Sermon Series

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Iceberg

February 16, 2020 – Pastor Ryan Emmons
Based on the book/study by Peter Scazzero

Hebrews 5:11-6:1 ; Revelation 3:1-3

希 伯 來 書 5:11-6:1 ; 啟 示 錄 3:1-3

Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality:

1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring anger, sadness, and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the impact of the past on the present
5. Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” components
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging other people’s spiritual journey

 

 

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Emotionally Healthy Spirituality cover

From February 16 to April 5, Pastor Ryan preached a sermon series based on Peter Scazzero’s book “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”. (The series was interrupted by the COVID lockdown, so was never finished.)

Topics included:

  1. The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
  2. Know Yourself that You May Know God
  3. Going Back in Order to Go Forward
  4. Journey Through the Wall (letting go of power and control)
  5. Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief
  6. Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath
  7. Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult
  8. Develop a “Rule of Life”

From the book jacket:

Peter Scazzero learned the hard way: you can’t be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. Though Scazzero was an experienced pastor of a growing church, his life and faith remained emotionally unhealthy. Like so many in the church, he routinely:

  • avoided healthy conflict in the name of keeping the peace
  • ignored and suppressed emotions
  • used work for God as an excuse to run from God
  • lived without limits

In this bestselling book, Scazzero outlines the top ten symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality. He then unpacks core biblical principles to guide you into an experience of lasting, beneath-the-surface transformation in your relationship with Christ.

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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