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Sermons

Jesus Story: “The Present”

Pastor Judd Nelson continues the sermon series called, “Jesus Story”. This series will take us through scripture with the help of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This children’s Bible tells the Story in a beautiful way for both children and adults. This week we read the story “The Present”, which covers the story of Abraham and Isaac. Judd teaches on this story and shows us how we can see Jesus’ life in the story. As the Jesus Storybook Bible says, “every story whispers His name”, even from the very first book of the Bible.

Sermon begins at about 19 minutes

Audio:

You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.

Things To Remember:

Other Links and References:

Learn more about The Jesus Storybook Bible

Purchase The Jesus Storybook Bible


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Jesus Story: “A New Beginning”

Pastor Judd Nelson continues the sermon series called, “Jesus Story”. This series will take us through scripture with the help of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This children’s Bible tells the Story in a beautiful way for both children and adults. This week we read the story “A New Beginning”, which covers the story of Noah and the Flood. Judd teaches on this story and shows us how we can see Jesus’ life in the story of the Ark. As the Jesus Storybook Bible says, “every story whispers His name”, even from the very first book of the Bible.

Sermon begins at about 24 minutes

Audio:

You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.

Things To Remember:

Other Links and References:

Learn more about The Jesus Storybook Bible

Purchase The Jesus Storybook Bible


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Jesus Story: “A Terrible Lie”

Pastor Andrew Schmidt begins a sermon series called, “Jesus Story”. This series will take us through scripture with the help of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This children’s Bible tells the Story in a beautiful way for both children and adults. This week we read the story “A Terrible Lie”, which covers the story of the Fall found in Genesis. Andrew uses this story to teach on the story of the Fall and the impact it had on both God’s children and creation itself. Ultimately this shows us how, as the Jesus Storybook Bible says, “every story whispers His name”, even from the very first book of the Bible.

Sermon begins at about 40 minutes (we had Baptisms this morning before the Sermon)

Audio:

You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.

Things To Remember:

God created everything good in the beginning (Genesis chapter 1)

He gave Adam and Eve a command to eat from any trees in the garden except just one.

Humans are still tempted today the same way Eve (and Adam) were in the garden:

To not trust God's word (Genesis 3:1)

To think of God as more strict than He really is (compare Genesis 2:15-17 with 3:2-3)

To believe that God is holding back on us, that we will miss out on something if we trust and obey him (Genesis 3:4-6)

To hide in shame and/or blame others when we are in the wrong. (Genesis 3:7, 12-13)

To hide from God or act as if He isn't there, even though that's not possible.  (Genesis 3:7-10)

The result is that humanity is cursed:

with pain and in our relationships (Genesis 3:16)

in our work & in nature itself(Genesis 3:17-19)

and ultimately in death (Genesis 3:19)

But God didn't leave things that way:

Something had to die in humanity's place as a temporary covering (Genesis 3:21)

Jesus died in our place as covering for what we did wrong in a way that defeats evil. (Genesis 3:15, Galatians 3:13)

Not to all who receive him and call upon his name he gives the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

The whole creation is eagerly awaiting revelation of the children of God when Christ returns. (Romans 8:19-21)

Until then the birth pains of creation are increasing. (Genesis 8:22)

We can see this in the statistics of natural disasters. 

And we should be ready for what is to come by receiving Jesus and following Him. (Luke 21:10-11, 25-28, 34-36)

Other Links and References:

Learn more about The Jesus Storybook Bible

Purchase The Jesus Storybook Bible

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis


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Jesus Story: The Beginning: A Perfect Home

Pastor Andrew Schmidt begins a sermon series called, “Jesus Story”. This series will take us through scripture with the help of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This children’s Bible tells the Story in a beautiful way for both children and adults. This week we read the story “The Beginning: A Perfect Home”, which covers the story of creation found in Genesis. Andrew uses this story to teach on the Creation story and shows us how, as the Jesus Storybook Bible says, “every story whispers His name”, even from the very first book of the Bible.

Sermon begins at about 30 minutes

Audio:

You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.

Things To Remember:

“There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.” ~The Jesus Story Bible


“It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing pieces in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.” ~The Story Bible


Genesis 1:1-25 there is repetition and pattern:

"And God said...and it was so."

"And God saw that is was good"

Day 1   Light

Day 4   Sun, Moon, & Stars

Day 2   Waters & Sky

Day 5   Fish & Birds

Day 3 Dry Land

Day 6  Animals & Humans

Genesis 1:26-30 (uniqueness of humans)

Genesis 1:31-2:3 (It is finished)

John 1:1-3 (In the beginning, Creation)

John 1:4-17 a pattern like Genesis 1

Part 1 The Word & light (Genesis/creation)

Part 4 The Word & glory (Exodus/tabernacle)

Part 2 John testifies

Part 5 John’s testimony

Part 3 Receiving Him? (become children)

Part 6 We receive Him (grace upon grace)

John 1:18

literal Greek ends without a finish "has made known..."

John 19:30 Jesus on the cross says "It is finished"

Jesus brings new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15)

To all who receive Jesus he gives the right to be called children of God and part of his new creation.

Other Links and References:

The Bible Project Podcast Episode 273: In the Beginning John 1

Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture by Christopher Watkins: Chapter 2: Creation

Learn more about The Jesus Storybook Bible

Purchase The Jesus Storybook Bible


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