Richmond Community Church

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:19 — 10.7MB)

Sermon Audio: Why Jesus
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 9:18-20
Duration: 23:19
Size: 10.6 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Why Jesus
Luke 9:18-20

The Bible presents one God and one way to be saved.

1. Who do the crowds say I am?

In Luke chapter 9, Jesus asked his disciples about the perceptions of the crowds who were following him around Galilee.

What do the people you see every week think about Jesus? Could you answer His question, “Who do people say that I am?”

2. Who do you say I am?

Notice that this question is personal. Jesus was saying, “you’ve told me what others say about me”.

Jesus is distinctive because he is the only religious leader who claims to be God.

Jesus stands alone in His claims…and in the evidence that supports his claims.

Here’s the difference. Christianity is all about done.

It’s about what Jesus Christ has already done for us.

If Jesus was telling the truth, then it all comes down to how we answer His question: “What about you? Who do you say I am?”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:46 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Opportunities Right In Front Of You
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 9:10-17
Duration: 23:46
Size: 10.8 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Opportunities Right In Front Of You
Luke 9:10-17

If you want to understand the Lord’s will, be wise by looking for the opportunities He sets before you, especially in difficult circumstances.

But rather than seeing this as an opportunity for Jesus to work, they saw it as a problem they needed to fix.

He wanted them to get out of the fix-it mode and begin to think in an opportunity mode.

Discipleship is not for spectators.

Once we come to believe in Christ as Savior, we can’t stay there, we need to move on in making Him Lord of our lives.

Problems are opportunities in disguise.

How you respond when you reach this turning point will determine whether you go on to be involved with Him in something God-sized that only He can do or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss the opportunity He has placed before you.

When opportunity knocks, we get up and open the door.

We often forget that when God speaks He always reveals what He is going to do—not what He wants us to do.

However, the Lord isn’t interested in just feeding people’s bellies for a day; He wants to feed their souls and spirits for eternity.

God wants to use problems as opportunities to reveal Himself though us.

But when God’s people and the world see something happen that only God can do, they come to know God.

Where God guides, He provides.

So as we seek to know and to do God’s will, it is imperative that we clearly know His will and His directions for carrying it out.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:57 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Jesus Sends Out The Twelve Apostles
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 9:1-9
Duration: 20:57
Size: 9.59 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Jesus Sends Out The Twelve Apostles
Luke 9:1-9

These twelve apostles were trained by Jesus to carry on his mission after his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.

I. Their Empowerment (Luke 9:1)

Luke said that Jesus gave power and authority to the twelve.

Today, Jesus has given authority to preach the gospel and make disciples.

II. Their Mission (Luke 9:2)

People simply need to recognize that they are sinners, repent of their sin, put their trust in the person and work of Jesus, and surrender their lives to God’s sovereign and gracious kingship.

III. Their Instructions (Luke 9:3-5)

A. Regarding Luggage (Luke 9:3)

Jesus wanted his apostles to travel light on that first short-term missions trip so that they would learn to trust him completely for everything, even their basic needs.

B. Regarding Lodging (Luke 9:4)

They were to be content with their lodging.

C. Regarding Reception (Luke 9:5)

Rejecting the message of the kingdom of God was serious.

IV. Their Obedience (Luke 9:6)

V. Their Effect (Luke 9:7-9)

Whatever his reason, Herod was asking the right question, “Who is this?”

They did not know it at the time, but their ministry laid the foundation for a ministry that has led to the salvation of literally billions of lives since the first century.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:08 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Help God, I Hurt
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 8:40-56
Duration: 27:08
Size: 12.4 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Help God, I Hurt
Luke 8:40-56

I’ve learned to hide my feelings so deeply that sometimes I can even fool myself.

They were very different people but had this one thing in common, they were both hurting.

But Jairus was desperate, and desperate times call for desperate measures.

We think that God is only concerned with the big important problems in this world.

It is one thing to press Him and another thing to touch Him by faith.

You know its so amazing how quick some folks can get attached to objects and attribute power to it.

Have you ever felt like maybe God wasn’t in quite as big of a rush as you are?

Reach out to Jesus even through the crowd. Sometimes there may be a crowd that prevents you from coming to Jesus…maybe that crowd may be your friends, or maybe it’s even the church.

And you may place your trust in Christ and things may get worse.

So what is the word from the Lord today; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him shall never perish but will have everlasting life.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:20 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Freedom In Christ
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 8:26-39
Duration: 23:20
Size: 10.6 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Freedom In Christ
Luke 8:26-39

It is only when Christ is present, whether in the life of an individual, a family, a church, or a nation, that they experience genuine and lasting freedom, but even that freedom is something most believers will never experience because of three obstacles that we face.

Satanic Opposition

The Bible plainly tells us that this man was plagued by a mob of demons that went by the name of Legion.

No I want you to be clear on this; if a man or woman rejects Christ and goes to hell, they go because they made a conscious choice to reject Christ.

Love of Darkness

You see, one of the greatest obstacles most people will ever face is their own love of the darkness they live in.

When you step out of that world into the world of light, then you can find freedom like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.

Fear

It didn’t matter that this man who had been in such bondage was now set free, or that this Jesus was just as concerned about their eternal souls – they were afraid and unwilling to have any dealings with Him.

Jesus went all the way across that lake just to meet this man and set him free.

The obstacles are real, and they are difficult to overcome. Most will never find freedom, but for those of you who are ready, Jesus stands today ready.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:21 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: There Is Purpose In The Storms
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 8:22-25
Duration: 26:21
Size: 12.0 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
There Is Purpose In The Storms
Luke 8:22-25

Although the Sea of Galilee is only 5 miles wide and 13 miles long it has a history of terrible storms.

The disciples in obedience to his command hoisted the sail and begin the five mile trip across the lake.

Sometimes We Will Face Storms In Our Lives.

The once placid lake of our life becomes a storm tossed, angry, raging sea.

But no matter what storms come up in our life, we can call upon Jesus.

When We Are In A Storm We May Think That We Are Out of God’s Will.

You can find a storm and be right in the center of God’s will.

Without difficulties, without trials, without stresses and even failures, we would never grow to be what the Lord wants us to become.

When We Are In A Storm We May Think That God Doesn’t Care.

When we are in the midst of a crisis of one form or another and it seems that Jesus doesn’t care, He just does not seem to be interested or concerned with what we are going through.

When We Are In A Storm We May React In Fear Rather Than Faith.

In reality their problem was not the storm around them but the unbelief within them.

When We Are In A Storm We Need To Remember To Cry Out To The Father.

I am so glad I serve the God of the Universe who not only created everything that is, is not limited as to He can act by His own creation.

When In A Storm Faith Will Keep You From Being Afraid.

Jesus cares, not only cares, but acts and saves.

We Disappoint The Lord When We Give In To Fear.

Although their fear was natural, they had no excuse for their lack of faith.