Welcome! This page has an ever-growing collection of Pastor Nick's sermons. These are his unedited notes a few things might be a little bit confusing if you weren't there when he spoke (but please read them anyway—they're an excellent recsource).
10-18-00
Are We Being Great?
Matthew 22:34-40: Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (NIV)
What did this mean to the people of Jesus' time?
Social Hierarchy was a big deal at this time. "I am a higher class than you." For Jesus to have been questioned about what the greatest commandment was a test. They hoped to catch Jesus saying something about himself. But Jesus pointed them to the Father and then added something He knew they struggled with. "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus in another circumstance was questioned again about this whole loving my neighbor thing. In Luke 10: 25-37 we read the story of the Good Samaritan. This was exactly what the people of Jesus' time needed to hear. It is exactly what we need to hear today.
How well are we doing at obeying the Great Commandment? Are We Being Great? The new life that we receive in Christ should produce a life of love, mercy and compassion for our generation. Could Jesus tell the story about the Samaritan in our youth ministry?
A student moved down from Blaine to Bellingham and began attending school. At first no one acknowledged him. Then one unfortunate day a group of students began harassing him—to the point where he did not want to go back to school. After several days of this torture, watching what seemed like even the nice kids just pass by him. Someone stopped to talk with him. Invited him to eat lunch with him. Even paid for his lunch. The student who befriended him was a student from Impact Student Ministries. Again I hope that this would be our reputation. Not that we have the most popular kids in school. Not that we play in Jell-O. But that we love one another! Personal experience about youth group... People were simply not friendly.
In Luke 10: 37 said these words to the man that asked the question. "Go and do likewise." These words are ever so true for us today. "Go and do likewise."
10-11-00
Grace
Define Grace: Show Video: When we hear the word "Grace" we either; do not understand what it means, we think about praying at dinner or possibly someone we know.
Tonight I want to discuss this life changing word.
When we understand grace, we may see a picture of Jesus that maybe you have not seen before.
There once was a man who feel deeply in love with a young lady. After courting her the two got married and had three children. Everything seemed perfect. Until his wife betrayed him and went back to her old way of living and even had an affair. After some wild living the women had built up a huge amount of debt. She was about to take drastic measures to pay her bills. Despite of this, her husband showed up and paid her debt in full and took her back as his wife. This is a real life story of man named Hosea. You can read his story in the book of Hosea. By the way his wife's name, "Gomer."
This is a picture of Grace. The Grace that God offers to us. Grace is God's presence and love through Christ Jesus. Lessons of Grace Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "NO" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,"
Two lessons of Grace:
1) It teaches us to say "NO" to sin.
Paul instructs Christians to decisively reject the ungodly passions, pleasures and values of this present age and view them as detestable. 1 John 2:15, 17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him... The world and it's desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." Story of Jesus and Zacchaeus in Luke 19, "I give half my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." When Jesus changes our life, when we accept his gift of salvation, our life can not remain the same. We must turn from the destruction of this life and walk in his grace. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace," Which is our second lesson about Grace tonight.
2) It teaches us to say "Yes" to Right Living.
Saving Grace empowers Christians to live "upright and godly lives," while waiting for the return of our "great God and Savior Jesus Christ." Romans 6:20, 22 "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of (Right Living), But now that you have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." As a result of receiving His grace we live in freedom and this freedom propels us to live for Him. To run from evil and pursue faith, love, peace and right living! Joseph in Potiphers house Genesis 39 "Joseph ran out of the house." He fled evil, the temptation to sin.
How do we apply Grace to our lives? It must be desired and sought. Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Let's remember our definition of Grace: Grace is God's presence and love through Christ Jesus. We must desire God's presence and love.
What are some ways we can experience God's presence and love?
1) Scripture
2) Hearing
3) Praying
4) Fasting
5) Worship
6) Communion
7) Living a life full of the Holy Spirit
There's nothing we can do to earn God's Grace in Romans 5:6, 8 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (us). But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." If you have never received the gift of Grace. Never walked in a relationship with Jesus. Tonight/today you can begin a new life. Grace has been made available to all. It is as simple as confessing your sin to Jesus and inviting him to take control of your life. Then to begin to live for him. To begin living in His Grace. Students: live a life of Grace. Desire the heart of Jesus. Say "NO" to worldly passions and "YES" to GRACE LIVING Some of you feel so defeated and unworthy. That is not a life of Grace. Jesus came that you may have life and have it to the full!
09-27-00
Repentance
How many love little children? You have all heard me tell stories of my Nephew, Tabor. My favorite story is of him and the candy dish.
Tonight we are going to talk about having a right heart before God. A Christian term for this is repentance.It is a turning from sin and turning to Jesus.
Let's take a look at our verse for tonight, Psalm 32 Of David. A [maskil.] Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. [Selah] 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" -- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. [Selah] 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. [Selah] 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! (NIV)
Tonight I want to start with a real life story of repentance. Of someone who has turned their life over to Jesus. I would like you all to meet Kenny Scott.
All throughout the Bible we see the heart of God, leading people toward repentance. So that He can have a relationship with us. Ps. 32:3-5 "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long, For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you..." It's like wearing a back pack and tying to run a marathon. I remember growing up in the heat of summer in Yakima and playing in 100o weather and how the sun would sap all energy and life from me.
The same is true with sin. It steals the life right out of you.
The way I remember being rejuvenated was by going inside, getting a glass of ice cold water and standing in front of the air conditioner.
We need to come to the river of God that never runs dry. To stand in His forgiveness and let him breath life into our dry and weary bones.
Jesus talks with a Samaritan Women... (John 4)
John 4:1-42:
The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." 11 "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" 13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." 16 He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." 17 "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." 19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33 Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?" 34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, `Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying `One sows and another reaps' is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (NIV)
Kenny is going to come and share again about what his faith in God has meant to him over this past year and how having a repentant heart has helped him grow in his faith. Let's look back at verse five of Psalm 32: "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord - and you forgave the guilt of my sin."
Are you ready tonight to give Jesus a chance? Will you, like Kenny and I have, acknowledge your sin and turn to Jesus? The Bible says, "that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Will you repeat this prayer after me. Dear Jesus, thank you for making me and loving me, even when I've ignored you and gone my own way. I realize I need you in my life and I'm sorry for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Please help me to understand it more. As much as I know how, I want to follow you from now on. Please come into my life and make me a new person inside. I accept your gift of salvation. Please help me to grow now as a Christian. Amen