In Sermons: showing 16-30 of 126

Jesus Heals The Whole Person

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

Jesus is here for us to heal the invisible, deepest pains in our hearts.

Our text for this morning is a really nice story about Jesus, a story that shows a number of things. It shows some beautiful things about his character. It starts to explain to us why such an amazing man was persecuted and even put to death. It shows some deep insight into us human beings. I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:17-26, Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12

Jesus Touched A Leper

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

Nobody touched lepers in Jesus' day. Their disease was disgusting. People were afraid to catch it. Lepers were totally ostracized. When Jesus touched a leper, heads would turn. That just wasn't done. Who are the 'lepers' of our culture who need a loving touch from us?

A few weeks ago I heard a report on National Public Radio about a medical team that went to Kenya to meet the medical needs of those who had the least receive medical care available to them. They started out with a survey to see where the people were and where the doctors were. And in that survey ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-16, Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45

Followers Of Jesus

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 18, 2022

It's nice to stand on the fringes of what Jesus is doing and watch good things. But remember that he just might call you to jump in to some form of service.

For the last several weeks we’ve followed the course of just 24 hours in Jesus’ life. It was an amazing time. It started on the Sabbath day. He preached in the synagogue at Capernaum, cast a demon out of a heckler there, went home to Peter’s house and healed Peter’s mother-in-law in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Now You Do It

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 16, 2022

What will you do when Jesus calls you to take a step of faith that is outside of your comfort zone?

We all have memories that are indelibly impressed upon our minds. Do you remember where you were when you first heard the news of Pearl Harbor, or the assassination of President Kennedy? Can you remember the scene of a certain wedding or a funeral, or any number of things? For me, one of those ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Jesus And The Crowds

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 16, 2022

Are we content to just see the same people in church week after week or do we really want to welcome many more?

We are working our way through the life and ministry of Jesus, as told in the Gospel of Luke. We’re still very early in his ministry. And in today’s text a problem starts to emerge that will come to be a difficulty for Jesus on many days. It’s the problem of too many people wanting to come and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-3

A Broader Vision

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

Our lives can get so cluttered with good things that we miss the best.

Our text for this morning is Luke 4:38-44. “After leaving the synagogue Jesus entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:38-44

Devoted To Good Works

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

If we follow Jesus, he will call us to service of others

I am endlessly fascinated by Jesus Christ. I have been seriously studying the New Testament for more than 4 decades, and I am still coming to new appreciations of the life he lived. Over and over again, as I come to understand what we have written about him, I am stretched as I see how he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:31-37, Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 5:16, 1 Timothy 6:18, Hebrews 10:24, Hebrews 13:16  (view more)  (view less)

Jesus Spoke With Authority

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

The modern mind doesn't like to submit to authority, but if you don't recognize Jesus's authority, you don't recognize Jesus.

Three weeks ago we left off of our series on the early ministry of Jesus as he was walking out of his home town, Nazareth, very much alone, having been violently rejected by the people of the synagogue where he grew up. What a tragic story. We don’t know that he ever went back. If you missed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:31-37

Membership Has No Privileges

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

Do we come to church for what we can get or for what we can give?

Our sermon text for today is really scene two of one of the key moments in Jesus’ early ministry. We looked at scene one several weeks ago, that was Luke 4:16-22, and Kurt just read it for us again as a refresher. Scene one is a proud moment. Jesus has been speaking in synagogues in a number ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:23-30

Not A Tame Lion

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

We like to keep things calm and happy in church, but one day Jesus really upset folks in his home synagogue. Are you ready to follow him?

You’ve heard me say before that I love The Chronicles of Narnia, written by C.S. Lewis. We read them over and over again to our children as they were growing up. Maybe a year ago one of them, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, came out in a very successful movie. That inspired me to read ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:14-30

The Best Mother's Day Ever

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

Mothers care that their kids are well provided for. That is close to God's heart of concern for those less fortunate in our world.

We all know what mothers are supposed to want on Mother’s Day. A card is great, whether professionally made, with a beautiful picture on the front and a sentimental poem on the inside, or maybe home made, decorated inside and out with crayons that are handled with more love than professional ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:16-21

Ruth: Refugee With A Human Face

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Jun 21, 2021

The Book of Ruth doesn't get much attention, but it can remind us that God sees refugees and can use them in his purposes.

I imagine we probably all have a favorite book of the Bible. The gospels should be high on everyone’s list because they tell us the story of Jesus. And when the church’s heart and mind are fixed on Jesus, everything comes together. When we lose sight of Jesus things go wrong. Luke is my ...read more

Preparation For Ministry 2: Understanding Power Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

The devil's offer of giving to Jesus authority over all the nations might have seemed like an easy shortcut to fulfill his calling, but of course, Jesus saw through the temptation of power. He saw power far above coercion. He saw the power of love and servanthood.

When you hear me say the word, “power,” I’ll bet it can stir up all sorts of feelings inside. On one hand it may bring memories of a time when someone used power over you in a painful and destructive way and you cringe a bit inside. On the other hand it may stir up a hope of having power ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

The Temptation Of Pleasing People Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

When we start out wanting to serve God it is so easy to get distracted by what will please the people around us. But we have to choose one or the other, please God or please people.

I had quite a dream last night. Spring training hasn’t even started yet, but in my dream I saw the final game of the 2007 World Series. It was in Wrigley Field. The Cubs were winning in the bottom of the 9th. Two outs, bases loaded. Kerry Woods is on the mound, looking to cap a phenomenal ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Temptations Of The Flesh Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

Every day we are-forming our brain by the decisions we make. Jesus was solid in choosing the way of obedience and we need to practice the spiritual disciplines to train ourselves as well.

Last week we started looking at an episode in the life of Jesus, one of many episodes that sound really strange it you stop and look at what is really happening. Jesus presented himself to John to be baptized, as his public statement that he was standing up and accepting God’s calling on his life ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13, Galatians 5:13-26