The Gift of Tongues
The topic of speaking tongues is often misunderstood and unfortunately abused. Let's learn what the gift of tongues is and what it's role is within a church by contrasting it with the Word of God.

The topic of speaking tongues is often misunderstood and unfortunately abused. Let's learn what the gift of tongues is and what it's role is within a church by contrasting it with the Word of God.
What is the gift of prophecy? What isn't it? In this sermon we seek to find out as root our belief in Scripture, use wisdom in application, and stay open to the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible uses the example of the physical body to teach us about belonging to the spiritual body of Christ, the church. We have variety, but unity. We have an essential role to play. We are interdependent. We find our significance in Jesus, not our gifting.
Every Christian has at least one special skill or ability which enables them to contribute to the whole body of Christ with ease, pleasure, and effectiveness. Do you know what yours is? Are you serving with it?
When we trusted Christ, we received the Holy Spirit to indwell us and with Him came all of the wisdom and depths of God to live this new life. Every moment of your life, the wisdom to live God’s will God’s way is being revealed through the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of God that ignites the facts of Scripture and empowers faith through the stirring of our feelings. It is unhealthy and at times sinful to ignore or suppress the Spirit’s moving us emotionally. Let's learn to let our feelings flow!
All believers have the power to live the Christian life. That happens as we are "filled with the Spirit". That means we live under the influence of the Holy Spirit to walk like Jesus. It means the Spirit is in charge. He has full control. And He moves us in the direction He decides we should go.
Without the Holy Spirit we were at the mercy of sin's power. But with the Spirit, we have a new power to defeat sin in our lives. When we walk by the Spirit and set our minds on the "things of the Spirit" we rise to a dimension of living never known before.
I think it’s time we as a church get serious about the Ghost. Who is He? What does He do? Why does it matter? We need to lay down a healthy foundation of objective truth about the Spirit upon which those more subjective truths must stand.
The only explanation for the radical transformation of the early believers is the presence of the Holy Spirit. He brought power, courage, and joy. The same must be true of us. If we are going to live extraordinary lives for Christ, the only power that can pull it off, is the Spirit of the Living God. Nothing else.
Most of us would have to admit that the person, work, and ministry of the Holy Sprit is a great mystery. In this series, I hope we move quietly and closely to the One who has been sent to fill us with His presence. He wants to empower us. He can change our attitudes and our emotions. He can warm us with his love, comfort us in our pain, strengthen us when we’re weak and fragile, and be our constant friend as we make our journey home.
This sermon is intended to convince you to become Christocentric. That Jesus would define our lives. If there's anything in life that we should be passionate about, it's Him. Thinking about Him, dwelling on Him, rejoicing in Him, and allowing Him to color the way we look at the world.
There is no human life more impressive in human history than Jesus. But Jesus never sought to impress. He wanted to transform. And he did that by coming to serve and to give his life for many.
A mediator is someone who can objectively represent both sides and is qualified to understand the demands and responsibilities of both sides in order to bring them together in reconciliation. There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
We're natural-born cravers. We were created to be. God has instilled in all of us desires, ambitions, wants, all with the drive toward satisfaction in life. There is bread that keeps us alive, but none of these things will give us eternal life. What can? Only Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Are you sick? Weary? Suffering? Depressed? Most of us are. All of us will be. But these old, broken bodies are pointing us to something glorious and eternal. The purpose of our sickness is to reveal our desperate need for Jesus and point us to redemption and resurrection.
You and I are not innocent. We are guilty. We not only need a defense. We need a defender. Someone who will plead our case in order to set us free. Think they can get you forgiveness? Think that they should? The Bible says there is only one that good.
In times of trouble in mind and spirit, the Bible doesn't usually explain to us our situation or even the details of God's plans. The Bible does tell us, however, continually who God is. And to trust Him. Namely, that He is the way. He is truth. He is life.
To abide in Christ means to trust in, lean on, dwell deeply with Jesus. It’s to draw your power and motivation and direction from Him. Abiding leads to life. Refusing leads to death.
A sermon series on Jesus' person through a study of His names and titles has to be incomplete. Because He's infinite. But through a survey of his 4 biographies in the Bible, we can rest in God's choice to reveal what is essential for us. Through God's truth we can know Jesus fully, truly, and personally.
We need a Shepherd, badly. We have a Shepherd, thankfully. Jesus is our Shepherd. He's a good leader, so we follow Him. He has great power, so we answer to Him. He knows everything, so we rest in Him.
Jesus is the beginning and ending of all things. And everything in between. He knows how the pattern all fits together. Because He puts it together and He holds it together. And He’s ready and able to defend it.
Messiah was the one who would fulfill all of the promises of God about the kingdom of God for the people of God. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He has the words of eternal life. Will you believe?
When it comes to God’s rule there is a monarchy, not a democracy. God’s arrangement of things is that there is a kingdom with a king. And this king be a king over all human kings. And this Lord be a Lord over all other lords. Or any other authority. That His name be above every other name. No one has the right over Him as He does over us. In fact, no one has the right over anything like He does.
Jesus has a name above every other name. His sovereign authority is summed up in the name "Lord". We don't make him Lord, we acknowledge and receive Him as Lord through faith. Then live our lives in response to his good and gracious rule.
Moses’ psalm gives us a paradigm for how to live wisely. It starts with God, and ends with God. It focuses us on his holiness and wrath. It encourages us to live wisely in light of who he is. And it ends with his grace and favor. A perfect model, all year long.
There is something in parts of our life that’s shameful, disappointing, embarrassing. And God in grace moves us from Nazareth to Bethlehem and because of His grace reminds us that He’s got a new future in mind. A new direction. For some, virtually a miracle.
Ruth's story serves as a countermelody to God's story of redemption. It is full of beauty, variety, and love. Proclaiming the message of a Redeemer who extends grace to all, regardless of our background or past.
Jesus said, I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. So when you come to Him you’re coming to a Savior, not a judge. And he is able to help you become the person of virtue that you’ve always wanted to be. And he can take those sins that have dominated you all of your life and deliver you and never hold them against you. Rahab is standing righteous before her God right now. So can you too.
God keeps His promises. Not only will God not break promises. He can’t break them. He not only won’t lie. He can’t lie. In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman. (Gal. 4:4) All the promises of God find their yes in Him. (2 Cor. 1:20)