2018-05-06: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero – Salty Christians

Sermon Audio: Who’s In Charge?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 9:38-50
Duration: 23:52
Size: 13.2 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Salty Christians
Mark 9:38-50

Here, John complains that someone outside the “in” group was doing kingdom work.

The truth is that if someone out of mercy helps another be freed from a demon through the power of Jesus, they are not going to turn around and tell people not to believe or trust in Jesus.

You’ve done your best to serve the Lord, your family, or this community, and nobody seems to appreciate it.

Even as a simple act of kindness has with it great rewards, so too are there great punishments for those who prey on the young ones in the Lord.

Take drastic measures, if need be, to keep yourself from being scandalized in your own relationship with Christ.

Don’t worry about the faults of others. Take care of your own faults by humbly admitting your need of Christ and getting help from Him.

That is, speak words of peace and encouragement. Help those young believers find joy in their service for Christ, because they’re going to have enough trouble as it is in this life.

We never know what other people are dealing with, and the last thing they need is somebody putting them down.

You see, we truly help people not with harsh words of criticism. No. We help them with words of grace and peace, seasoned with salt.

2018-04-29: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero – Who’s In Charge?

Sermon Audio: Who’s In Charge?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 9:14-37
Duration: 27:17
Size: 14.5 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Who’s In Charge?
Mark 9:14-37

Chapter 9 of Mark’s gospel is really an object lesson in upsetting the default human tendency towards power and the real way God’s universe runs.

I love this account because we, as Jesus’ disciples, face ministry “failures” at times. We think we hear from God, we step out in faith, and then fall flat on our faces.

Here Jesus shows His exasperation. But notice what frustrates Him: unbelief.

It’s like Jesus is saying “I can do anything. The question is: do you believe I can?”

So perhaps the disciples had begun to attempt to drive out demons in their own strength when their initial attempts failed.

But instead of really pressing in to find out from God what’s going on, we just grimace and bear it, or we hide away, or throw a pity party, or solve it in our own strength.

True greatness is measured by how much you serve, not by how much you rule.

When the disciples couldn’t drive out the demon, Jesus spoke of the problem of unbelief, which is really lack of submission and trust in Jesus.

“…But if you can do anything,…”

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

2018-04-22: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero – Why Follow Jesus?

Sermon Audio: Why Follow Jesus?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 8:34-9:13
Duration: 22:04
Size: 11.6 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Why Follow Jesus?
Mark 8:34-9:13

Accomplishing God’s tasks with man’s methods never works – so Jesus rebuked Peter.

He wasn’t saying that everyone must die on a cross, but that each of us must set aside our ways and take on a commitment to follow the Lord no matter what.

What you think of Him matters. What you think of His words matters. If you reject them, you reject Him and when He comes back as king he will reject you.

It means a change from within, and not just in appearance but a complete transformation of the entire being.

Imagine what you would have felt if you woke up from a deep sleep to three glorious men standing there?

Suddenly all the glory was gone, and it was just Jesus, now in human form, standing there. What a mind-blowing experience.

But all that didn’t mean the death of Jesus was no longer necessary. So Jesus calls them to think about that aspect of the Messiah.

2018-04-15: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero – Incomplete Vision

Sermon Audio: Incomplete Vision
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 8:22-8:33
Duration: 19:39
Size: 10.7 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Incomplete Vision
Mark 8:22-8:33

It’s a great bridge from the spiritually blind disciples to the physically blind man.

Though Jesus had compassion on the physical needs of people, He never lost sight of His ultimate mission – to heal souls through the cross. To Seek and Save the lost.

Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah – but when we look at him later, after the resurrection, he doesn’t seem to get it.

We are always interested in what gets us what we want now – but Jesus knew the real mission was much bigger than that.

Anything that keeps Jesus from the suffering cross would keep mankind forever in bondage.

So let Him touch the eyes of your heart and give you clear sight into the gift He offers – all you have to lose is your life – and all there is to gain is life eternal!

“Who do you say that I am?”