Sermons From St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant podcast

25:48

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Outline Sermon Questions What is mercy, biblically? Read Psalm 73, from the perspective of Lazarus. How does this psalm illustrate a merciful heart? Where are you superabounding materially? What needs are you aware of in our community that you could help to address? What needs in our community are you unaware of, because your daily routines/rhythms/whereabouts insulate you from them? Resources Consulted Dig Deeper: NT Wright, The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is (IVP, 2015) Reach Higher: Richard Bauckham, “The Rich Man and Lazarus: The Parable and the Parallels,” New Testament Studies 37 (1991), 225–46; Reuben Bredenhof, “Looking for Lazarus: Assigning Meaning to the Poor Man in Luke 16.19–31,” New Testament Studies 2020 (66), 51–67; John T. Carroll, Luke: A Commentary (Westminster John Knox, 2012); Søren Kierkegaard, Works of Love , trans. George Pattison (Harper Perennial, 2009); Martin Luther King, Jr. “Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution,” in A Testament of Hope (Harper, 1994), 268–78 Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker ( ).…

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Randy Forrester: Faith and Work: The Redemption of Work 20:10

12 days ago20:10

20:10

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Mark 12:28-34, Col 3:23-25, Rom 12:1, 1 Pet 2:9 . Sermon Notes I. Introduction: Restoring What’s Broken Illustration: Restoring furniture — sometimes better than new. Recap of the series: Week 1 – Creation : Work is good. (Listen here ) Week 2 – Fall : Work is broken by sin. (Listen here ) Week 3 – Redemption : Jesus is making all things new — including our work. II. Big Biblical Truth – Revelation 21:5 “Behold, I am making all things new.” Not “all new things” — but “all things new .” Present tense: Jesus is doing this now. Redemption includes more than souls — it includes work. III. Three Ways to Integrate Faith and Work 1. Do Good Work Christian work should be excellent, honest, dependable. Colossians 3:23–24 — Work for the Lord , not just for people. Keep growing in skill, creativity, and integrity. Guardrail: Excellence ≠ perfectionism or workaholism. 2. Serve Others Through Your Work Work connects us to others; we meet real needs. Luther: God provides through everyday vocations (farmers, bakers…). Purpose matters: Chick-fil-A example — work as a positive influence. You can serve others through your work, even if your workplace doesn’t. 3. Worship Through Your Work We are a priesthood of believers (1 Peter 2:9). Romans 12:1 — Offer your bodies (and work) as a living sacrifice. Visual: Imagine lifting your work up to God each day in worship. “Lord, I offer my work to You…” Sermon Application Discussion Questions: Do you feel "called" to your job? Why or why not? What makes a job a calling? What's the difference between Jesus making all new things vs. all things new? Why is that distinction important for work? What makes for good work in a Christian perspective? Describe a time when you were the most satisfied in your work. What contributed to this satisfaction? If your work is not perfect, can you still lift it up to the Lord as an act of worship? Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ).…

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Randy Forrester :: Faith and Work: The Dirty Side of Work 22:18

19 days ago22:18

22:18

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes I. The Fall and the Corruption of Work (Genesis 3) Sin enters through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Consequences: shame, hiding from God, broken partnership. Work is cursed: Pain in childbirth and relational struggle. Toil and frustration in labor (thorns, thistles, broken systems). Humanity tried to do life apart from God — the result is broken work. II. Three Pitfalls That Distort Work 1. Individualism – Caring Too Much About Ourselves in Work Luke 12: The rich fool stores wealth and speaks only to himself. God is absent from his plans and gratitude. Diagnostic questions: Is God your reference point? Do you use work to serve others? 2. Idleness – Caring Too Little About the Work Itself 2 Thessalonians 3: warning against laziness and not working. Broader definition of work: includes unpaid, volunteer, home-based. Matthew 25: Parable of the talents — don’t bury your gifts. Idleness can stem from fear, not just laziness. 3. Idolatry – Caring Too Much About Work Work becomes identity or self-worth. Examples: over-identifying with parenting, business success, or ministry. Signs of idolatry: Can’t stop working. Refusal to rest or Sabbath. Reminder of 6+1 rhythm of work and rest from creation. III. The Way Forward: The Cross and the Spirit The Cross : Where we bring our sin and receive forgiveness. The Spirit : Empowerment for change and restored partnership with God. Through the Spirit, we can: Reject the lies of individualism, idleness, and idolatry. Embrace a God-centered, Spirit-empowered vision for work. Sermon Application Discussion Questions: What is one way you experience the distortion of work on a regular basis? To which of the pitfalls of work are you most susceptible? If you don't like your job, can you still honor God in it? How? If someone's work is raising kids, what might sabbath look like? Additional Resources The Gospel at Work by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ).…

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Randy Forrester: Faith & Works :: God's Original Design 20:53

26 days ago20:53

20:53

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes “How can anyone remain interested in a religion which seems to have no concern with nine-tenths of his life?” — Dorothy Sayers 1. God Is a Worker – And We Are Made in His Image The Bible opens with God working—creating the world (Genesis 1:1–2:2). As God's image bearers, we too are designed for creative, fruitful work. Work is not an afterthought or consequence of sin—it’s part of our identity. 2. God Made a World That Needs Work God created a good, but unfinished world—full of potential. Humans are commissioned to “fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). We are called to develop culture, build communities, and steward creation. 3. Work Has Inherent Dignity Work existed before the fall—it is not a curse but a gift. All kinds of work (paid, unpaid, creative, routine) matter to God. Meaningful work is vital to human flourishing and reflects God’s character. Sermon Application Discussion Questions: Describe your attitude towards your work (whether paid or unpaid, inside or outside the home). Are you positive? Negative? Motivated? Bored? Delighted? Frustrated? Can a hobby be considered work according to Genesis 1-2? Why or why not? Is it easy for you to connect your faith to your work? In what ways might knowing God's original design for work from Gen 1-2 help strengthen that connection? Why is work important for human dignity? Additional Resources by Timothy Keller by Vern Poythress Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ). Audio & Video You can listen to the sermon by using the player below or via the St Andrew's Sermon Podcast on and .…

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Tim Winkler :: The Ascension 26:33

5 weeks ago26:33

26:33

Bible Study: Acts 1:1-11

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Steve Wood :: Saturated by Christ's Love 18:57

6 weeks ago18:57

18:57

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Steve Wood ( ).

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Sam Fornecker :: Contending for the Faith 28:35

7 weeks ago28:35

28:35

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Outline A warning A story A pattern A mission Sermon Questions What three words does Jude use to describe the church in v.1? What do these mean? God saves us regardless of our state of life, yet cares deeply about transforming our lives. How do you hold those two together? Babel represents a reversal of our Edenic mission—and it continues in our world today. Rather than spread God's name across the earth, we localize God and "make a name for ourselves." How do you "localize" God — in your daily rhythms, your disposition at work, your relationships with family members, etc.? For Further Study Where to Start The Bible Project, " The Book of Jude ." Dig In Douglas Moo , 2 Peter, Jude , NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997) Dick Lucas and Christopher Green , The Message of 2 Peter and Jude , The Bible Speaks Today (Downer's Grove: IVP Academic, 1995) Robert W. Wall , " A Unifying Theology of the Catholic Epistles ," in Karl Wilhelm Nieburh and Robert W. Wall (eds.), The Catholic Epistles and Apostolic Tradition (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2009), 13–40 Level Up Richard A. Bauckham , "James, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude," in D.A. Carson and H.G.M. Williamson (eds.), It Is Written: Scripture Citing Scripture—Essays in Honour of Barnabas Lindars, SSF (Cambridge: CUP, 2010), 303–17 Jörg Frey , The Letter of Jude and the Second Letter of Peter: A Theological Commentary , trans. Kathleen Ess (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2018); James B. Prothro , "Revisiting Mercy in Jude: Intervention, Intercession, and the Intruders," Journal for the Study of the New Testament (Aug. 2016), 1–23. Robert W. Wall , " A Unifying Theology of the Catholic Epistles ," in Karl Wilhelm Nieburh and Robert W. Wall (eds.), The Catholic Epistles and Apostolic Tradition (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2009), 13–40. Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker ( ).…

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Randy Forrester :: John - Restored for Mission 20:52

8 weeks ago20:52

20:52

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Sermon Notes Theme: Jesus restores us from failure not by ignoring our wounds, but by healing them — and then calling us back into mission. Introduction Comparison to military standards: Are we disqualified by spiritual failure? Jesus' mission continues through imperfect people. Peter’s Failure and Shame Peter denied Jesus three times. Carries guilt, fear, and brokenness. Jesus Heals Through Painful Restoration Jesus recreates the setting of Peter’s denial (charcoal fire). Asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” — one for each denial. Calls Peter's love back to the center. Restoration to Leadership Jesus entrusts Peter with responsibility: “Feed my sheep.” Not just forgiveness — but restored trust and calling. Your past doesn’t disqualify you from God’s purpose. But healing may be needed first — emotionally and spiritually. Jesus exposes wounds not to shame, but to set us free. Leadership and mission flow from love for Jesus. Jesus wants you healed, free, and ready to serve. Sermon Application Discussion Questions: Why did John include the detail about the charcoal fire? Why is our love for Jesus important for service and mission (not simply his love for us)? Should trust be restored after forgiveness? When might that be important and when might it be problematic? Can you share about some way the Lord brought healing to your soul that helped free you up to serve him and others? Can a person offer healthy leadership without emotional and spiritual health? Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ).…

Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

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Randy Forrester: John - Fishing, Breakfast, and the Mission of Jesus 21:23

9 weeks ago21:23