Cities Church Sermons

In this sermon, Joe Rigney returns as a guest preacher to expound upon Psalm 89. In the face of life's circumstances, do we remember God's character and his covenant? When confronted with the world's darkness or your anxiety, anger, fear of man, confusion, and vanity – do you still sing of his steadfast love and faithfulness?

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Psalm 88 which is known as the saddest psalm. It's about spiritual depression, or soul trouble, which is a real experience in the Christian life. And God gives us this psalm so that we know what to do with it.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon Psalm 87 which is a psalm about the City of God. The Lord loves this city, and he loves the citizens of this city – all Christians, from everywhere. The gates to this city are currently open, and everyday people from all nations are joining in saying ‘I want to be a citizen of God's city.'

In this sermon, Pastor Marshall Segal begins our seventh Summer of Psalms as he expounds upon Psalm 86 – a desperate, in the valley, psalm. David's trouble in this psalm teaches us how to pray in our own trouble. There are four simple prayers we can learn here from David's example.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 6:60-71 which is all about the human response to what Jesus has said. This is the question: Why do some people love Jesus and others don't? There are two main lessons about this that we find in this passage, and they are very relevant for us.

In this sermon, Pastor Marshall Segal expounds upon John 6:22-59 which prompts the question: Why are you here? What do you really want from Jesus? There are three bad answers to that question in these verses. Jesus tells us to seek the only bread that truly satisfies. He is the bread of life for anyone who believes.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 6:16-21. In this passage is one of the most definitive declarations of Jesus' identity in all of his earthly ministry: Jesus walks on water and declares to the frightened disciples, “I AM.” And looking at this story as a whole, it becomes an illustration of conversion. For those who trust in Jesus, this story is actually our story...

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 6:1-15 in which the purposeful kindness of Jesus is on full display as he miraculously feeds the large crowd of over 5,000 people that was following him. In this story, Jesus patiently provides and generously hosts a feast for his guests.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon John 5:30-47 in which we see four reasons to believe Jesus' claims and roadblocks to believing his claims.

In this sermon, on Easter Sunday, Pastor Jonathan Parnell looks at John 5:24 and repeats three truths about reality that you should always remember. You can hear Jesus today. If you hear him, you have eternal life. And if you have eternal life you have been changed. Christians each have different stories, and the same story – they heard Jesus, they have eternal life, they have been changed.

In this sermon, on Palm Sunday, Pastor David Mathis expounds upon John 5:19-30 in which Jesus get himself into even hotter waters with the Jewish leaders. Jesus speaks three marvelous words here about his voice. The voice of Jesus commends his father, gives life to whom he desires, and will raise all the dead.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 5:1-18 which is all about the way that God works in this world. God's work is not impersonal to us and it's not dictated by us. It's what Jesus is doing and it's personal and active.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 4:43-54. In this passage, where Jesus heals the official's son, he teaches us about the nature of true faith. There are three aspects of true faith here in these verses and we should evaluate our own faith in light of them. Most importantly, let's take Jesus at his word.

In this sermon on John 4:27-42, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon the second part of Jesus' unexpected interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus invites us here to see what he sees and to be satisfied as he is satisfied. When we look out at the world, out at the multitude of non-Christians all around us, do we see what Jesus sees?

In this sermon, Pastor Marshall Segal expounds upon John 4:1-26 where Jesus converses with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Jesus shows us that no sin is too great, no place is too far, and no wall is too high for us to come to him. Come to the fountain of living water!

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 3:22-36 in which John the Baptist and Jesus are both leading two separate groups of followers and baptizing them. In verse 26, the disciples of John the Baptist are confused and this brings up the question: How do we make sense of what we're doing in light of the reality of Jesus?

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 3:16-21 in which John gives us two options when it comes to believing in Jesus. One is good news, and one is bad news. Our greatest need in all our life is to be saved, and we were doomed until Jesus was sent here on a rescue mission.

In this sermon, Pastor Marshall Segal expounds upon John 3:1-21 by focusing in on four loves found in just one verse. This familiar verse, John 3:16, helps us understand that the holy God loves unholy people, he loves the unlovely and undeserving. He loves sinners, even you. Do you believe?

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 2:13-25 in which Jesus cleanses his Father's house. In this story, we learn at least two truths about who Jesus is. Jesus is the cleaner of what's his and Jesus is the shame-bearer we need.

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis expounds upon John 2:1-12 in which Jesus turns water into wine. However, the miracle itself is not the most stunning thing about this passage – it's whom the miracle points to. The Gospel of John presents Jesus to us in his glory that we might find him compelling and believe in him. Here's three glories of Jesus from this story.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon John 1:35-51. The heartbeat of this text is that people will see Jesus, and then they'll go share Jesus with someone else. Shouldn't this also be the heartbeat of the church? This story reveals two encouragements for sharing Jesus with others.

In this special stand-alone sermon for our 10-year anniversary as a church, Pastor John Piper visits us with a message from Psalm 19. This passage focuses on two foundational pillars for us as a church. Pastor John exhorts us that these cherished pillars are essential for our future, helping us answer questions about ultimate reality and ultimate truth. And they came to us in Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 1:19-34 in which we find two things about John the Baptist and one thing about us. Does your life forge a path for people to get to Jesus or does it put obstacles in the way?

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon John 1:14-18 in which John shows us the glory of Jesus. And so the questions is: do you want to see it?

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis begins the New Year with our new sermon series through the Gospel of John by expounding upon John 1:1-13. Therefore, we enter 2025 making much of Jesus, considering him, enjoying him, marveling at him — which is how John opens his Gospel.

In this sermon on Numbers 33-36, Pastor Jonathan Parnell concludes our series through the Book of Numbers by focusing in on the example of faith by the five daughters of Zelophehad. And even beyond their exemplary example of faith, their story takes us to Jesus – our kinsman redeemer.

In this sermon on Numbers 31-32, Pastor David Mathis contrasts God's command to “kill every male among the little ones” to the similar acts of anger ordered by Herod in Bethlehem and Pharaoh in Egypt. This passage is a dark subject for the Sunday before Christmas, but this is actually the real setting for Christmas – a desperate, cursed, evil world in which surprising light dawns. Here's three rays of Advent light we see in this land of deep darkness...

In this sermon on Numbers 26-30, Pastor Jonathan Parnell offers three encouragements to the rising generation. The older generation should invest in the younger generation because there will come a day when the older generation is no longer, and the younger generation will be leading the way.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon Numbers 22-25 in which we find two contrasting men on either side of God's promises to the godly. One man provides a portrait of worldliness, while the other shows a heart won over to God.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Numbers 20-21 where God displays that he wants your faith whoever you are. And just as the snakebitten Israelites were instructed to look at the bronze serpent if they wanted to live, we are to look to Jesus if we want to live. God wants our faith!

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Polley expounds upon Numbers 16-19 in which we see three acts of judgment and three acts of provision from God. We see that just as Aaron stood between the living and the dead – Jesus stands in the gap for us, between life and death, but more than holding back sin and death, he defeats it. Jesus is the only way back to God.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon Numbers 13-15 in which we witness one of the greatest tragedies ever told. God's chosen people are standing on the verge of the Promise Land and the twelve spies return to the camp with a foreboding report. Unbelief has descended upon the camp. This story teaches us four things about unbelief.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Numbers 10:11-12:16 by tracking with these three movements found in this story: on one hand there is a “shiny new car,” and on the other hand there's “the fine print,” and then there is what it means for us. And what we learn is that right now, in the new covenant, what we have was a dream for Moses.

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis expounds upon Numbers 7:1-10:10 by focusing on what we need to know, how we should live, and how we see Jesus in this text. God still leads and guides his people's daily movement but how does this look for us under the new covenant?

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon Numbers 1-6 in which God provides some instructions for how to journey through the wilderness. God gives us roles to play in the church, wants us to have healthy relationships, and he dwells among us making his face shine upon us giving us a foretaste of a greater reality still to come as we journey onward to glory.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell introduces our new series through the Book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Torah, by expounding upon Numbers 1:1 and the apostle Paul's commentary on Numbers found in 1 Corinthians 10:1-14. The main point overall is that we might learn to live with God on the road of the Christian life and here's three things we can prepare to do in response to this book...

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell completes our series “We Are Cities Church” by looking at our ultimate vision in Revelation 7:9-12 and applying it to our Matthew 28 mission here and now. Here are five facts about our vision that help us see what it would look like if we were effective in making joyful disciples of Jesus who remember his realness in all of life...

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis expounds upon three truths for our welcoming witness drawing from the witness of the early church in the book of Acts and engaging what it means that we are witnesses to Jesus in our post-Christian society.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon the examples of discipleship found in Acts 20:17-21. A generous discipler is someone who gladly and purposefully seeks to help other Christians follow Jesus. In this text, we find two methods for helping other Christians follow Jesus.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Jesus's words to us in John 13:1-20 to see his example of serving and to follow it. Jesus wants us to be servants and to be a servant like Jesus means we serve at a cost, from freedom, and with joy.

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis provides three reasons why our first and foremost calling is to be Jesus worshipers making connections to John 12:20-26. The first thing to know about Cities Church is that we worship Jesus. Being Jesus worshipers is just part one of our new fourfold way of capturing what we mean by “joyful disciples of Jesus.”

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell looks at Colossians 1:28 to begin this new sermon series called “We Are Cities Church” which is all about who we are. Who has Jesus called us to be and what does he want us to do? We learn three things here, from the apostle Paul, about the mission of our local church.

In this sermon, Marshall Segal wraps up our Summer of Psalms (Part 6), expounding upon Psalm 85 which is a psalm and a prayer for all our low moments in the Lord. We all have low moments of various kinds, and so we are all regularly in need of reviving. We look at our need for revival, our hope for revival, and then three fruits of revival.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Psalm 84 which shows us the way of happiness. Everybody wants to be happy, and Jesus is the way – Blessed are those who dwell in God's house!

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon Psalm 83 which is a psalm about a people in need of much help. In this passage, after first crying for help, the psalmist provides the reason he's asking for God's help, then makes his request to God, and then explains the result he is hoping for – that God may get his glory, no matter what.

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Psalm 82 which is a perplexing passage but clearly affirms three truths about God and reality that matter for how we live: God reigns over all, God will judge all moral unrighteousness, and God will get his global glory.

In this sermon, Pastor Max Kozak expounds upon Psalm 81 which includes three scenes: A joyful song, a tragic story, and a hope-filled invitation. This psalm teaches us that singing about God can deepen our joy in Jesus, that God's heart longs for His wandering people to return to Him, and that God invites us to come and be satisfied by Him.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Polley expounds upon Psalm 80 which is a corporate lament. The psalmist appeals for God to hear and save, laments the current destruction, and appeals to God to see and save. The prayer for God to turn his face towards his people has been answered again and again for his people, and has ultimately been answered through Jesus.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Schumann expounds upon Psalm 79 which is a psalm of lament and shaped by a problem, a petition, and a praise. This psalm helps us answer the question: Can you really go to God in prayer when the reason for your ruin is your own rebellion against God?

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell expounds upon Psalm 78 which gives us three lessons for when we are going through something. We should recount our story to remember God's grace, see the sad predicability of unbelief, and know that Jesus is our hope.

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Polley expounds upon Psalm 77. This gritty psalm dives deep into the distress that we can have from the circumstances in our hearts and it teaches us how God answers us through His Word.