Posted in Sermon Notes on Mar 1st, 2015
A Deeper Love: The Dynamics of a Flourishing Marriage Speaker: Rev Dr Chuck DeGroat Do you long for a deeper love? Most do, but the reality is harsh. Half of all marriages fail. This tragedy is magnified by the reality that many couples stay together but enjoy little intimacy, friendship, and happiness. Amidst our busy […]
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Posted in Sermon Notes on Jul 8th, 2012
No Kingdom without a Cross 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, NRSV Reflections Far too easily we settle for holiness rather than wholeness, conformity rather than authenticity, becoming spiritual rather than deeply human, fulfillment rather than transformation, and a journey toward perfection rather than union with God. Far too often we confuse our own spiritual self-improvement tinkerings with […]
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Posted in Sermon Notes on Jan 3rd, 2011
An Epiphany for a Watching World Matthew 2:1-12, NRSV Reflections It’s not just the saints and poets who ‘realize life’ while they live it. It is anyone who wants to see God. A God who does not go into hiding. A God for whom the game of hide and seek has to do with us […]
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Posted in Sermon Notes on Sep 29th, 2010
Flourishing Colossians 1:1-14, NRSV Reflections Fruitfulness is an image of overflowing abundance growing out of generosity – a generosity of heart as well as possessions. It is a community forming itself around Jesus, refusing to let enemies be enemies and debtors be debtors.— Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat Flourishing: bearing fruits “When you don’t have […]
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Posted in Sermon Notes on Aug 22nd, 2010
The Shape of the Christian Life Matthew 5:1-12, NRSV When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. — Matthew 5:1 There has been a lot of prosperity gospel being preached But gospel sounds different in this Beatitudes passage, or in chapters just before […]
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Posted in Sermon Notes on Jul 27th, 2010
The Frustration and Freedom of Desire Song of Solomon 3:1-5, NRSV Reflections Desire is insatiable not because the goods of the world are too few, too uniform, or too bland. Desire burns through the goods of the world, even though these goods are not false or intrinsically unsatisfactory…. Desire shatters the economy of things; it […]
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Posted in Sermon Notes on May 7th, 2010
Sermon Series: Living Out the Resurrection Improvising the Word Psalm 119:9-16, 32-37, TNIV Reflections Treat the word improvisation with care. What appears to be brilliant improvisation by musicians is often the result of a lot of hard work. It boils down to this: people who improvise are really calling upon their knowledge of the instrument […]
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