Acts 2 Umc

God's voice can be difficult to hear, as the boy Samuel found out. However, Samuel was able to discern God's voice through the help of his mentor Eli and through praying this prayer: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Often, the first step needed to hear God's voice is simply to listen. Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/04/2019-April-26-28-with-blanks.pdf)

On Friday, Jesus was crucified, and his followers were overcome with pain. On Saturday, they waited, and nothing made sense. But on Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead, and they experienced deliverance. Whether you find yourself in a time of waiting or pain, Easter means that Jesus still delivers us from death to life, hope, and love. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Matthew 28:1-6 Download the sermon notes (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/04/Doc3.pdf).

Sloth is painful to watch, but easy to fall into. When we give in to sloth, we become indifferent to those around us. But throughout his life, Jesus models a better way—the way of diligence. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Matthew 26:36-41 Download the sermon notes (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/04/4-14-19.pdf).

While it's easy to see greed as a temptation only for the very rich, the desire for more affects all of us. Instead of accumulating as much as possible and holding on for dear life, though, Jesus teaches that generosity sets us free from greed and lets us live lives of blessing for others. Teacher: Rev. Brandon Blacksten Passage: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/04/2019.04.07-Sermon-Notes.pdf)

Whether it's food, shopping, or scrolling on our phones, we all struggle with wanting more than is good for us, and the excess leads to ruin. But God desires our freedom, and through the virtue of temperance, helps us trust that Jesus is enough. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Philippians 3:18-20 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/04/Gluttony-and-Temperance-March-29-31-2019.pdf)

Envy can cause us to resent and even have contempt towards others. We can, however, find true, authentic contentment in God. In the presence of God, we have all that we need, and our envy begins to vanish. Teacher: Rev. John Vick Passage: Psalm 73:2-3, 23-26 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/03/Mar-24-2019-A2-with-blanks.pdf)

Lust can wreck our relationships and reduce our capacity for love. The virtue of chastity helps us overcome lust so that we no longer see others as object for our use, but as people with whom we can have real relationships. Teacher: Rev. Brandon Blacksten Passage: Philippians 4:8 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/03/Mar-17.pdf)

It's easy to respond with anger when things don't go our way, but patience allows us to let go of the anger that ensnares us. Teacher: Rev. Andy Nelms Passage: Ephesians 4:29-32 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/03/2019_03_08.pdf)

Pride distorts our sense of self and prevents us from seeing clearly, but when we humble ourselves before God, God's truth leads to life, freedom, and connection with God, self, and others. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Genesis 2:15-17 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/03/030319.pdf)

How can we best love our families? In the conclusion to “Relationship Bootcamp,” we look to the latest research and biblical wisdom for dealing with parents, children, and in-laws. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Matthew 21:28-31 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/02/022419-sermon-notes.pdf)

We all have difficult people in our lives, and we struggle to know how to be in relationship with them. The Bible gives us guidance for how to relate to wise, foolish, and evil people. When we follow this teaching, and we set and maintain healthy boundaries, we grow in our ability to love others and ourselves. Teacher: Rev. Andy Nelms Passage: Matthew 5:43-48 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/02/021719-Sermon-Notes.pdf)

Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Romans 12:9-12 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/02/Relationship-Bootcamp-021019.pdf)

Relationships are the greatest source of both joy and pain in our lives. But before we can begin to improve our relationships, we have to start in the right place—the love of God that makes possible our love for others. Our ability to love begins with the recognition that God first loved us. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: 1 John 4:7-11 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/02/Relationship-Bootcamp-Week-1-22This-is-Us22-Feb-3-2019.pdf)

What is perhaps most unexpected in the Gospel of Mark is the ending. In the oldest manuscripts, the Gospel ends with three women finding Jesus’ tomb empty, encountering an angel, and fleeing; “and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Their encounter shows us the consequences of fear in our own lives. Learn what Jesus teaches about fear so that we can live unafraid. Teacher: Rev. Andy Nelms Passage: Mark 16:6-8 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/05/2019-Jan-25-1C.pdf)

We don't always get what we ask for, and it can be painful when we receive an answer we didn't expect. Sometimes, Jesus says no when we expect him to say yes. But his "Yes" and his "No" are always for our good. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Mark 5:1-7a Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/01/012019-Sermon-Notes-Web.pdf)

Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Mark 2:13-14 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/01/The-Unexpected-Jesus-Week-2-An-Unexpected-Choice-of-Levi-January-13-2019.pdf)

We often see what we expect to see. But Jesus walks into situations and does the unexpected. Experience the unexpected Jesus, who creates new possibilities greater than we could have ever expected. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Mark 1:9-11 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2019/01/010619-Sermon-Notes-Web.pdf)

Teacher: Rev. Brandon Blacksten Passage: Luke 2:36-38 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2018/12/123018-Sermon-Notes-Web.pdf)

Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Luke 2:1-7

The birth of Jesus is good news of great joy for all people. Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster Passage: Luke 2:1-7 Download the sermon notes. (https://acts2umc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2018/12/122318-Sermon-Notes-Web.pdf)