way? It could be subtle things like comforts, conveniences, competition, or collections. Do you trust God to provide what you really need? 

It takes a lot of strength to find, and to maintain, contentment. Thankfully, this is the promise of Philippians 4:13. The Apostle Paul lived through circumstances and situations that no one wants, but still maintained peace with God. We can too.

When stress builds up, anxiety quickly follows. It doesn't have to. This battle is hard, but choosing joy in the midst of the stressors can lead us to the peace of God. 

Everyone's life journey includes mountainous trails and unavoidable trials. You can either wait for the mountain to move or get moving on the mountain. Press on!

Confidence before God is not based on what we do or don't do, it comes from the grace-filled presence of Christ. 

Shine! - Philippians 2:12-18 A church should be a NO COMPLAINT ZONE. How we doin' with that?

God took on flesh, the incarnation of Christ: it didn't happen just so we can observe from a distance and applaud Jesus. Philippians 2:5 ties it to our relationships. We are challenged to follow Christ's example and humbly let go of position and privilege for the sake of the other. 

Unity in the church is central to church health, church growth, and was a prayer concern of Jesus before the church even began. And that's why Paul writes about it in all of his letters to the churches. It's all about "WE". 

In Philippians 1:18-26, Paul seems torn. He has fought long and hard for the gospel. No one would blame him if he said, "Enough! Take me home, Lord." But he was willing to remain and continue leading people toward God, through Christ. Either way, live or die, he knew Christ was with him, and he was with Christ. Thus he say, "To live is Christ, to die is gain." 

Philippians 1:12-18 - We don't always do the right things for the right reasons, but somehow good things can still emerge from our lives. Paul understood this and didn't take exception to the questionable motives of other teachers and preachers of the gospel. 

This sermon is from Philippians 1:7-11. The Apostle Paul's deep love and passion for the church in Philippi is evident right from the start of this chapter. The prayer he wrote in verses 9-11 is as beautiful as it is powerful. There are many good things a church or an individual believer can become, but they are all rooted in love. 

Philippians is very positive letter, even in the opening introduction. Let's learn together how God's positive presence enables us to become our true and full self. Grace and peace.....