Sermons Celebration Community Church

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8/29/10	Have you ever climbed a 14er? Driven to the top of Mt Evans? Or ridden a ski lift above the tree tops? If so, you know the breathtaking beauty of a mountain-top experience. From the top of a mountain, the view is clearer, God seems nearer, and problems seem worlds away. But what goes up must come down, as the disciples learned in Mark 9:2-13. Like them, we need a faith that works as well on city streets as on mountainsides. This Sunday Steve will speak about walking with Christ in the real world. His message is called, "The Trouble with Mountain Tops" (or "What Goes Up must Come Down").
8/22/10	Steve's sermon will come from Mark 8:34-38 and will focus on taking up our cross and losing our life to find it.
8/15/10	Has it occurred to you how long healing and recovery can take? If you've had to do physical therapy or another kind of rehab, you know how slow and painstaking recovery can be. That is true physically, emotionally and spiritually. Healing comes by degrees. Do you need healing? Is someone you love in need of a healing touch by the Great Physician? Invite a friend to come to church with you and learn how Jesus can help us with stubborn issues, the kind that take a long time to overcome. Steve's message is from Mark 8:22-30, and it's called "When Healing Comes Slowly."
8/8/10	Mike Sares, pastor of Scum of the Earth Church, will be preaching.
8/1/10	Jesus restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and voice to the mute. We should see two things from this: 1) Jesus the Healer cares for the physical wholeness of the unfortunate, and 2) Jesus cares about their spiritual, emotional, and psychological wholeness as well. Last Sunday, we talked about the need to go out of our way to hear the voice of the Father apart from the demands of the crowds. This Sunday, Steve will discuss how to find our own unique voice. Come hear Part 2 of our discussion of Mark 7:31-37 called, "Hearing God's Voice and Finding Your Own."
7/25/10	According to a recent article in Fast Company, the average consumer will hear 1,000,000 marketing messages a year...almost 3,000 per day! In addition to that, we receive email, texts, Tweets, Facebook messages, phone calls, voice mail, and paper mail. That's the recipe for information overload! In the face of such a bombardment, we can get out of range of God's voice and find ours falling upon deaf ears. In Mark 7:31-37, Jesus restores a man's hearing and voice. He can restore ours as well. Steve's message this Sunday is called, "Hearing God's Voice and Finding Yours."
7/18/10	Steve tackles one of the gnarly passages in the Bible. Its Mark 7:24-31, where Jesus meets the Syrophoenician Woman and calls her and her people "dogs." Dang!?! What do we do when Jesus doesn't act like Jesus? Steve's message is called, "When Jesus is Mean to You" (or "Despicable Him").
7/11/10	Jesus came to give us life and that more abundantly. But there are other people whose goals are the opposite. Frequently, they are controlling people who use all manner of methods to get you to do what they want or what they think you should do. This happens in families, friendships, dating, marriage, work, and even in church. This Sunday, Steve will show us how to deal with such people and especially, how to avoid becoming such a person. Our text is Mark 7:1-23 and Steve's message is "Controlling People" or "Don't Be That Guy".
7/4/10	Jesus said that certain kinds of people will see God. Are you such a person? Are you in a good place to see God? Steve's sermon is called, "Good Places for God Things" from Mark 6:45-56.
6/27/10	Albus Brooks, Director of Mile High Ministries' Issachar Community and member of Celebration, will be preaching.
6/20/10	How is your summer going? Are you getting a much needed break or are things more hectic than ever? In Mark 6:20-44, the disciples are once again run ragged by the demands and needs of others and they finally have had enough. Ever feel that way? If so, you'll want to hear Steve's message, called, "The Fed Up Followers of Jesus."
6/13/10	This Sunday, Steve will be back and picking up our study of the Gospel of Mark. While he has soaked up the sun on a beach in Mexico, he has pondered this Sunday's text, Mark 6:14-29. There we read of the violent death which John the Baptist suffered. It's not always easy to reconcile a nice summer vacation with the sufferings, even martyrdoms, of others, is it? Life is unfair...sometimes in one's own favor. This Sunday, we will reflect on how to be a thinking, feeling, committed follower of Jesus in the face of both blessing and brutality. Steve's message is called, "Pondering Beaches and Beheadings". (Yikes.)
6/6/10	Jeff Johnsen, Celebration member and Director of Mile High Ministries, will be preaching.
5/30/10	Steve will preach from Mark 7:7-13. There, Jesus calls and sends His disciples to heal and deliver. He sends us to do the same. But while He brings about transformation through us, He also does it IN us. Jesus calls you to life-change...are you all-in?
5/23/10	We will celebrate some special young people. Our Youth Pastor, Wes Scheu, will recognize our high school graduates, ask them some meaningful questions, and pray a blessing upon them. After church we will celebrate them with some yummy cake! Also, Steve will preach from Mark 6:1-6 about Jesus' dishonor in his home town. Sometimes, home is the hardest place to be taken seriously. But Jesus shows us how to be faithful in the presence of doubters and knuckleheads. Steve's message is called, "The Fabric of Faithfulness" (or "Who Are You and What Gives You the Right?).
5/16/10	Our "Resident Sage and Storyteller," Les Avery, will speak to us from John 21. We will explore profound morning conversation between Jesus and Peter. Les' message is called, "A Breakfast Like No Other."
5/9/10	This Sunday is Mothers Day, so if you can, invite your Mom to a fun place to get serious about God! We will celebrate moms by telling stories about a brokenhearted dad, a woman who was not a mom, and a mom who seemed to be going off her rocker.
5/2/10	The true test of one's faith is how we react when things are not going well. Jesus was surrounded by hurting people bending under the weight of illness, isolation, bankruptcy, and unanswered prayer. This Sunday, Steve will share the story of a man named Jairus, his terminally ill daughter, a woman with an untreatable medical condition, and how Jesus changed their lives. Read about it in Mark5:21-43...and invite a hurting friend.
4/25/10	Albus Brooks preaches this Sunday.
4/18/10	Last week, we learned that Jesus will lead us out of our comfort zones and into strange and scary places. The Apostle Paul said that he and his comrades were in constant danger (2 Corinthians 11:26). We may encounter strange and scary people, but they are not the enemy...they are victims of the Enemy. Mark 5:1-20 demonstrates how Jesus came to set captives free...and calls us to do the same. You won't want to miss Part Two of "Releasing Captives from Darkness" (or "Running To Versus Running From").
4/11/10	Jesus will lead us out of our comfort zones and into strange and scary places.
4/4/10	On Easter Sunday, while churches fill, choirs sing, and preachers boldly proclaim the power of the resurrection of Jesus, a disturbing fact will remain: It's not working. Too many of us are just not feeling it. We're doubting it. And we're doing things we shouldn't do. The doubt and guilt become too heavy a load to carry and many of us discard our faith, though we may still go to church. Heck, we may be on staff there. To those of us who admit such feelings, God says one word: "Remember." This Sunday, you will hear a call to remember what we believe and why...the One who calls us...and the difference it makes. Our text is First Corinthians 15:1-11 and Steve's sermon is called, "How to Resurrect Your Faith" (or "Never Give Up").
3/28/10	Les Avery will bring us a message this Palm Sunday. His sermon, "Just Passing By," comes from Luke 10:25-37.
3/21/10	After a hard day of teaching and healing, Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee in boats. On the way, things got crazy. Very soon, seasoned fishermen were crying for their Momma...while Jesus sleeps! The story is packed with intensity and hard questions. (Can you find the four questions in Mark 4:35-41?). Steve's sermon is called, "Jesus Calms the Storm" (or "When It Rains He Snores").
3/14/10	"The person...who looks for quick results in the seed planting of well-doing will be disappointed. If I want potatoes for dinner tomorrow, it will do me little good to go out and plant potatoes in my garden tonight. There are long stretches of darkness and invisibility and silence that separate planting and reaping." - Eugene Peterson Indeed, there are long stretches of darkness in our seed-planting. We must work very hard if we hope to reap rewards in school, in business, or in God's kingdom. But there are mysterious paradoxes between what we do and what God does, our part and His. This Sunday, we will explore such paradoxes in Mark 4:21-34. Steve's message is called, "Secrets of the Kingdom of God."
3/7/10	Steve returns with part 2 of his discussion of "Four Kinds of Hearts" based on "The Parable of the Sower," from Mark 4:1-20.
2/28/10	When in doubt, get the boat out! That's what Jesus did in Mark 4:1-20. With Pharisees on the prowl and needy crowds giving Him the heebie-jeebies, Jesus made a boat His pulpit and told an earthy story: "The Parable of the Sower." Steve's message is called, "God, the Organic Farmer," or "Four Kinds of Hearts."
2/14/10	This Sunday could get crazy! Albus Brooks, Director of Issachar Community, is preaching and he's got a special word from Acts 1. (The Lord used it mightily at East High this week.) His sermon is called, "Why are we so satisfied with the underwhelming presence of God?"
2/7/10	In Mark 3:13, we read, "Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him." This is a remarkable statement, because it states two interesting facts: 1) Jesus identified and invited people by name to be with Him, and 2) those individuals answered the call. This Sunday, Steve will speak to us from Mark 3:7-1-19 about God's call on our lives. His message is entitled, "When Jesus Calls Your Name." This is for everyone who needs to hear the invitation of Jesus in a fresh way.
1/31/10	After last week's conversation about finding a Sabbath rhythm, we will circle back to Mark 3:1-6 for the story of Jesus healing the man with the shriveled hand. Jesus is a Healer and anyone who follows Him will become one as well. Steve's sermon is called, "The Day Jesus Got in Trouble at Church" (or... "Two Kinds of Disease").
1/24/10	Did you know?... that in the U.S. alone, more than one million people are rushed to the emergency room with hand injuries every year? In today's story, we see Jesus heal a man with a shriveled hand. But to do so, He must enter a hostile environment and get really angry. In this story, we learn a lot about who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. Steve's message is called, "Jesus, the Healer" (or "Talk to the Hand").
1/17/10	This Sunday, we welcome our good friend Les Avery to the Celebration pulpit. Les continues our study on the book of Mark with a sermon called "When Beliefs Outrank Persons," from Mark 2:18-28.
1/10/10	Steve returns to the book of Mark. Preaching from Mark 2:13-17, his sermon is called "Matthew's Party." Come and learn about our inspiration for the vision for "The Party Church."
1/3/10	Albus Brooks, director of Mile High Ministries' Issachar Community, will be in the Celebration pulpit this Sunday. His message called "Remember" serves as a follow-up to Steve's sermon from last week as we reflect on our lives over the past 365 days.
12/27/09	It's "Shoot Sunday." Remembering Isaiah 11:1-10 ("A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse..."), you are asked to bring a sprig from your Christmas tree. Hold it in your hand in worship and Word, as a symbol of God's hope in the midst of life's harsh realities. Then, after worship and a short word from Steve, you will be invited to share something about the past 365 days of your life with Jesus. You may say, "Shoot, I have some regrets about this year," or "Shoot, I'm sorry it's over."
12/20/09	We're heading for the home stretch! This Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent. Our theme is, Jesus, the Third Way. There is no need to fight with or run from God. Jesus came to show the way home into the loving arms of the Father. We will search the Scriptures to see how Jesus is the way to joy and peace with God. Steve's message is called, "Jesus, the Third Way" (or "Rest").
12/13/09	The Third Way is not fight or flight, but "delight." It's a humble but passionate love for God that seeks His plans for us and for the redemption of the world. It's hard. It comes at a great price. But it is beautiful and it is for us. This Sunday, Steve's sermon is called, "Practicing the Third Way."
12/6/09	Last week our Associate Pastor, Jill Woosley, helped us understand that we have two natural reactions to a perceived threat: Fight or Flight, Silence or Violence. She also explored with us why there is a need for a 'Third Way'. But this 'Third Way' can be elusive and confusing. This week, our Pastor of Children and Youth, Wes Scheu, will bring us a sermon from Matthew 1:18-25 titled, 'Revealing the Third Way' or 'Joseph's Conundrum'.
11/29/09	As we enter the season of Advent, we'll focus on our theme of "The Third Way." Our Associate Pastor, Jill Woosley, will bring us the first message of our series, "The Need for a Third Way," from Matthew 2:1-18.
11/22/09	Steve's message, entitled "When Perfect isn't Good Enough", from Luke 2:1-12 shows us how our Savior was faithful to His calling and sought to meet deep human needs, but got mixed reactions. His followers must also expect to endure mixed results.
11/08/09	In his book, The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho says, “When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person realize his dream.” Unfortunately, the universe can seem to conspire for our downfall as well. It seemed that way for Jesus at times. Everywhere He turned He met demons, disease, and distractions. He demonstrated complete authority...over all but one. Steve preaches from Mark 1:29-45, about an issue that really kept Jesus' hands full...and still does.
11/01/09	Mike Sares brings the message.
10/25/09	Fresh on the heels of our Vision Meeting, we begin a new Scripture study at church. We will jump into the most action-packed presentation of the life of Christ in Scripture, the Gospel According to St. Mark. This will be a year-long exploration of who Jesus is and what he calls his disciples to become.
10/18/09	We're bringing it all back home. We return to the story of stories, the parable of Jesus that most reflects the heart of God and the heart of our church. If you ever wondered who we are, what we bleed, what makes us want to pound the table and cry, you'll want to hear this. Steve tells the story of Prodigal Son from Luke 15, the story of the road of suffering and the trip home. The message is called, “The Road Home.”
10/11/09	Rediscover the heart of God and the heart of our church as we explore the real and raw story of Ruth and Naomi. This is the first of two vision sermons Steve will bring as we approach our 11th birthday celebration on 10/18.. His message is called, “Two Roads" (or "Breaking the 11 Year Rule")
10/04/09	Albus Brooks brings the message, and Steve Garcia leads the worship.

Older sermons are archived and available. Please email us with the date(s) you would like.