Tag: Sermon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:01 — 20.6MB)

Note: Due to recording issues, the first 2.5 minutes is recovered audio from the Facebook live stream.
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Hebrews 11:21, Genesis 48:8-20

Flawed: The Heroes of the Faith
Jacob: A Flawed Hero of the Faith
Hebrews 11:21, Genesis 48:8-20

They are listed in Hebrews 11 not because they had no flaws but because of their faith–even with their flaws.

It seems to me that Hebrews 11:21 teaches us what it means to look at all of life through the lens of God’s grace.

It is in this blessing of his grandsons that Jacob teaches us what it means to look at all of life through the lens of God’s grace.

Isaac, whose eyesight was extremely poor was deceived. He blessed Jacob and gave him the blessing of the firstborn.

Sometimes God allows us to go through all kinds of difficulties to show us our need for his grace.

But Jacob got a taste of his own medicine when Laban deceived him into marrying Leah rather than Rachel.

Do you have personal experience of God’s grace in your life? Or, are you just going through the motions by going to worship services and hoping that your performance will please God?

But Jacob was now looking at the world through the lens of God’s grace. And God’s grace does not operate as the world thinks it should.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:36 — 22.4MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Hebrews 11:23-29

Flawed: The Heroes of the Faith
Moses: A Flawed Hero of the Faith
Hebrews 11:23-29

The writer to the Hebrews used Moses’ life as an illustration of faith. Moses teaches us that faith makes itself known by its choices.

Moses was likely old enough to know that he was not truly an Egyptian but rather an Israelite.

There is a choice to love the things of this world or to love God.

Moses was willing to forego all the treasures of Egypt and suffer “the reproach of Christ” because he “was looking to the reward”, the glory of being with the Lord and his people for all eternity.

Having encountered the living God at the burning bush, Moses’ faith was renewed and strengthened. And he became one of the greatest leaders of the people of God.

By faith, Moses obeyed God’s instruction and called the people to observe the first Passover.

Faith is best displayed in adversity. It is easy to say that one has faith in God and his promises when all is going well.

Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces.

However, the lesson of Moses’ life still stands for us: faith makes itself known by its choices.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:15 — 20.8MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Hebrews 11:11

Flawed: The Heroes of the Faith
Sarah: A Flawed Heroine of the Faith
Hebrews 11:11

We decide that we will take over and do something because we are impatient with God’s timing.

Can you imagine how encouraging this must have been to Abram and Sarai? They were both getting old

But, for Sarai, the disappointment was crushing. Bearing children was the most significant thing a woman did.

She decided that she would give her Egyptian servant named Hagar to Abram to have a child with her.

As far as Sarah was concerned, the child that Abraham had with Hagar was the child that stopped the mouths of people talking about her disgrace.

Now, one could say, “Why didn’t God just enable Sarah to get pregnant by some supernatural means?”

The point is that the Lord was saying to Sarah, “Sarah, the reason you are laughing is that having a child would be too wonderful.”

Wonder. There it is. The believer recognizes that there is nothing too wonderful for God.

Well, Sarah’s laughter was the laughter of hopelessness. As far as she was concerned, there was no way she was ever going to be able to have a child.

God eventually gave her a child and changed her laughter of hopelessness to laughter of hope. She had come to believe in God and his word.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:23 — 16.7MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Hebrews 11:1-12:2

Flawed: The Heroes of the Faith
The Bible’s Hall of Faith
Hebrews 11:1-12:2

The author asserts in Hebrews 11 that believers are called to live by faith in the promise of God.

True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences.

Yes, Abraham did live in “the land of promise” but that was just a shadow of the future Promised Land that awaited him and all who believe in the promise of God.

Many of those listed in the Bible’s Hall of faith encountered tremendous obstacles in their lives.

These ancient believers, along with all believers throughout all of history, are going to receive the promise of a better country, a city prepared for us by God.

Jesus is the object of the faith of all people of all ages. He is the one in whom we find all the promises of God.

We must deliberately lift our eyes from other distracting things and focus with utter concentration on him–and continue doing so. This is fundamental to a life of faith and finishing the race!