Category: 2016 Sermons

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Sermon Audio: What Made Jesus Cry
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 19:41-44
Duration: 21:45
Size: 9.95 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
What Made Jesus Cry
Luke 19:41-44

There are two instances recorded for us in the Scripture where Jesus cried.

What makes you cry? What sorts of things get to you and cause you to well up with tears?

1. JESUS CRIED… BECAUSE WHEN HIS PEOPLE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY THEY REJECTED IT.

Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem because that’s where the cross was.

The people of Jerusalem were visited by God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ but chose not to accept Him.

Whenever Christians have the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus’ death, burial and Resurrection with someone who needs to hear it, but they don’t take it, it saddens Jesus.

2. JESUS CRIED… BECAUSE WHEN HIS PEOPLE REJECTED HIM, THEY SUFFERED FOR IT!

They could have had peace, but they missed it. And because they didn’t have peace, they suffered from unhappiness in the present.

People who reject Jesus Christ not only suffer from unhappiness, but also from hopelessness.

Maybe you’re suffering from grief, loneliness, depression, anxiety you need to know this morning that Jesus knows what you’re feeling.

So many of us are caught up in our own knowledge of Jesus Christ, that we can’t seem to stop and see that people all around us don’t know him.

“Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”

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Sermon Audio: The Triumphal Entry
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 19:28-40
Duration: 21:09
Size: 9.68 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Triumphal Entry
Luke 19:28-40

Luke organized his entire Gospel to show who Jesus is and what he had come to do to seek and to save he lost.

He knew well enough what lay ahead, and had set his face to go and meet it head on.

He was coming to be the Passover Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). But, before he gave his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), he entered the city as the King of kings.

I. Jesus Plans His Deliberate Entrance

Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem was an act of glorious defiance and of great courage.

So Jesus by this action came as a king of love and peace, and not as the conquering military hero that the crowds expected and awaited.

II. Jesus Affirms His Sovereign Kingship

As Jesus rode from Bethphage and Bethany down the Mount of Olives, which was directly opposite Jerusalem, he was affirming his sovereign kingship.

Jesus rides the same way into our lives today. He comes in humility to be our Savior.

III. Jesus Receives His Rightful Praise

The crowds gave Jesus his rightful praise as the coming Messiah and king for all the mighty works that they had seen.

Is it your joy and delight to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that Jesus has done and is doing?

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Sermon Audio: Finding Your Sweet Spot
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 19:11-27
Duration: 23:11
Size: 10.6 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Finding Your Sweet Spot
Luke 19:11-27

When it comes to living out our commitment to God, you and I have our own sweet spots, a place of service, in our lives that allows us to live like we were created to live.

They are called spiritual gifts and if we have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ then we have been given, by God, spiritual gifts to be used to serve God and help fulfill His mission and purpose.

Every one of us here this morning has a sweet spot; every one of us here this morning has at least one talent that we need to use as part of God’s team.

I think we need to ask ourselves when it comes to the issue of not just stewardship of our time, our treasures, or our talents, but of our entire life.

Giving and serving are also important parts of our faith and life in God.

God gave people, you and me, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

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Sermon Audio: To Seek and To Save
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 19:1-10
Duration: 20:20
Size: 9.30 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
To Seek and To Save
Luke 19:1-10

We make judgments about people without really knowing much about them.

In Luke we learn of a man who wished for that same thing.

Zacchaeus was a man who was not well liked or accepted in Jericho.

Just prior to Jesus entering Jericho He had told his disciples how difficult it was for a rich man to enter heaven.

But he was not going to let people keep him away from finding a new life

A man who was rejected by all, found acceptance in Christ.

Jesus is not on a search and destroy mission – His mission is to seek and to save the lost.

God loves you, more than we can comprehend or ever understand.

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Sermon Audio: Blind No More
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 18:35-43
Duration: 20:09
Size: 9.23 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Blind No More
Luke 18:35-43

One man broke the rules of polite society and created a scene.

Even today, what you believe about the person of Jesus is the single most important thing in your life.

1. Reason will offer You Many Excuses For Why You Can Wait On Getting Right With God.

It may be that you have sat in the church in service after service when you have felt the tug of the Holy Spirit at your heart but you didn’t do anything about it.

2. Religion will try to silence your cry for a personal relationship with God.

What or who are you allowing to silence your request to be saved?

The sad truth is that many people want a church that comforts their challenges instead of challenging their comforts.

3. Reality of Faith Is Seen In the Life That Is Lived.

I believe that the reality of this man faith is seen not so much in his healing as in his willingness to follow Jesus and glorify God.

With the privilege of Choice, goes the terrible responsibility of living with the results or consequences of our choices.