Category Archives: Sermons

The Kingdom Commission

Posted on August 15, 2021 by salooper57

Earth is in a civil war – a spiritual war, really, though we must understand that spiritual means more than religious, or mystical or emotional. Spirit is un-bodied personal power, and earth is caught in a cosmic struggle between opposing … Continue reading →

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Story Within a Story: Bringing Your Story into God’s Story

Posted on August 9, 2021 by salooper57

This sermon follows the stories of Saul and David in 1 Samuel. Saul does not recognize the larger story and insists on being the sole contributor and final authority on his story. David, however, shows us how we can collaborate … Continue reading →

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It Cannot Bear to Admire, Respect, or Be Grateful

Posted on August 4, 2021 by salooper57

Envy is a terrible thing. It is one of the chief sources of evil in the world. Here are some of the things the Bible says about envy: It can destroy someone (Job 5:2); it will steal a person’s peace … Continue reading →

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Formed and Deformed: the Spiritual Formation of David

Posted on July 27, 2021 by salooper57
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David and Goliath: Seeing Beyond the Appearances

Posted on July 18, 2021 by salooper57

(We had technical problems this week and so the video is not yet – and may never be – available. If we can get audio or video, I will post it later in the week.) This one of the most … Continue reading →

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Falling Away: A Before and After Picture

Posted on July 12, 2021 by salooper57

In this sermon, we look at the reasons behind King Saul’s “lifeslide.” We then consider what we can do to follow a different path.

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“I Have Sinned”: A Study in Repentance

Posted on June 29, 2021 by salooper57

I used to think of repentance as a thing to be avoided. I thought it was all about feeling so bad about what I had done that I would never do it again. Now I think of repentance as a gift and a blessing.

What changed my mind? The Bible.

St. Paul regards repentance as something that God “gives” – it is a gift and it is priceless! That gift impacts the whole person: emotions, mind, and body—or you could say, feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Continue reading →

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Don’t Give Your Kids a God-on-the-Box

Posted on June 23, 2021 by salooper57

Don’t give your children a God-in-the-Box. When our kids were small, we had a Jack-in-the-Box. We would turn the crank, the melody would play on and on until, suddenly, the jester popped out of the box. Our kids wanted us … Continue reading →

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Can You Hear Me Now? (1 Samuel 2-3)

Posted on June 13, 2021 by salooper57

Listening time: Approximately 25 minutes.

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Nothing Fails Like Success

Posted on June 4, 2021 by salooper57

Failure sometimes follows close on the heels of success. The person who gets the dream job (success) allows that job to take the place of their spouse (failure). He or she gets promotions but ends up with a divorce.

The child of an alcoholic vows never to be like his dad. He doesn’t drink (success). But the resentment he carries around with him damages his own kids (failure), and they choose to get back at their dad by – what else? – drinking. Continue reading →

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