Sermon Archive - 2012

Trinity United Methodist Church - Rev. Dr. David N. Wentz

January 1

Jan. 8 - Feb. 5

Feb. 12 - March 25

February 22

April 8

April 29

May 20 - June 10

June 17 - July 22

July 29 - Sep. 9

September 16

September 23

September 30

October 6



October 14

October 21

November 4

November 11

Nov. 25 - Dec. 30

A Fresh Start 

Scripture lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:14 – 6:2

Key verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 

 

·       You must die to the old life that pleased self.

·       You must live a new life that pleases God.

·       You can do this because you are a new person.

·       You are a new person because of Jesus.

·       You have a new responsibility to invite others to become new.

·       Today is the day of salvation.of a fresh start in your faith.

Relationship Wars: Overcoming 'Divide and Conquer!'  

The Enemy is NOT who you think!

This is a multi part Sermon Series that shows how we are under attack by an enemy that seeks to divide and conquer us.  Parts 3 and 4 begin in May.


Series theme verse: Ephesians 6:12 We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,
 but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world. 

Relationship Wars: Part 1 - The Big Picture

This first part consists of five sermons laying the groundwork for the Relationship Wars. We see that we are under attack by an enemy who seeks to divide and conquer us.  But we have the victory through God's strategy of loving each other.  We look at the battlefields of marriage, family, community, and other places where this takes place.  We learn how to fight back.

Relationship Wars: Part 2 - Relationship Ambushes

Part 2 consists of six sermons.  We examine how the enemy tries to ambush us through our eyes, mind, heart, will, tongue and behavior.  We learn how to keep from being trapped in these ambushes.

Ash Wednesday: Holy and Perfect - Me?


Scripture lessons: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 ; 1 Peter 1:13-16 ; Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48

God commands us to be holy (1 Peter 1:16)

  • Set apart for God
  • Pure, clean, undefiled
  • Not contaminated in our minds or hearts or bodies or habits with anything that we would not be proud to show God and to have the world to know

God commands us to be perfect (Matthew 5:48) 

  • Not consciously sinning 
  • Doing everything in love

This is impossible for us but not for God


Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. (Joel 2:13)


By the Holy Spirit’s power in us and by exercising our own faith, we can reach a place where we put God first (Matthew 6:33), are not consciously sinning, and allow ourselves to be controlled by love


What we examine ourselves for in Lent is the ways we have not yet reached that, and what we are allowing to hold us back

 

EASTER - A New Life


Scripture lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:1-21

Key verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 


Because Jesus rose from the dead, we who believe in him have

·       A new assurance (verses 1-5)

·       A new confidence (verses 6-8)

·       A new desire (verses 9-10)

·       A new attitude (verses 11-14a)

-  Energy

-  Sincerity

-  Motivation

-  Freedom

-  Passion

·       A new way of looking at people (verses 14b-17)

·       A new mission in life (verses 18-21)

Revive Us Again

Scripture lesson:  Daniel 9:1-23
Key verse: Revelation 1:6 He has made us his Kingdom and his priests who serve before God his Father. Give to him everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever! Amen!
The historical facts
  • Disobedience and captivity
  • Jeremiah’s prophecy
  • Daniel’s prayer
  • Restoration
The timeless principal
  • Identificational repentance
  • The power of prayer 
The modern application
  • America needs revival
  • “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” 
  • Repenting on behalf of America
  • Praying for revival in America

Relationship Wars: Part 3 - The Love Chapter

Part 3 consists of four sermons that show us how God enables us to conquer all the ambushes of the enemy.

Relationship Wars: Part 4 - The Fine Art of Living With People  

This last section puts it all together.  It shows us how to incorporate all that we have learned in the Relationship Wars series, and live lives of victory in Jesus!

The Armor of God

A seven part Sermon Series on how we are to fight spiritually. The apostle Paul wrote about the Armor of God in his letters to the Ephesians.  At the time he was under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial for his Christian preaching. He was guarded by Roman soldiers. Seeing their armor and equipment gave Paul an analogy for the spiritual equipment God has given us to protect ourselves, our families and God's work against the attacks of the powers of darkness.  

Consecration Sunday - Gifts and Giving

Delivered by Jack Brooks of the Mid-Atlantic United Methodist Foundation.

Scripture - 1 Timothy 6:17-19

The Top Ten Reasons I Love the Church

Scripture lesson: Acts 2:41-47

Key verse: Hebrews 10:25 Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. 

  • 10. I love the church because you love to eat
  • 9. I love the church because you love to have fun together
  • 8. I love the church because you are positive people
  • 7. I love the church because you welcome everyone
  • 6. I love the church because you love each other in practical ways
  • 5. I love the church because you demonstrate God’s love and power
  • 4. I love the church because you help me know God better
  • 3. I love the church because you help me praise and worship God
  • 2. I love the church because you are God’s Plan A, and there is no Plan B
  • 1. I love the church because you love God

 

Scripture lesson: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Key verse: 1 Corinthians 11:26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again.


·       What is Holy Communion?

  •    A sacrament
  •    A means of grace
  •    “Announcing the Lord’s death”
  •    A time to restore and celebrate Christian unity

·       Why should we receive Holy Communion?

  •    Jesus told us to receive it
  •    It is a source of spiritual healing and strength
  •    It is a source of relational healing and strength
  •    It is a source of physical healing and strength

·       Who may receive Holy Communion?

  •    Church membership
  •    Baptism
  •    Age
  •    Other conditions

·       How should we prepare to receive Holy Communion?

  •    Self-examination
  •    Confession and repentance
  •    Reconciliation

·       What is the right way to receive Holy Communion?

  •    Form
  •    Frequency
  •    Attitude

·       What should we do as a result of receiving Holy Communion?

  •    Draw near to God
  •    Live accordingly

 

World Communion Sunday 
Special sermon from Joshua Wentz, Pastor of Trinity's Sister Church in Turkey.

Scripture lesson: Mark 10:13-16

Key verse: Mark 10:15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. 

·       A touch from Jesus is the most important thing we can give our children (13a)

·       Sometimes we church folks get our priorities mixed up (13b)

·       Jesus doesn’t like it when we get our priorities mixed up! (14a)

·       The Kingdom of God belongs to children and the child-like (14b-15)

  •    Children look at the world with wide-eyed wonder
  •    Children believe things
  •    Children don’t make things complicated
  •    Children welcome people
  •    Children like to do right

·       Jesus loves to touch and bless children and the child-like (16)

·       It’s never too late to become a child again


Trinity's children were involved in every aspect of Worship.

Featuring a testimony from Terry Ericsen

Scripture lesson: Romans 12:4-11

Key verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.  

·       You are unique.

                  If you were exactly like somebody else, one of you would be unnecessary!

·       You are gifted.

                  What are you good at? What do you enjoy?

                  Your personality traits are a gift from God. Don’t suppress them, use them for him.

·       You are needed.

                  God didn’t put any spare parts in the church

·       The same is true of every other person in the church.

                  You can honor and respect other Christians even if you don’t always understand them!

·       If you believe this and act on it, you will be blessed.

 

All Saints Sunday: The Church Triumphant

Scripture lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Key verse: 1 Corinthians 15:54 When our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die, then at last the Scriptures will come true: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 

·       The great transformation (verses 50-55)

  •    From earthly bodies to heavenly bodies
  •    From perishable bodies to bodies that will never die
  •    From death to victory
  •    From “the church militant” to “the church triumphant”

·       All this is a gift from God through Jesus Christ our Lord (verses 56-57)

  •    Victory over law
  •    Victory over sin
  •    Victory over death

·       Knowing this (verse 58)

  •    Be strong and steady
  •    Be always enthusiastic about the Lord's work
  •    For you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Title: Pray for the Persecuted

Scripture lesson: Acts 12:1-17

Key verse: Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

·       Faith in Jesus can bring persecution as well as blessing – John 15:20

·       The number one request of persecuted Christians is that we pray for them

  •    Pray for protection – Romans 15:31
  •    Pray for right words – Ephesians 6:19
  •    Pray for boldness – Ephesians 6:20
  •    Pray for deliverance – Philippians 1:19
  •    Pray for opportunities to tell people about Jesus – Colossians 4:3

 

·       Your prayers make a difference – James 5:16-18

Is your faith so important to you that you would face persecution, torture and death rather than renounce Jesus? If not, are you sure you really know him?

 

(This sermon included a 5-minute video about a persecuted Christian believer. We have deleted that portion from the podcast. More information about persecuted Christians and how we can pray for them can be found at the websites of Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors, and International Christian Concern, among others.)

No Plan B: Part 1 - God With Us

Pastor David begins the Church Year (First Sunday in Advent) with a new series on God's Vision Statement - "On Earth as it is in Heaven."  The Church is God's 'Plan A.'  There is NO Plan B.  "God With Us" is a five part series looking at God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  "No Plan B" continues in 2013 with Parts 2-4.