Planted in Death Raised in Life

   

Listen as Pastor Rick gently shepherds our hearts through the grief of losing one of our own.  Mama V you are missed!

BAPTISM

Listen as Pastor Rick teaches about Baptism in advance of our baptism service scheduled for next Sunday!  We hope you can join us!

Easter Sunday - 2017

 

Easter Sunday at Water of Life Fellowship is always special.  It is impossible to capture in a recording or even in pictures. You will have to be sure to join us sometime! Maybe next year?  Plan to join us if you can! Here is a snippet from the day:

    Isn’t it spectacular to realize the rejoicing of their hearts that day?  You have heard echoes of that same rejoicing still ringing in our hearts over two thousand years later!  It is the song of the redeemed!  “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up (Matthew 4:16).”  Jesus is the light of the world and He shattered the darkness of sin, death, and despair that wonderful Easter morning so long ago.  He shattered it forever!  “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).”
    Jesus came, “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:78-79).”
    “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men (John 1:3-4).”
    “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).”
    “…ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9).”
    Is your heart bound in darkness today?  You can be set free by His light! Is your life captive to despair?  You can discover His Joy!  Is death fearsome to you?  You need no longer fear.  He has conquered death too!  This is why we no longer sit in darkness but rejoice in the light!  “…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).”  This is the Gospel – the Good News – of the Cross and the Resurrection: that we can leave the darkness and walk in the light with Him.  Today, we celebrate His Light and Life!  He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
 

Lessons from Lazarus

Some might think it strange that this miracle – probably the most powerful testament of the Christ and one of the strongest anchor points for faith in His own soon-coming resurrection – was excluded from those other narratives.  However, a reasonable case has been made by scholars that Lazarus was still alive during the writing of the other Gospels and the writers did not want to stir up the Jews against him afresh; but by the time John writes, it is believed that Lazarus had passed away (for the second time) and was no longer in any danger by the telling of the story.  We should also keep in mind that John writes his entire Gospel with the intent that we might believe that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. He tells us this intent for his book in Chapter 20:31 – “31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”  This story of Lazarus is one of his anchoring arguments for that purpose.

We don’t know when this event happened, but it is reasonably believed to be close to the time of Passover at which time Jesus will be crucified.  Let us turn to the story now.  Today, I will read and expound as we go.

 Thanks to the Lumo Project & FreeBibleImages.org for this image!

HE KNOWS

God knows you: precisely whom you are, where you are, what you are, why you are, and how you are.  He understands you and cares about you.  Listen as Pastor Rick passionately shares the wonderful story of Thomas.

"Have you been where Thomas was that night?  A whole lot of other people tell you they have met the risen Christ.  A whole lot of people tell you that it was incredible and spectacular and you should have the same experience.  Have you felt confused by all the voices?  Have you felt that your experiential reality doesn’t match up with others’ reports of the supernatural?  Have you grieved because YOU longed to know Him in the power of His resurrection too – but somehow have missed it?  Have you been frustrated – maybe even angry – that you have been left out of His presence?  Have you determined in the midst of your pain, your loneliness, and your lostness that you WILL NOT BELIEVE?

Ah.  This I believe is part of the why of Thomas’ story.  God knows us and understands us and He wants us to know that He knows and He cares about us even when we struggle with doubt and uncertainty."

The Tomb & Jesus the Master

In this final sermon of the series, "A Donkey, A Garden, A Cross, & A Tomb" Pastor Rick shares the glorious message of Easter.  

The "message to us today is not one of apologetics or defense of the faith.  I have [shared such] in the past and will likely do so again in the future.  But today, I simply want to share a story with you so that you may feel with me the joy of the resurrection.  For today is a day of rejoicing!"

Hard Things Series - How Will Jesus Find You?

Listen as Pastor Rick starts a new series talking about serious spiritual matters.  How will Jesus find you when He returns?  Do you look ahead to death or the Second Coming with dread or anticipation?  Are you ready for the trumpet?

How Much Do You Love Jesus?

Pastor Rick shares a message about a very personal question: "How much do I love Jesus?"  This is a question we all should answer.  How about you?  How much do YOU love Jesus?

The Post-Resurrection Series - MARKED BY THE SON

Spring is here and all of us are spending more time in the sunshine.  Usually we can tell this because sunburns show up in the congregation!  :-)   But this caused me to wonder if the sunshine marks us so quickly when we spend time in it, can people tell when we have been in the presence of THE Son of God, Jesus Christ?  How about you?  Are you marked by the SON?

THE SABBATH PRINCIPLE - The LAW Series #6

The culture at large and the church in general has greatly fallen away from the keeping of this commandment.  Listen as Pastor Rick shares the teachings of Dr. Ryken and explains what the commandment means both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and applies how we should practice it in our world today. 

The Post Resurrection Series - ANCHORED IN HOPE

Listen as Pastor Rick shares a message of faith and hope based upon the resurrection.  It is a hope certain and sure!  This is the first message in the Post-Resurrection Series.  Listen and be encouraged!