Sermons on Holy Spirit (Page 2)

Sermons on Holy Spirit (Page 2)

Acts of Change | Acts 6:1-7

Pastor Sam Kim of the Intercultural Mission Church in North Andover joined us for this morning’s sermon. Pastor Jonathan has appreciated Pastor Sam’s mentoring and discipleship in his life, and is excited to introduce him to the Cornerstone church family. The general idea of the Acts 6:1-7 sermon is this: By the Holy Spirit, the early church was able to change for those they loved, as the Son of God changed (fully God to fully God and fully human) to…

Bridges to Multiethnic Reconciliation | Acts 10:34-11:18

Last week I talked about Barriers to Multiethnic Reconciliation (i.e., personal & systemic racism, group pressure and personal vulnerability). This week I want to talk about how we can overcome those barriers by building bridges, so my sermon title this week is Bridges to Multiethnic Reconciliation. My big idea is this… Be bridge builders in a world of walls. In March 1965 several of Martin Luther King Junior’s associates, one of them Representative John Lewis who died this past summer,…

Not For Sale | Acts 8:9-25 (Simon the Sorcerer)

Have you ever tried to buy something that’s not for sale? When I was a teenager, I worked at a tourist shop in the mountains of Colorado called Indian Village. Occasionally tourists would try to buy the big brass pots we had in the back of the store, but they were a decoration. Not for sale. Occasionally tourists would try and buy this big beautiful Navajo rug we had hanging on our wall. But that rug also was not for…

The Way of Jesus | Acts 6:8-15 (Stephen)

What does it mean to follow Jesus? The early Christians in the book of Acts identifies themselves as “the way” (Acts 9:2). It sounds kind of mystical—“the way…” They were following “the way” of Jesus, who identified himself as the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus tells us what his way is like: Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily…

Joy in Adversity | Acts 5:17-42

How can we have joy in adversity? How can we experience happiness when we’re also experiencing setbacks or even suffering? I want to read you the last words in our passage. Acts 5:40b (NIV) …They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles, who are the twelve disciples including Peter and John and all the rest, are arrested by those in power…

Holiness | Acts 5:1-11 (Ananias & Sapphira)

Today we’re going back to our series in Acts. I actually wrote this sermon before the Coronavirus landed. Today I want us to start to get back into a rhythm. So today I’m preaching the story of Ananias and Sapphira and how their story tells us about the holiness of God.  When you think of holiness, what do you think of? Maybe you think of a big beautiful cathedral. There’s something sacred and awe-inspiring about a beautiful church or cathedral.…

A Gospel Witness | Acts 2:14-41

We talk a lot about sharing our faith with others here at Cornerstone. But have you ever gotten into a situation where you had the chance to share the gospel and you froze because you felt like you didn’t know what to do? Can you think back to the last time a friend or family member brought up something about Christianity or the Bible and you thought, “What a great opportunity!” as it sailed right past you? Today, I want…

A History of Fire, Wind, and Smoke | Acts 2:1-13

What would you do if all of a sudden I yelled, “Fire!” Would you stop and look around to see what I was talking about? Would you just get up and run out of the building? Would you try to locate the fire-extinguishers? Or maybe you’d grab a pack of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate for s’mores. What would you do if one Sunday you walked into this room and it was full of fire, wind, and smoke? Would you…

Before the Mission | Acts 1:12-26

When I graduated college I wanted to take an epic motorcycle ride with my dad before I moved out to Washington DC. In May my dad, a friend, and me rode motorcycles on a 230 mile loop starting in my hometown of Estes Park, Colorado. We rode up and over Trail Ridge Road, which is a beautiful ride that winds back and forth as it gets higher and higher and higher. It goes as high as 12,183 feet. Right now…

The Heart | Proverbs 4:23

Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re listening to a teaching or reading or watching a documentary and something “clicks” in your mind? You finally “get it” and the way you think has changed? Maybe it’s a radical “paradigm shift” or just a “aha moment.” Something is different.  I had one of moments this fall when I began reading Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp. This is a book on parenting, but he starts with the…

Four Responses to the Resurrection | Luke 24:36-53

In 2009 the retired minister of the First Unitarian Church of Portland Oregon, Marilyn Sewell, interviewed one of the most famous atheists of her day, Christopher Hitchens. Unitarians do not believe in the Trinity or that anyone goes to hell but that God is love and all go to heaven. They are considered theologically liberal while a church like Cornerstone is much more theologically conservative. We believe in the Trinity and that you must trust in Christ Jesus in order…