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Current Sermon Series (August 14 - October 16)

     "Experiencing the Power of the Holy Spirit"

August 14 | God is Our Refuge Revelation | 2: 1-7 (NLT)
Christ commended the church of Ephesus for (1) working hard, (2) patiently enduring, (3) not tolerating evil people, (4) critically examining the claims of false apostles, and (5) suffering without quitting. Every church should have these characteristics, but these good efforts should spring from our love for Jesus Christ. Both Jesus and John stressed love for one another as an authentic proof of the Good News (John 13:34; 1 John 3:18-19). In the battle to maintain sound teaching and moral and doctrinal purity, it is possible to lose a charitable spirit. Prolonged conflict can weaken or destroy our patience and affection. In defending the faith, guard against any structure or rigidity that weakens love.Just as when a man and woman fall in love, so also new believers rejoice at their newfound forgiveness. But when we lose sight of the seriousness of sin, we begin to lose the thrill of our forgiveness (see 2 Peter 1:9). In the first steps of your Christian life, you may have had enthusiasm without knowledge. Do you now have knowledge without enthusiasm? Both are necessary if we are to keep love for God intense and untarnished (see Hebrews 10: 32, 35). Do you love God with the same fervor as when you were a new Christian?
Two trees were in the Garden of Eden – the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9). Eating from the tree of life brought eternal life with God; eating from the tree of knowledge brought realization of good and evil. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, they disobeyed God’s command. So they were excluded from Eden and barred from eating the tree of life. Eventually, evil will be destroyed and believers will be brought into a restored paradise. In the new earth, everyone will eat from the tree of life and live forever.

August 21 | God’s Will for Our Lives | Ephesians 1:13-14 (NRSV)
The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that we belong to him and that he will do what he has promised. The Holy Spirit is like a down payment, a deposit, a validating signature on the contract. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith, proves that we are God’s children and secures eternal life for us. His power works in us to transform us now, and what we experience now is a foretaste of the total change we will experience in eternity.

August 28 | Overcoming Prejudice & Pet Peeves | 1 John 4:7-12
Guest Speaker: Peter Cutt

September 4 | Experiencing the Power of the Holy Spirit |  Luke 14:25-33 (NRSV)
World Methodist Day; Guest Pastor: Rev. David Makovina "Tevita" Finau (New Zealand)

September 11 | Spirit of Hope Galatians | 5:13-22 (NLT)
Christians should not be slaves to sin, because they are free to do what is right and to glorify God through loving service to others. When we are not motivated by love, we become critical of others. We stop looking for good in them and see only their faults. Soon the unity of believers is broken. Have you talked behind someone’s back? Have you focused on others' shortcomings instead of their strengths? We must remind ourselves of Jesus’ command to love others as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:39).
We must be careful to not confuse our subjective feelings with the Spirit’s leading. Being led by the Holy Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God’s Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and his promptings. Live each day controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit. Then the words of Christ will be in your mind, the love of Christ will be behind your actions, and the power of Christ will help you control your selfish desires.
We all have evil desires, and we can’t ignore them, in order for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we must deal with them decisively (crucify them). These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and demonic activities. They also include less obvious sins, such as hostility, jealously, and selfish ambition. Those who ignore such sins or refuse to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life.

September 18 | Equipped By the Spirit | Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)
In the Christian life we battle against rulers and authorities (The powerful evil forces of fallen angels headed by Satan, who is a vicious fighter (see I Peter 5:8). To withstand their attacks, we must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of His armor. Paul is not only giving this counsel to the church, the body of Christ, but to all individuals within the church. The whole body needs to be armed. As you do battle against the “mighty powers” of darkness, fight in the strength of the church, whose power comes from the Holy Spirit.

September 25 | A Father and His Children | Luke 15:11-32 (NRSV)
Guest Pastor: Rev. Dr. Bettie Hightower

October 2 | The Spirit of Faith | Matthew 17:14-21 (NKJV)
Malachi 4:5-6 states that teachers of the Old Testament law believed that Elijah must appear before the Messiah would appear. Jesus referred to John the Baptist, not to the Old Testament prophet Elijah. John the Baptist took on Elijah’s prophetic role, boldly confronting sin and pointing people to God. Malachi had prophesied that a prophet like Elijah would come.
The disciples had been given the authority to do the healing, but they had not yet learned how to appropriate the power of God. Jesus’ frustration is with the unbelieving and unresponsive generation. His disciples were merely a reflection of that attitude in this instance. Jesus’ purpose was not to criticize the disciples, but to encourage them to a greater faith.
It is the power of God, plus our faith that moves mountains. The mustard seed was the smallest particle imaginable. Jesus said that even faith as small or undeveloped as a mustard seed would have been sufficient. There is great power in even a little faith when we trust in God’s power to act. If we feel weak or powerless as Christians, we should examine our faith, making sure we are trusting God’s power, not our own ability to produce results.

October 9 | Ignite God’s Power through the Holy Spirit | 1 Thess. 5:16-22 (NLT)
Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands – be joyful, keep on praying, and be thankful – often goes against our natural inclinations. However, when we make a conscious decision to do what God says, we will begin to see people in a new perspective. When we do God’s will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.
By warning us not to “stifle the Holy Spirit,” Paul means that we should not ignore or toss aside the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. Here, he mentions prophecy (5:20); in I Corinthians 14:39, he mentions speaking in tongues. Sometimes spiritual gifts are controversial, and they may cause division in a church. Rather than trying to solve the problems, some Christians prefer to smother the gifts. This impoverishes the church. We should not stifle the Holy Spirit’s work in anyone’s life, but encourage the full expression of these gifts to benefit the whole body of Christ.

October 16 | God’s Promises Prevail | Colossians 3:12-17 (NRSV)
Christians should live in peace. To live in peace does not mean that suddenly all differences of opinion are eliminated, but it does require that loving Christians work together despite their differences. Such love is not a feeling but a decision to meet others’ needs (see I Corinthians 13). To live in love leads to peace between individuals and among members of the body of believers. Do problems in your relationships with other Christians cause open conflicts or mutual silence? Consider what you can do to heal those relationships with love.
“Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” This means bringing honor to Christ in every aspect and activity of our daily living. As a Christian, you represent Christ at all times – whenever you go out and whatever you do or say. What impression do people have of Christ when they see or talk with you? What changes would you make in your life in order to honor Christ?