Claim Ownershipgoodshepherdkc North Oak sermons
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Listen to sermons from our weekend worship recorded in the Northland of Kansas City, MO. Visit us in person on Sundays at 9 and 10:30 a.m. at 9555 N Oak Trafficway. Learn more about us at goodshepherdkc.com.
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Jesus' final days are difficult to hear, but it teaches us a theme of Jesus' life. We cannot experience the beauty of new life without the sacrifice of the cross. All the promises of the gospel are true, but in order for that to happen, we all have to sacrifice first. We never get to the beauty of new life without the sacrifice of the cross.
Jesus had defining moments in his life — like, leaving home and going to Jerusalem. The journey took Jesus through Samaria. There Jesus was asked a question about who our neighbor is and who we should help. Jesus' answer was to see people you may see as your enemy, people who are wrong, who want to do you harm, as your neighbor.
Jesus came to offer deeper healing of forgiveness, which is much more important and lasting than a miracle of helping someone walk. Our inner need for healing is a hallmark of Jesus' ministry. God is not a condemning God but a forgiving God. We're like the paralytic and the crowd. We come to Jesus to help us or give us a miracle. Sometimes Jesus does those things, but the real power of Jesus is forgiveness for our sins (missing the mark/contrary to how God wants us to live our lives), which is a more significant kind of healing.
Nazareth was a label given to Jesus. It was where he grew up, and his hometown had certain expectations of him. But Jesus was able to redefine himself. In this sermon, we will talk about the labels we carry and how we are redefined in Christ.
How did Jesus' upbringing in Egypt influence how he treated others? And what does he expect of his followers? Hospitality is a hallmark of what it means to follow Jesus – how do we make space to serve others?
Life can sometimes deal us the biggest blows, making it difficult to feel content, at peace, or even happy. Suffering is one of the biggest robbers of joy. And yet, there are really helpful practices for when suffering strikes that help us navigate the pain of those moments. And through those practices, we can experience joy even in the midst of suffering.
In psychology, there's a term called "locus of control." We can either have an external locus of control, where we outsource our sense of agency to circumstances outside of us. Or an internal locus of control, where we recognize the things that we can change, and we let go of the things that we can't. Reframing situations based on what we can control changes everything.
Often we confuse loving someone with allowing someone to hurt us repeatedly. Much of the time, we feel like boundaries are at odds with love. Boundaries can feel restrictive, strange, harsh, or even unkind. But boundaries are essential for any healthy relationships, especially with people who are difficult. Jesus not only encourages boundaries but gives us a guide for how to address times when people cross them.
Relationships, by definition, are messy. They offer us the opportunity for connection, friendship, collaboration, and love, but they also are ripe with opportunities for misunderstandings, annoyances, frustrations, and hurt. Learning and practicing the art of forgiveness is essential to maintaining relationships in the midst of differences and disagreements.
When it comes to other people (especially those we don’t like), we tend to default to one of two positions; be nice and ignore the hurtful/destructive behaviors or harshly speak out against, critique, or cut off the person. But Paul teaches us that our responsibility is to “speak the truth in love,” to confront people honestly and straightforwardly, and yet do it in a way that is consistent with Christ’s love.
We are created in the image of God and therefore reflect God. We all have worth beyond what we say or do and are all complex individuals.
The Shepherds were outcasts. They were relegated to the outskirts of society due to their profession, which many deemed dirty and pathetic. Yet God came to them with the news of Christ's birth. Because even though others had dismissed them, God did not.
Mary was from a town that had no significance and from a family that was not important. So when God chose her to be the one to give birth to the Messiah, it seemed ridiculous, yet God chose her. Not because of her name or her birthplace but because God saw something great in her.
One of the things that stunt our growth is not that we dream too big but that we dream too small. God promises throughout scripture that when we take a big risk or dream big, God will somehow show up and bless us in surprising ways — even opening up the floodgates of heaven.
Many of us say we value church and faith, but our finances may tell a different story. Jesus says where your treasure is, that's where your heart is. If we want a changed life, we don't need to simply change our minds, we need to change where we spend our finances — our hearts and minds will follow. When we practice generosity, our lives can be transformed, and others' lives are transformed.
God invites us to be part of the healing strategy for the world through the local church. When we give to the local church, we become part of the movement to help our neighborhoods, communities, and friends experience the hope of Christ.
God invites us to be part of the healing strategy for the world through the local church. When we give to the local church, we become part of the movement to help our neighborhoods, communities, and friends experience the hope of Christ.
The Bible isn't just one book, it's a group of a lot of books. This sermon will be a lot of teaching about how the Bible is structured and what's in it — basically, Bible orientation!
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