2009 Sermons

2009 Sermons


Forgotten Verses of Famous Carols

Every year we hear again a familiar message about God becoming human in Jesus Christ. We sing carols, buy gifts, decorate our homes, and yet, often get a bit inattentive to the core of Christmas because of its over-familiarity. We love to sing our favorite carols, but few of us have really thought about the 2nd to 4th verse of those carols. This year we will let those familiar carols give us a new outlook on the meaning of Christmas.

12/27/09 Unresolved Grace Rev. Eliot Winks 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Read transcript Listen
12/24/09 Joy to the World Rev. John Schmidt Isaiah 49:5-7
Philippians 2:6-11		 Read transcript Listen
12/13/09 O Holy Night Rev. George Antonakos Galations 4:1-7 Read transcript Listen
12/6/09 O Little Town of Bethlehem Rev. John Schmidt Luke 2:1-7 Read transcript Listen
11/29/09 O Come, O Come Emmanuel Rev. George Antonakos Psalm 137 Read transcript Listen

Visioneering

We are in an exciting time in our history when the front lines of missionary work have come to our doorstep. If all the unchurched people in America were a nation of their own, they would be the eleventh largest nation on earth. Many of these people have never been to church, nor have they heard anything but the most extreme or trivial presentations of the gospel. Our mission field is at the doorstep. We can no longer pretend that the real work of missions is elsewhere!

11/22/09 Perspective thru Partnership Rev. Ben Abell - Grace Fellowship Philippians 1:3-11 Read transcript Listen
11/15/09 Eye to Eye Rev. John Schmidt John 5:16-30;20:21 Read transcript Listen
11/8/09 Adjusting Our Vision Rev. John Schmidt Exodus 34:1-7 Read transcript Listen

What Keeps You Up At Night?

Anxiety is as common as breathing for every human being. God knows how prone we are to fears of not being able to cope with the pressures of living and the depth of our vulnerability. There are so many .do not be afraid. verses in the Bible for this very reason. This series will attempt to encourage a calm trust in God no matter what we are facing in life so that we will be able to sleep well.

11/1/09 The Anxiety of Loss Rev. Laura Crihfield Psalm 23 Read transcript Listen
10/25/09 Anxiety Over Money Rev. John Schmidt Matthew 6:19-34 Read transcript Listen
10/18/09 Anxiety of Choosing Rev. George Antonakos Acts 1:15-17,21-26 Read transcript Listen
10/11/09 Anxiety of Failure Rev. George Antonakos Acts 16:25-34 Read transcript Listen

Reframing Our Perspective on Jesus

We are kicking off this series with Kick Off Sunday, a special Sunday designed with our friends in mind. There will be special considerations in our worship that day, as well as with the hospitality in the concourse.

This series is intended to give seekers some information on Jesus that will help them “move toward Christ.”

10/4/09 Windows of Opportunity Rev. George Antonakos Luke 5:1-11 Read Transcript Listen
9/27/09 Broken Windows Rev. John Schmidt Luke 4:31-44 Read Transcript Listen
9/20/09 Outside Looking In Rev. John Schmidt Luke 4:22-30   Listen
9/13/09 Stained Glass Jesus Rev. John Schmidt 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16   Listen

Strangers Welcome Here

This series focuses on three aspects of being a welcoming community: serving the body here so we can welcome and serve others, moving past our fears to invest in people's lives and invite others to encounter Jesus, and being a community that helps others grow in Christ in relationship with other people.

9/6/09 Growing Together Rev. John Schmidt Acts 2:42-47   Listen
8/30/09 Crossing the Fear Barrier Rev. George Antonakos Acts 10:34-43   Listen
8/23/09 You Do It Rev. John Schmidt Matthew 14:13-21 Read Transcript Listen

Stone Tablets in a Wireless World

We live in a society that is moving away from God, which brings with it the seeds of its own judgment and dissolution. People are already being deeply wounded in life because they (and others) don’t live by the basic rules that God wrote into the fabric of life. Although Christians know they are accepted by God apart from any obedience to the Law, at the same time we have always recognized the fact that the 10 Commandments describe the kind of moral life God’s Spirit calls us to. Love fulfills these kinds of demands. However much we seek the motive and power for a holy life from God, through the Spirit, in love, it will always look something like what these commands present to us, both in what they avoid, and what they aspire to.

 

So this summer we will look at this guide to avoiding the things that tear life apart, and that show us how to live life as it was created to be lived.

8/16/09 Some More Stuff About Stuff Janice McWilliams Exodus 20:17 Read Transcript Listen
8/9/09 Stop Snitchin' Rev. Laura Crihfield Exodus 20:16 Read Transcript Listen
8/2/09 Some Stuff About Stuff Charles Bailey Exodus 20:15 Read Transcript Listen
7/26/09 Til Death Rev. John Schmidt Exodus 20:14 Read Transcript Listen
7/19/09 The Power of Love Rev. John Schmidt Romans 8:38-39 Read Transcript Listen
7/12/09 Baltimore Homicide Andy Gathman Exodus 20:13
Matthew 5:21		 Read Transcript Listen
7/5/09 An Honorable Weight Ken Zeigler Exodus 20:12 Read Transcript Listen
6/28/09 Freedom of the Day Bart Houseman Exodus 20:8-11
Deuteronomy 5:5-15		 Read Transcript Listen
6/21/09 What's in a Name Rev. John Schmidt Exodus 20:7 Read Transcript Listen
6/14/09 American Idols Rev. George Antonakos Exodus 20:4-6 Read Transcript Listen
6/7/2009 In Gods We Trust Rev. George Antonakos Exodus 20:1-3 Read Transcript Listen
5/31/09 People of the Spirit Rev. John Schmidt Acts 2:14-21 Read Transcript Listen

Authentic People

People expect Christianity to be pretty meaningless in day-to-day life. Many Christians seem to be living a mundane version of Christianity that doesn't seem up to facing the biggest issues in life. It just doesn't seem that our lives are that different. The early church didn't suffer from any lack of relevance or authenticity. The believers in Thessalonica experienced a deep life change that was evident even to people in other countries. The old life was transformed, and they enthusiastically pursued their new life as they awaited the full expression of God's kingdom. We can learn from these authentic people as we study the book of 1 Thessalonians.

5/24/09 Authentic Community Rev. John Schmidt 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 Read Transcript Listen
5/17/09 Authentic Hope Rev. Laura Crihfield 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 Read Transcript Listen
5/10/09 Authentic Lives Rev. George Antonakos 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 Read Transcript Listen
5/3/09 Authentic Love Rev. George Antonakos 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 Read Transcript Listen
4/26/09 Authentic Evangelism Rev. Laura Crihfield 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 Read Transcript Listen
4/19/09 Authentic Faith Rev. John Schmidt 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Read Transcript Listen

The Way of the Cross

We struggle with suffering. We can accept that the world is full of dangers. What is harder to accept is that our belief in God and prayer do not totally protect us from those dangers—and from the suffering they bring! “Perfect religion should protect us perfectly!” In Mark we see that life is not as simple as that. Suffering comes. Not only does our faith not protect us, sometimes God works in the suffering.

4/12/09 Resurrection Matters Now Rev. John Schmidt Matthew 28:1-20 Read Transcript Listen
4/5/09 This is For You Rev. John Schmidt Mark 14:12-26   Listen
3/29/09 Too Much Rev. George Antonakos Mark 14:1-9   Listen
3/22/09 Pain in the Offering Rev. George Antonakos Mark 10:35-45   Listen
3/15/09 Security Blankets Rev. John Schmidt Mark 10:17-31   Listen
3/8/09 Down from the Mountaintop Rev. John Schmidt Mark 9:2-13   Listen
3/1/09 Who is Your Jesus? Rev. John Schmidt Mark 8:27-9:1 Read Transcript Listen

Relational Theology

Everyone is enamored with “originals”, whether it happens to be an original autograph, painting or automobile. We value being original when we pour ourselves into our work or hobbies. And in a similar manner we like to be thought of personally as original or unique, one of a kind.In a world where we can easily be reduced to a function – consumer, voter, client, resource, etc. we need to be reminded of God’s original intention for us especially in terms of how we relate to God, ourselves, and others.

2/22/09 Pure Sex Rev. George Antonakos Genesis 2:18-25
Matthew 19:3-6
Ephesians 5:29-32		 Read Transcript Listen
2/15/09 I'm a Soul Man Rev. George Antonakos Genesis 2:4-7
Psalm 103:1-2		 Read Transcript Listen
2/8/09 Before the Beginning Rev. George Antonakos Genesis 1:1
John 17:1-5,24		 Read Transcript Listen

Set Your Watch

Baltimore is a broken place. "Deserted by God" or "Desolate" seem better suited for the city than "Delighted in her". We Christians are part of the problem: our church falls short of what it could be, and we each have wounded and broken lives that fall short of God's best intention for us. Are God's intentions for us powerful enough for us to rely on them as a real plan for our future-as individuals, a church, and even a city? We need to have a vision rooted in scripture with a clear sense of what our priorities must be.

2/1/09 Build Up The Highway! Rev. John Schmidt Isaiah 62:1-12 Read Transcript Listen
1/25/09 Do Not Let Him Rest Rev. John Schmidt Isaiah 62:6-7 Read Transcript Listen
1/18/09 The Two Jesus' of Scripture Paul Borden John 17:1-5 Read Transcript Listen
1/11/09 God Will Not Be Silent Rev. John Schmidt Isaiah 62:1-12
Ephesians 2:1-10		 Read Transcript Listen
1/4/09 New Year's Resoluteness Rev. George Antonakos John 1:35-42 Read Transcript Listen