“So that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Paul gives the church a tall order when he writes about transformation to the Colossians. Last week you may remember we spoke about how a community of faith is either propelled forward or held back by its level of spiritual maturity. Fortunately Paul does not leave the Church alone in figuring out just how we go about presenting everyone mature in Christ.” — Listen here, or download the MP3!
Category Archives: Sermon Podcasts
Comprehending the Grace of God
In the sermon this week, I ask the congregation of Saint Mark’s the same questions Paul asked of the Colossians: “What is the fruit of this congregation?” and “Is it in line with what we see in other healthy churches?”
What do you think? Why not join in the conversation and leave a comment below!
“To truly comprehend the grace of God. We come to two great questions for St. Mark’s in Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. Paul has earned the right to plant churches for the spread of the Gospel. He has internalized the Gospel of Jesus in a way that allows him to step back from a particular Body of Christ and observe the actions of the church. He begins to ask questions about the functioning of the faithful people who have gathered in the name of the Lord. We see this in the beginning of Paul’s letter. He has asked himself, ‘What are the fruits of this Colossian congregation, and are they similar to other healthy churches?'” — Listen here, or download the MP3!
How to Be a Community of New Creation
"This is the last time we will be in Paul’s letter to the Galatians for a while and he does not disappoint in this final volley to a church in trouble. Paul is reducing the several themes of this letter to a very ‘thick syrup’ of what it means to be a Community in Christ – that New Creation he speaks of so often. How does he do this?" — Listen here, or download the MP3!
Checks and Balances in the Christian Life
"Well, the last few Sundays we have been moving through Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches, and we continue today in that letter. Joyfully, we come to the portion to which the writer has been leading us toward. There are many, many rich passages and phrases in this particular portion of scripture that we have heard today, but especially this one where Paul writes to the Galatians, ‘Live by the Spirit, but do not gratify the desires of the flesh, for the Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other to prevent you from doing what you want…’" — Listen here, or download the MP3!
Jesus Fulfills the Law of Moses
“We continue this week with Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Paul is drawing conclusions about the law and a strong faith in the redemptive power of Jesus on the cross. Now we know the law is that portion of the first five books of our Old Testament that provide the do’s and the don’ts to God’s chosen people…” — Listen here, or download the MP3!