Click to listen to the Message by Rev. Paul Zoschke from December 27, 2015 – Finding Christ at Worship

Sermon:           “The Gift of a Shepherd

Theme:            God sends us direction and love so that we may joyfully participate in the reconciliation and justice that is from God.

Purpose:          The congregation will be open to direction in seeking justice and peace.

Scriptures:       Micah 5:2-5a   The Lord will send ones to shepherd the people and lead them in security and righteousness.

Luke 1:46-55   Mary’s Magnificat, the description of the Messiah as one who will care for the poor and bring justice.

Questions:

Are we ready for Christ’s call to humility and openness? Why do we want to preserve our own myths of control and power rather than open our hearts to the security of God’s steadfast love? What is it about keeping control that is so attractive to us, even when we know that we are not actually in control? How do we open our hearts to receive Christ when we are slow to embrace God’s call to justice and mercy? How do we let go of our grasp of the things that are not that important in order to focus on the gifts that come from God and which last?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           “The Way to Joyfulness and Peace”

Theme:            A relationship with Christ calls us away from empty living and sets us free to know meaningful relationships and lasting joy.

Purpose:          The congregation will take time to think about what is important in their relationship with God and what is getting in the way.

Scriptures:       Philippians 4:4-7         Rejoice in the Lord, The peace that passes all understanding.

Luke 3:7-18     John the Baptist calls the people to a new relationship of righteousness with God.

Questions:

How does John the Baptist fit into the Advent season? What does it mean to seek to be renewed by focusing on our relationship with God over and above our traditions? What might happen if we take seriously a call to find meaning in God’s love and purpose? How do we learn to set aside the things that get between us and our healthy relationships with God and our family? In what ways would a renewal of our hearts result in renewal of other parts of our lives? How do we commit to what is really important for Christmas?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           “Preparing the Way for the Messiah”

Theme:            We humbly submit our hearts to God for the stripping away of what separates us from Christ and draws us back into our old hostilities, anxieties, and grudges.

Purpose:          The congregation will pray and offer to God their hearts, offering to be released from attachment to control, revenge, and those things that attach them to past hurts.

Scriptures:       Philippians 1:3-11       The one who has begun the work in you will bring to completion a harvest of righteousness

Malachi 3:1-4  The messenger will come

Luke 3:1-6       John the Baptist will come to bring a refiners fire.

Questions:

In what ways do we see our faith as “A work in progress?”  Why do we schedule ourselves to be so busy, and not set aside time to enjoy the gifts of the Advent season? What is it we are trying to ignore or leave behind? In what ways is there “hard work” to be done, dealing with loss, grief, and change so that we may welcome the gift of Christ’s love? In what ways do we need to focus on our own need to grow so that we may fully enjoy the gift of Christmas? How can we set aside time for spiritual renewal as we approach the gift of Christmas?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon: “Something New for Christmas”

Theme: If we will be awake to what God is doing in our midst, the Messiah will transform and change our world so that we may experience the fruit of love and grace in our relationships with God and others.

Purpose: The congregation will seek to let go of their needs for control so that they may be open to change that God will bring.

Scriptures: Luke 21:25-36 See the signs but know what to focus upon.
Jeremiah 33:14-16 Promise of a branch of righteousness

Questions:
What needs to change in our lives in order to be ready to receive Christ in a new and powerful way? Do we want to be changed? Do we want a fresh sense of Christ’s presence enlivening us? Or are we more determined to have a Christmas that reaffirms our memories and keeps alive what was important to us in the past? What needs to go in order to have something fresh in our hearts and relationship with Christ for Christmas? What needs to be stripped away that has been in the way of enjoying Christ’s love and presence fully in our lives?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           “Reaching Out in Love”

Theme:            The body of Christ has meaning and purpose by reaching out in love (and does not exist for any other purpose.

Purpose:          The congregation will seek to live and function as the Body of Christ, and measure success of our work together by being those who reach out in love to the world.

Scriptures:       James 1:22-27 Do not be hearers only but be doers of the word.

Luke 9:23-27   If anyone to be followers, let them take up their cross, what does it profit if they gain the world but lose their purpose?

Questions:

In what ways is the “body of Christ” doing the work of Christ today? Do non-church people see Christians as generous and compassion or as judgmental and self-righteous? What do we need to do so that God’s love flows more fully through our actions? Does our religion reflect James description:  “²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world?”  Do we worry more about our needs and rights than about living faithfully the love of Christ in daily actions? What are some specific changes we could make to better show the love and grace of Jesus?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           “Humbly Walking the Walk”

Theme:            Christ calls us to show our knowledge of God through our humility and faithfulness.

Purpose:          The congregation will understand the value of “Growing Humbly in faith.”

Scriptures:       Romans 5:1-8  Our sufferings and pain serve to mature us into enduring, humble Christians.

Matthew 10:5-15        Jesus sends the disciples out to preach and heal, and to wipe the dust off their feet where they are not received.

Questions:

What does it mean to us to share the gospel? Is there a way to spread the good news without being pushy and rude? How should we understand our role to share Christ? Is it possible that we can enter into relationships with others and share God’s love as our work of evangelism? Is it possible that we have a particular character as the Body of Christ which will flow naturally from our hearts? How can we tap into this natural manner of sharing Christ’s love?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon: “Christians (Having Received the Word)

Theme: We have heard the word and now seek to live it faithfully as the Body of Christ in fellowship with one another.

Purpose: The congregation will commit itself to living as Christ calls us to live.

Scriptures:
Acts 11:19-30 The name “Christian” is first given to people who followed the example of the Anointed one.
John 13:33-35 By your love, everyone will know that you are followers of Christ.

Questions:
What does it mean to be Christ-like? Do we raise to the measure of being people who are seen for our love for one another and for all of the world? Do we show that we have received God’s word by our love? What do people think of when they hear about Christians? Why are some who claim to be Christian so prone to be resentful, hostile, and negative? How do we reclaim the meaning of the word Christian from those who have caused it to be associated with judgmentalism and hypocrisy?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love”

Theme:            The measure of the health and nature of the Body of Christ is love above all else.

Purpose:          The congregation will affirm the need to practice our love of Christ.

Scriptures:       1 Corinthians 13          Love is patient, love is kind, love does not seek its own way.

Matthew 25:34-40      Then the king will say, “When I was hungry you fed me…”

Questions:

As the Body of Christ, in what ways are we demonstrating that we are Christians? How do we stand against the definition of love given in 1 Corinthians 13? Are we arrogant, boastful, and rude? Or are we patient, kind, loving, and willing to accept each other? Is our love in practice so that we will stand the test of Matthew 25 (feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting the stranger, the prisoner, and those who are alone)?  Do we take the command to love as our first and most important assignment as the body of Christ?

11/8/2015       Ears that Listen

Sermon:           “Christians (Having Received the Word)

Theme:            We have heard the word and now seek to live it faithfully as the Body of Christ in fellowship with one another.

Purpose           The congregation will commit itself to living as Christ calls us to live.

Scriptures:

Acts 11:19-30  The name “Christian” is first given to people who followed the example of the Anointed one.

John 13:33-35  By your love, everyone will know that you are followers of Christ.

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon: “Running to Share Christ’s Peace”

Theme: We are equipped to take peace to people who are troubled and afraid, in need of peace.

Purpose: The congregation will become aware of the need to carry Christ to people who are struggling with conflict and fear.

Scriptures: Isaiah 52:7-10 How beautiful are the feet of the messenger who announces peace and brings the gospel.
Ephesians 6:10-18 For shoes, put on what will make you ready to share the gospel of peace.
Questions:
Are we enthusiastic to serve by sharing God’s word and peace? Are we more interested in being the center of attention and being noticed or are we more invested in seeing that the message gets to people who are struggling and in need? How do we become more invested in sharing the love of Christ than in our own status or significance? How do we deal with those who are more concerned about their personal importance than about being a part of serving Christ? In what ways is humility necessary for reaching out in love? How do we learn and grow to share that humility together?

Click HERE to listen to the message.