Sermons by Joshua Hartwigsen
Put on Patience
Several of our deacons have been meeting regularly over the past couple of years to develop plans for implementing our elders’ vision through improved communication and collaboration. Part of their efforts involves choosing an annual theme to direct their activities. They selected the following theme for this year: Equipped for the mission: every disciple, every place Their theme motivates our current sermon series, which explores the question, “What does it look like to be equipped for the mission?” We are…
Put on Meekness
Several of our deacons have been meeting regularly over the past couple of years to develop plans for implementing our elders’ vision through improved communication and collaboration. Part of their efforts involves choosing an annual theme to direct their activities. They selected the following theme for this year: Equipped for the mission: every disciple, every place Their theme motivates our current sermon series, which explores the question, “What does it look like to be equipped for the mission?” We are focusing our…
PUT ON…KINDNESS
Colossians 3:12-14 — Several of our deacons have been meeting regularly over the past couple of years to develop plans for implementing our elders’ vision through improved communication and collaboration. Part of their efforts involves choosing an annual theme to direct their activities. They selected the following theme for this year: Equipped for the mission: every disciple, every place Their theme motivates our current sermon series, which explores the question, “What does it look like to be equipped for the mission?” We are…
Called to Serve
1 Timothy 3:8-13 — In 2019, Forbes Magazine reported that US organizations alone spent an estimated $166 billion on leadership training (the global amount exceeds $366 billion).1 Clearly, our nation and our world believe in the importance of leaders. Jesus shares our world’s assessment of leaders’ importance. Paul wrote that Jesus “gave gifts to men” in the form of leaders, “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” (Ephesians 4:7-11). Today, we begin a search for additional deacons…
HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD
Matthew 28:1-10 – Reports confirm what we already know – church attendance is higher on Easter than on any other day. In 2023, for example, about half of U.S. adults planned to attend church during Easter.[1] People gather for worship on Easter to remember Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. While that might sound like a gruesome memorial, a celebratory mood marks the day because Jesus did not remain in the tomb – he returned to life “on the third day”[2]…
PUT ON…Compassionate hearts
Colossians 3:12-14 – Several of our deacons have been meeting regularly over the past couple of years to develop plans for implementing our elders’ vision through improved communication and collaboration. Part of their efforts involves choosing an annual theme to direct their activities. They selectedthe following theme for this year: Equipped for the mission: every disciple, every place Their theme motivates our current sermon series, which explores the question, “What does it look like to be equipped for the mission?”…
PUT ON THE NEW SELF – The new self that comes from sharing in Jesus
Colossians 3:1-11 – Several of our deacons have been meeting regularly over the past couple of years to develop plans for implementing our elders’ vision through improved communication and collaboration. Part of their efforts involves choosing an annual theme to direct their activities. They selected the following theme for this year:Equipped for the mission: every disciple, every placeTheir theme motivates our current sermon series, which explores the question, “What does it look like to be equipped for the mission?” We…
PUT ON THE NEW SELF – An inheritance in Jesus’ kingdom
Colossians 1:9-20 – Several of our deacons have been meeting regularly over the past couple of years to develop plans for implementing our elders’ vision through improved communication and collaboration. Part of their effort involves choosing an annual theme around which to organize their activities. They selected the following theme for this year: Equipped for the mission: every disciple, every place Their theme motivates this lesson, which introduces a series considering the question, “What does it look like to be equipped…
LESSONS LEARNED IN MINISTRY
Exodus 18:13-23 — After arranging the handful of books I owned and the few supplies I had, I sat down at my desk on a Monday morning for my first day as a minister. Sitting in the chair, looking at my (almost empty) desk, I realized something – I did not know what to do. I was embarrassed and frustrated; I had walked away from the beginning of a career in academia to enter ministry, only to realize I had…
Jesus Does Rule
Acts 21:1-14 — Although Luke only wrote two of the New Testament’s books (Luke and Acts), his pair occupies as much space as Paul’s thirteen letters. A good reason motivates the volume of Luke’s writing – he wrote to affirm Theophilus’ conviction about the Good News concerning Jesus (Luke 1:1-4). That purpose means Luke’s writings offer insight into the meaning and application of the gospel, the Good News about Jesus’ kingdom and rule. Despite beginning his writings by announcing his…
Good News of Great Joy: Jesus Rules Through Faithful People
Acts 1:1-8 — Although Luke only wrote two of the New Testament’s books (Luke and Acts), his pair occupies as much space as Paul’s thirteen letters. A good reason motivates the volume of Luke’s writing – he wrote to affirm Theophilus’ conviction about the Good News concerning Jesus (Luke 1:1-4). That purpose means Luke’s writings offer insight into the meaning and application of the gospel (“gospel” and “good news” translate the same Greek word euangelion). We have been moving through…
GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY: The Good News focuses on Jesus’ death
Luke 22:7-23 – Although Luke only wrote two of the New Testament’s books (Luke and Acts), his pair occupies as much space as Paul’s thirteen letters. A good reason motivates the volume of Luke’s writing – he wrote to affirm Theophilus’ conviction about the Good News concerning Jesus (Luke 1:1-4). That purpose means Luke’s writings offer insight into the meaning and application of the gospel (“gospel” and “good news” translate the same Greek word euangelion). We have been moving through the…
Newness of Life
2 Corinthians 5:17 -The Bible opens with a compact and dark narrative: God creates a world full of order and life that humankind quickly and completely corrupts, supplanting its rich goodness with disorder and death (Genesis 1-11). That grim scene introduces a long account of God’s slowly developing plan to heal humanity’s evil and restore His creation. God’s plan introduces a hope that receives a memorable expression in the prophet Isaiah’s writings – he calls it “a new heavens and…
Good News of Great Joy
Although Luke only wrote two of the New Testament’s books (Luke and Acts), his pair occupies as much space as Paul’s thirteen letters. A good reason motivates the volume of Luke’s writing – he wrote to affirm Theophilus’ conviction about the Good News concerning Jesus (Luke 1:1-4). That purpose means Luke’s writings offer insight into the meaning and application of the gospel (“gospel” and “good news” translate the same Greek word euangelion). Luke opens his gospel by recording a prophecy…
Good News of Great Joy
Although Luke only wrote two of the New Testament’s books (Luke and Acts), his pair occupy as much space as Paul’s thirteen letters. A good reason motivates the volume of Luke’s writing; consider the purpose driving his composition: Luke 1:1-4 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good…
Looking Back and Forward
1 Chronicles 12:32 — 1 Chronicles 12 lists those who joined David while he was being pursued by King Saul (1 Chronicles 12:1). That list includes 200 chiefs from the tribe of Issachar, noted, not for their military accomplishments, but instead for their “understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do”(1 Chronicles 12:32). Wise council carries an obvious advantage. However, the Bible offers a different definition of “wisdom” than the one’s commonly embraced by the world – the…
I am Thankful the Church is my Family
Ephesians 4:11-16 — Considering this month’s celebration of Thanksgiving, we have been using our Sunday mornings to explore what we should be thankful for. However, more than mere opportunism motivates this series; we are using the holiday as an occasion to focus on thankfulness because it occupies an essential place in our Christian identity (cf. Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, this lesson explores a final reason motivating our thankfulness: I am thankful for the church, my family.
I am Thankful that the Spirit is my Helper
Romans 8:26-30– Considering our celebration of Thanksgiving later this week, we are using our Sunday morningsthis month to explore things for which we should be thankful. However, more than mereopportunism motivates this series; we are using the holiday as an occasion to focus onthankfulness because it occupies an essential place in our Christian identity (cf. Philippians 4:6;Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, this lesson explores another reason motivatingour thankfulness: I am thankful for the Spirit, my helper.
I am Thankful that Jesus is my brother
Romans 8:18-29 — Considering our upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving, we are using some of our Sunday mornings this month to explore things for which we should be thankful. However, more than mere opportunism motivates this series; we are using the holiday as an occasion to focus on thankfulness because it occupies an essential place in our Christian identity (cf.Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, this lesson explores another reason motivating our thankfulness: I am thankful for Jesus, our brother.