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  <title>Damascus Road Church: Marysville, WA Sermon Podcast</title>
  <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org</link>
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<copyright>&#x2117; &amp; &#xA9; 2012 Damascus Road Church: Marysville, WA</copyright>  <itunes:subtitle>Sermons</itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:author>Damascus Road Church: Marysville, WA</itunes:author>
  <itunes:summary></itunes:summary>
  <description></description>
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  <itunes:owner>
   <itunes:name>Caleb Klomparens</itunes:name>
   <itunes:email>cklomparens@live.com</itunes:email>
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<itunes:category text="Religion &amp; Spirituality" />  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 5.1-31 Faithful Song]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-5-1-31-faithful-song</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-05-13/judges-5-1-31-faithful-song</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 4.1-24 Faithful Calling]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-4-1-24-faithful-calling</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-05-06/judges-4-1-24-faithful-calling</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 May 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 3.31 Faithful Obscurity]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-3-31-faithful-obscurity</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-04-29/judges-3-31-faithful-obscurity</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 3.12-30 Faithful Message]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-3-12-30-faithful-message</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-04-22/judges-3-12-30-faithful-message</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 3.7-3.11 Faithful Action]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-3-7-3-11-faithful-action</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-04-15/judges-3-7-3-11-faithful-action</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Easter 2012: The day that death died]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/easter-2012:-the-day-that-death-died</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-04-08/easter-2012:-the-day-that-death-died</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Apr 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 2.12-3.6 Faithful Anger]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-2-12-3-6-faithful-anger</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-04-01/judges-2-12-3-6-faithful-anger</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Apr 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 2.7-11 Generational {Un}Faithfulness]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-2-7-11-generational--un-faithfulness</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-03-25/judges-2-7-11-generational--un-faithfulness</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 1.2-2.6 Convenant {Un}Faithfulness]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-1-2-2-6-convenant--un-faithfulness</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-03-18/judges-1-2-2-6-convenant--un-faithfulness</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Judges 1:1 {Un}Faithful Intro]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/judges-1:1--un-faithful-intro</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Judges: {Un}Faithful]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1:1-5 Joy in trials]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1:1-5-joy-in-trials</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Nate Greenland]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-03-04/james-1:1-5-joy-in-trials</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Mar 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Paul & Timothy]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/paul--timothy</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Paul & _______]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-02-26/paul--timothy</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Paul & Rufus' Mom]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/paul--rufus-mom</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Paul & _______]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-02-19/paul--rufus-mom</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Paul & Peter]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/paul--peter</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Paul & _______]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-02-12/paul--peter</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Paul & Barnabas]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/paul--barnabas</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Paul & _______]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-02-05/paul--barnabas</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 4. 7-18 Mystery of Mission]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-4--7-18-mystery-of-mission</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-01-29/colossians-4--7-18-mystery-of-mission</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 4. 2-6 Mystery of Evangelism]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-4--2-6-mystery-of-evangelism</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-01-22/colossians-4--2-6-mystery-of-evangelism</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3. 22-4. 1 Mystery of Work]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3--22-4--1-mystery-of-work</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-01-15/colossians-3--22-4--1-mystery-of-work</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3. 20-21 Mystery of Family (Children)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3--20-21-mystery-of-family--children-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-01-08/colossians-3--20-21-mystery-of-family--children-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Jan 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Nehemiah 1. 1-11 Prayer of the Faithful]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/nehemiah-1--1-11-prayer-of-the-faithful</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Randy Loveless]]></itunes:author>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-01-01/nehemiah-1--1-11-prayer-of-the-faithful</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Jan 2012 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[3Kings - King of Kings]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/3kings---king-of-kings</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[3Kings]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-12-24/3kings---king-of-kings</guid>
   <pubDate>Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[3Kings - King of Fields]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/3kings---king-of-fields</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[3Kings]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-12-18/3kings---king-of-fields</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[3Kings - King of Cities]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/3kings---king-of-cities</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[3Kings]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The kings of this world have fame, power, and wealth.  This is the temptation that mankind has faced since the serpent lied to our first parents saying, “You can be like God.”  Though men know who is truly King, because of sin men reject the rightful king and build our own kingdoms.  When Jesus comes, he does not offer a better political platform to live by, he comes to destroy our kingdoms built on the foundation of sin and re-establish God’s rightful rule on the foundation of the cross.  Apart from grace, men will fight for their own kingdoms.  Irrational, hostile, and violent toward God’s rule, men will fight to the death before they give up various parts of their kingdom to Jesus Lordship.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The kings of this world have fame, power, and wealth.  This is the temptation that mankind has faced since the serpent lied to our first parents saying, “You can be like God.”  Though men know who is truly King, because of sin men reject the rightful king and build our own kingdoms.  When Jesus comes, he does not offer a better political platform to live by, he comes to destroy our kingdoms built on the foundation of sin and re-establish God’s rightful rule on the foundation of the cross.  Apart from grace, men will fight for their own kingdoms.  Irrational, hostile, and violent toward God’s rule, men will fight to the death before they give up various parts of their kingdom to Jesus Lordship.]]></itunes:summary>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-12-11/3kings---king-of-cities</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3.19 Mystery of Family (Husbands)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3-19-mystery-of-family--husbands-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-12-04/colossians-3-19-mystery-of-family--husbands-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Dec 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3.18: Mystery of Family (Wives)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3-18:-mystery-of-family--wives-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-11-27/colossians-3-18:-mystery-of-family--wives-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3. 12-17: Mystery of a Mind on Jesus (Vivification)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3--12-17:-mystery-of-a-mind-on-jesus--vivification-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-11-20/colossians-3--12-17:-mystery-of-a-mind-on-jesus--vivification-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3. 5-11 Mystery of a Mind on Jesus (Mortification)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3--5-11-mystery-of-a-mind-on-jesus--mortification-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-11-13/colossians-3--5-11-mystery-of-a-mind-on-jesus--mortification-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 3. 1-4: Mystery of a Mind on Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-3--1-4:-mystery-of-a-mind-on-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
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   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-11-06/colossians-3--1-4:-mystery-of-a-mind-on-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Nov 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 2. 16-23: Mystery of two Ditches]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-2--16-23:-mystery-of-two-ditches</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-2--16-23-mystery-of-two-ditches.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-10-30/colossians-2--16-23:-mystery-of-two-ditches</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 2. 6-15: Mystery of Life in Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-2--6-15:-mystery-of-life-in-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-2--6-15-mystery-of-life-in-jesus.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-10-23/colossians-2--6-15:-mystery-of-life-in-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 1.24 - 2.5: Mystery of Maturity]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-1-24---2-5:-mystery-of-maturity</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul begins this section by rejoicing over the sufferings he is experiencing, as a prisoner, in ministry.  After years of physically and emotionally trying ministry that would discourage most, Paul rejoices at the opportunity to suffer for Jesus again.  This kind of joy in suffering is unique to Christianity and completely offensive to the world.  Despite his Roman imprisonment, Paul views his afflictions as a tool to bless the church and proclaim Christ.  He knows firsthand that Christians are called to suffer like and for Christ.  He also knows that suffering is more than something for the individual to piously endure without purpose; it is the means through which the cross is fully revealed.  So Paul works hard continually, with the energy God affords him, in order to bring as many people as he can to maturity in Christ.  Through preaching, warning, and teaching the gospel then, Paul gives all that he has, even his very life, to allow others to experience the riches that come only through a deeper intimacy with Christ and His Bride.  This is not a ministry he chose, rather, it is a mission that he was entrusted with by God.  To stop or give up is to sin in stewarding God’s gift.  As part of his “mission of maturity”, Paul also stresses community (common unity) as essential to this growth—both in the visible church of Colossae and in the invisible Church of God.  To that end, he hints to his mission extending beyond the maturity of those present in Colossae by expressing his love and concern for the church in neighboring Laodicea and all those he will not get to meet face to face.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul begins this section by rejoicing over the sufferings he is experiencing, as a prisoner, in ministry.  After years of physically and emotionally trying ministry that would discourage most, Paul rejoices at the opportunity to suffer for Jesus again.  This kind of joy in suffering is unique to Christianity and completely offensive to the world.  Despite his Roman imprisonment, Paul views his afflictions as a tool to bless the church and proclaim Christ.  He knows firsthand that Christians are called to suffer like and for Christ.  He also knows that suffering is more than something for the individual to piously endure without purpose; it is the means through which the cross is fully revealed.  So Paul works hard continually, with the energy God affords him, in order to bring as many people as he can to maturity in Christ.  Through preaching, warning, and teaching the gospel then, Paul gives all that he has, even his very life, to allow others to experience the riches that come only through a deeper intimacy with Christ and His Bride.  This is not a ministry he chose, rather, it is a mission that he was entrusted with by God.  To stop or give up is to sin in stewarding God’s gift.  As part of his “mission of maturity”, Paul also stresses community (common unity) as essential to this growth—both in the visible church of Colossae and in the invisible Church of God.  To that end, he hints to his mission extending beyond the maturity of those present in Colossae by expressing his love and concern for the church in neighboring Laodicea and all those he will not get to meet face to face.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-124-25-mystery-of-maturity.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-10-16/colossians-1-24---2-5:-mystery-of-maturity</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 1. 21-23: Mystery of Reconciliation]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-1--21-23:-mystery-of-reconciliation</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Mark Hasko]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Following his amazing song of praise about the supremacy of Christ, Paul reminds the Colossians of how their faith in Him has transformed them from what they “once were.”  What they once were was estranged from and hostile toward God.  What they claimed as freedom and celebrated as self-reliance was in fact rebellion against their Creator.  The gods they worshipped were false and their outward commitment to them changed nothing within them.  As false gods reigned supreme in their lives, they remained condemned sinners, perpetually dissatisfied with life, actively engaged in evil deeds.  But God did not abandon those he loved in their sinful idolatry, rather, he sent Jesus to die for their sin.  The Colossians, as with every believer, did not choose to turn to the one true God, nor did they reconcile themselves to Him.  By grace and in love, God took the initiative first by sending Jesus to die then by sending Epaphras to preach.  Through faith in the gospel, their relationship with the one true God was restored; and once dirty, guilty, rebellious men were made holy, innocent, and free from accusation, immediately and forever.  It is, therefore, a trust in the grace of God to create and preserve that holiness, and not a trust in our own efforts, that causes us to persevere in faith.  In other words, we are not saved by Jesus because we work hard to continue in the faith.  Held and guarded by grace, we continue in the faith because we are saved by Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Following his amazing song of praise about the supremacy of Christ, Paul reminds the Colossians of how their faith in Him has transformed them from what they “once were.”  What they once were was estranged from and hostile toward God.  What they claimed as freedom and celebrated as self-reliance was in fact rebellion against their Creator.  The gods they worshipped were false and their outward commitment to them changed nothing within them.  As false gods reigned supreme in their lives, they remained condemned sinners, perpetually dissatisfied with life, actively engaged in evil deeds.  But God did not abandon those he loved in their sinful idolatry, rather, he sent Jesus to die for their sin.  The Colossians, as with every believer, did not choose to turn to the one true God, nor did they reconcile themselves to Him.  By grace and in love, God took the initiative first by sending Jesus to die then by sending Epaphras to preach.  Through faith in the gospel, their relationship with the one true God was restored; and once dirty, guilty, rebellious men were made holy, innocent, and free from accusation, immediately and forever.  It is, therefore, a trust in the grace of God to create and preserve that holiness, and not a trust in our own efforts, that causes us to persevere in faith.  In other words, we are not saved by Jesus because we work hard to continue in the faith.  Held and guarded by grace, we continue in the faith because we are saved by Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-1-21-23-mystery-of-reconciliation.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-10-09/colossians-1--21-23:-mystery-of-reconciliation</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Oct 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 1. 15-20: Mystery of Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-1--15-20:-mystery-of-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Following his expression of gratitude for God and a heartfelt prayer for the Colossians, Paul moves to establish Jesus as central to all of life, worthy of all worship.  These six verses overflow with praise exalting theology about the identity Jesus like few others do in all of Scripture — it is poetic.  In fact, though there is little agreement about the number of stanzas or even content, the rhythmic structure and compressed truth of these verses have led scholars to believe it is an early hymn—a song of praise.  This simple song is a theological treatise on the identity and work of Jesus Christ is written to acknowledge Jesus as superior over all other teachers, governments, philosophies, or traditions.  The reason Jesus is supreme is because Jesus is more than a man, He is God.  The only satisfactory response to him is worship.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Following his expression of gratitude for God and a heartfelt prayer for the Colossians, Paul moves to establish Jesus as central to all of life, worthy of all worship.  These six verses overflow with praise exalting theology about the identity Jesus like few others do in all of Scripture — it is poetic.  In fact, though there is little agreement about the number of stanzas or even content, the rhythmic structure and compressed truth of these verses have led scholars to believe it is an early hymn—a song of praise.  This simple song is a theological treatise on the identity and work of Jesus Christ is written to acknowledge Jesus as superior over all other teachers, governments, philosophies, or traditions.  The reason Jesus is supreme is because Jesus is more than a man, He is God.  The only satisfactory response to him is worship.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-1-15-20-mystery-of-jesus.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-10-02/colossians-1--15-20:-mystery-of-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 Oct 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 1. 9-14: Mystery of Prayer]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-1--9-14:-mystery-of-prayer</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Ever since the apostle Paul first heard Epaphras’ report about Colossae, he has not ceased to pray for the brothers there.  Although Scripture encourages us to present all of our needs (and those of others) to God, most people are reticent to do so.  We don’t pray because we don’t believe “it works”, choosing instead to depend on ourselves.  Many of us pretend to be prayer warriors but, in truth, are more like shadow boxers.  Even if we humble ourselves to pray, we don’t often know what to pray about. Many of us are not unceasing in our prayers because it is hard to sit still for five minutes!  Others are afraid of sounding repetitive, not wanting to ask for the same things over and over again.  Still, a few of us use prayer as a tool. We say, “I’ll pray for you” as a way to avoid people we don’t like or to sidestep conversations we don’t want to have.  If that is not confusing enough, there are even those non-believing “spiritual” people who, strangely, use the “Our prayers go out to you” mantra as a means to express sorrow for something bad that has happened, but in not a way so as to appeal to a Holy God for help Even if when we begin to pray more often, for ourselves or others, our requests are usually short, sweet, and directly related to a perceived crisis or material need.  Paul prays deeply spiritual prayers.  And his unceasing prayer for the Colossians not only demonstrates HOW we should pray, but it also directs us in perhaps WHAT we should pray for.  Though Christians have a responsibility to pray for our material needs, and those of our friends and neighbors, we must be even more eager to pray for their spiritual needs.  Unlike our own prayers, Paul’s words are not dominated by material needs or requests for changes in circumstances.  Instead, his prayer focuses largely on the relationship between the Colossians and their Savior.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Ever since the apostle Paul first heard Epaphras’ report about Colossae, he has not ceased to pray for the brothers there.  Although Scripture encourages us to present all of our needs (and those of others) to God, most people are reticent to do so.  We don’t pray because we don’t believe “it works”, choosing instead to depend on ourselves.  Many of us pretend to be prayer warriors but, in truth, are more like shadow boxers.  Even if we humble ourselves to pray, we don’t often know what to pray about. Many of us are not unceasing in our prayers because it is hard to sit still for five minutes!  Others are afraid of sounding repetitive, not wanting to ask for the same things over and over again.  Still, a few of us use prayer as a tool. We say, “I’ll pray for you” as a way to avoid people we don’t like or to sidestep conversations we don’t want to have.  If that is not confusing enough, there are even those non-believing “spiritual” people who, strangely, use the “Our prayers go out to you” mantra as a means to express sorrow for something bad that has happened, but in not a way so as to appeal to a Holy God for help Even if when we begin to pray more often, for ourselves or others, our requests are usually short, sweet, and directly related to a perceived crisis or material need.  Paul prays deeply spiritual prayers.  And his unceasing prayer for the Colossians not only demonstrates HOW we should pray, but it also directs us in perhaps WHAT we should pray for.  Though Christians have a responsibility to pray for our material needs, and those of our friends and neighbors, we must be even more eager to pray for their spiritual needs.  Unlike our own prayers, Paul’s words are not dominated by material needs or requests for changes in circumstances.  Instead, his prayer focuses largely on the relationship between the Colossians and their Savior.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-1-9-14-mystery-of-prayer.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-09-25/colossians-1--9-14:-mystery-of-prayer</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 1. 3-8: Mystery of Faith]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-1--3-8:-mystery-of-faith</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul begins this passage with expressions of gratitude for what he has heard, from Epaphras, about the Colossians’ faith in Christ.  He also thanks God for the reported evidence of their faith—a love for fellow Christians he knows is motivated by hope of beyond their earthly life. In essence, Paul identifies three essential components of a Christian worldview –belief, action, and motivation. When we struggle in our walk with the Lord, one of those three is typically lacking.  Such a deficiency is usually not a pragmatic issue fixed through the power of positive thinking or better behavior.  Any perversion of our faith, our love, or our hope is resolved with a return to the basic truth of the gospel.  A disciplined commitment to gospel purity is the key to fruitfulness and growth.  There are many false gospels and many functional saviors offered as alternatives to the one Christ.  Faith in any one of these false saviors will lead to a perverted view of love and a hope in something that will ultimately fail.  The only power false gospels possess is the power to lead you away from God.  The true gospel is so powerful that it begins to transform the individual and produce fruit the moment on hears and believes.  A strong, productive, and joyful life does not come from man-made philosophy, religion, human traditions, or secret handshakes.  It comes by the grace, through trusting in Christ’s sacrifice, living in His love, and hoping for His return Questions for Understanding:  1. What kinds of things have Paul and Timothy heard about the Colossians spiritual health?  2. What does Paul assert is the reason for their faith and love?  Where does Paul say all three of these came from?  3. Who did the Colossian church first hear the gospel from?  What is the gospel—the truth that they “learned”?]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul begins this passage with expressions of gratitude for what he has heard, from Epaphras, about the Colossians’ faith in Christ.  He also thanks God for the reported evidence of their faith—a love for fellow Christians he knows is motivated by hope of beyond their earthly life. In essence, Paul identifies three essential components of a Christian worldview –belief, action, and motivation. When we struggle in our walk with the Lord, one of those three is typically lacking.  Such a deficiency is usually not a pragmatic issue fixed through the power of positive thinking or better behavior.  Any perversion of our faith, our love, or our hope is resolved with a return to the basic truth of the gospel.  A disciplined commitment to gospel purity is the key to fruitfulness and growth.  There are many false gospels and many functional saviors offered as alternatives to the one Christ.  Faith in any one of these false saviors will lead to a perverted view of love and a hope in something that will ultimately fail.  The only power false gospels possess is the power to lead you away from God.  The true gospel is so powerful that it begins to transform the individual and produce fruit the moment on hears and believes.  A strong, productive, and joyful life does not come from man-made philosophy, religion, human traditions, or secret handshakes.  It comes by the grace, through trusting in Christ’s sacrifice, living in His love, and hoping for His return Questions for Understanding:  1. What kinds of things have Paul and Timothy heard about the Colossians spiritual health?  2. What does Paul assert is the reason for their faith and love?  Where does Paul say all three of these came from?  3. Who did the Colossian church first hear the gospel from?  What is the gospel—the truth that they “learned”?]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-1-3-8-mystery-of-faith.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-09-18/colossians-1--3-8:-mystery-of-faith</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Colossians 1. 1-2: Intro]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/colossians-1--1-2:-intro</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Colossians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[On the road to Damascus, Saul the Persecutor of Jesus became Paul the Apostle of Jesus.  A powerful encounter with the resurrected Jesus transformed this man from Christian murderer to, eventually, a Christian martyr.  Paul devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel, most of which came with suffering.  Acts 25-28 records the final years of Paul’s tumultuous gospel work—from his arrest in Jerusalem to his two year imprisonment in Rome.  Unlike many of us, Paul viewed difficult circumstances as an opportunity to do more gospel work (Phil.1.12-14).  Despite being crushed, persecuted, and imprisoned, Paul never ceased in his gospel work.  This letter to the Colossians is one example of Paul’s unrelenting commitment.    Every one of Pauls’ letters has its dominant theme.  In Romans it is justification by faith.  Ephesians focuses on the church, and Philippians describes the joy found in Christ.  In this letter to the Colossians, Paul focuses on the Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ. Ironically, imprisoned by the world’s current “supreme” power, he offers Christianity as a greater alternative to the dominant worldview of the culture.  The Roman man-centered value system emphasizes the principles of selfishness, power, and independence.  In stark contrast, Paul puts forward a Christ-centered way of life which teaches self-denial, suffering, and community as ideal.  The global expansion of Roman identity has led to an all-out assault on the Colossians identity in Christ alone.  Similar to our own global culture, new teachings, old traditions, and strange “spiritual” experiences attract and distract us.  And, like false gospels, they all compete for supremacy with salvific promises.  Paul writes to reestablish their faith once and for all in the gospel of Christ they had first believed.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[On the road to Damascus, Saul the Persecutor of Jesus became Paul the Apostle of Jesus.  A powerful encounter with the resurrected Jesus transformed this man from Christian murderer to, eventually, a Christian martyr.  Paul devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel, most of which came with suffering.  Acts 25-28 records the final years of Paul’s tumultuous gospel work—from his arrest in Jerusalem to his two year imprisonment in Rome.  Unlike many of us, Paul viewed difficult circumstances as an opportunity to do more gospel work (Phil.1.12-14).  Despite being crushed, persecuted, and imprisoned, Paul never ceased in his gospel work.  This letter to the Colossians is one example of Paul’s unrelenting commitment.    Every one of Pauls’ letters has its dominant theme.  In Romans it is justification by faith.  Ephesians focuses on the church, and Philippians describes the joy found in Christ.  In this letter to the Colossians, Paul focuses on the Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ. Ironically, imprisoned by the world’s current “supreme” power, he offers Christianity as a greater alternative to the dominant worldview of the culture.  The Roman man-centered value system emphasizes the principles of selfishness, power, and independence.  In stark contrast, Paul puts forward a Christ-centered way of life which teaches self-denial, suffering, and community as ideal.  The global expansion of Roman identity has led to an all-out assault on the Colossians identity in Christ alone.  Similar to our own global culture, new teachings, old traditions, and strange “spiritual” experiences attract and distract us.  And, like false gospels, they all compete for supremacy with salvific promises.  Paul writes to reestablish their faith once and for all in the gospel of Christ they had first believed.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/colossians-1-1-2-intro.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-09-11/colossians-1--1-2:-intro</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Acts 2. 42-46: Broken Record]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/acts-2--42-46:-broken-record</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/acts-2-42-46-broken-record.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-09-04/acts-2--42-46:-broken-record</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Sep 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Ephesians 4. 13-16: The Goal]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/ephesians-4--13-16:-the-goal</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[How to be the Church]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/ephesians-4-13-16-the-goal.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-08-28/ephesians-4--13-16:-the-goal</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Ephesians 4. 7-12: The Gifts]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/ephesians-4--7-12:-the-gifts</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[How to be the Church]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/ephesians-4-7-12-the-gifts.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-08-21/ephesians-4--7-12:-the-gifts</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Aug 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Ephesians 4. 4-6: The One]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/ephesians-4--4-6:-the-one</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[How to be the Church]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/ephesians-4-4-6-the-one.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-08-14/ephesians-4--4-6:-the-one</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Ephesians 4. 1-3: The Call]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/ephesians-4--1-3:-the-call</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[How to be the Church]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/ephesians-4-1-3-the-call.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-08-07/ephesians-4--1-3:-the-call</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Aug 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[3 John: Our Imitation]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/3-john:-our-imitation</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[John’s third letter is addressed to a leader in the church, a friend named Gaius.  The entire letter centers on tensions in the church between two men named, Gaius and Diotrephes.   Gaius is a man of character and a godly leader.  He is commended, by John, for his practice of Christian hospitality to visiting missionaries— “workers for the truth.”  On the other hand, Diotrephes is rebuked for his conceited refusal to do the same. More than that, Diotrephes is asserting his authority and running people out of the church.  Apparently, John had written the church earlier, concerning him, but Diotrephes had rejected John’s authority and proceeded to slander the leadership.  Through his letter, delivered by Demetrius, John encourages Gaius to do good, hoping to come and deal with the problems in person.  After two letters commanded love for the brothers, at the heart of this letter we find a charge to temper Christian love with godly discernment.  This is especially important when dealing with aggressive men seeking to elevate themselves as self-appointed leaders in the church.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[John’s third letter is addressed to a leader in the church, a friend named Gaius.  The entire letter centers on tensions in the church between two men named, Gaius and Diotrephes.   Gaius is a man of character and a godly leader.  He is commended, by John, for his practice of Christian hospitality to visiting missionaries— “workers for the truth.”  On the other hand, Diotrephes is rebuked for his conceited refusal to do the same. More than that, Diotrephes is asserting his authority and running people out of the church.  Apparently, John had written the church earlier, concerning him, but Diotrephes had rejected John’s authority and proceeded to slander the leadership.  Through his letter, delivered by Demetrius, John encourages Gaius to do good, hoping to come and deal with the problems in person.  After two letters commanded love for the brothers, at the heart of this letter we find a charge to temper Christian love with godly discernment.  This is especially important when dealing with aggressive men seeking to elevate themselves as self-appointed leaders in the church.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/3-john-our-imitation.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-07-31/3-john:-our-imitation</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 5. 13-21: Our Assurance]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-5--13-21:-our-assurance</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[John ends his first letter by encouraging his people to confidently approach God in prayer.  Prayers are not only to be offered for one’s personal needs, according to God’s will, but on behalf of brothers caught in sin.  This includes praying for repentance for those “brothers” who have been allured by false teaching but, perhaps, not the false teachers themselves. As with the previous text, John writes some words that have proven difficult to understand for over 2,000 years.  He commands his readers not to pray for “brothers” who are committing “a sin that leads to death.”  Commentators have struggled with this agreeing on the meaning of this passage.  If its meaning was widely known in John’s day, it has been lost in our own. So, while we cannot be absolutely certain of its meaning, there are four common options:   •	The sin that leads to death may be some very heinous sin that God cannot forgive. This interpretation is unlikely as it would conflict with the Bible’s teaching on the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement for every sin of his children. This view has led to various groups to make distinctions between sins that disrupt one’s relationship with God and those that end it completely.   •	The sin that leads to death may be apostasy, or a Christian who rejects God and becomes a non-believer.  Convenient, but this interpretation is unlikely in the light of the Bible’s teaching that our salvation is secure, including John’s own teaching that those who turn from God were not saved in the first place (2:19).   •	The sin that leads to death may be a sin that leads to physical death, as some sort of punishment.  In this case, there is not necessarily a loss of eternal life.  The New Testament records a few such instances (Acts 5:1-11; I Corinthians 5:5, 11:30).   •	The sin that leads to death may be the same thing that Jesus called blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32) which is the attributing of Jesus’ powers to Satan, thereby renouncing the Holy Spirit as evil and Jesus as demonic.  (Considering the false teachers and false doctrine about Jesus that John is condemning, this interpretation appears most probable)  The letter concludes with John affirming all the things “We Know “ that are enough to lead us to the one true God, in order to dissuade us from spending time on what we don’t, which will only lead us away.  He ends with a curt, and thereby, powerful warning about the cause of all unbelief—idolatry. By doing so, he reminds all of us that the point of writing was to both declare Jesus as God and worthy of all worship (5.20) and to denounce the worship of anyone or anything else.    Questions for Group Study: 1.	What Scripture, idea, or comment most impressed upon you personally during your study or the sermon this week?  2.	John tells us that we should pray in confidence that God hears us and answers us according to His will.  What do you think is a prayer in accordance with God’s will? What is not?  3.	Of the four different understandings of “a sin that leads to death”, which one most resonates with what you believe?  Why?  4.	Do you know a brother indulging in a sin that does not lead to death?  What would John say is the best thing you can do for that person?  5.	Apart from all the things “we don’t know”, what does John tell us “we know?” How might a focus on these things change how we live daily?  6.	In speaking about idolatry, pastor and author Tim Keller has often stated that it’s not that we like “bad things”, but it’s that we like “good” things so badly. What are some good things that can become idols in our lives?  7.	Share with your group some of the idols that tempt YOU to live apart from God—that give you meaning, joy, and purpose? What is the one thing, that is not God, you are afraid to lose?]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[John ends his first letter by encouraging his people to confidently approach God in prayer.  Prayers are not only to be offered for one’s personal needs, according to God’s will, but on behalf of brothers caught in sin.  This includes praying for repentance for those “brothers” who have been allured by false teaching but, perhaps, not the false teachers themselves. As with the previous text, John writes some words that have proven difficult to understand for over 2,000 years.  He commands his readers not to pray for “brothers” who are committing “a sin that leads to death.”  Commentators have struggled with this agreeing on the meaning of this passage.  If its meaning was widely known in John’s day, it has been lost in our own. So, while we cannot be absolutely certain of its meaning, there are four common options:   •	The sin that leads to death may be some very heinous sin that God cannot forgive. This interpretation is unlikely as it would conflict with the Bible’s teaching on the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement for every sin of his children. This view has led to various groups to make distinctions between sins that disrupt one’s relationship with God and those that end it completely.   •	The sin that leads to death may be apostasy, or a Christian who rejects God and becomes a non-believer.  Convenient, but this interpretation is unlikely in the light of the Bible’s teaching that our salvation is secure, including John’s own teaching that those who turn from God were not saved in the first place (2:19).   •	The sin that leads to death may be a sin that leads to physical death, as some sort of punishment.  In this case, there is not necessarily a loss of eternal life.  The New Testament records a few such instances (Acts 5:1-11; I Corinthians 5:5, 11:30).   •	The sin that leads to death may be the same thing that Jesus called blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32) which is the attributing of Jesus’ powers to Satan, thereby renouncing the Holy Spirit as evil and Jesus as demonic.  (Considering the false teachers and false doctrine about Jesus that John is condemning, this interpretation appears most probable)  The letter concludes with John affirming all the things “We Know “ that are enough to lead us to the one true God, in order to dissuade us from spending time on what we don’t, which will only lead us away.  He ends with a curt, and thereby, powerful warning about the cause of all unbelief—idolatry. By doing so, he reminds all of us that the point of writing was to both declare Jesus as God and worthy of all worship (5.20) and to denounce the worship of anyone or anything else.    Questions for Group Study: 1.	What Scripture, idea, or comment most impressed upon you personally during your study or the sermon this week?  2.	John tells us that we should pray in confidence that God hears us and answers us according to His will.  What do you think is a prayer in accordance with God’s will? What is not?  3.	Of the four different understandings of “a sin that leads to death”, which one most resonates with what you believe?  Why?  4.	Do you know a brother indulging in a sin that does not lead to death?  What would John say is the best thing you can do for that person?  5.	Apart from all the things “we don’t know”, what does John tell us “we know?” How might a focus on these things change how we live daily?  6.	In speaking about idolatry, pastor and author Tim Keller has often stated that it’s not that we like “bad things”, but it’s that we like “good” things so badly. What are some good things that can become idols in our lives?  7.	Share with your group some of the idols that tempt YOU to live apart from God—that give you meaning, joy, and purpose? What is the one thing, that is not God, you are afraid to lose?]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-5-13-21-our-assurance.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-07-24/1-john-5--13-21:-our-assurance</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 5. 6-13: Our Faith]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-5--6-13:-our-faith</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Mark Hasko]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This passage hits at the core of why John is writing to enable believers to have certainty about their eternal destiny. Assurance of our salvation can easily govern our joy, or lack thereof, in life.  In this text, John concerns himself with the nature of the different witnesses that have testified in addition to the testimony itself.  Verses 6-8 contain some of the most difficult in the book. Various commentators have offered varying interpretations about just what John means by “Spirit, water, and blood”.   1.	Some believe they refer to the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side at His crucifixion.   2.	Some believe the blood may refer to communion and the water may refer to baptism.   3.	Some believe the blood may refer to Jesus’ death and the water may refer to His baptism.   4.	Some believe the blood may refer to Jesus’ death and the water may refer to Jesus’ physical birth.   Though we may not know for sure exactly what John meant, we do know that he intended to emphasize the trustworthiness of the testimony.  Just as he began his letter, John endeavors to preserve the purity of the gospel as it is the most important truth man must receive and believe.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This passage hits at the core of why John is writing to enable believers to have certainty about their eternal destiny. Assurance of our salvation can easily govern our joy, or lack thereof, in life.  In this text, John concerns himself with the nature of the different witnesses that have testified in addition to the testimony itself.  Verses 6-8 contain some of the most difficult in the book. Various commentators have offered varying interpretations about just what John means by “Spirit, water, and blood”.   1.	Some believe they refer to the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side at His crucifixion.   2.	Some believe the blood may refer to communion and the water may refer to baptism.   3.	Some believe the blood may refer to Jesus’ death and the water may refer to His baptism.   4.	Some believe the blood may refer to Jesus’ death and the water may refer to Jesus’ physical birth.   Though we may not know for sure exactly what John meant, we do know that he intended to emphasize the trustworthiness of the testimony.  Just as he began his letter, John endeavors to preserve the purity of the gospel as it is the most important truth man must receive and believe.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-5-6-13-our-faith.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-07-17/1-john-5--6-13:-our-faith</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 4.17 - 5.5: Our Fearlessness]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-4-17---5-5:-our-fearlessness</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[John continues on his great theme of love complementing it with the great theme of obedience.  Without an understanding of love manifested in the gospel, obedience is relegated to joyless duty motivated by guilt and fear of rejection.  But John argues that once someone genuinely experiences God’s love and acceptance through Christ, all fear of rejection or divine condemnation is gone.  As our hearts are transformed so is our relationship with God, and our obedience comes becomes our loving response to His love.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[John continues on his great theme of love complementing it with the great theme of obedience.  Without an understanding of love manifested in the gospel, obedience is relegated to joyless duty motivated by guilt and fear of rejection.  But John argues that once someone genuinely experiences God’s love and acceptance through Christ, all fear of rejection or divine condemnation is gone.  As our hearts are transformed so is our relationship with God, and our obedience comes becomes our loving response to His love.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-417-55-our-fearlessness.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-07-10/1-john-4-17---5-5:-our-fearlessness</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Jul 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 4. 7-16: Our Example]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-4--7-16:-our-example</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Thought many people think that 1Corithians 13 provides the most thorough description of what love is in the Bible, this weeks’ text provides us an equally powerful image.  In this text, John connects the nature of love with the character of God himself.  He tells us that God is love.  And while it is tempting to make God into some emotional teddy bear on a cosmic scale, John explains God manifested his love most clearly through pouring out his wrath on His Son for our sins.  Our love begins as a response to Jesus’ death on the cross.  It is Jesus, and not anything in us, that ought to move us to love one another.  Although no one has seen God, in some sense, our love for one another proclaims His presence.   John emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit, thus heart transformation, as the only means through which we are capable of learning to love like Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Thought many people think that 1Corithians 13 provides the most thorough description of what love is in the Bible, this weeks’ text provides us an equally powerful image.  In this text, John connects the nature of love with the character of God himself.  He tells us that God is love.  And while it is tempting to make God into some emotional teddy bear on a cosmic scale, John explains God manifested his love most clearly through pouring out his wrath on His Son for our sins.  Our love begins as a response to Jesus’ death on the cross.  It is Jesus, and not anything in us, that ought to move us to love one another.  Although no one has seen God, in some sense, our love for one another proclaims His presence.   John emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit, thus heart transformation, as the only means through which we are capable of learning to love like Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-4-7-16-our-example.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-07-03/1-john-4--7-16:-our-example</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Jul 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 4. 1-6: Our Testing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-4--1-6:-our-testing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In 2Corinthians 11.4, the apostle warns of, ”another” spirit, a “different” Jesus, and a “different gospel” that is contrary to the truth.   Similarly, James reminds us in his letter that there is wisdom from above, and wisdom from below, wisdom from God and wisdom from demons (3.13-18).   In other words, just because someone claims spiritual power or insight does not mean that the spirit(s) empowering them are from God. Deuteronomy 13 goes so far as to say that prophets will rise who in fact can do signs and wonders. Instead of accepting the prophet as genuine, Israel is warned to test their teaching.  Today, the different spirits in our world would include everything from the occult to witchcraft, from spiritual gurus to respected religious leaders who are both allegedly Christian and non-Christian. John warns us not to believe every spirit but to test to see whether the spirit loves Jesus or hates Jesus.  While false spirits may uphold moral or ethical truth, they will always deny the nature of Jesus is either not real, not man, or not God.  The question is what test to use?  The answer is, the Word of God (2Timothy 3.16).]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In 2Corinthians 11.4, the apostle warns of, ”another” spirit, a “different” Jesus, and a “different gospel” that is contrary to the truth.   Similarly, James reminds us in his letter that there is wisdom from above, and wisdom from below, wisdom from God and wisdom from demons (3.13-18).   In other words, just because someone claims spiritual power or insight does not mean that the spirit(s) empowering them are from God. Deuteronomy 13 goes so far as to say that prophets will rise who in fact can do signs and wonders. Instead of accepting the prophet as genuine, Israel is warned to test their teaching.  Today, the different spirits in our world would include everything from the occult to witchcraft, from spiritual gurus to respected religious leaders who are both allegedly Christian and non-Christian. John warns us not to believe every spirit but to test to see whether the spirit loves Jesus or hates Jesus.  While false spirits may uphold moral or ethical truth, they will always deny the nature of Jesus is either not real, not man, or not God.  The question is what test to use?  The answer is, the Word of God (2Timothy 3.16).]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-4-1-6-our-testing.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-06-26/1-john-4--1-6:-our-testing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 3. 11-24: Our Brothers]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-3--11-24:-our-brothers</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this passage, John emphasizes one of the primary characteristics of God’s children—they love one another.  He goes so far as to compare the Christians’ hatred, a refusal to love, with that of the hatred Cain possessed in murdering his brother Abel (Genesis 4).  Though most would condemn such violent acts of hatred, John seems to also attack passive hatred through indifference and “not loving”.  John uses the example of Christ to define what he means by loving.  In essence, Jesus did more than SAY He loved his people.  Though His love was demonstrated through his preaching, teaching, miracles, and healings, it was most exemplified through His willing, joyful, and humble sacrifice on the cross.  True Christians love in the same way. If reborn children of God do not love “in word and deed”, like Jesus, then it is doubtful whether they have the Spirit of Christ living in them at all.  An attitude and active love serves to assure our own hearts before God. Without doubt, many Christians will despair in their inability to love as they ought.  John assures us that even if we condemn ourselves, we can have confidence that our faith in Jesus, which is a gift of grace, is what decisively saves us AND what ultimately moves us to obey His commands.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this passage, John emphasizes one of the primary characteristics of God’s children—they love one another.  He goes so far as to compare the Christians’ hatred, a refusal to love, with that of the hatred Cain possessed in murdering his brother Abel (Genesis 4).  Though most would condemn such violent acts of hatred, John seems to also attack passive hatred through indifference and “not loving”.  John uses the example of Christ to define what he means by loving.  In essence, Jesus did more than SAY He loved his people.  Though His love was demonstrated through his preaching, teaching, miracles, and healings, it was most exemplified through His willing, joyful, and humble sacrifice on the cross.  True Christians love in the same way. If reborn children of God do not love “in word and deed”, like Jesus, then it is doubtful whether they have the Spirit of Christ living in them at all.  An attitude and active love serves to assure our own hearts before God. Without doubt, many Christians will despair in their inability to love as they ought.  John assures us that even if we condemn ourselves, we can have confidence that our faith in Jesus, which is a gift of grace, is what decisively saves us AND what ultimately moves us to obey His commands.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-3-11-24-our-brothers.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-06-19/1-john-3--11-24:-our-brothers</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 3. 1-10: Our Real Father]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-3--1-10:-our-real-father</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[When Jesus saves someone, they are transformed.  They were once an enemy of God who loved sin; by grace they become a child of God who hates sin.  Just as sin and disobedience go together, so love and obedience do.  Obedience to God’s’ Word is the response to God’s love and the demonstration of our love for God.  It is this love that enables us to love others.  Here John basically restates Jesus’ summary of the Old Testament in Matthew 22:34-40 where He taught that the commands of the Bible were intended to show us how to love God and other people. John draws some definitive lines to test the genuineness of OUR faith, arguing that we cannot claim to be a Christian and hate a fellow Christian at the same time.  Choosing to live with such hatred is choosing to live in darkness apart from the light of God.    Though it is tempting to avoid the truth with various kinds of hermeneutical yoga, John’s simple truths are unavoidable and hard hitting.  Loving God by obeying Him and loving His people by forgiving them are the bedrock of Christian faith and church life. Apparently, false teachers, like many today, were encouraging people to treat the Bible like a spiritual buffet, picking and choosing which parts of the Christian life they wanted to follow.  In this case, they were choosing to not forgive fellow Christians in favor of hatred. Similar to the spirit of the book of James, this passage shows us that God intends for what we believe to be lived out in our daily lives.  Faith without works is not faith.  And even if we preach with our mouths orthodox truth, we preach with our behavior heretical falsehood.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[When Jesus saves someone, they are transformed.  They were once an enemy of God who loved sin; by grace they become a child of God who hates sin.  Just as sin and disobedience go together, so love and obedience do.  Obedience to God’s’ Word is the response to God’s love and the demonstration of our love for God.  It is this love that enables us to love others.  Here John basically restates Jesus’ summary of the Old Testament in Matthew 22:34-40 where He taught that the commands of the Bible were intended to show us how to love God and other people. John draws some definitive lines to test the genuineness of OUR faith, arguing that we cannot claim to be a Christian and hate a fellow Christian at the same time.  Choosing to live with such hatred is choosing to live in darkness apart from the light of God.    Though it is tempting to avoid the truth with various kinds of hermeneutical yoga, John’s simple truths are unavoidable and hard hitting.  Loving God by obeying Him and loving His people by forgiving them are the bedrock of Christian faith and church life. Apparently, false teachers, like many today, were encouraging people to treat the Bible like a spiritual buffet, picking and choosing which parts of the Christian life they wanted to follow.  In this case, they were choosing to not forgive fellow Christians in favor of hatred. Similar to the spirit of the book of James, this passage shows us that God intends for what we believe to be lived out in our daily lives.  Faith without works is not faith.  And even if we preach with our mouths orthodox truth, we preach with our behavior heretical falsehood.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-3-1-10-our-real-father.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-06-12/1-john-3--1-10:-our-real-father</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 2. 18-29: Our Anointing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-2--18-29:-our-anointing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In these verses, John addresses the people called antichrists. Though many believe the antichrist is an individual identified in the book of Revelation, it is only in John’s epistles that the term appears. It describes the various false teachers working for Satan who are anti/against the truth of Jesus and try to lead Christians toward sin and death away from Jesus the giver of life. Apparently, these false teaching “antichrists” were in the church but have since left.   The church is confused as to whether these people were Christians, and John simply reassures them that they were not because the heretics never repented and never returned.  They are not Christians and never were.  John argues that genuine Christians possess the Holy Spirit which leads them to truth. Specifically, the most important truth the Holy Spirit teaches is the true identity of Jesus as God and Messiah.  Here John emphasizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit on all believers to protect them from false teaching and to keep them abiding in Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In these verses, John addresses the people called antichrists. Though many believe the antichrist is an individual identified in the book of Revelation, it is only in John’s epistles that the term appears. It describes the various false teachers working for Satan who are anti/against the truth of Jesus and try to lead Christians toward sin and death away from Jesus the giver of life. Apparently, these false teaching “antichrists” were in the church but have since left.   The church is confused as to whether these people were Christians, and John simply reassures them that they were not because the heretics never repented and never returned.  They are not Christians and never were.  John argues that genuine Christians possess the Holy Spirit which leads them to truth. Specifically, the most important truth the Holy Spirit teaches is the true identity of Jesus as God and Messiah.  Here John emphasizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit on all believers to protect them from false teaching and to keep them abiding in Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-2-18-29-our-anointing.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-06-05/1-john-2--18-29:-our-anointing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Jun 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 2. 18-29: Our Anointing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-2--18-29:-our-anointing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In these verses, John addresses the people called antichrists. Though many believe the antichrist is an individual identified in the book of Revelation, it is only in John’s epistles that the term appears. It describes the various false teachers working for Satan who are anti/against the truth of Jesus and try to lead Christians toward sin and death away from Jesus the giver of life. Apparently, these false teaching “antichrists” were in the church but have since left.   The church is confused as to whether these people were Christians, and John simply reassures them that they were not because the heretics never repented and never returned.  They are not Christians and never were.  John argues that genuine Christians possess the Holy Spirit which leads them to truth. Specifically, the most important truth the Holy Spirit teaches is the true identity of Jesus as God and Messiah.  Here John emphasizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit on all believers to protect them from false teaching and to keep them abiding in Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In these verses, John addresses the people called antichrists. Though many believe the antichrist is an individual identified in the book of Revelation, it is only in John’s epistles that the term appears. It describes the various false teachers working for Satan who are anti/against the truth of Jesus and try to lead Christians toward sin and death away from Jesus the giver of life. Apparently, these false teaching “antichrists” were in the church but have since left.   The church is confused as to whether these people were Christians, and John simply reassures them that they were not because the heretics never repented and never returned.  They are not Christians and never were.  John argues that genuine Christians possess the Holy Spirit which leads them to truth. Specifically, the most important truth the Holy Spirit teaches is the true identity of Jesus as God and Messiah.  Here John emphasizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit on all believers to protect them from false teaching and to keep them abiding in Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-2-18-29-our-anointing.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-06-05/1-john-2--18-29:-our-anointing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Jun 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 2.12-17 Our Flock]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-2-12-17-our-flock</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[John addresses different people in the church community reading his letter.  Specifically, he address different Christians who are both young and old in both age and in faith.  After having written some hard words about genuine faith, he now wants to encourage the church and give them hope as they grow in their spiritual formation. John speaks to newborn believers (children), to less mature believers (young men,), and to more seasoned believers (fathers), emphasizing different things with each. For children, he encourages them by reminding them of their forgiveness.  For the young men, he commends them for their strength in overcoming the evil one with the Word.  For fathers, he encourages them in their steadfast and seasoned relationship with God.  Immediately following his encouragement, John warns all of these true Christians against worldliness.  The allure of the world John warns against does not describe all of culture, but those in rebellion against God within culture.   In other words, John does not expect Christians to abstain from culture altogether. He command believers to not be allured by the world and to avoid the ways of thinking, regarding, and behaving that are contrary to God’s will, as revealed in Scripture. John summarizes worldliness, and all of sin, as the cravings of our sinful flesh (gluttony, sexual perversion, drunkenness, etc.), lust of our eyes (sexual lust, coveting, etc.), and pride that causes us to boast in ourselves without gratitude to God.  Finally, John warns us to love the Father, and not the world, because everything but God and those who love him, will burn up in the end.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[John addresses different people in the church community reading his letter.  Specifically, he address different Christians who are both young and old in both age and in faith.  After having written some hard words about genuine faith, he now wants to encourage the church and give them hope as they grow in their spiritual formation. John speaks to newborn believers (children), to less mature believers (young men,), and to more seasoned believers (fathers), emphasizing different things with each. For children, he encourages them by reminding them of their forgiveness.  For the young men, he commends them for their strength in overcoming the evil one with the Word.  For fathers, he encourages them in their steadfast and seasoned relationship with God.  Immediately following his encouragement, John warns all of these true Christians against worldliness.  The allure of the world John warns against does not describe all of culture, but those in rebellion against God within culture.   In other words, John does not expect Christians to abstain from culture altogether. He command believers to not be allured by the world and to avoid the ways of thinking, regarding, and behaving that are contrary to God’s will, as revealed in Scripture. John summarizes worldliness, and all of sin, as the cravings of our sinful flesh (gluttony, sexual perversion, drunkenness, etc.), lust of our eyes (sexual lust, coveting, etc.), and pride that causes us to boast in ourselves without gratitude to God.  Finally, John warns us to love the Father, and not the world, because everything but God and those who love him, will burn up in the end.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-2-12-17-our-flock.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-05-29/1-john-2-12-17-our-flock</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 May 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 2. 3-11: Our Obedience]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-2--3-11:-our-obedience</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[When Jesus saves someone, they are transformed.  They were once an enemy of God who loved sin; by grace they become a child of God who hates sin.  Just as sin and disobedience go together, so love and obedience do.  Obedience to God’s’ Word is the response to God’s love and the demonstration of our love for God.  It is this love that enables us to love others.  Here John basically restates Jesus’ summary of the Old Testament in Matthew 22:34-40 where He taught that the commands of the Bible were intended to show us how to love God and other people. John draws some definitive lines to test the genuineness of OUR faith, arguing that we cannot claim to be a Christian and hate a fellow Christian at the same time.  Choosing to live with such hatred is choosing to live in darkness apart from the light of God.    Though it is tempting to avoid the truth with various kinds of hermeneutical yoga, John’s simple truths are unavoidable and hard hitting.  Loving God by obeying Him and loving His people by forgiving them are the bedrock of Christian faith and church life. Apparently, false teachers, like many today, were encouraging people to treat the Bible like a spiritual buffet, picking and choosing which parts of the Christian life they wanted to follow.  In this case, they were choosing to not forgive fellow Christians in favor of hatred. Similar to the spirit of the book of James, this passage shows us that God intends for what we believe to be lived out in our daily lives.  Faith without works is not faith.  And even if we preach with our mouths orthodox truth, we preach with our behavior heretical falsehood.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[When Jesus saves someone, they are transformed.  They were once an enemy of God who loved sin; by grace they become a child of God who hates sin.  Just as sin and disobedience go together, so love and obedience do.  Obedience to God’s’ Word is the response to God’s love and the demonstration of our love for God.  It is this love that enables us to love others.  Here John basically restates Jesus’ summary of the Old Testament in Matthew 22:34-40 where He taught that the commands of the Bible were intended to show us how to love God and other people. John draws some definitive lines to test the genuineness of OUR faith, arguing that we cannot claim to be a Christian and hate a fellow Christian at the same time.  Choosing to live with such hatred is choosing to live in darkness apart from the light of God.    Though it is tempting to avoid the truth with various kinds of hermeneutical yoga, John’s simple truths are unavoidable and hard hitting.  Loving God by obeying Him and loving His people by forgiving them are the bedrock of Christian faith and church life. Apparently, false teachers, like many today, were encouraging people to treat the Bible like a spiritual buffet, picking and choosing which parts of the Christian life they wanted to follow.  In this case, they were choosing to not forgive fellow Christians in favor of hatred. Similar to the spirit of the book of James, this passage shows us that God intends for what we believe to be lived out in our daily lives.  Faith without works is not faith.  And even if we preach with our mouths orthodox truth, we preach with our behavior heretical falsehood.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-2-3-11-our-obedience.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-05-22/1-john-2--3-11:-our-obedience</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 May 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[2 John: Our Love]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2-john:-our-love</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The second epistle of John is more characteristic of a true letter than his first.  Though it is addressed to a “lady and her children”, scholars disagree whether this person is real (e.g. Jesus’ mother) or a metaphor for the local church. The short letter echoes a number of themes from John’s first epistle such as: following the truth of God (:4), loving one another (:5), resisting false teaching (:7-8), not receiving false teachers (:10), and joy through personal connection (:12).   We felt it important to study this epistle following the passage in his first epistle where John first speaks to fellowship amongst believers.  The heart of 2John addresses Christian hospitality—inviting people into their homes for friendship and theological discussion. As this practice was encouraged amongst believers, false teachers were taking advantage of this kindness and leading people astray in these small gatherings and destroying the larger assembly.  John wrote his second epistle as a warning to Christians in the church to continue to love one another but not to extend Christian fellowship to heretical false teachers who claimed to be believers. John closes the letter (12) implying that a letter isn’t the best way to deal with personal issues.  He expresses his hope to come and deal with the issues in person.  This short letter should cause us all to evaluate not only our hospitality with non-believers who need Jesus, our fellowship with believers who need community, but also our relationships with so-called believers sent by the enemy to attack Jesus and His Bride.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The second epistle of John is more characteristic of a true letter than his first.  Though it is addressed to a “lady and her children”, scholars disagree whether this person is real (e.g. Jesus’ mother) or a metaphor for the local church. The short letter echoes a number of themes from John’s first epistle such as: following the truth of God (:4), loving one another (:5), resisting false teaching (:7-8), not receiving false teachers (:10), and joy through personal connection (:12).   We felt it important to study this epistle following the passage in his first epistle where John first speaks to fellowship amongst believers.  The heart of 2John addresses Christian hospitality—inviting people into their homes for friendship and theological discussion. As this practice was encouraged amongst believers, false teachers were taking advantage of this kindness and leading people astray in these small gatherings and destroying the larger assembly.  John wrote his second epistle as a warning to Christians in the church to continue to love one another but not to extend Christian fellowship to heretical false teachers who claimed to be believers. John closes the letter (12) implying that a letter isn’t the best way to deal with personal issues.  He expresses his hope to come and deal with the issues in person.  This short letter should cause us all to evaluate not only our hospitality with non-believers who need Jesus, our fellowship with believers who need community, but also our relationships with so-called believers sent by the enemy to attack Jesus and His Bride.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/2-john-our-love.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-05-15/2-john:-our-love</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 May 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 1.5 - 2.2 Our Sinfulness]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-1-5---2-2-our-sinfulness</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[After establishing his credibility, John speaks with authority as he writes to believers about the problem of sin.  As the WORD of God, Jesus is literally God speaking to us.  The message that is spoken, the gospel, declares God as light and men to be in darkness.  Those who truly love God have fellowship with Him.  And those who truly have fellowship with Him walk in the light with Him individually and as the church.  Those who do not walk with God, remain in darkness, isolated, full of shame, trying to hide the sin they love from God and others.  Conversely, those who walk with God experience a transformation in their disposition toward sin and community.  By the grace of God, they choose to expose their sin to the light, learn to confess their sin to God and others, and experience victory over their sin through Christ in community.  And, though our goal is to not sin, the fact remains that even as we grow in holiness, we will never be separated from our sinful flesh in this lifetime.  Christians accept their identity as a saved sinner, committing to a lifestyle of repentance of sin and seek forgiveness from Jesus who died the death we deserved for our sin.  Lastly, John gives us the second reason for writing this letter: that we would not sin (2:1).  These verses provide us both a hope and caution.  The hope is knowing that, when we sin, we ALWAYS have Jesus to save us from God’s wrath.  The caution is that, if and when we sin, we ONLY have Jesus to save us from God’s wrath. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[After establishing his credibility, John speaks with authority as he writes to believers about the problem of sin.  As the WORD of God, Jesus is literally God speaking to us.  The message that is spoken, the gospel, declares God as light and men to be in darkness.  Those who truly love God have fellowship with Him.  And those who truly have fellowship with Him walk in the light with Him individually and as the church.  Those who do not walk with God, remain in darkness, isolated, full of shame, trying to hide the sin they love from God and others.  Conversely, those who walk with God experience a transformation in their disposition toward sin and community.  By the grace of God, they choose to expose their sin to the light, learn to confess their sin to God and others, and experience victory over their sin through Christ in community.  And, though our goal is to not sin, the fact remains that even as we grow in holiness, we will never be separated from our sinful flesh in this lifetime.  Christians accept their identity as a saved sinner, committing to a lifestyle of repentance of sin and seek forgiveness from Jesus who died the death we deserved for our sin.  Lastly, John gives us the second reason for writing this letter: that we would not sin (2:1).  These verses provide us both a hope and caution.  The hope is knowing that, when we sin, we ALWAYS have Jesus to save us from God’s wrath.  The caution is that, if and when we sin, we ONLY have Jesus to save us from God’s wrath. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-15-22-our-sinfulness.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-05-08/1-john-1-5---2-2-our-sinfulness</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 May 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 John 1.1-4: Intro to Letters of John]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-john-1-1-4:-intro-to-letters-of-john</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letters of John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The beginning of John’s letter provides immediate insight into its purpose.  Unlike traditional letters which usually began by identifying its author and audience, followed by a greeting, John starts by establishing his credibility to teach. Clearly, John intends to establish himself not only as a loving pastor, but as an authoritative one.  Writing to 2nd and 3rd generation Christians who have learned the gospel through disciples of Jesus, John reminds his readers that he lived it with Jesus himself.  John has not simply heard about Jesus second hand, he walked with Jesus during His entire ministry, heard Jesus teach, touched Jesus, saw Jesus’ miracles, experienced Jesus execution, and spent time with Jesus after His resurrection.  He is the most credible teacher, most likely the only eyewitness still living.    John then proceeds to declare exactly who Jesus was and is according to his eyewitness testimony.  According to John, Jesus was/is the Word of God (how God the Father has spoken to us), He was/is the eternal God who at a point in time entered into human history as a man, He was/is the one who made it possible for us to have fellowship with God and one another.  Since the Romans hadn’t invented video cameras or YouTube yet, eyewitness testimony is the most reliable evidence.  These first verses affirm the value of the eyewitness accounts and undeniable proof that Jesus was/is both fully God and fully man. John intends for his first-hand testimony to both strengthen the faith of his readers and weaken the influence of false teachers armed with their books, web sites, radio programs, television shows, and the like. More than that, he intends for his testimony to make God’s people joyful.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The beginning of John’s letter provides immediate insight into its purpose.  Unlike traditional letters which usually began by identifying its author and audience, followed by a greeting, John starts by establishing his credibility to teach. Clearly, John intends to establish himself not only as a loving pastor, but as an authoritative one.  Writing to 2nd and 3rd generation Christians who have learned the gospel through disciples of Jesus, John reminds his readers that he lived it with Jesus himself.  John has not simply heard about Jesus second hand, he walked with Jesus during His entire ministry, heard Jesus teach, touched Jesus, saw Jesus’ miracles, experienced Jesus execution, and spent time with Jesus after His resurrection.  He is the most credible teacher, most likely the only eyewitness still living.    John then proceeds to declare exactly who Jesus was and is according to his eyewitness testimony.  According to John, Jesus was/is the Word of God (how God the Father has spoken to us), He was/is the eternal God who at a point in time entered into human history as a man, He was/is the one who made it possible for us to have fellowship with God and one another.  Since the Romans hadn’t invented video cameras or YouTube yet, eyewitness testimony is the most reliable evidence.  These first verses affirm the value of the eyewitness accounts and undeniable proof that Jesus was/is both fully God and fully man. John intends for his first-hand testimony to both strengthen the faith of his readers and weaken the influence of false teachers armed with their books, web sites, radio programs, television shows, and the like. More than that, he intends for his testimony to make God’s people joyful.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-john-1-1-4-intro-to-letters-of-john.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-05-01/1-john-1-1-4:-intro-to-letters-of-john</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 May 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Easter 2011: Torn Curtain]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/easter-2011:-torn-curtain</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter 2011: TORN]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This sermon focuses on the restoration of relationship as a result of the crucifixion.  Though this day is a day to celebrate the resurrection, the first half identifies what the “tearing” of the temple curtain means.  This requires a brief review of the O.T. purpose of the temple.  The second half speaks to the resurrection and the new life we have IN relationship with God right now through Christ, as we look forward to the future resurrection.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This sermon focuses on the restoration of relationship as a result of the crucifixion.  Though this day is a day to celebrate the resurrection, the first half identifies what the “tearing” of the temple curtain means.  This requires a brief review of the O.T. purpose of the temple.  The second half speaks to the resurrection and the new life we have IN relationship with God right now through Christ, as we look forward to the future resurrection.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/easter-2011-torn-curtain.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-04-24/easter-2011:-torn-curtain</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Apr 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Easter 2011: Torn Glory]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/easter-2011:-torn-glory</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter 2011: TORN]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This sermon will focus on what restoring what was “torn” would require.  The miracle of Easter begins at the manger and ends with the tomb.  And though the relationship between Jesus and God remained preserved, in a very real way, he chose to be torn from glory to suffer as a man.  Relationship was destroyed for all men through one man, Adam.   In the same way, restored relationship would require a death for sin, it would require a perfect sacrifice be offered.  It was not only on the cross that Jesus suffered; Jesus experienced a lifetime of suffering as all men experience (and more) including false accusations, betrayal, abuse, loss, etc.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This sermon will focus on what restoring what was “torn” would require.  The miracle of Easter begins at the manger and ends with the tomb.  And though the relationship between Jesus and God remained preserved, in a very real way, he chose to be torn from glory to suffer as a man.  Relationship was destroyed for all men through one man, Adam.   In the same way, restored relationship would require a death for sin, it would require a perfect sacrifice be offered.  It was not only on the cross that Jesus suffered; Jesus experienced a lifetime of suffering as all men experience (and more) including false accusations, betrayal, abuse, loss, etc.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/easter-2011-torn-glory.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-04-17/easter-2011:-torn-glory</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Easter 2011: Torn Relationship]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/easter-2011:-torn-relationship</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter 2011: TORN]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This sermon will focus on torn relationship between God and men caused sin—the reason Jesus had to come at all.  That tearing has caused a breakdown in all other relationships.  Due to a sinful nature, men suffering from worship disorder whereby they find themselves torn between the world and God.  Without grace, men choose to find their happiness, identity, and purpose in their relationship to the world.  Though there are many functional saviors to choose from, there is ultimately only one true savior that will satisfy.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This sermon will focus on torn relationship between God and men caused sin—the reason Jesus had to come at all.  That tearing has caused a breakdown in all other relationships.  Due to a sinful nature, men suffering from worship disorder whereby they find themselves torn between the world and God.  Without grace, men choose to find their happiness, identity, and purpose in their relationship to the world.  Though there are many functional saviors to choose from, there is ultimately only one true savior that will satisfy.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/easter-2011-torn-relationship.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-04-10/easter-2011:-torn-relationship</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Apr 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 24: The Choice]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-24:-the-choice</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The book of Deuteronomy ends with the reaffirmation of God’s covenant (Deut 32.46) and the death of Moses.  Similarly, the record of Joshua ends by reaffirming the covenant and the reporting of his own death by an unnamed editor.  Joshua gathers all of Israel to Shechem, the very place where God had first promised the land to Abraham (Gen. 12.6-7).  He then reviews the history of the covenant from Abraham to the present day when they are dwelling in cities they did not build, eating fruit they did not plant—gifts from the LORD.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The book of Deuteronomy ends with the reaffirmation of God’s covenant (Deut 32.46) and the death of Moses.  Similarly, the record of Joshua ends by reaffirming the covenant and the reporting of his own death by an unnamed editor.  Joshua gathers all of Israel to Shechem, the very place where God had first promised the land to Abraham (Gen. 12.6-7).  He then reviews the history of the covenant from Abraham to the present day when they are dwelling in cities they did not build, eating fruit they did not plant—gifts from the LORD.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-24-the-choice.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-04-03/joshua-24:-the-choice</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Apr 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 23: The Charge]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-23:-the-charge</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Joshua is old and he senses it is his time to die.  Some of his final words are a charge for Israel to remain faithful over the long haul.  As he exhorts Israel, he reminds them of all that God has done on their behalf—“how he has fought for you” (v. 3b).  The motivation behind Israel’s commitment to the mission is not what they might accomplish, but what God has already achieved.   Just as God had charged his newly appointed leader of a new generation, Joshua instructs the future generations that will rise after he passes.  He charges them to remain strong, specifically, to commit themselves uncompromisingly to God’s Word, as they had done through the conquest.  In other words, the conquest is over but the fight is never done.   And at the heart of the fight is not for more land or money, rather, it is against idolatry and the ways of sin, and it is for the purity of worship and delight in the ways of God.  Joshua’s charge is given with both promises and warnings.  If they fight to love the LORD, they will experience blessing.  If they fight against the idolatrous remnant of the nations they have driven out, they will be prosperous.  But if they fight for their lust, they will be destroyed.  If they cling to the nations, they will kindle the anger of the LORD and be removed from the land.  These are the last words of a leader with a deep concern for legacy.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Joshua is old and he senses it is his time to die.  Some of his final words are a charge for Israel to remain faithful over the long haul.  As he exhorts Israel, he reminds them of all that God has done on their behalf—“how he has fought for you” (v. 3b).  The motivation behind Israel’s commitment to the mission is not what they might accomplish, but what God has already achieved.   Just as God had charged his newly appointed leader of a new generation, Joshua instructs the future generations that will rise after he passes.  He charges them to remain strong, specifically, to commit themselves uncompromisingly to God’s Word, as they had done through the conquest.  In other words, the conquest is over but the fight is never done.   And at the heart of the fight is not for more land or money, rather, it is against idolatry and the ways of sin, and it is for the purity of worship and delight in the ways of God.  Joshua’s charge is given with both promises and warnings.  If they fight to love the LORD, they will experience blessing.  If they fight against the idolatrous remnant of the nations they have driven out, they will be prosperous.  But if they fight for their lust, they will be destroyed.  If they cling to the nations, they will kindle the anger of the LORD and be removed from the land.  These are the last words of a leader with a deep concern for legacy.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-23-the-charge.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-03-27/joshua-23:-the-charge</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 20-21: The Cities]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-20-21:-the-cities</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[After the spoils of war have been divided and distributed, the LORD commands Joshua to follow through on the instructions given to Moses for setting aside special cities within the various allotments.  Specifically, God commands that Israel set aside cities for both justice for criminals and provision for the priests.   God commands that six cities are set aside as “Cities of Refuge” for those who kill another person accidentally.  What exactly constitutes an accidental or intentional murder is laid out by the Law in great detail (Num. 35.9-34).  Within a narrative full of violence and brutality that declares God’s justice and holiness, the cities of refuge help remind us of God’s mercy and grace.  The cities are established to protect from vindictive vengeance for something tragic as opposed to proper retribution for a clear injustice.  The very existence of the cities, however, emphasizes the “sanctity” of life that is at the heart of God.  Those who murder motivated by sin are to be killed.  And while those who murder accidentally are to be protected, they are still exiled.  God’s justice and mercy not only covered Israel, but those who sojourned with them—hinting toward a time when God will bring those ‘far off’ near.     God also commands that cities be set aside for the Levitical priests (Num. 35.1-8). The tribe of Levi did not receive its own inheritance; rather, they resided in certain cities throughout Israel.  In order to ensure their inheritances, the heads of the households of the Levites approach Joshua with the authority of God’s promise.  The Levites were set apart for special service to protect the purity of worship in Israel (Num. 3-4). They ask only for what they need to fulfill their calling of a somewhat “rootless” existence among Israel.  Unlike the rest of Israel, they would be forced to depend on God’s provision in a way that all Israel should aspire to.  Once the land is divided, tabernacle is established, justice is affirmed, and spiritual leadership assumes its place, Israel is ready to worship.  The last three verses (43-45) is Israel’s statement of worship, their doxology recognizing God’s faithfulness.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[After the spoils of war have been divided and distributed, the LORD commands Joshua to follow through on the instructions given to Moses for setting aside special cities within the various allotments.  Specifically, God commands that Israel set aside cities for both justice for criminals and provision for the priests.   God commands that six cities are set aside as “Cities of Refuge” for those who kill another person accidentally.  What exactly constitutes an accidental or intentional murder is laid out by the Law in great detail (Num. 35.9-34).  Within a narrative full of violence and brutality that declares God’s justice and holiness, the cities of refuge help remind us of God’s mercy and grace.  The cities are established to protect from vindictive vengeance for something tragic as opposed to proper retribution for a clear injustice.  The very existence of the cities, however, emphasizes the “sanctity” of life that is at the heart of God.  Those who murder motivated by sin are to be killed.  And while those who murder accidentally are to be protected, they are still exiled.  God’s justice and mercy not only covered Israel, but those who sojourned with them—hinting toward a time when God will bring those ‘far off’ near.     God also commands that cities be set aside for the Levitical priests (Num. 35.1-8). The tribe of Levi did not receive its own inheritance; rather, they resided in certain cities throughout Israel.  In order to ensure their inheritances, the heads of the households of the Levites approach Joshua with the authority of God’s promise.  The Levites were set apart for special service to protect the purity of worship in Israel (Num. 3-4). They ask only for what they need to fulfill their calling of a somewhat “rootless” existence among Israel.  Unlike the rest of Israel, they would be forced to depend on God’s provision in a way that all Israel should aspire to.  Once the land is divided, tabernacle is established, justice is affirmed, and spiritual leadership assumes its place, Israel is ready to worship.  The last three verses (43-45) is Israel’s statement of worship, their doxology recognizing God’s faithfulness.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-20-21-the-cities.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-03-13/joshua-20-21:-the-cities</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 18-19: Final Allotment]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-18-19:-final-allotment</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[These next two chapters are packed with details as the land is portioned out to the seven remaining tribes.  As it is with much of the second half of Joshua, at first it may be difficult to discover the “profit” from verses that read like little more than land surveys.  In and among the various allotments, however, God has hidden some powerful truths.  Chapter 18 begins with Israel assembling and setting up the tent of meeting at Shiloh.  Shiloh is approximately 10 miles northeast of Bethel and 30 miles north of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Ephraim.  Shiloh then, would serve as the primary center of worship for Israel as prophesied by Moses (Deut. 12.1-15).  Here, all of Israel would offer sacrifices and enjoy regular worship.  The establishment of the tabernacle at Shiloh signaled a new day in Israel and pointed forward to a final new day in heaven.    Despite this new dawn, a shadow of laxity appeared to be falling among the remaining tribes of Israel.  Though the land laid “subdued”, ready for Israel’s taking, Joshua question of how long they will “put off” going into taking possession of the land evidences their apparent unwillingness to settle down.  The power of God in conquest and the worship of God at Shiloh was only the beginning—the land must still be possessed, the free gift taken.  He gives them a shove in the right direction, sending out men to survey the land and return with descriptions.  After writing down their descriptions, Joshua submits them to the will of God to distribute to the tribes of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan.  God, not Joshua, gives to each their lot.    After all allotments are completed, the people give Joshua a personal inheritance by command of the LORD.  This final allotment serves as a noteworthy end to a larger statement about God that records the promises kept to the two faithful spies, Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 13-14).  In it, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to His chosen people despite the unfaithfulness of the majority.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[These next two chapters are packed with details as the land is portioned out to the seven remaining tribes.  As it is with much of the second half of Joshua, at first it may be difficult to discover the “profit” from verses that read like little more than land surveys.  In and among the various allotments, however, God has hidden some powerful truths.  Chapter 18 begins with Israel assembling and setting up the tent of meeting at Shiloh.  Shiloh is approximately 10 miles northeast of Bethel and 30 miles north of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Ephraim.  Shiloh then, would serve as the primary center of worship for Israel as prophesied by Moses (Deut. 12.1-15).  Here, all of Israel would offer sacrifices and enjoy regular worship.  The establishment of the tabernacle at Shiloh signaled a new day in Israel and pointed forward to a final new day in heaven.    Despite this new dawn, a shadow of laxity appeared to be falling among the remaining tribes of Israel.  Though the land laid “subdued”, ready for Israel’s taking, Joshua question of how long they will “put off” going into taking possession of the land evidences their apparent unwillingness to settle down.  The power of God in conquest and the worship of God at Shiloh was only the beginning—the land must still be possessed, the free gift taken.  He gives them a shove in the right direction, sending out men to survey the land and return with descriptions.  After writing down their descriptions, Joshua submits them to the will of God to distribute to the tribes of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan.  God, not Joshua, gives to each their lot.    After all allotments are completed, the people give Joshua a personal inheritance by command of the LORD.  This final allotment serves as a noteworthy end to a larger statement about God that records the promises kept to the two faithful spies, Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 13-14).  In it, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to His chosen people despite the unfaithfulness of the majority.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-18-19-final-allotment.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-03-06/joshua-18-19:-final-allotment</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Mar 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 16-17: The Complaint]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-16-17:-the-complaint</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The next two chapters record the allotments given to the sons of Joseph—Manasseh and Ephraim.  Birth order in Israel determined which son would receive the birthright blessing.  Even though Manasseh was born before Ephraim, the younger brother receives priority in blessing.  Though the reason for this rests with God’s sovereignty, the history is recorded in Genesis 48.  There, Joseph brings the two boys before his old and blind father Jacob to receive a blessing.  To aid his sightless father, Joseph places Manasseh in front of his right hand and Ephraim opposite his left.  But Jacob, crosses his arms and places his right hand of blessing on Ephraim.  Though Joseph attempts to straighten out the mistake, Jacob assures his son that he knew what he was doing.    So, as the blessing went, the allotment goes.  Ephraim is first to receive his inheritance (chapter 16) and Manasseh is blessed second (chapter 17).  They are both given one allotment that is divided between them, one in the North and the other in the South.  After Manasseh’s southern allotment is given, however, both tribes approach Joseph with a complaint.  Their discontent hearts are veiled in logical arguments about being a numerous people and needing more land.  Without apology, Joshua challenges their reasoning by instructing them to take more land from the enemy with all the people they have (v.15).  Their response only reveals their discontent and fears which contrast greatly with the courage and faith of Caleb.    Though the two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh make a detailed argument about the strength of the enemy, it is not enough to convince Joshua.  Their fears echo the very thing that Moses warned they would feel before ever entering the land (Deut. 7.7-12).  A once confident army of the LORD has degenerated into a spineless tribe of whiners.  Joshua answers their fears and complaints with a charge to have faith and fight.  He does not give them an easier alternative, rather, commands them to drive out the Canaanites despite the apparent odds.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The next two chapters record the allotments given to the sons of Joseph—Manasseh and Ephraim.  Birth order in Israel determined which son would receive the birthright blessing.  Even though Manasseh was born before Ephraim, the younger brother receives priority in blessing.  Though the reason for this rests with God’s sovereignty, the history is recorded in Genesis 48.  There, Joseph brings the two boys before his old and blind father Jacob to receive a blessing.  To aid his sightless father, Joseph places Manasseh in front of his right hand and Ephraim opposite his left.  But Jacob, crosses his arms and places his right hand of blessing on Ephraim.  Though Joseph attempts to straighten out the mistake, Jacob assures his son that he knew what he was doing.    So, as the blessing went, the allotment goes.  Ephraim is first to receive his inheritance (chapter 16) and Manasseh is blessed second (chapter 17).  They are both given one allotment that is divided between them, one in the North and the other in the South.  After Manasseh’s southern allotment is given, however, both tribes approach Joseph with a complaint.  Their discontent hearts are veiled in logical arguments about being a numerous people and needing more land.  Without apology, Joshua challenges their reasoning by instructing them to take more land from the enemy with all the people they have (v.15).  Their response only reveals their discontent and fears which contrast greatly with the courage and faith of Caleb.    Though the two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh make a detailed argument about the strength of the enemy, it is not enough to convince Joshua.  Their fears echo the very thing that Moses warned they would feel before ever entering the land (Deut. 7.7-12).  A once confident army of the LORD has degenerated into a spineless tribe of whiners.  Joshua answers their fears and complaints with a charge to have faith and fight.  He does not give them an easier alternative, rather, commands them to drive out the Canaanites despite the apparent odds.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-16-17-the-complaint.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-02-27/joshua-16-17:-the-complaint</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 15: The Borders]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-15:-the-borders</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We begin this somewhat tedious passage of Scripture (the longest chapter in Joshua) by remembering that Paul taught “all Scripture is profitable.”   In essence it is a list with a lot of names and locations.  Chapter 15 records the inheritance allotted to Judah, including a repeat of what was given to Caleb, as well as the description of the land’s boundaries.    The record also includes a brief account concerning Caleb’s victory over the three sons (chiefs) of Anak.  As part of the possession of his family’s inheritance, Caleb offers the hand of his daughter in marriage to the man who conquers the city of Debir (similar to what Saul offered for defeating Goliath).  Caleb’s younger brother, Othneil, who will one day save Israel as the first judge (Judges 3.7-11), captures Debir: “the city of the book”.  After Achsah is taken to her new home by her faith, she urges her new husband to ask her father for a field.  Either he refuses or agrees it is best for her to make the request, and she does.  She reverently asks for a blessing of water in addition to what she has received as a gift for her marriage. He agrees, and in addition to the barren land of Negeb, he gives her the adjoining land with springs of water.  One can learn much about young leaders, marital relations, even parenting from this short encounter.   It is noteworthy that Judah is the first territory that is described west of the Jordan.  This tribe plays a significant role in the overall story of redemption as it is from this tribe that the messiah will come.  Yet, with as much blessing as the specific boundaries tangibly represent, verse 63 ends declaring that Judah also failed to drive out all of the evil inhabitants of the land.  This failure reminds the reader that the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises was not complete, providing a sense of “now but not yet” sense to living within God’s kingdom that will be even more realized at Jesus first coming, but fully realized when He returns a second time in glory.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We begin this somewhat tedious passage of Scripture (the longest chapter in Joshua) by remembering that Paul taught “all Scripture is profitable.”   In essence it is a list with a lot of names and locations.  Chapter 15 records the inheritance allotted to Judah, including a repeat of what was given to Caleb, as well as the description of the land’s boundaries.    The record also includes a brief account concerning Caleb’s victory over the three sons (chiefs) of Anak.  As part of the possession of his family’s inheritance, Caleb offers the hand of his daughter in marriage to the man who conquers the city of Debir (similar to what Saul offered for defeating Goliath).  Caleb’s younger brother, Othneil, who will one day save Israel as the first judge (Judges 3.7-11), captures Debir: “the city of the book”.  After Achsah is taken to her new home by her faith, she urges her new husband to ask her father for a field.  Either he refuses or agrees it is best for her to make the request, and she does.  She reverently asks for a blessing of water in addition to what she has received as a gift for her marriage. He agrees, and in addition to the barren land of Negeb, he gives her the adjoining land with springs of water.  One can learn much about young leaders, marital relations, even parenting from this short encounter.   It is noteworthy that Judah is the first territory that is described west of the Jordan.  This tribe plays a significant role in the overall story of redemption as it is from this tribe that the messiah will come.  Yet, with as much blessing as the specific boundaries tangibly represent, verse 63 ends declaring that Judah also failed to drive out all of the evil inhabitants of the land.  This failure reminds the reader that the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises was not complete, providing a sense of “now but not yet” sense to living within God’s kingdom that will be even more realized at Jesus first coming, but fully realized when He returns a second time in glory.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-15-the-borders.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-02-20/joshua-15:-the-borders</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 14: The Lone Soldier]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-14:-the-lone-soldier</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This chapter focuses on an 85 year old man of faith named Caleb.  When Caleb was a young sprite of 40, Moses sent him along with 12 other men to spy out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13-14).  When the group returned, a faithless majority reported that Canaan was full of giant men (Sons of Anak) who were too big and powerful for them to conquer.  Two spies, of which Caleb was one (Joshua was the other), took the minority position.  Caleb expressed a trust in the power and faithfulness of God to take the land.  His refusal to appeal to the approval of men led to both isolation and blessing.  Because the people grumbled against Caleb’s faithful report, God curses an entire generation.  Yet, God promises that Caleb and his family will possess the land he spied out because “has a different spirit and has followed me fully” (Numbers. 14.24).    45 years later, Caleb approaches his friend, and leader, Joshua to make claim on the promises of God.  Caleb requests the land that had been promised him, referencing the word of God spoken to him five different times.  His faith is not based on feelings or a sense of entitlement; it is rooted in the Word of God.  As he speaks God’s own words to Joshua concerning his promised blessing, he also recognizes with all gratitude, the blessings that have kept him a vigorous 85 year old.   Confident in the strength the LORD has given him, he declares his intention to lead the charge in driving out the Giant Anakim that had melted the hearts of Israel 45 years earlier.  Joshua blesses him and grants him his inheritance and Caleb gives Israel an example of unbreakable faith in the sovereignty of God, and an uncompromising commitment to mission, to which all other tribes will be compared (Joshua 15.13-19)]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This chapter focuses on an 85 year old man of faith named Caleb.  When Caleb was a young sprite of 40, Moses sent him along with 12 other men to spy out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13-14).  When the group returned, a faithless majority reported that Canaan was full of giant men (Sons of Anak) who were too big and powerful for them to conquer.  Two spies, of which Caleb was one (Joshua was the other), took the minority position.  Caleb expressed a trust in the power and faithfulness of God to take the land.  His refusal to appeal to the approval of men led to both isolation and blessing.  Because the people grumbled against Caleb’s faithful report, God curses an entire generation.  Yet, God promises that Caleb and his family will possess the land he spied out because “has a different spirit and has followed me fully” (Numbers. 14.24).    45 years later, Caleb approaches his friend, and leader, Joshua to make claim on the promises of God.  Caleb requests the land that had been promised him, referencing the word of God spoken to him five different times.  His faith is not based on feelings or a sense of entitlement; it is rooted in the Word of God.  As he speaks God’s own words to Joshua concerning his promised blessing, he also recognizes with all gratitude, the blessings that have kept him a vigorous 85 year old.   Confident in the strength the LORD has given him, he declares his intention to lead the charge in driving out the Giant Anakim that had melted the hearts of Israel 45 years earlier.  Joshua blesses him and grants him his inheritance and Caleb gives Israel an example of unbreakable faith in the sovereignty of God, and an uncompromising commitment to mission, to which all other tribes will be compared (Joshua 15.13-19)]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-14-the-lone-soldier.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-02-13/joshua-14:-the-lone-soldier</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 13: The Inheritance]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-13:-the-inheritance</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[With the closure of the northern campaign, chapter 13 begins the third major section of the record of Joshua—division of the land.  As the bloody record of brutality and warfare comes to a close, we enter the ever-exciting section on land surveys.  If not approached with the attitude of an Israelite, we can easily run through these chapters and learn nothing.  These verses describe his inheritance.   Practically, Joshua records how the spoils of war are divided among the 9 ½ tribes who did not receive an inheritance on the East of the Jordan.  The LORD tells Joshua that he is getting old and that there are many more lands to occupy in order to completely possess it.  The LORD would continue to lead each individual tribe as they cleaned out their respective allotments and fully occupied them.  Still led by God, the tribes would assume smaller missions, in their own unique parts of the land, as part of the same overall mission of conquest.     As the possession east of the Jordan is described, the first signs of Israel’s failure to fulfill their mission surfaces (v.13).  It seems that, the receipt of their inheritances make them less vigilant and more comfortable.  Though they were faithful in the crisis of war, their complete obedience has been threatened in peace and prosperity.  Nevertheless, as the inheritances are detailed for the various tribes, the record is full of historical allusions, reminding Israel of the past victories that made their possession possible.  Ironically, the passage ends (v.33) by reminding Israel and all who would read this record, that land itself is little more than dirt.  While it does represent a promise kept by God, it is the LORD himself, apart from the land, which represents the true prize.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[With the closure of the northern campaign, chapter 13 begins the third major section of the record of Joshua—division of the land.  As the bloody record of brutality and warfare comes to a close, we enter the ever-exciting section on land surveys.  If not approached with the attitude of an Israelite, we can easily run through these chapters and learn nothing.  These verses describe his inheritance.   Practically, Joshua records how the spoils of war are divided among the 9 ½ tribes who did not receive an inheritance on the East of the Jordan.  The LORD tells Joshua that he is getting old and that there are many more lands to occupy in order to completely possess it.  The LORD would continue to lead each individual tribe as they cleaned out their respective allotments and fully occupied them.  Still led by God, the tribes would assume smaller missions, in their own unique parts of the land, as part of the same overall mission of conquest.     As the possession east of the Jordan is described, the first signs of Israel’s failure to fulfill their mission surfaces (v.13).  It seems that, the receipt of their inheritances make them less vigilant and more comfortable.  Though they were faithful in the crisis of war, their complete obedience has been threatened in peace and prosperity.  Nevertheless, as the inheritances are detailed for the various tribes, the record is full of historical allusions, reminding Israel of the past victories that made their possession possible.  Ironically, the passage ends (v.33) by reminding Israel and all who would read this record, that land itself is little more than dirt.  While it does represent a promise kept by God, it is the LORD himself, apart from the land, which represents the true prize.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-13-the-inheritance.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-02-06/joshua-13:-the-inheritance</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 12: The Conquered]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-12:-the-conquered</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Chapter 12 summarizes the entire conquest of both Moses and Joshua on both sides of the Jordan.  The first six verses review the lands conquered East of the Jordan under Moses—the lands once possessed by Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan (Numbers 21.21-35).  The last 18 verses record the 31 kings conquered under the leadership of Joshua.    Passages with lists, like genealogies, are often ignored by readers of the Old Testament.  The tedious structure of the passages makes it difficult to find devotional value.  Before skimming through these verses, we must consider why the Holy Spirit felt it necessary to include this information.  Remembering the conquest of Moses, prior to the entrance into the Promised Land, helps to preserve unity in identity and mission among God’s people.  Moreover, the tribes on the Eastern side of the Jordan will, at some point, return home.  When they do, they mustn’t be considered “less” or “different”, but members of the same family.   The second half of the chapter, listing 31 kings in detail, demonstrates God’s faithfulness to his promise.  Reformer John Calvin notes:  But though each of those now summarily mentioned was previous given more detail, there is a good reason for placing before our eyes as it were a living picture of the goodness of God, proving there had been a complete ratification and performance of the covenant made with Abraham as given in the words, ‘Unto thy seed I will give this land.’ (Genesis 12.7; 13.15; 20.18).   In essence, the list of kings is an expression of gratitude for grace.  Expressing our thankfulness for specific blessings, particular moments of grace, and definite acts of mercy, will always build our faith.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Chapter 12 summarizes the entire conquest of both Moses and Joshua on both sides of the Jordan.  The first six verses review the lands conquered East of the Jordan under Moses—the lands once possessed by Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan (Numbers 21.21-35).  The last 18 verses record the 31 kings conquered under the leadership of Joshua.    Passages with lists, like genealogies, are often ignored by readers of the Old Testament.  The tedious structure of the passages makes it difficult to find devotional value.  Before skimming through these verses, we must consider why the Holy Spirit felt it necessary to include this information.  Remembering the conquest of Moses, prior to the entrance into the Promised Land, helps to preserve unity in identity and mission among God’s people.  Moreover, the tribes on the Eastern side of the Jordan will, at some point, return home.  When they do, they mustn’t be considered “less” or “different”, but members of the same family.   The second half of the chapter, listing 31 kings in detail, demonstrates God’s faithfulness to his promise.  Reformer John Calvin notes:  But though each of those now summarily mentioned was previous given more detail, there is a good reason for placing before our eyes as it were a living picture of the goodness of God, proving there had been a complete ratification and performance of the covenant made with Abraham as given in the words, ‘Unto thy seed I will give this land.’ (Genesis 12.7; 13.15; 20.18).   In essence, the list of kings is an expression of gratitude for grace.  Expressing our thankfulness for specific blessings, particular moments of grace, and definite acts of mercy, will always build our faith.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-12-the-conquered.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-01-30/joshua-12:-the-conquered</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 11: Final Combat]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-11:-final-combat</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The northern military campaign begins the same as the southern did, in response to an attack.  When the King of Hazor hears news of Israel’s Southern Conquest, like the king of Jerusalem before him, he sends to the other kings in the land.  The kings agree to join forces and amass their state-of-the-art equipped troops together to attack Israel at the waters of Merom, just north of Palestine.    As soon as this massive force is gathered against Israel, the LORD reassures Joshua.  God desires for Israel to be secure in Him alone, not in their strength or the apparent strength of their enemy.  The very thing that the enemy might boast in, and they might fear, He promises to destroy.  He guarantees that the horses of their enemies will have their tendons cut and the chariots they pull will be burned.  Having received divine assurance, Joshua acts immediately in faith and springs a surprise attack routing the enemy and laying waste to all of their people, “….every man they struck with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they did not leave any who breathed.”   Hazor, like Jericho, is burned to the ground.   Joshua then proceeds to take all of the land once held by these northern kings. Following God’s command, he kills all of them, making “war a long time.”  Though it is not graphic, this section of Joshua represents one of the most violent passages in Scripture.  Throughout the battles, the writer focuses on Joshua’s role as God’s servant, faithfully following God’s commands (v. 15).  The emphasis is not on his brutality, but his obedience.  His success is not measured by the size of his army, the cleverness of his strategies, or the record of victories.  Joshua’s record is one that evidences his faithfulness to God’s Word, especially in chaotic situations when disobedience may appear to be a justifiable alternative.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The northern military campaign begins the same as the southern did, in response to an attack.  When the King of Hazor hears news of Israel’s Southern Conquest, like the king of Jerusalem before him, he sends to the other kings in the land.  The kings agree to join forces and amass their state-of-the-art equipped troops together to attack Israel at the waters of Merom, just north of Palestine.    As soon as this massive force is gathered against Israel, the LORD reassures Joshua.  God desires for Israel to be secure in Him alone, not in their strength or the apparent strength of their enemy.  The very thing that the enemy might boast in, and they might fear, He promises to destroy.  He guarantees that the horses of their enemies will have their tendons cut and the chariots they pull will be burned.  Having received divine assurance, Joshua acts immediately in faith and springs a surprise attack routing the enemy and laying waste to all of their people, “….every man they struck with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they did not leave any who breathed.”   Hazor, like Jericho, is burned to the ground.   Joshua then proceeds to take all of the land once held by these northern kings. Following God’s command, he kills all of them, making “war a long time.”  Though it is not graphic, this section of Joshua represents one of the most violent passages in Scripture.  Throughout the battles, the writer focuses on Joshua’s role as God’s servant, faithfully following God’s commands (v. 15).  The emphasis is not on his brutality, but his obedience.  His success is not measured by the size of his army, the cleverness of his strategies, or the record of victories.  Joshua’s record is one that evidences his faithfulness to God’s Word, especially in chaotic situations when disobedience may appear to be a justifiable alternative.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-11-final-combat.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-01-23/joshua-11:-final-combat</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 10. 28-43: Battles - pt 2]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-10--28-43:-battles---pt-2</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Once the battle appears hopelessly lost for the enemy, the five cowardly kings retreat and hide in a cave together.  Joshua seals the cave with large stones and sets men to guard it.  Israel’s men of war then proceed to pursue their remaining enemies, preventing them from returning to their cities, until the bulk of their people were completely “wiped out.”  Upon Israel’s safe return to their camp, Joshua called for the five kings to be brought out from the cave.   Joshua commands that the five kings be brought before him to be executed by hanging.  Before he does this, he also summons all of the men of Israel and the military leaders who had battled with him. In an ancient and symbolic sign of victory, the men are commanded to place their feet on the necks of the prostrate kings.  This is not some barbaric expression of manhood—it is a reminder of God’s faithfulness.   For as they do this, Joshua repeats the same Words that God had first spoken to Him AND that the people had once spoken to Joshua himself—“Be strong and courageous.”  If they will remain steadfast and courageously follow the commands of the LORD, then the LORD will put all enemies under the same humiliating subjection as He did with these five kings.   Joshua then executes the kings as criminals, and hangs their bodies on a tree in accordance with the Law (Deut. 21.22-23).  The bodies of the five kings hang all day.  At sunset, Joshua commanded that the bodies be taken down and thrown into the same cave in which they once hid.  Again, they set large stones in front of the cave, creating yet another memorial to the LORD.  The defeat of the five kings and their armies sealed the doom of southern Canaan.  After the repeated   exaltation of Joshua’s leadership and Israel’s might, the passage ends reminding us why Israel is victorious at all—“because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel”.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Once the battle appears hopelessly lost for the enemy, the five cowardly kings retreat and hide in a cave together.  Joshua seals the cave with large stones and sets men to guard it.  Israel’s men of war then proceed to pursue their remaining enemies, preventing them from returning to their cities, until the bulk of their people were completely “wiped out.”  Upon Israel’s safe return to their camp, Joshua called for the five kings to be brought out from the cave.   Joshua commands that the five kings be brought before him to be executed by hanging.  Before he does this, he also summons all of the men of Israel and the military leaders who had battled with him. In an ancient and symbolic sign of victory, the men are commanded to place their feet on the necks of the prostrate kings.  This is not some barbaric expression of manhood—it is a reminder of God’s faithfulness.   For as they do this, Joshua repeats the same Words that God had first spoken to Him AND that the people had once spoken to Joshua himself—“Be strong and courageous.”  If they will remain steadfast and courageously follow the commands of the LORD, then the LORD will put all enemies under the same humiliating subjection as He did with these five kings.   Joshua then executes the kings as criminals, and hangs their bodies on a tree in accordance with the Law (Deut. 21.22-23).  The bodies of the five kings hang all day.  At sunset, Joshua commanded that the bodies be taken down and thrown into the same cave in which they once hid.  Again, they set large stones in front of the cave, creating yet another memorial to the LORD.  The defeat of the five kings and their armies sealed the doom of southern Canaan.  After the repeated   exaltation of Joshua’s leadership and Israel’s might, the passage ends reminding us why Israel is victorious at all—“because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel”.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-10-28-43-battles-pt-2.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-01-16/joshua-10--28-43:-battles---pt-2</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 10. 1-27: Battles - pt 1]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-10--1-27:-battles---pt-1</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Joshua chapter 10 records the southern military campaign in the Promised Land.   In this passage, the first conflict in the southern campaign, resides one of the most familiar miracles of the entire conquest.  By defeating Jericho and Ai, Joshua had cut a path dividing the North and the South.  In the South, we read about Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem.  The news that Gibeon, a great city of warriors, made peace with Israel, fills him with fear.  He calls for four other kings to combine forces and attack Gibeon, now an ally (though an enslaved one) with Israel.  It is noteworthy that throughout the conquest, it is Joshua’s enemies that consistently make the “first move.”  Unlike Rahab and even the Gibeonites to some extent, their movement is not to plea for mercy, rather, to rebel against the God of Israel.     As soon as the five kings encamp against Gibeon, the Gibeonites send for Joshua for help.  Joshua responds and all the men of war travel to fight for Gibeon.  From an earthly perspective, the odds are stacked against Joshua as he is most likely outnumbered and under-equipped. But, as the LORD had done in the beginning, He turns Joshua’s eyes towards His sovereignty and assures Joshua of total victory.  Verses 10 and 11 then picture the LORD as a warrior who commands his people to enter the battlefield, and then leads the charge.  Like something out of a Hollywood disaster film, the LORD throws down hailstones from heaven killing more people than those who fall by Israel’s own swords.  The emphasis of this passage, however, is not on this miracle of the weapons of war, but on the prayer that God answers causing the Sun and Moon to “stand still”.  He obeyed the voice of a man, Scriptures say, in a way He would never do again.   In the end, the passage declares men are fighting, but we see it is the LORD who is the warrior.  Both the battle and the victory is the LORD’S.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Joshua chapter 10 records the southern military campaign in the Promised Land.   In this passage, the first conflict in the southern campaign, resides one of the most familiar miracles of the entire conquest.  By defeating Jericho and Ai, Joshua had cut a path dividing the North and the South.  In the South, we read about Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem.  The news that Gibeon, a great city of warriors, made peace with Israel, fills him with fear.  He calls for four other kings to combine forces and attack Gibeon, now an ally (though an enslaved one) with Israel.  It is noteworthy that throughout the conquest, it is Joshua’s enemies that consistently make the “first move.”  Unlike Rahab and even the Gibeonites to some extent, their movement is not to plea for mercy, rather, to rebel against the God of Israel.     As soon as the five kings encamp against Gibeon, the Gibeonites send for Joshua for help.  Joshua responds and all the men of war travel to fight for Gibeon.  From an earthly perspective, the odds are stacked against Joshua as he is most likely outnumbered and under-equipped. But, as the LORD had done in the beginning, He turns Joshua’s eyes towards His sovereignty and assures Joshua of total victory.  Verses 10 and 11 then picture the LORD as a warrior who commands his people to enter the battlefield, and then leads the charge.  Like something out of a Hollywood disaster film, the LORD throws down hailstones from heaven killing more people than those who fall by Israel’s own swords.  The emphasis of this passage, however, is not on this miracle of the weapons of war, but on the prayer that God answers causing the Sun and Moon to “stand still”.  He obeyed the voice of a man, Scriptures say, in a way He would never do again.   In the end, the passage declares men are fighting, but we see it is the LORD who is the warrior.  Both the battle and the victory is the LORD’S.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-10-1-27-battles-pt-1.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-01-09/joshua-10--1-27:-battles---pt-1</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 9: The Bad Treaty]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-9:-the-bad-treaty</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[It didn’t take long for the word to get out about what Israel had done to Jericho and Ai.  The Southern Kings quickly gathered together to defeat their common enemy.  Just as the Exodus is a record of a sinful man’s rebellion against God (not Moses), so Joshua is a record of a group of sinful men and their rebellion against the One True God.  Fresh from a powerful renewal of their relationship with God, their faithfulness is immediately tested by the inhabitants of Gibeon.    God had clearly outlined the rules of warfare in the Law (Deut. 20.10-18).  These rules allowed for Israel to make treaties with peaceful cities outside the Promised Land, but they forbid Israel from making any treaties with those within.  Though the Gibeonites were powerful warriors (Joshua 10.2), the report of Israel’s conquests caused them to fear.  Apparently they had some working knowledge of God’s “rules of war”, so they sought to deceive Joshua and the elders into signing a peace treaty.  Their ruse is so cleverly devised that they only mention the battles east of the Jordan, and not the most recent ones that travelers from far away lands wouldn’t have heard about yet.  And, even though a suspicious Joshua and the elders ask many questions of the Gibeonites, they fail to ask God even one.     Within three days of making a covenant with them, they realize they are neighbors.  The people of Israel wanted to attack them immediately, but the leaders refused to break their word to the GIbeonites.  All of Israel grumbled against their own leaders.  Nevertheless, the leaders of Israel remained true to their oath to not destroy the cities of the Gibeonites.  They let them live but forced them to become laboring servants to the congregation and for the altar of the LORD.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[It didn’t take long for the word to get out about what Israel had done to Jericho and Ai.  The Southern Kings quickly gathered together to defeat their common enemy.  Just as the Exodus is a record of a sinful man’s rebellion against God (not Moses), so Joshua is a record of a group of sinful men and their rebellion against the One True God.  Fresh from a powerful renewal of their relationship with God, their faithfulness is immediately tested by the inhabitants of Gibeon.    God had clearly outlined the rules of warfare in the Law (Deut. 20.10-18).  These rules allowed for Israel to make treaties with peaceful cities outside the Promised Land, but they forbid Israel from making any treaties with those within.  Though the Gibeonites were powerful warriors (Joshua 10.2), the report of Israel’s conquests caused them to fear.  Apparently they had some working knowledge of God’s “rules of war”, so they sought to deceive Joshua and the elders into signing a peace treaty.  Their ruse is so cleverly devised that they only mention the battles east of the Jordan, and not the most recent ones that travelers from far away lands wouldn’t have heard about yet.  And, even though a suspicious Joshua and the elders ask many questions of the Gibeonites, they fail to ask God even one.     Within three days of making a covenant with them, they realize they are neighbors.  The people of Israel wanted to attack them immediately, but the leaders refused to break their word to the GIbeonites.  All of Israel grumbled against their own leaders.  Nevertheless, the leaders of Israel remained true to their oath to not destroy the cities of the Gibeonites.  They let them live but forced them to become laboring servants to the congregation and for the altar of the LORD.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-9-the-bad-treaty.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2011-01-02/joshua-9:-the-bad-treaty</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Ok, He's Here; Now What?]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/ok--hes-here--now-what</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Advent 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We take things as the come, allowing our emotions much more weight than God’s truth. We see glimpses of the peace of God, we also see conflict and pain. We want to be healing agents in the world, but we are afraid that we will cause more problems than solutions. We aren’t really sure if we are supposed to be free or in bondage, victorious or enslaved, redeemed or a work in progress. And the answer is YES, we are. We need to understand this dichotomy of ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We take things as the come, allowing our emotions much more weight than God’s truth. We see glimpses of the peace of God, we also see conflict and pain. We want to be healing agents in the world, but we are afraid that we will cause more problems than solutions. We aren’t really sure if we are supposed to be free or in bondage, victorious or enslaved, redeemed or a work in progress. And the answer is YES, we are. We need to understand this dichotomy of ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-peter-13-9.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-12-26/ok--hes-here--now-what</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Advent 2010: Peace]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/advent-2010:-peace</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Advent 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Our PEACE comes from the fact that Jesus has acted to redeem us to Himself. As John prepared the way, we almost must prepare our hearts for the Lamb of God. He does not come to offer us some sense of earthly prosperity, but a PEACE that passes all understanding. Repent and believe!  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ John 1.19-34]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our PEACE comes from the fact that Jesus has acted to redeem us to Himself. As John prepared the way, we almost must prepare our hearts for the Lamb of God. He does not come to offer us some sense of earthly prosperity, but a PEACE that passes all understanding. Repent and believe!  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ John 1.19-34]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/advent-2010-peace.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-12-19/advent-2010:-peace</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Dec 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Advent 2010: Love]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/advent-2010:-love</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Advent 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We often think of LOVE as some kind of feeling or emotion, but God defines LOVE through action. The act of the creator coming down to join His creation is mind boggling. That He would come to be rejected and killed in order to redeem those who did it – is LOVE.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.14]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We often think of LOVE as some kind of feeling or emotion, but God defines LOVE through action. The act of the creator coming down to join His creation is mind boggling. That He would come to be rejected and killed in order to redeem those who did it – is LOVE.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.14]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/advent-2010-love.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-12-12/advent-2010:-love</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Advent 2010: Hope]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/advent-2010:-hope</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Mark Hasko]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Advent 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We can have HOPE because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy, but also purpose (and meaning) for the prophecy to begin with. We look back at the Old Testament to see God’s plan of salvation unfolding. Our HOPE is built out of His sovereign control.  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Matthew 24.27]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We can have HOPE because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy, but also purpose (and meaning) for the prophecy to begin with. We look back at the Old Testament to see God’s plan of salvation unfolding. Our HOPE is built out of His sovereign control.  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Matthew 24.27]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/advent-2010-hope.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-12-05/advent-2010:-hope</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Dec 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 8. 30-35: Covenant]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-8--30-35:-covenant</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[What seems like an awkward transition from an execution, this passage serves as a fitting conclusion to what began in Joshua chapter 5.  What began with the participation in the marks of the covenant ends with a complete reading of the covenant itself.    Following the defeat of Ai, Joshua builds an altar on Mt. Ebal.  His actions are the fulfillment of Mose’s command east of the Jordan (Deut. 27) signifying the completion of their entrance into the land.  Jericho demonstrated what faith in God would accomplish while the first defeat at Ai confirmed results of faithlessness.  Their experience over the last few weeks culminates in the public writing and reading of the law.  Half of Israel stands before Mt. Ebal, the other half before Mt. Gerazim, with the Ark resting between them.   This all takes place at the city of Shechem, where Abraham first received the promise of the land (Gen. 12.6-7).  God’s covenant faithfulness is proclaimed to everyone as Joshua declares the cursings that accompanied disobedience and the blessings that resulted from obedience.   In placing the Covenant renewal at this point in the narrative, the writer intends to show that obedience to God’s Word is more important than fighting God’s War.  In fact, Israel’s future success is dependent upon their faithfulness, not their fighting skill, their complete submission to every Word of God, not their own perceived self-righteousness.  All people, male and female, young and old, must follow all of God’s Word—this is their first priority.  God’s Word must govern our emotions, our intellects, and even our experiences—not vice versa.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[What seems like an awkward transition from an execution, this passage serves as a fitting conclusion to what began in Joshua chapter 5.  What began with the participation in the marks of the covenant ends with a complete reading of the covenant itself.    Following the defeat of Ai, Joshua builds an altar on Mt. Ebal.  His actions are the fulfillment of Mose’s command east of the Jordan (Deut. 27) signifying the completion of their entrance into the land.  Jericho demonstrated what faith in God would accomplish while the first defeat at Ai confirmed results of faithlessness.  Their experience over the last few weeks culminates in the public writing and reading of the law.  Half of Israel stands before Mt. Ebal, the other half before Mt. Gerazim, with the Ark resting between them.   This all takes place at the city of Shechem, where Abraham first received the promise of the land (Gen. 12.6-7).  God’s covenant faithfulness is proclaimed to everyone as Joshua declares the cursings that accompanied disobedience and the blessings that resulted from obedience.   In placing the Covenant renewal at this point in the narrative, the writer intends to show that obedience to God’s Word is more important than fighting God’s War.  In fact, Israel’s future success is dependent upon their faithfulness, not their fighting skill, their complete submission to every Word of God, not their own perceived self-righteousness.  All people, male and female, young and old, must follow all of God’s Word—this is their first priority.  God’s Word must govern our emotions, our intellects, and even our experiences—not vice versa.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-8-30-35-covenant.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-11-28/joshua-8--30-35:-covenant</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 8. 1-29: First Victory]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-8--1-29:-first-victory</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[After removing the sin from the camp, God is ready to fight for them again.  Reassuring them not to fear, God instructs them on how to attack Ai a second time.  Like Jericho, God promises to give the city into their hands.  Unlike Jericho, God puts forward a more military-like strategy to conquer the city.    Where the battle of Jericho reveals God’s power, the second battle of Ai reveals his cleverness.  The clever strategy, however, is not what wins the battle.  The timing and necessity of God’s help, as a result of the cleansing of sin, is important to remember as the key to the victory. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[After removing the sin from the camp, God is ready to fight for them again.  Reassuring them not to fear, God instructs them on how to attack Ai a second time.  Like Jericho, God promises to give the city into their hands.  Unlike Jericho, God puts forward a more military-like strategy to conquer the city.    Where the battle of Jericho reveals God’s power, the second battle of Ai reveals his cleverness.  The clever strategy, however, is not what wins the battle.  The timing and necessity of God’s help, as a result of the cleansing of sin, is important to remember as the key to the victory. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-8-first-victory.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-11-21/joshua-8--1-29:-first-victory</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Nov 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 7: First Defeat]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-7:-first-defeat</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Israel’s first conquest is followed immediately by their first defeat.  The first verse of chapter seven gives the reason why—God is angry about one man’s sin.    Following the victory at Jericho, Joshua immediately moves on to the city of Ai.  As he had with Jericho, he sends spies ahead who tell Joshua to send fewer men as it looks to be an easier victory.  The men of Israel are routed. While it’s tempting to believe that overconfidence or a lack of prayer caused the defeat, the reason is clear.  In utter disbelief, Joshua and the elders fall on their face before God, pleading with him to defend his own name.  God responds by telling them to get up, clean themselves, and get the sin out of their family.    We learn much from this narrative about God, sin, and the purity of worship.  God is holy and cannot tolerate the smallest of sins.  Moreover, the smallest of individual’s sins will impact an entire community bringing all kinds of trouble and hindering the mission of God.  Private sin never remains hidden, it always has public consequences that infect and destroy all kinds of relationships.  Joshua’s response teaches us what good leadership does when they find sin in their camp.  The leaders of God’s people are charged to preserve the purity of worship.  So, at the command of God, Joshua has all of Israel draw lots from tribes, to clans, to families, to individuals, until a man named Achan confesses to coveting and breaking God’s commands.    Even though Achan confesses his sin, there are still punitive consequences for him and his family.  Joshua brings Achan, his family, the items he stole and all he owns into a valley.  There, representing the LORD’S justice, all of Israel justly stones, burns, and buries everything.   As the purity of worship is restored, the LORD’S anger subsides.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Israel’s first conquest is followed immediately by their first defeat.  The first verse of chapter seven gives the reason why—God is angry about one man’s sin.    Following the victory at Jericho, Joshua immediately moves on to the city of Ai.  As he had with Jericho, he sends spies ahead who tell Joshua to send fewer men as it looks to be an easier victory.  The men of Israel are routed. While it’s tempting to believe that overconfidence or a lack of prayer caused the defeat, the reason is clear.  In utter disbelief, Joshua and the elders fall on their face before God, pleading with him to defend his own name.  God responds by telling them to get up, clean themselves, and get the sin out of their family.    We learn much from this narrative about God, sin, and the purity of worship.  God is holy and cannot tolerate the smallest of sins.  Moreover, the smallest of individual’s sins will impact an entire community bringing all kinds of trouble and hindering the mission of God.  Private sin never remains hidden, it always has public consequences that infect and destroy all kinds of relationships.  Joshua’s response teaches us what good leadership does when they find sin in their camp.  The leaders of God’s people are charged to preserve the purity of worship.  So, at the command of God, Joshua has all of Israel draw lots from tribes, to clans, to families, to individuals, until a man named Achan confesses to coveting and breaking God’s commands.    Even though Achan confesses his sin, there are still punitive consequences for him and his family.  Joshua brings Achan, his family, the items he stole and all he owns into a valley.  There, representing the LORD’S justice, all of Israel justly stones, burns, and buries everything.   As the purity of worship is restored, the LORD’S anger subsides.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-7-first-defeat.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-11-14/joshua-7:-first-defeat</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 6: First Conquest]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-6:-first-conquest</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Under the direction of the LORD, Joshua moves to attack Jericho.  Chapter 6 begins with a sense of hopelessness as the city is protected by huge walls that are seemingly impenetrable, especially for a people unskilled in the necessary kind of warfare.  Despite the impossibility of the task, God promises victory if Joshua will follow his unorthodox method of fighting.  God’s method included lining up the soldiers, the band (seven priests with ram’s horns), the Ark, and the security guards. In this order, they would circle the closed up city once every day for six days.  And, with the exception of the band blowing horns, they are to do this while remaining silent.  On the seventh day, General Joshua led this procession around the city seven times.  After the seventh time, Joshua commanded Israel to open their mouths and SHOUT. And the walls fell.   As commanded by the LORD (Lev. 27.28-29; Deut. 13.16; 20-.10-18), the entire city was devoted to destruction including men, women, young, human and animal.  They burned the entire city with fire and cursed its rebuilding.  Only God-fearing Rahab, and all who were in her home, were saved from the wrath of the LORD’S army.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Under the direction of the LORD, Joshua moves to attack Jericho.  Chapter 6 begins with a sense of hopelessness as the city is protected by huge walls that are seemingly impenetrable, especially for a people unskilled in the necessary kind of warfare.  Despite the impossibility of the task, God promises victory if Joshua will follow his unorthodox method of fighting.  God’s method included lining up the soldiers, the band (seven priests with ram’s horns), the Ark, and the security guards. In this order, they would circle the closed up city once every day for six days.  And, with the exception of the band blowing horns, they are to do this while remaining silent.  On the seventh day, General Joshua led this procession around the city seven times.  After the seventh time, Joshua commanded Israel to open their mouths and SHOUT. And the walls fell.   As commanded by the LORD (Lev. 27.28-29; Deut. 13.16; 20-.10-18), the entire city was devoted to destruction including men, women, young, human and animal.  They burned the entire city with fire and cursed its rebuilding.  Only God-fearing Rahab, and all who were in her home, were saved from the wrath of the LORD’S army.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-6-first-conquest.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-11-07/joshua-6:-first-conquest</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Nov 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 5. 13-15: General Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-5--13-15:-general-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The conquest of Jericho is one of the strangest and well known stories in the Bible.  The narrative begins with a brief encounter with what appears to be a warrior.  Joshua asks whether the warrior is on his or his enemy’s side.  The warrior answers “No”, explaining that He is the Commander of the Lord’s Army and He is on God’s side.  At that, Joshua wisely falls on his face and worships Him, echoing the same experience Moses had with a burning shrubbery.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The conquest of Jericho is one of the strangest and well known stories in the Bible.  The narrative begins with a brief encounter with what appears to be a warrior.  Joshua asks whether the warrior is on his or his enemy’s side.  The warrior answers “No”, explaining that He is the Commander of the Lord’s Army and He is on God’s side.  At that, Joshua wisely falls on his face and worships Him, echoing the same experience Moses had with a burning shrubbery.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-5-13-15-general-jesus.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-10-31/joshua-5--13-15:-general-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 Oct 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 5. 1-12: The Boot Camp]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-5--1-12:-the-boot-camp</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The book of Numbers was a time of great unbelief and judgment (Numbers 14). Because of their rebellion, God patiently waited 40 years for the original Exodus generation to die in the wilderness.  The subsequent generation, for one reason or another, did not experience all of the sacraments that identified them as God’s people.  Whether these sacraments were withdrawn by God or ignored by Israel is not clear.  What is clear is that, the generation that came out of Egypt had all of the observable marks of the faithful but lacked the proper heart response.   By grace then, God raises up a new generation in their place—their children led by Joshua.  The writer makes a clear distinction between the old and new generation, between the shame of parents who failed to persevere in their faith and the hope of their children who would persevere.  As a mark of God’s faithfulness to his Promises, Joshua is commanded to circumcise the males—some of whom would be around 40 years old.  The pain of circumcision not only identifies the Israelites as God’s chosen, but as they have entered the land, it symbolizes a completion of the redemption from Egypt (Ex. 3.8).  God kept His promise.     As they heal from their backwoods surgical procedure, the Israelites celebrate the Passover.  Only the circumcised could participate in the Passover (Ex.12.48), a celebration of God’s provision.  The feast marks the beginning of a new age where food no longer flows directly from heaven, but still as a result of God’s gift.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The book of Numbers was a time of great unbelief and judgment (Numbers 14). Because of their rebellion, God patiently waited 40 years for the original Exodus generation to die in the wilderness.  The subsequent generation, for one reason or another, did not experience all of the sacraments that identified them as God’s people.  Whether these sacraments were withdrawn by God or ignored by Israel is not clear.  What is clear is that, the generation that came out of Egypt had all of the observable marks of the faithful but lacked the proper heart response.   By grace then, God raises up a new generation in their place—their children led by Joshua.  The writer makes a clear distinction between the old and new generation, between the shame of parents who failed to persevere in their faith and the hope of their children who would persevere.  As a mark of God’s faithfulness to his Promises, Joshua is commanded to circumcise the males—some of whom would be around 40 years old.  The pain of circumcision not only identifies the Israelites as God’s chosen, but as they have entered the land, it symbolizes a completion of the redemption from Egypt (Ex. 3.8).  God kept His promise.     As they heal from their backwoods surgical procedure, the Israelites celebrate the Passover.  Only the circumcised could participate in the Passover (Ex.12.48), a celebration of God’s provision.  The feast marks the beginning of a new age where food no longer flows directly from heaven, but still as a result of God’s gift.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-5-1-12-the-boot-camp.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-10-24/joshua-5--1-12:-the-boot-camp</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Oct 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 4: Two Memorials]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-4:-two-memorials</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Chapter four focuses on memorializing the grace and goodness of God.  After the nation of Israel has finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD instructs Joshua to select 12 men, one from each tribe, who will select 12 stones from the bottom of the Jordan River.  Joshua follows God’s command and the men, once again, walk before the presence of God into the Jordan.  There, they each take a stone and carry it with them to Gilgal where all Israel will camp.  Before the priests carry the Ark completely from the midst of the Jordan, Joshua himself sets up 12 different stones where the feet of the priests had stood.  When finished, the priests step out of the Jordan and once again, pass over the people to lead them deeper into the land.  When the priests’ feet walked onto dry ground outside the river, the Jordan immediately became a raging river overflowing its banks again.  The people had crossed the Jordan on the same day that they had been commanded to choose the Passover Lamb while in Egypt (Exodus 12.3).  It was a day remembered as the “first day” of their new identify as the redeemed people of God.  The crossing of the Jordan is the first act in the completion of that same redemption.  The men who carried the stones from the Jordan to Gilgal, set them up in a pile as a permanent memorial of God’s goodness.  The stones will forever be a monument to teach the future generations, especially in times of trial, about the fear of the LORD.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Chapter four focuses on memorializing the grace and goodness of God.  After the nation of Israel has finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD instructs Joshua to select 12 men, one from each tribe, who will select 12 stones from the bottom of the Jordan River.  Joshua follows God’s command and the men, once again, walk before the presence of God into the Jordan.  There, they each take a stone and carry it with them to Gilgal where all Israel will camp.  Before the priests carry the Ark completely from the midst of the Jordan, Joshua himself sets up 12 different stones where the feet of the priests had stood.  When finished, the priests step out of the Jordan and once again, pass over the people to lead them deeper into the land.  When the priests’ feet walked onto dry ground outside the river, the Jordan immediately became a raging river overflowing its banks again.  The people had crossed the Jordan on the same day that they had been commanded to choose the Passover Lamb while in Egypt (Exodus 12.3).  It was a day remembered as the “first day” of their new identify as the redeemed people of God.  The crossing of the Jordan is the first act in the completion of that same redemption.  The men who carried the stones from the Jordan to Gilgal, set them up in a pile as a permanent memorial of God’s goodness.  The stones will forever be a monument to teach the future generations, especially in times of trial, about the fear of the LORD.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-4audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-10-17/joshua-4:-two-memorials</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 Oct 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 3: The Crossing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-3:-the-crossing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Following Joshua’s command from chapter 1, after three days, the officers go through the camp and prepare the people to move. The Ark of the Covenant plays a central role throughout the crossing into the land.  Over the next two chapters, the Ark is mentioned seventeen times, reminding the reader of God’s active presence throughout the narrative.    The LORD commands that the crossing be led by the Ark of the Covenant, carried by the Levitical priests, walking over a half of a mile ahead of the people.  Before Israel begins moving, they “consecrate” themselves with what were likely some sort of physical washings that symbolized holiness.  They are preparing to see God “do wonders”, the same verbiage used to describe the plagues poured out on Egypt.  The command echoes a similar one given by God before the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19.  As God begins to “exalt” Joshua before the people, just as He did with Moses, a series of events patterned after the Exodus experience emerges.    Carried by the Levitical priests, the Ark of the Covenant leads the way into the Jordan.  At this time, the Jordan River is as large as it ever is with banks overflowing.  This seasonal river is most likely at least a mile wide and a raging torrent this time of the year.  God’s timing is never “ideal” in the eyes of men, but always perfectly suited to maximize His glory.  Miraculously, as soon as the soles of the Levitical priests carrying the Ark are dipped in the water, the river stops and dry land is exposed.  The people cross over on dry land before the presence of God which stands in the midst of the Jordan.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Following Joshua’s command from chapter 1, after three days, the officers go through the camp and prepare the people to move. The Ark of the Covenant plays a central role throughout the crossing into the land.  Over the next two chapters, the Ark is mentioned seventeen times, reminding the reader of God’s active presence throughout the narrative.    The LORD commands that the crossing be led by the Ark of the Covenant, carried by the Levitical priests, walking over a half of a mile ahead of the people.  Before Israel begins moving, they “consecrate” themselves with what were likely some sort of physical washings that symbolized holiness.  They are preparing to see God “do wonders”, the same verbiage used to describe the plagues poured out on Egypt.  The command echoes a similar one given by God before the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19.  As God begins to “exalt” Joshua before the people, just as He did with Moses, a series of events patterned after the Exodus experience emerges.    Carried by the Levitical priests, the Ark of the Covenant leads the way into the Jordan.  At this time, the Jordan River is as large as it ever is with banks overflowing.  This seasonal river is most likely at least a mile wide and a raging torrent this time of the year.  God’s timing is never “ideal” in the eyes of men, but always perfectly suited to maximize His glory.  Miraculously, as soon as the soles of the Levitical priests carrying the Ark are dipped in the water, the river stops and dry land is exposed.  The people cross over on dry land before the presence of God which stands in the midst of the Jordan.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-3-the-crossing.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-10-10/joshua-3:-the-crossing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Oct 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 2: Faith Like a Prostitute]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-2:-faith-like-a-prostitute</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The 2nd chapter of Joshua centers on the helpful actions of a Canaanite harlot named Rahab living in the city of Jericho.   In preparing for battle, Joshua sends two men to spy out the land and the city itself.  As it is not unusual to see foreign men enter the home of the town whore, the two spies decide to lodge with Rahab for the night.  It is only a matter of time before the King hears of the spies, so he sends men to Rahab’s house to investigate.  Rahab protects the “enemy” spies by lying about the identify of her visitors, and sending the King’s men on a wild goose chase in pursuit of the men who are hiding on her roof.   When the danger subsides, Rahab speaks with the men about what she has heard concerning the God of Israel.  She explains how the news of their Exodus from Egypt and their victories on the East side of the Jordan melted the hearts of all of the people.  In the heart of this young broken woman, however, a spirit of faith had been born at report of God’s mighty works. Sadly, it is common for people to get preoccupied with the lie this pagan prostitute tells to the King’s men as opposed to the truth about God she declares to God’s men.  The conversion of this “shady lady”, her confession of God’s character, her expressed desire to take refuge in Him from the coming wrath is at the heart of genuine faith.    The placement of chapter two is strange.  It is inserted between chapters one where Joshua receives the command to cross the Jordan and chapter three where he actually does. Through this awkward but deliberate pause in the narrative, the writer reveals a God who is not only powerful enough to melt hearts by his wrath, but one powerful enough to redeem the most broken of hearts in order to save (Matt 1.5).]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The 2nd chapter of Joshua centers on the helpful actions of a Canaanite harlot named Rahab living in the city of Jericho.   In preparing for battle, Joshua sends two men to spy out the land and the city itself.  As it is not unusual to see foreign men enter the home of the town whore, the two spies decide to lodge with Rahab for the night.  It is only a matter of time before the King hears of the spies, so he sends men to Rahab’s house to investigate.  Rahab protects the “enemy” spies by lying about the identify of her visitors, and sending the King’s men on a wild goose chase in pursuit of the men who are hiding on her roof.   When the danger subsides, Rahab speaks with the men about what she has heard concerning the God of Israel.  She explains how the news of their Exodus from Egypt and their victories on the East side of the Jordan melted the hearts of all of the people.  In the heart of this young broken woman, however, a spirit of faith had been born at report of God’s mighty works. Sadly, it is common for people to get preoccupied with the lie this pagan prostitute tells to the King’s men as opposed to the truth about God she declares to God’s men.  The conversion of this “shady lady”, her confession of God’s character, her expressed desire to take refuge in Him from the coming wrath is at the heart of genuine faith.    The placement of chapter two is strange.  It is inserted between chapters one where Joshua receives the command to cross the Jordan and chapter three where he actually does. Through this awkward but deliberate pause in the narrative, the writer reveals a God who is not only powerful enough to melt hearts by his wrath, but one powerful enough to redeem the most broken of hearts in order to save (Matt 1.5).]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-2-1-24-audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-10-03/joshua-2:-faith-like-a-prostitute</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Oct 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 1. 10-18: One People]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-1--10-18:-one-people</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God begins his mission by calling a man to lead other men on mission.  Immediately after God commissions Joshua, the newly appointed leader immediately begins to lead God’s people.  He commands the officers to prepare to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land.  For 39 years, the only moving these people have done is to run circles in the wilderness.  Now, they are preparing to see God fulfill his promise of “a land” to Abraham.   Numbers 32 records how several of Israelite’s tribes already received their portion of the land East of the Jordan.  It would be tempting for them to remain in the safety of their possession while their brothers enter the war zone.  Joshua speaks directly to these tribes reminding them of their responsibility to participate in the fight for the whole of the land.  These men of war will fight with all of Israel until God gives them “rest” and only then shall they return to their families.  It is here that the Scriptures emphasize the importance of unity among God’s people on fighting beside one another against a common enemy with a common leadership and a common purpose.   The people declare their allegiance to Joshua’s command with one voice.  Though Moses has died, the response of the people demonstrates their faith that God’s mission continues, that God’s presence will go with them, that God’s Word will guide them if their leadership is “strong and courageous.”]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God begins his mission by calling a man to lead other men on mission.  Immediately after God commissions Joshua, the newly appointed leader immediately begins to lead God’s people.  He commands the officers to prepare to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land.  For 39 years, the only moving these people have done is to run circles in the wilderness.  Now, they are preparing to see God fulfill his promise of “a land” to Abraham.   Numbers 32 records how several of Israelite’s tribes already received their portion of the land East of the Jordan.  It would be tempting for them to remain in the safety of their possession while their brothers enter the war zone.  Joshua speaks directly to these tribes reminding them of their responsibility to participate in the fight for the whole of the land.  These men of war will fight with all of Israel until God gives them “rest” and only then shall they return to their families.  It is here that the Scriptures emphasize the importance of unity among God’s people on fighting beside one another against a common enemy with a common leadership and a common purpose.   The people declare their allegiance to Joshua’s command with one voice.  Though Moses has died, the response of the people demonstrates their faith that God’s mission continues, that God’s presence will go with them, that God’s Word will guide them if their leadership is “strong and courageous.”]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-110-18one-peopleaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-09-26/joshua-1--10-18:-one-people</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua 1. 1-9: The Man]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua-1--1-9:-the-man</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Joshua was not always a General, but he was always a leader.  Unlike his predecessor Moses, we do not have a complete record of Joshua’s life from birth to burial.  Nevertheless, the Scriptures do give us some history into the young man who became a General.  We’re first introduced to Joshua in the book of Exodus where he is chosen by Moses to lead Israel’s first battle in what seems like days after crossing the Red Sea.  Joshua does as Moses instructs and immediately establishes himself as Moses’ right hand man.  It was Joshua who walked up the mountain with Moses.  It was Joshua who comes down to see Israel worshipping a golden calf with Moses.  It is Joshua who sat at the tent of meeting when Moses spoke with God.  Before sending Joshua in to spy out the land with 11 other guys, Moses changes his name from Hoshea (salvation) to Joshua (the Lord is salvation).  It is here that begins the transition from Moses’ assistant to the man of God who would replace his pastor, mentor, and friend.   Through the wanderings of a faithless people, Joshua remains faithful—a man’s whose faith was defined by action, not simply words.     Now, Joshua has big shoes to fill.  And as despairing nation mourns the passing of their great leader, the promises of God are all but forgotten by Israel.   While God uses men to lead his people on mission, the success of his mission is never dependent upon men.   Just as He exalted Moses, God promises to exalt Joshua.   Joshua’s success is not predicated on his experience, odds, or position—but on his faithfulness to God’s Word.  God says that IF he is faithful, he will succeed.  At the same time, Joshua is told to be “strong and courageous” because what he knows in his heart and soul about God’s faithfulness will be tested by what he sees with his eyes.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Joshua was not always a General, but he was always a leader.  Unlike his predecessor Moses, we do not have a complete record of Joshua’s life from birth to burial.  Nevertheless, the Scriptures do give us some history into the young man who became a General.  We’re first introduced to Joshua in the book of Exodus where he is chosen by Moses to lead Israel’s first battle in what seems like days after crossing the Red Sea.  Joshua does as Moses instructs and immediately establishes himself as Moses’ right hand man.  It was Joshua who walked up the mountain with Moses.  It was Joshua who comes down to see Israel worshipping a golden calf with Moses.  It is Joshua who sat at the tent of meeting when Moses spoke with God.  Before sending Joshua in to spy out the land with 11 other guys, Moses changes his name from Hoshea (salvation) to Joshua (the Lord is salvation).  It is here that begins the transition from Moses’ assistant to the man of God who would replace his pastor, mentor, and friend.   Through the wanderings of a faithless people, Joshua remains faithful—a man’s whose faith was defined by action, not simply words.     Now, Joshua has big shoes to fill.  And as despairing nation mourns the passing of their great leader, the promises of God are all but forgotten by Israel.   While God uses men to lead his people on mission, the success of his mission is never dependent upon men.   Just as He exalted Moses, God promises to exalt Joshua.   Joshua’s success is not predicated on his experience, odds, or position—but on his faithfulness to God’s Word.  God says that IF he is faithful, he will succeed.  At the same time, Joshua is told to be “strong and courageous” because what he knows in his heart and soul about God’s faithfulness will be tested by what he sees with his eyes.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/joshua-11-9audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-09-19/joshua-1--1-9:-the-man</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Sep 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Joshua: Introduction]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/joshua:-introduction</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Joshua: Lord's Army]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The narrative of Joshua begins with the death of a man named Moses.  The story that is told, however, begins over four hundred years earlier with a man named Abram.  In Genesis 12, by grace, God calls Abram out of his country to “a land I will show you” (Gen. 12.1-3).  Later, God makes a covenant with Abram, whereby he promises to make his offspring great in number and to bless the world through a promised son.  He is also told, for certain, that his family will spend four hundred years afflicted in a land that is not theirs.  Lastly, God tells Abram that one day He will judge the nation that enslaved them and his offspring will be freed.  He promises that Abram’s offspring will finally  possess a land of their own, a promised land, “…from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” (Gen. 15.1-21).  This is where the story begins.  The story continues through the first five books of the Old Testament (Pentateuch), recording God’s fulfillment of his promises to Abraham, his son Issac and his grandson Jacob.  As foretold, Jacob’s sons find themselves saved by then enslaved in the land of Egypt.  After four hundred years, God raises up Moses to lead his people to the Promised Land.  Speaking for God, Moses tells Israel: “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I promise that I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites…a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3.13-22).  God miraculously and powerfully delivers his people out of Egypt and, through Moses, gives them His Law.  The story of Joshua is the bridge between the calling of God’s people to be worshippers and those same people living as worshippers in the world. And while Joshua is the record of God’s faithfulness to his redeemed people, ironically, it reminds men of their need for a Savior.  Beginning with the death of Moses reveals to us how far the Law will in fact take us.  And while the Law is good and can get us closer to God, it cannot save.  We need “Yeshua”, meaning Jehovah the Savior (Jesus), to enter God’s rest.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The narrative of Joshua begins with the death of a man named Moses.  The story that is told, however, begins over four hundred years earlier with a man named Abram.  In Genesis 12, by grace, God calls Abram out of his country to “a land I will show you” (Gen. 12.1-3).  Later, God makes a covenant with Abram, whereby he promises to make his offspring great in number and to bless the world through a promised son.  He is also told, for certain, that his family will spend four hundred years afflicted in a land that is not theirs.  Lastly, God tells Abram that one day He will judge the nation that enslaved them and his offspring will be freed.  He promises that Abram’s offspring will finally  possess a land of their own, a promised land, “…from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” (Gen. 15.1-21).  This is where the story begins.  The story continues through the first five books of the Old Testament (Pentateuch), recording God’s fulfillment of his promises to Abraham, his son Issac and his grandson Jacob.  As foretold, Jacob’s sons find themselves saved by then enslaved in the land of Egypt.  After four hundred years, God raises up Moses to lead his people to the Promised Land.  Speaking for God, Moses tells Israel: “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I promise that I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites…a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3.13-22).  God miraculously and powerfully delivers his people out of Egypt and, through Moses, gives them His Law.  The story of Joshua is the bridge between the calling of God’s people to be worshippers and those same people living as worshippers in the world. And while Joshua is the record of God’s faithfulness to his redeemed people, ironically, it reminds men of their need for a Savior.  Beginning with the death of Moses reveals to us how far the Law will in fact take us.  And while the Law is good and can get us closer to God, it cannot save.  We need “Yeshua”, meaning Jehovah the Savior (Jesus), to enter God’s rest.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/intro-to-joshuaaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-09-12/joshua:-introduction</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Sep 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Summer Parables:  The Rich Fool]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/summer-parables:--the-rich-fool</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Summer Parables 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Parable of the Rich Fool]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Parable of the Rich Fool]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/rich-foolaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-09-05/summer-parables:--the-rich-fool</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Sep 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Stand Alone:  The Wilderness Mark 1.9]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/stand-alone:--the-wilderness-mark-1-9</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <description><![CDATA[We all are either going into, leaving, or have been in the wilderness]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We all are either going into, leaving, or have been in the wilderness]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/mark-91-15audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-08-29/stand-alone:--the-wilderness-mark-1-9</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Summer Parables:  Unforgiving Servant]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/summer-parables:--unforgiving-servant</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Mark Hasko]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Summer Parables 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Today’s sermon is on the parable of the unforgiving servant and is found in Matthew 18: 21-35. This parable, in which Jesus teaches us that Christians need to be a forgiving people has rightly been described by some as a parable of judgment because of the way with which Jesus concludes it with a warning of eternal judgment for those who do not forgive their brother from the heart.  So I think it fair to say that it is wise for us to humbly hear this parable and learn what Jesus is teaching us about forgiveness.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Today’s sermon is on the parable of the unforgiving servant and is found in Matthew 18: 21-35. This parable, in which Jesus teaches us that Christians need to be a forgiving people has rightly been described by some as a parable of judgment because of the way with which Jesus concludes it with a warning of eternal judgment for those who do not forgive their brother from the heart.  So I think it fair to say that it is wise for us to humbly hear this parable and learn what Jesus is teaching us about forgiveness.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/unfortgiving-servantaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-08-22/summer-parables:--unforgiving-servant</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 6.11-21 Fight the good Fight]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-6-11-21-fight-the-good-fight</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Enter the contest. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Enter the contest. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-611-21audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-08-18/1timothy-6-11-21-fight-the-good-fight</guid>
   <pubDate>Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Summer Parables:  The Good Samaritan]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/summer-parables:--the-good-samaritan</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Summer Parables 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We can only act like the Good Samaritan when we first realize that we're the half-dead guy  in the ditch. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We can only act like the Good Samaritan when we first realize that we're the half-dead guy  in the ditch. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/good-samaritanaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-08-15/summer-parables:--the-good-samaritan</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Summer Parables: The Foolish Bridesmaids]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/summer-parables:-the-foolish-bridesmaids</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Summer Parables 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The visible church is made of those who are wise and those who are foolish; those who love Jesus and those who are religious; those who will be ready to welcome Jesus' return with joy and those who will shrink in shame.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The visible church is made of those who are wise and those who are foolish; those who love Jesus and those who are religious; those who will be ready to welcome Jesus' return with joy and those who will shrink in shame.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/10-viriginsaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-08-08/summer-parables:-the-foolish-bridesmaids</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Aug 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Summer Parables:  The Wedding Feast]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/summer-parables:--the-wedding-feast</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Summer Parables 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[A royal invitation is a royal command. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[A royal invitation is a royal command. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/matthew-221-14audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-08-01/summer-parables:--the-wedding-feast</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Aug 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Summer Parables:  Seed & Soil]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/summer-parables:--seed--soil</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Summer Parables 2010]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[An introduction to our Summer Parables series.  Here, Jesus explains why he tells parables at all and what kinds of soil God makes men to be (soil doesn't choose to be anything). ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[An introduction to our Summer Parables series.  Here, Jesus explains why he tells parables at all and what kinds of soil God makes men to be (soil doesn't choose to be anything). ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/seed-and-soilaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-07-25/summer-parables:--seed--soil</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 6.11-21 Fight the good Fight]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-6-11-21-fight-the-good-fight</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Enter the contest. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Enter the contest. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-611-21audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-07-18/1timothy-6-11-21-fight-the-good-fight</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 6.1-10 from discontent to wolf]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-6-1-10-from-discontent-to-wolf</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[discontent can lead to unbelief in anyone; just as it does with all false teachers]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[discontent can lead to unbelief in anyone; just as it does with all false teachers]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-61-10audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-07-11/1timothy-6-1-10-from-discontent-to-wolf</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 5.17-25 good pastor bad pastor]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-5-17-25-good-pastor-bad-pastor</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The Bible commands the church to respect and pay good pastors and to rebuke and remove bad ones. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Bible commands the church to respect and pay good pastors and to rebuke and remove bad ones. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-517-25audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-07-04/1timothy-5-17-25-good-pastor-bad-pastor</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Jul 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 5.1-16_family]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-5-1-16_family</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The church is a family, with relationships and responsibilities governed by the gospel. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The church is a family, with relationships and responsibilities governed by the gospel. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-51-16audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-06-27/1timothy-5-1-16_family</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 4.9-16_Bible Thumper]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-4-9-16_bible-thumper</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-410-16audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-06-20/1timothy-4-9-16_bible-thumper</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 4.1-8 Lying Legalists ]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-4-1-8-lying-legalists-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul warns Timothy that the Holy Spirit knows that, in later times,some people in the church will turn from the truth and devote themselves to myths. He then proceeds to be more specific about the kinds of false teachings in Ephesus. A common sign of a false teacher is one whose “truth” claims amount to self-righteous legalism. In the end, Paul directs the entire conversation away from rules or no rules, and towards a healthier view of godliness.  To guard against false teachers, stupid arguments, and meaningless rules, Christians should devote themselves to training their souls so that they are spiritually healthy, strong, and not easily led astray.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul warns Timothy that the Holy Spirit knows that, in later times,some people in the church will turn from the truth and devote themselves to myths. He then proceeds to be more specific about the kinds of false teachings in Ephesus. A common sign of a false teacher is one whose “truth” claims amount to self-righteous legalism. In the end, Paul directs the entire conversation away from rules or no rules, and towards a healthier view of godliness.  To guard against false teachers, stupid arguments, and meaningless rules, Christians should devote themselves to training their souls so that they are spiritually healthy, strong, and not easily led astray.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy41-8audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-06-13/1timothy-4-1-8-lying-legalists-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Jun 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 3.8-16_qualified servants]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-3-8-16_qualified-servants</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[All Christians are deacons imitating Jesus, the model deacon.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[All Christians are deacons imitating Jesus, the model deacon.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy38-16audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-06-06/1timothy-3-8-16_qualified-servants</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Jun 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 3.1-7_Qualified Elders]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-3-1-7_qualified-elders</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[After explaining what unqualified leadership looks like, Paul describes how to identify qualified male leadership to pastor the church.  ***Extra Long Sermon*** ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[After explaining what unqualified leadership looks like, Paul describes how to identify qualified male leadership to pastor the church.  ***Extra Long Sermon*** ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-31-7audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-05-30/1timothy-3-1-7_qualified-elders</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 May 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 2.8-15 Silent Men and Loud Women]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-2-8-15-silent-men-and-loud-women</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul tackles one of the first effects of false teachers--perversion of male and female roles.  In this controversial passage, Paul explains how men and women both uniquely sin in failing to fulfill their God-given roles in leading the family and the church.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul tackles one of the first effects of false teachers--perversion of male and female roles.  In this controversial passage, Paul explains how men and women both uniquely sin in failing to fulfill their God-given roles in leading the family and the church.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy28-15audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-05-23/1timothy-2-8-15-silent-men-and-loud-women</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 May 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 2.1-7 - One Mediator]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-2-1-7---one-mediator</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Mark Hasko]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-21-7-one-mediatoraudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-05-16/1timothy-2-1-7---one-mediator</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 May 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 1.12-20 Best Sinner]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-1-12-20-best-sinner</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Beyond being the “least” among the apostles, Paul says that he is the BEST, the CHIEF, the FOREMOST SINNER.  In other words, he is the worst sinner he can imagine.  Until we choose to believe that we are the worst sinner in the room, we do not really love God and therefore we can never really love people.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Beyond being the “least” among the apostles, Paul says that he is the BEST, the CHIEF, the FOREMOST SINNER.  In other words, he is the worst sinner he can imagine.  Until we choose to believe that we are the worst sinner in the room, we do not really love God and therefore we can never really love people.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy-112-20audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-05-09/1timothy-1-12-20-best-sinner</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 May 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy 1.1-11: Wolves]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-1-1-11:-wolves</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul charges Timothy FIGHT the wolves.  Shepherds must learn to pick fights well.  Anyone can charge a hill and fight for something or someone…but if you’re going to die on a hill, you best make sure it is the one God wants you to die on.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul charges Timothy FIGHT the wolves.  Shepherds must learn to pick fights well.  Anyone can charge a hill and fight for something or someone…but if you’re going to die on a hill, you best make sure it is the one God wants you to die on.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1timothy11-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-05-02/1timothy-1-1-11:-wolves</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 May 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1Timothy Introduction: Your First Church]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1timothy-introduction:-your-first-church</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[1 Timothy]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Introduction to 1st Timothy including a survey of Acts and a discussion of legacy.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Introduction to 1st Timothy including a survey of Acts and a discussion of legacy.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/timothyintroaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-04-25/1timothy-introduction:-your-first-church</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Habakkuk 3: Silence before God]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/habakkuk-3:-silence-before-god</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Habakkuk]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[I will worship the Lord.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[I will worship the Lord.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/habakkkuk-3audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-04-18/habakkuk-3:-silence-before-god</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Habakkuk 2.5-20: Taunted by God]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/habakkuk-2-5-20:-taunted-by-god</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Habakkuk]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Our lives sing one of two sings.  This is God's "taunt song" to those who believe they can live a life without him.  It is a song describing the life of the faithless and always ends in self-glorifying misery.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our lives sing one of two sings.  This is God's "taunt song" to those who believe they can live a life without him.  It is a song describing the life of the faithless and always ends in self-glorifying misery.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/habakkuk-25-20audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-04-11/habakkuk-2-5-20:-taunted-by-god</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Apr 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Easter Through Thomas' eyes]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/easter-through-thomas-eyes</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[You will either reject your desires and worship Jesus as God, or reject Jesus and worship your desires as god.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[You will either reject your desires and worship Jesus as God, or reject Jesus and worship your desires as god.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/easter-2010audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-04-04/easter-through-thomas-eyes</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Apr 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Palm Sunday:  Expectations]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/palm-sunday:--expectations</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Though they expected a king with sword, Jesus reveals himself as a King on a Donkey.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Though they expected a king with sword, Jesus reveals himself as a King on a Donkey.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/expectationaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-03-28/palm-sunday:--expectations</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Habakkuk 1.12-2.4:  Faith...in God's Work]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/habakkuk-1-12-2-4:--faith---in-gods-work</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Habakkuk]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[If you're going to compare yourself with someone, compare yourself with Jesus.  You'll learn very quickly, there is only ONE good guy...and you're part of the legion of doom.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[If you're going to compare yourself with someone, compare yourself with Jesus.  You'll learn very quickly, there is only ONE good guy...and you're part of the legion of doom.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/habakkuk-112-24audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-03-21/habakkuk-1-12-2-4:--faith---in-gods-work</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Habakkkuk 1.1-11 Disturbed...by God]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/habakkkuk-1-1-11-disturbed---by-god</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Habakkuk]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Disillusionment either propels us closer in our walk toward God or drives us away from Him. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Disillusionment either propels us closer in our walk toward God or drives us away from Him. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/habakkuk11-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-03-14/habakkkuk-1-1-11-disturbed---by-god</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Habakkuk - Introduction]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/habakkuk---introduction</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Habakkuk]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The truth is without history, this book and our faith makes little sense.  Our very faith is sourced in the history of the gospel—an act within time and space history.  As Christians, we have to care about history because if you don’t—then you invariably end up focusing on your own work today INSTEAD of what Jesus did 2,000 years ago on the cross.  It matters if Jesus really existed, it matters if he lived a life we can emulate, it matters if Jesus really died, it matters if Jesus really rose from the dead.  BUT even understanding cross requires that we understand the events that led up to it.  When trying to explain the cross to his two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, Jesus gave them a lesson rooted in history.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The truth is without history, this book and our faith makes little sense.  Our very faith is sourced in the history of the gospel—an act within time and space history.  As Christians, we have to care about history because if you don’t—then you invariably end up focusing on your own work today INSTEAD of what Jesus did 2,000 years ago on the cross.  It matters if Jesus really existed, it matters if he lived a life we can emulate, it matters if Jesus really died, it matters if Jesus really rose from the dead.  BUT even understanding cross requires that we understand the events that led up to it.  When trying to explain the cross to his two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, Jesus gave them a lesson rooted in history.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/habakkuk-introductionaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-03-07/habakkuk---introduction</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly: Baptism]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/sacred-assembly:-baptism</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Baptism is the 2nd of two ordinances given by Jesus.  It is one of the marks of a biblical church AND the symbol of the individual believer's identity with Jesus and the church .]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Baptism is the 2nd of two ordinances given by Jesus.  It is one of the marks of a biblical church AND the symbol of the individual believer's identity with Jesus and the church .]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/sacred-baptismaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-02-28/sacred-assembly:-baptism</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly: Communion]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/sacred-assembly:-communion</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Communion is to be the pinnacle of our worship gathering.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Communion is to be the pinnacle of our worship gathering.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/sacred-assembly-churchauidio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-02-21/sacred-assembly:-communion</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly: Leaders]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/sacred-assembly:-leaders</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[A church is only a church when it is led by Biblically qualified leaders who love Jesus more than anyone else.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[A church is only a church when it is led by Biblically qualified leaders who love Jesus more than anyone else.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/sacred-assemblyleadersaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-02-14/sacred-assembly:-leaders</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly: Preaching]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/sacred-assembly:-preaching</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The first mark of a "good" church is the preaching of the Word. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The first mark of a "good" church is the preaching of the Word. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/sacred-assemblypreachingaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-02-07/sacred-assembly:-preaching</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Feb 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly:  The Church]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/sacred-assembly:--the-church</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Sacred Assembly]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/sacred-assembly-the-churchaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-01-31/sacred-assembly:--the-church</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Our Identity in Jesus: Philippians 2.1-11]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/our-identity-in-jesus:-philippians-2-1-11</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Where do you find your identity?]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Where do you find your identity?]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/philippians-21-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-01-24/our-identity-in-jesus:-philippians-2-1-11</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Jan 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 5.19-20:  Wandering and Finding]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-5-19-20:--wandering-and-finding</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We cannot follow the commands of God, through James, without being in community. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We cannot follow the commands of God, through James, without being in community. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-519-20audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-01-17/james-5-19-20:--wandering-and-finding</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 5.13-18 Praying and Healing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-5-13-18-praying-and-healing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Believers pray.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Believers pray.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-513-18audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2010-01-10/james-5-13-18-praying-and-healing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 5.7-11 Suffering and Waiting]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-5-7-11-suffering-and-waiting</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[James challenges us to be patiently faithful like a farmer.  We work, then we wait for the harvest.  And we trust God, no matter what the harvest looks like. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[James challenges us to be patiently faithful like a farmer.  We work, then we wait for the harvest.  And we trust God, no matter what the harvest looks like. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-57-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-12-27/james-5-7-11-suffering-and-waiting</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 5.1-6 Defrauding and Indulging]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-5-1-6-defrauding-and-indulging</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[All that we have is a gift from God and to be used for His glory.  The proper use of our wealth is a confession of the truth or falsehood of our belief in the gospel.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[All that we have is a gift from God and to be used for His glory.  The proper use of our wealth is a confession of the truth or falsehood of our belief in the gospel.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-51-6audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-12-20/james-5-1-6-defrauding-and-indulging</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 4.13-17:  Planning and Vanishing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-4-13-17:--planning-and-vanishing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Knowing the Will of God.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Knowing the Will of God.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-413-17audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-12-13/james-4-13-17:--planning-and-vanishing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 4.4-10: Friends and Enemies]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-4-4-10:-friends-and-enemies</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-44-10audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-11-29/james-4-4-10:-friends-and-enemies</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 3.13-4.3 Above and Below]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-3-13-4-3-above-and-below</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[James writes to "talkers" telling them to stop because they aren't saying anything wise.  Instead, he encourages his listeners to pray. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[James writes to "talkers" telling them to stop because they aren't saying anything wise.  Instead, he encourages his listeners to pray. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-313-43audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-11-22/james-3-13-4-3-above-and-below</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 3.1-12: Taming and Staining]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-3-1-12:-taming-and-staining</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The tongue must be bridled toward speaking the gospel, not silenced, and not allowed to sin.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The tongue must be bridled toward speaking the gospel, not silenced, and not allowed to sin.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-31-12audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-11-15/james-3-1-12:-taming-and-staining</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 2.1-13 Sitting and Standing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-2-1-13-sitting-and-standing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The sin of partiality is the very antithesis of the gospel. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The sin of partiality is the very antithesis of the gospel. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jamesw-21-13audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-11-01/james-2-1-13-sitting-and-standing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1.22-27 Hearing and Doing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1-22-27-hearing-and-doing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Genuine believers do more than hear, they do.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Genuine believers do more than hear, they do.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-122-27audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-10-25/james-1-22-27-hearing-and-doing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1.19-21:  Quick and Slow]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1-19-21:--quick-and-slow</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Be quick to hear GOD, be slow to speak to GOD, and be slow to ANGER with God.  We get angry because things do not go the way we think they should.  We ignore what God has said and deny that our situation is fair, right, or good.  God wants us to put off our pride to be in control and, with humility, ,admit we are not in control]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Be quick to hear GOD, be slow to speak to GOD, and be slow to ANGER with God.  We get angry because things do not go the way we think they should.  We ignore what God has said and deny that our situation is fair, right, or good.  God wants us to put off our pride to be in control and, with humility, ,admit we are not in control]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-119-21audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-10-18/james-1-19-21:--quick-and-slow</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1.12-18 Testing and Tempting]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1-12-18-testing-and-tempting</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[With every trial comes a temptation, and that from within.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[With every trial comes a temptation, and that from within.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-112-18audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-10-11/james-1-12-18-testing-and-tempting</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1.9-11  Riches and Poverty]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1-9-11--riches-and-poverty</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Money is an idol, worshiped in different ways by both the rich and the poor.  Riches are a trial sent by God.  Poverty are a trial sent by God.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Money is an idol, worshiped in different ways by both the rich and the poor.  Riches are a trial sent by God.  Poverty are a trial sent by God.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-19-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-10-04/james-1-9-11--riches-and-poverty</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1.5-8 Asking and Doubting]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1-5-8-asking-and-doubting</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[James instructs us to pray for Wisdom in trials, not to get out of it, but that we might see how God is using it to grow and shape us to His glory. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[James instructs us to pray for Wisdom in trials, not to get out of it, but that we might see how God is using it to grow and shape us to His glory. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-15-8audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-09-27/james-1-5-8-asking-and-doubting</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[James 1.2-4:  Counting and Meeting]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/james-1-2-4:--counting-and-meeting</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[James speaks to the various, multi-colored, trials we have in life. This sermon followed a men's retreat we had where the men were placed in the "fire" so to speak.  The notes of the sermon may not match the audio.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[James speaks to the various, multi-colored, trials we have in life. This sermon followed a men's retreat we had where the men were placed in the "fire" so to speak.  The notes of the sermon may not match the audio.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-12-4audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-09-20/james-1-2-4:--counting-and-meeting</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Introduction to James]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/introduction-to-james</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Retro-Faith]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Introduction to the book of James and the beginning of our series Retro Faith. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Introduction to the book of James and the beginning of our series Retro Faith. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/james-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-09-13/introduction-to-james</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Psalm 46]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/psalm-46</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[A study of Psalm 46]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[A study of Psalm 46]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/psalm-46audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-09-06/psalm-46</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Psalm 127:  Builders and Building]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/psalm-127:--builders-and-building</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The greatest builder of all time said the most important thing to build is family.  We are builders by design.  We will build.  We must build of God, for God, with God.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The greatest builder of all time said the most important thing to build is family.  We are builders by design.  We will build.  We must build of God, for God, with God.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/psalm-127audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-08-30/psalm-127:--builders-and-building</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Psalm_20]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/psalm_20</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Psalm 20]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Psalm 20]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/psalm-20audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-08-23/psalm_20</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Psalm 119:  176 Reasons to Love God's Word]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/psalm-119:--176-reasons-to-love-gods-word</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Psalm 119, the longest Psalm and chapter in the Bible, has 176 verses.  They are all about God's Word. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Psalm 119, the longest Psalm and chapter in the Bible, has 176 verses.  They are all about God's Word. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/psalm-119audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-08-16/psalm-119:--176-reasons-to-love-gods-word</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Psalm 51:  True Repentance]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/psalm-51:--true-repentance</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Mark Hasko]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Psalm 51]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Psalm 51]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/psalm-51audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-08-09/psalm-51:--true-repentance</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Psalm 34:  God is Tasty]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/psalm-34:--god-is-tasty</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God is tasty.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God is tasty.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/psalm34audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-08-02/psalm-34:--god-is-tasty</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Intro to Psalms]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/intro-to-psalms</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Songs of Summer: A Study of Psalms]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Introduction to the Songs of Summer series.Introduction to the Songs of Summer series.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Introduction to the Songs of Summer series.Introduction to the Songs of Summer series.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/intro-psalmsaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-07-26/intro-to-psalms</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 40:  God's Dwelling]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-40:--gods-dwelling</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God dwells in the tabernacle, which is now us for those who are in Christ. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God dwells in the tabernacle, which is now us for those who are in Christ. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-40audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-07-19/exodus-40:--gods-dwelling</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 37-39: God's House]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-37-39:-gods-house</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[How God's Tabernacle teaches us less about what we're to do and more about who God is what he has done.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[How God's Tabernacle teaches us less about what we're to do and more about who God is what he has done.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-37-39audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-07-12/exodus-37-39:-gods-house</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 35-36: God's Builders]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-35-36:-gods-builders</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God has created us in his image, given us talents, gifts, ways of doing life, of thinking, feeling, seeing, and specific experiences ALL as a part of our individual call to his mission here to glorify him.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God has created us in his image, given us talents, gifts, ways of doing life, of thinking, feeling, seeing, and specific experiences ALL as a part of our individual call to his mission here to glorify him.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-35audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-07-05/exodus-35-36:-gods-builders</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 28-29: God's Priest]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-28-29:-gods-priest</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Sermon explaining the priesthood and how we can be priests in our own lives.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Sermon explaining the priesthood and how we can be priests in our own lives.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-28-gods-priestaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-06-28/exodus-28-29:-gods-priest</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 34:  God's Name (Father's Day)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-34:--gods-name--fathers-day-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God the Father reveals himself to Moses by declaring His name.  Specifically, like no other place in Scripture, God reveals describes WHO he is, using particular words to express what kind of Father He is and thereby giving us a standard by which the goodness of all Fathers is measured.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God the Father reveals himself to Moses by declaring His name.  Specifically, like no other place in Scripture, God reveals describes WHO he is, using particular words to express what kind of Father He is and thereby giving us a standard by which the goodness of all Fathers is measured.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-34-gods-name-fathers-day.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-06-21/exodus-34:--gods-name--fathers-day-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 33:  God's Tent]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-33:--gods-tent</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God is good.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God is good.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-33audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-06-14/exodus-33:--gods-tent</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 32.15-35:  God's Line in the Sand]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-32-15-35:--gods-line-in-the-sand</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[A hard sermon about confession, repentance, and failed leadership.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[A hard sermon about confession, repentance, and failed leadership.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-32p2audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-06-07/exodus-32-15-35:--gods-line-in-the-sand</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 32: Man's Bull (P.1)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-32:-mans-bull--p-1-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We fast forward to Exodus 32 where Moses has been on the mountain for forty days.  Meanwhile, back at the camp, Israel has organized a full on cult.  God's anger burns, yet, he pulls Moses into a genuine relationship as he is invited to intercede...he does, and God responds.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We fast forward to Exodus 32 where Moses has been on the mountain for forty days.  Meanwhile, back at the camp, Israel has organized a full on cult.  God's anger burns, yet, he pulls Moses into a genuine relationship as he is invited to intercede...he does, and God responds.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-32-gods-bullaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-05-31/exodus-32:-mans-bull--p-1-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 21-24:  God's Balance]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-21-24:--gods-balance</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We are to love our God, our brother, and our neighbor simultaneously. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We are to love our God, our brother, and our neighbor simultaneously. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-21-24audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-05-24/exodus-21-24:--gods-balance</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 20:  God's 2nd Table (5-10)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-20:--gods-2nd-table--5-10-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God's Commandments 5-10 teach us what it means to love people.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God's Commandments 5-10 teach us what it means to love people.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-20part-2.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-05-17/exodus-20:--gods-2nd-table--5-10-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 19:  God's Mountain]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-19:--gods-mountain</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[After years of  courtship, God proposes to Israel as it takes their relationship deeper.  Like a groom coming for his bride, God reveals his glory atop Mt. Sinai as he prepares to marry his bride Israel.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[After years of  courtship, God proposes to Israel as it takes their relationship deeper.  Like a groom coming for his bride, God reveals his glory atop Mt. Sinai as he prepares to marry his bride Israel.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-19audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-05-03/exodus-19:--gods-mountain</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 May 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 17.8-8.27: God's Leaders]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-17-8-8-27:-gods-leaders</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God's shifts from fighting FOR Israel to fighting THROUGH Israel; Moses shifts from being a Shepherd of Sheep to a Shepherd of Shepherds; Israel shifts from being complaining slavery-desiring followers to soldiers, judges, and leaders. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God's shifts from fighting FOR Israel to fighting THROUGH Israel; Moses shifts from being a Shepherd of Sheep to a Shepherd of Shepherds; Israel shifts from being complaining slavery-desiring followers to soldiers, judges, and leaders. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-178-1827audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-04-26/exodus-17-8-8-27:-gods-leaders</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 15.22-17.7:  God's Provision]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-15-22-17-7:--gods-provision</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God teaches Israel to obey as he leads them into situations where they must trust him.  He tests their faith until they turn and try to test him. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God teaches Israel to obey as he leads them into situations where they must trust him.  He tests their faith until they turn and try to test him. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus1522-177audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-04-19/exodus-15-22-17-7:--gods-provision</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Easter:  Road to Resurrection]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/easter:--road-to-resurrection</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We either live on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.  We live the Resurrection on Sunday. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We either live on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.  We live the Resurrection on Sunday. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/easter-road-to-ressurectionaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-04-12/easter:--road-to-resurrection</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Road to Jerusalem:  Why did Jesus' have to be rejected?]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/road-to-jerusalem:--why-did-jesus-have-to-be-rejected</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Why did Jesus have to be rejected?]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Why did Jesus have to be rejected?]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/road-to-jerusalemaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-04-05/road-to-jerusalem:--why-did-jesus-have-to-be-rejected</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Road to Zion:  Why did Jesus have to be God?]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/road-to-zion:--why-did-jesus-have-to-be-god</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Why did Jesus have to be fully God?]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Why did Jesus have to be fully God?]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/road-to-zionaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-03-29/road-to-zion:--why-did-jesus-have-to-be-god</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Road to Emmaus:  Why Jesus?]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/road-to-emmaus:--why-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Why Jesus?  On the Road Emmaus, two despondent, devastated disciples walk home to a village after their hopes were destroyed.  Jesus, incognito, meets them on the road and explains how the entire Old Testament, with its prophets, priest, and kings, was perfectly fulfilled in his life, death, and resurrection. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Why Jesus?  On the Road Emmaus, two despondent, devastated disciples walk home to a village after their hopes were destroyed.  Jesus, incognito, meets them on the road and explains how the entire Old Testament, with its prophets, priest, and kings, was perfectly fulfilled in his life, death, and resurrection. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/roadtoemmausaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-03-15/road-to-emmaus:--why-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Family Traits: Gospel Living]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/family-traits:-gospel-living</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Family Traits]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Gospel Living brings God's Lordship to our lives.  God conforms us to the image of His Son, calling us to a life in total submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Gospel living is a life of self-denial lived for the approval of God, not men. Gospel Living is a life of humility, sacrificing the pleasures of the world to love and serve.  Gospel Living is a life of continuous worship, glorifying God in everything big and small.  Gospel living is a life on mission, fulfilling His call to go into the world and make disciples.  Gospel Living is a life where Jesus is the supreme hope and joy in all of life and death.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Gospel Living brings God's Lordship to our lives.  God conforms us to the image of His Son, calling us to a life in total submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Gospel living is a life of self-denial lived for the approval of God, not men. Gospel Living is a life of humility, sacrificing the pleasures of the world to love and serve.  Gospel Living is a life of continuous worship, glorifying God in everything big and small.  Gospel living is a life on mission, fulfilling His call to go into the world and make disciples.  Gospel Living is a life where Jesus is the supreme hope and joy in all of life and death.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/gospel-livingaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-03-08/family-traits:-gospel-living</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Family Traits: Gospel Community]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/family-traits:-gospel-community</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Family Traits]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Gospel community brings people to God. God creates men and women in his image to live in community together, imitating the eternal relationship shared by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Gospel Community is a gathering of people in loving submission to one another, fulfilling their God-intended role to serve as unto the Lord.  Gospel Community proclaims their faith in Gospel Truth by how they actively love through fellowship, ministry, and discipline.  Gospel Community is where the world hears about the love of God, where it sees the love for God, and where it experiences the love of God's people as they are invited to belong before they believe.  Gospel Community exists as an expression of God's Kingdom on earth.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Gospel community brings people to God. God creates men and women in his image to live in community together, imitating the eternal relationship shared by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Gospel Community is a gathering of people in loving submission to one another, fulfilling their God-intended role to serve as unto the Lord.  Gospel Community proclaims their faith in Gospel Truth by how they actively love through fellowship, ministry, and discipline.  Gospel Community is where the world hears about the love of God, where it sees the love for God, and where it experiences the love of God's people as they are invited to belong before they believe.  Gospel Community exists as an expression of God's Kingdom on earth.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/gospelcommunityaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-03-01/family-traits:-gospel-community</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Family Traits: Gospel Truth]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/family-traits:-gospel-truth</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Family Traits]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Gospel truth brings God and His Word to the people.  God's Word distinguishes the Christian message from other religions, philosophies, or ideologies that make truth claims about meaning and purpose.  Gospel truth is not another ideological alternative; it is submission to the absolute truth of God foundational to all of life. Gospel truth is not purely a set of historical facts, it is truth personified in a man. Gospel truth is news of what God has done to accomplish salvation through Jesus Christ in history. Gospel truth helps us to grow in every way, empowers us to overcome any barrier, and equips us to solve every problem we encounter.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Gospel truth brings God and His Word to the people.  God's Word distinguishes the Christian message from other religions, philosophies, or ideologies that make truth claims about meaning and purpose.  Gospel truth is not another ideological alternative; it is submission to the absolute truth of God foundational to all of life. Gospel truth is not purely a set of historical facts, it is truth personified in a man. Gospel truth is news of what God has done to accomplish salvation through Jesus Christ in history. Gospel truth helps us to grow in every way, empowers us to overcome any barrier, and equips us to solve every problem we encounter.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/gospel-livingaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-02-22/family-traits:-gospel-truth</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 15:1-21: God's Song]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-15:1-21:-gods-song</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The Praise of God is not a means to an end, it is the end itself.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Praise of God is not a means to an end, it is the end itself.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-15audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-02-15/exodus-15:1-21:-gods-song</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 13.17-14.31:  God's Crossover]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-13-17-14-31:--gods-crossover</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[There are no dead ends when God is leading.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[There are no dead ends when God is leading.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-1317-14audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-02-08/exodus-13-17-14-31:--gods-crossover</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 13.1-16: God's Head Gear]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-13-1-16:-gods-head-gear</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Pastor Sam discusses the Jewish interpretation of Exodus 13.9 and 13.16 as it relates to their commitment to remembering Scripture.  By doing so, they protect their identity as God's people dwelling in a world of idolatry. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Pastor Sam discusses the Jewish interpretation of Exodus 13.9 and 13.16 as it relates to their commitment to remembering Scripture.  By doing so, they protect their identity as God's people dwelling in a world of idolatry. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-131-16audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-02-01/exodus-13-1-16:-gods-head-gear</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 12.29-51: God's Exit (to Freedom)]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-12-29-51:-gods-exit--to-freedom-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Just as God freed Israel from slavery, so we are free from our slavery to sin in Christ.  Free people live free. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Just as God freed Israel from slavery, so we are free from our slavery to sin in Christ.  Free people live free. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-1229-51audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-01-25/exodus-12-29-51:-gods-exit--to-freedom-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus11-12 God's Passover]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus11-12-gods-passover</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God institutes a passover meal commemorating the Exodus experience as the Israelites demonstrate their faith in his power to kill and rescue.  The entire experience signals the creation of a "new identity" for Israel, one that finds its completion in the true Passover Lamb-Jesus. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God institutes a passover meal commemorating the Exodus experience as the Israelites demonstrate their faith in his power to kill and rescue.  The entire experience signals the creation of a "new identity" for Israel, one that finds its completion in the true Passover Lamb-Jesus. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-11-1228audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-01-18/exodus11-12-gods-passover</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 10.1-29 God's Refusal]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-10-1-29-gods-refusal</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God refuses to compromise, desiring to redeem all of our hearts.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God refuses to compromise, desiring to redeem all of our hearts.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-101-29audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-01-11/exodus-10-1-29-gods-refusal</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 9.13-15:  God's Awe]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-9-13-15:--gods-awe</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We are not in Christ because we fear God.  We fear God because Christ is in us. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We are not in Christ because we fear God.  We fear God because Christ is in us. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-913-35audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2009-01-04/exodus-9-13-15:--gods-awe</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Two Wills]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/two-wills</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Christopher Rich]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We are not wise enough to make our plans apart from God.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We are not wise enough to make our plans apart from God.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/two-wills-ours-and-gods.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-12-28/two-wills</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus Christmas]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-christmas</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In order to understand the "reason for the season" we must understand the "reason for Jesus."    The Exodus story was the first time the Christmas Story was told....it is the declaration of our freedom , the proof that God hears, and the fulfillment of his promise to act.  He is more than a baby in a manger to be remembered...He is God in flesh to be worshipped.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In order to understand the "reason for the season" we must understand the "reason for Jesus."    The Exodus story was the first time the Christmas Story was told....it is the declaration of our freedom , the proof that God hears, and the fulfillment of his promise to act.  He is more than a baby in a manger to be remembered...He is God in flesh to be worshipped.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exoduschristmasaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-12-21/exodus-christmas</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 8.20-9.12  God's Distinction]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-8-20-9-12--gods-distinction</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this text, we see how God redeems the people he chooses to redeem.  God makes a distinction in a world of wickedness, choosing to save some from his wrath that they might be worshipers. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this text, we see how God redeems the people he chooses to redeem.  God makes a distinction in a world of wickedness, choosing to save some from his wrath that they might be worshipers. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-820-912audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-12-07/exodus-8-20-9-12--gods-distinction</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 8.1-19: God's Finger]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-8-1-19:-gods-finger</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this sermon we focus on not what Pharaoh pleads to God for, but what he doesn't.  Focusing too much on being freed from the consequences of sin may prevent us from getting to the heart of the matter--our idolatry. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this sermon we focus on not what Pharaoh pleads to God for, but what he doesn't.  Focusing too much on being freed from the consequences of sin may prevent us from getting to the heart of the matter--our idolatry. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-81-19audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-11-30/exodus-8-1-19:-gods-finger</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 7.14-25 God's Anger]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-7-14-25-gods-anger</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God hates sin.  He is angry with sinners.  His wrath is his attitude toward and punishment for sin.  Instead of focusing on the individual plagues of Exodus, we will look at the God who commands the plagues and what we do with a God who is terrifying.  Our study of God's wrath leads us to an understanding of his holiness and goodness...how we desire God to be both wrathful and loving.  It leads us away from religion and irreligion, to the cross. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God hates sin.  He is angry with sinners.  His wrath is his attitude toward and punishment for sin.  Instead of focusing on the individual plagues of Exodus, we will look at the God who commands the plagues and what we do with a God who is terrifying.  Our study of God's wrath leads us to an understanding of his holiness and goodness...how we desire God to be both wrathful and loving.  It leads us away from religion and irreligion, to the cross. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-714-25audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-11-23/exodus-7-14-25-gods-anger</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Signs and Wonders]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/signs-and-wonders</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Pastor Mark discuss the signs of wonders of Exodus and those of today focusing on the most important miracle of all--our salvation.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Pastor Mark discuss the signs of wonders of Exodus and those of today focusing on the most important miracle of all--our salvation.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/signs-and-wondersaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-11-16/signs-and-wonders</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 6.10-7.7 God's Stick]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-6-10-7-7-gods-stick</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[**DRC TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY** Moses provides a genealogy proving that God's story extends to the past and into the future.  We are all on the same mission, to take God's BIG stick--a cross shaped piece of lumber covered in blood--to the world.  We are on the same mission--to declare God's name. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[**DRC TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY** Moses provides a genealogy proving that God's story extends to the past and into the future.  We are all on the same mission, to take God's BIG stick--a cross shaped piece of lumber covered in blood--to the world.  We are on the same mission--to declare God's name. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-610-77audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-11-09/exodus-6-10-7-7-gods-stick</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 6.1-13 God's "I WILLS"]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-6-1-13-gods--i-wills-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[At the core of our complaints to God is a desire to actually be God.  Our complaints occur when we take our eyes off of God and focus on what we like or dislike.  At the heart, when we complain we question God's very goodness, love, and promise to work all out for our good.  Jesus Christ proves that we can trust God's to make good on his promises, that He is good, just, and loving.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[At the core of our complaints to God is a desire to actually be God.  Our complaints occur when we take our eyes off of God and focus on what we like or dislike.  At the heart, when we complain we question God's very goodness, love, and promise to work all out for our good.  Jesus Christ proves that we can trust God's to make good on his promises, that He is good, just, and loving.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-61-13audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-11-02/exodus-6-1-13-gods--i-wills-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 4.24-5.23 God's Results]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-4-24-5-23-gods-results</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We don't follow God with the goal of getting happy and comfortable life.  We follow God to get Him and His glory will make us joyful and satisfied whether life is easy or hard.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We don't follow God with the goal of getting happy and comfortable life.  We follow God to get Him and His glory will make us joyful and satisfied whether life is easy or hard.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-424-523audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-10-26/exodus-4-24-5-23-gods-results</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 4.18-23  God's Hardening]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-4-18-23--gods-hardening</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[As God declares that he will harden the heart of Pharaoh, we are faced with the reality that God has some relationship with evil.  In some way, God can and does employ evil for his glory and our good--which results from his glory.  Although God is a personal God who wants to be known--but he keeps the secret things to himself (Deut. 29.29).  He is the I AM.  A God whose name means he is not dependent upon the goodness or badness of men to ensure his redemptive plan comes to fruition. We see in the cross that the use that it is possible to employ the willing choices of sinful men to accomplish this (Acts 4.27). ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[As God declares that he will harden the heart of Pharaoh, we are faced with the reality that God has some relationship with evil.  In some way, God can and does employ evil for his glory and our good--which results from his glory.  Although God is a personal God who wants to be known--but he keeps the secret things to himself (Deut. 29.29).  He is the I AM.  A God whose name means he is not dependent upon the goodness or badness of men to ensure his redemptive plan comes to fruition. We see in the cross that the use that it is possible to employ the willing choices of sinful men to accomplish this (Acts 4.27). ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-418-23audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-10-19/exodus-4-18-23--gods-hardening</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 4.1-17 God's Call]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-4-1-17-gods-call</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God give miraculous signs to Moses to speak to the reasons for unbelief in the Israelites.  In reality, Israel's excuses are in fact Moses', excuses that later lead to his flat out refusal to follow his call. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God give miraculous signs to Moses to speak to the reasons for unbelief in the Israelites.  In reality, Israel's excuses are in fact Moses', excuses that later lead to his flat out refusal to follow his call. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-41-17audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-10-12/exodus-4-1-17-gods-call</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 3 God's Name]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-3-gods-name</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The question is not WHO AM I, but who I am not and Who God is. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The question is not WHO AM I, but who I am not and Who God is. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-3audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-10-05/exodus-3-gods-name</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 2.11-25 God's Deliverer]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-2-11-25-gods-deliverer</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God delivers us from oppression and injustice that we might deliver others. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God delivers us from oppression and injustice that we might deliver others. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-211-25audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-09-28/exodus-2-11-25-gods-deliverer</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 2.1-10 God's Provision]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-2-1-10-gods-provision</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God wants you to put your life in the basket.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God wants you to put your life in the basket.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-21-10audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-09-21/exodus-2-1-10-gods-provision</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 1.8-22 God's Silence]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-1-8-22-gods-silence</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We all have our own Egypts to which we are in bondage.  We all need a Savior...AND a Lord.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We all have our own Egypts to which we are in bondage.  We all need a Savior...AND a Lord.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-18-22audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-09-14/exodus-1-8-22-gods-silence</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus 1.1-7 God's Blessing]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-1-1-7-gods-blessing</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-11-7audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-09-07/exodus-1-1-7-gods-blessing</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 7 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Exodus Prequal: God's Family]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/exodus-prequal:-gods-family</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Exodus]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In order to understand Exodus, we must begin with Genesis.  Genesis is the declaration of a God who is there, Exodus is the explanation of that God.  Genesis introduces us to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The God Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is the same God we worship...his name is Jesus. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In order to understand Exodus, we must begin with Genesis.  Genesis is the declaration of a God who is there, Exodus is the explanation of that God.  Genesis introduces us to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The God Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is the same God we worship...his name is Jesus. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/exodus-introaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-08-31/exodus-prequal:-gods-family</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[State of the Mission 08]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/state-of-the-mission-08</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[When people come to Damascus Road they either need to get Jesus or get on misison with Him.  In this sermon, our pastor describes the vision for the next year, challenging members to take risks as they are compelled by the judgement, love, and call of Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[When people come to Damascus Road they either need to get Jesus or get on misison with Him.  In this sermon, our pastor describes the vision for the next year, challenging members to take risks as they are compelled by the judgement, love, and call of Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/state-of-the-mission08audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-08-24/state-of-the-mission-08</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Q & A]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-q--a</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This is the final sermon in a 13-week series titled Redemption.  These questions were generated throughout the series from the congregation. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This is the final sermon in a 13-week series titled Redemption.  These questions were generated throughout the series from the congregation. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-q--a.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-08-10/redeeming-q--a</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Your Past]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-your-past</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God wants to free us from the guilt and bitterness of our past.  In, through, and by  Jesus we can turn our sins and the sins of those who have hurt us back to him.   Rather than allowing our hurts to govern our lives, we redeem them from darkness and allow them to magnify God through our personal and public confession.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God wants to free us from the guilt and bitterness of our past.  In, through, and by  Jesus we can turn our sins and the sins of those who have hurt us back to him.   Rather than allowing our hurts to govern our lives, we redeem them from darkness and allow them to magnify God through our personal and public confession.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-your-pastaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-08-03/redeeming-your-past</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Music]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-music</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Redeeming Music...not worship]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Redeeming Music...not worship]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-music-audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-07-27/redeeming-music</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming_Parenting]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming_parenting</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Parenting your children, your friends, and those you influence as God parents you.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Parenting your children, your friends, and those you influence as God parents you.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeemingparenting.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-07-20/redeeming_parenting</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 1.1-18  God the Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-1-1-18--god-the-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The Word of God becomes flesh and suddenly God comes much closer.  No longer is He a cosmic deity removed from His creation, something to be feared or frightened of.  He is Jesus, someone you can touch, and feel, and fall in love with.  What is Jesus like?  God.  What is God like, Jesus.  In fact, there is no UNCHRISTNESS about God.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Word of God becomes flesh and suddenly God comes much closer.  No longer is He a cosmic deity removed from His creation, something to be feared or frightened of.  He is Jesus, someone you can touch, and feel, and fall in love with.  What is Jesus like?  God.  What is God like, Jesus.  In fact, there is no UNCHRISTNESS about God.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-16-18audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-07-20/john-1-1-18--god-the-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Womanhood]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-womanhood</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Redeeming Womanhood]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Redeeming Womanhood]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-womanhoodaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-07-13/redeeming-womanhood</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming_Manhood]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming_manhood</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Redeeming Manhood is about refusing to remain silent.  We must stop acting like the 1st Adam and strive to live after the 2nd Adam, Jesus, by his example and by his strength. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Redeeming Manhood is about refusing to remain silent.  We must stop acting like the 1st Adam and strive to live after the 2nd Adam, Jesus, by his example and by his strength. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-manhoodaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-07-06/redeeming_manhood</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Film]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-film</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God is a storyteller and we simply retell God's story through film.   A sermon in our Redemption Series.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God is a storyteller and we simply retell God's story through film.   A sermon in our Redemption Series.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-film.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-06-29/redeeming-film</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Politics]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-politics</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat.  God is in God's party, and the gospel is our politic.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat.  God is in God's party, and the gospel is our politic.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-politicsaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-06-22/redeeming-politics</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Money]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-money</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Some of us simply donâ€™t understand the gospel, some of us understand and donâ€™t believe, and still others say they believe and do not confess it by their actions.   Our giving is directly related to our faith in the truth of the gospel.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Some of us simply donâ€™t understand the gospel, some of us understand and donâ€™t believe, and still others say they believe and do not confess it by their actions.   Our giving is directly related to our faith in the truth of the gospel.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-moneyaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-06-15/redeeming-money</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Work]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-work</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God is the first worker, man was made to be worker, and sin caused work to become deformed.  Jesus came to free us from slavery to work that we might find joy in all of our labor for Him.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God is the first worker, man was made to be worker, and sin caused work to become deformed.  Jesus came to free us from slavery to work that we might find joy in all of our labor for Him.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-workaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-06-08/redeeming-work</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Language]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-language</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Words can build up and they can destroy.  Sin has infected us to the point that all of our words can be sinful, profane or not.  Redeeming language attempts to shift our thinking from the words themselves to what we're doing with them.  There is nothing inherently sinful about profanity or potty talk, and to creating lists takes us one step closer to self-righteousness.  If we don't ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Words can build up and they can destroy.  Sin has infected us to the point that all of our words can be sinful, profane or not.  Redeeming language attempts to shift our thinking from the words themselves to what we're doing with them.  There is nothing inherently sinful about profanity or potty talk, and to creating lists takes us one step closer to self-righteousness.  If we don't ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-languageaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-06-01/redeeming-language</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[What is the big deal about Communion?]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/what-is-the-big-deal-about-communion</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <description><![CDATA[Explanation of the sacrament.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Explanation of the sacrament.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/communionaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-05-25/what-is-the-big-deal-about-communion</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 May 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Sex]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-sex</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this 3rd sermon of the Redemption Series, we discuss God's design for sex, how sin has deformed that design, and how it can be redeemed. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this 3rd sermon of the Redemption Series, we discuss God's design for sex, how sin has deformed that design, and how it can be redeemed. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-sexaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-05-18/redeeming-sex</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 May 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Food & Drink]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-food--drink</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Our 2nd sermon in the Redemption series focuses on redeeming those things that have been perverted by culture and thereby demonized by the church.  Walking the line of "self-denial" means not indulging or abstaining, but discerning whether you should partake or abstain all the time.  Although you may have the "right" to participate in culture, if our decisions to participate or not participate are not a result of faith, then we're failing to live like Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our 2nd sermon in the Redemption series focuses on redeeming those things that have been perverted by culture and thereby demonized by the church.  Walking the line of "self-denial" means not indulging or abstaining, but discerning whether you should partake or abstain all the time.  Although you may have the "right" to participate in culture, if our decisions to participate or not participate are not a result of faith, then we're failing to live like Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-food-and-drinkaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-05-11/redeeming-food--drink</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 May 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Redeeming Church ]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/redeeming-church-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Redemption]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Our 12 parts series titled Redemption: 'Saving the world from church' is an attempt to address those issues that consistently cause Christians trouble as they try to like Jesus in culture. The series will seek to repair the damage caused by legalism as well as reform our understandings of what it means to be a gospel-centered Christian living in the world.  Although the series will feel â€œpracticalâ€, at the core of all of these things is a deep rooted understanding of how we live out the gospel in our â€œrealâ€ life.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our 12 parts series titled Redemption: 'Saving the world from church' is an attempt to address those issues that consistently cause Christians trouble as they try to like Jesus in culture. The series will seek to repair the damage caused by legalism as well as reform our understandings of what it means to be a gospel-centered Christian living in the world.  Although the series will feel â€œpracticalâ€, at the core of all of these things is a deep rooted understanding of how we live out the gospel in our â€œrealâ€ life.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/redeeming-churchaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-05-04/redeeming-church-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 May 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 17.13-26 Sent, Like Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-17-13-26-sent--like-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This is the final sermon in a study of the Gospel according to John.  In one of His few, and longest, recorded prayers, Jesus asks that His disciples remain protected as the live in the world.  He asks that they be sent just like Jesus.  Meaning, we must live in the world, not apart from it, without compromising the truth.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This is the final sermon in a study of the Gospel according to John.  In one of His few, and longest, recorded prayers, Jesus asks that His disciples remain protected as the live in the world.  He asks that they be sent just like Jesus.  Meaning, we must live in the world, not apart from it, without compromising the truth.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-1713-26-sent-just-like-jesus.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-04-27/john-17-13-26-sent--like-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 17.1-12 Prayer of Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-17-1-12-prayer-of-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus did not come to give us simply an example of righteousness.  He came as our substitute on the cross AND give us His righteousness. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus did not come to give us simply an example of righteousness.  He came as our substitute on the cross AND give us His righteousness. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-171-12audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-04-20/john-17-1-12-prayer-of-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 16.4-33 Jesus Overcomes the World]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-16-4-33-jesus-overcomes-the-world</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus overcomes the world and changes our relationship with God.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus overcomes the world and changes our relationship with God.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-164-33-jesus-overcomes.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-04-13/john-16-4-33-jesus-overcomes-the-world</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 15.18-16.4 Hated for Jesus or Just Hated]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-15-18-16-4-hated-for-jesus-or-just-hated</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus says that the world will hate Christians.  I can't help but wonder if Christians are hated because of how much the look like Jesus or because they don't look like Him at all.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus says that the world will hate Christians.  I can't help but wonder if Christians are hated because of how much the look like Jesus or because they don't look like Him at all.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-1518-164audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-04-06/john-15-18-16-4-hated-for-jesus-or-just-hated</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 Apr 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 15.1-17 Jesus the Vine]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-15-1-17-jesus-the-vine</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus does not command us to be fruitful, rather, He commands us to abide in Him and thus remain in His love.  If we focus on the fruit and the works, we will never in fact be fruitful because we're not desiring the right thing.  Our desire, our pursuit, our efforts, our energies should be poured into knowing, seeing, and loving our God which will naturally move us to have an obedient heart overflowing in joy and love for others.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus does not command us to be fruitful, rather, He commands us to abide in Him and thus remain in His love.  If we focus on the fruit and the works, we will never in fact be fruitful because we're not desiring the right thing.  Our desire, our pursuit, our efforts, our energies should be poured into knowing, seeing, and loving our God which will naturally move us to have an obedient heart overflowing in joy and love for others.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-151-17audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-03-30/john-15-1-17-jesus-the-vine</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 20_Easter]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-20_easter</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This is no candy-coated easter sermon...you're getting meat and potatoes shoved down your throat.  Easter is forgotten for 364 days a year and celebrated on one.  Stop blaming the bunny.  The resurrection is what built the church and it's what will grow it.  We need to preach Jesus crucified, buried, and risen.  We want Jesus dead and alive.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This is no candy-coated easter sermon...you're getting meat and potatoes shoved down your throat.  Easter is forgotten for 364 days a year and celebrated on one.  Stop blaming the bunny.  The resurrection is what built the church and it's what will grow it.  We need to preach Jesus crucified, buried, and risen.  We want Jesus dead and alive.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-20audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-03-23/john-20_easter</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 14.12-31_The Spirit of Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-14-12-31_the-spirit-of-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus tells his disciples that, although He will leave, He will not leave Him alone.  Jesus not only secures our life in eternity, but he intends to give us life now.  But we don't believe this.  As we get older, we begin to think less like a child of faith who asks God because, well, he's God, and try to figure things out on our own.  We depend less on God and more on ourselves to learn, to grow, to discern, to overcome, and to essentially, save ourselves.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus tells his disciples that, although He will leave, He will not leave Him alone.  Jesus not only secures our life in eternity, but he intends to give us life now.  But we don't believe this.  As we get older, we begin to think less like a child of faith who asks God because, well, he's God, and try to figure things out on our own.  We depend less on God and more on ourselves to learn, to grow, to discern, to overcome, and to essentially, save ourselves.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-1412-31audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-03-16/john-14-12-31_the-spirit-of-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Mar 2008 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jesus the one and only way]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jesus-the-one-and-only-way</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus is the way the truth and the life.  We try and change Jesus to use him as a tool to get what we want.  Or, we change the truth and thus our need of a savior.  In the process, we change our God-centered theology into a man-centered self-fix-it program.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus is the way the truth and the life.  We try and change Jesus to use him as a tool to get what we want.  Or, we change the truth and thus our need of a savior.  In the process, we change our God-centered theology into a man-centered self-fix-it program.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-141-11audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-03-09/jesus-the-one-and-only-way</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Mar 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jesus, Judas, and Peter]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jesus--judas--and-peter</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Judas and Peter are quite similar and yet, quite different.  Despite all appearances and assumptions, Judas did not believe in Jesus--he was a betrayer.  But even Jesus' good friend Peter, denied his Lord.  At the core, the difference between those who believe and those who pretend to believe is the difference between who they love, themselves, or God. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Judas and Peter are quite similar and yet, quite different.  Despite all appearances and assumptions, Judas did not believe in Jesus--he was a betrayer.  But even Jesus' good friend Peter, denied his Lord.  At the core, the difference between those who believe and those who pretend to believe is the difference between who they love, themselves, or God. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-1321-35audio-part-1.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-03-02/jesus--judas--and-peter</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 Mar 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 13.1-20 Dirty Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-13-1-20-dirty-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus' actions give us a living picture of the gospel.  They do not move us to be ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus' actions give us a living picture of the gospel.  They do not move us to be ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-131-20-dirty-jesus.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-02-24/john-13-1-20-dirty-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jesus Came to Fix You]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jesus-came-to-fix-you</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus came to fix you.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus came to fix you.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-1212-50audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-02-17/jesus-came-to-fix-you</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 12.1-8 Jesus my Devoted]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-12-1-8-jesus-my-devoted</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Mary demonstrates a deep love for Jesus, rooted in an understanding of the Gospel.  Devotion to Jesus is more than service, it is not partial, periodic, or easy.  Too many of us stop at a Romantic love for Jesus where, like some boyfriend, we date him until he does something we don't like and dump him.  We are called to be devoted to a God who is and was first devoted to us, even though we deserve nothing, he gave us everything.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Mary demonstrates a deep love for Jesus, rooted in an understanding of the Gospel.  Devotion to Jesus is more than service, it is not partial, periodic, or easy.  Too many of us stop at a Romantic love for Jesus where, like some boyfriend, we date him until he does something we don't like and dump him.  We are called to be devoted to a God who is and was first devoted to us, even though we deserve nothing, he gave us everything.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-121-8audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-02-10/john-12-1-8-jesus-my-devoted</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Feb 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 11.1-44 Jesus the Resurrection]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-11-1-44-jesus-the-resurrection</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Often times, suffering is God's way of reminding us we're broken, and drawing us closer than he could have if he had prevented it from happening.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Often times, suffering is God's way of reminding us we're broken, and drawing us closer than he could have if he had prevented it from happening.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-111-44audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-02-03/john-11-1-44-jesus-the-resurrection</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Feb 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 10.29 God's pencil has no eraser]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-10-29-gods-pencil-has-no-eraser</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[A candid discussion of the eternal security of the believer whose salvation is based on Christ's work alone.  We do not speak of losing our salvation, rather, but whether or not God can lose us.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[A candid discussion of the eternal security of the believer whose salvation is based on Christ's work alone.  We do not speak of losing our salvation, rather, but whether or not God can lose us.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-1029eternal-security.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-01-27/john-10-29-gods-pencil-has-no-eraser</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 10.1-21 Jesus the Shepherd]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-10-1-21-jesus-the-shepherd</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[With the backdrop of this incredibly broken and harmful Jewish leadership, Jesus sets himself in contrast to say I AM THE TRUE SHEPHERD.  These shepherds, and ANY that do not point to the cross are either POWERHUNGRY or POWERLESS and all their sheep are lost in the confusion of religion that can only bring fear, despair, and rob people of life.    Jesus is the MANLY True Shepherd who leads, protects, cares for, and willing dies to save us to life now and forever!]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[With the backdrop of this incredibly broken and harmful Jewish leadership, Jesus sets himself in contrast to say I AM THE TRUE SHEPHERD.  These shepherds, and ANY that do not point to the cross are either POWERHUNGRY or POWERLESS and all their sheep are lost in the confusion of religion that can only bring fear, despair, and rob people of life.    Jesus is the MANLY True Shepherd who leads, protects, cares for, and willing dies to save us to life now and forever!]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-101-21audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-01-20/john-10-1-21-jesus-the-shepherd</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 9: Jesus and the ]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-9:-jesus-and-the-</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus heals a blind man and reveals who is really ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus heals a blind man and reveals who is really ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-9audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-01-13/john-9:-jesus-and-the-</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 8.39-59 Jesus the I AM]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-8-39-59-jesus-the-i-am</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In one of the most heat arguments that Jesus has with the Jewish Pharisees, they tell him that he is possessed and he tells them that the devil is their Daddy.  Jesus challenges these Jews to be more than believers in name only as they take pride in the fact that they are descended from Abraham.  Jesus tells them that they are not in fact sons of Abraham because Abraham loved him...they want to kill him.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In one of the most heat arguments that Jesus has with the Jewish Pharisees, they tell him that he is possessed and he tells them that the devil is their Daddy.  Jesus challenges these Jews to be more than believers in name only as they take pride in the fact that they are descended from Abraham.  Jesus tells them that they are not in fact sons of Abraham because Abraham loved him...they want to kill him.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-839-59audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2008-01-07/john-8-39-59-jesus-the-i-am</guid>
   <pubDate>Mon, 7 Jan 2008 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 8.21-39]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-8-21-39</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This passage which weâ€™ll be studying today is very full of truth about Jesus and the way of salvation.  Jesus is continuing his conversation with the Jews about who he is and absolute necessity of trusting in him alone for salvation.  In this passage we learn:       1.  That it is possible to seek after Christ in vain     2.  The great difference between Christ and sinners     3.  Dying in your sins = hell     4.  The importance of persevering in the faith     5.  The nature of true slavery and,     6.  What true liberty is.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This passage which weâ€™ll be studying today is very full of truth about Jesus and the way of salvation.  Jesus is continuing his conversation with the Jews about who he is and absolute necessity of trusting in him alone for salvation.  In this passage we learn:       1.  That it is possible to seek after Christ in vain     2.  The great difference between Christ and sinners     3.  Dying in your sins = hell     4.  The importance of persevering in the faith     5.  The nature of true slavery and,     6.  What true liberty is.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-821-39audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-12-30/john-8-21-39</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 8.12-20]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-8-12-20</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Christmas Day without the chaos of Christmas Eve loses all its meaning.  If the God of the Universe is going to become a baby for the purposes of saving the creation he loves, then we must understand that there is something we're being saved from.  If we lose sight of the fact that we need saving, then the birth of Jesus Christ becomes meaningless, the life of Jesus Christ becomes common, and the death of Jesus Christ becomes the most brutal, cruel, and tragic events in history.  But if we have rebelled against our Creator, then the celebration of Jesus birth becomes the cornerstone of our lives...and everything else becomes meaningless in its light.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Christmas Day without the chaos of Christmas Eve loses all its meaning.  If the God of the Universe is going to become a baby for the purposes of saving the creation he loves, then we must understand that there is something we're being saved from.  If we lose sight of the fact that we need saving, then the birth of Jesus Christ becomes meaningless, the life of Jesus Christ becomes common, and the death of Jesus Christ becomes the most brutal, cruel, and tragic events in history.  But if we have rebelled against our Creator, then the celebration of Jesus birth becomes the cornerstone of our lives...and everything else becomes meaningless in its light.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-812-20audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-12-23/john-8-12-20</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Dec 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 7.53-8.11  Jesus the Stoner]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-7-53-8-11--jesus-the-stoner</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jewish Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery to try find a way to get at Jesus.  He encourages those who have no sin to start tossing...but they all walk away. When Jesus is left alone, we see the most vivid picture of mercy and grace.  He was without sin, he could have rightfully punished, just as God would be perfectly just smite us out of existence this very moment.  But he holds back that rock until tosses them at Jesus so that we might live.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jewish Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery to try find a way to get at Jesus.  He encourages those who have no sin to start tossing...but they all walk away. When Jesus is left alone, we see the most vivid picture of mercy and grace.  He was without sin, he could have rightfully punished, just as God would be perfectly just smite us out of existence this very moment.  But he holds back that rock until tosses them at Jesus so that we might live.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-753-811audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-12-16/john-7-53-8-11--jesus-the-stoner</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Dec 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 7.25-52 Jesus the River]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-7-25-52-jesus-the-river</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In the middle of the feast of Tabernacles, in the middle of debate about who He is, Jesus cries out to the crowds.  He challenges the people to step out of the ceremonial routines and remember what the feast points to...him.  They've perfect their religion, but lost their faith.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In the middle of the feast of Tabernacles, in the middle of debate about who He is, Jesus cries out to the crowds.  He challenges the people to step out of the ceremonial routines and remember what the feast points to...him.  They've perfect their religion, but lost their faith.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-725-52audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-12-09/john-7-25-52-jesus-the-river</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Dec 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 7.1-24 Jesus Incognito]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-7-1-24-jesus-incognito</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus is given some good "earthly advice" of how win back the followers that recently left him.  Jesus patiently listens but recognizes God's timing in all things.  We're challenged to ask ourselves whether we are truly dependent on God for our decisions (even the small ones) or whether we exhaust every earthly option available first.  Do we allow the appearances of what "seems" good or bad dictate our decisions.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus is given some good "earthly advice" of how win back the followers that recently left him.  Jesus patiently listens but recognizes God's timing in all things.  We're challenged to ask ourselves whether we are truly dependent on God for our decisions (even the small ones) or whether we exhaust every earthly option available first.  Do we allow the appearances of what "seems" good or bad dictate our decisions.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-71-24audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-12-02/john-7-1-24-jesus-incognito</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 2 Dec 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 6.60-71  Jesus' Hard Words]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-6-60-71--jesus-hard-words</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus says some hard words and a bunch of his disciples walk away.  We learn that there is a difference between being religious and being converted. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus says some hard words and a bunch of his disciples walk away.  We learn that there is a difference between being religious and being converted. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-660-71audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-11-25/john-6-60-71--jesus-hard-words</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Nov 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 6.22-59 Jesus the Cannibal]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-6-22-59-jesus-the-cannibal</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus makes His first of the "I AM" statements, declaring himself the "bread of life."  Throughout this exchange, Jesus makes some incredible claims about the true nature of salvation who the bread is, how we get it, who (if anyone) will ever accept it. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus makes His first of the "I AM" statements, declaring himself the "bread of life."  Throughout this exchange, Jesus makes some incredible claims about the true nature of salvation who the bread is, how we get it, who (if anyone) will ever accept it. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-622-59audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-11-18/john-6-22-59-jesus-the-cannibal</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Nov 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[1 Year Anniversary - Sent like Jesus]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/1-year-anniversary---sent-like-jesus</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This is the 1 year celebration of Damascus Road's public launch on Nov 5, 2006.  In this sermon, we explain our refined mission statement which, essentially, is a statement of what Jesus came to do and sent us to do:  We are sent into the world to proclaim the gospels and to teach people to live like Jesus.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This is the 1 year celebration of Damascus Road's public launch on Nov 5, 2006.  In this sermon, we explain our refined mission statement which, essentially, is a statement of what Jesus came to do and sent us to do:  We are sent into the world to proclaim the gospels and to teach people to live like Jesus.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/1-yearaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-11-11/1-year-anniversary---sent-like-jesus</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 6.1-15: Barley Bread and Pickled Fish]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-6-1-15:-barley-bread-and-pickled-fish</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus feeds the five thousand with a little boys lunch.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus feeds the five thousand with a little boys lunch.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-61-15audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-11-04/john-6-1-15:-barley-bread-and-pickled-fish</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Nov 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 5.16-47: Jesus is God or a nutjob]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-5-16-47:-jesus-is-god-or-a-nutjob</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Some say Jesus is a good man, good teacher, good prophet.  That's not what Jesus said.  If what he's claimed is true, he's God and worthy of worship.  If what he claimed is false, he's nothing less than a nutjob, a bad teacher, a lying possibly evil man, and a fool. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Some say Jesus is a good man, good teacher, good prophet.  That's not what Jesus said.  If what he's claimed is true, he's God and worthy of worship.  If what he claimed is false, he's nothing less than a nutjob, a bad teacher, a lying possibly evil man, and a fool. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-516-47audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-10-28/john-5-16-47:-jesus-is-god-or-a-nutjob</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 4.43-54 Jesus at His Word]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-4-43-54-jesus-at-his-word</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[An official in Herod's court travels 20 miles to ask a Galilean carpenter to heal His son.  This man who, for most of his life, ignores God's Word, now needs God in his time of suffering.  Jesus challenges his faith as to whether he just wants the miracle, or he in fact, wants Him.  Similarly, we our challenge to consider what our faith is based on and whether or not we'll take Jesus at His Word all the time. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[An official in Herod's court travels 20 miles to ask a Galilean carpenter to heal His son.  This man who, for most of his life, ignores God's Word, now needs God in his time of suffering.  Jesus challenges his faith as to whether he just wants the miracle, or he in fact, wants Him.  Similarly, we our challenge to consider what our faith is based on and whether or not we'll take Jesus at His Word all the time. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-443-45audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-10-14/john-4-43-54-jesus-at-his-word</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Oct 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 4.1-26 Jesus the Well]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-4-1-26-jesus-the-well</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus spends his times in the margins, with the people that most will avoid because they're dirty. What we forget, is that the gospel tells us we're all dirty. After asking for a drink, Jesus tells a young woman he meets at this well that she is the one who is in fact thirsty.  She's been drinking from a well, but her well of broken relationships will not satisfy, and it will run out eventually.  Jesus himself is a well that offers living water that never runs dry.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus spends his times in the margins, with the people that most will avoid because they're dirty. What we forget, is that the gospel tells us we're all dirty. After asking for a drink, Jesus tells a young woman he meets at this well that she is the one who is in fact thirsty.  She's been drinking from a well, but her well of broken relationships will not satisfy, and it will run out eventually.  Jesus himself is a well that offers living water that never runs dry.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-41-26.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-09-30/john-4-1-26-jesus-the-well</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 3.22-26 Jesus the Groom]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-3-22-26-jesus-the-groom</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[John's disciples get distracted by their own missiona and lose sight of God's mission.  They more of what they needed to do versus what God was doing.  Like a marriage that starts off all romantic and fluffy, quickly it becomes stagnate and burdensome when you forget your first love and you lose sight of what is of most importance--your groom, Jesus. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[John's disciples get distracted by their own missiona and lose sight of God's mission.  They more of what they needed to do versus what God was doing.  Like a marriage that starts off all romantic and fluffy, quickly it becomes stagnate and burdensome when you forget your first love and you lose sight of what is of most importance--your groom, Jesus. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-322-26audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-09-23/john-3-22-26-jesus-the-groom</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 3.1-22 Jesus the Lover]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-3-1-22-jesus-the-lover</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Nicodemus is a man who appears to have it all figured out.  As a Pharisee he is as "good" as good will get.  As a member of the Sandhedrin, he is successful, powerful, and wealthy.  He has it all.  But he comes to Jesus in the cover of night because there something that is missing.  In this conversation, Jesus tells him that he needs something he isn't doing, something that he in fact can't do.  Then Jesus tells him that He is going to die so that people can be reborn...all because of love.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Nicodemus is a man who appears to have it all figured out.  As a Pharisee he is as "good" as good will get.  As a member of the Sandhedrin, he is successful, powerful, and wealthy.  He has it all.  But he comes to Jesus in the cover of night because there something that is missing.  In this conversation, Jesus tells him that he needs something he isn't doing, something that he in fact can't do.  Then Jesus tells him that He is going to die so that people can be reborn...all because of love.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-31-22.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-09-16/john-3-1-22-jesus-the-lover</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 3.1-15 Jesus the Obstectrician]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-3-1-15-jesus-the-obstectrician</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This is a two part sermon.  In the first half, Aaron tells the story of Julie Wakefield, a woman who Aaron was able to minister to as Matthew 25.35 would have us all do.  It is a wonderful story of redemption leading into the second half of the sermon focusing on being "born again."]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This is a two part sermon.  In the first half, Aaron tells the story of Julie Wakefield, a woman who Aaron was able to minister to as Matthew 25.35 would have us all do.  It is a wonderful story of redemption leading into the second half of the sermon focusing on being "born again."]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-3audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-09-09/john-3-1-15-jesus-the-obstectrician</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 9 Sep 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 2.1-12 Jesus the bartender]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-2-1-12-jesus-the-bartender</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We must live a life that is no more than Jesus, no less than Jesus. In a passage full of imagery and symbolism, our focus on the simple facts of what Jesus does here is probably the most shocking.  More than one church might question the character of a man who blesses a wedding party with 180 gallons of the best wine possible.  Through this miracle, Jesus becomes real as he lives in culture yet remaining above reproach.  We can learn a lot from an event we might consider unwise but that the bible says revealed His glory. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We must live a life that is no more than Jesus, no less than Jesus. In a passage full of imagery and symbolism, our focus on the simple facts of what Jesus does here is probably the most shocking.  More than one church might question the character of a man who blesses a wedding party with 180 gallons of the best wine possible.  Through this miracle, Jesus becomes real as he lives in culture yet remaining above reproach.  We can learn a lot from an event we might consider unwise but that the bible says revealed His glory. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-21-12audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-08-26/john-2-1-12-jesus-the-bartender</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 26 Aug 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 1.35-51 Jesus the Team Captain]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-1-35-51-jesus-the-team-captain</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus selects his first disciples; he picks his first team.  But he doesn't pick who we probably think he should pick.  He doesn't pick the people that look like what we might consider "religious" people--today we call them "Christians."  But what these uneducated, hard-working, Bible-believing, simply dressed fisherman are, are Christ-followers. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus selects his first disciples; he picks his first team.  But he doesn't pick who we probably think he should pick.  He doesn't pick the people that look like what we might consider "religious" people--today we call them "Christians."  But what these uneducated, hard-working, Bible-believing, simply dressed fisherman are, are Christ-followers. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-135-51audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-08-19/john-1-35-51-jesus-the-team-captain</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 1.19-34 Jesus the Lamb]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-1-19-34-jesus-the-lamb</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Like Jesus, John the Baptist is rejected because he did not meet the expecation of the "voice".  He didn't act, talk, or look like the religious guys of the day.  We all need to look beyond method sometimes and look for the spiritual fruit in the lives of those influenced by the ministry or miss where Jesus is on mission.  Like the Pharisees who questioned John's authority because of his identity, we do the same to Jesus.  A lot of us "know of Jesus", the good teacher, the unfortunate victim, the great example, but very few actually know Jesus as the lamb of God who takes away our sin.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Like Jesus, John the Baptist is rejected because he did not meet the expecation of the "voice".  He didn't act, talk, or look like the religious guys of the day.  We all need to look beyond method sometimes and look for the spiritual fruit in the lives of those influenced by the ministry or miss where Jesus is on mission.  Like the Pharisees who questioned John's authority because of his identity, we do the same to Jesus.  A lot of us "know of Jesus", the good teacher, the unfortunate victim, the great example, but very few actually know Jesus as the lamb of God who takes away our sin.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-119-43audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-08-05/john-1-19-34-jesus-the-lamb</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 5 Aug 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Introduction to John]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/introduction-to-john</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[The gospel of John was written by a "son of thunder" to prove that Jesus is the "Son of God." Each of the gospels record the events about the life, and death of Jesus Christ, but all in a different way. John's portrait is especially unique causing scholars to often argue thatif Jesus was anything like the Christ portrayed in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, HE COULD not be like the Christ of the fourth gospel. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[The gospel of John was written by a "son of thunder" to prove that Jesus is the "Son of God." Each of the gospels record the events about the life, and death of Jesus Christ, but all in a different way. John's portrait is especially unique causing scholars to often argue thatif Jesus was anything like the Christ portrayed in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, HE COULD not be like the Christ of the fourth gospel. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/introduction-tojohnaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-07-15/introduction-to-john</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jul 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jonah 4]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jonah-4</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Jonah]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this final chapter of the book of Jonah, we consider which Jonah we are.  Running Jonah, Repentant Jonah, Begrudgingly obedient Jonah, or Angry Jonah.  We must consider what right we have to be angry with God at all about anything considering that he gave, gives, and will give us everything including the air we breathe.  But, when God doesn't do what we think he should after we do what we thought we were suppposed to, like a stubborn little child, we stop engaging the world, pout, and wait for God to change his mind so we can say "I told you so."  It ain't happening.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this final chapter of the book of Jonah, we consider which Jonah we are.  Running Jonah, Repentant Jonah, Begrudgingly obedient Jonah, or Angry Jonah.  We must consider what right we have to be angry with God at all about anything considering that he gave, gives, and will give us everything including the air we breathe.  But, when God doesn't do what we think he should after we do what we thought we were suppposed to, like a stubborn little child, we stop engaging the world, pout, and wait for God to change his mind so we can say "I told you so."  It ain't happening.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jonah-4audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-07-08/jonah-4</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 8 Jul 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jonah2.3]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jonah2-3</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Jonah]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Scripture affirms that God is in control of all of creation, even us.  Scripture also affirms that we have free will to make real choices with real consequences.  We are not free, however, to choose God,to resist God if he chooses us, or ever free to be outside of God's control.  This forces us to approach what we might discern as "evil" differently.  Whether it is sending a storm, or influencing men to make willful choices, God's plan will come to completion through suffering that He has in fact ordained. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Scripture affirms that God is in control of all of creation, even us.  Scripture also affirms that we have free will to make real choices with real consequences.  We are not free, however, to choose God,to resist God if he chooses us, or ever free to be outside of God's control.  This forces us to approach what we might discern as "evil" differently.  Whether it is sending a storm, or influencing men to make willful choices, God's plan will come to completion through suffering that He has in fact ordained. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jonah23audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-06-24/jonah2-3</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Jun 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jonah 2.1-10]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jonah-2-1-10</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Jonah]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[From the belly of the whale, Jonah prays a prayer of repentence and thanksgiving for Salvation. Just when Jonah was about to die, at the moment when all hope was lost, in the midst of judgment brought by his own disobedience...God was there.  Salvation is from the Lord. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[From the belly of the whale, Jonah prays a prayer of repentence and thanksgiving for Salvation. Just when Jonah was about to die, at the moment when all hope was lost, in the midst of judgment brought by his own disobedience...God was there.  Salvation is from the Lord. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jonah-21-10audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-06-17/jonah-2-1-10</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 17 Jun 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jonah 1.4-17]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jonah-1-4-17</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Jonah]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[God let's Jonah run and face the consequences of his choices.  But when the natural consequences don't teach him, God brings His own consequences--A Great Storm.  We see that regardless of man's disobedience, God is soveriegn encough to complete his plan.  Our disobedience may result in immediate suffering for innocent people but ultimately God will be glorified through all of it and we're the ones who'll end up hurt.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[God let's Jonah run and face the consequences of his choices.  But when the natural consequences don't teach him, God brings His own consequences--A Great Storm.  We see that regardless of man's disobedience, God is soveriegn encough to complete his plan.  Our disobedience may result in immediate suffering for innocent people but ultimately God will be glorified through all of it and we're the ones who'll end up hurt.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jonah-14-17audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-06-10/jonah-1-4-17</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Jun 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jonah 1.1-3]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jonah-1-1-3</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Jonah]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[We are Jonah.  We all run, we all disobey, for various reasons.  The beauty of God's grace is that even in our darkest times, he is there.  Sometimes he lets us run, but he never lets us go.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[We are Jonah.  We all run, we all disobey, for various reasons.  The beauty of God's grace is that even in our darkest times, he is there.  Sometimes he lets us run, but he never lets us go.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jonah-11-3audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-06-03/jonah-1-1-3</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Jun 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jonah_Intro]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jonah_intro</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Jonah]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jonah is not just FISHY WHALE story. This small book of prophecy is the only book of prophecy that centers on the actions of the prophet versus the words of the prophecy. Although Jonah's rebelious spirit might shock us, if we're honest, we're just like him.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jonah is not just FISHY WHALE story. This small book of prophecy is the only book of prophecy that centers on the actions of the prophet versus the words of the prophecy. Although Jonah's rebelious spirit might shock us, if we're honest, we're just like him.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jonahintroaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-05-27/jonah_intro</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 27 May 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality Part 5:  Self and Sex]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/reforming-sexuality-part-5:--self-and-sex</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this last sermon of a five-part series, we explore the true nature of our brokenness.  The culture offers all kinds of sexual temptations, pornography in a multiplicity of forms. Men give into it because they crave the physical.  Women become it because they crave control.  Both sin, not because of something outside themselves, but because of the sin in them--they removed Jesus from the throne and made their own desires trump God's. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this last sermon of a five-part series, we explore the true nature of our brokenness.  The culture offers all kinds of sexual temptations, pornography in a multiplicity of forms. Men give into it because they crave the physical.  Women become it because they crave control.  Both sin, not because of something outside themselves, but because of the sin in them--they removed Jesus from the throne and made their own desires trump God's. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/reforming-sexuality-part-5self-and-sexaduio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-05-20/reforming-sexuality-part-5:--self-and-sex</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 20 May 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality Part 4: Women and Sex]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/reforming-sexuality-part-4:-women-and-sex</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Men, like women, are called to love their brides as Jesus loves us.  Living out the gospel in marriage is not a divine suggestion, but a command reflecting how God saved us, forgiving us, loving us, dying for us, when we did not deserve it.  Men are called to love women by sacrificing the self as Jesus humbled himself and love their brides in ways that they genuinely feel it and others see it. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Men, like women, are called to love their brides as Jesus loves us.  Living out the gospel in marriage is not a divine suggestion, but a command reflecting how God saved us, forgiving us, loving us, dying for us, when we did not deserve it.  Men are called to love women by sacrificing the self as Jesus humbled himself and love their brides in ways that they genuinely feel it and others see it. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/reforming-sexuality-part-4women-and-sexaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-05-13/reforming-sexuality-part-4:-women-and-sex</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality Part 3: Men and Sex]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/reforming-sexuality-part-3:-men-and-sex</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Our third message of a five part series on reforming sexuality.  Men and sex is an attempt to educate women on their role in their husband's sexuality.  All men need to hear, "I respect you...I believe in you...I want you."]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Our third message of a five part series on reforming sexuality.  Men and sex is an attempt to educate women on their role in their husband's sexuality.  All men need to hear, "I respect you...I believe in you...I want you."]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/reforming-sexuality-part-3-men-and-sexaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-05-06/reforming-sexuality-part-3:-men-and-sex</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 6 May 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality Part 2: Sin and Sex]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/reforming-sexuality-part-2:-sin-and-sex</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Reforming Sexuality]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Sin has separated Sex from its original design.  Anytime the creator is separated from creation, chaos ensues.  We cannot remove sexuality for the larger picture of relationship.  Open and intimate companionship leads to a commitment that is stronger than death, which naturally leads to sex.  The culture seeks to satisfy our inbuilt longing for intimacy (Genesis 2) through sex.  This only leads to continued disatisfaction and difficulty with intimacy.  Sex God's way includes relationship and mirrors what God wants from us.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Sin has separated Sex from its original design.  Anytime the creator is separated from creation, chaos ensues.  We cannot remove sexuality for the larger picture of relationship.  Open and intimate companionship leads to a commitment that is stronger than death, which naturally leads to sex.  The culture seeks to satisfy our inbuilt longing for intimacy (Genesis 2) through sex.  This only leads to continued disatisfaction and difficulty with intimacy.  Sex God's way includes relationship and mirrors what God wants from us.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/reforming-sexuality-sin-and-sex.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-04-29/reforming-sexuality-part-2:-sin-and-sex</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 29 Apr 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Our Mission]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/our-mission</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[After Jesus resurrected from the dead, He ascended to heaven to be with the Father.  Before he left, however, he gaves us specific intructions to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  Our responsibilty is not to ensure the gospel is believed, but heard.  We must engage the culture with the gospel through the community of believers called by church. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[After Jesus resurrected from the dead, He ascended to heaven to be with the Father.  Before he left, however, he gaves us specific intructions to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  Our responsibilty is not to ensure the gospel is believed, but heard.  We must engage the culture with the gospel through the community of believers called by church. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/mattculture.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-04-15/our-mission</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 15 Apr 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jesus Our Redemption]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jesus-our-redemption</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Who killed Jesus?  The Jews delivered him for religious reasons.  The Romans executed him for political reasons.  But God in fact planned his death through the hands of these lawless men for our redemption.  In short, God killed Jesus for us. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Who killed Jesus?  The Jews delivered him for religious reasons.  The Romans executed him for political reasons.  But God in fact planned his death through the hands of these lawless men for our redemption.  In short, God killed Jesus for us. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jesusourredemption.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-04-01/jesus-our-redemption</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 1 Apr 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Jesus our Passover Lamb]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/jesus-our-passover-lamb</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Easter]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Jesus is our passover lamb.  The passover lamb of the Old Testament was best typified in Jesus Christ.  Her is the perfect lamb led to slaughter whose blood was shed for our sins.  Ever detail of who he was, how he suffered, and dies speaks of God's foreknowledge and plan.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Jesus is our passover lamb.  The passover lamb of the Old Testament was best typified in Jesus Christ.  Her is the perfect lamb led to slaughter whose blood was shed for our sins.  Ever detail of who he was, how he suffered, and dies speaks of God's foreknowledge and plan.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/jesusourpassoverlamb.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-03-25/jesus-our-passover-lamb</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 6.11-18]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-6-11-18</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul finishes his letter with a final warning about what our lives must be and not be about.  Everything is about Jesus.  We die in Jesus.  We live in Jesus.  We boast in Jesus.  Jesus' gospel is faith alone in what He alone did on the cross.  Man's gospel is a failed attempt to do what we can't do. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul finishes his letter with a final warning about what our lives must be and not be about.  Everything is about Jesus.  We die in Jesus.  We live in Jesus.  We boast in Jesus.  Jesus' gospel is faith alone in what He alone did on the cross.  Man's gospel is a failed attempt to do what we can't do. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians611-18-sermon-audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-03-18/galatians-6-11-18</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Mar 2007 11:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 6.1-10]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-6-1-10</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul gives instruction on how to help a brother or sister who has been overtaken by Sin.  At the same time, he WARNS people about spiritual pride whereby they think come to believe they are better. He begins with sharing burdens and concludes with reminding us not to ignore our own responsibilities. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul gives instruction on how to help a brother or sister who has been overtaken by Sin.  At the same time, he WARNS people about spiritual pride whereby they think come to believe they are better. He begins with sharing burdens and concludes with reminding us not to ignore our own responsibilities. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians61-10sermonaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-03-11/galatians-6-1-10</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Mar 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 5.22-26]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-5-22-26</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul teaches us about two different ways that we live our lives, one centered on the flesh and the other on the Spirit. A life in the Spirit naturally will produce fruit evidencing GOSPEL TRANSFORMATION as oppossed to simply moral reformation.  Moral reformation is nothing more than a religious version of life in the flesh.  The moralist and the sinner are cut from the same tree.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul teaches us about two different ways that we live our lives, one centered on the flesh and the other on the Spirit. A life in the Spirit naturally will produce fruit evidencing GOSPEL TRANSFORMATION as oppossed to simply moral reformation.  Moral reformation is nothing more than a religious version of life in the flesh.  The moralist and the sinner are cut from the same tree.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians522-26sermonaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-03-04/galatians-5-22-26</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Mar 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 5.2-12]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-5-2-12</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul warns the Galatians that to give into legalism, at even one point, is to lose Christ entirely. You cannot be saved b both law and grace, both human effort and works.  You either live a life led by the Holy Spirit through love or you live a life led by your own effort through the self.  You either go ALL the WAY with Jesus or ALL the WAY with the law/legalism.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul warns the Galatians that to give into legalism, at even one point, is to lose Christ entirely. You cannot be saved b both law and grace, both human effort and works.  You either live a life led by the Holy Spirit through love or you live a life led by your own effort through the self.  You either go ALL the WAY with Jesus or ALL the WAY with the law/legalism.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians52-12audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-02-18/galatians-5-2-12</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 18 Feb 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 5.1]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-5-1</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[To the unchurched, Christianity seems like anything but freedom.  In this key verse of Galatians, a book centered on the gospel, Paul declares that Jesus set us free to live in freedom.  We explore what we are in fact freed from.]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[To the unchurched, Christianity seems like anything but freedom.  In this key verse of Galatians, a book centered on the gospel, Paul declares that Jesus set us free to live in freedom.  We explore what we are in fact freed from.]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians-51audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-02-11/galatians-5-1</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 11 Feb 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 4.21-31]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-4-21-31</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[****This sermon recording began 20 minutes into the sermon, please read the intro from the text***  In these verses, Paul uses the Old Testament story of Issac and Ishmael as an analogy to the situation occurring in Galatia. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[****This sermon recording began 20 minutes into the sermon, please read the intro from the text***  In these verses, Paul uses the Old Testament story of Issac and Ishmael as an analogy to the situation occurring in Galatia. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians421-31audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-02-04/galatians-4-21-31</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 4 Feb 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 4.8-20]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-4-8-20</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In this passage, Paul moves from the rebuke of a teacher, to the love of a father. He wonders if, by telling them the truth, he has become an enemy.  We learn that true love is willing to say the hard stuff, even risk the friendship in hopes of saving the heart of the one being admonished.  It's hard, no fun, but hopefully they can see past the hard part to the truth of God.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this passage, Paul moves from the rebuke of a teacher, to the love of a father. He wonders if, by telling them the truth, he has become an enemy.  We learn that true love is willing to say the hard stuff, even risk the friendship in hopes of saving the heart of the one being admonished.  It's hard, no fun, but hopefully they can see past the hard part to the truth of God.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians-48-20.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-01-28/galatians-4-8-20</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 28 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 3.26-4.7]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-3-26-4-7</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul constrasts our old identity outside of Christ, under the law, with our new identity as Sons of God under grace. By understanding WHO WE ARE, we understand who everyone else is, and, most importantly recognize our new way with God through the gospel.  We change from a boss-employee relationship to one where the Spirit within us cries out "Daddy."]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul constrasts our old identity outside of Christ, under the law, with our new identity as Sons of God under grace. By understanding WHO WE ARE, we understand who everyone else is, and, most importantly recognize our new way with God through the gospel.  We change from a boss-employee relationship to one where the Spirit within us cries out "Daddy."]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians326-47audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-01-21/galatians-3-26-4-7</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 3.15-25]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-3-15-25</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[In the the third part of Paul's argument for faith alone, he visits the concept of covenant.  Appealling to history, Paul goes back to the first covenant with Abram and proves how it came before the law and was not replaced by the law.  Then, he answers the question, "Why have the law at all?"]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[In the the third part of Paul's argument for faith alone, he visits the concept of covenant.  Appealling to history, Paul goes back to the first covenant with Abram and proves how it came before the law and was not replaced by the law.  Then, he answers the question, "Why have the law at all?"]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians315-25audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2007-01-14/galatians-3-15-25</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 3.1-5]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-3-1-5</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul continues his defense of faith alone by appealing to the experience of the Galatian believers. He asks them five questions focusing on the fact that they began their faith by the Spirit and not by works and it is through faith and the Spirit that they will grow and succeed. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul continues his defense of faith alone by appealing to the experience of the Galatian believers. He asks them five questions focusing on the fact that they began their faith by the Spirit and not by works and it is through faith and the Spirit that they will grow and succeed. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians31-5audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-12-31/galatians-3-1-5</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 Dec 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[John 8.21-39]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/john-8-21-39</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Gospel According to John]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[This passage which weâ€™ll be studying today is very full of truth about Jesus and the way of salvation.  Jesus is continuing his conversation with the Jews about who he is and absolute necessity of trusting in him alone for salvation.  In this passage we learn:       1.  That it is possible to seek after Christ in vain     2.  The great difference between Christ and sinners     3.  Dying in your sins = hell     4.  The importance of persevering in the faith     5.  The nature of true slavery and,     6.  What true liberty is. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This passage which weâ€™ll be studying today is very full of truth about Jesus and the way of salvation.  Jesus is continuing his conversation with the Jews about who he is and absolute necessity of trusting in him alone for salvation.  In this passage we learn:       1.  That it is possible to seek after Christ in vain     2.  The great difference between Christ and sinners     3.  Dying in your sins = hell     4.  The importance of persevering in the faith     5.  The nature of true slavery and,     6.  What true liberty is. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/john-821-39audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-12-31/john-8-21-39</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 31 Dec 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Christmas Eve]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/christmas-eve</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Non-series Sermon]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[A topical sermon for Christmas Even centering the implications of the birth of Jesus Christ.  Specifically, what the incarnation tell us about the character of God AND how we should apply our theology to our behavior. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[A topical sermon for Christmas Even centering the implications of the birth of Jesus Christ.  Specifically, what the incarnation tell us about the character of God AND how we should apply our theology to our behavior. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/incarnationsermonaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-12-24/christmas-eve</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 24 Dec 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 2.11-14]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-2-11-14</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul challenges Peter to behave like he says he believes.  Specifically, Paul calls out the leader of the church and challenges him in his hypocrisy.  Instead of telling him to stop sinning or "be happy" God love you, he tells him to align his life with the gospel. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul challenges Peter to behave like he says he believes.  Specifically, Paul calls out the leader of the church and challenges him in his hypocrisy.  Instead of telling him to stop sinning or "be happy" God love you, he tells him to align his life with the gospel. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians-211-14sermon.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-12-10/galatians-2-11-14</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians2.1-10]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians2-1-10</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Due to technical difficulties, the first few words of the sermon were cut out.  Summary:  Jewish Christians place their culture above the gospel and go so far as to attach their justification to it.  They've added to the gospel and lost grace.  As Christians we can become just as guilty as the Judaizers when we create our own "church culture" that we require new believers to conform to.  ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Due to technical difficulties, the first few words of the sermon were cut out.  Summary:  Jewish Christians place their culture above the gospel and go so far as to attach their justification to it.  They've added to the gospel and lost grace.  As Christians we can become just as guilty as the Judaizers when we create our own "church culture" that we require new believers to conform to.  ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians21-10sermonaudio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-12-03/galatians2-1-10</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 3 Dec 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 1.10-24]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-1-10-24</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul defends against the charge that he is a "people pleaser."  He is anything but that, taking a stand for the truth before an audience of one.  He points to the source of his gospel (Jesus), and explains how he did not receive anything from flesh and blood--the only true explanation for his own personal transformation.  The test and evidence of his ministry is not in his popularity or comfort, but in how closely it is aligned with what Jesus said. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul defends against the charge that he is a "people pleaser."  He is anything but that, taking a stand for the truth before an audience of one.  He points to the source of his gospel (Jesus), and explains how he did not receive anything from flesh and blood--the only true explanation for his own personal transformation.  The test and evidence of his ministry is not in his popularity or comfort, but in how closely it is aligned with what Jesus said. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians1-10-24audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-11-19/galatians-1-10-24</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Nov 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
  <item>
   <title><![CDATA[Galatians 1.10-24]]></title>
   <link>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/galatians-1-10-24</link>
   <itunes:author><![CDATA[Sam Ford]]></itunes:author>
   <itunes:subtitle><![CDATA[Letter of Galatians]]></itunes:subtitle>
   <description><![CDATA[Paul defends against the charge that he is a "people pleaser."  He is anything but that, taking a stand for the truth before an audience of one.  He points to the source of his gospel (Jesus), and explains how he did not receive anything from flesh and blood--the only true explanation for his own personal transformation.  The test and evidence of his ministry is not in his popularity or comfort, but in how closely it is aligned with what Jesus said. ]]></description>
   <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Paul defends against the charge that he is a "people pleaser."  He is anything but that, taking a stand for the truth before an audience of one.  He points to the source of his gospel (Jesus), and explains how he did not receive anything from flesh and blood--the only true explanation for his own personal transformation.  The test and evidence of his ministry is not in his popularity or comfort, but in how closely it is aligned with what Jesus said. ]]></itunes:summary>
   <enclosure url="http://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/damascus-road-church-wa/galatians1-10-24audio.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="1024"/>
   <guid>http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2006-11-19/galatians-1-10-24</guid>
   <pubDate>Sun, 19 Nov 2006 11:30:00 -0800</pubDate>
  </item>
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