Rev. Paul J. Miller

You Don't Have to Suffer Alone

Psalm 77 is an honest and powerful expression of the pain of suffering in the form of a prayer. Every human being knows what it is to suffer. How do we approach God when nothing makes sense and there seems to be no hope in sight? Asaph felt that too. The prayer he wrote gives us permission to speak directly to God what we are really feeling deep within.

Questions, Not Doubts

Doubt works against faith, but questions can deepen it. There's infinitely more that we don't know about God than what we do. It's a quest that every human being needs embark on. Questions will keep you on that quest!

Trinity & Relationality

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 19, 2024

Trinity & Relationality

The impossible “ity’s”

Nativity

Deity

Eternity

Trinity

Who is God and what is Trinity?

“Relationality”?

Trinity in the Scriptures

• Genesis 1:1-3 & 26a

• John 1:1-5

• 1 John 1:1-4 & 5-7

• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 & 13:14

Relationality & The Impossible “ity’s”

Nativity – Mother & Child

Deity – Father & Son

Eternity – The desire to see loved ones

Trinity – The eternal dance with Father, Son, & Spirit

1 John 4:7

Resources about the Trinity:

“The Divine Dance” – by Richard Rohr

“The Shack” – by William Paul Young (also a motion picture)

https://perichoresis.org/

Evidence of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not that mysterious or complicated. The goal of the Spirit is for our lives to produce what is joyful, peaceful, patient, and kind. If God is love, then so is the Spirit...

Found in the Bible.....(well, sort of)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 5, 2024

Found in the Bible…(well, sort of…)

Isaiah 40:31-41

“God said it, I believe it, that settles it”

It’s just not that simple….

• Mark 9:40 & Matthew 12:30
• John 1:12-13 & 1 John 4:7

“The Lord works in mysterious ways”

Creation is mysterious, but knowable. So too is Christ. “mystery” in the NT is about who Jesus is and what He has done for us

• 1 Timothy 3:16
• Ephesians 3:2-12

“God is in control”

                “control” in the NT has to do with our lack of it

• Philippians 3:20-21

“Let Go and Let God”

                Letting go doesn’t mean that I have nothing left to do

• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Matthew 11:28-30
• Ephesians 4:23-24 & 6:11-13
• Colossians 3:9-10 & 3:14

“Everything happens for a reason”

                The happenings in our lives are not always the will of God

• Romans 12:2

Are you being transformed………by the renewing of your mind?

NOT Found in the Bible

"God helps those who help themselves." Did that come from the Bible? This sermon looks at four commonly used phrases that might sound like they come from the scriptures, but don't. Are they still true though?

Conflicted

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Scriptures – 4/21/24

“Do you love me more than these?”

Conflicted – Peter by the fire in the high priest’s courtyard – John 18:15-27

The miracle of the fish catch – Luke 5:1-11

Jesus walks on water – Matthew 14:22-33

Who is Jesus? – Mark 8:22-33

The Transfiguration – Mark 9:2-13

Jesus predicts Peter’s denial – Matthew 26:31-35

Jesus rebukes Peter for using a sword in Gethsemane – John 18:1-14

Jesus makes breakfast along the shore – John 21:15-19

“Come, follow me…” – Mark 1:17 – into life

“Follow me.” – John 21:19 – into death

Do you love me more than “these”?

What are you conflicted by?

What are your “these”?

Why do doubts rise in your minds?

The resurrection of Jesus is more than the rational mind can accept. Even as he stood among his disciples in the evening after He arose, they were "troubled" and had "doubts". The rational mind can only take us so far. Faith is not irrational either; it is "trans-rational".  (NOTE: I apologize for the audio quality. I've had trouble in recent weeks with my recording device, which is why I haven't published a sermon since March 23. I'll keep at it. Thanks for listening!)

Will You Give Me a Drink?

Jesus began a life-transforming conversation with a simple, everyday kind of question. Having a spiritual conversation doesn't need to be frightening or intimidating. Everyone is thirsty for truth. 

What is written in the Law? How do you read it?

What led to Jesus first telling the Good Samaritan parable? It was a law "expert" who needed to be reminded that knowing the rules in the mind is not the same as living them out from the heart. Love for the "other" is not a side point to the law, it is the point.