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Upcoming Sermon Series:
600 years before Jesus was born the first group of Jews were taken as captives to Babylon. There in a foreign land, with a violent king, Daniel and his friends were given glimpses of the future and witnessed miraculous intervention from the Lord. It was a time when warrior kings rose and fell and empires with them. But God showed Daniel that one Kingdom was coming that would never end because the King of that Kingdom was sent by God and would reign forever. As we prepare for Christmas and remember the first coming of the Lord Jesus we seek to live in service to Christ our King as we pray, “your kingdom come.”
For fifteen weeks this fall, we will practice the discipline and grace of abiding in Jesus – the True Vine (read John 15). Yes, this means doing your devotions but it’s more than that – it’s about cultivating a deep and personal connection with Jesus as your source of life, love, power, direction – everything. What is your heart’s true home? What is your mind’s continual resting place? How can you resist “the algorithm” by developing spiritual habits that draw you closer to Jesus?
“Chronic illness, relationship breakdown, loss of employment, political division and discouragement, another impending pandemic, climate change: ever feel like your world is spinning out of control? So did a prophet of God who lived over 2,500 years ago. Join us as Mike Maggard leads us in a five-week exploration of what Habakkuk did and how God responded.”
“Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). James frequently echoes the teachings of his brother, Jesus, like this reference to the wise and foolish builders. This letter is profoundly practical with its emphasis on words, money, suffering and service. It’s one thing to say you follow Jesus but it’s something else to actually live out what Jesus taught. This series should not be an intellectual analysis but rather a personal application of the many practical exhortations in the letter of James.
The image of God imprinted on all people makes us long for relationship with God and one another. When those relationships are damaged the effects ripple through our lives. But when you are brave enough to share a struggle or sin and are met with love (not judgment) and Biblical hope (not advice) you experience the power of connecting. The parable of the prodigal son gives us a picture of how God changes us: 1) embracing sinners who repent; 2) affirming our status as sons and daughters in His family and; 3) engaging with us to help us grow. That is the pattern for our fellowship and discipleship in the church. Larry Crabb summed it up this way in his classic book, Connecting: “Connecting is a kind of relating that happens when the powerful life of Christ in one person meets the good life of Christ in another.”
The gospel is the good news of what God offers everyone in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Romans 8 dramatically describes five astounding gifts that are available in Christ: forgiveness, freedom, fullness, fruitfulness and family. Come be encouraged with the truth that the good news is better than you ever realized. And by all means, invite a friend to come and see what Jesus is all about!
For our Advent season this year we will be studying the whole story of God in the Bible. What is the meaning of life? What is your personal mission? Do you understand the plot of the story God is writing so you can find your place in it? We will see the theme of shalom (peace, harmony, unity, wholeness, flourishing) ties the story together and highlights Jesus as the author, perfecter and redeemer of all things. Our calling and privilege is to join Jesus in restoring shalom until He comes back to make all things new!
Many of us have been encouraged and inspired by the recent TV series The Chosen. The first three seasons can be streamed for free at https://watch.thechosen.tv/. Our fall series will focus on one key Bible passage each week on which the season one episodes were based. If you love the TV series you might watch it again with a friend and invite them to a worship service as well! If you aren’t into the TV show, you’ll still be blessed and encouraged as we follow the path of Nicodemus the Pharisee, Mary the troubled woman, Simon the fisherman and Matthew the tax collector as they meet Jesus and wrestle with what to do with him.
What has God entrusted to you? Everything you have and all that you are is a gift from God to manage on His behalf. Your time, talent and treasure are resources the Lord has given you for this short life to use for His glory and His kingdom purposes. This is not a series on financial giving, though our use of money does reveal our hearts. This is a series on being good stewards – good managers – of every part of our lives. Come be encouraged by the manifold grace of God in your life and the privilege it is to use it – even your weaknesses and failures – for your Master.
We will spend the spring and summer of 2023 walking through Isaiah 40-66. The great prophet was given a series of clues about the mysterious Messiah who was to come, presented as “the Servant of the Lord.” At times this servant is clearly Isaiah himself or the nation of Israel, but at other times (most notably chapter 53) it has to be the Messiah. This constellation of prophecies not only reveals the glory of the Lord Jesus but also calls us to live ourselves as servants of the Lord!
We often live a spiritually malnourished life – but when we learn to feed on the gospel we can grow up into the perfect character of the Lord Jesus. The Character series will present the 13 perfections of Jesus, the 13 ways we fall short of that glory and the 13 ways the gospel beautifully bridges the gap. Character x Calling = impact. May God use the series to exalt Jesus, to humble us and to grow us through the gospel to be more like our glorious Lord!
Discipleship is becoming like Jesus. Our goal as followers of Jesus is to become like Him in His life (character) and ministry (calling). For the next twelve weeks we will study the lives of David and of Jonah to learn and apply principles of Biblical calling – hearing God’s voice and taking steps to obey.
The Psalms have been the book of prayer and worship for God’s people for thousands of years. These 150 poems cover the full range of human emotion and experience and so are a resource for us whatever we are going through. Come be encouraged and inspired as we follow these proven pathways for prayer!
We have entered 2022 with a new sermon series exploring our Core Values as a church. These six priorities influence all we believe and do as Christians and as a church. We will spend 3-8 weeks on each value, seeking to apply them in our lives and our ministries!
From August 2021 through December 2021 (nine weeks), we will be exploring the essential building blocks of the Christian worldview. What is truth and were do you find it? Where did everything come from, including you? How did God design the world, and how should we live as a result? What is the biggest problem we face and what is the solution God has provided?
From September 2020 through August of 2021 we studied the book of Acts. We took a journey from Jerusalem to Rome, watching the Word of God (the Gospel) transform all kinds of people.
From April 19 through June of 2020 we studied Ephesians and learned how to apply the Gospel to every part of our lives – our relationships, mindset, marriage, parenting, work and prayers. God is not just for Sunday – He wants to connect with and lead you every day of the week!
January – March, 2020 – a sermon series in the gospel of John supported by the classic Experiencing God Bible Study. Our mission as a church is “to join God in His work of transforming people and communities through the gospel of Jesus Christ.” This study helps us better understand and apply that key phrase – “join God in His work.”
For all of 2019 we walked through the whole Bible to experience how it is one unified story that all points to Jesus. Part 1 introduced God and His Law in the first five books of the Bible. Part 2 walked through the history of Israel and God’s mighty acts. Part 3 focused on the Word of the Lord through the prophets. Part 4 summarized key teachings on Jesus, the Gospel and the Trinity. And Part 5 concluded the series with other key doctrines from the New Testament.
Unlocking Prayer – September 8, 2019 – Guest Preacher Steven Barr shares five principles from the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6.
Advent 2018 – Psalm 2, Psalm 23 and Psalm 95-96 present the hope of Israel in their coming King (2), their loving Shepherd (23) and their glorious Lord (95-96). On December 23 we follow the wise men (Matthew 2) in learning to Worship the King. Then on December 24 we conclude the series with Micah’s prophecy of a Reigning King.
Thankful – two messages to remind us to be thankful for God’s mercy (Psalm 51) and grace (Psalm 103) in our lives.
Fall 2018 – This series explores five core convictions of our movement – the Evangelical Free Church of America. EFCA Pastors from other churches in Florida preached on the subject about which they are most passionate.
- 10/14 – Pastor Darin – Our Purpose – to Glorify God in All Things
- 10/21 – Pastor Mike Gibbons of Candlewood– Our Authority – the Sufficiency of Scripture
- 10/28 – Pastor Brian Walker of Lake Morton EFC– Our Theology – United around the Essentials
- 11/4 – Pastor Steven Barr of Cast Member Church– Our Focus – Making & Multiplying Disciples
- 11/11 – Pastor Ryan Schmitz of Trinity Church– Our Message – the Gospel of Jesus Christ
September 2018 – Get to know what our church is all about as we walk through our baseball diamond visual. The first question is whether you are a committed follower of Jesus or just a fan. The four bases give us a clear pathway to follow to grow toward full devotion to Christ: 1) love God, 2) grow in Christ; 3) serve the church and 4) reach the world.
Loving God is our first base. Growing in Christ comes next. Serving the Church is third base. And we press on to reach home plate: reaching the world. In this series we will start with our identity as ambassadors of Jesus Christ and then look, in turn, at our mission (the Great Commission), our message (the Gospel) and our ministry (to work toward love and justice in a dark and broken world).
Jesus gave us a clear example of what it means to love and serve one another when he washed his disciples’ feet. Let’s embrace the mindset and lifestyle of humble, sacrificial service that our Lord modeled as we serve the church together!
Starting in the Gospel of Mark, we walk through the good news of the 10 saving acts of Jesus Christ from the wonder of his coming to the centrality of his death and resurrection to the blessed hope of his imminent return, all based on the foundational truth that Jesus is Lord.
This world is struggling and all of us struggle in it – but Romans 8 gives us resources and principles to trust in God’s plans and fix our eyes on His promises. The first message teaches what Biblical hope looks like in a broken world. The second wrestles with God’s purpose for our suffering. And the conclusion shows our confidence because of Christ’s love.
Everyone wants to make progress. We all want to grow. Learn how the Gospel is the fuel for our growth as we study Romans 8:1-17. In addition, our supplemental Bible study, Momentum, teaches how the Beatitudes provide a road map to progress and blessing in Christ.
A call to complete the Great Commission in our generation. Acts 20:22-24.
Advent 2017 – the promises of God Fulfilled in the arrival of Jesus!
Jesus is our North Star. Let’s fix our hearts and lives on Him as our all-sovereign Lord, our all-sufficient savior and our all-satisfying source of joy. An exposition of the book of Philippians.
We are a community that is Rooted in God’s Word, Growing in God’s Grace and Fruitful for God’s glory. Isaiah 61:1-11
To listen to past series (2009 – 2017), click here to go to our Sermon Archive: oakwoodfl.org/messages/
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