Category: 2018 Sermons

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Sermon Audio: Radical Trust
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 12:38-44
Duration: 17:20
Size: 8.18 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Radical Trust
Mark 12:38-44

Today we get to see the contrast between the men in charge of this current kingdom, and who will be a part of the new King’s kingdom.

We need to be careful about parading our spirituality and position in Christ around so that people are impressed with us.

They feel they are worthy of so much, but Jesus now shows by contrast what is really worth something in His kingdom.

On the surface, of course, Jesus is saying that the size of the gift is irrelevant–what matters is the spirit in which it is given.

At some point, all of us have to be willing to cash in all of what brings us worth in this age and give our souls, and our destiny to a King in a new age.

Two questions to ask yourself:
Who validates me?
Who is my ultimate Lord?

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Sermon Audio: Who is God and How Can I Get To Know Him?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 12:18-35
Duration: 20:01
Size: 10.1 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Who is God and How Can I Get To Know Him?
Mark 12:18-35

The Sadducees were enemies with the Pharisees and we see several places in the New Testament where people like Peter and Paul were able to leverage their theological differences to their advantage.

It seems that perhaps this argument was a stock one the Sadducees had used to great affect against the Pharisees in debates.

What created the problem for them and why they came to the wrong conclusion was that they placed their own values on top of the Scriptures instead of letting the Scriptures dictate their values.

The Sadducees didn’t see resurrection in the books of Moses so Jesus takes them to the only Scriptures they recognized and showed them that God is the God of men long dead–from an earthly perspective.

In Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments are broken up into two groups: one group involves staying faithful in our relationship to God, the other involves staying faithful in our relationships with others.

We can give all of the right answers but still not have a relationship with Jesus.

Every other theological debate is irrelevant before coming to terms with that question–is Jesus the Messiah?

In a way you could sum up verses 18 through 37 by saying that we greatly misunderstand who God is because we have overlaid our frame of reference over God.

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Sermon Audio: Ganging Up On Jesus
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 11:25-12:17
Duration: 19:17
Size: 9.33 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Ganging Up On Jesus
Mark 11:25-12:17

The only reason we can ask God for anything isn’t based on our merit but on His mercy and forgiveness.

This begins an extended section where Jesus confronts those directly who hold power in Israel.

They had asked Jesus for His credentials, so He asks them what they felt about John the Baptist’s credentials, hinting that both He and John got their authority from the same place.

Israel was supposed to show the world what a relationship with Yahweh was like, bring in the Scriptures, and provide a line for the Messiah.

Here Jesus clarifies that it was not Israel as a whole that was at fault, but the religious leaders.

What matters is if they believe He is who He says He is and trust Him.

He challenges them to give God the fidelity and faith and obedience that are indeed valuable in God’s kingdom.

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Sermon Audio: Trotting In To Save The Day
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 11:1-24
Duration: 24:24
Size: 12.5 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Trotting In To Save The Day
Mark 11:1-24

This date is one of the most important in human history and following a vital prophetic clock, was the one and only day that the Jewish Messiah could be proclaimed.

What we are about to see is actually a carefully scripted event laid out in Biblical prophecy, starting with a colt.

For Jesus to ride was significant and the people recognized that He was fulfilling that prophecy in Zechariah 9, so they waved tree branches and leafy branches from the field and some placed them in front of Jesus like in 2 Kings.

Jesus came to do battle, of course, but it was actually against the Jewish religious system which had become so polluted that it actually kept people from understanding God’s Messiah.

In Jesus day the court of the Gentiles had become filled with people selling sacrifices and changing money into Temple shekels.

They couldn’t do anything at that time, though, because He was still popular with the people.

There appears to be a universal application as well that in service to Jesus we have unlimited power if we ask for it.

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Sermon Audio: And Jesus Stood Still
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 10:46-52
Duration: 22:43
Size: 11.4 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
And Jesus Stood Still
Mark 10:46-52

They are scary people, because they are toothless and dirty and they have not bathed or changed clothes in months; but, they seem harmless because they are severely withdrawn.

A similar thing happened a couple of thousand years ago outside Jericho.

He begs because he is poor and his poverty is due to his blindness; therefore, there is no sin in his begging.

The people saw someone going to be their king. Bartimaeus found the Savior for Whom he had been looking.

And Jesus stood still. He did not simply pause. He did not slow down and glance at the beggar. Jesus stopped, Jesus stood still.

There are two miracles in this story. First, a blind beggar has his sight restored. But its the second miracle I would like to leave you with today.

Yet among all the personal anxiety and commotion of the crowd, He heard a single voice cry out. And He stood still.

For Jesus to pass by one soul would be to contradict His entire mission.

Jesus stood still.

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Sermon Audio: Anxious To Matter
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 10:32-45
Duration: 28:07
Size: 13.3 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Anxious To Matter
Mark 10:32-45

We want a life that means something. We want a life that makes a difference. The question is, “How?” How do we live a life that matters?

For you see, if we want to live a life that matters, then like Jesus we must be willing to die. We must be willing to…
SACRIFICE OUR OWN LIVES.

If we want to live a life that matters, 1st we must sacrifice. Then 2nd, we must…
SUFFER FOR CHRIST’S SAKE.

Jesus tells them, You will indeed suffer, because that’s the price of greatness. That’s the cost of living a life that matters.

It is absolutely necessary if we want to live lives that matter. 1st we must sacrifice. 2nd we must suffer; and 3rd if we want to live lives that matter, we must…
SUBMIT TO GOD’S WILL.

Would I be willing to serve God faithfully and raise up my children to serve him, even if I never achieved any recognition?

Whatever role God has assigned to you, in His strength, carry out that role to the best of your ability. For if we want to live a life that matters.

1st we must sacrifice; 2nd we must suffer; 3rd we must submit; and finally, we must…
SERVE ONE ANOTHER.

Jesus Himself showed us what true greatness is all about. It’s not about people waiting on me. It’s about me waiting on people.

Do you want to live a life that makes a positive difference in other people’s lives? Then with God’s help strive to be a servant and not a celebrity.

When your life is all said and done, what will your contribution be?