Grace Bible Church

Most Christians know they're forgiven — and yet still feel crushed by their ongoing struggle with sin, as if their standing with God rises and falls with how well they're doing that day. This week Eric untangles two very different biblical uses of the word "sin": sin as a legal status before God, settled once and for all through Christ, and sin as ongoing action, a daily battle believers are actively called to fight. Walking through Romans 5-6, Ephesians 2, and Colossians 2-3, Eric shows why passages like "you died to sin" so often confuse sincere believers — and why they were never meant to describe the end of the struggle, only the end of the verdict. Our BE, our identity before God, was never meant to fluctuate based on our DO. That guilt has already been forgiven. The fight continues — but it flows from a settled identity, not toward one.

As we continue to unmask the false self, Eric turns to one of the most familiar stories Jesus ever told, the parable of the prodigal son, and asks the congregation to see it differently. Both the younger son and the older son are living out of the same false self, just in opposite directions: one through wild living, one through rule-keeping and resentment. Both end up saying something devastating about themselves, "I am no longer worthy" and "I have been slaving for you", because both are trying to earn an identity that was never meant to be earned. Eric unpacks the practical shape of the False Self through the pattern Do, Have, Be, and shows how the Father in Luke 15 offers both sons something entirely different: an identity that is Be, Do, Have, received first, lived out second. The message closes with a simple but costly invitation: examine your own DO, and don't do this work alone.

Most of us know the exhausting pull to prove ourselves — through what we do, what we have, or what others think of us. Eric opens the new series Masterpiece by naming this pattern for what it is: the False Self, a way of building an identity that can never be finished and never feels like enough. Drawing from Genesis 1 and Ephesians 2, Eric shows that every person is already God's workmanship — his masterpiece — before they've done anything to earn it. The problem isn't that we're unfinished; it's that sin has stained what God already made, leaving us to chase an identity we were never meant to build. The good news is that the True Self isn't achieved. It's received — through grace, through faith in Jesus, and through the daily surrender that follows.

Most of us know the exhausting pull to prove ourselves — through what we do, what we have, or what others think of us. Eric opens the new series Masterpiece by naming this pattern for what it is: the False Self, a way of building an identity that can never be finished and never feels like enough. Drawing from Genesis 1 and Ephesians 2, Eric shows that every person is already God's workmanship — his masterpiece — before they've done anything to earn it. The problem isn't that we're unfinished; it's that sin has stained what God already made, leaving us to chase an identity we were never meant to build. The good news is that the True Self isn't achieved. It's received — through grace, through faith in Jesus, and through the daily surrender that follows.

In this message, Matt Love closes out Grace's journey through 2 Corinthians with Paul's final words to a struggling church. Working through 2 Corinthians 13:1–10, Matt explores why God's correction is never rejection — it's always aimed at restoration. He unpacks why real spiritual authority looks like weakness before it looks like power, why self-examination matters more than proving yourself to others, and why a church that takes sin seriously can still be a place where everyone is welcome as they are. Matt shares honestly from his own life about what it looks like to invite correction in rather than run from it, and offers practical next steps for anyone ready to experience the freedom of being fully restored.

In this message, Matt Love closes out Grace's journey through 2 Corinthians with Paul's final words to a struggling church. Working through 2 Corinthians 13:1–10, Matt explores why God's correction is never rejection — it's always aimed at restoration. He unpacks why real spiritual authority looks like weakness before it looks like power, why self-examination matters more than proving yourself to others, and why a church that takes sin seriously can still be a place where everyone is welcome as they are. Matt shares honestly from his own life about what it looks like to invite correction in rather than run from it, and offers practical next steps for anyone ready to experience the freedom of being fully restored.

This sermon explores the question, “What does it really mean to love God?” Through Deuteronomy 6, Jesus' teaching in Matthew 22, and 1 John, we see that loving God isn't about organizing our lives correctly or simply putting Him at the top of our priority list. Instead, God calls us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and strength- allowing our love for Him to shape every area of our lives. Because God loved us first, our love for Him naturally spills over into loving others. Ultimately, loving God isn't about a list; it's about all of life.

This sermon explores the question, “What does it really mean to love God?” Through Deuteronomy 6, Jesus' teaching in Matthew 22, and 1 John, we see that loving God isn't about organizing our lives correctly or simply putting Him at the top of our priority list. Instead, God calls us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and strength- allowing our love for Him to shape every area of our lives. Because God loved us first, our love for Him naturally spills over into loving others. Ultimately, loving God isn't about a list; it's about all of life.

This message picks up where last week left off — with more to say about the holiness of God. Working through Job 37, Psalm 93, and Isaiah 6, we see a God who is not simply a better version of us but a different category entirely. From there the sermon traces the movement of Hebrews 10 — made holy through Jesus, being made holy through the Spirit — and gets painfully specific about what that looks like when we sin. Using pornography as a concrete example, the difference becomes clear between living on the wrong side of guilt and shame versus living from the position of someone who has already been made holy and is being drawn back toward God. The message ends with Revelation 7's vision of every nation standing before the throne in white robes — the destination the whole journey is heading toward.

This message picks up where last week left off — with more to say about the holiness of God. Working through Job 37, Psalm 93, and Isaiah 6, we see a God who is not simply a better version of us but a different category entirely. From there the sermon traces the movement of Hebrews 10 — made holy through Jesus, being made holy through the Spirit — and gets painfully specific about what that looks like when we sin. Using pornography as a concrete example, the difference becomes clear between living on the wrong side of guilt and shame versus living from the position of someone who has already been made holy and is being drawn back toward God. The message ends with Revelation 7's vision of every nation standing before the throne in white robes — the destination the whole journey is heading toward.

In this message, Eric continues the Red Thread series by diving into one of the most challenging books of the Bible — Leviticus. Rather than a dusty collection of ancient laws, Eric shows that Leviticus is about one of the most urgent questions any person can ask: how do muddy, broken people get to be with a holy God? Working through the clean/unclean/defiled categories of Leviticus, the Day of Atonement, and the book of Hebrews, Eric makes the case that God's primary concern has never been your behavior — it's your position. And through Jesus, that position has changed forever.

In this message, Eric continues the Red Thread series by diving into one of the most challenging books of the Bible — Leviticus. Rather than a dusty collection of ancient laws, Eric shows that Leviticus is about one of the most urgent questions any person can ask: how do muddy, broken people get to be with a holy God? Working through the clean/unclean/defiled categories of Leviticus, the Day of Atonement, and the book of Hebrews, Eric makes the case that God's primary concern has never been your behavior — it's your position. And through Jesus, that position has changed forever.

In this message, Matt Love traces a single thread through the book of Exodus, the Gospel of John, and the book of Revelation: God's relentless desire to dwell with his people. Beginning with Israel's terrified response to God's presence at Mount Sinai — where the people chose distance over nearness — Matt shows how God's immediate response was not judgment but invitation. God's command to build the tabernacle in Exodus 25:8 was not a building project — it was a declaration that presence, not prosperity or performance, is the point of faith. Drawing on the Hebrew and Greek words behind the tabernacle and John 1:14, Matt demonstrates that when John writes that Jesus "tabernacled among us," he is making a direct and deliberate connection to the Exodus story — God crossing every barrier to be with his people in flesh. And in Revelation 21:3–4, the promise first spoken in the wilderness finds its final answer: God's dwelling place is with humanity, permanently, with every tear wiped away. If you have ever felt like faith is about getting somewhere or getting good enough, this message offers a different vision: the God of Scripture has been removing every obstacle — fear, sin, death — not to improve you or relocate you, but simply to be with you.

In this message, Matt Love traces a single thread through the book of Exodus, the Gospel of John, and the book of Revelation: God's relentless desire to dwell with his people. Beginning with Israel's terrified response to God's presence at Mount Sinai — where the people chose distance over nearness — Matt shows how God's immediate response was not judgment but invitation. God's command to build the tabernacle in Exodus 25:8 was not a building project — it was a declaration that presence, not prosperity or performance, is the point of faith. Drawing on the Hebrew and Greek words behind the tabernacle and John 1:14, Matt demonstrates that when John writes that Jesus "tabernacled among us," he is making a direct and deliberate connection to the Exodus story — God crossing every barrier to be with his people in flesh. And in Revelation 21:3–4, the promise first spoken in the wilderness finds its final answer: God's dwelling place is with humanity, permanently, with every tear wiped away. If you have ever felt like faith is about getting somewhere or getting good enough, this message offers a different vision: the God of Scripture has been removing every obstacle — fear, sin, death — not to improve you or relocate you, but simply to be with you.

In this message, Eric introduces the Red Thread series — a five-week journey through the first five books of the Bible — by tracing a single thread from Genesis to Revelation: the promise of a seed who would reverse the curse. Beginning in Genesis 3 with the entry of sin, death, and the enemy into the world, Eric follows God's covenant with Abraham through to its fulfillment in Jesus, showing how the offspring promised in the garden is the same seed Paul identifies in Galatians and the same Lamb whose throne anchors the new creation in Revelation. The message lands on a simple but profound question: are you trusting the seed, or trying to be one?

In this message, Eric introduces the Red Thread series — a five-week journey through the first five books of the Bible — by tracing a single thread from Genesis to Revelation: the promise of a seed who would reverse the curse. Beginning in Genesis 3 with the entry of sin, death, and the enemy into the world, Eric follows God's covenant with Abraham through to its fulfillment in Jesus, showing how the offspring promised in the garden is the same seed Paul identifies in Galatians and the same Lamb whose throne anchors the new creation in Revelation. The message lands on a simple but profound question: are you trusting the seed, or trying to be one?

In this message, Eric walks through Galatians 6:7-8 and a simple but sobering principle: you reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap later than you sow. Using a story from his own family's life at Moe's and a hard scene he witnessed at a Panera, Eric makes the case that technology is not neutral. It's shaping who we, and our families, are becoming, one meal and one moment at a time. He closes with a specific, doable challenge: no technology at the table, for anyone.

In this message, Eric walks through Galatians 6:7-8 and a simple but sobering principle: you reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap later than you sow. Using a story from his own family's life at Moe's and a hard scene he witnessed at a Panera, Eric makes the case that technology is not neutral. It's shaping who we, and our families, are becoming, one meal and one moment at a time. He closes with a specific, doable challenge: no technology at the table, for anyone.

In this message, Eric walks through 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, where Paul defends himself against the ‘super-apostles' — leaders who looked impressive by every cultural standard of the day, but were quietly leading the Corinthian church away from the truth. Eric unpacks how easily something false can look convincing, and challenges us to ask where we've traded the real story of following Jesus for a safer, more culturally acceptable version of it — one built on confirmation instead of challenge, success instead of sacrifice, and instant results instead of a slow process of transformation.

In this message, Eric walks through 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, where Paul defends himself against the ‘super-apostles' — leaders who looked impressive by every cultural standard of the day, but were quietly leading the Corinthian church away from the truth. Eric unpacks how easily something false can look convincing, and challenges us to ask where we've traded the real story of following Jesus for a safer, more culturally acceptable version of it — one built on confirmation instead of challenge, success instead of sacrifice, and instant results instead of a slow process of transformation.

From job interviews to dating apps to social media, we're surrounded by opportunities to prove ourselves. It's easy to believe our value depends on our accomplishments, our strengths, or what others think of us. But in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul hands us a completely different kind of resume. This Sunday, we explore how the cross reshapes our understanding of identity, weakness, and success—and why following Jesus changes what we value most.

From job interviews to dating apps to social media, we're surrounded by opportunities to prove ourselves. It's easy to believe our value depends on our accomplishments, our strengths, or what others think of us. But in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul hands us a completely different kind of resume. This Sunday, we explore how the cross reshapes our understanding of identity, weakness, and success—and why following Jesus changes what we value most.

In this message, Eric opens 2 Corinthians 12 and follows Paul into one of the most counterintuitive ideas in the New Testament: that weakness is not something to hide but something to lead with. Using Paul's mysterious "thorn in the flesh" and Jesus's response to it, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness", Eric makes the case that boasting in weakness isn't false modesty or spiritual performance. It's the only posture that actually opens us up to receive what God has for us. The sermon invites everyone to get honest about the two words that unlock God's power: "I can't."

In this message, Eric opens 2 Corinthians 12 and follows Paul into one of the most counterintuitive ideas in the New Testament: that weakness is not something to hide but something to lead with. Using Paul's mysterious "thorn in the flesh" and Jesus's response to it, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness", Eric makes the case that boasting in weakness isn't false modesty or spiritual performance. It's the only posture that actually opens us up to receive what God has for us. The sermon invites everyone to get honest about the two words that unlock God's power: "I can't."

We live in a world engineered for conflict — in our marriages, our politics, and our closest relationships. Most of us have been fighting hard our whole lives and still feel like we're losing. In this message from 2 Corinthians 10, we look at the apostle Paul facing personal attacks and public criticism — and choosing a completely different way to fight. If you're exhausted from conflict that never seems to resolve, this message is for you.

We live in a world engineered for conflict — in our marriages, our politics, and our closest relationships. Most of us have been fighting hard our whole lives and still feel like we're losing. In this message from 2 Corinthians 10, we look at the apostle Paul facing personal attacks and public criticism — and choosing a completely different way to fight. If you're exhausted from conflict that never seems to resolve, this message is for you.

In this message, Eric works through 2 Corinthians 9:6–15, confronting one of the most misused passages in the New Testament head-on. Framed by the anchor verse of the entire section — “they gave themselves first to the Lord” — Eric shows that the sowing and reaping principle Paul describes is not a prosperity gospel promise but an invitation into a fundamentally different relationship with money and blessing. God blesses the cheerful giver not so they can accumulate more for themselves but so they can be generous on every occasion. The harvest Paul promises is righteousness, thanksgiving to God, and the needs of others being met.

In this message, Eric works through 2 Corinthians 9:6–15, confronting one of the most misused passages in the New Testament head-on. Framed by the anchor verse of the entire section — “they gave themselves first to the Lord” — Eric shows that the sowing and reaping principle Paul describes is not a prosperity gospel promise but an invitation into a fundamentally different relationship with money and blessing. God blesses the cheerful giver not so they can accumulate more for themselves but so they can be generous on every occasion. The harvest Paul promises is righteousness, thanksgiving to God, and the needs of others being met.

In this message, Eric explores what it actually means to honor God with your finances. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 8 and Jesus's teaching in Matthew 6, he makes the case that genuine generosity is not primarily a financial decision but a spiritual one — a question of who is actually reigning as king over your life and your resources. Eric walks through how GBC practices financial accountability, offers a fresh definition of heaven and earth from Matthew 6, and closes with a direct pastoral invitation: if you haven't surrendered financially, you have a lid on your spiritual life.

In this message, Eric explores what it actually means to honor God with your finances. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 8 and Jesus's teaching in Matthew 6, he makes the case that genuine generosity is not primarily a financial decision but a spiritual one — a question of who is actually reigning as king over your life and your resources. Eric walks through how GBC practices financial accountability, offers a fresh definition of heaven and earth from Matthew 6, and closes with a direct pastoral invitation: if you haven't surrendered financially, you have a lid on your spiritual life.

In this message, Eric opens with a simple but disorienting question: how much would you need to love someone to trade places with them? From there he takes the us to 2 Corinthians 8:9, the theological heart of Paul's generosity section, where Paul holds up Jesus as the ultimate model of sacrificial giving. Jesus moved from infinite wealth to profound poverty for our sake, and his example is not meant to be exploited for personal blessing but imitated in how we hold and give our money. Eric explores three honest questions about desire, priority, and proportion, and closes with a story about a young man who started giving not because he had extra but because he had tasted grace. The invitation is simple: what story do you want your money to tell?

In this message, Eric opens with a simple but disorienting question: how much would you need to love someone to trade places with them? From there he takes the us to 2 Corinthians 8:9, the theological heart of Paul's generosity section, where Paul holds up Jesus as the ultimate model of sacrificial giving. Jesus moved from infinite wealth to profound poverty for our sake, and his example is not meant to be exploited for personal blessing but imitated in how we hold and give our money. Eric explores three honest questions about desire, priority, and proportion, and closes with a story about a young man who started giving not because he had extra but because he had tasted grace. The invitation is simple: what story do you want your money to tell?

Giving in church can feel awkward. Why would anyone willingly give away a significant portion of their income? In this sermon, Ryan unpacks 2 Corinthians 8 and the massive offering the apostle Paul organized across the ancient world to support the church in Jerusalem. Along the way, we discover a bigger vision of the church—not just a building or weekly gathering, but a multi-cultural, multi-generational movement of Jesus' people across space and time. This message challenges us to rethink generosity as one of the primary ways we participate in what God is doing in the world.

Giving in church can feel awkward. Why would anyone willingly give away a significant portion of their income? In this sermon, Ryan unpacks 2 Corinthians 8 and the massive offering the apostle Paul organized across the ancient world to support the church in Jerusalem. Along the way, we discover a bigger vision of the church—not just a building or weekly gathering, but a multi-cultural, multi-generational movement of Jesus' people across space and time. This message challenges us to rethink generosity as one of the primary ways we participate in what God is doing in the world.

In this message, Eric opens in 2 Corinthians by exploring what real relationships actually require. Drawing from Paul's vulnerable, risk-taking pursuit of the Corinthian church in chapter 7, Eric identifies six risks that genuine relationships demand — sharing desires, vulnerability, struggle, feelings, need for others, and owning our sin. At the heart of the sermon is one of the most practical questions in Paul's entire letter: what does godly sorrow look like, and why does it restore relationships when worldly sorrow only destroys them? The message ends with a simple, concrete invitation: one question, one person, this week.

In this message, Eric opens in 2 Corinthians by exploring what real relationships actually require. Drawing from Paul's vulnerable, risk-taking pursuit of the Corinthian church in chapter 7, Eric identifies six risks that genuine relationships demand — sharing desires, vulnerability, struggle, feelings, need for others, and owning our sin. At the heart of the sermon is one of the most practical questions in Paul's entire letter: what does godly sorrow look like, and why does it restore relationships when worldly sorrow only destroys them? The message ends with a simple, concrete invitation: one question, one person, this week.

In this message, Eric explores one of the most countercultural identities in all of Scripture — the identity of a servant. Using John 13, he shows how Jesus, fully aware of his power and authority, got up from the table and washed his disciples' feet — not just as an act of service, but as a defining moment of identity formation. The invitation is simple but challenging: say yes to the identity Jesus has for you, and let that identity shape your responsibility everywhere you go — and specifically, in the local church.

In this message, Eric explores one of the most countercultural identities in all of Scripture — the identity of a servant. Using John 13, he shows how Jesus, fully aware of his power and authority, got up from the table and washed his disciples' feet — not just as an act of service, but as a defining moment of identity formation. The invitation is simple but challenging: say yes to the identity Jesus has for you, and let that identity shape your responsibility everywhere you go — and specifically, in the local church.

“SOMEBODY SAY YES!” teaches that saying yes to God is not usually one dramatic moment, but a lifestyle of daily obedience. David's victory over Goliath began long before the battlefield through small acts of faithfulness—serving his father, tending sheep, and trusting God in private battles. Saying yes often requires faith without knowing all the details, but God uses those moments to position us for purpose. Saying yes leads to life, just as Jesus said yes for our salvation. Our obedience also impacts others, because one person's yes can bless families, churches, communities, and even future generations.

“SOMEBODY SAY YES!” teaches that saying yes to God is not usually one dramatic moment, but a lifestyle of daily obedience. David's victory over Goliath began long before the battlefield through small acts of faithfulness—serving his father, tending sheep, and trusting God in private battles. Saying yes often requires faith without knowing all the details, but God uses those moments to position us for purpose. Saying yes leads to life, just as Jesus said yes for our salvation. Our obedience also impacts others, because one person's yes can bless families, churches, communities, and even future generations.

In this message, Hannah continues the Best Question Ever series by asking a harder question: if wisdom is so simple, why do we ignore it? Drawing from the book of Proverbs, Hannah unpacks three types of people who ignore wisdom — the naïve, the fool, and the mocker — and what each one needs to move toward wisdom. The answer isn't more information. It's humility, sacrifice, and a willingness to stop trusting yourself most.

In this message, Hannah continues the Best Question Ever series by asking a harder question: if wisdom is so simple, why do we ignore it? Drawing from the book of Proverbs, Hannah unpacks three types of people who ignore wisdom — the naïve, the fool, and the mocker — and what each one needs to move toward wisdom. The answer isn't more information. It's humility, sacrifice, and a willingness to stop trusting yourself most.

In this message, Eric introduces what he calls "the best question ever" — a simple but powerful filter for every decision we face. Most of us have made choices we regret, not because they were obviously wrong, but because we weren't asking the right question. Whether you're navigating relationships, finances, parenting, or everyday choices, this question has the potential to shape not just your decisions, but the person you are becoming.

In this message, Eric introduces what he calls "the best question ever" — a simple but powerful filter for every decision we face. Most of us have made choices we regret, not because they were obviously wrong, but because we weren't asking the right question. Whether you're navigating relationships, finances, parenting, or everyday choices, this question has the potential to shape not just your decisions, but the person you are becoming.

In this message, Eric shows that the uncertainty we feel in life isn't just a circumstances problem — it's a death problem. Drawing from Genesis 2-3, he traces how humanity's rebellion cut us off from God, introducing death not as a single event but as an ongoing condition of hiding, shame, and loneliness. But the God who came looking for Adam and Eve in the garden is still asking the same question today: "Where are you?" Eric walks through the resurrection in Matthew 28 to show that if death is the problem, resurrection is the answer — and that the answer to uncertainty isn't certainty. It's a relationship with the person who defeated death.

In this message, Eric shows that the uncertainty we feel in life isn't just a circumstances problem — it's a death problem. Drawing from Genesis 2-3, he traces how humanity's rebellion cut us off from God, introducing death not as a single event but as an ongoing condition of hiding, shame, and loneliness. But the God who came looking for Adam and Eve in the garden is still asking the same question today: "Where are you?" Eric walks through the resurrection in Matthew 28 to show that if death is the problem, resurrection is the answer — and that the answer to uncertainty isn't certainty. It's a relationship with the person who defeated death.

In this message, Eric explores what Jesus meant when He announced, “The kingdom of God has come near.” Many people think of the gospel as how we begin following Jesus, but Jesus presents it as something much bigger—His reign over every part of life. Looking at Palm Sunday and Jesus clearing the temple, we see what kind of King He is: gentle, yet confrontational toward power structures that block people from God. While religious leaders resist Him, the blind, the lame, and children move toward Him—and He moves toward them. This message challenges us to ask: Do we see ourselves as self-sufficient, or as people in need? Because the good news is not for those who think they have it all together, but for those who know they don't.

In this message, Eric explores what Jesus meant when He announced, “The kingdom of God has come near.” Many people think of the gospel as how we begin following Jesus, but Jesus presents it as something much bigger—His reign over every part of life. Looking at Palm Sunday and Jesus clearing the temple, we see what kind of King He is: gentle, yet confrontational toward power structures that block people from God. While religious leaders resist Him, the blind, the lame, and children move toward Him—and He moves toward them. This message challenges us to ask: Do we see ourselves as self-sufficient, or as people in need? Because the good news is not for those who think they have it all together, but for those who know they don't.

In this message, Eric looks at Jesus' surprising words in John 6 after feeding the 5,000. The crowd comes looking for more bread, but Jesus exposes a deeper issue: they're focused on what will fill them temporarily, while he wants to give them something that truly satisfies. Jesus declares, “I am the Bread of Life.” Like the crowd, we often believe that if one circumstance in our lives changed, success, security, comfort, or control, then we'd finally be okay. But Jesus challenges that assumption. Real satisfaction isn't found in changing our circumstances. It's found in trusting him, the One who gives life that truly satisfies.

In this message, Eric looks at Jesus' surprising words in John 6 after feeding the 5,000. The crowd comes looking for more bread, but Jesus exposes a deeper issue: they're focused on what will fill them temporarily, while he wants to give them something that truly satisfies. Jesus declares, “I am the Bread of Life.” Like the crowd, we often believe that if one circumstance in our lives changed, success, security, comfort, or control, then we'd finally be okay. But Jesus challenges that assumption. Real satisfaction isn't found in changing our circumstances. It's found in trusting him, the One who gives life that truly satisfies.

In this message, Eric continues the Journey to the Cross series by explaining why Lent has long been a season of fasting, reflection, and repentance. Teaching from Matthew 3:16–4:11 (NIV), he shows that temptation is not a sign of spiritual failure — it is part of being human. Right after Jesus' baptism and the Father's affirmation, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness to be tempted. There, Jesus faces three core temptations: comfort (meeting legitimate needs in illegitimate ways), control (demanding that God do our will), and compromise (separating obedience from worship). Each temptation ultimately asks one question: Will you trust God? By responding with Scripture and deep trust in the Father, Jesus shows us how to fight temptation — and reminds us that He has already overcome it in our place. Lent becomes a season to name our areas of struggle and learn to trust God more deeply as we move toward the cross.