Gathering Community Church Sermons

We are going to talk about legacies. We all leave a legacy. Some legacies are larger and better known than others. My mother and father left legacies as well as my senior pastor from my hometown in Ohio. Unless you have lived your entire life in a...

The death of Jesus is seen from three different perspectives: The Perspective from Rome The Perspective from the Religious Elites The Perspective from Satan and His Minions

Do you believe that how we (Christians) live our lives hasinfluence upon how God blesses us? Obedience brings:1. LONG LIFE–Deuteronomy 32:46-47; Proverbs 3:1-2.2. PROTECTION–Ecclesiastes 8:53. GLADNESS–Nehemiah 8:13-17, 1 Chronicles 16:27, Acts...

Last week we studied the crucifixion in detail. We learned that Jesus was placed upon the cross at approximately 9:00 AM. For the next three hours a “carnival like” atmosphere ensued. There were, perhaps thousands of people viewing this spectacle...

This morning I would like to set the stage for the most dramatic event that ever took place in all of human history. This event was ordained long before time began. This event is epic in its scope as it involves all of creation. The participants...

This is Pastor Tom's 2020 Easter message. We take a look of the events of Resurrection Sunday as recorded by Luke in the 24th chapter.

Let’s look at some background information as Christ makes his way to his final Passover Celebration in Jerusalem. We pick up the story while he and his disciples are ministering in Galilee. Now Jesus and this multitude make their way toward Jerusalem...

Q. Who was behind the plan of Barabbas being released instead of Jesus? It was God who foiled Satan’s plan to divert Jesus from the cross. It was God who ultimately chose Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus.God’s plan was always that Christ...

Today's message is a study on the significance of who God is and who we are as God’s children. The scriptures always have a timely message for us. The reason for this is because God’s word is alive and active. The Bible is not merely a document...

As Jesus is brought before Pilate, we see these items: 1. Pilate ignored invalid accusations. (Mark 15:10; Matt 27:18)2. Pilate ignored a valid warning (Matt 27:18-19)3. Pilate invalidated the Roman law (Luke 23:4; John 18:38-40; Mark 15:14) There...

The Jewish leadership made three immediate accusations when speaking to Pilate. ACCUSATION #1. “We found this man misleading our nation." ACCUSATION #2. “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to...

Jesus was being interrogated by Annas (the retired high priest but the “boss” of the templegrounds). The purpose of this meeting was two fold.1. Annas wanted to inflict vengeance upon him for threatening his position, power, and profit.2. Annas was...

Our story this morning is simultaneously miraculous and devastating and victorious and disastrous. And, if you allow it to draw you in, you might find yourself on the verge of tears at times and in shear awe of the display of God’s love for you and me...

This morning we have an amazing and compelling story waiting for us in God’s word. This story is both majestic and miraculous and sorrowful and painful. And, if you allow it to draw you in, you might find yourself on the verge of tears at times in...

Luke describes the betrayal and arrest of Jesus.

While Jesus and the eleven were making their way to the Mount of Olives Judas was already on his way to tell the officials where they could find Jesus. Not only was Judas giving them information, he was actively marshaling the forces to arrest...

The key to a healthy small group is, the leader. The leader must keep their eye on the big picture and make sure that the purpose of the small group works in tandem toward fulfilling the purpose of the whole group. Jesus was the leader of their...

Satan is a pawn of God who he is utilized to help accomplish God’s will for the glory of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We see here that even in Satan’s most desperate hour he must still seek permission for all he desires to...

The centerpiece of the passover meal is the Seder plate. On the Seder plate (which means, order) there are five or six different Passover foods, each symbolizing a unique element of the Exodus story. There were four cups that were traditionally...

The centerpiece of this richly symbolic meal (Passover ceremony) is the Seder (order) plate. On the Seder plate there are five or six different Passover foods, each symbolizing a unique element of the Exodus story. At various points in the Seder...

The events (The Last Supper) described in the 22nd chapter of Luke wre written about 30 years after the events dook place and 10 years after Paul had penned his two letters to the Corinthians. Luke did not write a historical account of the evening...

The Passover was celebrated the day before the celebration of Unleavened Bread. • THE NORTHERN KINGDOM celebrated from sunrise to sunrise. • THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM celebrated from sunset to sunset. At this point, Satan is frantically trying to derail...

There were by some estimates, 1,000,000 pilgrims and 1,000,000 native Jews in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Tensions were extremely high and the last thing Caiaphas or Herod wanted was a riot that would attract the attention of Rome. So, although...

Many of us observed Thanksgiving in some form or another. If you are extremely blessed, you spent some time with family and/or friends around a table while eating some traditional food dishes and catching up with what was happening in their lives. In...

We are going to spend some time reconstructing the events that took place just prior to what we know as “The Lord’s Supper.” Therefore, we will be looking at certain participants and the role they played as Christ’s crucifixion drew near...

Every word that Jesus spoke was holy scripture. Because he was, and is God, every word he spoke was the word of God. Our God is a God of economy, therefore, there were no wasted words. Jesus did not embellish the truth nor did he apologize for the...

There were three significant reasons for Christ choosing to retreat to Mt. Olivet during his final hours. 1. It provided privacy from the crowds. 2. It provided safety from the leadership. 3. Olivet provided solitude for him to be with his Father

During Old Testament times the authenticity of one who claimed to be a prophet was established by way of their prophecies coming to pass. Jesus is using the upcoming destruction in 70 AD as a means of giving them something they can “rap their heads...

Jesus challenges them concerning where they have placed their faith. Jerusalem and the temple had become objects of religious and national pride. Jesus made it very clear that not only were these merely objects that could disappear, but that the...

Jesus has just finished “leveling” the leadership with declaring the seven woes. He has just pushed them over the edge to the point that they will finally reveal themselves to be the liars and madmen that they had always accused him of being. • He...

The Pharisees had created an idol of the Sabbath. Their intention was not to draw attention to our Holy God, but was a result of a total misunderstanding of the original purpose of the Sabbath. And through rules they added, they made it nearly...

For us to fully understand what is about to take place in the final days of Christ's life as is described within the scriptures, we need to peer in to a private room in Jerusalem where privileged men are meeting behind closed doors. These are men...

This is our third week studying this parable of the nobleman who journeys to a far country and then returns to reward those whom he left in charge while he was away.Jesus was preparing to enter Jerusalem for the third time in his adult ministry,he was...

The Parable of the Nobleman galvanized the people's belief that Jesus was the long awaited Jewish King born from noble blood who was to come and conquer the oppressive Roman Empire. It also galvanized the Jewish leaderships’ belief that Jesus was...

Sometimes the Bible is taught as if God’s story took place in a vacuum when it comes to world history. We read about Moses, Jeremiah, Samson, King David, and Herod as if those events took place in a parallel universe and had no affect on the world at...

Many of us will remember the song "Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man" when we attending Sunday School as children. Zacchaeus lived in Jericho; he was small in stature; and he was rich. he was the Chief Tax Collector. Who we are affects what...

Jesus is on his way to the cross. He has resolutely set his eyes on Calvary and we are witnessing his final journey to Jerusalem. He is concluding three years of ministry that began with a miracle in Canaan at a wedding feast and will conclude with...

In the previous parable Jesus used a Tax-Collector as an example of someone the Pharisees would have considered to be unworthy. Here he is championing the cause of the innocent–the children–the babies. He was removing all hope that anyone could enter...

Within the church it is common to compare our spiritual walk to other Believers’ walks for the sake of feeling a little better about ourselves. The Pharisees (not known to be a humble group) were not merely claiming superiority on the level of...

Jesus moves on with another parable. In a nutshell this parable is about two judges, a widow, and the return of Christ. This parable is about the second coming of Christ! Jesus is continuing His prophecy concerning His return.

Jesus is asked the following question, “When is the kingdom of God going to come?” Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God is about much more than things seen such as: land, power, riches, politics and freedom. The riches of His kingdom are not...