Sermons Pine Lake Covenant Church

It is the greatest and most wondrous mystery of the ages that God became human—the Word made flesh in Christ Jesus—and dwelled among us. To be human is indeed a risky endeavor. Why would Jesus choose to empty Himself and enter our world in the epitome of tender vulnerability? This divine vulnerability of God sees us, reaches us, and teaches us what it truly means to love. Join us this Sunday for our third Sunday in Advent: LOVE Sunday. The post The Vulnerable Child appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Baby Jesus was wrapped in cloth, was laid in a manger, and was held. Nothing unusual for a baby, but might seem unusual for the Triune God to be so dependent on another human being. Together let’s explore what Jesus’ birth teaches us about how we are formed as his followers. Also, on this second Sunday of Advent—Peace Sunday—we’re celebrating with an entire service of music, with an orchestra and full band! The post Worship Through Music / The Dependent Child appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

You know when you get so used to something you can sometimes miss the grandeur of what is going on around you? Each year, Advent comes and we immerse ourselves in the story of Christ’s birth. We know the story, but what if we stopped, closed our eyes, took a deep breath, and opened our eyes anew to the wonder of the arrival of Jesus? Join us as we collectively wonder about the moment prophesied about for thousands of years. The post Wonder appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

The post Fasting appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Welcome! Join us here for our service at 10AM on Sunday, 11/17. An early marker of God’s people was the identity of being blessed for the purpose of being a blessing to the world. Jesus followed up with his disciples about finding joy in giving over receiving. The practice of generosity is not of this world, but should not be foreign to the disciples of Jesus. As we learn to practice generosity in community, we learn to detach ourselves from […] The post Generosity appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

As kids, we were taught that actions speak louder than words. While that could be partly true, we believe that words and actions together bear witness to transformed lives. As disciples, when our words and actions are paired together, they testify to disciples who know and live like Jesus did. Join us this weekend as we look deeper into the practice of service and witness. The post Service & Witness appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Jesus calls all of us to be his disciples and to learn to live the “Way of Jesus.” That means we are transformed by being with and becoming like him, and then doing what he did! As we search through scriptures, we see that Jesus did a lot of … eating! Jesus constantly gathered people to a meal together. He valued table fellowship as a missional opportunity to build and deepen relationships, welcome everyone, and reconcile with friends. This Sunday, we also […] The post Community appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Do you ever feel like life is like a hamster wheel? You keep running and it keeps spinning. We wonder if and when we will ever be able to get off. What if I was to tell you the Lord gave us a practice in which we are able to step off the wheel? Join us as we explore together the practice of keeping the Sabbath. The post Sabbath appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

We live in one of the noisiest times in all of human history. We may not even know what silence sounds like. One essential practice of Jesus was to seek out silence and solitude in order to connect with the Father. Join us as we explore how the practice of solitude can transform our lives as apprentices of Jesus. The post Solitude appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Practicing the way of Jesus involves participating in the rhythms that Jesus did, becoming like Him, and being transformed. All these practices lead to abundant life, but we must start with the source of life, the Word of God. Join us as we examine Scripture as the source and learn to practice the way of Jesus together. The post Scripture appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Jesus prayed. Jesus’ disciples asked how he prayed. Yet for many of us, we still struggle with what we should pray, or how we should pray. The fact remains, a practice of prayer is essential to the life of a disciple. Join us as we learn from one another’s practice of prayer. The post Prayer appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

So, we are committed to becoming disciples of Jesus. But how are we formed into disciples? Romans tells us we need to be on guard with how we are being formed each and every day. We are being de-formed and re-formed into disciples who either look like the world or look like Jesus. Join us as we explore how to become more like Jesus. The post Formation appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

In Luke 24 we find despondent, despairing, deconstructing disciples walking away from community, and the empty tomb. Jesus meets them. On the road. In the questions. In the Word. At the table. And in their hearts. Let’s travel this journey together and discover deeper what it means to meet the resurrected Lord right where we are. The post Burning Hearts appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

As the Talmidim of Jesus, the disciples would listen to the teachings of their rabbi. As they listened to His teachings, they would learn the heart of their rabbi. What does our rabbi Jesus care about? Do we care about what our rabbi cares about? Join us as we learn to care about what He cares about! The post Convicted to Become appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

The Talmidim of Jesus are not just Christians who like what the rabbi Jesus says, but who choose to be in proximity and become fully like their rabbi. This year we are exploring what it means to be a church community that is formed by nothing other than Jesus. The process of becoming like Jesus is a lifelong journey of being like Jesus in thought, word, and deed. Join us this year as we explore and conform to the way […] The post Becoming Like Jesus appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

How you leave matters! What you say and do as you go can have a lasting impact many years into the future. Hebrews looks at the last moments of Jacob’s life and the impact he left for the next generation to follow. Join us as we understand the impact each moment of our lives can have on those around us. The post Jacob appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Abraham is referred to as the “Father of Faith” because of the many examples of his faith throughout Scripture. Time and again, Abraham is obedient to God’s call—no matter the destination or the outcome. Join us as we explore Abraham’s life of obedience and the lessons it holds for us to become faithful followers of God. The post Abraham: Life of Obedience appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Each person in the hall of faith faces a turning point; a moment when they must choose between the narrow way, or the wide path. Moses is no different. Facing the decision between being God’s chosen leader for the people of Israel or a leader in the palace, Moses made a choice. Join us as we learn from Moses’ story of choosing the narrow path walked by faith! The post Moses appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

This week, we will explore the story of one of the greatest—yet “most unlikely”—heroines of faith, Rahab. Hers is a grand rescue story that weaves a Scarlet Rope of Redemption from Old Testament to New, exploring the far-reaching effects of a faith that acts. The post Rahab the Faithful appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Do you want the promise or the person? When we want a promise to come true, we might even do anything in our power to influence the outcome. What if it takes too long? What if it doesn’t come true? What do we do with our doubt? Sarah’s story is a beautiful story of learning to trust the promise-maker. The post Sarah appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.