Saints Peter and Paul Sermons

You're an exile. Did you know that? You live in a land not your own. At least, this is how the Christian community has considered itself since the days of Jesus.  Like Daniel (who was exiled from Jerusalem in 605 BC) - we too live in a culture that is out to conform us. If we give in, we'll end up patterned after the futile ways of the world. If we don't - we may well end up creatin...

In this week's sermon, Pastor Aaron shares what life has like been like for him and his family over the past month and also as his family has been dealing with a lot of other issues. He shares this personal story to demonstrate that it is through difficult situations in life that we are forced to our knees in humility and vulnerability crying out to God, "Lord, I need you. I don't h...

How do you respond when your reputation is on the line? What do you do when attackers hack & slash at your identity? Do you retaliate? Crumble? Or walk cooly through it? In chapters 18 & 19 of the book of 2 Kings, a certain King named Hezekiah has his reputation attacked. But in the end, he keeps his chin up & walks away from the situation unscathed. How can we mimic his strength? How...

God has a message He wants to get across to you. Will you hear it? The people of Israel had messages sent to them by God. He sent them through the Prophets. Nine of them came to the people over 208 years as God tried to "turn their hearts back" before disaster struck. They didn't listen. But God never gave up seeking their heart. God has a message for you today. Will you hear it? Ta...

In this chapter we are introduced to "the wisest man in history." King Solomon. He was revered by the Israelites as a King with incredible insight (1 Kings 3:28); and was praised by foreign dignitaries from afar - who had heard of his greatness (1 Kings 10:6). Through his wise rule - Israel was put on the map and held in honor by all. But what was the secret to his wisdom? How did he mak...

In this sermon, Pastor Kevin looks at a key verse from Mark 10: "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Jesus may not only be telling us to become childlike (to depend on our Father & our Savior for in order to receive the Kingdom) -- He may also be saying that the Kingdom of God  itself is like a child! How? Take a listen an...

In 2 Samuel 11, we watch as David makes a significant mistake. He had everything going for him at this point. The nation of Israel was unified. The boundaries have expanded. David has reinstituted centralized worship of God in Jerusalem. God has even promised David that through his lineage, there would be an everlasting kingdom and a king who would reign forever and ever. David had great power and...

At the end of chapter 11, we see David as King - enjoying rest in his house after defeating the Israelites. But the Almighty God is living in a tent! David wants to pay God back for all the God has done for Him; David wants to build God a house. But God says: "No." Why?  In this sermon, Pastor Kevin looks at this key text from 2 Samuel chapter 7, where instead of David building God a hou...

In the first part of chapter 11, we are introduced to David. At this point, Saul (the first king of Israel) had disobeyed God and therefore, God rejected him as king. God, therefore, told Samuel to go to the family of Jesse because one of Jesse's sons would be the next king of Israel. As Samuel, looks at the sons of Jesse, the oldest ones seem to be good, kingly material. However, God has to...

"Pride cometh before the Fall." Many of us are familiar with this wise saying. It comes from the book of Proverbs (chapter 16), and applies to all sorts of situations: NFL football players boasting before losing the game; high school students trying to "fit in" with the cool kids before blundering in front of their class...even Old Testament Kings trying to mirror the kings of...

Chapter 9 of The Story covers the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It is a reminder to us about the importance of following with our whole lives.

Chapter 8 of The Story covers the Book of Judges in the Bible. The Book of Judges tells us of a 4 phase cycle that the people of Israel go through over and over again for a few hundred years. It is a story not all that uncommon with our own understanding of world history as well. In this sermon, Pastor Aaron connects the dots for us between the Book of Judges, our current state as Americans, and t...

The Holy Scriptures are rife with military imagery. But Jesus practiced nonviolence? (See Matthew 5:38-48). So what kind of battle are we dealing with? Paul said it well in Ephesians: "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against...the spiritual forces of evil." Our battle takes place in our minds - as our enemy, the Devil, seeks to deceive us into sin. In this week's serm...

In this week's sermon, based on chapter 6 of The Story, Pastor Aaron reminds us to pay attention to the signs of God. Most clearly, pay attention to the sign of the cross which is the reminder of Who God is and what He has already done for us through Jesus. Unlike the Israelites, who lost sight of God's Word, let us be people who love the Word of God and do everything we can do obey it....

Why do we bristle when we're told what to do? Why do we sometimes sabotage ourselves by not doing what we're told (even when we know it's probably good for us?). And knowing how we respond to being told what to do -- why did God give us the LAW?In this sermon, Pastor Kevin explores these questions by looking at Exodus 19:4-5. Moses has received the 10 Commandments from YHWH and the...

In this week's sermon, we are introduced to Moses in chapter 4 of The Story. Moses is a man who is given an important task by God. Yet, Moses responds with an important question, "Who am I?" Who am I? That's one of those questions that not thought about carefully can lead people to moments of mental crisis. Moses finds solace in this question by asking God, "Who are you? W...

In the Sermon, Pastor Kevin explores the question that plagues many in the midst of their suffering: "Why?" Chapter 3 follows the story of Joseph. It's a story of suffering. And yet, in it, we learn one of the most important things we can know about God: How He works through our suffering.

In this sermon, based on chapter 2 of The Story, Pastor Aaron shares 3 stories one for each generation: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And, in each of the three stories, we see a similar theme, "God gives life to what seems dead."

The Bible begins with these five words, "In the beginning, God created." God is creator. It's how the Bible begins. It's how The Story begins. In this sermon on chapter 1 of the story, Pastor Aaron preaches about the significance that God is our Creator and we are His creation.

We are a people of stories. We read them to our little ones, we watch them ourselves. From action movies, to love stories, to fantasy, thriller, and historical documentary. When asked about our weekend - we don't list off our activities like data -- we tell a story. It's like stories are written into who we are. BUT WHY?Perhaps it's because we've been written into the Greatest...

The story of Ezra & Nehemiah finishes in an unexpected way. All throughout these books - we've heard about all that God was restoring for His people: the temple; the people's spiritual foundations; the city walls of Jerusalem. But in chapter 13 - all of these accomplishments start to come undone. That's because this isn't a Hollywood story with a "happily ever after.&q...

In Nehemiah 8-12, the characters of our Story of "Rubble Restoration" UNITE. Ezra & Nehemiah join forces to tell "The Story" of God's activity in the lives of His people. But when the people hear it - they weep! Why? Because the "stories" they have been living have been devoid of God. They are confronted with their own guilt & shame for living their stori...

We turn the page into the book of Nehemiah today in our sermon series "Rubble Restoration: Rebuilding God's Way." Nehemiah was an important official (the cupbearer) serving the Persian King when he heard that the rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem weren't going all that well. In particular, the city wall and the city gates had not yet been rebuilt after lying in rubble for the las...

Pastor Aaron and Pastor Kevin join together for this sermon where they share the preaching on Ezra 9-10. This sermon was pre-recorded as both Pastors were out of town this day. In a unique way, they tell the story of these rather complicate words from Scripture. In the end, we hope you hear that Relationships Matter to God.

Ezra is finally on the scene! In Chapter 7 begins a new "section" of the Rubble Restoration story for the people of Israel. The 1st wave of Israelites have been back in Jerusalem for 80 years; the temple has been rebuilt; and there's a lot of positive movement for God's people. But there's one thing lacking in Jerusalem - spiritual leadership. The smallest group to return...