Brownsburg Church of Christ
Brownsburg Church of Christ
Welcome to the Brownsburg Church of Christ Sermons feed! Here you'll find our Sunday sermons from each week. We hope you'll be inspired, challenged, and encouraged you in your walk with Christ. Rooted in Scripture and delivered with clarity, these messages aim to strengthen your faith and equip you to live out God's word in everyday life. Whether you’re a member of our congregation or tuning in from afar, we invite you to listen, reflect, and grow with us. Join us as we seek to glorify God, deepen our understanding of His truth, and follow Jesus more faithfully.
Episodes
"What is Truth?"
In John 18, Pilate asks Jesus "What is truth?" - a question that still echoes through our culture. Their encounter reveals what happens when truth threatens our power, comfort, and control - and calls us to listen to the King standing before us.Scripture: John 18.28-40(Additional Reading: John 1.14, 17, 8.32, 14.6, 17.17)Warm-Up:What happens when the truth conflicts with what we want to protect?“Pilate deserves our sympathies, not because he was a good though tragically mistaken man, but because we are not much better. We may believe in Jesus, but we do not believe in his ideas, at least not his ideas about violence, truth and justice.”- Miroslav Volf-
How Much Do You Owe?
In Luke 7, a respected Pharisee and a sinful woman sit near the same Jesus - but only one understands the depth of grace. This sermon explores the danger of self-righteousness, the freedom of knowing our need for mercy, and why those who know they have been forgiven much are the ones who learn to love much.Scripture: Luke 7.36-50(Additional Reading: 1 Timothy 1.15; John 9.34-41; 1 John 1.8; Psalm 19.12)Warm-Up:Why do you think some love Jesus deeply while others remain emotionally distant?“Who in heart not ever kneels, neither sin nor Savior feels”- George Herbert -
The Second Garden
In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that the cup might pass from Him—but He also knew that if we were to be saved, He would have to drink it. In The Second Garden, we trace the biblical image of the cup of God’s judgment and see the gospel at its center: it's a sermon about prayer -but really about the gospel.Scripture: Matthew 26.36-46(Additional Reading: Mark 14.32-52; Luke 22.39-46; Psalm 75.8)Warm-Up:What does Gethsemane reveal about the price Jesus paid?“O all ye who pass by, behold and see: Man stole the fruit, but I must climb the tree; The tree of life to all, but only me: Was ever grief like mine?”- George Herbert -
Everybody Has a Master
Ephesians 6.1-9 shows us that the home is one of the first places where spiritual warfare becomes visible. Children are called to honor their parents, parents are warned not to misuse their authority, and everyone in the household is reminded that we all have a Master in heaven.Scripture: Ephesians 6.1-9(Additional Reading: Leviticus 19; Colossians 3.20 – 4.1)Warm-Up:What’s the difference between good authority and abusive authority?“Bitterness about your parents’ brokenness will kill you. Be the grace-filled end of generational sin in your family.” - John Piper -
Husband & Wife
In Ephesians 5.21-33, Marriage is more than a private relationship between two people; it is a living picture of Christ and his church. In a world increasingly confused about the meaning of our bodies, sexuality, and commitment, Paul shows how a wife’s respect, a husband’s Christlike love, and their shared covenant faithfulness can make the gospel visible in the home.Scripture: Ephesians 5.21-33(Additional Reading: Genesis 2.24; Matthew 19.3-9; Malachi 2.13-16)Warm-Up:What makes a marriage “beautiful” – not just to the couple, but for the people watching it?“to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” - A Merism -
God-Intoxicated
Ephesians 5:18–21 calls Christians to reject every counterfeit source of fullness and to go on being filled with the Holy Spirit. Rather than dulling us, the Spirit makes us more alive to God’s goodness, filling our lives with worship, gratitude, and humble service. This sermon asks the central question: What is controlling us and driving our lives?Scripture: Ephesians 5.18-21(Additional Reading: Ephesians 1.22-23, 3.14-21; Colossians 3.16)Warm-Up:Who is someone you would consider “spirit-filled” in your life?“[unlike drinking alcohol] The Spirit does not make you less aware of your problems. [He] makes you more aware of your resources.” - Timothy Keller -
How to Walk
The Christian life is more than believing the right things—it is learning how to walk. In Ephesians 5:1–17, Paul calls us to walk in love, walk as children of light, and walk wisely in an evil age, following the footsteps of Christ wherever he leads.Scripture: Ephesians 5.1-17(Additional Reading: John 3.19-21; Matthew 5.14-16; Ephesians 2.2, 2.10, 4.1, 4.17, 5.2, 5.8, 5.15)Warm-Up:What does the way a person “walks” through life reveal about who they’re following?“No man ever steps into the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”- Heraclitus -
The War in Your Mouth
In Ephesians 4:29–30, Paul shows us that spiritual warfare is not only fought in dramatic moments, but in ordinary speech. Our words either spread the rot of the old life or give grace to those who hear. In Christ, the mouth becomes one of the places where the curse stops spreading and blessing begins to flow.Scripture: Ephesians 4.29-30(Additional Reading: Isaiah 63.9-10; Matthew 12.33-37; Hebrews 13.20-21)Warm-Up:When has someone’s words either strengthened you or wounded you – more than they knew or intended?“O happy living things! no tongueTheir beauty might declare:A spring of love gushed from my heart,And I blessed them unaware:Sure my kind saint took pity on me,And I blessed them unaware.”- Rime of the Ancient Mariner -
Redeemed Hands
In Ephesians 4:28, Paul shows that Christian transformation is more than simply stopping bad behavior. In Christ, the thief becomes a worker, and the worker becomes a giver—because the gospel does not merely close our hands from taking, but opens them to bless others.Scripture: Ephesians 4.28(Additional Reading: Exodus 22; Romans 13.7; Leviticus 19.13; Malachi 3.8-11)Warm-Up:What is one need you noticed recently that you had the ability to help meet?“Ownership is not possessing things to use for our own purposes, but receiving things to be used for God’s glory….it’s not just about stealing; it’s about stewardship.”- Philip Ryken -
Devil in the Doorway
In Ephesians 4:26–27, Paul teaches that anger is not always sinful, but unresolved anger can become spiritually dangerous. When we let anger linger, we may be giving the devil a doorway into our hearts, our homes, and our church. This sermon explores how Christians can tell the truth about anger without letting anger become a place where evil takes hold.Scripture: Ephesians 4.26-27(Additional Reading: Psalm 4.4; James 1.19-20; Matthew 5.21-25; John 2.13-17)Warm-Up:When does anger shift from being understandable to something spiritually dangerous?“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.”- Yoda -
Tell the Truth
In Ephesians 4:17–25, Paul shows that telling the truth is not merely a good habit — it is new creation speech. Because the truth is in Jesus, Christians must put away the falsehood of the old self and become a people whose words reflect the God who owns reality, restores his image in us, and joins us together as one body.Scripture: Ephesians 4.17-25(Additional Reading: Romans 1.18-32; Zechariah 8.16; John 8.43-45)Warm-Up:Why are we tempted to lie when telling the truth would be simpler?“Every violation of truth is not only a sort of suicide in the liar, but is a stab at the health of human society.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson -
How the Church Wins
In Ephesians 4:1–16, Paul turns from the cosmic truths of the gospel to the ordinary life of the church, showing that Christ’s victory becomes visible through a unified and maturing body. The church does not win by worldly power, talent, or impressiveness, but by walking worthy of the gospel: guarding unity, using Christ’s gifts, speaking the truth in love, and growing together into Him.Scripture: Ephesians 4.1-16(Additional Reading: John 17.20-26; Romans 12.1-3; Psalm 68.15-18; Matthew 16.18-20)Warm-Up:What’s one thing that makes it hard for Christians to stay unified, even when they believe the same gospel?“The man who loves his dream of community will destroy community, but the man who loves those around him will create community.”- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
A Cosmic Display
In Ephesians 3, Paul pulls back the curtain and shows that the church is far more than a weekly gathering of ordinary people. Through the united people of God, the Lord is displaying His manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.This sermon explores why Paul prays that the church would have strength to comprehend this reality, know the love of Christ, and live as God’s cosmic display in the world.Scripture: Ephesians 3.1-21(Additional Reading: Ephesians 1.18-19; Hebrews 12.1; 1 Peter 1.12; Luke 15.7; John 15.1-8)Warm-Up:When have you seen something ordinary become more meaningful once you understood what was happening behind the scenes?“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”- C.S. Lewis -
One New Humanity
In Ephesians 2:11–22, Paul shows that Christ did not merely come to save isolated individuals, but to create a new reconciled humanity. Through the cross, Jesus kills the hostility that divides us from God and one another, tearing down the walls of pride, prejudice, and tribalism so that the church becomes a living temple of God’s presence in the world.Scripture: Ephesians 2.11-22(Additional Reading: Ephesians 1.10; Colossians 1.15-20; Revelation 5.9-10; Genesis 12.1-3)Warm-Up:What are some barriers between people that the gospel rids us of?“This is the most sweeping and breathtaking statement of human unity and universality enunciated in antiquity.”- Douglas Moo -
Amazing Grace
In Ephesians 2:1–10, Paul shows us why grace is truly amazing: we were not merely confused, wounded, or mistaken—we were dead in sin. But God, rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ, saving us not by our works, but by His grace, and remaking us as His workmanship for a life of grateful obedience.Scripture: Ephesians 2.1-10(Additional Reading: Luke 9.60; Colossians 3.7; Exodus 34.6-7; Romans 3.27; 1 Corinthians 1.29)Warm-Up:Would you ever describe yourself as a “wretch”? “You’re equipped, you realize, for farce (or even tragedy) more than you are for happy endings.”- Francis Spufford -
Opened Eyes
In Ephesians 1:15–23, Paul prays not for more information, but for illumination—that the eyes of our hearts would be opened. This sermon explores the difference between knowing the truth and truly seeing it, and what changes when we finally grasp the hope, identity, and power we have in Christ.Scripture: Ephesians 1.15-23(Additional Reading: Acts 28.27; Revelation 3.17-18; Zephaniah 3.17; 1 Corinthians 2.6 – 3.4; 2 Corinthians 3.14)Warm-Up:What was something that was always there, but you didn’t really see it till later?“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”- Psalm 34.8 -
Chosen in Him
In Ephesians 1:1–14, Paul pulls back the curtain and shows us that our salvation is not random, accidental, or self-made, but rooted in God’s eternal purpose in Christ. This sermon explores the breathtaking blessings God has given us “in Him”—election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, and inheritance—and shows how all of it is part of His greater plan to sum up all things in Christ.Scripture: Ephesians 1.1-14(Additional Reading: Deuteronomy 7.6-8; 1 John 4.10, 19; Jeremiah 1.5)Warm-Up:St. Peter at the pearlies asks you, “Why should I let you in?” - what’s your answer?“There was nothing Israel did to generate his choice of them, and the same is true of us. There is not entitlement in grace. It is a gift graciously given, undeserved.”- Darrell Bock -
This Means War
This Sunday we begin our new series through Ephesians by starting at the end - Ephesians 6:10–20, the "skeleton key" of the letter - because Paul’s teaching on spiritual warfare helps unlock the whole letter. In a world that constantly misidentifies the enemy, this sermon will call us to see reality as Scripture does: there is an unseen battle, we have a real enemy, and in Christ we have been given everything we need to stand.Scripture: Ephesians 6.10-13(Additional Reading: 2 Corinthians 10.3-5; Isaiah 11.5, 52.7, 49.2, 59.17)Warm-Up:How is the devil currently attacking you or others close to you?“For all the skirmishes we get involved in, I’ve come to believe that we make it harder on ourselves because we’re fighting the wrong enemy with the wrong tactics and the wrong weapons.”- Harold Senkbeil -
Unseen Series Intro
We’re beginning UNSEEN; our journey through Ephesians by starting at the end.Before we teach through the letter, we want to listen to it.Ephesians 6 gives us the lens for everything that follows—revealing a reality we often overlook:That the Christian life is not just lived in what we can see. It is shaped by what we cannot.In this chapter, Paul reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against unseen forces—calling us to be strong in the Lord and to stand in His strength.This is not a sermon. It’s not commentary.It’s simply Scripture.An invitation to slow down, pay attention, and let the Word of God speak.As you listen, consider:Where do you feel the weight of the battle? Where might you be misidentifying the enemy? And what would it look like to stand—not in your own strength—but in His?This is the beginning of our Ephesians series.
Because He Lives
In this Easter sermon from 1 Corinthians 15:1–28, we explore why the resurrection of Jesus is not an optional part of the Christian message but the very thing that gives the cross its meaning. Because Christ is raised, death does not get the last word, our faith is not empty, and nothing done in the Lord is ever in vain.Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15.1-34(Additional Reading: Romans 6.9, 4.24-25; Hebrews 6.10; 2 Corinthians 4.14)Warm-Up:What difference would it make in your daily life if you truly believed nothing done for Christ was ever wasted?“Pilate said, ‘Go, make it as secure as you can.’”- Matthew 27.65 -
The Judge on Trial
In this sermon, we trace the stunning reversal at the heart of the Passion story: the One condemned by a human court is revealed to be the true Judge of the world. By following Jesus from his trial to the cross, we see not only the injustice of man, but the judgment of the world, the defeat of evil, and the mercy of God for all who take refuge in Christ.Scripture: Mark 14.53-65(Additional Reading: Exodus 3.14, Daniel 7.13-14; Psalm 110.1; John 12.31-32; Romans 8.1)Warm-Up:What do you think about the Judgment Day and the human longing for vindication?“When we look at the cross, we see the truth that we are not a world of righteousness and justice; we are a world that kills the innocent for the sake of power.”- Brian Zahnd -
Re-Enchanting the Lord's Supper
In this sermon, we explore how the Lord’s Supper has often been reduced in our minds to mere ritual or bare symbol, when Scripture presents it as something far weightier, holier, and more formative. Looking especially at 1 Corinthians 11 and John 13, we will consider how Christ meets His people at the table, calls them to reverence, and shapes them into a community marked by humility, unity, and love.Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11.17-34(Additional Reading: Exodus 24.1-11; John 13.1-17)Warm-Up:Why do you feel the Lord’s Supper can start to feel small in churches when the Bible treats it as weighty?Notes:“This is more than I had for breakfast.”- Random Guy Taking the Lord’s Supper -
Re-Enchanting Prayer
In our “Re-Enchanted” series, this week’s message tackles why prayer feels awkward in a disenchanted, flattened world—and why Scripture insists it’s anything but self-talk. From Luke 11:1–13, we rediscover prayer as bold communion with a Father. You’ll leave with a practical plan that will serve as guide rails to a daily prayer life.(Additional Reading: James 1.5-8, 4.1-10, 5.13-18; Luke 11.1-8; Isaiah 64.5-7)Warm-Up:What’s one thing that makes prayer feel “weird” to you in modern life—time, doubt, distraction, embarrassment, disappointment, or something else?Notes:“Until you know that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for.”- John Piper -
Re-Enchanting Bible Reading
This week in our Re-Enchanting Christianity series, we’ll re-learn how to approach the Bible not as mere literature or a religious rulebook, but as God’s living voice. From 1 Thessalonians 2:13, we’ll see that Scripture isn’t just something we study—it’s something that works on us, searches us, and reshapes us. Come ready to press your ear against the hive of God's Word. Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2.1-13(Additional Reading: Isaiah 40.3-8; 1 Samuel 3.21; Hebrews 4.12-13; 1 Peter 1.22 – 2.3)Warm-Up:When was the last time the Bible felt less like “information” and more like God actually addressing you—and what do you think made the difference?“I have thought I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf, till a few moments hence I am no more seen. I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to heaven—how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way: for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price give me the Book of God! I have it. Here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri.”- John Wesley -
Re-Enchanting Attention
In a world that feels increasingly disenchanted, the problem may not be that God is absent—but that our attention has been captured. Drawing from Isaiah 6 and Jesus’ words in Matthew 13, this message explores how what we behold shapes who we become, and how modern distractions can quietly form our hearts. If we want to recover wonder, holiness, and fruitfulness, we must learn again how to see.Scripture: Isaiah 6.8-13(Additional Reading: Psalm 115; Psalm 135.15-18; Exodus 3.1-6; 2 Timothy 2.4; Isaiah 2.6-8)Warm-Up:When was the last time you were completely bored – and just sat with your thoughts?“ The air was cool and soft, as if it were early spring, yet they felt about them the deep and thoughtful quiet of winter. It seemed to them that they did little but eat and drink and rest, and walk among the trees; and it was enough.”- J.R.R. Tolkien -
Re-Enchanting God
Modern Christians often have a high view of self and a low view of God, resulting in a loss of reverence and spiritual depth. In this sermon from Isaiah 6, we rediscover the “gap” between God and humanity that all the ancients felt and helps us to orient ourselves to God rightly. Recovering holy fear is the beginning of a re-enchanted life.Re-Enchanting GodHow Big is Your God?Scripture: Isaiah 6(Additional Reading: Job 38-41; Hebrews 12.28-29; Psalm 139.23-24; John 12.41)Warm-Up:How have we made God small in our culture?“It is the Angel of Death that’s passing over us, Mia, it’s the Angel of Death, the Angel of Death. And he’s very big.”- The Seventh Seal -
Why Re-Enchanted?
The modern world hasn’t erased God—it’s erased our habits of attention. Psalm 19 invites us to see creation, Scripture, and ourselves again, not as empty, but as saturated with meaning.The world hasn’t lost meaning—we’ve lost the way we see it. If faith feels flat or distant, this message is for you.In this opening sermon of Reenchantment, we walk through Psalm 19 to rediscover how God reveals Himself through creation, Scripture, and humility. The heavens still speak. God’s Word still searches us. And faith was never meant to feel empty.From spiritual exhaustion to renewed attention, this sermon sets the vision for a year-long journey of re-enchanting everyday faith at Brownsburg Church of Christ in Brownsburg, Indiana, just outside Indianapolis.
Jesus and the Paralytic
In Luke 5:17–26, Jesus heals a paralyzed man—but not before doing something even more shocking: forgiving his sins. This sermon explores why forgiveness is our deepest need, what the miracle reveals about the identity and authority of Christ, and how Jesus came not only to heal what’s broken in us, but to make us right with God.Scripture: Luke 5.17-26(Additional Reading: 1 Corinthians 11.29-32; James 5.13-16; Isaiah 43.25; Psalm 103.2-3)Warm-Up:What’s the main reason you come to Jesus?“A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”- H. Richard Niebuhr -
Finding Jesus
Why does Luke include the strange story of Jesus getting “lost” at age twelve? Finding Jesus shows how misunderstanding and searching are not failures of faith but part of the way disciples come to see who Jesus truly is—and where He can be found.Scripture: Luke 2.41-52(Additional Reading: Luke 24.13-35; 1 Samuel 2.26; Luke 4.43)Warm-Up:Have you ever been looking for Jesus – only to realize you’d been looking in the wrong place?“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic… or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”- C.S. Lewis -
Love of the Father
What does it really mean to say that God loves us? In this final sermon of The Gifts of God, we turn to John 1 to see that the love of the Father is revealed not through force or control, but through God making room for us—and inviting us to make room for Him.Scripture: John 1.1-18(Additional Reading: Isaiah 41.10; Philippians 2; John 3.16)Warm-Up:What would it take for you to truly believe that God loves you?“He became what we are, that He might make us what He is.”- Athanasius -
Joy of the Child
This season's joy is not mere sentiment or seasonal cheer. It is the shock of recognition that goodness has entered the world in the person of Jesus Christ. In this message, we consider what the world would look like if Christ had never come—and why His birth still gives reason for lasting joy.Scripture: Luke 2.8-14(Additional Reading: Luke 1.41-44, 46-47; Luke 2.15-18; 2.28-32, 36-38; Matthew 2.10; Nehemiah 8.10)Warm-Up:What’s something good in your life right now that you rarely stop to give thanks for?“True joy comes from a sense of God’s goodness.”- Jonathan Edwards -
Peace of the Mother
(The audio quality improves at 2:29)What does the Bible really mean by “peace”? This message explores how Scripture defines peace not necessarily as the absence of chaos, but as God bringing wholeness, shalom, through disorder—seen most clearly in Mary’s surrendered “Let it be.” Rooted in Matthew 1 and the story of Jesus, the sermon invites us to receive true peace by trusting what God has already done for us in Christ.Scripture: Matthew 1(Additional Reading: Luke 2.8-14; Ephesians 2.13-16; John 14.27; Romans 5.1)Warm-Up:What situation in your life right now is begging for surrender?“Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying you are sorry, realising that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor ... is what Christians call repentance. Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means... undergoing a kind of death.”.”- C.S. Lewis -
Hope of the Woman
Before angels sang and shepherds rejoiced, God whispered a promise into a garden filled with loss: a child would come to crush the darkness. This sermon traces that ancient hope from Eve to Mary, showing how this season begins with longing. Join us as we rediscover the fierce, surprising hope that Christ brings.Scripture: Genesis 3-4(Additional Reading: Romans 8.18-25; Psalm 139.13-16; Galatians 4.4)Warm-Up:Where do you feel ache, and where are you longing for God to bring hope?“Hope is expectation that is directed toward something outside ourselves; something we do not yet see, but which God has promised.”- Fleming Rutledge -
Jesus and the Road
On the road to Emmaus, two discouraged disciples walked beside Jesus without recognizing Him. In this sermon, we explore why our categories can blind us to Christ’s presence, how Scripture sets our hearts on fire, and how our eyes finally open at the table of grace. Join us as we discover the Jesus who walks with us long before we realize He’s there.Scripture: Luke 24.13-35(Additional Reading: Luke 24.44-48; Luke 2.41-52; Deuteronomy 18.15; Psalm 2.7; Genesis 3.7)Warm-Up:When have your expectations about how God “should work” kept you from seeing how he was actually working?“I was linking up the words of the Torah with one another, and then the words of the prophets, and then the prophets with the writings, and the words rejoiced as on the day they were delivered from Sinai. And were they not originally delivered from Sinai in fire?”- Simeon ben Azzai -
Jesus and the Fringe
In Mark 5, a woman who has suffered for twelve years pushes through a crowd just to touch the fringe of Jesus’ garment. What looks like desperation is actually a bold confession of who she believes Jesus to be. In this message, we explore the courage it takes to reach for Jesus—and the grace of a Savior who refuses to let faith hide in the shadows.Scripture: Mark 5.21-43(Additional Reading: Luke 8.40-56; Leviticus 15.25-30; Numbers 15.37-41; Malachi 4.2)Warm-Up:What part of your life would Jesus shine his light on?“The sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings.”- Malachi 4.2 -
Jesus and the Dog
When a desperate Gentile woman dares to ask Jesus for help, His response sounds shockingly harsh—until you realize what He’s doing. In this encounter, Jesus draws out the kind of faith that will not be denied, revealing a grace big enough for the outsider and crumbs that can feed the world. Scripture: Mark 7.24-30(Additional Reading: Matthew 15.21-28; Mark 6.52 & 8.17-21; John 1.9-13; Matthew 11.20-24; Psalm 87)Warm-Up:Who are the people you find hardest to believe God’s grace could reach?“Faith is the hand of the beggar that takes alms from the King.”- Augustine of Hippo -
Jesus and the Sons
In one of Jesus’ most famous stories, two very different sons both end up far from home—and one extravagant Father runs to meet them both. In this message, we’ll discover that rebellion and religion can both lead us away from God, but grace is what brings us home.Scripture: Luke 15.11-32(Additional Reading: Romans 6.23; Genesis 4.9; Hosea 11.1-4, 8-9; Jeremiah 31.20)Warm-Up:Have you ever run away from someone who loved you – only to discover they were waiting for you all along?“There are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord. One is by breaking all the moral laws and setting your own course, and one is by keeping all the moral laws and being very, very good.”- Timothy Keller -
Jesus and the Graveyard
This week we follow Jesus into a graveyard — the story of Legion, where darkness meets its match. In a world that no longer believes in the unseen, Mark 5 reminds us that evil is real, but not ultimate. Jesus crosses into enemy territory, speaks a word of power, and turns a monster into a missionary — proving that even the tomb can become a pulpit.Scripture: Mark 5.1-20(Additional Reading: Mark 1.21-28; Luke 11.14-23; Luke 13.16; 1 Peter 5.8; John 19.17-18)Warm-Up:When you think about “evil,” do you imagine something supernatural — or something more ordinary, like anger, addiction, or pride?“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils: one is to disbelieve in their existence, the other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”- The Screwtape Letters -
The Body of Christ
Filling in for Thailer this week, Dave Roberts talks about the mystery of Christ’s love for His church, a love that gives, forgives, and makes us one. True grace isn’t earned; it’s received. Just as a bride and groom become one through covenant, Christ calls us into oneness through His gift of grace.
Forgotten God
Filling in for Thailer this week, Grant Lyons reminds us that the Holy Spirit is not a distant force but the very presence of God within us. From creation to redemption, the Spirit breathes life, brings renewal, and empowers God’s people to live beyond their own strength. To walk by the Spirit is to live in step with God Himself, bearing His fruit, reflecting His holiness, and moving where He leads. True life is found in surrendering to the Spirit who dwells within.
Jesus and the Feet
In John 13, Jesus kneels to wash the feet of His disciples—even Judas’. This shocking act reveals not only the depth of His love but also the pattern He calls us to imitate. True greatness is found in kneeling love, the kind that serves even when it costs.Scripture: John 13.1-30(Additional Reading: Philippians 2.5-11; Luke 22.24-27; Psalm 41.9; Titus 3.5)Warm-Up:When was the last time someone surprised you with an act of humble love – did it change the way you looked at them?For all God’s charge to His high angels mayGuard my foot better? Did I yesterdayWash thy feet, my beloved, that they should runQuick to deny me ‘neath the morning sun?- Elizabeth Barret Browning -
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
One of the most beloved stories of Jesus is His encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4. At Jacob’s well, He speaks of a gift called ‘living water’—a gift that would change her life forever. This sermon explores what that living water means, and why her encounter with Jesus still matters for us today.Scripture: John 4.1-42(Additional Reading: John 5.14; Jeremiah 2.13; Isaiah 55.1-7; John 1.29, 34; John 3.16-21)Warm-Up:When has someone loved you enough to tell you a hard truth – and how did it change you?“Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness.”- C.S. Lewis -
Jesus and the Leper
When a leper knelt before Jesus, he didn’t question His power—only His willingness: “If you want to, you can make me clean.” Jesus’ reply, “I do want to. Be clean,” reveals the heart of God toward us. In this message, we’ll see how Christ’s touch overcomes uncleanness, how His willingness points to the cross, and how His forgiveness brings the deepest healing we need.__________Scripture: Mark 1.35-45(Additional Reading: Mark 2.17; 2 Kings 5.7, 10; Numbers 12.13; Leviticus 13-14)Warm-Up:When you think about God, do you find it easier to believe in his power or his willingness? Why?“Am I God, to forgive your sin and to cure you of your leprosy?”- 2 Kings 5.7 -
The Biggest Little Letter
Why is this tiny, personal letter from Paul included in the Bible at all? In this “biggest little letter,” we see the gospel at work — reshaping relationships, reconciling enemies, and planting seeds that would one day topple slavery itself. What looks like a private note becomes a living witness to the power of Christ to transform hearts, households, and history.__________Scripture: Philemon(Additional Reading: Colossians 3.11; 2 Corinthians 10.3-5; Ephesians 6.12; John 18.36)Warm-Up:Have you ever had someone stand in the gap for you – helping to restore a broken relationship? What difference did it make?“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart—and through all human hearts.”- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
Name Dropping
In the final chapter of Colossians, Paul closes his letter by “name dropping” ten ordinary, messy, faithful, and sometimes flawed people. Their stories reveal how God moves the gospel forward through community — and how where we fix our attention shapes the kind of story our name will tell.__________Scripture: Colossians 4(Additional Reading: Acts 13.13, 15.37-39; 2 Timothy 4.10-11; 1 John 2.19; Colossians 1.23)Warm-Up:Where does your mind go when you read a list of names in Scripture?“No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out, and the clean clothes in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one’s temper and give up. It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of his presence.”- C.S. Lewis -
Be Still
In a season marked by deep loss, Psalm 46 invites us to find refuge in God when the ground beneath us feels unsteady. This sermon explores how God’s presence sustains us in the midst of grief and reminds us of His promise: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Even when the waters roar and the mountains tremble, He is with us.
Put On Jesus
Real transformation doesn’t happen by trying harder — it happens by becoming who you already are. In Christ, you’ve been given a new identity, but growing into it takes practice, patience, and Spirit-formed habits. This message explores how Christian virtue is cultivated when we learn to desire what God desires, even when it doesn’t feel natural at first.____________Scripture: Colossians 3(Additional Reading: 2 Corinthians 3.18; Ephesians 5.18-19; Amos 2.7; Psalm 119.9-11)Warm-Up:What’s something that felt completely unnatural the first time you tried it, but eventually became second nature?“Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you already had it.”- C.S. Lewis -
The Value of a Soul
Every soul holds immeasurable worth, carrying a value far beyond what the world often measures. Life choices, relationships, and priorities take on deeper meaning when viewed through the truth that each person is created with eternal significance. Recognizing this calls for compassion, grace, and a greater awareness of how we see ourselves and others, reminding us to treat people with care and to live with purpose shaped by what truly lasts.
Kidnapped
In a world obsessed with new age spiritual upgrades and hidden knowledge, Colossians 2 reminds us that Christ is not a launchpad—He is the fullness of God Himself. This sermon explores how false teachings distort that fullness and how gratitude, humility, and love for God can anchor us in what we already have. Don't settle for "something extra" when you already have everything in Him.___________Scripture: Colossians 2(Additional Reading: Acts 19.11-20; Matthew 22.36-38; Matthew 5.3; 1 Timothy 6.3-5)Warm-Up:What kinds of beliefs, habits, or influences are most likely to “take you captive” and pull your trust away from Christ alone?“Jesus Christ is the conqueror;by his resurrection he overcame death itself,by his resurrection he overcame all things:he overcame magic,he overcame amulets and charms,he overcame the darkness of demon-possession,he overcame dread.When we are with him, we also conquer."- African Hymn -
The Center Holds
What happens when Christ stops being the center of your life and becomes just another piece of it? In this sermon, we explore one of the earliest Christian hymns—a poetic declaration of Jesus as the one who holds all things together. Whether you’re spiritually distracted, emotionally tired, or simply going through the motions, Colossians calls us to re-center on the fullness of Christ. Because when you see Him for who He truly is, everything else—your purpose, your identity, even your struggles—finds its place._____________Scripture: Colossians 1.15-20(Additional Reading: John 1.1-3; Hebrews 1.1-4; Galatians 1.11-16; Acts 9)Warm-Up:If Jesus really holds all things together, why do we keep searching for something else?“A man can learn certain things by looking at the map of the world, but he can learn much more by staying at home. He may see great cities and strange islands; but the best kind of travel is to be found in the simple life of one's own village, in learning to love its familiar shapes and streets, to notice them more fully, and to marvel at them as if for the first time.”G. K. Chesterton