Vienna Assembly Of God Sermons

When we pray, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven." we are expressing the hope that our hearts will align with God's heart. God is love. God is good. God is kind. God is holy and just. His will for you is love. His will for you is good. His will for you is kind. His will for you is holy and just.

This request - deliver us from evil - is profound. And full of hope. We are going to spend some time really unpacking this prayer, and seeing how Jesus teaches us to approach coming down to this final request - deliver us from evil.

Encouraging us all that we each have a destiny in God, founder and president of Heart to Hands International Debbie Gillispie shares the vision and opportunities before her for impacting communities in Africa by raising up leaders and providing resources for healthcare, education and empowerment. Learn more at https://www.h2hinternational.com/.

On the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out on all people. Every nation and ethnicity that was gathered there heard the praises of God in their own language. Men and women, servants and handmaidens, the young and the old, the sons and the daughters, it doesn't matter your gender or your age or your vocation or economic status - the Spirit of God has been poured out in these last days.

Announcing the Gospel is bringing the good news, proclaiming that Jesus has come to bring life and freedom!

Colossians 3:23-24: Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

God cares about justice. How can you practice justice? Start where you are.

Practicing hospitality is the deeply intentional practice of presence. Being present to the people you are with, and being present to the Spirit of Christ, sharing that presence through hospitality.

People talk about heaven, a belief in a better place, a comfort, a solace that their deceased loved one is still alive in a new reality. What gives people this hope? It is only through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that such a nonsense could even be considered.

The overwhelming, overpowering love of God was poured out in full through the cross. A love so deep, a devotion so strong, a purpose eternal from before the beginning - the cross is the power of God unto salvation. Journey with us through Holy Week as we remember Christ's path to the cross.

Missional Presence is about purpose and aligning our will with God's will, choosing to be 'on mission' with God, desiring to live in such a way that God's presence is revealed in us and through us.

"God...is the ultimate source of our lives, joy, and sexual desire. The starting point and the end point of our desires is God. This is the work of good theology and spiritual formation--believing that our bodies and sexuality were meant to point to something outside ourselves." -Rich Villodas

Lent is especially meant as a time for re-energizing this practice of self-examination. The purpose of the fasts and contemplation are to draw us into a better posture for opening ourselves up before God, allowing the Holy Spirit to show us what is true about ourselves.

Our spiritual formation, the transformation that is afforded us through the Gospel, includes dealing with racism.

Prophetic resistance is still necessary - we must choose to be a people distinct from the world. We are called to live differently, and when we choose to shape our lives according to the rhythm of Sabbath, we are allowing God to form us, and serving as a signpost of his rule and reign in our lives.

Rather than embracing nationalism and triumphalism, we are called to a higher vocation, and given the power to triumph over sin and death.

One of the hopes and dreams for our church is that this be a place where you can experience peace. We want to have open hearts that welcome the weary traveler looking for a spiritual home. We want to have a resolute spirit that rises up against oppression, harassment and exploitation. Becoming a peaceful presence is not about turning a blind eye to the injustice in our world, or becoming apathetic toward the marginalized and oppressed. It is about an intentional focus on God, a determined trust in God, and a willingness to do good even when it doesn't seem to be the way to get results.

Practical in prayer, and practical in practice.

God is a revealing God. He makes himself known to us. And we receive that revelation in many ways. Through creation, through his Word, in times of transition, in the middle of everyday life. God is on the throne. It is through his revelation that we are able to grow in relationship with him - and learn to truly love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. And that love is the foundation for loving our neighbors as we also love ourselves.

Pastor Craig shares today from Psalm 145:13 - "For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does." How do we experience the rule and reign of Christ in our lives?