LRPC Sermon Archives
Archives of the weekly teachings at Linden Road Presbyterian Church in Mansfield Ohio. You’ll also find archives of other useful conversations that Pastor Tom Roepke engages in from time to time.
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Episodes
Saturday Dec 24, 2016
Saturday Dec 24, 2016
The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.
Through the stories of Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, we’re each given a call to prepare, a call to provide, a call to protect, and a call to praise.
On this CHRISTmas Eve we are reminded in our celebration of the arrival of Jesus is a calling about interruption. The Call of CHRISTmas is about changing our lives in ways that may be scary as we trust God to lead us. But this calling is always accompanied by joy and tears and passion and a sense of living life with purpose.
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Sunday Dec 18, 2016
Sunday Dec 18, 2016
The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.
As we begin the 4th Sunday of Advent we look at the story of the Angels that appeared to the shepherds in Luke 2.
The story of the shepherds is a story for all. It is significant that God uses the lowest class of that ancient society, the shepherds, in the public announcement of the coming of the Messiah. God will not exclude any people from His good news. It
We get to be like the shepherds, telling the story of Jesus as we go about our day and our way of life whatever domain we happen to work and live within in society. And the shepherds did so as they praised the One whom they met in the manger. That is the call of Christmas. It is a call to praise.
We also heard from one shepherd , Fred Horton, in a monologue that takes a fictional look at the story of a shepherd who was there when the angels proclaimed the birth of Christ, yet chose to stay behind rather than see the Savior.
This Christmas may we be the people, like the shepherds long ago, who carry the good news of Jesus into all the domains of society so all the people of the earth can hear this call of Christmas that leads to praising Jesus just like the heavenly host did that night and continue to do throughout eternity.
So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King. Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.
Sunday Dec 11, 2016
Sunday Dec 11, 2016
The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.
As we begin the Advent season we look at the story of Joseph in Matthew chapter 2.
Joseph reminds us that we are given a call to protect our families. Joseph has a supernatural encounter in a dream with an angel to have confidence that the Holy Spirit is workin in the life of he and his fiance'. We hear from Dan Black some of the thoughts the eartly father of Jesus was pondering.
We will learn too that it is more than a call to protect that goes beyond safety, security, and provision for your family. It also goes to the depths of helping give an accurate view of what a healthy and authentic relationship with God looks like.
So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King. Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.
Sunday Dec 04, 2016
Sunday Dec 04, 2016
The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.
As we begin the Advent season we look at the story of Mary in Luke 1, who reminds us that we are given a call to provide. Its a call to provide all that we are to all of who God is.
So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King.
Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.
Sunday Nov 27, 2016
Sunday Nov 27, 2016
The Call of Christmas is more than just the story of Jesus’ arrival.
As we begin the Advent season we look at the story of Zechariah in Luke 1, who reminds us that we are given a call to prepare.
So as we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for CHRISTmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King.
Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored.
Sunday Nov 20, 2016
Sunday Nov 20, 2016
Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.
Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.
In our final week we are time together we focused on a simple truth: as Christ Followers who are united with Jesus Christ we are blessed to show His love.
We are invited into living out what many have called The Golden Rule:“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.Scripture: Matthew 7:12.
The key takeaway is this: We should be people who give themselves to loving everyone God puts in our path.
The challenge question for the week and the wrapup of the message series:
What concrete steps can you make towards more fully entering into the joy of Christian love and unity?
Sunday Nov 13, 2016
Sunday Nov 13, 2016
Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.
Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.
In week 4 we are confronted with the truth that we as followers are "called out" by Jesus to make a difference in the world...and sometimes that may cost us. Centering on the truth of John 15:18-19 Jesus reminds his followers that the choices they make to llive for him may not be accepted by our neighbors.
Yet we also wrestle through a hard question this week: If our church would to disappear would anyone notice?
The truth of the cost of loving others is made clearly through our ficitional friends, Frank and Cassie Donovan as the recieve much criticism from their neighbors as they open their home to those in need.
The challenge question for the week: What kind of resistance would you receive from others for expressing Jesus Christ's love in the world?
Sunday Nov 06, 2016
Sunday Nov 06, 2016
Loving Generously: Giving Ourselves One to Another is our second series on leveraging our understanding of what it means to be generous.
Over the next five weeks we will join the Donovan family and their journey as they encounter a new perspective of loving generously.
In Proverbs 19:17 God says we are lending to him when we help the poor. In week three we are reminded that there are walls or barriers that separate us from those whom God is calling us to love and serve.
We are reminded too that because of these barriers not every person has the ability to call someone to help in life's difficult circumstances.
The challenge question for the week: What walls might be in place to certain relationships?