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Feb 4, 2024
Sermon: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
By: Pastor Ben Hulst
Romans 6.1-14: The Christian life involves the constant remembrance of our state as being in Christ. The opposite is the old reality of being in sin. For Paul, sin in this sense is a brutal slave master who desires to bring harm. He can deceive us though into believing that his way is the best way and Christ's path toward righteousness is undesirable. We must trust the shepherd, who will take us down roads that are hard, but it is for our sanctification and growth. We must not be fooled and move back under the 'sin' master, for he desires to take our joy.
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- Feb 4, 2024Sermon: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
Feb 4, 2024Sermon: Dead to Sin, Alive in ChristBy: Pastor Ben HulstRomans 6.1-14: The Christian life involves the constant remembrance of our state as being in Christ. The opposite is the old reality of being in sin. For Paul, sin in this sense is a brutal slave master who desires to bring harm. He can deceive us though into believing that his way is the best way and Christ's path toward righteousness is undesirable. We must trust the shepherd, who will take us down roads that are hard, but it is for our sanctification and growth. We must not be fooled and move back under the 'sin' master, for he desires to take our joy.
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Jan 28, 2024Sermon: Watchful and FaithfulBy: Pastor Ben HulstLuke 12.35-48: Right before this passage, Jesus promises the inheritance of the kingdom to his flock. To be a part of his flock means to be a people of watchfulness and going about the master's business. We are to be watchful of his coming, keeping before us the eternal kingdom and the character of the God who brings it. To be about the master's business is to bear the kingdom in the world - fulfilling our responsibilities to act out of God's character, his generous character of grace and blessings.
- Jan 21, 2024Sermon: The Earth Has Nothing I Desire
Jan 21, 2024Sermon: The Earth Has Nothing I DesireBy: Pastor Ben HulstPsalm 73: Within the challenges of life, it is very easy to hear the whisper of the serpent that leads us to envy of others. Essentially, this is a frame problem, of not visioning correctly reality around us. Reality begins with the goodness of God and trusting in him to lead us to glory. When our feet begin to slip, we must seek the presence of God, a God that loves us in spite of our weaknesses and leads us to the path of glory.
- Jan 14, 2024Sermon: More Precious than Gold
Jan 14, 2024Sermon: More Precious than GoldBy: Pastor Ben HulstI Peter 1.13-25: Because of the frailty of human life, it is natural for us to seek that which seems lasting and promising. Gold has served this purpose in a significant way for millennia. But here Peter dismisses it so quickly and points us to that which truly offers sustainable and lasting even unto eternal life - the precious blood of Jesus. Let us continue to look to the perfect and unblemished lamb for life, even eternal life.
- Jan 7, 2024Sermon: The Time Fully Come
Jan 7, 2024Sermon: The Time Fully ComeBy: Pastor Ben HulstGalatians 3.23-4.7: When the fullness of time speaks to Christ coming into the world, but also Christ inviting us out of the meaningless of the daily grind into the eternal reality where our lives are given meaning. This gives us hope as we move through the hardships of life. It can give us a taste of joy that we will someday know fully. Christ coming raises us up and invites us into the inheritance of the eternal kingdom.
- Dec 31, 2023Sermon: The Fear of Bethlehem
Dec 31, 2023Sermon: The Fear of BethlehemBy: Pastor Ben HulstSeries: Bethlehem: Though You Are SmallMatthew 2.1-18: Bethlehem, in many ways, a comforting scene, as we witness in Luke, is a dangerous and threatening one in Matthew. With the story of Herod against the child-king, we are brought to the call for all humanity to bow before the feet of this Messiah. Herod will refuse, but instead seek his own path. Most, as well, seek their own path and refuse bowing at the feet of Christ. But peace is found in bending the knee, in giving him control, in trusting in his path toward everlasting peace.
- Dec 24, 2023Sermon: Undermining the World
Dec 24, 2023Sermon: Undermining the WorldBy: Pastor Ben HulstSeries: Bethlehem: Though You Are SmallLuke 2.1-20: The seeming insignificance of Christ's birth in the eyes of the world calls the world to mystery. It calls us to remember that we are not in control. If we attempt mastery of our lives without the mystery of God's workings, we will fail. Christmas teaches us to trust the mystery of the coming of Christ. To bow in response to this mystery raises us to the heights of our heavenly Father.
- Dec 17, 2023Sermon: Looking Deep in the Cupboards
Dec 17, 2023Sermon: Looking Deep in the CupboardsBy: Pastor Ben HulstSeries: Bethlehem: Though You Are SmallI Samuel 16: We long for a king. Our world longs for a king. We desire a king who can bring peace to the world and to our soul. In David, we see the imperfect model of a king, one that will be made perfect in the king to come, the King of kings and Lord of lords - Jesus of Bethlehem.
- Dec 10, 2023Sermon: Will There Be Bread?
Dec 10, 2023Sermon: Will There Be Bread?By: Pastor Ben HulstSeries: Bethlehem: Though You Are SmallRuth 1: In the story of Naomi, we see a common experience of human life - of moving from pleasantness to bitterness, from fullness to emptiness. The question becomes what story will we cloak ourselves with - the story of bitterness or of trust in the promises of God. This is not a trite reality, but one of greatest depth and of longest outlook. It is an eternal outlook in tying your life story in the broader story of God's kingdom coming. This takes faith to trust in this hope. But it is worth the cost.
- Dec 3, 2023Sermon: Bethlehem, Though You Are Small
Dec 3, 2023Sermon: Bethlehem, Though You Are SmallBy: Pastor Ben HulstSeries: Bethlehem: Though You Are SmallMicah 5.1-4: Our world and our lives are constantly threatened by the dark cloud of discouragement, despair, and decay that desire to claim us. But in Advent, we look to the hope of the unexpected - of the provision of fulfillment, of spiritual nourishment and everlasting promise. We look to Bethlehem!
