Preacher of Habit

Stand Firm!  Oct. 27, 2019  2 Timothy 3: 10-17                        Friends, it’s a blessing to be with each of you again this morning. I don’t know about you, but I was deeply encouraged by last week’s celebration of Laity Sunday. It’s not often that I get to learn from others, but watching you lead worship was a gift. You encouraged me! So thank you. Last Sunday was a clear reminder for me that faith is best lived out together. You and I both know that our world often falls short of God’s best, and when we find ourselves discouraged and wounded, we need others to remind us to press on, to stand firm and to be who God calls us to be. And that’s our hope in this sermon series. As we look at 2 Timothy, I believe we’ll find encouragement to stand firm in our faith.  If you have your Bibles…         ...

Be Different                October 13, 2019 2 Timothy 2: 8-19 Well friends, I’m so glad you’ve chosen to worship with us this morning. Every week we come together to take the next step on the greatest adventure of our lives- the adventure of following Jesus. And really, there is no greater adventure than the one Jesus calls us to. In this adventure, we see God take the broken and make it beautiful again; we see God lovingly search for what is lost until it is found; we watch Jesus bring hope to a hopeless world. No, I can’t think of a better adventure than this, but it IS an adventure we must choose to embrace every day. That’s what this next sermon series is all about- daily embracing this holy life to which Jesus calls us. We'll be looking at Paul's advice to his young friend, Timothy. So if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to 2 Timothy 8… I’m often asked to name my favorite...

Miracles          Becoming Someone’s Miracle  Acts 3: 1-10 Well friends, it’s good to be with you today. Especially today, which is an exciting day at Lakeside.  Actually, I’m excited for the next few weeks. Today we’re taking in new members; next week we’re celebrating baptisms and on Oct. 20 th , we’re celebrating Laity Sunday…all of which point to the undeniable fact that God is changing lives right here! Friends, you should be proud! Because I am! I am so grateful that God considers us worthy to be a part of the body of Christ. And so we should celebrate well! When you see those folks after church, make sure you celebrate them. But you know what else we should celebrate? We should celebrate the story these moments proclaim: these moments, when we take vows and renew covenants and say “yes” to Jesus are moments that shout to the world that we are ready to play our role on God’s team!  Because ultimately, t...

Miracles: Getting Out of the Way   Sept. 28, 2019  John 5: 1-19   It’s great to see you all here this morning. Thanks for taking this time to give God space to do His work in you. I’m a firm believer that no one is here by accident, that God calls each of us into this holy space to meet us, and in so doing, to change our lives. And I’m praying God will do just that! ---We’re currently in the midst of a sermon series on some of the select miracle stories of the Bible, and we’ve been looking at these stories with an eye towards developing a faith that believes God can do anything. But there are times, however, that God waits to release the miracle until we release some things to God.  If you have your Bibles… A few years ago, I was watching a powerful scene unfold at our church camp. I don’t remember the preacher or the topic, but I remember the atmosphere. God’s Spirit was moving in particularly powerful way and young and old were making their...

Desperate Times, Desperate Faith      Sept. 22, 2019 John 4: 46-54 We’re in the midst of a sermon series on miracles, where we’re exploring some of the select miracles stories of the Bible to help us embrace a faith that believes God can do anything. But in today’s reading, we find a surprising twist. The most pressing work of Jesus might not be the work we most desire. If you have your Bibles… When I finally moved out on my own after seminary, one of the most important tasks on my to-do list was to find a good doctor. I began to ask around to friends and neighbors and one name continually popped up, so I went ahead and made an appointment. For the first 4-5 years or so, those appointments went better than expected. I’d walk in, get a quick check-up, get a clean bill of health. And the doctor would shower me with all sorts of encouraging words about my health. But a few years, I started to notice some changes. My stress levels were high and my hea...