Final sermon in our "Questions God Asks Us" series, preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship on Nov. 29, 2017. Is God real to you or just a concept? Here's how you know: WHOA! WOE! And GO!
John 21:1-19: Do You Love Me?
Sermon preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship on Nov. 15, 2017. Jesus meets us in the midst of our failures in order to restore us. He saves us, and saves our progress. So get back on track, back in the game, and follow Him.
John 6:51, 60-69: Does This Offend You?
Sermon preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship on Nov. 8, 2017. Jesus is offensive. His repeated claims to be the one and only heaven-sent Savior of the world offends our pride, our secularism, and our "safe spaces." What are you going to do when you cannot out-alpha the Alpha and Omega? "Are you going to walk away, as well?" Or are you going to receive, submit to, and feast on this "bread of heaven?"
Mark 8:22-38: Who Do You Say That I Am?
Sermon preached at RUF Wednesday Night Fellowship on Nov. 1, 2017. Who is Jesus, really? Is he nothing but a good and moral teacher (or, perhaps, a teacher of good morals)? Is he a prophet referring us to someone else? Or is he the long-awaited Messiah—i.e, the Christ? "Who do you say that I am?"
Mark 4:35-41: Why Are You So Afraid?
Sermon preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship, Oct. 25, 2017. The Christian life is an epic journey with a beginning, middle, and end. Jesus invites you on this journey: "Let us go across to the other side." On this journey, there are forces working against you. But God is on your side! He is with you and for you; He is almighty; and He will see you to your destination.
John 5:1-9: Do You Want to Be Healed?
Sermon preached at RUF Wednesday Night Fellowship on Oct. 18, 2017. Hope comes to us. Hope comes with a question. And hope has a name—that name is Jesus.
(Special thanks to Matt Howell—RUF CM at UTK—for introducing me to the story of Viktor Frankl. The introduction to his sermon on Ezekiel 34 helped inspire/shape my own.)
John 1:35-42: What Are You Seeking?
Sermon preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship on Oct. 11, 2017. A journey with Jesus begins with two words: a word of intrigue and a word of invitation. In order to determine whether Jesus is legit or not, we need to step in and spend time with him, not simply listening to other people's words about Jesus but actually attending to the Word of God Himself.
Isaiah 55:1-5: Why Do You Spend Your Money For That Which Is Not Bread?
Sermon preached at RUF Wednesday Night Fellowship on Oct. 4, 2017. As the Boss put it, "Everybody has a hungry heart." We try to fill the hole in our hearts with LEGOs, fame, fortune, sex, Facebook likes, etc., but at the end of the day we are still hungry, hangry, dissatisfied. It doesn't have to be this way. God has the "food" our heart craves, and it is free! Listen. Come. Eat. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
1 Kings 19:1-18: What Are You Doing Here?
Sermon preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship on Sep. 26, 2017. When things don't turn out the way Elijah expected them to, he is ready to quit—ready to quit his job, ready to give up on life. He is depressed. Depression is a multifaceted problem requiring a multifaceted solution. God meets Elijah where he is at, and God does not leave him there. He comes in comfort. He comes in counsel. And He comes in control.
Exod. 3 & 4: What Is That In Your Hand?
Sermon preached at RUF's Wednesday Night Fellowship on Sep. 20, 2017. God cares about justice and we, men and women made in God's image, are to care about justice, and fight for justice, too. God made us for good work and God saved us for good work. Finally, God equips and empowers us for good work. (Scripture reading: Exod. 3:7-14; 4:1-5, 10-17.)