Sermon Scripture: Matthew 26:26-28 (NRSV) Gratitude is always social because we are grateful for something, grateful to someone, and quite often, grateful with others. The social nature of gratitude is clear even when you are alone, or with a small group of people. All of life is a gift, we receive it with gratitude and
Sermon Scripture: Psalm 100 (NRSV) You may know the feeling - someone did something for you or gave you a gift, but instead of being grateful, you feel indebted, obligated to return the favor, duty-bound to reciprocity. In this kind of commodity exchange, resentment is fostered instead of gratitude. "There would be no benefactors if they
Sermon Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-11 (NRSV) Self-control is really about gaining freedom. Freedom from that destructive habit.Freedom from debilitating debtFreedom from poor choices. Freedom from an out of control schedule. Freedom to seek after things we desire. Join us as we finalize our series on the Fruit of the Spirit by discussing how self-control
Sermon Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (NRSV) We live in a culture that values, maybe even worships, strength. More often than not, the strength we want so badly is expressed as power-over others. Power-over means that to be stronger than someone you must demonstrate that you can over-power them. As you might guess, this often leads
Sermon Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 Sometimes, when we talk about faith, what we mean is having confident belief. There is a time and place for that, but that is not the fruit of faithfulness. Faith is best described as allegiance. Faithfulness, then, is being steadfast in our allegiance to Jesus, who is Ruler over all the nations; Creator
Sermon Scripture: Titus 3:1-8 Right at the beginning, we must realize that since kindness and goodness (which can also be translated generosity) are fruits of the spirit of God that means that God is kind. And God is good (generous). When we confess Jesus as Lord, how we act toward others reveals what we we believe
Sermon Scripture: Galations 5:22,23, James 5:7-11 When we hear the term patience, our thoughts are likely going to what our western, English dictionaries would describe patience to be: the ability to accept or tolerate delay or trouble without getting upset. But God’s idea of patience is really much greater. Scripture helps us view patience in
Sermon Scripture: Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48, Luke 7:50 This week, we take a look at PEACE, as Fruit of the Spirit. We will investigate: 1. Peace as the righting of wrongs2. Peace as union with God through the forgiveness of sins3. Peace as a key marker of the Kingdom of God4. Peace as the work
Sermon Scripture: Philippians 3:4b-14 Joy is often one of the most misunderstood of the Fruit of the Spirit, mainly due to the was culture has shaped our understanding of it. Part of the problem is that we look for joy in the wrong places. We have been conditioned to experience joy through achievement, but what
Sermon Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSV) In a nation deeply divided, what we need now more than ever is the clear evidence of God’s Spirit in our lives. Division is so real, even among Christians. Those who disagree on subjects like racism, immigration, violence and gun control can get so nasty toward one another. As Christians, how
