Ada Presbyterian Church Pulpit Podcast

Acts 22 - They Returned

If you escape a mugging, you usually don't return to the scene of the crime. It might seem odd then that the Apostle Paul returns to a town that nearly killed him on his first missionary journey. But Paul is concerned to fortify these fledgling churches, and as we see his strategy for strengthening them, we can find ways to shore up our own faith today.

When You Don't Got What It Takes

If you heard a lousy commencement speech this week during graduation season, then join us today for Joshua's speech to the Israelites.  Like graduates, they're in a time of transition; the future lies before them now that they are settled in the land.  Joshua says to them: "Choose this day whom you serve," and then he delivers his famous line: "but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  Our text is Joshua 24. 

Acts 21 - One Living God

It's not everyday you're mistaken for a god, but it happens to Paul and Barnabas in the village of Lystra.  While we may think of this as leftover from a more superstitious time, the truth is we're pretty good at misidentifying God in our own ways today.  Join us today to find out more.

Acts 20 - They Did Not Recognize Him

Sometimes we "see without seeing," we overlook the obvious truths staring us in the face.  In Paul's sermon today, he reasons with the synagogue that the Messiah they're looking for is actually here. He brings Jesus front and center and helps us all see that he is the answer to our deepest longings.

Acts 19 - Mission Priorities

We return to our series on Acts today.  We are in the final 1/3 of the book starting in chapter 13.  We now see the church going out "to the ends of the earth" with the gospel.  First stop:  Cyrprus.  Join us this week!

Love - The Lost Art of Virtue

As we wrap up our series on virtue today, we come to the final virtue--love.  Love is the last, but certainly not the least.  It is the greatest of all the virtues.  Join us today as we sketch out a solid definition of love, namely a love that starts to see people around us, whether friends or enemies, as persons rather than objects.  

Hope - The Lost Art of Virtue

For Easter Sunday, we examined the virtue of hope.  For Christians, hope is more than wishful thinking.  It's more than a "cross your fingers" kind of hope.  It's grounded in the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  We are born into a "living hope," a hope that yearns for the day when the work of God, begun on Easter, will be completed in us.  Join us for this week's message.

Faith - The Lost Art of Virtue

In our virtue series, we shift into some new territory today by exploring the "theological virtues:" faith, hope, and love.  Today's message is on the topic of faith.  Many people talk about having faith, but it stays at a very vague level:  "I have faith that everything will be OK."  But Christian faith is more concrete and specific.  Join us for today's message as we explore the virtue of faith.

Justice - The Lost Art of Virtue

Justice is a word that has fallen on hard times and is difficult to pin down.  Historically, the church has understood this virtue to mean living a life that embraces the obligations we have towards others.  We are not in it just for ourselves; but we are in this thing for others.  We show respect, honesty, decency, fidelity, and fairness to people around us.  Join us as we learn more in this week's ongoing virtue series.

Temperance - The Lost Art of Virtue

One of the paradoxes of life is that the more we focus on a particular pleasure, the less pleasure we derive from it.  Temperance is a virtue that helps us moderate our pleasures and desires; it brings balance to our lives and leads us to a place of greater contentment and happiness.  Join us for today's message as we continue to explore the lost art of virtue.