October 6, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | John 10:7-15

For the past 2 months we have been taking a deeper look into the parables of Jesus in our sermon series “The Great Storyteller.” This week we wrap up our series with a look at what Jesus tells us in John Chapter 10. In John 10:1-21 Jesus speaks very plainly about Himself, who He is, and why He has come. He calls Himself the door of the sheep and the only one by which we must enter. He also calls Himself the "Good shepherd,” and the one who lays down His life for the sheep. What a powerful image of the sacrifice, love and provision given to us through the cross!

John 10:7-15
"So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep."

September 29, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Matthew 21:23-46

This week we begin to close in on the end of our sermon series “The Great Storyteller” with a look at Matthew 21:23-46.

In this passage, Jesus responds to the pharisees questioning of His authority with two different stories: the parable of the two sons and the parable of the tenants. He then explains these parables to them by quoting Psalm 118:22 and making it quite clear to the pharisees who it is He claims to be!

Matthew 21:33-42

“There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

September 22, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Matthew 18:23-35

This week we look at the parable of the unforgiving servant as we continue our sermon series, “The Great Storyteller.” In this passage Jesus answers Peter’s question, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” This is a fair question and one we have all likely asked at some point. How many times should we forgive those who continue to wrong us? 

Often when we ask this question it is through the lens of pain and brokenness, having been hurt by someone else. While other times we may ask this question through the lens of pride or entitlement. 

In telling this parable, Jesus turns the table on Peter calling him instead to ask this question through the lens of his own forgiveness. He reminds us to consider our own debt that has been erased, not to hold on to the MUCH SMALLER debt that others might owe us. Part of following Jesus more closely is realizing the extent of that which we have been forgiven!  

Matthew 18:23-35

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

September 15, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Matthew 22:1-14

This week we continue in our study of the parables of Jesus with week 7 of our sermon series “The Great Storyteller.”

Matthew 22:1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

September 8, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Luke 7:36-50

The degree to which we are willing to submit ourselves to Christ is a strong statement of the love we have for Him.
Often our love for Christ is hindered by our inability and perhaps unwillingness to recognize just how desperately we are in need of grace… and how sufficient His sacrifice was for our forgiveness.

Luke 7:41-48
“A certain money lender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

This week we continue in our sermon series “The Great Storyteller” as we look at Luke chapter 7 and the parable of two debtors.  

August 25, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Matthew 13:44-46

Has there ever been anything that you have wanted so badly, something so valuable that you would give up everything in order to get it? It could be something material, like that car you have always wanted (1969 Dodge Charger) or your dream home by the lake. Perhaps it is something a little less tangible. Something you have always wanted to achieve, or a goal that you have been chasing for as long as you can remember? We can certainly get carried away in our pursuit of what we would consider “treasures” even though every treasure this world has to offer, always leaves us wanting.  There is something however worth far more than we could imagine. In Matthew 13 Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a great treasure hidden in a field. A treasure so valuable that upon finding it, the man GLADLY sells everything he has in order to buy the field. What could possibly be that valuable? What could be of such worth that we would GLADLY give up everything we have in order to get it?                                                                         

Matthew 13:44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

August 18, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Luke 15:11-24

“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

August 11, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Matthew 13:24-43

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’ ”31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” 34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables;     I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

August 4, 2019 | Kyle Brenon | Matthew 13:1-9

This week we begin a new sermon series called “The Great Storyteller.” In Matthew 13:1-3 we find a large crowd has gathered around Jesus. As the crowd grows Jesus steps into a boat and sets out a little way from shore. From there as the crowd stands on the beach, Jesus begins "teaching them many things through parables.” This is not the only place in the gospels where we find Jesus teaching through parables. These are simple stories used to teach us NOT so simple truths. As we take a close look at the teachings of Jesus, we quickly see that he is not only a master teacher, but a master storyteller as well. Throughout this series we will be looking at the parables of Jesus and the “many things” he has to teach us through them. Matthew 13:9 “He who has ears, let him hear.”