Winter and Lenten Sermon Series 2025: “The Life of Jesus – His Ministry and Mission”
This series follows the life and ministry of Jesus, from His baptism through His miracles, teachings, prayers, and parables, leading up to His Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. Each week focuses on different aspects of Jesus’ ministry and character, drawing us closer to understanding who He is, what He accomplished, and what that means for us today.
1/12/25 – Jesus’ Baptism
Key Texts: Isaiah 42:1-4, Galatians 3:23-29, Matthew 3:13-17
Theme: Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of His public ministry, revealing His identity as God’s Son and His solidarity with us. In His baptism, we see God’s affirmation and the beginning of His mission to bring light to the nations.
Message: Just as Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, our own baptism connects us to Him and His promises, marking us as beloved children of God.
1/19/25 – Jesus Tempted
Key Texts: Genesis 3:1-6 , Hebrews 4:15-16, Matthew 4:1-11
Theme: Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness, showing His faithfulness and obedience to God where humanity has often fallen short.
Message: Jesus’ victory over temptation assures us of His power to overcome sin on our behalf, and He strengthens us to face our own temptations with hope and reliance on Him.
1/26/25 – Jesus Calls
Key Texts: John 1:35-51, Matthew 4:18-22
Theme: Jesus begins calling His disciples, inviting them to follow Him and join in His mission.
Message: Jesus calls ordinary people to be His followers and co-workers. As He called His first disciples, so He calls us to leave behind what entangles us and follow Him.
2/2/25 – Jesus’ Miracles
Key Texts: Psalm 104:10-15, John 2:1-11
Theme: Jesus’ miracles reveal His compassion and power, demonstrating the in-breaking of God’s kingdom.
Message: Miracles point to who Jesus is—the compassionate, powerful Son of God—and invite us to trust in His power to transform our lives and meet our deepest needs.
2/9/25 – Jesus Preaches
Key Texts: Luke 4:16-21, 29, Matthew 5:3-12
Theme: Jesus proclaims the Good News, declaring the blessings of God’s kingdom and calling people to a life of faith and justice.
Message: Jesus’ teachings reveal God’s upside-down kingdom, where the poor are blessed and the meek inherit the earth. His words challenge and comfort, calling us to live as people of the kingdom.
2/16/25 – Jesus Prays
Key Texts: Proverbs 30:7-9, Matthew 6:5-13, Romans 8:26-27
Theme: Jesus often retreats to pray, showing His close relationship with the Father and modeling the importance of prayer in the life of a believer.
Message: Jesus’ prayer life teaches us dependence on God and offers us a glimpse into His heart for His people.
2/23/25 – Jesus Heals
Key Texts: Matthew 9:1-8, Psalm 103:1-5, James 5:13-16
Theme: Jesus heals the sick and the broken, showing His authority over sickness and sin.
Message: Jesus’ healings are signs of His kingdom and reminders that He cares deeply about our physical and spiritual well-being. In His healing work, we see His compassion and His power to restore all things.
3/2/25 – Jesus Sows
Key Texts: Isaiah 55:10-11, Colossians 1:3-8, Matthew 9:1-8
Theme: Jesus teaches in parables, describing the kingdom of God as a sower scattering seed.
Message: Jesus’ parables call us to be receptive to His Word and show us that the kingdom grows in ways we often don’t expect. The seeds of faith, though small, yield great fruit when cultivated in a willing heart.
3/5/25 (Ash Wednesday) – Jesus Cleanses
Key Texts: John 2:13-22, Psalm 51
Theme: Jesus cleanses the temple, symbolizing the need for repentance and purity as we come before God.
Message: As we enter Lent, we’re reminded of our need for God’s cleansing. Jesus came to cleanse not just the temple but our very hearts, preparing us to be His holy dwelling place.
3/9/25 – Jesus Feeds
Key Texts: Exodus 16:13-18, Hebrews 13:5-6, John 6:1-14
Theme: Jesus feeds the 5,000, showing His provision and care for physical and spiritual needs.
Message: Jesus provides for us daily, and His provision extends beyond physical sustenance to the Bread of Life. In trusting Him, we find the true nourishment our souls need.
3/16/25 – Jesus Forgives
Key Texts: Luke 7:36-50 , Mark 2:1-12
Theme: Jesus offers forgiveness, lifting burdens and freeing us from guilt.
Message: Jesus’ authority to forgive sets us free from sin and guilt, inviting us into a life transformed by grace and empowering us to forgive others.
3/23/25 – Jesus Calms
Key Texts: Psalm 107:23-32, Mark 4:35-41
Theme: Jesus calms the storm, revealing His power over chaos and fear.
Message: Jesus speaks peace to our lives, calming the storms within us and around us. His presence offers us a calm center in a turbulent world.
3/30/25 – Jesus Seeks
Key Texts: Ezekiel 34:11-16, Luke 19:1-10
Theme: Jesus seeks the lost, extending grace to those who are far from God.
Message: Jesus actively seeks us out, even when we are lost. His grace finds us where we are and leads us into His embrace.
4/6/25 – Jesus Wept
Key Texts: John 11:17-36, Psalm 56:8
Theme: Jesus’ compassion for the grieving shows His deep empathy for human suffering.
Message: Jesus enters our sorrows, sharing in our pain and offering us hope beyond it. He weeps with us and promises that one day, all tears will be wiped away.
4/13/25 – Jesus Enters (Palm Sunday)
Key Texts: Matthew 21:1-11, Zechariah 9:9
Theme: Jesus enters Jerusalem as the humble King, fulfilling prophecy and beginning His journey to the cross.
Message: Jesus’ entry as King calls us to receive Him with joy and humility. He is the Messiah who came to save us by laying down His life.
4/17/25 (Maundy Thursday) – Jesus’ Body and Blood
Key Texts: Exodus 12:1-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Theme: In the Lord’s Supper, Christ gives us His true body and blood, uniting us as one and sustaining us in faith.
Message: In the Passover, God provided deliverance through the blood of the lamb. In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus, our Passover Lamb, gives His body and blood for our forgiveness, life, and salvation. As we partake, He unites us in love and equips us to humbly serve others, following His example.
4/18/25 (Good Friday) – Jesus Dies
Key Texts: John 19:16-30, Isaiah 53:1-12
Theme: Jesus’ death on the cross reveals the depth of His love and the power of His sacrifice.
Message: Jesus’ death is the ultimate act of love, paying the price for our sins and reconciling us to God. His sacrifice opens the way to new life.
4/20/25 (Easter Sunday) – Jesus Lives
Key Texts: Matthew 28:1-10, 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
Theme: Jesus’ resurrection is the victory over sin, death, and the grave, promising eternal life to all who believe.
Message: Jesus’ resurrection is our ultimate hope, showing that death is not the end. In Him, we have life and the promise of eternal joy in God’s presence.