Emmanuel Baptist Church

We can be tempted to believe that we are alone in whatever it is that we are going through. The story of Joseph helps us understand that if we are in Christ, then we are never truly alone. Text: Genesis 39 Title: Never Alone Series: Far From Home (Genesis 37-50) Pastor Mike Rue

The story of Judah in Genesis 38 is a strange passage. It seems out of place. It is very PG-13. It seemingly doesn't seem to fit any purpose given the context of Genesis 37-50. So what can we learn from Genesis 38 and how does it fit into the Joseph narrative as well as God's overarching story that leads to Jesus?

If there is one aspect of the human experience that we all have in common, it is that of difficulty and pain in life. Every single one of us has experienced hurt either by the hands or the words of other people. Those wounds go deep and they stick with us for a lifetime. Every one of us feels the pain of a frail body. The effects of aging or the destructive power of sickness weigh heavily on us. This text begins the story of one who had every reason to ask, “Where is God?” It’s a story of how a 17-year old kid is betrayed by his very own brothers and sent into slavery. It’s one thing to be hurt by a boss or a co-worker or maybe even a close friend. But the wounds from a member of your own family go deep. What are we to do when the wounds go deep when we are scared, and wondering how God could possibly be part of whatever it is that we are going through? We enter deep into the story of Joseph because it is in the story of Joseph that we see the redemptive work of God in the midst of our pain and suffering. I

Can God use our sin and our immaturity to further his plan? How can our failures be used for good? In this introductory sermon in a series called, "Far From Home" we look at how Joseph's teenage immaturity was used by God to eventually save God's people from famine and point the way to the ultimate Savior, Jesus Christ. Text: Genesis 37:1-11 Title: I Dreamed a Dream Series: Far From Home Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church Mora, MN

Jesus concluded the Lord's Prayer by teaching us to pray that God would either keep us from temptation or that he would deliver us from it. In this message, we explore what that looks like in the Christian life.

Forgiveness is a word that is thrown around but rarely understood. Jesus, in the Lord's Prayer, requires us to not only ask for forgiveness from God, but also to extend forgiveness in our interpersonal relationships.

Jesus teaches us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," but what does that mean for us who live in a Western context where our fridges, along with our stomachs, are full? Could this teaching be deeper?

What did Jesus mean when he asked us to pray for God's Kingdom to come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

What did Jesus mean when he taught us to pray "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name"? In this message, Pastor Mike helps us understand more deeply the nuances of the first part of "The Lord's Prayer." "Praying as Children of the King" Matthew 6:9 Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church | Mora, MN

Prayer is an area that we all struggle in, yet our Lord commands us to do it for His glory and our good. Join us in our first of several messages about the practice of prayer as we study the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6:5-13. Title: And When You Pray Text: Matthew 6:5-8 Series: And When You Pray Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church Mora, MN January 10, 2021

It's been a difficult year. However, we can still end the year with great joy! Join us as we close Christmas by looking at Luke 2:8-11.

The world could use some good news. Fortunately, God gave the world a reason to rejoice at Christmas time.

This Christmas, perhaps more than any in recent decades, we could use a thrill of hope. Hope, however, doesn't come from a vaccine, a political figure, or a utopian society, it comes in the person of Jesus.

We live in a contact flux of "already / not yet." We have been saved, but we are not yet saved. We have been redeemed, but we haven't yet been fully redeemed. We live in this world, but we are not yet in the world to come. How do we live a life of faith when we live today but look to tomorrow?

Genesis 34 details the sexual abuse of Dinah at the hands of Shechem. Jacob and his sons both react sinfully to their sister's rape. How can the church help be of service to the victims and survivors of sexual abuse? How does Christ uniquely offer grace, help, and healing to those who are survivors? The answer is found in the gospel detailed in Genesis 34. Title: A Voice for the Voiceless Text: Genesis 34 Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church | Mora, MN --- Resources: Need help? Call 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit: hotline.rainn.org/ Church leaders: www.churchcares.com Books: - "Rid of My Disgrace" by Justin and Lindsey Holcolm (https://www.amazon.com/Rid-My-Disgrace-Healing-Victims/dp/1433515989/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=rid+of+my+disgrace&qid=1606687657&sr=8-3) - "Shame Interrupted" by Ed Welch (https://www.amazon.com/Shame-Interrupted-Lifts-Worthlessness-Rejection/dp/1935273981/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=rid+of+my+disgrace&qid=1606687734&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&

How do you feel when your cell phone battery gets low? You probably make sure that you have a charger nearby. Many of us, however, are living our spiritual lives at half-charge without a concern to plug and get fully charged. Text: Genesis 33 Title: Half-Charged Faith Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church Mora, MN

"Jacob needs to get home, but there is a huge threat waiting for him on the journey. Life can feel that way, right? We have these plans, desires, and goals and something along the road always seems to threaten them. But as we work our way through this passage, we are going to find that the fight, the threat along the road, may not be against what we think. Rather, our fight is often against God himself. And when we fight with God, we will never win. In fact, we might come home with a limp. But, as we’ll see, it is better to come home with a limp with God than it is to come home upright without him." "Limping Home" Genesis 32 Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church Mora, MN

The story of Jacob and Laban's battle helps us to see that we need to leave our situations completely up to God, get rid of our idols, and live only for the Lord. "The Main Event" Genesis 30:25-31:55 Pastor Mike Rue Emmanuel Baptist Church | Mora, MN