There is a popular series of commercials that has been out for several years now. In the commercials, a narrator with a bold and dramatic voice lists characteristics about a certain person who happens to be very unique. The narrator tells us things like:
He can speak Russian… in French
He has won the lifetime achievement award… twice
On every continent in the world, there is a sandwich named after him
His cereal never gets soggy. It sits there, staying crispy, just for him
He is the life of parties that he has never attended
If he was to pat you on the back, you would list it on your resume
You can see his charisma from space
And after giving us some descriptors, the narrator announces that this person is, and some of you know, “the most interesting man in the world.”
Godly Life, Curious World
1 Peter 3:8-17
August 30, 2015 • Kurt Pressler
Can I Have a Personal Relationship With Jesus?
October 25, 2015 • Gary Brandenburg
A few years ago eight workers at a Nebraska meat packing plant hit the jackpot. They split the largest lottery prize in history, 365 million dollars. It was front-page news. Their responses to questions at a press conference were priceless. One of the winners, Quang Dao, a Vietnamese immigrant said, “This is a great country.” Mike Terpstra, a 47-year-old single man is a little more philosophical. He said, “Everybody has dreams. Buy an island. Buy an airplane. In reality, I’m not a fan of flying and I don’t like water.” Another winner, referring to his three-month old baby said, “She’s going to be happy for the rest of her life.” Right? We are often fooled into believing that the source of our happiness can be found on this planet in spite of a mountain of evidence to the contrary.
Is The Bible Reliable?
October 18, 2015 • Gary Brandenburg
I don’t believe in the Bible. I believe the Bible but I don’t believe IN the Bible. Words on paper have no power to save. The Bible is the message of salvation but not the means of salvation. This is not a magical book. You can put the Bible under your pillow at night but it cannot protect you. You can clutch the Bible close but it has no power to heal your broken heart. The Holy Bible is “holy” not because it has a conscience but because the writings that it contains are divinely inspired. In other words, the Bible is a divinely inspired collection of documents that bear witness to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world. So when I say, “the Bible says,” I fully understand that the Bible doesn’t say anything, it reports what others said and did. Even though I do not put my faith in a book, I do believe what the Bible reports. That is what makes our question this morning so important, “Is the Bible reliable? Is the Bible the Word of God or just a compendium of human opinions? Is the Bible a faithful witness to actual historical events or merely an ancient book of fables?”
Is Jesus God?
October 11, 2015 • Gary Brandenburg
In our Explore God series we are considering some of the ultimate questions in life. They are broad questions that provoke all sorts of opinions and stimulate meaningful conversation. Today we come to the most penetrating question of all. It is a question that provides the center of gravity for the Christian faith. One day Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” The angels held their breath as they waited for Peter’s answer. They didn’t have to wait long – it was Peter after all. The answer would determine not only Peter’s future but the future of the whole world. I want to consider that question this morning. Who do you say Jesus is? Or, in Explore God terms, “Is Jesus God?”