Recent
Sermons
People of Presence: Intimacy (Nature/Service)
Pastor Andrew Schmidt continues the sermon series, “People of Presence”. This week we focus on intimacy with God. Mike Moats shares with us about how nature is the place where he feels God’s presence most. Andrew continues with the series after, encouraging us to find intimacy with God as we serve others and also as we walk with Him in nature.
Sermon begins at around 35 minutes
Audio:
You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.
Scripture References:
Things To Remember:
Jesus often went alone to pray in nature.
God communicates through nature. We still need His Word and community, but it is spiritually beneficial to connect with His creation.
We experience Jesus's Presence when we serve the least of these.
Other Sermon Notes and References:
He was sinless, and yet he needed prayer. Far be it from us to dream that we can do without it. In private, we must, like our God, equip ourselves for the public battle of life. -Charles Spurgeon
No doubt it was the constant habit of Christ to pray. But there were certain times where He retired into lonely places, and His prayer life was peculiarly fervent and prolonged. -Charles Spurgeon
People of Presence: Intercession (Elders)
Pastor Andrew Schmidt continues the sermon series, “People of Presence”. This week we focus on intercession for the church as a whole body. Celebrate’s Elder Board shares scripture and prayer with us at the end of the message.
Sermon begins at 21:27
Audio:
You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.
Scripture References:
Things To Remember:
The church was born when people accepted the gospel message that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead to make a way for eternal life and was exalted into heaven that we could have His Spirit/Presence now.
Believers responded by repenting and being baptized, and devoting themselves to each other every day.
Ephesians shares God’s ideal vision for the church.
We learn that
The church is Jesus’ body and is intended to be filled.
That the church is a temple being built together so he can dwell with them.
The God through his love wants to fill us with His fullness and have his glory dwell in us like it did in Jesus Christ.
God wants to fill his church his body so we can be mature and complete and unified.
We can be filled with God’s Spirit by not being filled with other things and by speaking and singing praise to God.
Other Sermon Notes and References:
People of Presence: Ministering To The Lord
Pastor Andrew Schmidt continues the sermon series, “People of Presence”. We begin with Matt Van Sant, Celebrate’s Worship Ministries Leader, teaching on what it means to minister to the Lord.
Sermon begins at 26:11
Audio:
You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.
Scripture References:
Things To Remember:
Ministering to God:
Extol- to record, to remember
Thank- to thank
Praise- to shine, to rave, to boast
Sermon Notes and References:
God being present everywhere is not the same as God being present somewhere.
A theme throughout the Bible is God desiring to be present in a specific place and time to be with his people.
David was not content with God's Presence being 'there', he wanted it to be 'here' in his midst.
David desires for God's Presence to 'somewhere' matched God's desire. In this way he was a man after God's own heart.
God brought God's Presence with musical worship and maintained his presence with ongoing musical worship.
When we come to worship are we more like Simon the Pharisee evaluating what we think of everything or more like the sinful woman ready to offer what we have to Jesus?
I Chronicles 16:4 Says that David appointed Levites to extol, thank and praise the Lord:
Extol: remember or recount what the Lord has done
Thank: express appreciation for what the Lord has done
Praise: to shine, rave, or boast about the the Lord