Stonebrook Church, Ames, Iowa, Sermons

Our church’s vision is “to see many hundreds become fully devoted followers of Christ, and many thousands hear the gospel message.” This week we are going to be discussing our mission as a church: The Great Commission: every individual in the church doing their part in passing the faith on to others (proclaiming the gospel to non-believers, and entrusting the gospel to one another and especially t...

Our church’s vision is “to see many hundreds become fully devoted followers of Christ, and many thousands hear the gospel message.” This week we are going to be discussing our mission as a church: The Great Commission: every individual in the church doing their part in passing the faith on to others (proclaiming the gospel to non-believers, and entrusting the gospel to one another and especially t...

For those who know Christ, we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, for a purpose – to proclaim the excellencies of God. As we consider the unending excellencies of Christ each day, let’s consider how we take next steps in the amazing purpose we have. What joy to be about the business of what we were specially made for.

When we hear about the idea if “good works” while reading the Bible or listening to a sermon, we usually think of “spiritual” work, praying, missionary work, evangelism, charity, etc. But Paul is talking about much more than that: “Good works” include every type of task, including your 9-5 job, your housework, your homework… everything. God cares about every single task you undertake, and every si...

When we believe in Jesus we become part of God’s family and part of His new creation, the new humanity. We are to live in a manner worthy of the high calling we have received—to put off the old ways of living and put on the new. But how, practically, do we do this? The key is mind renewal—a renovation of the heart that results in transformation from the inside out. Outward conformity to the ways o...

A mother’s work is glorious, yet daunting. Who is equal to such a task? God and His grace is. He is enough.

Summary: We gather together on Sunday AM, from all walks of life, all backgrounds, all situations, to join our streams of worship as one in order to encourage and instruct one another. To remind each other of the Gospel, and to send each other out on Gospel mission. What are we sending ourselves out to do?  The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) – Make disciples from all the nations. Baptizing th...

The Myths: Myth 1: The Bible doesn’t say much about what we are supposed to do on Sunday AM. We can pretty much just make stuff up. Truth: The bible gives us much clear instruction on our gatherings Myth 2: Sunday AM is a good, but optional part of the Christian life. Truth: Sunday AM is a vital, commanded part of the Christian life Acts 2:42-46 – Devotion to “the fellowship”, all things in common...

Fulfilling a plan conceived before the world began, God raised Jesus from the dead. This astounding event accomplished many things. It 1) proved that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, 2) showed that His suffering for our sin was sufficient to gain our forgiveness, 3) prepared Him for the day when he will reign as king in the kingdom of God, 4) foreshadowed the coming day when all who believe in H...

That You May Know—The Epistles of John 1 John 4:7-21 –  Love One Another  I’ve been to many weddings over the years, and one of the more common Scriptures read is 1 Corinthians 13.  It’s about love.  The pre-eminence of love.  And a description of love.  A beautiful chapter, really.   “If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith so as to remove...

John’s first epistle is written to a church under attack from false teaching of those he calls “anti-Christs” – who deny that the gospel is sufficient for salvation, that you must have special spiritual knowledge, and that you don’t need to be concerned about your behavior. John focuses this part of his first letter on reinforcing the teaching (the gospel) he delivered to them at the very beginnin...

That You May Know—The Epistles of John 1 John 2:3-17 Walk as Jesus Walked I just finished reading a fascinating biography of a former U.S. President. The focus of the book is the President’s faith. What his spiritual and religious background is. What he says he believes. I’m reading this wondering, “Is this President a true believer in Jesus Christ?” Some of his statements say an emphatic “Yes.” S...

John, Jesus’ closest disciple, testifies that he has seen, heard, and touched the Word of Life, Jesus the Son of God. He writes to his circle of churches, reassuring them that the word they have heard is true and warning them not to turn away from it as numerous people were doing. The essence of the message is that God is light, without any darkness at all and that He has sent His Son to be the at...

Most of us who have been around the church for any length of time are aware of the idea of “tithes and offerings”. We might even be aware that “the bible teaches we should give 10% of our income to the local church” – but does it really? What is the tithe? Should Christians tithe? Are you tithing? Does it matter? How much should you be giving? To who? How often? This sermon continues our series on...

Who are you? And why are you on earth? Questions like these are deep, and we often—consciously or not—find ourselves searching for the answers. We need to look no further than the Scriptures, for the One who creates and saves us has the answer and is the answer. And that answer will shape the course of our lives in all areas. This theme of purpose kicks off our 3-week series on money, which is a c...

In a world filled with poverty, injustice, oppression, hatred, and strife, God sent good news of a coming Savior who would set the world right and bring peace on Earth, good will to men. Fulfilling the promise given in the last book of the Hebrew scripture, and breaking a 400 year drought in the prophetic ministry, God announced the birth of a great prophet to prepare the way for the coming Savior...

As we continue the story of Jesus’s first coming, we find Gabriel now appearing to Mary. Luke’s account of Gabriel’s conversation with Mary tells us much about who this child will be: the fulfillment of prophecy, and a very unique individual at that. We learn important truths about Jesus’s nature, and we see a right response to God’s revelation: faith even through amazed wonder at seemingly imposs...

As we continue the story of Jesus’s first coming, we find Gabriel now appearing to Mary. Luke’s account of Gabriel’s conversation with Mary tells us much about who this child will be: the fulfillment of prophecy, and a very unique individual at that. We learn important truths about Jesus’s nature, and we see a right response to God’s revelation: faith even through amazed wonder at seemingly imposs...