Brian's Sermons

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With...

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With...

... for they shall be called sons of God. Peace is a hot topic right now. After all, we’ve been involved in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan for seven years – and we don’t know when it will end. As a nation we’re spending a lot of money on the war, and for a lot of people, it doesn’t seem like we’re getting the "bang for our buck" in the Middle East. Many Christians continue to debate the war; is it a just war? Is there really such a thing? This isn’t a new debate, however. There were Jews of Jesus’ time, even among his twelve disciples, who were called Zealots. This was the militaristic arm of the Jews, those who hoped to throw off the Roman rule. They sought and hoped for a warrior Messiah who would flex his muscles and return the power to them. Unlike us, most of whom enjoy relative peace, Israel only experienced peace as long as they obeyed their Roman rulers. The idea of pax romana allowed people to live like they wanted to, as long as they didn’t bother Rome. Was that re...

Did Jesus offer credible credentials to back up his divine claims? Yes! Miracles: John 10:37 told John to look for his miracles. Isaiah said Miracles would be one way the Messiah would authenticate himself. Power over nature: walking on water Power over sickness: healing leprosy & blindness Power over death: raising Lazarus Jesus’ opponents never denied his miracles. Even the Talmud admits miracles, and Mohammed, the founder of Islam, admits Jesus’ miracles and his virgin birth. Character – often the closer we get to others, the more we see their flaws, but the opposite happened with Jesus! John & Peter saw him up close and personal: their assessment: 1 John 3:5 – in Him is no sin 1 Peter 2:22 – committed no sin, no deceit was in him. Who can have the same said about them? The way he fit the fingerprint of divine prophecy. Only the Messiah could fit this fingerprint: He was: Born of a virgin Of the seed of Abraham Of the tribe of Judah Of the house of David Born in Bethlehem ...

If an atheist told you that Jesus’ bones had been found, would you still be a Christian? How about if, instead of an atheist, it was someone at Main Street who told you; would you repudiate your Christianity? What if I, as your pastor came and told you, and Pastor Dave, Mitch Arnold, and Dave Hunt came in to back me up; would you still be a Christian? How about if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that someone had found the bones of Jesus Christ, proving that He hadn’t resurrected, would that do anything to your faith? If it doesn’t change anything for you, then I would encourage you to figure out what the basis for your belief is, because it might be based more on wishful thinking than in fact. The truth is that nobody is going to find Jesus’ bones, because He rose from the grave. But this underscores the importance of the evidence we have that helps to prove what we believe is true. Nazareth, Bethlehem, December 25th, Quirinius, a Roman census, no room in the inn, a baby born in a ...

Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. Luke 1:1-4 It all sounds a bit fanciful, if you ask me. A virgin and her husband-to-be, travelling by donkey through the wintry night to Bethlehem, where they find no room in the inn. So they end up in a stable where, on December 25, in the year 1 BC, they have a baby. They wrap the baby in cloths and lay him in a manger. Then an angel appears to shepherds and they run to see the baby. They hurry to put up a Christmas tree, because there’s no tree in the stable. Martin Luther then comes to help them hang candles in the tree to mimic the sight of the light hitting the snow on the trees in the forest they c...

I believe that this church is at an important juncture in our history. We have a vital opportunity to move forward, to do exciting things for Jesus Christ, to touch this community and even the world with God’s love. We are starting new Bible studies, we are looking for new ways to reach out, being God’s hands and feet, and soon we will be gathering to determine the future course of our ministry. It is an exciting time, but it can also be a difficult time. You see, the more we try to follow God’s will, the more we end up being attacked by Satan. Some of you know all too well how that feels. You’ve felt inundated with spiritual attacks. I know how that feels – there have been weeks, even months, where my family has been a spiritual battleground – which is one reason why I need you to pray for us every day. It can be difficult to fight against an unseen opponent – but if you are feeling discouraged, take heart. This sermon series is for you! Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us the following:...