Murphy Church Sunday Messages

In the "moments before". . . Jesus and the disciples gathered in the upper room to celebrate the passover meal. During that meal, Jesus would bridge the past to the future and initiate what we call the Lord’s Supper or Communion. The Lord’s Supper is special time when Christians remember both the sacrifice and new life that Christ brought near through his death and resurrection. Join us this week at 9:45 or 11:00 as we gather back in our new sanctuary, our special place of worship, to remember and celebrate our Savior!

Hope is one of the deepest needs of the soul; we all need hope.  It’s a talking point for politicians, inspirational memes, and fiery pregame coach talks. The Bible talks about hope often, but biblical hope is a different kind of hope.  Biblical hope is real, eternal, and guaranteed. In Romans 5, we are told to “hope in the glory of God.”  This Sunday, Lash concludes our series on Hope as he talks about what it means to hope in the glory of God in a sermon entitled, “A Different Kind of Hope.” 

Fear of the unknown is one of the greatest causes of worry.  In fact, the fear of fear is often worse than the fear itself.  We worry about the what if’s and the when’s to the point that our minds grow numb and our vision goes faint.  In Luke 21, Jesus teaches us to “Know and Watch.”  Christians know that the troubles of today are temporary and not beyond the arm of God. So, we stay alert and watch with expectation for the day when the son of man comes again to make all things new.  

The good news of the gospel is not complete without the hope of the second coming and Christ’s promise of eternal life in a new world called heaven.  In our minds, we often end the story of grace at the cross or the empty tomb.  When we do this it causes us to “stop short” in our knowledge, and, for many, stops our spiritual progress.  This week we will continue our series “Hope” as we look at Luke 21:5-28: a passage in which Jesus describes the signs of the times that will lead up to His glorious return.  

Eventually it will happen: A Christian leader that you admire will disappoint you. A loved one for which you prayed to recover will pass away.  You’ll go through a season where life keeps punching you. The church will make a decision that you don’t understand.  When it happens, it’s easy to get disillusioned and lose heart. In Luke 21:1-4, the Bible tells a story of poor widow woman who persevered in hope when it would have been easy to quit.  It’s a story of inspiration, a story of faith, and a reminder of hope.  Join us this Sunday at 8:30 9:45, or 11:00 as we continue our series on Hope with a sermon entitled, “An Audience of One.”  

The gospel is a story of hope set in a context of struggle. The pages of Scripture reveal this epic struggle as it unfolds from Genesis to Revelation. Onto the pages of struggles comes the son of David who brings life to death and hope to all. He comes as the innocent baby of Bethlehem and yet the son of David is also the Lord of David. Join us this week as we continue our series on Hope with a sermon from Luke 20:41-47 entitled Hope Wins. Text Luke 20:41-47, Psalm 110:1-7

Paul, the apostle, once wrote, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope (I Thes 4:13). Hope is a fundamental spiritual need and it is graciously provided to each of us who believe through our savior, Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus, there is hope both beyond this life and within this life. This week we begin a new series entitled “Hope,” and we will be asking the question, “Did Jesus really teach that there is life after death?” Texts I Thes 4:13 and Luke 20:27-40

Everyone has a worldview that shapes how you understand right and wrong and process the world around you. For the Christian, our worldview is anchored in our understanding of God and what He has revealed about Himself in Scripture. There are times, when what you believe about God will collide with the worldview of others. When those moments arise, how do you respond?

In each of our lives, God brings opportunities. Sometimes we seize the opportunity and sometimes we don’t. It’s ironic how much of life is balanced on a few critical decisions. The greatest opportunity in life is the ability to know God and live for His glory, through faith in Jesus Christ. Miss this opportunity and you miss it all. Text: Luke 20:9-19, Psalm 118:22-25

Happy Father’s Day 2018! Everyone has a dad. On Father’s Day, some of us enjoy time with dad, some of us miss our father being there, and other may even struggle because of things that have happened in the past. But everyone has a Father in heaven who is always there, always wise, and always loving. Join us this week as we celebrate Father’s Day looking at the Lord’s Prayer in a sermon entitled “Our Father.”

Authority issues come in many different forms. Sometimes they are felt when you work under a corrupt or incompetent leader. Other times, authority issues are felt when we try to live other people’s lives and worry about responsibilities that God has not placed under our care. Frequently, authority issues arise in our walk with God. Like the Pharisees of old, we limit God, and we seek to be His gatekeeper controlling what He can do and who he can use. An "Unexpected Power” arises when quit resisting, quit giving reasons why things can’t be, and, instead, start believing in what can be. Join us this week at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 in the Edge Building as we continue our series Expect the Unexpected. Title: Unexpected Power Series: Expect the Unexpected Text Luke 20:1-8

"As He (Jesus) approached and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace. . . “ Ours is a world where we want to know all the answers and the answers must meet our expectations or consequences will follow. But often what people are trying to sell us as truth is actually an idol keeping us from the real truth that will set us free. This week we continue our series Expect the Unexpected looking at Luke 19:41-48 in a sermon entitled “The Unexpected Response.” Text: Luke 19:41-48

So what are you doing in the meantime? It’s one of the great questions of life, because what you do in the meantime usually determines what happens in the end. It’s the prayer before the sermon. . .the studying before the test. . . the preparation before the meeting. . .the organization behind the idea. . .the training before the race, these are the meantime moments of life that shape outcomes. In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells a story about what His disciples are to be doing "in the meantime." It’s a story of faith, a story of investment, anticipation, and hope!

The church is much like a family. Though we come from different households and have different life-stories we are united together in Christ. As a family, we partner together in mission and ministry. But, what is ministry, and what does it look like in real life? This week we will study Luke 19:1-9. In this passage, Jesus gives us an example of what it looks like to move beyond the busyness and minister to people at their point of need. We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 9:45 or 11:00; it’s hard to believe but Summer is here!

Bartimaeus was a normal young man. Like each of us, he had hopes and dreams. He was an out-going little boy; laughter, fun, and adventure were his best friends. But then it happened. His eyesight began to fade, and before long he couldn’t see a thing. Seemingly, destined to live a lonely life of isolation and poverty, Bartimaeus sat day after day begging for his meals. But then he met Jesus and everything changed: he could see. Join us this week as we continue our series Simple Faith with a sermon from Luke 18:35-43 entitled Seeing. Series:

Sometimes God’s will is hard to understand. Following Him requires faith and obedience in His love and knowledge that stretches us even as it grows us. Our journey of spiritual growth will eventually lead us to that moment of decision where we must trust God and continue or refuse His will and move away. In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus presented the disciples with a “hard to understand” moment: they were headed to Jerusalem where he would be killed in order to rise again. Join us this Sunday as we look at this passage and learn what to do when I don’t understand.

Where are you most heavily invested? For many, life is not invested it’s just spent in the events of the moment. For others, life is invested in the accumulation of money and memories: money, houses, cars, vacations, and thrills. Still for others, family is our primary investments; after all, “nothing is more important than family.” In Luke 18:18-30, Jesus turns the investment world upside down, when he teaches us that our one investment in life is to be in him. For it only when our relationship with God is right, that the rest of life finds its focus.

Remember when you were little and lived life with childhood innocence. Remember when things were simpler and every person and event didn’t have to pass through a lifetime of filters to reach your heart. Remember when God stirred your heart and with simple faith you believed in Jesus? Remember when. . . . Sometimes in life, we need to push back all the distractions and pressures and just trust in our God. Jesus said, the kingdom of God belongs to those who come to Him with a simple, child-like faith. Remember when?

Simple faith trusts in a holy and loving God. It believes in the power of God to change the heart and understands the limitations of self. Simple faith obeys the voice of truth and discovers a spiritual strength that transcends the temporal and frees the soul. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells a parable specifically to those who were confident “of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.” He reminds us that following Christ is a call to humility rather than arrogance. Join us this Sunday at 9:45 or 11:00 as Lash begins a new teaching series, “Simple Faith” with a sermon entitled The Trap of Arrogant Christianity.

“Life was in Him and that life was the light of men (John 1:4).” Happy Easter 2018! Easter is a celebration of life made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus? is the fundamental question of Easter. If Jesus is the son of God, then the answers to life’s ultimate questions are found in Him. Join us this Sunday for a celebration of Easter as we conclude our series “The Savior” looking at John 1:1-4 in a sermon entitled “Life was in Him.”