Category: 2011 Sermons

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2011-10-16: Games People Play – Solitaire

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Sermon: Games People Play – Solitaire
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Matthew 3:14
Duration: 27:17
Size: 12.4 MB

Games People Play
Solitaire
Matthew 3:14

If you get right down to it solitaire is a great game to play, but it’s a terrible way to live.

Do you have friends that are committed to helping you along in life?

The question for you today is will you share your life with others? Or will you choose to play it safe, to shut people out?

James 5:16

God himself longs to embrace you. He does this on this side of heaven through other people.

Ephesians 1:4-5

It means it’s better to eat Twinkies with friends then exercise alone!

Hebrews 10:23-24

Let’s help each other out, let’s help each other be followers of Christ and hold on to our faith.

When you serve with others you get to know them.

But you will never fully experience the kind of relationships I’ve talked about this morning until you fully embrace another relationship.

You see once we come to an understanding that we all need Christ, we understand that on this side of heaven we are all broken vessels, we are imperfect people and we all need Christ.

You must first come to terms with your relationship with Jesus Christ.

If I looked at your life and tried to find some kind of evidence that you were a Christ follower, would I find any?

The story of Jesus is a love story, the relentless pursuit of the creator of the world.

I John 3:16 – This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves.

Next Week
Trivial Pursuit

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2011-10-09: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iLive

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Sermon: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iLive
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Romans 6:3-23
Duration: 25:47
Size: 11.8 MB

iTruths For an iPod Generation
iLive
Romans 6:3-23

Without that battery there is no life, no power… no music.

People don’t react well to death… even if it’s the death of their iPod.

Jesus came to free us from that fear of death.

Hebrews 2:15
John 11:25
John 14:19
John 14:6
I Corinthians 15:54-57

Jesus came to give us life, and life more abundantly than any other power can give.

Romans 6:3-8

You see: when we were baptized into Christ something changed within us.

Ezekiel 36:26

Don’t try hooking up the battery of sinful past along with the new one God just gave you when you became a Christian.

Romans 6:12-13

That’s why you and I became a Christian to begin with. We wanted something better than what we had.

But even that new heart – that new battery – that new lifestyle is still going to be inferior to the one God can give us.

If all you have beating in your life is a really good mortal heart it could never last long enough in the courts of heaven.

When God gave you a new heart – He gave you a power source that will allow you to live forever.

Psalm 40:3

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2011-10-02: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iServe

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Sermon: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iServe
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 22:24-27
Duration: 23:50
Size: 10.9 MB

iTruths For an iPod Generation
iServe
Luke 22:24-27

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Music has a way of changing our lives.

Our Text this morning tells us about 12 men who aren’t into sharing.

Matthew 20:25-28

In other words – if you want to be great in the Kingdom of God you’ve got be a servant.

Luke 22:19-20

This all took place at the Last Supper… the template for our observance of Communion time.

John 13:8
John 13:14
Acts 20:7

You can take communion all by yourself but Jesus designed communion to be a time when we would “come together” and eat this meal along with other Christian brothers and sisters.

Ephesians 5:21

Servanthood lies at the heart of who we are as Christians. And communion reinforces this for us.

I Corinthians 11:17
I Corinthians 11:20-30

It’s a time when we’re reminded that Jesus gave us a powerful example of servanthood.

And when we finally get communion right… it’s a time when we learn to love each other so much that we really want to be servants of one another.

Next Week
iLive
Romans 6:3-23

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2011-09-25: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iGive

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Sermon: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iGive
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 4:15-37
Duration: 25:15
Size: 11.5 MB

iTruths For an iPod Generation
iGive
Acts 4:15-37

If you want something badly enough… you’ll find a way to get it.

They’re questioned, threatened, and commanded not to preach about Jesus anymore.

Acts 4:19
Acts 4:31

Now all these people were part of an exciting body of believers… and nobody wanted to go home.

Acts 4:34-35

Communism and Socialism are man-made attempts to remedy the abuses of capitalism.

They held all things in common because they wanted to.

Acts 5:4

They sinned because they lied about their donation in order to manipulate the church into giving them the praise everyone else got.

Acts 4:19-20

In other words: you can do what you like… but we’re going to put God first.

Leviticus 19:10
Proverbs 14:31
Proverbs 19:17

In fasting, His people can set aside the money they would have spent on food and give that to the poor.

Isaiah 58:7-8

I noticed in this passage that the early church gave themselves to prayer.

Acts 4:31
Acts 4:32

I think their prayerfulness led to their giving hearts.

They gave to the church to help the poor because they wanted to take care of the poor among them so badly… they found a way to get it done.

Next Week
iServe
Luke 2:24-27

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2011-09-18: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iSurrender

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Sermon: iTruths For an iPod Generation – iSurrender
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: James 4:1-10
Duration: 23:39
Size: 10.8 MB

iTruths For an iPod Generation
iSurrender
James 4:1-10

The things of this world might keep you entertained, but they can’t give true satisfaction.

James 4:1-2

If you have God… what else could you possibly need?

James 4:4-9

If you want God… there’s a price to be paid:

Matthew 16:24

In order to obtain the satisfaction God wants to give you and I, we need to transform ourselves into little “i”s.

Only Jesus says: “Deny yourself…” deny yourself… deny yourself.

Essentially, James is telling us that when those emotions take over – it means WE have taken over. Our pride has been offended… and we’ve forgotten God.

How would you deal with it if someone did that to you… would you be angry?

Genesis 50:16-21

Joseph had the power… he had the opportunity… to exact his just revenge. But he refused to do that.

Matthew 5:5

Because of his meekness and his humility – God lifted Joseph up and gave him a great inheritance.

Romans 8:28

God is telling us that if we let Him be in control; if we look to Him for our total satisfaction in life; if we come to Him and humble ourselves before Him… He will make all things work together for Good in our lives.

Socrates said: “Know yourself”
The psychiatrist says: “Express yourself”
Many Counselors will say: “Love yourself”
The hedonist says: “Enjoy Yourself”
The waiter will tell you: “Indulge yourself”
The Personnel manager advises you: “Assert yourself”
Health aid companies advertise: “Take care of yourself”
Leisure time industries will tell you: “Pamper yourselves”

Only Jesus says: “Deny yourself”

Next Week
iGive
Acts 4:15-37