Sermons

We don’t mind if our life starts out small and ends big but what if it goes the other way. Are you discouraged because your life isn't matching up to your original vision? This message encourages us that the Lord will finish the work that He has destined to do through you, but it doesn't have to be great in your sight. Those who win in the Kingdom of God finish the race not the way they thought they should, but knowing inside they finished what God has purposed for them to do. Those who are faithful in a few things will enter into the joy of the Lord.

In Zechariah we see a picture of a people who are called to rebuild Solomon’s Temple — a place where God had previously glorified Himself — but as they set out to build the new temple they get discouraged. It doesn't become what they thought it would. Many of us can say the same about our life and ministry. We don't mind small beginnings, but we have great vision and expectation of ending big. Your piece may seem small, but God's puzzle is big. Some of us may not know just how important our “small” piece was until we get to Heaven.

All of God's healing was done from the Cross. There is a saving love that pours forth from Jesus Christ. God chooses to save from the brokenness of the Cross and God chooses to use broken people. When we are going through painful seasons, it is not easy to reach out and help someone, but this is our Christian heritage and Jesus' sacrificial love is our example. When you are hurting and you don't understand what God is doing choose to take your focus off yourself and reach out and love someone. Supernatural healing will flow from your brokenness to those around you.

Jesus said that His house would be known as a house of prayer. Charles Spurgeon said that the prayer meeting drove his church. Prayer must be genuine, authentic, focused and Spirit led. When we intercede for others we have one hand on them and one hand on God. We become the wiring connecting them to God. There is no situation or circumstance that is too big for God.

Through the Exodus story, Pastor Gary Wilkerson paints a picture of two houses. One is in doubt — not sure if they're safe. They question whether they did everything they were supposed to, and if they did it correctly. The other house stands in quiet confidence, secure in what God has promised. Sometimes we have to be silent and let the Lord work on our behalf. Moses stood and lifted his rod in faith. God did the rest.

The church is to be a place of healing and restoration, but we often find fighting and bickering. A lot of us are engaged in war, but with the wrong enemy. It isn't uncommon to find more compassion in the local bar than in the local church. We must lay aside our differences, forgive each other, love each other and seek out the lost. There are many backslidden believers longing to return to the church, but they fear the judgment they'll face if they do. It's time for the church to open its doors and hearts to the lost and hurting that desperately need healing.

In Exodus, Pharaoh shows us a picture of how our life and ministry can be limited by the boundaries imposed by ourselves and others. Sometimes we limit God to only the things we can accomplish with our own abilities, when God often desires to use us beyond our own strengths. Many of us learn to do ministry still wearing the chains of bitterness, anger, addiction, etc. — not walking in the full freedom of Christ. We'll often hold back if something seems too extreme, radical or fanatic. Some of us limit God by keeping our faith to ourselves or making it just about us. Many of us want to follow Christ, but aren't willing to make the sacrifices it often requires. It's time to break down the walls and stop limiting what God wants to do in and through our lives.

The preacher's message must be conviction of sin through the law, coupled with sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. The methodology must be full dependence on the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Our motivation must be genuine Christ-like love for people — not money, fame or recognition. The American church needs a fresh baptism of love.

* We apologize for the music over the beginning of the sermon. It will stop after five minutes.

Pastor Claude Houde of Église Nouvelle Vie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada shares about "The Spirit of Expect." God's workmanship in us can only be accomplished by Him. He is a creating Spirit that wants to create something in and through us. Much of the modern church walks in so little of the Spirit. They have no spiritual inertia and are reduced to powerless imitators. In the end, only the supernatural works of God will survive.

Pastor Gary Wilkerson opens up the EXPECT 2011 Church Leadership Conference with a message about holy confidence. In an age when the media has headlines of pastors and leaders failing and falling, there is a temptation to muster up some spiritual gumption and declare that we won't mess up. This can be a prideful self-confidence worked up in our flesh. In truth, there was only one Shepherd that never failed — Jesus. It is through Him that we acquire the perfection required by God.