October 2013
Jonah – Part Four Serve Others
Most of us enjoy being served way more than serving. This is especially true when the people that we are asked to serve are not who we would usually choose to serve. In Jonah’s case not only did Jonah have a dislike for the people but he even had a dislike for the way that God was willing to treat them or, more specifically, not treat them. This lead Jonah to a self-righteous temper tantrum. Jonah took his ball and went home because God wasn’t playing by Jonah’s rules. This man that was once willing to go hundreds of miles out of his way to serve God became a man that wasn’t willing to go one step out of his way to serve others. In chapter 4 God gives Jonah a three-step lesson on how to be a God-honoring servant of others. Let’s listen in.
Jonah – Love Others
Thomas a' Kempis, a late 14th century writer/theologian once wrote, “Whoever loves much, does much.” At the beginning of this account Jonah had an extremely strong desire to not love God. He tried to do his best to hinder God from even thinking of using him in this regard. In the middle of the sea God put him in the stomach of the great fish and did some delicate and powerful spiritual surgery on Jonah’s heart. Jonah walks out of the situation with most likely a rancid smell but a fresh start. Now it is time for Jonah to do what God was and is calling him to do, ‘love the Ninevites’. Let’s see what God has to teach us about loving others by studying the example of Jonah.
Jonah – Serve God
Last time we talked we left Jonah in the stomach of a big fish. As I mentioned before, that situation was unexpected, uncomfortable, and lengthy. You might wonder, considering all this, how could something good ever come out of being trapped in the bowels of a smelly, hot, slim infested fish?! That’s a great question and as we go on in our series you will see that this was a perfect stage for God to do some open-heart surgery on. Jonah might have entered the fish a rebellious denier of God but he came out an obedient servant. Let’s climb into the fish with Jonah for a while and let God work on our hearts.
Jonah – Love God
What does loving God look like? In a world where the definition of love has seemed to be molded under some kind of relativistic structure this is a hard question for many to answer. Here at Manzanita Baptist Church we have adopted a mission statement that says we will “say YES! to loving God, loving others, serving God, and serving others.” Jonah gives us some great insight into all four of these elements. In this sermon we will focus on loving God and through the failure of Jonah in doing this my prayer is that we will be challenged to ask the question, ‘Am I loving God in my life or am I pulling a Jonah?’. What thing(s) do you and I have to stop fighting Him on and start surrendering to Him in?
July 2013
A Burning Bush Experience – Part Two
What’s your excuse? Last time I met with you we talked about the importance of turning aside and allowing God to reveal Himself to us. Up to this point in their conversation God was giving Moses a brief theology lesson on Who He is and Moses was probably feeling pretty on board with the whole thing. Then it happened. God dared to call Moses out and include him in His plans. This cognitive/intellectual exercise forced it way out of the world of words and thoughts and into Moses’ physical/actual life. Just like us Moses was challenged to make a decision that would alter the course of the rest of his life. Eventually He goes all in but not without a discussion that was empowered by fear and bathed in doubt. Have you ever been there? If you’re anything like the rest of us you have. Let’s ponder some of the responses that God has to our excuses.
June 2013
A Burning Bush Experience
When and/or where does God show up in your life? This study will show us that sometimes God shows up in some of the most unexpected places through some of the most mysterious ways. In this first part of a three part series that deals with the call of Moses entitled A Burning Bush Experience we not only consider God’s amazing presence but also our willingness to recognize it and allow Him to be revealed through it. In the midst of Moses’ forty year normalcy God appeared and Moses saw Him. Does this scenario play out for us? A hint; it isn’t because God doesn’t show up
May 2013
March 2013
January 2013
A Walk Through the Let-Us Patch
Deep in the letter of Hebrews that (I believe) Paul writes to Jewish believers who are considering going back to their Jewish ways of worship there is an amazing passage that is filled with both wonder and challenge. As we close 2012 and start thinking through our desires, attitudes, and mind-set for 2013 let’s take a walk together through the Let-Us Patch of Hebrews (Heb. 10:19-25) and take notice of not only the confidence that God has given us in Christ but also how that confidence allows us to draw near to Him, hold fast to Him, and consider how to provoke each other for Him.
October 2012
Lessons From the Life of Jepthah – Part Two
Sometimes we don’t see that the hand of God is sovereignly at work and when we do see it we are often blown away at how He does His thing(s). Jephthah is a good example of this principle for us. The least likely man is sovereignly placed by God to deliver God’s people from the hands of the Ammonites. Bet ya he never saw it coming. There are many things that we can learn about God through the life of Jephthah – an unknown deliverer. Listen as Pastor Aaron concludes his message.
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