SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS - Pewaukee, WI

Unlocking The Parables- The Rich Fool

Luke 12: 13-21

Unlocking the Parables- Weeds and Wheat

Unlocking The Parables- The Rich Man and Lazarus

Text: Luke 16:19-31 Title: The Rich Man and Lazarus Theme:  The Great Reversal - Jesus is talking directly to the Pharisees (with others in earshot, of course) about the condition of their heart.  Earlier in his teachings, he said things like "The first shall be last and the last, first..." This is a parable to show the eternal impact of these words.  Outer appearances mean nothing - it's the condition of someone's heart that sets their eternal course. We will explore the nuances of the para...

Unlocking the Parables- The Prodigal Son

Title: The Prodigal Son Text: Luke 15:11-32 Theme: In this parable Jesus teaches that the Father's love is for all. We tend to fall into either camp of the younger son or the older son. Sometimes we think we can earn God's favor if we work for it - like the younger son. Other times we can fool ourselves and think that God owes us his love because we have been faithful - like the older son. May we all come to grasp the Gospel, that says the Father's love is given freely to all who would recei...

Unlocking the Parables- The Strongman and Empty House

Text: Luke 11:14-28  Title: The Strongman and Empty House Theme: Satan seems to think that he's got the upper-hand (strongman) position when it comes to controlling peoples' lives - but there is one who is Stronger who is coming to defeat the strongman and take away his 'possession'.  This is the parable revealing the nature of the mission of Jesus - not only Who he is (liberator) but how he's going to do it (defeat the strength of evil).  This is a parable highlighting the Power of Jesus - ...

Unlocking The Parables- Parable of Tenants

Text:  Mark 12:1-12 Title: Parable of the Tenants Theme:  In response to the Religious leaders trying to trap Jesus into saying something blasphemous, He responds with a story that tells about tenants who have been put in charge of a vineyard and how they ignore the will of the owner and even kill his son to get the vineyard for themselves.  The story highlights how the religious leaders were holding Israel captive by their leadership and their rigid application of the Torah - going so far a...

Unlocking the Parables-The Good Samaritan

Text: Luke 10:25-37 Title: The Good Samaritan  Theme: Jesus calls us to love one another in radical ways that go beyond superficial niceties. It sounds like a sweet sentiment at first, but it is a calling that can quickly become uncomfortable and inconvenient when we actually put this kind of love into practice. Loving our neighbor as Jesus calls us to love our neighbor requires mercy first. As we are given mercy by our heavenly Father, it's that mercy that stirs us to have mercy on one anot...

Unlocking the Parables- New Wine- Old Wine Skins

Text:  Matt 9:14-17 Title: Out With Old, In With the New! Theme:  As Jesus begins his ministry and it doesn't seem to make sense to people, he uses the illustration of trying to put new wine into old skins - it doesn't work because the new isn't the same as the old.  It's still wine, but to enjoy it, you need a new skin.  We often try to confine our reception of God to our old lives or our current belief systems - when Jesus is inviting us into something completely new!  Everything we are an...

New Wine- Old Wine skins

Text:  Matt 9:14-17 Title: Out With Old, In With the New! Theme:  As Jesus begins his ministry and it doesn't seem to make sense to people, he uses the illustration of trying to put new wine into old skins - it doesn't work because the new isn't the same as the old.  It's still wine, but to enjoy it, you need a new skin.  We often try to confine our reception of God to our old lives or our current belief systems - when Jesus is inviting us into something completely new!  Everything we are an...

Jonah 1- Fish out of Water

Text:  Jonah 1:1-17 Title: Running from God Theme: Jonah attempts to run from God - and in so doing, tests God's patience. He sins against God by doing the exact opposite of what he asked...  God deals with this sin in a unique way: He exposes it, He reveals consequences for it, then He swallows it...  This is a picture of how God deals with our disobedience.  We'll use the story of Jonah 1 to help us come to terms with our own sin and discover what God does about it.

Jonah 2- Fish Out of Water

Jonah 3- Fish out of water

Ascension Service

Jonah 4- Fish out of water

Jonah - Fish Out of Water

Mission Sunday-Guest Preacher : Pastor Alfonso Prada from St. Martini in Milwaukee

1 peter 1: 3-5

The Great Commission - Where It All Began

Text: Matthew 28: 16-20 Title: The Great Commission - Where It All Began Theme: Jesus gives His followers a new calling on their lives - they are sent out to make disciples by baptizing and teaching others what Jesus has taught us. A promise is given at the same time - Jesus will be with us always. 

SHINING A LIGHT - teaching series in Matthew

Triumphal Entry - Pastor Afam Ikanih - Mt 21:1-11

SHINING A LIGHT - teaching series in Matthew

Matthew 5:13-16  Salt and Light

The Treasure Principle-The Joy of Giving

Key to teaching:  Giving away is the antidote for materialism - we are more blessed to give than to receive - it is a joy to be able to participate in the Kingdom of God through the gifts that God gives us. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

The Treasure Principle-The Sacrifice of Giving

  Hebrews 11:13-16; 12:1-2

The Treasure Principle-The Spirituality of Giving - Matt 25:14-30

Using the Parable of the Talents, we will discuss these 2 key points: 1) God owns everything and we are His stewards and 2) My heart always goes where I put God's money.  While we are here on earth, we're giving the opportunity to invest in the things that God would invest in - and let our hearts follow our investment in the eternal Kingdom of God.  

The Treasure Principle - The Treasure of Giving

Text: Matthew 6:19-21, 24; Matthew 13:44

A Better New Beginning- A new perspective

Galatians 2:20

Comfort in Trial

Text: Isaiah 40:1-5 In this passage we have a message of comfort for God’s people in their hurting. The delightful truth of these verses is that the Lord is FOR his people. And if God is for us, who can be against us? (cf. Romans 8:31). God’s plan will be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven!

Mercy Promised-Mercy Delivered- Strength in Weakness

Text: Isaiah 35:1-10 Theme:  Isaiah paints a picture of rivers filling deserts, of blindness seeing, deafness hearing, lameness walking... God coming to bring life and strength and renewal to worn out things, tired things, weak things = Jesus did this when he healed, taught, encouraged, loved and served - AND he continues to do it for us today - AND he will do it in an eternally tangible way someday when he returns.  We will really focus on the idea of Jesus coming to bring Strength to weak ...

Mercy Promised, Mercy Delivered - Deliverance in Destruction

Text: Isaiah 11:1-9 God's Word gives hope that there is still life in the midst of death. Out of the stump of Jesse a shoot will come forth. Jesus fulfills this prophecy in Isaiah 11. His victory through His death and resurrection bring peace to God's creation today in a spiritual reality, and Jesus will come again to fully bring to reality the promise of Paradise restored. 

Mercy Promised, Mercy Delivered; Joy in Darkness

Text:  Isaiah 9:2-7  "On those dwelling in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone! ...  For to us a child is born and to us a son is given..."  Talk about good news in dark days!  What brings joy in the midst doom and darkness? The promise of new days ahead - the promise of light and victory - the promise of an end of the darkness...  This is what God has spoken - this is what God has done - and this is what God will do in even greater ways yet to come.

Joy in Darkness

Text:  Isaiah 9:2-7  "On those dwelling in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone! ...  For to us a child is born and to us a son is given..."  Talk about good news in dark days!  What brings joy in the midst doom and darkness? The promise of new days ahead - the promise of light and victory - the promise of an end of the darkness...  This is what God has spoken - this is what God has done - and this is what God will do in even greater ways yet to come.

Jesus Meets Us In The Mess of Disruption

 Disruption is a guarantee in life - it's unavoidable. How we react to disruption, however, is a decision we make. Jesus invites us into a life of obedience, and it is always disruption that moves us along this path. In the New Testament we can learn from both Peter (Luke 5:1-11) and the Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30).  Main Text: Luke 5:1-11  Other Texts: Matthew 19:16-30; Matthew 16:24-28; John 20:24-31

Jesus Meets Us in Our Isolation & Lonliness

Jesus didn't have to touch the man - he could have just spoken words, but in touching him, he sought to heal more than just the outside condition, but to heal the condition of his heart - the loneliness and isolation and despair the man had been living in for years - isolated from family and community.  Before he is healed, Jesus touches him - Jesus enters his 'space' as is, then heals him there....    Matthew 8:1-4  /  Mark 1:40-45

Jesus Meets Us In Our Division.

 In these challenging times, it seems that we have lost the art of having hard conversations - or any conversations at all with someone who thinks along a different path that our own.  This "Cancel" culture has created amazing division among people in our world - enter, Jesus.  Through His sacrifice, he has made from 2 people, 1 people, joining together what could never be brought together otherwise.  And we, as Image Bearers of God, have the opportunity to join Jesus in "tearing down the wa...

Jesus Meets Us In The Mess- Anxiety and depression

As we continue in this sermon series of exploring how Jesus meets us in the mess, we dig into the topic of anxiety and depression and hear the words of Jesus discuss worry in the famous passage from the Sermon on the Mount. These verses come immediately after Jesus instructing his listeners that we can't serve two masters. In this context, we should not have a divided heart (serve two masters) when it comes to what our hearts are focused on. We are invited to let the Lord be the primary pur...

The Messiah Promise

Text: Psalm 2 Title: The Messiah Promise Theme: In Psalm 1 we see the emphasis placed on the Torah - God's Law. In the next introductory Psalm (Psalm 2), the emphasis is on God's Messiah, His Anointed One, and His kingdom. Here we have a poetic retelling of 2 Samuel 7 and God's promise of the Messiah. Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 give us a context for reading the rest of the Book of Psalms - a context of Torah and Messiah. This context is still one that we live in today as we strive to follow God's c...

Rooted

Text: Psalm 1 Title: Rooted Theme:  As a tree is planted by streams of water... we'll use this first Psalm to give a big picture of the Psalms in general and to teach the value of being rooted in God's instructions and presence and Word - What it produces in our lives and how it leads us in the right path.

Fellowship is Key

Text: 3 John 1-15 Title: Fellowship is Key Theme:  John is praising Gaius for his willingness to welcome the traveling brothers and sisters who are working to share the Gospel - even though He doesn't know them.  Diotrephes, on the other hand, is reprimanded because he's just thinking about himself...  This gives us a good platform to discuss what Fellowship is all about in the church.  John talks Fellowship all over the place in his first letter - and even highlights this in his recordings ...

"Walking in Truth AND Love"

2 Jn 1-13  PA - "Walking in Truth AND Love"

Being an Overcomer

Text: 1 John 5:1-21 Title: Being an Overcomer Theme: John gives a simple understanding of the purpose of his writing: To know we have eternal life - which gives us new perspective on our current life: that we have overcome the world by faith in Jesus, the Son of God.  We'll look at how we are overcomers in this world - not as absent observers, but as active participants in the life of Jesus as we continue to follow his instructions to Love... 

This is Love

Text: 1 Jn 4:1-21 Title: This is Love

Treasures in Heaven

Text: 1 John 2:15-27 Title: Treasures in Heaven Themes: temporal vs. eternal; Jesus is the Christ; lust, envy & pride; The following verses will be read. 1 John 2:15-17 1 John 2:21-23 Matthew 6:19-21 Matthew 4:8-10

Light in the Darkness

Text:  1 John 2:1-14 Title:  Actions Speak Louder than Words Theme:  As we abide in the love of God, there is a natural outcome that occurs: that love is shared with others.  If we are having a hard time loving someone in our lives, it might be because we're having a hard time letting God love us (or letting that love penetrate deep in our hearts).  If we know God's love, and it is setting roots into our hearts, then we will naturally love others - even the ones who are hard to love.  

Light in the Darkness (1 John 1-10)

Text: 1 John 1:1-10 Title: God is Light Theme: John uses the themes of light and darkness to describe who God is and what our relationship with Him is like in Christ. He connects these to the themes of truth and lies, as well.

Wisdom to live by (Proverbs 1-3)

Text:  Proverbs 3:1-12 Title: A Relationship that Leads to Wisdom Theme:  Working from Pv 3:5-6, we will introduce Proverbs, Solomon and the Big Idea of what wisdom is all about. It's not simply a matter of knowing more information, it's all about a relationship - a relationship with Wisdom Himself (Jesus) - and surrendering our hearts to His.

Wisdom to live by (Proverbs 11-17)

Title: Character is Key Theme:  As we read through the various Proverbs, we cover topics on Money, Talk, Decisions, Parenting, Trust, Honesty...  At times it feels like there is no rhyme or reason to it - but as you look through the themes that are found, a common strand begins to stand out: Wisdom is focused on Character as Key - the instructions found in the book of Proverbs are less about curbing action, and more about shaping character.  God is concerned with the transformation of our he...

Wisdom to live by (Proverbs 31)

Text:  Proverbs 31:25-31 Title:  A Spirit of Wisdom Theme: Pentecost and Psalm 31 come together: As the proverb describes the wisdom of a woman who is led by the Spirit and Fear of the Lord, so we can also see a picture of what a church looks like who is led in the same way.  As the "bride of Christ", the Proverbs 31 woman is not just a description of a single woman, but the church collectively as we live in relationship with our bridegroom, Christ.  We'll use this Sunday to celebrate Pentec...

Past Forgiven For Future Plans

Text: John 21:15-19 Title: Past Forgiven for Future Plans Themes:  Peter denied Jesus three times, and now the Lord restores Peter by inviting him to declare his love for Jesus three times. Peter is thus forgiven by Jesus of failing Him in his pride and weakness. The forgiveness is implied in the commands given by Jesus to "Feed my lambs." Similarly, Jesus offers forgiveness to us for the times we have failed to follow Him. He offers forgiveness for a past that we would just as soon forget...

{Not} Seeing is Believing

Text: John 20:19-29 Title:  "[Not] Seeing is Believing" Theme: In the days following the resurrection, the disciples were trying to put the pieces together to make sense of this new reality they were living in.  As Jesus would show himself to them and share insights with them, their faith and confidence grew - with the exception of one: Thomas.  It wasn't until 8 days after the resurrection that he finally surrendered his heart over in faith - but not until after Seeing it with his own eye...

Seeing Clearly-From Death To Life

Seeing Clearly-Sorrow for now, Joy forever

Seeing Clearly-The Fathers House