Tag: Sermon

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2024-12-08: Empty the Jar at Christmas — The Opportunities We Miss

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Sermon Audio: The Opportunities We Miss
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Matthew 2:1-11
Duration: 23:48
Size: 13.5 MB

Empty the Jar at Christmas
The Opportunities We Miss
Matthew 2:1-11

It was a star of wonder, a star of night, a star with royal beauty bright–and when the Wise-men saw that star from the East they went…and they stopped at Jerusalem to ask for directions.

And the reaction from the King–and everyone else was–they were disturbed.

Why didn’t somebody just go to Bethlehem after the angels appeared to the Shepherds?

They got to the point where they weren’t looking for Jesus anymore.

They didn’t think the Messiah was coming–so they didn’t go looking for Him. So they missed their opportunity.

The point is, nobody seemed to want this child to upset their lives so they missed their opportunity to find Jesus along with all He promised.

God wanted to put this great city on notice that a mighty prophecy was about to be fulfilled, because the promised Messiah had come.

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2024-12-01: Empty the Jar at Christmas — Ready for the Journey

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Sermon Audio: Ready for the Journey
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Matthew 2:1-2
Duration: 24:40
Size: 14.3 MB

Empty the Jar at Christmas
Ready for the Journey
Matthew 2:1-2

I believe he did this to bring the point home that Jesus is for all of mankind.

The Persian wise men of their time likely learned about prophecies like Numbers 24:17.

Many had heard the shepherds declare that they had seen the messiah and were filled with wonder.

Again, I believe God had a greater purpose in sending the wise men and having Matthew include them in his gospel message.

And that is what some of you were. But…that’s the part that matters–who you are now.

Empty the jar–it’s about holding nothing back from God as we worship Him.

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2024-11-17: Lies People Believe — I’ve Got Too Much Dirt

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Sermon Audio: I’ve Got Too Much Dirt
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Romans 5:6-11
Duration: 25:26
Size: 14.8 MB

Lies People Believe
I’ve Got Too Much Dirt
Romans 5:6-11

Now, if someone with as much dirt as Barabbas could become a follower of Jesus, do you really think you have too much dirt for God to handle it?

Jesus, however, gave His life even though none of us deserve His sacrifice.

Exhibit A, Paul’s life before knowing Jesus.
Even though he thought he was acting with great zeal on behalf of God, he was actually sinning against the God he proclaimed to love.

Exhibit B, the life accomplishments of Paul as a Christian.
Eventually, it’s believed that Paul’s faith cost him his life.

Exhibit C, what motivated him to go through it all.
Even as His enemy, He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross. Jesus did all the work to reconcile me to God.

We’ve taken the plunge and accepted the gift of grace that God offered through Jesus’ sacrifice.

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2024-11-10: Lies People Believe — I Am What I Am

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Sermon Audio: I Am What I Am
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: II Corinthians 5:14-17
Duration: 24:22
Size: 13.4 MB

Lies People Believe
I Am What I Am
II Corinthians 5:14-17

The phrase simply means–I have no choice–that’s just the way it is.

But that doesn’t stop people from continually protesting: “I can’t help myself”, “I can’t change who I am”. “It’s not my fault!”

To people who engaged in sin who said, “I was born that way” Jesus said “You must be born again.”

Jesus came to transform people…to remake them.

Now the problem is this: the people who buy into that mindset often face hopelessness and despair.

The first step to being healed of your sin. Recognize that you’ve messed up and want to change–REPENT!

The Christian is never trapped by their past. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”