Villas Grace Church

How do you know that you're saved? Is salvation based on a scoresheet? Are good deeds tallied against bad deeds? Or, is salvation based on an entirely different method? Join us for our sermon "Gift Given Salvation" from Ephesians 2:8-10. In these verses we'll be encouraged in God's mercy & grace, as well as our faith in the work of Jesus.

From Dead To Alive - Ephesians 2:1-7 - Matthew Niemier by Villas Grace Church

If our faith in Jesus only brought eternal salvation, that would be enough. However, our faith also brings about much more. Join us this Sunday, as we continue our series in Ephesians, covering 1:15-23. Here Paul is grateful for the Ephesian believers, and prays they understand their calling and inheritance that comes by faith. Paul wants them to understand and receive these riches, as he is “Praying for God's Power”.

Nothing in this life is guaranteed, except death. After death, there are only two guarantees. One guarantee is eternal condemnation & the other is eternal fellowship with our Lord & Savior. Join us for our sermon "Sealed in Him" from Ephesians 1:14-17, where we'll be comforted by the guarantee of our eternal inheritance, in Christ.

Unfortunately, this world seeks unity with incorrect motives & methods. Unification according to this world's terms & conditions will always be a vain pursuit. The reason for this failure is due to mitigated bias. The Bible is crystal clear as to how unity will be achieved. Though we are yet to experience unity's maturity, the necessary actions by Jesus' work on the cross has secured this future event. Join us for our sermon, "Together in Christ" from Ephesians 1:4-10, as we find encouragement in the promise that the entire universe will be brought together through the blood of Jesus!

Love is a powerful motivator. It can cause one to save or even sacrifice life. However, in everyday life, it causes us to meet the needs of those we love. Join us Sunday, as we wrap up the Gospel of John. In our final verses, we find Jesus asking Peter if he loves Him. At this time, Peter has paused his ministry and has gone back to fishing. Jesus uses “The Power of Love”, to motivate and empower him back into service.

According to God's Word, it's from the dust that were created & to the dust we shall return. However, those who receive God's grace, which leads to faith in the resurrection of Jesus, too will be resurrected. Believers will receive glorified bodies that are on par with Jesus' glory. Join us, on Resurrection Sunday, as we examine Philippians 3:20-21. We will be encouraged in the future resurrection of the Believer, through faith in the resurrection of our Savior, in our sermon "From Obscurity to His Glory".

Are modern day miracles really miracles, or just God working through the supernatural? What's the one thing that must happen in order for a miracle to be considered a miracle? Join us for our sermon, "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God," from John 20:30-31 as we answer these questions, as John summarizes his entire Gospel account.

There have been many ideas and theories surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. Many scholars, even secular ones, agree to the basics of Jesus' life. They believe He lived, died on the cross, and then something happened to His body, as the tomb was empty. We as believers, believe He IS the risen Christ! One key piece of evidence that this is true, has to do with what happened to the disciples, after the resurrection. Join us this Sunday, as we continue in John Chapter 20:19-29. What exactly turned the disciples around? They start out scared, confused, and in hiding, to becoming fearless preachers, willing to give their lives for the truth of the Gospel. We will see this is key in understanding, the “Evidence of a Risen Christ”

As humans, we have an uncanny ability to recognize another human's voice. We can recognize an individual simply by hearing their tone, inflection, modulation & pitch. Such was the case for Mary Magdalene, when she initially mistook the resurrected Jesus' visual appearance for a gardener. It wasn't until she heard His voice, that she identified Him as the Messiah. Join us for our sermon, "The First Witness," from John 20:11-18. In this sermon we will observe God's grace, love & faithfulness, as He identifies Himself in an auditory fashion to Mary, the first witness of His resurrection.

What does the resurrection of Jesus mean to you? What path did the first century disciples take as they grew in the knowledge of Christ? Have you ever found yourself doubting what it is you believe?

Through out human history, mankind has pursued the quest to find longevity. Cyronics is a technology that exemplifies this pursuit through the freezing of the human body, only to be awaken in the future. Unfortunately, most do not know that it's not about longevity, as much as it's about eternity. The pursuit of living a life eternal is only achieveable by God's grace & our faith in Jesus. Our Savior secured our eternal future, because only He has absolute control over death, even including His own. Join us for our sermon, "Control Over His Death & Burial" from John 19:31-42, as we observe Jesus' complete & out right control.

Every story ever told that's worth its weight has a climax. The climax of a story is when a conflict & or problem is solved, like a hero who saves the day, or a character who solves a seemingly unsolvable problem. Join us for our sermon "Climax of the Gospel," from John 19:16-30, where John records the crucifixion of Jesus as the climax of God's redemptive love story!

If you are on social media at all, you've run into an internet know-it-all before. Some, will pretend to be an expert in almost anything. Very few speak from actual experience or first hand knowledge of an event or subject. Join us this Sunday, as we hear from the Apostle John. At this point, he's a seasoned Apostle and has actually walked and talked with Jesus Himself. Therefore, he has first hand knowledge to combat false teachings going on in and around the church. We discover in the first chapter of 1 John, John giving “An Eyewitness Account” about the truth of the Gospel and Jesus Christ.

Citizens of the United States have been inundated with stories of insurrection since January of 2021. For most of us, words like insurrectionist & sedition were potentially heard for the first time. However, accusations of insurrection have been made for thousands of years. In fact, the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of insurrection against the Romans. Join us as we dive into the account of Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate accused of sedition & insurrection in our sermon "Jesus Before Pilate pt.1" from John 18:28-38.

Meekness is often mistaken for weakness. This could not be further from the truth. One definition of meek is “Power under control”. Join us this Sunday as we continue our series in The Gospel of John. We observe in chapter 18, Jesus being betrayed and arrested. He knows His time has come, but goes along with it willingly. He did not have to allow this to happen. He truly shows us that “Meek is not weak”.

Christian's are like Russian Matryoshka dolls. What's a Matryoshka doll? It's one doll, comprised of various sizes, where each individual doll fits into the size larger. In our sermon "Extraordinary Prayer pt.3" we'll witness Jesus pray for us to be in Him, like He is the Father. We'll also witness, Jesus pray for our unity in Him, which reveals God's love to the unbelieving world.

Before Jesus departed the Upper Room, He prayed over His disciples. Just before He subjected Himself to a Roman crucifixion via the Jews, He had three specific prayer requests, as found in John 17:11-19. First, He prayed for their unity. Secondly, he prayed for their spiritual security. Finally, He prayed for their sanctification. Join us for our sermon, "Extraordinary Prayer pt.2," where we'll be encouraged in His prayer for those who follow Him!

In these verses from John 17:1-10, Jesus prayers for His return to glory, the Believer's grace & divine protection.

Often in athletic training, you'll hear the expression: "Pain is temporary, but glory is forever". According to the Word of God, the same is true with regards to grief & joy. Grief is temporary, but joy is forever. The only caveat would be one's definition of joy. There are many blessings that we mistake for joy, which is why it's important to correctly distinguish between the two. Blessings come & go, whereas the joy found in Jesus lasts forever. Join us for our sermon, "Grief, Turned Joy" from John 16:16-22, where Jesus comforts His disciples prior to His crucifixion.

Authenticator of Scripture - John 16:12-15 - Jared Novak by Villas Grace Church

Over 360 million Christians are currently being persecuted world wide. That's 1 out of every 7 Christ followers walking this globe. Persecution is nothing new. In fact, Jesus faced intense persecution, & warned His disciples that they'd endure the same. Join us for our sermon "Help Is On the Way," from John 16:1-11, where we'll hear about His remedy for the incoming persecution of Believers.

Turnstiles are effective at controlling the flow of a crowd. Typically, they consist of 3 arm bars, that rotate to allow one individual to proceed at a time. Jesus refers to a narrow gate as the entry point that leads to life. Like a turnstile, the narrow gate only allows one individual to proceed at a time. Thus, salvation is based on a personal, individual relationship with Jesus. Join us for our sermon "The Narrow Way," from Matthew 7:13-14, as well as Threefold Communion, which pertains to the past, present & future aspects of eternal salvation.

The Church's Testimony - John 15:26-27 - Matthew Niemier by Villas Grace Church

Famous performer and self proclaimed atheist Penn Jillete, once said that he did not mind people evangelizing to him. While he completely disagreed, it would be unloving for someone not to tell him about the Gospel, if they believed he was going to Hell. He didn't understand why so many reacted in hate. Which is unfortunately how many people react to the message of the Gospel. Join us this Sunday, as we continue in the Gospel of John. In John 15:18-25, we find Jesus explaining to the disciples, that people will hate them as much as they hated Him. And it's all because of this message of love. They in fact will be…“Hated Because of Love”.

Jesus' Full Joy - John 15:7-11 - Matthew Niemier by Villas Grace Church

A Vinedresser is someone who prunes & cultivates vines. According to Scripture, God is our Vinedresser, who prunes & cultivates our branches, so we can bear more fruit. Join us for our sermon "The Vinedresser's Branches," from John 15:1-6, where we'll find encouragement in God producing fruit in us, so we can endure trials & tribulations.

Whether it's actual storms or just storms in life, we could all use a bit more peace. As Believers, we know that we will have troubles in this world, but Jesus has overcome this world and gives us peace that this world cannot. Join us this Sunday, as we continue our series in the Gospel of John. We'll close out chapter 14, where we'll find out where“True Peace” comes from.

Artificial Intelligence is instant help. From Apple's Siri & Google Assistant to Chat GPT & Grok AI, we have instant access to help, almost anytime, anywhere. These are nothing more than a man-made attempt to mimic God, which is why AI will fail us anytime, anywhere. God's instant help is eternally reliable. He has given us His Helper, who dwells within us, assisting us as we strive to keep His commandments. Join us for our sermon "The Promised Helper," from John 14:15-24, where we'll be encouraged to love God & reap the benefits of the Holy Spirit.

Many people seek evidence for the existence of God everywhere but Scripture. Sure, God reveals Himself through His creation. However, it's the self-testimony of Jesus, John the Baptist & Old Testament Scriptures that reveal Jesus to be God in human flesh. Join us for our sermon "The Personhood of Jesus," from John 14:7-14, where we'll be comforted in Jesus' testimony that He is God & faith in His personhood leads to eternal salvation.

Ultimate Redemption - Romans 3:21-26 - Matthew Niemier by Villas Grace Church

Absolute truth is something that holds true regardless of time, culture or preference. People's view of absolute truth may vary, but it does not change what is absolutely true. Join us this Sunday, as we continue our series in the Gospel of John, as we begin chapter 14, we'll find Jesus making an absolute truth statement. He declares Himself “The Only Way, Truth and Life”. He is the ONLY way to the Father.

Espionage is employed by nation states in order to gather intelligence on adversaries. The most damaging case of treason was performed by FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was a Soviet/Russian spy for 25 years until he was exposed by the U.S. government in 2001. Hanssen received more than $1.4 million in cash & gifts from the Kremlin for his acts of treason. Probably the most famous traitor in human history is Judas Iscariot, who spied on Jesus for the chief priests. However, Judas committed treason for the measly price of 30 pieces of silver ($3,200 present day), which is a far cry from $1.4 million. Unlike the people of the United States, Jesus was not a victim. In fact, Jesus knew of Judas' treasonous work all along. Join us for our sermon, "Exposing Treason" from John 13:18-30, where we'll witness Jesus not only expose Judas, but direct his next steps of treachery.

Why did Jesus wash His disciples feet? Join us for our sermon as we study this unique action of Jesus and what it was all about.

We have all rebelled against God. When faced with the reality of our rebellion, we either harden our hearts, or faithfully follow Jesus. Fortunately, the Lord bestows patience on our rebellion & His patience is for the benefit of our salvation. Join us for our sermon “God's Perfect Patience,” from John 12:35-43, where we'll be encouraged in His delaying inevitable judgment.

Some may believe courage is the absence of fear. General Patton was quoted as saying, “Courage is fear that has said its prayers”. So we see courage is enduring in spite of fear. Join us this Sunday as we continue our series in the Gospel of John. In chapter 12, we find Jesus expressing a level of fear and anxiety for what He is about to go through. However, we will see why this could never stop Jesus from fulfilling His purpose. Even though He was “A Troubled Savior”.

Living a life of fear comes from putting too much stock in your accomplishments, experiences & possessions. The only remedy for fear is hope & humility. We should live this life like we have nothing to lose. So, when we hope in our life to come & humble ourselves by forfeiting our lives for Jesus, we position ourselves to receive honor from God. Join us for our sermon, "To Gain From A Loss," from John 12:20-26, where we'll be encouraged to adequately prepare for our eventual exit from this world.

Who do you choose to follow & why? What is the character of a Godly leader? Can the truth spoken in love ever truly be stopped? Join us as we answer these questions & more in our sermon "Right King, Wrong Time," from John 12:12-19.

When it comes to eternal salvation, the Bible is black & white. Faith in the resurrection of Jesus leads to eternal life. Whereas unbelief in said resurrection leads to eternal damnation. Join us for our sermon "Faith vs. Unbelief," from John 12:1-11. In these verses, we'll witness the faith of Martha, Mary & Jesus' friends, pitted against the unbelief of Judas, the large crowd of Jews & the chief priests.

We hear the terms “conspiracy” or “conspiracy theory” thrown around a lot today it's nothing new. Anywhere there is power mankind will struggle to control said power. Join us this Sunday as we wrap up John chapter 11. We will find that the Jewish religious leaders have finally had enough of this Jesus. They feared losing their power over the people and their position with Rome. They must do something immediately. Therefore, they develop a “Conspiracy to kill the Truth”, not only a truth but the Truth Himself.

During WWII, Nazi Germany created a weapon called the “Sonic Cannon,” that was based on sound. Quite simply, the Axis forces capitalized on the power of sound. As Believers, we know that sound has tremendous power, especially when it comes from the Lord's voice. He creates, destroys and resurrects by the sound of His voice. Join us for our sermon “Resurrection of Lazarus pt. 3,” from John 11:38-46, where we'll be encouraged in the powerful voice of Jesus, which raised Lazarus from the grave.

Back in the 90's, Reebok reminded us that "Life Is Short. Play Hard." This is really a play on the mantra "Live Life To the Fullest," or "You Can't Take It With You." It's as though we should get the most out of our only life to live. For those who believe in Jesus, we know that this couldn't be further from the truth. Jesus Himself says: "I Am the resurrection and the life." Therefore, we know that we have a life, beyond this life now. Join us for our sermon "Resurrection of Lazarus pt.2," where we'll witness the grief, compassion & love that drew Jesus to the cross.

It's common to hear athletes give God the glory after a win. However, it's rare to hear an athlete give God the glory in the midst of defeat. As Believers, we are to give God ALL the glory in ALL circumstances. After all, He is ALWAYS at work! God receiving glory is the central theme of the "Resurrection of Lazarus". Join us for part 1 of our 3 part series, beginning with John 11:1-16.

Minute Men by Villas Grace Church

If there is something we know well here in South West Florida, it is the power of a major hurricane. Even with advanced technology, all we can do is guess the absolute path and strength of any given storm. They seem to do whatever they want. Even so, that is still a small example, compared to the power of God. Join us this Sunday as we wrap up John chapter 10. Here we find the religious leaders ready to put Jesus to death. However, they could not, for it was not His time yet. Only Jesus could surrender His life. It could not be taken from Him. This is because of the “Unstoppable Purpose” of God.

Debit & Credit Card fraud are a 5 billion dollar a year industry. In the technological age, nothing is secure. Our possessions, financial data & personal information can all be stolen. However, the one thing that can never be taken away from us is eternal salvation. Our eternal destiny has been provided & secured through Jesus! Join us for our sermon "Divine Affirmation," from John 10:22-30, where Jesus affirms His deity, as well as His firm grip on our salvation.

Reward often requires a certain amount of risk. When taking risks, we often do so in a calculating fashion, which we do as our desired outcome isn't guaranteed. To say that Jesus "risked" His life would be an understatement. As God, Jesus couldn't risk anything, as He always knows the outcome. Join us for our sermon "The Good Shepherd pt.2" from John 10:11-21, where Jesus willingly lays down His life for His flock, as a sacrifice that a risk taker could never calculate.

Who do you follow? In the age of social media, this question has many implications. Today, there's an abundance of content creators vying for our attention. They're constantly asking us to like, share, follow & or subscribe. So, who do you follow? Do you follow Jesus? Do you know the sound of His voice? If so, what does His voice sound like & where do you go to hear it? Join us for our sermon, "The Good Shepherd," from John 10:1-10, where we'll be encouraged to ONLY follow the sweet sound of salvation!

It is said by some that Jesus never actually claimed to be God in the flesh. He only claimed to be a prophet of God. However, we see many places in Scripture, where His deity is quite obvious. Join us this Sunday, as we continue our series in the Gospel of John, where we'll find in verses 9:35-41, something amazing. We find Jesus accepting worship from a man he healed from blindness. Only God Himself can receive worship. If Jesus was not God, this would be a direct violation of the first 2 commandments! Instead, we find here, that Jesus is “The Son of Man, Worthy of Worship”.

Increasingly, we're being nudged towards policy centered around the notion that mankind can save the planet. Even though God's Word clearly states in 1 Corinthians that "the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire". So, why would we even entertain this notion? Well, it's simple; outright control & spiritual blindness! In fact, the Pharisee's lust for control & spiritual blindness caused them to harbor prejudice when investigating the miracle of Jesus healing the sight of the blind man. Join us for our sermon, "Rejecting Testimony," from John 9:13-34, where we'll witness the motives of the spiritually blind.

Do you have eye trouble? Do you know someone else who does? Join us in John 9:1-2 to hear how "Jesus Brings Sight to the Blind."