Galen Harrill

Galen Harrill's passion for the church developed as he saw God working powerfully in his native Northeast through the individual and collective activities of churches throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. His participation in these works greatly matured his love of service in a cause greater than himself and challenged him to seek how he might further God's Kingdom wherever God placed him. In college, he gained experience in ministry and missions as he served internships in Illinois, California and Kenya. After earning degrees at Abilene Christian University, he worked with a small church in Philadelphia while preparing to go abroad. In 1995 he moved to Prague, Czech Republic to serve with a church planting team among a predominately atheistic population. It was there he faced his greatest challenges as he grew to understand the limitless power of faith working in the lives of God's people. He met and married his wife while serving in Prague and two of their three children were born there. They returned to the States in 2005 and moved to Pennsylvania, where Galen has worked as a special education teacher and itinerant preacher. Officially, he has served with churches in East Lansdowne, Pottstown and North Wales, PA. He currently preaches at the North Penn Church of Christ in North Wales. While serving as preacher for this congregation over the past three years, Galen has helped to nurture this loving congregation to greater depths and heights of love and service for Christ. Galen holds two bachelor's degrees in Biblical Studies and Human Communication and two master's degrees in Missions and Educational Leadership. He lives in Lancaster County with his wife and three children.

Love that Invites

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Love that Invites

Text:  Revelation 22:17

God always makes the first move….

  • All are created and blessed by Him – Genesis 1:27-31
  • The Patriarchs – Genesis 12:1-3; 26:1-4; 28:10-15
  • Moses – Exodus 3&4
  • The Passover – Exodus 12
  • Metaphor of Israel – Ezekiel 16:9-14
  • “Because He first loved us” – I John 4:19

We respond!

  • I John 4:19
  • Consider those already mentioned….
  • Israel – Genesis 24:3; Joshua 24:14-19
  • Psalm 108
  • Acts 26:28-29

 

To Be a Treasured Possession

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  To Be a Treasured Possession

Text:  Exodus 19:5

  • Our relationship becomes exclusive
  • Not what the world wants to hear…. John 3:16ff; John 15:1-17
    • Doesn’t understand the purpose of His care – Naaman did; to follow Him – II Kings 5
    • Wants the benefits without the work – Mark 10:17ff
  • He fights for us – Numbers 21; Joshua 6; II Kings 6:8; Colossians 2:13-15
  • He takes care of us – John 10:14-18; Psalm 34:4-10

Come Lord Jesus

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Come, Lord Jesus!

Title text:  Revelation 22:20

Why is He Coming Again?

  • Because He promised!
    • John 14:1-4
    • 24:30-31
  • Because He loves us!
    • John 17:20-26
  • Because He has a job to do!
    • He came first to save…
    • John 12:47*
    • He comes again to judge…
      • Acts 17:31, Rom. 2:16, Rev. 20:13
      • Mt. 25:31ff
      • II Tim. 4:1-8*
      • John 5:21-27

What’s Taking So Long?

  • No one knows the hour or the day…
    • Mark 13:34
    • 24:36
  • He wants all to come to repentance!
    • I Peter 3:9

What is Our Response?

  • Be pure and blameless…
    • 1:9-10, I Thess. 5:23-24*
  • Be prepared!
    • 25:1-13
  • Prepare others!
    • II Tim. 4:1-8

The Word Became Flesh

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  The Word Became Flesh

Text:  John 1:1-14

  • The Word is what the Word does….
  • No hypocrisy….
  • Ezekiel 12:25, II Corinthians 1:20, II Peter 3:3-9
  • The Word creates….
  • Genesis 1
  • The Word reveals….v. 18
  • The Word saves! v. 12, 13, 17

How will we respond?

  • To recognize!
    • Matthew 7:20
    • Matthew 14:35
    • Matthew 17:12
    • Jeremiah 44
  • To receive!
    • Mark 4:20
    • John 6:60ff

For to Us a Child Is Born

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  For to Us a Child is Born! (cf. The People Living in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light)

Text:  Isaiah 9:1-6

Every age has its oppression….

  • Midian – Judges 6
  • Zebulun and Naphtali – I Kings 15:20, II Kings 15:29
  • Matthew 9:36
  • Revelation 6:9-11

Jesus answers this oppression!

  • Isaiah 9:1-5
  • John 16:33

The People Living in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  The People Living in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light (cf. For to Us a Child is Born!)

Text:  Isaiah 9:1-7

Sometimes our world is dark:

  • Lamentations 3:1-7
  • Job 3:(4)
  • Psalm 88
  • Isaiah 8:11-22

Jesus brought light!

  • Who would receive it? Precisely those who had suffered the most – v. 1, 4-5 (consider Zebulun and esp. Naphtali)
  • There is growth – v. 3, 7
  • The occasion – the birth of the King v. 7
  • The result – Justice and righteousness – v. 7

Immanuel – God With Us

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Immanuel – God with us

Texts:  Matthew 1, 2; Luke 1, 2

The incarnation is a matter of faith in and of itself…

  • Mary – Luke 1:26-38
  • Joseph – Matthew 1:18-25
  • Magi – Matthew 2:1,2,12
  • Herod – Matthew 2:3-8, 16-18

The incarnation is a matter of faith in what it means for us…

  • Immanuel – Matthew 1:27
  • Jesus – Luke 1:31
  • Savior – Luke 2:11
  • Christ – Luke 2:11

We take Jesus as He is…

  • Compare with Joash – II Chronicles 22:10, 24:1-2
  • Jesus at the temple – Luke 2:41-52

We give Jesus His due…

  • Our gifts – Matthew 2:11
  • Our worship – Mark 5:22,33; Rev. 1:17; Phil. 2:10-11
  • Our obedience – John 14:23, Heb. 5:9, II Thess. 1:8

The Church

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  The Church

Title text:  Ephesians 3:20-21

The church is where God’s favor rests….

  • I Corinthians 1:2
  • I Corinthians 12:28
  • Ephesians 1:22; 3:10,21; 5:29

The church is where people learn to live together….

  • Philippians 4:2-3
  • Philemon 8-12
  • Matthew 18:15-20
  • Ephesians 3:2-6

The church must pass itself down to all….

  • Our own…
    • Psalm 119:9-16

II Timothy 1:13-14; 2:1-2

Know the Truth Like Jesus – John 18

By / February 17, 2022

Title: Know the Truth like Jesus….

Text:  John 18

Jesus is grounded in the truth!

Life is primarily the Spiritual!

  • Not financial
    • Joshua 7
    • John 12:4-6
  • Not physical
    • Matthew 4:4
    • Matthew 6:25-34
  • Not political
  • Not institutional

Our call is to know the truth!

  • The Truth is Jesus!
    • Pilate ignores at his peril – John 18:38
    • John 14:6

Be Patient Like Jesus

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Be Patient Like Jesus

Text:  John 11:1-44

Being patient will sometimes cause misunderstanding….

  • We are up against an instant gratification culture… Ps. 27:14, 37:7, Is. 41:31
  • There is a conflict between being and seeming… John 11:25-27
  • Some will never get it… John 11:47-48

Jesus looked for the  greater impact…

  • Teachable moments John 11:25, 41-42
  • Jesus wanted to instill belief v. 15, 45

Jesus looked to glorify God!  v. 40