Richmond Community Church

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Sermon Audio: The Leper’s Story
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 5:12-16
Duration: 18:53
Size: 8.65 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Leper’s Story
Luke 5:12-16

Now that we have heard the Leper’s story, let’s see what Jesus did for the man.

I. The Man Was Reached.

When no one else would help there was a man named Jesus who was not concerned with what the people may say, think, or do – all he knew was that there was a man with a terrible disease that needed to be reached.

II. The Man Was Revived.

When Jesus touched this man he was revived, for all common purposes he was a walking dead man – he could not live with his family, he could not take part in all the normal things of life.

When we are revived we can get back to the life that God wants us to live, we can worship like he wants us to, we can pray like he wants us to.

III. The Man Was Released.

Jesus wanted this man to go and show what had happened – to testify of the miracle working power of God!

God wants to reach you with his love.
God wants to revive with power.
God wants to release you for his glory.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:27 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Complete Surrender
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 5:1-11
Duration: 24:27
Size: 11.1 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Complete Surrender
Luke 5:1-11

No matter how big or important any of us think we are, God’s Word stands forth as an unchanging beacon.

The topic I would like to discuss this morning is complete surrender to Christ, our unshakeable, lighthouse.

So many people go around life trying to clean every thing up before they meet with God.

We need to present ourselves to Christ as we are.

You have offered and offered and offered and seen no results and now you are just tired!

Do not pause when God gives instructions.

But, when we choose to obey, we always are the better for it.

Surrender must precede the blessings that God has for you.

Your complete surrender will yield a complete blessing on the part of the Savior.

Complete surrender involved giving up the things that they are used to. Things that were holding them back from completing God’s mission.

So we must learn to surrender over to him anything and everything that would keep us from accomplishing that Goal.

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Sermon Audio: Jesus Is God’s Son. True or False?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 4:38-44
Duration: 19:05
Size: 8.73 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Jesus Is God’s Son. True or False?
Luke 4:38-44

One of the most common questions is how do we know that God is real.

Four choices before us.

1. He is a liar.

He knew He wasn’t God’s Son, but he deliberately misled those that heard Him.

2. Jesus was well meaning, but a bit confused.

Jesus always seems to be in control even when faced with external pressure.

3. Jesus was a Legend.

Some argue that while Jesus was a real man, the stories about him and the accounts of miracles were fabricated and the stuff of legends and stories.

4. Jesus is who he said he was – he was the Son of God who deserved to be Lord.

Luke, the doctor says that she had a high fever and they asked Jesus to help her.

His healings sometimes occur over a large distance and are often just by a spoken word.

Satan and his demons were petrified of this Man.

He showed he had power over nature by calming the wind and the waves during a violent storm.

He knew what would happen to him and spoke openly of his death before it happened.

The risen Jesus was no Legend. People saw him and touched him.

They couldn’t deny it, because too many people witnessed these things.

Who do you say Jesus is? ________________

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:49 — 9.1MB)

Sermon Audio: Jesus Still Conquers Sin
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 4:31-37
Duration: 19:49
Size: 9.07 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Jesus Still Conquers Sin
Luke 4:31-37

If you can’t see it, feel it, touch it, taste it, or smell it – it doesn’t exist.

Jesus teaches us that there is still hope in this world for defeating the evil in our world.

I. Evil is conquered by the preaching of Jesus.

The best thing we can do for you is to show you what the Biblical writers wrote.

II. Evil is conquered by the presence of Jesus.

They wanted to find a church where they would experience the presence of Jesus.

III. Evil is conquered by the power of Jesus.

Whatever evil you may be facing in your life, the power of Christ is your answer.

Christ said that by faith the size of a mustard seed a believer can command the mountain to depart.

IV. Evil is conquered by the popularity of Jesus.

When people experience true Christianity, they don’t want anything to do with evil.

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Sermon Audio: Preaching is Risky
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 4:21-30
Duration: 17:01
Size: 7.79 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Preaching Is Risky
Luke 4:21-30

In a sense they were saying, how can he say that the scripture has been fulfilled in me when Jesus is just the son of a carpenter?

They also were thinking in their hearts, why doesn’t he do miracles here as he did Capernaum. Prove to us he is the Messiah.

The people’s expectation of the preacher Jesus was different than Jesus’ own expectations.

We want to hear from God through our preacher what we want to hear, not what God through the preacher is trying to say.

And through God’s word, Jesus is meddling in our lives. He is telling us that through his word we can find the authority for our lives.

God could have cried out from outer space a million years, saying, “I love you, I love you,” but we would not have believed him.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:42 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: The Fulfillment Of The Word
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 4:14-21
Duration: 30:42
Size: 14.0 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Fulfillment Of The Word
Luke 4:14-21

We love to hear each other’s stories because as a people we are not only a pilgrim people, we are also a story people.

Christians must therefore learn to tell their stories, don’t keep your stories to yourselves.

The stem of our stories is Christ in the world, bringing God to a world of darkness in the light of His word.

Fasting is one of the ways of cleansing ourselves and preparing for the presence of God in us.

That gospel, the good news was fulfilled in the hearing of those who were listening to Jesus, and today that same message is still being fulfilled.

SO WHAT IS YOUR STORY?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:26 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Three Big Temptations In Life
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 4:1-13
Duration: 22:26
Size: 10.2 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Three Big Temptations In Life
Luke 4:1-13

The Devil can’t make us do anything. He may be clever, but he’s not all powerful.

1. He lays out the bait.
2. Then comes the appeal.
3. The struggle begins.
4. The temptation ends with the response.

This morning we are going to see Jesus meet and master temptation.

We are the most susceptible to temptation when we are alone.

1. The Temptation To Do It Yourself

The devil is well aware that God exists and I don’t think that he expends a great deal of effort trying to dissuade us from a belief in God.

The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.

We regularly are tempted to go outside the confines of God’s will to satisfy our personal needs or desires.

2. The Temptation To Take The Easy Way

The devil was offering Jesus a kingdom without the cross.

Our world teaches us to avoid pain, to take the easy way, the path of least resistance.

3. The Temptation To Not Believe It Until You See It

This would be the equivalent of saying to God – “I won’t believe in you until I see you show it to me by my terms.”

The one thing common to all three temptations is that they attempted to distract Jesus from his mission or destroy his relationship with His heavenly Father.

Verse 13 reveals that the Devil will always be lurking in the shadows, watching, waiting for the next vulnerable moment.

When you are weak – expect a major assault.
When you resist – be ready for a different approach.
When he leaves – count on another attack.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:51 — 10.0MB)

Sermon Audio: You’ve Got What It Takes
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 3:21-38
Duration: 21:51
Size: 10.0 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
You’ve Got What It Takes
Luke 3:21-38

In the text we’re reading today we find part of the greatest epic ever told, and here Luke reveals to us the emergence of the hero.

You strip the Old Testament down and it becomes the story of God preparing the way for the hero to emerge.

Today God is writing the epic of your life. I don’t care whether you prefer westerns, romances or sci-fi, the story is the same.

Know why you’re here

He had come to earth for one purpose, and that was to glorify the Father.

You have absolutely got to know that you are here for one reason and only one reason: to bring glory to the Father!

Burn the bridges

The only way to follow Christ is to abandon yourself to Him. Abandon everything to Him.

Step into the river

Put a torch to the bridges you’ve been keeping erected in your life just in case things don’t work out, and step down into the river where a glorious and exciting future awaits you.

You’re going to experience…

…The fellowship of the Son.
When you abandon everything to walk with God; simply to be with Him, you’re going to be following in the very footsteps of Christ.

…The presence of the Holy Spirit.
When you abandon everything to God, the Holy Spirit is going to be in your corner.

…The affirmation of the father.
God the Father expressed in just a few simple words His love and affirmation for the Son.