Sermons Archive » 151st Street Church of Christ - Olathe, Kansas
205 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsBonding, Growing, and Sending
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Shepherds and Sheep: God’s Expectation of Elders
March 10, 2024 18:521 Peter 5:1-4–A simple survey of the number of books about leaders and leadership indicates our recognition of the critical place leaders occupy. Good leaders unify, organize, and inspire people, while poor leaders create confusion, tension, and frustration. Last week, our elders announced the beginning of a search for additional elders, the leaders Paul wrote who belong among the gifts Jesus gave the church “to equip [it] for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of […] The...
Love and Sacrifice
February 25, 2024 15:59John 15:12-14 — The Bible makes a clear point – God is love, and Jesus is God. If we want to understand love, to see it in action, we need only look to Jesus. Even though appreciated for its religious value, Jesus’ love often seems disconnected from popular expressions of love in our nation. For example, according to the National Retail Federation, US consumers spent $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day last year. The same organization reported that Americans spent nearly […] The post Love and...
Sacrifice and Obedience
February 18, 2024 16:08The Bible makes a clear point – God is love, and Jesus is God. If we want to understand love, to see it in action, we need only look to Jesus. Even though appreciated for its religious value, Jesus’ love often seems disconnected from popular expressions of love in our nation. For example, according to the National Retail Federation, US consumers spent $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day last year. The same organization reported that Americans spent nearly $1 trillion on […] The post Sacrifice ...
Love and Unity
February 11, 2024 15:57John 17:20-26–The Bible makes a clear point – God is love, and Jesus is God. If we want to understand love, to see it in action, we need only look to Jesus. Even though appreciated for its religious value, Jesus’ love often seems disconnected from popular expressions of love in our nation. For example, according to the National Retail Federation, US consumers spent $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day last year. The same organization reported that Americans spent nearly $1 trillion […] The post...
Discernment
February 04, 2024 16:08The post Discernment appeared first on 151st Street Church of Christ - Olathe, Kansas.
SURRENDER: Peter’s struggles after surrendering
January 28, 2024 20:23John 21:15-19–All four gospels include repeated references to Jesus’ teaching that people should lose their lives for his sake (cf. Matthew 10:38-39; 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 9:23-27; 14:25-27; 17:33; John 12:25). Jesus did not possess a limited set of teachings that he refined by repeating to various audiences. Instead, knowing “what was in man” (John 2:23-25) and having “all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom” (Colossians 2:3), Jesus offered the teachings his audiences needed to hea...
Surrender: Jacob’s Stubborn Resistance to God
January 21, 2024 20:42Genesis 32:22-32 All four gospels include repeated references to Jesus’ teaching that people should lose their lives for his sake (cf. Matthew 10:38-39; 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 9:23-27; 14:25-27; 17:33; John 12:25). Jesus did not possess a limited set of teachings that he refined by repeating to various audiences. Instead, knowing “what was in man” (John 2:23-25) and having “all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom” (Colossians 2:3), Jesus offered the teachings his audiences needed to ...
Surrender: Hannah’s Quick Surrender to God
January 14, 2024 17:35All four gospels include repeated references to Jesus’ teaching that people should lose their lives for his sake (cf. Matthew 10:38-39; 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 9:23-27; 14:25-27; 17:33; John 12:25). Jesus did not possess a limited set of teachings that he refined by repeating to various audiences. Instead, knowing “what was in man” (John 2:23-25) and having “all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom” (Colossians 2:3), Jesus offered the teachings his audiences needed to hear. His repeati...
Surrender – Abraham’s Gradual Surrender to God
January 07, 2024 21:38All four gospels include repeated references to Jesus’ teaching that people should lose their lives for his sake (cf. Matthew 10:38-39; 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 9:23-27; 14:25-27; 17:33; John 12:25). Jesus did not possess a limited set of teachings that he refined by repeating to various audiences. Instead, knowing “what was in man” (John 2:23-25) and having “all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom” (Colossians 2:3), Jesus offered the teachings his audiences needed to hear. His repeati...
Surrender: Stories of People Surrendering to God
December 31, 2023 21:032 King 5: 15-19 Bradyn Black, our summer 2023 youth minister intern, is our guest speaker this morning in Joshua’s absence. The post Surrender: Stories of People Surrendering to God appeared first on 151st Street Church of Christ - Olathe, Kansas.
Good News; the Great Joy of Jesus’ Birth
December 24, 2023 20:57Luke’s gospel opens with an extended narrative announcing Jesus’ birth and its significance. His description includes the familiar scene of angels praising God for the privilege of delivering “good news of great joy,” the birth announcement “of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:9-14). While many people today know that story because of its connection to the Christmas season, Luke presents it as the triumphant conclusion to the Hebrew Bible’s focus on God’s promise to bless the [...
Through Jesus we receive Unity
December 17, 2023 20:53Luke’s gospel opens with an extended narrative announcing Jesus’ birth and its significance. His description includes the familiar scene of angels praising God for the privilege of delivering “good news of great joy,” the birth announcement “of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:9-14). While many people today know that story because of its connection to the Christmas season, Luke presents it as the triumphant conclusion to the Hebrew Bible’s focus on God’s promise to bless the w...
Through Jesus, we receive Identity
December 10, 2023 22:35The post Through Jesus, we receive Identity appeared first on 151st Street Church of Christ - Olathe, Kansas.
Through Jesus, we receive purpose
December 03, 2023 22:19Luke’s gospel opens with an extended narrative announcing Jesus’ birth and its significance. His description includes the familiar scene of angels praising God for the privilege of delivering “good news of great joy,” the birth announcement “of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:9-14). While many people today know that story because of its connection to the Christmas season, Luke presents it as the triumphant conclusion to the Hebrew Bible’s focus on God’s promise to bless the [...
I am Thankful for Jesus’ Wisdom
November 26, 2023 19:00Colossians 2:1-3– How often do you struggle to know what to do? The multi-billion-dollar industry of ‘knowledge influencers’ focusing on things like self-help books and YouTube tutorials indicates that question offers more than a hypothetical scenario. The money and time devoted to those who seem to have answers evidences our recognition that we need wisdom, that we need guidance and knowledge to know what to do. That same need drives the Bible’s story, which traces the failures of pursuing ...
I am Thankful for Jesus’ Transformative Power
November 19, 2023 18:562 Corinthians 3:12-18–Considering our upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving, we are using our Sunday mornings this month to explore things for which we should be thankful. However, more than mere opportunism motivates this series; we are using the holiday as an occasion to focus on thankfulness because it occupies an essential place in our Christian identity (cf. Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, this lesson considers another reason motivating our thankfulness...
I Am Thankful for God’s Mercy
November 12, 2023 19:06James 5:11– Considering our upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving, we are using some of our Sunday mornings this month to explore things for which we should be thankful. However, more than mere opportunism motivates this series; we are using the holiday as an occasion to focus on thankfulness because it occupies an essential place in our Christian identity (cf.Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, this lesson explores another reason motivating our thankfulness: we...
I am Thankful for Trials
November 05, 2023 20:17James 1:2-4 — Everyone desires a life of stability, peace, and abundance. While the look of such a life might vary from person to person and from time to time, everyone wants some form of that life. Driven by that longing, we tend to lament our struggles and envy those who seem to possess that life (cf. Psalm 73:1-15). That desire also motivates individuals to hold out God’s promise to cause “all things to work together for good, for those […] The post I am Thankful for Trials appeared firs...
Tough Questions: How Can a Loving God Allow So Much Suffering?
October 29, 2023 16:03James 1:2-4 — A dam failure in Derna, Libya, on September 11 of this year killed an estimated 18,000-20,000 people. In August of this year, estimated deaths and injuries caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reached 500,000. Cancer resulted in more than 600,000 deaths in the US alone in 2022. Suffering and death amplify when we move from large perspectives to personal ones; it becomes raw and heartbreaking when it moves from statistics into the lives of people we know. […] The post Tough Q...
Tough Questions: Doesn’t Christianity Denigrate Women?
October 22, 2023 15:091 Timothy 2:8-15 — “Patriarchy” – contemporary Westerners consider that word synonymous with oppressive, misogynistic attitudes. Increasingly, people associate it with the Bible, whose contents build on an extensive narrative featuring patriarchs. That connection strengthens when one considers comments made by the apostle Paul, a figure whose influence in shaping the church is exceeded only by Jesus. Consider: “Women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, bu...
Tough Questions: Isn’t Christianity homophobic?
October 15, 2023 19:26Corinthians 6:9-11–We live in a society filled with marketing, entertainment, and legislation promoting tolerance. However, that tolerance demands that we accept (and support) others’ values and lifestyles regardless of our convictions. The positive portrayal of tolerant people and the negative depictions of those who reject that tolerance creates interpersonal, public, and even legal risk for us. So, the tough question, “Isn’t Christianity homophobic?” presents a challenge we must consider,...
How Can You Take the Bible Literally?
October 08, 2023 16:492 Timothy 3:16-17– A 2022 Gallup Poll assessed Americans’ views of the Bible that reported: • 20% believe the Bible is the “actual word of God, to be taken literally.” • 49% believe the Bible is “inspired by God, not all to be taken literally.” • 29% believe the Bible contains “fables, history, and moral precepts recorded by man.” At first glance, one might lament that only 20% believe the Bible is the “actual word of God, to be taken literally.” Reports that […] The po...
A Firm Foundation
October 01, 2023 20:21Luke 1:1-4 — Two contradictory things coexist in our culture. A 2017 Barna report found that 93% of Americans believe Jesus was real, while a different Barna survey reported that 52% of Americans believe “Jesus was human and committed sins like other people.” A strange scenario presents itself to us – people believe enough evidence exists to prove Jesus’ existence, yet they reject the implicit and explicit claims that evidence makes about his identity. The tension between our society’s belie...
Hope is Real
September 24, 2023 20:031 Corinthians 15:12-19–I did a Google search for quotes about hope. After a few minutes of scrolling through its algorithm-curated the results, I realized that none of the quotes I saw came from the Bible’s numerous passages about hope. Hope occupies a vital place in one’s life, but the hope offered by the world possesses a greeting-card-like ambiguity focused on one’s aspirational efforts. In contrast, the Bible’s hope builds on the specific actions of God through Jesus. This lesson will […...
TOUGH QUESTIONS: How can you say there is only one true faith?
September 17, 2023 17:48Ephesians 4:1-6 — A variety of influences have converged in our nation over the past century, fundamentally altering how people perceive truth. We live in a culture that now believes individuals must be allowed to interpret truth against the shifting and unique circumstances of their lives. Today, truth often comes prefixed with possessive pronouns – “my truth,” “your truth,” “their truth,” etc. Against that backdrop, Christianity’s claim that “Jesus rightly demands the allegiance of every h...
Followers of God
September 10, 2023 17:44Deuteronomy 4:1-2 A key to a great game is clear rules all players commit to following. But for there to be enjoyment, there needs to be a commitment to the one enforcing the rules. In Deuteronomy 4, Moses recaps God’s rules and laws for Israel. Moses calls Israel to remember God the Law-giver who is a fearful presence and consuming power. He is to be taken seriously. Yet, this fearful and consuming God can be followed. Those who seek to […] The post Followers of God appeared first on 151st...
Tough Questions: Ancient Answers for Modern Questions
September 03, 2023 21:03Paul makes a bold assertion about the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – the Bible offers instruction in “righteousness” for all people, places, and times. However, his claim raises a crucial question – how does an ancient book offer relevant guidance for people living in a time and culture far removed from the one that birthed the Bible? This lesson introduces a series examining some of the challenges confronting Christians that raise tough questions about things like the reality of suffering, th...
Lest We Forget
August 27, 2023 19:15Deuteronomy 8:11-18 We learn very little by hearing something only once. How many times do you need to hear a name before that name sticks? In Deuteronomy, Moses does a very simple yet profound thing: He repeats what God has already said while urging listeners to remember and walk faithfully. Do what you’ve already learned! An entire generation of Israelites knew the right way to the Promised Land but chose to not act on that knowledge. As a result, their […] The post Lest We Forget appeare...
Purifying God’s Space: the Sin Offering
August 20, 2023 15:47Leviticus opens with three chapters detailing instructions for three offerings central to the problem driving the book’s content – how will God manage His covenant with rebellious Israel? While the placement (and idea of sacrifices and offerings) might seem dull and antiquated to us, the first-place position of the offerings in the book and the amount of space dedicated to them indicates their importance in understanding God’s relationship with Israel. The purposes God gave to those offering...
You shall eat before the Lord: The Peace Offering
August 13, 2023 19:47Leviticus opens with three chapters detailing instructions for three offerings central to the problem driving the book’s content – how will God manage His covenant with rebellious Israel? While the placement (and idea of sacrifices and offerings) might seem dull and antiquated to us, the first-place position of the offerings in the book and the amount of space dedicated to them indicates their importance in understanding God’s relationship with Israel. The purposes God gave to those offering...
A Covenant of Salt: The Grain Offering
August 06, 2023 19:42Leviticus opens with three chapters detailing instructions for three offerings central to the problem driving the book’s content – how will God manage His covenant with rebellious Israel? While the placement (and idea of sacrifices and offerings) might seem dull and antiquated to us, the first-place position of the offerings in the book and the amount of space dedicated to them indicates their importance in understanding God’s relationship with Israel. The purposes God gave to those offering...
God’s Deacon
July 30, 2023 15:43Romans 13:1-7 Christians think differently from the world. Their different thinking requires respect for and submission to legitimate authority. God knows we need order, not chaos. Living with God’s eternal hope means thinking Biblically and wisely about the authorities and governments God has instituted. A Christian’s response to earthly kings reflects how we submit to the King of kings. Whether authority is in the form of a parent, church elder, or civil ruler, all authority is from God. E...
Unfair Grace: The Burnt Offering
July 23, 2023 19:34Exodus narrates God’s rescue of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and His organization of the people into a nation through the covenant He made with them at Mount Sinai. Even though He gave the Jewish people the honor of representing His identity and will to the world, making them a holy nation by choosing to dwell in their midst, the Jewish people responded with rebellion rather than thankfulness. Exodus ends its account with a dilemma – how would God maintain […] The post Unfair Grace:...
God Looks Like Jesus: Forgiving and Just
July 16, 2023 19:18God “proclaimed the name of the LORD” when He revealed Himself to Moses on Mount Sinai, disclosing to Moses the character of the God covenanting with him and the Israelites (Exodus 34:6-7). Because it contains His explanation of His identity, Exodus 34:6-7 plays a crucial role in understanding God’s character. John offers a pair of equally important passages for understanding God in his gospel. After recording Jesus’ declaration of his divine identity (John 8:58), John wrote that Jesus infor...
God Loves Me
June 05, 2022 20:58I recently read a short news story about “body-positive models,” about plus-sized fashion models trying to change perceptions of beauty. Those models sit within our culture’s growing emphasis upon positivity that advocates love for self regardless of one’s shape, color, sexuality, or any other identifying features or qualities they may possess. Loving oneself also holds an important place in the Bible. Consider, for example, Jesus’ second greatest command – “You shall love your neighbor as...
Descending into Greatness
May 29, 2022 20:16Mark 1:29-31 The gospel of Mark starts when Jesus starts his ministry. Mark skips the Christmas story. He ignores Jesus’ royal & human genealogies. He even leaves out the part about the Word being with God in the beginning. Mark shows us Jesus the Servant. As he does this, Mark captures the reaction of those watching Jesus descend into service. He captures their wincing reaction as the first witnesses see their great Messiah become the slave of all. To be the Messiah who saves from sufferin...
Practical Discipleship – Forgiveness
May 22, 2022 19:19Jesus taught that God commissioned him with a love-motivated mission to save the world rather than condemn it (John 3:16-17). His saving mission focused on forgiving people of their selfish decision(s) to rebel against God. The vital place forgiveness holds in Jesus’ mission extends to those who commit to following him; the forgiveness defining Jesus and his mission must characterize all who disciple themselves to him. It does not take one very long to realize that, while the Bible clearly d...
THINK LIKE JESUS Use your wealth to benefit others
May 15, 2022 20:30Early in my ministry, an older preacher jokingly told me that you “don’t mess with people’s money or kids.” Conversely, I have noticed that people tend to like lessons that focus on other people more than ones that focus on them and their concerns. Despite seeing the same things, Jesus persistently directed his audience’s attention to their problems. His strategy often angered his audience and even motivated them to try and kill him on a couple of occasions. We are a church family committed...
God, Our Mother
May 08, 2022 21:00Nearly twenty-five years ago, I began seeing gender-inclusive religious slogans like, “Our God, She is alive.” Academic debates about feminism and patriarchy had reached a popular level and started to appear in bookstores and on bumper stickers. While some opposed gender-inclusive Bible teaching because of prejudices and others pushed gender-inclusive Bible teachings into unbiblical areas, the debate revolved around a clear center – God does describe Himself using feminine imagery in the Bib...
Where Your Treasure is – Thinking Like Jesus about Possessions
May 01, 2022 20:53A [large] contingent of practicing Christians are more inclined toward materialism, the view that the material world is all there is. For them, “meaning and purpose comes from working hard to earn as much as possible so you can make the most of life,” a view held by one-fifth of practicing Christians (20%).[1] The above quote comes from a 2017 Barna Group report summarizing its research into various worldviews influencing the beliefs and practices of self-identified Christians in the United...
The Cost of Community
April 24, 2022 19:24The Cost of Community Jesus promises that his community of believers will be a blessing and a support. How close are we supposed to be in this community? And why will there be challenges? Though Christian community comes at a cost, Christ tells us it is worth pursuing. The post The Cost of Community appeared first on 151st Street Church of Christ - Olathe, Kansas.
Jesus’ New Creation: The Hope of Jesus’ Resurrection
April 17, 2022 20:43One might be forgiven for thinking that Easter means new clothes, candy, and other marketed goods. Even though it might seem that Easter is becoming another consumer holiday, millions of people worldwide continue to use the Easter holiday to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Generally, a celebratory mood marks the day because of the ‘good news’ (the literal meaning of the word “gospel”) Jesus’ resurrection brings to peoples’ lives. Therefore, we will use this Easter se...
THINK LIKE JESUS-Respecting God’s Word
April 10, 2022 19:49We like to think of ourselves as people who know and obey the Bible. The Pharisees also liked to think of themselves in the same way. The gospels, however, record several occasions where Jesus condemned the Pharisees for failing to know and obey God’s Word; he accused them of “rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish [their] tradition” (Mark 7:9). In our effort to follow Jesus, we need to avoid the disrespect Jesus accused the Pharisees of having towards God’s word. Rather, we ...
Reading the Bible with Jesus
April 03, 2022 20:31We have all endured the challenge of learning a new concept or witnessed that struggle in our children. It offers a familiar, relatable experience common to our education-oriented path to adulthood. While frustrating, struggling to learn a new concept generally carries low stakes. Imagine how that experience would change if the idea held unimaginable high stakes. Jesus was a teacher whose teachings proved deeply challenging to his audience, even to his own disciples. But Jesus was also a te...
Practical Discipleship: Generosity
March 27, 2022 19:55A megadrought has been slowly choking the western United States for the past twenty-two years. The war in Ukraine has devastated cities and displaced more than ten million people. The COVID pandemic disrupted international supply chains, triggering global economic problems. Even in our modern world, things hang in a delicate balance that always seems to favor the small minority of wealthy individuals who own most of the world’s wealth. It should not surprise us, then, that people feel the ne...
Worthy is the Lamb
March 20, 2022 20:35Jesus did not hide the cost of discipleship to him. In fact, he repeatedly and openly talked about its high cost. While we should pay attention to Jesus’ teachings about ‘counting the cost’ of following him, we need to be careful that we do not place such emphasis on the cost that we inadvertently portray Christianity as a burden. ‘Counting the cost’ should be balanced against the overwhelming weight of Jesus’ worthy identity that far surpasses the cost and that motivates us to commit oursel...
Count the Cost
March 13, 2022 15:59Luke 14:25-33 — We are cost-conscious people. We compare prices. We shop for the best deal. We want the most ‘bang-for-the-buck’. That impulse leads to the common wisdom that success in the marketplace requires a price low enough to attract consumers’ attention without creating suspicion. And then there is Jesus… Jesus desires disciples. Even though he wants people to follow him, he often seemingly discourages people from doing that very thing by setting ‘unreasonably’ high requirements for...
Made for More
February 27, 2022 18:36Made for More 2 Peter 3:3-9 God is patient…but are we patient with ourselves? When Noah steps off the ark, he still has years to live for God. Does he hold to God’s unchanging hand? Is this a hard transition? Noah’s life reinforces the necessity to build our lives on God’s eternal purposes. The post Made for More appeared first on 151st Street Church of Christ - Olathe, Kansas.
PRACTICAL DISCIPLESHIP-Loving your enemies
February 20, 2022 18:24Matthew 5:43-48 - It is easy to talk about discipleship, but the reality of following Jesus proves far more challenging. That challenge might be why Jesus said few people chose his “narrow" path (Matthew 7:13-14). To help us better understand the challenges associated with following Jesus, we will take time this year to consider "practical discipleship", to think about the real-world applications of his way in our lives. This lesson will explore the "practical discipleship" of loving our ene...
I Can Do Nothing on my Own
February 13, 2022 20:56English poet John Donne included that phrase in a publication of prose he released in 1624. His statement remains well-known even though nearly four hundred years have passed since its appearance because it simply and memorably expresses humanity’s social nature. While we might acknowledge the phrase’s truth, a tendency nevertheless exists to try and do things on our own. And who can fault us – we live in a culture constantly promoting DIY individualism and rags-to-riches stories of hardwork...