Redeemer Marquette Sermons

It can be tempting to fall into a pattern of praying only in church and, perhaps, before a meal. But prayer is not an occasional activity. It is a whole way of life! When we “pray continually,” we begin to see life differently – through God’s eyes.

We have all probably had a moment where we prayed for something and God said, “No.” We sometimes call these prayers “unanswered prayers.” But these are really “transforming prayers.” Even when God says, “No,” He uses His “no” to strengthen us and draw us closer to Him.

There are ways not to pray. James discusses some of these ways in James 4:1-3. But in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus gives us a model for all prayer. Praying for things like God’s glory, God’s provision, and God’s forgiveness are vital to prayer. Praying for these things orients us around what matters most.

The power of prayer is on its receiving end. When God receives our prayer, He answers it according to His will. Turning to God for help and guidance, then, is powerful. When we spend time in prayer, we begin to see how God has worked through prayer, which grows our faith in Him.

The thought that the God of the universe would be interested in conversing with us can seem improbable to some. Doesn’t God have better things to do? Hebrews 4 reminds us that the proof of God’s care for us in Christ. If God has come for us in His Son, we can come to Him through His Son.

It’s one thing to experience the light of Christ, but it is another to allow that light to continue burning day in and day out. There must be certain things poured on the “fire” in every season to make sure the light doesn’t go out. Here in this final week, we look at some of these things and their importance.

Jesus calls us to be people of the light. However, he makes it clear that our eyes will either provide light or darkness to our bodies and souls. What does it look like to gaze upon things that bring light? The Bible holds the keys to filling ourselves with light daily, rather than anything dark.

The spiritual light of Christ is an everyday reality for us as believers. The Bible itself, the Word of God, is a light for us in this dark world. It’s crucial we understand just how important the Bible is daily, something that the book of Psalms reminds us of time and time again.

The earth is massive. There are an estimated 8 billion people living here, many of whom are living and participating in darkness. They have no hope, they have no light. When Jesus Christ entered the world, He made a bold claim: that He was the light of the whole world. So, what does this claim mean for us?

One of the core themes of Christmas is light! Christ has come and now light shines in the darkness and darkness will not overcome it. We recognize and celebrate how, in Jesus, our God has drawn near to us and desires to bring us near to him in heaven.

The proclamation of "God With Us" might evoke dreams of a better life. But when you look at the account of Jesus' birth, it becomes evident that he came for a different purpose. Come and see how Christmas changes everything for everyone.

The heart of Herod was self-centered and hardened. When we become so familiar and used to a Christian life, it can be easy for our hearts to enter the same state. With a look at the Magi, we see very different looking hearts; hearts that follow and worship Jesus.

After the angels’ announcement, the shepherds recognized what an incredible gift they had been given. It is awe-inspiring to witness the complete and overwhelming joy of their response. May we be filled with that same joy so that we are compelled to share it with others.

Join us for this special service for Advent, a season when we are reminded of the birth of Christ. In this service, we celebrate that Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread, to nourish and strengthen us in our faith and feed us with his Word of truth to fill our lives.

The angels came to proclaim peace on earth. Not the peace this world strives after, but the peace of Christ provided through the forgiveness of sins. Let us be peacemakers this season who point others to the only source of true peace, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The prophets proclaimed the coming of Christ, our rescue from sin. In response to this sure and certain hope, the prophets also prompt us to examine our hearts and strive forward to life everlasting.

On this Thanksgiving Eve, we take a special moment to give thanks! Together, we thank the Lord for people, places and things He has given us!

Ultimately, what we hear and learn from Jesus is supposed to change us. It is supposed to turn us into different people. But the change Jesus wants to make in us is one that leads us into childlikeness and not complexity, humility and not arrogance.

As Christians, we have the greatest message and hope in the world. Jesus wants us to go and share the hope that lives in us with the world. When one man declares what Jesus has done for him, it changes the whole region in which he lives. How can we change our regions with the message of the gospel?

Jesus loves to give! This is why He gives His life for the life of the world. Jesus wants us to reflect Him in how we are generous with others. And we don’t need a lot to be generous. With just a little – five loaves and two fish – Jesus can do a lot.

Jesus’ ministry on earth revolved around serving others. This is why He healed people and taught people and, ultimately, died for people. The night before Jesus dies, He gives His disciples a lesson on service. He calls upon us to serve the vulnerable in ways that can make us vulnerable.

Central to Jesus’ mission was forgiveness. Jesus calls us to share the forgiveness we have received from Him with others who have hurt us. And just like Jesus’ forgiveness is limitless, ours should be as well.

Before we are called to do anything for Jesus, we are called to be a certain kind of people in Jesus. In John 15, Jesus tells us that the key to doing good things is in being with Him. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we begin to look and live like Jesus.

Every parent has had the frustrating experience of telling their child one thing and then watching them do the opposite. God has the same experience with us. The reason He has given us His Word is because He wants us to live according to His Word. Jesus tells us that the purpose of his message is not just so that folks can hear some good preaching, but so that they will live according to it.

Our guest speaker this year will be Rev. Farrukh Khan from POBLO International. Together we celebrate the mission work that goes on throughout the world!