Sermons From Grace Baptist Church of Richmond Hill

A mother's role feels harder and less appreciated than ever. When you feel overlooked and undervalued, it's easy to wonder if anyone sees or cares. This message looks at a woman who felt invisible but in meeting the God who saw her found renewed courage for her calling.

We imagine God in various ways and assume He's pleased with the diversity of our worship. But it's possible to grieve God even when we think we're honouring Him. This message looks at the true nature of worship that's at the heart of the Second Commandment.

Moral people try to define goodness apart from God. Religious people like to measure righteousness by their rules. But God cares most about our heart's loyalty. This message looks at the allegiance that's at the heart of the First Commandment.

Some say Jesus didn't really die. Others think the disciples made the whole story up. Even those who believe struggle to connect the dots between Easter and their own lives. This message gives a frank look at the questions, the evidence, and what the resurrection means for us.

Christians and non-Christians alike often wrestle with the question: “Why the Cross?” Why is forgiveness from God necessary, and why does someone have to die? As we enter into Good Friday, we ponder the answer to these questions from Paul's letter to the Romans—to show that the cross is both an expression of God's justice and His great love.

We'll take a look at the different trials that come our way and how we respond to them. In this message, we'll see how, in the end, Jesus and the cross provide the way through all of them.

People tend to equate power with strength, status, or influence, but the Bible gives a different path. This message shows how a humble submission to God's authority releases the transforming power of His grace in our lives.

We're bombarded with messages about ambition, power, and success. And it's tempting to try and fuse those values into the Christian life. This message looks at the humility that makes Jesus' calling distinctive and what it means to embody it in our daily lives.

A recurring theme throughout the Bible is the question, "In the midst difficulties and struggles can I trust the Lord to provide for me and protect me?". In this message, we'll discover that in the storms of life, which we all face, the Lord is a promise-keeping, covenant-keeping God.

In a world that preaches self-assurance, it's easy to assume that we have all the answers. This message challenges that mindset, exploring the humility that's needed to avoid self-deception.

We devote a big part of our lives to the jobs we have, the families we love, and the areas where we serve. While it's tempting to evaluate our efforts by the world's standards, the Bible reminds us that God will assess our contributions differently. This message explores how to pursue our work on a firmer foundation.

Whether it's a preacher you listen to online or someone whose impact has been more personal, it's easy to give credit to people for what God has done. This message looks at how to see God's leaders rightly and how it stunts our growth when we don't.

It can feel as if kids require more of us than we have to give. And when it does, our stress and anxiety gets passed on to our children. This message looks at how to approach parenting in a way that expresses trust in God and invites His help in our families.

Does God truly accept me, even when I see sin and failings in my own life? 1 John 2 helps us find an anchor for our hope and a way of assessing the evidence of the new life God offers us in Christ.

Spiritual wisdom isn't something you get with education or connections. It's something that God is pleased to reveal to those who seek it. This message looks at how to receive the wisdom you need to live the life that you want.

Our world is dominated by the rich, powerful, and beautiful. It's hard for regular people to not feel discouraged by their inadequacies. This message considers how God deliberately uses our weaknesses for His glory.

Are drums from the devil? Should hemlines end at the ankle? Is homeschooling the only godly option? This morning's text from Galatians 3 pits the false promises of legalism against the better promises of faith.

Stephen Hawking was a brilliant thinker who was revered for his ideas, but he consistently rejected any notion of God. Is it foolish to believe in Jesus? If not, how should we understand it when intelligent people deny Him?

Christians can get sidetracked by preferences and personalities. When we do, the church becomes divided and ineffective. This message looks at how to pursue unity based on the cross.

The Corinthians were the most dysfunctional church that Paul served. And yet there was so much that he could give thanks for. His words remind us who we are, even on our worst days.

The Bible often speaks in terms of nations: national sin, national judgment, and national blessing. This, however, might be hard for many of us to think about or relate to in our modern, individualistic Western world. In this sermon, we explore Nahum's prophecy regarding the fall of ancient Assyria and encounter timeless biblical principles about how God interacts with nations as nations.

To many, Christmas can evoke feelings of love, warmth, and belonging; but what about those who feel far from God because of their sin? “Have I gone too far?” This message reminds us that Christ's birth is God's answer to those who feel far from His love, as He welcomes them back with open arms.

Christmas can stir up worry and insecurity, driving us to fight for what we fear losing. This message looks at King Herod's story and how God's love can heal the fear that often fuels tension in our relationships.

Sometimes, it can feel as if we've messed up too much to share in the hope Christmas brings. This message looks at Manasseh's story and shows how God's love can reach us when it feels like we're beyond hope.

Christmas is a time when feelings of bitterness can strain family relationships and make get-togethers hard to face. This message reveals God's surprising love for someone who struggled with anger – and how His love can transform ours too.

If Job knew how his story would end, it would have made it so much easier for him to face all that he suffered. This message looks at Job's ending and what it teaches us about the hope that God holds out for all who trust in Him.

When life feels overwhelming, it's easy to question God's decisions or imagine we could do better. This message looks at how God confronts that attitude in Job and helps us to step back, see our limitations, and prepare for the day when we'll meet Him ourselves.

Suffering always feels wrong—like something that should be removed as quickly as possible. But what if God intends adversity to be His servant, shaping us for our good? This message looks at how we can lay hold of God's surprising blessings when trials come.

As Job deals with physical pain, personal loss, and the rejection and condemnation of the people closest to him, he looks to God in hope. He clings to the belief that God will set the record straight, come to his aid, and reveal Himself to him. This message looks at the hope we need when we can't see the path forward.

Today, God is raising up an army of gospel workers from the ranks of ‘ordinary' men and women. They have caught the vision for the establishment of God's kingdom among the nations. These ‘ordinary' people, doing extraordinary things, is one way God is accomplishing his mission of seeing Christ followers among all people groups. Why not here as well?

Assumptions usually cloud our judgment, but when we see people struggling that's even more true. Zophar's counsel to Job tore him down because he made assumptions about his friend's past, his future, and God's ways. This message looks at how we can avoid his mistakes and bring humility to the comfort we hold to.

We all worship something, whether spiritual or physical; today's text helps us examine what is true and authentic worship, and how we can live in it every day.

When tragedies hit, sometimes religious people offer simplistic remedies that only add to our pain. This message looks at how we can avoid the dangerous counsel we're tempted to cling to when difficulties come.

“You reap what you sow” seems so self-evident that it's hard to deny. But when tragedy strikes, it becomes a cruel slogan. This message looks at the bad advice that added to Job's misery and how we can discern the voices that can add to ours when we're grieving.

When we're facing a difficult trial, on top of the pain of what we're going through, we can also feel guilty for not being strong enough. This message looks at the depth of suffering people face and the help that God offers in the midst of it.

When tragedy strikes, people ask many questions of God and struggle with pat answers. This passage presents us with a question that tragedy forces us to ask and shows us how one person answered it.

What could be more urgent than your daughter dying? And yet Jesus makes the father wait. As He does, we learn something about faith, death, and the power of God. This message teaches us how to respond when we're forced to wait on God.

We often have a small view of what we need from God, and we want to get it with as little fuss or hassle as possible. But God wants more for us and He draws us out to receive it. This message looks at a woman who was desperate for Jesus' help but content to stay lost in the crowd. What Jesus does in her life teaches us what He might be seeking to do in ours.

When God doesn't give people what they want, some see it as evidence that He doesn't care, or He's not there. This passage looks at some people who didn't get what they wanted from Jesus, and it helps us understand what God might be doing in our own lives when things don't go our way.

We can find ourselves in desperate circumstances where God doesn't seem to be doing anything. It can make us doubly frustrated – both at the circumstances and God's inactivity. This message looks at how we can activate our faith, avoid the panic, and rest in God's care when the storms of life come.

The Christian life is a lifelong marathon with plenty of ups and downs. The opening of the Letter of James offers us instruction for running and finishing this race.

Have you ever found yourself walking into uncharted territory and felt nervous? Have you ever doubted whether what you do is worth giving your life for? Today, we will learn what it takes to follow Jesus and how He enables us to follow Him.

People hear lots of sermons over the course of their lives, but how we respond to the message of the Bible has huge implications. This message looks at how to respond to God's Word and what happens when we do.

It's frustrating to work so hard and see so little progress in our lives. We usually blame our circumstances or other people, but Jesus pointed in a different direction that's far more hopeful. This message looks at the path toward a life of greater fruitfulness.

We can often find ourselves growing critical and impatient with the people around us. Even our love for Jesus can grow cold. This passage looks at the causes and how God helps us to deal with them.

Have you ever found yourself walking into uncharted territory and felt nervous? Have you ever doubted whether what you do is worth giving your life for? Today, we will learn what it takes to follow Jesus and how He enables us to follow Him.

Many people would like to be closer to God, so the distance can feel mysterious. Jesus addressed some people who were far from Him and explained what was keeping them from moving forward. This message looks at the obstacles that keep us from God and what we can do about them.

The miracles of Jesus are both comforting and awe-inspiring. But if He did that for them, we can't help but wonder when He doesn't do the same for us. This message looks at a person with just such doubts and shows us how Jesus addressed them.

Guilt and regrets can distance us from God. We don't feel like we deserve the help that others might be worthy of. This message looks at a person who was gripped by those regrets but found mercy in Jesus and learned something about the nature of true faith.

What is Christian parenting? What does it mean to raise our children in the ways of the Lord? This message looks at how we can equip, engage, and encourage them to live as joyful disciples of Jesus Christ.

God promises to bless His people, but it often feels like our lives are at the mercy of people who don't know Him. This message looks at the Day of the Lord and how it puts our lives in perspective.