Pastor Steve's 07.17.05 Message Now Posted!

According to our web traffic, it looks like alot of readers are coming to our blog from Pastor Tim's "life together." And, since he is on vacation and not posting for the next few days, I wanted to let everyone know that Pastor Steve's sermon is now online.

You can click here to listen to his sermon, "The Treasure & the Pearl - Parables of the Kingdom, pt. 5 from Matthew 13:44-46.

You can also click here to download sermons you may have missed from weeks past.

You can do the whole podcasting thing, too, but check with Pastor Tim's blog for more specific information on the "how to's".

Anyways, what did you all think of Steve's sermon? I was greatly encouraged and challenged to examine my own life and ask some pertinent questions in my life. I sure miss my growth group (we're on hiatus for the summer), as I would love to talk about the questions that were reverberating in my mind after this Sunday's message.

So, why not have an online growth-group question and share time? Here's the questions I was thinking about, and I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on the subject:

• What has the Kingdom of Heaven cost me recently?
  
• What would I be unwilling to give up for His Kingdom? Anything?
• To what (sins or posessions) am I clinging too tightly to - preventing me from more perfectly experiencing the fullness of God's plan for me?

The other thing that I was thinking about recently is how these parables are distinctly from man's perspective: the Kingdom of Heaven is a priceless gem that we should be willing to give and sacrifice all for (although it is a free gift).

But the reverse is also true from God's perspective: Christ loved us so much, despite our sinfulness and depravity, that He paid the ultimate sacrifice to make something worthless (us) perfect, whole and precious.

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear them!