Sermon Series

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Sin effectively distances us from God, pushing us into exile from his kingdom. Jesus is the one who brings us back. Pastor Ryan traces the idea of exile through the entire Old Testament and into our lives.

“Sin Equals Exile”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14(NLT) ; 但 以 理 書 7:9-14 (CUVS)
Matthew 1:20-23 (NLT) ; 馬 太 福 音 1:20-23 (CUVS)

This sermon is third in the series “Following Jesus“, based on the book by N.T. Wright.

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device. You can also download Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).

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As followers of Jesus, it is important to know where we are going (heaven), but to do so we need a better understanding of what/where heaven is. What does the Ascension mean for us as Christians today?

“Heaven: Maybe Not What You Think”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons

John 14:1-6 (NLT) ; 約 翰 福 音 14:1-6 (CUVS)
Ephesians 1:19-23 (NLT) ; 以 弗 所 書 1:19-23 (CUVS)

This sermon is second in the series “Following Jesus“, based on the book by N.T. Wright.

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device. You can also download Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).

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Paul wrote “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The story of Namaan in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings can help us understand what this means.

“Change Your Thinking”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons

2 Kings 5:1-6 (NLT) ; 列 王 紀 下 5:1-6 (CUVS)
Romans 12:1-3 (NLT) ; 羅 馬 書 12:1-3 (CUVS)

This sermon is first in the series “Following Jesus“, based on the book by N.T. Wright.

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device. You can also download Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).

Photo by Fr. Daniel Ciucci on Unsplash

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 Jesus taught by his words and actions that giving to the poor and needy was of top importance. Yet, when Mary poured a whole jar of super-expensive perfume on his feet in a most unseemly display of outlandish love and gratitude, and Judas objected on the grounds that the money could have been given to the poor, Jesus defended her. How are we to understand this seeming contradiction?

“Jesus First”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device. You can also download Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).

Photo by Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash

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A panel of three people from our congregation talk about their journey with giving and trusting God. These are the questions they posed and answered:

  • Why do you give?
  • How did you learn about giving?
  • What challenges do you face with giving?
  • Is there a point of encouragement or a teaching you would like to share?
  • Is there a story of giving in your life or someone else’s that has been particularly impactful to you?
  • Is there a Bible passage that especially shapes your thinking about giving?
  • Where do you give, and what is your perspective on where God calls us to give?
Panel on Giving (David, Joleen, Moses)

Psalm 112:1-10 (NLT) ; 詩 篇 112:1-10 (CUVS)
2 Corinthians 9:6-10 (NLT) ; 歌 林 多 後 書 9:6-10 (CUVS)

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device.

Photo by Jan Canty on Unsplash

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God made a promise to Abraham, then to his son Isaac. Then, when Isaac’s son Jacob was running for his life after cheating his brother out of his birthright, God made the same promise to him. What can we learn from Jacob about God’s promise to us, and about what should be our response?

“Giving as Good as You Get”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons

Genesis 28:10-22 (NLT) ; 創 世 記 28:10-22 (CUVS)
Proverbs 3:9-10 (NLT) ; 箴 言 3:9-10 (CUVS)

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device. You can also download Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

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picture of a peeled tangerine with orange segments in front

The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, and it grow in us through the presence and working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. It is not a collection of fruits, but rather part of one larger fruit, like the segments of an orange rather than a bunch of grapes. Pastor Ryan gives a deep dive into these segments in this series from the winter of 2025.

January 12 – Being Fruitful – Introduction
January 29 – Love
January 26 – Joy
February 2 – Peace
February 9 – Patience
February 16 –Kindness
February 23 – Goodness
March 2 – Faithfulness
March 9 – Gentleness
March 16 – Self-Control

Pastor Ryan led us in this prayer by John Stott:

“Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

One book Pastor Ryan is using as a basis for this sermon series is Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit: Growing in Christlikeness, by Christopher Wright.

Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay

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Self Control is the last part of the fruit of the spirit, and the only one that is not part of God’s character. God does not need self control because He is not tempted to do things he shouldn’t. Still, self control grows in us through the work of the Holy Spirit.

“Being Fruitful: Self Control”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) ; 加 拉 太 書 5:22-23 (CUVS)
1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT) ; 彼 得 前 書 3:15-16 (CUVS)

You can set up a real-time transcript when you listen on your device. You can also download Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).

Photo by Jordi Zamora on Unsplash