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Paul’s Missionary Journey 2

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

In this second week of Paul’s missionary journeys, we continue following Paul on his first journey as he travels into Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. In these cities, we start to discover the extreme persecution that Paul and Barnabas would find as they carried out the mission. An uprising occurs and Paul is stoned and left for dead. Believers took his body and found him alive. They restored him and set him back on his way. Even after this horrible attack, Paul would not be denied. He and his companions circle back around and make their way through the cities that they originally met in ultimately leading them back home by boat.
The lessons we learn in Acts 14 are hard lessons to learn. Not everyone will receive the message of Jesus with joy. Not everyone is willing to stand beside or politely disagree with you. Paul learned that some people will attack and might even try to silence your voice. How will we respond in moments like this?

Paul’s Missionary Journey 1

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

In this first week of our series, we will learn about Paul and what makes him the perfect person to champion the message of Christ. The idea of, “missionary journey” would not have been widely thought of. For our purposes, the Holy Spirit picked Paul and Barnabas to tell the story of Jesus. The community of Antioch prayed and sent them out.
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On this first journey, we learn of their tactics to spread the Gospel, we hear the actual message and how Paul justifies his belief and we come face to face with the leading of the Holy Spirit. This chapter causes us to consider our journey. Do we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us? Do we understand the sacrifice that was made for us to know God? And are we willing to be sent so that 2000 years from now, the message will continue to ring in the hearts of believers?

The Wilderness 5

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

Week 5 (5/5/24): After striking a Covenant with Israel, God moved his people to the edge of the land that he promised to give them. In this story found in Numbers 13 and 14, God allows 12 of the leading men of Israel to spy out the land. After 40 days of searching, they determined that the land did indeed flow with Milk and Honey but that it would be impossible to conquer because of the inhabitants. Two of the twelve leaders pushed back on the report and felt that God would honor Israel and give them possession if they remained faithful. This is where Israel falls short and is blocked from entering the land except those children under 20 years of age.
How often do we forget about God’s goodness in our lives? We see the challenges in front of us but forget that God goes before us to fight our battles. What are some areas of our lives that we have not trusted God with?

The Wilderness 4

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

Throughout the history of our Biblical text, God uses the Wilderness as a place to refine and transform his people. The Wilderness is a desolate and uncultivated place full of sand and rocks. Something about this barren and inhospitable place allows God to teach his people to seek and trust. Seasons of rebellion are shaped by correction. Times of lack are countered with divine provision. And a loosely connected family is transformed into the People of God.
Welcome to the Wilderness. In this series, we will follow the Israelites from their release as slaves of Egypt through the wilderness and ultimately study their sojourn into becoming the people of God. What lessons do they learn? How does God lead them? How does this journey help us understand our own time in the wilderness?

The Wilderness 3

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

We will continue our sermon series this week "The Wilderness" and will be reading from Exodus 16.
“The Wilderness”
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Throughout the history of our Biblical text, God uses the Wilderness as a place to refine and transform his people. The Wilderness is a desolate and uncultivated place full of sand and rocks. Something about this barren and inhospitable place allows God to teach his people to seek and trust. Seasons of rebellion are shaped by correction. Times of lack are countered with divine provision. And a loosely connected family is transformed into the People of God.
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Welcome to the Wilderness. In this series, we will follow the Israelites from their release as slaves of Egypt through the wilderness and ultimately study their sojourn into becoming the people of God. What lessons do they learn? How does God lead them? How does this journey help us understand our own time in the wilderness?

The Wilderness 2

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

Week 2 (4/14/24):
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Journeying through the Wilderness sometimes leads to a dead end. In the case of our study this week, not only did the Israelites run into the Red Sea, but the Egyptians were hot on their trail. Being hemmed in on all sides can give rise to fear and that is exactly what happens. The people of God now wish they had stayed in Egypt and it was too late to make a change. God’s instruction… keep moving. Sometimes the only way to deal with a problem is to walk right through it. And that is exactly what God requires the Israelites to do. Moses raises his staff, God sends the wind, the water separates and the people cross on dry ground.
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Rarely does God save us in the way we believe it should happen. I guarantee that splitting the Red Sea was not on Moses’ list of possible outcomes. With no requirement from the people, God splits the water and then asks them to keep walking.
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How many times do we feel like life has trapped us? How often have we cried, complained, and bemoaned the place we find ourselves only to have God use that moment to reveal his power to us? How many problems have we wasted way too much time on trying to navigate around when God is asking us to walk right through the middle of it? This week we will study Exodus 14 and discover what God may be helping us to understand about our own Red Sea moments.

The Wilderness 1

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

Week 1 (4/7/24): We start our series in Egypt with the 10th and final plague. It is in this story that we discover the basis of our knowledge surrounding the Passover lamb and the life that was given to save the lives of the Israelites. The offering of this spotless lamb and the placement of the shed blood on the doorposts of each Israelites home is where we derive our connection to Jesus as the ultimate Passover lamb. As a result of this plague and the death of the firstborn of the Egyptians, the Israelites are released into the wilderness and the journey of transformation begins.

Forever Chnaged 9

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

Week 7 Easter (Mar 31): Resurrection Day: Mary Magdalene
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Mary Magdalene shows up in scripture as a person whose life has been Forever Changed because of her encounter with Jesus. Scripture is silent on most of the details surrounding this encounter except one. Luke 8:2 informs us that Mary was delivered from seven demons. What must her life have been like before Jesus? Imagine the emotional turmoil and trauma she would have experienced at the hands of such evil.
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One thing is certain, the impact of Jesus healing Mary would not only be life-changing but would also be world-changing. Mary’s gratitude and tenacity as a result of her transformation led her to be a follower of Jesus in the most faithful of ways. In the early years, Mary used her resources to fund and support the work being done by Jesus. And when the final days arrived and preaching and healing turned into flogging and crucifixion, Mary became even more faithful and was present to all of it. Mary was present at the cross and his death. Mary was even present when the body of Jesus was placed in the tomb. Of course, it was Mary early on resurrection day who found the empty tomb and ultimately, after everyone else left, stayed at the tomb until she found her Lord.
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‌Was it the gratitude found in the freedom of her changed life? Was it the experience of being a part of something so profound where lives were being changed all around? What brought this dedication and tenacity to the forefront of Mary’s life that would cause her to be the first to witness Jesus defeating death and the grave? Imagine that, Jesus chose a woman who had been plagued by seven demons to be the first to witness the resurrection.

Good Friday 8

Written by Lee Ames on . Posted in Sermon.

Without Good Friday, there would be no Resurrection Sunday.
As we look forward to celebrating our risen Savior this weekend, we invite you to join us Friday, March 29th as we remember the suffering that Jesus endured in our place.