Author: Tim

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2018-11-04: All In — Abraham and Isaac

Sermon Audio: All In — Abraham and Isaac
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Genesis 22:1-19
Duration: 28:32
Size: 14.2 MB

All In
Abraham and Isaac
Genesis 22:1-19

Today I would for us to look at the lives of Abraham and Isaac, so if you have a Bible, turn over to Genesis 22.

There is a tremendous tension because how could a loving God even suggest what He is commanding Abraham?

The blessings that God gives us can become more important than the God who gave them to us in the first place.

I’ve got to ask the question–are you following Jesus or is Jesus following you?

We read these stories and we don’t even think about the dynamics happening in this story!

Long before God laid the earth’s foundations, He had us in mind… Long, long ago, He decided to adopt us into his family… He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need.

How much do you trust God? Enough to put your Isaac on the altar?

If your faith is in Christ, then you have been grafted in to the family of Abraham and he is your father.

Christianity is not about what you can do for God, it is about what He has already done for you.

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2018-10-28: All In — Noah

Sermon Audio: All In — Noah
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Genesis 6:5-22
Duration: 29:27
Size: 14.3 MB

All In
Noah
Genesis 6:5-22

Here is my prayer for this series–that all of us would go all in. Can you imagine a church where everybody is all in?

The book of Chronicles, is kind of an instant replay, if you will, of the history of Israel, and the first nine chapters are devoted to genealogy.

What we are going to do over these next few weeks is profile the stories of those who went all in, and they all look very different but I think there is a unique inspiration from each of these stories that will challenge us to go all in.

I think sometimes we act or think as if God has no feelings. But He does.

So you need to understand that God’s plans and purposes for you are so far beyond what you can even begin to imagine.

You are all in all the time. It is taking up your cross daily and following Christ.

When you make a decision to follow Christ, I’m not going to promise you that it’s going to get easier. In fact, I believe it gets harder.

I also believe that the blessings of God will complicate your life, but it will do it in a way that you want your life to be complicated.

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2018-10-21: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero–Jesus The Sneaky Savior

Sermon Audio: Jesus The Sneaky Savior
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 16:1-20
Duration: 20:00
Size: 9.98 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Jesus The Sneaky Savior
Mark 16:1-20

Of course, they faced three problems: the guard would stop them, the stone would stop them, and the body would have already started to decompose.

Our job, like these women, is to continue on with the task, perhaps wondering how it is going to be accomplished, but not let the impossibility of it all be a deterrent.

Others may have great precepts and philosophies, but none other has God becoming human, dying for his people and then raising from the dead–proving that the sacrifice took and that the same power that raised Christ from the dead will give new life to us who belong to Him!

The most ancient manuscripts don’t contain this ending and the early church fathers indicate Mark ended in verse 8.

Jesus told his disciples over and over again that He would be crucified, buried, and then rise from the dead.

Jesus told his disciples that they would receive power to be witnesses, not to experience power or be able to wield it.

After He left they went out and did exactly what He commanded, which is just what we are to do: preach the gospel and make disciples.

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2018-10-14: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero–Jesus Died In Weakness

Sermon Audio: Jesus Died In Weakness
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 15:42-47
Duration: 21:52
Size: 10.7 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Jesus Died In Weakness
Mark 15:42-47

As we look at the events following the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah let’s get one fact straight: Jesus really died on the cross.

Both of these men were secret disciples until this moment.

So just as the religious leaders saw Him die, and the soldiers confirmed it for themselves and Pilate–all of the three major institutions that rejected Him, religious, civil, and military, admitted to His death.

Isn’t it ironic that they accused Him of trying to destroy the temple, yet got the fact that He wasn’t really talking about the physical temple, but His body?

The torture:
So in a way, the soldiers are acting out physically what we as the human race did spiritually in the Garden of Eden–thumb our nose at God’’s authority in our lives.

The robe:
In some ways these elements show a weakness in man and the strength of our ultimate action hero.

The crown:
This crown was made of thorns, representing the result of man’s efforts to rule himself.

The thorns:
Jesus wearing a crown of thorns perhaps represents the fact that man is incapable of saving himself.

The reed:
The reed could symbolize that man really has no power, though he thinks he does, just as a reed doesn’t really do much damage.

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2018-10-07: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero–What Happened on the Cross

Sermon Audio: What Happened on the Cross
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 15:21-41
Duration: 20:54
Size: 10.5 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
What Happened on the Cross
Mark 15:21-41

  1. Transference. Leviticus 16:20-22, Hebrews 13:11-13
  2. He became sin for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21
  3. God placed the punishment for our sins on Him. Isaiah 53:6
  4. The Father then turned His back on the Son, pouring out His wrath against all sin. Isaiah 54:7
  5. Jesus died, and He sprinkled His own blood on the mercy seat of the heavenly temple as a propitiation.
  6. This satisfied the wrath of God against sin. Romans 5:9-10

What does this mean to us now?

Removed our Sin. Psalm 103:12

Blotted out our sin. Isaiah 43:25

Redeemed us. Romans 3:24

Did away with the Old Covenant. Ephesians 2:15-16, Romans 7:4, Hebrews 10:10

Tasted death. Hebrews 2:9

You died with Him and rose with Him. Romans 6:6-11, Colossians 1:20-22

Made us His children. Galatians 4:4-7

Set free from the power of sin. Romans 7:4-6