|
| Blog: Sermons |
 RSS Feed |
|
By The Grace Of God, You Know What It Means To Repent
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/6/2010 2:36:02 PM |
|
Luke 13.1-9 Lent 3 Hymns: 383, 302, 313, 394
You may know someone who has ruined his/her life, or someone who is dealing with a horrible tragedy...the kinds of tragedies you read about in the newspaper every day: someone... More >>
|
|
Jesus Loves You With All His Heart
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/27/2010 4:38:15 PM |
|
Luke 13.31-35 Lent 2 Hymns: 351, 423, 429, 324
I know that many of you have heard the story about how I got my first bike when I was young boy in the fourth grade. But I want to tell that story again because I can’t think of a better way to... More >>
|
|
Learn From History Of Satan's Power And Satan's Defeat
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/19/2010 4:21:20 PM |
|
Luke 4.1-13 Lent 1 Hymns: 403, 121, 541, 422
Doesn’t it astound you when you read how cruel some people can be to others? A couple of weeks ago in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, a group of drug dealers invaded a home where teenage kids were celebrating a... More >>
|
|
"I Saw Jesus...Jesus The Son Of God!"
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/11/2010 12:36:39 PM |
|
Luke 9.28-36 Transfiguration Hymns: 95, 97, 96, 331
I saw Aaron Copland once. Beth and I attended the Milwaukee symphony years ago. It was an "All Copland" concert. The composer himself, Aaron Copland, was in attendance. As we were leaving... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/6/2010 4:31:04 PM |
|
Lk 5.1-11 Epiphany 5 Hymns: 567, 564, 557, 562
The Apostle Paul writes, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith...it is a gift of God..." (Eph.2.8,9). You are a Christ-ian by the grace of God...only because God chose you to receive the gift of faith... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/27/2010 2:29:17 PM |
|
Luke 4.20-31
Epiphany 4
Hymns: 281, 83, 86, 356
Let’s review a few things about our relationship with God, yours and mine. First, we are alive. We didn’t choose to be a-live; God and no other gave us the precious gift of life. He didn’t owe that to us. We didn’t... More >>
|
|
Jesus Revealed The Purpose of his Ministry: Proclaim Salvation From Sin
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/23/2010 4:05:14 PM |
|
Epiphany 3
Luke 4.14-21
Hymns: 79, 168, 313, 318
When Jesus performed his first public miracle and turned water to wine at a wedding in Cana, that miracle reinforced the disciples’ belief that he really was the Son of God. Mary, Jesus’... More >>
|
|
Jesus Is More Than A Guest In The Christian Home
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/16/2010 1:05:48 PM |
|
John 2.1-11
Epiphany 2
Hymns: 79 - 82 - 94
There is a prayer that I have used as a benediction at the end of a wedding service that has this sentence: "May the Lord watch over your life and be the unseen guest at every meal." That’s a pleasant thought,... More >>
|
|
Make Use Of Your Baptism Every Day Of Your Life
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/9/2010 2:13:19 PM |
|
The Baptism of Jesus
Luke 3.15-17,21,22
Hymns: 79, 89, 294
During the Advent season we spoke of the ministry of John the Baptist. He is known as the "forerunner" of Christ. He was in a way like the advance person of a politician. That advance per-son schedules events in a city... More >>
|
|
Where Would You Have Looked For Jesus?
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/22/2009 1:59:18 PM |
|
Luke 2.41-52
Christmas 1
Hymns:34, 41, 54
We know very little about the life of Jesus following his birth in Bethlehem. What we do know is this: When the Jewish King Herod was told by the Wise Men from the Babylon area that they had come to worship a king who had recently been born, he was... More >>
|
|
"God Works In Mysterious Ways His Wonders To Perform"
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/18/2009 5:13:06 PM |
|
Advent 4
Luke 1.39-55
Hymns: 752, 24, 274, 27
English poet William Cowper (1731-1800) wrote the hymn (CW 420), God Moves in a Mysterious Way." It is surmised that he perhaps based this hymn on the words of the Prophet Isaiah (55.8,9), For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are... More >>
|
|
Celebrate Christmas The Old Fashioned Way: Repent!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/10/2009 4:01:38 PM |
|
Advent three
Luke 3.7-14
Hymns: 19, 26, 16, 15
Finish this statement: "Christmas is the time to... pray for peace on earth? help poor people? bring smiles to kids’ faces by giving them gifts of toys and clothing? be together as a family to share love and fond memories of days gone... More >>
|
|
The Message of Christmas: Repent and Receive the Gift of the Forgiveness of Sins.
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/5/2009 12:54:36 PM |
|
Advent 2
Luke 3.1-6
Hymns: 14, 274, 13, 16
This is a happy time of the year. Isn’t amazing how you never get tired of breaking out the Christmas tree and decorations, blowing last year’s flour off the Christmas cookie recipes (if you need to use a recipe at all), penning the... More >>
|
|
A Sermon For People Who Admire The Accomplishments Of Others But Are Not Particularly Impressed With Jesus
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/25/2009 5:01:15 PM |
|
The First Sunday in Advent
John 11.38-54;12.9-11
Hymns: 1, 14, 356
There are a lot of remarkable stories written about Jesus in the New Testament that clearly identify him as an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind human being. Begin with the way he became... More >>
|
|
A Sermon For People Who Seem To Think They Will Never Die
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/18/2009 3:45:34 PM |
|
November 22, 2009 Christ The King Sunday Luke 16.19-31
Hymns: 216, 361, 341, 153
The Bible tells us that "The foolishness of God is wiser than men" (1 Cor 1.25). To human logic it is foolish even to suggest that the God of the Bible or any god would himself step... More >>
|
|
A Sermon For People Who Are Like A Seed That Dies But Don't Understand Why
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/11/2009 4:31:42 PM |
|
Matthew 13.1-9,18-23
Saints Triumphant
Hymns: 255, 568, 310, 324
READ Mt 13.1-9
Some people are really into football, as in Dallas Cowboy or Green Bay Packer fans, others fail to see what the excitement is all about. Some people are so well disciplined that they train on their... More >>
|
|
A Sermon For Someone Who Is Not Favorably Disposed Toward God
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/4/2009 2:54:32 PM |
|
November 8, 2009 Judgment Genesis 2.9,16,17;3.1-7,14a,15,21-24
Hymns: 208, 209, 382, 562
Honor the past...prepare for the future
This is the theme on which we are building our preparations to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our... More >>
|
|
We Are Justified, By The Grace Of God, Through Faith In Jesus
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/4/2009 11:41:59 AM |
|
Reformation - 11/01/09 -- Romans 3.21-28
Hymns: 201, 280, 441, 199
Old sayings are never old because each generation keeps them new by quoting them and explaining why those old sayings need to be remembered. One such old saying is: Whoever does not learn from history is doomed to repeat it.... More >>
|
|
Make Your Baptism Part Of Your Daily Routine
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/28/2009 12:00:20 PM |
|
Pentecost 21
Romans 6.1-4
October 25, 2009
Hymns: 294, 306, 299, 297 10/23/09
When discussing the doctrine of Baptism it is more common to do so in reference to the Baptism of infants. Baptism is some-times referred to as a ‘christening,’ that is, the giving of a name to a child. A... More >>
|
|
The Lord's Supper Is God's Visible Word Of Forgiveness
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/17/2009 1:41:23 PM |
|
Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost 1 Corinthians 11.23-30 Hymns: 315, 312, 311, 318
In our current series of sermons, "First Century Biblical Doctrines for Twenty-First Biblical Christians," we have made the point again and again that what was true, doctrinally,... More >>
|
|
Learn From Adam And Eve About Marriage
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/10/2009 5:24:36 PM |
|
Pentecost 19
Genesis 2.18-25
Hymns: 506, 505, 492, 504
In order to understand our relationship with God, we need to speak about life in idealistic terms. We need to do that because life on earth once was what we wish it were now...sinless and perfect. And life one day will once again return to... More >>
|
|
The Doctrine of Fellowship: The Standard-Bearer for Unity
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/19/2009 3:08:33 PM |
|
The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Acts 2.42
Hymns: 538, 279, 541, 494
The biblical teaching of the Doctrine of Fellowship is easy enough to understand. The difficulty comes in applying its prin-ciple in our relationship with other Christian denominations. Perhaps you’ve read or... More >>
|
|
Jesus Established The Doctrine Of The Two Kingdoms: Church And State
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/9/2009 9:43:49 PM |
|
Pentecost 15
Matthew 22.15-22
Hymns: 620, 617, 618, 619
The setting of our sermon text is this: The Pharisees were trying to get Jesus to say something to use against him to find him guilty of an offense that could be punishable by death. They took some "Herodians" with them when they... More >>
|
|
Faith Is God's Gift To You; Take Care Of It!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/5/2009 5:26:10 PM |
|
Pentecost 14
James 1.16-18,22-27
Hymns: 532, 530, 308, 380
Some people, many hundreds of thousands of people, believe in Jesus; they are Christians. Many more hundreds of thousands of people are not. Why not? I don’t know.
We read in the Bible, (1 Tim 2:4,5) There is only one God and that God... More >>
|
|
Your Life Is A Reflection Of Your Attitude Toward God (Sanctification)
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/19/2009 3:18:49 PM |
|
2 Corinthians 5.17-19
Pentecost 12
Hymns: 471, 472, 469, 467
What Paul is describing here in our text is the change of attitude in the heart of someone who was once did not have faith in Christ and then received the gift of faith in Christ. The phrase, "If anyone is in Christ," means,... More >>
|
|
The Doctrine of Justification: Complete And Universal
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/15/2009 2:20:25 PM |
|
Romans 3.23-28
Pentecost 11
Hymns: 376, 399, 377, 402
The Doctrine of Justification has been called the chief doctrine of the Christian church, the doctrine by which the church either stands or falls. "If this Doctrine of Justification is lost, then the Christian faith is lost"... More >>
|
|
Repentamce: The Sinner's Pledge To Be Thankful For God's Forgiveness
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/6/2009 3:04:03 PM |
|
1 Kings 8.22ff
Pentecost 10
Hymns: 453, 427, 436, 367
The Children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years be-fore God they entered the promised land, Jerusalem and areas north and south. During those 40 years the Jews did not have a place in which to worship God. They did have a... More >>
|
|
God Does Not Tolerate The Ideas Of False Prophets
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/1/2009 2:19:09 PM |
|
Jeremiah 23.9-31
Pentecost 9
Hymns: 478, 362, 313, 366
How could the prophets of God tell the people of God things that God had not said? How could the Old Testament priests led the people of God in prayers and sacrifices to the Baals, the pagan gods of the Canaanites, told the people to... More >>
|
|
Protect Yourself In The Truth Of God's Word
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
7/1/2009 1:26:59 PM |
|
Proverbs 30.5,6
Pentecost 5
Hymns: 289, 282, 285, 286
The church that I served in Wisconsin before coming here to Plano ten years ago was a very large, massive, cathedral-design church building. It has a 75 foot aisle with six 3X3 foot wide columns on each side. In the basement there are... More >>
|
|
The Doctrine of the Bible, the Word of God.
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/24/2009 5:05:32 PM |
|
2 Timothy 3.15,16
Pentecost 4
Hymns:284, 290, 291, 293
The Bible (which comes from the Latin and Greek word ‘biblia’ which means ‘books’ and which is the revealed word of God), The New Testament, The Old Testament (the two sections that comprise the Christian Bible), The... More >>
|
|
There Is No Substitute For Truth...Ever!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/20/2009 5:16:03 PM |
|
Acts 2.42
Pentecost 3
Hymns: 279, 280, 283, 281
As we prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our congrega-tion in April of 2010, we have adopted the name BRIDGES as our theme. We want to honor the past even as we prepare for the future. With this theme we are saying that in order to... More >>
|
|
There Is No Substitute For Truth...Ever!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/20/2009 5:06:08 PM |
|
Acts 2.42
Pentecost 3
Hymns: 279, 280, 283, 281
As we prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our congrega-tion in April of 2010, we have adopted the name BRIDGES as our theme. We want to honor the past even as we prepare for the future. With this theme we are saying that in order to... More >>
|
|
The Triune God Words As One For Our Salvation
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/3/2009 3:24:07 PM |
|
Trinity Sunday
Romans 8.14-17
Hymns:193, 195, 315, 194
There are any number of things in life where "getting it right" is absolutely essential in order to avoid a serious mistake or, at least, in order to accomplish whatever it is that you want to do. For example, we’ve... More >>
|
|
On Pentecost We Focus On A Message Rather Than On A Miracle
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/27/2009 6:07:20 PM |
|
Acts 2.1-21
Pentecost
Hymns:263, 176, 188, 184
You’ve heard of the mythical fountain of youth. Those who drink of its water are supposed to be eternally young. The only problem is that no one can find it. But that hasn’t stopped any number of people to keep looking for it in... More >>
|
|
Confirmation: An Ongoing Examination of the Truth
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/16/2009 12:43:00 PM |
|
1 John 4.1-11
Easter 6/Confirmation Sunday
Hymns:452, 367, 392, 332, 504, 531, 599
The rite of ‘confirmation,’ is not a religious ceremony that the church is required to do because the Bible tells us to do it (like the Sacrament of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper). The rite of... More >>
|
|
Like Branches, Christians Reveal The Fruit Of The Vine
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/9/2009 3:24:22 PM |
|
John 15.1-8
Easter 5
Hymns: 146, 348, 385, 249
On the night when Jesus was betrayed, the night we call Maun-dy Thursday, Jesus was focused on one thing: the time had come for him to finish the work he came to do, that is, to pay the debt of sin for the human race. But he would not pay that debt of... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/2/2009 12:25:09 PM |
|
John 10.11-18
Easter 4
Hymns: 143, 166, 375, 144
One of the most popular and comforting passages in all of Scripture is Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want..." David expresses for us the confidence we can have that Jesus provides for us, protects us and... More >>
|
|
Jesus Is Alive; He's Not Just A Fond Memory
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/25/2009 2:04:26 PM |
|
Easter 3
Luke 24.36-49
Hymns:142, 353, 167, 162
If anyone would want to take the heart out of Easter he would have to deny that Jesus really and physically rose from the dead. Without Jesus’ resurrection there is no Easter... and there is no forgiveness of sins and salvation for your... More >>
|
|
The Church Is In The "Forgiving" And The "Not Forgiving" Business
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/15/2009 10:41:07 AM |
|
John 20.19-29
Easter Two
Hymns: 226, 145, 165, 159
Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, I asked the question, "What is the message of Easter?" We greeted each other by saying, "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" So, is that the... More >>
|
|
The Father Has Forgiven Us!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/11/2009 2:14:34 PM |
|
Easter Sunday
Luke 24.44-47
What is the message of Easter? "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" This was the message shared by his family and friends on that third day following his horrible death on the cross. "Je-sus is alive! Indeed, he is not dead but is alive!"
Is... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/28/2009 5:01:20 PM |
|
Lent 5
John 12.20-33
Hymns: 110, 406, 402
Jesus came into contact with a lot of people during the three years of public ministry. That’s to be expected considering that he traveled a distance of 70 miles between Galilee and Jerusalem and preached to a lot of people between those two... More >>
|
|
This Is A Profound Mystery: God Loves The World
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/21/2009 11:55:49 AM |
|
Lent 4
John 3.14-21
Hymns: 532, 714, 391, 260
Have you ever heard of "dark energy?" I hadn’t either until this past week. Dark energy is a force of power that is expanding the universe and is causing the stars in the sky to move away from planet earth at increasing speeds.... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/27/2009 2:51:03 PM |
|
Lent 1
03/01/09
Mark 1.12-15
Hymns: 446.1-4, 455, 315, 556
When you have a problem that needs to be resolved and have to go through a number of hoops before that problem is settled, it can take a long time. For example, I have been trying to work with TXU, who provides electricity... More >>
|
|
Better Than A Crown Of Withered Celery
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/14/2009 3:48:02 PM |
|
Epiphany 6
1 Corinthians 9.24-27
Hymns: 395, 405, 390, 520
A couple of things that are going on in the world of athletics this past week serve as illustrations for what Paul is writing about in our text.
On the one hand, New York Yankee infielder Alex Rodriguez admitted this... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/7/2009 4:49:29 PM |
|
February 8, 2009
Epiphany 5
1 Corinthians 9.16-23
Hymns: 234, 93, 429, 87
"They just don’t get it!" This is a phrase we’ve been hearing a lot lately. The people who are accused of "not getting it" are the CEOs of major banking and financial institutions who... More >>
|
|
Christian Freedom Expresses Itself In Loving, Not Selfish Actions
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/31/2009 8:36:06 PM |
|
Epiphany 4
1 Corinthians 8.1-13
Hymns: 221, 395, 431, 82
In our text for this morning, Paul issues a warning to some of the members of the congregation in Corinth. The warning is this (v 9). This sermon is about Christian freedom.
It is the heart and core of the gospel that all people... More >>
|
|
The Only Change That Matters Is Still Coming.
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/21/2009 1:30:29 PM |
|
January 25, 2009
Epiphany 3
1 Corinthians 7.29-31
Hymns: 92, 492, 85, 94.1,2,5
Our new president, Barak Obama, has now been installed into his high office. And we pray earnestly that his time in office will be successful and exhilarating, for him and for our great country. He was... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/17/2009 5:59:13 PM |
|
1 Corinthians 6.12-20
Epiphany 2
The delusional mantra that says, "I can do with my body what-ever I want as long as I don’t hurt anyone else," is flawed for at least three reasons.
First, it isn’t true that we can do whatever we want with or to our body. We cannot load... More >>
|
|
Baptism Is A Blessing For Young And Old Alike
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/7/2009 2:48:10 PM |
|
January 11, 2009
Acts 16.25-34
Christmas 2
Hymns: 16, 91, 89, 87
There are moments in time when circumstances dictate that you just have to take action; you can’t let that moment go by. For example, when the stereotypical boy meets the stereotypical puddle of water on the... More >>
|
|
Jesus, God's Son, Is Your Brother
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/24/2008 4:32:43 PM |
|
January 4, 2009
Christmas 2
Hebrews 2.10-18
Hymns: 43 - 65 - 34 - 49
Solomon, the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, wrote a kind of autobiographical history of how he changed his thinking during the time he served as king of Israel. If you faith to understand the point Solomon wants... More >>
|
|
Christmas: The Celebration of the Unlocking of a 4000 Year Old Mystery
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/19/2008 3:42:22 PM |
|
Romans 16.25-27
Advent 4
Hymns: 21, 24, 377, 707
There are a lot of mysteries that need to be unlocked, some of them have great importance, others not. There was a time when college football coaches were trying to unlock the mystery of the veer of-fense where the quarterback options the... More >>
|
|
Paul's Call For Christian Faithfulness
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/13/2008 12:11:02 PM |
|
1 Thessalonians 5.16-24
Advent 3
Hymns: 702, 26, 19, 28
Do you have someone whom you would call your faithful friend? That would be someone who always there for you, loyal to you, tells you what you need to hear even if you don’t like to hear it. You know each other inside and... More >>
|
|
Be Repentant, Not Impatient; Jesus Is Coming Again
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/5/2008 5:00:31 PM |
|
2 Peter 3.8-14
Advent 2
Hymns: 213, 14, 12
When I was a boy my Mother would sometimes say, "Billy! Your Dad will be home pretty soon. You know what that means!" Was that something good or bad? Was it a threat or a promise? If I had done something wrong and expected to be punished,... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/26/2008 4:43:00 PM |
|
Advent 1
Mark 13.32-37
Hymns:4 - 2 - 472 - 7
When it rains here in north Texas in the winter time, and the tempera-ture creeps down to freezing, that rain turns roadways into an ice rink. And if you have to drive on that you have to be more alert, more watchful so you don’t... More >>
|
|
Knowing God's Truth Sets You Free From Ignorance About Death
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/11/2008 4:52:32 PM |
|
1 Thessalonians 4.13-18
Saints Triumphant
November 16, 2008
Hymns: 216, 214, 311, 219
Jesus once said to a group of fellow Jews, (Jn 8:31,32) "...If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.... More >>
|
|
Stay Prepared! You Know The Day Is Coming.
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/5/2008 1:11:41 PM |
|
November 9, 2008: Last Judgment
1 Thessalonians 5.1-11
Hymns: 551, 153, 555
Do you believe that if you drink more than two cups of coffee a day, you’ll get cancer? That is what some cancer-research organi-zation said at one time. Then they changed their mind. Now it’s okay to... More >>
|
|
Reformation Message, "Freedom," Reveals The Maturity Of Faith, Exposes The Immaturity Of Unbelif
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/1/2008 4:30:35 PM |
|
Reformation Sunday
Galatians 5.1-6
Hymns: 201, 529, 312, 203
The Reformation of the church in 1517 came about only after Dr. Martin Luther matured in his Christian faith. He was a man of devout faith. He believed what he was taught which drove him to despair. He believed that he had to... More >>
|
|
The "Golden Rule" Has Two Parts, Not One
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/18/2008 11:40:48 AM |
|
Pentecost 23
Matthew 22.34-46
Hymns:476, 454, 313, 469
What is the golden rule? You know it: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," that is, treat others as you want to be treated. I Googled this old axiom the other day and came across a brief article on the golden... More >>
|
|
Religion And Politics Don't Mix
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/11/2008 10:25:19 AM |
|
October 12, 2008
Pentecost 22
Matthew 22.15-22
Hymns: 279, 265, 452, 533
I am not intending to be political when I point out the obvious that with the financial meltdown of Wall Street and your and my retirement funds, and with the rhetoric and sound bites coming from members of... More >>
|
|
Rejoice In The Lord, Always!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/1/2008 3:45:13 PM |
|
October 5, 2008
Pentecost 21
Philippians 4.4-7
Hymns: 374, 444, 315, 477.1&4
It is important to know that when Paul wrote this epistle to the members of the congregation in Philippi, he was under house arrest in Rome. He didn’t know if he would get out of there alive. He... More >>
|
|
Remember, You Are The Body Of Christ
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/27/2008 4:49:43 PM |
|
September 28, 2008
Pentecost 20
1 Corinthians 12.12-27
The anniversary date for the founding of Atonement Lutheran Church is April 15, 1985, twenty-three years ago. Only one of our current member families was involved in establishing our congregation: Lawrence and Paula Spree, and their two... More >>
|
|
Work On Your (Christian) Attitude
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/20/2008 3:59:14 PM |
|
September 21, 2008
Philippians 2.5-11
Pentecost 19
Hymns: 389, 392, 423, 381
Jesus’ entrance into the city of Jerusalem on that day we call Palm Sunday was the dramatic display of the divine and at the same time human Savior of the world as he entered into the final stage of his work... More >>
|
|
Jesus Is Your Lord On Both Sides Of The Grave
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/6/2008 2:34:54 PM |
|
September 7, 2008
Pentecost 17
Romans14.5-9
Hymns 343, 390, 410, 457
When there is disunity and a lack of harmony in the church and especially at the congregational level, there is a lack of enthusiasm on the part of the members to be doing the work of the church, sharing the gospel of... More >>
|
|
Love Is The Fulfilling Of God's Law
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/27/2008 4:21:55 PM |
|
August 31, 2008
Pentecost 15
Romans 13.1-10
Hymns: 520, 494, 559, 490
Everyone realizes that there is some kind of connection between themselves/us and God and the next life. How do we get from here in this life to there in the next life? It’s through God; we have to go through... More >>
|
|
Christians Are Living Sacrifices, Equipped By God For Service
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/23/2008 3:21:10 PM |
|
Pentecost 15
Romans 12.1-8
Hymns: 465, 453, 528, 566
Several of the members at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Houston (Friendswood, to be precise) currently or used to work for NASA in the space program. Robert Blaylock is one of those members. His job was to train the... More >>
|
|
Don't Be Fooled; Nothing Can Disconnect God's Love From You
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/9/2008 1:57:52 PM |
|
August 10, 2008
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 8.35-39
Hymns: 401, 395, 313, 331
Whenever we go to visit our daughter, Anne, and her family in Deltona, FL, it has become a tradition that I play golf with one of the members of the congregation where my son-in-law is... More >>
|
|
Predestination:God's Decisions Are For Our Eternal And Daily Good
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/2/2008 1:38:42 PM |
|
August 3, 2008
The 12th Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 8.28-30
Hymns: 384, 415, 405, 379
Someone who is a "perfectionist" can really get on your nerves, can’t they? You can never, or at least, rarely, do something that satisfies the perfectionist no matter how hard... More >>
|
|
The Holy Spirit Intercedes For You
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
7/12/2008 4:00:16 PM |
|
July 13, 2008
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 8.26,27
Hymns: 181, 421, 429, 291
In the larger context of this 8th chapter of Romans Paul is addres-sing the topic of human suffering. In the section just preceding our text he observed that both we and the world or nature itself... More >>
|
|
Hope, With Certainty, For What You Do Not See
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
7/2/2008 3:21:41 PM |
|
July 6, 2008
Pentecost 8
Romans 8.18-25
Hymns: 382, 286, 310, 277
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word ‘hope’ this way: "a desire for some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable....Confidence... More >>
|
|
Obedience To God Is A Life-Long Struggle Of Faith (Sanctification)
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/27/2008 5:17:08 PM |
|
June 29, 2008
Pentecost 7
Romans 7.15-25
Hymns: 390, 398, 474
The work of the Holy Spirit is called "sanctification," that is, to make holy. The Holy Spirit has made us holy by giving us the faith to believe in Jesus who paid for our sins and freed us from the guilt of sin so... More >>
|
|
Because You Are Dead To Sin, You Want To Live For God
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/21/2008 5:21:42 PM |
|
June 22, 2008
The Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
Romans 6.1-11
Hymns: 530, 453, 294, 422
Someone who is in the "clergy business" and I had a discussion years ago about what it means that Jesus paid for the sins of the world. He maintained that even though Jesus died on the cross... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/11/2008 5:20:31 PM |
|
June 15, 2008
Pentecost 5
Hebrews 11.1,2,36-40;2.1,2
Hymns: 378, 188, 377, 318
The writer to the Hebrews gives us a good a definition of faith as we will read anywhere (11.1). We usually say that synonyms of faith are ‘trust,’ and ‘confidence.’ We... More >>
|
|
Understand The Powerful Meaning Of God's Extraordinary Love
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/4/2008 2:25:00 PM |
|
Pentecost 4
June 8, 2008
Romans 5.6-11
Hymns: 233, 398, 399, 346
The Bible is a living book, not a book that contains only historical facts...events out of the past that have no bearing on our lives today. The Bible is a living book. The historical events of the past: the fall... More >>
|
|
Continue To Listen To The Voice Of God
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/28/2008 6:18:27 PM |
|
June 1, 2008
Confirmation Sunday
Revelation 1.12-18
Hymns: 379, 508, 497, 529, 332
The public confirmation of the young people of the church is not a biblically mandated practice but has evolved over the centuries. Biblically and historically membership in the church is... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/21/2008 2:36:15 PM |
|
May 25, 2008
Pentecost 2
Romans 3.21-25,27,28
Hymns: 416, 512, 382, 367
The difference between you, the 21st century readers of Paul’s let-ter to the Romans, and the 1st century readers, the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome, is that you don’t have to be convinced that... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/14/2008 1:01:30 PM |
|
May 18, 2008
Trinity Sunday
2 Cor 13.11-14
Hymns: 189, 193, 194, 192
Who is God? Ask that question among Christian friends and you will get the answer, "God is the Triune God of the Bible...Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is triune meaning that there is only one... More >>
|
|
Everyone Who Calls on the Lord Will Be Saved
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/14/2008 10:18:16 AM |
|
May 11, 2008
Pentecost Sunday
Acts 2.1-21
Hymns: 263, 176, 188, 184
What happened on that Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago was all about one thing: Our loving God was demonstrating his desire that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2.4).
It was fifty days after... More >>
|
|
Drape Your Cares On The One Who Cares
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/5/2008 2:11:53 PM |
|
Easter 7
May 4, 2008
1 Peter 5.5-11
Hymns: 227, 153, 165, 329
What do you say to someone who’s going through a difficult time in their lives without coming across as being unrealistically opti-mistic? Do you say, "Don’t worry; everything will be okay," to... More >>
|
|
God Has A Purpose For Your Life
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/16/2008 2:36:56 PM |
|
April 20, 2000
The Fifth Sunday after Easter
1 Peter 2.4-10
Hymns: 529, 426, 152, 356
There is a lot of money to be made in the PGA (Professional Golfers Association). When Tiger Woods wins a golf tournament he earns over $1M just for hitting a ball fewer times than the rest of the golfers... More >>
|
|
Follow Christ's Example of Forgiveness
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/9/2008 1:12:04 PM |
|
April 13, 2008
The 4th Sunday of Easter
1 Peter 2.19-25
Hymns: 360, 436, 374, 432
When you ask someone to forgive you, what do you mean? what are you asking for? You are saying, "Let’s pretend that I never said those nasty, hurtful words which offended you; I’ll never... More >>
|
|
Maintain A Future-Focused Faith
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/5/2008 2:33:34 PM |
|
April 6, 2008
The third Sunday of Easter
1 Peter 1.17-21
Hymns: 160, 226, 377, 162
The Summer Olympics begin in August. I have long been impres-sed with the dedication of Olympic athletes. They train for years, daily, with one thing in mind: to compete in the Olympic Games and... More >>
|
|
God's Tough Love Reveals Genuine Faith
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/26/2008 3:17:49 PM |
|
March 30, 2008
Easter 2
1 Peter 1.3-9
Hymns: 141, 149, 165.1-4, 165.5-9 3/30/08
I suspect that you know about "tough love" and how it works. If a child is defiant and belligerent parents will apply tough love, that is, harsh discipline, punishment, taking away... More >>
|
|
Because of Easter, You can Think About Heaven
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/22/2008 3:32:56 PM |
|
Easter
March 23, 2008
Colossians 3.1-4
Can you think of some events that happened in your lifetime that you will always remember because of how special and wonderful they were? For you married folks...the day of your wedding...or earlier than that perhaps...the time, place and day when... More >>
|
|
Learn From Jesus The Meaning of Humility
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/15/2008 2:47:05 PM |
|
March 16, 2008
Palm Sunday
Philippians 2.5-11
Hymns 133, 130, 370, 250
What does humility look like? Perhaps it’s easier to recognize when someone is NOT being humble. In the world of sports, a football player makes a hard tackle or sacks the quarterback and he runs to an open... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/8/2008 12:57:49 PM |
|
March 9, 2008
The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Romans 8.11-19
Hymns: 211, 110.1-4, 110.5-7, 607
People are like snowflakes and fingerprints or DNA: there are no two people who are exactly alike. We are all different from each other in one way or another.
We do, however, fall into... More >>
|
|
Only Christians Will Die and Go To Heaven
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/1/2008 8:21:06 PM |
|
March 2, 2008
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Romans 8.1-10
There is only one significant difference among all people: some of us will die and go to heaven and some of us die and go to hell. All human beings have the same reproductive system, we all came into this world the same way no matter... More >>
|
|
Abraham: Role Model For God's "Salvation By Faith, Not Works" Plan
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/16/2008 2:14:55 PM |
|
February 17, 2008
Lent 2
Romans 4.1-5,13-17
Hymns: 529, 286, 310, 353
Quite a few years ago, when I was serving two congregations in Nebraska, someone wrote a religious article for the local paper dealing with the meaning of Lent and how Jesus would have ob-served Lent if he were... More >>
|
|
God's Salvation Plan: What Adam Ruined, Jesus Restored...Eternal Life
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/7/2008 3:34:56 PM |
|
February 10, 2008
The First Sunday in Lent
Romans 5.12-19
Hymns: 556, 396, 378, 455
If God’s plan of salvation ever got the attention of Hollywood film makers, it would make a great story. Hollywood has made some religious movies about God...The Exodus, The Ten Command-ments, The... More >>
|
|
There's A Place Reserved For You In Heaven; You Just Haven't Taken Possession Of It Yet!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/2/2008 12:42:32 PM |
|
Transfiguration Sunday --
February 3, 2008 --
2 Pet 1.16-21 --
Hymns - 95, 256, 97 02/03/08
I saw a statistic years ago that claimed that over 75% of the preachers in the U.S. used the Super Bowl football game on Super Bowl Sunday as a sermon illustration...which, to my way of... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/19/2008 3:10:33 PM |
|
Epiphany 2
January 20, 2008
1 Corinthians 1.1-9
Can you imagine what this world would be like if we were not so fragmented because of hatred and jealousy, greed and pride, lust and contempt, murder and war? Sin is the cause of such things and unbelief is the reason why many people allow sin... More >>
|
|
Jesus Is The Savior of Everyone
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/9/2008 3:41:30 PM |
|
January 13, 2008 --- The First Sunday after the Epiphany --- The Baptism of Jesus --- Acts 10.34-38
Parents can be very broad-minded about some things and very narrow-minded about others. When the latest and greatest child’s toy or doll comes onto the market (usually in time for... More >>
|
|
You Are Not A Spiritual Orphan
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/29/2007 5:28:00 PM |
|
December 30, 2007
The Sunday after Christmas
Galatians 4.4-7
The words ‘orphanage’ and ‘orphan’ do not bring a smile to your face but a sad picture of children without parents to raise them in a loving home and family setting. I realize that just because there... More >>
|
|
We Have Peace With God Because of Jesus
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/19/2007 5:56:44 PM |
|
December 23, 2007 -- The Fourth Sunday in Advent -- Romans 1.1-7
Hymns: 19, 26, 36, 30
There’s been a hi-jacking in the church. I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not but someone has stolen the perfectly good and biblical word ‘evangelical’ and... More >>
|
|
Jesus is God's Homemade Christmas Gift to the World
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/8/2007 2:21:22 PM |
|
December 9, 2007 -- The Second Sunday in Advent -- Romans 15.4-13 -- Hymns: 14, 11, 13, 12
What word follows ‘Christmas?’ Christmas...carols, cookies, decorations, tree, shopping, cards, gifts? Gifts is the word I’m looking for...Christmas gifts.
Why do... More >>
|
|
Be Awake! This is not the time to sleep!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/4/2007 2:16:15 PM |
|
December 2, 2007 --- The First Sunday in Advent --- Romans 13.11-14
The new church year begins today...the first Sunday in Advent. The word ‘advent’ comes from the Latin, advenit, which means, ‘he is coming,’ that is, Jesus is coming.
But when is he coming?... More >>
|
|
Eternal Life Is Good At Any Age
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/7/2007 3:35:48 PM |
|
Saints Triumphant
November 18, 2007
Luke 20.27-38
Hymns: 551, 214, 313, 555
The Apostle Paul once said that he would have been happier if he had been living in heaven rather than living on earth. He put it this way: For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain. If I am to go on licing in the... More >>
|
|
The 16th Century Reformation Restored Freedom to Every Generation
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/5/2007 2:32:09 PM |
|
November 4 2007 --- Reformation Sunday --- John 8.31-36
It happens sometimes that things are not what they appear to be. This is a true story: A commuter airline flight had an hour layover in Sacramento, CA on the way to Los Angeles. After the plane landed the pilot announced that the... More >>
|
|
Don't Cave In To Injustice; Keep Praying
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/24/2007 3:48:25 PM |
|
October 28, 2007
The Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost
Luke 18.1-8; Hymns: 426, 448, 423, 284
When a grave injustice has been committed against you and there’s nothing you can do about it, emotions of frustration and anger, grief and revenge can be overwhelming. A loved one is... More >>
|
|
Give Glory To Jesus When You Worship Him
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/21/2007 1:17:06 PM |
|
The Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost
October 21, 2007
Luke 17.11-19
The story about Jesus’ healing 10 men who had leprosy is often used as the text for a Thanksgiving service. You know the story line: Ten men who had leprosy pleaded with Jesus to heal them, which he did. Jesus... More >>
|
|
Use Your Faith To Transplant A Tree!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/10/2007 2:12:39 PM |
|
October 14, 2007 -- Penteost 20 -- Luke 17.1-10
One of my seminary professors told us, "Whenever the word ‘faith’ occurs in the Bible, it’s always used in the objective, not in the subjective sense." What he meant was this: faith always has an object... More >>
|
|
The Bottom Line is: Faith Saves, Unbelief Damns
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
10/3/2007 4:53:38 PM |
|
October 7, 2007 -- The 19th Sunday after Pentecost -- Luke 16.19-31
Wealth, or the lack of it, has nothing to do with where you will spend eternity. That is to say, if you have a lot of wealth/money, that won’t get you into heaven. God is not selling expensive passes to heaven with his... More >>
|
|
Human Emotions of the Divine Jesus: A Passionate Motivator for the Salvation of Souls
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/26/2007 11:30:47 AM |
|
September 30, 2007 -- Luke 16.1-13 -- The 18th Sunday after Pentecost
Isn’t it amazing how much you can accomplish when you get mo-tivated? What is there about the human mind that one day we don’t have the desire or energy to do a job but the next day, some-thing gets into... More >>
|
|
Human Emotion of the Divine Jesus: Compassion for the Lost
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/19/2007 4:02:10 PM |
|
September 23, 2007 -- The 17th Sunday After Pentecost -- Luke 15.1-10
There are two groups of people identified in our text who were gathered around Jesus to listen to what he had to say. Jesus wasn’t running for a political office so they weren’t there to... More >>
|
|
The Human Emotions of the Divine Jesus: Demanding
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
9/12/2007 5:55:00 PM |
|
September 16, 2007 -- Luke 14.25-33 -- The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost -
In the parable of the talents Jesus tells the story of three men, each of whom received different amounts of money from his master: 5 talents, or a very large amount of money, 2 talents and 1 talent. After... More >>
|
|
The Human Emotions Of The Divine Jesus: Bittersweet Feelings About Judgment Day
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/29/2007 2:34:17 PM |
|
The Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost -- September 2, 2007 -- Luke 13.22-30 -- Hymns: 431, 405, 476, 399
No one’s crystal ball is so clear that we can see into the future. As we look at world events we predict that this or that bad, or good, thing is going to happen. But we... More >>
|
|
The Human Emotions of The Divine Jesus: Pain To Establish Peace That Causes Strife
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
8/25/2007 12:32:33 PM |
|
The 13th Sunday after Pentecost -- August 26, 2007 -- Luke 12.49-53
Hymns: 223, 338, 402, 455
These few words of our text are hard words that Jesus spoke. Isaiah refers to Jesus as the Prince of Peace; are we to understand that he is also the Author of Strife? When Jesus was born the angels... More >>
|
|
Human Emotions of the Divine Jesus: The Patient Teacher
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
7/18/2007 2:42:15 PM |
|
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost -- July 22, 2007 -- Luke 10.25-37
Jesus was often called ‘teacher’ by his disciples and others. A teacher is someone who imparts knowledge and wisdom to others either through instruction or even by example. What was your first experience with a teacher?... More >>
|
|
The Human Emotions of the Divine Jesus: Excited to Send Believers Into His Harvest Field
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
7/15/2007 12:23:39 PM |
|
July 15 --- The Seventh Sunday After Pentecost --- Luke 10.1-12,16-20
Last Sunday we spoke about Jesus’ commitment to the task of saving the world, you and me, from our sins. He spent three years traveling throughout the area of Judea and Galilee telling people that... More >>
|
|
The Human Emotions Of The Divine Jesus: Committed To His Task
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
7/6/2007 4:21:35 PM |
|
Luke 9.51-62
Pentecost 6
July 8, 2007
Have you ever seen a look of determination on someone’s face? It’s a different look. A mother about to give birth to a child has a different look on her face after the child is born. A double amputee war veteran about to begin the Boston... More >>
|
|
The Human Emotions Of The Divine Jesus: Responds To The Grief Of Death
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/12/2007 4:44:10 PM |
|
June 17, 2007 -- Pentecost 3 -- Hymns: 195, 194, 404
The Bible teaches that it is God himself who chose to give you the gift of faith. You believe that Jesus is your Savior from sin...you want to live a life that shows you belong to Jesus because you love him because God gave you faith... More >>
|
|
Your Loving Triune God Has Plans For You
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
6/3/2007 7:53:26 AM |
|
Trinity Sunday -- June 3, 2007 -- Confirmation
In the tradition of the Lutheran Church, the Rite or ceremony of Confirmation is viewed by some as a rite of passage before be-coming an official member of a Christian congregation. Let’s set the record straight. The rite of passage... More >>
|
|
The Holy Spirit Gave You The Gift Of Truth
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/23/2007 11:28:58 AM |
|
Pentecost - May 27, 2007 - John 15.26,27
Today is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost, which means ‘50,’ has its roots in the Old Testament. The Jews claim that on the 50th day after the Exodus out of Egypt, God gave his law to Moses on Mt. Sinai which reaffirmed God’s covenant... More >>
|
|
Thank God For The Unity You Have With Him
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/19/2007 11:41:10 AM |
|
Easter 7 -- May 20, 2007 -- John 17.20-26
Hymns: 515, 376, 460, 331
Times change but truth does not. Times change: cell phones are taking the place of land lines...times change. The U.S. Post Office is losing money because of email but you are losing memories be-cause you don’t have a... More >>
|
|
Love For Jesus Wants To Obey Jesus
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/12/2007 5:46:01 PM |
|
Easter 6 -- May 13, 2007 -- John 14.23-29
There is a vital connection between your heart and the rest of your body. As long as your heart keeps pumping oxygen-enriched blood through the network of veins and arteries throughout your body, you are able to be alive. If your heart stops, your feet... More >>
|
|
Jesus Was Glorified In His Passion
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
5/2/2007 12:18:54 PM |
|
Easter 5 -- May 6, 2007 -- John 13.31-35
Hymns: 153, 160, 155, 219
The word ‘glorify’ means to praise or worship. When we come together to worship we give glory to God because of what he has done for us. Our God saved us from being punished for our sin-fulness by sending... More >>
|
|
Jesus Provides For All Your Needs
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/21/2007 12:41:57 PM |
|
John 21.1-14
Easter Three - April 22, 2007
Hymns: 149, 159, 151, 162
In your own mind I want you to rate your relationship with God. Is he like a family member...or a friend...or a neighbor? You do see a difference, right? Is God loving, personal part of your daily life?... More >>
|
|
Jesus Offers His Peace To Believers
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/11/2007 2:07:17 PM |
|
Easter 2 - April 15, 2007
John 20.19-31
Hymns: 160 - 141 - 147 - 166
Faith in Jesus is a gift of God. The Apostle Paul writes, "No one can say, ‘ Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12.3). Faith is not the result of a logical progression of... More >>
|
|
Jesus Glory Hidden In The Triumph Of The Cross
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
4/7/2007 3:22:56 PM |
|
Easter -- April 8, 2007
No...Jesus’ bones are not lying in some ancient burial vault in Jer-usalem. Otherwise we could not say, "Christ is risen," because he would still be dead. No...Jesus’ tomb is not empty because his disciples or someone else stole his body.... More >>
|
|
Reaffirm The Purpose Of The Christian Church
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/24/2007 6:36:19 PM |
|
Lent 5 -- Hymns: 536, 110, 528, 281
Who’s church is it, anyhow? I mean, who does the Christian Church belong to? Who is the church? What is it? And what is the Church supposed to be doing...what is its purpose? When people look for a church to join, what should they be looking... More >>
|
|
Jesus Reaches Out To the Self-Righteous And The Hopeless With Love And Forgiveness
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/17/2007 12:47:33 PM |
|
Lent 4 -- Luke 15.1-3,11-32 -- Hymns: 304, 423, 306
In the parable of the prodigal son, it’s easy to major on the minors, that is, to focus on the wrong character. The wayward son has a minor part in this story but gets the major amount of atten-tion. Why? Because we can... More >>
|
|
Repentance Is An Essential Characteristic Of A Christian's Faith
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/10/2007 2:06:57 PM |
|
Lent 3
Hymns 383, 302, 386
Luke 13.1-9
The first of Luther’s 95 Theses states, "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ [Mt 4.17], he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance." "What does this... More >>
|
|
Jesus Our Savior From Sin: Heart-Broken But Not Intimidated
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
3/3/2007 4:19:02 PM |
|
Luke 13.31-35 -- Lent 2
Hymns: 351, 429, 315, 324
When I was in grade school, the Sunday afternoon ritual for several of my friends was to go the our neighborhood movie theater. For less than 25¢ we got to see a double feature movie, plus two cartoons and a bag of popcorn.... More >>
|
|
You Can Read Satan Like A Book
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/24/2007 3:41:21 PM |
|
February 25, 2007 -- Lent 1
Luke 4.1-13
Why did God give us the Bible? John provides us with a good reason (Jn 20.30,31). God gave us the Bible so that every generation has the opportunity to learn about Jesus and how he saved us from our sins so that we can have eternal life in heaven... More >>
|
|
One Day We Will Stand In The Presence Of God
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/14/2007 5:02:39 PM |
|
Transfiguration - February 18, 2007
Hymns: 95, 97, 96, 331
Our text tells us about the transfiguration of Jesus. We could also call it a transformation, a change in Jesus’ outward appearance.
Jesus revealed who he really is, revealed his identity to his disci-ples by allowing his body... More >>
|
|
Christian, Be A Martyr...But Without The Complex
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/9/2007 2:55:58 PM |
|
Epiphany 6 --- Luke 6.17-26
Have you ever thought about how much pain and suffering is connected to religion? Thousands of people died in religious wars, like the Crusades; Christians were fed to the lions in Rome; before that the Pharisee Saul went from city to city and house to house... More >>
|
|
BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN -- TRUST JESUS
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
2/3/2007 1:55:54 PM |
|
Luke 5.1-11
What is a "good Christian?" If someone described you as "a good Christian," what would that mean? Probably that you are a good person, that you’re friendly and kind and thoughtful...attend church on a regular basis, attending Bible Class, perhaps teach Sunday... More >>
|
|
Prophecy Fulfilled Explains The Saving Work Of Christ
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/20/2007 9:36:23 AM |
|
Luke 4.14-21
Hymns: 94, 92, 313, 87
What you read can be dangerous to your health, physically and spiritually. There are dangerous people who use the Internet to at-tract unsuspecting young people...especially females into immoral relationships. Just this past week a 50 year old... More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/10/2007 8:54:22 PM |
|
Text: John 2.1-11
Hymns -- 93, 85, 82, 87
Why is significant to know that Jesus attended a wedding? No doubt Jesus attended birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries, funerals and other family gatherings. Why a wedding? And why this wedding in Cana? This little bit of history from the life... More >>
|
|
The Door to Heaven: Closed to Sinners, Opened by Jesus
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
1/10/2007 7:28:58 PM |
|
Hymns: 79 - 89 - 294
Text:
Luke 3.15-17,21,22
After 9/11, airport security tightened up considerably. If you arrive late to the boarding gate and the door of the plane you’re supposed to be on is closed, it will remain closed; you will not be allowed to get on that flight even... More >>
|
|
You Understand the Miracle of Christmas. That's Awesome!
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/23/2006 11:42:24 AM |
|
Hymns: 24. 274, 37, 23
Luke 1:39-45
I have vivid memories of Christmas from my childhood. My Dad would come home with a freshly-cut balsam pine Christmas tree and the whole house (which wasn’t all that big) would fill up with the smell of pine...a smell that lasted for the... More >>
|
|
The Ministry Of John, Though Not Always Popular, Was Effective
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/17/2006 3:59:30 PM |
|
12/17/2006 Sermon (Third Sunday In Advent)Sermon Text: Luke 3:7-18What are the essentials of life that are necessary to live it with peace of mind? First, the ability to provide for yourself (and family if you have one). That means having a job with a steady income... enough... More >>
|
|
Repentance Removes The Obstacles To Our Christmas Preparation
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/17/2006 3:57:04 PM |
|
12/10/2006 Sermon (Second Sunday In Advent)Sermon Text: Luke 3:1-6If someone gave you a gift, a brand new gift every day of the week, year after year after year, would ever get tired of receiving those gifts? Perhaps not. We like to receive gifts. A "gift a day"... More >>
|
|
Faith In Jesus Prepares You For The Day Of Your Redemption
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
12/17/2006 3:54:46 PM |
|
12/3/2006 Sermon (First Sunday In Advent)Sermon Text: Luke 21:25-36
There are a lot of things in life where, if you aren’t prepared, the consequences are disastrous: Jumping out of an airplane at 1,000 feet altitude...without a parachute strapped to your back; driving into the desert where... More >>
|
|
Jesus Is King Of An "Out Of This World" Kingdom
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/28/2006 12:09:44 PM |
|
11/26/2006 Sermon (Last Sunday of End Time) Sermon Text: John 18:33-37
Today is the last Sunday in the Christian church year, Christ The King Sunday. The gospel lesson (our sermon text for today) place us in the court of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. It... More >>
|
|
On Judgment Day No One Will Ignore The Voice Of Jesus
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/28/2006 12:06:47 PM |
|
11/19/2006 Sermon (Third Sunday of End Time) Sermon Text: John 5:25-29
Todayis the second last Sunday in the church year. It is also designatedas a day to remember those who believed in Jesus but whose life onearth has ended and whose soul is now already with Jesus in... More >>
|
|
You Will Die Once...Only Once
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/28/2006 11:59:34 AM |
|
11/12/2006 Sermon (Second Sunday of End Time)Sermon Text: Hebrews 9:27,28
The writer to the Hebrews wrote this epistle to the Hebrew people...which is to say that we need to know what the Hebrew person was thinking about his relationship with God in order to understand why the writer wrote this... More >>
|
|
The Reformation: Historical Evidence That The Eternal Gospel Will Not Be Silenced
|
More >>
|
|
Pastor Gabb |
11/28/2006 11:55:40 AM |
|
11/5/2006 Sermon (Reformation)
Sermon Text: Revelation 14:6,7
Today we are observing the historical Reformation of the church of 1517. Some people refer to it as the Lutheran Reformation because it was the Rev Dr Martin Luther whose leadership brought about the birth of a new... More >>
|
|
|
|
|
|
