goodshepherdkc Platte County sermons

"This is a Sending not an Ending" | Fabian Gonzalez

Have you ever been with someone who never asks you a question? These one-sided conversations are draining and are not experiences any of us are looking to repeat. Jesus was a phenomenal question asker. He understands how relationships work, he knows that asking great questions builds healthy relationships.

Have you ever been with someone who never asks you a question? These one-sided conversations are draining and are not experiences any of us are looking to repeat. Jesus was a phenomenal question asker. He understands how relationships work, he knows that asking great questions builds healthy relationships.

Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “change is the only constant in life.” Change is difficult, because change comes with loss. But life is constantly changing. It’s those who are able to embrace and navigate the change that are usually better equipped for the future. How can we learn to embrace change, and continue to have hope, believing that God is always doing something new?

Wake Up | Fabian Gonzalez

Research done on those who are dying typically finds the same regrets time and time again that most people share. In order to finish our life with no regrets, we must be purposeful about the way we live our lives in the present.

It may seem sometimes like life goes by slowly. But in reality, our time on Earth is finite. No matter if we're old or young, if we're not dead yet, then we're not done yet. We can squeeze more life out of life if we create a list of things we want to do before we die ... a bucket list!

There are moments when the training is done, and the event is here. We run the race life has set before us, and it either lands us on the winner's podium, or in the stands clapping for the winners. How can we approach life in such a way that whether we get a gold medal or a participation trophy, we give God thanks through it all?

An article in Forbes states that the average Olympic athlete trains 4-8 years in advance of the Olympics. Years of goal setting, discipline, and repetition to give them the opportunity to try out to represent their country. Whether or not they ever make the team, the results of their hard work is obvious. How would our faith life change if we began to train like it was the most important thing in our life?

Sometimes, we feel as though we are just another face in the crowd. It is easy to feel like it wouldn't make a difference if you showed up or if you didn't. But, there is power in a name. Zacchaeus was a face in a crowd of people straining to see Jesus. But, when Jesus called him by name, he became more than a face. He became worthy.

The gospel frequently challenges systems of privilege, oppression and injustice. Such was the case in Paul's encounter with the slave girl at Philippi. She was in a situation with seemingly no options, when Paul delivered her from demonic oppression. The girl's bosses reacted to their loss and Paul paid for her liberation by going to jail. Are you willing to pay the price to bring equity or justice to others who are suffering?

Simon's request was motivated by the same illusion of power that drives so many in today's business, political, and entertainment arenas. Popular culture invests actors, sports figures and other celebrities with the appearance of unusual significance. But God's power has little or nothing to do with outward appearances or worldly acclaim. Simon adopted the world's perspective on power. How much do we allow status and position to define who we are?

The longer we live, the more certain we may become about things in our life. It becomes easy for our thoughts and viewpoints to become solidified to the point where we become difficult to influence. The risk we run here is an unhealthy judgment of others. Judgment belongs to God alone, and our happiness will increase when we leave God's work to God.

Everyone experiences a daily interaction between internal thoughts and the words we choose to speak. Although sometimes we use our words carefully, other times we can be quite careless. James tells us that with our tongue we are capable of blessing or cursing others. How important in the overall picture are the words we choose to share?

Faith without Works is Dead | Fabian Gonzalez

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. There are a lot of things that we improve upon as we do them more. But the most important task is the task of love. God doesn't just love us and forgive us so that we can continue to be the same person; God invites us into a new way of living that is full of love. This is our journey, the journey to love.

Because we are imperfect human beings, we make mistakes. We make choices that hurt others, we do things that are counter to God's desires for us, and we do things that are harmful to even ourselves. When we make mistakes, it can be easy to identify with the mistakes, and misidentify who we are. But in Christ, we experience a different message: the message of grace and love that forgives.

Type 7 - The Enthusiast (the need to avoid pain) Type 6 - The Loyalist (the need for security). Type 5 - The Observer (the need to perceive)

Type 2 - The Helper (the need to be needed) Type 3 - The Achiever (the need to succeed) Type 4 - The Individualist (the need to be special)

Type 8 - The Challenger (the need to be against) Type 9 - The Peacemaker (the need to avoid) Type 1 - The Reformer (the need to be perfect)