Sound Words

If you were given the task of convincing the intellectual elite of our society that Christianity contains the most compelling message in this world, what would you say?  How would you prepare for that mission? You might read books on philosophy, familiarizing yourself with the arguments against God.  You may work to construct your own argument, calling men to follow their need for an origin, morality, peace, or happiness.  In Acts 17, the Apostle Paul took on this task.  And his message was so compelling that he was invited to give a lecture before all the great thinkers in Athens.  What did Paul say to attract so much attention?  It sounded like this.  Jesus died for sins.  God raised Jesus from the dead.  How can he face these men with such a simple message?  Paul knows that in God’s wise plan, a simple story about a suffering and risen savior is the one message that saves sinners from all walks of life.  Listen as Pastor David calls us to see Jesus as the focal point of God’s story.

Do you feel removed from the front lines of real gospel ministry?  Are you searching for significance and happiness?  Many today think that the gospel is only revolutionary when proclaimed among Islamic Jihadists.  However, the darkness of sin doesn’t just exist in Muslim countries.  The kingdom of Satan reigns over people in middle class suburbs and in the bread aisle at your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart.  In this sermon, Pastor David announces that the gospel of Christ is a revolutionary message for every situation.  You may be surprised to find how giving away the light of the gospel turns out to be the most revolutionary, fulfilling thing that you can do with your life. 

The Gospels tell us that King Jesus invaded this present evil age with the good news of the kingdom. But we still see the dreadful effects of sin. Young girls get abortions. Fathers abandon their families. In Mark 4:1-20, Pastor David explains that Christ has dealt a mortal wound to sin, but a battle still rages. In a sinful world, it looks like a man telling a depressed co-worker that Jesus is the only way to peace. And it looks like a high school girl telling her friend that children are a blessing from God. Contrary to the wisdom of this world, a revolution looks like a farmer sowing seeds and waiting for the harvest. Listen as Pastor David answers the question, “Is This Really a Revolution?”  (From the sermon series, Join The Revolution: Living For Jesus at the End of the Age - Parables In Mark.)

We walk around every day seeing all kinds of things and experiencing a plethora of things with all five senses. But while we see, taste, touch, hear, and feel often reality is different from what we think at first glance. Could it be that we walk around every day and see multitudes of people, crowds, and traffic and draw conclusions about what we see and experience but if we saw with the eyes of Jesus we would see something completely different and eternally important? Listen as pastor David tells about getting thrown out of a baseball game and having a heart for your city (John 4:31-42)

The thought of confronting people with the gospel might unsettle you. After all, your friends, neighbors and co-workers are just as smart as you are. Some would say that telling people to change their religious beliefs is just arrogant. Sadly, this sentiment overlooks the wisdom of God in Christ. In Proverbs 30:1-4, Pastor David shows how the humility of silence looks more like pride when we consider the words of a crucified and risen Savior. Listen as Pastor David preaches on “False Humility, Wisdom, and the Spread of the Gospel.”