Sermon Preview – Page 6 – { Andrew Mills }

Is your future open or closed?

On Sunday we are talking about what can seem a bit paradoxical at first: having a fresh future.

In many ways this almost seems absurd. Like how can a future not be fresh? It hasn’t happened yet? Anything is possible already?

And while on the surface that is true, when you dig a little deeper, it isn’t.

For many of us our future actually seems to narrow as we age. There are things that are no longer a possibility for us that once were. Like I will never be a professional soccer player, unless of course they start hiring unfit, and unskilled amateurs who play a couple times a year. The chances of me being a movie-star are also relatively unlikely.

The point is that as we grow older, our futures can seem to constrict and shrink.

Add into that how we also often tend to base our future on current circumstances, or limit our future because of past mistakes. We tend to think that if things are going badly now, they probably will in the future. Or if we have some terrible mistake, disaster, past event, or sin, that it can limit our future too. That we won’t find a happiness again after that divorce. That life won’t ever be as good as when that person was in our lives. Or before that moral failure I could have been a leader, but now that’s out.

My point is that while in theory our futures are full of possibility, in practice, they are often much more limited and narrow.

And that is why I think we need to find a fresh start for our futures. That is why I think we need to learn to dream again about what the future can hold. That is why we need to move beyond our present circumstance, past mistakes, and personal potentials to ask the question what does God want to do in our lives.

Because our futures are not just dependent on our personal skill sets, connections, present conditions, or past mistakes. Our futures are dependent on God.

And come Sunday we are going to see what that means, and what a practical difference that makes. But before we get there, why not spend some time dreaming with God what he might have in store for your future. Because there is one thing I am sure of, that the future God has planned for you is always better than the one you have planned for yourself.

February 6, 2015 by Andrew Mills

Learning to Forgive

Picture from http://start2finish.org/hard-forgive/

Come Sunday we are going to talk about one key area for everyone of us, whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, and it’s forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a practice that gives your life a fresh start. Forgiveness is a practice that creates a new future. Forgiveness is a practice that changes lives, but forgiveness is hard. Forgiveness is really hard.

It’s easy to forgive someone when the slight was small, they ask for forgiveness, and change their behavior. But what if the issue is big? What if they don’t ask for forgiveness? What if they keep intentionally hurting or abusing – is forgiveness possible in these circumstances?

Those are the questions I want to poke around in on Sunday. I want to acknowledge them, and try to answer them. And to do that we are going to be using a lot of the Sermon on the Mount, some of Louis Zamperini’s story “Unbroken” (so see the movie before Sunday if you don’t want to hear about it), and of course a little Taylor Swift.

The question I want to pursue is this: Is forgiveness in horrible situations possible? And if so, how can we find it?

So that’s where we are going, but before we get there why not spend some time thinking about those questions. Are there people in your life that you need to forgive? Do you think it’s possible? What would forgiveness even look like?

And then come Sunday we’ll explore this topic, and hopefully find a fresh start.

January 30, 2015 by Andrew Mills

A Fresh Start with Finances ~ A Conversation That’s Needed but Often Not Wanted

On Sunday we are talking about finding a fresh start in a very important area of our lives: finances.

And I know the church has a well-deserved bad rap for how we discuss finances. But the truth is it is an area many of us need a fresh start in. Many of us are stress-filled about our finances, we are worried-filled about our futures, or our happiness is so tied to our income that we can’t seem to find joy. The number one cause of divorce is also finances. So finances adds stress to our relationships. And these are many good reasons to talk about finances.

But the truth is there is one more really good reason to talk about finances. Because finances are actually spiritual. Meaning that finances are intertwined with faith.

So we are going to explore that intersection on Sunday, and how you can leave with a fresh start in your finances. And I know that most churches, when it comes to finances, either beg, berate, or bribe you into giving. And I don’t think any of that is Biblical. Instead, on Sunday I want to let God share with you why finances, giving, and generosity are so closely tied together and how when our priorities get straight he can bless you.

So that’s where we are going on Sunday, I know a topic not many of us like to discuss, but a topic that can be freeing. And that’s my prayer for Sunday that we’d be freed and find a fresh start with finances.

January 15, 2015 by Andrew Mills

Starting Again in a New Year – And How To Do It

This Sunday we are really launching into our new series – called Fresh Start. And I think that’s what we need this year – a fresh start – a new beginning. We accumulate junk in our lives, just by living. And sometimes we just need to leave it behind, we need to start again, we need to wipe the slate clean.

And that’s what this Sunday is all about, wiping the slate clean and starting again. We are going to be looking at how God says that we are made new, that we are made clean, that you can grow and be different than who you were. Just because last year was one way, doesn’t mean this year needs to be the same way. Because what God does best is transform and give fresh starts. Listen to this verse from 2 Corinthians:

Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him. 2 Cor 5:17

That’s what we are going to not only learn about, but experience on Sunday.

So my question for all of you, whether you are followers of Jesus or not is this: where do you need a fresh start this year?

Because that question matters for all of us wherever we are at. We all have hurts, brokenness, and relationships that just need a new beginning. So where do you need a fresh start this year? And come Sunday we’ll discover how to find that, by why wait till then? Why not ask God to simply start that fresh start in you today. Because what we see is that anyone united with Jesus gets a fresh start and is created new. And I believe that’s true.

January 9, 2015 by Andrew Mills

Having a Fresh Start This New Year

On Sunday we are starting a brand new series called Fresh Start. This series is all about finding a new beginning, a new direction, and wiping the slate clean.

It seems that at this time of the year, everyone is talking about making better and different choices. About starting fresh. Whether that’s talk show hosts, to people trying to get you to sign up for a gym membership.

The point is that while it certainly is cultural, to talk about new beginnings, it’s most of all – biblical.

God, throughout the Scriptures, offers us a fresh start. Offers us a new beginning. He offers to wipe the slate clean and start again.

And this is so needed. So often in life we seem to just accumulate hurt, brokenness, mistakes, and baggage. And it can be almost impossible sometimes to work through it all. So instead of working through it all, God chose to deal with it all through the death of his son. Through this one act he gave us a fresh start and a new beginning.

So that’s what we are going to be looking at for the rest of the month of January and most of February. How we can find a fresh start in faith, friendships, family, futures, and finances. And most of all, how we find a fresh start today.

January 2, 2015 by Andrew Mills

A Long Look at Your Loving Acts

This Sunday we are going to be having people share stories of what God has done in their life in the past year. This is a really important practice to have. Sharing stories transform people. It brings people into our lives, and share our lives with them.

And looking back and remembering what God has done is crucial to moving forward in faith. Without looking back, we can often miss what God has done, we can miss how he moved.

So we are going to take some intentional time and pause, remember, and share. In essence, we are going to try to practice Psalm 77:11-12 where we read this:

Once again I’ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your acts.

This is the perfect time of the year to give a long loving look at God’s acts. To actually sit and ponder all he accomplished this year. Before moving forward into next year, we need to remember and reflect on what God has done this year. But that is just the first step, the next step is to share with others what God has done. To actually lay out on the table what God is doing.

So that’s where we are going on Sunday, but whether or not you join us I think this practice has value. Why not sit and give a long loving look at the acts of God in your life this past year. And then best yet, share those with someone, because when we do that we not only remember how God moved in the past, but give him space to move in the present.

December 27, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Traditions, Turkey, and Tree’s

This Sunday is our annual Christmas meal at the church. So if you’re in the area and want some turkey, come on by and join us.

But this is one of the things that I love most about Christmas. I love how there are traditions that we do every year. That there are reminders that Christmas is coming, that there are markers that point to Jesus, that there are memories that go back decades.

For me, one of the memories I have is watching the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas each and every year. It was my dad’s favourite movie, and every year we’d watch it together.

But what about you? What makes Christmas – Christmas for you?

Because traditions matter, memories matter, and markers matter.

So that’s what we are going to be talking a little bit about on Sunday before we eat lots of turkey. But before we get there, why not think through what traditions matter to you. Because the funny thing about traditions is they root us in the past, but point us forward to the future. And that’s what we’ll explore on Sunday.

December 19, 2014 by Andrew Mills

The Grinch as a Parable

This Sunday we are showing a parable at church. Of course it’s the classic movie, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, the classic version.

This movie is actually a great parable of what happens when we let bitterness take root in our hearts. It’s actually a really good glimpse into what happens when we stop trying to make peace and live in harmony, and let our self-interest guide us.

So we are going to look at this movie and see how we can not only deal with the “Grinches” in our lives, but how we can ensure we don’t become a Grinch.

Because the slide to becoming a Grinch is often a subtle and slow slide. But it’s one that can be prevented, it can be seen, and it can even be turned around.

So that’s where we are going – but here’s some homework. Watch the Grinch a) because it’s a good parable b) because it’s an awesome movie. I mean who can’t love it when it has lines like, “you’re as prickly as a cactus, and as slippery as an eel” 🙂

December 12, 2014 by Andrew Mills

The Christmas Story and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

This Sunday we are using Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as our jumping off portion of our sermon. I’m very excited about it, because this is one movie I watch every year. I have watched this movie ever year of my life that I can remember. It helps that this movie is almost double my age…but it’s still good!

But here is what the movie really gets to really well. It gets to the fact that so many of us don’t feel like we fit in with the world. That the expectations that are placed on us, are ones we can never live up to.

And many of us feel this reality all the more at Christmas.

And that’s what I want to talk about on Sunday, the feeling of not fitting in. The feeling of being a bit of a misfit. The feeling of not being included, and what Christmas has to say about that.

Because the truth is this: if Christmas is about anything, it certainly is about welcoming.

So that’s where we are going. But before we get there, why not grab some popcorn and watch a great Christmas movie – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and a Bumble that bounces.

December 5, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Christmas at the Movies

This Sunday we are starting a brand new series called, “Christmas at the Movies”. We are looking at some of the traditional Christmas stories, and themes and using movies to help us gain a fresh perspective on a changeless story.

So join us each Sunday as we look at these movies over the next five weeks:

A Christmas Story
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
National Lampoons Christmas Story
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
It’s a Wonderful Life

I know your favorite movie might not be there but hopefully one of them is, and hopefully we see you this Sunday!

November 28, 2014 by Andrew Mills