Emmanuel Presbyterian Church

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 60:1-14, 19-22 (ESV)1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples;but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you;your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult,because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will beautify my beautiful house.8 Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?9 For the coastlands shall hope for me, the ships of Tarshish first,to bring your children from afar, their silver and gold with them,for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has made you beautiful.10 Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you;for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you.11 Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut,that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession.12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine,to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious.14 The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending low to you,and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet;they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.19 The sun shall be no more your light by day,nor for brightness shall the moon give you light;but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself;for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.21 Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever,the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.22 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation;I am the Lord; in its time I will hasten it.Sermon OutlineWe are given a picture of where God is leading history that can transform how we live.1. Draws Usv1 “your light has come” v5 “you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill”v7 “I will beautify my beautiful house”, v9 “because he has made you beautiful”2. Directs Usv1 “arise”v2 “darkness shall cover the earth”v11 “the people may bring to you the wealth of the nations” v20 “your days of mourning shall be ended”v19 “sun shall be no more… the Lord will be your everlasting light… your glory” 3. Utilizes Usv1 “shine” v14 “they shall call you the city of the Lord… Zion”“come”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty and most merciful Father; we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have left undone those things that we ought to have done; and we have done those things that we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. And grant, O most merciful Father, for your Son Jesus Christ's sake, that we may hereafter live a godly and righteous life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you believe the future is hopeful? If you imagine a great moment in the future, what do you picture?What does the theme of light rising and shining help us understand?What distinguishes true beauty from superficial beauty? Can you think of examples of how true beauty brings life to a person's soul?How can the vision of a hopeful future help you endure present difficulties? How can it inspire faithfulness when what you see is discouraging?How can this picture of people bringing gifts to God inform how you do your work or live your daily life? What does it look like to glorify God with all that you do?Why are Christians called to be a “city on a hill”? How do good works cause the light of God to shine from us into the world? Do you find joy in doing good?How can the church improve in being a community that shines light into the world? What can we do differently?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 59:14-21 (ESV)14 Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away;for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.15 Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede;then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head;he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.18 According to their deeds, so will he repay, wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies; to the coastlands he will render repayment.19 So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun;for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives.20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”Sermon OutlineThe Bible presents Jesus as the answer to the deep and complex questions of life. 1. The Truthv14 “truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter”v15 “he who departs from evil makes himself a prey”2. The Intercessorv15 “The Lord saw it, and it displeased him”v16 “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede”3. The Redeemerv16 then his own arm brought him salvationv17 He put on… v20 “a Redeemer will come… turn from transgression” v21 “this is my covenant… My Spirit that is upon you, and my words… shall not depart…”Prayer of ConfessionOur holy God, we have all sinned and there are none who are righteous. Truth has stumbled in the public squares. We admit that we have fallen, believing what is false, and attempting to deceive others. We have failed to seek justice and have not always stood with courage against injustice. We have doubted your word. We have not fully surrendered to Jesus, whom you sent. Our thoughts and actions reveal we need a redeemer. We thank you that Jesus came to intercede for us, clothed with righteousness, offering himself for us. We turn from our transgressions to you, asking for forgiveness, with thankful acknowledgement of your mercy. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhere do you see “truth stumbling” today?Do you find it hard to be honest? Are you straightforward with the truth? When are you tempted to conceal or spin things?Is God's anger with human sin justified? What is your response to the Bible's portrayal of God who is angry with the sin and injustice of our world?What error are you more likely to make when there is injustice: jumping in hastily and making things worse, or failing to do or say something? Why?What are some qualities of a faithful intercessor? What are some things you should be prepared to do as a Christian in our corrupt world?What qualifies Jesus to be the only intercessor between God and humanity? How does he intercede?What does it say about God that He comes Himself to redeem us? What can we learn from the fact that God redeems those who had turned from Him at such cost to Himself? How does this help us as we go through life?Do you believe Jesus is the truth, the way and the life? What questions do you have as you navigate this next stretch of life? What good are you seeking, what troubles are you struggling to deal with, and what are you learning?How are you making use of God's Spirit and Word? What role do they play in your life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 58:1-14 (ESV)1 “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet;declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways,as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God;they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?'Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist.Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself?Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke,to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house;when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily;your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.'If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong;and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day,and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable;if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;14 then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”Sermon OutlineIs God a source of delight or a means to it?1. Fastingv3 “why have we fasted, and you see it not?”vv3-4 “seek your own pleasure… oppress your workers… quarrel… fight”v5 “is such the fast that I choose?”2. The Vulnerablevv6-7 “bonds of wickedness… oppressed… hungry… homeless… naked…”v7 “share… bring into your homes”3. Sabbathv13 “call the sabbath a delight” v13 “your pleasure… your own ways”v14 “then shall you take delight in the Lord”Prayer of ConfessionOur amazing God, you are the source of light, healing, righteousness and glory. We confess our guilt and confusion. We have turned from you and devoted ourselves to things that cannot satisfy. We have presumed we could earn your favor, failing to recognize that our frustrations and accusations are evidence of our own sin. We have looked at the poor and needy with arrogant, hard hearts, not discerning our own poverty and need. We return to you, exchanging our false humility and corrupt practices for the life you give in Christ. Forgive us, heal us, and continue to draw us into the delight of life with you. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat brings you delight? What do you value that you willingly make sacrifices for?Does following Jesus require sacrifice? What are problematic ways we make sacrifices as part of a religious life? What are healthy or wise ways to make sacrifices as part of life with God?Why is it problematic to think you can earn God's favor? How can striving to earn God's favor lead to resentment?What attitudes towards the vulnerable, the materially poor, or people with needs do you see in yourself?Why does our attitude towards the materially poor expose us? What deficiencies can we expect to see?What does the gospel of Jesus reveal about God? If we make sacrifices for what we delight in, what can we infer from Jesus sacrificing his life for us?How does insight into the depth of the goodness of God bring deep transformation to us? What kind of connection with God brings light, healing, righteousness and glory into our lives?What practices help us walk with God? How can God and life with Him become more of a source of delight for you?What roles can fasting and keeping the Lord's Day (sabbath) play in living a God-centered life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 56:1-8 (ESV)1 Thus says the LORD:“Keep justice, and do righteousness,for soon my salvation will come,and my righteousness be revealed.2 Blessed is the man who does this,and the son of man who holds it fast,who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;and let not the eunuch say,“Behold, I am a dry tree.”4 For thus says the LORD:“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,who choose the things that please meand hold fast my covenant,5 I will give in my house and within my wallsa monument and a namebetter than sons and daughters;I will give them an everlasting namethat shall not be cut off.6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,and to be his servants,everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,and holds fast my covenant—7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,and make them joyful in my house of prayer;their burnt offerings and their sacrificeswill be accepted on my altar;for my house shall be called a house of prayerfor all peoples.”8 The Lord GOD,who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,“I will gather yet others to himbesides those already gathered.”Sermon Outline1. What is righteous living? (v.1)1 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.2. Who is righteous living for? (v. 3-6) [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [6] “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— [3] Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”3. How do we live righteously? (v. 4-8) [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [5] I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. [7] these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; [7] for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” [8] The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you call us to keep justice and do righteousness, but we often put ourselves first than our neighbors. We make it more difficult for others to enter your kingdom, and we lose sight of how you graciously welcomed us despite our sins. Thank you for the righteous life of Jesus who ended our fears, gathered us to your family, and invites us to live righteously so that more may taste heaven. Amen.Questions for Reflection1. What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?2. In your own words, how would you describe righteous living after reading Isaiah 56:1?3. When did you receive or experience someone else's righteous living?4. Our passage tells us that foreigners and eunuchs, once considered outsiders, are now fully welcomed by God. Why do you think this would have been surprising and challenging for the original listeners? 5. Why is the practice of Sabbath so central in this passage? 6. How does Jesus show righteous living differently than we might typically think about it?7. If righteous living means following Jesus and continuing his ministry, what's one small but meaningful way you can live righteously this week?8. What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 55:1-13 (ESV)1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”Sermon OutlineIsaiah has a message that gives life to weary souls (v3). What do you need to hear?1. A questionv2 “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” v1 “thirsts”, v6 “seek”V10-11 “as the rain and snow come down… water the earth, making it bring forth…” 2. An invitationv1-3 “come… listen diligently… incline your ear” v11 “so shall my word be… it shall accomplish…”v7 “return to the Lord… compassion… abundantly pardon”3. A better wayv9 “my ways… my thoughts…” v7 “forsake his way…thoughts” v6 “seek the Lord”v13 “instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress”v12 “you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace” Prayer of ConfessionOur compassionate God, who pardons abundantly: we receive your word and humbly respond with confession. We acknowledge that our ways have not been your ways, and our thoughts have not been your thoughts. You called, but we did not come. You gave words of life, but we did not listen. We have been troubled by our own thoughts and our ways have produced suffering. We have labored for that which cannot satisfy. We are weary. You alone can grant forgiveness, so we ask for it. You alone can give life, so we turn to you for it. We thank you that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Through him, set us free. Teach us your thoughts and lead us in your way. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat are you looking for in life? What do you go into the world hoping to find or attain? What do you seek first?How are you laboring for “that which does not satisfy”? What drains you or leads to exhaustion? Do you have an interest in God's thoughts? How can you learn from God?How are your ways not in line with God's ways? Do you believe God's ways are wise and good?God invites you to think differently, and to live a new way - what appeals to you in this invitation? What bothers you?Why are God's compassion and forgiveness essential for change?Can you do anything to get life from God? Why is it important to recognize you cannot earn or achieve eternal life?What is repentance? How is turning to God something we have to do continually? Is there a particular habit or pattern that you are trying to change or break free from? What does it look like to work on this change with God? How does trusting Christ help you live differently?How can you make walking with God your priority? How can this bring life to all you are doing?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 52:13-53:12 (ESV)13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—15 so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors;yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.Sermon OutlineOur longings to ascend are only satisfied in the one who descended. (52:13)1. How Bad Things Are53:6 “all we like sheep have gone astray” 53:2-3 “…no form… that we should desire… despise and rejected… we esteemed him not” 53:9 “although… there was no deceit in his mouth…”53:4 “yet we esteemed him… stricken by God”53:1 “who has believed?”2. How Good God Is52:14 “many were astonished” 53:3 “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief”53:5 “he was pierced for our transgressions… with his wounds we are healed” 53:6 “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”53:11 “by his knowledge… make many to be accounted righteous”3. How Wise We Need to Be52:13 “Behold, my servant shall act wisely”53:10 “it was the will of the Lord” 53:10 “when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring”53:11 “out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied”Prayer of ConfessionOur great and exalted God, we need you to lead us in the way of life. We all are like sheep who have gone astray. We have not trusted you. We have not listened to you. We have not understood you. Foolishly rejecting you, we have done many things we should never have done. Our thoughts and actions expose deep roots of sin. We are astonished that your love is so sacrificial. We marvel that Jesus would suffer such terrible things to bear our iniquities. Forgive us. Heal us. Lead us in the way of righteousness and peace. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDescribe your desires for an “upward” life. How are you desiring growth, progress, a better future, etc.? What do you imagine fulfillment of those desires will look like?What is your response to the Bible's claim that all humans have sinned/are sinners? What feelings does that provoke?What can you learn from the metaphor that we are like sheep who have gone astray?Why was Jesus, a person who did so much good and nothing wrong, treated so terribly? What can we learn about human nature from how we responded to Jesus?How does the extreme suffering of Jesus reveal unique qualities of God? What do you see?Why did Jesus suffer as he did? Do you believe that he did these things for you? What do you have trouble understanding?Is there a way you can make yourself righteous? How does Isaiah 53 describe how things get fixed?What deep wounds can start to be healed as you open your life to the sacrificial love of God for you?Does Jesus teach us to seek suffering? Is the goal of life to give up good for misery? How do you wisely incorporate Jesus' teachings on suffering into your life? What are wise goals for life? What end are you oriented towards?How can you follow Jesus through periods of suffering? What is helpful to remember, to hold to, to hope for?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 26:9-21 (ESV)9 My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.10 If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness;in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the Lord.11 O Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it.Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.12 O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.13 O Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone we bring to remembrance.14 They are dead, they will not live; they are shades, they will not arise;to that end you have visited them with destruction and wiped out all remembrance of them.15 But you have increased the nation, O Lord, you have increased the nation; you are glorified; you have enlarged all the borders of the land.16 O Lord, in distress they sought you; they poured out a whispered prayer when your discipline was upon them.17 Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth,so were we because of you, O Lord;18 we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind.We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you;hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.21 For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity,and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.Sermon OutlineThe Easter message is life-giving news for people who are drying out and dying (v19).1. You Who Dwell in the Dustv9 “my soul yearns for you in the night… the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness” v16 “in distress they sought you, they poured out a whispered prayer…”v17-18 “like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs… we writhed but we have given birth to wind.”2. Awake and Sing for Joyv21 “behold the Lord is coming… the earth will disclose the blood shed in it…”v19 “your dead shall live… the earth will give birth to the dead”v19 “your dew is a dew of light”Prayer of ConfessionO living God, our souls yearn for you. We are children of dust – frail, broken, and burdened by the corruption that dwells within us and all around us. Like Cain, we wrestle with shame, envy and anger. Our efforts to mend ourselves and repair the world have been like labor pains that give birth to wind. We need Jesus – the One who descended in humility, who entered our dust to raise us from it. We need your Spirit - to breathe life into our dying bodies, to revive hearts grown cold, and to raise us from the ashes of our sin. Do not deal with us as our sins deserve, but look upon us with mercy. Forgive us for the sake of Christ, who gave his life that we might have life in him. Awaken us, O Lord, to your marvelous grace. Renew us by the power of your resurrection. And lead us into the joy of new life, through Jesus Christ, our risen savior. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you ever feel like you “dwell in the dust”? What does it mean to be dust? Describe what it is like to feel like you dwell in dust.Can you relate to Cain, who felt he wasn't good enough, needed to improve, but whose growing resentment outpaced his energy to fix himself or rightly deal with his problem? What temptations rise when our efforts fail and frustrations growHow do you respond to the injustices of the world – when the innocent suffer and the guilty seem to thrive? How does this shape your trust in God, His justice, His timing? Does it feel like something is missing in life? What do you think it is?Why is it significant that Abel is remembered in the New Testament? What can we infer from the fact that Jesus came remembering Abel and the righteous whose blood was shed since his time?How are Jesus' sufferings like labor pains?How does receiving the Holy Spirit change us? Keeping in mind the imagery of dry dust, what happens when God's Spirit starts to work within us?What are some specific components of the Easter message that are reasons for rejoicing? What can you recognize, take hold of, and meditate on, that would breathe hope and encouragement into your soul?Have you ever prayed to receive the Holy Spirit? If not, what is stopping you? If you have, how can you seek God for fillings of the Spirit? What priorities will help you live a Spirit-empowered life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 49:8-18 (ESV)8 Thus says the Lord:“In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you;I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people,to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,9 saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,' to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10 they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.11 And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up.12 Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.”13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing!For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.”15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.17 Your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18 Lift up your eyes around and see; they all gather, they come to you.As I live, declares the Lord, you shall put them all on as an ornament; you shall bind them on as a bride does.Sermon Outline1. The good news is abundant (v. 8-13)v8 to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritagesvv9-10 They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirstv10 neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike themv10 for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.v11 And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up.v12 Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of2. The good news is unseen (v. 14)v14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.”3. The good news is permanent (v. 15-18)v15 yet I will not forget you.v16 I have engraved youPrayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, you are the author and giver of good news. We confess that we fail to see how abundant this good news is for us. In our pain and suffering, we say that you have forsaken us and have forgotten us. We confess that we are slow to believe and see your good news. Help our unbelief. May we look to the scars of Jesus and how we are engraved on the palms of his hands. Restore to us the joy of your salvation. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?How does Isaiah 49 expand your understanding of God's character, especially in terms of His personal involvement in our rescue and restoration?Why do you think it matters that this good news is not just for the exiles in Babylon, but for people from every nation and language?Can you think of a time when you felt forgotten by God or wondered where he was? What helped you during this time, or what would have helped?How does pain and suffering affect your relationship with God?In verse 16 it says that God's people are engraved on the palms of his hands. What does that image mean to you personally? How might it reshape how you view yourself or your relationship with God?Why do you think it matters that Jesus' scars remained in his resurrected body? How do Jesus' scars speak to both his suffering and his commitment to you?What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 48:1-11 (ESV)1 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah,who swear by the name of the Lord and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.2 For they call themselves after the holy city, and stay themselves on the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts is his name.3 “The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4 Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass,5 I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you,lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.'6 “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it?From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.7 They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8 You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened.For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel.9 “For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.Sermon OutlineHow can you get out of the trap of hypocrisy?1. The Inner Turmoil of Hypocrisyv1 “who… confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right”2. The Lure of Relief with Idolatryv4 “Because I know that you are obstinate”v5 “before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.'”3. The Integrity of the Way of Christ v6 “I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.”v7 ‘before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'”v9 “For my name's sake I defer my anger”v11 “My glory I will not give to another”Prayer of ConfessionOur merciful God, you are so patient with us. We are guilty of hypocrisy. We have hidden our sins and exaggerated our gifts. We have been more concerned for our name and glory than yours. We have turned to idols when we should have turned to you in our time of need. Forgive us all of our sins. May your Holy Spirit cleanse and soften our hard hearts. We turn to you in the name of Jesus, who is full of truth and grace. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat bothers you about hypocrites?How are you affected by your own hypocrisy? What can you expect will result if hypocrisy goes unchecked?Are you particularly attuned to things around you that you yourself struggle with? Do you get angry with others for things you are trying to fix in yourself?Why are you more prone to instant gratification when you are experiencing inner turmoil? Why are idols more appealing and deceptive when you are feeling bad about yourself?Why are superficial people drawn to idols? What do hypocrites and idols have in common?What are your convictions about the integrity of God? Are you aware of any flaws in Jesus? Is there anything to indicate Jesus is untrustworthy?How does the sacrificial love of Jesus soften hard hearts?What challenges will you face if you commit to a life of integrity? What will be hard? What habits will you have to change?What are differences between Jesus, who shows you how to discern right from wrong, and cynics who train you to spot what is flawed? As you learn to discern right from wrong, how can you know if you are maturing (gaining discernment) or if you are moving down a destructive path? Where can you apply or practice the pattern of beginning with the prayer “help me Jesus” and finishing with the commitment “to God alone be the glory”?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Retreat 2025Genesis 5:21-24 (ESV)21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.Hebrews 11:5-6 (ESV) 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Prayer of ConfessionMerciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 45:18-25 (ESV)18 For thus says the Lord,who created the heavens (he is God!),who formed the earth and made it (he established it;he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!):“I am the Lord, and there is no other.19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.'I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.20 “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations!They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols,and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.21 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together!Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old?Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me,a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return:‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'24 “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength;to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.”Sermon OutlineAre you living in the wrong story?1. Faithfulness of God to His Plansv18 “For thus says the Lord, who created… he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!”v19 “I did not speak in secret, I did not say… ‘Seek me in vain.' I the Lord speak the truth”2. Frustration Because of Our Plansv20 “…you survivors of the nations! …who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.”v23 “… word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow...”v24 “…all who were incensed against him”3. Freedom In the Plans of Jesus v22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!” v24 “only in the Lord shall it be said of me, are righteousness and strength”v25 “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.”Prayer of ConfessionSovereign Lord, You alone are wise, powerful, and good. You are perfect in all Your ways, and yet, we confess that we are not. We have often thought too highly of ourselves. When our sense of entitlement clashes with reality, we fail to learn and grow. Instead of humbling ourselves, we become angry—angry at You, angry at others—desperate to maintain control. In our pride, we have harbored contempt in our hearts and allowed it to shape our actions. Our sins are many, and they have made us unrighteous.But You, O God, are righteous and merciful. We are humbled and grateful that Your plan includes saving sinners like us. We thank You for the gift of Jesus, our righteousness and our strength. We pray for forgiveness in His name. Amen.Questions for ReflectionIf you were to give a synopsis of the human story, what would it be? Where are things going, and how do you know?Do you think God should stay focused on his original plans, or should he pivot to make his focus destroying evil? Why or why not?Is it ever appropriate to be angry with God?How can you tell if you are angry because you have a sense of entitlement? What can you do when you experience the frustration of having trusted in things that are failing you? What are your options?God said that everyone will come and bow before Him. How does that make you feel?What does it say about God that in the days of Isaiah he sent out a message calling everyone (“all the ends of the earth”) to turn to him and be saved?How does the humility of Jesus help dissolve people's pride? What do we need to see or understand to experience change and healing?What do you look to for righteousness and strength? Why is Jesus the only source of righteousness and strength?What keeps you from regularly bowing down in worship and rejoicing at the greatness of God? What can you do to enable this to be a more regular experience?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 45:1-13 (ESV)1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped,to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings,to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:2 “I will go before you and level the exalted places,I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places,that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen,I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me.5 I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.8 “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness;let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots!Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?' or ‘Your work has no handles'?10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?' or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?'”11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:“Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?12 I made the earth and created man on it;it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.13 I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level;he shall build my city and set my exiles free,not for price or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.Sermon Outline1. What does it mean that God is in control? (v. 1-8)v.1 to his anointed, to Cyrus,v.3 … who call you by your name.v.4 …I call you by your name,v.4 …I name you, though you do not know me.v.5 …I equip you, though you do not know me.2. Why might we not like his control? (v. 9-13)v.9…‘What are you making?' or ‘Your work has no handles'?v.10… ‘What are you begetting?'… ‘With what are you in labor?'”3. Why is it good news that God is in control? (v. 1, 3)v.1 … to his anointed, to Cyrus,v.3…that you may know that it is I, the LORD,Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, you are in full control over the entire universe, and yet, we do not notice how you are present and at work in our lives. We do not trust that you have our best interests in mind, and so we'd rather control our lives. But who are we to question you, our Creator and Heavenly Father, who works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose? May we trust in Jesus, the anointed one, who is our savior and rescuer, who has set us free. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?How does the story of Israel's exile and return illustrate how God is in control of all things? If God is in control of all things, how might that help us respond to hard and challenging times? In what ways do you feel as though it's not helpful?How did God's use of Cyrus challenge the expectations of his people?In what ways do we sometimes believe we know what's best for ourselves rather than trusting in God?How is God's control over all things a source of comfort and good news for you?Take a moment to consider how God might be calling you to notice more of his presence in your life. What part of your life might be within God's plan for you to know that he is the Lord?What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 42:1-9 (ESV)1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights;I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it,who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you;I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,7 to open the eyes that are blind,to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare;before they spring forth I tell you of them.”Sermon OutlineWhere do we get help for our weariness? “Behold my servant” (v1,4)1. Watch where God directs you.v1 “Behold my servant…in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice...” v9 “before they spring forth I tell you of them”v2 “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street”vv6-7 “open the eyes that are blind”v8 “…nor my praise to carved idols”2. Don't withdraw.v3-4 “a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench”v5 “who gives breath… and spirit…”3. Go with God into the world.v5 Thus says God… who created…”v4 “and the coastlands wait for his law”v6 “I will give you as… light for the nations”Prayer of ConfessionOur Lord and our God: You have sent Your Son, Jesus, into the world to establish true justice and to bring healing to our brokenness. We come before You in humility, admitting our confusion and the darkness that clouds our hearts and minds. We have allowed sin to stain our thoughts, words, and actions, and we have often turned to false idols instead of worshiping You, the one true and living God.We confess our failures and ask for Your forgiveness. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and restore us to Yourself. In our weakness, we cry out to You for strength. Have mercy on us and shine the light of Christ upon us. Amen..Questions for ReflectionWhat is currently causing weariness in your life? What are you making sacrifices for? What are you hoping to get in return?What has your attention? What occupies your mind? What do you notice or seek out?Why are people drawn toward appearances? What problems or challenges does that create?If Jesus walked the earth today what would people expect of him or want him to do? What would you want to see to help you be more firmly convinced?Why is the gentleness of Jesus crucial for what he came to do? How are you still trying to earn salvation? Why is the gospel of grace through faith so hard for us to grasp and implement?How can looking to Jesus in periods of weakness be a means of finding strength?What is needed to actively serve God in the world without burning out? What can you be doing so that the light of Christ shines from you to bring a witness to God into the world?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 40:12-31 (ESV)12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span,enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand?Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.18 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?19 An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.20 He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot;he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.21 Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;23 who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name;by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,“My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.Sermon OutlineIf we are not drawing life from God we will not be sustained (vv28-31).1. Confusionv28 Have you not known? …his understanding is unsearchable. v13 what man shows him his counsel? vv18-19 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! 2. Fearv20 He who is too impoverished… chooses wood… to set up an idol that will not move. v15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucketv25 To whom then will you compare me…?3. Renewalv27 Why do you say… “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? v29 He gives power to the faintv31 they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strengthv26 Lift up your eyes on high and seePrayer of ConfessionOur eternal Creator, all-powerful and all-wise: we humbly acknowledge our sin and weakness. Trusting our own wisdom, we have wrongly presumed to know better than you. In fear we have sought control and placed our trust in the things of our world. We have fashioned idols in our hearts. We have wearied ourselves with the very things you warn us against. Lord, we ask for your forgiveness. Renew your Spirit in us and strengthen us with the grace we need to live according to your will. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat don't you understand about God? Can you know God?How do you feel making decisions or moving forward in life without knowing all you need to know? How do you deal with this or approach these situations?Is it good that we can't fully understand God? How is faith good for us? How is faith hard for you?How do things become idols? What should we be looking for to determine if we are simply enjoying or benefiting from something, or if we have become devoted to it and crossed a line into idolatry?What fears are frequently present in your life? How are those fears shaping your decisions? Your perceptions? What do you look to for help when you are afraid?How can the Christian life become draining? How does faith in Christ give people strength? What does it look like to wait on the Lord? What practices help us to lift our eyes up to see and experience the power and glory of God? What can you do to keep your sights set on God in a way that renews your strength?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 40:1-11 (ESV)1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.3 A voice cries:“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?”All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news;lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not;say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him;behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms;he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.Sermon Outline1. Why do we need it? (v. 6-8)v. 6 All flesh is grass,v. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades…surely the people are grass.v. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades,2. How do we get it? (v. 3-4)v. 3 … prepare the way of the LORD; make straight…v. 4 …l be lifted up,…be made low;…become level,… a plain.3. What exactly is it? (v. 1-2, 9-11)v.1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.v. 9 …“Behold your God!”v. 10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,…behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, all of us are frail human beings. We do not like admitting that we have limits and that we have far less control than we think. We strive for more autonomy and less dependency on others. But this leads to our own ruin. We also do not give you the honor you are due. We refuse your comfort and seek comfort in the things of the world that do not satisfy. Turn our eyes to Jesus, the one who received ultimate discomfort, so that we could receive the satisfying comfort of God. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Describe how you face the reality of having limits. Do you embrace this? Do you struggle with this? When is self-sufficiency a good thing? When is it not?In what ways is God worthy of all respect and honor? How do we express this in our day to day life? In what ways do you struggle to give God the honor he is due?To what/whom do you look to give you comfort? Why is the comfort of God not always appealing?If Jesus truly secured for us the comfort of God that truly satisfies, how might God be calling you to trust in this good news? How might God be calling you to gift his comfort to someone else you know?What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 38:1-39:8 (ESV)38:1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.7 “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: 8 Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:10 I said, In the middle of my days I must depart;I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years.11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, the Lord in the land of the living;I shall look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world.12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me like a shepherd's tent;like a weaver I have rolled up my life; he cuts me off from the loom;from day to night you bring me to an end;13 I calmed myself until morning;like a lion he breaks all my bones; from day to night you bring me to an end.14 Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove.My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me, and he himself has done it.I walk slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live!17 Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness;but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction,for you have cast all my sins behind your back.18 For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you;those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness.19 The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day;the father makes known to the children your faithfulness.20 The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instrumentsall the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord.21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”39:1 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 3 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”Sermon OutlineAre you trusting God?1. Trusting God in Adversity38:2-3 “‘please… remember… wept bitterly”38:10 “in the middle of my days I must depart”, v11 “I shall not see the Lord in the land of the living”, v15 “bitterness of my soul”38:17 “…in love you have delivered my life”2. Trusting God in Prosperity39:2 “Hezekiah welcomed them gladly … there was nothing that Hezekiah did not show them…”39:6 “all that is in your house… shall be carried away to Babylon.”3. Trusting God in History 38:5-7 “the God of David your father… deliver you and this city… this shall be a sign”38:17 “in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction for you have cast all my sins behind my back”Prayer of ConfessionOur faithful God, we need you every hour. We confess our faith is weak. When things are difficult, our fears, resentments and suspicions keep us from humbly turning to you. In times of ease, our pride, hastiness and complacency hinder us from wisely seeking you. Our faulty faith gives rise to sinful habits and actions. In love, deliver us from the pit of destruction, and cast our sins behind us. We appeal to you in the name of Jesus, who graciously gave his life to grant us eternal life. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you find it easier to trust God when things are going well, or when things are difficult? Why?Why is trust so hard? How do you struggle to trust, or where are you struggling with trust?Why do people feel the need to understand why they are suffering?How can you walk with God in a difficult period where you are confused, can't make sense of why you are suffering, or understand how to get out of it? What should you do? What should you not do?How does bringing the question “what are you showing me?” to God help us navigate confusing difficult periods? What are ways you may neglect trusting God in periods where you feel confident or complacent? How can you be intentional to walk by faith during prosperous periods?How can you inquire of God when making a big decision? What can you do, and how do you discern God's leading?What are some of the implications of the fact that God doesn't just deliver from the brink of death, but he can deliver from death itself? How can that broaden and deepen you to trust God with the whole of your life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 36:1-37:7 (ESV)36:1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 2 And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. 3 And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.4 And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? 5 Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? 6 Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. 7 But if you say to me, “We trust in the Lord our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”? 8 Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 9 How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 10 Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”'”11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 12 But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?”13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'”21 But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, “Do not answer him.” 22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.37:1 As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. 2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. 3 They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.'”5 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.'”Sermon OutlineAt the heart of many our deepest question lies this one: can we trust God? Scripture repeatedly affirms we can and we must. 1. Can you trust God?36:8 “come… make a wager… I will give you…”36:6 “you are trusting Egypt, that broken staff”36:7 “is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed?”, v10 “the Lord said to me…”36:20 “who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands…?”2. How you can trust God37:1 “he tore his clothes… sackcloth… went into the house of the Lord” v4 “lift up your prayers”37: 2 “he sent to… Isaiah”37:4 “the Lord… will hear the words… mock the living God”3. Why you can trust God36:5 “do you think that mere words….?”, v13 “called out… hear the words of the great king…”37:6 “thus says the Lord: do not be afraid…”37:7 “he shall hear a rumor… I will make him fall by the sword”Prayer of ConfessionOur good and trustworthy Father, we humble ourselves in your presence. We confess that we have been fearful when we should have trusted, skeptical when we should have believed, selfish when we should have loved, and arrogant when we should have been humble. Forgive us for relying on ourselves rather than on You, for placing our trust in people, ideas, institutions, and the fleeting things of this world. We acknowledge that we have done what we ought not to have done, and left undone what we ought to have done. Have mercy on us and forgive our sins. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and forever. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhere do you struggle to trust God? What do you easily trust God for or about? What areas are hard?Should we ask the question “can I trust God?” How do we be thinking people but not let go of a foundation that should be assumed?Is there anything you can point to that makes it hard for you to trust God? What does it look like to work that out with God (instead of thinking about God, to walk with God in prayer and faithfulness)?What should we be looking for to spot deception? What are some patterns or techniques enemies use?How can you trust God? What do you do? Think of a situation (a decision, a challenge, a stressor, a temptation) you may face this week – how can you trust God in it?Why is God trustworthy? What about God's character or actions do you find most compelling?When the question arises “can I trust God?”, how does trust in Jesus focus and clarify how to answer the question?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 35:1-10 (ESV)1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing.The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not!Behold, your God will come with vengeance,with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing;everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.Sermon OutlineWalk through life with a steadfast hope—one that strengthens you in difficulty and enriches your life with lasting goodness.1. A Messagevv3-4 “Strengthen… make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not!”v1 “The wilderness… dry land… desert”, v7 “burning sand… thirsty ground… haunt of jackals”, vv8-9 “lion… ravenous beasts”2. A Redeemerv4 “Behold, your God… will come and save you.”vv5-7 “the eyes of the blind shall be opened… the ears of the deaf… the lame man… tongue of the mute… the burning sand shall become a pool”vv9-10 “the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return”v2 “They shall see the glory of the Lord…”3. A Highwayv8 “a highway shall be there.. the Way of Holinessv10 “the ransomed of the Lord shall return… with singing; everlasting joy… they shall obtain… joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”Prayer of ConfessionOur gracious Redeemer, you have made a way out of sin and death. Apart from you we are utterly stuck and helpless. We confess that despite all you have done and revealed, we still give in to temptation. We confess corrupt desires. We confess dishonorable actions. We admit we fail to meet your standard of holiness. We wander from you, choosing the very paths you have warned us against. Forgive all our sins. Give life to our dry souls. Fill us afresh with your Holy Spirit. Strengthen our weak hands and steady our anxious hearts. We thank you for your boundless mercy, in Jesus' name. Amen.Questions for ReflectionHow does hope provide strength when you face difficulties? How is hope different from optimism?What things do you tend to hope in when you feel weak or anxious?Why do people need a redeemer? What is redemption, and how does Jesus redeem his people?How is the Christian life a “path” to walk? What is good, exciting, and satisfying about the Christian way of life? What is hard?What does it mean to live a life of holiness? How does a future filled with joy and absent of sorrow help you face hardships in the present?What can we do when you have periods of spiritual dryness?How can you start to experience more of the joy of walking with God? What would help you come alive?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 30:1-18 (ESV)1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord,“who carry out a plan, but not mine,and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction,to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!3 Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.4 For though his officials are at Zoan and his envoys reach Hanes,5 everyone comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them,that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace.”6 An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb.Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the adder and the flying fiery serpent,they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that cannot profit them.7 Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her “Rahab who sits still.”8 And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book,that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children,children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord;10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right;speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel,“Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them,13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;14 and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlesslythat among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.”15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”But you were unwilling, 16 and you said,“No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away;and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee,till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.Sermon Outline1. The stubbornness of misplaced trust (v. 1-2, 9-11, 7)v. 1-2: “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!v. 9-11: For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD; who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”v. 7: Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her “Rahab who sits still.”2. The costliness of misplaced trust (v. 6, 3, 12-14, 16, 15)v. 6: An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb. Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the adder and the flying fiery serpent, they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that cannot profit them.v. 3: Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.v. 12-14: Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.”v. 15: For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling.3. An invitation to trust in God again (v. )v. 1: “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD,v. 9: For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD. v. 18: Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, you invite us to completely trust in you, but we often misplace our trust. We do not see you as trustworthy, and so we look to other things and people to trust in. We struggle with stubbornness, believing that what we do is right and best. We pay with our time, energy, resources, and affections. But you patiently wait for us to return. And when we return, you are always there to receive us. May we turn to you, run to you, and find our rest in you. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?What helps you to trust in God? What makes it difficult to trust in God?In what ways do you struggle with stubbornness? What do you think is at the core of this struggle for you? Are there people in your life that you trust who will speak hard but necessary truth to you? When has this happened?Where do you place your trust in that is not God? In what ways have you “made payment” to the thing or person that you trust in? In what setting have you essentially prayed to God, “thy will be done”? Are there certain areas of your life that you sense God calling you to pray this prayer to him?As you imagine God waiting for you to return (whether from besetting sin, or an unwise decision, or something else), what does that picture do for your heart and soul? Do you trust that he is waiting and ready to receive you? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 29:9-24 (ESV)9 Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind!Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink!10 For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep,and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).11 And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” 12 And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”13 And the Lord said:“Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me,and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,14 therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder;and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”15 Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”16 You turn things upside down!Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”;or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?17 Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book,and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.20 For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,21 who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.22 Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:“Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale.23 For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name;they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.24 And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction.”Sermon Outline1. The inner threat of indifference (v. 9-12)v. 9-10: Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink! For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).v. 11-12: 11: And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”2. The inner threat of pride (v. 13, 15-16)v. 16: You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?v. 13: And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.v. 15: Ah, you who hide deep from the LORD your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”3. The rescue we need from the outside (v. 14, 17-24)v. 14: Therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder.v. 22-23: Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, there are real threats all around us, but we fail to admit that we ourselves are a threat. We struggle with indifference and do not marvel at how wonderful you are. We struggle with pride and make too much of ourselves. Instead of seeing people for their innate worth, we strip them of their dignity and see them as objects. We look to you as a means for our personal gain. But how amazing is your grace that you rescue us when we do not deserve it, and you extend mercy even though we deserve judgment. May your grace and patience towards us transform our hearts and minds to be more like Jesus. We pray this in his name. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Have you felt indifference towards God? How did that affect your life at the time? How do you see indifference as a threat? In what ways do you struggle with pride? How does that affect your relationships with other people? How have you looked to God to get things from him more so than worshiping him? Of all the things that God has given us that we do not deserve, what resonates the most for you at this time? His kindness, his patience, his rescue, his compassion, etc? Meditate on this and allow your heart to be moved to worship.What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 25:1-12 (ESV)1 O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name,for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.2 For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin;the foreigners' palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,5 like heat in a dry place.You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down.6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.8 He will swallow up death forever;and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.9 It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”10 For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill.11 And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim, but the Lord will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands.12 And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust.Sermon OutlineHow do we live when the veil of death (v7) produces ignorance and confusion?1. Humblyv11 “the Lord will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands” v3 “cities of ruthless nations” (vv4-5)2. Faithfullyv6 “…the Lord of hosts will make… a feast of rich food…”v7-8 “he will swallow up on this mountain the covering… death forever…will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach… he will take away”v1 “for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure”3. Wiselyv9 “It will be said… ‘this is our God; we have waited for him… let us be glad…”v1 “O Lord, you are my God… I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.”v5 “You subdue the noise…”Prayer of ConfessionO Lord, we have been confused and fearful. We are guilty of pride and ruthlessness. We admit we have sinned. We have failed to know and trust you. We have followed the course of the world, causing harm and shame. We are guilty in our actions and in our secret thoughts. Take away the reproach and free us from sin and death. Your word, your plan, your purposes are trustworthy. We rejoice that you are so merciful to us. We wait on you, trusting in the grace you have shown us through Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat can we know about death? What can't we know? How does mortality affect you? What are implications of your view of what happens after we die?Why are people so prone to pride? What draws us towards pride, associating with the proud, and having buy-in on the values or ways of those who are proud?Why does pride move in the trajectory towards ruthlessness?What impact does pride have on how we view and understand God? What are some things we can learn from God “swallowing up death”?How does understanding God's plans help make sense of life? While we don't know all the details of our particular lives, how does knowing the framework help you navigate the present?What has God shown us that gives us cause to rejoice and have hope? How do we sustain hope in a world that has so much that is terrible in it?Is the Christian life worth living? Is it wise, good, worthy of our devotion? Why or why not?What are some outcomes of a life faithfully lived with Christ, according to his ways?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 20:1-6 (ESV)1 In the year that the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.3 Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. 5 Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. 6 And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?'”Sermon OutlineAs we step into this new year, let's ground our hope in something lasting and true, avoiding the disappointment that often comes from trusting in things that fade or fail.1. Misplaced Hopevv1-2 “In the year… at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah…” v6 “Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria!” 2. Dismay and Shamevv3-5 “…so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles… they shall be dismayed and ashamed…”3. The Servant Who Is a Signv3 “my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty and merciful God, we humbly confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. We have sought life, security, and salvation in things that cannot satisfy, and we have trusted in our own strength rather than in Your unfailing love. Our hearts have strayed, and our affections have been divided. Forgive us for our misplaced hopes and the ways we have turned from You. Purify us, O Lord, and renew us by Your Spirit. Clothe us in the righteousness of Christ, that we may live faithfully and reflect Your grace to the world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.Questions for ReflectionAs you enter 2025, have you made any resolutions? Why or why not? What are your hopes for this year, and where does your hope ultimately rest?Why is it risky to place our deepest hopes in people, possessions, goals, or ideologies? How might this shape our lives and expectations?Can you recall a time when you placed your hope in something that ultimately failed? How did that experience affect you—emotionally, spiritually, or mentally? What lessons did you take away from it?Isaiah was called to walk “naked” for three years as a prophetic sign. How does this strike you? If you lived during his time, how might this affect your ability to trust his message? Would it clarify or complicate things for you?When you feel afraid, where do you instinctively turn for comfort, guidance, or distraction? Who or what consistently gives you hope during difficult times?How can Christians faithfully live “in the world but not of the world”? How do we avoid being consumed by worldly pursuits, while also resisting an escapist faith that disconnects from real life?The Bible presents Jesus as the only secure foundation for our hope. What do you find compelling about trusting in Him? In what areas do you find it challenging to place your trust fully in Christ?How can you begin to shift your hope from temporary things to Christ? What practical steps can you take to realign your thoughts, habits, and commitments with Him?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 14:1-23 (ESV)1 For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord's land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.3 When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:“How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased!5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers,6 that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows,that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.7 The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing.8 The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying,‘Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.'9 Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come;it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth;it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.10 All of them will answer and say to you:‘You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!'11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps;maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven;above the stars of God I will set my throne on high;I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you:‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,17 who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?'18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb;19 but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch,clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people.“May the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named!21 Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers,lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.”22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord. 23 “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.Sermon OutlineRemembering Past Promises (v. 1-2)Confronting the Present Reality (v. 3-21)Holding onto a Future Certainty (v. 22-23)Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, the darkness of the world looms overs us. We fail to remember your promises from of old. We are prone to trust the powers of the world instead of yours. We struggle with despair and sometimes believe that hoping is in vain. But you are the sovereign and compassionate God who has made good on your promise by sending Jesus to be our salvation. May we trust in his finished work that gives us an enduring hope. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Why do you think it was difficult for the Israelites to remember God's promises? Why do you find it difficult to remember God's promises?How does the prophesied downfall of Babylon in Isaiah 14 illustrate the limits of worldly power? Discuss the tension between confronting the present reality with all of its struggles along with God's sovereignty. Describes the differences between how Babylon shows power and how Jesus shows power.In what ways do you need to hold onto the future certainty secured for us by Jesus? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 11:1-10 (ESV)1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.Sermon OutlineIn a hope destroying world, what can we know that will lead to wise living?1. Foolish Humanityv3 “And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see…”2. The Wise Humanv2 “the Spirit of the Lord… of wisdom…”v5 “righteousness… faithfulness the belt…”3. Humankind Called to Wisdomv10 “the root of Jesse… a signal… the nations inquire” (v1 “stump of Jesse”)v8 “the nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra”v2 “the Spirit of knowledge”, v9 “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord”Prayer of ConfessionOur wise and faithful God, forgive us for our foolishness. We have all sinned. We have looked with our eyes, desired in our hearts, and done what we know we should not. We have been unrighteous and unfaithful. Through Jesus, the only righteous and faithful one, we ask that you forgive all our sins. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with the Spirit of wisdom. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDoes the Christmas story feel like a fantasy? What are the important elements of the story? What is true and helpful? Differentiate the story as the Bible tells it and as our culture celebrates it.How are people foolish? What patterns are true of all of us? What are some ways we are we fooled?What evidence in our world displays how foolish humanity is?How was Jesus wise? What about his life or teachings show that he lived how people should live? What in his teaches helps people to have deeper discernment?How does Jesus image God? What can we see of God when we look at Jesus?Why is the birth of Jesus significant? In what ways is his arrival a signal to all people? How does following Jesus make a person wise? What does it mean to “know God”? Why does wisdom require more than facts and information?How does delighting in reverence for God produce wisdom in us? How does it protect us? What sources of delight typically rank higher in your life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Sermon InfoSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Lessons & CarolsOn the following passages from Luke's Gospel Luke 1:26-38 Luke 1:46-55 Luke 2:1-21

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 9:1-7 (ESV)1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy;they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold itwith justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.Sermon OutlineIsaiah looks ahead to the one God sends into the world to turn all things around and begin the healing of the world. 1. The Way of Our Worldv2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great lightvv4-5 …yoke of his burden… staff… rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian… boot of the tramping warrior… garment rolled in blood…8:11-13,17-19, 21-22 conspiracy/fear, inquiry, rage2. The Way of the Lordv1 but in the latter time…v6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… the government shall be upon his shoulder v7 to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness3. The Way of the Lord in the Worldv7 to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousnessv6 his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace v7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end… the Lord of hosts will do thisPrayer of ConfessionWonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace: you have established justice and righteousness. We all fall short of your standard of righteousness. We confess our unjust thoughts and actions. We have neglected what is good. We have taken hold of what is evil. Instead of advancing your peace, we have helped multiply the sin of our world. Forgive us. We take hold of the mercy granted us in Christ, and claim his righteousness. Amen.Questions for ReflectionIn what ways is our world unhealthy? What symptoms do you see that indicate something is wrong?What examples do you see in public discourse of how people are relating and addressing issues that is making things worse?Do you discern God at work anywhere within our world now? Do you see any evidence of God sustaining or advancing good?What are some ways that Jesus' entry into the world begins to address our world problems? What do Christians believe about the “incarnation” (the Son of God becoming human) that points to unique ways God is repairing the world?How does Jesus deal with sin in a way that no other person can?How does Jesus establish righteousness and justice? How does he uphold them?How are followers of Jesus to uphold righteousness and justice?What reasonable expectations should you have for going into the world to do good?What will you need to stay firm in doing good?What does it look like for God to be at work in the world through you?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 7:1-17 (ESV)1 In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. 2 When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.3 And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. 4 And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7 thus says the Lord God:“‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin.And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.'”10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”Sermon OutlineFaith can be challenged (v. 1-2)An invitation to have faith (v. 3-9)Faith that can endure (v. 10-17)Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you invite us to have faith in you, but it is not easy. Instead of trusting in you, we take matters into our own hands. We often care more about what you can do for us rather than who you are. Help us to see your invitations to have faith in you. You are a God who not only makes promises, but you fulfill them. May we trust that you are Immanuel; God with us. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Can you recall a time when your faith in God was tested? How did you respond in that time? How do your struggles shape the way you see God? Have there been times of learning, growth, or wavering? Have there been challenging moments that drew you closer to God? What did you learn about God through those experiences?One of the names of God is Immanuel: God with us. Do you resonate with this? In what ways does this comfort you? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 6:1-13 (ESV)1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory!”4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes;lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?”And he said:“Until cities lie waste without inhabitant,and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste,12 and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.13 And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again,like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.”The holy seed is its stump.Sermon OutlineGod has made a way for us to turn to him and be healed.1. Terrifiedv1 “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne”v3 said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts”v4 “the foundations of the thresholds shook… the house was filled with smoke” v5 “And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips'”2. Purifiedv2 “Above him stood the seraphim”vv6-7 “a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth…” v10 “lest they… turn and be healed”3. Magnifiedv8 “who will go for us?” v13 “The holy seed is its stump”v7 “your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for”v3 “the whole earth is full of his glory!”Prayer of ConfessionOur holy God, we are by nature an unclean people. There is sin deep within us too painful to acknowledge. There are many ways our hearts are hardened to you. We admit impure thoughts and actions. We would be lost apart from your mercy. Forgive us. We thank you that Jesus atoned for our sins to remove our guilt. We pray for the sanctifying work of the Spirit to cleanse us from sin and produce holiness in us. Amen.Questions for ReflectionHow do you understand the word “holy”? What does it mean? Do you find holiness attractive and desirable?What are your fears about God? What insecurities do you have that cause you to keep God at a distance? Which are keeping you from engaging more deeply with Christians?Can God forgive without someone doing something to make things right? Why is atonement important for understanding how forgiveness is possible for us?How does Jesus' death on the cross remove the guilt of our sin?Do you believe that if your faith is in Jesus God will not reject or judge you? Why?Why is sanctification important? Why is it necessary to be cleansed from sin?What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our sanctification? How are sinners made holy?What expectations do you have for growth and progress in holiness? What will you need?How does Jesus help people get through periods when they feel unworthy and hopeless?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 5:1-7 (ESV)1 Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard:My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.2 He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,judge between me and my vineyard.4 What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it?When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?5 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard.I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured;I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.6 I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up;I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting;and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!Sermon OutlineLooking at ourselves from God's perspective clarifies our need and helps us turn to God for life.1. Where are you putting down roots?v4 What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? (vv1-2)2. What do you observe being produced?v2 …but it yielded wild grapesv7 he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!v5 now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard3. How can you change?v1 Let me sing for my belovedPrayer of ConfessionOur wise and patient Father, we appeal to you for mercy. We are guilty of idolatry. We have tried to get life, meaning and satisfaction in things that have produced bad fruit in our lives. We have ignored the signs of how unhealthy we are. We cannot claim to be righteous or just. Forgive every sin. We turn to you, the only source of life. Please do not hand us over to our sinful desires to reap the rotten fruit of our selfish arrogance. Nourish us with your love and grace so that the life of Christ is in us, producing fruit consistent with repentance. Amen.Questions for ReflectionHow can we gain God's perspective? How do we learn what God sees, wants, is doing, etc.?What mistakes will we make when we judge everything based on our own experiences and personal understanding? How are we prone to misunderstanding our lives and our world? How are we prone to misunderstanding God?What happens if we take for granted all that God has provided for us?How do you try to find life in the world? What do you seek after, devote yourself to, or are drawn to for fulfillment?Why do we act in ways that harm others?Why is it so hard to change bad behaviors?How is union with Christ a way of understanding the whole of the Christian life?Why is it crucial to receive the love of Christ on an on-going basis? How can you remain aware of Christ's love?How can love for Christ shape the whole of your life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 2:1-5 (ESV)1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lordshall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills;and all the nations shall flow to it,3 and many peoples shall come, and say:“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples;and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.Sermon OutlineWhat is God showing us that will completely change how we live?v1 “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw...”v2 “It shall come to pass in the latter days…”1. Reimagining Greatnessv2 “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains”2. Revisiting What Is Possiblev3 “For out of Zion shall go forth… the word of the Lord…”vv2-3 “… many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord… that we may walk in his paths.” v4 “they shall beat their swords into plowshares… nation shall not lift up sword against nation...”3. The End of the Path We Walkv5 “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”Prayer of ConfessionSovereign Lord: have mercy on us. We have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have magnified insignificant things, coveting and fighting over what is of little value. We have not trusted you because we have let our imaginations define what is possible. We have grasped weapons and ways that produce death. We confess our fears, resentment, pride, greed, and every other force for destruction within us. We long for real peace. Forgive us. Light the way before us and lead us forward. Amen.Questions for ReflectionHave you ever seen a picture and thought “I want to be there?” Reflect on that experience. What did you do, what could you have done, or what should you have done?What are the biggest, most important things in your life? What are you working towards? What will you make sacrifices for? What do you think will satisfy you if you attain it?Why are the things Jesus talks about and directs us towards not attractive to most people (or are they)?What promises of the Bible do you have the most trouble believing? What seems most impossible? Why do you have trouble with those things?How can a picture of where things are headed help you make choices in the present? What in the picture Isaiah presents of future days can make a difference in what you are doing now?Is it ever too late to get yourself on the path of God? What keeps you from going even if you have the sense that God is inviting?Why is Jesus essential to making it possible for people to get to this place Isaiah is showing us? Do you think this future heavenly vision will inspire greater engagement with the world for those who believe it, or less engagement? Why? In the current climate (what is happening in the world right now) what does it look like to walk with God? What ways of Christ do we need to take hold of? How can the light of God shine from you into the world? How can our church be more of a city on a hill?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

We encountered some technical difficulties. There are excised gaps of about a minute at 7:00 and 24:40. The full sermon is available in audio only below. Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 1:1-20 (ESV)1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken:“Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.3 The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib,but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”4 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly!They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.5 Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel?The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it,but bruises and sores and raw wounds;they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.7 Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire;in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard,like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.9 If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors,we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom!Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord;I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts;I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.12 “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me.New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates;they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you;even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;cease to do evil,17 learn to do good;seek justice, correct oppression;bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”Sermon OutlineWe are invited into a long dialogue (v18) about wonderful and difficult things - what will make this conversation productive?1. Come to know Godv2 “children I have reared and brought up” v3 “the ox knows its owner… my people do not understand”2. Humbly accept your needv10 “hear the word… Sodom… Gomorrah”v13 “I cannot endure iniquity and your solemn assembly” v15 “when you spread out your hands… your hands are full of blood” 3. See what the Lord will do for youv18 “though your sins are like scarlet they shall become white as snow”vv19-20 “if… you shall eat… but if… you shall be eaten”Prayer of ConfessionHoly God, we are assembled before you and we confess our iniquity. We admit our ignorance and foolishness. You are our true Father, but we have exposed how little we know you. We act like the community of the corrupt, not the family of God. Forgive our religious hypocrisy. Forgive every harmful action. Apart from you, we are stuck in our sin. Thank you for the promise of cleansing and forgiveness. We marvel at your grace and generosity. We look to Jesus who shed his blood to cleanse the blood on our hands. Amen.Questions for ReflectionIf you will be going through Isaiah with Emmanuel (or at some point on your own), what expectations do you have? What will you encounter along the way?What is the difference between knowing God and knowing about God? How does one know God?When you encounter parts of the Bible where God offers correction, what is your response? What do you feel? What do you think?Why is God's goodness and love for us foundational for walking with God? What happens if we are not firm in those convictions?Why is it so hard for people to receive correction? How does true faith produce life change? What are the dangers of going to church or engaging with God simply to have the feelings of guilt relieved?Do you believe that life with God is inherently rewarding? Do you believe that life apart from God is inherently dangerous?What questions do you have for God in response to the revelation that God is holy and you need to trust Him and walk with Him? What do you want to know? What do you need to learn? What kind of help will you require? How will you listen or watch for answers?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Reformation Sunday1 Timothy 1:15-17 (ESV) 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.Sermon OutlineHow do we give God alone the glory? 1. We need to see ourselves more clearlyv. 15-16: The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. [16] But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost…2. We need to see God more clearlyv. 15: The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world…v. 15: … Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…v. 16: But I received mercy…3. We need to see the world more clearlyv. 16: But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. v. 17: To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, we confess that we do not always give you all the glory. Too often, we seek our own glory. We do not see ourselves as the foremost of all sinners because we believe we are not as terrible as we think we are. We need rescue from the bondage of comparison. By the power of your Spirit, help us to see ourselves more clearly that while we are sinners, we are your beloved children. Help us to see you more clearly that you sent Jesus to the world not to condemn, but to save us. And may we see the world more clearly where your perfect patience is displayed. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?How is possible that the Apostle can refer to himself as the greatest sinner ever? Why do we compare ourselves with others and how can this lead to exhaustion?How is it good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners? How is this a helpful summary of Christianity?What practice of beholding splendor do you need more of? How can giving God alone the glory affects our witness to the world?What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathMatthew 11:25-12:14 (ESV)25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.Sermon OutlineWhat kind of life has the quality of genuine rest within it?1. The Perfectionist Trap12:2, 4, 12 “lawful”12:7 “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice”2. Discerning What Is Greater12:3 “have you not read what David did”; 12:5 “or have you not read in the law…”12:6 “I tell you something greater than the temple is here”11:27 “no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son”11:25 “you have hidden these things from the wise… and revealed them to little children”3. Good Rest Given to Us11:28 “come to me… I will give you rest”12:11-12 “how much more value is a man than a sheep?”12:12 “So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath”11:29 “rest for your souls”Prayer of ConfessionMerciful Lord, we are weary people. We have exhausted ourselves keeping rules of our own making. We have neglected love and faithfulness, exposing how little we know you. Were it not for your goodness and mercy, we would collapse under our burden of guilt. Who is like you, so generous and gracious? It is through Christ, who gave himself for us, that we come appealing for forgiveness. With childlike faith, we come at your invitation seeking rest for our souls. Amen.Questions for ReflectionAre rules necessary? Why or why not?What can go wrong when you are focused on rules?Why does Jesus heal people on the sabbath? What is he showing us?When we read about Jesus in the Gospels, what kinds of things shape what we notice, perceive, or understand? What influences our interpretations and how we assess Jesus?What are some implications of Jesus' claim that no one can know God the Father except through him?How does Jesus give rest to people?Why is rest something that is received? Why can't we just make ourselves rest?How does insight into the mercy of God bring rest to our souls? How is goodness a quality of the Christian life? What practices would make the Lord's day “good” for you?What would help you experience church in a way that brings deeper rest to your soul?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathLeviticus 23:3, Colossians 2:16-19, Revelation 1:9-11 (ESV)3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.Colossians 216 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.Revelation 19 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”Sermon OutlineWe are nourished to grow when we connect with God each week by looking up to Christ.1. HeadCol 2:19 “…holding fast to the head…”Col 2:18 “… puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind…”2. SubstanceCol 2:17 “these are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ”Col 2:16 “let no one pass judgment on you… with regard to… sabbath”3. LordRev 1:10 “in the Spirit on the Lord's day” (Lev 23:3 “a holy convocation”)Col 2:16, 18 “let no one pass judgment on you”, “let no one disqualify you”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, you are above all. We humble ourselves, admitting our need of forgiveness. We have been puffed up, thinking we are fine apart from you. We have been prideful, striving to earn what we could never attain. We have sought life in the shadowy things but not in the substance, Jesus Christ. Our restless souls are mired in the mess we have made because of the sinful thoughts and actions that spring from our corrupt hearts. We are setting our minds above, to where Christ is seated, to remember your mercy and ask again for forgiveness. Bring rest to our weary souls, and nourish us for the growth that comes from you alone. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat nourishes your soul? As you look back, what has helped you grow?Why is Jesus described as a “head”? What is it about a head that is important for us to understand?What practices can you prioritize on the first day of the week to help you put your mind in connection with the mind of Christ? What can you do to help you see what Jesus wants you to see?What can go wrong if you are chasing mystical experiences?How can keeping a sabbath day become burdensome?What can we learn from Jesus being presented as the “substance”, with all that was before him being shadow?What is significant about Christians gathering weekly on the day Jesus was raised? How is the gospel a help for anyone trying to keep the discipline of a day of rest? What challenges will come up as you try to keep this practice and why is God's grace important for working through them? What kind of rest is possible when you are working the gospel into your life (what weighs on you that can be lifted as you gain the mind of Christ and his grace)?

About 3 minutes are missing at minute 18:09 due to technical difficulties. The missing minutes are available in the audio recording.Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: SabbathLuke 13:10-17 (ESV)1 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.Sermon OutlineWhy do we need the Sabbath?1. We need the Sabbath to notice things we would otherwise not notice v. 10: Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. v. 12: When Jesus saw her, he called her over2. We need the Sabbath to remind ourselves that we are not God v. 12: When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.v. 14: But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. v. 14: But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”3. We need the Sabbath to give us hopev. 15: “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”Luke 4:18-19: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”John 16:33: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you have given us the Sabbath as a gift to rest, to see the world and ourselves more rightly, and to hope for the restoration of all things. But instead of receiving the Sabbath as a gift, we receive it as a threat. We do not want to slow down and acknowledge the broken things of the world. We do not want to admit our limits and inabilities. Jesus, help us to receive and follow the Sabbath as a gift and as your mercy to us. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Describe the challenges you face to follow and observe the Sabbath.If the Sabbath allows us to see and notice the broken things around us, what specific things is Jesus inviting you to see? In what ways do you find Jesus threatening? Are there any particular teachings that you find difficult to embrace and follow?The Sabbath reminds us that we are not God. How do you see this as a threat? How might you see this as God's mercy? Have there been times when you felt nearer to Jesus when you acknowledged your limits and inabilities? The Sabbath points us to a greater hope that is coming. What are you trusting Jesus for in recent times? How does the Sabbath help you to hope well? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathAmos 8:1-14 (ESV)1 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2 And he said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me,“The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them.3 The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day,”declares the Lord God.“So many dead bodies!”“They are thrown everywhere!”“Silence!”4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end,5 saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain?And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale,that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances,6 that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?”7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:“Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.8 Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it,and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?”9 “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.10 I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation;I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head;I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.11 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east;they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.13 “In that day the lovely virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst.14 Those who swear by the Guilt of Samaria, and say, ‘As your god lives, O Dan,'and, ‘As the Way of Beersheba lives,' they shall fall, and never rise again.”Sermon OutlineIs sabbath an opportunity or is it limiting? 1. End of Relationshipvv1-2 “a basket of summer fruit” “the end has come…”v5 “when will the sabbath be over?”v3 “the songs of the temple... wailing”v2 “never again pass by them” v11 “famine of the word of God” 2. End of Corruptionv5 “make the ephah small and shekel great, deal deceitfully with false balances”v4 “bring the poor to an end” (v6 “buy the poor”)3. End of Miseryv12 “seek and not find” v9 “I will make the sun go down at noon”v10 “…make it like the mourning for an only son” v13 “young men… faint for thirst” v14 “your god… shall fall… and never rise”Prayer of ConfessionOur Father, like children we depend on you for all things. We admit our sin. We have looked to you for what you can give us, failing to appreciate you, the giver. We have looked to the world thinking it can give us something better. We have experienced your ways as burdensome; we have resented your protective restraints. In greed, we have crossed lines for personal gain, causing damage and dishonoring others. We have ignored your word. We have misunderstood your patience. Through Christ, cleanse us from all sin. Open our ears to hear your gospel of grace so that everything in our lives is renewed and aligned with you. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you look forward to Sunday? What is your favorite part of the day?What kinds of things will you miss church for? How do you decide (what priorities do you have and how do you weigh them)?Are you eager for your work week to end (most weeks)? Why? Do you have a time you are committed to each week where you will not do any work?What would be your response to a prophet announcing a “famine of God's word”? How would this effect you? What would you be concerned about? Where do you see greed at work in your life? How does greed effect you?Why does greed within us prohibit connecting deeply with God?Is there any area of your life where you are cheating, manipulating, fudging the truth or taking advantage of others? Why? What are you gaining?How can God's generosity change your heart? What is so striking about Jesus giving himself so sacrificially for us?Since you can now seek and find, what are you doing to seek God?How can you make the most of a day for worship? What things can you do? What should you not do on that one day?How can a day of worship refresh you for the work of the other 6 days?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathExodus 16:13-30 (ESV)13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.'” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.Sermon OutlineWhy should we prepare for a day to feed our souls?1. Bodies with Appetitesv15 “what is it?” “it is the bread the Lord has given you”vv16-21 “…whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack” (v18)v23 “… bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil… all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning“2. Souls that Hungerv26 “on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none”v12 “then you shall know…”3. Food that Gives LifeJohn 6:58 “whoever feeds on this bread will live forever”v23 “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord”v30 “so the people rested on the seventh day”Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, you give life and all we need for life. We confess how little of our daily dependence we understand, and how little of your provision we recognize. We struggle with disordered appetites. We grumble against you while we reap the consequences of own foolishness. We have been calloused to the troubles we have caused others. We have muted our spiritual hunger. Rest in you has been a low priority. Forgive every sin. We remember Jesus, the true bread who came down from heaven; who gave his body for our bodies; who will raise up all who have received his grace. Nourish our souls as we remember Jesus with faith. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you ever prepare for a day off? For vacation? If so, how? If not, why not?What role does food preparation play in your life? How much time is spent in attaining the means to acquire it, prepare it, consume it? What appetite do you have that is stronger or takes precedence over your appetite to eat? What do you desire most?How do you struggle with contentment? What in your life do you feel you never have enough of? Do you have a hunger for God? Is there a desire for more of God? How do you know?If you had a full 24 hour period to focus only on loving God and loving people – on cultivating your soul – what would you do? What would you find difficult to do?How does Jesus, the person, nourish our souls? What does it mean to “eat his body”? How are we to understand what he means in his call to trust him for eternal life, and to come alive and grow spiritually?What can you do to free up time on Sundays for more intentional life with God?What is an enjoyable thing you do to connect with God? How can you find a time every Sunday to do it?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathDeuteronomy 5:12-15 (ESV)12 “‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.Sermon OutlineBe clear on what is first in your life (make sure it is God) and guard that priority with how you organize your time (v14).1. Remember That You Were Slavesv15 “You shall remember that you were a slave”2. Remember That God Brought You Outv15b “You shall remember that… God brought you out from there”3. Observe and Keep a Dayv12 “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.”v13 “On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant...”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, our great redeemer, again we need your grace. We admit our sin and failings. We remember that we have given ourselves over to what has enslaved us. We have served and devoted ourselves to people, things, institutions and ideologies. We have suffered the miseries of idolatry. We have subjected others to misery because of our corrupt stewardship of power. We have not welcomed your invitation or heeded your warning to keep you first in our lives. Forgive us. As we remember our sin and misery, we also remember you, our deliverer. Thank you for coming in glory and power to rescue us. Thank you for coming with humility and dealing with our sin with such sacrificial mercy. Free us from guilt and shame, and refresh us for our walk with you this week. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat is your first priority in life? Where is it in your schedule? How have you prioritized it?Why is it important to have a positive vision of work and rest? Why is rest good, even if it doesn't feel needed?Why is it important to discern ways work gets corrupted? What are some ways work has been or become problematic for you?Why is important to see rest as a means of dealing with how work is negatively impacting you?What does it mean to “remember you were a slave”? A slave to what? What have you experienced that touches on this theme?Who do we see God to be in moments like the exodus or in Jesus going to the cross? What do these actions display about the character of God?Do you need to draw more heavily on God's strength, as the protector who comes to deliver and defend; or on God's kindness and compassion, who cares about you and enters your suffering? How are both needed?How can you put and keep God first in your life? What needs to happen with your rhythms and schedule to safeguard that?What can you do to make the first day of the week a day where you are connecting with God? What do you need to be careful about?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathGenesis 1:26-2:3; Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV)26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.Sermon OutlineTake the day God has given you: rest in Him and make that the center of how you organize your time.1. Patterns of Work and RestExodus 20:9-10 “Six days you shall labor… but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.”2. Inverted RealityGenesis 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work… and he rested…”Genesis 1:26-27 “God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…”3. A Day to Look to the Eternal GodExodus 20:8 “remember”Genesis 2:3, Exodus 20:11 “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, you have made all things good and blessed us with the dignity of bearing your image. We admit our sin and shortcomings to you. Instead of imitating you, we have attempted to replace you. We have not made you the center of our lives. We have rested when we should be working, we have worked when we should be resting. We are tired. Forgive our disobedience. Thank you for the work of Christ which brings rest to our weary souls. Thank you for gifting us a day to assemble in your presence. Cleanse us from all sin, and refresh our hearts for the work of this week. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat does time off look like for you? How often do you take intentional breaks? What do you do?Which is more difficult for you: resting or working? Why?What is good about setting aside one day in seven for rest and worship? What are some benefits?What makes taking a whole day off hard?What has misplaced God in your life? What corrupted thoughts keep you from enjoying God? Imitating God? Trusting God?Why is it impossible for our work to ever be good enough? How can you cease when it feels like more needs to be done? What do you need to remember?How does Jesus completing the work of redemption free those who trust him? What does his work on the cross free you from?How is sabbath a gift? What is helpful to remember on the sabbath?How can make Sunday a special day? What would make it joyful? What can be part of your weekly routine to connect with God on the first day of the week?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Micah 6:6-8 (ESV)6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?Sermon OutlineWalking with God is the key ingredient missing in most efforts for a good life.1. Wholeness for a Good Lifev8 “do justice… love kindness… walk humbly with your God”2. Weariness as a Symptomv3 “In what have I wearied you?”vv6-8 “With what shall I come before the Lord…?”3. Walking Humbly With God v7 “Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?”v8 “humbly with”v8 “he has told you what is good… what does the Lord require…?”Prayer of ConfessionOur just and merciful God, we are present with you but have little to offer. We have not done enough to earn your favor. What we have done should provoke your anger. You are so kind and patient with us, but we are harsh and selfish towards one another. You invite us to walk with you, but we go astray. Forgive us our sins. Were it not for your compassion, and for what Jesus has done on our behalf, we would have no hope. Thank you for showing us what is good. Thank you for giving so generously and sacrificially to us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat do you most gravitate towards: doing justice, loving kindness, or walking with God? Why? What does this look like in your life?Can you live justly if you are not walking with God? How does walking with God help one realize a truly upright life?Why do Christians wind up legalistic? Why can Christians tend towards an emotionalism? What is needed to hold together the fulness of the Christian life?Do you find walking with God energizing and strengthening? When do you find the Christian life wearying? What do you think is causing any current weariness?What in how you relate to God betrays problematic assumptions about who God is? What religious habits in your life point you to areas where you are not relating well to God?What keeps you from seeing the good God shows you? What hinders you from hearing the good God speaks to you? What can you do to be more open to receiving from God?How are you walking with God in daily life? What are next steps for you to live life more fully with God? Where in your life are you least mindful of God?

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Charles DrewSermon Series: PoliticsPsalm 97 (ESV)1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.3 Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.4 His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.7 All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!8 Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11 Light is sown [dawns] for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!Sermon Outline SlidesPrayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, our Heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbors, in thought, word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may serve you in newness of life, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Psalm 77 - With God in the DarkPsalm 77 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.5 I consider the days of old, the years long ago.6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.Sermon OutlineHow do you reorient with God when you feel lost? (v15)1. Remember the Redeemerv10 “Then I said, ‘I will appeal to… the years of the right hand of the Most High'” vv11-I4 “will remember the deeds… your wonders of old…Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?”2. Let the Redeemer Lead the Wayv16 “When the waters saw you, they were afraid”v19 “Your way was through the sea… yet your footprints were unseen”v20 “You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron”Prayer of ConfessionOur mighty Redeemer, you have made us, and you provide daily for us. Instead of eagerly drawing near to you, we continually wander away. We don't follow your lead. We take so much for granted. We lose sight of you as we foolishly set our eyes and hopes on other things. We act in ways that are contrary to yours. We are left with troubled souls. Without your gracious intervention we would have no hope. Thank you for paying the debt of our sin and for granting us forgiveness in such a costly way. In the name of Jesus our redeemer, show us mercy. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat do you do when you feel lost or in the dark? What works or helps? What does not?Why is it hard to see God or connect with God when you are in a difficult time? Is it harder for you to connect with God in difficult times, or when things are going well?What is most helpful to you: God as creator, as redeemer, or as sustainer? (the creator who wisely makes, orders and gives life; the redeemer who lovingly, courageously, and sacrificially comes and rescues; the sustainer who daily provides)What are the most helpful things to bring to mind and meditate on regarding who God is, what God has done, or what God says? Is there anything you avoid? Anything that other Christians find helpful that you don't? Why?How is Jesus as a redeemer a unique help to those who feel lost, overwhelmed, hopeless, or unworthy? How can connecting with Jesus be a step towards seeing/appreciating the greatness of the Creator? How can connecting with Jesus be a step towards seeing/appreciating the kind, responsible provision of the sustainer?What does Jesus going into darkness on the cross reveal about God? How is this a help to people who are fearful or skeptical yet have a longing to draw near to God?Why do you find it hard to fully receive from God? What keeps you from resting in Him? What would happen if you ceased striving for a period?What is one thing that roots you in God's goodness that you can think about this week?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Psalm 77 - With God in the DarkPsalm 77 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.5 I consider the days of old, the years long ago.6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.Sermon OutlineDifficult periods that require adaptation and patience also expose our weakness and immaturity - we can deepen and grow while going through these periods if we stay with Jesus. 1. The Struggle of Changev4 “You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” vv5-6 “I consider the days of old… ‘Let me remember'”2. Hard Questionsv6 “Then my spirit made a diligent search”vv7-9 “Will the Lord… never again… forever ceased… an end for all time?” Has God forgotten…? 3. A Good Shepherdv10 “I will appeal to… the right hand of the Most High.”Prayer of ConfessionOur good Shepherd, we have wandered and strayed. We have resisted the path of growth. We have stubbornly refused change. In our efforts to force you into our desires and understandings, we have erred in many ways. We are guilty of false accusations against you. When we have needed you most we pushed you away. Forgive every sin. We are guilty too in what we have thought of others and how we have treated them. We confess we are helpless apart from you. Forgive our unbelief. We appeal to you, asking for your continued oversight, and praying for mercy as we return to walk with you. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat fears arise when you are in periods of change?What assumptions do you have, or what judgements are you quick to make regarding God or what you think God is doing, when in difficult periods? Are there certain questions you are continually asking God? Why? What are strategies for staying with God when you don't have answers to your questions?How can you discern each next faithful step? What are things you can do while you can't grasp how it all fits together to take one action at a time that is faithfully on the path of Christ?Is there anything God is teaching you now? What is happening in your life and how can you move deeper and into greater maturity as you navigate it?What makes Jesus the good shepherd? What do you see in Jesus or what Jesus offers that is still desirable?How are you being called to trust God in this season? What need or limitation requires that you rest in Him and wait on Him?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Psalm 77 - With God in the DarkPsalm 77 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.5 I consider the days of old, the years long ago.6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.Sermon OutlineThere will be difficult stretches on the path of following Jesus where you will need to seek God while having the impression God is not with you. 1. Staying With God v1 “I cry aloud to God… he will hear me” 2. Painful Rememberingv3 “When I remember God, I moan…” 3. Seeking Comfort In Godv2 “In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord… my soul refuses to be comforted”Prayer of ConfessionWe cry aloud to you, O God. Help us! We are weak and weary. We admit our unsteady faith, and the guilt of our sin. We give up too quickly. We are too desperate for comfort. In our confusion, we assume the worst of you. Forgive every sin in every area of our lives. Thank you for Jesus, who entered our misery, yet without sin. We appeal to you in his name, who made provision for our forgiveness, and through his suffering reconciled us. We remember you and we humbly acknowledge your mercy. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you ever have the sense that God is with you? What is that experience like? Is it sufficient for strength and encouragement to keep going in most circumstances?What questions arise in your mind regarding God when you are suffering? What are your fears? What makes you angry? What do you stay confused about?What does it look like to “walk with God”? In daily life, what is it like to navigate decisions with the intention to go through life with God?What does it look like to walk with God when you are of the impression God is not with/for you? How do you navigate that? What temptations do you need to be watchful for?What are appropriate things to do when you feel you need God but aren't discerning God is present or helping you? What can you do with your anger? With your fear? With your confusion? In particular, what are ways to bring these things to God or work them out with God?Should you keep attending church or stay engaged in Christian community during these periods? What should you do if contact with the church feels alienating or painful? Why do we have to be careful about where we go for comfort?How does the suffering of Jesus help sufferers? What truth does the gospel convey to help you seek and rest in God during confusing periods where you don't have the sense God is with you?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: The Gospel and the WorldDaniel 3 (ESV) (Select Verses) [1] King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold... [4] And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, [5] that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. [6] And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” [8] Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. [9] They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! [10] You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of … every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. [11] And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. [12] There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” [13] Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. [14] Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? [15] Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of … every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” [16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. [17] If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. [18] But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” [19] Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. [20] And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. [24] Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” … “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”Sermon Outline1. What does integrity look like?v. 16: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”2. What is the cost of integrity?v. 8: “Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.” v. 13: “…furious rage.”v. 12: There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you;v. 15: But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”3. How can we have integrity in the world?v. 24: Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” … “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you call us to be salt and light in the world, but at times we do not reflect your good news as you call us to do. Instead of living with integrity, we make compromises; whether out of fear, out of comfort, or to avoid the costliness of living with integrity. Give us courage to live with conviction that the gospel truly is good news. And remind us that Jesus is with us no matter how great the cost may be. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Describe any positive examples of Christians living with integrity. What stood out? When have you faced situations where you needed to choose integrity over compromise? When might have you made compromises? What costs have you experienced to maintain your Christian integrity? How does knowing that Jesus is “in the fire with you” give you strength and courage to have integrity, especially when the costs are great? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: The Gospel and the WorldRomans 13:1-7 (ESV) 13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.Sermon Outline1. The Role of the GovernmentGovernments have been called by God to be his servantsv. 1-2: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed.v. 4: for he is God's servant for your good… For he is the servant of Godv. 3-4: For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad… For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoerv. 6: For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.2. Our Role as CitizensTo submit to the governmentv. 1: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities3. The Hope To Be Good CitizensPhilippians 3:20–21: But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, we know from your Word that you have instituted the government to be your servant, but we confess that we can be suspicious of our government and struggle to see the good that it does. We also know from your Word that we are to submit to the government, but we need your wisdom to know how to do this well. May we not demonize our government and may we not worship it. By the power of your Spirit, help us to be faithful to our calling as citizens of heaven while we are here on earth. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Describe your view of the US government. What is your opinion of it? When have you seen it behave faithfully as God's servant? When have you seen it struggle to do so?In what ways do you find submitting to the government easy? In what ways is this command difficult to follow?What correctives do you believe need to be made to the American church in how it submits or does not submit to the government? If Christians are citizens of heaven, how does that help the church be more faithful to the calling to submit to the government? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: The Gospel and the WorldJeremiah 29:4-14 (ESV) 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord. 10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Sermon Outline1. The challenge of seeking the peace of the worldv. 4: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylonv. 8-9: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD.2. The call to seeking the peace of the worldv. 7a: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile.v. 5-6: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.v. 7: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.3. The power to seeking the peace of the worldv. 10: For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. v. 11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. v. 14: I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.v. 12-13: Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Prayer of ConfessionOur gracious God, you call us to seek the peace of the world, but we would rather seek our own peace. Forgive us for failing to obey your call to cultivate your shalom in our world. We confess that we lack the power and energy to do this well. Obeying your will is overwhelming at times and we struggle with guilt for not meeting your standards. Help us to look to Jesus as he has restored shalom to us and gives us the power to cultivate your shalom. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?What challenges do you face when considering the call to seek the peace of the world? In what ways do you struggle with consuming the city and not serving it?Where have you personally experienced the lack of shalom in the city? What have you seen and experienced as real evidence of shalom in the city?If we seek the peace of the city well, we will have a more positive reputation with those around us. How can this be more true of us? In verse 10-14, where do you find the encouragement to pursue this call to seek the peace of the world? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?

Audio Recording Video for this week is not available. For about 10 minutes starting around minute 7 of the audio recording, there is a good deal of static. Thanks for your patience as we troubleshoot our recent sound issues. Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: The Gospel and the WorldJohn 17:6-21 (ESV) 6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Sermon OutlineIn Jesus' prayer, he says that Christians are “not of this world.” This means that Christians… … belong to God. (v. 6-10) … are to be visible in the world. (v. 11-16) … are sent on mission. (v. 17-21)Prayer of ConfessionHeavenly Father, you call us to be in the world and bear witness to your good news, but we do not always obey your calling. We confess that too often we are fearful of the world's rejection. Rather than showing the beauty of the gospel, we adopt the values of the world. Give us courage to continue the ministry of Jesus. Sanctify us in your truth so that we would love the world as you do. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Jesus mentions multiple times that we belong to God: e.g. “Yours they were… they are yours… all mine are yours… etc.” How does your soul respond to this truth?What does it mean that Jesus is glorified in us (v. 10)? Describe a moment when you or someone you know was hated by the world (v. 14)? If Jesus sends us into the world to continue his ministry, what does that look like for you?Jesus prays for the church's unity and this unity acts as a witness to the world, so that more people will believe in the gospel. How can unity be an evangelistic tool? When have you seen this at work?What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?

Due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes of the sermon are not available. We apologize.Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Joined Together, Growing TogetherEphesians 6:21-24 (ESV) 21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.Sermon OutlineLet the encouragement that comes from what God gives you stir growth as you join with the incorruptible Christ.PeaceGraceLovePrayer of ConfessionOur gracious and merciful Father, how greatly we need the things only you can give us. We are a failing and discouraged people. We have not promoted peace, but have done what has eroded and broken it. We have not been filled with grace, but have envied, judged, and condemned. We have not loved with an incorruptible love, but all our good has been tainted. We have failed to believe that you are completely different, and that you can be fully trusted. Forgive every sin. Lift our discouragement from us, and strengthen our failing hearts. Christ is our peace, and with the grace that is ours in Him, help us to comprehend the breadth, length, height and depth of the incorruptible love of Christ. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhere are you currently discouraged? What area of discouragement would benefit from God's help?How can the peace of Christ provide a stable foundation for you in our hostile world? Is there a relationship that is causing you difficulty where you may need to take a step in following the way of Jesus in how you relate to that person? What would be a faithful step (something in line with what Jesus has done or taught us)?Why is it hard to treat others with grace? What keeps you from being gracious?Why is it so important for us to believe God's grace for us?Do you believe God loves you? Where are the difficult areas for you: that God loves? That love can be so pure and radical? That God would love you in particular? Is unbelief something you are holding on to, and is it worth letting go so you can be more open to God's love making deeper inroads within you?How can we take the incorruptible love that is given to us and make it ours so that we love God and others with that love? What can you do when you feel like your love for others is failing? How do you walk with God in those moments or relationships so that you endure?

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Joined Together, Growing TogetherEphesians 6:10-20 (ESV) 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.Sermon OutlineWe need to pray with alertness to resist forces that alienate us from God.1. What are we alert to?“keep alert with all perseverance”2. What does alertness in prayer look like?“with all prayer and supplication”3. What can continual prayer do to help us remain alert?“praying at all times in the Spirit”Prayer of ConfessionOur gracious Father, we come in the name of Jesus, who succeeded in the Spirit when his flesh was failing. We confess our spiritual failings. We have given into temptation and deception because we were not alert. We have not persisted in prayer. We have not lived by your ways. Forgive our laziness, apathy, doubt, pride, and anything else that has brought division between us. Show us mercy, and keep us from temptation. Grant us forgiveness in Christ. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhy is prayer important? What do you think are chief reasons to pray, or benefits of prayer?What makes prayer hard for you?What do you need to be alert to in prayer? What should you be watching for or mindful of?Why is it important for prayer to include more than just “supplication”? What happens if you only turn to God to ask God to do things? What new beliefs come with Christianity that direct you to form habits for the discipline of prayer? What is wise about making prayer a priority?What can you do to stay in prayer when it starts to get difficult? Are there ways of praying that you have been neglecting? How can you pray in all circumstances? Think through different aspects of your day and how prayer fits into them.What encouragement can you take from Jesus having prayed for his followers? How can you become stronger through what Jesus has done on your behalf?

Audio Recording Sermon InfoSpeaker: Rev. Ed SiryaMatthew 5:1-12 (ESV)1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty and most merciful Father; we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have left undone those things that we ought to have done; and we have done those things that we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. And grant, O most merciful Father, for your Son Jesus Christ's sake, that we may hereafter live a godly and righteous life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.