Sermons From Albertville

This sermon is based on Ephesians  1:15-23  which describes how we Christians are more than meets the eye.  

People mocked, whipped, and called for Jesus death because they didn't know he was the son of God.  In a similar way, the world does not know we who are called the Children of God by faith. 

We are like Thomas during the week that followed Easter.   He didn't get to see him.  Eventually, Jesus came to show himself to Thomas too.   Eventually, Jesus will return to show himself to all of us as well.  But what about the mean time?  How we can we believe if we don't see.   Jesus explained to Thomas what he has for us.   He has made it possible for us to believe even though we have yet to...

The Stone has been rolled away,  but sometimes we roll our own stones over the hole to prevent the risen Christ from influencing our lives.  This sermon explores the difficulty of the women who first visited the tomb to understand and accept his resurrection as well as our own. 

This sermon was offered on Palm Sunday and describes how Jesus humbled himself.  The surprising twist is that we are free to be humble because he was humble. 

A sermon based not Ephesians 2:1-10  which begins by saying  "You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked ....."   

This sermon offers a personal take on 1 Corinthians 1:18  Which says  "The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."   

For as long as we can recall,  we have been told that we have a one of two choices:  we can either be a pessimist or and optimist.   But there's actually a third way.   This sermon expands on this.   Genesis 22:1-18,   James 1:12-18.   

When Jesus was gloriously transfigured before his disciples.   Peter wanted to preserve the moment and remain there.   Like Peter,  we would very much like our life with Jesus to be a mountain top experience 24-7.  Truth is, however,  followers of christ suffer the same earthly troubles that all people do and sometimes more.  This sermon explains why.  

Nothing in the history of the world has had more influence on human society than than the mobile phone.   They offer so many answers and do so instantly.    But they fall short of answering life's most important questions. 

There are times when you might not feel like yourself.  Most often,  the reason for this is you're suffering some form of evil in body or mind or society.  In the Lord's prayer we pray "Deliver us from evil."   God does that through his Son Jesus.   In Mark 1:21-28 we see restoring a man to himself at the synagogue in Capernaum.  

The world is passing away, but in Christ God has given us eternity.   This raises the question: where should the focus of life be? 

Through a distressed woman named Hannah and young boy named Samuel,  God revealed and carried out a momentous change in all of Israel.     Just when seems that all is lost,  God takes action in the most surprising ways. 

When Jesus entered the sinful world, the sinful world was convulsed.  This is most evident in an egotistical man known as Herod the Great.  When the Wisemen came asking about a new king,  Herod was enraged for fear of losing his power and so he aimed to kill Jesus.  A similar thing happens when Jesus enters the life a person,  there is resistance for fear of losing the self.   But not all thee wor...

This New Year Sermon talks about how to look at the future and not be afraid. 

The coming of Jesus  as described in Isaiah 61

Ever have regrets?   Of course you have!   Like everybody else,  you are an imperfect human being; presented with so many choices,  you are bound to make wrong choices some of the time.   Can we prevent regret?   We can certainly minimize it.    John the Baptist tells us how. 

Jesus has told us that we cannot know when the world will end,  but he does tell us how to recognize the end and prepare for it. 

Judgement day may not be what you think it is. 

A sermon offered on the Eve of Thanksgiving

We never know when Jesus will return,  we only know that he will return.   It would be wise for us to be prepared for that day.  In his Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids,  Jesus shows us just how important it is for us to be so prepared.  

Wouldn't it be great if we could go back in time and undo what happened in the past?   That's a pretty prominent theme in science fiction.  People like to dream about such things because they have regrets over the past and would like a do-over.   In This sermon on the Beatitudes of Jesus,  from Matthew 5:1-7,  we learn that our dreams are not really not that far out there.   For Jesus is humanitie...

We grew up steeped in  The American Work Ethic and with an understanding that we have various inalienable rights.    These things have served us well here in America.  Since we are so wrapped up in these principles,    we are given to assume that God submits to these principles as well.    He doesn't.   This sermon,  offered on Reformation Day,  shows how God is different.   

Did God just make the world with all of its wonderful balance and then step away from it?   No!   God is a very personal God who is active in each of our lives.   

Isaiah asks us to think of the the call to faith as an invitation to a great feast which will never end.