Lenexa Central Church Sermons
Welcome to the weekly podcast from Central Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, KS. For more information about Central Church go to centralchurchonline.com
Episodes
175 episodes
Praise
1 Peter 1:3-12 Peter is writing to those suffering persecution, but he begins his letter by calling them to praise! Jesus is the living hope that transcends our circumstances. Even in the face of difficult situations, holy pe...
A Change of Mind
Luke 24:36-49 The resurrection is a miracle that defies logic, making it difficult for the human mind to accept it. The disciples could hardly believe what their senses were telling them as they talked with the One who was cr...
A Change of Pace
Matthew 11:28-30; Acts 9:1-9 Before he had an encounter with Christ, Saul's pace of life as a Pharisee was predictable and constant. Everything changed, however, on the road to Damascus. Saul's eyes were opened and the pace o...
A Change of Heart
Mark 16:7; Acts 2:37-39 The messenger at the empty tomb tells the women to, "Tell his disciples AND Peter." The resurrection of Jesus means that even those that deny him three times can experience forgiveness, hope, and restoration! ...
A Change of Direction
Luke 24:13-35 The two disciples on the Road to Emmaus were disappointed and heartbroken by the loss of Jesus. The resurrection, however, changes their walk. Not only do they not walk alone, but they ultimately are able to wal...
This Changes Everything
Mark 16:1-8; Mark 14:51-52 The risen tomb is a miracle that demands a response of praise. It's not just a fact to be remembered, but a reality that changes everything. The unnamed man who flees the garden in shame (Mark 14:52...
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Matthew 6:13; Matthew 21:1-11 Humanity will always face the temptation to trust in anyone or anything other than God. This is how Jesus was tempted in the desert. On Palm Sunday, the crowd was trusting in their image of who t...
Forgive Us as We Forgive
Matthew 6:12; Matthew 18:21-35 God offers us an amazing gift in the forgiveness of our sins, but we are not always ready to offer others the same deal. Forgiveness is central to the gospel, both as a gift to be received and a...
Give Us This Day
Matthew 6:11; Matthew 7:7-12 Learning to pray for "daily bread" requires that we surrender our sense of entitlement. God doesn't promise excess but he does promise enough. Rather than hoard our limited resources for things be...
On Earth as It Is in Heaven
Matthew 6:10; Rev. 11:15-16 It's obvious the world is not the way that it's supposed to be, but praying and living this prayer calls us to a renewed imagination. Instead of throwing up our hands in despair and saying, "What's th...
Hallowed Be Your Name
Matthew 6:5-15; 1 Peter 1:13-16 In prayer, we honor and revere the name of God. It's a reminder that just as God is holy, we too, are called to lives of holiness that honor God. We "sanctify" the world through worship and missio...
Our Father
Matthew 6:5-15; Luke 11:1 In revealing who God is, Jesus is inviting a Jewish audience to think of God as "Father." Prayer and its importance was nothing new, but calling God "Our Father" was more than just novel, it was revolut...
A Wrestling Story
Genesis 32:22-32 Jacob has a past. He's known as a deceiver, manipulator, and cheater, but God doesn't give up on him. God meets Jacob in his failure and "wrestles" with him, leaving him changed as evidenced by the new way he wa...
A Provision Story
Genesis 22:1-18 God asked Abraham to offer back to Him the most important gift he had ever received: his only son. It's the first time in the story Abraham does what God asks him to do with nothing to gain and everything to lose. Abr...
A Promise Story
Genesis 15 God reaffirms his covenant with Abraham, walking between the sacrifices as a demonstration of his commitment to the promise. Like Abraham, we are unfaithful to the covenant, but Jesus walks between the sacrifices for ...
A Calling Story
Genesis 12:1-5 God called Abraham to a land that was not his own and in faith he obeyed. God continues to call, asking his people to step into unknown places and situations. Will we step out in faith, trusting that the one who c...
The Power of Story
Genesis 1 In the creation narrative, the Lord speaks and worlds are created. There is power in words. They create worlds. We have a story to share and it matters more than we know. Let's tell our story and allow God to use it to crea...
God's Guidance in the Shadows
Matthew 2:13-23 Jesus growing up in Nazareth shows that God delights to work through the overlooked and despised. Our own humble circumstances can be the very soil where God’s glory grows.
Shepherds - The First Worship Leaders
Luke 2:8-20 On the first Christmas Eve, the shepherds didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary, but they were surprised by the gift of God’s glory as angels lit up the sky to announce, “Good news of great joy for all people.” ...
Joseph: Alone But Not Lonely
Matthew 1:18-25 God reveals to Joseph that something miraculous is happening in the life of Mary, his fiancée. He has an important role to play, but only the gift of God’s divine revelation could move him to embrace this new rea...
Hurry Up and Wait
Luke 5:5-25 Zechariah and Elizabeth were always waiting for a child but were continually disappointed. In the waiting, they experience the gift of God’s presence. Our response to God’s presence is prayer. This discipline makes u...