Restored Church Uptown

We continue our series through the book of Proverbs, How to Build a Life, with a message from Proverbs 18:21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and Grant Clark walks through what Proverbs teaches about the hidden power of everyday words, spoken or typed, to destroy or to give life, and why the deeper call is not simply to speak better but to let Jesus change the heart our words flow from.A little fun with words to start:pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (45 letters)Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (36 letters)The shortest complete sentence: "Go." or "I am."Shortest English word containing all five vowels: Sequoia (7 letters)"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo."In 2013 a PR worker named Justine Sacco posted a twelve word tweet before an eleven hour flight, switched off her phone, and landed to find the sentence had gone viral, cost her job, and redefined her life. Twelve words, less than a minute of typing, changed everything. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Our words carry power for good and for evil, power to destroy reputations, end marriages, start feuds, and crush people, and creative power to place dreams in hearts, comfort the brokenhearted, and shape how someone sees their own worth, whether those words are spoken or typed.Grant shares from a heavy season this year, and how a folder of letters of affirmation, read in the early hours of a significant birthday, lifted a real weight and put life back into him. We should not live for these kinds of words, but they are incredible fuel for the journey God has for us. Proverbs 10:11 says the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, and Ephesians 4:29 says no corrupt talk should come from our mouths, only what builds someone up and gives grace to those who hear.## Words of Death"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is not true. A broken bone heals, but words can hang around for years."There exists, for everyone, a sentence, a series of words, that has the power to destroy you. Another sentence exists, another series of words, that could heal you. If you're lucky you will get the second, but you can be certain of getting the first." - Philip K. DickProverbs 16:27 says a scoundrel's speech is like a scorching fire. A wildfire brings immediate devastation, but its most lethal effects are often invisible, the toxic smoke that damages from the inside long after. Some words work the same way, a gut punch at first, then a slow internal toxicity that scars confidence, self-image, and identity. Proverbs 26:20-21 says that without wood a fire goes out, and without a gossip conflict dies down. A throwaway comment can be the small bit of fuel that grows into a fire that damages families, communities, and churches. Be a church that extinguishes fires rather than one that feeds them.This connects to expressive individualism. Our culture treats our inner feelings as the truest thing about us, meant to be voiced and affirmed publicly. Proverbs pushes back. Our mouths, our tongues, and our speech belong to God, and some things should not be spoken even when they feel natural or normal. Proverbs 10:20 says the tongue of the righteous is pure silver, and Proverbs 12:18 says rash words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Silver is purified over time in the fire, and in the same way we train and discipline our speech. Psalm 19:14, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. This is not a call to avoid hard conversations, which we often need to give and to receive, but a call against careless, hurtful words that do great damage.Justine Sacco later said she had to reclaim her identity, because she feared that one sentence had replaced everything else that was true about her. Many of us carry a word like that, spoken over us and repeated until it found a home in our hearts, defining us more than anything else. Grant pictures a word written on our forehead that we walk through life believing is the truest thing about us. Jesus wants to redefine us. If you are in Christ, the truest thing about you is that you are a child of God, forgiven, made new, chosen, and called his beloved.## Blessing and CursingJames 3:5-10 says the tongue is a small part of the body that boasts great things, a fire that no one can tame, and that blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. This is not magic or manifestation. A curse is a word that wounds, redefines, and strips the nutrients from the soil of a soul."Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another." - Dallas WillardIf blessing is the projection of good into the life of another, then cursing is the projection of bad. Not flattery or well meaning lies, but the truths of God spoken into people so they can live in the reality of who Jesus says they are.## Words of Life"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." - Mother TeresaProverbs 12:25 says anxiety in the heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up. Proverbs 16:24 says pleasant words are like honeycomb, sweet to the taste and healing to the body. Proverbs 25:11 says a timely word is like gold set in silver. The right word at the right time has power to change a life. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, once read his own obituary when a newspaper confused him with his brother and named him the merchant of death. Disgusted by how he would be remembered, he reassessed his life and left most of his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes. Words changed his life.## Words Reveal the HeartMatthew 12:34, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Proverbs 4:23, above all else guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Luke 6:45, a good person produces good out of the good stored up in the heart, and an evil person produces evil, for the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. Speech full of gossip, slander, judgment, lying, and complaining reveals what already lives inside, and so does speech full of encouragement, honesty, blessing, thanksgiving, confession, and grace.## Jesus's Ministry of WordsJohn 1:1-5, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and in him was life. John 1:14, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John points back to Genesis 1:1, where God creates and orders the world through his word. His claim is that the Word is not just something God speaks but a person, the logos, Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God and the perfect expression of who God is. In Jesus, God has spoken himself to us.In John 6:66-68, after a hard teaching, many of Jesus's disciples turn back. He asks the twelve if they will leave too, and Peter answers, Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.The big idea is not that we should simply speak better or stop sinning with our mouths. James already told us no one can tame the tongue. We do need to train and purify our words, but first we need Jesus to transform our hearts, which is what Proverbs points to again and again. On the cross Jesus bore the condemnation our words deserve, and from the cross he spoke words of forgiveness and life. He does not merely give us better rules. He gives us new hearts and, through his Spirit, teaches us to speak grace, life, and truth.So the invitation is to come to Jesus for a clean heart and a redefined life. For everyone in Christ, God loves you, your sins are forgiven, you are made new, and you are no longer defined by your worst words or your worst moments. You are God's beloved child. Where other words have been burned deep into how we see ourselves, he wants to write a new word over our lives.Verses referenced:Proverbs 18:21Proverbs 10:11Ephesians 4:29Proverbs 16:27Proverbs 26:20-21Proverbs 10:20Proverbs 12:18Psalm 19:14James 3:5-10Proverbs 12:25Proverbs 16:24Proverbs 25:11Matthew 12:34Proverbs 4:23Luke 6:45John 1:1-5John 1:14Genesis 1:1John 6:66-68

We continue our series through the book of Proverbs, How to Build a Life, with a message from Proverbs 3:1-12. A house is built by wisdom, and it is established by understanding (Proverbs 24:3), and that word for house does not mean a building but a household, a family. Many of us carry gaps in our formation, conversations we wish our parents had had with us about money, marriage, relationships, parenting, decision making, and conflict, and we are left figuring out the big things of life on the go. The book of Proverbs is what we wish we had received. Solomon sits down with his son and shows him the way to live, and each of these fatherly discourses follows a pattern.The Pattern of the Fatherly Discourses:1) Address2) Call to listen3) A Command4) Reasoning5) Warning6) ConclusionGrant Clark walks through the third of the ten discourses and shows us five practical things we can do to train in wisdom.From Proverbs 3:1-12:1) Trust in the Lord2) Submit to His Word3) Be humble4) Be generous5) Learn from suffering and hardshipSubmit to His Word. Proverbs is bookended by wisdom from a father in chapter 1 and a mother in chapter 31, which suggests God's primary way of forming us is meant to be through relationships in the family. Proverbs 3:3 hyperlinks back to the Shema in Deuteronomy 6, where parents internalize God's Word by praying it into the center of their being, writing it on the tablets of their hearts. This is not behavior modification but inside out transformation, and it points ahead to Jesus, who gives us a new heart and makes us new. In a home like this, Scripture sits at the center of both the formal moments and the informal ones, sitting on the couch, driving somewhere, eating breakfast. It is slow, daily, repetitive work that takes a long time before it bears fruit.Trust in the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-7 may be the best known passage in the book, and you could almost boil the whole of Proverbs down to a single phrase: trust God, not yourself. That sounds like heresy in a culture built on following your heart and being true to yourself. It is possible to know God, to be here, to sing the songs, and still be trusting something else with significant parts of who we are. Our ways take us somewhere and our ways turn us into someone, which means our ways determine our destiny. Trust is also relational. You would not follow a stranger who called you over from the bushes, but you would open the door at three in the morning for someone you know and love. Until we know God personally and experientially, it is very hard to put the weight of our lives on him.Be humble. Verse 7 contrasts this with the person who is wise in their own eyes, the one who always thinks they know best, who never asks for help, never prays about a decision, never asks for perspective. Proverbs calls them foolish not because they make bad decisions but because they are out of touch with reality. They lack the fear of the Lord."The Fear of the Lord is a reverential awe, that produces humble submission, to a loving God." - Skip HeitzigBe generous. Proverbs 3:9-10 turns suddenly to money, which feels out of place until we remember that Jesus taught this way too. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:24). Our wallets and possessions are deeply tied to our hearts, which means our budgets and our spending are clear indicators of what we believe and worship and live for. Our budgets are theological statements. Solomon is not letting his son's practice get disconnected from his faith.Learn from suffering and hardship. Proverbs 3:11-12 prepares us for the reality that we can trust the Lord, walk in wisdom, and do everything right, and suffering and surprises can still find us. Wisdom is not a formula that guarantees we will be exempt from pain. It is what shapes how we walk through it. Suffering is a teacher, and it will either drive us to God in greater surrender and dependence and love, or it will lead us to become bitter and hard hearted and choose a different path. Grant speaks openly here about walking through the hardest year of his life, and about the costly praise of blessing God in the darkest valley. In the midst of it, we do not serve a God who is removed from suffering or who has not suffered himself."I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" - John StottWe never have to doubt God's love and commitment to us, because he has already shown it to us at the cross. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights (Proverbs 3:12). You are not doomed to repeat what you did not receive. Even if we did not have a perfect father, we have a perfect Father in heaven who wants to teach us, guide us, make us wise, and lead us along the way.Verses referenced:Proverbs 24:3 (CSB)Proverbs 3:1-12 (CSB)Proverbs 3:1-3 (CSB)Proverbs 1:8 (CSB)Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (CSB)Proverbs 3:5-7 (CSB)Proverbs 3:9-10 (CSB)Matthew 6:24 (CSB)Proverbs 3:11-12 (CSB)Proverbs 3:12 (CSB)James 1:5Job 13:15

We begin a new series through the Old Testament book of Proverbs called How to Build a Life, the art of living according to the book of Proverbs. In this opening message from Proverbs 1:1-7, Grant Clark makes the case that in an age drowning in information yet starved for wisdom, the good life is not something we invent from scratch by looking inward, but a skill we receive from God by starting with him.The series began with a diagnosis of why the modern world leaves us disoriented:"For most of us, somewhere along the path to adulthood comes the unsettling realization that most people are winging it. They don't know what they are doing. They don't know where they are going. And they aren't sure what the point is. To some extent this is just the challenge of growing up and figuring out life, but there is something special about the modern world which has disoriented us and our moral imaginations... We lack guiding principles and authority figures to orient us toward the Good Life." - Alan Noble (To Live Well)The first challenge is the information age. We have more content than we could ever consume, but access to information is not the same as wisdom. Data is very different to discernment."From the dawn of civilization to 2003, five exabytes of data were created. The same amount was created in the last two days." - Eric Schmidt (Former Google CEO)The second challenge is the age of authenticity, in which the old authorities, institutions, and inherited ways of living have all come under suspicion, so we are left trying to build a life from scratch."Expressive individualism is also iconoclastic because it involves an inherently critical position toward culture. It inclines us to suspect that society is always trying to squeeze us into its mold and make us inauthentic... It sees traditional forms of external authority and social existence as intrinsically oppressive. Therefore, traditional religious institutions and teachings could be seen as less plausible, as hindering innovation, and as a negative, oppressive moral force." - Carl Trueman (The Desecration of Man)So what is a proverb? A proverb is a simple, but insightful saying, meant to train us in moral skillfulness. Proverbs are not life hacks, inspirational quotes, or success formulas. As wisdom literature, a proverb is a principle, not a promise, prophecy, or precept."A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience." - Miguel de CervantesAnd what is wisdom? Wisdom (Hokmah) is "skill in the art of godly living." This wisdom is the skill of living in God's world, according to God's design."Its function in scripture is to put godliness into work clothes." - Derek KidnerWhere is this wisdom found? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7; 2:6; 9:10). We start by coming to God as the foundation we build our lives upon, and when we see him rightly, everything else comes into focus."I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C. S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)But what is the fear of the Lord? Thomas Aquinas described two types of fear: servile fear (the fear of punishment) and filial fear (the fear of offense). Proverbs calls us not to a cowering dread of God but to a reverent, relational fear of him."The fear of the Lord is a life-rearranging, joyful, awe and wonder before the greatness of who God is and what he has done that deeply humbles us, and makes us come alive." - Tim KellerProverbs sets before us two ways to live, the way of the wise (humble and teachable) and the way of the fool (proud and resistant to correction), and it invites us to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5; Proverbs 4:5) and to pursue it actively: call out for it, seek it, treasure it, love it, prize it, and hold on to it.Ultimately Proverbs points beyond wisdom to Jesus, the true and wiser King. He does not only teach the way of wisdom, he is wisdom itself (1 Corinthians 1:24; Colossians 2:3), and he saves us from our own foolishness, which is a matter of the heart. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).Verses referenced:Proverbs 1:1-7 (CSB)Proverbs 1:7 (CSB)Proverbs 2:6 (CSB)Proverbs 9:10 (CSB)Proverbs 2:5 (CSB)James 1:5Proverbs 4:5Proverbs 3:13-15 (CSB)1 Corinthians 1:24 (CSB)Colossians 2:3 (CSB)Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

In this final message of our Above All Else series on the heart and the seven deadly sins, Pastor Grant Clark brings everything we have excavated over the last two months to a single point of focus. After eight weeks of looking inward at pride, envy, lust, greed, sloth, wrath, and gluttony, Hebrews 12 turns our attention away from ourselves and fixes it on Jesus, the one who has already run and finished the race ahead of us. The argument is simple but freeing: we do not defeat sin by staring at sin, we are transformed by beholding Christ."Every Christian has something they need to lay aside."Working from Hebrews 12:1-3, Grant unpacks the old term besetting sin and calls us to name what trips us up, then to lay it aside and run with endurance.What a besetting sin is:- "A besetting sin is a persistent, deeply ingrained habit or weakness that continues to plague a person, and is hard for them to overcome. It is the specific temptation that you fall into repeatedly."Characteristics of besetting sins:- Recurring- Entangling- Highly PersonalizedIn The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis pictures a senior demon training a younger one to tempt people not with wild, outlandish sins we would easily reject, but with subtle temptations tailored to our own story, patterns, and habits.The one application Hebrews gives us:- Fix your eyes on Jesus, and consider him. There is no second point. We do not look in, we look up. We do not stare at our sin, we behold Christ. Transformation comes from beholding him, not from endless introspection."For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ." - Robert Murray M'CheyneThe seven deadly sins are all different ways of looking away from Jesus:- Pride looks to self.- Envy looks to others.- Lust looks to pleasure.- Greed looks to possessions and money.- Sloth looks to comfort and satisfaction.- Wrath looks to revenge.- Gluttony looks to consumption.Scripture referenced:- Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)- Hebrews 12:1-3 (CSB)- Hebrews 11- 2 Samuel 11; Psalm 51- Hebrews 3:12-13- Hebrews 12:3- 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)- Colossians 1:15-22 (CSB)- Hebrews 12:1-3 (MSG)- Hebrews 4:15

In week eight of Above All Else, a series on the heart and the seven deadly sins, Grant Clark explores gluttony. Drawing on Proverbs, John 6, and the unforgettable image of Augustus Gloop tumbling into Willy Wonka's chocolate river, Grant argues that gluttony is not fundamentally about food but about a disordered appetite in the heart that cannot say "enough." He then points us to Jesus, the Bread of Life, as the only one who truly and lastingly satisfies."Gluttony is a third car when one will do, a third drink when one is best, a third hobby when the other two you started aren't satisfying enough. Alcoholics and drug users are gluttons, but so are some web surfers, card players, and businesspeople. In other words, '-aholic' is the suffix attached to the glutton's meal of choice, for gluttony is immoderation, and immoderation is not about having body fat; it's about having a gaunt soul." - Jeff Cook, SevenWhat gluttony is (and isn't):- Gluttony is not simply eating too much; it is any appetite that refuses to say no, not yet, or enough- Thomas Aquinas: gluttons eat "too soon, too expensively, too much, too eagerly, or with too much finicky fussing about... food"- The Desert Fathers: gluttony is not fundamentally about food; it is about the heart. Food simply reveals the deeper issue- Gluttony is about MORE: the pattern that shows up in our spending, our shopping, our screens, our stuffGluttony in our culture:- 26% of Americans spend more than they earn (highest level ever recorded)- 90 million Americans use buy-now-pay-later services; 40% of purchases are regretted within days- People buy 60% more clothing than 15 years ago and wear each item only 7-10 times before discarding it- Global viewers consumed over 2.43 billion hours of YouTube every single day in 2025- Humanity now consumes the equivalent of 1.7 Earths' worth of resources every yearGluttony and the heart - John 6:- The crowd who followed Jesus across the sea came to him not because of who he is, but because of what he gave them: "you are looking for me... because you ate the loaves and were filled"- "They were moved not by full hearts, but by full bellies." - Leon Morris- "The young man who rings the bell at the brothel is unconsciously looking for God." - Bruce Marshall- "The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night." - John Piper- Jesus's response: "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again." (John 6:35)From gluttony to self-control - fasting:- Fasting is abstaining from food so that we might pray; when hunger pangs come, we turn to God rather than the fridge- "Fasting reveals the things that control us." - Richard Foster- Dallas Willard: "Very little of our being lies under the direction of our conscious minds and very little of our action runs from our thoughts and consciously chosen intentions. Our mind on its own is an extremely feeble instrument... If we are to be transformed, the body must be transformed."- Fasting disrupts our automatic habits and retrains us to hunger for God, not the table of the world- Challenge: practice 24 hours of fasting this week (sundown to supper), using meal times to pray and read ScriptureVerses referenced:Proverbs 4:23Proverbs 21:17, 20 (CSB)John 6:24-26John 6:27John 6:33-35Philippians 3:18-19Mark 8:34Matthew 6:161 Corinthians 10:31

In this week's message from the "Above All Else" series, Julia Price explores the deadly sin of wrath and how the gospel transforms us from anger to graciousness. Drawing on Romans 12:19–21, she unpacks how anger, when disordered, becomes wrath, and how only the forgiveness of the cross gives us a path out.“Of the Seven Deadly Sins, wrath is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel of the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back — in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” — Frederick BuechnerWhat Anger Is:- Anger = active displeasure toward something that's important enough to care about (David Powlison)- Wrath = unrighteous anger aimed at the wrong things, sparked too easily, felt too strongly, or held too longWrath's Disordered Expressions:1. We get angry about the wrong things2. We get angry too easily3. We get angrier than we should4. We stay angry too longMoving from Wrath to Graciousness:1. Understand Our Anger Before It Becomes Wrath2. Release Our Wrath Through Forgiveness“Forgiveness = acknowledging that someone hurt you, absorbing the pain or cost of their offense, and choosing not to seek revenge”“Our English word wrath comes from the same Anglo-Saxon root as our word wreath. Wrath means to be twisted out of your normal shape by your anger . . . And the same Anglo-Saxon word also gives us the now somewhat archaic word ‘wraith' . . . If you don't deal with your wrath through forgiveness, wrath can make you a wraith, turning you slowly but surely into a restless spirit, into someone who's controlled by the past, someone who's haunted.” — Tim Keller“Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.” — C.S. Lewis“Those who won't forgive show they have not accepted the fact of their own sinfulness.” — Tim Keller“Yielding to God's will can be hard. And sometimes, it really hurts. But it always brings peace . . . I'm an old man, and this is one of my dreams: that my descendants will one day live in a land where people are quick to confess their wrongdoing and forgive the wrongdoing of others and are eager to build something beautiful together.” — John PerkinsVerses Referenced:- Proverbs 4:23- James 1:20- Mark 3:1–6- Romans 12:2- Romans 12:19–21- Ephesians 4:32

In our ongoing series Above All Else, Grant Clark turns to the seventh and most misunderstood of the deadly sins: sloth. Far from simple laziness, sloth -- or acedia -- is a spiritual apathy and quiet resistance to Jesus that can live just as easily in the heart of the overachiever as in the one on the couch."Acedia is ultimately a failure of love. It's a place of apathy toward life and a kind of spiritual boredom... Whether midday, midlife, halftime or halfway through a big project, we're tempted to give in, give up or distract ourselves. Acedia tempts us to abandon the life we have for some imagined better option somewhere else -- as in 'anywhere but here'! Acedia can also be the temptation to live our lives in imagined fantasies of what might be rather than living in the gift of what is." - Alan Fadling (An Unhurried Life)What is acedia?- The Cambridge Dictionary defines sloth as "an unwillingness to work or to make any effort" -- but the biblical concept runs far deeper- Derived from the Greek a ("not") + keedos ("to care") -- acedia is a failure of love, a resistance to the transformation God is calling us into- Pope John Paul II defined acedia as "a sadness arising from the fact that the good is difficult"- It is not just laziness -- it is a selective laziness that can look like overwork, busyness, and productivity while neglecting the most important thingWhat does acedia look like?- The story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42): Martha was productive and active, but distracted from the one thing necessary -- attentiveness to Jesus- "Acedia is 'a restlessness that entices us to pursue everything but our most important duties. Acedia distracts. It makes us lazy and sluggish toward our spiritual and practical responsibilities. It is a selective laziness that makes everything else appealing.'" - John Cassian- "Slothful people are not only found lying around on couches or beds. They are often found in the gym every morning at 5:00 A.M., leading large organizations and companies, writing books, achieving goals, and even working hundred-hour weeks. Yes, the same sin can be at work in the heart of the person glued to the TV and the person who does not have time for TV. Christian thinkers have always seen links between laziness and overwork, though the definition of sloth has morphed through the years." - Trent Casto (The Death of the Deadly Sins)- Sloth wears many masks: variety-seeking, escapism, distraction, commitment-phobia, procrastination, and never finishing what we start- The "noonday demon" of the Desert Fathers -- the midday restlessness that whispers anywhere but here- Delayed obedience: like Augustine's prayer, "Lord, give me chastity and self-control -- but not yet"- Acedia is avoiding the responsibilities that loving God and loving neighbor require - Trent CastoFrom sloth to zeal (Romans 12:11)- "Do not be slothful in zeal. Be fervent in spirit. Serve the Lord." (ESV) / "Do not lack diligence in zeal. Be fervent in spirit. Serve the Lord." (CSB)- Zeal = earnest commitment with haste and diligence; fervent = to boil, to burn -- a passion for Jesus- The word diligent in Latin (diligere) means "to love" -- to be diligent in zeal is to love- "Look at the intensity in this verse. The Christian life is neither cold nor indifferent... We face many temptations to be passive or lazy today. So let's heed this word: live on fire for Christ! And let's see that God is gracious in giving us such a command. He knows our frames. He knows our passions can cool. So he exhorts us in love. I believe every Christian in a privileged part of the world must always ask, 'Do I love comfort too much? Has it become an idol? Has it caused me to shrink back from passionate service to the Lord Jesus?'" - Tony Merida- "Since acedia is a failure to appreciate the gifts of the present moment or the present season, the classic remedy for acedia has always been to abide in the good relationships and to engage in the good work before us." - Alan Fadling- Practical response: (1) Obey straight away -- identify and repent of any area of delayed obedience; (2) Abide -- stay where God has placed you, persevere in the ordinary, and trust that God is at workVerses- Proverbs 4:23- Luke 10:38-42 (CSB)- Luke 10:40- Romans 12:11 (ESV + CSB)- Ephesians 2:8-10- Hebrews (for the joy set before him, he endured the cross)- Psalm 72

As part of our Above All Else series on the Seven Deadly Sins, Joseph Yasso teaches on greed — or avarice — not merely as a love of money, but as a disordered heart posture that replaces trust in God with trust in wealth. Through personal storytelling, Jesus's Parable of the Rich Fool, and the writings of Paul, this message traces where greed comes from, what it's really serving, and how simplicity, generosity, and gratitude can loosen its grip."Greed is the disordered hope that money can give us the security, significance and satisfaction only God can give. And it leads to a lack of faith, generosity, and gratitude, while also adding anxiety to our lives."What Greed Is NOT:- Greed is not wealth — it's not the same as having money- Greed is not enjoying good gifts — God made a world full of beauty meant to lead us back to him- Greed is not materialism only — it includes craving experiences, status, or comfort at any cost- Greed is not saving — stewarding money wisely is commended in ScriptureWhat Greed IS:- A condition of the heart, not the bank account- Functional worship of money as a surface idol serving deeper idols: Approval, Power, Comfort, or Control/SecurityThree Roots of Greed:- Injury from our past — money stories pressed into us by how we grew up- Idolatry in the present — money as a functional savior- Anxiety over our future — stockpiling against uncertainty rather than trusting God's provisionThree Antidotes:- Simplicity — hold things loosely; give, lend, and acquire less freely- Generosity — surrender ownership; let generosity reorder the heart- Gratitude — receive life as gift rather than grasping for more"We can recognize our excessive attachments in both our dreams and our broken dreams.""The line gets crossed when money stops being a tool in your hand and becomes the place your heart runs to feel safe." — Joseph Yasso"Money is a useful servant, but a terrible God." — Joseph Yasso"Many have called this the experience economy. We've gone from buying things to doing things. A sign of status used to be the logo on your jacket or handbag. Today it's the location of your latest Instagram post." — Josh Butler"Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status. Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. Learn to enjoy things without owning them. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God." — Richard Foster"We can identify virtues like generosity and spiritual disciplines like simplicity not by percentages given, but by their yields in freedom, lightness and joy." — Rebecca DeYoung, Glittering VicesVerses:- Proverbs 4:23- Proverbs 21:20- 1 Timothy 6:7–10- 1 Timothy 4:4–5- Luke 12:13–34- Philippians 2:3–8- 2 Corinthians 8:9- Hebrews 13:5

As part of our Above All Else series on the Seven Deadly Sins, Andy Rodgers teaches on lust, not just as sexual temptation, but as a deeper distortion of love, desire, and the way we see other people. This message explores sexuality, purity, shame, healing, and the hope of transformation through the grace of Jesus in a culture shaped by both sexual shame and sexual excess.—-"Lust is disordered, sexual desire that reduces another person into an object for selfish pleasure instead of honoring them as a whole person made in God's image. It consumes rather than loves, and takes rather than honors."Isn't refraining from sexual desires sexual repression? And isn't that really bad for your mental health?Isn't this just about controlling women's bodies?Isn't lust a private matter that doesn't affect anyone if it stays fantasy or is expressed through consenting adults?Isn't teaching on sexual purity the same thing as purity culture? Isn't that false teaching/toxic theology that hurts people?Lust ...- Dehumanizes Others- Harms Others- Isolates Us- Enslaves Us- Deforms Us"The problem with pornography is not that it shows too much of the person, but that it shows far too little." — Pope John Paul II"The nature of the union of the soul with the body … is so intimate that one nature, one person, one self is the subject of both and of all their activities. It is always the same soul that peers through the eyes, thinks through the brain, grasps with the hands, and walks with the feet…." — Herman Bavinck“Chastity (sexual holiness) is first and foremost a ‘yes,' from which a ‘no' then proceeds. The underdevelopment of the virtue of chastity occurs when someone ‘does not keep up' with the affirmation of the value of the person…. The essence of chastity lies precisely in ‘keeping up' with the value of the person in every situation and in ‘pulling up' to this value every reaction to the value of the ‘body and sex.'” — Pope John Paul II"Purity doesn't ignore the body or pretend it's unimportant. Rather, it remains committed to God-honoring thoughts and actions toward the person the body manifests. Mature sexual purity can look at an attractive man or woman and say, ‘Wow, an utterly unique person mediated through a body.' Lust says, ‘Wow, a useful body.' To be sure, sometimes we simply need to look away to avoid mentally reducing a person to a serviceable object (i.e., lusting). And yet, while this response represents a meaningful step toward purity, it's not the finish line. Yes, it's better than moving deeper into lust, but it's purity lite." — Chase KrugVerses:- 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8- Romans 6:12–13- Matthew 5:27–30- Romans 13:14- James 5:16–19

In week three of the “Above All Else” series, Grant Clark explores the deadly sin of envy and how comparison quietly corrodes the heart. Through Scripture, practical examples, and the gospel, this message invites us to move from discontentment and comparison into deeper satisfaction and contentment in Jesus.Quotes:“Envy is the feeling of wanting to have what someone else has.” — Britannica“Envy rejects the good life God has given me and obsesses over what God gives someone else.” — Jeff Cook, Seven“Envy has the deadly ability to distract my heart and mind from the daily bread God puts in my hands each morning, focusing me instead on the gifts, status, talents, and joys he gives to others… Envy is a deadly sin because it inspires us to say to God, ‘The life you've given me just isn't good enough.'” — Jeff Cook, Seven“We live in the most materially prosperous era in human history... Yet we are anxious, restless and often enraged. Why? It's not only about our circumstances. It is about how we perceive our lives.” — Jonathan Haidt“Social media didn't invent envy, but it industrialized it. It turned comparison into a business model.” — Jonathan Haidt“Envy works its cruel deception on our heart in such a way that our neighbor becomes a measuring stick of God's goodness (or lack of goodness) in our own lives.” — Melissa Kruger, The Death of the Deadly Sins“To pray for those we envy is to pour down rain on our envy parade.” — Kevin Vost, The Seven Deadly SinsScripture References:Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)Proverbs 14:30 (CSB)Psalms 23:1 (CSB)Matthew 13:44–46 (CSB)Philippians 4:11–13 (CSB)Hebrews 13:5 (CSB)Psalms 73:25–26 (CSB)

In Week 2 of our Above All Else series, we explore the hidden roots of pride and the freedom found in humility. Looking at Proverbs 4:23, we examine how pride quietly shapes our hearts through self-sufficiency, entitlement, comparison, vainglory, and self-focus, often without us realizing it.Through the teachings of Jesus and the example of His humility, we're invited to surrender the “kingdom of self” and trust God's way instead of our own. This message challenges us to ask: where is pride resisting God's work in our lives, and what would it look like to truly humble ourselves before Him?Quotes:• “Pride, as any medieval priest-therapist would tell you, is both the first and the worst of the Seven Deadly Sins.” — Peter Jones• “Is it an exaggeration to say that pride is the underlying cause of all sin? I don't think so. If you would take the time to excavate your sin, beneath it all you would discover the rotting bones of pride and arrogance.” — Sam Storms• “Vainglory is the excessive and disordered desire for recognition and approval from others.” — Rebecca DeYoung• “Being willing to be led where you would rather not go.” — Henri Nouwen• “Pride not only looks down on others; it also fails to look upward. It refuses to let God take his proper role in our lives.” — Tim Keller• “The cure for pride is to believe that the Lord deserves our love, thanks, obedience, and imitation.” — Daniel Doriani• “True humility always produces joy… self-forgetfulness leading to joy.” — Gavin OrtlundScriptures:• Proverbs 4:23• Mark 8:34• John 21:18-19• 1 Peter 5:5-7• 1 Corinthians 4:7• Proverbs 12:15• Proverbs 13:1• Philippians 2:3-11• Matthew 6:5-13

As we begin our new series Above All Else, Grant Clark explores the call to guard our hearts because everything in life flows from it. Drawing from Proverbs 4:23 and the story of David, this message invites us to examine our attention, affection, and direction. What are we letting in, what do we love most, and where is it leading us?Through honest reflection and the hope of Psalm 51, we are reminded that while an unguarded heart can lead us off course, God's grace can cleanse, restore, and create something new within us."Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."-Proverbs 4:231. Attention — What am I letting in?2. Affection — What am I loving most?3. Direction — What is this shaping me toward?“It [Psalm 51] comes from David's blackest moment of self-knowledge, yet it explores not only the depths of his guilt but some of the farthest reaches of salvation.” - Derek Kidner“What can wash away my sin? What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Grant Clark opens in Book of Exodus 31:1–11, using Bezalel and the tabernacle to show what God is building among His people. The message centers on building the base and becoming who we already are, a call to be a Spirit-filled community where God's presence is real, people are shaped by grace, and the church is strengthened for mission.Key Themes 1. Building the Base 2. Becoming Who We Already AreThe Tabernacle “The tabernacle was God's earthly dwelling during the period from Moses to David. As his dwelling, the tabernacle emphasizes God's presence with his people, continuing a theme that has run throughout the book of Exodus.” - Longman and Dillard Bezalel's Calling Bezalel built a place where: - God would dwell by His Spirit - People would worship - People would experience the reality of the forgiveness of sins - People would be defined by their God - People would live as God's peopleVision To start a movement of reproducing churches empowered by the radical grace of Jesus Christ to love San Diego and glorify God Mission To make disciple-making disciples who are being transformed by the radical grace of Jesus ChristCore Values - Gospel - Family - Dependence - Mission - Multiplication - RenewalVerses:- Exodus 31:1–11- Exodus 35:4–10- Proverbs 4:23- 1 Thessalonians 1:5–7

Chris Wienand, April 19, 2026

Hesed means: Loyal Love, Unfailing Kindness, Faithfulness, and Steadfastness.“...he genuinely cares about humans and holds toward them a tender attitude of concern and mercy.”- Douglas Stuart “...he does things for people they do not deserve and goes beyond what might be expected to grant truly kind favor toward people, favor of which they are not necessarily worthy.”- Douglas Stuart “Hesed cannot be translated with one English word. It is a covenant term, wrapping up in itself all the positive attributes of God: love, covenant faithfulness, mercy, grace, kindness, loyalty. In short, it refers to acts of devotion and loving kindness that go beyond the requirements of duty.”– Daniel BlockGod reveals Himself as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and rich in faithful love. This hesed is not casual kindness but covenant loyalty. It is love that remains steady even when undeserved. This is who God is at His core. That same description echoes throughout Scripture:- Numbers 14:18- Nehemiah 9:17- Psalm 86:15- Psalm 103:8- Psalm 145:8- Joel 2:13- Jonah 4:2- Nahum 1:3These are not isolated statements but a consistent reminder of His character across generations. God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.This is not only something to understand, it is something that transforms us. As we behold God, we are changed. What we fix our attention on shapes who we become. Being with Him and keeping Him before our minds forms us over time into that same kind of life.“Who we are on the inside, we will eventually become on the outside.”- Pete ScazzeroSaint Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is a human being fully alive; and to be alive consists in beholding God.”“The first and most basic thing we can and must do is to keep God before our minds... This is the fundamental secret of caring for our souls. Our part in this practicing the presence of God is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to Him. In the early time of our 'practicing' we may well be challenged by our burdensome habits of dwelling on things less than God. But these are habits - not the law of gravity - and can be broken...A new, grace-filled habit will replace the former ones as we take intentional steps toward keeping God before us. Soon our minds will return to God as the needle of a compass constantly returns to the north. If God is the great longing of our souls, He will become the pole star of our inward beings.”- Dallas Willard

This Easter Sunday, Grant Clark explores the cross through the stories of those present at the crucifixion, including the two thieves and Simon of Cyrene. Some reject Him. Some believe. Some are completely changed. From the thief who comes with nothing but a humble request to be remembered, to Simon whose life is reshaped by carrying the cross, this message invites us to consider our own response to Jesus. Wherever you are in your faith, Easter is an invitation to come as you are and encounter Him.Verses:Luke 23:32-43 (CSB)Luke 23:42Luke 23:26-27 (CSB)Romans 16v13 (ESV)Mark 8:34Galatians 2:20-21 (CSB)

This week's message explores the tabernacle in Exodus and what it reveals about God's desire to dwell with His people. From Eden to the cross and into the future, we see a story of access, redemption, and restoration. Through Jesus, the barriers are removed and we are invited to approach God with confidence and experience His presence in a real and personal way.“The tabernacle was God's earthly dwelling during the period from Moses to David. As his dwelling, the tabernacle emphasizes God's presence with his people, continuing a theme that has run throughout the book of Exodus.”- Longman and Dillard“Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”- St Augustine“Jesus became flesh and TABERNACLED among us.”“Those in whom the Spirit comes to live are God's new Temple. They are, individually and corporately, places where heaven and earth meet.”- NT Wright (Simply Christian)Verses:Exodus 25:1–9Genesis 3:24Genesis 4:16Mark 15:37–39Ephesians 3:12Hebrews 10:19–22John 1:14Ephesians 2:221 Corinthians 3:16Revelation 21:3

Dependence:We are a church who strives to live dependently on the power of the Holy Spirit in every area of our lives. We aren't trying to fix ourselves or anyone else with our own power, but trusting His power to work in us and through us.“Three months after leaving Egypt, Israel arrives at Mount Sinai, a location where they spend almost two years. Even more striking, the rest of the book of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and the first part of Numbers (through 10:11) take place at Sinai.”- Tremper Logman 3rd and Raymond Dillard“The people heard the voice of God for themselves and thus could not doubt his presence among them, a presence more directly manifest at Sinai than in any other mode previously since they had first learned of his interest in them. All the people were hearing the voice of God just as Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, and the patriarchs had heard it and as Moses had heard it earlier at Mount Sinai when God first called him. And this time the voice of God was accompanied by such audio and visual displays as to leave no doubt in their minds as to both his presence and his uniqueness…”- Douglas Stuart“This commandment highlights the twisted desires of mankind and the sin of discontentment. Instead of having a thankful heart, the coveter desires what others have. Notice also that this commandment is about the inward nature of the law. Covetousness is about the heart. It is about desire. It may or may not lead to an act, but even if there is no act, it is still wrong because our desire should be on the God who made us and redeemed us. Covetousness, then, involves breaking the first commandment.”- Tony MeridaVerses:Exodus 19:1-2Exodus 12:37Exodus 19:4-61 Peter 2:9Exodus 19:16-20Exodus 20:1Exodus 24:9-11Exodus 20:1-2Exodus 20:3-4Exodus 20:7Exodus 20:8Exodus 20:12-17Leviticus 18:1-4Exodus 20:18-21Exodus 20:21

What is trust, and what happens when yours has been shaken? In this message from Exodus 13-17, Grant Clark follows the Israelites through their journey after leaving Egypt. They see the Red Sea parted, follow pillars of cloud and fire, and experience God's provision in incredible ways. But when new challenges come, their confidence fades quickly. It's a pattern most of us know well. This sermon is an invitation to see that God is both greater than we can imagine and closer than we could hope, and that real faith is built not only in the big moments, but in the ordinary, daily act of trusting Him with what's right in front of you.BIG MIRACLES and ORDINARY OBEDIENCETrust “is confidence born from experience.”God is both greater than we can imagine, and closer than we could hope.Pictures of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire“Even though they left “in battle formation”, this does not mean they were ready to fight.” - Tony Merida“The most accurate test of your faith is not how you respond when miracles happen, but how you respond when they don't.” - JD Greear"Follow me" - Jesus“In the old covenant God faithfully remained with His people, accompanying them in the tabernacle and the temple. Under the new covenant, the only temple is the believing community itself, and God dwells not only among the community corporately, but also in each member individually.” - James Hamilton“[A] case can be made that the Holy Spirit may be the same as the pillar of fire and the cloud.” - James HamiltonVersesJohn 1:14 (MSG)Exodus 13:21-22 (CSB)Exodus 13:17-18 (CSB)Exodus 14:10-14 (CSB)Exodus 14:21-22 (CSB)Exodus 14:30-31 (CSB)Romans 8:32 (NIV)Exodus 15:11-13 (CSB)Exodus 15:22-25 (CSB)Exodus 17:7 (CSB)Exodus 16:2-4 (CSB)Exodus 16:35 (CSB)John 10:27 (CSB)

“Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?”Post-truth: “Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”- Oxford DictionaryThe 10 Plagues:1. Water turned to blood -- Exodus 7:14–242. Frogs -- Exodus 8:1–153. Gnats (or lice) -- Exodus 8:16–194. Swarms of flies -- Exodus 8:20–325. Death of livestock -- Exodus 9:1–76. Boils on people and animals -- Exodus 9:8–127. Hail and fire -- Exodus 9:13–358. Locusts -- Exodus 10:1–209. Darkness over the land -- Exodus 10:21–2910. Death of the firstborn -- Exodus 11:1–10What are these Plagues about?1. The Plagues Reveal the Glory of God2. The Plagues Are Judgments on Egypt's Gods3. The Plagues Are a picture of De-Creation4. The Plagues Expose False Security5. The Plagues Prepare the way for Passover “These nine plagues against Egypt are not just a display of God flexing his muscles. They are, as we have seen, the unleashing of God's creative forces against the enemies of God's people (and therefore the enemies of God himself).”- Peter Enns“The plagues are creation reversals: Animals harm rather than serve humanity; light ceases and darkness takes over; waters become a source of death rather than life; the climax of Genesis 1 is the creation of humans on the last day, whereas the climax of the plagues is the destruction of human beings in the last plague.”- Peter Enns “Just as the plagues were a sign to Egypt of God's justice and judgment, now the Passover was a sign of God's mercy to Israel!”- Tony MeridaVerses:Exodus 5:1-2Exodus 6:6-8Exodus 9:14-16Exodus 11:1Exodus 12:1-14John 1:29Ephesians 1:7-8

"What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective—something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has in a way that no other person has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?"- J.I. Packer (Knowing God)“I have witnessed, time and time again, two people in the same gathering come away with completely different experiences. One had a burning bush moment, leaving with a heart warmed and transformed, while the other left cold and unchanged, with no worthy takeaway save for an opinion of the worship and a score for the preacher. “- Alan Frow“The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.”- Tim Keller“Spiritual formation is a process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others.”- Robert Mulholland (Invitation to a Journey)Chekov's Gun:“One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn't going to go off. It's wrong to make promises you don't mean to keep.”Excuse 1: “Who am I?” (3:11)Excuse 2: “What do I say?” (3:13)Excuse 3: “What if they don't believe me?” (4:1)Excuse 4: “I'm not gifted enough.” (4:10)Excuse 5: “Please send someone else.” (4:13)“This final excuse was not so much an excuse as it was Moses' desperate plea to pass the responsibility to someone else. He was out of excuses. Every one of his questions had been answered in stunning ways. Now he basically said, “Here I am, send someone else.”- Tony Merida“Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses…” (4:14)# Reflection Questions:- Where are you resisting God in your life?- Where are you letting insecurities, fears, doubts and a lack of trust in God hold you back from what He is leading you too? - Where is your past determining what God can do with your future?- Like Moses, if the layers are pealed back, where do you see that actually you are just saying “No” to God?The answer to Moses' insecurity isn't more self-confidence.It's more confidence that God's presence is with him.

Josh Lewis, February 22, 2026

Alex Cottrell, February 15, 2026

Andy Rodgers, February 8, 2026

Andy Rodgers, February 1, 2026

Brad Sarian, January 25, 2026

Andy Rodgers, January 18, 2026

Andy Rodgers, January 11, 2026

Andy Rodgers, January 4, 2026

Grant Clark, December 21, 2025

Grant Clark, December 14, 2025

Jackie Rodgers, December 7, 2025

Andy Rodgers, November 30, 2025

Andy Rodgers, November 23, 2025

Andy Rodgers, November 16, 2025

Grant Clark, November 9, 2025

Joseph Yasso, November 2, 2025

Julia Price, October 26, 2025

Grant Clark, October 19, 2025

Andy Rodgers, October 12, 2025

Jamie Ternent, October 5, 2025

Grant Clark, September 28, 2025

Grant Clark, September 21, 2025

Andy Rodgers, September 14, 2025

Andy Rodgers, September 7, 2025

Grant Clark, August 31, 2025

Grant Clark, August 24, 2025

Julia Price, August 17, 2025

Grant Clark, August 10, 2025

Grant Clark, August 3, 2025

Grant Clark, July 27, 2025