Langdon Palmer

If you had to rank the ten commandments in order of importance, which one would be #1? Most people choose Thou Shall Not Kill. But that simple four word phrase opens us up to some of the most divisive issues of our day: The death penalty, Abortion, War, Suicide, Doctor assisted Suicide, etc. What should a Christian's stance be towards these issues? We try to find out by facing the tough questions raised by the death of Dr. George Tiller, and then listening to Jesus.

What would you think of a God who gave only 10 rules to live by and the one he spent the most time on was the command to rest, relax, and cease from your toil? We explore practical ways to return the Sabbath rest of God to our lives as we look at Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Isaiah 30:15, and Psalm 62

What if the ten commandments are not about rules but about learning the ways of the master craftsman of living life well - Jesus? As a matter of fact, the 2nd Commandment warns us you can be too religious! But why were idols such a big deal and why does saying God's name in vain make the top ten? We find out as we discover the difference between idols and icons in 1 Timothy 1:17

Does your life ever feel like a mess? If you could wipe the table clean, start your life all over again, what is the first thing you would put back on the table? Why in the world is the 1st of the Ten Commandments the 1st? We look at how resturant tables, mountain pools and weddings point us to the great truth of the first commandment.

Why would Honor your Father and Mother make God's top 10 list of most important moral commands? What does honoring our parents really mean when we didnt have the greatest parents? How can we be the kind of parents that raise their kids well, parents worthy of honor? We find out as we look at Ephesians 6:1-4 and Collosians Colossians 3:20-21

Is there a way to live the simple life in our busy world? How does life in a constantly changing high tech cyber world of facebook connect to something as ancient and unmoving as the 10 commandments? Are the 10 commandments for today? Are Christians to live by grace instead of the law? What did Jesus teach about the commandments ? What was up with the Ark of the Covennant ? Why did it have a mercy seat ? It all comes back to Jesus.

How can I read the bible to really understand what it says? What do I do with parts of the bible that make no sense to me? Is the bible so open to interpreation that it can mean pretty much anything? Is it accurate? Are all bible verses created equal? We look at the 21st chapter of the gospel of John to get an understanding of what the bible is and how to use it.

Does the church ever drive you crazy ? Do you ever wonder if you will find a spiritual home? Is there such a thing as a church that holds on to the absolutes of the faith, yet is all about freedom, compassion and welcome? Is there such a thing as a generous orthodoxy? We re-visit the Apostles Creed and discover there the Spring House that holds the key to a healthy, generous orthodoxy.

How do we move from a bunch of beliefs in our head to a vibrant, joyful, living faith? In this last part of our Christianity 101 series, we encounter the 5th revelation which is the gateway from belief to life. It turns out the Sci Fi movie THE FIFTH ELEMENT contains a scene that unlocks the secret for moving beyond the debates of modern/postmodern, individualistic/communal, liberal/conservative religion to an authentic, full bodied faith. It turns out that you are the one who is called to become the fifth element!

Have you ever come to a point where Christianity went from being a possibility to being your identity? There comes a moment when we become aware that God is present and a decision must be made now. Each of us must choose if we will bow before the king. It turns out our identity, our vocation and our future turn upon this choice. This sermon is for those who are new in the journey of faith or feel they need to return to it. We find the place where deep joy meets deep loyalty in Romans 10:9 - God is waiting for us there ...

Do you ever feel like the world is beautiful but there is a tear in it's fabric ? Do you ever feel like there is a rip in your own heart that you just cannot mend? Why did Jesus go to the cross and what really happened there ? In the 3rd revelation on the ancient path for moden pilgrims we look to 1st Timothy 2:5-6 and discover weaver of all things waiting for us there - weaver who paid a ransom in his blood in order mend hearts and the cosmos

Which is worse - to call someone evil or to call them sinful? There are five great revelations that form the heart of Christianity and today we explore the one we dont want to talk about - the nature of our own sin. The second great reversal in how we see the world and ourselves is revealed to us in Romans 3:23

Does God Exist ? Can you prove it ? What is God like? How can you believe God is like a loving parent when you see all the human suffering in the world? What is the difference between reason and revelation? Instead of the four spiritual laws we look at five spiritual revelations that form the foundation of a Christian World view. Today in Part One we look at John 3:16 to discover the first revelation.

Here's an overview of the flow of the Lords Prayer that focuses on it's final phrase. Why is this phrase in the prayer if Jesus didnt say it? We turn to Psalm 145 to find out - it turns out these are not words to be lightly spoken

Is it God who leads us into Temptation? What does Jesus mean by this line in the Lord's Prayer? What is temptation and where does it come from? We look at James 1:12-17, the scholar Diogenes Allen, and the Band Casting Crowns to find answers. We conclude with a way of dealing with temptations that works - it all turns upon Jesus...

Trying to actually forgive someone who wronged you is no small potatoes. What does it mean to forgive? How do we do it ? Should we forgive people who dont say they are sorry? Jesus shows us the way in the book of Matthew in general, and in the story of the Prodigal Son in particular.

So which is it - trespasses or debts when I say the Lord's prayer? Today we actually find out! And we take a journery through the world religions and find ourselves standing at the cross....

With this line Jesus creates a prayer that spans from the holiness of an almighty God to the earthyness of my kitchen table. Within this phrase is the gateway to a life of simplicity and dependance - a life present to the present rather than our anxious thoughts. Deuteronmy 8:6-18, James 2:14-17 to find out how the hungry of the world, the good things of life, and the love of God come together in this amazing prayer

Are the things we see happening in the world actually God's will? If not, why doesnt he do something about them? What is God's will for my life? Can we really know God's will? We take soundings in the deep waters of God's word to find some answers: Ezekiel 33:10-11, John 6:35-39, Luke 22:18-20,41-44, Matthew 5:43-45

What does Jesus mean when he says "The Kingdom of God is at hand", or when he prays "Thy Kingdom Come?" Has it already come, or is it to come? Will there be a rapture? What is the Kingdom of God anyway ? Strangely enough, abandoned swimming pools and a bombed out church from world war II give us a clue...