LRPC Sermon Archives

God with Us - Wilderness - Week 2

It's CHRISTmas time!  In the Christian calendar we call this the season of Advent.  We who practice the celebration of Advent, do so because we are looking forward to something... according to Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
The Celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.  
Ever wonder why the Grinch was a...grinch?  For starters, he spent a lot of time wandering in the "wilderness" of life.  The journey to CHRISTmas is about knowing with clarity that God is with us in every moment.   Through our pain. God is with us.  He is with us in the waiting. God's being ever present gives us courage when we feel anxious.
In this Second Sunday of Advent , we light the candle of Peace.  We'll look at the story of the prophet who wandered and came to see his dependency of God as a gift.  

God with Us - Walking through the Valley - Week 1

It's CHRISTmas time!  In the Christian calendar we call this the season of Advent.  We who practice the celebration of Advent, do so because we are looking forward to something... according to Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
The Celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.  
As we begin the journey to CHRISTmas, we need to know with clarity that God is with us in every moment.   Through our pain. God is with us.  He is with us in the waiting. God's being ever present gives us courage when we feel anxious.
In this first Sunday, we light the candle of Hope.  We'll look at a few key verses from the Bible to remind us that God is with us as we walk through the valley.
 

The Miracle of Mercy -Being a Agent of Mercy - Part 7

We all want to make a difference in ourselves and others.
To be honest it is exactly what God is calling all of us to do.
God desires for everyone to have the opportunity to accept his mercy, and each of us are a critical part as an agent of mercy.
The world is a messy place, but even a small outpost like ours can leverage with it all with a few easy steps.
We wrap up our series on mercy and hopeful you'll get a few ideas on how to be the change.  

The miracle of Mercy -Your Ministry of Mercy - Part 5

Jesus met people where they were.
He made them well.  He ate with sinners.  
He was a friend to all. 
The things he did and the words he spoke showed mercy.  
This week we look at what your ministry of mercy might be. By looking at Jesus as our example we'll learn several practical things to allow us to meet people like Jesus did.  

The Miracle of Mercy -You Matter to God - Week 4

When you lose something, you notice how valuable it is to you.
God views people who are lost and disconnected from him with the highest value. He goes after them. He reaches out to them.
God wants to show them his mercy and forgiveness. Pastor Tom continues The Miracle of Mercy series with a message called, You Matter to God.
You will learn how God’s mercy reaches out to us and ways to connect with his mercy.

The Miracle of Mercy - Forgiveness - Wk 3

Because we’re broken people that live in an broken world, we all experience failure and pain in life.
Mercy is undeserved forgiveness and unearned kindness. Jesus spoke about it in the Lord’s prayer, stressing that you not only need to receive God’s mercy, but also give it to others. Through God’s mercy, you receive freedom. When you extend mercy to others, you are helping them experience that same freedom.
In this message Pastor Tom continues The Miracle of Mercy series with a message called Mercy Forgives. You will learn what mercy means to you and how you can show forgiveness to others.

The Miracle of Mercy - Mercy & Failure - Week 2

Because we’re broken people that live in an broken world, we all experience failure and pain in life.
The night Jesus was arrested, two of his best friends had massive failures: Judas betrayed Jesus, and Peter denied him three times.
In this message we look at how God’s mercy helps us overcome and move through our pain and failures.
We'll look at the response the Apostle Peter had to his failure. And we'll look at the amazing current story of a young Trent Tyler who, pushing through the pains of stage 4 bone cancer, Tyler shows us how to respond. Together we will answer what to do when life hurts and to see what Jesus offers us in our brokenness for recovery.
See this video about Tyler...

The Miracle of Mercy - Growing in Mercy - Week 1

God’s number one characteristic throughout the Bible is mercy.
His mercy heals broken hearts, reconciles relationships, restores forgotten dreams, and refreshes tired souls. It’s the cure to every insecurity, worry, and fear.
In this message series you will learn how to experience God’s healing mercy, and then offer that same mercy to others around you.
The greatest joy on earth is the feeling of being used by God for a purpose greater than yourself. In this first week, Matt Skolnik walks through the Old Testament story of Jonah and gives some insight on how we can grow in our understanding of what "mercy" is all about.