Brian's Sermons

*note: this sermon was preached to our combined service.  Usually we have two services, one at 9 (with a traditional style, with hymns accompanied by piano, organ, and choir) and one at 11 (with a more casual style, with contemporary worship songs accompanied by a guitar-driven praise band), but for the combined service, we had some of everything. Romans 12 is one of the most powerful chapters of instructions for Christian living.   Today as we celebrate our combined service, I want to start with this statement from Romans 12:5: we are many parts of one body, and we belong together .   Yes, it is right and good for us to worship in two services, at 9 and at 11, with two distinct styles.   But we are part of one body, and we belong together.   Part of the difficulty in coming together is that our worship styles and preferences are often so different.   But Paul reminds us that we are not the end of worship.   In other words, worship isn’t about us ...

*See the end for a note on source James 4:1-10 We spent five weeks discovering Life Together: through the “One Another” verses in scripture, we explored what it means to be Christians; how we are to serve and encourage one another, live in harmony with one another, bear with one another, forgive one another, and, above all, to love one another.  Loving one another is ultimately important because it’s the only true reflection of God’s character.  Knowing God’s character is vital to living life as a Christian, because His character informs our actions.  Many of us struggle with really knowing God; we picture God as a bearded man in the sky or an aloof judge or powerful, holy Creator and we forget about his Fatherly kindness.  In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us that whoever asks God receives, whoever seeks will find, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. He goes on to say, “If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how m...

Over the past month, we have been looking at the scriptures, trying to understand what it means to live life together as Christians. We’ve encouraged one another and served one another.  We’ve lived in harmony with one another and hung in there with one another.  But really none of that is important at all if we miss out on today’s lesson.  The reality is that we as a church often focus so much on doing church that we can miss out on the main point.  We emphasize numerical growth, often through powerful programming.  We teach our congregations well, making sure that we all know about God and that we actually know God. We emphasize individual spiritual growth, stressing spiritual disciplines – both inward and outward.  But without love, none of that matters.  This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy ...