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Sunday mornings, Sept. 28 to Oct. 26, 2008
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Five weeks focused on the meaning of Christian faith
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We invite you to a series of Sunday worship services (8:30 or 11 a.m.) designed to explore the meaning of faith in Jesus Christ. By looking at five different examples of faith found in the Gospel of Matthew, we will explore the meaning of belief in Christ, and through drama, personal sharing of life experiences, and messages from the Gospel experience the invitation Jesus gives to find life by following him.
We hope you will attend one or more of these services. We welcome your questions, doubts and concerns. We do not have all the answers. We have questions too. But we would like to share what we have found about the reality of love, faith and hope that comes from Jesus Christ. If you cannot attend every week, you can link to each sermon from this page.
In addition to these Sunday services, we will offer a six-week class beginning Oct. 19 in which we will use the book "Simply Christian," written by noted Bible scholar N.T. Wright, to look more comprehensively at questions people have about the reality of God, the truth of the Bible, the meaning of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, and the reality of the Holy Spirit. We invite you to attend these informative sessions.
– Pastor Dwight Nelson
Sept. 28: Invited to Believe in Jesus – The Apostle Peter stated his faith by saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
How can anyone come to a place in life where such a statement can be made?
What questions do you have that need to be answered before you can believe in that way?
Texts: Matthew 16:13-20; Genesis 12:1-9. Read the sermon.
Oct. 5: Invited to Follow Jesus – The invitation Jesus gave to people was, "Follow me."
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Where will he lead us?
How do we account for the failings of so many who claim to follow him?
Does Jesus offer a "quick fix," or does he offer his real presence as we face our failings, our anxiety about the future, and even our death?
Texts: Matthew 16:24-28; Exodus 3:1-15. Read the sermon.
Oct. 12: Invited to Put Faith into Practice – Belief in Jesus is neither an intellectual argument nor an emotional "high." Faith must be experienced in very practical, daily ways.
How do followers of Jesus express their faith when they encounter difficult situations?
How does faith in Christ lead us to actions of justice and compassion?
Texts: Matthew 17:14-23; Hebrews 11:1-12. Read the sermon.
Oct. 19: Invited to Trust Jesus – You do not earn your salvation; you receive it as does a child.
Hope is a vital part of belief.
Hope is trusting the future to God, who created the world, loves the world, and will not abandon the world.
Texts: Matthew 18:1-5; I Samuel 16:1-13. Read the sermon.
Oct. 26: Invited to Salvation – There is something in us that cries for salvation.
How can we explain this deep hunger for God?
How do we understand the yearning to be saved by something beyond us, by someone who is not of our own making and not under our control?
Texts: Matthew 18:10-14; Psalm 23; Isaiah 49:8-18. Read the sermon.
We invite you to join us for these weeks. If you are unable to be with us, you may follow the discussion here on our Web site, www.libcov.org.
Please feel invited to consider Jesus in your life.
Questions or comments? Feel free to email us:
Libertyville Covenant Church is located at the corner of Rte. 176 and St. Mary's Road in Green Oaks. There are two entrances to the parking lots, one on St. Mary's and one on Rte. 176.
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