Shepherd's Garage

To be a good father one needs to be a man of integrity.

"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." ESV Colossians 4:5-6How do we live among and talk to those who do not share our faith?  This is the beginning of a series that addresses how we can live and talk about what we believe in ways that are wise, gracious and seasoned with salt.  Main point today:  It matters how we act and how we talk if we want to be heard.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  These famous words delivered by Joshua so many years ago are words we still need to hear today.  In fact every choice we make matters, but there are some fundamental choices that determine all else.

It's the fool who is not afraid of anything.  Fear of God is the the beginning of wisdom.  

It's Mother's Day and I want to look at a "bitter" mother.  Naomi had a lot of reasons to be bitter.  Life had not worked out for her.  She said her name was now Mara, which means bitter.  Yet through her life and story God was at work and I would like to image that at the end when someone called her Mara she corrected them and said, "You can call me Naomi."  She was no longer the bitter one.

Practice generosity.  This means with more than just your money.  How else can we be generous?  Let's explore.

We should be consistent and steadfast in our prayers.  We also need to be watchful.  How can we be more watchful in our prayers and what difference does it make?

The Road to Emmaus story in Luke 24 is what I like to call the "First Supper" after the Last Supper.  Jesus is present with us whether we recognize it our not.  And when we do, it makes all the difference.

Work as though you are working for the Lord.  It matters how we do the jobs that we have.

“The best way to forget the high cost of living is to live so that life is worth more.”  I do not know who to contribute this quote to, but there is a truth there.  One way we make life worth more is to grow ourselves spiritually as well as physically.  Proverbs chapter 10 has some ways we can do this.  Let's explore.

Is there a solution to the way in which the world beats us down and oppresses us?  Let's explore Ecclesiastes chapter 4 and see a different way that life can be done.

Paul tells fathers not to exasperate their children.  Good advice but what does that look like?  Lets explore.

Rocks, hills, stones, trees and so many other things in creation can praise and teach us about God.  We jsut need to listen.

Wives submit to your husbands.  Submit can seem like a bad word today.  Is it or does it have a different meaning in the Bible than our culture uses it today?  Let's explore.

Letting the peace of Christ rule in your hearts is something we wish for.  But it seems an impossible task, at least sometimes.  How can we have this peace?

We return to dust Solomon tells us.  But the news is that God knows what to do with dust.  That makes all the difference.

It's so easy to be misled we have to be careful what we believe.  One way we are easily misled is when what we hear is sensational or affirms something we already believe.

"All You Really Need is Love."  That can be true if you understand what love is.  If you do not it can cause lots of problems.  Paul tell us that love is what binds the other graces together so how does that work?  Let's explore.

Some clarifications to February 9th sermon.  Specifically about gossip and what is it.

How does Christ being in all change the way we treat each other.  Anger, wrath, slander and obscene talk are all something we need to putout of our lives, but they just keep coming up time and time again.  Putting on Christ does make a difference in how we live.

Jesus or Barabbas?  It's a question as to which one you will choose.  The way of Jesus or the way of Barabbas is one question we need to ask ourselves each day.  Choose wisely.

How is coveting idolatry?  Let's explore.

We are told by Paul is Colossians 3:5 to put to death sexual immorality in our lives.  Why do Christians have such a different standard about sexuality than the world around us.  Let's explore why God cares so deeply about how we express ourselves sexually.

God has put eternity in our hearts.  We know there is more and we have questions about purpose and meaning in our lives.  Let's see what Ecclesaistes 3:9-15 can tell us about this.

That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; Ecclesiastes 3:15 ESV. Interesting verse!  How are we to understand this?  Let's explore how "that which is to be has already been."

Set your mind on things above.  How do we do that?  Let's exlpore.

When the wise men came to Jerusalem and asked about the king of the Jews Herod was upset.  He was bothered there was another king.  What about us?  Are we really willing to let Jesus be king or are we bothered as well that Jesus is the true king and not us?

Jesus was a "man of sorrows" yet we sing "Joy to the World."  It was because he bore our sorrows that we are able to sing about Joy.

Distractions can come from worldly things and they can come from religious ones as well.  Paul warns us about getting caught up in religious things that are bot really important, but others will try to impose things on us.  Do not let yourself be judged by another over some "shadow" issue.

There is a time for everything we are told in Ecclesiastes 3.  Timing means a lot in life and so does getting things into the right order and sequence.  We ahve to plant before we harvest and even then it matters when we plant and when we harvest.  Take a listen as we explore this famous passage.

"What possessed you?"  Ever had somone ask you that question?  Let's explore what might have possessed you.

Do not grow weary in doign good.

Be sure you are growing your inner life.

Is it the destination or the journey that matters?  I have known people who hold that it's the journey and others who say it is the destination.  I say it is both and this has implications for our life as followers of Jesus.  Paul tells us how hard he is working to present those he knows as mature in Jesus.  Why does it matter?  Let's explore.

The three B's of baptism.  Burial, Birth and bath.

This episode we take a look at Trinitarian thinking in Churches of Christ in our hymnody.

Colossians 2:1-10 we hear Paul emphasizing that in Jesus we are complete.  He warns us against getting caught in worldly ways of thinkiing and how this under mines what Jesus is doing in our lives.

Proverbs 22:13 says. "The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!  I shall be killed in the streets!”  What in the world does this mean?  Maybe it's a warnning about all the excuses we like to give.  Give it a listen and see what you think.

We continue the series in Ecclesiastes.  This time I looked at chapter 2 and all the things that we think will bring us happiness but do not.  It may be much simpler than we think and it may not be the answer that we want, but there is hope for how to find your way in life.

We continue our series in Colossians.  Paul puts before us the importance of keeping Jesus first in your life.

Continued our series on Colossians by looking at 1:3-14.  Special emphasis on thinking spiritually and what that looks like.

Paul was a praying man.  It's good to pay attention to what he prayed about for the churches then and see how his praying can instruct us today.

Why the church needs deacons.

A mistake was made and the sermon was not recorded.  What is here is a short (6 minute) recap of the main points of the sermon.  Sorry

What makes Christians different.  Love.

Ecclesiastes is either liked or disliked.  I am starting a series from Ecclesiastes but will just preach on it once a month as I work my way through it.  Today we looked at chapter 1.  Main focus:  Life is fleeting.  How do we make the most of it?

Let's explore Chesterton's quote about doing things badly.

What does it mean to worship.  Think of it as "worth ship."  What you give worth to.

Paul, an apostle by the will of God.

Part 2 of how to be a worthy man by looking at Boaz.

Teaching children is fun.  They make us relook at things that we would usually go on by.  Teaching the children about Satan testing Jesus they want to know why didn't Jesus go ahead and turn the stones to bread.  Seems reasonable.  I tried to explain that it matters who you listen to.  Choose, will you listen to God or Satan?