Roswell Presbyterian Church

Episode 41: The Gifts of Advent “Peace” (Isaiah 2:1-5)

10 December 2019  |  18 mins 54 secs

Advent points to the coming of Jesus as we remember his arrival to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, his presence in our hearts every day, and his promise to come again in glory. We at RPC hope to witness to that good news through all our ministries and activities.

Episode 40: The Gifts of Advent: "Hope" (Isaiah 11:1-10)

1 December 2019  |  Season 8  |  18 mins 55 secs

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the time that leads up to Christmas. The word, advent, comes from the Latin word for “coming.” Advent is the season when we celebrate the three ways that Jesus comes to us: when he was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, when he comes into our hearts daily, and when he promises to come in glory at the end of time.

Our sermon series this year will focus on the gifts that Christ’s advent brings. For many of us, the Christmas season can bring back bad memories of a painful experience, the loss of a loved one, and the letdown of unfulfilled dreams. And so today, we will focus on the gift of hope that Jesus offers. My prayer is that each of us will experience the hope of Jesus Christ today!

Episode 39: Yesvember: "The Call of Yes" (Isaiah 6:6-8)

24 November 2019  |  Season 7  |  23 mins 45 secs

I am so glad you are here with us to worship this morning. During our Yesvember series, we have examined God’s “YES” to us through Jesus Christ and what our “YES” response to God looks like in our lives. Today we will hear what God clearly says to us about responding “YES” to God’s call to us through the prophet Isaiah. One of the great things about serving the children and youth here at RPC is having the privilege of helping young people discover God’s call on their lives. All of us are called by God in one way or another. The question becomes, how will we respond to that call?

As we begin this Thanksgiving week, I am incredibly thankful for the Roswell Presbyterian Church family. God is at work in mighty ways through this church, and it is a privilege to partner in ministry with you all. I pray that each of you will have a wonderful holiday this week and will join us for worship next Sunday to kick off the Advent season. If you haven’t invited a friend to church recently, maybe consider who God might be calling you to bring to church during the Advent season!

Episode 38: Yesvember: "The Rest of Yes" (Psalm 62:5-12)

17 November 2019  |  Season 7  |  22 mins 1 sec

We are heading into one of the busiest times of year. Life will be full of hubbub, filled with activities like holiday parties, family pictures,
and purchasing presents. The season can get so crazy that we forget to even enjoy it. What might it mean to find rest during this time
of year? How can we say “Yes” to God and find the peace that Christ offers? These are a couple of the questions we will explore this
morning.

Episode 37: Yesvember: "The Risk of Yes" (Matthew 9:27-31)

10 November 2019  |  Season 7  |  17 mins 52 secs

To kick off Yesvember, last week we looked at what it means for the apostle Paul to say that in Christ all of God’s promises are “yes.” We heard that in Christ’s triumph over death in the resurrection, Jesus demonstrates the power to keep all the promises of God. Today, we will focus on our side as a hearer of those promises by asking, What does it mean for us to trust in the promises of God?

An enthusiastic “thank you” to all of you who have committed financially to help Roswell Presbyterian Church flourish in 2020! We hope every member will commit to make an impact through the ministries of RPC by pledging to give next year. Your faithful planning will help our leadership discern how God is calling us to minister to our congregation and community next year. We can’t do it without you!

Episode 36: Yesvember: "The Promise of Yes" (2 Corinthians 1:15-20)

3 November 2019  |  Season 8  |  17 mins 9 secs

Today we begin a new sermon series looking at the great Yes! passages in the Bible. We hear No from so many voices in our lives, what does it mean to trust in God’s Yes? I believe this message can make a profound, practical impact in our lives.

Episode 35: Flourish: "Flourish with Our Hands" (Luke 10:25-37)

27 October 2019  |  Season 7  |  17 mins 24 secs

Today we conclude our sermon series on Jesus’ story about the Good Samaritan. In the previous weeks, we reflected on how our beliefs about God influence the way we think and feel about the world. Today’s sermon focuses on how God calls us to respond and live out our convictions. We will discover that Jesus challenges us to serve surprising people with hearts full of mercy and compassion. That’s the kind of community God is calling RPC to be!

Episode 34: Flourish: "Loving God with Our Heart" (Luke 10:25-37)

21 October 2019  |  Season 7  |  22 mins 16 secs

Today, we will see at what loving with our hearts looks like. Throughout the month of October, we hope you will respond to these messages by committing to give financially to the ministry and mission of RPC next year. You can make a commitment on the form in this bulletin, in the cards in the pews, or at www.roswellpres.org/give. My hope is that we can share the same love of Christ that my family experienced last Sunday with everyone who encounters our family of faith, whether inside or outside the church walls.

Episode 33: Flourish: "Loving God with All Your Mind" (Luke 10:25-37)

13 October 2019  |  Season 7  |  20 mins 34 secs

At Roswell Presbyterian Church, we believe we are a family of faith united in Jesus Christ to love with our head, heart, and hands. The question we are asking this morning is, what does it look like for the work of ministry to flourish in and through RPC when we are loving with our head?

We think through this question as we continue to study one of Jesus’ most famous teachings, the story of the Samaritan who showed compassion and mercy. We will look at how it specifically teaches us to love God with our mind. How can we approach our faith in a way that values our intellect and does not diminish our ability to think critically? And if we are thinking critically about our faith, how does that impact our ability to love God and love others?

Episode 32: Flourish: "Flourish" (Luke 10:25-37)

6 October 2019  |  Season 7  |  17 mins 15 secs

Today we launch our Generosity season with the theme Flourish. Over the next month, we will explore God’s desire for all of creation to flourish. At Roswell Presbyterian Church we want to contribute to that effort!

It’s fitting today is also World Communion Sunday where we celebrate the sacrament of Communion with Christians all around the world. God wants all people on earth to experience the love, peace, and justice that comes through Jesus Christ. As we celebrate Communion today, we bear witness to the great hope that Jesus offers. Let us center our hearts and minds on this great news found only in Jesus Christ.

Episode 31: Teach Us to Pray: "Other Helpful Advice" (Revelation 4:9-11)

29 September 2019  |  Season 6  |  24 mins 37 secs

Today we conclude our sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer. So far, we’ve explored why Jesus invites us to call God, “Father.” We’ve talked about God’s sovereignty and aligning “my will” with “thy will.” We’ve talked about God’s care for seemingly mundane concerns like daily bread and forgiveness. This morning we will answer some of our remaining questions about how our prayers fit into God’s ultimate, cosmic purposes.

Episode 30: Teach Us to Pray: "Deliverance!" (Matthew 6:9-13; Matthew 26:36-46)

22 September 2019  |  Season 6  |  26 mins 58 secs

Over two years ago, RPC’s Session (the ruling elders of the church) set our Strategic Plan for the next five years. One of our key initiatives was to focus on building fellowship among our congregation. You can support this effort by joining a Community Group for the month of October. Please go to www.roswellpres.org/grow to sign up today!

This morning we will continue our Fall sermon series looking at the Lord’s Prayer. Today’s passage focuses on our need for deliverance from evil. Have you ever needed help? Do you ever find yourself asking for deliverance? Where do you turn in times of danger? We will explore how Scripture answers these questions today.

Episode 29: Teach Us to Pray: "The Reciprocity of Prayer" (Matthew 6:9-13)

15 September 2019  |  Season 6  |  23 mins 47 secs

Today, we continue our study of The Lord’s Prayer by looking at the prayer’s fifth petition which has to do with forgiveness. Practicing forgiveness can be one of the most challenging activities of the Christian life. Do you find it difficult to forgive? Do you ever find yourself trapped in a prison of bitterness and resentment? Do you hold onto past wrongs long after you should have let them go? Surely all of us could answer yes to these questions at some point in our life.

As he teaches us to pray, Jesus invites us to step into the freedom that only comes through forgiveness. In our sermon, we will explore why Jesus asks us to pray in this way, how we can forgive even the most difficult wrongs done to us, and then we will discover the difference forgiveness makes in our lives. I hope you will join me in courageously stepping into the freedom that comes only through forgiveness!

Episode 28: Teach Us to Pray: "Sweat the Small Stuff" (Matthew 6:9-13)

8 September 2019  |  Season 6  |  15 mins 11 secs

When Jesus introduces “The Lord’s Prayer” to his disciples, he actually tells them to “pray to your Father who is in secret.” So how is it that this private, secretive prayer became so public? Maybe our first hint is in the way Jesus lays out the phrases: “Our Father..., give us..., forgive us..., lead us..., deliver us...” Establishing this model prayer with words that bring us together was a brilliant move on Jesus’ part!

As we celebrate “The Lord’s Supper,” it is our custom to say to one another when passing the bread, “the body of Christ.” Hearing that before we eat the bread is a personal reminder of Jesus’ physical sacrifice for us. It is also a good opportunity to look beyond ourselves and remember that “the body of Christ” is present in the world today through you and me, the community of faith.

It has been a true honor to serve this community of faith, the Roswell Presbyterian Church, for the past eight years as one of your pastors. I am forever changed because of seeing God work in and through you both locally and globally. I believe with all of my heart that the best is yet to come for this body of Christ!

Episode 24: Teach Us to Pray: "Does Prayer Make a Difference?" (Matthew 6:9-13; Romans 8:14-17)

18 August 2019  |  Season 6  |  18 mins 24 secs

Today we kick off our program year with new Sunday School classes, new Wednesday Evening Fellowship programming, and the return of the choir (thank heavens!), along with so many other opportunities to join God’s ministry here at RPC. I hope you will take some time to look over this bulletin to discern how God is calling you to get involved.
One of the most common areas of the Christian life that people ask pastors about involves the practice of prayer. Why pray if God already knows what God is going to do? What should I pray for? Should I change when I pray? This list of questions goes on and on. I hope today’s sermon will help you better understand the nature of prayer and help you be more attentive to God’s presence in your life.

Episode 23: Follow Me @: "King" (John 18:28-38a)

4 August 2019  |  Season 5  |  25 mins 40 secs

Good morning! Today we conclude our sermon series, Follow Me. We have journeyed through the Gospel of John and focused on the various "I am" statements that Jesus makes to describe himself. The interesting thing about our passage this morning is that while Jesus makes very clear that he is the king, it is not one of the "I am" statements. Jesus does not directly say "I am the King."

Also in our passage this morning, Jesus explains that he is not king in the way we typically think of a king. He continues to insist that his kingdom is not of this world. What does Jesus mean by that anyway? And why wouldn't Jesus just come out and call himself king?

We will think through those things this morning as we study God's Word together!