Sermons

People are beginning to reckon with the failures and inadequacies of worldviews they once hoped in. Those worldviews (philosophies, religions, political ideologies, technological progress) fell flat—really flat. The “centre did not hold.” They did not explain reality, provide meaning, or offer hope. They couldn't. So people are ditching them and exploring ideas that were once ridiculed and distrusted. Leaders have reported surges in Bible sales and downloaded Bible-reading apps. We see upticks in church attendance. Podcasts featuring interviews (and debates!) with scholars are going viral. People are reconsidering the claims of Christianity. They are asking questions. Christians are providing answers that are rational, reasonable, and compelling. Those answers begin in Genesis. It's a great time to participate corporately with what God is doing. We're launching a study through the early chapters of Genesis. I'm excited to explore the basic foundational storyline of the Bible with you. My prayer is that it both encourages you and equips you to “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15

What comes to mind when you hear the word wilderness? Maybe barrenness, or drought? Isolation, thirst, vulnerability, danger? All those could easily fit into the word—and more. David found himself in the wilderness often. Thank God he wrote about his journeys so we can learn from them. Are you finding yourself in the wilderness these days? Let David help you find your way to the Oasis.

https://www.youtube.com/live/KFfIYWjsVSk?si=aJcFAWxLc6G-wRO-

Every second Sunday of the month, we hear a testimony from one of our members. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance where they saw the goodness of God in their life.

Our God uses people to reach people. From the very beginning, He has chosen a group to go out and bless the world. But the Bible is full of humans failing to live up to this divine calling. One of the most iconic and ironic examples is the prophet Jonah. Join us this Sunday to see how even polytheistic, pagan sailors reflected God's heart more than Jonah did.

God is GENEROUS. The kingdom of heaven is funded by the generosity of the King as opposed to the earnings of its citizens. Citizens are rewarded in surprising, upside-down, last-shall-be-first kinds of ways in order to highlight the super-abundance of the King.

As Christians we are called to do everything to the glory of God. Every aspect of our lives should be glorifying to him and we should be worshipping the Lord in all that we do. If we are honest though, sometimes we forget that suffering is included in that. How can we suffer to the glory of God? How can we suffer well? Join us Sunday as we explore the beautiful truths of scripture that show us what it means to suffer well.

What's your definition of success? The way you answer that question will reveal a lot about what you value and how you see the world. In the story of Joseph, we get a very surprising snapshot of what true success looks like. Jospeh experiences back-stabbing betrayal and disgraceful injustice. So there's only one way his story be described as a success: God's favor is not fragile.

A few years ago, a little girl told me about the teacher at her school who kept scolding the class with these words, “Shame on you!” Shame is the deep sense that you are unacceptable because of something you did, something done to you, or something associated with you. It's the terrifying feeling that we don't measure up. We're unpresentable. Unwelcome and unwanted. The bad news? Shame sticks to us like a bad batch of slime. We can't wipe it off and we can't drive it away. The good news? Someone came who can take your shame away—someone who can say, not “Shame ON you!” but “Shame OFF you!”

God's sense of timing will probably never match ours. We want deliverance. And we want it now. We want change—yesterday. Whether that change involves spiritual growth, a relationship, a bank account, a career, or even our health, God doesn't operate on our time-scale. He's not bound to our rushed schedule. And that's good news. It's really good news. He's a wise, loving father. He always gives us what we need, but rarely when we think we need it. A strange and unsettling encounter with Jesus in the Gospel of Mark highlights that truth. I hope you can join us for, When God Takes His Time.

Reflect on all the teachers you've ever sat under. Two kinds probably emerge: those you obey because you had to, and those you obey because you want to. Harsh teachers can squeeze compliance out of you, but good teachers inspire us into change. You might even say they love us into change. For ten years we've modeled the ministry of GraceLife after the pattern we find in the new Testament: only a deep experience of God's grace can transform us. Paul says it like this in his letter to Titus, “God's grace…teaches us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.” That's some teacher! Have you ever sat under Grace? Join us for our ten year anniversary celebration this week as we explore the “School of Grace.”

Imagine this scenario: you're closing out a doctrinally instructive letter to a growing church in Rome. You've poured out chapter after chapter of rich theology, covering the depths of human sin and the heights of God's redemptive love in Christ. And now it's time to sign off. You've sent greetings to everyone you know and warned against false teaching that would contradict your instruction. Now it's time for your final thoughts. What do you leave the Christians in Rome with? Paul can't help himself. He goes for the gospel—again! What it is, who it's about, and what it does. It's a fitting end to his theological magnum opus. And it's a fitting end to our study of this tremendous letter. I hope you can join us for our final message on Romans this week at GraceLife, Before I Go…

In 1831, a French diplomat visited the United States to study the new democracy and prosperity the young nation was enjoying. Here was his main observation of the people: "Americans are restless in the midst of their well-being." The Frenchman was surprised that the success and comfort of the people did not lead to their rest. They couldn't sit still and enjoy what they had. Some 200 years later, I believe the observation still stands. Why are we so restless? Join us this Sunday at GraceLife as we trace the theme of Rest throughout the Bible.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together: “It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brothers and sisters.” The final chapter in Paul's letter to the church in Rome highlights that often forgotten truth. In just a few verses, Paul sends greetings and thanks to dozens of people he knew by name, family, and ministry alliance. He worked hard at building and enjoying community. That was one of the secrets to his fruitfulness and the means God used to bless his work. Join us this weekend for our final service of 2024 as we consider Building Community and how it can shape our lives in 2025.

Have you grown numb to the message of Christmas? Here's a test. Consider these words. GOD. WITH. US. Did your heart leap? Did your head spin? Did your soul rejoice? That truth of the incarnation should stop us in our tracks. But something tragic has happened: it has become pedestrian to us, just another decoration along with tinsel and mistletoe. We're numb to the miracle of Christmas. God with us. Not God above us. Not God against us. Not God apart from us. Those we get. Those we expect. Those we dread and suppress. No…the message is God has come down to save us. Join us at GraceLife this Sunday for our Christmas service: God With Us. 10am at the DHS Auditorium. Come early for some Christmas treats!

What kind of church—and what kind of Christian—does God use to reach the nations and make disciples? What qualities should we possess? As Paul closes out his letter to the church at Rome, he shows us timeless qualities—both from his own life and the church he is writing to. They are simple, clear, and revolutionary.

If you had to describe the prevailing mindset of your Christian life, would “abounding in hope” make the cut? When the Apostle Paul nears the end of his gospel letter to the church in Rome, he prays: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” That apostolic prayer represents the heart of God toward his people. God wants to fill you with joy and peace; and make you abound in hope. What do we have to be so hopeful about? Join us at GraceLife this week to find out!

How do you know if you've really understood and believed the gospel? Where's the fruit? Do you look at the strength of your devotion? Maybe your Bible reading habits and prayer life? Here's a test the apostle Paul holds out: How's your welcome of others in church who don't share your personal convictions? For a person without a strong grasp of the gospel, that's a huge obstacle. Nearly insurmountable. But when we understand the grounds of our acceptance by God, something powerful happens: we let our guard down. We open up. We welcome others—in spite of their differences. That's gospel unity. That's Romans 15.

Every weekend, Christians around the world gather together in person to fellowship, pray, sing, and listen to a sermon. The particulars vary, but that's a common church experience no matter where you go in the world. This week at GraceLife, I want to help you understand why preaching matters, how God has used it throughout history, and how you can make the most of hearing a sermon. I think you'll be encouraged!

A cultural frenzy seems to accompany every election cycle. Polarization deepens. Unthoughtful opinions fly back and forth. Misinformation gets thrown into the mix. It's a toxic cocktail. For those reasons and others, Christians sometimes check out. It's a tempting prospect. A recent Barna Research Poll projected a shocking 32 million Christians are unlikely to engage in the election this November. That number represents historic disengagement. Reasons were cited such as distrust in the system, distaste for candidates, disillusionment with politics in general, and feeling their vote won't make a difference. Although there's no specific chapter and verse in the Bible for how to approach a national election, God gives us wisdom to navigate. I'm excited to share some of that wisdom this week at GraceLife. I hope you can join us for “Knowing the Times.”

Life is hard east of Eden. A distant God. Painful childbearing. A cursed ground. A cunning enemy. In a word, CONFLICT—everywhere. With God. With the creation. With Satan. With one another. We see this in one of the most infamous murders in history. Cain and Abel. God front loads the Bible with this conflict to serve us notice. Sin has a strategy for you, but He offers a redemptive, peacemaking alternative—if we'll trust Him. Join us for our 5th Sunday service, Raising Cain. Come hungry! Chili Cook Off to follow!

We've all encountered THAT guy. He has a sharable list of the do's and don'ts of Christianity—and he's crushing it. He knows what to eat, what to drink, what days to observe. He has all the answers. He's a strong Christian…or…IS he? In Romans 14, Paul shares a word on weak and strong Christians. How do we recognize, welcome, and live in harmony with weak believers? Need some help in that area? Join us at GraceLife this week as we dive into Romans 14. Welcome the Weak.

When the New Testament describes the first gatherings of the early church, the scene is explosive. Those new Christians met frequently and turned the world upside down. But how? It had nothing to do with programming, administration, or even logistical planning. Their strategy was simple: they wanted to be together—a group of joyful, authentic Christians who devoted themselves to Jesus and one another. Their cultural impact was un-ignorable. Ours can be too. Join us at GraceLife this week as we study Life Together from Acts 2.

We hear about Christian “Breakthroughs” all the time: a book that will change your life, or a conference that will restore your marriage. But so often, those “experiences” and resources fall flat. They over-promise and under-deliver. The personal change we sought still seems beyond our reach. What's missing? Why do we stay stuck in unhealthy patterns of living? The story of Jacob from the Old Testament holds out some answers. It's a powerful paradigm for how God often engages us—and changes us. At the center of that story is a tremendous personal struggle, with breakthrough on the other side. Often God must hurt us to help us. Wrestling with God, Sunday at 10am. DHS Auditorium.

The apostle Paul had a strong desire to present the believers in all his church-plants as mature in Christ. The elders at GraceLife have that same goal for our church. But what is maturity in Christ? What does it look like and how do we get there? Join us on Sunday as we chart a map to maturity and sketch a portrait of what a mature disciple looks like.

One of the most effective helps in our fight against temptation is to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Those instructions in Romans 13 sound strange to our ears because we put on clothes, not a person. But that's precisely the point Paul makes with the clothing metaphor. Clothing covers you. Clothing protects you. Clothing distinguishes you. Clothing equips you. What you wear matters. Do you need to change clothes? Put on Christ…He looks great on you! He covers, protects, distinguishes, and equips you to live the transformed life. How does that work? That's our topic this week at GraceLife. Join us for Get Dressed!

Pay your debts! While that reminder stings, we can appreciate it's force—especially when someone owes us! But when Paul told the Christians in Rome to pay what they owe, he wasn't just talking about money (mortgages, school loans, and rent). He had something much deeper in mind, and more valuable. Paul was talking about love. Love is the debt we owe to every image bearer we encounter. Are we paying it? We'll continue in chapter 13 of Romans this week. The Love Debt.

I recently read an article about decision-making. The author encouraged his readers to make "legacy decisions" instead of "ego decisions." It's important for us to make choices today that will impact our legacy in the future, as opposed to making short-sighted and selfish decisions. But how can we ensure our legacy will be a good one? What if we've already made too many "ego decisions?" When it comes to legacy, there's only one Person's memory that matters: God's. Join us on Sunday to see how God's generous memory affects your legacy.

The Bible makes it clear: ALL human authority comes from God. Good and bad. Benevolent and Oppressive. Righteous and Evil. “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Thats Romans 13:1. The Bible is equally clear in that passage that we are to submit to those governing authorities. That raises an important question: what happens when the government oversteps it's boundaries or violates our freedoms? Then what? That's the question we'll be tackling this week at GraceLife: When to Resist Your Government. I hope you can join us as we complete this section in Romans.

Face it. You and I were born into a world filled with authority. And God calls us to submit to those authorities, whether in the home, the workplace, the church, or the government. But here's the rub: because of sin, all human authority is flawed. Greed. Oppression. Abuse. Neglect. No human authority is untouched by the effects of sin. So how do we submit to flawed authorities—particularly, as the Apostle Paul picks up in Romans 13—the government? God calls us to do hard things, but never in the dark. In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul gives us 5 reasons to Submit to our government. We'll continue our series this week, Submitting to Your Government, Part 2.

Submit. The very mention of that word makes people cringe. It's a verb. It's a command. It has teeth. Children, submit to your parents. Employees, submit to your bosses. Wives, submit to your husbands. Church members, submit to your elders. And citizens, submit to your government. Those directives come from God and Christians have struggled for centuries both to make sense of them and honor them. Join us at GraceLife for our continuing series in Romans 13, Submitting to Your Government. Service begins at 10am.

How do you deal with your appetite? You have options. You can ignore it. You can suppress it by drinking green tea (I'm not kidding. Look it up). You can practice breathing techniques to help you deal with the hunger pains. You can even distract yourself with a hobby—preferably one that doesn't burn calories. You could gorge yourself on junk. Some of those approaches may “work” short-term. But in the end, you're still hungry—and maybe sick too. There's a spiritual parallel. Some argue that's why God gave us stomachs and food to begin with, to awaken us to a deeper longing—and point us to the only satisfying source. Wouldn't it be insane to deprive yourself of food when all along God offers you the feast of a lifetime? Come and see!

In his book, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis writes, “From my earliest years I was aware of the vivid contrast between my mother's cheerful and tranquil affection and the ups and downs of my father's emotional life.” He went on to say, “My father, whom I implicitly believed, represented adult life as one of incessant drudgery under continual threat of financial ruin.” Lewis got his emotional cues from his parents. And so did we in ways we may not have even been aware of. What are we projecting to others about the Christian life—whether it's our children, neighbors, friends, or colleagues? What place should joy hold in the Christian life? The answer may…surprise you.

Take a look around. Observe your family, friends, neighbors, celebrities, online personalities. Who does life work best for? When you really zoom out and see the bigger picture, who is "winning" at life? Take into account all the ingredients of a good life - love, peace, security, success, integrity, relationships, etc. In Psalm 1, we see who life works best for. Join us this Sunday to learn the most foundational and essential factor for experiencing this better life: God Himself.