The Gospel Unbound: No Party Affiliation or Constituents – Just Submission - Luke 4
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
The Gospel Unbound: No Party Affiliation or Constituents – Just Submission - Luke 4 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this second message of "The Gospel Unbound" series, Pastor Donnell dives into the political and spiritual significance of Jesus' baptism and subsequent temptations in the wilderness in Luke 4. Unlike worldly rulers who build their authority on affiliations, Jesus begins His ministry by submitting to God's will through baptism, despite the objections of John the Baptist. In this act, Jesus models the form of...
info_outline
The Gospel Unbound: The Politics of the Incarnation - John 1
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
The Gospel Unbound: The Politics of the Incarnation - John 1 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this provocative sermon, Pastor Donnell explores the often avoided intersections of politics, race, and religion within the context of Christian faith. The sermon opens with a critical examination of the societal rule against discussing these themes in polite conversation, questioning its origin and its impact on Christian discourse. Pastor Donnell argues that such avoidance does a disservice to the church's mission to live out God's...
info_outline
Purity of Heart: Seeing God in Our Actions and Intentions - Matthew 5
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Purity of Heart: Seeing God in Our Actions and Intentions - Matthew 5 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this thoughtful exploration of purity in the context of Christian faith, Pastor Donnell challenges the traditional notions tied to external ritual purity, arguing for a deeper, more intrinsic understanding of purity as taught by Jesus. Starting with the historical context where "cleanliness" and "godliness" were associated with ritual and external purity, Pastor Donnell shifts focus to the purity of heart that Jesus emphasizes....
info_outline
An Invitation to Transformation
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
An Invitation to Transformation - Catherine Bartholomay - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: When we say yes to following Jesus, opportunities to be transformed and bring transformation are continuously present. Let’s look at the example of Mary, mother of Jesus, for glimpses of how this can happen when we are open to God working in our lives and world.
info_outline
A Practical Look at the Vision of the Ann Arbor Vineyard
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
A Practical Look at the Vision of the Ann Arbor Vineyard - Glenn Hillaker - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: This sermon explores how the vision of the Ann Arbor Vineyard can be lived out in practical ways.
info_outline
In the Name of Jesus (Part 2 of 2)
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
In the Name of Jesus (Part 2 of 2) - David Paladino - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In part, two of this two part series, we look at the role of Jesus as our high priest in more detail. For many of us, when we’re truly honest, we’re not sure Jesus is comfortable with the grittiness of our humanity. A deeper look at Hebrews shows us that he truly does understand our humanity and lived a fully human life. He is also uniquely the Son of God and to understand our salvation we need to see that after Jesus was resurrected, he ascended to the right hand of...
info_outline
In the Name of Jesus (Part 1 of 2)
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
In the Name of Jesus (Part 1 of 2) - David Paladino - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: It’s common for us to look backwards to better times when our current situation is difficult. This is true in our faith journey as well. The problem is that this approach puts the burden on us to be able to remember and “re-believe” our conversion moment or the last time we felt close to God. This was a similar problem facing the Christians who received the Letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament and who were facing persecution. The...
info_outline
Mercy, Grace, and Compassion: The Compassionate Father - Luke 15
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Mercy, Grace, and Compassion: The Compassionate Father - Luke 15 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this thought-provoking sermon from the series "Mercy, Grace, Compassion," Pastor Donnell begins by defining these interconnected concepts before delving into the familiar parable of the Prodigal Son. He offers a fresh perspective that shifts our focus to the father's extraordinary display of mercy, challenging societal norms of the time. By comparing the father's actions to those typically associated with a mother's love, Pastor...
info_outline
Stone Catching: Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Stone Catching: Mercy, Grace, and Compassion - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this enriching sermon, Pastor Donnell introduces a new series focusing on the profound Christian virtues of mercy, grace, and compassion, drawing on compelling biblical narratives and personal anecdotes to illuminate their meanings and implications. He begins by defining these terms distinctly—mercy as compassion or forgiveness in place of harshness, grace as unmerited favor beyond what is deserved, and compassion as a deep empathy coupled with...
info_outline
Loving Across Our Differences: Have You Received the Holy Spirit?
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Loving Across Our Differences: Have You Received the Holy Spirit? - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: Pastor Donnell delves into Acts 19 to explore the pivotal role of the Holy Spirit in forming the early multiethnic church, highlighting Paul’s ministry in Ephesus. He begins by examining Paul's initial interactions in Ephesus, where Paul confronts a community deeply entrenched in idolatry and spiritual confusion. Pastor Donnell points out that despite the overwhelming presence of idols, Paul identifies the Holy Spirit's preparatory...
info_outlineWhen God Comes Near by David Paladino - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard
In his Palm Sunday sermon, Dave reflects on the complexities of Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, which is narrated in the Gospel of Luke. He discusses the tension between the celebratory mood of Jesus' followers and the somber reality of Jesus' mission, which culminates in his crucifixion. Dave explores how different groups—the joyful disciples, the threatened religious leaders, and Jesus himself—perceived this event. Jesus' entry provokes various reactions, underscoring the conflict and misunderstanding between him and the religious authorities, who are portrayed as increasingly antagonistic.
Dave then introduces the concept of the "false self," using the character from the film "Good Will Hunting" as an analogy to explain how people construct protective personas based on their desires and agendas. This idea extends to a "religious false self," where individuals manipulate their spirituality to fit their needs, rather than fully surrendering to God's will. The sermon illustrates how these false identities conflict with the authenticity and challenge presented by Jesus' teachings and actions, particularly as he confronts the commercial and exclusive practices in the temple.
The sermon concludes by tying the themes of false self and true surrender to the broader narrative of Holy Week. Dave emphasizes that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection exemplify the ultimate surrender and service to God, challenging followers to move beyond superficial faith. He encourages the congregation to embrace a more profound spiritual journey, aided by the model of Jesus' obedience and sacrifice, which is commemorated during Holy Week. This journey involves letting go of the religious false self and genuinely engaging with God through practices like the Lord's Prayer, which reflects Jesus' life and teachings.