Sermon

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Champaigne_shepherd

December 22, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons

Micah 5:2-5a  ; John 10:1-18

彌 迦 書 5:2-5 ; 約 翰 福 音 10:11-16

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.”
~ John 10:14 (NLT)
我 是 好 牧 人 ； 我 认 识 我 的 羊 ， 我 的 羊 也 认 识 我  。
~ 約 翰 福 音 10:14 (CUVS)

Painting by Jean Baptiste de Champaigne (1631-1681) (public domain, from Wikipedia Commons)

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Keeping Watch chelsea-aaron-35mLAnPgQXo-unsplash

December 8, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons

Luke 2:8-20

路 加 福 音 2:8-20

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.                                                                                 ~Luke 2:8 (NLT)
在 伯 利 恒 之 野 地 里 有 牧 羊 的 人 ， 夜 间 按 着 更 次 看 守 羊 群 。
~ 路 加 福 音 2:8 (CUVS)

Photo credit: Chelsea Aaron on unsplash.com

 

 

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Anointing_of_David_by_Samuel-smaller

December 8, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
“The Shepherd Boy Who Would Be King”

2 Samuel 7:11-17 ; Matthew 1:1-17

撒 母 耳 記 下 7:11-17 ; 馬 太 福 音 1:1-17

The Covenant Promise
David the Shepherd (1,2,3)

This is the record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.                                                                                                  ~ Matthew 1:1 (NLT)
亚 伯 拉 罕 的 後 裔 ， 大 卫 的 子 孙 （ 後 裔 子 孙 原 文 都 作 儿 子 下 同 ） ， 耶 稣 基 督 的 家 谱    ~ 馬 太 福 音 1:1 (CUVS)

 

 

 

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wwannunciation by D Werburg Welch

December 1, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
“From the Mouths of Angels”

Luke 1:5-18 ; Luke 2:8-14

路 加 福 音 1:5-18 ;  路 加 福 音 2:8-14

At Worship
At Home
At Work

Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God.
It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!       ~ Luke 1:19 (NLT)
 天 使 回 答 说 ： 我 是 站 在 神 面 前 的 加 百 列 ， 奉 差 而 来 对 你 说 话 ，
将 这 好 信 息 报 给 你 。                                            ~ 路 加 福 音 1:19 (CUVS)

Painting by Dame Werburg Welch (1894-1990)

 

 

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Contrarians Guide to Knowing God

November 17, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
A Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God
#5: Is it a Sin to be Average?

Philippians 3:12-16  ; John 21:15-22

腓 立 比 書 3:12-16 ;  約 翰 福 音 21:15-22

For further thought and reflection:

  1. What does being an obedient Disciple of Jesus mean or look like to you?
  2. What Scripture passage(s) help you to understand this and give you guidance?

“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.”                                                                                                            ~ 1 John 2:3 (NLT)
我 们 若 遵 守 他 的 诫 命 ， 就 晓 得 是 认 识 他 。     ~ 約 翰 一 書2:3 (CUVS))

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.com

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Contrarians Guide to Knowing God

November 3, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
A Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God
#4: Don’t Let Tools Become Rules

Acts 4:32-37 ; Acts 5:1-11

使 徒 行 傳 4:32-37 ; 使 徒 行 傳 5:1-11

For further thought and reflection:

On your own, explore God’s rules for following Him and the tools that are suggested as helps. Share your thoughts with your GLC group and discuss any differences.

“If you love me, obey my commandments.” – Jesus
~ John 14:15 (NLT)

“你 们 若 爱 我 ， 就 必 遵 守 我 的 命 令 .”  ~ 約 翰 福 音 14:15 (CUVS)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.com

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Contrarians Guide to Knowing God

October 27, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
A Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God
#3: You Don’t Need Someone Else’s Habits or Gifts

Proverbs 6:16-19 ; 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

箴 言 6:16-19 ; 歌 林 多 前 書 12:12-20

For further thought and reflection:

Spend some time this week thinking about and identifying your gifts. Don’t limit yourself to the “traditional” spiritual gifts, but think also about things that you are good at or enjoy doing. Celebrate the unique way God has built you and ask Him to show you the opportunities He’s made available for you to use those gifts.

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”            ~ Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
因 为 你 们 立 志 行 事 都 是 神 在 你 们 心 里 运 行 ， 为 要 成 就 他 的 美 意 。                                           ~ 腓 立 比 書2:13 (CUVS)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.com

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Contrarians Guide to Knowing God

October 20, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
A Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God #2: You Don’t Need More Faith or Passion

Daniel 3:1-30 ; Revelation 2:1-7

但 以 理 書 3 ; 啟 示 錄 2:1-7

For further thought and reflection:

1. Faith is about obedience. What was a time when God used an act of obedience to grow your faith?

2. Is God stirring a passion in you that would require a step of obedience in faith? If yes, what is it? If not, why do you think that is?

“But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear…we will never serve your gods
or worship the gold statue you have set up.”                           ~ Daniel 3:18 (NLT)
 “即 或 不 然 ， 王 啊 ， 你 当 知 道 我 们 决 不 事 奉 你 的 神 ， 也 不 敬 拜 你 所 立 的 金 像 。”                                  ~ 但 以 理 書 3:18 (CUVS)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.com

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Contrarians Guide to Knowing God

October 13, 2019 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
A Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God #1: Leave the Rules Behind

Genesis 1:26-31 ; Romans 14:1-13

創 世 記 1:26-31 ; 羅 馬 書 14:1-13

For further thought and reflection:

1. Where do you draw the line for tolerance when it comes to the differences in other believers?  Where is the line that you feel others have drawn against you?

2. Genesis 1 tells us that we all bear the image of God. How does that inform your experience of giving and receiving grace?

“Therefore, accept each other just as Christ as accepted you so that God will be given glory.”                                                                        ~ Romans 15:7 (NLT)
所 以 ， 你 们 要 彼 此 接 纳 ， 如 同 基 督 接 纳 你 们 一 样 ， 使 荣 耀 归 与 神                                                                                                                  ~ 羅 馬 書 15:7 (CUVS)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.com