MCF Sermon Podcast

Why do people often find it so awkward to be around sad people?  We do Christians often do and say the dumbest thing to people who are grieving?  How did Jesus model for us how to be with someone in grief?  Pastor Kevin shares about how when we are around sad people we often just need to shut up and pass a tissue.  He also interviews Dana who will be leading a care ministry which will be developed at MCF in 2019.

Pastor Kevin closes his series, Starting Over, in Mark 10 with a story of man who was told by the crowd to shut up and settle.  What voices are telling us to shut up and settle?  How can we find the faith to push past the voices into a different reality?

Grown ups love to play a childish game.  It's called the "Me First" game.  Jesus challenges his disciples and us to live life in a different way.  Here is LINK to the video that was shown near the beginning of the sermon.

Adults have their security blankets too.  We just graduate from actual blankets to things like money, control, and popularity.  Pastor Kevin talks about these security blankets as he continues his series in Mark 10 entitled, Starting Over.  The podcast ends with a great communion invitation by Pastor Ruben.

October 7th was relaunch Sunday for MCF!  Pastor Kevin started a new series entitled, Starting Over, that fit the occassion perfectly.  Jesus said we have to become like children if we want to begin to see the world the way God sees it.  But there is a big difference between being child-like and childish.  The podcast concludes with Superintendent Charles Latchison recommissioning Pastor Kevin and his wife Jennifer and commissioning the new leadership team of the church.

This week features a conversational sermon between Pastors Kevin Robertson and Bob Monagbanag, Kevin's longtime friend.

Kevin opens with an interview with Debbie.  It's a story of restoration!  Kevin then speaks on the two roads we can choose.  The road to greatness and the road to suffering.

We all have scripts we have accepted for our lives, but often we are trying so hard to act out those scripts that we don't ever get around to living the life we are actually in.  It is often hard to accept the life we are in and to realize that God is with us in it all. (Video link below)

Claire Wineland video link

When Pastor Kevin prepared this message, he didn't know that he would have to put it into practice before he even preached it.  He shares a personal challenge he faces with his health and how learning to pray at higher levels of awareness brings a deep sense of peace which cannot be taken away by circumstances.  Outline below:

1. The Overall Goal of Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

2.  The Lower ACTIVE Level of Prayer

Give us today our daily bread.

3.  The Higher ACTIVE Level of Prayer

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

4.  The Lower CONTEMPLATIVE Level of Prayer

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

5.  The Higher CONTEMPLATIVE Level of Prayer

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

 

Pastor Robin continues the Road to Restoration by speaking on the freedom of grace.  Grace allows us to honestly face our flaws with compassion so we can live authentically without the need to manage our image.  This episode also includes the Gospel reading and a related song (lyrics below).

We believe in God the father, maker of the heavens and the earth

Of all that is, both seen and not
The beauty of it all his hands have wrought 

But we believe that we are all alone
The earth is ours to plunder and to own

We believe 
Help us with our unbelief 
So we believe
What we believe 

We believe in Jesus Christ
The very son of God, the light of light

He taught and died and rose again
He gave us life that we might truly live 

But we believe that jesus christ was wrong 
For we oppress the poor, reward the strong

We believe the Holy Spirit is the Lord and giver of life 

We believe in resurrection, in the Church,the very bride of Christ

We believe that we must save ourselves 
The gates of heaven never shall prevail

Let us receive our faith again, with open minds and earth stained hands
not with empty words and plans 
But hearts wide open

(We Believe? by Michael Gungor)