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This Week's Sermons

The Sheep and the Goats
Matthew 25:31-46

Like it or not, judgment is a fact of life. That is true whether we are talking about the histories of nations or the events of our own personal life. If we break the law, then society will judge us. If we live immorally--drink too much, engage in sexual promiscuity, live a lifestyle of constant stress--then our bodies will judge us. We simply cannot escape judgment in life.

Jesus rarely spoke about the final judgment, but on one occasion he did paint a picture for us in one of his stories. The parable that I just read gives a strong jolt to those who are heavy on doctrine but short on ethics.

A shepherd divides the sheep from the goats, said Jesus, so too shall there be a great division on the final day. Those on the right hand will be allowed entrance into the kingdom, while those on the left will be denied it. And the great surprise is that those who thought they were religious turn out to be not as good as they thought, and those who thought they failed were told they did a better job then they supposed.

I would like to suggest three points that this parable is attempting to make this morning�

We Are to View Each Individual as if They Are Christ.
The End Criteria Will Be Simple Acts of Kindness.
We Are Judged by the Good We Do Not Do.

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Leonard Sweet's Sermon

An Exquisite Attitude of Gratitude
Ephesians 1:15-23

On a grey Friday in January 2007, during the peak of the early morning commuter rush, an unassuming young man entered the L'Enfant Plaza train station in Washington D.C.

As the crowds rushed by, the man found a place to stand out of the way of the foot traffic. He opened the violin case he carried. He threw into the case a few coins and dollar bills to "prime the pump." And then he proceeded to begin playing.

But this was no ordinary street musician. The anonymous violinist in the train station was Joshua Bell, renowned virtuoso, star of the symphony circuit. Only three days earlier audiences had shelled out between 100.00 to 200.00 bucks for a ticket to watch him play at Boston's Symphony Hall. Now, as he stood just a few feet from clueless commuters hurrying to work, Bell played his heart out on his multi-million dollar 1713 Stradivarius violin.

Bell began with "Chaconne," from Bach's Partita No. 2 in D Minor. Bell calls this a "spiritually powerful piece, emotionally powerful, structurally perfect." By the way, "Chaconne" is also considered one of the most difficult violin solos ever written.

Can you guess what happened?

Did busy commuters suddenly stop in their tracks, mesmerized by this master violinist, and drift towards the magical music?

Not so much. For the first three minutes of Bell's "concert" no one passing by acknowledged anything. Not the music. Not the musician. Nothing. Nada. Everyone hurried by, head down, fixated on their next destination.

At four minutes one woman hurriedly tossed a dollar into Bell's open violin case. Finally, after six minutes, one commuter stopped, leaned against a wall, and listened to the gift that was being poured out into that train station air.

Bell played for 43 minutes. He made a grand total of $32.00 off of 27 donations. ("Better than minimum wage," Bell noted later). Two people stopped to listen. The other 1,070 people who passed in front of him simply skittered by, oblivious, obsessed by their own agendas. (You can find this story, along with some video clips you can use, by Googling the Washington Post article "Pearls Before Breakfast").

John Lake, author of Timeless Beauty: In The Arts and Everyday Life (2003), succinctly summed up what this missed moment revealed about all those busy commuters, and about us:

If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that, then what else are we missing? ...

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Advent and Christmas Series

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Christmas: Christmas Eve & Day Resources

by Brett Blair

1. Christmas Eve: What Was Seen At Bethlehem - Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20

2. Candle Lighting Sermon: A Great Light - Matthew 4:16

3. Christmas Day: No Room In The Inn - Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

4. Candlelight Service (Long Version) - Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

5. Candlelight Service (Short Version) - Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

6. A Service Of Light - Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) - J. B. Quisenberry

Advent: New Beginnings in Christ – New!

by Richard Gribble, CSC

1. Don’t Fear the Wait - Mark 13:24-37

2. Blazing a Path to Christ - Mark 1:1-8

3. A New Day Is Coming - John 1:6-8, 19-28

4. Perceiving the Presence of God - Luke 1:26-38

5. A Promise Fulfilled: A Gift Given - Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

6. Discipleship: The Beauty and the Cross - Luke 2:22-40

7. Accepting the Lord Once Again - John 1:1-18

Advent: Joy to the World! – New!

by King Duncan

1. Oh, You’d Better Watch Out! – Mark 13:33-37

2. Blue Christmas – Isaiah 40:1-11

3. This Little Light of Mine – John 1:6-8, 19-28

4. Mary, Did You Know? – Luke 1:26-38

5. Joy to the World! – Luke 2:1-14

Advent: The Near Edge of God – New!

by William A. Ritter

1. This Feels Like Where I Came in – Mark 13:1-8

2. I Am the Keeper of the Zoo – Isaiah 11:1-9

3. The Near Edge of God – John 1:1-14

4. And the Angel Said to Harry Potter – Luke 1:26-38

5. Won’t You come Home, George Bailey? – Luke 2:1-7

Advent: Words for a Birthing Church – New!

by Schuyler Rhodes

1. Denial Ain’t a River in Egypt - Isaiah 64:1-9

2. A Level Playing Field for God - Isaiah 40:1-11

3. Claiming a Do-Over Faith - Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

4. No More Camping Out - 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

5. Living out the Promise of This Child - Isaiah 9:2-7

6. Time for a New Wardrobe - Isaiah 61:10—62:3

7. Time to Come Home - Jeremiah 31:7-14

Advent: Paul’s Pastoral Passages of Promise – New!

by Donald Charles Lacy

1. Thanksgiving and Thanksliving - 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

2. Taking the Long View - 2 Peter 3:8-15a

3. Apostolic Instruction - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

4. Secret Revealed - Romans 16:25-27

5. Training for a Purpose - Titus 2:11-14

6. Precious and Privileged Children - Galatians 4:4-7

7. Deep Calling to Deep - Ephesians 1:3-14

Advent: The Light of Bethlehem Shines On

Thomas A. Pilgrim

1. In the Darkness of Despair, There Is the Light of Hope – Isaiah 9:2-7

2. In the Darkness of Suffering, There Is the Light of Life – John 1:1-13

3. In the Darkness of Oppression, There Is the Light of Salvation – Luke 2:1-5

4. In the Darkness of Fear, There Is the Light of Joy - Luke 2:6-11

5. In the Darkness of Anxiety, There Is the Light of Peace - Luke 2:12-17

6. In the Darkness of Uncertainty, There Is the Light of Wonder - Luke 2:17-20

7. In the Darkness of Suspicion, There Is the Light of Devotion - Matthew 2:1-12

Advent: Expectancy in the Epistles

James L. Killen Jr.

1. Expectancy - Romans 13:11-14

2. A Hope for Peace - Romans 15:4-13

3. Look Who Is Standing at the Door - James 5: 7-10

4. A Gift for You - Romans 1:1-7

5. Grace Has Appeared - Titus 2:11-14

6. The Incarnation: What and Why? - Hebrews 2:10-18

7. With a Song in Your Heart – Ephesians 1 : 3-14

Advent: Waiting and Watching

Mark Trotter

1. Here We Go Again – Luke 21:25-36

2. Is There Anything I Can Do – Luke 3:1-6

3. What Will They Think Up Next – Luke 1:26-38

4. Poor Mary – Luke 1:39-45

5. They Grow Up Fast – Luke 2:41-52

Advent: Christmasize Your Life!

by Leonard Sweet

1. Predictable Surprises – Matthew 24:36-44

2. Christmasize Your Life – Isaiah 11:1-10

3. The 4 LAWS of a Whole Personality – Matthew 11:2-11

4. The Greatest Gift – Matthew 1:18-25

Advent: A Star, A Stable, and a Song

by Maxie Dunnam

1. Christmas Is on a Steep Hill – Luke 2:21-40

2. Who Are You Waiting For? – Isaiah 40:1-31

3. Miracles in Contrast – John 1:1-18

4. Such a Babe in Such a Place – Luke 2:1-7

5. A Star, A Stable, and a Song – Luke 2:1-7

Advent: All I Want For Christmas Is....

by James W. Moore

1. All I Want for Christmas is Hope - Isaiah 64:104

2. All I Want for Christmas is Peace - Luke 2:8-14

3. All I Want for Christmas is Joy - Matthew 1:18-25

4. All I Want for Christmas is a Savior - Luke 2:1-7

Advent: God Is Coming

By David Basic, Jeren Roswell, Brett Blair, and Mike Jackson

1. In the Meantime: Between the First and Second Coming – Isaiah 2:1-5

2. On the Threshold: From Law to Gospel – Matthew 3:1-12

3. Waiting – John 1:6-8, 19-28

4. The Gift of Me – Luke 1:26-38

5. What Do You Do When the Lights Go Out? – Isaiah 9:1-7

Advent: Won't You Let Him In

by James W. Moore

1. Won't You Let Him into Your Heart? - Luke 2:1-7

2. Won't You Let Him into Your Celebration? - Luke 3:1-6

3. Won't You Let Him into Your Gift-Giving? - Luke 3:7-18

4. Won't You Let Him into Your Christmas? - Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

Advent: Let Us Go To Bethlehem

by James W. Moore

1. Let Us Go to Bethlehem and Find the Faith of Christmas - Lk 2:15-21

2. Let Us Go to Bethlehem and Find the Promise of Christmas - Mt 1:18-25

3. Let Us Go to Bethlehem and Find the Peace of Christmas - Lk 2:8-20

4. Let Us Go to Bethlehem and Find the Christ of Christmas - Lk 2:1-14

Advent: The Offense of Grace

Susan R. Andrews

1. Swept Away! – Matthew 24:36-44

2. Road Rage – Matthew 3:1-12

3. Disappointed in Jesus – Matthew 11:2-11

4. The Power of Positive Dreaming – Matthew 1:18-25

5. Vital Vunerability - Luke 2:1-20

6. The Rest of the Story – Matthew 2:13-23

7. Demonstrating the Divine – John 1:10-18

Advent: When God Comes with a Blessing

By John P. Jewell

1. Signs of the Times – Luke 21:25-36

2. Seeing the Good News – Luke 3:1-6

3. God’s Anxiety Reduction Plan – Philippians 4:4-7

4. When God Comes with a Blessing – Luke 1:39-55

Advent: Something's About To Happen

by Thomas Long

1. When Something Is About To Happen - Mark 13:32-37

2. What Do You Mean, 'Repent'? - Mark 1:1-8

3. There's A Man Going Around Taking Names - John 1:6-8, 19-28

4. Where's The Treasure? - Luke 1:26-38

5. Shepherds And Bathrobes - Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20

6. They Also Serve Who Wait - Luke 2:25-40

7. We Interrupt This Service - John 1:(1-9) 10-18

Advent: How to Profit from the Prophets

by Maurice A. Fetty

1. How to Profit from Prophets - Luke 1:76

2. Why Prophets Get Under Our Skin - Luke 3:9

3. Someone Greater Than a Prophet - Luke 1:33

4. The Long Loneliness - Romans 13:11-12

5. A Voice To Be Heard - John 1:23

6. The Unexpected Universe - Matthew 11:4-6

7. The Star Thrower - Matthew 2:9-10

8. The Inner Galaxy - Luke 2:6-7

9. The Second Naivete: Babies, Angels, Shepherds, And God - Phil. 2:8

Advent: The Perfect Gift

by Dr. Bill Bouknight

1. The Wolf and the Lamb Inside Us - Isaiah 11:6-9

2. God’s Best Gift in the Worst Times - Micah 5:2-5a

3. Mary's Revolutionary Song - Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

4. The Perfect Gift - Galatians 4:1-7

5. Naming the Divine Baby - Matthew 1:18-23

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