Waterstone Church Sermon Podcast

Every day is Ascension Day. In Acts 16 we see that the story of Jesus was drawing the attention of all kinds of people. The gospel transcended racial, economic, and religious differences. Jesus was worthy enough for Lydia; strong enough for the slave girl; forgiving enough for jailer. Could he have what you need? References: "Ascension" image - Photo by Nheyob, Saint James the Greater Catholic Chu...

The gospel of Jesus is not something that WE do, but something that HE did. It is for everyone! And this, this is what sets up the first church fight in the Bible. Our tendency as people is toward legalism and exclusion, but Jesus and his followers push for inclusion. All are welcome at the table. References: Acts 15: 1-11, 22-29 The Air We Breathe , by Glen Scrivener " I've got the choice of beli...

We interact with God's bigger story by participating in his plan to flood the world with his presence. We live to see brokenness restored and search for opportunities where our passions and talents intersect with the needs of others to bring about His love, justice, and mercy. The church is called not only to proclaim the good news of Jesus, but also to demonstrate his kingdom as walking previews....

Neighboring is the way that we enter into relationship with those in our sphere of influence and share the good news of Jesus. References: Waterstone Mission Statement : To be a people empowered by the presence of Jesus Christ to proclaim his kingdom and demonstrate his love, justice and mercy to our neighbor. "The gospel is the good news that God's kingdom has come near in Jesus Christ, & thr...

Jesus promises his particular presence through the Holy Spirit and it is the regenerative work of the Spirit in a believer's heart, where the Spirit uses truth, relationships, and life experiences to conform every believer more to the image of Christ. Sources: Waterstone Mission Statement : To be a people empowered by the presence of Jesus Christ to proclaim his kingdom and demonstrate his love, j...

Christmas means that a king has come and his arrival was a threat to the reigning King of the Jews, Herod. God's sovereign plan for Jesus can be seen in even the smallest of details, and these prove His love for all. References: Hidden Christmas , by Tim Keller From Strength to Strength , Arthur C. Brooks The Four Loves , by C.S. Lewis

The Spirit is a gift of God. It's something he has given us. May we be a church and a people that embraces that gift and prays, Come Holy Spirit, fill us with your power and presence. References: "When Christianity is open to the Spirit and takes the work of the Holy Spirit seriously we recognize that the Gospel is about God's love for people who are marginalized in a world of sin." - Beth Felker...

The early church launches from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world. Even in the midst of persecution, God continues to shape His church and refine it from inside and out. References: " I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead." - Leslie Newbigin, British Theologian Thanksgiving Meals Outreach Fall Festival Kids Ministry Colorado Hou...

Acts chapter 5 begins the stories of persecution of the church. Luke tells us that the Saducees and Pharisees—the religious and political leaders of their day were jealous of the successful ministry the Apostles were having and sought to persecute them. Like the disciples, we ought to see how the cultural challenges that lie ahead are not obstacles that hinder us, but avenues for our faith to shin...

The Church is bold in proclaiming the Jesus Story, even in the face of opposition because we are motivated by Jesus' sovereignty and by his Spirit. The Church cannot keep quiet about Jesus, because if we believe what we believe it is life changing. References: "If civilization is to be saved," and then he says, "Every civilization is like a billow of smoke in the wind. If we are to be saved, it wi...

The book of Acts is a sequel to the book of Luke and recounts the story, struggle and success of the gospel message going forth: under the plan of God, centered on King Jesus and empowered by the presence of the Spirit. It is full of miracles and wonders: God showing up in supernatural ways as the Gospel makes its way from Jerusalem to Rome. Within 30 years of Jesus ascension, the gospel traveled...

Notes: Deconstruction is the process of taking apart and examining an idea, tradition, practice, or belief to determine its truthfulness, usefulness, and impact, sometimes to the point of no longer identifying as a Christian. If you have wandered away from the faith or if faith no longer works for you, or you've given up on church —but there is still some part of you that is drawn to Jesus? Lean i...

If we're honest, I think all of us have experienced doubt in our faith. We don't necessarily talk about it, especially in church, but we can relate to those going through a season of uncertainty in their faith. Here at Waterstone we believe that we can walk through questions surrounding faith together, and that God is near to us even when we question his presence. References: Charles Spurgeon When...

Faith is a journey and it's expected that we'll have questions along the way. When our experiences and knowledge within our faith don't align, Jesus invites us to ask, ponder, and deconstruct with him.

We are hungry for more Jesus and a more full, robust discipleship to him. We hope to be a church that longs for God's kingdom and is radically marked and changed by the person of Jesus. References: "Spiritual formation in the Christian tradition is a process of increasingly being possessed and permeated by the character traits of Jesus as we walk in the easy yoke of discipleship with Jesus our tea...

References Contact Theory "The closing scene of the Bible is not a vision of human beings going up to heaven, as in so much popular imagination, nor even of Jesus himself coming to earth, but of the new Jerusalem itself coming from heaven to earth...What God did in Jesus, coming to an unknowing world and an unwelcoming people, he is doing on a cosmic scale. He is coming to live, forever, in our mi...